EDON HILLTOP STRYKER MONTPELIER PETTISVILLE NORTH CENTRAL FAYETTE WAUSEON

THE HOMETOWN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29TH, 2014

A WEEKLY SPORTS PUBLICATION COURTESY OF "THE VILLAGE REPORTER"

EDON SCORES
EXCITING WIN...

WILLIAMS

FULTON
PHOTO BY TIMOTHY KAYS, STAFF
LET IT RIP ... Edon Senior Quarterback Kaden Sapp throws a pass down the
field in the Bomber's' game against Ottawa Hills on Friday night.

EDON BOMBERS MONTPELIER LOCOS NORTH CENTRAL EAGLES

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WAUSEON GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY ... Moving on to regionals are (front row, left
to right): Danielle Saaf, Seneca Wyse, Lela Slattman, Amanda Stutzman. Back Row:
Coach Allen, Aleea Volkman, Taylor Vernot, Aneesa Volkman. Missing: Coach Vernot.

Best of Luck At State!!!

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2 - The Hometown Huddle - Edon, Montpelier, North Central, Hilltop, Stryker, Fayette, Pettisville & Wauseon Sports Action

Wednesday, October 29th, 2014

High School Football Action

THE HOMETOWN HUDDLE

Edon Bombers Win Thriller Against Ottawa Hills

By: T.J. Hug
THE VILLAGE REPORTER

(October 24th, 2014)-EDON: Hosting Toledo Area Athletic Conference opponent Ottawa Hills, The Bombers of
Edon battled all night to come away with a 33-30 victory
on Senior Night.
It was on the arm of Kaden Sapp that the Bombers relied. The senior quarterback went 23 of 42 passing, gaining 382 yards and 4 touchdowns through the air. Landon
Bloir led all Edon receivers with 10 receptions for 223
yards. He also rushed for a touchdown as well.
Edons rush defense again struggled to stop the run.
They allowed Ottawa Hills leading rusher, Boesel, to run
for 282 yards and 3 touchdowns. They had much more

success shutting down the Ottawa passing game, giving

up just 132 yards and 1 touchdown.
The Bombers were crowding the line of scrimmage for
most of the evening, moving their linebackers close and
bringing up a safety in run support. The Ottawa Hills offense just couldnt take advantage, however, and had to
continue running the ball anyway.
Due to their problems handling the Ottawa Hills running game, Edon allowed them to gain 21 first downs.
However, that Bomber offense procured 18 first downs of
their own.
Two vital parts of the Bomber offensive effort were Cameron Castillo and Preston Klingler. Each player caught 2
touchdown passes in the game. Castillo started the Edon

scoring by catching a 40 yard touchdown pass from Sapp.

He later added a 4 yard scoring reception with a nifty one
handed catch. Klingler had touchdown catches of 12 and
41 yards, the latter of which won the game late.
Edon won the turnover battle against Ottawa Hills as
well. The Bombers turned the ball over twice, while they
were able to force 3 turnovers upon the Ottawa offense.
They did have more penalties, however, committing 7 infractions for 70 yards, compared to Ottawa Hills 4 fouls
for 38 yards.
Edon will finish their season on Friday, when they
travel to Toledo Christian.
T.J. Hug may be reached at
publisher@thevillagereporter.com

PHOTOS BY TIMOTHY KAYS, STAFF

HERE COMES THE HOME TEAM ... Led by seniors Luke Price and Kaden Sapp, the
Boys in Bomber Blue take the field.

PRESSURE ... Quarterback Kaden Sapp tries to evade an Ottawa Hills blitzer while
looking for an open receiver.

ORDER THESE PHOTOS & VIEW UNPUBLISHED PHOTOS FOR

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"THE HOMETOWN HUDDLE" ~ HAMMER ATHLETICS ~MAIN STOP

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

PUTTING ON THE STICK ... Preston Klingler of Edon puts an end to an Ottawa Hills
running play.

T.J. GYPE
WAUSEON HIGH SCHOOL

RACHEL OXENDER
NORTH CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

The Wauseon Senior gets overshadowed

by his teammates routinely and he
doesnt always see a lot of playing time.
However, when given the opportunity
against Liberty Center, Gype took the
ball 95 yards for a touchdown.

People generally dont expect much from

girls in a powder puff football game, but
Oxender delivered as the Lady Eagle
quarterback, showing off her athleticism
running the ball, as well as displaying
decent arm strength and accuracy.

A TOUCH TOO MUCH ... Preston Klingler of Edon is mugged on the way up for a pass
reception.

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COACHES: PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR JUNIOR HIGH - VARSITY RESULTS SO WE CAN HONOR YOUR ATHLETES: EMAIL: SPORTS@THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM / FAX: (877) 778-9425

Wednesday, October 29th 2014

The Hometown Huddle - Edon, Montpelier, North Central, Hilltop, Stryker, Fayette, Pettisville & Wauseon Sports Action - 3

CONTINUATION OF FOOTBALL ACTION

Hilltop Falls On The Road

To Non-Conference Foe Delta
By: T.J. Hug
THE VILLAGE REPORTER

(October 24th, 2014)-DELTA: The

youthful Cadets of Hilltop attempted to invade the field of North Western Ohio Athletic League power Delta on Friday. They
were unprepared for what awaited them.
When the dust cleared, Hilltop found itself on the wrong end of a 61-0 score. The
Panthers did most of their work in the first
half, only scoring once during the second.
Jalen Towers and Ethan Dunson each
recorded tackles for loss for the Cadets,
making them the defensive highlights of
the game for Hilltop.
Totaling 453 yards of offense, the Panthers would not be stopped by Hilltop. 396
of those yards came on the ground, with
34 of Deltas 38 plays implementing their
running game. The hometown Panthers
also passes for 57 yards and a touchdown.
Offensively, Hilltop managed 116 yards
on the night. Passing for 120 yards, the
Cadets rushed for -4 against a stout Delta
defense. Quarterback Quinn Smith led his
team with 120 yards passing and 2 interceptions, hitting 10 of his 30 attempts.

