Athletic Year in Review

ATHLETICS YEAR IN REVIEW

After finishing three consecutive years (2017 – 2019) with a City Championship and GCL Championship each year, the Moeller soccer team experienced some adversity during its COVID campaign. After losing only six games in three years with a state championship runner-up and two regional title appearances, the program graduated 13 seniors in 2019 and needed to reload and regroup for 2020. With four seniors on the 2020 roster, the team fought hard through growing pains and faced an extremely difficult schedule. Finishing 6-8-4 was tough to swallow but the players worked hard offseason and found themselves ranked #3 in the 2021 preseason poll.

CROSS COUNTRY

Cross country finished the season with a 70-46 record that includes a victory at the Jim Murray Invitational, 3rd place in the GCL South Championship, 4th place at Ross Invitational, and ninth place in the District Championship. Jameson Maynes ’22 finished the season as the team’s most valuable runner, earning First Team All-GCL, and Honorable Mention All-City. Cannon Spelman ’21 earned Second Team All-GCL. Derek Konkoly ’21 was the JV race champion at the Jim Murray Invite.

RUGBY

Last year was an incredible year for Moeller rugby. We finished second in the state behind a very talented St. Ignatius team who finished second in the country. Our freshman/sophomore team also finished second in the state, losing a close one with St. Ignatius. We graduated 33 seniors this past year, graduating many talented players and incredible young men. Our young players have shown true promise and talent, and we know the future is bright. Throughout the season our A side finished 10-3, going undefeated at the Midwest tournament in Indiana and finishing second in state. Overall, the program continues to grow and we continue to develop young men into better leaders.

TENNIS

Moeller tennis had a terrific 2021 spring season. Varsity finished 10th in the city with a 11-8 record. JV finished in the top five in the city, finishing 13-3. Both teams placed second in the GCL. In the GCTCA Coaches Classic Tournament, varsity finished tied for third in their flight and JV won the tournament! Tennis graduated three seniors this season with plenty of varsity talent and experience returning next year.

LACROSSE

The Moeller Crusaders ended its 2021 campaign with a strong 16-3 record, losing to rival St. Xavier 11-10 in the regional semi-finals. The Crusaders had a strong regular season with quality wins over St. Xavier, Columbus Olentangy Liberty, Mason, Indianapolis Cathedral, Mariemont, Columbus St. Charles and Milford. Four 2021 Moeller players are playing lacrosse at the next level : Lane Miller (Cleveland State), Ian Ellis (Lenoir-Rhyne), Brendan Garry (University of Indianapolis) and Quinn Smith (Belmont Abbey) Congratulations to Coach Sean McGinnis for leading NCAA Division II Thomas More University. The Crusaders welcome Coach Mark Lynch ’97 for the 2022 season.

GOLF

The 2020 Moeller golf season was an unusual one to say the least. We learned how to play a sport safely in a pandemic; adaptation was the key. Our captains for the year: Matt Daulton ’21, Wyatt Woodard ’21, Hayden Frederick ’22. Awards winners for the season: MVP – Matt Daulton ’21 Most Improved – Johnny Makris ’21 Michael Currin Man of Moeller Award – Wyatt Woodard ’21

Two seniors will play golf at the collegiate level: Matt Daulton and David Walsh, both at Ohio Northern. Our season can be summed up in two words: KEEP GOING. Michael Currin was a three-time varsity golfer and a two-time captain of our golf team. In remembrance of him, an incredible role model, the Michael Currin Man of Moeller Award will be presented annually to a deserving golfer.

BASEBALL

The 2021 baseball season was a great one following the loss of the 2020 season due to COVID-19. The varsity squad entered the year without any players with varsity experience, and after starting the year out 9-7, the Crusaders won 11 of their final 14 games to finish 20-10 on the season. The team placed second in the GCL and bowed out of the state tournament in the district final, losing to number one state ranked Vandalia Butler, 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning. The junior varsity squad finished 24-1 and captured the GCL title. The freshman team finished 24-3 and also won the GCL.

WRESTLING

The 2020-2021 season was Moeller’s most successful season in five years, featuring two state placers, six state qualifiers, placing third at the district tournament and winning our sectional tournament. The team accumulated a 22-7 dual record while also qualifying for Team Academic All-Ohio. With four returning state qualifiers and seven returning district qualifiers, Moeller is looking to continue its success in the 2021-2022 season.

BOWLING

The bowling team had a rebuilding season with only one senior on the roster. The team finished 12th at Sectionals and failed to qualify for the District Tournament for the first time since 2017. There were some bright spots in a year : • Noah Lorbach and Michael Lichtenberg earned All-GCL

South honors. • New bowler junior Aaron Trach earned a place on the varsity team and rolled multiple double 200 games in conference play. Sophomore John Cordier also earned a varsity spot last season and bowled well. • The JV Navy team had several bowlers take big steps by having multiple players roll games over 180, including

Casey Geiger, Antonio Robinson and Trey Gertz. • We also fielded a full freshman team last year, with two players averaging well over our freshman goals. Tyler Ruskin finished with a 132 avg and 176 high game, and Tyler

Brenner finished with a 141 avg and multiple 200+ games.

With a large junior and sophomore class moving up this year, we expect to get back to the district tournament once again this upcoming season. The hockey program completed one of its most successful campaigns in the 2020-2021 season. JV finished the regular season with the most points in the Capital Conference and was one of 16 teams invited to participate in the JV State Tournament. The team advanced to the State semifinals before losing to Gilmour Academy 2-4. The varsity squad finished with a 14-1-1 record in league play, outscoring opponents 57-15, won the Capital Conference White Division and earned a spot in the conference’s elite Red Division for the ’21-’22 season. Varsity posted regular season wins over several teams ranked in the top 10 in Ohio, including rivals Talawanda, Olentangy Liberty, Upper Arlington and Olentangy Orange. The team made it to the third round of the state tournament before coming up one goal short in a 1-2 loss to Olentangy Liberty. The program had 27 players earn spots on the CHC All Academic teams and graduated 11 remarkable seniors.

TRACK

This year, three outdoor records were broken: • Varsity 100 – Brandon White: 10.55 • Varsity 4x100 – Jacob Williams, Tennel Bryant, Karell Davis, Brandon White: 41.79 • Sophomore 100 – Tennel Bryant: 10.85

SWIMMING & DIVING

At the district tournament, Moeller was sixth with 126.5 points. Jack Grandy finished third in the 100 breast stroke and fourth in the 500 free. The 200 medley relay and 400 free relay teams moved on to the state meet. Our divers, James Wolf earned eighth at district and Ian Kowlaski finished 24th. Two relay teams swam at the state meet – 200 medley relay with Drew Held, Jack Grandy, Alex Koetter and Jake Wiley placed 19th. 400 free relay placed 17th with Jack Grandy, Drew Held, Noah Cunningham-O’Donnell and Jake Wiley. Awards at the end of the year: Captains – Jack Grandy, Alex Koetter, James Wolf Most Improved Swimmer – Sean Schoelwer Most Improved Diver – Ian Kowlaski Most Valuable Swimmer – Jack Grandy Most Valuable Diver – James Wolf Rookie of the Year – Robert Karulf Man of Moeller Award - Alex Koetter