Sports B Section 5/14/18 by presspublications

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Home, Yard & Garden See pages B-3 to B-6

The Press Box

May 14, 2018

R E S Sports S

Golden Bears growing up See pages B-7

Vancena closing 4-year career as Wolverine By Mark Griffin Press Contributing Writer sports@presspublications.com

Cardinals to play in top cage tourney The Cardinal Stritch boys basketball team has been invited to take part in the Premier Health Flyin’ To The Hoop High School National Basketball Invitational next season. The 17th year of this internationally recognized high school showcase will take place Jamie Kachmarik Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, January 18-21, 2019 in front of 20,000 fans, 100plus members of national media and 100plus NCAA Division I, II and III coaches. The invitational is played at the James S. Trent Arena at Kettering Fairmont High School near Dayton. The tourney is the No. 2-ranked high school event nationally per CBS Sports and MaxPreps. The Cardinals are coming off their best season in school history, going 23-2 while winning the first ever league championship in boys basketball. Coach Jamie Kachmarik says getting invited to this event means a lot to the program. “We are truly honored to be invited to play in the Flyin’ To The Hoop Invitational,” Kachmarik said. “Our staff is very proud of the commitment our players continue to put forth and being invited to an event like this is a tribute to their hard work.” Cardinal Stritch will be informed on a later date as to when they will play on that weekend and who their opponent will be.

Lutz, Hornyak third in tennis The Clay first doubles team of Justin Lutz and Blake Hornyak finished third at the Three Rivers Athletic Conference tennis tournament. The duo opened with a 6-1, 6-3 win over a Central Catholic team and then were defeated in the semifinals by a St. John’s Tate Reno and Aiden Williams, the eventual champions, 6-0, 6-0. In the consolation final, Lutz and Hornyak defeated a St. Francis duo 6-4, 7-5. As a team, Clay finished fifth in the TRAC, scoring 19 points to place behind champion St. John’s (36), runner-up Findlay (34), St. Francis (31) and Fremont Ross (27). Following Clay was Central (15), Whitmer (12) and Lima Senior (6). Clay coach Walt Ralph said he has a “very young” team with four first-year players in the lineup, but says his team “played well and had a great experience.” The Clay doubles team of Caleb Bundy and Easton Snyder placed fifth, and so did first singles player Todd Gyurke. Clay’s second singles player Trenton Moore finished sixth and third singles player Gavin Alexander finished seventh.

Genoa High School

Jayce Vancena grew up rooting for the Maize and Blue. He really had no choice. “My grandpa (Skip) and my dad (Joe) were Michigan fans and I was just raised a Michigan fan,” Vancena said. “I grew up coming up (to Ann Arbor) on Saturdays, watching Michigan football at the Big House. I always wanted to go to Michigan.” Vancena was a hard-throwing junior right-hander at Lake when he got a phone call from a baseball coach at the University of Toledo. Other schools were interested in the 6-foot-4 prospect, but the Rockets were the first school to offer him a spot in their program. Michigan coach Erik Bakich was the second coach to contact Vancena and made his case for why he wanted Vancena to go to school in Ann Arbor for the next four years. Once Bakich offered a scholarship, Vancena didn’t waste any time making a decision. “I committed during that same phone call,” he said. “I had heard some things from them, but I didn’t know they were going to offer. I always wanted to go to Michigan and represent the university. Once I got the opportunity, I couldn’t pass it up.” Vancena, 22, has grown to 225 pounds and has a fastball that consistently hits 94 miles per hour. He is 2-3 with a 5.19 ERA this season and has pitched in 11 games, starting five. He has 20 strikeouts and seven walks in 26 innings. On Wednesday, Vancena took the mound in the bottom of the third at Michigan State and threw a career-high 6.1 innings to earn the win. He scattered four hits and did not allow a run for the Wolverines (31-14), who improved to 14-3 and are tied with Minnesota for the Big Ten lead. After earning first-team All-Ohio honors as a senior at Lake, Vancena was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 26th round of the 2014 major league draft. He faced a decision whether to play college ball at Michigan or try to make it in some professional rookie league right out of high school. “It was definitely a difficult decision,” said Vancena, who rooted for the Cleveland Indians as a kid. “Growing up, all I wanted to do was play professional ball. Looking back now, I’m really glad I came here and I’m getting a degree and going from there.” Vancena has been a solid contributor at UM for four years. He pitched in 17 games, including five starts, as a freshman and was named the No. 48 freshman on Perfect Game’s Top 100 Freshmen list. His first collegiate start was against Davidson, in Savannah, Ga. “It was like a feeling I really hadn’t had before while pitching,” Vancena said. “I had the feeling before that start, like, wow, I’m not in high school anymore. It was a mixture of excitement and nervousness. It was definitely eye-opening for me. It was exciting for me as a freshman, seeing everyone play the same way I play.” Michigan ended up losing to Davidson, but Vancena did not take the loss. He was removed for a relief pitcher to start the sixth inning. “We were either winning 1-0 or tied 1-1 when I got taken out,” Vancena recalled.

