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Lakota West graduate and former Ball State soccer player Brigit Reder has recently made the preseason 25-person roster for the Western New York Flash of the National Women’s Soccer League.

On the roster, Reder joins Abby Wambach and Caril Lloyd, both members of the U.S. Women’s National Team, as well as Canadian Women’s National team players Bryanna McCarthy and Jodi Ann Robinson; and Mexican National team players Veronica Perez and Pamela Tajonar.

“I couldn’t even image being here,” Reder told ballstatesports.com. “It is an unreal experience. I wouldn’t be here without friends, family and coaches. I’m just blessed to have this opportunity.”

According to a story on the Ball State University athletics website, the Flash will cut its roster from 25 to 20 next Friday, April 5 before the team opens the regular season Sunday, April 14.

Reder finished her collegiate soccer career in 2012, as the school’s all-time leader in career minutes played. She was also a two-time Academic All-MAC selection, All-MAC Second Team and Capital One Academic All-District as a junior.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Ball State, Ball State soccer, Brigit Reder, Brigit Reder Ball State, Lakota West, Lakota West golf, Lakota West soccer, Lakota West sports, Soccer

To let West Chester and Liberty Township residents catch up with the news that they need to know, WestChesterBuzz.com will list and link to all of last week’s top local stories every Monday.

WestChesterBuzz.com also recently added a new video page last week. To view West Chester and Liberty Township related videos, visit westchesterbuzz.com/videos.

Alicia Lang loses battle with CF – Alicia Lang, a 2010 Lakota West High School graduate, died from cystic fibrosis Friday, March 8 at the Cleveland Clinic, where she underwent a double-lung transplant on Feb. 11. She would have turned 21 on March 20. The family shared the news early last week.

West Chester hospital to address mental health needs – Millions of Americans experience mental illness each year and there aren’t nearly enough psychiatric beds or funds to combat the region’s growing mental health problem. Beckett Springs Hospital, scheduled to open in July in West Chester, will help address that need, said David Polunas, chief executive officer.

YRC Freight to close West Chester hub – One of the nation’s largest trucking companies is planning to shut down its West Chester hub and distribution center, leaving almost 300 workers in limbo. YRC Freight has informed a local union last week that the company plans to close a significant portion of its local operations as part of a nationwide strategy to consolidate operations, Jason Williams of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Lakota West student wins Overture Award – Lakota West senior Abby Koch (pronounced “cook”) was recently named this year’s Cincinnati Overture Award winner for Visual Arts. WestChesterBuzz shared the senior’s story last week.

Lakota West hires Jan Bennett as its new girls’ soccer coach – The Lakota West Athletic Department recently announced that it has hired Jan Bennett as its new head girls’ soccer coach for its varsity program. Bennett takes over the position that was held by Tara Schafer-Kalkhoff, Lakota West’s first and only head coach for girls soccer. Schafer-Kalkoff announced her retirement in December.

Voice of America Museum Board gets official go ahead – The West Chester Township trustees, once again, agreed to enter a five-year lease with the Board of the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting. This agreement, which was made official last Tuesday night at the latest trustee meeting, will put the museum’s board in charge of maintaining the landmark and will allow them to raise funds as a non-profit corporation.

West Chester neighbors don’t want Kroger – A West Chester Township neighborhood has hired an attorney to prevent a shopping center, which would be anchored by a 133,000-square-foot Kroger Marketplace, from being built near their homes. The group is preparing for its meeting with the Zoning Commission this Monday.

New Enquirer – West Chester and Liberty townships, as well as the rest of Greater Cincinnati, saw a new-looking Cincinnati Enquirer last week. The Enquirer’s new edition unfolded last Monday.

Many crimes kept secret in small Ohio college towns – Sheila McLaughlin continued to report for The Cincinnati Enquirer on how 40 percent of college students in Oxford walk out of courtrooms with a criminal record that is sealed from public sight. Meanwhile, the rest of Butler County lives under different rules.

Posted in: Business, News, Schools, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Alicia Lang, Alicia Lang obit, Alicia Lang obituary, Alicia's Lungs, Beckett Springs Hospital, Beckett Springs Hospital West Chester, CEO David Polunas Beckett Springs Hospital, Cystic Fibrosis, David Polunas, fundraiser, Jan Bennett, Jim Lang, Lakota West, Lakota West soccer, Lakota West sports, Lindner Center of HOPE, Lindner Center of HOPE Mason, Mary Kay Lang, Nick Lang, Richard Bryant, Tara Schafer-Kalkhoff, West Chester business, West Chester business news, West Chester jobs, YRC Freight, YRC Freight West Chester

The Lakota West Athletic Department recently announced that it has hired Jan Bennett as its new head girls’ soccer coach for its varsity program.

