Highland pitching leads early; area teams find success across spring sports

Casey Myser has picked up where it was probably expected after the senior committed to continue his baseball career at Ohio University. Through the first 20 percent of the season, Myser was leading his team with a .368 batting average in his first 19 at-bats.

For the rest of the Hornets, though, offense was a struggle out of the gate. Senior Ludas Gerding was hitting .333. Senior Grady Gibb, at .250, was the only other Highland hitter even that high. The Hornets had scored a respectable 32 runs, but 12 came in one game.

On the other side of the coin, Highland pitchers were off to a tremendous start. Senior Dan Miller was 2-0 with a 0.78 ERA and 12 strikeouts in nine innings to lead the way. Senior Cooper Richnafsky had no decisions but a 0.66 ERA in a team-best 10 and two-thirds innings. Senior Reid Oney was 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 9 and one-third innings.

Overall, the Hornets’ team ERA was a sparkling 1.36 in 36 innings, and Highland was allowing fewer than two runs per game.

Highland was 3-1-1 overall. The tie was a 10-inning scoreless battle at Wadsworth on April 3. The Hornets started their Suburban League schedule by splitting with Revere, each winning on the other’s field. Highland won 12-1 at Revere on April 8, then was shut out 2-0 a day later.

Track

Cloverleaf had a big day at the Fairview Warrior Relays, with both the boys and girls teams capturing team titles. The boys won with 95 points, ahead of runner-up Cuyahoga Heights’ 76.5. The girls totaled 107 to edge second-place Fairview’s 104.5.

Winners for the boys team were senior Caleb Neville in the 1600-meter run and the 4x800 team of Neville, senior Gavin Forbes, junior Noah Mion and junior Matthew Jenkins. For the girls, winners were junior Amelia Ryncarz in the shot put; the 4x100 team of junior Kierstyn Berry, senior Kayla Shook, sophomore Taylor Munchick and freshman Adriana Akers; and the distance relay team of junior Samantha Porter, freshmen Lily Dluzinski and Leah Monhemius, and Shook.

Both Highland teams showed well as part of a loaded field at the annual Tom Fasko Relays at Medina’s Ken Dukes Stadium on April 11. The Highland girls were runners-up with 75 points, matching Twinsburg’s total. Medina won with 92. The boys team placed ninth with 31 points. Mentor won with 135.

For the girls team, junior Katherine Schuler continued a hot start to the season with a win in the 3200-meter run. Senior Audrey Wendl was runner-up in the shot put and finished third in the discus. Sophomore Andrew Welch placed fourth in the 3200 to lead the boys.

Buckeye’s boys and girls each finished third at the Midview Shipwreck Invitational on April 10. The boys team scored 121.5 to trail only Keystone. The girls’ 96 was just six points behind champion Valley Forge.

Winners for the boys included Brady Salazar in the 800 and Lucas Vasel in the pole vault; the team of Lucas Balaban, Eddie Hondroudakis, Cael Miller and Salazar in the 4x200; and the foursome of Dimitry Pshonyak, Miller, Gavin Weibal and Salazar in the 4x400. For the girls, Leah Bengough won the pole vault.

Flag football

Highland posted wins of 33-7 over Copley and 13-6 over Streetsboro to pick up its first two victories of the season. Alicia Grimes scored two touchdowns against Copley, while Amelia Price scored once in each game. Katie Peterson, who threw a touchdown pass against Copley, also returned an interception for a touchdown, as did Brynn Stefacec. Allie Green had the team’s other touchdown against Streetsboro.

The wins evened the Hornets’ record at 2-2. Highland also fell 25-18 to Kent Roosevelt in the tripleheader. Katelyn Soja scored a pair of touchdowns in the loss, and Peterson added another interception return for a touchdown.

Cloverleaf notched its first two wins in the team’s inaugural season, beating Oberlin 20-6 and Medina 12-6. The Colts had entered the matches 0-4. Eleanor Marshall and Madison Steele each threw the other a touchdown pass in the win over Medina. Steele, Marshall and Rylee Winkelman each scored a touchdown against Oberlin.

Tennis

Highland’s boys defeated St. Ignatius 4-1 in the first round of the state coaches association team tournament. Ani Ktta, Sawyer Sulzener and Aaron Davis all posted straight-set singles victories. Keaton Jones and Jared Bryan won at No. 2 doubles in three sets.

The Hornets’ lone loss, by Nikita Belyanskiy and Alex Blagrave, also went three sets, with the third a tight 6-4 match.