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Lakota East baseball team wins school’s first state title

WestChesterBuzz.com will count down the area’s top 11 stories of 2011 this month, concluding with West Chester’s most discussed topic of the year Dec. 30.

For the first time in school history, Lakota East High School captured a state championship in a varsity sport.

Accomplishing that feat was the Lakota East baseball team, which played the title game at the same time fellow classmates were attending graduation ceremonies at Miami University’s Millet Hall.

The club’s 12 seniors didn’t mind missing their graduation.

“We were all excited. We didn’t really care (about missing our graduation). We would rather win the state championship than attend some boring two-hour long graduation,” senior pitcher Evan Hills said.

Instead, Hills bored Perrysburg batters in a 119-pitch complete game performance in the state championship June 4. Lakota East won the game and its first-ever state title by the score of 6-2.

“Hands down, it was the best day of my life,” senior shortstop J.D. Whetsel said of the day his team won the state championship. “Coach talked to us while we were up there and said, ‘there are not a whole lot of people who can end their baseball career with a win.’ We were able to be that handful of 12 guys who get to play their last baseball game and win it.

“To be able to hang a banner for a state championship in a team sport and to win for coach Ham (Ray Hamilton), who has been coaching for 23 years, and finally take him there and win it for (principal) Dr. Kiline, (athletic director) Mr. (Richard) Bryant, all of them – they all really deserve it. It is really cool to be the guys to bring it to them.”

Besides winning the state title, the East baseball team’s accomplishments this season include the program’s best-ever overall record (24-7), its third Greater Miami Conference title, along with sectional, district and regional titles.

East’s 2011 state championship is only the second Lakota team to win an OHSAA Division 1 State Baseball title (Lakota West 2007). East joins five other GMC schools, Hamilton (1983,1997), Fairfield (1985,1991) and Lakota West (2007) who have state baseball titles.

Head Coach Ray Hamilton earned his 374th career victory with East’s title victory.

On the following Monday, June 6, Lakota East parents, fans and state champion ballplayers filled the Hawks Nest at Lakota East High School to celebrate the school’s first state championship and to give the team’s seniors a brief graduation ceremony.

Posted in: Sports, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: Evan Hills, J.D. Whetsel, Lakota East, Lakota East baseball, Lakota East baseball state champs, Lakota East Sports, Lakota East sports photos, photos, Ray Hamilton, state championship, West Chester photos, West Chester top 11 stories of 2011, West Chester top stories of 2011

Lakota East senior outfielder Alex Corna has verbally committed to play baseball at Ohio University. He is the second senior-to-be from Lakota East’s state championship team to commit to a Division I baseball program this week.

Senior pitcher Michael Conrad also made a verbal commitment this week when he decided that he would play his college ball at the University of Cincinnati.

According to the Greater Miami Conference website, Corna had a .381 batting average and led the entire Lakota East team with a .532 on-base percentage in 2010. Corna was also named to the All-GMC First Team this past season.

Fellow members of the state championship team will also play in college, including 2011 graduates Mitch Geers (Marietta College), Evan Hills (Cincinnati), Mark McDaniel (Marietta) and J.D. Whetsel (Cornell University).

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: Alex Corna, baseball, Evan Hills, J.D. Whetsel, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Mark McDaniel, Michael Conrad, Mike Conrad, Mitch Geers, Ohio High School sports recruiting, Ohio preps recruiting, Ohio sports recruiting, recruiting, state championship

Lakota East senior-to-be Michael Conrad has verbally committed to play baseball at the University of Cincinnati, according to Mike Dyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Conrad was one of the two aces on the Thunderhawks’ baseball team that captured the state title this June. He finished the year with a 5-1 record, a 1.11 earned run average and tied a Lakota school district record with 115 strikeouts. In June alone, Conrad received offers from Indiana University, the University of Toledo and Ohio University.

Conrad was the Cincinnati Enquirer Baseball Player of the Year and the Greater Miami Conference Baseball Player of the Year this spring.

The other ace on the Thunderhawks’ baseball team this past season was Evan Hills. The 2011 graduate will also play baseball at UC.

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: baseball, Enquirer Players of the Year, Evan Hills, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Michael Conrad, Mike Conrad, Ohio High School sports recruiting, Ohio preps recruiting, Ohio sports recruiting, recruiting, state championship

The Greater Miami Conference recently announced its all-conference baseball and softball teams. A total of 23 Lakota baseball and softball players were named to the conference’s first and second teams.