Bennett’s coaching experience includes being the assistant coach at Walnut Hills, head coach of the Cincinnati United GU17 club from 2011 to present, head coach at Finneytown from 2004-2009, head coach and trainer of CWSC United GU19 club, and OSYSA state staff coach.

“I am extremely excited about the experience and passion that Coach Bennett brings to the position,” Lakota athletic director Richard Bryant said. “She came very highly recommended. I am confident that Lakota West Girls soccer will compete at a very high level under her guidance.”

Bennett takes over the position that was held by Tara Schafer-Kalkhoff, Lakota West’s first and only head coach for girls soccer. Schafer-Kalkoff announced her retirement in December.

Schafer-Kalkhoff completed her 17th season this fall as a head coach in the Lakota district after beginning her career at Lakota High School prior to its split following the 1996 season.

Her career highlights include winning the Ohio Division I state championship in 1999 and amassing 203 career wins with a 70.4 winning percentage. Her career win total is the seventh highest among all current and former girls’ soccer coaches in Ohio high school history, according westfirebirds.com.

Schafer-Kalkhoff and her husband and assistant coach, Mark Kalkhoff, retired to spend more time with their son, Connor, who will be four next fall. They both told westfirebirds.com that they expect to continue coaching soccer, just at a somewhat lower level of competition.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Jan Bennett, Lakota West soccer, Lakota West sports, Richard Bryant, Tara Schafer-Kalkhoff

Lakota West High School is taking applications for its open head girls’ soccer coach position through Feb. 8.

All interested individuals should provide the application, letter of interest and resume electronically to athletic director Richard Bryant at Richard.Bryant@lakotaonline.com.

Individuals will be contacted directly by the athletic director in regards to the hiring process.

Qualifications include head coaching experience is preferred, successful coaching experience at HS level or equivalent and exemplary soccer knowledge.

The hiring process will be completed by March 1.

Tara Schafer-Kalkhoff, Lakota West’s first and only head coach for girls soccer, announced her retirement in December.

Schafer-Kalkhoff recently completed her 17th season as a head coach in the Lakota district after beginning her career at Lakota High School prior to its split following the 1996 season.

Her career highlights include winning the Ohio Division I state championship in 1999 and amassing 203 career wins with a 70.4 winning percentage. Her career win total is the seventh highest among all current and former girls soccer coaches in Ohio high school history, according westfirebirds.com.

Also retiring is her varsity assistant coach and husband, Mark Kalkhoff, who has also spent the last 17 years as a Lakota coach and 22 years total in high school coaching, including a stint as the head coach at Taylor high school from 1991 to 1995.

The Kalkhoff’s are the parents of an energetic little boy, Connor, who will be four next fall, and say that they expect to continue coaching soccer, just at a somewhat lower level of competition.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Lakota West soccer, Lakota West sports, Richard Bryant, Tara Schafer-Kalkhoff

Lakota West High School is taking applications for its open head girls’ soccer coach position through Feb. 1.

All interested individuals should provide the application, letter of interest and resume electronically to athletic director Richard Bryant at Richard.Bryant@lakotaonline.com.

Individuals will be contacted directly by the athletic director in regards to the hiring process.

Qualifications include head coaching experience is preferred, successful coaching experience at HS level or equivalent and exemplary soccer knowledge.

The hiring process will be completed by March 1.

Applicants can go to westfirebirds.com for the application.

Tara Schafer-Kalkhoff, Lakota West’s first and only head coach for girls soccer, announced her retirement in December.

Schafer-Kalkhoff recently completed her 17th season as a head coach in the Lakota district after beginning her career at Lakota High School prior to its split following the 1996 season.

Her career highlights include winning the Ohio Division I state championship in 1999 and amassing 203 career wins with a 70.4 winning percentage. Her career win total is the seventh highest among all current and former girls soccer coaches in Ohio high school history, according westfirebirds.com.

Also retiring is her varsity assistant coach and husband, Mark Kalkhoff, who has also spent the last 17 years as a Lakota coach and 22 years total in high school coaching, including a stint as the head coach at Taylor high school from 1991 to 1995.

The Kalkhoff’s are the parents of an energetic little boy, Connor, who will be four next fall, and say that they expect to continue coaching soccer, just at a somewhat lower level of competition.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Lakota West soccer, Lakota West sports, Richard Bryant, Tara Schafer-Kalkhoff

The Lakota West athletic department recently announced a few coaching changes. Tara Schafer-Kalkhoff, Lakota West’s first and only head coach for girls soccer, announced her retirement, while current fall coaches added spring coaching gigs.

