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Once again, they are the champions. The Yellow Springs High School girls volleyball team clinched a share of the Metro Buckeye Conference title in straight sets on their home court on Thursday, Sept. 27. After winning back-to-back MBC titles in 2015 and 2016, the team lost it last year, to the very team they bested last Thursday — Emmanuel Christian. The victory was sweet, but the team still has its sights set on winning the conference outright. From left are Annlyn Foster, Ateerys Wagner, Angie Smith, Ava Schell, Tyler Linkhart, Olivia Snoddy, Alex Ronnebaum (with arms raised) and Aaliyah Longhsaw. Not pictured is Emma Ronnebaum. The team hosts Dayton Christian at YSHS at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, in its final regular season game. (Photo by Megan Bachman)
October 4, 2018 Bulldog Sports Round-up
- Published: October 4, 2018
VOLLEYBALL
YSHS wins back conference title
The YSHS girls volleyball team took a celebratory team photo immediately after clinching a share of the Metro Buckeye Conference championship on Thursday, Sept. 27, to an overjoyed home crowd. From left, back row, Emma Ronnebaum, Olivia Snoddy, Alex Ronnebaum, Annlyn Foster, Tyler Linkhart and Ateerys Wagner; front row, Angie Smith, Aaliyah Longhsaw, Ava Schell. (Photo by Megan Bachman)
The big game of the week for the YSHS volleyball team was Thursday, Sept. 27, when Emmanuel Christian came to town for a conference showdown. The Bulldogs were in first place in the Metro Buckeye Conference going into the match with Emmanuel Christian close on their heels in second place.
A win by the Lions would most likely mean the Bulldogs would have to share the 2018 conference title with them. After winning the conference in 2015 and 2016, the Bulldogs lost the title in a tough game to Emmanuel Christian last year.
The Bulldogs prepared hard in practice for their attempt to win the title back. The first set started out with each team exchanging points until the 9–9 mark, when the Lions had the serve and pulled ahead 12–9. The Lions were able to keep several points up for the next several rotations until the Bulldogs sided out and put Aaliyah Longshaw on the serving line.
Longshaw (2 aces, 1 block, 2 digs) earned the Bulldogs six points to pull ahead 21–16. A Bulldog hitting error allowed the Lions a chance to make a comeback, but after the ball was in play, a kill by Tyler Linkhart (16 kills, 2 aces, 17 assists, 2 blocks, 19 digs) dashed those hopes quickly, allowing Emma Ronnebaum to serve the Bulldogs up to the game-point mark. A hitting error by Emmanuel Christian gave the Bulldogs the first set, 25–17.
The second set started off similar to the first with each team keeping it close until Angelina Smith (1 kill, 1 ace, 5 blocks, 11 digs) got on the serving line for the Bulldogs. Pulling ahead 14–10, the Bulldogs turned up the play at the net, blocking the Lions’ attacks 11 times. Yellow Springs took the second set easily on an ace serve by Alex Ronnebaum for a 25–13 win. With momentum on their side, the Bulldogs sensed the Lions had little left in them for the third set. Keeping up the net play lead by Alex Ronnebaum (9 blocks, 7 kills, 2 aces, 1 assist, 14 digs), the Bulldogs took an early lead and never looked back.
Adding to their total of 23 blocks and 38 kills on the evening, the Bulldogs stayed strong, finishing the final set with Emma Ronnebaum (13 kills, 3 aces, 12 assists, 4 blocks, 13 digs) serving the final point for a 25–16 win.
The win kept the Bulldogs in first place in the Metro Buckeye Conference with only two more conference matches on the schedule. And it guaranteed the Bulldogs at least a share of the conference title.
In other action this week, the Bulldogs defeated two teams on the road in straight sets, walloping Southeastern with a score of 25–10, 25–13, 25–18, before polishing off Middletown Christian, 25–14, 25–6, 25–8.
Looking ahead, a win in one of two matches this week means an outright championship title for the Bulldogs, now 14–2 on the season and 8–0 in the MBC.
— Coach Christine Linkhart
McKinney teams continue to improve
The McKinney eighth-grade volleyball team lost at home to Emmanuel Christian in straight sets last Thursday, Sept. 27. The team continues to see improvement in personal performances. On the seventh-grade team, Bella Slonaker is currently the most improved player. The eighth-grade team’s highlight was a solo block at middle by MacKenzie Horton against Middletown Christian recently.
