SIDELINES NOTEBOOK

Undefeated Schorsch ready for state tennis

Jeffrey Schorsch

Perrysburg junior Jeffrey Schorsch will take an undefeated record into the Division I state tennis tournament this weekend at Ohio State University.

Schorsch improved his record to 22-0 when he won a D-I district title Saturday by defeating Central Catholic sophomore Dugan Delp 6-1, 6-1.

"I'm playing pretty well right now," Schorsch said. "My serve is coming around and with my forehand, I'm hitting the ball much more crisply."

Schorsch, a three-time Northern Lakes League champion, is making his third straight trip to the state meet. He qualified in doubles last year with David Hoops after finishing second at the district. As a freshman, he placed second in the singles at district to advance to state.

"He is peaking right now," Perrysburg coach Mark Weider said. "He's ready for this tournament."

Schorsch has lost in the first round each time in Columbus. He will face Canyon Teague of Gahanna Lincoln in the first round Friday. Schorsch defeated Teague in a match earlier this season.

"This year will be different," Schorsch said. "I feel well about doing down to state. I've played all these guys and I know their games pretty well. The broad goal is to win it all. But I just want to play my game. I don't want to lose playing badly. I feel I have as good a chance as anybody."

Delp also advanced. He will play Aaron Sandberg of Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit in the opening round.

In Division I doubles, the St. John's Jesuit team of Kevin Brown and Spencer Crawford won the district title to qualify to state. Brown, a freshman, and Crawford, a senior, square off against Cincinnati Sycamore's team of Yuri Karev and Nakul Narendren.

Northview seniors Brandon Rachwal and Spencer Georgetti also advance to state and will play Dylan Stern and Nikhil Granhi of Cincinnati Sycamore.

In Division II, Maumee Valley's doubles team of Grant McPherson and Stephen Shin took second at the district tournament and will take on Portsmouth's Trevor Violette and Tanner Hatcher in the opening round.

TRACK AND FIELD

Record day for Whiteford girls

The Whiteford girls track team had a record-breaking day Saturday at the Division 4 regional meet at Hillsdale College.

The Bobcats placed fourth as a team and had three individuals capture titles.

In the high jump, junior Morgan Kulwicki took first place and broke a school record with a leap of 5 feet, 2 1/4 inches.

In the discus, senior Alexa Long crushed her own school record with a throw of 115-9. Her previous best was 109-4. Long also qualified for state in the shot put (32-5).

Sophomore Miranda Johnson was first in the 100 meters and her time of 12.4 seconds tied a school record. Johnson also qualified for state in the long jump (16-8 1/2).

In the Division 1 regional meet, the Bedford girls had two individuals and a relay team qualify to the state meet.

The Mules' 3200 relay team of Katie Bules, Lauren Bules, Kaitlyn Leist and Anne Redd set a school record with a time of 9:41.70 to take fourth place.

Freshman Nicole Rightnowar, who was fourth in the 400 (59.20), and senior Kelsey Calhoun, who was fifth in the 3200 with a time of 11:28, will compete at state.

On the boys side, Bedford junior Josh Ortiz qualified for state in the pole vault, tying for second at 12-10 1/2.

In Division 3 girls, Erie Mason junior Hannah Saul won the pole vault (11-0) and was second in the 400 with a time of 1:01.89.

Erie Mason senior Paige Lipowski was second in the 100 hurdles (16.70).

The Eagles' 800 and 1600 relay teams also qualified to state by taking second. The 800 relay team (Lipowski, Kelly Jacobs, Paige Stark, Saul) posted time of 1:49.60, while the 1600 team (Nicole Poca, Moriah Foley, Stark, Saul) finished at 4:18.20.

Blissfield sophomore Sara Goetz finish fourth in the pole vault (8-10). The Royals' 3200 relay team of Jessica Riley, Abby Zubke, Brianna Yates, and Laura Goetz placed second (10:23.65).

In the boys D-3 regional meet, Erie Mason junior Nick Raymond enters the state meet with the top qualifying time in the state in the 1600. Raymond ran 4:21.40 at the regional. He also qualified in the 3200 (9:43.80).

Erie Mason senior Dylan Fichtner was second in the 110 hurdles (15.40), while junior teammate Seth Harmon was runner-up in the 300 hurdles (41.30).

Blissfield junior Jordan Willson was second in the discus (133-04), while junior teammate Zech Bostick placed second in the shot put (45-7 1/2).

Royals junior Nate Wold won the high jump (6-1.3).

The state meet will be June 2.

Whitmer's Missler to UT

Whitmer senior Allie Missler signed a letter of intent to compete at the University of Toledo.

Missler has qualified for the Division I regional meet in both the shot put and discus.

She placed second in both events at the district with a throw of 36-2 1/2 in the shot and 129-3 in the discus.

SOFTBALL

Gibsonburg, Stritch win TAAC

The Gibsonburg softball team became the Golden Bears' first team to win a Toledo Area Athletic Conference championship since the school joined the league for the 2011-12 school year.

The Golden Bears knocked off Cardinal Stritch 4-3 in eight innings May 15 to claim a share of the title. Both Gibsonburg and Stritch finished with 9-1 league marks.

"At the beginning of the year our goal was to be the first sport in the school to bring home a TAAC championship," Gibsonburg coach Kyle Leatherman said. "Everyone in our program knew we could be successful. Our kids went through some tough times last year with inexperience. They learned that nothing would be given to them. They worked hard and believed in themselves."

After going 4-16 overall and 3-9 in the last year of the Suburban Lakes League, Gibsonburg finished this season 19-8.

Cardinal Stritch finished 20-6.

"I'm very happy with the way the girls responded this year," Stritch coach Don Zbierajewski said. "It's more than I expected out of them."

The Cardinals beat Gibsonburg 5-3 in the first meeting.

But the Golden Bears' Lexi Busdecker and Brittany Potts came up with key RBIs in the extra-inning game.

Stritch then loaded the bases with no outs, but could score just once in the bottom of the eighth as Gibsonburg pitcher Danielle Fisher shut the door.

Stritch senior pitcher Katie Turski led the TAAC in ERA (1.13). She also threw a no-hitter and tossed three one-hitters.

Eastwood takes NBC

The Eastwood won the first Northern Buckeye Conference softball championship as the Eagles clinched the title outright May 18 with a 1-0 shutout of Otsego.

Senior shortstop Hannah Hirzel led off the third inning with a solo home run. Junior pitcher Whitney Foster earned the win, after yielding just four hits with seven strikeouts.

Eastwood, which was picked to finish second behind Elmwood, posted a 12-2 record in league play.

Archbold again in NWOAL

Archbold clinched its seventh straight Northwest Ohio Athletic League softball title with an 8-0 record.

The Blue Streaks completed a second straight undefeated season in the NWOAL with wins over Wauseon and Montpelier last week.

Archbold (22-7) won a Division III district title last weekend with a 9-3 win over Ottawa-Glandorf.

Cassidy Wyse has led the way at the plate with a .495 average and 36 RBIs, while pitcher Hanna Allison has a 1.26 ERA on the mound.

Contact Mark Monroe at: mmonroe@theblade.com, 419-724-6354 or on Twitter @MonroeBlade.