WestChesterBuzz.com

The Cincinnati Enquirer sports department named its spring athletes of the year Tuesday, June 28. Among the six athletes named Enquirer Players of the Year, three are from Lakota East High School.

Those three include junior pitcher Michael Conrad (baseball), senior pitcher Sara Pearson (softball) and junior singles player Zach Mueck (tennis).

“They’re part of what has been the best athletic year ever at Lakota East, from the fall to the winter to the spring,” said Lakota East athletic director Richard Bryant told the Enquirer. “All three were absolutely dominant in their sports.”

>>>PHOTOS FROM ENQUIRER ALL-STAR PHOTO SHOOT<<<

Conrad was one of the two aces on the Thunderhawks’ baseball team that captured the state title earlier this month. 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. His performance this season has already landed the junior pitcher college offers. In June, Conrad has received offers from Indiana University, the University of Toledo and Ohio University.

>>>GAME PHOTOS OF SARA PEARSON<<<

Senior softball pitcher Sara Pearson led Lakota East to a No. 1 ranking in the state coaches’ poll, a 28-3 overall record in 2011 and East’s first-ever Greater Miami Conference championship. Pearson, who will continue her career at the University of Memphis, won 22 games, struck out 264 batters and held a 0.30 ERA this season. She also hit six home runs, had an on-base percentage of .434 and a batting average of .363.

>>>MATCH PHOTOS OF ZACK MUECK<<<

Junior singles player Zach Mueck finished as the state-runner up in Division I state singles tournament for the second consecutive season. Mueck, who recently verbally committed to Xavier University, finished the year with a 29-1 record. His only loss was in the state final to Evan Bechtel of Toledo St. John’s.

The other three spring Enquirer Players of the Year included La Salle teammates Ethan Bokeno and Rodriguez Coleman (boys’ track and field) and Withrow junior D’Monami Gardner (girls’ track and field).

For the entire story, visit “Enquirer spring sport all-stars.” The story can also be found in today’s Cincinnati Enquirer.

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: baseball, boys' tennis, Enquirer Players of the Year, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Michael Conrad, Mike Conrad, photo gallery, photos, Sara Pearson, softball, tennis, Zach Mueck

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

The Lakota East and Lakota West athletic departments will host numerous sports camps this month. For flyers and registration information on all the summer camps at Lakota East and at Lakota West, visit the “summer opportunities” page on lakotaonline.com.

Lakota East will host a wrestling camp (June 20-23), a girls’ basketball camp (June 7-10), a boys’ basketball camp (June 7-9, June 20-23, June 27-29, July 25-27), a girls’ volleyball camp (June 13-16) and a football camp (June 7-10).

Lakota West will host a girls’ basketball camp (June 13-16), a wrestling camp (June 13-16), a boys’ basketball camp (June 20-23), a girls’ volleyball camp (June 6-9), a softball camp (June 27-29), a baseball camp (June 27-29) and a football camp (July 11-13).

In addition to those camps, Lakota West and Lakota East will combine to offer youth golf camps (June 15-17, June 22-24, July 13-15, July 20-22, July 27-29).

Summer camps could be full and registration periods may have expired for some portions of the camps. Use contact information provided on lakotaonline.com to find out more on availability and cost.

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

Tags: Tags: baseball, baseball camp, basketball camp, basketball camps, boys' basketball, camps, football, football camp, girls' basketball, girls' volleyball, golf, golf camp, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Lakota West, Lakota West sports, softball, softball camp, volleyball, volleyball camp, wrestling, wrestling camp

The Lakota West softball team saw its season come to an end Friday, June 3, afternoon, by way of a 9-6 loss to Gahanna Lincoln in the Division I state semifinal at Firestone Stadium in Akron.

After trailing 3-1 early in the game, the Firebirds took a 6-3 lead until it fell behind after Lincoln’s four-run, three-hit fifth inning, according to Cincinnati.com.

Lakota West season ends with a 21-5 overall record. The Firebirds also defeated Lakota East three times this season (no other team even beat the Thunderhawks once this spring) and won its first regional championship since 2006.