— Coach Stephanie Zinger
CROSS COUNTRY
McKinney boys win at Buck Creek
The 2018 McKinney boys cross-country team ran to victory at the Buck Creek Invitational. Proudly displaying the trophy are, front row, from left: Ben Espinosa, Samuel Trelawny-Cassity, Otto Cipollini, Josh Clark, Isaac Grushon, Jack Horvath, Dylon Mapes, Krishan Miller; Back row, from left: Liam McClean, Tallis Onfroy-Curley, Kael Cooney, Luka Sage-Frobotta, Ethan Knemeyer, Jason Knemeyer, JP Anderson and Head Coach Isabelle Dierauer. (Submitted photo)
Both the YSHS and McKinney cross-country teams competed at the Buck Creek Invitational Saturday, Sept. 29 in Springfield.
Isaac Grushon (8th place, 12:22) and Krishan Miller (10th place 12:23) led the McKinney Bulldog boys pack to a historic first place team finish at the meet.
Ben Espinosa (12:57), Ethan Knemeyer (13:30), Samuel Trelawny-Cassity (13:43), Dylon Mapes (14:29), Luka Sage-Frabotta (15:24), Josh Clark (15:36), Jack Horvath (15:47), JP Anderson (15:49), Kael Cooney (15:51), Jason Knemeyer (16:06), Liam McClean (16:11), Max Lugo (16:29), Tallis Onfroy-Curley (17:47) and Otto Cipollini (19:44.9) contributed with their strong performances to the triumph.
Head Coach Isabelle Dierauer said she was proud of her team.
“Such a competition cannot be won with one or two strong athletes, it takes an entire team fighting for every place throughout the entire race, and this is exactly what everyone did today,” Dierauer said. “The Bulldogs made me very proud today.”
Both McKinney girls dropped their season best times by over a minute and Cheyan Sundell-Turner, with 12:59, broke the magic 13-minute mark. This outstanding performance put her in fifth place. Her teammate Josie DeWine also ran a personal best and finished the race in 15:23.
The high school girls also had a great day. The Bulldog team stuck together and finished within 20 seconds of each other: Evelyn Potter (23.38), Jude Meekin (23:48), Avery Reeder (23.58). Senior Zach Lugo stayed with 18:43, again under 19 minutes, and Mark Bricker’s time of 19:23 shows that he is recovering well from his injury. Jay Millman (21:16), Eli Capasso (22:02), Leif Walters (22:37), Gideon Naziri (22:53), Griffin Roberts (23:03) and Harper Mesure (29:29) all ran personal best times. Raven Campbell recovering from illness finished the race in 22:34.
Assistant Coach John Gudgel was impressed, saying, “It is truly remarkable when almost all team members run either a season best or personal best at the same race.”
Mills Lawn student Jia Sundell-Turner competed in the fun run, where he placed 2nd with a time of 7:31.
It was a very good day for the Bulldogs.
— Assistant Coach John Gudgel
SOCCER
Girls play aggressively, earn tie
The YSHS girls soccer team faced off against three teams over the last week. Playing next to Interstate 75, the girls faced a strong Troy Christian team on September 20. Although the Bulldogs fell by a score of 10–0, the Troy Christian coach had nothing but positive things to say regarding the play and composure of the Yellow Springs team.
In their second away game of the week against Ponitz, on a neutral field at the University of Dayton’s Welcome Stadium, the Bulldogs faced not only the opposing team but the slick turf. The Bulldogs played quite aggressively in the second half, coming away with a 1–1 tie courtesy of a goal by sophomore Alyss Nichols.
On Thursday, Sept. 27, the Bulldogs played host to the National Trail Blazers in the morning game of a double-header with the Yellow Springs boys soccer team. The girls failed to show the same energy and intensity that was displayed at Welcome Stadium, although keeper Audree Speaks showed some spark with 13 saves. The team ultimately fell to the Blazers by a score of 5–0.
— Assistant Coach Kevin Lydy
Boys team goes 2–1 over the week
In play over the last week, the YSHS boys team tied Cincinnati Country Day, 0–0, defeated Emmanuel Christian at home, 15–1, and came out on top over Jackson Center, 2–0.
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