FR comeback falls just short

FORT RECOVERY, Ohio — The Indians came fighting back from a double-digit halftime deficit.

They just fell a few points short.

Fort Recovery High School’s girls basketball team outscored Wapakoneta 26-17 in the second half Tuesday only to fall just short in a 48-45 defeat.

The Indians (7-14), who will close their regular season Thursday against New Knoxville, gave up 17 first-quarter points and spent the rest of the evening trying to dig out of a hole. They were down by 10 at the quarter break and a dozen at halftime. They still trailed by 10 after three quarters before putting on a rally in the final period that came up just a bit short.

Karlie Niekamp scored five of her game-high 17 points in the final period. She also was 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.

Cali Wendel added 11 points, including a fourth-quarter 3-pointer. Sophia Guggenbiller followed with seven points.

Elisabeth Good had 13 points to lead Wapakoneta, with eight of those coming in her team’s big opening quarter. Kortney Fullenkamp joined her in double figures with 10 points.

Records broken

Jay County High School’s boys swim team broke two records Tuesday, though it fell short with a 365-136 loss to visiting Muncie Southside, the girls team earned a 164-129 victory.

Cooper Glentzer was in on both record-breaking swims, first taking down the 100-yard freestyle team record. He finished in 56.3 seconds to win the race and surpass James Keen’s 14-year-old record time of 57.65. He also won the 50 freestyle in 26.13.

Glentzer also teamed with Raif Beiswanger, Carson Westgerdes and Rockland Beiswanger to obliterate the 25-year-old team record held by Kyle Weaver, Derek Arnold, Matt Klopfenstein and Adam Freeman. Their time of 2 minutes, 51.52 seconds, was seven seconds faster than the previous mark of 2:58.53.

Westgerdes added victories in the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle for the boys team. Grady Warvel was first in the 100 backstroke, and Raif Beiswanger took the top spot in the 100 breaststroke.

Kali Wendel (200 freestyle, 100 backstroke), Kaitlyn Fisher (50 butterfly, 400 freestyle) and Maria Laux (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle) led the girls team to its win with two individual victories apiece. Gabby Gibson added a win in the 100 individual medley, Jordyn Champ took first place in diving and Lila Wendel touched the wall first in the 100 breaststroke.

Tribe draws

The Fort Recovery boys basketball team will open tournament play in Hardin County.

The OHSAA boys basketball tournament draws were released Sunday, with the Indians getting a first-round game against Upper Scioto Valley in the Division VI Northwest 4 sectional/district.

Ninth-seeded FRHS (5-13) will travel to No. 5 seed Upper Scioto Valley (12-7) to play an opening-round sectional game at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28. The winner will advance to the sectional championship Friday, March 1, to take on the victor of a first-round game between No. 4 seed Ridgemont and sixth-seeded New Bremen.

The top three seeds in the tournament Fort Recovery’s Midwest Athletic Conference rivals New Knoxville, St. Henry and Minster.

Sectional champions will advance to the district tournament at Wapakoneta.

Seven named all-state

Seven Jay County wrestlers were named this week as Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Academic All-State Honorees.

Tony Wood, Cameron Clark and Willow Hardy earned first-team senior academic all-state honors while Mallory Winner picked up first-team junior academic all-state honors.

Making the second team all-state as seniors were Conner Specht and Ellie Wendel. Junior academic all-state honors went to Lina Lingo.

Athletes must have at least a 3.25 grade point average in order to be eligible. They must also be on a sectional roster and be nominated by a member of the state coaches association.