Sports

The Lakewood Tennis team finished off their finest year in the past half a century by beating Rocky River 3-2 and claiming the West Shore Conference Title outright in their first year in the league. Seniors Chris Brinich and Dan Mezin won in straight sets at second the third singles, respectively. The second doubles team of senior Matt Carlson and junior Colin Levis dominated from start to finish in their straight set win. The Rangers finished unbeaten in the WSC and completed their regular season with a 13-4 record.

What Lakewood High School athletic team is one of the most successful in Ohio Statewide competitions? Which one ranked fourth in 2006 in the Ohio coaches poll? What team qualified for participation in regional races for the last 20 consecutive years? What Lakewood High School team has won 35 Lake Erie League titles, which no other team has matched?

What sport receives little recognition in the public media or from its peers for its successes?

Yes, Lakewood High School has a girl’s rugby team. Not just a mere rugby team, but a great one at that. I’ve watched this team for four years win over and over again without much recognition of their achievements.

 

Recognition is great, but it’s the love of the sport that motivates these girls. Ask any one of the team’s players or coaches and they will tell you that they are hooked on rugby...

LHS Boys Cross Country Continue Winning

No-hitters are very rare in baseball. They are even rarer in postseason play, where the level of pressure and caliber of play is at its highest. In fact, there has only been one postseason no-hitter in Major League history, and that occurred in 1956. On Wednesday, May 9th, Lakewood Rangers pitcher Tim Labar made his own bit of history, tossing a no-hitter against John Marshall to advance his team to the district semi-finals.

Going into last Saturday’s OHSAA sectional game against the Midpark Meteors, Lakewood’s head coach, Nicole Anderson, was worried how her girls would adjust to daytime basketball.

Lakewood High School junior Pat Duffy brought home an eighth place finish from last weekend’s OHSAA Division I state wrestling tournament held at Ohio State University’s Jerome Schottenstein Center.

On Friday, June 20th, Geiger's Sporting Goods in Lakewood hosted the Northeastern Ohio stop for the DNA Evolution Tour Rail Jam. Skiiers and snowboarders from the area competed for the chance to go out to Las Vegas in January. The winners were:

Snowboarding Tournament: George Gazdick

Skiing Tournament: Noah Killen

Best Trick Female: 1st place- Karin Pasela, 2nd place-Lauren Rudin

Best Trick Under 15 (years old)- 1st place- Brad Bulzan, 2nd place- Brian Kiss

Pink was the color of the night when the Lakewood Rangers volleyball team traveled to Solon to take on the state-ranked Lady Comets last Thursday.

The Lakewood Rangers wrestling team came into last Saturday’s Lake Erie League dual meet championship riding high with a 9-2 dual meet record. Despite a number of strong individual performances the Rangers struggled to score points in the upper weight classes and finished the day with a 1-4 record and a fifth place finish in the six team event.

It was a bittersweet reunion between the Around The Corner Spiders and the Lakewood High School baseball field as the Spiders took on the Ohio Titans out of Westlake...

It’s wrestling time again! Area athletes should note two upcoming events at Lakewood High School; the Fall Ranger Open Wrestling Tournament and sign-ups for the Little Ranger wrestling program. The Ranger Open will take place on Saturday October 27 at 10 am. Wrestlers ages 5 and up will wrestle in seven divisions with the top three wrestlers in each division taking home awards.

The players and coaches of the Lakewood High School fast pitch softball team are holding a fast-pitch softball clinic for girls in grades 3-8 on Saturday March 10 in the North Gym of Lakewood High School.

The clinic will run from 9:00 until and will be led by first year varsity head coach Colleen Moran. To register for the clinic call Coach Moran at 216-227-5701x8889.
Cost is $25 if you pre-register by March 6 or $30 at the door.
 

Girls Basketball Says Goodbye, Wrestling Team Ends Their Season

For 79 minutes it looked like the Lakewood Rangers would have to settle for tie in a Northeast Ohio Conference divisional showdown with the visiting Nordonia Knights. But with the clock winding down midfielder Jamie Meggas found a Hilary Vigh throw-in bouncing at her feet inside the penalty box and faked out Knights goalkeeper Jackie Ceglka with a low shot across the goal mouth that found the back of the net and gave the Rangers a 1-0 victory.