Catching most of those passes was Zack

VanDyke, bringing in 4 balls for 36 yards.
Mikel Burlew earned the most yards of any
receiver, catching two pass attempts for 62
yards Tyler Suboski and Taylor Trent also
made 2 catches each.
Hilltop lost the turnover battle against
Delta, committing 2 compared to Deltas 0.
This hindered what scoring opportunities
the Cadets would have had.
Holding the ball nearly twice as long as
Delta, the Hilltop boys were unable to capitalize on this advantage in time of possession. Of course, with 8 first downs on the
game, and Delta making 17 themselves,
that stat might be a little deceptive.
Such a young team playing against an
elite opponent on the road is a recipe for disaster, and that was certainly the case on
Friday. Hilltop wasnt ready for this matchup. However, the experience gained from
playing in such games may pay dividends
down the road.
Hilltop will finish out their season
against Toledo Area Athletic Conference
opponent Northwood on Friday.

Wauseon Routes Liberty Center

By: T.J. Hug
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
(October 24th, 2014)-LIBERTY CENTER: A road trip to Liberty Center wasnt
enough to slow down the Indians of
Wauseon.
Improving to 9-0 on the season,
Wauseon took down the Liberty Center
Tigers in convincing fashion, 40-3. The
Indians were fueled by the performance
of quarterback Zac Robinson. The senior
went 12 for 21 passing for 108 yards and 3
touchdowns. He also rushed for 105 yards
and another touchdown on 18 carries.
It was Josh Whitcomb who started the
scoring for Wauseon, as he kicked a 26
yard field goal early into the second quarter. Later in the same period, Robinson
went to work, completing a 15 yard touchdown strike to Jacob Newlove. Then, as
time expired in the half, Robinson threw a
thirty yard jump ball to the endzone, with
fellow Indian Noah Castle coming down
with the ball.
A penalty at the end of the first half allowed Wauseon to kick off from the Liberty Center 45 yard line. The Indians used
this new positioning to attempt an on-side
kick, which they recovered. This led to a
drive that ended with a 24 yard touchdown

scramble by Robinson.
Midway through the fourth quarter,
Robinson found an open Danny Hench
in the endzone from 12 yards out. Hench
made a beautiful grab for the score, timing
his jump perfectly to come down with the
ball.
The last score of the game came from
back-up running back T.J. Gype. With just
over two minutes left in the game, Gype
bounced out an inside run, bouncing off a
couple of would-be tacklers on his way to a
95 yard touchdown run.
Newlove finished the evening with 4 receptions for 75 yards and the previously
mentioned touchdown. Castle made 3
catches and the jump ball touchdown on
the evening. Mason Creager also made 3
grabs, totaling 11 yards.
Defensively, Peyten Shadbolt, Jacob
Raabe, and Noah Castle each recorded a a
sack. Robinson made his presence known
on defense as well, making an interception.
The Indians will close out their regular
season against Evergreen on Friday. The
game will be Wauseons last home outing,
barring post-season play, of the year, making it senior night as well.
T.J. Hug may be reached at
publisher@thevillagereporter.com

T.J. Hug may be reached at

publisher@thevillagereporter.com

PHOTOS BY T.J. HUG, STAFF

TOUGH YARDS ... Cadet Chase Masters (23) lowers his shoulder as a Delta tackler
meets him head on in a battle for yardage.

PHOTOS BY T.J. HUG, STAFF

THERE HE GOES ... Wauseon Senior quarterback Zac Robinson takes off from the
pocket, on his way to a 24 yard touchdown run.

GOTCHA! ... Quinton Miller, a Senior defensive back for Hilltop, gets his hands on the
Panther ball carrier before he can make a play.

BREAKAWAY PLAY ... T.J. Gype (35), a Wauseon Senior bumps an inside run around
the corner, taking the ball 95 yards for a touchdown late in the teams 40-3 route of
Liberty Center.

MAKE A MAN MISS ... Senior Cadet Mikel Burlew runs after catching the ball, attempting to outmaneuver the Delta defender waiting to make the tackle.

ORDER THESE PHOTOS & VIEW UNPUBLISHED PHOTOS FOR

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COACHES: PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR JUNIOR HIGH - VARSITY RESULTS SO WE CAN HONOR YOUR ATHLETES: EMAIL: SPORTS@THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM / FAX: (877) 778-9425

4 - The Hometown Huddle - Edon, Montpelier, North Central, Hilltop, Stryker, Fayette, Pettisville & Wauseon Sports Action

