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Girls Volleyball All-Conference Selections have been made for 2024. (Dale Barger Photo)

The Western Ohio Athletic Conference final season record and All-Conference selections for Volleyball in 2024.

The Arcanum girls’ volleyball team made it back-to-back championships and won the league title outright in 2024 going undefeated in the WOAC.  

Final League Standings
Arcanum  11-0
Mississinawa Valley  9-2
Newton   8-3
Tri-Village  8-3
Ansonia  7-4
Franklin Monroe 7-4
Dixie   5-6
Twin Valley South 4-7
Preble Shawnee 3-8
National Trail  2-9
Bradford  2-9
Tri-County North 0-11

All Conference First Team
Gabriella Leeper  Ansonia
Mackenzie Byrne  Arcanum
Grace Fry   Arcanum
Lexy Gibbons   Arcanum
Addie Bauman  Franklin Monroe
Allie Muhlenkamp  Franklin Monroe
Cora Hoggatt   Mississinawa Valley
Sienna Montgomery  Newton
Ava Rapp   Newton
Sallie Montgomery  Preble Shawnee
Mylee Bierly   Tri-Village
Lilly Camacho  Tri-Village

All Conference Second Team
Lydia Hahn   Ansonia
Kamryn Beisner  Arcanum
Caroline Long   Arcanum
Chloe Hocker   Bradford
Kendyl Hypes   Dixie
Ava Simon   Dixie
Danika Neargarder  Mississinawa Valley
Allyson Waymire  Mississinawa Valley
Haydn Davies   National Trail
Estie Rapp   Newton
Paityn Davidson  Tri-County North
Clara Meyers   Twin Valley South

All Conference Special Mention
Aleah Shilt   Ansonia
Cameron Garbig  Arcanum
Addysen Mills   Bradford
Teegan Miller   Dixie
Layni Ressler   Franklin Monroe
Makenna Hoggatt  Mississinawa Valley
Evie Hoffman   National Trail
Makenna Kesling  Newton
Macy Price   Preble Shawnee
Kiley Adkins   Tri-County North
Ava Pipenger   Tri-Village
Danika Caldwell  Twin Valley South

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Sienna Montgomery – Newton
Sienna Montgomery puts down one of her 346 Kills this year.  (Dale Barger Photo)

Sienna Montgomery led the league this with 346 kills and has 850 career kills as well.  She was 2nd in blocks with 45 for the Lady Indians and was named the WOAC Volleyball Player of the Year in 2024.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Jacie Holman – Arcanum
Jacie Holman looks on as her team competes in big game at Mississinawa Valley.  Holman won back-to-back Coach of the Year awards.  (Dale Barger Photo)

Jacie Holman’s team went undefeated in the conference this year and is currently 18-3 overall with the number one seed going into the post season.  Her team won back-to-back WOAC volleyball championships, and she also can claim back-to-back WOAC Coach of the Year awards winning in 2023 and now 2024. 

Congratulations to everyone who earned all-league honors and good luck in post season.
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Girls Soccer All-Conference Selections have been made for 2024. (Dale Barger Photo)

The Western Ohio Athletic Conference final season record and All-Conference selections for Girls Soccer in 2024.

The Preble Shawnee Arrows won the WOAC soccer title going undefeated with an 8-0-2 league record this season.  Twin Valley South and Newton tied for 2nd place at 6-2-2, 
Tri-County North was 4th, National Trail was 5th and Dixie was 7th.

Final League Standings
Preble Shawnee 8-0-2 
Twin Valley South 6-2-2   
Newton  6-2-2      
Tri-County North 4-6-0   
National Trail  3-7-0   
Dixie   0-10-0   

All Conference First Team
Ally Loggins    Dixie 
Hannah Henderson   National Trail
Josie Stiner    National Trail
Brilie Hines    Newton 
Gwen Holbrook   Newton 
Breanna Ingle   Newton
Nora Feck    Preble Shawnee
Lyla Ford    Preble Shawnee
Gracie Leach   Preble Shawnee
Reese Myers    Tri-County North
Rylie Myers    Tri-County North
Maci Arndts    Twin Valley South
Kelsie Maggard  Twin Valley South

All Conference Special Mention
Abbey Boehringer  Dixie
Taylor Reynolds  National Trail
Rylee Hess    Newton
Jose Mondello-Garrett Preble Shawnee
Kasidi Daugherty  Tri-County North
Lexi Thompson  Twin Valley South

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Aubrey Unger – Preble Shawnee

Preble Shawnee junior Aubrey Unger led the league this year with 68 points and 27 goals, she also was 2nd in assist with 14 and was named the WOAC Girls Soccer Player of the Year for 2024.  Unger was also the Co-Player of the Year as in 2023 as well make it back-to-back awards.

(Dale Barger Photo)

COACH OF THE YEAR
Donnie Hatton – Preble Shawnee

Coach Donnie Hatton’s team went undefeated to win the 2024 WOAC Girls Soccer League title.  The WOAC is now in its 4th year and Hatton’s team has won two conference championships having also won 2022.  Hatton was named the WOAC Girls Soccer Coach of the Year in 2024.  He also won the same award in 2022.

