Lady Monarch runner Jacquelyn Witt works out on Marysville High School’s new all-weather track. The MHS boys and girls track and field teams aren’t sure whether they will be able to use the new facility this spring due to the coronavirus. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller) A special season for the Marysville High School boys and girls track and field teams may have to be put on hold or completely canceled. The coronavirus pandemic has closed schools throughout Ohio for at least three weeks and has put 2020 spring sports seasons in jeopardy. The Monarch track and field program was…
Author: Tim Miller
Jonathan Alder third baseman Jillian Jakse watches after clubbing the ball during the 2019 Division II state softball semifinals at Akron’s Firestone Stadium. It remains to be seen whether the Lady Pioneers will have the opportunity to defend their state championship. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller) Jonathan Alder High School’s softball program ruled the roost by winning the Division II state championship at the conclusion of the 2019 season. Whether the Lady Pioneers (who were 29-1 last year) will be permitted to defend that title this spring remains to be seen, due to the coronavirus pandemic. “We could have a…
“I think everyone was mentally preparing for this.”Those were the words of Marysville High School head wrestling coach Shawn Andrews after the Ohio High School Athletic Association officially canceled the remainder of winter sports tournaments on Thursday afternoon.The post-season tourneys for boys and girls basketball, wrestling and ice hockey were put on hold earlier this month due to the state-wide school shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.The girls hoop tournament was in the state Final Four and boys basketball was being contested at the regional level.The Union County area had three wrestlers entered into the state tournament that was to…
The sign on the front door of the Union County Family YMCA shows the facility is closed due to the coronavirus. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller) “This is hurting us, just like it’s hurting a lot of other businesses.” Union County Family YMCA chief executive officer Trevor Secord is referring to the worldwide coronavirus. The illness, which is sweeping the globe in wildfire fashion, forced the YMCA to shut its doors 10 days ago. The closure came after a mandate delivered by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine on Monday, March 16. At that time, workout facilities and gyms across the state…
Marysville High School safety Brody Lewis (26) tackles a Columbus Northland ball carrier in this file photo from the 2019 season. Lewis will continue his gridiron career at Mt. Union University. (Journal-Tribune photo by Chad Williamson) Marysville High School senior Brody Lewis will continue his academic and athletic careers on the collegiate level. Lewis, a safety in the defensive backfield, has committed to play football at Mt. Union University in Alliance. “I had also looked at Findlay and Wittenberg,” said Lewis. “However, I just feel Mt. Union is a better fit for me with its campus life.” Marysville High School…
Fairbanks High School graduate Margo Geer is pictured practicing at the Union County Family YMCA pool in this file photo. Geer must wait another year for the Olympic Trials as the 2020 Summer Games have been postponed due to the coronavirus. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller) Former Fairbanks High School athlete Margo Geer will have to wait another year in order to compete for a spot on the United States Olympic swimming team. The Journal-Tribune spoke with the eight-time state championship high school swimmer on Tuesday as the International Olympic Committee was postponing the 2020 Summer Games for a year.…
Mason Sines comes up with a save for the Hilliard Hockey Club. Sines is a freshman at Fairbanks High School. (Photo submitted) Hockey fans, like those of other sports, may be going through withdrawal and the athletic world has crashed with a resounding thud due to the coronavirus outbreak. A pair of local athletes, however, recently concluded a very successful season on the ice. John Pastryzk, a senior, and Mason Sines, a freshmen are Fairbanks High School students who play hockey. Since the Panthers do not offer hockey as a sport, both played this past season with the Hilliard Hockey…
The Marysville High School girls 4×800 meter relay team placed during the recent state indoor meet. Runners are from left, Bryn Hothem, Jenna Rioch, Leanne Eichorn and Jacquelyn Witt. (Photo submitted) The 2020 high school outdoor track and field season remains in question due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. Several Marysville High School athletes, however, honed their skills with a successful indoor campaign this past winter. “We had an outstanding year of indoor track and field at Marysville High School,” said Monarch head coach Luke Sundermeier. “We held workouts each week to prepare for the spring season and competed…
