Friday, March 25th, 2022
Rockford teen to compete in national spelling bee in D.C.
By Leslie Gartrell
ROCKFORD - Natalie Moeller said this is the last year she can compete in local spelling bees, and she plans to make it count.
The Parkway Middle School eighth grader has her sights set on the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee, which kicks off Memorial Day weekend and ends with televised national semifinals and finals on June 1 and June 2 near Washington, D.C. [More]
Obituaries on March 25th, 2022
Rebecca "Becky" J. Clune, 53, of Burkettsville, Ohio, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, at her home. [More]
Candace Catherine "Candi" Fullenkamp, age 72 of Kettering passed away Tuesday, March 22, 2022. [More]
Theodore Dembowski, age 88 of Coldwater died Wednesday, March 23, 2022, at the Divine Nursing Center at Shane Hill, Rockford. [More]
Nancy Ann Kirgan, 70, Union City, died March 23, 2022, at her home.
  Services are pending. Burial will follow at Spring Hill Cemetery, Fort Recovery. [More]
Local pictures on March 25th, 2022
Subscriber stories on March 25th, 2022
Projects counting on infrastructure dollars
NEW KNOXVILLE - Ohio's two U.S. senators said the $1 trillion infrastructure bill signed into law last year will result in much needed improvements in Auglaize County.
NEW KNOXVILLE - Gazing out at residents from New Bremen, New Knoxville and Minster - the so-called Golden Triangle - New Knoxville Mayor Keith Leffel took a moment to reflect on the importance of community.
CELINA - It was all a brilliant ruse.
Restauranteur Julie Fleck came to Romer's Catering on Thursday night believing she was going to help unveil a Celina Rotary Sign. She walked away with Celina-Mercer County Chamber of Commerce's 2021 Citizen of the Year Award.
Boys Dream Team
After two years of promise at St. Marys, Austin Parks was an absolute menace as a junior.
The 6-11 center led the area with 18.2 points per game an
Girls Dream Team
Marion Local only grew stronger as the year drew on, securing a share of the Midwest Athletic Conference crown before battling for a district title and a berth in the regional tournament.
CELINA - Looking for the coach to help turn around its baseball program, Celina lured a Hall of Fame coach out of a short retirement.
John Dorner,
CELINA - Third-year Celina softball coach Jason Tribolet has a significant amount of depth returning as the Bulldogs look to improve on the 7-19 overall record and 5-4 league mark.
COLDWATER - As Brian Harlamert begins his 25th year of coaching his alma mater Coldwater's baseball team, things look to be business as usual for the perennial power.
COLDWATER - After a 19-9 campaign in 2021, Coldwater looks to continue the upward trend in softball this season with eight letterwinners coming back.
FORT RECOVERY - For the first time in 11 years, a new coach will be taking the helm for Fort Recovery. But he's hardly unfamiliar.
Kevin Eyink, the JV coach for the past eight years, steps in for Jerry Kaup, who brought the Indians to the state semifinals in 2015 and 2016.
FORT RECOVERY - After a strong season ended with two losses - first to Lincolnview in the sectional final, then to Minster with a chance to split the Midwest Athletic Conference crown - the Fort Recovery softball team returns the bulk of the roster and is gearing up for another run.
MARIA STEIN - Coming off a middle-of-the-pack season that ended with a hitless loss in the tournament, Marion Local hopes to take a step forward in 2022.
MARIA STEIN - After going winless in the Midwest Athletic Conference in 2021, Marion Local returns 10 letterwinners and looks to see improvement.
T
MINSTER - After reaching the Division III district final last season, Minster will have some experience back but will have to fill some key spots in the lineup that went 16-11 last season.
MINSTER - With three MAC titles in the past four competitive seasons, Minster will be looking for a second straight conference championship in softball this season with an experienced lineup returning.
NEW BREMEN - After winning a share of its first Midwest Athletic Conference championship last season, New Bremen will need to fill several big holes in 2022.
NEW BREMEN - Although New Bremen loses five players from last year's team, the Cardinals return both starting pitchers and boast four seniors on a veteran squad.
ROCKFORD - New Parkway baseball coach Neil Schaffner will look to build on the positives after finishing 10-12 last season.
The Panthers lost a num
ROCKFORD - In coach Trey Stover's first year, Parkway won 18 games but couldn't take advantage of an early lead against Minster in the district semifinals, exiting the tournament with 10-5 loss.
ST. HENRY - After finishing 2021 on a 16-3 run and falling narrowly to Lincolnview in the district final, St. Henry returns the bulk of its lineup and a strong rotation for 2022.
ST. HENRY - St. Henry returns its top pitcher and four starters in the field as it looks to improve on a 12-15 record in 2021.
After losing 1-0 to
ST. MARYS - After a 13-13 campaign, St. Marys will look to retool after losing some key pitchers and the majority of their offense from a season ago
ST. MARYS - The 2021 season proved to be a memorable one for the St. Marys softball team after reaching the Division II district final and going toe-
CELINA - While the Celina girls track and field team are on good footing to repeat as Western Buckeye League champ and earn the program's 28th title, the Celina boys will look to bounce back from a rough 2021 and try for their first league crown since 2018.
COLDWATER - As Coldwater track and field head coach Mark Bruns gets his team ready for the 2022 season, the hope is that the successes of 2021 will carry over and expand as both the boys and girls team has state-experienced athletes returning.
FORT RECOVERY - Fort Recovery brings back three state qualifiers on a stacked girls team and adds two newcomers to a boys team looking to improve on an 8th-place Midwest Athletic Conference finish in 2021.
MARIA STEIN - Marion Local brings back seven all-Ohio athletes after sending multiple girls and boys events to the state championship.
Molly Winne
MINSTER - Minster needs to replace seven seniors from the boys team that won its first state track title last year while fielding a large but young girls team.
NEW BREMEN - New Bremen brings back 10 girls and 13 boys as it looks to improve on a pair of sixth-place finishes in the Midwest Athletic Conference.
ROCKFORD - Parkway returns two boys regional qualifiers and several girls district qualifiers, with the hope of sending more athletes to regionals in 2022.
ST. HENRY - With 31 boys and 32 girls turning out this spring, St. Henry coach Matt Thobe said the numbers are higher than ever before in his tenure.
St. Henry brings in 23 freshmen, 16 girls and seven boys, with several skilled returners to anchor the group.
ST. MARYS - St. Marys brings back state qualifier Brandon Bowers and three of the four girls from the state-qualifying 4x200 relay return while adding eight newcomers in 2022.
CELINA - The 2021 boys tennis season for Celina was a learning one for the Bulldogs, as the team finished eighth overall in the Western Buckeye League tournament and was unable to get anyone into the semifinals of the three singles and two doubles brackets.
ST. MARYS - After finishing third in the Western Buckeye League boys tennis tournament last season, St. Marys will look to rebuild with just one singles player and one doubles team returning from last season.