In baseball, Lakota East’s Ray Hamilton was named GMC Coach of the Year and Lakota East junior pitcher Mike Conrad shared the honor of GMC Baseball Athlete of the Year with Middletown’s Kyle Schwarber.

Lakota East, which won the GMC title and a state title this spring, had five players (Conrad, senior J.D. Whetsel, senior Jesse Rait, senior Evan Hills and junior Alex Corna) named to the All-GMC First Team and two (senior Mitch Geers and sophomore Jarrett Rindfleisch) named to the All-GMC Second Team.

Lakota West, which won a district title this season, had two players (senior Ryan Oltorik and junior Jake Wagner) named to the All-GMC First Team and three (senior T.J. Belieu, senior Mack Doherty, junior Zack Farmer) named to the All-GMC Second Team.

In softball, Sara Pearson, who has signed on to play at the University of Memphis, was named as the GMC Softball Athlete of the Year. Pearson struck out 264 batters in 164.2 innings and posted a 0.30 earned run average in 2011.

Lakota East, which won the GMC title and a district title in 2011, had five players (Pearson, sophomore Lea Buckenmyer, junior Ainsley Ellison, junior Alyssa Grevenkamp and senior Kelly Hardison) named to the All-GMC First Team and one (junior Kim Rollins) named to the All-GMC Second Team.

Lakota West, which won a regional title this spring, had two players (senior Alex Caudill and junior Amanda Lahti) named to the All-GMC First Team and three (senior Yasmin Battle, senior Melanie Bryan and junior Jessica Burke) named to the All-GMC Second Team.

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: Ainsley Ellison, Alex Caudill, Alex Corna, Alyssa Grevenkamp, Amanda Lahti, baseball, Evan Hills, Jake Wagner, Jarrett Rindfleisch, Jesse Rait, Jessica Burke, Kelly Hardison, Kim Rollins, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Lakota West, Lakota West sports, Lea Buckenmyer, Mack Doherty, Melanie Bryan, Mike Conrad, Mitch Geers, Ray Hamilton, Ryan Oltorik, Sara Pearson, softball, T.J. Belieu, Yasmin Battle, Zach Farmer, Zack Farmer

Lakota East parents, fans and state champion ballplayers filled the Hawks Nest at Lakota East High School Monday, June 6, to celebrate the school’s first state championship in any sport. The celebration also included a brief graduation ceremony for the 12 seniors who missed this past Saturday’s graduation at Miami University.

“You come into today and you knew it was going to be big because of graduation, but with the last five days and just when you think it can’t get any better – it does,” Lakota East head coach Ray Hamilton said. “Tonight is a perfect example. What a great way to send our kids off.”

>>>PHOTOS OF LAKOTA EAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATION<<<

The seniors didn’t mind missing their graduation this weekend, which was actually taking place when the team was playing in the state championship game in Columbus.

“We were all excited. We didn’t really care (about missing our graduation). We would rather win the state championship than attend some boring two-hour long graduation,” senior pitcher Evan Hills said.

Instead, Hills bored Perrysburg batters in a 119-pitch complete game performance in the state championship Saturday, June 4. Lakota East won the game and its first-ever state title by the score of 6-2.

“Hands down, it was the best day of my life,” senior shortstop J.D. Whetsel said of the day his team won the state championship. “Coach talked to us while we were up there and said, ‘there are not a whole lot of people who can end their baseball career with a win.’ We were able to be that handful of 12 guys who get to play their last baseball game and win it.

“To be able to hang a banner for a state championship in a team sport and to win for coach Ham, who has been coaching for 23 years, and finally take him there and win it for (principal) Dr. Kiline, (athletic director) Mr. (Richard) Bryant, all of them – they all really deserve it. It is really cool to be the guys to bring it to them.”

Cincinnati.com reporter Tom Ramstetter attended the title game. For his game story, visit Cincinnati.com’s post “Lakota East baseball wins school’s first state championship.”

Posted in: News, Schools, Sports, Spring sports, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: baseball, Evan Hills, J.D. Whetsel, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, photo gallery, photos, Ray Hamilton, state championship

The Lakota East baseball program won its first state championship Saturday, June 4, when it defeated Perrysburg by the score of 6-2 in the Division I state title game at Huntington Park in Columbus. Tonight, June 6, the team will be honored during a special celebration at the high school in Liberty Township.

