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Lakota West senior Josh Kinney runs with the football during a game against Winton Woods at Nippert Stadium Aug. 27, 2011. High school athletes pay $550 per sport, up from $300 a year ago. Junior high athletes are paying $350 per sport, compared to $200 a year ago. Fees were raised due to cuts before the 2011-2012 school year. Photo taken by Adam Kiefaber.

Michael D. Clark reports (more information from story reported earlier)

Officials from the financially struggling Lakota schools were no-shows Tuesday at an event where an anti-tax group pledged to give needy students $10,000 to help them pay for sports fees.

Leaders of NoLakota announced a donation fund they plan to distribute to the families of student athletes unable to pay participation fees and then criticized Lakota officials for not attending their press conference.

The school system is facing a nearly $11 million projected budget shortfall and considering sweeping cuts in student services and personnel for next school year.

Lakota officials said they had no knowledge of the NoLakota news conference.

“The Lakota district always appreciates support for children in our community. A week ago, a district representative asked this group to submit a proposal for its idea. We’re still waiting for it,” said Elliot Grossman, spokesman for Lakota Schools. “We learned about the news conference 24 minutes before it was to start.”

Rich Hoffman, spokesman for NoLakota, which was instrumental in helping defeat three school tax hikes in the last two years, attributed the absence of district officials to “a lack of communication on their end.”

He said his group had communications with Lakota about the formation of “Yes To Lakota Kids” program, which unveiled a website Tuesday for Lakota parents interested in applying for money to pay sports fees. Information can be found at yes-to-lakota-kids.org .

NoLakota is the first anti-school-tax group in Southwest Ohio to raise money from imembers to offset fee costs in a public school district. Lakota high school athletes pay $550 per sport, up from $300 a year ago. Those in grades seven and eight pay $350 per sport, compared to $200 a year ago.

Posted in: Fall sports, Levy news, News, Schools, Sports, Spring sports, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: Lakota, Lakota cuts, Lakota East, Lakota elementary cuts, Lakota high school cuts, Lakota junior high cuts, Lakota Local Schools, Lakota preschool, Lakota preschool cuts, Lakota preschool program, Lakota reductions, Lakota school levy, Lakota West, No Lakota, No Lakota levy, NoLakota, NoLakota Levy, Rich Hoffman

Lakota West players celebrate after beating Mason in penalty kicks in a district final match Oct. 29, 2011. High school athletes pay $550 per sport, up from $300 a year ago. Junior high athletes are paying $350 per sport, compared to $200 a year ago. Fees were raised due to cuts before the 2011-2012 school year. Photo taken by Adam Kiefaber.

Michael D. Clark reports

For the first time in Greater Cincinnati, anti-school tax activists who campaign against school tax hikes now plan to raise money for needy students.

The Enquirer has learned that the anti-school tax group NoLakota has approached Lakota school officials about creating a fund to help student athletes and their families pay for the high participation fees of recent years.

The tax opposition group has been instrumental in defeats of Lakota’s last three school tax hike issues in the last two years.

But unlike similar anti-school tax groups in some other area suburban districts, NoLakota is now in a privately funded $10,000 partnership to help students pay for higher school sports fees, says the group’s founder Rich Hoffman.

Hoffman and other tax opponents have long contended that Lakota’s teachers and their union should be taking the brunt of recent budget cuts through pay cuts rather than eliminating student services and upping sports fees.

“It’s obvious that the greatest casualty in these three levy fights has been the kids, and that’s really unfortunate,” says Hoffman of the “Yes to Lakota Kids” program to be publicly unveiled later Tuesday. (more…)

Posted in: Fall sports, News, Schools, Sports, Spring sports, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: Lakota, Lakota cuts, Lakota East, Lakota elementary cuts, Lakota high school cuts, Lakota junior high cuts, Lakota Local Schools, Lakota preschool, Lakota preschool cuts, Lakota preschool program, Lakota reductions, Lakota school levy, Lakota West, No Lakota, No Lakota levy, NoLakota, NoLakota Levy, Rich Hoffman

Lakota West became the fourth and final varsity basketball team from the Lakota school district to be eliminated from postseason play when it lost by the score of 58-55 to Turpin in a sectional semifinal game in the Division I state basketball tournament Wednesday.