Schafer-Kalkhoff recently completed her 17th season as a head coach in the Lakota district after beginning her career at Lakota High School prior to its split following the 1996 season.

Her career highlights include winning the Ohio Division I state championship in 1999 and amassing 203 career wins with a 70.4 winning percentage. Her career win total is the seventh highest among all current and former girls soccer coaches in Ohio high school history, according westfirebirds.com.

Also retiring is her varsity assistant coach and husband, Mark Kalkhoff, who has also spent the last 17 years as a Lakota coach and 22 years total in high school coaching, including a stint as the head coach at Taylor high school from 1991 to 1995.

The Kalkhoff’s are the parents of an energetic little boy, Connor, who will be four next fall, and say that they expect to continue coaching soccer, just at a somewhat lower level of competition.

Meanwhile, varsity football coach Larry Cox and varsity girls’ tennis coach Bryan Skoog will be taking on more coaching duties at Lakota West.

Cox, who has been the Lakota West football coach since its first season in 1997, will be the head coach of the track and field team, while Skoog, who has coached girls’ tennis at Lakota West for eight years, takes over the boys’ tennis program. Both will take over the programs this spring.

Cox replaces Craig Myers, who has coached track and field since West opened in 1997, and Skoog replaces Dale Hutzelman, who coached the boys’ program for the past three seasons.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: Bryan Skoog, Lakota West football, Lakota West soccer, Lakota West sports, Lakota West tennis, Lakota West track, Larry Cox, Larry Cox Lakota West, Tara Schafer-Kalkhoff

Lakota West lost its regional final matchup with Mason Saturday.

The game was scoreless through regulation and through the 30-minute sudden victory overtime. The Comets then won in penalty kicks, 2-1.

The loss ends the Firebirds season with a 17-2-2 overall record. Mason improves to 18-2-1 and advances to the state final four.

The two schools played each other earlier this fall, a match the Comets won 4-2. The win ended up being the difference in the race for the Greater Miami Conference title, as Mason finished 9-0 in GMC play, while Lakota West finished at 7-1-1.

Saturday’s game was Mason’s first appearance in the regional final and Lakota West’s seventh time as one of the final eight teams left in the state tournament.

In its history, Lakota West has advanced to the state’s final four three times and has never made it to the state title game.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Lakota West, Lakota West regional semifinal soccer, Lakota West soccer, Lakota West sports

Lakota West will play in its second straight regional final this Saturday after it shutout Wayne by the score of 4-0 on Halloween night at Sycamore Junior High.

The Firebirds (17-1-2) will face rival Mason (17-2-1) in the regional final at 11 a.m. Saturday at Lakota East.

The two schools played each other earlier this fall, a match the Comets won 4-2. The win ended up being the difference in the race for the Greater Miami Conference title, as Mason finished 9-0 in GMC play, while Lakota West finished at 7-1-1.

In its 4-0 win against Wayne on Wednesday, senior goal keeper Joe McClanahan needed only three saves to record his 17th shutout of the season (school record).

Offensively, the Firebirds got on the scoreboard quickly as sophomore Christian Lytle scored in the third minute. Teammates senior David Piotrowski, senior Evan Westbrock and junior Kyle Brotherton also added goals for Lakota West.

Meanwhile, Mason’s trip to the regional final didn’t come as easily, as junior forward Jack Clark scored 13 seconds into sudden-victory overtime to give Mason a 2-1 win against St. Xavier at Lakota East Wednesday.

Saturday’s game will be Mason’s first appearance in the regional final and Lakota West’s seventh time as one of the final eight teams left in the state tournament.

If Lakota West advances past Mason, it will mark fourth time it has been in the state’s final four. In its history, West has never played in the state title game.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Lakota West, Lakota West regional semifinal soccer, Lakota West soccer, Lakota West sports

The Lakota West boys’ soccer program will have to go through Wayne (13-4-2) Wednesday night if it wants to advance to its second straight regional final.

The game appears to be a good matchup of offense against defense.

On one side, Lakota West (16-1-2) has won its games with defense – shutting out its opponents in all 16 of its wins. The 16 shutouts by senior goalkeeper Joe McClanahan is a school record. Previously, the record was 14 set by Jason Chambers.

Meanwhile, senior Marquis Payton, who led the Greater Western Ohio Conference with 28 goals, charges the Warriors offense.

“We work hard as a team and we are getting goals from everywhere, but our defense will be challenged on Wednesday night,” Lakota West head coach Rick Cooper said. “Dayton Wayne has a very strong attack, led by Marquis Payton.

“We will really need to stay organized and defend well and once again find a way to score goals.”

If Lakota West wins the game, which will take place at Sycamore Junior High at 7 p.m., it will mark the seventh time that the program advanced to final eight in the state tournament (regional final).

