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By H.W. Sizek
The Oakwood High School Cross Country Team opened the 2007 season on Saturday with strong performances at the Bob Schul Cross Country Invitational at the Lowry Sports Complex in West Milton. In an open race where all runners from a school were allowed to compete, sixteen boys and twelve girls from OHS ran the 5K course. In this invitational, nine schools were represented in the boy’s and seven in the girl’s race.
The first five Oakwood runners finished third in the overall team scoring. Leading the pack for the Jacks was sophomore Peter Hix who finished fourth overall. Senior Jon Taylor finished eighth. Juniors Marc Skill, Chris Wolcott and freshman Joey Neff rounded out the scoring for the Oakwood “A” team finishing twentieth, twenty-ninth and thirty-first respectively. The ninth-place scoring Oakwood “B” team was led by freshmen Keith Mueller (36th) and Philip Sizek (40th). Sophomore Tory Tomlinson (42nd) senior Marcelle Bonterre (46) and junior Michael Wuebker (48th) rounded out the scoring for the second five. Andy Myers, Will Reese, Noah Berry, Andy Lamb, Ethan Kissock and Evan Duffley were the other runners for the Jacks.
Jills cross country team with second place trophy.
The second place finishing Jills “A” team was led by junior Julia Sizek and sophomore Elizabeth Connelly who finished third and fourth in the Division II girls run. Sophomore Hilary Beyer finished eleventh with seniors Natalie Denka and Shannon Hallinan crossing 21st and 23rd respectively. Oakwood’s second five finished seventh in the overall team standings and were led by freshman Rachel Conniff (28th) and senior Sarah Dietz (33rd). Following closely behind were freshmen Alex Conniff (35th), Taylor Shade (45th) and sophomore Hannah McCarthy (49th). Junior Ginny Beth Fulford and sophomore Autumn Bruno also completed the course for the Jills.
Next weekend the Oakwood Cross Country Team will run in the Miamisburg Invitational.
Jacks cross country team placed third.
The Oakwood Junior High Cross Country Team started the 2007 season at the Bob Schul Invitational in West Milton. Over two hundred boys and almost one hundred ninety girls competed in the 3200m run for Junior High and Middle School Cross Country teams.
The Jr. Jacks finished eighth overall and were led by Aaron Pruitt who finished tenth. Casey Linzmeier (36th), Andrew Redden (44th) Ben Gallatin (113th) and Josh Kolar (115th) were the next four finishers for the Junior High Jacks. Thomas McCready, George Hochwalt, Javan Austin, and Matt Buford were the other runners for the boys.
Natalie Draper and Anita Thomas represented the OJHS Jills in the invitational..
By John Lefforge
The Oakwood Lumberjacks traveled to Versailles on Friday to open the 2007 season with the six-time state champion Tigers. The Tigers have spoiled the Jack’s season opener four straight years. The Jacks, looking for another playoff run and a shot at the league title, were hoping to end the streak. They got it.
The Oakwood football team takes the field at Versailles.
Captains Ben Scott, AJ Lewis, Brian Beck and Chris Hardy led the Jacks onto the field to begin the season. David Miller’s kick went deep and Alex Byrd dropped the ball carrier at the Versailles 33. The Tigers drove the ball downfield with a dive and option game to inside the Oakwood 10. The drive stopped there and the Tigers settled for a Field Goal. Multiple tackles were made by JT Allen, Tony Lamb and Joe Lefforge. The drive consumed most of the first quarter and the Tigers had the lead,
3 - 0.
The ensuing kick went to Chris Hardy at the 10. Hardy Sped up the middle, then scooted outside and went the distance. Breaking four tackles and following his blockers, Hardy dashed 90 yards for the Oakwood score. Miller booted the extra point and the Jacks took a 7 - 3 lead.
The Tigers returned the kick to their 26. They went 3 and out with plays by Will Garner, Lefforge and Lamb. The Jacks followed with a 3 and out of their own. Damian Rudy, under heavy pressure, hammered a 40 yard punt. Matt Money recovered a fumble on the next play, thanks to a big hit from Barrett Dody. Lewis dropped back and threw a great pass to Tony Lamb, who made an incredible catch for the 23 yard TD. Miller connected again and Oakwood went up 14 - 3.
Miller’s kickoff landed short and Versailles broke free of most would be tacklers. The Jacks held the Tigers again, as Kevin Harrell fell on a loose ball for a fumble recovery. The Jacks moved the ball upfield on runs by Hardy, Lewis and Robby Sherk. The Jacks returned the favor and fumbled inside Versailles territory. The Tigers, motivated by their good fortune, drove the length of the field and scored. The Jacks moved the ball into Tiger territory, but had to settle for a 45 yard field goal attempt that went wide left. Versailles, content to be trailing 14-10, killed the clock to end the first half.
