Indians’ defense stifles Blackhawks, Hill wins floor again

UNION CITY, Ohio — The Indians gave up at least 50 points in four straight games, which they split, at the turn of the new year.

Since then, they haven’t let anyone even hit 40.

Fort Recovery High School’s boys basketball team continued its defensive dominance Saturday in its 53-32 victory over the host Mississinawa Valley Blackhawks.

The Indians also topped Marion Local 44-32 Friday.

FRHS (13-3) allowed just five second-quarter points Saturday to take a 10-point lead. It extended the lead to 41-23 after three quarters and cruised to its sixth straight win.

Arcanum’s 39 points Jan. 18 are the most an opponent has scored against the Indians in that stretch. No one else had tallied more than 32.

Ryne Post’s 15 points were the team-high for the Tribe on Saturday. Grant Knapke added 10.

Clay Schmitz had 13 points in Friday’s win.



Hill wins floor again

RUSSIAVILLE — Halle Hill hopes to have a chance to advance to state on the floor exercise.

So far, no one has topped her on the event.

Hill stayed undefeated on the floor exercise this year as she won the event Saturday at the Western Invitational, leading Jay County to a fourth-place finish with 84.325 points.

Hill posted a floor score of 9.475 to lead the field of more than 60 gymnasts on the event. Patriot junior Kenzie Ring was third on the event with a 9.0.

JCHS also got an 8.75 from hill for fourth place on the vault. She was also fourth with a career-best 8.275 on the uneven parallel bars and fifth with the same score on the balance beam.

Her all-around total of 34.775 was good for fourth place.

Ring was sixth on both the beam and bars with scores of 8.225 and 7.65, respectively.



Swimmers third

Both Fort Recovery swim teams finished in third place at Saturday’s Coldwater Invitational at Jay County High School.

The Tribe girls had 103 points to trail champion New Bremen (153) and Coldwater (114) in the meet that is considered the Midwest Athletic Conference championships. The boys had 66 points to finish behind champion Versailles (158) and Minster (125).

Isaac LeFevre picked up the only victory for the Indians, winning the boys diving competition that was held Friday night. Alex Hiser was the runner-up.

Ava Bubp powered the girls with second-place finishes in the 200-yard freestyle and 500 freestyle. Paige Fortkamp added a runner-up effort in the 50 freestyle and was also third in the 100 freestyle.



Girls hoops wins

LIMA, Ohio — Fort Recovery’s girls basketball team gradually extended its lead over the first three quarters and then held off the host Lima Central Catholic Thunderbirds for a 38-33 victory Saturday.

The Indians were up by two after the first quarter and pushed to a 19-14 advantage at the half. They were up by eight heading into the final quarter and made enough free throws in the fourth to earn the win.

Val Muhlenkamp scored 12 points to lead FRHS, which was 13th in the most recent Division IV poll voting. Brooke Kahlig hit seven fourth-quarter free throws en route to her 11 points for the Tribe, which finished 9-of-19 from the line, and Kierra Wendel finished with nine points.



EJ 8th wins ACAC

PONETO — East Jay Middle School’s eighth grade girls basketball team dominated to win the Allen County Athletic Conference Tournament on Saturday with a 42-20 victory over South Adams.

The seventh grade girls fell 28-13 to Bluffton.

Sophie Saxman powered the eighth grade Chiefs to the title with 13 points. Molly Muhlenkamp joined Saxman in double figures with 10 points, and Cash Hollowell and Bella Denton each added six points.

Natalie Carreno’s six points were the team high for the EJMS seventh graders. Cassie Petro followed with five points.



Eagles fall in final

PONETO — The West Jay Middle School eighth grade boys basketball team finished as the Allen County Athletic Conference runner-up as it lost 48-39 Saturday to the host Raiders in the tournament championship game at Southern Wells.

Parker Nichols was the lone Eagle to reach double figures in the loss as he finished with 10 points. Ryan Cross and Liam Garringer added eight points apiece.