The Tinora Lady Rams broke a three game losing streak Tuesday night, defeating the visiting Archers of Antwerp in a Green Meadows Conference match.
After a 3-1 record to start to the 2023 season, the Tinora dropped 4 of their next 5 matches to fall to .500 at 4-4.
Tinora needed a strong performance to get back on track and stay afloat in the GMC race, and they got just that, sweeping all three sets over the Archers.
SHERWOOD – After a sluggish 1-2 start to the 2023 season, the Tinora Rams hit the road and traveled to Sherwood to take on their long time rival, the Apaches of Fairview.
Although entering the game winless, the 0-3 young Apaches appear to be on the right track under the tutelage of Doug Rakes.
Brought to you by Clubhouse Pizza – Ney
The Rams and Apaches squared off on a near perfect Friday evening at The Reservation at Fairview High School.
Tinora wasted little time getting the running game back on track as Grady Gustwiller hit pay dirt with a 7 yard TD run with 4:15 remaining in the initial quarter. Jacob Bishop’s XP gave the Rams a 7-0 lead.
The Apaches responded as sophomore QB William Zeedyke, who entered as the areas third leading passer, drove Fairview down the field and hit Gavin Garza for a 7 yard TD. This cut the Tinora lead to 7-6 to start the second quarter at the 11.54 mark. Fairview tried for and converted the two point conversion as Zeedyke ran it in as Fairview grabbed an 8-7 lead over the Rams.
The next six minutes on the clock was the Gustwiller show for the Rams.
Gustwiller would again find the end zone, this time from a yard out with 7:15 on the second quarter clock, after the Bishop XP, Tinora would grab a 14-8 advantage and never look back.
Less than a minute later, at the 6:11 mark of the second stanza, Gustwiller would step in front of a Zeekyke pass, returning it 30 yards for a Tinora TD, Bishop’s XP gave the Rams of Tinora a 21-8 lead.
Gustwiller was not done. He put on his Superman cape on the next Rams possession. This time shaking would be Fairview tacklers, Gustwiller would stumble to the Fairview five-yard line and somehow keep his balance, launching himself into the end zone for a 35 yard TD for the Rams, Bishop’s XP was good and Tinora led 28-8.
The Rams defense took the task of stopping the high-flying Apache offense to heart. After seeing Fairview average nearly 30m points a game this season, the Tinora defense applied pressure to Zeedyke throughout the initial half, taking a commanding 28-8 lead to the locker room.
Tinora out gained Fairview in the first half, 209-150, led by Dominic Graziani and his 68 yards rushing. Tinora held Fairview to just 4 yards rushing in the half.
Dominic Graziani put the Rams on the board midway through the third quarter with a 23 yard scamper at the 5:36 mark, putting the Rams ahead 35-8 after Bishop’s XP.
Joey Guisinger, playing his first game since week 1, darted into the end zone for the first time this season, the Rams would lead 42-8 after the XP by Jacob Bishop with .09 seconds in the third quarter.
Fairview’s offense never seemed to get in a grove against the Rams defense, the Apaches would drive deep into Tinora territory at the end of the third quarter, but be stopped on a long fourth down conversion.
The Apache defense added a 96 yard fumble return by Gain Garza as he scooped up an Owen Ferrell fumble and returned it for a score at the 5:15 mark of the fourth quarter. The XP by Williams was not good, the Rams led 42-14.
In their best performance of the season, the Rams accumulated 416 total yards of offense, 366 on the ground. The Rams defense limited the Apache attack to just 197 yards, after Zeedyke gained over 500 yards last week, vs Bryan.
Tinora and Fairview would exchange possessions before time would run out on the Apaches.
TINORA 7-21-14-0=42 FAIRVIEW 0-8-0-7=14
TINORA FAIRVIEW First Downs 21 11 Rushes/yards 55/366 7/7 Passing/yards 9/11/0/1 20/40/190/0/1 Total offense 65/416 47/197 Penalty 4/32 4/17
On a hot steamy Tuesday evening outside, a near perfect 72 air conditioned degrees inside Tinora awaited two of the better programs in the area over the past decade.
What better way to start the Green Meadows Conference volleyball season than an opening night game of a great rivalry, Fairview and Tinora.
Clubhouse Pizza – Ney
The Apaches brought their undefeated, 4-0, team to visit the Rams of Tinora, 4-2 on the young season.
