WestChesterBuzz.com

Lakota East beats West and wins first playoff game

WestChesterBuzz.com will count down the area’s top 12 stories of 2012 this month, concluding with West Chester’s most discussed topic of the year on Sunday, Dec. 30.

Photo gallery of the entire football season, starting from summer camp to the playoffs. Images provided by The Cincinnati Enquirer, Barb Trimble of TrimPhotoAndVideo.com and WestChesterBuzz.com.

After losing back-to-back games against Sycamore and Mason in October, Lakota East appeared to have no shot at the postseason. However, the Thunderhawks bounced back with wins against Fairfield and Lakota West in the final weeks of the 2012 season and earned in its first postseason berth in school history.

The West win, which snapped a seven-game losing streak against its rival, and the extra points earned when Northmont, a team Lakota East defeated in Week 1, defeated Wayne in the final week of the season gave the Thunderhawks enough to sneak into the No. 7 seed in the OHSAA Region 4 postseason bracket.

Once in, Lakota East defeated No. 2 seed Springboro in its regional quarterfinal matchup.

In that game, The Panthers tied the score, 38-38, with less than a minute to play. In overtime, junior quarterback Eric Eichler put Lakota East on top by scoring on a six-yard run. On Springboro’s overtime possession, the Thunderhawks defense stopped senior Rahman Hardin before he could cross the goal line on a 4th-and-goal from the 2-yard line.

• Follow Lakota East football on WestChesterBuzz.com
• Moeller defeats Lakota East, 46-20, in regional semifinals
• Lakota East wins postseason OT thriller, 45-38, against Springboro
• Lakota East upsets rival Lakota West, 33-21

The following week, the Thunderhawks jumped out to 7-0 lead against Moeller in the regional semifinals. The Crusaders, however, were able to cruise to a 46-20 win thanks in large part to the performance of Northwestern commit Keith Watkins, who rushed for three second quarter touchdowns.

“Obviously we are really proud of our kids. We just wish we would have played better at the end here, but our seniors did a great job and I thought they battled back and fought hard in the second half,” Lakota East head coach Rick Haynes said after the game.

The loss also ended the high school career of 26 seniors.

“I hope when they look back they will be very, very proud of what they accomplished and not just focus on this one game,” Haynes said.

A few weeks later, Moeller won its eight state championship by defeating Toldeo Whitemer, 20-12, in Canton.

This story was the only Lakota High School sports story to make WestChesterBuzz.com’s list of top 12 stories in 2012. There were many other stories that just missed the cut. See below for a few stories that were honorable mentions.

• Video shows police striking patron with batons at West Chester bar
• Lakota West choir honored to be part of World Choir Games
• Former Lakota teacher gets 15 years for child porn
• Bengals help Lakota school with aging playground
• Cherokee Elementary School student hit by car on way home from school

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Lakota East, Lakota East football, Lakota East High School, Lakota East Sports, Ohio football computer ranking, Ohio football postseason, Ohio football postseason Lakota East, West Chester top 12 stories of 2012, West Chester top stories of 2012

The Lakota East football team holds up its school district rivalry trophy after beating Lakota West Oct. 26, 2012. The win propelled the Thunderhawks into the postseason. This Saturday, East will play Moeller at UC. Last week, the Thunderhawks defeated Springboro in their first postseason appearance in school history. Photo taken by Joseph Fuqua II.

The athletic department at Lakota East recently released details about this Saturday’s football playoff game against Moeller.

The game will take place at the University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium at 2 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased during the school day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lakota East High School’s Main Street on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Tickets purchased prior to the game at the high school cost $7 each. Tickets purchased at the game will cost $9 each.

While purchasing tickets, fans will be able to buy official Lakota East football spirit wear. Those items include short-sleeve t-shirts ($10 each), long-sleeve t-shirts ($15 each), beanies ($15 each), baseball hats ($15 each) and hoodies ($25 each).

In addition to ticket cost there will be a cost to park, which will range from $5 to $10 depending on the parking garage.

Students can also purchase tickets and get a ride on the spirit bus for a total of $10. Spirit buses will leave from the Lakota East Freshman Campus at 12:15 p.m.