The second half was delayed two and a half hours due to lightning. When it began, the real lightning struck. The kick found it’s way into Hardy’s hands and he went 85 yards for the score. Miller’s kick was good and the Jacks led, 21 - 10.
The Tigers put another drive together and scored on a sweep to get within 5, 21 - 16. Versailles tried an onsides kick and Damian Rudy recovered on the Tiger 49. Hardy, Lewis and Sherk followed the blocking of Brian Beck, Tommy Lambert, Matt Money, Joe Lefforge and Greg Ambrose to the house once again. Robby Sherk ran the ball to the one and Hardy finished off the drive. Miller’s kick split the uprights and Oakwood was up 28 - 16 late in the fourth quarter. Another big hit by Money and Allen forced a fumble and Lefforge recovered.
Aaron Sparks, Scott Feldmiller, Justin Macaulay and Trey Godboldt also made valuable contributions to the victory.
Oakwood hosts Stebbins this Friday in what is billed as ‘Game of the Week’. Go Jacks.
Kyle Kissock streaming down wing had assist against Greenon.
Greenon came to Oakwood on Aug. 21, and within two minutes, Simon Gifford sent a blast from 20 yards, which careened off the bar. A scramble in front of goal led to saw Liam Jackson pop in a rebound off the defense from 3 yards. Oakwood’s defense dominated with Brian Telek mopping up the ball with total aplomb, recalling the same coolness of Josh Curley, calmly trapping the ball and sending it back into play with controlled passing to midfield. At 10 minutes, Andrew Morris did a give-and-go with Philip Wille who sent Morris streaming down the left wing. Morris chipped the ball from 16 yards, catching the keeper off his line, looping it over him for the second score.
The Oakwood defense continued pressing with Jon Harman stealing the ball from the feet of Greenon and then placing a pinpoint pass to midfield. At 15 minutes, Tristan Schnader lobbed a ball from midfield in front of the Greenon net to Philip Wille, burying it at five yards out, low to the left corner netting. Greenon had a 25 yard free kick, thundered hard at goal, but keeper Scott Harman leaped to punch-save the ball. David Shepherd’s defensive header and Telek’s calm control under pressure cleared the ball to mid field. Another Greenon counter saw Scott Harman charging 40 yards out of goal to clear the ball to midfield, forcing the oncoming Greenon striker to duck aside at the last second.
Minutes later, Schnader threaded a long through ball to Kissock, streaming down the left wing, making the inch-perfect 30 yard cross to the goal mouth where Addison Wille lunged for the diving header goal.
The defense continued their strangle hold. Zach Hood, John Harman, Kyle Rieger, Gifford and Telek were an impervious wall at the midfield line. Jackson made the short pass to Philip Wille, netting it at a tight angle from seven yards. Marcel Georgin shot hard from 15 yards, forcing the dramatic save. Troy Gould made several tackles and stole the ball. Again Georgin tore down the right wing for the dangerous cross in front of the goal, but it was snatched from the air by the keeper before Addison Wille, flying in for a header, could connect with ball.
At the start of the second half lost some focus, and Greenon took a low, hard shot from 40 yards, deflecting skipping past Scott Harman to score, a fluke. The defense then stepped up with Zach Rodabaugh, John Harman, Telek and Schnader with thundering defensive headers. Greenon got off another powerful shot from 30 yards to the upper 90, but Scott Harman leapt to save over the bar. Gould cleared the ball, after stealing it from a Greenon striker with a text book sliding tackle. Oakwood outshot Greenon 40-9, a tribute to the Jacks’ defense. Final score was 6-1. Harman had four saves.
On Aug. 23, the Jacks hosted Valley View. Within 20 seconds, Philip Wille had a shot on the ground, bouncing off the far post. Oakwood defense was unremitting
with defensive headers by Gifford, Telek, John Harman and Schnader, and sliding tackles by Telek and Schnader, keeping the ball in the offensive half. At eight minutes, the Valley View keeper batted the ball from the line, but Hood pounced to head the ball at three yards for the goal. The Valley View defense formed a line at 40 yards from their goal, hunkering down to stop the Jacks’ assaults. At 15 minutes, Morris passed to Schnader, who curled the ball from 25 yards in an arcing shot which dipped into the upper right corner, just over the fingertips of the leaping keeper. Minutes later, Schnader angled a ball to the six yard line where it bounced to Gifford and then to Philip Wille, who grounded the ball to the left corner netting.
Gifford blasted another shot, deflected from 20 yards before Valley View countered with a 30 yard dangerous free kick, saved with leaping athleticism by Scott Harman.As first half ended, Oakwood outshot Valley Views 18-3 with a 3-0 score.