Wednesday, October 29th, 2014

CONTINUATION OF FOOTBALL ACTION

Montpelier Falls To Rival Bryan In Final NWOAL Game

By: Kent Hutchison
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
BRYAN Friday, October 24, marked the end of an
era for the Montpelier Locomotive Football Program. The
date will go on record as the final football game for the
Locos in the Northwest Ohio Athletic League. Montpelier
has been a charter member of the NWOAL since its inception in 1926. However, a lot has changed over the past
89 years. One of the main reasons for Montpeliers exit
is the inability of the athletic teams to consistently compete with the much larger schools that now make up the
league. The decision to depart from the conference was
further solidified by the outcome of the final NWOAL game
between arch rivals Montpelier and Bryan. Unfortunately
over the past several years the heated rivalry has quite
honestly lost a lot of its luster. Sadly this year was no different as the host Golden Bears jumped out to an early
lead and were never challenged by the outnumbered and
injury plagued Locos as Bryan cruised to a 41-7 win; one
which could possibly mark the final football contest ever
between the two schools.
The Golden Bears won the toss and began the night
offensively at their 44 yard line. Just a little over four minutes later the hosts crossed the goal line to lead 7-0.
Montpelier started their first offensive possession deep
in Loco territory at the 23 yard line under the direction
of quarterback Zac Mason. The sophomore was getting
his first start of the season in place of Dylan Snyder, who
was unavailable due to concussion like symptoms. Behind the running of Mason, Cody Caudill, Dallas Royer,
and Bryce Cooley, Montpelier was able to chew up nearly
five minutes off the clock. However, in that time the Locos
were only able to advance the ball to their 45 yard line.
Snyders absence also meant the visitors needed another punter. Max Hulbert was tabbed for the position and
booted his first kick 29 yards to the Bryan 30 yard line.
The second drive for Bryan lasted just a little over one
minute. This time a long pass from quarterback Brandon Dean landed into the arms of Gavin Saul who was
wide open on the sideline in front of the Locos stands and
ran unchallenged after the catch. The kick was true again
putting Bryan on top 14-0.
Montpelier went three and out on their next two possessions, but the Loco defense held the Golden Bears in
check one time as well. The success was brief however as
Bryan found the end zone again, this time in less than
one minute to take a commanding 21-0 lead with 9:32 left
in the first half.
A nice return by Caudill was negated due to a block in
the back penalty. Deep in their territory once again, this
time at the 14 yard marker, Caudill, Royer, and Cooley
were able to run over 3 minutes off the clock. Unfortunately the trio were only able to advance the pigskin to
the Loco 35 yard line. Sensing the urgency for something
positive to occur on offense, Head Coach Steven Bran-

cheau decided to roll the dice and go for it on fourth and

one. However, the Bryan defense rose to the occasion and
dropped Caudill for a one yard loss to take over possession at the Montpelier 34, with just over six minutes left
in the half.
The time left was more than enough for Bryan to add
on to the point total. In fact the Golden Bears needed just
a few ticks over two minutes to extend the lead to 28-0.
After a short return by Keaton Byers, Montpelier attempted to put together a drive of their own starting at
the 25 yard line. Utilizing a combination of runs by Royer
and Caudill, as well as Mason completions to Caudill and
Gunner Matson, Montpelier was able to move the ball out
to their 45 yard line. However, that was the end of the
possession as well as the half, one that saw the Locos
never able to advance the ball into Golden Bear territory.
The visitors offensive woes continued to start the third
quarter. With the ball at the 25 yard line, Royer ran twice
for five total yards. When Mason was unable to connect
with Caudill, Hulbert was called on once again to boot the
ball. This time the punt traveled 33 yards to Bryans 37
yard line.
The offensive onslaught continued for the Bears. This
time just five plays were necessary to cover the 73 yards.
After the kick, the clock went to continuous running as
Bryan was up 35-0.
A roughing the kicker penalty on the extra point attempt allowed the Bryan kicker to boot the kickoff into the
end zone. With the ball spotted at the Montpelier 20, the
offense decided on a different mode of attack the pass.
Mason hit Caudill for six, then Wyatt Beck for ten yards
and a first down. Beck lost two on a rushing attempt,
then gained four on his next carry. Facing third and eight,
Mason fired a strike to Matson. It appeared the ball was
caught for another first down. However, a Golden Bear
defender knocked the ball loose before Matson completed
the catch, forcing another Hulbert boot.
Bryan quickly tacked on another score. However, the
PAT snap was errant forcing the Bryan holder to scramble
and hurl the ball into the end zone; right into the waiting
arms of the Locos Jake Dewire.
With something finally going in the Locos favor, the
trend continued when Bryan was flagged for a personal foul during the extra point attempt. Montpelier took
full advantage of the Bryan kicker being moved back 15
yards. Royer corralled the kicked and advanced it to the
Golden Bears 48 yard line, marking the first time the Locos moved the ball into Bryan territory. Royer lost one on
first down, but Mason found Caudill for a gain of four.
Mason sent one to Chase Steffes only to see the receiver
hit before the ball arrived. The pass interference penalty
moved the ball to the Bryan 31. Mason hit Nate McCord
for two yards on first down, then connected with Caudill
for a twenty yard gain. With first and goal at the Bears
nine the ground game took over. Beck gained two, then
Royer picked up five and one, setting up a fourth and goal

