Cougars at state!

Van Wert’s Micah Cowan (above) earned a place on the podium at the OHSAA track and field state championships over the weekend. Cowan finished eighth in the Division III 300 meter hurdles (40.03). Meanwhile, Flannery Foster (below) wrapped up her freshman campaign with a 13th place finish in the discus (112-05). Photos courtesy of Monica Campbell

Knights set records!

Crestview’s 4×100 relay team of Graylie Grose, Ellie Ward, Delanie Balliet and Lydia Grace finished third with a school record time of 49.95 at the OHSAA track and field state championships in Columbus. Meanwhile, the boys 4×200 relay team of Drayden Hoffman, Hayden Perrott, Liam Putman and Brentyn Rodriguez was the runner-up in Division V with a school record time of 1:28.74. Lincoln Smith finished third in Division V in the 3200 meter run (9:31.97). Wyatt Richardson photo
 

Peters at state!

Lincolnview’s Noah Peters competed in the 110 and 300 meter hurdles at state, finishing 10th in the preliminaries of the 110 (15.20) and 12 in the prelims of the 300 meter hurdles (40.51). Wyatt Richardson photo

Blue Jays in baseball state tournament

VW independent staff/submitted information

Delphos St. John’s is among the teams that will play in this week’s OHSAA baseball state tournament. The Ohio High School Athletic Association has announced the pairings and schedule for the tournament, which will be hosted by 7 17 Credit Union Park in Akron and Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium in Canton.

The 98th annual baseball state tournament begins Thursday morning and will crown seven state champions.

The Blue Jays (18-7) will face the No. 1 team in Division VII, the Tiffin Calvert Senecas (27-2) in the state semifinals at 10 a.m. Friday at Thurman Munson Stadium. 

2026 OHSAA Baseball State Tournament Pairings

Home team listed first, rankings from final OHSBCA state poll

Division I

Semifinal #1: No. 5 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (24-6) vs. No. 8 Perrysburg (25-6), Thursday, June 11 at 7 17 Credit Union Park, 4 p.m.

Semifinal #2: No. 7 Cincinnati St. Xavier (25-5) vs. No. 3 Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (24-5), Thursday, June 11 at 7 17 Credit Union Park, 7 p.m.

State Championship: Friday, June 12 at 7 17 Credit Union Park, 4 p.m.

Division II

Semifinal #1: No. 6 New Albany (24-7) vs. Harrison (14-10), Friday, June 12 at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium, 4 p.m.

Lancers shut down by West Jefferson

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

AKRON — It just wasn’t Lincolnview’s day.

The Lancers fell behind West Jefferson 4-0 in the first inning of Tuesday’s Division VI state semifinal game and couldn’t get untracked, as the Roughriders went on to an 8-0 victory at Akron’s Firestone Stadium. It was the first time all season the Lancers were shut out.

“Tough game today,” Lincolnview coach Eric Schwab said after the game. “Credit to West Jefferson, they are a good team that put pressure on early. I think the girls were ready to play, they prepare very well. We had our scouting report like any other game, a few plays just didn’t go our way.”

West Jefferson’s Jenna Mannon, a junior who has already committed to the University of Missouri, gave Lincolnview all sorts of trouble. After a single and an error put two on in the bottom of the first, Mannon blasted a 3-run homer to left field. She also went the distance on the mound and held a potent Lincolnview team to just two hits while striking out 10 and walking four.

After Mannon’s first inning home run, Emma Trein singled in a run, as West Jefferson sent nine batters to the plate in the opening inning.

“I think if we make a play or two in the first inning it could have been different,” Schwab said. “Getting down 4-0 was tough in the first inning. It’s pretty tough to get back from with a young team.”

The Roughriders put two on base in the second, but Ila Hughes was able to work out of the jam with three straight outs. However, West Jefferson sent eight batters to the plate in the third and scored three more runs, including two on a triple by Lacy Dunigan and another on a sacrifice that made it 7-0. An RBI double in the eighth by Hailey McBrayer provided what proved to be the final margin.

The Roughriders (25-5) stranded 10 runners, while Lincolnview left six on base. Hughes had one of Lincolnview’s two hits with a first inning single, while Lainey Spear, the team’s lone senior, singled in the sixth.