(Dale Barger Photo)

Congratulations to everyone who earned all-league honors and good luck in post season.
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Boys Soccer All-Conference Selections have been made for 2024.
(Dale Barger Photo)

The Western Ohio Athletic Conference final season record and All-Conference selections for Boys Soccer in 2024.

The Dixie Greyhounds won the league a 3rd straight year with a 7-0-1 record this season. Newton was 2nd at 6-1-2, Tri-County North 3rd at 3-4-1, Preble Shawnee 5th and Franklin Monroe 6th.

All Conference First Team
Nate Emrick    Dixie 
Braden Hall    Dixie 
Evan Marker    Dixie 
Evan Addis    Franklin Monroe 
Isaac Beidelman   Newton 
Evanston Hemphill   Newton
Sawyer Renner   Newton
Ethan Fields    Preble Shawnee
Jayden Forrer    Preble Shawnee
Colton Schroeder   Preble Shawnee
Wesley Boyd    Tri-County North
Nick Meyer    Tri-County North
Travis Williamson   Tri-County North

All Conference Special Mention
Aiden Hammond   Dixie
David Reed    Franklin Monroe
Bronson VanCulin   Newton
Alex Schatzle    Preble Shawnee
Chase Harry    Tri-County North

PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

Nate Emrick    Dixie

Dixie senior Nate Emrick led the league with 87 points, 39 goals and 3rd in assists with 9 was name the WOAC Boys Soccer Player of the Year.  


(Dale Barger Photo)

COACHES OF THE YEAR 

Charlie Miller    Dixie

Dixie boys soccer coach Charlie Miller and his team earned their 3rd straight boys soccer championship in the WOAC.  Miller also was named the co-coach of the year with Newton coach Jeff Armentrout.  It's the 3rd straight coach of the year award for Coach Miller.


(Champine Photography Photo)

Jeff Armentrout   Newton

Newton Boys Soccer coach Jeff Armentrout was named co-coach of the year in 2024.

His team tied Dixie in the 2nd to last game of the year with a chance to tie them in the league but Dixie was able to get a win to secure the league.


(Handshoe Photography Photo)

Congratulations to everyone who earned all-league honors and good luck in post season.
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The National Trail Boys Golf team realized a dream by qualifying and golfing in the OHSAA Boys DIII State Golf Tournament. (All feature photos by Dale Barger)

SUNBURY – The National Trail boys golf team competed at the 99^th Annual Boys Golf State Tournament.  It was their first ever appearance at state and they came away with a good first-time experience finishing in 6^th place out of 12 teams in the DIII Tournament held at NorthStar Golf Club.

In the two-day tournament National Trail shot a 333 for 18 on day one and improved to 324 on the second day for a two-day total of 657. 

Senior Nick Brubaker who has been a solid player over the last 4 years, individually would finish in a tie with junior teammate Kellen Laird both in 23^rd place at the state tournament firing 162 each for 36 holes.

Freshman Josh Brubaker shot a 165 for 32^nd place, senior Justin Turner was 39^th with a 168 and senior Aidan Koehl was 66^th with a two-day round of 194.

The state appearance capped a special season full of highlights for the Blazers who broke five school records.  They won the Preble County Tournament for the 4^th straight year breaking the school record shooting a team score of 300.  They won their own Blazer invite for the first time, won the Brookville Invitational, the WOAC Conference tournament, sectional and district tournament.  They also had an individual golfer Josh Brubaker shoot a 66 in the conference tournament to break the school record and their team record at the end of the season was 130-11.

It was quite a season for National Trail and coach Ramon Rutan who was chosen as the WOAC Coach of the Year in 2024.  He noted their success has been a process.

“There has been a lot of work put in over the past four years from this group. Four years ago, this group played on our middle school club team together and we dreamed of making it to state. Accomplishing everything we have this year has really validated the process and work these guys have been willing to do,” Rutan said.

Having a middle school program has helped the Blazers develop and have kids ready to go as soon as they get into high school and was evident by the fact their JV team was also having success.

“We had a match where our entire JV team shot in the 40s. We had a JV player break 40 this year as well,” Rutan commented.

As soon as the season is over Rutan, and his staff get to work to ensure his kids have clear expectations and direction on how to improve with their off-season work.

“We make improvement plans for each player when the season ends that targets areas that we can see the biggest impact on scoring improvements,” Rutan commented.

“For the past four years we’ve looked at scoring goals for postseason tournaments to judge how close we were to being considered contenders for advancing. It’s been great to have a team that buys into the work and process of improving to achieve winning in the postseason,” Rutan explained.

“Being the first team to make state was never really anything that was talked about. We all had knowledge that no golf team from Trail had made state before. The biggest reason for that is the best teams in Trail history from the early 2000s competed in division 2 and we were more fortunate than those guys by being able to compete in division 3 this year,” said a humble Rutan.