Lakota West's Tyler Williams reacts going into a timeout against Fairfield during a basketball game Jan. 24, 2012. Photo taken by Jeff Swinger.

Helping Turpin hold on was junior guard Connor Grotten, who made a pair of free throws to push the lead to three points with three seconds remaining. Prior to the foul shots, senior forward Adam Boyer blocked a potential game-winning layup by the Firebirds on the other end of the floor.

“They’re a really good team and this win validates what we thought of our team all season,” Turpin coach Brad Cupito told The Cincinnati Enquirer. “We knew we were one of the top teams in the area and are thankful there’s a tournament format that allows us to prove it.”

Turpin sophomore Zach McCormick may have proved to be one of the area’s top sophomores, after finishing with a game-high 23 points. During the season, McCormick averaged 18.7 points per game. According to Rivals.com, he already has a scholarship offer from Duquesne.

Meanwhile, Lakota West junior Monty Boykins led his team with 16 points. Boykins also has an offer from Duquesne, as well as offers from Eastern Michigan, James Madison, Kennesaw State and Miami (Ohio).

His teammates, junior Ali Barnes and sophomore Tyler Williams, also helped the Firebirds keep the game close. Barnes scored 13, while Williams finished with 14.

The loss eliminates the season for the Firebirds, who finish the year with a 15-7 overall record and a 11-3 mark within the Greater Miami Conference. The 15 wins equals the program’s best since the 2006-2007 season and the best record under current head coach Sean Van Winkle.

“In my eight years as a head coach both at Ross and Lakota West I have never had a team improve as much as we did this season in so many different ways,” Van Winkle said. “The true credit goes to the players and assistant coaches for their persistence towards wanting to become a better team.”

Next year, the Firebirds will return their top three scorers in Boykins, Barnes and Williams, but will be without seniors Jackson Blue, Cole Stalker, Kayuane Ross and Caleb Poston.

“This year’s seniors – Jackson Blue, Cole Stalker, Kayuane Ross, and Caleb Poston all represented Lakota West in a very good way,” Van Winkle said. “For our underclassman we will challenge them to continue to work hard and build on this year’s success.”

Posted in: Sports, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: Ali Barnes, Caleb Poston, Cole Stalker, Jackson Blue, Kayuane Ross, Lakota West, Lakota West basketball, Lakota West sports, Monty Boykins, Tyler Williams

Lakota West extended its winning streak to seven games and won its first postseason game of the winter when it defeated Loveland by the score of 77-33 at Hamilton High School Saturday.

The win gives the Firebirds 15 on the season, which equals the program’s best since the 2006-2007 season.

Lakota West will face Turpin (19-2 overall) Wednesday at 8 p.m. at Hamilton High School. The winner of the game will likely play Moeller Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at the University of Cincinnati. Moeller (18-3 overall), which is ranked No. 6 in the state, will have to defeat Amelia (9-11 overall) Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Lakota East (8-13 overall) was eliminated from postseason play Friday when it lost 51-50 to Western Hills.

Lakota West 77, Loveland 33

Lakota West (15-6 overall) – Bowling 6 0 12, Blue 3 0 7, Thomas 0 2 2, Barnes 7 0 17, Stalker 1 0 2, Williams 2 2 6, Martin 2 0 4, G. Barnes 2 0 4, Boykins 8 1 17, Grove 1 0 2, Bengal 1 2 4. Totals: 33 7 77.

Loveland (7-14 overall) – LaMacchia 3 1 9, Plitt 2 0 4, Waddell 1 0 2, Elfers 1 1 3, Iaciofano 1 0 2, McGillis 2 0 5, Hesse 1 0 2, Kraml 1 2 4, Schafer 1 0 2. Totals: 13 4 33.

Halftime: Lakota West 47-16. 3-pointers: LW 4 (Blue, A. Barnes 3); LO 3 (LaMacchia 2, McGillis).

Posted in: Sports, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: boys' basketball Cincinnati district tournament, boys' basketball district tournament, district tournament Cincinnati, Lakota West, Lakota West basketball, Lakota West sports

After taking a 35-33 lead midway through the third quarter, Lakota West fell behind and couldn’t keep up with Princeton in a 61-46 loss in a district semifinal matchup at Harrison Friday.