University of Michigan pitcher Jayce Vancena. (Photo courtesy Michigan Athletics) “It was my first outing, in a close game, and they wanted to bring in a reliever with experience. Overall, it went really well. It was exciting for me and it kept me motivated and working hard.” Vancena made 15 relief appearances as a sophomore and went 2-1 with 23 strikeouts in 30 innings. Last season, Vancena won three games and had a 3.00 ERA in 39 innings. He started five of his 14 appearances and had 28 strikeouts with just four walks. Vancena has never gone to the mound alone at Michigan. “My grandpa passed away my freshman year, in the fall, and he didn’t get to see me pitch,” Vancena said. “I have the date he passed away - and the date my grandmother (Julie Delano) passed away – written on my cleats, That reminds me every single day.” Vancena added a slider to his pitching repertoire after arriving at UM. He called it

“one of my better go-to pitches.” “The biggest thing in the Big Ten is everyone can hit the fastball,” he said. “You’ve got to be able to throw a secondary pitch for strikes. You have to have more than one pitch in order to compete at this level.” Now that his college career is coming to an end, Vancena is holding out hope that he will get drafted again and be able to play professionally. He is majoring in general studies with a focus on psychology and is scheduled to graduate in June. “I want to get into coaching, either in college baseball or somewhere,” Vancena said. “I want to stay in the game as long as I can. I didn’t have (a list of) individual goals coming into college, but everyone in Division I baseball has a goal to get drafted. That’s a goal for everyone on the team here at Michigan.” Jayce is the son of Joe and Carol Vancena and Lisa Vancena.

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B-2

THE PRESS

MAY 14 2018

York makes adjustment, and is now prized pitcher By Mark Griffin Press Contributing Writer sports@presspublications.com Matt York did some pitching as a junior and senior at Clay, but his specialty was as an outfielder and designated hitter. He also he played third base and shortstop on his summer travel teams before he went to Lourdes University to study nursing. The 5-foot-8, 155-pound York was the Gray Wolves’ starting shortstop as a freshman, but he saw the writing on the wall when another shortstop joined the team prior to his sophomore season in 2016. “He was better than me and ended up playing,” said York, who batted .204 while playing in 18 games (15 starts) as a freshman. “I was tired of sitting the bench and I told the coach I wanted to help the team any way I can. I told them I could pitch, and it took them about a month to get me into the bullpen. Once I got there, they said they liked what they saw. The opportunity came and they put me in a game and I did well, so they kept me in that (pitching) role.” York appeared in 19 games as a sophomore, making eight starts. He came out of the bullpen in four games, including his first game as a pitcher for the Gray Wolves. He tossed two innings of scoreless relief against Marygrove (Mich.) College and earned the win. “I did pretty well,” York said. “I was nervous. The coaches were excited. At that point we were kind of out of the playoffs and they wanted to give me an opportunity to get ready for my junior year.” Lourdes coach Jeremy Snow said he was aware of York’s arm strength, but he was hesitant about putting him on the mound. “Matt had a good arm and that was one of his best assets in the field,” Snow said. “The adjustments from not having pitched since high school and being away from it for two years and jumping into a game, we wanted to make sure he was ready and he was successful. Once he got in, he did well and he went to to the bullpen. He found his

