News

Newton celebrates their first tournament win since 2013 and ties schools record with most wins in season with 16.  They advance to sectional finals against Jackson Center (Dale Barger Photo)

Game Photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=WOACSPORTS&set=a.139950948386822

TROY – The Newton volleyball team extended their tournament life by defeating Covington in the 2^nd round of the DIV sectional volleyball tournament 27-25, 12-25, 25-22 and 25-15.

It was the first tournament win since 2013 for the Indians and ties them for the most wins in school history, now at 16-7 on the year.  The Indians finished 4^th in the first season of the Western Ohio Athletic Conference with an 8-3 league record.

Newton jumped out on top in the opening set behind senior Katelyn Walters who was pounding away at Covington with some big hits.  Walters was recently named to the 1^st team WOAC All-Conference team and earned post season honors on the 1^st team District 9 and senior all-star game.

Katelyn Walters slams against Covington.  The senior hitter is having an outstanding season 244 Kills; 3rd best in conference & 62 Blocks also 3rd best.  She was named 1st team WOAC All-Conference this year. (Dale Barger Photo)

Covington though battled back tying the game at 25 … until sophomore libero Eva Bowser made a huge play by diving to dig a ball that went over the net finding a hole for a score firing up the Indians and stunning the Buccs.

Eva Bowser dives and comes up with big play when the team needed it in 1st set. (Dale Barger Photo)

That play was followed up by a perfect set from junior setter Ella Rapp who was name 2^nd team WOAC All-Conference to junior Kaylee Deeter WOAC Special Mention who slammed home a winner for an important first set win for the Indians who lost to Covington in the regular season giving them some much needed confidence.

Kaylee Deeter came up with a big hit to win the first set.  Deeter was 5th in the league this year with 279 digs and was named Special Mention in the WOAC Conference this year.  (Dale Barger Photo)

However, the second set was all Covington as they found their groove and Newton seemed to be out of sync with the Buccs winning set two easy 25-12.

“When Covington came back like they did and took it to us in the 2^nd set I took a deep breath and thought well we might be going to 5 sets,” Newton volleyball coach Danita Rapp said.

The Buccaneers continued to roll in the 3^rd set and seemed to be in complete control as they jumped ahead 19-11 bringing some concern to coach Rapp who needed a timeout to settle her squad.

“I took another deep breath and thought we’ve been working so hard for this moment all season and I knew the girls could pull it together, but we needed to reset and come up with something creative,” Rapp stated.

The Buccaneers defensively seemed to have Newton sized up and was able to defend sets that they had been scoring, prompting coach Rapp to try something different, something they hadn’t done all year long.

“When you are backdoor neighbors you kind of know each other’s tricks, so you got to get creative with your players,” Rapp commented.

“We ran a play we never ran before using a young hitter we don’t normally use, sophomore middle hitter Bella Hall … I said guess what … you’re going to go take a middle shot, and she said OK, and she took care of business like we needed her to do,” Rapp praised.

It would be enough to change the momentum in the 3^rd set as Newton quickly closed what seemed like an insurmountable gap eventually tying the set at 20 each and with Ella Rapp serving late they stole one away from Covington 25-22.

Junior Ella Rapp had some big serves and big sets to help her team win over Covington.  Rapp was 3rd in the conference with 395 assist and was named to the WOAC All-Conference 2nd Team this year. (Dale Barger Photo)

In the final set with each point scored Newton was getting more and more confident and sensing that they were about to do something that hadn’t been done in years by the Indians.

Newton senior Hannah Beidelman spikes the ball for the Indians. (Dale Barger Photo)

Newton won the final set 25-15 and the celebration was on winning a tournament game against your rival only made it that much sweeter.

“Our whole theme this year has been – We Over Me – which means we put the team first above any individual.  We focus hard on communicating, working together, putting the person beside you first and doing whatever we need to do to win the point,” Rapp said.

That type of play was evident on more than one occasion in their match with Covington and the type of effort they will need to bring to the floor when they meet up with Jackson Center in the next round of the DIV tournament at Troy High School on Tuesday October 26^th at 7:30pm in the District Semi-Finals.

Regardless of the outcome on Tuesday the Lady Indians are enjoying a record-breaking year with Danita Rapp in her 5th year coaching at Newton, 2^nd as the varsity coach, with the seniors being her first coaching job back in the 8^th grade.

Over the last 5 years Rapp is most proud of the loving environment that’s been created with Newton Volleyball.

