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Bath
Coach: Dean Mayhew Years at School, career record: 3, NA Division: II Last years record: 0-4 Top returning athletes: Eric Wise (sprints), Travis Fillhart (field events) Promising newcomers: Ben Freed (hurdles, sprints), Collin Bishop (sprints), Cody Routson (sprints), Terence Pollard (high jump), Jarvis Fails (distances) Outlook: “I am pleased with the way our kids are working. The Western Buckeye League is a tough league. Hopefully, our competitiveness in practice will help us find our place in the league,” coach Mayhew said.
Celina
Coach: Dan Otten Years at School, career record: NA Division: I Last years record: NA Top returning athletes: Kelby Rosengarten (hurdles, long jump), Blake Moran (long jump, hurdles), Isaac Niekamp (distances), Luke Bonvillian (pole vault) Outlook: Celina has the depth and experience to be a factor in the Western Buckeye League race.
Coldwater
Coach: Pete Lisi Years at School, career record: 1 Division: II Last years record: NA Top returning athletes: Nick Eilerman (sprints), Dusty Kuess (distances), Joe Thomas (jumper), Alex Gray (middle distance), Andy Moorman (sprints) Promising newcomers: Justin Feltz (jumps) Outlook: Coldwater is strong in most events and has a solid returning nucleus from last year’s Midwest Athletic Conference runner-up team.
Columbus Grove
Coach: Chris Grothaus Years at School, career record: 3 Division: III Last years record: NA Top returning athletes: Heath Nickles (pole vault, hurdles), Tyler Oney (sprints), Landon Kohls (shot put, discus), Derek Schroeder (high jump), Sam Carpenter (distances), Rayce Risser (pole vault, hurdles), Dylan Vogt (shot put, discus) Promising newcomers: Luke Kohls (high jump, hurdles), Colby Meuleman (discus), Devin Verhoff (sprints) Outlook: Field events and the hurdles are the strength of the team. Nickles, who specializes in those events, won the pole vault and 300-meter hurdles at last season’s state track meet. He signed with Ohio State in February.
Continental
Coach: Mindi Bradford Years at School, career record: 8 Division: III Last years record: NA Top returning athletes: Tanner Basinger (middle distances, relays), Jordan Kimmel (pole vault), Dustin Geckle (hurdles, relays), Michael Recker (relays) Outlook: Basinger, Geckle and Recker qualified for state last season in the 1,600-meter relay, but someone must be found to replace the graduated Nathan Schmidt on that team. Kimmel was a regional qualifier in the pole vault. The Pirates strength is in the running events and the area that needs the most improvement is the field events. Coach Bradford says the experience of the three state qualifiers should “help guide this team to a winning season.”
Crestview
Coach: Brad Perrott Years at School, career record: 2 Division: III Last year’s record: 46-65 Top returning athletes: Matt LaRue, Colton Short, Nathaniel Rogers, Jared Perrott, Matt Bittner, Ryan Tice Promising newcomers: Michael Thompson, Todd Grubaugh, C.J. Germann, Tyler Torrey, Garrett Gleckler, Zack Merkle
Delphos Jefferson
Coach: Bub Lindeman Division: III Last years record: NA Top returning athletes: Tim Sanders (hurdles), Eric Renner (middle distances, relays), Kory Mullenhour (hurdles), Sean Osting (throws), Quentin Lauf (throws), Michael Wiltsie (sprints, relays), Wes Allenbaugh (sprints, relays), Jordan Allenbaugh (sprints, relays), Kyle Richards (sprints, relays), Jared Alterberry (middle distances, relays), Andy Wiltsie (middle distances, relays) Promising newcomers: Josh Menke, Austin Bonifas, Michael Antalis, Logan Bonifas, Jesse Cano, Trenton Gossman, Jacob Leach, Wes Kroeger, Nathan Miller, Cory Osting
Outlook: Sanders qualified for the state meet in the 300-meter hurdles last season. With 11 returning letter winners, the Wildcats have an experienced team. The biggest area they are looking for improvement in is the field events, other than the throwing events.
Delphos St. Johns
Coach: Jay DeWitt
Years at School, career record:
5
Division: III
Last years record: NA
Top returning athletes:
Cameron Hermilller (sprints,relays), Collin Etzkorn (sprints, relays), Jay Leininger (pole vault, sprints, relays), Tony Reindel (shot put), Aaron Hackworth (800 meters), Ryan Ricker (1,600 meters)
Outlook: Sprints and relays are St. John’s strengths. Hermiller is the defending 100-meter dash state champion in Division III. He and Etzkorn and Leininger give the Blue Jays three strong spinters on the 400-meter relay team. Interest is high with 41 boys out for the team.
