Former North Union softball standout Emily Clark makes a throw from the infield for The Ohio State University women’s team. Clark, who also played one year of professional softball, is the new coach of the Lady Cat program. (Photo submitted) The North Union softball team lost an huge asset when Dawn Draper decided to hang up her whistle as the head coach after 21 years of service. However, as they say “when one door closes, another opens.” That open door allowed Emily Clark to walk through and take over where Draper left off. Clark has a reputation on the softball…
Author: Sam Dillon
In this file photo from 2020, a whitetail buck in velvet antlers stands in a soybean field. The Division of Wildlife unveiled the new Ohio Landowner and Hunter Access Partnership as a way to bridge the gap between hunters and private land in Ohio. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon) The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife has announced the introduction of a new program that will help bridge the gap between private landowners and hunters. The Ohio Landowner and Hunter Access Partnership (OLHAP) program is designed to give hunters more opportunities while giving farmers a new source of…
The search for North Union’s new baseball coach has come to a close. At the most recent North Union School Board meeting, members approved the hiring of Nick Blakeley. He comes to the Wildcats from Fairbanks, where he was an assistant coach for the Panthers’ baseball team for six years. Blakeley helped FHS to a 30-24 record over the past three seasons in the Ohio Heritage Conference. Before assisting the Panthers, Blakeley helped with the varsity baseball team at Delaware Hayes. The new coach said he wants to bring those experiences with him to help lead the Cats. “I am…
Jacob Markert prepares to make the turn during the 100-yard freestyle event during the Stingrays’ virtual championship meet at Marysville Municipal Pool. The Stingrays finished in seventh place. (Journal-Tribune photo by Kevin Behrens) The Marysville Stingrays competed in their final swimming meet of the season last week. The championship competition was held virtually with all teams in the league swimming at their home pools and turning in their results. The Stingrays finished in seventh place with a combined score of 1,101 points. The Tornadoes won the virtual championship with a combined score of 2,022.5 points. The Stingrays boys team took…
In this file photo Kaitlyn DeLauter of North Union leaps to block a hit during a Central Buckeye Conference game. DeLauter was one the Lady Cats that graduated from North Union district title winning team. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon) With the high school volleyball season 34 days away the North Union Lady Cats are getting in some early practice to help them prepare for the future of the program and another successful year on the court. The Lady Cats will be holding three camps, youth camp (4th-6th grades), middle school camp (7th-8th grades) and a high school camp in…
In this file photo Alexander Crowe chips onto the green at hole four at Marysville Golf Course. Crowe took second place during the Heart of Ohio Junior Golf Tours most recent stop at Kings Mill Golf Course. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon) Alexander Crowe of Fairbanks has time-after-time stayed near the top of the pack in the Heart of Ohio Junior Golf Tour. This weeks contest held at Kings Mill Golf Club in Waldo saw Crowe shot a 4-over-par 74 to end his 18 holes in a tie with Minoy Shah of Pleasant to force a playoff hole. Shah came…
Rylan Brown of the Marysville Stingrays comes up for a breath during the 50-yard butterfly event. Brown finished in first place in the the boy’s 11-12 group. (Journal-Tribune photo by Kevin Behrens) The Marysville Stingrays competed in their end of the season championship meet at Marysville Municipal Pool Wednesday. The Stingrays had a solid meet taking first place in nearly every event. The first place finishers are as follows: -Girls 9-10 100-yard individual medley, Emma Hubbard, 1:27; -Boys 11-12 100-yard individual medley, Brady Cordonnier, 1:15; -Boys 15-18 100-yard individual medley, Gabe Filbert, 1:06; -Boys 8U 100-yard medley relay, Josue Tangeman,…
In this file photo, Alexander Crowe, of Fairbanks, drive a ball from the tee box from hole 2 at Marysville Golf Course. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon) Alexander Crowe of Fairbanks returned to his winning ways picking up his third victory on the fifth stop of the Heart of Ohio Junior Golf tour at Green Acres Golf Club in Marion recently. The Panther golfer shot a 3-over-par 63 to enter a three-way tie with Spencer Keller of Galion and Alex Pratt of Pleasant for the top spot. Crowe struggled on the opening hole, a 126-yard par 3, tapping in a…
In this file photo, Trevor Moran (10) of North Union stiff arms a tackler during the Wildcats first playoff game last season. Moran was a staple in the backfield for the Cats the NU coach Nick Hajjar is working to replace for this upcomnig season. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon) With the first Friday Night football a mere 38 days away, coaches are using every minute to get their teams prepared. With COVID condensing last season into six weeks the Ohio High School Athletic Association lifted off-season coaching restrictions. Previously, coaches were only allowed 10 days in the off-season to…
North Union youth football participants held up the “U” while they posed for a photo at the end of the three-day camp. The camp drew more than 80 participants. (Photo submitted) North Union High School football team is coming off a solid year advancing to the Division V, Region 18 semifinals, but there is no rest for those that want to win. With another season fast approaching the Wildcats are looking to the future of the program and it is looking bright for the Cats. North Union recently held their annual youth camp where more than 80 participants between second…
North Union’s Journey Blevins (11) sends the ball over the net during a 2020 match. Blevins will continue her career at the University of Findlay. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon) Journey Blevins will be taking her volleyball game to the next level. Blevins, who recently graduated from North Union High School, has signed a letter of commitment to continue her volleyball career at the University of Findley. Blevins was a dynamic middle blocker and outside hitter for the Lady Cats and will now take on the role as an outside hitter for the Oilers. Blevins was named to the Division…
The Union County Joint Recreation District was started in 1995 and has been growing ever since that time. Officials started with four dirt ball diamonds for softball and baseball. The facility has grown into an eight ball field multi-sport complex that hosts baseball, softball, soccer, rugby and cricket. The latest improvement was the upgrade of two dirt fields to turf that now gives UCJRD four turfed fields. The update came even during a time when COVID-19 had closed sports across the state. UCJRD board member Dave Raymond said the slow down of baseball and softball last year – which stretched…
Fairbanks’ Brogan Green is tackled after picking up yardage during a 2020 game. The Ohio High School Athletic Association today announced 2021 regional assignments for teams. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller) The 2021 Ohio high school football season is fast approaching. The Ohio High School Athletic Association has released the regional breakdown for each school across the state. To determine division and regional assignments, the OHSAA uses enrollment data from each school to assign divisions prior to the start of every school year. With COVID-19 impacting last year’s enrollment numbers, the OHSAA is using the same enrollment numbers from 2020.…
This is a diagram of what the new bathroom and concession facilities will look at the new pod of fields. Check the JT for a followup story about UCJRD. (Photo submitted) Despite COVID-19, the Union County Joint Recreation District has been ready and willing to support baseball and softball in central Ohio. Teams are taking notice. In 2019 the joint recreation district added two new turf fields and a new pod of four fields. COVID-19 then shut down sports across the state in 2020. Despite the shut down the district turfed the remaining two fields in the original pod of…
In this file photo, Alex Crowe of Fairbanks watches his putt on the second green at Marysville Golf Club. Crowe tallied an 1-under-par 71 to win the third match in the Heart of Ohio Junior Golf circuit Wednesday. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon) The Heart of Ohio Junior Golf Association made their annual tour stop at the Marysville Golf Club recently where local golfer Alex Crowe of Fairbanks took the top spot with 1-under-par 71 in the 16-18 division. Crowe tallied six birdies with his first coming at the 194-yard par-3 second hole. He followed up with a birdie at…