Lourdes University pitcher Matt York. (Photo courtesy Lourdes Athletics) way into the (starting) rotation as junior, and this year he was our No. 1.” York pitched in 11 games and made nine starts last season. He had 19 strikeouts and an 8.00 ERA in 45 innings. York started 11 games this season and went 4-4 with a 4.75 ERA in a team-high 72 innings. He struck out 53 batters and walked 38, with four complete games. “What made Matt successful this year were his fastball and curveball and the difference in velocity of the two pitches,”

Snow said. “He was able to keep hitters off balance and he could throw the breaking ball out of the strike zone and also throw them for strikes.” York was recently named the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week after helping the Wolves earn their first trip to the conference tournament in program history. York tossed a complete game on Senior Day (April 28) in Lourdes’ 4-1 win over Rochester (Mich.). He struck out nine, scattered nine hits and

walked three. York also earned the WHAC Pitcher of the Week honor on March 12 after a complete-game 8-0 win over Thomas College in Lake Wales, Fla. York’s last career start on the mound for Lourdes did not go so well. He allowed six runs (all earned) in three innings in the Gray Wolves’ 15-7 loss to the University of Northwestern Ohio (38-18) in the second round of the WHAC tournament. “They were a really good team,” York said. “I was pretty drained. Our starters had pitched a lot of innings the past two weeks and my arm was kind of tired. I didn’t have my A game that day.” Lourdes finished 22-23 this season - setting a school record for victories - and 13-15 (sixth) in the 11-team WHAC. Sophomore Zach Brown from Clay also pitched for the Wolves this season, going 2-4 with a 6.53 ERA in 51 innings. Freshman Kurtis Lee, an outfielder from Genoa, was also on the roster. York, 22, is scheduled to graduate with a nursing degree in the fall, and he said his goal is to work in an emergency room at a local hospital. His playing career at Lourdes may be over, but he said he’s not finished with baseball just yet. “I got an opportunity to try out for an independent team in Pomona, N.Y.,” he said. “It’s like an hour from New York City. Me and our catcher (senior Dan Johnson) both got an opportunity to try out for them, and we’re going to head there together for the Friday and Saturday tryout.” Snow said York’s contributions on and off the field will be missed. “Matt has always been a great kid,” Snow said. “He very much bought into the team concept and he was always looking to help his teammates. By his senior year he had developed into a leader, and he embodied everything we ask of our players: be selfless, team-oriented and family focused. Matt’s been that way from day one.” Matt is the son of Chris and Heather Bachmayer.

Hens welcome 9-millionth fan The Toledo Mud Hens hit a major attendance milestone on Tuesday, May 8, by welcoming their nine-millionth fan to walk through the turnstiles at Fifth Third Field. The nine-millionth fan, Principal Alex Chapman, along with his students from Monroe Road Elementary, was in attendance for the second Mud Hens School Celebration Day. The team awarded Chapman with a Mud Hens jersey, two nine-game Flock memberships for the 2018 season and a $900 check to the school from the Helping Hens charitable fund. “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome our nine-millionth fan to this world-class facility,” says Mud Hens General Manager Erik Ibsen. “We celebrate the support our fans continue to give us as we enter our 17th season. Fifth Third Field continues to be a cornerstone of the many outstanding developments happening in downtown Toledo. We are honored to share in their experiences and look forward to many more seasons of fun-filled, family-friendly entertainment at the ballpark.” Since the opening of Fifth Third Field in downtown Toledo in April of 2002, there have been 464 sellouts, including one sell-

The Press Box out this year. Attendance has topped the half-million mark every season since Fifth Third Field has been in operation.

Wrestling camp Clay High School will be holding the Northwest Ohio Takedown and Turn Wrestling Camp on June 11-15 from 9 a.m.2 p.m. daily with lunch included. Featured clinicians include NCAA champion Mark Hall of Penn State University, NCAA runner-up Hayden Hidlay of North Carolina State University, Drew Mattin of University of Michigan, Ryan Cubberly, an assistant coach at Central Michigan University, and NCAA third place finisher Tiraq Wilson of North Carolina State University. Camp cost is $125. Contact coach Ralph Cubberly at RCubberly@oregoncs. org or 419-350-2697.

