Thursday, December 27th, 2018
2018 Year In Review
Wonderful Wildcats
3 state titles by Minster's girls the top story of 2018
By Colin Foster with contributions by Gary R. Rasberry
"It's the most wonderful time of the year," so say the lyrics and title of Andy Williams' classic Christmas song.
It must have felt wonderful throughout 2018 in Minster.
Of all successes by area teams and individuals this year, it was the wonderful accomplishments by the Wildcat women that stood out as top story.
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard
Minster seniors Taylor Kogge, 24, and Alli Fischer, 3, hold up the Division IV girls basketball state championship trophy after the Wildcats defeated Ottoville 63-48 on Saturday for the program's third state title and the school's 33rd overall state title.
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard
Minster's Kaitylnn Albers, back, hands the baton to Emma Watcke during Friday's 4x800-meter relay at Jesse Owens Stadium in Columbus. Albers, Watcke, Cassie Francis and Madeline Magoto combined to win the event.
Photo by Colin Foster/The Daily Standard
Minster Wildcats: 2018 Division III Girls State Cross Country Champions
The winter, spring and fall concluded with a state championship for a Minster girls program.
The Wildcats won the Division IV basketball championship, captured their first track and field gold since 2004 and then repeated as Division III cross country champions, adding title No. 12 to their OHSAA-record total in the sport.
Factoring in the 2017 state cross crown, Minster has won state titles in female athletics four straight seasons. Girls teams from the school have won 28 state championships (13 in track, 12 cross country and three basketball).
Submitted Photo
Celina Bulldogs: 2018 Division I Boys State Bowling Champions.
Front row from left, Thomas Stoner, Garrett Forlow, Kolyn Wiehe and Cole Cisco. Back row from left, Coach Kieth Kiefer, Garrett Bertke, Jordan Weis, Parker Maurer and Coach Carl Huber.
The Celina boys bowling team rolled its way into history on March 9.
After qualifying for the Division I state bowling championship round, the Bulldogs defeated Beavercreek, Wadsworth and Stow-Munroe Falls to capture the title.
"There was a lot of determination and we made the best of everything," Bulldog bowler Kolyn Wiehe said.
"We knew from the first match of the season," teammate Cole Cisco said. "That's what we wanted to bring home: a state championship for Celina High School."
Nate Langenkamp and Parker Maurer each received All-Ohio honors for the Bulldogs.
The feat gave Celina its first boys' team state title and just the second in school history after the girls' basketball team's 1991 Division I state championship.
Photo by Nick Wenning/The Daily Standard
Marion Local celebrates during the Division IV state championship game.
Marion Local boys basketball coach Kurt Goettemoeller knew his unranked team was the perceived underdog entering the Division IV state championship game with No. 9 Cornerstone Christian in late March.
It didn't stop the Flyers from earning top-dog status in Division IV with a 52-51, double-overtime victory over the Patriots at the Schottenstein Center.
A 2018 state tournament-record crowd of 9,620 was on hand to watch Marion Local do the unthinkable: take down Furman-signee Michael Bothwell and Patriots, who had beaten some of the best Cleveland-area Division I programs during the regular season and had blazed through the D-IV tournament trail unchallenged.
Tyler Mescher made the game-winning free throws in the second OT and scored 18 points, Nathan Bruns hit big shot after big shot on his way to 18 points and the Flyers claimed their first basketball championship since 2003. Marion became the fourth school to win a state basketball and football crown in the same year.
"I told you guys in here Thursday what a whale of a basketball game that was," said Goettemoeller, referring to a narrow win over Pandora-Gilboa in the state semis. "I think we topped that today. Give Cornerstone Christian a lot of credit. They're a great team. We just found a way to get it done today."
A rare thing happened this fall.
The Midwest Athletic Conference did not win a state football championship.
Marion Local was the conference's last team standing when it took on Kirtland in the Division VI state finals. But the Hornets held off the Flyers for a 16-7 win at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, and the MAC was shutout at state for the first time since 2009.
This year was one of three this millennium in which an MAC team hasn't won a state football crown. Below is a list of MAC state champions, runner-ups and semifinalists over the last 30 years.
