Bucs win over West Carrollton
WEST CARROLLTON — Alexis Claybaugh scored 10 points and hauled down 10 rebounds, Alashia Adams snared a dozen rebounds, and Trinity Morton-Nooks scored a game-high 19 points as the Xenia Buccaneers girls high school basketball team defeated host West Carrollton, 44-39, on Dec. 18. The two teams were even in scoring in the first and fourth quarters, but Xenia outscored the Pirates by a combined 20-15 margin in the second and third periods of play. Xenia 2-6 overall, now 1-2 in the Greater Western Ohio Conference’s American South division, takes on Fairborn next, at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20 at Xenia High School.
Thunderbolts down Skyhawks
FAIRBORN — Visiting Northmont jumped out to a 23-9 lead after one 8-minute quarter of play, and rolled to a 63-40 girls high school basketball win Dec. 18 over Fairborn. Makayla Cooper scored 19 points and Salena Roberts added 15 in the win. Fairborn was led by Evelyn Oktavec who scored a game-high 22 points. Khala Powell also got into double-figure scoring for the Skyhawks (2-6 overall, 2-1 in the Greater Western Ohio Conference, American South), finishing with 10 points.
Indians defeat Yellow Springs
CEDARVILLE — Host Cedarville led 20-6 after one quarter, 38-9 at halftime, and won convincingly over visiting Yellow Springs by a 66-24 score on Dec. 18 in girls high school basketball action. Individual statistics were not reported by Cedarville. Amani Wagner was the top scorer and rebounder for the Bulldogs. She finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Yellow Springs (3-6) travels to Dayton to play Ponitz next for a game on Thursday, Dec. 21. Junior varsity action starts at 6 p.m. with varsity to follow. Cedarville (5-1) will host Greeneview (5-0) that same day in a key Ohio Heritage Conference battle.
WSU women top Belmont
FAIRBORN — The Wright State University women’s basketball team knocked off the Mid-Major Poll’s fourth-ranked Belmont Bruins, 91-81, on Dec. 18.
Chelsea Welch scored 29 points, while Emily Vogelpohl added 21, and Lexi Smith 17 for WSU (9-2), ranked 15th in the Mid-Major Poll. Belmont led 18-17 after one quarter, but the Raiders took a 47-45 halftime lead, as there were five ties and 15 lead change in the first 20 minutes.
A 28-20 third quarter clinched the win for Wright State, which shot 54 percent from the field in the second half. The Raiders close the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 1 p.m game at Georgia Thursday, Dec. 21.
Joe Smith to headline WSU event
FAIRBORN — Major league pitcher and WSU baseball alum Joe Smith will be the keynote speaker for the 14th annual First Pitch Banquet Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018 at Moraine Country Club.
Smith has enjoyed one of the more decorated collegiate and professional careers in WSU athletics history. He was a third round draft pick of the New York Mets in 2006 after posting 13 saves and a 0.98 ERA in his junior season. For his efforts, he was named 1st team Horizon League, Horizon League Pitcher of the Year, All-Mideast Region and WSU’s Don Mohr Male Athlete of the Year. He helped lead the Raiders to the 2006 Horizon League Championship and the Corvallis Regional at Oregon State.
He made his first major league appearance on April 1, 2007 with the Mets. Currently, he is fifth among active pitchers in appearances with (698), while posting a 2.97 ERA, 547 strikeouts, and having pitched 624.2 innings in his 11-year career.
He became a World Series champion with the Chicago Cubs and was a member of the Cleveland Indians team which set the American League consecutive win streak at 22.
Smith is active in a variety of charities, with his main focus on fundraising and raising awareness for Huntington’s disease and its research.
The First Pitch Banquet features a sit-down dinner, program, and a silent auction. The evening will all go to benefit current and future student-athletes of the Wright State baseball program. The cost is $70 for a general admission ticket and $1,000 for a VIP table (seats 10 guests). The VIP table includes a pre-event meet and greet cocktail hour with Smith and recognition during the program. Doors will open to the public with the silent auction beginning 6 p.m.
For more information contact Deanna Terelle at 937-775-4936 or [email protected].
Flyin’ to the Hoop Jan. 13
DAYTON — Xenia High will be among the area and national teams participating in the annual Flyin’ to the Hoop Invitational basketball showcase event.
The Buccaneers are scheduled to play Olentangy Liberty at 1:15 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 at James S. Trent Arena, in Kettering.
Ticket information and a complete listing of the scheduled games can be found at flyintothehoop.com.
Spring Has Sprung 5K in April
XENIA — Registration is open for Greene County Public Health’s ninth annual “Spring Has Sprung” Healthy Families 5K Run/Walk, Saturday, April 14 at the Xenia YMCA, 135 E. Church St.
Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. at the Xenia YMCA and the pet- and stroller-friendly run/walk beginning at 9 a.m. The course features a flat terrain in and around the Xenia area beginning and ending at the Xenia YMCA.
Cost is $15 per person by Friday, April 6. Teams of 10 or more are eligible to receive a discount. Interested groups should call Jillian Drew at 937-374-5683 or email [email protected] for more information.
Horizon tourney tickets on sale
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Tickets for the 2018 Little Caesars Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship — to be played at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich. — will go on sale 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 15 at HorizonLeague.com, the Little Caesars Arena Box Office, or the Little Caesars Arena Ticket Sales and Service Office 313-471-7575. Fans can purchase tickets now by calling or visiting their favorite school’s box office.
Ticket prices for Motor City Madness, which will take place March 2-6, begin at $15 per day and will feature all 20 Horizon League teams competing in 18 games over a five-day span. The tournament will culminate with a pair of championship games Tuesday, March 6 with automatic berths to the NCAA Basketball Tournament on the line. Tickets purchased for each day are valid for all games on that day.