The Vikings led for most of contest until the third quarter. That was when sophomore Kelsey Mitchell picked up her third foul and was taken out of the game.

Lakota West responded by going on a 7-0 run, turning a 28-23 deficit into a 2-point advantage.

After the run, Mitchell checked back in the game and led Princeton on a 10-2 run. Lakota West managed to cut the lead to 5, but failed to get the score any closer.

Mitchell, who is ranked the No. 1 overall player in the nation in the recruiting class of 2014 by ESPN, finished with 19 points.

• Looking back – before the season: Lakota West girls’ basketball preview

The loss ends the season for the Firebirds, who rebounded from their first losing season in 10 years with a 14-9 overall record. Lakota West played especially well late in the season, winning eight of its last 10 games heading into the Princeton loss.

Princeton 61, Lakota West 46

Princeton (20-3) – C. Mitchell 1 0 3, Roper 4 0 8, Ballew 1 4 6, K. Mitchell 4 11 19, Rucker 3 0 7, Chinn 1 1 3, Pogue 7 1 15. Totals 23 17 61.

Lakota West (14-9) – Zieverink 3 2 8, Reeves 4 0 9, Cannatelli 3 0 9, McNeal 4 3 11, Neihaus 2 0 5, Huxhold 1 0 2, Carter 1 0 2. Totals 23 5 46.

Halftime: Lakota West 33-31. 3-Pointers: P 2 (C. Mitchell, Rucker); L 5 (Cannatelli 3, Reeves, Neihaus).

Posted in: Sports, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: Kelsey Mitchell, Lakota West, Lakota West basketball, Lakota West sports, Princeton basketball

The athletic departments at Lakota East and Lakota West high schools recently named their athletes of the week. Seniors Alyssa Grevenkamp and Aleth Pashi received the honor at Lakota East, while senior Nick Bloch and freshman Lauren Martin were honored at Lakota West.

Grevenkamp recently finished her fourth straight year as a starter on the Lakota East girls’ basketball team. This past season, Grevenkamp averaged 8.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. She also made 41.1 percent of her field goals, 70.6 percent of her foul shots and 35.3 percent of her 3-point attempts. Grevenkamp will continue her basketball career at The University of Findlay.

Like Grevenkamp, Pashi recently finished her high school basketball career as a four-year varsity letterwinner. This past season, Pashi led Lakota East and was fifth in the Greater Miami Conference in assists with 55 and assists per game with 2.8 per game. She also led Lakota East in assists her sophomore season. She also logged 418 minutes on the floor, fourth highest on her team in 2011-2012.

Bloch recently won the sectional championship in the 138-pound division at Centerville High School. The victory was Bloch’s second consecutive sectional title. According to WestFirebirds.com, he took just 25 seconds to pin his opponent in the championship match. The win raised Bloch’s career win total to 95, which ranks 12th on the Firebird’s all-time win list.

Martin was Lakota West’s only placer in the 17-team Cincinnati City Championship meet last Saturday at Cincinnati Country Day. In that competition, Martin finished 11th in the floor exercise. Earlier last week, Martin finished 3rd on the beam and 8th on floor at the Cincinnati Country Day Invitational. The district meet is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at Lakota East High School.

Posted in: Sports, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: Aleth Pashi, Alyssa Grevenkamp, athletes of the week, Lakota athletes of the week, Lakota East, Lakota East athletics, Lakota East basketball, Lakota East Sports, Lakota West, Lakota West athletics, Lakota West basketball, Lakota West gymnastics, Lakota West sports, Lakota West wrestling, Lauren Martin, Nick Bloch

The Lakota West and Lakota East boys’ teams will tip off their first postseason games of 2012 Friday and Saturday. Meanwhile, the Lakota West girls’ team will face Greater Miami Conference foe Princeton in a district semifinal matchup Friday.

The Lakota West girls’ team (14-8 overall, 7-7 in the GMC) has already won two postseason games – defeating Loveland 62-24 Feb. 15 and Western Hills 61-21 Tuesday. Princeton (19-3 overall, 13-1 in the GMC) has also breezed through its competition this postseason with a 83-16 win against Woodward Feb. 15 and a 70-12 win against Northwest Tuesday.