Elida
Coach: Kevin Bowers Years at School, career record:
1 Division: II Last years record: 2-1 duals, ninth place WBL Top returning athletes: Kyle Crowe, Andrew Leis, Cory Meyer, Matt Schluneker, Brandon Thompson, Jacob Breitigan, Tyler Sebenoler Outlook: New coach Bowers says he is emphasizing team, sportsmanship, academics and mental toughness. The Bulldogs have eight returning letter winners, but only two seniors on the team.
Fort Jennings
Coach: Kevin Horstman Division: III Years at School: 10 Last year’s record: 3-48 Top returning athletes: Brad Bruskotter (200, 400), Tanner Adams (distances), Jon Metzger (distances), Andy Kleman (distances) Outlook: The Musketeers have only three returning varsity letter winners but have 21 athletes out for the team, an increase over recent seasons.
Fort Recovery
Coach: Brad Evers Years at School, career record:
NA Division: III Last years record: NA Top returning athletes: Matt Vagedes (pole vault), Perry Hull (sprints), Michael Trobridge (sprints) Outlook: Vagedes was the Midwest Athletic Conference pole vault champion last year and finished third at the state meet behind Heath Nickles, of Columbus Grove, and Gray Horn, of Waynesfield-Goshen. The Indians will try to find other consistent scorers around him.
Lima Senior
Coach: Stephen Carter
Years at School, career record:
8
Division: I
Last years record: NA
Top returning athletes:
Demetrius Freeman (sprints), Darren Bass (shot put, discus), Melvin Washington (shot put, discus), Darenton McLellan (shot put, discus), Terran Washington (middle distances), Marc Johnson (sprints), Ashton Torbet
Promising newcomers: Anthony Chutz (high jump, long jump, hurdles), David Desenberg (high jump, hurdles), Brad Hayes (distances)
Outlook: The throwing events and sprints and relays will be the Spartans’ strengths. Bass finished eighth in the state in the shot put and had a best throw of 56 feet, 11 inches last season. Washington had a best throw of 147 feet, 7 inches in the discus and McLellan threw the discus 144 feet. Coach Carter says the team’s distance runners could surprise people.
Marion Local
Coach: Matt Schmackers, Rod Pleiman, Randy Jutte
Years at School, career record:
NA Division: III Last years record: NA Top returning athletes: Jordan Schmackers (sprints), Dillon Kremer (sprints, hurdles) Promising newcomers: Niles Keller (sprints) Outlook: The Flyers’ strength is concentrated in their sprinters.
Minster
Coach: Larry Topp Years at School, career record:
20, NA Division: III Last year’s record: 77-7 Top returning athletes: Joby Stechschulte (middle distance), Kregg Olding (distances), David Mc-Gowan (middle distance), Matt Brackman (middle distance), Jacob Dircksen (middle distances), Jacob Phlipot (shot put, discus) Outlook: Minster has numbers, with 49 athletes on its roster, but only nine are seniors. In the Midwest Athletic Conference, the Wildcats will count on 14 returning letter winners.
New Bremen
Coach: Gary Jones Years at School, career record:
14, NA Division: III Last years record: 50-11-1 Top returning athletes: Bryce Bergman (hurdles, sprints), Kyle Knapke (middle distances), Jeff Kremer (middle distances), Scott Schnelle (high jump), Brennon Speckman (sprints) Outlook: “We are very excited about the upcoming season. We feel that we have a very good nucleus of returning lettermen who can lead us to a successful season,” coach Jones said. Bergman was second in the state in the 300-meter hurdles and third in the 110 hurldles last season. Schnelle got to state in the high jump.
New Knoxville
Coach: Nick Wirwille Years at School, career record:
3 Division: III Last years record: NA Top returning athletes: Brad Phillips (sprints, relays), Austin Luck (shot put, discus), Ethan Boyle (sprints, relays), Jonny Phillips (distances), Adam Wierwille (distances) Promising newcomers: Cody Topp (sprints) Outlook: Low numbers will keep the Rangers from placing high as a team, but coach Wirwille says they can compete for individual wins.
Parkway
Coach: Steve Fisher
Years at School, career record:
1
Division: III
Last years record: NA
Top returning athletes: Aron Osborne (sprints, relays, high jump), Tim Schlemmer (middle distance, relays), Don Garwood (shot put, discus), Marcus Shatzer (middle distance, relays), Reese Boroff (spints, relays), Josh Fisher (sprints, long jump, high jump), Ryan Fisher (shot put, discus), Cole Frank (shot put, discus), Kris Hughes (sprints, relays), Adam Schlemmer (sprints, relays)
Promising newcomers: Justin Feltz (jumps)
Outlook: Parkway was sixth in the team standings in the Division III state meet last year, on the strength of wins by Jacob Fox in the 110-meter hurdles and long jump and a fourth place in the 300-meter hurdles. Josh Fisher placed 13th in the long jump. First-year coach Fisher hopes past success at state “gives the younger kids something to shoot for.”