The celebration will begin at 7 p.m. During the event, the 12 seniors, who include J.D. Whetsel, Craig Thomson, Nick Norris, Brian Evans, Jesse Rait, David Kovac, Damon Lander, Evan Hills, Zak Kloenne, Mark McDaniel, Nick Kloenne and Mitch Geers will celebrate their graduation. The group missed the Lakota East’s graduation ceremony at Miami University’s Millet Hall, which started the same time as the state title game.

>>>LAKOTA EAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PHOTOS<<<

Besides winning the state title, the East baseball team’s accomplishments this season include the program’s best-ever overall record (24-7), their third Greater Miami Conference title, along with sectional, district and regional titles. East’s state championship is the second Lakota team to win an OHSAA Division 1 State Baseball title (Lakota West 2007). East joins five other GMC schools, Hamilton (1983,1997), Fairfield (1985,1991) and Lakota West (2007) who have state baseball titles. Head Coach Ray Hamilton earned his 374th career victory with East’s title victory.

Cincinnati.com reporter Tom Ramstetter attended the title game. For his game story, visit Cincinnati.com’s post “Lakota East baseball wins school’s first state championship.”

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: baseball, Brian Evans, Craig Thomson, Damon Lander, David Kovac, Evan Hills, J.D. Whetsel, Jesse Rait, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Mark McDaniel, Mitch Geers, Nick Kloenne, Nick Norris, Ray Hamilton, state championship, Zak Kloenne

The Lakota East baseball program won its first state championship Saturday, June 4, when it defeated Perrysburg by the score of 6-2 in the Division I state title game at Huntington Park in Columbus.

The Thunderhawks limited Perrysburg to two runs due to the performance of senior pitcher Evan Hills, who needed 119 pitches to toss his fifth complete game of the season.

>>>LAKOTA EAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PHOTOS<<<

Hills, who will continue his baseball career at the University of Cincinnati, spread out seven hits and didn’t allow a single run through the first six innings. Hills struggled to finish off the Yellow Jackets in the final frame, allowing three hits, one walk and two runs.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, with Yellow Jackets on second and third base, Hills was bailed out by senior second baseman Craig Thomson, who made a diving stop and was able to throw out the base runner to end the game.

According to Pulse Journal, which provided updates throughout the game, mothers of Lakota East’s 12 seniors who were scheduled to participate in the high school’s graduation ceremony this morning at Miami University’s Millet Hall wore caps and gowns prior to the game.

(Look for a game story to be posted soon to Cincinnati.com)

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: baseball, Craig Thomson, Evan Hills, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, state championship

The Lakota East baseball team advanced to Saturday’s state championship game when it defeated Grove City Thursday, June 2, afternoon by the score of 7-2 at Huntington Park in Columbus.

The Thunderhawks received a complete game from starting pitcher junior Mike Conrad against Grove City. Conrad entered the game with 110 strikeouts in 68.2 innings and a 1.22 earned run average.

At the plate, sophomore catcher Jarrett Rindfleisch (two doubles, three runs) and senior Jesse Rait (two-run home run) led Lakota East.

Lakota East (23-7 overall) senior Evan Hills will likely get the start on Saturday against Perrysburg (26-3 overall) in the state title game. The game will begin at exactly the same time as Hills, Rait and the other 10 seniors on the baseball team were scheduled to be at Miami University’s Millet Hall for Lakota East High School’s graduation ceremony.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Rait told Cincinnati.com. “Graduation is big, but I’d much rather be here with my teammates. It’s awesome to still be playing when everyone else is done.”

Hills, who will continue his baseball career at the University of Cincinnati, comes into the title game with an 8-3 overall record and 1.52 earned run average.

Cincinnati.com sports reporter Mark Schmetzer was at today’s state semifinal game between Lakota East and Grove City. To see his entire recap, visit Cincinnati.com’s story titled “Lakota East baseball reaches state final.”

(Photo taken during Lakota East’s regional championship win May 28)

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: baseball, Evan Hills, Jarrett Rindfleisch, Jesse Rait, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Mike Conrad, state championship, state semifinal

The Lakota East baseball and softball teams both won their regional semifinal matches on Friday, May 27, by one run. The baseball team defeated Northmont by the score of 1-0, while the softball team defeated Wayne by the score of 3-2.