• State champions in bold. State runner-ups and semifinalists in parentheses
- 2018 none (Marion Local runner-up)
- 2017 Marion Local and Minster
- 2016 Marion Local (Coldwater, Minster runner-up)
- 2015 Coldwater, Fort Recovery (Marion Local runner-up)
- 2014 Coldwater, Minster and Marion Local
- 2013 Coldwater and Marion Local
- 2012 Coldwater and Marion Local
- 2011 Marion Local (Coldwater runner-up)
- 2010 Delphos St. John's (Coldwater runner-up)
- 2009 none (Coldwater, Delphos St. John's runner-up)
- 2008 Delphos St. John's (Marion Local state semifinalist)
- 2007 Coldwater and Marion Local
- 2006 Marion Local and St. Henry
- 2005 Coldwater and Delphos St. John's
- 2004 St. Henry (Versailles runner-up, Coldwater state semifinalist)
- 2003 Versailles (Marion Local runner-up)
- 2002 none (Delphos St. John's state semifinalist)
- 2001 Marion Local (Coldwater state semifinalist)
- 2000 Marion Local (Coldwater runner-up, Delphos St. John's state semifinalist)
- 1999 Delphos St. John's (St. Henry runner-up, Marion Local state semifinalist)
- 1998 Delphos St. John's (Coldwater state runner-up)
- 1997 Delphos St. John's
- 1996 none (St. Henry runner-up)
- 1995 St. Henry (Coldwater state semifinalist)
- 1994 St. Henry
- 1993 none
- 1992 St. Henry
- 1991 none
- 1990 St. Henry
- 1989 Minster
Photo by Nick Wenning/The Daily Standard
Fort Recovery pitcher Nick Thwaits throws a pitch against Coldwater. File photo.
Nick Thwaits was prepared to pitch for Kent State.
Then the San Diego Padres came knocking.
On June 6, San Diego chose the Fort Recovery graduate in the 15th round (441st pick) of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. In early July, Thwaits inked a deal with the Padres that included a $450,000 signing bonus, money that is normally given to a fourth-round selection.
"It was a surreal feeling," Thwaits said. "Every kid dreams about playing professional baseball. Now, I'm given a chance to chase that dream. Hopefully, one day I can make it to the major leagues. It's a thrill and I will always remember that."
Days later, Thwaits made his debut in the Arizona Rookie League. He threw two scoreless and hitless innings for the AZL Padres 1, striking out three and walking one in a 4-3, 12-inning loss to the San Francisco Giants Black. He made eight appearances over the summer, finishing with a 0-0 record, a 2.42 earned run average and 35 strikeouts in 26 innings. He had a WHIP of 1.12 while allowing just 18 hits.
Photo by Dan Melograna/The Daily Standard
New Bremen seniors hold up the Division IV state runner-up trophy after losing in five sets to Tiffin Calvert in the state volleyball tournament on Saturday at the Nutter Center at Wright State University.
MAC volleyball has garnered statewide respect.
The state rankings proved it.
At one point during the regular season, the conference held the state's top-four rankings with No. 1 St. Henry, No. 2 New Bremen, No. 3 Marion Local and No. 4 Fort Recovery.
"It's just really, really cool to see the teams one, two, three, four, and there's other teams in our conference that aren't ranked who could beat anyone of us on any given night," New Bremen coach Diana Kramer said.
Not only were the schools ranked closely, they are also close in proximity, meaning they had to duke it out with each other for the district championship.
Kramer's Cardinals defeated St. Henry in a five-set thriller to win the district title for a third straight season. The Cardinals were denied a state repeat, however, as Tiffin Calvert knocked them off in the state finals.
The MAC did have one state champion, though, with St. Henry graduate Kenzie Bruggeman coaching Versailles to a repeat in Division III.
Photo by Colin Foster/The Daily Standard
Dayton's Ryan Mikesell, middle, fights for a rebound against Detroit Mercy's Chris Brandon (13) and Tra'Quan Knight (15) Tuesday.
Submitted Photo
Owens Community College players Kiah Wendel, left, and Kara Evers, right, pose for a picture with the NJCAA Division III volleyball championship trophy.
Submitted Photo
New Bremen graduate Paige Jones had a freshman season to remember for the nationally ranked Michigan Wolverines. Photo Courtesy of University of Michigan Athletics.
St. Henry graduate Ryan Mikesell made his long-awaited return on the basketball court for Dayton.
Following two hips surgeries, Mikesell, a redshirt junior, is back in the starting lineup for the Flyers. He is averaging 9.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
Mikesell is one of several local athletes having success at the collegiate level.
Marion graduate and Ohio Northern basketball player Ryan Bruns was named Ohio Athletic Conference Player of the Year after averaging 24.0 points per game and posting a school-record 65 blocks in his junior season. Bruns was also voted Second Team All-America by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and D3hoops.com.
