Sidelines: Fairview s Jesse enjoys record night

10/20/2005

It was a night for the record books last Friday when Fairview pounded Ayersville 68-28 on the Pilots home field.

Apaches quarterback Kirk Jesse set state records by throwing for nine touchdowns and 593 yards.

The previous record of eight TD passes was set by four quarterbacks two of whom were Ben Roethlisberger of Findlay and former University of Toledo QB Tavares Bolden of Cleveland Glenville.

Jesse, a senior, began the season as a receiver before switching to quarterback after starter Ryan Radcliff injured his shoulder.

Jesse completed 32-of-43 passes against the Pilots. The 598 yards bettered the state record of 567 yards set by Kenton s Ben Mauk against Margaretta on Nov. 17, 2001.

Four Fairview players had more than 100 yards receiving in the game, led by Levi Kuhn s 13 receptions for 217 yards and four TDs.

The Apaches finished with a school-record 701 total yards.

My offensive line gave me a ton of time, Jesse said. My receivers ran great routes and made great reads. I never thought I d come close to setting any record.

Jesse said he was not nervous at all while stepping in for the injured Radcliff.

I ve started the last couple of years [at wide receiver] and I had confidence in myself, Jesse said. We ve also had other people step up and keep doing their jobs too.

Neela Vaez absorbed her first defeat since midway through the 2004 season, but Ohio s defending Division I girls singles champion is preparing for her fourth trip to the state tournament tomorrow in Columbus.

Vaez (27-1) lost 6-3, 6-1 to Lexington junior Lexi Bolesky in the district final at Sandusky, after beating Bolesky in three prior meetings this season.

Vaez didn t have to wait long to avenge that defeat, topping Bolesky 6-4, 6-2 in Notre Dame s 3-0 win over Lexington at Jermain Park in Tuesday s district championship of the Ohio High School Tennis Coaches Association team tournament.

I think she s ready for the state tournament, Eagles coach Bob Krueger said of Vaez. She s had a great season and, up until Saturday she hadn t lost a match in a year and a half. It was just one of those things. [Bolesky] was on fire and Neela wasn t.

For the first time, the senior will be joined by some of her Eagle teammates at state, as the sophomore doubles team of Tara Majdalani and Meredith Morse also placed second to qualify.

For most of the season, Majdalani and Morse have served as the No. 2 and No. 3 singles players. With their singles wins versus Lexington, Majdalani upped her record to 16-0 and Morse to 15-1.

They are 10-1 playing as a doubles team, with eight of those matches coming in sectional and district.

Vaez will face Upper Arlington junior Sydnee Bridger in the first-round tomorow at Ohio State University s Stickney Tennis Center. Majdalani and Morse will take on senior Hannah Jackson and junior Ashley Hale of Cincinnati Princeton.

Both the singles and the doubles brackets are single-elimination with four rounds.

On Sunday at OSU, Notre Dame will play in the state semifinal round of the OHSTCA team tournament.

Both Ottawa-Glandorf and Columbus Grove lived up to their billing as state-ranked teams when the pair met Saturday at O-G.

The Titans entered the match still stinging from a five-game loss to Defiance that cost them the Western Buckeye League title and an undefeated season. The Bulldogs traveled to Ottawa fresh off a win over Kalida that had earned them a share of the Putnam County League crown.

Ottawa-Glandorf earned a four-game victory over the Bulldogs to improve to 21-1 and drop Columbus Grove to 16-1.

O-G currently is ranked fourth in the state in Division II, while Columbus Grove is tied for 10th in D-IV.

In the Greater Buckeye Conference meet at Fremont, Findlay s Jennifer Bradley successfully defended her girls crown, covering the course in 19:08. She and teammate Alison Leckrone finished 1-2 to lead the Trojans to the team title.

On the boys side, Napoleon s Corey Scott won the individual title with a 17:00 clocking, but Marion Harding beat the Wildcats for the team title 50-55.

In the Green Meadows Conference race, Ayersville s Audra Brown won her second straight individual crown with a 19:45 clocking. The Pilots placed all five runners in the top 10 to take the team title.

In the boys race, Holgate s Josh Ordway crossed the finish line in 15:57 to win his first individual title. Wayne Trace scored 21 points to win the team title for the third straight year.