Sports

Lakewood High School Cross Country teams competed Saturday September 20, 2008 at the Strongsville Cross Country Invitational. The Strongsville course is a flat course considered fast by most competitors...

On Saturday September 13, 2008, the Lakewood High School Cross Country teams competed at the McDonough Invitational. This event, held at Forest Hill Park in Cleveland Heights, is known as a fairly flat course with one very steep hill. This year, day long rain created an extremely muddy and treacherous course...

The rain! The wind! The puddles forming in unusual places!

This wasn’t a scene from somewhere in path of Hurricane Ike. It was Lakewood Stadium on Saturday afternoon as the Lakewood Rangers took the field against the Medina Bees in a Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division boys soccer game....

Lakewood High School Cross Country competed Saturday September 6, 2008 at the Walsh Jesuit Tomahawk Run held at Walsh Jesuit High School...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 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...

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!

The 2008 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, Half Marathon, and 10k race is scheduled for Sunday, May 18, 2008...

The Lakewood Rangers hockey team completed their most successful regular season in recent history by both winning the Blue Central divisional championship and earning a birth in the Division III Baron Cup tournament...

The Lakewood Rangers boy's basketball team had the honor of hosting the top ranked team in Plain Dealer top-25 poll last Tuesday night. The Garfield Heights Bulldogs came into town riding high with a 14-0 record but had to battle to the end to defeat the Rangers 79-68 in a Northeast Ohio Conference showdown...

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...

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...

St. Edward High School put Lakewood on the National Map as they defeated California Division 4 state champions Campbell Hall

The Lakewood Rangers boys' and girls' basketball teams earned home victories last week in Northern Ohio Conference crossover games at Lakewood High School...

For those in the Lakewood community who are seeking either youth or adult recreation opportunities, keep in mind the Lakewood Recreation Department's winter athletics line-up, which will feature many programs in Lakewood's four new schools.

Junior has won three ’07 races

After nine weeks of the high school football season only six of the 116 teams in Division I remained undefeated. One of those teams visited Lakewood Stadium on October 19 when the Brunswick Blue Devils came to town to take on the Lakewood Rangers.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

LHS Boys Cross Country Continue Winning

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.

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.

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

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.

 

 

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 Browns fans know, Super Bowl rings are a rare commodity. On August 16, Lakewood High School hosted a special guest speaker who owns four such rings. Former Pittsburgh Steeler running back Rocky Bleier spoke to a large crowd of Lakewood and St. Edward high school athletes, coaches, parents and guests at Lakewood Civic Auditorium.

If the Lakewood Rangers volleyball team is looking for a theme song for the 2007 season, the old Peter Allen tune “Everything Old Is New Again” might be fitting. With a new coach who is a former Lakewood coach, a new rival the Rangers met in the past two District semifinals, and just two returning starters from the ’06 season, it will be a season of familiar faces in new places.

Summer is winding down, which in Lakewood means that football season is upon us. The Lakewood Rangers have been working very hard this offseason to improve on last year’s 2-8 record. Fourth year head coach Jim Slagle has been pleased with his team’s efforts. "We’ve had really good numbers in the weightroom," says Slagle. Some players have added as much as 15 to 20 pounds of muscle. This year’s squad has also added numbers. Compared to only 57 players in 2006, 74 have come out this year. The team has returned 16 lettermen and 14 starters, seven on each side of the ball.

It has been a tough year so far for sports fans. Every day in the media we hear about some sort of scandal. Dog fighting, steroids, game fixing....day after day it has been bad news. However, August is winding down, and now is your chance to regain faith in the athletic ideal. High school football season is back, and there is no better place in the country to see it than right here in Lakewood.

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.

Coleen Barta of Columbia Station, Ohio—sister of longtime Lakewood resident Eileen Dixon, wife and mother of four boys—completed the IRONMAN triathlon on June 24 in Coeur d’Lene, Idaho, with a total time of 14 hours, 30 minutes and 39 seconds. Her goal was to complete the race by the age of 40 and cross the finish line by the cutoff at midnight. She finished around 9:30 p.m. looking fresh as a daisy while her support crew, sister Eileen, niece Chelsea and cousin Maggie, cheered her on.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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.