WestChesterBuzz.com to provide game review, live results and game story with photos of the Lakota East vs. Moeller game

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Lakota East, Lakota East football, Lakota East High School, Lakota East Sports, Ohio football computer ranking, Ohio football postseason, Ohio football postseason Lakota East

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.

30,000 jam West Chester for Mitt Romney rally – Cindi Andrews and Paul Kostyu reported on last Friday’s Mitt Romney rally: The presidential race returned to Ohio for the final push Friday as GOP challenger Mitt Romney held a massive rally in the Republican heartland north of Cincinnati and President Barack Obama cut a swath through central Ohio. Romney spoke to a crowd of 30,000, according to West Chester Fire chief Tony Goller – making it the largest rally of the campaign, said Romney spokesman Chris Maloney.

Senior Chamada Palmore races 80 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter in a 45-38 win at Springboro. It was the first postseason game in Lakota East history. Photo taken by Barb Trimble of TrimPhotoAndVideo.com. For more photos from this game, visit http://proofs.trimphotoandvideo.com/g/110312east_spring

Lakota East wins OT thriller 45-38 against Springboro -It took 16 years for Lakota East to earn its first trip to the postseason in school history, but it only took one try to win its first playoff game as the Thunderhawks defeated Springboro 45-38 in overtime at CareFlight Field in front of more than 5,000 cold fans on the campus of Springboro High School last Saturday. Lakota East will now play Moeller in the regional semifinal at the University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium at 2 p.m. this Saturday.

Fricker’s in West Chester scheduled to open mid-January - A Dayton-based wing joint is poised to open a new location in West Chester off Tylersville Road in mid-January, Fricker’s director of human resources and franchising Paul Curtis told WestChesterBuzz.com last week. The new Fricker’s will be located at 7844 Kingland Drive.

East vs. West food drive brings in roughly 74,000 cans - Lakota East may have won the football game, but the winner of the annual food drive was Lakota West High School. Principals of both high schools said last week that the entire Lakota school district donated roughly 74,000 cans to Reach Out Lakota in just one week.

Lakota West falls in penalty kicks to Mason in regional final -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.

Lakota East senior Anna Starr had 36 assists and 11 digs in 25-18, 25-8, 14-25, 25-14 loss to Ursuline Saturday in the regional final at Lebanon High School. Photo taken by Barb Trimble of TrimPhotoAndVideo.com.For more photos from this game, visit http://proofs.trimphotoandvideo.com/g/110312east

Lakota East comes up short in volleyball regional final - The Ursuline Lions continued the tradition of Girls Greater Cincinnati League volleyball teams winning local regional titles with a 25-18, 25-8, 14-25, 25-14 win against Lakota East on Saturday at Lebanon High School. For the Thunderhawks, it was their first time in the school’s 16-year history that they advanced to the regional semifinal. The loss also marks the end of the high school career of one of the state’s top players in Purdue commit Ashley Evans, who finished the match with a game-high 19 kills and 8 digs.

Lawyer to fight West Chester’s Lady Liberty ruling - The fight to put Lady Liberty back out on a busy street corner in West Chester Township next tax season isn’t over, Sheila McLaughlin of The Cincinnati Enquirer reported last week. The 12th District Court of Appeals has ruled against Liberty Tax Service’s “waver,” saying West Chester gave the company a fair shake in hearings to decide whether the mascot was allowed under the township’s sign code. Last Tuesday, the company’s lawyer asked the appeals court to take another look at the case before the constitutionality question is broached.

Reach Out Lakota seeks gifts and coats for holidays - Reach Out Lakota is seeking volunteers for its adopt-a-child program and donations for its winter coat drive to help families in need this holiday season. The adopt-a-child program will provide approximately 1,000 local children with gifts during the holidays. Reach Out Lakota officials hope to provide each registered child with two $25 gifts.

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Lakota East junior Bobby Brown makes a one-handed touchdown catch in the corner of end zone on a pass from junior quarterback Eric Eichler. It was one of many scores for East, who defeated Springboro 45-38 in overtime Saturday in the regional quarterfinals. Photo taken by Barb Trimble of TrimPhotoAndVideo.com. For more photos from this game, visit http://proofs.trimphotoandvideo.com/g/110312east_spring

It took 16 years for Lakota East to earn its first trip to the postseason in school history, but it only took one try to win its first playoff game as the Thunderhawks defeated Springboro 45-38 in overtime at CareFlight Field in front of more than 5,000 cold football fans on the campus of Springboro High School Saturday.