Lancers at state…

Lincolnview freshman shortstop Emme Stevens (above) swings at a pitch during Wednesday’s Division VI state semifinal game against West Jefferson. Lainey Spear (below) was Lincolnview’s only senior on the team and played her final game for the Lancers after an 8-0 loss to the Roughriders. Photos courtesy of Double P Sports Memories

Cougars come up short in regional semis

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

BOWLING GREEN — It’s fair to say Van Wert was the underdog going into Tuesday’s Division IV regional semifinal game against Perkins. It’s also fair to say the Cougars held their own against the Pirates, who were ranked No. 3 in the final Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association poll but it wasn’t quite enough, as Van Wert’s season came to an end with a 3-0 loss at BGSU.

Van Wert stranded 11 baserunners in the game and the Cougars were plagued by four errors. The Pirates stranded 10.

The Cougars loaded the bases in the first inning via a pair of walks and a single by Easton Putman, but Talon Walton was able to end the inning with a strikeout. Van Wert again loaded the bases in the top of the third thanks to singles by Finley Dickinson and Putman, plus a walk to Cam Werts but Walton worked out of the jam.

In the fourth inning, Wyatt Scott and Jace Huebner both walked, then Finley Dickinson singled with two outs. However, Scott was thrown out advancing to home, ending the inning. Van Wert had just three more baserunners after that.

Despite the loss, Van Wert coach Charlie Witten was pleased with his team’s effort.

“I thought our kids did a great job competing against a very good team,” Witten said. “Both teams had a lot of baserunners and Perkins was able to do a better job of capitalizing on free bases. The one two-out hit we got, they made a good throw to cut down our runner trying to score.”

Celina wins WBL All Sports Trophy

VW independent sports/submitted information

The 2025-2026 athletic season in the Western Buckeye League again proved to be a very competitive league, as shown by the final point standings for the prestigious Superior Credit Union All Sports Trophy.

With consistent performances across multiple sports, the Celina Bulldogs emerged as the overall champions, finishing with 149.5 total points.

The Bulldogs showcased their depth throughout the year, capturing five team championships – boys and girls cross country, boys soccer, girls bowling and softball. Their consistent top-tier finishes earned them the Superlor Credit Union All Sports Trophy and solidified their place at the top of the standings.

The race for second was very tight with three schools finishing within five points of each other.

The Shawnee Indians finished second with 139.5 points. The Ottawa-Glandorf Titans were third with 136 points followed by the St. Marys Roughriders in fourth with 134.5. The Wapakoneta Redskins rounded out the top five with 128 points.

Shawnee had five team championships – volleyball, boys basketball, boys swimming, boys tennis and boys track. Ottawa Glandorf had six team championships – boys golf, girls soccer, girls basketball, boys bowling (co-champions), girls swimming, and girls track. while St. Marys shared two team championships (girls golf, boys bowling) and Wapakoneta earned three team championships (football, girls tennis and wrestling).

Three schools did not capture any league championships during the 2025-2026 school year: Elida, Kenton and Van Wert.

Random Thoughts: good luck and more

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

The latest installment of Random Thoughts includes well wishes, a big NFL trade, an expanded College Football Playoff, and the Chicago Bears.

Congratulations and good luck

Congratulations to Lincolnview for qualifying for the OHSAA state softball tournament for the second time since 2022. The Lancers are on a roll as they head into Akron. Best of luck to the players and coaches. What a ride it’s been.

Congratulations to the Van Wert Cougars baseball team for winning a district title and making it to the BGSU regional. The Cougars have gotten hot at the right time of the year, which allowed them to knock off the top two seeds (Bath and Bryan) at the district. Best of luck to the Cougars.

Congratulations and best of luck to all local track and field athletes who qualified for state. Van Wert County will be well represented at the state meet.

All of these athletes should be proud of themselves for what they’ve accomplished this season.

Trade

Apparently I’m in the minority when it comes to the Myles Garrett trade, which was announced on Monday, but that’s okay.

The Browns sent the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year for Pro Bowl defensive end Jared Verse, a first round draft pick next year, a second round pick in 2028 and a third rounder in 2029.

My first thought – the Browns should have sent him packing last year after he demanded a trade. In a nutshell, here’s my mindset:

All-WBL softball team named by coaches

VW independent sports

Four Van Wert Cougars have earned all Western Buckeye League honors in balloting by league coaches.

Emma West was named first team All-WBL, Lauren Gearhart was named second team All-WBL, Layla Sudduth earned third team All-WBL honors, and Haley Dunlap was named honorable mention All-WBL.

First team

Alycen Stumbaugh – Bath

Addison Miller – Defiance

Liv Walters – Elida

Cambelle Gass – Celina

Lilly Gonazalez – Celina

Anne Menke – Shawnee

Adyson Van De Keere – St. Marys Memorial

Sophia Knife – Wapakoneta

Brayla Butler – Kenton