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The Lakota East athletic department is proud of its student athletes this school year as they have won two of the first three Greater Miami Conference titles this fall. The Thunderhawks boys’ golf team claimed the GMC title Sept. 23 and the girls’ tennis team won their GMC title this past weekend on Oct. 2. The only GMC title Lakota East didn’t win in 2010-2011 was in girls’ golf.

The boys’ golf team dealt with adversity this fall, as its star golfer, Jordan Day, passed away after crashing his car on I-75 in August.

“The boys’ gold title is a testament to the type of young men and coaches that make up our program. To overcome what they have, to have the success that they have has to be the best story in high school athletics this year,” Lakota East Athletic Department Richard Bryant said.

The golf team entered the second day of the GMC Golf Tournament tied for fourth place and trailed first-place teams, Lakota West and Middletown, by six strokes. The Thunderhawks finished Day 2 in first place after posting a two-day score of 623, which was better than Mason (626), Lakota West (627) and Middletown (629).

The girls’ tennis squad dominated the GMC this regular season, winning all nine of their conference matches. However, they had to play under a different format in the GMC Girls’ Tennis Tournament. The format was similar to the one in the Greater Cincinnati Tennis Coaches Association Tournament, in which East finished fifth (rival Lakota West finished second). Nevertheless, the Thunderhawks totaled 45 points in the conference tournament and edged second-place Sycamore, who finished with 44 points.

“The girls tennis program has been dominant all season long. I was very impressed with how they finished at the league tournament – every single girl contributed to bring home the team title,” Bryant said.

The Thunderhawks finished first in No. 2 singles (sophomore Taylor Holden) and in No. 2 doubles (junior Sofey Fugate and sophomore Leeah Floyd) in the GMC Tournament. No. 1 singles player, senior Carolyn Pitman, finished as the runner-up and No. 1 doubles duo, senior Samar Sheriff and senior Taylor Stephens, finished in third place.

Last school year, 2009-2010, Lakota East didn’t win a single GMC title in the fall. In fact, the only conference title the Thunderhawks claimed was in spring baseball.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: GMC Golf Tournament, GMC Tennis Tournament, GMC title, golf, Jordan Day, Lakota East, Lakota East Athletic Department, Richard Bryant, tennis

Lakota East captured its first-ever Greater Miami Conference tennis championship this weekend when it finished with 45 points in the 2010 GMC Girls’ Tennis Tournament at Mason High School. Sycamore finished in second with 44 points.

The Thunderhawks finished first in No. 2 singles (sophomore Taylor Holden) and in No. 2 doubles (junior Sofey Fugate and sophomore Leeah Floyd). Meanwhile, No. 1 singles player, senior Carolyn Pitman, finished as the runner-up and No. 1 doubles duo, senior Samar Sheriff and senior Taylor Stephens, finished in third place.

“Each team member has contributed during the season and during the tournament. I couldn’t be more proud of all the girls and it makes it even more special with five seniors on the team,” Lakota East head coach Karen Barnes said.

Barnes, who received the GMC Coach of the Year honor, helped guide the Thunderhawks to a 16-1 overall record and a perfect 9-0 record within the GMC this season.

Pitman was awarded the GMC Athlete of the Year. Her teammates, Holden, Fugate and Floyd were named First Team All-GMC.

“Since August we’ve felt the GMC championship was in reach and everyone has worked hard individually and as a team to make it happen,” Barnes said.

Lakota East will play in the Division I Sectional Tennis Tournament at Mason High School this week (Oct. 6-7, 9). The Thunderhawks top singles players, Pitman and Holden, will team up as a doubles pair in the sectionals. Pitman/Holden, who as a duo finished as the state runner-up in 2009, come into the tournament as the No. 1 seed.

2010 GMC Girls’ Tennis Tournament

1.) Lakota East – 45
2.) Sycamore – 44
3.) Mason – 42
4.) Lakota West – 39
5.) Princeton – 27
6.) Oak Hills – 26
7.) Fairfield – 16
8.) Hamilton – 14
9.) Middletown – 13
10.) Colerain – 10

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Carolyn Pitman, GMC, GMC Tennis Tournament, Greater Miami Conference, Karen Barnes, Taylor Holden, tennis

The first day of the Greater Miami Conference Tennis Tournament ended with the No. 1 and No. 2 singles brackets showing a Lakota East player against a Lakota West player in Saturday’s final.

Lakota East No. 1 singles player Carolyn Pitman (senior) cruised through her first two matches, as did Lakota West No. 1 singles player Brooke Broda (freshman), meaning the two players will meet in the GMC final. Earlier this month, Pitman defeated Broda 6-1, 6-4. However, last weekend in the Greater Cincinnati Tennis Coaches Association Tournament final, Broda defeated Pitman 6-2, 6-4.

In the No. 2 singles bracket, Lakota East sophomore Taylor Holden (photo) and Lakota West sophomore Nicole Soutar (photo) find themselves in the final after winning their two matches on Day 1. Holden and Soutar have not faced each other this season. In the Lakota East vs. West matchup earlier this month, Soutar was moved to the No. 1 doubles pair.

Lakota West No. 3 singles player Madison Capovilla (freshman) won two matches on the first day of the tournament and will play Mason’s Lynn Kelly in the final.

Meanwhile, in doubles action, Lakota East No. 1 duo senior Samar Sheriff and senior Taylor Stephens finished in third place while East’s No. 2 duo junior Sofey Fugate and Leeah Floyd find themselves in Saturday’s final.

The last day of the GMC Tennis Tournament will begin at 8 a.m. Oct. 2 at Mason High School’s tennis facility.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Brooke Broda, Carolyn Pitman, GMC Tennis Tournament, Greater Miami Conference, Lakota East, Lakota West, Leeah Floyd, Madison Capovilla, Nicole Soutar, Samar Sheriff, Sofey Fugate, Taylor Holden, Taylor Stephens, tennis

Lakota West will aim to win its third straight Greater Miami Conference Tennis Tournament title this Thursday, Sept. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 2 at Mason High School. Standing in the Firebirds way, will be Lakota East.

The Thunderhawks (17-1 overall, 9-0 in GMC) have dominated the GMC this season and appear to be in prime position to win their first-ever GMC title.

“It has been an incredible season for the team and we have accomplished a lot; our first undefeated season in the GMC, our first trip to the southwest district finals and our first time being ranked in the state (No. 6),” Lakota East head coach Karen Barnes said.

“We hope to keep our team accomplishments alive in the GMC tournament.”

Its senior No. 1 singles player Carolyn Pitman (photo), who has a perfect 7-0 record at the No. 1 spot in conference play this season, leads Lakota East. Pitman, who is a senior, could have to face Lakota West’s No. 1 singles player Brooke Broda (photo) in the GMC final.

Earlier this month, Pitman defeated Broda, who is only a freshman, 6-1, 6-4. However, the two met again in last weekend’s Greater Cincinnati Tennis Coaches Association Tournament final (GCTCA). This time, Broda defeated Pitman 6-2, 6-4. (more…)

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Brooke Broda, Bryan Skoog, Carolyn Pitman, GMC, GMC Tennis Tournament, Greater Miami Conference, Karen Barnes, Lakota East, Lakota West, Madison Capovilla, Nicole Soutar, Taylor Holden, tennis