from the Bryan one yard line. Poised to finally end the
drought, Coach Brancheau sent Mason in with a play.
As the team lined up, Brancheau screamed for a time out
just as the ball was snapped. The plea must have been
too late as the officials did not stop the play. The result
typified the night for the Locos as Royer was stood up just
short of the goal line giving possession back to the Bears.
The defense responded by only allowing Bryan to advance the ball to the six yard line forcing a punt. Montpelier took over after a fair catch on the Golden Bear 40,
with 4:17 left in the game. With the continuous clock rule
still in effect, Montpelier needed to hurry if they had any
hopes of avoiding a shutout. Mason quickly hit Beck for a
19 yard gain. Royer then gained seven, but was held for
no gain on second down. Mason kept the ball and picked
up two leaving Montpelier faced with fourth and one from
the Golden Bear 12 yard line. Beck gained six to keep the
scoring hopes alive, then sealed the deal when the junior
gained the final six for the Locos first score of the night
and final NWOAL touchdown. Caudills kick split the uprights to make the final score 41-7.
Although the final was not what the Locomotives had
hoped for in their final NWOAL contest, there were still
positives to draw from the game. For starters the Loco offense did not have a single turnover on the night. Pressed
into an unexpected starting role, Mason shook off some
early jitters to finish 9-15 passing for 81 yards, including an impressive 6-8 in the second half, and gained six
yards on four carries. Wyatt Beck made the most of his
opportunity scoring the touchdown in his five runs while
gaining 17 yards. In the absence of Snyder, as well as
Jordan Birdsall, Royer had his number called 14 times
for 27 yards. Caudill had more carries than usual as well
getting 10 rushes for 27 yards as well, while Cooley had
two carries for 3 yards.
Caudill was the favorite target of Mason with four
catches for 34 yards, with Beck hauling in two throws for
29 yards. Matson netted 13 yards in his only grab, while
Royer and McCord each had one catch for three and two
yards respectively. Hulbert also did a nice job in his role
as punter averaging 33.7 yards in his six punts.
With the defeat Montpelier falls to 2-7 on the season
and ends the NWOAL schedule with a record of 1-7. The
Locos will attempt to end the 2014 campaign on a positive note when they entertain the Raiders of Lakota High
School.
Some additional notes on the Bryan-Montpelier series:
The two schools first gridiron encounter occurred in 1902.
The series record favors the Golden Bears as they have
62 wins, compared to 35 for Montpelier, while the teams
have tied 8 times. While no games are scheduled between
the two schools in the near future, it is truly hoped that
sometime soon that the historic rivalry will be revisited.
Kent may be reached at
publisher@thevillagereporter.com

PSYCH OUT ... Junior defensive back Simon Wang (21) realizes a split second too late
that the Golden Bear quarterback has handed the ball off.

PHOTOS BY KENT HUTCHISON, STAFF

HERE COMES THE THROW ... Montpelier back-up quarterback Zac Mason, a Sophomore for the Locomotives, is about to step up as he begins his throwing motion.

ORDER THESE PHOTOS & VIEW UNPUBLISHED PHOTOS FOR

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COACHES: PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR JUNIOR HIGH - VARSITY RESULTS SO WE CAN HONOR YOUR ATHLETES: EMAIL: SPORTS@THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM / FAX: (877) 778-9425

Wednesday, October 29th 2014

The Hometown Huddle - Edon, Montpelier, North Central, Hilltop, Stryker, Fayette, Pettisville & Wauseon Sports Action - 5

High School Volleyball Action

THE HOMETOWN HUDDLE

Wauseon Loses Close Districts Pettisville Drops Close Match

With Toledo Christian At Districts
Showdown With Defiance

(October 21st, 2014): It took four games

for the Lady Indians to go down, and they
fought every step of the way.
Taking on Defiance in a District SemiFinals match, Wauseon got off to a strong
start. The claimed the first set 25-20.
Game 2 was an all out war, with Defiance
bringing a renewed intensity to the set. The
Indians saw the game slip away from them
with a 24-26 loss. The emotion of that defeat got the better of the Wauseon girls,
and they struggled in game 3, dropping
the set 12-25. With their backs against the
wall, the Lady Indians regrouped, putting

everything they had into game 4. An absolute battle ensued, with Wauseon falling
just short, 27-29 to lose the match and
end their season in dramatic fashion.
Sydney Bosell gave the Indians 12 kills
and 4 blocks in the loss. Teammate Morgan Roth added 15 assists, 8 digs, and
an ace, while Sariah Yackee contributed
18 digs and an ace as well. Fellow Indian
Kierra Fountain had a balanced evening,
managing 9 digs, 7 kills, 3 blocks, and 3
aces.
The Wauseon girls finished the season
with ta 15-9 record overall.

(October 21st, 2014)-DEFIANCE: With

15 kills, 5 digs, and 4 blocks, senior Dana
Frickes efforts werent enough to lead the
Pettisville girls past a tough Toledo Christian team.
From the very beginning, this match
was highly competitive. The Lady Blackbirds were able to take game 1 25-23, giving them control of the series early. Toledo
Christian would take it back, however,
starting with game 2. In that second set,
Pettisville fell in a tight 21-25 slug fest.
Game 3 didnt see a let down from either
team, as the Blackbirds kept pace with
their opponents from Toledo for most of
the match. They ended up losing the set

17-25, though. With their season coming

down to one more game, the Lady Blackbirds responded in kind. The set was extremely close, but Pettisville just couldnt
pull the comeback off, dropping the set
22-25.
Jordyn Pursel had a strong final outing for the black and white, making 16
kills, 12 digs, an assist, and an ace. Fellow Blackbird Stephanie Hubby racked up
an impressive 35 digs to go along with her
single kill and assist. Kate Kauffman put
her teammates in position to succeed with
her 22 assists, which she complimented
with 7 digs, 6 kills, and 1 block.
Pettisville finishes their season at 19-6.

