Jay grad to play for national title

Eric Hemmelgarn never got to play for a conference championship in high school.

He didn’t get to play for a sectional title either.

Three seasons into his collegiate career, he’s got a shot at a national championship.

Hemmelgarn, a 2014 Jay County High School graduate, helped the University of Saint Francis football team advance to the NAIA Football Championship Series title game with a 42-24 victory Saturday over No. 3 Reinhardt in Waleska, Georgia.

The redshirt sophomore had one tackle and one sack, as the fourth-ranked Cougars scored 21 points in the second quarter and held on the rest of the way. His first stop came in the fourth quarter after a 1-yard gain by Montralious Mosely. He then sacked Ryan Thompson for a 6-yard loss on the first play of the next Reinhardt drive.

The Cougars (12-1) meet No. 2 Baker University in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Dec. 17. Kickoff is 6 p.m. The game will be available to stream on ESPN3.



Scott Schwieterman

Jay County – 2013

Recorded a double-double Wednesday to lead the Indiana Tech men’s basketball team to an 82-72 victory over Aquinas.

Schwieterman tallied 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Warriors improved to 7-4. He also had two assists and a steal.

The junior also had 10 points, six rebounds and a block Saturday in Indiana Tech’s 72-54 loss to NAIA Division II No. 2 Cornerstone.



Sophie Bader

Jay County – 2016

Finished in the top eight in one event for the Ball State women’s swim team Dec. 1 through Sunday at the Miami (Ohio) Invitational.

Bader tied for fifth in the 200-yard butterfly with her time of 2 minutes, 4.98 seconds. She also tied for 21st in the 100 butterfly (56.73 seconds) and was 24th in the 200 individual medley (2:07.36).

The freshman teamed with her cousin Anne Vormohr to finish ninth in the 400 medley relay. She split a  time of 56.14 seconds in the butterfly leg, as the squad finished with a time of 3:49.08.



Anne Vormohr

Jay County – 2016

Also competed in the Miami Invitational for the Ball State women’s swim team, earning a pair of 13th-place finishes.

Vormohr touched the wall in 56.75 seconds in the 100 backstroke for 13th, and claimed the same place in the 200 backstroke in 2:02.6. She swam the backstroke leg of the 400 medley relay with a split time of 56.77 seconds.

The freshman also helped the 200 freestyle and 200 medley relays finish sixth. She swam the second leg of the 200 freestyle in 24.54 seconds (1:35.26), and handled the backstroke portion of the 200 medley relay in 26.7 seconds (1:43.45).

Wade Gelhaus

Fort Recovery – 2013

Was key to a big rebounding advantage for the NCAA Division II No. 1 Saginaw Valley State University men’s basketball team as it stayed unbeaten Saturday with an 86-59 triumph over Lake Erie.

Gelhaus grabbed eight rebounds as the Cardinals (8-0) racked up a 45-32 margin on the glass. He also had three points, one assist and one steal.

He also had four points, six boards, one steal and one assist in SVSU’s 74-70 win Dec. 1 over Hillsdale.



Elijah Kahlig

Fort Recovery – 2014

Was efficient from the field in limited action for the University of Findlay men’s basketball team Sunday in an 81-77 overtime victory over Ferris State.

Kahlig made both of his 3-point attempts to finish with six points. He missed his only other field goal. He also had a pair of rebounds and dished to assists.

Three days earlier, the junior tallied five points on 2-for-8 shooting, making one of his four shots from long range. He also had one rebound and one steal for the Oilers (4-2, 1-1 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference).



Katy Smeltzer

Jay County – 2015

Earned a pair of victories and helped a winning relay for the University of the Cumberlands women’s swim team Friday in a 154-33 victory over Cambellsville.

The sophomore teamed with Dasha Korostina, Nicole Ceausu and Christina Klouda to win the 200-meter medley relay in 2 minutes, 12.74 seconds.

She also won the 50 freestyle (29.1 seconds) and 100 butterfly (1:12.44).



Kegan Comer

Jay County – 2013

Helped the NAIA Division II No. 1 University of St. Francis men’s basketball team bounce back from its first loss of the season for a 90-75 victory Tuesday over Taylor.

Comer recorded a team-high four assists for the Cougars (12-1). He also had 12 points, five rebounds and a block.

The senior totaled five points, five assists, three rebounds, two steals and a block Saturday as USF’s unbeaten run came to an end with an 89-80 loss to Goshen.

Abby Wendel

Jay County – 2016

Totaled five points over two games for the University of Rio Grande women’s basketball team.

She scored two points in a 68-62 loss to Point Park on Friday before adding three points in helping the Red Storm beat Carlow 65-58 on Saturday.

Wendel struggled shooting against Point Park, as she went 1-for-10 from the field while finishing tied for second with five rebounds. She also had an assist and a steal.

The freshman started against Carlow and was 1-for-3 from the field and made her only free-throw attempt. She also had three rebounds for the Red Storm (5-5, 1-1 River States).



Catherine Dunn

Jay County – 2015

Played for the Brescia University women’s basketball team in a pair of losses recently.

Dunn made both of her free throw attempts in a 56-53 loss Saturday to Midway. She also had four rebounds and two steals.

The sophomore tallied six points, four rebounds and a steal in a 90-59 loss to IU-Southeast on Dec. 1. The Bearcats have lost nine in a row and fell to 1-10 (0-2 River States Conference).