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Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Training Camp Insider: West Liberty-Salem
It’s easy to see that Toby Smith knows the importance of captains. The last two years I’ve traveled to West Liberty-Salem to film the Tigers’ practice for SpringfieldNewsSun.com, the Tigers’ head coach has sent all of his captains over to me.
On Tuesday morning, I interviewed seniors Collin Link, Austin Wilson, Jarred Merrick and Zach Culley.
These four and a host of returning players give West Liberty a good chance to win the Ohio Heritage Conference championship in 2009. They started 9-0 last season, but lost 10-7 to Mechanicsburg in Week 10.
The Tigers still made the playoffs for the third straight year and the fourth time in five seasons. This year’s seniors have made the playoffs every season in their careers.
This year’s team has 11 seniors.
“We’re hoping these guys step up and take the bull by the horns and lead us to the place where we believe we should be, which is in a position to be in the conference race and compete for a playoff berth,” Smith said.
With the graduation of Brice Baumgardner, the Tigers will have a new QB this year. Senior Zach Woodruff and junior Ben Coleman are competing for the job.
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Northeastern boys golf has depth and a new target on its back in 2009
With success on the golf course, come big expectations and a target on your back.
That’s exactly what the Northeastern High School boys golf team is facing this season.
Last year, the Jets won their first conference title since 1968 (a drought longer than coach Lee Morris has been alive) and qualified for the D-II Districts, finishing 12th.
“It’s going to be a little different for us,” Morris said. “We’ve never been targeted before. For them to have to play with a bull’s eye on their back will be different, but I’m looking forward to it.”
The Jets return five of their top-6 players from last year, including Ohio Heritage Conference medalist senior Cameron Thomas. Seniors Ben Justice and Brandon Williams and juniors Mark Schwitzgable and Ryan Malone will round out the team’s top-5, in any order.
Seniors Chris Precek and Michael Bury and freshman Andrew Williams will battle for the team’s sixth varsity spot.
Morris said his team will have to face the mental challenge of putting a bad hole behind them.
“They have to find the ability to grind out a solid nine-hole score,” Morris said. “They can shoot low numbers and high numbers, but we need them to shoot average or above average golf.”
The Jets will be tested early, facing Tecumseh, Wayne and Fairbanks at Sugar Isle next Tuesday.
“Our schedule is going to test us early,” Morris said.
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Northwestern golf team will be competitive
Under third-year head coach Tim Grieser, Northwestern is hoping to be a factor in the CBC Mad River Division golf race this season.
The Warriors finished second in the division last year behind champion Greenon, but lost both Dylan Stephenson and Billy Jones, the team’s top golfers, to graduation.
The Warriors have a strong crew of upperclassmen in seniors Michael Ray, Matt Gorby and Ryan Pearson, as well as junior Stephanie Wilson, as well as sophomores Alex Snyder, Tyler Marton, Cally Jones, Ken Snyder and Jordan Brewer.
Last year, Stephenson advanced to the D-II Regionals. Grieser said he should have a few golfers battling for regionals bids this season, but it won’t come without hard work.
“They’ve got to put in the time to get there,” Grieser said. “It’s not just a two month seaosn. If the weather’s nice, you’ve got to be out there playing.”
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