PHOTOS BY ANGI WALKUP, STAFF

PHOTOS BY BILL BRAY, STAFF

FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE ... Pettisvilles Amber Klopfenstein (7) and Teagan Kauffman
(3) elevate in an attempt to stop the advancing attack from Toledo Christian.

BLOCK PARTY! ... Lady Indians Sydney Bosell (4) and Amy Bosell (5) jump to deflect an
attack by a Defiance player.

PASS IT ON ... Lady Blackbird Junior Claire Foor bats the ball toward her teammates as
the unit works cohesively to strike against Toledo Christian.

GET IT ON THE FLOOR ... Wauseons Amy Bosell gets low to dig a ball before it can
touch the court, keeping it alive for her Lady Indian teammate, who will presumably
mount a counteroffensive.

READY OR NOT ... Jordyn Pursel, a Pettisville Senior, spikes the ball over the net, advancing it past two Toledo Christian defenders and into the enemy back court.

LETS DO THIS! ... The Wauseon Volleyball Teams starting lineup huddles together just
before game time, pumping each other up in preparation for their District match-up
with Defiance.

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6 - The Hometown Huddle - Edon, Montpelier, North Central, Hilltop, Stryker, Fayette, Pettisville & Wauseon Sports Action

Wednesday, October 29th, 2014

High School Cross Co u n t ry Ne w s

THE HOMETOWN HUDDLE

Wauseon Girls, Pettisville, Wauseon, & Fayette Individuals Advance To State

(October 25th, 2014)-TIFFIN: The Division II and III
Regional Cross Country Meets were held at Tiffin High
School on Saturday.
The Lady Indians of Wauseon performed exceptionally well in the event. Led by the second place finish of
Taylor Vernot, who finished the race at 18:57, Wauseon
took second place overall, advancing the team to the
state meet. Aneesa Volkman earned an eighth place
finish with a time of 20:07. Her sister, Aleea Volkman,
came in eleventh place, running a 20:10.

Wauseons Quintin Reiser was the second runner

overall to cross the finish line for the boys race. He ran a
16:03, and will go to state as a result of his finish. Caleb
Blanchong was the next Indian to complete the course,
clocking in at 17:34. Aaron Beck and Seth Hutchison
both finished at 18:11.
In the Division III boys race, Skylar Lantz of Fayette, finished in fourteenth place at 16:48, which will
send him to the state meet. Teammate Christian Suarez
came in thirty-fifth place, by turning in a 17:34. Casen

Burkholder gave Fayette a fiftieth place finish, running

a 17:52.
For the Pettisville boys, Kyle Lantz, the only Blackbird
in the race, came in sixtieth place, thanks to his time of
18:01.
Two Pettisville girls competed as individuals in the
girls race. Nichole Foor finished tenth overall, running a
20:06.03. Lady Blackbird Alexa Leppelmeier also ran in
the event, taking eleventh place with a time of 20:06.18.
Both runners will be competing in the state meet.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL NAFZIGER, STAFF

SIDE BY SIDE ... Seth Hutchison (background) and Aaron Beck (1766) represent
Wauseon as they run beside each other, finishing the race at virtually the same time.

TEAMMATES GOING TO STATE ... With each competing as individuals, both

Nichole Foor (left) and Alexa Leppelmeier (right) earned invitations to the Division III State Cross Country Meet by finishing in tenth and eleventh place,
respectively, at regionals.

SEE YOU AT STATE ... Skylar Lantz (middle) stands with Fayette Cross Country Coaches Maginn (left) and Stambaugh (right) after coming in fourteenth place in the Division
III Regional Meet, qualifying him for state competition.
A TEAM EFFORT ... The Wauseon Girls Cross Country Team finished second at the
Division II Cross Country Meet, sending the entire unit to the state meet. Here the team
poses with their coaches, wearing their medals and holding their trophy.

GOING TO STATE ... Posing with Wauseon Coaches Vernot (left) and Allen (right), Indian
Quintin Reiser celebrates as his second place finish at the Division II Regional Cross
Country Meet was good enough to qualify him for the state meet.

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KEEPING PACE ... Pettisvilles Kyle Lantz (1657) and Fayettes Skylar Lantz (1516) are
amongst runners competing in the Division III Regional Cross Country held at Tiffin
High School.

BRITSCH, INC
ROLLIN BRITSCH
Vice-President
247 N. Brunell St.
P.O. Box 391
Wauseon, Ohio 43567

(419) 335-8871
1-800-466-1628
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Wednesday, October 29th 2014

The Hometown Huddle - Edon, Montpelier, North Central, Hilltop, Stryker, Fayette, Pettisville & Wauseon Sports Action - 7

Assorted Local Sports News

THE HOMETOWN HUDDLE

Wauseon Excels In Findlay Marching Band Contest 2014

By: T.J. Hug
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
(October 20th, 2014)-FINDLAY: Competing at the Findlay Marching Band
Contest, the Indians of Wauseon shined
bright.
First and foremost, the high school

band received a Superior rating overall,

qualifying them of the State Marching
Band competition. This is the seventeenth
year in a row that Wauseon has achieved
this great honor.
The Indians also received the highest
Overall General Effect score at the event.
They also tied the Best Overall Marching

score.
In Class B rankings, the band took
first place overall. Their percussion section was chosen as the best of the Class
as well. The Wauseon Color Guard felt
that particular honor as well, as they were
selected as the best of their ilk in Class B.
The Wauseon High School Band to-

taled a 255.7 score. This gave them a third

place finish out of the eleven bands in attendance. Scoring was quite close, however, as the Indians missed Grand Champion status by a mere 1.6 points.
T.J. may be reached at
publisher@thevillagereporter.com

PHOTO BY BILL BRAY, STAFF

ALL SMILES ... The Wauseon High School Marching Band gathers on the track surrounding the football field in Findlay as they celebrate their Superior ranking and yet another
trip to the State Marching Band competition.