In downtown Toledo, Mud Hens fans congregate outside Fifth Third Field on opening day 2018 (Photo by Scott Grau courtesy Toledo Mud Hens/Andi Roman)

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MAY 14, 2018

B-3

+RPH <DUG *DUGHQ Ergonomic techniques can make gardening less taxing Gardening is a popular activity that seems to be gaining even more supporters. Statistica reports that the number of people who gardened within the last 12 months in the United States rose from around 105 million in 2008 to 118 million in 2017. Gardening can be relaxing yet physically demanding work. Gardeners who find themselves battling aches and pains after spending time in the garden may need to make a greater effort to reduce injuries and improve comfort when tilling, weeding or installing new landscape features. Ergonomic gardening techniques and tools can help gardeners reduce their risk of injury and make gardening more comfortable. Warm up â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Just as novice athletes wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t dive right into a strenuous workout at the gym, nor should novice gardeners immediately pick up a shovel and jump into digging a hole for their new tree. Gardening requires bending, stooping, lifting, twisting, and other movements that work the entire body. Spending 10 or more minutes stretching, walking and doing a few back and arm rotations can limber the body up for the physical activity to come. Use proper form â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Think about the mechanics of lifting weights during a workout, as home and garden tasks may mimic movements made when exercising. The occupational therapists at Bend Spinal Care say that strain on the lower back can be reduced by positioning ob-

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jects close to the body and its center of gravity when lifting them. Furthermore, people can contract their abdominal (core) muscles when lifting and bending to support the back. When lifting heavy objects, power should be derived from the legs and buttocks rather than the back. Keep items close â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Keeping work closer to the body will reduce the need for stooping, leaning or reaching, which should cut down on pulled muscles. Longhandled tools can help minimize reaching. Use step ladders to reach high areas or get down on padded cushions to work closer to the ground. This alleviates strain to the neck from having to look up or down for extended periods of time. Raised garden beds can bring plants to a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s level. The therapists at ProCare Physical Therapy say that working below shoulder level whenever possible can prevent shoulder strains; otherwise, perform tasks for no more than five minutes at a time. Invest in new tools â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Cushioned grips and grip handles can prevent wrist fatigue, as can hand tools that keep wrists straight to improve strength and reduce repetitive motion injuries. Long-handled tools and push mowers should be as tall as the person using them. Seek out tools that keep the body in natural positions to maximize efficiency. Even though gardening is viewed as a relaxing pastime, the work involved can be taxing on the body. Ergonomic tools and proper form can keep injuries at bay.

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THE PRESS

MAY 14, 2018

Home Yard and Garden

The Press

Did you know? Fueling an indoor or outdoor wood-burning fire requires plenty of wood. That means having ample firewood at the ready and, perhaps more importantly, keeping that wood dry. Storing wood so it remains dry and ready to use can involve different strategies. For starters, it is important to keep firewood off the ground. Wood that comes in contact with soil creates a natural habitat for organisms that consume wood, including insects, bacteria and fungi. A basic wood-storing structure can keep wood off of the floor. It’s also important to know whether your wood is green or currently wet. To burn efficiently, firewood needs to be dry. Wet wood needs ample circulation to dry out, and green wood (wood that has been recently cut) needs time to dry out and become seasoned. Therefore, people should resist the urge to completely cover wood piles; otherwise, air cannot reach the wood. Circulation is important for dry, seasoned wood. A tarp that covers the top of the wood and allows rain water to cascade down but still enables breezes to blow through the firewood is ideal. Moisture will also be able to escape, and the tarp will keep the majority of the wood dry in the process. Similarly, stack the wood away from a wall or other surface, even if that is another stack of wood. This will also facilitate air circulation. While most people store dried wood outside, if there is room in a shed, move the wood inside. Just be sure the building has good air circulation and be aware that firewood creates a good habitat for rodents and other pests.

