GREENE COUNTY — While there we had the Cleveland Cavaliers playing basketball at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the Greeneview and Bellbrook football teams putting themselves on the map with terrific seasons, and local racer Michael Sturgill representing the area on the national stage in drag racing, the following are the top-5 local sports events of 2018.
• STATE SOCCER CHAMPIONS
COLUMBUS — The boys won a state title in 2017, it was the girls’ turn to do the same in 2018. Beavercreek rolled out to a 4-0 lead over previously undefeated Strongsville at halftime, then hung on for a 4-2 win to win the Division I girls state soccer championship, Nov. 9 at MAPFRE Stadium.
The team finished with a 24-0 record, and was one of 10 girls soccer teams recognized throughout the country by the MaxPreps Tour of Champions out of 16,000 schools.
• STATE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONS
HEBRON — The Beavercreek High girls cross country team used their friends on the girls soccer team as motivation the following day, Nov. 10, at the state cross country championships at the famous National Trail Raceway drag strip.
On a bitter cold afternoon, Beavers junior Taylor Ewert won the girls Division I individual title, and her teammates helped earn enough overall points to give the school its second state team title in two days.
Ewert went on to compete on the national stage representing the Midwest region and finishing fourth overall against the nation’s best in San Diego.
• SWIMMING RECORDS FALL
CANTON — Bellbrook senior Cody Bybee claimed two Division II state swimming titles Feb. 24 at the C.T. Branin Natatorium.
Bybee broke his own pool record for the 200-yard freestyle (1:34.02) and also claimed a state individual swimming title in the 100 butterfly. Bybee is now competing for Arizona State University and 2016 Olympic swim coach Bob Bowman.
• STATE WRESTLING LEGACY
COLUMBUS — Legacy Christian Academy wrestlers Tommy Hoskins and Clint Brown both finished third in their respective weight classes at the Division III state wrestling championships, March 10, in Columbus.
Hoskins, who had signed before the season got under way to wrestle at Oklahoma University, placed third in the 126-pound weight class. Brown finished third at 132.
Another Greene County area wrestler finished on the awards podium in Division II. Bellbrook 138-pounder Ben Sherrill placed sixth overall.
• GOLDEN EAGLES IN THE FINAL FOUR
COLUMBUS — The Bellbrook High School girls basketball team claimed the Southwest Regional title on its way to a Final Four appearance in the 2018 Division II basketball championships. Bellbrook upset No. 4-ranked Tippecanoe to win the regional crown, but fell to eventual state runner up Gates Mills Gilmour Academy, March 16 in the state semifinals at Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center in Columbus. Bellbrook had won 12 of its final 14 games to finish with a 20-9 overall record.