That regional final will take place Saturday at noon at a site to be determined. The winner of this game will face the winner of Mason/St. Xavier.

WestChesterBuzz.com will provide an update from this match

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Lakota West, Lakota West regional semifinal soccer, Lakota West soccer, Lakota West sports, Marquis Payton

To let West Chester and Liberty Township residents catch up with the news that they need to know, WestChesterBuzz.com will list and link to all of last week’s top local stories every Monday.

Student not seriously injured after being struck by car - As many parents were on their way to pick up their children from Cherokee Elementary School last Wednesday, a car struck a student just a half-mile from the school at around 4 p.m. The female student was on her bicycle crossing from the south side of Kyles Station Road to Aspen Trails Boulevard when an Acura SUV hit her, according to Ohio Highway Patrol Sgt. Brian Bost.

Lakota East spoils Lakota West’s season with upset -Lakota East spoiled Lakota West’s season with a 33-21 upset win at Lakota West High School Friday night. The win knocked rival Lakota West out of the postseason and qualified Lakota East for the postseason for the first time in school history.

Lakota West wins second straight district title in soccer - For the second straight season, the Lakota West boys’ soccer team is making a postseason run. Last Thursday, the Firebirds won their second straight district title with a 2-0 win against Xenia at Lebanon High School. The Firebirds (16-1-2 overall) will now face Wayne (13-4-2 overall) in a regional semifinal matchup scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. at Sycamore Junior High.

Lakota East and Lakota West win district titles in volleyball - Lakota East and Lakota West clinched Division I district girls’ volleyball championships Saturday at Lebanon and punched their tickets to respective regional semifinals. Shannon Russell was there for The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Community wins in clash of the Lakotas - Michael D. Clark of The Cincinnati Enquirer reported on the real impact of Lakota East/Lakota West football week.

Time to fill up? Gas prices fall under $3 – Gas prices in West Chester fell under $3 last Wednesday and remained there through the weekend, causing long lines at the pump. For more gas prices or to search for the cheapest gas near you, visit Cincygasprices.com.

Liberty Township coat drive begins - All three Liberty Township fire stations started to serve as collection sites for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s annual coat drive last week. The goal, organizers say, is to collect 4,000 new or gently used coats by Dec. 1. Coats are need for all age groups from infants through adults. Coats can also be dropped off at 11 Gold Star Chili locations in Butler County.

Liberty Township administrator named Indian Hill manager – Administrator Dina Minneci is poised to leave Liberty Township in November to become the city manager of Indian Hill, Sue Kiesewetter reported last week for The Cincinnati Enquirer. Minneci was selected from a field of 45 applicants.

Butler County race features fresh faces, strong ideas – Sheila McLaughlin of The Cincinnati Enquirer reported last week on the Butler County commissioners race: Three political newbies are vying for a seat on the board of commissioners in Butler County, where spending is the resounding theme in a community that is steeped in debt and faces $900,000 in cuts to get through the end of the year.

Lakota Local Schools still faces financial hole - Michael D. Clark of The Cincinnati Enquirer: Lakota Schools have slowed but not stopped its financial bleeding, officials said during Monday evening’s school board meeting. The school system – impacted by three tax levy defeats in the last two years all resulting in historically deep personnel and program cuts – still faces insolvency in 2014, officials said.

Homearama 2013 in Liberty Twp. to break ground Nov. 8 – The Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati (HBA) recently announced that it would hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its Homearama 2013 location, Carriage Hill in Liberty Township, on Nov. 8 at 1:30 p.m. The homes featured in the showcase will be priced between $700,000 to $1.2 million. Of the eight homes in the show, two have already been sold.

West Chester taking submissions for annual holiday parade - West Chester Township is now taking submissions from local individuals, businesses and organizations interested in participating in the annual holiday parade on Saturday, Nov. 17. The parade, and the tree lighting to follow, is held in conjunction with the Olde West Chester Christmas Walk, sponsored by the Merchants of Olde West Chester.

Posted in: Events, News, Schools, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Administrator Dina Minneci, Butler County Commissioners, Butler County Election 2012, Cherokee Elementary, Dina Minneci, gas prices, Homearama, Homearama 2013, Homearama Cincinnati, Homearama Cincinnati 2013, Homearama Liberty Township, Homearama Liberty Township 2013, Lakota East, Lakota East football, Lakota East Sports, Lakota East volleyball, Lakota West, Lakota West football, Lakota West soccer, Lakota West sports, Lakota West volleyball, Liberty Township Administrator Dina Minneci, Ohio gas prices, student struck by car Cherokee Elementary, West Chester Ohio gas prices