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Select the right fertilizer for your needs For plants to truly flourish, the right growing conditions and soil that offers the right nutrients is of paramount importance. Fertilizer enhances soil so that plants and flowers can thrive. However, fertilizer is not a one-size-fits-all mix. Choosing fertilizer can be a little overwhelming thanks to the variety of formulations available at neighborhood lawn and garden centers. Shelves contain all-purpose products, such as those billed as vegetable fertilizer, and even formulations geared toward specific flower varieties. Others may feature buzz words like “all-natural” or “organic,” and consumers may not be sure just what they need to keep plants healthy. The following guidelines can help any would-be gardener or landscaper grow more vibrant plants. Start with a soil test – It’s difficult to determine what plants need without an accurate picture of what’s going on in the ground. A soil test can paint a picture of what’s going on and indicate if any nutrients are lacking. A common misconception is that gardeners fertilize plants. But fertilizer amends the soil that feeds plants, according to the soil-testing lab professionals at Virginia Tech. Soil types vary by region, and conditions may even vary between spots on a landscape. Testing where the plants will be placed can yield the most accurate results. Soil tests are available at gardening centers and online. Otherwise, landscaping professionals can conduct tests. Know the N-P-K ratio – Most fertilizers will come with information concerning the nutrients within. Most notably it will have a breakdown of how much nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) is in the mix. Judging by the soil test, gardeners can choose a product that will give them the right ratio to amend the soil for the type of plant they are hoping to grow. Complete fertilizers often have NPK in the formulation. Incomplete fertilizers may have only one or two nutrients. This allows a person to customize fertilizer even more without overdoing it with a particu-

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lar nutrient. Grow plant knowledge – A cursory knowledge of the plants being planted in the garden also can be helpful. Gardeners must recognize that some plants will not tolerate excess amounts of a particular fertilizer component, while some may need more. Checking books out of the library, seeking information online and consulting with landscaping experts will help expand homeowners’ knowledge about plant types and the needs of each particular plant they hope to grow.

Solid and liquid fertilizer – Fertilizers are generally sold in pellets, spikes and liquid forms. Pellets or granules are dispersed over large areas and will gradually offer nutrients when the soil is watered. Liquid fertilizer is concentrated and fast-acting. These may be used for container plants or smaller areas. Spikes usually are placed in houseplants or to feed individual trees or shrubs. Depending on the formulation, fertilizer may need to be reapplied once a month or more. Consult the product packaging for the correct application advice.

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MAY 14, 2018

Home Yard and Garden

B-5

The Press

Moles, voles and gophers:

How burrowing wildlife can damage your lawn and garden

“

Identifying which critter is causing the damage helps homeowners develop the most effective solutions...

“

Soft, spongy lawns may be indicative of various problems underfoot that occur relatively sight unseen. Barring a septic system backup or considerable flooding, insects or animals may be to blame. In many areas, burrowing wildlife can wreak havoc on landscapes. Identifying which critter is causing the damage helps homeowners develop the most effective solutions to issues involving wildlife. Moles – Moles will spend much of their lives underground, rarely coming up to the surface. They spend their days digging long tunnels from their dens in search of grubs, earthworms and tuber plants all year long. Moles can be gray, black, brown, or gold and will be between six and eight inches in length. Their wide front feet are designed for excavating, and moles have very small eyes and angular snouts. Many times, moles are to blame for zig-zagging lines across a yard. Channels are typically dug between five to eight inches below the surface of the soil, according to the home and garden resource site Hunker. The tunnels are only about 1.5 inches in diameter and one may see small molehills of excavated soil in areas around the yard. Mole tunnels can be followed through the yard thanks to the appearance of elevated ridges on the surface of the soil. Voles – Even though their name is similar, voles look nothing like moles. They are also known by the name meadow mice and look more like mice than they do moles or gophers. Voles are small as well and primarily feed on foliage and plant roots. It can take a trained eye to differentiate between holes created by moles and voles, but foliage eaten around an entry or exit hole suggests the presence of voles. Unlike moles, voles don’t create soil masses on the surfaces of landscapes, which can make recognizing infestations more difficult. Groundhogs, gophers, prairie dogs – Groundhogs, gophers and prairie dogs also are burrowing rodents. These rodents are

Several types of burrowing animals can disturb landscapes.

