Rammel gets Crossroads honor

The Cougars have risen to No. 16 in the national poll.

They’ve won 15 consecutive matches, including seven in a row to start league play.

Cassidy Rammel has been a huge part of that success, and she garnered all-conference honors because of it.

Rammel, a 2015 Fort Recovery High School graduate, was named Crossroads League offensive player of the week for her efforts in leading the University of Saint Francis volleyball team as it continued to tear through its schedule. 

Valorie Flick (defender) and Maria Pelak (setter) also earned players of the week honors for USF, marking the second time in two seasons the Cougars have swept the honors.

The former Indian blasted 16 kills, notched seven digs, two aces and assisted on three blocks as the NAIA No. 16 Cougars beat Taylor University 3-1 Friday. The next day, Rammel again had 16 kills, powering USF to a comeback 3-2 win over Mount Vernon Nazarene to clinch a 14th consecutive win, the longest in program history.

She also had seven kills and a dig in a non-conference match Saturday, a sweep of Mount St. Joseph University for the 15th straight USF victory.

Rammel leads the Cougars (18-2, 7-0 CL) with 201 kills, which ranks 21st in the country. Her 1,122 career kills to date is tied for third in USF history.

Kiah Wendel

Fort Recovery – 2018

Averaged more than seven digs per match for the Owens Community College volleyball team as it continued its winning streak with four victories over the weekend. 

The freshman notched one dig while notching a career-high five aces in a sweep of Hocking on Friday.

She began a three-match day Saturday with 18 digs and two assists in a 3-1 triumph over Columbus State and tallied eight digs and an ace in a 3-1 win against DuPage before totaling two digs, three aces and an assist in a 3-0 victory against Schoolcraft.

Wendel has 188 digs on the year, which ranks 30th in all of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

The Express (18-1) have now won 18 straight matches after losing their season opener.

Ava Kunkler

Jay County – 2016

Assisted on a block to secure a comeback victory, preserving a pair of winning streaks for the USF volleyball team on Saturday against Mount Vernon Nazarene.

The junior joined Megan Diagostino to stop a MVNU attack for the final point in the fifth set of a 23-25, 21-25, 25-23, 25-11, 15-5 triumph. It pushed the USF winning streak to 14 games overall and seven straight in Crossroads League play. She also contributed a career-high 15 kills for the Cougars.

On Friday, Kunkler had eight kills in a win against Taylor, and added a pair of kills later Saturday.

Kylie Osborne

Jay County – 2016

Matched her season-high kill total in two matches for the Anderson University volleyball team on her way to earning all-tournament honors for her efforts in the #MarissaStrong Tournament at Knox College on Friday and Saturday.

The junior fired 16 kills in the tournament opener, a 3-1 loss to Lincoln on Friday. She also had eight digs and three aces.

On Saturday, she totaled 16 kills again, this time with three digs, as the Ravens (6-7) lost to Monmouth 3-1. Earlier in the day she finished with four kills, six digs and an ace in a sweep of Finlandia. 

Kendra Siefring

Fort Recovery – 2016

Had a career-high kill total for the USF volleyball team in its win Saturday.

The junior fired 14 kills, to go with her four digs, two blocks and one ace in a 3-2 win over Mount Vernon Nazarene.

A day earlier she totaled 11 kills, five digs, a pair of blocks and one ace in a 3-1 win over Taylor, and added six kills and a block in a non-conference tilt Saturday after the MVNU victory.

Siefring leads the Cougars with 64 blocks and ranks 12th among all NAIA players.

Madi Wurster

South Adams – 2018

Set a new career high for kills as a member of the Purdue Fort Wayne volleyball team in a four-set victory over Robert Morris on Saturday. 

The freshman had seven kills on 12 attacks, both career highs, and also notched one block in the second match of the RMU Invitational. A day earlier she had one kill in a sweep of Duquesne, and then tallied two kills and three digs in a 3-2 loss to Valparaiso on Tuesday.

Drew LeFever

South Adams – 2016

Finished second in rushing for the Taylor University football team Saturday in its 50-13 road drubbing of Trinity International. 

The junior running back carried the ball eight times for 43 yards, including a career-long 15-yard gain early in the second quarter.

LeFever has 96 yards on 25 carries for the Trojans (2-1). 

Derek Wanner

South Adams – 2015

Recorded the first sack of his career for the Taylor University football team on Saturday.

Wanner teamed with Trevor Garbo to bring down Ryan Heath for a 4-yard loss midway through the fourth quarter. The senior defensive back also assisted on another tackle in the first quarter.

Travis Sutter

Fort Recovery – 2017

Ran for the Ohio Northern University men’s cross country team Saturday as it was the runner-up in the Blue River Park Memorial College Invitational.

He crossed the finish line of the 8K race in 30 minutes, 30.2 seconds, the same time as Luis Anthony of Earlham College. Sutter was 10th on the squad for the Polar Bears, who totaled 59 points to trail only Trine (22).

Ian McVey of ONU won the race in 26:28.1.

Bailey McIntire

South Adams – 2017

Ran for the Purdue University men’s cross country team in the John McNichols Invitational on Saturday at Indiana State University.

He had a time in the 8K race of 25 minutes, 41.9 seconds, to finish 15th overall and sixth on the team for the Boilermakers.

Purdue won the meet with 24 points as sophomore Curt Eckstein was the overall winner in 24:52.

Kirsten Jutte

Fort Recovery – 2016

Contributed to the Capital University volleyball team in a trio of recent losses.

The junior had three kills and two digs on Friday in a 3-0 sweep at the hands of Case Western Reserve.

She followed that performance with five kills and two digs in a 3-0 loss to Rochester, and then had two kills, one assist, one dig and a block as the Crusaders (0-11) lost to Allegheny, 3-1.

Kaelyn Weaver

Jay County – 2018

Played for the Saint Xavier University volleyball team as it split a pair of matches recently.

Weaver tallied two kills on Friday, a 3-2 loss to Trinity Christian. Then on Tuesday, the freshman had three kills and a dig while also assisting on a block as the Cougars (9-4) swept Roosevelt, 3-0.

Kyra Braun

Jay County – 2016

Competed for the Trine University women’s tennis team on Wednesday as the Thunder defeated IU-Kokomo, 6-3

Braun and her No. 2 doubles teammate Katie Simon fell to Katie McCoy and Kelsey Kohlmorgen 9-8 (7-3).

It was the first loss of the season for the Thunder duo.

Zach Chaney

Jay County – 2016

Played for the Ancilla College men’s soccer team in a 3-1 victory Saturday against Prairie State.

The goalkeeper faced eight shots and turned away seven of them in helping the Chargers snap a two-game losing skid and raise their record to 3-3 on the year. 

Gabbie Mann

Jay County – 2015

Came off the bench for the Purdue Fort Wayne women’s soccer team in a 2-2 tie with Evansville on Friday.

The senior played 24 minutes and did not register a shot for the Mastodons (2-4-3).