Hilltop Hosts North Central For Powder Puff Football Game

DOWN THE SIDELINE ... A Hilltop runner sprints down the field, trying to beat the
North Central defender approaching from a solid pursuit angle. North Central beat
Hilltop in this powder puff game 14-6, despite a stong Cadet rushing attack.

PHOTOS BY T.J. HUG, STAFF

ALMOST GOT IT ... A North Central receiver stretches to catch a pass thrown over the
middle. With the closest player to her a fellow Lady Eagle, the pass catcher has nothing
but green in front of her.

Wauseon High School Bowler

Wins Youth Open In Bluffton
(October 19th, 2014)-BLUFFTON: Nicolas Kearney found himself victorious in
Southgate Lanes.
The Wauseon high school student competed at the Youth Open held at the Bluffton venue. Representing the Wauseon area
quite well, Kearney won the event in convincing fashion.
After bowling a 199 in the quarter fi-

nals, Kearney followed up with a 202 in

the semi-final match. Going up against
Tyler Miller in the final match of the tournament, he managed a 186. Miller bowled
a 141, giving Kearney the tournament
crown. For his first place finish, Kearney
received $240.
With the victory, Kearney moves to
third place overall on the season.

Wauseons Dominique & Marshall

Named First Team All-Ohio

(October 24th, 2014)-WAUSEON: Accolades are to be expected when a team wins

103 games in a single season, losing only
14 in the process.
That mark of 103-14 is a Wauseon High
School Golf record, and one that will be extremely difficult to break at that. Two big
reasons why the Indians were able to have
so much success this season were Trevor
Dominique and Anna Marshall.
Their great efforts in post-season play
were recognized when Dominique was
named to the First Team Division II North-

west District All-Ohio Team, and Marshall

to the First Team Division II Girls Northwest District All-Ohio Team. Through their
play, the Wauseon Golf Team nearly made
it to state, while Marshall came a mere two
strokes from making the trip to Columbus
as a solo competitor.
Teammates David Williams and Brady
Rupp were named as Honorable Mentions
to the Northwest District Team, another
testament to just how good that Wauseon
Team was.

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RAH RAH, GO TEAM! ... Hilltop Cadet Football players dress as cheerleaders as they
show support for their girls powder puff team, having a bit of fun in the process. Here
they form a human pyramid, an age old tradition amongst cheerleaders everywhere.

Robert C. Chrismer

Registered Representative

SIGMA FINANCIAL
CORPORATION
Securities Broker/Dealer Member FINRA/SIPC

111 Chase St., PO Box 3600

Stryker, Ohio
1-886-660-9228
Fax: 419-682-4213
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rchrismer@sigmarep.com

201 E. Jackson St.

West Unity, Ohio

419-924-9077

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8 - The Hometown Huddle - Edon, Montpelier, North Central, Hilltop, Stryker, Fayette, Pettisville & Wauseon Sports Action

Wednesday, October 29th, 2014

CONTINUATION OF ASSORTED SPORTS ACTION

Fifth & Sixth Grade Football: The Future Stars Of The Friday Night Lights
By: Timothy Kays
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
The days are getting shorter, and the nights are growing longer and colder. The leaves on the trees are exploding in a dazzling palate of colors, then falling earthward
to cast those colors upon a chill northwest wind. It is autumn in Northwest Ohio, and with that comes the annual
Friday night festivities we have come to know and love as
local high school football games. It is tradition, one held
as fiercely and fondly as the local high school colors that
are flown. There are other games played though, just not
under the lights of Friday nights. There are the Junior Varsity games, and in some locales, the Freshman and Junior
High games. Then there are the fifth and sixth grade games
on Saturday mornings. Those are the contests about which
few know. To those who are unaware of those games and
the teams competing in those games, this is your wakeup
call.
Four villages in our Northwest Ohio area have these
teamsEdon, Hilltop, Montpelier and Wauseon. Edon,
Hilltop, and Montpelier have aligned to become the three
members of a new league, one for which, as of yet, there is
no official name. Troy Roth of Montpelier is acting as commissioner of this new league.
This can be referred to easily as an 'instructional league'
where elementary school kids get their first taste of the
football experience. The playbooks are very basic, but one
thing is an absolute fact. Like their elder brothers who get
all the glamour under the Friday night lights, these kids
are also putting every fiber of their being into the contest.
They are learning the team concept of the game. They are
pushing themselves to physical levels that they never knew
that they ever had, and doing it just as fast as their still
growing legs will carry them. Seating at the fifth and sixth
grade games is hardly at a premium. It is primarily family
and a few friends in the stands cheering on these young
gridders. Effort, exertion and dedication, the same qualities that the Varsity must possess, these pint-sized players
are putting on displayjust without the recognition.
Hopefully, this will become an injustice that is soon relegated to the dustbin of history.
The Edon Bombers fifth and sixth grade team takes the
field under the tutelage of Head Coach John Gallehue. This
is his second year with the team, and his first year at the
helm. "I took over for Jeff Shaffter, who started the program
back in 2003," he said. "We have had great years, losing in
the championship game four years ago in triple overtime.
We have had some really lean years. The first year we did
not win a game and did not score a single point. Overall,
we would be really close to even. The first three years were
tough as we were playing in the Bryan/Napoleon league,
and won four games total in three years." The Bombers
went undefeated this year. As Coach Gallehue said, "We
had 25 kids come out, and had a pretty successful season.
We went 3-0, only playing three games because we got into
the new league this year. The GMC schools wanted to start
their own league, so Hilltop, Montpelier, and Edon decided
to form our own little league to keep the learning process
going." Looking into the future of the league and the program, he said, "We would like to add another team or two
if possible. Next year, we will play a six week / four game
schedule, being as we only have three teams as of now."
Dr. Jamison Grime is on his first tour of duty as the
Head Coach of the Montpelier Locomotives fifth and sixth
grade team. Montpelier Athletic Director, Joe Brigle,
stepped in as an assistant. "I helped whenever I could," he
said. In discussing the history of the program, Joe said, "I
was the head coach, and we started back in 2004. The intent of the program was to teach the kids the fundamentals
of the game of football. Put the pads on; learn the formations; where to line up in a huddlejust basic stuff that
fifth and sixth grade kids should learn. We didn't that first
season, because we didn't play a game. We had six to eight
weeks of practice. They practiced two nights a week. They
may have scrimmaged each other at the end of the season,
but that's where this was. In fact the first two years, that's
what we did. Eventually we got into the GMC league to
start playing games."
As far as the 2014 campaign went, Joe said, "Well, we
had the three teams, so you play everybody twice. We also
played Evergreen, so we actually played five games. We
kinda scaled it back this year. In years past, fifth and sixth
grade was as long as the junior high season from beginning
to end. I think this year the idea was to scale back a little
bit. The philosophy of Dr. Grime and I is to make sure that
at the end of the day, every kid has a positive experience.
Wins and losses are not at the top of the wish list for us.
Sure, you want to win games, but we want the kids to have

