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Lakota West senior Jerome Hamilton finished sixth at the regional track meet at Dayton's Welcome Stadium on May, 23, 2012. A four-place or better finish would have qualified Hamilton for the state meet. Photo taken by Tony Tribble.

The Greater Miami Conference recently honored many Lakota student athletes for their success in track and field. Multiple athletes were honored more than once and several relay teams were also honored.

Several of the student athletes will also compete at the state meet Friday and Saturday to be held at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium at Ohio State University in Columbus.

On the boys’ side, Lakota West’s senior Nathan Haynes (800-meter run) and junior Will Wilson (high jump) will be competing at state. In those same events, Haynes was also selected to the all-GMC first team, while Wilson was an honorable mention. Both athletes also earned honorable mention honors with senior Will Clevidence and senior Reid Beck as part of the 3200-meter relay team.

Clevidence was also selected to the all-GMC third team in the 800-meter run. Other boy track athletes who were honored by the GMC include Lakota West junior Nick McGill (300-meter hurdles, honorable mention), Lakota West senior Jerome Hamilton (long jump, honorable mention) and Lakota East junior Jordan Combs (pole vault, all-GMC second team).

On the girls’ side, senior Lauren Buck (shot put, discus), sophomore Autumn Heath (100-meter, 200-meter dash) and junior Celeste Bronson (300-meter hurdles) will be competing at this week’s state meet. Both Buck and Heath were selected to the all-GMC first team in those same events. Bronson, on the other hand, was part of the 400-meter team with Heath, junior Kendra Thomas and sophomore Kellsa Mbah that was selected all-GMC second team.

Heath, Thomas, Mbah and senior Ariana Cooper were also part of the 800-meter relay team that was selected to the all-GMC first team. Mbah was also selected all-GMC second team for the long jump and honorable mention for the 200-meter dash. Thomas was given honorable mention recognition for the pole vault.

Meanwhile, the only athlete from the Lakota girls’ team to be honored was senior Amanda Shelby, who was honorable mention in the 3200-meter run.

In addition to the teams, Buck was named GMC co-athlete of the year and Lakota East’s John Lindeman was named GMC coach of the year.

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: 2012 Ohio High School Athletic Association State Track Championship, Amanda Shelby, Ariana Cooper, Autumn Heath, Celeste Bronson, Jerome Hamilton, John Lindeman, Kellsa Mbah, Kendra Thomas, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Lakota East track, Lakota West, Lakota West sports, Lakota West track, Lauren Buck, Nathan Haynes, Nick McGill, Reid Beck, Will Clevidence, Will Wilson

On the first day of the regional tournament Wednesday at Welcome Stadium in Dayton, Lakota East senior Lauren Buck became the first Lakota athlete to qualify for the 2012 Ohio High School Athletic Association State Track Championship when she placed second in the finals of the discus throw competition.

Lakota East's Celeste Bronson jumps a hurdle during the Division I district track finals at Winton Woods May 18. Photo taken by Joseph Fuqua II.

Overall, the girls’ Lakota East track and field team will likely have more athletes qualifying for the state meet when most of the regional finals take place Friday.

Leading the way, Lakota East sophomore Autumn Heath finished first in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes during the regional preliminaries Wednesday. Heath also won both events at the district meet.

The 4×100-meter and 4×200-meter relay teams, which feature Heath as a member, also have a shot to qualify for the state championship. In the prelims, the 4×100-meter group finished third and the 4×200-meter finished fourth. Members of the 4×100 meter team includes junior Celeste Bronson, Heath, junior Kendra Thomas and sophomore Kellsa Mbah, while senior Ariana Cooper, Heath, Thomas and Mbah make up the 4×200-meter team.

Bronson could also qualify for the 300-meter hurdles, as she placed fourth in the prelims Wednesday.

To automatically qualify for the state tournament, an athlete must finish in the top four in their event at the regional.

The second and last day of the regional tournament will begin at 4 p.m. Friday.

The state tournament will take place at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium at Ohio State University in Columbus June 1-2.

