WestChesterBuzz.com

The athletic departments at Lakota West and Lakota East high schools recently named their athletes of the week. Senior Jon Campbell and sophomore Brooke Broda were honored at Lakota West, while freshman Abbie VanFossen and junior Matt Rice received the honor at Lakota East.

Last week, Campbell scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 win at Middletown Sept. 13. Campbell scored the game winner in the 72nd minute. Campbell, who is a midfielder, also helped the Firebirds to a 3-0 win against Fairfield Sept. 15. He is a big reason why the Firebirds (4-3-1 overall) are off to a 3-0 start in the Greater Miami Conference.

Broda finished in first place at No. 1 singles at last week’s Greater Cincinnati Tennis Coaches Association Tournament, Sept. 15, 17. Broda (photo) won the championship with wins against Ursuline’s Mehvish Safdar, who played on the state champion doubles team in 2010, and against Notre Dame’s Sandy Niehaus, who won the Division I singles state championship last year.

VanFossen led the cross country squad to a first-place finish at the Brookeville Invitational Sept. 10. Her time of 19:05 was fastest time posted among the 83 girl competitors. In her three races this fall, VanFossen has posted the fastest time among her teammates.

Also at the Brookeville Invitational, Rice posted the second fastest time among the 72 boy competitors. Rice’s time helped Lakota East to a first-place finish at the event. In four races this fall, Rice has posted the fastest time twice among his teammates. This past Saturday, he finished 16th at the Alliance Invitational.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Abbie VanFossen, athletes of the week, Brooke Broda, Jon Campbell, Lakota East, Lakota East athletics, Lakota East cross country, Lakota East Sports, Lakota West, Lakota West athletics, Lakota West soccer, Lakota West sports, Lakota West tennis, Matt Rice, Mehvish Safdar, Sandy Niehaus

During the summer of her seventh-grade year, Sharon Danquah and her father, William, were watching tennis on television. Both enjoyed watching the sport, even though neither played.

William, who moved to the United States from Ghana just a few years before Sharon was born, would tell his daughter of players he admired – like Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. All the while, Sharon preferred to hear about today’s stars – like Caroline Wozniacki, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Then, one day, during that summer, while the two watched, Sharon told her dad she wanted to seriously play the game.

“’She said, ‘Daddy, I want to be a tennis professional,” William recalls in his thick accent. “I said, ‘Ah, it is very hard.’

“So I went to Wal-Mart. I bought two racquets, one for her and one for me. That was the first time we touched a racquet.”

William, who had played badminton and ping pong as hobbies in Africa, taught his daughter how to hold the racquet.

“We basically learned from watching,” said Sharon, who is now a freshman at Lakota West. “Me and my dad first started together and then he got much better than me because he was watching longer than me.”

William learned so much from watching television that he became Sharon’s coach, a title he held for a year and a half before recently hiring her a personal coach.

The father-daughter duo would play two, sometimes three times a day, usually practicing for an hour or two every morning and every evening. (more…)

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Brooke Broda, Bryan Skoog, Caroline Wozniacki, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Lakota West, Lakota West sports, Lakota West tennis, Nicole Soutar, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Sharon Danquah, tennis, William Danquah

Under new leadership, the Ursuline Academy tennis program won its season opener by the score of 4-1 against 2010 Greater Miami Conference runner-up Lakota West Wednesday at the Blue Ash Recreation Center.

Urusline’s new leader has a familiar last name and actually won all 24 of her matches as a freshman for the Girls Greater Cincinnati League champions in 2010. This fall, however, Mehvish Safdar hopes to emerge as the school’s leader after her sister, Komal, graduated earlier in the spring.

“She (Komal) was kind of the leader on the team last year and I am hoping that I can try to be the leader this year,” Safdar said. “We have a really good team this year … we won our first match and I am thinking we should go really far.”

>>>PHOTOS OF THE LAKOTA WEST AT URSULINE TENNIS MATCH<<<

Mehvish got off to a great start by defeating Lakota West junior Nicole Soutar by the score of 6-2, 6-0. She hopes it could be the start of a run for another state title.

