Football Friday Scoreboard Week No. 13

VW independent sports

Here are final scores of area regional semifinal football games played on Friday, November 14.

Division III Region 10

Toledo Central Catholic 41 Wapakoneta 7

Division IV Region 14

Shelby 49 Bath 7

Division VI Region 22

Carey 41 Paulding 6

Division VI Region 24

Coldwater 48 Tri-Village 29

Anna 28 Northeastern 8

Division VI Region 26

Columbus Grove 28 Lima Central Catholic 6

Division VII Region 28

Marion Local 35 Fort Recovery 0

St. Henry 49 Cedarville 12

Volleyball awards…

The Crestview volleyball program concluded its season with head coach Tammy Gregory and her staff honoring the players with various awards. NWC Scholar-Athlete Awards (shown above): Emily Lichtle, Kaylee Owens, Ayla Kreischer, Kenadie Schwartz, Nora Perkins, Delanie Balliet, Lydia Grace, Lillie Best, Alecta Baxter and Kaci Gregory. Special awards (below): Emily Lichtle (most assists, senior all-star match, NWC second team); Nora Perkins (highest serving percentage, NWC honorable mention); Emma Beougher (Knight Award); Lillie Best (Knight Award, District 8 third team, senior all-star match, NWC second team); Kaci Gregory (MVP, most aces, most digs, highest serve/receive, All-Ohio second team, District 8 first team, NWC Player of the Year and first team), and Haley McCoy (most blocks, District 8 second team, senior all-star match, NWC first team). Photos submitted

Cross country awards…

Submitted information

CONVOY — The Crestview cross country program concluded its season after the boys’ team earned the Division IV state title and two girls competed at the state level. Head coach Randy Grandstaff recognized the teams’ accomplishments throughout the season at their awards presentation.

Special awards (picture No. 1): Levi Hoblet (Most Improved), Lincoln Smith (Most Valuable Performer, Senior Award), Andy Heth (Coaches Award, Golden Guts Award). Not pictured: Jake Heth (Senior Award), Xavier Tyas (Senior Award). Boys NWC Scholar-Athletes (picture No. 2): Row 1 – Kale Vining, Derek Young, Drayden Hoffman, Ian Owens. Row 2 – Caleb Thomas, Luke Sawmiller, Lincoln Smith, Hudson Perrott, Andy Heth.

Special awards (picture No. 3): Anna Gardner (Coaches Award, Golden Guts Award, Senior Award), Chloe Miller (Most Improved), Emily Heth (Most Valuable Performer). Girls NWC Scholar-Athletes (picture No. 4): Ava Motycka, Marlee Temple, Chloe Miller, Taylor Kittle, Emily Heth, Anna Gardner.

Runners earning All-Ohio, Regional, District and NWC honors included: Lincoln Smith, first team All-Ohio, first team tegionals, first team district, first team NWC; Derek Young, second team All-Ohio, first team regionals, first team district, first team NWC; Hudson Perrott, second team All Ohio, first team regionals, first team district, second team NWC; Kale Vining, second team All-Ohio, first team regionals, first team district, first team NWC; Andy Heth, first team district, second team NWC; Caleb Thomas, first team district; Ian Owens, first team district; Emily Heth, first team regionals, first team district, first team NWC, and Anna Gardner, first team district, first team NWC.

Soccer awards…

The Crestview soccer program recently held its postseason awards ceremony to recognize athletes for their hard work throughout the season. Coach Cindy Lamb and her staff presented Northwest Conference achievements and special awards during the event. NWC Scholar Athletes (above, row 1): Ella Lamb, Emily Foudy, Dakota Thornell, Cylee Grubb. Row 2: Tori Singer, Madi Springer, Emily Adams, Rain Risley, Kenzie Heffner, Evie Lamb. Special awards (below, row 1): Emily Adams (Coach’s Award); Dakota Thornell (Coach’s Award); Marissa Gros (Most Improved, Honorable Mention NWC). Row 2: Ellie Ward (Offensive Award, Most Goals, first team NWC, district second team); Evie Williman (most assists, second team NWC, district honorable mention); Cylee Grubb (most improved); Ella Lamb (most saves, first team NWC, district honorable mention); Madi Springer (defensive award, honorable mention NWC, district honorable mention), and Rain Risley (Coach’s Award). Photos submitted

Golf awards…

The Crestview golf program recently held its awards night to recognize the team’s success throughout the season. Coaches Jeremy Best and Mitchell Rickard presented players with awards and special recognition. Special award winners were Jacob Schumm (Coach’s Award); Mathew Dealey (Most Valuable Player, State Qualifier. 11th place, NWC Player of the Year, first Team NWC, district first team, lowest season average, Coach’s award); Logan Schlemmer (Knight Pride Award, Coach’s Award), and Kash Lichtensteiger (Most Improved) Photo submitted

Pigskin Pick’Em: Week No. 13

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

Week No. 13 of the high school football season is here. For some teams, Week 13 is just a routine part of the schedule. For others, it’s uncharted terrority. Regardless, it’s an exciting time for players, coaches and fans. Bye weeks are over and everyone has been on the field for at least one playoff game.

Last week I went 11-1 (91.6 percent), with the only mistake being Paulding vs. Fairview. My playoff record now stands at 20-3 (86.9 percent) and my overall record is 191-39 (83 percent). Eight games are on this Pigskin Pick’Em slate – four Games of the Week, and the Best of the Rest. Good luck to all area teams.