Earlier this season, Princeton defeated Lakota West by the score of 68-60. In that win, sophomore Kelsey Mitchell led Princeton with 33 points. Mitchell, who is ranked the No. 1 overall player in the class of 2014 by ESPN, is averaging 20.5 points per game.

Princeton (No. 2 seed in district) and Lakota West (No. 8 seed) will square off Friday at 7 p.m. at Harrison High School.

Meanwhile, the 19th-seeded Lakota East boys’ team (8-12 overall, 5-9 in the GMC) will tip off postseason play Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Hamilton High School. Their opponent will be 12th-seeded Western Hills (13-7 overall, 7-5 in the Cincinnati Metro Conference).

The Lakota West boys’ team (14-6 overall, 11-3 in the GMC), which drew the No. 9 seed in the district, will face No. 28 seed Loveland (7-13 overall, 7-9 in the Fort Ancient Valley Conference) Saturday at 7 p.m. at Hamilton High School. The Firebirds are currently riding a six-game winning streak.

Posted in: Sports, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: boys' basketball Cincinnati district tournament, boys' basketball district tournament, girls' basketball Cincinnati district tournament, girls' basketball district tournament, Lakota East, Lakota East basketball, Lakota East Sports, Lakota West, Lakota West basketball, Lakota West sports

The 2012 Swimming and Diving State Championships are underway in Canton. Lakota East and Lakota West swimmers, however, will compete Friday in the preliminaries. The Division I finals are scheduled to take place Saturday.

Parents John and Susan Hall watch their daughter as she is honored during a special signing ceremony at Lakota East High School Feb. 1, 2012 National Signing Day. Hall will continue her swimming career at Michigan State. Photo taken by Adam Kiefaber of WestChesterBuzz.com.

State qualifiers from Lakota East competing in the individual events include senior Paige Baisden (200-yard freestyle), senior Jessika Hall (200-yard individual medley and 100-yard butterfly), freshman Matt McDonald (100-yard backstroke) and senior Rob VanKirk (500-yard freestyle). McDonald and VanKirk, along with seniors Jake Spela and Billy Barren, also qualified to complete in the 200-yard medley relay.

From Lakota West, junior Bryan McNamara (200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle) and sophomore Casey Frazier (200-yard individual medley) qualified to compete in individual events. Frazier, along with junior Joanna Sauter, junior Savannah Rice and sophomore Tiffany Howard, also qualified to compete in the 200-yard freestyle relay.

The preliminaries for the Division I state swimming meet begin at 9 a.m. Friday, while the finals are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Saturday. State competition began Wednesday with the Division II diving competition. Division I diving, along with the Division II swimming preliminaries, take place Thursday.

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Tags: Tags: 2012 Swimming and Diving State Championships, Billy Barren, Bryan McNamara, Casey Frazier, Jake Spela, Jessika Hall, Joanna Sauter, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Lakota East swimming, Lakota West, Lakota West sports, Lakota West swimming, Matt McDonald, Rob VanKirk, Savannah Rice, state meet, Tiffany Howard

Behind a strong defensive effort, Lakota West stormed into Friday’s Division I sectional finals – defeating Western Hills by the score of 61-21 Tuesday.

Using a pressuring defense, the Firebirds (14-8 overall, 7-7 in the Greater Miami Conference) held Western Hills to 26.7 percent shooting and forced 33 turnovers.

The active defense led to five steals for Lauren Cannatelli as the 5-foot-7 freshman guard scored 11 points and dished out three assists.

Cannatelli’s backcourt partner, 5-foot-6 junior guard Emily Neihaus, was the only other Lakota West player in double figures with 10 points and three rebounds.

Meanwhile, Western Hills (11-8) forced 17 turnovers, with 5-foot-6 freshman guard Dan’Shae Hill picking up three steals to go with her team-high nine points and four rebounds.

Last Wednesday, Lakota West defeated Loveland by the score of 62-24 in its first postseason game. Like the win against Western Hills, the Firebirds’ defense played well – limiting Loveland to 19 percent shooting and forcing 29 turnovers.