fun, and we want the fifth graders to be back out as sixth

graders, and the sixth graders to come out for junior high
and continue playing."
Looking forward, Joe said, "I think that you're going to
see the same things as this year. It was a cold day when
we played our last game, but I think that every kid walked
away with a good experience. Every kid got to play, offense
and defense. Some of them played multiple positions. They
had a good time. We didn't go overboard on practices. I
think that ultimately, that's what you want. You want
those numbers to ultimately go from one level to the next.
Ultimately, we want to have between ten and fifteen seniors per year, and that hasn't been the case. This year is
one of our biggest classes of seniors (twelve), and next year,
given that everybody sticks with it, will probably be the biggest senior class that we've had in fifty years. I think that
you just have to use this as a tool for kids to get their feet
wet in football. Football is such a different sport; not every
kid can put on the pads, go out into the backyard and
practice. There's so many other components that you have
to take into consideration to practice the game. You can
take a football and throw it, but you can't practice tackling.
Basketballyou can do that stuff individually. Baseball
you can grab a friend, and there are skills that you can
work on. Footballit's a little different."
Shawn Blaisdell is the man in charge of the fifth and
sixth grade program at Hilltop. "I was the head coach this
season after taking two years off as a coach. I have been
our team president for eight years and head coach six of
those years, and I plan on coaching again next season."
The Hilltop program has a history of success. As Shawn
said, "Our program has had success over the years. Our
current freshman and eighth grade class played in the
league championship game a few years ago. The kids under them have not had quite the success in the win/loss
column, but have shown improvement and the willingness
to work. This past season we were 1-5not the results we
like, but I saw a vast improvement in each game. We won
our last game 48-18 at Antwerp in a split team game playing quarters against Antwerp and Continental. This was
the first season in five years that we changed offense from
the single wing to the spread. It was a learning curve that
may have been more of a challenge to me as a coach than
our kids."
Coach Blaisdell sees a bright future for the program in
Hilltop. "Our program is in a great place right now. We
have a nice working relationship with the junior high program coached by Nathan Massie and Andy Schlosser. We
are putting the pieces together with our junior high to create continuity for the kids as they progress through junior high into varsity football. I see great things for Hilltop football over the next several seasons. Our fifth and
sixth grade team will return many starters next year. This
season we had 22 kids on the roster, but only eight were
sixth graders. Looking at our varsity program, I see a lot of
young talent pressed to action early due to low upper class
numbers and injuries. This has caused the cancellation of
many JV games, and the chance for those young guys to
get quality playing time. However, I think Hilltop football
is going to turn things around in the next couple seasons
with a strong freshman and sophomore class.
Around fifteen and a half years ago, Rick Stidham and
three friends sat down, put their minds together, and laid
out the groundwork for what would eventually become the
fifth and sixth grade football program in Wauseon. It took
a year and a half to get it up and running, but the program
has been running strong ever since. Now in his fourteenth
year as a commissioner/coach of the four-team Wauseon
program, Rick defined its purpose, as well as its definition
of 'success'.
"It depends upon how you want to view that," Rick said
when talking about the success of the program. "Our goal
in what we're trying to achieve with these kids is to teach
them the basic fundamentals of the game. Things as simple as how does your equipment go in putting your uniform
together. How do the knee pads go in? How do the thigh
pads go in? Those are some of the simple, basic steps that,
in speaking with some of the seventh grade coaches, we've
put the kids three weeks ahead in just being able to get
dressed on their own, the simple three-point stance, and
the understanding of what cadences are. We don't measure wins and losses. We don't keep score. Obviously the
kids know who did score and who didn't score."
"Our goal is to teach them blocking assignments, defensive assignments, the A-gap, the B-gap and how your
blocking scheme goes," he continued. "On defense, they
learn how their position is played properly. On offense it's
teaching a lineman how to get in the correct stance, and

