Fort Recovery ranked second in poll

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Indians are back near the top.
In the first Associated Press Ohio high school football poll released Monday, the defending Division VII state champion Fort Recovery Indians debuted at No. 2.
The Tribe, which is undefeated through the first three weeks for the second consecutive season, received seven of the 20 votes for first place to finish with 144 points. Mogadore, the team the Indians defeated 35-14 in the state championship last season, is ranked No. 1 with 185 points.
Rounding out the top 10 in Division VII are Warren John F. Kennedy (126), Lucas (99), Covington (82), Toronto (57), Miami Valley Christian Academy (55), Norwalk St. Paul (54), Crestview (53) and Shadyside (46).
Midwest Athletic Conference rival Minster — the Indians host the Wildcats on Sept. 23 — finished 12th in the Division VII voting. The Coldwater Cavaliers, who won the Division V state championship last season, are the top-ranked team yet again. Fort Recovery travels to take on the Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m. Friday in a highly-anticipated game with MAC title implications. Marion Local came in at third in Division VI.

Bruins top Patriots
HARTFORD CITY — Jay County’s boys tennis team lost a 3-2 decision to the Blackford Bruins on Monday.
At No. 2 singles, Payton Heniser outlasted Kerigan Reynard in three sets, 6-4, 6-7 (6-8), 6-2. The Patriots’ other victory came from the No. 1 doubles team of Luke Weaver and Kyler Hudson. They defeated Zach Tarr and Cody Johnson 6-4, 6-4.
Garrett Rodgers dropped his No. 1 singles match to Scott Thompson, 6-2, 6-4, and at No. 3 singles Conner Benter fell to Austin Martin 6-4, 6-4.
Jay County’s No. 2 doubles team of Gabe Blankenship and Xavier Ninde battled with Austin Collett and Evan Jennerjahn but fell 6-4, 6-0.
Jay County fell to 3-7 on the year.
The Patriots’ junior varsity team won, 3-2. Gavin Randall (6-0) and Sheldon Upp (6-0) won their respective singles matches, while Ben Muhlenkamp and Calvin Whitney teamed to win their doubles match 8-0.

Stars fall to Braves
BERNE — The South Adams volleyball team took one set from the Class 1A No. 4 Blackhawk Christian Braves in a 25-21, 24-26, 25-16, 25-16 defeat.
Madi Wurster had a dozen kills to lead South Adams (13-4). She also had seven blocks, two aces and four digs. Morgan Alberson tallied seven kills, nine digs and two blocks, while Addie Wanner totaled five blocks.
Julia Grabau racked up 27 assists, and Shania Neal totaled 28 digs. Caralie Farlow added 14 digs and one ace.
The Starfire junior varsity team defeated the Braves 25-10, 25-13.
Lydia Loshe tallied five kills, five digs and six assists. Shaelynn Bowman notched seven kills, Hannah Dull had 10 digs and Sydney Schwartz recorded 13 assists.
Stars blanked
HUNTINGTON — South Adams’ boys tennis team was shut out Monday, 5-0 in a match against Huntington North.
David Muselman won the most games at No. 1 singles, falling to Nick May 6-3, 6-0. At No. 2 singles, Aidan Bahre fell to Auden Eckert 6-0, 6-0. Paul Stuckey lost to Adam Zahn 6-0, 6-0.
At No. 1 doubles, Jamison Kistler and Zach Teeple fell to Mat Karst 6-0, 6-1, and the Starfires’ No. 2 doubles team of Cam Stevens and Jack Wallace lost to Dane Eherenman and Brent Kreiger 6-0, 6-0.
In junior varsity action, Wes Stout lost both of his matches 6-0, first to Jerrett Gray and then to Mark Gilpin.

’Cats beat Tribe
CELINA, Ohio — The Minster Wildcats handed the Fort Recovery boys golf team a 170-182 loss Monday at Mercer County Elks Golf Club.
Micaiah Cox land Grant Knapke led the Indians with matching scores of 44. Knapke made par three times, while Cox had two pars and a birdie.
Austin Faller and Austin Pohl both shot 47 to complete the Tribe’s team score. Faller made par on three of his final four holes.
Also competing for the Indians were Harrison Kaup and Calvin Rammel, who shot 50 and 51 respectively.

Patriots fall to Jets
Gabe Faulkner threw two touchdowns on Monday as the Jay County junior varsity football team lost to Adams Central, 20-18.
Faulkner, a sophomore, was 4-of-8 passing for 125 yards and two scores. Classmate Parker Grimes completed three of his four passing attempts for 87 yards and a touchdown.
Caleb Webster hauled in three receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown. Mitchel Frasher and Noah Harris both had TD catches as well.
The Patriots fell to 2-2 on the year, and host Bluffton at 6 p.m. Monday.

Chiefs split
MONROE — The East Jay Middle School volleyball teams split with the Adams Central Flying Jets on Monday.
The seventh grade squad won 25-21, 25-20, and the eighth graders lost, 25-21, 8-25, 15-6.
Maddy Wenk tallied six aces on her way to 11 service points for the seventh grade squad. Madison Jetmore had seven points and two aces, and Madison Dirksen tallied four points and four kills. Wenk also recorded four assists, and Dirksen had a block.
For the EJMS eighth graders, Pacie Denney recorded nine points, one kill and one dig. Kearsten Myers notched four points, to go with her team high of four digs and two aces. Alaina Kunkler tallied three kills and two blocks.

FR stays perfect
FORT RECOVERY — Fort Recovery’s eighth grade volleyball team moved to 7-0 on Monday with a 25-21, 25-13 victory against the Celina Bulldogs.
Hope Wendel had the team high of 10 points, seven aces and nine assists. She also had two kills.
Paige Fortkamp notched eight points, three aces and a team-high seven kills, while Kierra Wendel recorded 10 digs and three kills. Ava Bubp recorded nine assists.