The Daily Standard
Story Archive
Two thousand and twenty-two was a year of bright moments and sadness in the Grand Lake area when it comes to sports.
The area continued to be one of the most dominant in high school sports with several state championships and runner-up finishes, but the sports community lost several folks who helped create the success.
As 2022 winds down, here is a list of stories that were big.
The Coldwater community lost two Hall of Fame baseball coaches as Lou Brunswick, center with wife Ann at left, and Brian Harlamert, right, died within 10 days of each other in September and October.
The Coldwater community and baseball aficionados from across the state were stunned when Cavaliers head baseball coach Brian Harlamert died on Sept. 21 at the age of 51. Harlamert was part of two state championship baseball teams at Coldwater as a player and then took over as head coach of his alma mater in 1998, collecting 531 wins, 13 Midwest Athletic Conference championships and two more state titles in 2014 and 2019, which earned him enshrinement earlier this year into the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association's Hall of Fame.
Just over a week later, Lou Brunswick, who coached Coldwater to five state titles and 750 victories in 30-plus years as head coach, died at 92. Brunswick turned the Cavaliers into a dynasty, earning a spot in the OHSBCA Hall of Fame in 1975, eight years before he guided the Cavaliers to their first state title in 1983.
Brunswick left as head coach in 1993 but continued to mentor baseball players. Sons Tom, Mark and Jeff have continued the work of their father by coaching the game - Tom with the Grand Lake Mariners and currently with the Coldwater ACME team, Mark at Bellefontaine and Jeff at Archbold.
The New Bremen volleyball and football teams hoisted state championship trophies within a month's span in 2022. The Cardinals' volleyball team won its third state championship in November while the football team won its second title in December.
New Bremen fans put on the miles during the fall as the volleyball and football teams maneuvered their way to winning state championships.
The Cardinals' volleyball team tasted victory early in November as Diana Kramer's squad captured its third state championship in school history in sweeping Monroeville in three straight sets in the Division IV final at the Nutter Center in Fairborn. New Bremen has played in the state championship game five times in six seasons.
Then in December, the New Bremen football team, which finished the regular season 7-3, battled through a tough Division VII field to win its second state title in the past three seasons with a 38-6 win over Warren John F. Kennedy at Canton's Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The title was sweeter as the 2020 game was held at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon with limited attendance due to COVID-19.
Marion Local celebrates winning its 13th state football title after defeating Kirtland in the Division VII final in December in Canton.
Marion Local, a program with 12 state football championships since Tim Goodwin took over as head coach in 1999, posted one of the most dominating seasons in state history in winning a second straight state title with a 14-6 win over Kirtland in the Division VI final in Canton. The title is a state-record 13th for the Flyers, who dominated on defense.
The team allowed just 39 points this season - with 16 of those points coming against New Bremen. In the postseason, the Flyers allowed just nine points - a field goal against Versailles and a touchdown against Kirtland. The Kirtland touchdown was the first touchdown allowed by the Flyers since Versailles scored in the second quarter of the teams' Sept. 23 meeting.
Marion Local fans could be in for another milestone next season as Goodwin is eight wins away from reaching his 300th career win with the Flyers. Goodwin is 292-48 in Maria Stein.
Margaret Hemmelgarn earned All-Ohio honors in helping Minster win another state girls cross country champion.
The Minster girls cross country program already cemented its status as one of the best programs in state history coming into this season, but kept adding to the legacy in extending its own record for most state championships after winning the Division III state title in November at Fortress Obetz outside Columbus.
The Wildcats won by a margin of 56 points against backyard rival Fort Loramie thanks to having their five scoring runners all place in the top 40. The title is the second straight for Minster and 15th in school history.
Ellie Gabel, right, was key to New Knoxville's run to the Division IV state girls basketball championship game.