Fort Recovery graduate Kiah Wendel and Marion Local alum Kara Evers joined forces at Owens Community College and helped the volleyball team capture the NJCAA Division III national championship.
The Express defeated Eastfield College in five sets at the Regional Sports Center in Rochester, Minnesota to win the program's first national championship and also the first for the school since 1992-1993 (men's basketball).
New Bremen graduate Paige Jones excelled in her first season with the Michigan volleyball team. Among her accolades included Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week in November, Big Ten All-Freshman Team, Michigan Challenge tournament Most Valuable Player and AVCA All-North Region Honorable Mention. The No. 18 Wolverines were defeated by No. 5 Texas in the NCAA Sweet 16.
Photo by Nick Wenning/The Daily Standard
St. Henry's Zach Niekamp (22) celebrates with teammate Caden Niekamp after a touchdown on Friday night.
It finally happened.
Coldwater's 22-game winning streak over St. Henry in the Backyard Football Battle ended on Oct. 19.
Zach Niekamp rushed for 218 yards and four touchdowns to lead St. Henry past its rival by a score of 28-10.
"This means a lot to a lot more people than me," St. Henry coach Brad Luthman said. "This means a lot to every assistant on my coaching staff - the guys who have been coaching here for a long time like Craig Dues and Denny Wendel have worked their butts off for 14 or 15 years to experience this. The kids have been growing up with us and they put it all out there tonight. For them to have this experience, I couldn't be more happy."
St. Henry's winning streak against Coldwater ended at one, however. A few weeks later, the Cavs won the playoff rematch with the Redskins 20-19.
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard
Cole Frilling struck out seven and walked two in a tough 3-2 loss to South Range in the Division III state championship game.
Coldwater reached the state baseball tournament for the 20th time this spring.
Brad Giere pitched a one-hitter for the Cavaliers in an 11-0, run-rule victory over Minford in the Division III state semifinal, which gave them an opportunity to play for a seventh state crown.
South Range got the better of Coldwater in the finals, winning 3-2 for their first-ever baseball title.
Coldwater coach Brian Harlamert was disappointed with the end result, but was proud of his team for getting the program back to state. And odds are, it won't be the last time Coldwater plays for a title.
"We weren't supposed to be here," Harlamert said. "We had a lot of first-year starters for us. They believed in the program and what we teach them all the way down and all the way up. Bottom line, we didn't get number seven, but we got here for number 20.
"It's tough to take, but we'll walk out of here with our pride and get back soon."
The Grand Lake area had two football players awarded Defensive Player of the Year by the Ohio Prep Sports Writers Association.
Marion Local's Sam Huelsman, also the MAC Defensive Player of the Year, won the honor in Division VI. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound linebacker had more than 100 tackles and six sacks for Marion this season.
Perry, the Western Buckeye League's Defensive Back of the Year, earned the same honor in Division IV. He had 160 tackles and two interceptions for the Roughriders, who earned their first state semifinal berth since 2003.
Photo by Colin Foster/The Daily Standard
Willis "Bud" Preston poses with his medals at his Otterbein home on Tuesday. The 89-year-old Preston will compete in the 2019 National Senior Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Willis "Bud" Preston was once a top-tier player in United States Tennis Association competition.
The recently turned 90-year-old still has some athleticism left in the tank.
Over the summer, Preston, a resident at Otterbein, won gold medals in singles tennis, doubles tennis and pickleball at the Ohio Senior Olympics in Westerville to punch his ticket to the 2019 National Senior Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
To take part in the National Senior Games, participants must be 50 years old and qualify the year before through NSGA sanctioned state qualifying games. For the majority of sports, an athlete must qualify by placing in the top three or four of his age division.
Preston, a 1946 Celina graduate, and doubles partner Ron Fanning played in the 80s division in doubles tennis since Fanning is younger. With no other team in the division, the duo played a pair of 65-year-olds and won in straight sets 6-0, 6-4. Preston also added golds in the 90s divisions of singles tennis and pickleball.
And Preston was big man on the campus when he returned to Otterbein.
"The activities director told me to come in to get my picture," Preston explained. "Then she said 'Come on in the cafeteria.' We went in the cafeteria and she said 'Ladies and gentlemen, here's our hero.' Of all things, I looked out the corner of my eye and here came Ron Fanning, my doubles partner, walking in the front door to visit a friend of his. I grabbed him and he was there with me too."
The Senior Games will be held June 14-25, 2019.
