SIDELINES
Rogers’ Smith signs to play at Miami (Ohio)
4/24/2014Rogers senior Jasmyne Smith has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at Miami (Ohio).
Smith, a senior, averaged 7.0 points and 2.0 assists this past season to help the Rams reach the Division II state semifinals. Rogers finished 24-5 overall and won a third straight City League championship. She is the daughter of Rogers coach Lamar Smith.
“Smith brings a toughness and strong work ethic to our squad,” Miami coach Cleve Wright said. “She is smart and sees the floor well. We are happy she wants to help us build a championship culture here at Miami.”
Smith suffered injuries to both knees that required surgery, but she battled back and returned to the court for her senior season.
More basketball
Lake going to North Park
Whiteford's prolific scoring guard Colin Lake will play basketball in at North Park University in Chicago.
The 5-foot-7 playmaker finished his high school career with 1,925 points. He averaged 31.8 points per game for his senior season, including a career-best 47 points against Class C state champion Detroit Consortium.
“He wants to play right away, and this seems to fit,” said Kevin Lake, Colin’s father. “They have been following him since last summer during the AAU season.”
North Park is a NCAA Division III school that plays in a conference of schools in Illinois and Wisconsin.
Lake was Class C all-state first team three times.
Westmeyer, Johnson, Gist choose
Toledo Christian’s Darian Westmeyer and Faith Johnson, who were Toledo Area Athletic Conference girls basketball co-players of the year this past season, have made their college choices.
Westmeyer, a three-sport athlete, has committed to play basketball and compete in track and field at Bethel College in Indiana. A four-year letter winner, she ranks third in TC career scoring with 952 career points.
“I chose Bethel College because it provided me the best opportunity to compete in athletics, but more so because they are best known for having a very spiritual atmosphere and nursing program,” said Westmeyer, who competes in the triple jump.
Westmeyer has also been a standout in track and field, competing in the triple jump, and in volleyball.
“She works hard every day with the desire to be challenged so she can be her very best,” TC coach Tandy Bradford said.
Johnson, who had 1,300 career points, has signed with Spring Arbor University in Michigan.
She will play Sunday in the Ohio North-South All-Star game.
Also, Toledo Christian teammate Camille Gist is headed to Ursuline College in Ohio after earning All-TAAC first team recognition.
Gist, who was sidelined with a knee injury during her junior year, was recently selected as the recipient of the Chuck Ealey Undefeated Spirit Scholarship Award.
Track and field
Eastwood Relays set
Plenty of top track and field talent will be in Pemberville on Friday for the Eastwood track and field relays.
Bowling Green, Clyde, Findlay, Liberty-Benton, Napoleon, Perrysburg, and Southview are among the schools expected to compete. Approximately 250 athletes will be competing in the meet first held in 1974.
Eastwood won the boys title and Liberty-Benton took the girls crown last year.
“I am confident in our boys again this season,” Eastwood boys track coach Brian Sabo said. “Clyde and Southview will be very competitive team-wise. In the girls meet it will be Liberty-Benton, Perrysburg, Eastwood.”
Field events are set to start at 4:45 p.m., running events at 6.
Football
AW’s Zelina commits to Mount Union
Anthony Wayne senior Eric Zelina has committed to play football at Mount Union.
Zelina, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound tight end, caught 17 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns this past season.
Baseball
Panthers to hold Survivor Game
Whitmer will play host Monday to Central Catholic for its fifth annual “Survivor Game.”
The meeting between the Three Rivers Athletic Conference teams will serve as an opportunity to honor cancer survivors or family members by allowing them to take the field before the game.
Donations will be collected during the game for Playing Hardball Against ALS.
Signings
Findlay athletes pick
Findlay recently had five athletes announce their college choices:
Bethany Glick (Youngstown State, diving), Clayton Hildebrand (Ohio Dominican, soccer), Braden Miller (Taylor, Ind., basketball), Ciara Ralston (Ohio Dominican, volleyball) and Adam Twining (Findlay, basketball).
Contact Donald Emmons at: demmons@theblade.com, 419-724-6302 or on Twitter @DemmonsBlade.