Marysville resident Nadine Muzerall, right, watches her Ohio State University women’s hockey team compete during a 2019-20 game. (File photo) The coronavirus pandemic has thrown the world of sports into a huge turmoil. Athletics from the professional level on down to youth sports have been impacted and seen seasons either postponed or entirely shut down. The NCAA women’s hockey tournament is among the many victims and it is impacting a local resident. Nadine Muzerall of Marysville is in her fourth season as the head women’s hockey coach at The Ohio State University. The Lady Buckeyes recently won the Western Collegiate…
Marysville’s Kass Lee (14) goes up for a shot during a victory over Upper Arlington this past season. Marysville school officials are currently searching for a new head coach to lead the program next winter. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller) The open position for the top of the Marysville High School girls basketball program has been expanded to candidates outside the school district. The interview process, however, may be altered a bit due to the coronavirus outbreak. The job became open after the 2019-20 season when Brooke Young stepped down after two years on the job. Marysville school officials posted…
The Union County area has three “Jacks” of diamonds among basketball players who have earned All-Ohio honors for the 2019-2020 season. Jonathan Alder’s Jackie Santa-Emma and Jackson Izzard and Marysville’s Jack Christian have been honored on teams announced by the Ohio Prep Sports Writers Association. Santa-Emma was named to the third team and Izzard earned honorable mention status in Division II. Christian was named honorable mention in Division I. Santa-Emma and Izzard helped lead the Pioneers to a Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail Division championship. JA claimed the crown with a 9-1 record. Jonathan Alder posted an overall record of…
North Union’s Preston Crabtree hits a basket in this file photo. The junior was named to the Division III All-Ohio special mention list. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon) The North Union Wildcats put together one of the best Union County boys high school basketball seasons in recent memory. The Wildcats won 24 consecutive games before falling to Johnstown-Monroe during the Division III district championship contest a couple of weeks ago. One of the reasons for North Union’s success was the work of junior Preston Crabtree. As such, Crabtree was today named to All-Ohio special mention honors by the Ohio Prep…
St. John’s Lutheran School’s girls basketball team recently placed third during the Ohio All-Lutheran tournament. Members of the squad are from left, front row, Anna Lynch, Mya Balderson, McKenna Fonner and Grace Gorton; back row, assistant coach Bob Boehm, Allie Boyd, Emma Hamilton, Sara Lynch, Avery Gallmeyer, Hannah Boehm and head coach Austin Clarridge. (Photo submitted) Members of the St. John’s Lutheran School boys basketball team are from left, front row, Mac Rausch, Matthew Kelly, Connor Boyd, Lincoln Thrush, Jackson Burns, Biaggio Pagan and Blake Gorton; back row, assistant coach Todd Gorton, Logan Landry, Noah Fonner, Rylan Gabel, Leo Rausch,…
Marysville’s Erryl Will is set to pin an opponent in this file photo. The Monarch mat program improved as the season progressed. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon) Under normal circumstances, the 2019-20 high school wrestling season would have concluded Sunday evening at The Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center. The state tournament was planned for this past weekend. The Union County area was to have been represented by Erryl Will and Lincoln Heard of Marysville and Reece Chapman of Jonathan Alder. The “new normal,” at least for the foreseeable future, has brought about the suspension of high school sports. The coronava…
The Ohio High School Athletic Association has issued a coronavirus mandate for all school-sponsored sports. A mandatory no-contact period goes into effect beginning Tuesday (March 17) through April 5. Additionally, there will be a mandatory shutdown of facilities used for the purpose of conducting athletic activities for the same time period. Earlier last week, the OHSAA postponed the remainder of the winter sports tournaments for wrestling, boys and girls basketball and ice hockey. The organization sent out a recent media advisory from Jerry Snodgrass, the OHSAA executive director. “The tournaments are postponed indefinitely,” according to the press release. “Given the…