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larger than moles and voles. Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are the largest of the group, followed by prairie dogs and gophers. Prairie dogs tend to be more social than groundhogs and gophers and may be seen congregating together. Gophers tend to stay below ground and will pull food into their burrows, says the Florida-based A Wildlife Whisperer. Groundhogs often stretch their subterranean tunnels to dens, which they may like to set up under backyard sheds or other protected areas. Groundhogs’ size and desire to forage and eat their fill aboveground often make them easy to spot. Once the animal doing the burrowing has been identified, homeowners can begin removing food sources and altering conditions to make their yards less critter-friendly. In the instance of moles, using a grub-killer can diminish their numbers. Wire mesh fences buried underground can deter digging into garden beds. Homeowners who are vigilant about disrupting burrows and tunnels may encourage rodents to relocate. If burrowing wildlife prove problematic, homeowners can work with professional exterminators to assess the situation.

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THE PRESS

MAY 14, 2018

Home Yard and Garden

The Press

Design a relaxing dream outdoor entertaining space Upon the arrival of warm weather, many individuals prefer to spend their free time outside, relishing the fresh air and sunshine and evenings spent under the stars. But cracked patios and makeshift chairs and tables may not establish the desired ambiance. An outdoor entertaining area that offers the same amenities found inside a home can make outdoor retreats both comfortable and functional. Creative planning can help homeowners design dream areas perfect for hosting friends or family. Establish goals – As with any project, the first step when coordinating outdoor living areas is to determine what you hope to achieve with the space. Will it be a location for lounging? Will people be cooking meals outside? Is the pool the central focus of the yard? Answering these questions and more can help homeowners decide how to design their entertaining spaces. Remember, however, that goals may evolve as landscape designers and even architects make their own suggestions for the space or present limitations. Evaluate the space – Look at the lot and decide what will go where, such as where to place the party space, where to create a quiet hideaway and where to locate a pool house or outdoor shower. A large, flat yard can be divided into a series of patios that serve different purposes. Yards that are built on a hill or a slope can still be utilized with creative design elements, such as multi-tiered decking. By working with qualified designers, homeowners can bring their ideas to life. Easy food and drink access – Traipsing in and out of the house for refreshments can become tiresome when entertaining outside. In such situations, people also can track dirt inside of the home or leave a trail of pool water in their wake. Outdoor kitchens allow easy access to food and drink that makes outdoor

An outdoor entertaining area that offers the same amenities found inside a home can make outdoor retreats both comfortable and functional. Creative planning can help homeowners design dream areas perfect for hosting friends or family. entertaining much easier. The experts at Angie’s List suggest outdoor kitchens be built close to the house to make it easier to run electricity and plumbing to the outdoor kitchen. Outdoor kitchens should include a sink, small refrigerator, built-in grill, and bar area. Creature comforts – Homeowners should think about the things that make

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the inside of their homes so comfortable and then replicate that outside. Sofas and loveseats covered in fabric suited for outdoors and plenty of pillows can make for great lounging. Lighting that can be adjusted for day or night, or even to set the mood, is another consideration. Shade structures, like a trellis or retractable awning, will keep the area comfortable and can also define outdoor “rooms” and