“The experience last year was amazing, my sister had the option of playing singles or doubles … being able to win it with her was really cool,” Safdar said of winning the Division I state doubles title. “This year, hopefully I can do well again at state … maybe get a singles title and a doubles title.”

While Mehvish filled in her for her sister, who is now playing at Syracuse University, Soutar filled in for the absent Brooke Broda, who just wrapped playing in a national tournament in San Diego. (more…)

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Brooke Broda, Collen Johns, Danielle Clarke, Diana Suarez, Grace Kallenberg, Kat Rivers, Katie Dunlap, Kirsten Behreng, Komal Safdar, Lakota West, Lakota West sports, Lakota West tennis, Lindsey Shaffer, Madison Dewitt, Megan Fleming, Mehvish Safdar, Nicole Soutar, Sharon Danquah, Ursuline, Ursuline tennis

Every August for the past three years, two of the top girls’ tennis programs have participated in a friendly scrimmage just prior to the regular season. Those two programs, Mount Notre Dame and Lakota West, took in that practice Friday at the high school located in West Chester Township.

“My expectation is that we will continue to compete at the top like we have the last few years,” Lakota West head coach Bryan Skoog said. “In terms on how we will finish, will probably come down to those matches against top teams.”

Skoog’s Firebirds were practicing against one of the area’s top teams and top players in 2010 singles state champion junior Sandy Niehaus. In addition to Niehaus, who was named the Girls’ Greater Cincinnati League Scarlet Girls’ Tennis Athlete of the Year in 2010, MND also returns senior Brooke Dennis (GGCL First Team in ’10) and junior Sydney Landers (GGCL Second Team in 2010).

>>>PHOTOS OF LAKOTA WEST VS. MND SCRIMMAGE TENNIS MATCH<<<

“With great leadership through experience and other players’ performances in the offseason, we have a good chance to compete in the GGCL,” said MND head coach Judy Dennis, whose team finished in third place in the GGCL last season.

Lakota West, which finished in second place in the Greater Miami Conference last fall, also returns its top players in sophomore Brooke Broda (GMC First Team in ’10), junior Nicole Souter (GMC Second Team in ’10) and sophomore Madison Capovilla (GMC Second in ’10). Broda actually defeated Neihaus during the regular season in 2010. She also finished the year with a 28-3 overall record and competed in the singles state tournament.

>>>2011 LAKOTA WEST GIRLS’ TENNIS SCHEDULE<<<

“Whenever you return with the top of your lineup, you can’t help to be excited,” Skoog said.

Skoog is not only expecting a lot from his returning players, he is also excited about his newcomers, who include freshman Sharon Danquah, freshman Lindsey Shafner, sophomore Katie Dunlap and sophomore Danielle Clarke.

Danquah (photo – click to enlarge) is expected to compete for playing time at singles for the Firebirds, while Shafner, Dunlap and Clarke will play doubles. Playing alongside the newcomers on the doubles courts will be senior and team leader Kat Rivers.

Lakota West will begin its season Wednesday at Ursuline. The Firebirds are scheduled to host Mount Notre Dame Sept. 7.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Brooke Broda, Brooke Dennis, Bryan Skoog, Danielle Clarke, Judy Dennis, Kat Rivers, Katie Dunlap, Lakota West, Lakota West sports, Lakota West tennis, Lindse Shafner, live sports photos, Madison Capovilla, MND, Mount Notre Dame, Mount Notre Dame tennis, photo gallery, photos, Sandy Niehaus, Sharon Danquah, Sydney Landers, West Chester photos

The fall sports season officially ended for the Lakota school district high school athletic programs this Saturday, Nov. 6, after the state cross country meet took place and after Lakota West was eliminated in the regional final of the state volleyball playoffs.

A few quick highlights of the fall season include Greater Miami Conference (GMC) titles in boys’ golf (Lakota East), girls’ tennis (Lakota East) and girls’ volleyball (Lakota West).