Springboro trailed 31-14 midway through the 3rd quarter, but roared back to tie the game 38-38 with less than a minute to play. After scoring a touchdown in OT, the Thunderhawks defense then stopped senior Rahman Hardin before he could cross the goal line on a 4th-and-goal from the 2-yard line.

“I think our kids are resilient and persevered.,” Lakota East head coach Rick Haynes said. “We just kept fighting, but they just kept coming back.”

“They did a great job after everything they went through this week and we are just happy to be moving on.”

It was an emotional game for the Springboro Panthers, who lost one of their teammates this week. Prior to kickoff, Shaun Frechette was membered with a moment of silence and a balloon release. The junior lineman, who hoped to play in the NFL one day, died in a one-car crash on his way to school on Ohio 741 Thursday morning.

“It was obviously something we hadn’t planned on and it certainly shook up our week physically and emotionally, but these guys have fought through a lot of adversity and found ways to overcome,” Springboro head coach Ryan Wilhite said.

Senior Chamada Palmore races 80 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter in a 45-38 win at Springboro. It was the first postseason game in Lakota East history. Photo taken by Barb Trimble of TrimPhotoAndVideo.com. For more photos from this game, visit http://proofs.trimphotoandvideo.com/g/110312east_spring

It was the Thunderhawks, however, who spoiled the evening on their first offensive play when senior Will Mahone raced 76 yards down the visitor’s sideline to the 4-yard line. Mahone then took the next two handoffs and from 1-yard out scored 50 seconds into the contest.

Lakota East scored two more times in the first half, each time on big plays. The first one coming on a pitch from junior quarterback Eric Eichler to senior Chamada Palmore, who raced 80 yards for the touchdown. Then later, junior Bobby Brown made a one-handed catch in the corner of end zone on a pass from Eichler.

Springboro hung around, scoring on a one-yard run by junior quarterback Jack Schaaf and again on a 6-yard pass play from Schaaf to sophomore D.L. Knock with 43 seconds left in the first half, making the score 21-14.

After adding a field goal, Lakota East scored on another big play when Eichler found Brown wide open for a 58-yard touchdown on a play-action pass play that fooled the Panthers’ defense and gave the Thunderhawks a 31-14 advantage midway through the third quarter.

The two teams then traded blows.

Springboro scored when Schaaf fumbled the ball at the Lakota East 1-yard line and his tight end Jordan Rigg recovered in the end zone. Eichler then completed a 22-yard touchdown pass to linebacker Jake Chestnut, who lined at tight end, with 9:33 left in the game. The Panthers followed that with 37-yard pass play from Schaaf to senior Jake Johnson, making the score 38-28 with 7:45 left to go.

Needing points in the fourth quarter, Springboro decided to kick a field goal on a 4th-and-5 from the Lakota East 19-yard line. Senior placekicker Josh Depp converted the 36-yard attempt with 4:19 left to play, to make the score 38-31.

The Panthers then forced a three-and-out and regained possession at their own 42-yard line with 3:08 left in the game. On that drive, Schaaf converted a 4th-and-1 on a screen pass to Knock. Overall, Schaaf orchestrated a 10-play, 58-yard drive that ended on a 22-yard TD pass to Johnson with 54 seconds left in regulation.

In overtime, Springboro won the coin toss and elected to play defense. Eichler then completed an 18-yard pass to Palmore, who was tackled on the 2-yard line. A play and a false start penalty later, Eichler gave East a 45-38 lead on a 6-yard touchdown.

The Panthers then took it down from the 20-yard line to the 2, but failed to punch it in.

“We are hurting tonight because we don’t want this to end,” Wilhite said. “A chance to spend another week with this team would be a dream come true. The 2012 group will be remembered in Springboro forever.”

Lakota East will have another week to build on its legacy, as it will play Moeller in the regional semifinal at the University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium at 2 p.m. next Saturday.