For more on the game, visit Cincinnati.com’s story “Lakota West bounced from state semis.”

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: Lakota West, Lakota West sports, regional final, regional finals, softball, state semifinal, state semifinals

The Lakota West softball team will face Gahanna Lincoln today, June 3, at 12:30 p.m. in the Division I state semifinal at Firestone Stadium in Akron.

>>>LAKOTA WEST VS. LAKOTA EAST IN REGIONAL FINAL<<<

Cincinnati.com sports reporter Shannon Russell wrote a preview of the matchup for today’s Cincinnati Enquirer:

Players gathered over the Memorial Day break to decorate black T-shirts with “State bound 2011” in neon ink. Lakota West junior Jessica Burke said their mantra was “third time’s a charm,” a nod to the program’s third state tournament appearance, and first since 2006.

“We’re all so fired up and ready to go,” Burke said.

A Lincoln team (19-10) making its first state appearance since 2003 awaits the Firebirds (21-4).

The semifinalists enter today’s game with some familiarity, as Lincoln rallied for a 6-5 win over Lakota West in April of 2010.

Instead of focusing on the Golden Lions, which are paced by Ohio Dominican-bound pitcher Brandis Fishel (18-7 record, 1.33 ERA) and Miami University-bound third baseman Tiyona Marshall, Lakota West coach Keith Castner said the Firebirds have worked on what they do best. Lately, that’s been defense.

The team hasn’t surrendered a run in its last two games, including a 1-0, eight-inning shutout of Lakota East in the May 28 regional final at Mason. Pitcher Alex Caudill (15-2) struck out four and walked none in the victory.

If Lakota West can win, it will then face the winner of the Canton Hoover (27-3 overall) and Elyria (24-4 overall) this Saturday, June 4, at 4 p.m.

For more on the game, visit Cincinnati.com’s story titled “Firebirds are fired up for semifinal showdown.”

(Photo from Lakota West regional championship win against Lakota East this past Saturday, May 28)

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: Lakota West, Lakota West sports, regional final, regional finals, softball, state semifinal, state semifinals

Lakota West defeated Lakota East for the third time this season on Saturday, May 28. This time, Lakota West’s 1-0 victory gave it a regional championship.

Last season, Lakota East defeated Lakota West by the score 4-1 in the regional final.

This year, the Firebirds scored the game’s first run in the eighth-inning when freshman Alyssa Hedric scored on a sacrifice fly by senior pitcher Alex Caudill, who also earned the shutout victory on the mound.

>>>LAKOTA WEST VS. LAKOTA EAST IN REGIONAL FINAL<<<

Cincinnati.com reporter Shannon Russell covered the big game:

Caudill didn’t know whether to laugh or cry after drilling the ball to right field with the bases loaded.

“I thought it was hard and deep enough for (Hedric) to score because she’s really quick,” Caudill said. “I didn’t even run all the way down to first because I turned and I was watching. I was so happy.”

Lakota East (28-3), Division I’s top-ranked team, finished its season with three losses – all to Lakota West. Caudill thought the first two wins gave the Firebirds confidence heading into the third game.

Lakota West coach Keith Castner said players just believed in themselves, as they have so many times before.

“They go in there and they do the best job they can,” Castner said. “They just know that, hey, when you go out there and go between the lines, they have to get it done – and they did. I’m very proud of them.”

For more on the game, visit Cincinnati.com’s story titled “Lakota West beats East in softball regional final.”

Lakota West (21-4) will now face Gahanna Lincoln (19-10) in the state semifinals this Friday, June 3, at Akron’s Firestone Stadium at 12:30 p.m.

If the Firebirds win that game, they will play in the state final at Firestone Stadium on Saturday, June 4, at 4 p.m.

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: Alex Caudill, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Lakota West, Lakota West sports, regional final, regional finals, softball, state semifinal, state semifinals

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

The Lakota East and Lakota West baseball teams had their regional semifinal games, originally scheduled for Thursday, postponed until today, May 27. Meanwhile, Lakota East’s softball team began its regional semifinal matchup against Wayne on Thursday, but it was also eventually postponed.

