One of the lasting impressions from the Joe Banks Invitational Saturday will be what Ohio Northern's distance runners did in the 5,000-meter run inside the ONU Sports Center. The Polar Bears boasted four of the top five runners, as sophomore Tessa Pitcovich (Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls) won the race after logging a time of 18:28.47.
Fellow sophomore Rue Whitmore (Mason) placed runner-up, clocking in at 18:42.47, while juniors Megan Wright(Eaton/Twin Valley South) and Kathleen Colvin (Hilliard/Bishop Ready) took third and fifth, respectively, with times of 18:52.91 and 19:04.83. The distance runners helped ONU rally for a third place team finish.
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced its 2019 Cross Country All-Academic Teams and Athletes.
The Polar Bears were named an All-Academic Team for having a cumulative GPA north of 3.1. There were 172 other teams that were honored.
Junior Travis Sutter (Fort Recovery) reeled in All-Academic honors. In order to qualify, athletes must have at least a 3.3 GPA and finish inside the top 25 percent of their regional meet. There were a total of 309 athletes that won the honor.
The Polar Bears closed the season with a 10th-place finish at the Great Lakes Regional. Sutter led the charge at the regional meet, crossing 34th.
By Bud Denega
Katey Stuart didn't want to compete athletically past her high school years. Even after obliging to swim at Ohio Northern as a freshman, Stuart still had a strong urge to step away from the sport.
Stuart never did. She never quit the sport she'd done since she was four. She never ended her athletic career.
Now, she's a two-year captain and a senior dead set on finishing that swimming career in the best way possible.
Started swimming with the Ada Gators
Stuart has many constants in her life. She is born and raised in Ada and started her swimming endeavors with the Ada Gators.
Junior Thomas Phillips (Kenton) had his second double-double in the past three games, but a 15-1 second half run lifted Baldwin Wallace to an 80-67 men's basketball victory over Ohio Northern on Wednesday evening at Urspring Gymnasium.
The Polar Bears (6-14 overall, 2-11 Ohio Athletic Conference) had four players in double figures, led by freshman C.J. Napier (Miamisburg/Bishop Fewnwick) with 19 points.
Phillips finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds and senior Caleb Bryan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Montour) and Brandon Waugh (Columbus/Northland) had 10 points each.
The Yellow Jackets (12-8, 8-5) were led by Drew Sova with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
The Spencerville at Ada girls basketball game was cancelled Thursday and has been re-scheduled for Monday, February 10. No JV game, with varsity tip-off at 6 p.m.
The Lima YMCA will be the host site for the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s D-II Section 5 Sectional meet from 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8.
There will be 14 teams with a total of 237 swimmers from the following schools:
Ada, Celina, Elida, Fostoria, Kenton, Lima Bath, Lima Central Catholic, Lima Shawnee, Marion Local, Minster, New Bremen, Ridgemont, St. Henry and St. Marys Memorial.