As you probably know, English soccer star David Beckham moved to the US this summer to join US-based Major League Soccer (MLS). The arrival of the handsome star and his former Spice Girl wife has turned lots of Americans, including many here in Lakewood, into overnight soccer fans. However, soccer had already been a lifelong love for many Lakewood residents. One such Lakewoodite is Mark Blades, who is currently a sophomore on the Northwestern University team.

Cox Communications today announced the return of the Cox High School Football Game of the Week. Cox Communications is committed to the communities we serve and strives to provide our customers with unique and valuable local programming options. The Game of the Week televises local high school football games, providing a unique way for both fans and players to relive the excitement of their Friday night high school football game...

Lakewood High School suffered a tremendous loss on August 23 with the passing of Jerry Gruss. Gruss, who has served as head varsity baseball coach since 2000, has been at the school since 1985. Gruss, who passed at the age of 60, finished his career with a 180-108 record and a .625 winning percentage. In addition to his baseball and teaching duties, he served as an assistant football coach. Before coming to Lakewood High, he had worked at Cleveland Central Catholic and St. Edward High School.

The junior-senior CYO team from St. Luke’s brought home to Lakewood the St. Patrick’s Basketball Tournament trophy on February 29th. Coached by Tom Edgehouse and assistant coach, Pat Maloney, the St. Luke’s team beat out 24 other teams from across the region to win the first back-to-back championships in the history of the tournament. Team members (front): Brenden Cmolik, Kevin Roach (back row): Conor Standish, Mike Nieberding, Brandon Williams, Sean Maloney, Jack Wooley, Tommy Edgehouse, Chris Crampton and Dan Green. Not pictured: Channing Centano...

Lakewood’s punt coverage unit added another score in the fourth quarter when senior George Newbrough ran 57 yards down the left sideline with a Bowling punt to put the Rangers ahead 31-6.

 

 

The Lakewood High School Athletic Boosters will be hosting their third annual "Night at the Races" fundraiser on March 24 at St. Mary's Hall on Warren Road. The Lakewood Athletic Boosters are a volunteer organization that raises funds to help Lakewood High School athletic programs. The event will include a pasta dinner, keg beer and soft drinks. Entertainment will be provided by Star Entertainment DJ Service.

The Lakewood Rangers did everything except get the ball in the end zone in the September 7th battle against North Olmsted. Unfortunately for the Rangers, they were unable to turn statistical domination into points. The Eagles staggered away with a 7-0 home victory in a non-league game.

March Madness ended in February frustration for Lakewood’s boys and girls’ basketball teams as both squads were defeated in OHSAA sectional play.

 

On February 22 senior Kayla Kovach played her final game as a Ranger and set the all-time Lakewood scoring record in a 61-39 loss to the Pioneer Conference co-champion Strongsville Mustangs. Kovach scored 18 on the night to finish her Lakewood career with 1,187 points. Despite the loss, coach Nicole Anderson was pleased with Kayla’s record breaking effort. “Kayla worked so hard for four years to accomplish this, we are all proud of her.”

Over the last several years the Recreation Department has gathered community input through end-of-the-season meetings and the distribution of thousands of surveys. This information has been helpful; however, to truly be successful we need the opportunity to have an on-going discussion with parents, participants and coaches. We need you to get involved!

Lakewood has hosted numerous major sporting events over the years. However, on Sunday February 4th, something new will come to town. Ohio State University will be hosting Northwestern University in a collegiate dual wrestling meet at St. Edward High School at 2 p.m. This is the first-ever Big Ten athletic event ever held in Lakewood, and it features two programs from collegiate wrestling’s most prestigious conference.

The Rangers girls’ basketball team ended their season with a 57-51 loss to Strongsville last Wednesday in the Division I sectional at Valley Forge High School. Lakewood spent the first period trading baskets with the Mustangs and took an 11-8 lead with 1:26 remaining on a 3-point field goal by junior Chelsea Kovach. The Rangers led 15-14 after the first eight minutes but that would be their final lead of the night...

The New Year’s resolution of the Lakewood girl’s basketball team was to cut down on turnovers in the second half of the season...

Back in 1991 Lakewood High School softball coach Colleen Moran stepped down due to the birth of her twin daughters, Bridget and Carrie. Fast forward to 2007 and the Moran twins are playing shortstop and first base for the Rangers and Mom, otherwise known as Coach Moran will make her return to the Rangers dugout to resume her coaching career.