As the second half began, a through ball from Schnader to Addison Wille on a break away was halted, in spite of an Oakwood advantage, when the referee called a foul on Valley View. Valley View was tiring, and Oakwood capitalized. A throw-in found an Addison Wille header at eight yards but was saved. A minute later, Schnader sent a one touch long pass to Wille, on right wing, who weaved through two defenders and stepped around the keeper only to sky the ball over the bar at five yards. Valley View responded with rough play, However, defensive aplomb characterized the backfield of Telek, Harman, Hood, Rieger and Gifford, keeping 80 percent possession for the Jacks and forming their wall at midfield.
At 26 minutes, Oakwood strung together a series of pinpoint passes from Schnader to Kissock and then to Graham Roberts, feeding Addison Wille, who beat two defenders, juked the keeper and bulged the onion bag from eight yards. Within two minutes, a lofted pass from Rieger found Morris on left wing, slotting the ball to Addison Wille who again beat the defender and juked the keeper who dove right as Wille slid the ball into the left netting. Next, a free kick from 40 yards saw Gifford blasting a laser, forcing the leaping save. Georgin made defensive headers and exhibited sparkling footwork to continue Oakwood’s pressure. In the final minute, Scott Harman saved a turning Valley View shot, plucking it out of the air as he leapt with seeming ease. Harman punted long, finding Morris who chipped the keeper from 18 yards for the final score of 6-0 Oakwood. Oakwood outshot Valley View 29-6. Harman had seven saves..
Lili Hartzell scores a point with set assistance from #11 Brittany Kalbfleisch and back-up from #23 Madeson Thompson and #10 Taylor Roeckner.
The Oakwood varsity volleyball team opened their season on Saturday, Aug. 25 by traveling to Northmont High School for a tri-match with Northmont and Fairborn. Oakwood fought hard but, came away with disappointing losses. The scores were Northmont 25-15, 25-19; Fairborn 25-20, 25-6.
This season’s Oakwood Varsity Volleyball team members include seniors-Meredith Baer, Lili Hartzell, Brittany Kalbfleisch, Alisa Kessler, Erin Requarth and Taylor Roeckner; juniors-Maya Hughes, Claire Roess and Madeson Thompson; sophomore-Channon Conner; freshmen-Karin Mueller and Riki Sagraves. The team is coached by Laura Connor with assistance from Julie Thompson.
This coming week Oakwood will travel to Eaton on Aug. 28 and host Brookville at home in “The Pit” on Aug. 30. Action begins with Junior Varsity at 5:30 p.m. immediately followed by the varsity team.
Mary Oda and Anna Johnsen flying to the ball.
The Oakwood Jr. High Field Hockey Team kicked off the 2007 season with a solid win over the Dublin Shamrocks, a team well coached by Ohio field hockey notable Yvette Pederson. The Oakwood Jills started out fast as Peanut Johnson scored on a put-back off the goalkeeper within the first two minutes of the match. Sarah Zabarnick made the first of her two goals two minutes later with a nice assist from Peanut. After Zabarnick scored the second of her goals (assisted by Anna Johnsen), the visitors from Dublin, Ohio settled down and began to claw their way back into the match. A timely time-out by Coach Pederson sparked the Dublin team to their first goal and the half ended with Oakwood up 3 to 1. Oakwood appeared to play on their heels much of the second half as the Shamrocks continued their offensive.
A strong Oakwood defense anchored by Co-Captain Nicole Maher, Kelsey Irvin, and first-year goalie Lyndsie Daeger, met the challenge and limited Dublin’s scoring opportunities to only one additional goal, keeping the home crowd on the edge of their seats as Oakwood clung to a 3 to 2 lead. As the game clock wound down, it appeared that Oakwood’s summer conditioning was beginning to pay off. The Jills’ midfield stiffened and they resumed the offensive intensity they had shown in the first half. Co-Captain Hanna French punctuated the effort with a beautiful unassisted breakaway goal with 1:42 left in the match to make the final score 4 to 2. Led by third year coaches Mitch Miller, Jonell Haupt and Morgan Miller, this year’s edition of Oakwood Jr. High field hockey looks to build upon last year’s unprecedented undefeated season with a powerful offensive oriented attack.
As the weak second half proved, it is still very early in the season and there is much to work on, but the Jills have clearly started their season with a well-earned victory.
The 1997 Oakwood High School State Championship Baseball Team will be recognized on Friday, Aug. 31 during the halftime of the Oakwood vs. Stebbins football game. Team members and families are invited to meet in the teacher/ community room at 6:30 p.m. to reunite and remember the tournament run of 10 years ago.
Please call Mark Hughes, director of athletics at 294-5342 to RSVP.
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