The Lakota East baseball team (21-7 overall, 13-5 in the Greater Miami Conference – 2011 GMC champions) will play in its regional semifinal against Northmont (23-6 overall, 9-1 in the Greater Western Ohio Conference – 2011 GWOC central division co-champions) today at the University of Cincinnati at 5 p.m.

The winner from the Lakota East/Northmont game will play the winner of the Butler (26-3 overall, 9-1 in the GWOC – 2011 GWOC north division champions) and Moeller (22-4 overall, 8-2 in the Greater Catholic League) game, which will be played today at UC at 2 p.m. The regional final game is currently scheduled to take place at UC on Saturday, May 28, at noon.

The Lakota West baseball team (17-11 overall, 9-9 in the GMC) is scheduled to play Grove City (19-10 overall) today at Dublin Coffman at 5 p.m. The winner will face Westerville Central (24-7 overall) in the regional final at Dublin Coffman on Saturday at noon.

Meanwhile, the softball teams at Lakota East (27-2 overall, 16-2 in the GMC – 2011 GMC champions) and Wayne (16-10 overall, 7-3 in the GWOC – 2011 GWOC central division co-champions) tried to get in their regional semifinal yesterday, but couldn’t due to inclement weather.

According to Pulse Journal sports reporter Steven Matthews, the game will resume today at 5 p.m. at Mason High School with one out in the top of the third inning and Wayne batting. The game will also resume with Lakota East holding a 2-0 lead.

The winner of the game will face Lakota West (20-4 overall, 15-3 in the GMC) in the regional final. According to the report by the Pulse Journal, if Wayne wins, the regional final will be at noon on Saturday at Mason and, if East wins, the regional final could be potentially played Monday, May 30, at Mason.

(Photo from the start of the May 26, 2011 game between Lakota East and Wayne provided by Barb Trimble of www.TrimPhoto.com. For photos of other Lakota East sporting events visit her sports photo gallery page.)

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: baseball, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Lakota West, Lakota West sports, softball

The Lakota East regional semifinal softball game against Wayne today, May 26, has been moved from 5 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The hope is to accommodate any possible weather delays, according to Dan Hilen, Lakota East sports information director.

Lakota East (27-2) is currently ranked No. 1 in the state of Ohio. If the Thunderhawks defeat Wayne (16-10), they will face rival Lakota West (20-4) in the regional final Saturday, May 28, at noon.

Lakota West is 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: Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, regional final, regional finals, regional semifinal, regional semifinals, softball

Lakota West senior pitcher Alex Caudill allowed three hits and one walk while shutting out Glen Este by the score of 2-0 in the regional semifinal on Wednesday, May 25.

Earlier in the season, Glen Este blew out the Firebirds in five innings by the score of 11-0. That game, however, was played without Caudill, who will continue her pitching career at Northern Kentucky University. At the time, Caudill was out after suffering a thigh injury.

Glen Este also did not use its ace in the regular season game. Senior Kelley Benhase, who will also attend NKU, came into Wednesday’s game with an 18-2 record, 240 strikeouts in 133.1 innings and a 0.47 earned run average.

Cincinnati.com reporter Chris DeLotell covered the game:

“I was worried about that (match-up),” Caudill said. “I knew whoever scored one run was probably going to win the game.”

West manufactured the winning run in the third inning. Alyssa Hedric led off with a single, advanced to second on a passed ball, and moved to third on a one-out single by Bekah Werth. Caudill then drove a fly ball deep enough into right field that Hedric was able to score.

West coach Keith Castner credited the early lead with helping his players relax.

“It makes you feel good,” Castner said. “At the same time, it helps the girls to know they need to up their game a little bit more also.” (more…)

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: Alex Caudill, Alyssa Hedric, Bekah Werth, Keith Castner, Kelley Benhase, Lakota West, Lakota West sports, NKU, Northern Kentucky University, regional final, regional finals, regional semifinal, regional semifinals, softball