With a group of players who had won the 2021 Division IV state volleyball title, New Knoxville' girls basketball team went on a tremendous run in the 2021-22 season
With sisters Carsyn and Avery Henschen and MAC co-Player of the Year Ellie Gabel leading the Rangers, New Knoxville finished 27-3 and won an outright conference title.
After rolling through the sectional, district and regional unscathed, New Knoxville defeated Cincinnati Country Day 39-28 in the state semifinals at the University of Dayton Arena before having their season ended with a 35-26 loss to Waterford in the championship game.
The championship game was the final game for head coach Tim Hegemier, who retired after 17 seasons, guiding the Rangers to 278 wins and two state runner-up finishes in his career at his alma mater.
Jenna Leugers (10) helped Coldwater reach the the Division III state volleyball championship game this past season.
Coldwater looked to be a long shot to contend for a state title in volleyball seasons. Injuries and small numbers in the younger grades forced the Cavaliers to play just a varsity schedule this season.
Thanks to a number of talented players, the Cavaliers came through for a tremendous season that ended up with a trip to the Division III state championship match at the Nutter Center.
Coldwater, appearing in the state final four for the first time since losing to Versailles in the 2017 Division III final, lost to Mentor Lake Catholic in three straight sets to give the Cavaliers the runner-up trophy.
Nick Thwaits, left, and Seth Lonsway had successful seasons in the minor leagues this past season.
Celina graduate Seth Lonsway and Fort Recovery graduate Nick Thwaits had successful seasons pitching in the minor leagues.
Lonsway, a sixth-round draft pick by San Francisco in 2021, had a tremendous first full season of ball. Pitching for San Jose, the Giants' Class A afilliate, the left-hander went 9-2 with a 4.06 earned run average and struck out 120 batters in 95 1/3 innings.
Thwaits, a 15th round selection by San Diego in the 2018 Draft, spent the majority of his summer close to home for the Padres' Advanced-A club in Fort Wayne. As the season went on, Thwaits became a strong performer out of the bullpen for the TinCaps, finishing 3-5 with a 3.29 ERA in 62 innings of work. Thwaits earned a promotion to Double-A San Antonio at the end of the season.
The Coldwater boys bowling team continued to be a state contender after finishing runner-up at the 2022 Division II tournament in Columbus this spring.
Coldwater advanced to the state tournament and earned the top seed going to the championship round, where the Cavaliers lost in a best-of-five baker game final to Mechanicsburg. Senior Nathan Shooke earned first team All-Ohio honors as the individual runner-up while sophomore Carter Bertke was a honorable mention All-Ohio selection.
St. Marys' Tate Hisey, top, joined older brothers Tyler and Trevor in earning All-Ohio finishes at the state tournament.
St. Marys earned a third straight Western Buckeye League wrestling championship thanks to the performances of the Hisey Brothers. Senior Trevor Hisey won his fourth WBL championship in winning the 126-pound league title while twin brother Tyler won his third league title in taking first place at 120 pounds. Then younger brother, freshman Tate, won his first league title at 106 pounds.
The three brothers all qualified for the state tournament. The twins both qualified in 2020 but were unable to compete due to the tournament being canceled due to COVID-19. Tyler Hisey qualified in 2021 and finished third at 113 pounds. In 2022, all three brothers earned All-Ohio honors as Tyler Hisey finished fifth at 113 pounds, Tate Hisey finished fifth at 106 pounds and Trevor Hisey finished seventh at 120 pounds. The brothers combined to go 142-9 last season.
The Grand Lake area has gained a strong reputation for great track and field performers, and the results of the 2022 state track and field meet proved that again.
The area brought home four competition championships, two coming from Minster's girls program as Taylor Roth, Margaret Hemmelgarn and sisters Chaney and Cameo Cedarleaf won the 4x800-meter relay championship. One day later, Roth earned a gold medal as an individual in winning the 800 run.
Coldwater's Tyler Schwieterman successfully defended his 300 hurdles title at state while Marion Local's Molly Winner won the shot put.