Games of the Week

Division III Region 10

Toledo Central Catholic (8-4) at Wapakoneta (11-0)

Never mind Toledo Central Catholic’s 6-4 regular season. The Fighting Irish started the season 0-3 with losses to powerful Walsh Jesuit, Detroit Cass Tech and Detroit Catholic Central, three teams that are currently 31-1. Two of those losses came by a combined four points. There’s a reason why this squad was the 2024 Division III state runner up and state champions the two seasons before that. Wapakoneta has had the season everyone expected – undefeated, dominating wins, never really challenged, and a No. 2 ranking in Division III. I guess the closes thing to a challenge was the fact that Shawnee seemed to hang around for a while last week, but the Redskins won the game 41-16. Despite all of that, Wapak is the underdog in this game and some say a rather sizable one. I don’t like to count Travis Moyer and crew out of any game. Do I think Wapakoneta can challenge TCC? Yes. Do I think they can win the game? Yes, but I have to agree with others that it would be a very notable upset. The numbers tell me to pick the Fighting Irish. I hope I’m wrong.

The pick: Toledo Central Catholic

Division IV Region 14

Bath (9-2) at Shelby (11-0)

Two years ago, Shelby defeated Van Wert 71-41 in a Region 14 quarterfinal game. Many of the key players on that team, including quarterback Brayden DeVito, were sophomores at the time. They’re seniors now and they’re on a roll. The Whippets have scored at least 37 points in every game this season. Defensively, they’ve shut out five teams and held two others to six points. No wonder this team finished as the Associated Press poll champion. Bath has scored a lot of points this year but the Wildcats have given up a lot of points as well. It’s been a memorable season for Bath but unfortunately, I believe it will come to an end in Richland County Friday night.

Record holder!

2022 Lincolnview High School graduate Kendall Bollenbacher is now Spring Arbor University’s career kills leader. Bollenbacher, a senior outside hitter on the Spring Arbor volleyball team, etched her name in the record book with nine kills during the Cougars’ 3-0 sweep of Taylor University in the Crossroads League tournament quarterfinals last Saturday. She had 1,370 kills ahead of Wednesday’s semifinal match against Indiana Wesleyan, Bollenbacher broke the previous record of 1,363 held by Annie Jones (2008-11). During the win, she also had 13 digs and a pair of aces. Spring Arbor University photo

VWHS releases hoops ticket information

VW independent sports/submitted information

Van Wert High School has released information about tickets for boys basketball games, along wti adult punch passes.

Boys basketball season tickets

Fans can purchase boys’ basketball season tickets at the Van Wert High School Athletic Department Office starting Monday, November 17, through Friday, December 5 (excluding Thanksgiving week), from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets will also be available for purchase in the Athletic Director’s office on the evening of Thursday, December 4, from 6-8 p.m. during the girls home basketball game against Kenton.

Holders of 2024-2025 season tickets will retain their same seats. New season ticket holders can choose their seats when they visit the office to pick up their tickets. Season tickets cost $80 for 12 home games and can be paid for by cash or check only. Checks should be made out to Van Wert City Schools. Please note that no tickets will be mailed.

Van Wert’s home opener will be Saturday, December 6, vs. Wayne Trace. Other home games on this year’s schedule include Elida, Columbus Grove, Ottoville, Lincolnview, Marion Local, Defiance, Coldwater, St. Marys Memorial, St. Henry, Shawnee and Spencerville.

Adult punch passes

Adult punch passes for the 2025-2026 school year will be available at the high school, middle school, and elementary school offices starting Monday, November 17. These passes will remain available throughout the year. Adult punch passes are valid for all athletic contests except for varsity/junior varsity boys basketball games and any OHSAA tournament games. An adult punch pass costs $70. Punch passes are not limited to the purchaser and can be used by multiple people entering the same contest. All passes are non-refundable, and lost or stolen passes will not be replaced.

Individual game ticket prices

• Regular season JV/varsity contests: $8 for adults, $5 for students.
• Freshman-only and middle school contests: $5 for adults, $3 for students.
• Combined contests: If freshman, junior varsity, and varsity events are combined, or if middle school and high school events are combined (such as wrestling matches), ticket prices will be $8 for adults and $5 for students.

Random Thoughts: playoffs and more

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

This week’s installment of Random Thoughts centers around some tough playoff football matchups, Paulding, playoff fun facts, private/parochial vs. public, and an almost comical loss.

Tough matchups

In the OHSAA football playoffs, finishing as a top four seed has its benefits – namely a guaranteed home game or two, plus an opening round bye. Some coaches may like the bye, some may not, but that’s a discussion for a different time.

The one drawback – sometimes it creates a sometimes unfavorable matchup earlier than one might like. For example – in the Division III Region 10 semifinals, No. 2 seed Wapakoneta will host No. 6 seed Toledo Central Catholic, a team that is the 2024 state runner-up and won state titles in 2023 and 2022. By a wide margin, the favorites to win the Division III title this year are last year’s champion, Columbus Bishop Watterson or Toledo Central Catholic. It will take a Herculean effort by Wapak to pull the upset Friday night.

In Division IV Region 14, Bath finished as the No. 4 seed and for that, the Wildcats get to face undefeated and Associated Press poll champion Shelby this Friday night. The same can be said for Columbus Grove and Lima Central Catholic in Division VII Region 26.

First time

Congratulations to the Paulding Panthers for their first ever football playoff win. Many (myself included) considered the Panthers a slight underdog going into last Friday’s regional quarterfinal game against Fairview, but Paulding found a way to win the game, 14-10. Best of luck to the Panthers Friday night against Carey.

Horine to Indiana Tech

Van Wert High School senior Reagan Horine recently signed a letter of intent to bowl at the collegiate level at Indiana Tech. Horine qualified for the OHSAA state tournament as a junior and is expected to lead the Cougars during this upcoming season. She was joined by her father, Joe Horine and her mother, Amanda Park at the signing ceremony. Fort Wayne-based Indiana Tech is a member of the NAIA and the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference. Photo submitted