Have you always wanted to try yoga but feel intimidated? In this class you will learn that yoga is for everyone; young and old, stiff and inflexible, those stressed by everyday life. Do something good for your body and mind. This will be a laid back non-intimidating way to learn the basics of yoga, and have fun too! Bring your friends, a towel, water and wear something comfortable. Dawn will take you through the basics of yoga practice, the importance of breath, yoga postures and the benefits that are endless!!

The Lakewood Rangers hockey team earned their way into their first Division III Baron Cup tournament and were determined to make the most of the opportunity. Lakewood opened Baron Cup play as a number 5 seed and defeated the No. 4 Garfield Heights 5-3 setting up a meeting with the top-seeded Solon Comets...

While the rest of the world was focused on Christmas cards, bowl games and dodging snowflakes, the Lakewood Rangers wrestling team was keeping busy winning trophies and racking up victories against some of the regions top competititors...

The Lakewood Rangers 6th Grade Boys Basketball Team recently captured outright the Lake Erie Basketball League (L.E.B.L.) South Division title. The team - comprised of boys from both Garfield and Harding Middle Schools - won all four games in the L.E.B.L. Tournament held February 9-10, 2008, at Cloverleaf and Westlake High Schools...

An all-day fundraiser baseball game will be played on Saturday, August 11th at Lakewood High School Baseball Stadium. Come join LHS Baseball Alumni and the Lakewood Recreation Department for a whole day of the summer game that will raise money for a great athletic program and will bring smiles to everybody’s faces.

The beans are spilled, or should we say the protein powder? For eight years running, Lakewood has hosted a very significant event in the bodybuilding world. This April 5 at the Lakewood Civic Auditorium the 'Vyotech Nutritionals NPC Natural Ohio Drug Tested Bodybuilding and Figure Championships' will take place. The expo is a place for the public to get familiar with nutritional supplements, publications, fitness apparel and get autographs from bodybuilding or figure celebrities, among other things...

Four Lakewood high school wrestlers advanced from last weekend's Sectional tournament at Lorain Southview high school onto the District Tournament, beginning next Friday at Marion Harding High School...

For three quarters Lakewood looked ready to pull off an upset of the Strongsville Mustangs. Unfortunately, football games are four quarters.

New Schools, New Teams expected to increase participation, boost competitiveness

As you may already know, this fall the Lakewood School District is consolidating from three middle schools down to two. This transformation has presented an opportunity to re-shape the city’s athletic program for 7th to 8th graders. Beginning this year, competition for these kids will be shifting away from recreation department programs and toward athletic programs based at each of the two middle schools.

I have a red suit and a whistle. There is water in the pool and I have my sun screen so I am ready to be a lifeguard!

Dust off the old cleats and break in the new leather glove; its baseball time in Lakewood. The Rangers are aiming high and expecting great success on all levels this season. The varsity squad has ten returning seniors and plenty of talent to fill in every position on the diamond.

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Saturday September 29, 2007 the LHS Cross Country Teams competed at the 43rd McQuaid Invitational, held near Rochester New York.

With new turf on the field, a new conference affiliation, and heightened expectations for the 2007 season, the Lakewood Rangers took the field August 24 for their home opener against the Berea Braves. Game-time temperatures approached 90 degrees, but Head Coach Jim Slagle said the Rangers were prepared for the heat. “We practice every day from 3-9 pm in the hottest heat of the day. So we knew our kids would be prepared."

As Observer readers know, Lakewood enjoys a wide range of sports. Over the past two years we have done stories covering everything from football and baseball to girls’ rugby, speed skating and roller derby. And if Lakewood resident Woody Calleri has his way, Lakewood’s wide world of sports will grow even wider.

Tim Duncan wasn’t the only Wake Forest athlete to win a championship this month. Lakewood High School alum Michelle Sikes, a former star for the Ranger track and cross country teams, won an NCAA national championship on June 8. An impressive young woman gifted both intellectually and athletically, Sikes had already been named a Rhodes Scholar this past November.

Fans of LHS athletics will see a lot of changes on the field this fall. After seven decades in the Lake Erie League, LHS jumps to the new Northeast Ohio Conference (NOC). The Northeast Ohio Conference was created through a merger of the remaining teams in the Western Reserve and Pioneer Conferences, along with Garfield Heights and Lakewood High Schools, which had previously expressed interest in joining. The new Northeast Ohio Conference will be the biggest conference in northeast Ohio. The new conference includes these sports: Football, Basketball, Tennis, Cross Country, Swimming, Gymnastics, Track, Softball, Baseball, Golf, Wrestling, Volleyball, and Soccer.

