FR votes to make bowling a school sport

FORT RECOVERY — The girls have made two trips to state.

The boys have made one.

With both team’s numbers growing stronger by the year, they can now both claim to be high school sports.

Fort Recovery School Board voted to make bowling a high school sport during Tuesday’s meeting.

Girls bowling has been a club sport at Fort Recovery for nine seasons. During that time, they earned two Co-Midwest Athletic Conference titles in 2024 and 2025 and made the state tournament in 2024 and 2025. They have also had nine bowlers selected to the first team All-MAC, five to the second team All-MAC, Allison Rosegrant won Co-Coach of the Year in 2024 and 2025 and Deanna Brown was the 2025 MAC Bowler of the Year.

Boys bowling has been around as a club sport for eight years and made its first state appearance in 2025. The Indians have had four bowlers named to the second team All-MAC during that timeframe and one recognized as the first team, Lucas Acheson, who also was the 2024 MAC Bowler of the Year.

Five recognized

Five of the Jay County High School softball team’s players were recognized by the Allen County Athletic Conference on June 10.

Jaelynn Lykins made the first team All-ACAC as the catcher, Brenna Ruble earned a spot as an infielder and Mallory Winner received the honor as an at-large bid.

Lykins led the Patriots (20-3) with a .593 batting average, a 1.701 OPS, 13 doubles, nine home runs, 57 RBIs and 11 walks, all while only striking out once.

Ruble posted a .488 average with seven doubles, a triple, a home run, 34 runs, 29 RBIs and 15 stolen bases.

Winner pitched 77 ⅓ innings for JCHS, earning a 3.168 ERA and striking out 67 batters. She also boasted a .563 average with 21 RBIs.

First baseman Jozey Shimp and center fielder Morgan Missicano were named to the All-ACAC second team as well.

Two honored

Carter Fugeitt and Drew Schemenaur of the Jay County baseball team both made the second team All-ACAC on June 10.

Fugiett, who primarily played shortstop and third base, received the honor as an infielder, while Schemenaur, the Patriots’ starting catcher, was admitted as an at-large bid.

Fugiett led Jay County (11-15) on the season with a .361 batting average, 1.034 OPS, 27 RBIs, five doubles, two home runs and eight stolen bases.

Schemenaur finished the season hitting .232 with 20 RBIs on four doubles and two home runs. He also boasted the team’s third-heightest OPS at .795.

Bailey recognized

Brenna Bailey of the Jay County girls tennis team received multiple recognitions recently for her senior season at No. 1 singles.

After posting a record of 15-1 to lead the Patriots (9-8) to their fifth straight sectional title, with a perfect 3-0 in ACAC play, Bailey was named to the first team All-ACAC.

She also was voted onto the All-District 4 team. Bailey was one of 12 players to receive the honor. She also came in as an Honorable Mention All-State.

The team as a whole was also named Academic All-State.

Alberson leads

Cook’s Nursery swept a pair of games, while POET also earned a victory in Portland Junior League Rookie baseball on Tuesday.

Cook’s Nursery defeated Williams Auto Parts 10-9 in its first game of the night and later beat Pioneer Packaging 17-13.

Kayden Alberson led Cook’s Nursery with 3 RBIs on three singles in game No. 1. Matthew Bollinger had the strongest showing at the plate for Williams Auto Parts, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored.

While Alberson and Duke Steed both went 4-for-4 with four runs scored Dax Vance drove the offense with three RBIs against Pioneer Packaging. Lake Willman’s two RBIs on two hits was the most for the opposition.

POET also pulled off a 14-11 win over Matt’s Garage. Griffin Spoonemore had five hits for POET, while Rowan Ingram led Matt’s Garage with three singles and a double.

PG14 dominates

PG14 had its way in a 14-0 victory over Southern Thunder on Tuesday in Portland Junior League Willie Mays baseball.

Ashton Conn led the way for PG14 on the offensive end. He finished the game 3-for-3 at the plate with a double, two RBIs and three runs scored.

Parker Huntsman also had two RBIs on a triple. He scored two runs himself as well.

Southern Thunder got no-hit in the game, largely due to Trey Hirschy’s efforts on the bump. Corbin Brown and Waylon McGill also pitched in the combined no-hitter.

Optimist sweeps

Optimist won both its games in Portland Junior League Sandy Koufax baseball on Tuesday.

Optimist started the day with a 5-4 win over Local 1620 before taking down Loy’s 9-8 in game No. 2.

Lathan Hamilton, Rayden Sollars, Antonio Crawford, Tanner Day and Kendal Glessner all scored for Optimist against Local 1620. Carter Lloyd led Local 1620 with an RBI and a run scored, while Cason Lloyd and Bryce VanSkyock accounted for the other runs.

Sollars led Optimist in the second game with three RBIs that included a two-run home run in the first inning.

Sam Wiggins, J.T. Davis and Cooper Reynolds all hit consecutive homers for Loy’s in the fifth inning of the contest.