Here is a brief recap of how each school performed in each sport this fall season:

FOOTBALL – Lakota West and Lakota East each finished with a 3-7 overall record and a 2-5 mark within the GMC. West won the Lakota Cup by beating East this season and featured quarterback Jordan Darling, who as a sophomore, led the GMC in passing this season. East showed promise under first-year coach Rick Haynes, who appears to have the program headed in the right direction.

VOLLEYBALL – Lakota West and Lakota East each excelled this fall and eventually squared off in the regional semifinal of the state volleyball tournament. West won that match and finished with a 22-5 overall record and was 9-0 in the GMC. The perfect conference record led the Firebirds to their second straight GMC title. West will graduate two seniors (five total) this year, who will play in the Big Ten next fall, in Liz McMahon (University of Illinois) and Lexi Dannemiller (University of Michigan). Lakota East will only graduate two seniors from its first-ever district championship team. The Thunderhawks finished the year with an 18-7 overall record and a 7-2 mark in the GMC.

BOYS’ SOCCER – Lakota West and Lakota East finished in the top half of the GMC standings. Lakota West finished the year with a 9-6-2 overall record and a 6-2-1 mark within the GMC. Lakota East advanced far in the postseason in 2010, despite never being entirely healthy. The Thunderhawks’ season ended with a 1-0 loss to Moeller in the district final. On the year, Lakota East had a 12-3-5 overall record and a 5-1-3 record within the GMC. (more…)

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Alex Azeez, Amanda Shelby, boys soccer, boys' golf, Brooke Broda, Carolyn Pitman, cross country, fall sports, football, girls' golf, girls' soccer, GMC, golf, Greater Miami Conference, J.J. Webber, Jordan Darling, Jordan Day, Kelly Burrows, Korey Ward, Lakota East, Lakota West, Lexi Dannemiller, Liz McMahon, Rick Haynes, Soccer, sports, Taylor Holden, tennis, volleyball

Lakota West freshman Brooke Broda and Lakota East duo senior Carolyn Pitman and sophomore Taylor Holden (photo) lost in the second round of the state tournament in Columbus, Oct. 22.

Broda began the tournament by defeating her first-round opponent Richfield Revere senior Natalie Robson 6-0, 6-0. Broda then lost to the defending state singles champion Upper Arlington senior Niki Flower 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, in the second round of the tournament.

Pitman and Holden, who finished as the runner-up in last year’s state doubles competition, defeated their first-round opponent junior Michelle Djohan and senior Kelsey Wanhainen of Westlake, 6-2, 6-2. Then in the second round, the Lakota East pair lost to sophomores Lauren Bellinger and Sarah Stein of Dublin Jerome by the score of 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.

The semifinals and finals will take place today, Oct. 23, at Hilliard Davidson High School.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Brooke Broda, Carolyn Pitman, girls' tennis, Lakota East, Lakota West, OHSAA girls' tennis state tournament, state tournament, Taylor Holden, tennis

When the 2010 Ohio High School Athletic Association girls’ state tennis tournament begins today, Oct. 22, players from Lakota West and Lakota East will have a fighting chance to win state championships.

Obviously, Lakota East senior Carolyn Pitman and sophomore Taylor Holden, have a strong shot at the title. Last year, the duo finished as the state runner up when they lost to Meghan Buell and Maddie Kobelt of New Albany in the doubles final.

This year, Pitman (photo) and Holden won’t have to worry about a team from New Albany as Kobelt graduated last spring and Buell will be competing in the state tournament’s singles bracket.

The Lakota East pair, who played this regular season as the school’s No. 1 and No. 2 singles, may have to worry about the Ursuline duo of senior Komal Safdar and freshman Mehvish Safdar.

The Safdar sisters defeated Pitman and Holden in the district final this past weekend. However, the Lakota East team will have to advance all the way back to the state final in order to face the Safdars since they are on opposite ends of the bracket.