EDON vs. HILLTOP 5TH & 6TH GRADE FOOTBALL

how to pull. It's teaching the receivers their routes, whether they're running a post, or a short out route. You can
see their success in them being able to come to the line of
scrimmage as a unit, to get down in the correct positioning,
and to get off the ball all at the same time. Little things like
that are huge in going up to the next level." Like the other
programs in the other schools, the number one product
of the Wauseon fifth and sixth grade program is simple
development from the basics.
What of the competition though for the 65 kids that
came out for the fifth and sixth grade football program in
2014 ? Rick explained that the four teams, Red, White,
Grey and Black, play each other; there is no interscholastic competition. This keeps the fundamental goals and objects of the program intact, without the need for changes to
the basics of the program in order to accommodate things
like keeping score. Why play only each other, and why do
each of the four teams' uniforms say Wauseon on them?
It teaches a unity that is not immediately visible, but becomes obvious in the long run. "It helps out in the continuing focus that in three years, you are all going to be one.
All of you are going to playing on the same team, and there
will be 50 or 60 more of you together. It's not about a team
name, it's about team work. We tell our kids, 'You guys are
a brotherhood.'
The Wauseon program has had great continuity insofar
as kids sticking with the program from level to level, all
the way up to the Varsity ranks. Evidence of this continuity can be seen in the success that the Varsity program
has been enjoying, including a recent 61-0 beatdown of
NWOAL powerhouse, Bryan. Going back even further, you
can see how the progression from the fifth and sixth grade
program has paid even bigger dividends. When you see the
name of former University of Michigan lineman and Sugar
Bowl Champion Elliott Mealer amongst the alumni, the
program has an indelible mark of legitimacy.
With that kind of success, are there any changes coming up for the fifth and sixth grade program? Don't hold
your breath waiting for it, suggested Rick. "I don't see anything else happening," he said. "There's been questions
about competition. Obviously there's a lot of other youth
football leagues around, and a lot of them are interested
in traveling back and forth, but they're really focused on
winning. Don't get me wrongeverybody likes to win, but
we're really focused on teaching basic fundamentals of the
game, how to play together as a team, and team structure."
Although he sees no changes in the near future, he says
that when a newer generation steps up to take over for
him and his three fellow commissioners, change may come
with them. "I'm 53," he said with a laugh. "It's time for
some younger people to get in there, because the game itself is changing. Everybody is now in a spread offense and
a wing-T offense, throwing the ball a lot more. Me? I'm from
the old school of three yards and a cloud of dust." Evoke a
quote from the legendary Woody Hayes, and you probably
run the risk of dating yourself.
Seven teams from four different school districts. The
names may be different, but the goals for their fifth and
sixth grade football programs are essentially the same
learning the fundamentals, and growing in knowledge and
skills as the kids advance through the ranks. Sure, watching ten, eleven and twelve-year-olds running around in
little pads, little helmets and little uniforms is awkward,
but look at the big picture the same way that these coaches
are, and you may see something different.
In 2003, the Ohio State Buckeyes took the NCAAF National Championship under Coach Jim Tressel, and you'd
think that was the hot ticket in Ohio sports. Sure, getting
tickets to see the undefeated Buckeyes at the Horseshoe
was tough, but there was one even tougher. It wasn't the
Cleveland Browns or the Indians. It wasn't the Columbus
Blue Jackets or the Crew, and it wasn't the Cincinnati
Reds. The toughest ticket didn't belong to a professional or
collegiate sports team, it belonged to a high school team,
namely the Irish of Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary. Seems that
people wanted to see a kid that they believed was a future
star, and they paid good money to do just that while the
kid was developing his craft in high school. That kid was
named LeBron James.
Who knows? Somewhere in the mix of these fifth and
sixth grade teams in Northwest Ohio, there may be a young
Peyton Manningstill trying to learn how to put on thigh
pads. Maybe you ought to catch a few games in your area,
so that when a new NFL superstar emerges from Northwest
Ohio, you can tell your kids that back in the day, you can
remember watching him when
Timothy Kays can be reached at
tim@thevillagereporter.com

MONTPELIER 5TH & 6TH GRADE FOOTBALL

Boys & Girls Soccer Action

THE HOMETOWN HUDDLE

Wauseon Falls To Lake In Sectionals

WAUSEON 5TH & 6TH GRADE FOOTBALL

(October 20th, 2014)-LAKE: After a

successful season, the Lady Indians ended
their post-season run against Lake.
Dropping the match 7-1, Wauseon
struggled early on to stay in the match, allowing Lake to score 5 goals in the first half
of play.
Coach Jordanne Buehrer can attest to
the difficulties her Wauseon team suffered
at the beginning of the match.

We had a rough first half adjusting to

the flow of the game. Buehrer stated. We
had a better second half, only allowing two
goals against us, and getting one of our
own.
That goal was scored by Natalie Koenig,
with the help of Avery Giguere.
Lady Indian Keeper Hannah Spadofore had 9 saves on the evening. Wauseon
managed just five shots at the Lake goal.

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Wednesday, October 29th, 2014

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10 - The Hometown Huddle - Edon, Montpelier, North Central, Hilltop, Stryker, Fayette, Pettisville & Wauseon Sports Action

Wednesday, October 29th, 2014