One thing is clear, the program Rutan has put into place is yielding positive results and there is talent in the pipeline at the middle school and JV level putting in the work and hoping to step up next year to fill the holes that will be left by quality seniors graduating.

“We’ve seen amazing careers from Nick Brubaker, Justin Turner, and Aidan Koehl that has come to an end. They have been great program guys that worked to see success in the program and losing them will impact us in the future. But, we have some great young players who have been working so hard to continue the run of success we’re experiencing, and I expect to plug in new guys next year and continue to play at a high level.  We’re not backing off the standard the seniors have established,” Rutan concluded.

Congratulations to the Blazers on an outstanding year and representing yourselves, your school, community and the WOAC well.


Members of the National Trail Golf Team prior to teeing off at State Golf Tournament.
L-R: Josh Brubaker, Nick Brubaker, Aidan Koehl, Coach Ramon Rutan, Justin Turner, Kellen Laird and Assistant Coach Loren Brubaker.
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The Newton Girls Cross Country Team won their first WOAC League Championship in that sport in the 4th year of the Conference. (All photos by Dale Barger)

NEW MADISON – The WOAC Girls Cross Country Championship was hosted at Tri-Village this year.  The young ladies of Newton High School won the 2024 WOAC league Meet and also claimed the top runner and coach of the year.

Team placements: 
1st Newton   25
2nd Mississinawa Valley   62
3rd Franklin Monroe  78
4th Arcanum   81
5th Ansonia   113

The top 10 individual runners’ this year’s race ear first team All-Conference honors.

The top 10 runners all earn first team ALL-WOAC Honors.  

1st Michaela Flora  Newton   19:45.8
2nd  Taylee Woodbury  Mississinawa Valley  21:18.7
3rd Claire Stull   Newton   21:30.1
4th Cole Thompson  Newton   21.45.7
5th Emma Lavey   Bradford   22.02.3
6th Emily Flora   Newton   22.10.2
7th  Stella Fugate   Franklin Monroe  22.11.5
8th Ella Warren   Arcanum   22.22.1
9th  Olivia Creager  Ansonia   22.24.0
10th  Sydney Whalen  National Trail   22.34.6

Second Team All-WOAC
Brynn Byers - Arcanum
Gentri Deaton - Newton
Alexa Kreiner - Ansonia
Daphne Lavey - Bradford
Madison Moore - Preble Shawnee
Kira Rutan - National Trail
Zilah Strayer - Tri-Village
Hailey Turpin - Twin Valley South
Hannah Wolfe - Franklin Monroe
Tenlee Woodbury - Mississinawa Valley

The Newton girls team won the league meet pleasing Coach Aubrey Hughes who was named the 2024 WOAC Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year.  Aubrey also earned the Boys Coach of the Year honors back in 2021.

Newton Boys & Girls Cross Country Coach Aubrey Hughes would be named the WOAC Girls Coach of the Year in 2024.

Coach Hughes was pleased with her team’s performance and excited about their future especially since she has such a young team.

“The girls have been really strong most of this year and they've had a nice pack. They're all very young; freshmen, sophomores and we have some juniors so everybody will be returning next year, which is pretty awesome in itself,” Hughes stated.

The pack she talked about saw Newton take four of the top six spots which included freshman Michaela Flora who was named the 2024 WOAC Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.

Coach Hughes is excited for her freshman runner and although she’s having a great year, she has plenty to learn and potential to grow.

“She is still learning and has a lot to go. We started off the year at the prestigious OHSAA Early Season Invitational event in Columbus at Fortress Obetz. You know, it’s scary, you’re a freshman, and we throw her right into the big boys.  Some kids thrive on that, and some don't. She took it as, okay, now I understand what I need to do, and we saw her gain confidence.  She started focusing on our workouts, exactly what I had for her versus maybe what we have for the rest of the group. It’s individualized but I think she’s starting to realize … hmm, maybe it's okay if I run up with some of the boys now.  She's a great kid, too, great personality, a very humble kid and a strong teammate,” Hughes praised.

Coach Hughes has other talented runners that also includes sophomore Claire Stull 3^rd, freshman Cole Thompson 4^th and junior Emma Flora 6^th.

“They are hard workers they show up and not a lot shakes them, which you don't always have that often throughout a team. They came here today and knew what they had to do and all that hard work they put in this summer and in practice carried into October and has paid off, Hughes said.

But coach Hughes and the team have more they would like to accomplish.

“I’d like to see this momentum carry on into the districts and even into the regionals.  You might have to fact check me on this, but I don't believe Newton has ever taken a girls’ team to the regionals in Cross Country and that would be our goal. We're coming off meets against top teams and it's been good for us to see that competition, and we’re ready to face those challenging in post season,” Hughes concluded.


Newton Freshman Michaela Flora won the 2024 Western Ohio Athletic Conference Championship and was named the WOAC Girls Runner of the Year.
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