Then there is Lakota West freshman Brooke Broda, who won the sectional tournament, the Greater Cincinnati Tennis Coaches Association tournament and the Greater Miami Conference tournament this fall.

Broda did, however, lose in the district final to Mt. Notre Dame sophomore Sandy Niehaus by the score of 6-3, 6-4. Earlier in the year, Broda actually defeated Neihaus 6-3, 6-3.

The Lakota West freshman will face Richfeld Revere senior Natalie Robson in her first match. If she wins that match, she may have to face 2009 state champion Niki Flower of Upper Arlington in the second round. Neihaus is on the lower part of the bracket could only face Broda in the state final.

The 2010 OHSAA girls state tennis tournament will be played today, Oct. 22, at the Stickney Tennis Center at Ohio State University. The semifinals and final matches will take place Saturday, Oct. 23, at Hilliard Davidson High School.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Brooke Broda, Carolyn Pitman, girls' tennis, Komel Safdar, Lakota East, Lakota West, Meghan Buell, Mehvish Safdar, Niki Flower, OHSAA girls' tennis state tournament, state tournament, Taylor Holden, tennis

Two of Lakota West’s top athletes will try to capture individual state titles this week. Senior Korey Ward aims for his third straight state championship in the 2010 OHSAA Boys’ Division I State Golf Tournament at Ohio State University in Columbus, Oct. 22 and 23. Meanwhile, freshman Brooke Broda will try to win the state title in her first attempt at the 2010 OHSAA Girls’ Division I State Tennis Tournament in Columbus.

Ward (photo) posted a 3-under-par 69 in the boy’s Southwest District Golf Tournament at Weatherwax Golf Course in Middletown last week. His team just missed advancing to the state tournament. The girls’ team, however, did qualify for the state tournament with their fourth-place finish in the girls’ district tournament.

Broda (photo) finished in second place in the girls’ tennis district tournament at the A.T.P. Tennis Center in Mason, Oct. 14 and 16. In the district final, Broda lost to Mt. Notre Dame sophomore Sandy Niehaus by the score of 6-3, 6-4. Earlier this season, Broda defeated Niehaus, by the score of 6-3, 6-3.

While the playoffs are ending in golf and tennis, they are just beginning in soccer and volleyball.

In soccer, the boys will play a home game against Mt. Healthy today, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. If they win that match, the Firebirds will face the winner of the Western Hills at Milford match this Thursday, Oct. 21. The girls will host Harrison at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 20. If they win that match, West will play against the winner of the Mercy at Colerain match this Saturday, Oct. 23.

The volleyball team will play its first playoff match Wednesday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. at Withrow against the winner of today’s Western Hills vs. Hughes match. If the Firebirds advance, their next match will be Saturday, Oct. 23.

Here is the rest of the sports schedule:

Monday, Oct. 18

Boys’ soccer – vs. Mt. Healthy at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 20

Girls’ soccer – vs. Harrison at 7 p.m.
Volleyball – winner of Western Hills/Hughes – at Withrow at 6 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 21

Boys’ soccer – winner of Milford/Western Hills (if West wins Monday, Oct. 18)

Friday, Oct. 22

Tennis – at State – singles Brooke Broda – at Ohio State University Stickney Tennis Center – at 9 a.m.
Boys’ Golf – at State – Korey Ward – at Ohio State University Scarlet Golf Course at 9 a.m.
Girls’ Golf – at State – team – at Ohio State University Gray Golf Course at 9 a.m.
Football – vs. Fairfield at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 23

Tennis – at State – singles Brooke Broda – (if she advances past Friday, Oct. 22) at Hilliard Davidson High School– at 9 a.m.
Cross Country – at District – at VOA – at 10 a.m.
Boys’ Golf – at State – Korey Ward – at Ohio State University Scarlet Golf Course at 9 a.m.
Girls’ Golf – at State – team – at Ohio State University Gray Golf Course at 9 a.m.
Girls’ soccer – winner of Colerain/Mercy (if West wins Wednesday, Oct. 20)
Volleyball – winner of Tuprin/TBA – at Withrow (if West wins Wednesday, Oct. 20)