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THE PRESS

MAY 14, 2018

B-7

Lots of youth leading to Gibsonburg’s growing pains By Mark Griffin Press Contributing Writer sports@presspublications.com Kyle Rase has been the baseball coach at Gibsonburg for 14 years and won a Division IV state championship with the Golden Bears in his first season (2005), so he’s been through this situation before. This year’s Gibsonburg team is loaded with seven sophomores, all of whom have started most of the season. Rase said can can’t recall ever having that many sophomores on one squad, but he has had six sophomores play for him at one time. The Bears have been competitive this season. They were 10-6 and 6-4 in the Toledo Area Athletic Conference after mercy ruling Collins Western Reserve 11-1 in five innings during Wednesday’s D-III sectional tournament game. Their record would be even better had they not recently dropped one-run games to Toledo Christian (3-2 in nine innings) last Saturday and Northwood (5-4) on May 2. “Usually when you play sophomores there are some growing pains and the next two years turn out pretty well,” Rase said. “We’ve had a couple years when it’s been like that. I had a lot of sophomores in 2006 and in 2010. By the time they were seniors we had some pretty good seasons. It’s a growing process. I have a good group this year. They’re growing and I’ve seen progress. Hopefully, it will continue the next couple years.” Gibsonburg’s young 2006 team finished with an 8-17 record. Two seasons later, the Bears had a veteran squad and finished 1610 and had a .500 record in the formidable Suburban Lakes League. The Bears finished 8-16 in 2010. Two years later, when all of their sophomores had blossomed into talented seniors, Gibsonburg went 21-8 and won sectional and district titles. They beat top-ranked Hopewell-Loudon in the district finals before losing to Tinora in a D-IV regional semifinal. Time will tell if this year’s sophomore class can make that same progress. “We have a lot of flexibility as far as players playing different positions,” Rase said. “Guys can play multiple positions

Gibsonburg's lone senior Moses Sanson. (Photo by Jeff Holcomb) and it’s a nice group of kids. We’ve had no discipline problems. They listen and they are coachable. We haven’t had any off-thefield problems, which makes it easier to focus on baseball.” Moses Sanson, the team’s only senior, and juniors Nathan Turnow and Tyler Pelish see regular playing time, and junior Fred Sisco is the Bears’ top pitcher. After that, the lineup is filled by sophomores Austin Biddle, Brendon Kolkemeyer, Gabe Mendoza, Nate Reyes, Luke Roberts,

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Hunter Smith and Jarett Spoores. Biddle plays shortstop and also pitches. He improved to 3-0 (2.12 ERA) after earning the win in the Bears’ 6-3 victory over Hopewell-Loudon last Friday. “He’s very competitive and doesn’t like to lose,” Rase said. “He will do whatever he can to win.” Kolkemeyer, who catches and plays third base, took a .300 average into Wednesday’s game against Western Reserve.

“Brendon is a very hard worker,” Rase said. “He can play multiple positions and he has a very good arm.” Mendoza plays third base and catches, and Reyes starts at second base. “Gabe is making improvement at the plate and he has had a good attitude,” Rase said. “Nate is improving this year as a hitter as well. He had a slow start and he’s picked it up.” Roberts is second on the team in batting average (.463) and was playing outfield early in the season. He moved to first base after junior Luke Morgan suffered a broken ankle sliding into home plate in the sixth game of the season. Morgan, who lettered last season, was batting .385 when he went out with the injury. The left-handed Roberts also performed well on the mound. “He has a lot of potential,” Rase said of Roberts. “He’s a tall, lanky lefty and I like using him as a reliever. He has a good pickoff move and a good breaking ball.” Smith is the Bears’ left fielder and Spoores, who started this season with the junior varsity team, is used mainly at DH but he also plays some outfield. “Hunter gives great effort and gives it his all every day,” Rase said. “He’s going as hard as he can. Jarett has a good attitude and he’s coachable. He’ll do whatever the team needs him to do to win.” Rase said the sophomore class has the potential to be very good in the future “if they cash in on that potential by developing physically, getting a lot of reps and playing a lot of games.” Sisco has been Gibsonburg’s top performer, going 2-3 on the mound with a 3.77 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 27 innings. He is also batting .469 with four triples, two inside-the-park home runs and a team-leading 13 stolen bases. “He’s got pretty good wheels,” Rase said. “Fred’s a great kid. He leads by example and he’s always hustling.” The Bears gave Rase his 200th career victory on April 5 with an 11-0 win over Emmanuel Christian. “It’s not about me,” Rase said. “It’s about the kids who played for me. I didn’t win any games. They did. The assistants who helped along the way and all those people behind the scenes make the program go.”

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B-8

THE PRESS

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