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: Ariana Cooper, Autumn Heath, Ben Call, Celeste Bronson, Jack Beggs, Kellsa Mbah, Kendra Thomas, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Lakota East track, Ohio track district meet

The Lakota East girls’ track team captured the Division I Southwest District track title at Winton Woods High School Friday. The Thunderhawks finished with 121 points, edging McAuley, which had 112 points.

The Lakota East girls' track team won a district title May 18, 2012. Photo provided.

“We knew it was going to be close, but that was huge for us at that point,” Lakota East coach John Lindeman told EastThunderhawks.com. “Winning this thing is huge for us – especially beating McAuley, because they’re one of the class teams in the city. Beating them shows we’re solidifying ourselves and giving us the confidence to go on to regionals next week.”

At districts, the Lakota East girls’ team won the 4×200-meter relay, the 4×100-meter relay, the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles, as well as the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes.

The boys’ team finished in 10th place, but had qualified five athletes for this week’s regional meet at Dayton. Senior Tony O’Connor (1600-meter run, 4×800-meter relay), junior Matt Rice (3200-meter run), sophomore Ben Call (3200-meter run, 4X800-meter relay), junior Jordan Combs (pole vault) sophomore Devon Jackson (4×800-meter relay) and sophomore Jack Beggs (4×800-meter relay) all qualified for the regional meet from the Lakota East boys’ team.

The Lakota East girls’ team qualified six athletes for the regional, but also had a handful of district champions in senior Ariana Cooper (4×200-meter relay), junior Kendra Thomas (4×200-meter relay, 4×100-meter relay), junior Kellsa Mbah (4×200-meter relay, 4×100-meter relay), sophomore Autumn Heath (4×200-meter relay, 4×100-meter relay, 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash) and Celeste Bronson (4×100-meter relay, 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles).

Cooper (400-meter dash), Mbah (200-meter dash), Thomas (pole vault) and junior Kelly Burrows (3200-meter run) didn’t finish in first place but also qualified to compete in the regional meet in other events.

Seven Firebirds qualify for state meet

The Lakota West track team had seven members of its track team qualify for this week’s regional meet at Dayton. District champions included senior Will Clevidence (4×800-meter relay, 800-meter run), senior Nathan Haynes (4×800-meter relay), senior Reid Becker (4×800-meter relay), junior Will Wilson (4×800-meter relay) and senior Amanda Shelby (3200-meter run). Not finishing first, but qualifying in other events include Haynes (800-meter run), Wilson (high jump), senior Brady Holmer (1600-meter run) and senior Jerome Hamilton (long jump).

Regional meet

The regional meet is scheduled to take place at Welcome Stadium (University of Dayton) Wednesday at 4 p.m. and Friday at 4 p.m.

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: Amanda Shelby, Ariana Cooper, Autumn Heath, Ben Call, Brady Holmer, Celeste Bronson, Devon Jackson, Jack Beggs, Jerome Hamilton, Kellsa Mbah, Kelly Burrows, Kendra Thomas, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Lakota East track, Lakota West, Lakota West sports, Lakota West track, Matt Rice, Nathan Haynes, Ohio track district meet, Reid Becker, Tony O'Connor, Will Clevidence, Will Wilson

Celeste Bronson

Autumn Heath

Kendra Thomas

Kelisa Mbah

Junior Celeste Bronson, sophomore Autum Heath, junior Kendra Thomas and junior Kellsa Mbah broke the longest standing running record in Lakota school district history when the Lakota East foursome finished the 4×100 meter relay event in 48.62 seconds at the 2012 Greater Miami Conference Track Championships in Mason Friday.

The group turned in a time of 48.62 seconds, which was just shy of the GMC championship record of 48.34 seconds set in 1995 by Mia Cunningham, Alex Delatour, Michelle Delatour and Devon Rogers of Princeton. The Lakota East group also finished in second at the 2012 GMC meet behind Sycamore by .02 hundredths of second.

The previous Lakota record was set in 1980, which was the first season where races were measured in meters instead of yards. After the change, the 4×100 meter relay event was the only Lakota running record to stand for 32 years.