The Lakota East baseball team won in the 12th inning after a ground ball by senior Zak Kloenne found the outfield and scored senior Craig Thomson, who had doubled off the left field fence earlier in the inning. The win advances the Thunderhawks to their second Division I regional final in school history.

Lakota East (22-7 overall) will now face Butler (27-3 overall) at noon today, May 28, at University of Cincinnati’s Marge Schott Stadium. The Thunderhawks head coach Ray Hamilton had planned to start UC commit senior pitcher Evan Hills this afternoon, but may after to find another starter after Hills threw five scoreless innings of relief on Friday.

Hills (photo from an earlier game this season) combined with starter junior Mike Conrad to throw 12 shutout innings in the win, struck out 12 and to hold Northmont hitters to four hits in 37 at-bats. Conrad and Hills had been the Thunderhawks’ most-used pitchers all season long.

“All I know is we’re playing in the region finals and I don’t care who we’re throwing,” Lakota East coach Ray Hamilton told Cincinnati.com. “I’m not concerned. This team comes to play every day.”

Meanwhile, the Lakota East softball team also had a dramatic win on Friday. After giving up a 2-0 lead, the Thunderhawks found themselves tied 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning. That was when senior catcher Kelly Hardison, who holds the single season record for home runs in the Greater Miami Conference, hit her ninth homer of season.

“It felt good right when I hit it,” Hardison told Cincinnati.com of her walk-off home run.”

Lakota East senior pitcher Sara Pearson improved her record to 23-2 and struck out nine batters in the win.

Lakota East (28-2) will play Lakota West (20-4 overall) in the regional final today, May 28, at 5 p.m. at Mason High School. The Firefirds are the only team that has been able to defeat Lakota East all season. Lakota West defeated the Thunderhawks by the score of 2-0 in late March and by the score of 2-0 in early May.

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: baseball, Craig Thomson, Evan Hills, Kelly Hardison, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Mike Conrad, Ray Hamilton, regional final, regional semifinal, regional semifinals, Sara Pearson, softball, Zak Kloenne

A total of 21 student athletes at Lakota East High School were recognized at a special signing event Wednesday, May 18. During the event, each student athlete signed on to play a sport in college.

The student athletes, who were honored, include Abby Tepe (golf – Ashland University), Alex Espinoza (swimming – Urbana University), Alexandria Ancona (Soccer – Otterbein University), Cameron Lee (basketball – Sinclair Community College), Dominic Lindeman (soccer – University of Findlay), Emma Lang (soccer – Indiana Tech University), Evan Hills (baseball – University of Cincinnati), Katie Strahan (tennis – Heidelberg University), Kelly Hardison (College of Mt. St. Joe), Kelsey Chapin (dance team – University of Kentucky), Mark McDaniel (baseball – Marietta College), Megan Costa (basketball – Miami University of Middletown), Mitch Geers (baseball – Marietta College), Patrick Henry (soccer – Wilmington College), Phillip Rawlins (soccer – Wilmington College), R.J. Leppert (basketball – Wilmington College), Rachel Grove (swimming – Cleveland State University), Scott Duncan (football – Wilmington College), Tanner Staiger (football – Georgetown College), Wesley Meyer (volleyball – University of Windsor) and Jalen Goodwin (basketball – College of Wooster).

Earlier this year, Lakota East recognized 10 additional senior athletes who were accepting college scholarship offers.

For more on the earlier signing, visit WestChesterBuzz.com’s story “Lakota East Signing Day: 10 student athletes honored.”

Photo provided by Barb Trimble of www.TrimPhoto.com. For photos of this ceremony and other Lakota East sporting events visit her sports photo gallery page.

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

Tags: Tags: Abby Tepe, Alex Espinoza, Alexandria Ancona, Cameron Lee, college signing, Dominic Lindeman, Emma Lang, Evan Hills, Jalen Goodwin, Katie Strahan, Kelly Hardison, Kelsey Chapin, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Mark McDaniel, Megan Costa, National Signing Day, Patrick Henry, R.J. Leppert, Rachel Grove, Scott Duncan, signing, Signing Day, Tanner Staiger, Wesley Meyer