Sunday, September 16, 2001
High School Insider
Colerain girls cross country up front, as usual
Four-time state champion Colerain is the state's No.1 Division I girls cross country team until proven otherwise. So says Turpin coach Steve Nester, whose team is ranked No.2 in the Division I state poll behind Colerain.
“We realize Colerain didn't win the last four state titles by accident,” Nester said. “They're the greatest dynasty in cross country in the state's history. We just hope to be competitive with them by the end of the year.”
Each year, some believe this is the year they get Colerain. Each year, no one does.
“We went into the state finals ranked No.3 last year and we won by 60 points,” Colerain coach Ron Russo said. “People can prognosticate all they want. To us, it's all about the end of the season.”
Colerain's leaders are all-staters Andrea Maas and Shelly Dickinson. Freshman Brittany Detzel is “probably the best freshman in the state,” Russo said. Other top runners are Laura Kreuter, Jen Schmidthorst, Rachel Bensman and Kristin Kiger.
Turpin, which like Colerain is undefeated this year, is very deep. The Spartans were ninth in the state last year, and their top seven runners are back. Their leaders are Carolyn Rauen, Melanie Price, Jaclyn Louis and Corey Randall.
Another battle is shaping up on the Division II scene.
Wyoming, ranked No.1 in the Enquirer Divisions II-III coaches poll in the preseason, is No.9 in the most recent Division II state poll.
Taylor, No.4 in the Enquirer's preseason poll, is No.7 in the Division II state poll. One reason Taylor inched ahead of Wyoming might have been its strong showing (fifth) at a recent big meet in Tiffin, for which Wyoming was not entered.
“I told them not to do that to us,” Taylor coach Chip Dobson said of coaches' state poll voting. “But hopefully we'll live up to that.”
Wyoming coach Mike Jacobs' team has beaten all comers locally, including some Division I teams.
“The girls are running real well, and we're just looking forward to the postseason tournaments,” Jacobs said.
Wyoming is led by Caitlyn Fey and sisters Erika Schmitt and Alexis Schmitt, who vie for top times at each meet. Jacobs' team also features Abby Mowry, Emily Spadafora, Charlotte Ruddy and Laura Anglim.
Taylor is led by Carrie Crofford, who finished 28th at state last year, along with Casey Lariccia, Cristy Doll, Nikki Glenn and Courtney Holbrock.
UPDATE: Last week we reported that LaSalle's Allen Bader had the top cross country time in the city, 15:32. At the time, we were unaware that Fairfield's John Dixon had run a 15:27 the same week.
Bader, the defending Division I state champion, will meet Dixon for the first time this season at the Fairmont Firebird Invitational in Kettering Sept.29.
ON THE MOVE: Ursuline has risen from No.3 to No.1 in the Enquirer's Division I volleyball poll, no small feat in an area loaded with top teams.
Ursuline has bumped Mount Notre Dame and Mercy — which own seven state titles between them — to Nos.2 and 3, respectively. Mount Notre Dame, which won the last three Ohio titles, lost to Ursuline Sept.4.
Ursuline has lost only to Roger Bacon, the city's top Divisions II-IV team.
“Losing to Roger Bacon was kind of an eye opener, because they're so tough,” Ursuline coach Amie Meyer said. “After that, we decided we'd better get down to business.”
Team leaders include 5-foot-9 senior Aliya Riddle, the area leader in blocking average (8.60), and junior setter Kelly Byrnes, who is No.5 in the area in setting assists (104).
HEY, RECRUITERS: Jordan Lawson of Edgewood is one of the area's best golfers. He's also one of the smartest.
Lawson, a senior, ranks first in his 250-member class, with a 4.0 grade-point average. His stroke average in golf is around 38 despite a wrist injury. He finished second in the Middletown city amateur tournament this summer.
“He's the full package, and I think some colleges ought to know about him,” Edgewood coach Brian Caudill said. “Jordan deserves a chance on the next level.”
ONE AND ONLY: Princeton sophomore golfer Zach Kamerer made his first career hole-in-one at the recent Vandalia-Butler Invitational. Kamerer aced the 165-yard No.7 hole at Cassel Hills Golf Course, using a 6-iron.
HARBINS COMING: The first Harbin computer ratings of the football season will be released by the OHSAA on Tuesday.
Contact Tom Groeschen at 768-8450; fax: 768-8550; e-mail: tgroeschen@enquirer.com.
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