Lakota West, the No. 8 seed in the Southwest District, will play No. 2 seed Princeton (19-3 overall, 13-1 in the GMC) at Harrison High School at 7 p.m. Friday. Earlier this season, Princeton defeated Lakota West by the score of 68-60. In that win, sophomore Kelsey Mitchell led Princeton with 33 points. Mitchell, who is ranked the No. 1 overall player in the class of 2014 by ESPN, is averaging 20.5 points per game.

Like the Firebirds, Princeton has had two convincing wins this postseason – defeating Woodward 83-16 last Wednesday and beating Northwest 70-12 Tuesday.

Lakota West (14-8) - Zieverink 3 3 9, Sh. Reeves 2 1 6, Cannatelli 4 1 11, McNeal 1 0 2, Neihaus 4 0 10, Huxhold 1 0 2, Adams 2 0 4, R. Mills 2 0 4, Tomasic 2 0 4, Su. Reeves 3 0 7, H. Mills 1 0 2. Totals 25 5 61.

Western Hills (11-8) - Abernathy 1 0 2, Johnson 0 2 2, Thomas 2 1 5, Hill 4 1 9, Davis 1 0 2, Chancellor 0 1 1. Totals 8 5 21.

Halftime: Lakota West 45-7. 3-pointers: L 6 (Cannatelli 2, Neihaus 2, Sh. Reeves, Su. Reeves).

Posted in: Sports, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: Dan'Shae Hill, Emily Neihaus, Kelsey Mitchell, Lakota West, Lakota West basketball, Lakota West sports, Lauren Cannatelli, Princeton basketball, Western Hills basketball

After reaching the elite eight at the state tournament last season, Lakota East’s eight-member senior class had high expectations for the 2011-2012 season. However, due to injuries and an early postseason exit, those expectations were not fulfilled.

This past Saturday, Lakota East was upset by Hamilton by the score of 51-39. In the regular season, the Thunderhawks defeated Hamilton twice by a combined 41 points. In the postseason loss, a short-handed Lakota East team was outscored 32-15 in the second half.

Due to injuries, the Thunderhawks have been short handed all season. Senior Whitney Wyckoff (Yale University signee), who led Lakota East in scoring in each of the last three seasons was lost for the year with a knee injury just four games in. In addition to Wyckoff, senior forward Tazzie Shaw (Marshall University signee) missed most of the year after suffering a concussion in the team’s second game of the season.

Overall, the Thunderhawks finished the 2011-2012 season with a 13-8 record and a 9-5 mark within the Greater Miami Conference.

Despite the solid record, the squad’s greatest accomplishment may have come over the last three winters when the basketball program produced a total of 45 wins. In the prior 12 seasons, Lakota East won only 54 games.

Four players of this year’s eight-member senior class remember when their team was pleased to finish 5-17 in 2009 during their freshman year.

“Before we came here and entering the ninth grade, it seemed like they (the players) were ok with losing,” senior Aleth Pashi said at the start of the season. “There are four of us now on varsity since our freshman year and it is not acceptable anymore. Anything less than success is unacceptable.”

Pashi and her fellow seniors Molly Blomer (Nova Southeastern University commit), Alyssa Grevenkamp (University of Findlay signee) and Wyckoff all started as freshman that season, one year after Lakota East finished 1-20.

“It was kind of like, ‘we know we aren’t going to win so why try?’ Now, it is like, ‘we better win and if we don’t than it is a disaster,’” said Wyckoff at the start of the year.

During Senior Day, earlier this month, the group of seniors who helped change the program were recognized for their contributions and sacrifices.

“It’s been an amazing run the past several years with our seniors,” Lakota East head coach Nikki Drew said. “They have set an example of what hard work and togetherness can accomplish. I am just lucky to have been along for the ride.”

In addition to the four-year letter winners (Blomer, Pashi, Wyckoff, Grevenkamp), Shaw, Bernice Satterwhite, Aaliyah Thomas and Melanie Browne had their high school careers end Saturday.

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Tags: Tags: Aaliyah Thomas, Aleth Pashi, Alyssa Grevenkamp, Bernice Satterwhite, Lakota East, Lakota East basketball, Lakota East Sports, Melanie Browne, Molly Blomer, Nikki Drew, Nikki Drew Lakota East, Nikki Drew Xavier, Tazzie Shaw, Whitney Wyckoff