October 6, 2005

sports

Lady Bulldogs celebrating after Ryder Comstock scored the game-winning goal against Middletown Christian on Saturday.

Bulldog sports roundup

Compiled by Lauren Heaton

Girls soccer gets last-second win
Frustration prompted creased foreheads and snarling lips on the faces of the YSHS soccer team Saturday night as the Lady Bulldogs scored with less than a minute to go in the game to defeat Middletown Christian, 1–0.

With 59.8 seconds left in the game, Ryder Comstock chipped the ball in to score, on an assist by Laura Garcia, leading to joyous celebration by her teammates.

Yellow Springs dominated the game from the start, staging all of the action in front of the Eagles’ goal. With Erin Silvert-Noftle and Megan Burrick taking shots from the middle, and Laura Garcia and Comstock shooting from the right and left sides, the Eagles had their feet tied defending their goal and could not mount any offense in the first half. But the Lady Bulldogs could not score.

Ryder Comstock kicking the ball past a Middletown Christian player during the Lady Bulldogs’ suspenseful 1–0 home win over the Eagles on Saturday. Comstock scored the game’s only goal with less than a minute left in the game.

While the Lady ’Dogs kept the shooting pressure on, the Eagles shook down their defense in the second half and managed to scoot the ball into Bulldog territory. But the Eagles’ speed was their only asset, and Bulldog goalie Sarah Morrison stepped outside the penalty box to block their attempts to score. The Eagles’ only corner kick of the evening went sailing right into Morrison’s hands.

Even as India Scarver, Olivia Chen and Tina Chen shuffled the ball forward, the Lady Bulldogs’ shots continued to go left of the post, over the goal, behind the net or skittering into the Eagle goalie’s gloves.

YSHS had a much easier time beating Middletown, 7–1, earlier in the season, when the team was more aggressive, coach MacKenzie Reynolds said. After Yellow Springs started focusing on communicating and controlling the ball with short passes, the team had much better success at scoring, she said.

Boys soccer improves by two
The YSHS boys soccer team won two Metro Buckeye Conference matches last week, downing the Miami Valley Rams, 3–2, on Thursday, Sept. 27, and toppling the Middletown Christian Eagles, 4–2, on Saturday, Oct. 1. The Bulldogs are 6–4–2 overall.

At Miami Valley, the ’Dogs took an early 1–0 lead 10 minutes into the contest when Ben Armstrong blasted the ball to the back of the net from four yards out. Andrew Ferguson got the assist. Yellow Springs added to its lead when Armstrong’s shot on goal was mishandled by the Ram goalkeeper, and James Butler knocked the ball in.

Playing with a renewed sense of urgency in the second half, Miami Valley knotted the score at 2 with 20 minutes left. With just under seven minutes remaining, junior midfielder Ryan Silvert sent a pass to Zeke Hardman on the left wing. Hardman sent the ball back to the top of the penalty box to Armstrong, who dished it off to Butler for a goal just inside the near-post.

Playing the nightcap of a boys-girls doubleheader against Middletown on Saturday, the Bulldogs scored 15 minutes into the game when Brandon Carver-Halley headed in Armstrong’s free kick from the right wing. The Eagles answered by heading in their own goal. With 10 minutes left in the half, Kyle Buchwalder delivered a high cross from the right side that was accidentally tapped in by the Eagle goalie. David Suzel collected the assist.

Early in the second half, Butler made his way through the Middletown defense and blasted a shot from 12 yards out to put Yellow Springs up, 3–1. Middletown closed the gap to 1, but Carver-Halley put the game out of reach with a goal.

Bulldogs win Homecoming game
Saturday night’s Homecoming football game was a roaring success, with the YSHS football team winning 45–0 over Marion Catholic. The team is now 2–4.

The Bulldogs took the lead in the first quarter when Matt Hull scored on a four-yard run. The home team upped its performance in the second quarter with a touchdown by Joey Bailey on a 25-yard run, followed by a one-yard touchdown by Hull. Hull scored twice in the third quarter on runs of 65 and 43 yards.

The Bulldogs went wild in the fourth quarter. Jerrico Stubblefield had his turn on a one-yard touchdown, followed by Josh Foster on a 71-yard run.

Hull had 232 yards rushing on 13 carries, scoring 4 touchdowns. Foster rushed for 134 yards and a TD on 9 carries, while Bailey rushed for 71 yards and a score on 7 carries. On defense, Bailey had 2 interceptions, Aaron Willis had 1 and Stubblefield had 1. Foster and Mike Adams both recovered fumbles. Foster led the defense with 8 tackles, and Randy Pasch, Stubblefield, and Antonio Woodard each had 6 tackles.

Golfers end year at tourney
The YSHS golf team closed out its season at the Pleasant Hill Division III sectional tournament on Sept. 28. The Bulldogs placed 19th out of 21 teams with a team score of 402. Seven Hills was first with 303, and Cedarville was second with 322, followed by Miami Valley with 325.

YSHS freshman Joe Fugate led the team on the 18-hole course with a total score of 90. Junior Alex Visbal shot 98. Kevin Sikes-Gilbert shot a 104, Max Fleishman shot 110, and Aaron Zaremsky shot 132.

No one from the team qualified for regionals, but coach Seth Bothwell said he was encouraged by the number of first-year players on the team, who, together with the more experienced players, exceeded his expectations.

Borchers wins at Buck Creek
At the Buck Creek cross country meet on Saturday, Oct. 1, Yellow Springs junior Sam Borchers had reason to get excited. He was running against Miamisburg’s Greg Roeth, who had season best times very comparable to his.

Both roared past the first mile in five minutes flat and were still inseparable at the two-mile mark. Roeth made a move at four kilometers to break away but failed, as Borchers’s quick sprint earned him the win in 15:54.7.

Borchers reached his long sought-after goal of breaking the 16-minute barrier. He now stands third fastest in YSHS history, behind David Johnston (15:45) and Joel Robinson (15:39).

Several other Bulldogs had breakthroughs and debut performances Saturday. Out of 194 runners, Andy Peters finished fifth in 17:08. Evan Firestone recorded a third straight personal record for 17th place. Jake GunderKline finished 45th, Ben Adams placed 54th, and Brock GunderKline finished 59th.

Tina Peters had her best time of the year, placing 20th in 21:39.

Volleyball wins two, loses one
The YSHS volleyball team beat Miami Valley on Monday, 15–25, 25–10, 25–15, 25–17. The junior varsity and varsity teams played together in the first game. Lead scorers were Niquelle Orr and Ashanta Robinson. Plays at the net were led by Ashlee Jackson, Alisha Walker and Olivia Dixon.

The Lady Bulldogs lost to Dayton Christian on Sept. 29, 10–25, 27–25, 8–25, 10–25. But they easily beat Dunbar, 25–5, 25–17, 25–14 on Wednesday, Sept. 27.

Swim club offering fall clinic

The Yellow Springs Aquatic Club Fall Swim Clinic will be held Mondays and Wednesdays, Oct. 17 to Dec. 14, 3:15–4:15 p.m., at the Antioch pool. Clinics will not be held the week of Thanksgiving.

Children 12 and younger who can swim a full length of the pool without assistance may participate. A parent must attend the first session to complete and sign a registration form.

The program costs $60 for one child and $50 for the second child in a family. Scholarships are available for those who can demonstrate need. Up to 40 swimmers may participate in the clinics. To reserve a place, call Cheryl Meyer at 767-7574.

Parents are asked to help for at least two sessions during the eight-week clinic. Parent volunteers are asked to come 10 minutes early and be ready to assist as needed.