Lakota East 7 14 10 7 7 45
Springboro 7 7 7 17 0 38

LE – Mahone 1-yard run (Smith kick)
S – Schaaf 1-yard run (Depp kick)
LE – Palmore 80-yard run (Smith kick)
LE – Brown 25-yard catch from Eichler (Smith kick)
S – Knock 6-yard pass from Schaaf (Depp kick)
LE – Gasser 42-yard field goal
LE – Brown 58-yard catch from Eichler (Smith kick)
S – Rigg fumble recovery in end zone (Depp kick)
LE – Chestnut 22-yard catch from Eichler (Smith kick)
S – Johnson 37-yard pass from Schaaf (Depp kick)
S – Depp 36-yard field goal
S – Johnson 22-yard pass from Schaaf (Depp kick)
LE – Eichler 6-yard run (Smith kick) in OT

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Lakota East, Lakota East at Springboro, Lakota East at Springboro postseason, Lakota East football, Lakota East High School, Lakota East Sports, Ohio football computer ranking, Ohio football postseason, Ohio football postseason Lakota East

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The Lakota East football team holds up the trophy after beating Lakota West Oct. 26, 2012. The win propelled the Thunderhawks into the postseason. This Saturday, East will play at Springboro. It will be the program’s first postseason appearance. Photo taken by Barb Trimble of TrimPhotoAndVideo.com. For more photos from this game, visit http://proofs.trimphotoandvideo.com/g/102612east_west

A week after Lakota East defeated rival Lakota West, the Liberty Township school will come together Friday afternoon for a pep assembly to celebrate the program’s first postseason appearance in school history.

Meanwhile, in Springboro, another fan base gears up for its first playoff experience at the Division I level.

Lakota East head coach Rick Haynes describes his team, which is led by 26 seniors, as a group that takes great pride in knowing it has accomplished something that has never been done.

But, they didn’t always feel that way.

In fact, there wasn’t much hope for the playoffs until East players, who had just gotten back to its home locker room after the West game, saw a Tweet via The Enquirer that read, “Sycamore, Lakota East, Moeller all playoff locks.”

The message would make its way to Haynes, who admitted that he had “no idea” if his team was postseason bound in a postgame interview last Friday night.

“That is when I realized things might be falling into place,” said Haynes of the Tweet.

“They (the players) were very excited because they thought that once we lost to Mason that our chances were pretty much done.”

East began the season, winning five of its first six games and its first three games against Greater Miami Conference opponents until it lost back-to-back games against Sycamore (28-7) and Mason (28-13) in October.

The Thunderhawks, however, bounced back defeating Fairfield and Lakota West during the last two weeks of the season.

Then on Friday night, the West win and the extra points earned when Northmont, a team Lakota East defeated in Week 1, defeated Wayne gave the Thunderhawks enough to sneak into the No. 7 seed in the OHSAA Region 4 postseason bracket.

That slot in the bracket matches East (7-3) against the No. 2-seeded Springboro Panthers (10-0). The game will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday at CareFlight Field on the Springboro High School campus.

Similarly, Springboro qualified for the postseason for the first time since moving from D-II to D-I in 2006. The program won all of its regular season games this fall for the third time in school history and for the first time since its jump to D-I.

“When you get to this point, I don’t know if there is anything not to like about playing in November. It is going to be special,” Springboro head coach Ryan Wilhite said. “Our players are excited and that shows in practice, but that enthusiasm isn’t new. They have played that way all year.

“It makes you want to win, not just because you are competitive, but because you don’t want to stop coaching these guys. They are special group.”

Statistically, the Panthers have been special all year – averaging around 433 yards of total offense per game, while limiting opponents to an average of 239 yards.

In comparison, East is averaging 332 yards of offense and allowing 287 on defense.

Despite the gap between the two programs, statistically, the two schools play similar styles – with Springboro using a spread option to average almost 310 rushing yards per game and East using the triple option to average just more than 288 rushing yards per contest.

“One of the strengths of our offense that we are able to distribute the ball to a number of players,” Wilhite said. “It is kind of similar to what Lakota East does.

“Their fullback/quarterback/tailback are all part of that triple option and that makes it tough on a defense when you can’t just stop one thing.”

For Springboro, the trio of senior Kyle Longworth (962 yards and 7 TDs on 132 carries), senior Rahman Hardin (1,053 yards and 13 TDs on 113 carries) and junior quarterback Jack Schaaf (763 yards and 14 TDs on 73 carries) have combined to total 2,778 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns.