The foursome that set the previous record of 49.0 seconds in 1980 was Tracy Long, Karen Rudolph, Becky Smith and Theresa Hawkins. Of the group, Long, Rudolph and Hawkins have been since inducted into the Lakota High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Hawkins is also in the LaRosa’s Cincinnati High School Hall of Fame.

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: Autumn Heath, Celeste Bronson, Kelisa Mbah, Kendra Thomas, Lakota Athletic Hall of Fame, Lakota athletic records, Lakota East Sports, Lakota East track, Lakota sports records

Kevin Goheen reports

Kellsa Mbah came into this track and field season wanting to branch out into new events. The Lakota East sophomore is finding her way pretty well through the first two meets of the season.

Mbah won the 200 meters and long jump as well as anchored the winning 400 and 800 meter relay teams to help lead the Thunderhawks to an overall girls’ team championship Thursday at the Fairfield Invitational.

Lakota East got wins in eight events and finished with 132 points, topping the field of 12 teams. Host Fairfield was the runner-up with 106.5 points.

Mbah was joined by sophomore Autumn Heath (100, 400 relay, 800 relay), junior Kendra Thomas (400 relay, 800 relay), junior Celeste Bronson (300 hurdles, 800 relay) and senior Lauren Buck (shot put, discus throw) as multiple event winners for Lakota East.

Until last Saturday at the LaSalle Legends meet, Mbah had never done the long jump. She won that competition with a leap of 17 feet, 10.75 inches. She won Thursday’s meet by jumping 16-10.25 after she had completed her other three events.

“I want to be more versatile,” said Mbah. “I’m exploring more options and trying to do more than just run. I’m a bit faster this year and trained harder over the winter to be ready to do this.

“I’m extremely happy with how this season has started. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

La Salle won the boys’ title with 135 points, besting second-place Oak Hills by eight points. The Lancers, last season’s Division I state champions, had seven event winners while Oak Hills had five.

Sophomore Tim Bell won the 100 meters and high jump events while also running on the victorious 800 meter relay team. Bell was third in the long jump. (more…)

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: Autumn Heath, Celeste Bronson, Kellsa Mbah, Kellsa Mbah Lakota East, Kendra Thomas, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Lakota East track, Lauren Buck

The Greater Miami Conference recently honored its student athletes by releasing its all-conference teams. Yesterday, June 8, the baseball and softball All-GMC teams were posted on WestChesterBuzz.com. In total, Lakota had 45 athletes named to all-conference teams this spring sports season.

Overall, it was a very successful spring sports season for the Lakota school district. In baseball, Lakota East won the GMC and the state championship. Lakota East also won a GMC title in softball, while Lakota West shared the GMC title with Oak Hills in boys’ volleyball.

In boys’ tennis, Lakota East junior Zack Mueck (photo) was named the GMC Boys’ Tennis Athlete of the Year. Mueck’s teammate’s Freddy Abunku, who will continue his career at Xavier University, was named to the All-GMC First Team. Lakota West senior Aaron Madaris and Lakota East senior Akash Unakantha were both named to the All-GMC Second Team. Also, Lakota West sophomore Nick Lang was named to the All-GMC Third Team.

In boys’ volleyball, Lakota East senior Wesley Meyer was named the GMC Boys’ Volleyball Athlete of the Year. Lakota West senior Rio Onuki, Lakota West junior Alex Vohland and Lakota East junior Michael Ricke were all named to the All-GMC First Team. Meanwhile, Lakota West junior Alex Baker and Lakota East senior Anthony Fiorenza were named to the All-GMC Second Team. (more…)

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: Aaron Madaris, Akash Unakantha, Alex Baker, Alex Vohland, Anthony Fiorenza, Arianna Cooper, Autumn Heath, boys' tennis, boys' volleyball, Brady Holmer, Caitlin Graska, Freddy Abunku, Ian Trau, J.J. Weber, Kellsa Mbah, Kendra Thomas, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Lakota West, Lakota West sports, Lauren Buck, Madeline Eroskey, Maria Brafford, Michael Ricke, Nathan Haynes, Nick Lang, Reid Becker, Rio Onuki, Taylor Avery, tennis, track, volleyball, Wesley Meyer, Will Clevidence, Will Wilson, Zack Mmueck