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Brooke Broda, district golf tournament, district tennis tournament, girls' tennis, golf, Korey Ward, Lakota West, Ohio state high school golf tournament, Ohio state high school tennis tournament, Soccer, tennis, volleyball

Lakota West freshman Brooke Broda and Lakota East doubles pair senior Carolyn Pitman/sophomore Taylor Holden (photo) finished in second place in the girls’ tennis district tournament at the A.T.P. Tennis Center in Mason, Oct. 14 and 16. Broda finished second after losing in the singles final against Mt. Notre Dame sophomore Sandy Niehaus. Pitman/Holden lost in the doubles final to senior Komal Safdar and freshman Mehvish Safdar of Ursuline.

Broda lost the final match by the score of 6-3, 6-4 after cruising through her first three matches of the tournament. In that final she lost to Neihaus, a player she defeated 6-3, 6-3 in late August.

Pitman and Holden spent the 2010 regular season as singles, Pitman at No. 1 and Holden at No. 2. However, the duo decided to pair up in hopes of capturing a state title.

Last year, the pair finished as the runner-up in the state after losing the final to Meghan Buell and Maddie Kobelt of New Albany.

In this year’s district tournament, Pitman/Holden ran into a competitor who was the 2009 state singles runner-up in Komal Safdar. Safdar and her sister, Mehvish, cruised through the competition until they meet Pitman/Holden in the final. The Ursuline pair won that match 7-6, 6-4.

Due to their second-place finish, Broda and Pitman/Holden have qualified for the state tournament to be held Oct. 22-23 in the Columbus area.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Brooke Broda, Carolyn Pitman, girls' tennis, Komal Safdar, Lakota East, Lakota West, Mehvish Safdar, Mt. Notre Dame, Sandy Niehaus, Taylor Holden, tennis, tennis district tournament, Ursuline

Lakota West freshman Brooke Broda and Lakota East doubles pair senior Carolyn Pitman/sophomore Taylor Holden won both of their matches in the girls’ tennis district tournament at the A.T.P Tennis Center in Mason, Oct. 14. By winning two matches, Broda and the doubles pair have advanced to the semifinals of the district tournament and earned spots into the state tournament to be held Oct. 22-23 in the Columbus area.

The top four singles players and top four doubles pairs in the district tournament automatically qualify for spots in the state tournament.

In singles action, Broda cruised to the semifinals winning her first match against Mt. Notre Dame sophomore Sydney Landers 6-2, 6-0, and her second match against Springboro freshman Aundrea Busse 6-0, 6-0.

Broda’s teammate sophomore Nicole Soutar (photo) won her first match 6-4, 6-2 against Fairmont senior Kaitlin Pickrel. Soutar then had to face Mt. Notre Dame sophomore Sandy Neihaus, who defeated Soutar 6-1, 6-2. The loss eliminated Soutar from competing in the state tournament.

Broda will face Northmont senior Marianne Bonanno in a semifinal match to be played Saturday, Oct. 16. The winner of that match will then play the winner of other semifinal, which includes Neihaus and Kings freshman Amina Ismail.

In doubles play, Pitman and Holden advanced to the state tournament by defeating Madeline Tucker and Heather Smith of Mother of Mercy (6-0, 6-0) and Caitlin Riddle and Valerie Mangold of Springboro (6-0, 6-1).

Pitman/Holden, who advanced to the doubles final in last year’s state tournament, will face the doubles pair of Annie Sabo and Maggie Egan of Ursuline in the semifinal. If the East duo can advance to the final, they will like play the Safdar sisters (Komal and Mehvish) of Ursuline.

The last day of the district tournament, which will include the semifinal and final matches, will begin at 9 a.m. this Saturday.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Brooke Broda, Carolyn Pitman, girls' tennis, Lakota East, Lakota West, Nicole Soutar, Taylor Holden, tennis, tennis district tournament