“I’m super proud of them as they’ve worked several years to build this culture and environment for our team, and they pulled it off,” Rapp commented.

“As a team we focus on family and sisterhood, these girls can’t get enough time together socially, they’re friends, teammates and family, who care about one another and I think that helps them to play together as one unit,” Rapp concluded.

|

Coach Danita Rapp is all smiles with her team knocking off Covington in Tournament play. (Dale Barger Photo)

The Newton Indians Boys Cross Country Team won the WOAC Team Championship by winning the league meet held at National Trail.  (Dale Barger

Boys Race Photos: Photo)https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=WOACSPORTS&set=a.137809405267643

GETTYSBURG – The Newton Indians won the High School Boys Western Ohio Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship held at National Trail High School.

The Newton Boys placed 3 runners in the top 10 including the overall race winner freshman Seth Coker with a wining time of 18:05.7.  Coker's win earned him the WOAC Conference Runner of the Year honors.  Newton Coach Aubrey Hughes was also named WOAC Coach of the Year.

The WOAC All-Conference team is based on performance at the league meet. 

All-Conference 1^st Team
Matthew Lee, Ansonia
Andrew Thornhill, Ansonia
Jacob Rice, Arcanum
Jaden Vorhis, Dixie
Aaron Crist, Franklin Monroe
Ethan Murphy, National Trail
Seth Coker, Newton
Robert Ingle, Newton
Clint Shellenberger, Newton
Aaron Cole, Twin Valley South

WOAC 1st Team All-Conference Runners. (Dale Barger Photo)

WOAC Runner of the Year – Seth Coker, Newton (Dale Barger Photo)

WOAC Coach of the Year – Aubrey Hughes, Newton (Dale Barger Photo)

Team Scores

Newton – 48
Franklin Monroe – 64
Arcanum – 67
Ansonia – 68
Tri-County North – 129
Dixie – 140
Tri-Village – 170

The Arcanum Girls Cross Country Team had 5 girls finish in the top 10 to win the WOAC Girls Cross Country Team Championship.  (Dale Barger Photo)

GETTYSBURG – The Arcanum Trojans won the High School Girls Western Ohio Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship held at National Trail High School.

The Trojans ran away with the team title as 5 girls finished in the top 10 and just 23 team points.  Arcanum coach John Junkins would then be named the WOAC girls Cross Country Coach of the Year.

The WOAC All-Conference team is based on performance at the league meet with this year’s top runner being a freshman Taylee Woodbury of Mississinawa Valley who won the race with a time of 20:10.9. 

WOAC All-Conference 1st Team

Peyton Billenstein, Ansonia
Kylee Freeman, Arcanum
Arianne Garrison, Arcanum
Brooklyn Miras, Arcanum
Lydia Shannon, Arcanum
Hailey Unger, Arcanum
Austy Miller, Bradford
Zoe Brookey, Franklin Monroe
Taylee Woodbury, Mississinawa Valley
McKenna Downing, Newton

WOAC First Team All-Conference Runners

WOAC Runner of the Year – Mississinawa Valley freshman Taylee Woodbury
(Dale Barger Photo)

Coach of the Year – Arcanum Girls coach John Junkins (Dale Barger Photo)

Team Scores

Arcanum – 23
Bradford – 69
Franklin Monroe – 70
Ansonia – 80
Preble Shawnee – 106

Twin Valley South Soccer Team 2021 WOAC CHAMPS! (Champine Photography Photo)

Link to photos of game vs Anna - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=WOACSPORTS&set=a.139327605115823

ANNA – The Twin Valley South girls’ soccer team fell to #1 Anna 3-1 in the 2^nd round of the OHSAA Southwest DIII Girls Soccer Sectional Tournament.

The Panthers ran into a very fast, athletic and at times physical Rockets team from the Shelby County League.  The Rockets scored at the 20:36 mark in the first half and controlled the ball most of the time.  Twin Valley South had a few shots on goal but was unable to dent the net in the half.

Makiah Newport tries to thread the needle with a no look behind pass against Anna.  (Dale Barger Photo)

In the second period the Rockets struck on back-to-back goals in a span of just a minute to jump ahead 3-0 before Madison Hundley was able to assist Makiah Newport putting Twin Valley South on the board.  But Anna was able to hold on to win 3-1 to advance to the 3^rd round.

Senior Madison Hundley lines up a kick in match against Anna.  (Dale Barger Photo)

It would be a highlight season for Twin Valley South who finished the season with the most wins in school history at 14-2-2 overall.  The Panthers won the Western Ohio Athletic Conference championship in the inaugural season with an 8-0-2 record.