Paulding
Coach: Shawn Brewer
Years at School, career record:
2, NA
Division: II
Top returning athletes: Kevin Mumma (hurdles, distance), Paul Webb (throws), Eric Beck (middle distance), Wade Bissell (middle distances), Jon Kohart (throws), Andrew Mott (sprints), Brian Porter (distances), Corbin Rhonehouse (sprints), Eric Ross (throws), Jacob Roughton (pole vault, hurdles), Zak Shafer (hurdles), Dalton Stallkamp (pole vault), Remy Top (hurdles, long jump)
Promising newcomers: Troy Vance (sprints), Tyler Arend (throws), Allen Kline (distance), Brady Schroeder (middle distance), Logan Steele (distances), Bryant Troyer (sprints), Bruce Sowder (distances)
Outlook: Team speed could make the Panthers competitive in the sprints and relays. They should be stronger in the distances and expect another solid year in the field events.
Shawnee
Coach: Russ Holly Years at School, career record:
41 Division: II Last years record: NA Top returning athletes: Chase Violet (distances), Brian Kesner (sprints, jumps), Tyler Rhoades (sprints, shot put), Anthony Spicer (distances), Joel Redick (sprints), Dillon Risser (pole vault, hurdles), Kyle Newland (hurdles), James Dillard (sprints, relays), Isiah Irons (middle distances)
Promising newcomers: Eddie Kelly (sprints, jumps), Jonathon Wheeler (sprints, middle distance), Ryan Bechtel (pole vault)
Outlook: Shawnee could be among the top teams in the Western Buckeye League again this year with its strengths being concentrated in the distances and sprints. Violet won the WBL 3,200-meter run last season and was fifth at state. Kesner, Rhoades, Redick, Risser and Irons were all-league last season.
Spencerville
Coach: Bruce McConnell
Years at School, career record:
21, NA
Division: III
Last years record: NA
Top returning athletes: Luke Brenneman (distances, relays), Matt Hook (sprints, relays), Pete McCollow (pole vault, sprints), Drew Ring (hurdles, high jump)
Promising newcomers: Tyler Obringer (shot put, discus), Jake Settlemire (shot put, discus), Trevor Arthur (sprints)
Outlook: Coach McConnell describes the Bearcats as having “excellent balance in each event with numerous regional qualifiers to depend on.” He expects his team to be “in the mix” in the Northwest Conference race and lists the development of sophomores Alex Stanfield, Neal Pangle, Jonathan Rex, Lee Maberry, Greg Beougher and Obringer as one of the keys to the season.
St. Henry
Coach: Mike Eyink Years at School, career record:
NA Division: III Last years record: NA Top returning athletes: Dan Rex (distances), Doug Ranly (distances), Patrick Reichert (hurdles, sprints, long jump), Michael Goettemoeller (hurdles), Todd Brophy (relays), Corey Puthoff (relays), Tony Stahl (high jump) Promising newcomers: Mitchell Schulze, Caleb Stammen, Josh Schneider, Brad Stahl Outlook: The Redskins are strong in sprints and hurdles and have several distance runners who were on a state-qualifying cross country team last fall.
St. Marys
Coach: Dan Cook Years at School, career record:
NA Division: II Last years record: NA Top returning athletes: Cory Dammeyer, Scott Kinkley, Kyle Henning Outlook: St. Marys’ inexperience means the Roughriders will probably have an uphill climb to finish in the top half of the Western Buckeye League.
Waynesfield-Goshen
Coach: Jim Epperly Years at School, career record:
10, NA Division: III Last years record: NA Top returning athletes: Gray Horn (hurdles, high jump, pole vault), Riley Horn (hurdles, high jump), Jake Spencer (sprints), Keaton Fetter (sprints), Christian Lament (middle distances), Tyler Johns (shot put, discus), Matt Hines (middle distances), Travis Mullins (distances), Todd Andrews (distances), Taylor Miller (shot put, discus)
Promising newcomers: Connor Mortimer (middle distance), Dalton Buffenbarger (pole vault), Cory Hickman (pole vault), Magnus Bitsch (sprints)
Outlook: University of Florida signee Horn leads the team, but the Tigers also have good depth and versatility. The team’s first goal is to continue its streak of winning the Northwest Central Conference title, then turn its attention to the postseason.
Edited by slice slice baby, 04 April 2008 - 12:26 PM.
But he has been getting into some things that could easily jeopardize his future 
to the RC, tiger!! Great to have you & we hope you have a fantastic time here at the Corner!!
to the RC, tigercountry2!! We're happy to hjave you & hope you have a great time here at the Corner!!
Hope you're gettin' saddled up fpr Fb season! 
