Busy Weekend Ends Several Successful Campaigns, Football Plays On
An extremely busy and successful weekend saw the end of the cross country and volleyball seasons, as the football team continues its undefeated pace.
The Cross Country teams competed at state, and the volleyball team fell in the regional final to last year’s Division IV state champion, while Friday night saw the football team roll to a lopsided final score.
Here’s a recap of a great weekend.
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
A Regional Title last week in Troy was just a jumping-off point for the Bellbrook girls cross country team, which ran at State Saturday morning at Fortress Obetz and was led by a few personal bests as the team finished 19th.
“We ran solid; we definitely didn't finish as high as what we had hoped,” girls coach Ann Alyanak said. “But I think they still all had solid days; we had two girls have PRs, and they raced well. I think some of it was just first-time inexperience in the race, and they were just surrounded by people the whole time, which they weren’t used to.”
The Division II State cross country meet is a showcase of the best runners. This year’s top four finishers were all sophomores.
For Bellbrook, Allison High was the team’s top finisher with a 39th place in 19:09.5. Morgan Dalton was 64th in 19:28.9 and Olive Varvel hit her personal best time with a 122nd place finish in 20:10.8. Elsie Bruckart, who ran at state last year along with Dalton, was 149th in 20:24, Laura Hnatiuk was 164th in 20:38.9, Inara Heiner (personal best) was 186th in 20:57.6 and Embri Lloyd was 187th in 20:58.2.
“Even though they were a little disappointed with the finish, they still had a lot of fun, enjoyed the experience, and I felt like I just told them the whole time, embrace this opportunity, and I really felt like they did. So, I was proud of all of them,” Alyanak said.
And the coach hopes it’s just the start of things to come.
Last year the team was close to a state berth, but settled for two individuals.
This year, making it as a team can be just the start of a very promising future for the program.
“I hope they do believe that, and Embri, the freshman, she was like, ‘We're coming every year,’” Alyanak said. “They definitely want to get back there. So hopefully that's good motivation to keep them working hard in the summer and throughout the season.
“Those seniors were such good role models for the underclassmen and just really good mentors in general, and I think they've kind of set the expectation and just a good culture in general, so the other girls want to work hard, they want to run for each other, which is great, so I think that's a big part of it. Everybody wants to do well for everyone else.”
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
The Bellbrook boys cross country team ran in the Division II state competition for the second consecutive season at Fortress Obetz Saturday afternoon, taking 23rd as a team to cap an impressive season.
“I think with the state expanding divisions in the last two years, that's allowed us to be in a position that we can say, ‘yes, we have an expectation to send individuals to the state competition level, as well as hopefully having teams qualify,” boys cross country coach Mike Baumer said.
Dalton McPeck was 58th to lead the boys in 16:41.6, Nathan Fisher was 123rd in 16:48.8, Lucas Fair was 132nd in 17:02.9, Eddie Alyanak was 166th in 17:24.4, Ridge Price was 195th in 17:45.9, Alex Hendricks was 196th in 17:47.1 and Joshua Jackson was 206th in 18:01.2.
The team was seeded 19th coming in after a third-place finish at the Troy Regional to qualify for state.
“I think the returning athletes and some of the underclassmen, the freshmen and sophomores definitely that competed or went as alternates had a good experience, and that can help motivate them for goal setting, you know, for the next year,” Baumer said. “They had that experience; they can talk it up with the other teammates to really help people buy in. So I think there are a lot of pluses.”
Three members of this year’s qualifying team were seniors.
“The boys as a team we didn't do as well as we'd hoped,” Baumer said. “We beat a lot of good teams to get here … but the fact is we still made it. And the really neat thing is historically, it's the first time Bellbrook has had both teams make it to the state meet in the same season.”
VOLLEYBALL
The Bellbrook volleyball team concluded one of its best seasons in program history, ending the year in the Elite 8 in Division III, but ultimately falling to McNicholas in three games on Saturday at Lakota East in the Regional Final.
“(After the game) we walked in, and we just said that just wasn't us today,” coach Amanda Von Handorf said. “So we kind of rehashed what they did:
“League champs, district champions, elite 8 in the state of Ohio in D III – all incredible accomplishments. By the end of this, I think they'll be six school records broken this season. We just discussed the tremendous season we've had. We just recapped that, and how much joy they have brought, not only to them, but to us coaches as well. We just had the best time.”
The team finished 24-3 overall.
Against McNicholas, a team that won the Division IV state title last year, it was tough sledding.
Bellbrook fell 25-17, 25-11, 25-13. Luci Mescher had 11 digs, and Libby Bunsold had nine. Kenley Von Handorf had 11 kills and Addie Salem had four. Katie Hunt had 14 assists.
“I think we struggled to receive a little bit, which is uncharacteristic of us,” Von Handorf said. “If you can't serve/receive very well, they get into runs. So I think that was probably our biggest thing.”
Five seniors will depart from this year’s team, but five starters will return, making Bellbrook a potent team coming into next year.
“Coach Allen and I are incredibly proud,” Von Handorf said. “Their grit, strength, and resilience showed in a lot of moments this year. I think we tell them all the time that you'll remember how people made you feel in these moments, and this team was special. They really loved one another, and they made each other feel loved every single day. So, I think that is just as important as the wins.”
FOOTBALL
Bellbrook took care of business against Unioto Friday Night in a Division III Region 12 second-round game at Bellbrook Stadium, 49-14.
Kenton Gerdes started the scoring with a 24-yard touchdown run, and while the Unioto Shermans drove the ball down the field when it was their turn, Jack Kosins intercepted the ball at the one. The Golden Eagles drove the ball 96 yards, capped this time on a 14-yard Bronson Epifano run to make it 14-0.
JC Penewit caught the next score on a three-yard pass from Grant Diorio, making it 21-0.
Unioto got on the board when Blake Braden hit Brayden Harsha for a 37-yard score.
Diorio, though, made it 28-7 at the half when he ran one in behind a bevy of blockers.
Unioto didn’t go quietly, as the combo and Braden and Harsha hooked up again, this time from 32 yards to make it 28-14.
Grant Diorio accounted for his third score on a one-yard run to make it 35-14 with 6:30 left in the third quarter.
Kosins picked off his second pass of the game on the next possession and the Golden Eagles cashed that in when Kosins scored on a 19-yard run to make it 42-14.
Bellbrook picked up a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and turned that into more points on the next play on Epifano’s second score to make it 49-14 and the rout was on.
Bellbrook will take on Miami Trace Nov. 13 at home.