Senior Sydney Aldrich lets a kick fly in tournament game with Anna. (Dale Barger Photo)

Winning brought several post season awards to the Twin Valley South team with coach Chad Newport being named “Coach of the Year” and his daughter Makiah Newport being named Player of the Year. 

Senior Makiah Newport was the WOAC Conference Player of the Year. (Dale Barger Photo)

Twin Valley South graduates 4 seniors from their championship team: Makiah Newport, Madison Hundley, Pearl Rollyson and Sydney Aldrich.

Seniors Pearl Rollyson, Madison Hundley, Makiah Newport and Sydney Aldrich played their last game for Twin Valley South in a tournament game against Anna.  (Dale Barger Photo)

“We have 4 seniors with 3 of them playing the majority of the time running the show and probably 3 of the best in the area at their positions,” Twin Valley South coach Chad Newport said of his seniors on the team.

One of those seniors Makiah Newport wraps up a very successful career at Twin Valley South and is the all-time leader in career goals 96 and assists 63.

“Makiah also finished first in the league this season in 3 offensive categories with 86 points on offense, 32 goals and 22 assists.

Joining Newport on the WOAC first team all-conference was senior Madison Hundley.  Hundley was 3^rd in the league on offense with 51 points, 3^rd in goals with 19 and 3^rd in assists with 13.

Senior Sydney Aldridge was also named to the 2^nd team along with Brylee Simpson and Skyelur Weber.  Maci Arndt’s was also named to the Special Mention team.

Even with the graduation of his 4 seniors coach Newport is optimistic about the team going forward. 

“We have a ton of young athletic players who started to learn how to play the game with the older players and we feel very good about how they progressed as the season went along.  They started to learn the importance of possession, the team concept and their own roles on the team and that’s something we can continue to build on,” Newport stated.

“It’s been a fantastic season and I’m extremely proud of these girls and what they were able to accomplish,” Newport concluded.

TV South Coach Chad Newport was Coach of the Year in the Western Ohio Athletic Conference. (Dale Barger Photo)

The Preble Shawnee Girls react to the final point giving them their first tournament win in 6 years.

Link to game photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=WOACSPORTS&set=a.138659188515998

Brookville – The Preble Shawnee girls volleyball team won the first two sets against Anna in the opening round of tournament play before dropping the 3^rd set.  Anna made them earn the win as the Arrows pulled out the 4^thset 25-23 to advance to the next round.

It would be the first tournament win for Preble Shawnee in 6 years and is a step in the right direction for Josh Evans looking to turn the program around taking over as the coach 2-years ago.

“That was a good team we played tonight; on paper their record is deceiving, we played our typical game by winning the first two sets and then we had a letdown in the third.  I was really pleased with the way we battled in the fourth set and that we stayed mentally tough as Anna played us right up to the last point,’ Preble Shawnee coach Josh Evans stated.

Junior Cora Neihoff is quietly putting together a solid year for the Arrows who defeated Anna to advance to the 2nd round in the D3 Volleyball Tournament.

With the win the Arrows will play again Saturday at Brookville High School against Indian Lake at 12:30 PM.

The Lakers upset Arcanum 25-16, 25-16, 25-20 knocking them out of the tournament in the first round.

The Trojans end the season with a 12-10 overall record and finished third in the first year of the WOAC conference at 9-2. 

Arcanum will say goodbye to Taylor Gray who was named the WOAC conference player of the year in volleyball. The senior ended the season with 362 Kills, 48 Aces, 214 Digs and 37 Blocks.  She also eclipsed 1,000 kills in her career.

Taylor Gray had an outstanding Volleyball career at Arcanum.  She was the WOAC Volleyball Player of the Year.  The Trojans were upset in opening round play by Indian Lake

Link to Game Photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=WOACSPORTS&set=a.138649475183636

Twin Valley South drew a first round bye and will take on Miami East at Brookville High School on Saturday at 11am.  The Lady Panthers enter the tournament with a 6-14 record and went 2-9 in the WOAC this year. 

Dixie took on Versailles in the first round and dropped a 25-13, 25-13 and 25-10 match to the Tigers.  The Greyhounds season comes to an end finishing 9-12 overall and 3-8 in the WOAC.

National Trail will take on Miami East in the first round at Brookville High School Wednesday at 6pm.  The Blazers are 5-16 on the season and 2-9 in the WOAC.