For East, its trio of senior Will Mahone (1,065 yards and 15 touchdowns on 178 carries), senior Chamada Palmore (548 yards and 3 touchdowns on 70 carries), and junior quarterback Eric Eichler (541 yards and 9 touchdowns on 130 carries) has also been difficult to stop for opposing defenses.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Lakota East, Lakota East at Springboro, Lakota East at Springboro postseason, Lakota East football, Lakota East High School, Lakota East Sports, Ohio football computer ranking, Ohio football postseason, Ohio football postseason Lakota East

The Lakota East football team holds up the trophy after beating Lakota West Oct. 26, 2012. The win propelled the Thunderhawks into the postseason. This Saturday, East will play at Springboro. It will be the program’s first postseason appearance. Photo taken by Joseph Fuqua II.

The athletic department at Lakota East released details on Tuesday about this Saturday’s football playoff game at Springboro.

The game will take place at CareFlight Field on the Springboro High School campus at 7 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased during lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lakota East High School on Wednesday and during the school day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on East’s Main Street on Thursday and Friday. Tickets purchased prior to the game at East cost $7 each. Tickets purchased at the game will cost $9 each.

While purchasing tickets, fans will be able to buy official Lakota East football spirit wear. Those items include short-sleeve t-shirts ($10 each), long-sleeve t-shirts ($15 each), beanies ($15 each), baseball hats ($15 each) and hoodies ($25 each).

In addition to ticket cost there will be a $2 parking fee, which will be collected upon entering the facility. Students can purchase tickets and get a ride on the spirit bus for a total of $10.

When parking, all Thunderhawk fans are strongly encouraged to enter the Springboro facility through the middle school entrance. The middle school entrance is the next driveway after the entrance to the high school off of 741 (If you are going north).

The playoff appearance is the first in school history for Lakota East. For Springboro, it will be its first appearance in the Division I postseason, as well.

Springboro High School is located at 1675 S. Main Street.

Final Region 4 OHSAA Football Computer Ratings

1. Colerain (10‐0) 36.6566
2. Springboro (10‐0) 32.25
3. Moeller (7‐3) 30.6306
4. Elder (7‐3) 30.4646
5. Sycamore (9‐1) 26.25
6. Wayne (7‐3) 24.6561
7. Lakota East (7-3) 23.95
8. St. Xavier (6-4) 23.0949
9. Miamisburg (7-3) 22.25
10. Lakota West (8-2) 21.75

Final Cincinnati Enquirer coaches’ poll

1. Colerain (10) 109 – (9-0)
2. Moeller 91 – (7-3)
3. Elder 79 – (7-3)
4. St. Xavier 75 – (6-4)
5. Sycamore 69 – (9-1)
6. Lakota East 61 – (7-3)
7. Lakota West 48 – (8-2)
8. Mason 23 – (6-4)
9. Lebanon 21 – (6-4)
10. Loveland 14 – (6-4)

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Lakota East, Lakota East football, Lakota East High School, Lakota East Sports, Ohio football computer ranking, Ohio football postseason, Ohio football postseason Lakota East

The Lakota East football program will play in its first postseason game in school history this week after knocking out school district rival Lakota West with a 33-21 win on Friday.

Lakota East, which enters the postseason as the No. 7 seed in region 4, will face Springboro in the first round.

The game will take place Saturday, Nov. 3, at CareFlight Field on the Springboro High School campus at 7 p.m.

• 2012 OHSAA Boys Football Division I Regional Tournament

Springboro finished the 2012 regular season with a 10-0 overall record and was 5-0 within the Greater Western Ohio Conference South Conference.

Meanwhile, Lakota East began the season with 5-1 overall record and was 3-0 within the Greater Miami Conference before losing back-to-back games to Sycamore and Mason.

The Thunderhawks then won their last two games, against GMC foe Fairfield and at rival Lakota West.

Lakota athletic director Richard Bryant said ticket and spirit wear information will be available on Monday.

WestChesterBuzz.com will continue to provide coverage throughout the week

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Lakota East, Lakota East football, Lakota East High School, Lakota East Sports, Ohio football computer ranking, Ohio football postseason, Ohio football postseason Lakota East