TRY OUTS COMING! CHECK IT OUT.

If you think your child is ready for the exciting sport of soccer then get ready for this.  Lakewood Soccer Association(LSA) is holding tryouts for its travel program.

BOYS TRAVEL TRYOUTS: May 13th at LHS Stadium

U07-U10       5:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

U11-U14        6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

GIRLS TRAVEL TRYOUTS: May 17th at LHS Stadium

U08-U10        5:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

U11-U14        6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

When the highlight of the night is the singing of the national anthem, you know its going to be one of those nights.

After being introduced with the starters for last Monday’s Northern Ohio Conference inter-divisional girls soccer game against the Mayfield Wildcats, Lakewood freshman Abby Boland raced up the steps on the home side of Lakewood Stadium, ran into the press box and belted out The Star-Spangled Banner on the stadium public address system. Unfortunately for Lakewood soccer fans the only sounds the rest of the night were Wildcat fans cheering as Mayfield cruised to an easy 6-0 victory...

As the school year winds down, and with the warm weather of summer already here, it is time for a recap of LRST’s winter season and also time to look forward to the summer season. After successfully hosting the 2007 Jim Scullion Meet at Lakewood High School in the beginning of February, LRST went into its championship season on a roll. This success carried over to all age groups; starting with LRST’s high school swimmers. Eight LRST swimmers represented their respective high schools at the Ohio High School State Championships. Two

The Lakewood Rangers Varsity Baseball team continued their winning ways as they pushed their season record to 18 wins and 4 losses.  Their West Shore Conference (WSC) record stands at 9 wins and 3 losses, good for 2nd place in the conference.

By virtue of their strong record, the Rangers have been seeded second in the district for the upcoming state tournament.  The Ranger squad hopes to parlay both it's experience and talent to go deep into this year’s tournament.  Because of their high seed, the team will enjoy home field advantage for as long as they continue to win in the tournament.

Coach Mike Ribar commented, “Our program has come a long way fast.  Just over three years ago our win-loss record was nearly the reverse.  While this improvement is a testament to my coaches and the support of the Lakewood Schools and Lakewood Recreation administrations, it is even more a reflection of the hard work and preparation the boys have put forth.  Without their (and their parents) buy into our baseball philosophy and system we simply would not have improved at the rate that we have.”

The Boys Varsity LHS Ranger Cross Country teams began their season Saturday August 23, 2008. The team competed at the Glenoak Golden Eagle XC Invitational. This 5k race, held in Canton Ohio, is a course comprised of open fields and rolling terrain...

The Lakewood Rangers boys basketball team ended the first year of the coach John Silva era as sectional champions defeating Grafton Midview 48-41 to bring home the sectional crown before losing to crosstown rival St. Edward 63-48 in the Brecksville-Broadview Heights District Semifinal...

Last season the St. Edward Eagles traveled to Euclid and came within an extra-point of coming home victorious. The 2008 Eagles made sure this year’s game would not be that close. St. Edward combined an overpowering offensive attack with a stifling defense and rolled to a 37-7 victory over the Panthers in a non-league game last Saturday night at Lakewood Stadium...

The Lakewood girls freshman basketball team overcame limited numbers on its roster to post a 10-10 record that included a pair of forfeit wins against Fairview and Brush. This break-even mark was made possible by Lakewood's winning four of the last five games, including the last two against Northeast Ohio Conference foes Medina and Mayfield...

The Lakewood Rangers boys soccer team ended the 2008 season by bringing home a sectional championship in the most unusual of ways.

After finishing the regular season with a record a 3-11-2, the Rangers drew Lorain Admiral King as their opening round tournament opponent. The Admirals entered tournament play with a 0-16 record, giving up an average of over seven goals a game...

Last Saturday was a great day to be a Lakewood Shamrock! In the Senior Girls fast-pitch softball division of the Four Corners League, the Shamrock team beat the previously undefeated Public House in the championship game...

First year Lakewood volleyball coach Bojan Miocinovic set a pre-season goal of winning one tournament game in 2008.

By winning two thrilling five-game matches in the Division I sectional tournament at Strongsville High School, the Rangers exceeded their own expectation and brought home a sectional championship. The Rangers entered post-season play with a record of 8-14, and a 0-10 make in the Valley Division of the Northeast Ohio Conference...

The Lakewood High School Cross Country Teams began the season at the GlenOak Golden Eagle Invitational on August 25, near Canton, Ohio.