A action packed first set saw the Rams jump out to a 20-16 advantage. Fairview responded with a run of 4-1 to cut the Tinora deficit to just one, 21-20. The Apache would continue the attack on the Rams, taking the first set, 25-23 to grab a 1-0 lead.
Set two again would see the Rams jump out to an early 4-1 lead. The next 15 minutes of set two was all Fairview. The Apaches grabbed an 11-4 lead on their way to a 25-15 set two win to take a commanding 2-0 lead over Tinora.
Set three saw Fairview take a 11-6 advantage. Tinora would not quit, as the Rams came back to tie the match at 11-11. The Apaches would put the train back on the tracks, taking a 17-13 advantage over the Rams. Fairview would go on to take set three, 25-23 and the match, 3-0.
In a series once dominated by Tinora, (10 straight wins) Fairview has taken two of the last three matches, including the last two straight.
Fairview remains undefeated with the win, 4-0, 1-0 in conference play. The Apaches will next hit the floor on Saturday morning as they travel to Kalida to take part in the Kalida Pioneer Tournament.
The Rams fall to 4-3, 0-1 in the GMC. Tinora is back on Tuesday, Sept 12 as they will host Antwerp.
JV: Tinora 2-0 (30-28, 25-23)
Listen back to Michael’s call of the game, click above ^
For the first time since 1998, the Tinora Rams and the Archbold Bluestreaks met on the gridiron on a near perfect Friday evening to start the month of September.
On the minds of all in attendance was the family of Tinora Head Coach Eric Becker and his family. Coach Becker’s wife Amber lost her battle with cancer last weekend. Amber wanted coach to be on the sidelines with his team, his second family.
Archbold, 2-0, wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as they marched right down the field on their initial possession. A 9 play 67 yard drive resulted in a Brenner to Nathan Juarez TD pass at the 8:53 mark of the initial quarter. Archbold led 7-0 over the Rams, who entered at 1-1.
The ‘Streaks wasted little time as they would take their next possession right down the field, this time Cade Brenner would take it in himself for a 14-0 lead after the Lance Ramirez XP.
The Bluestreaks were still humming on offense as they would score on a 4th and 1, this time Jack Hurst would take it in, the Ramirez XP gave Archbold a 21-0 lead with 3:54 still left in the first stanza.
Cade Brenner would hit Chase Miller for a 45 yard TD, Ramirez added the XP, Archbold led 28-0 with 2:03 in the first quarter.
Midway through the second quarter, the ‘Streaks added a 1 yard TD run by Lucas Dominique at the 6:28 mark, Ramirez XP gave Archbold a 35-0 advantage.
After a Bluestreaks kickoff pinned the Tinora offense at their own 3-yard line, the Blue streaks defense got in on the action. Stephen Diller picked off a Dominic Graziani pass and took it in for a 10 yard TD return, the Ramirez XP was no good, Archbold led Tinora 41-0 with 6:22 left in the first half.
Archbold would take the 41-0 lead to the half. The Bluestreaks would out gain the Rams in the initial half, 282 to 80.
A running clock in the second half would cut down on each team’s opportunities.
The Rams finally got on the board as freshman QB Owen Ferrell would hit Dylan Schaufele for a 22 yard TD oer the middle. Jacob Bishop added the XP for Tinora, the Rams trailed 48-7 with 9:00 left in the final quarter.
Archbold’s Jack Hurst took the ensuing kickoff 83 yards for a ‘Streaks TD, the XP by Ramirez increased the Bluestreaks lead to 48-7 with 8;12 remaining in the contest.
Both teams traded possessions over the final eight minutes, Archbold would leave Tinora with a 48-7 win.
Archbold 28-13-0-7=48 Tinora 0-0-0-7 = 7
Tinora Archbold First Downs 11 9 Rushes/Yds 28/113 27/172 Passing/Yds 8/19/69 8/8/124 Total Yds 47/182 35/296
The Archbold community and the Tinora community both bonded together on and off the field in support of the Becker family, both sides wearing T-shirts in support of Amber. Thank you, Archbold, you are a class act.
Tinora drops to 1-2 on the season. The Rams will travel to Fairview next Friday to start the GMC season.
Archbold will play host to Liberty Center in perhaps the game of the season to start NWOAL conference play.
On a near perfect Thursday evening in NW Ohio, the Lady Rams of Tinora played host to the vastly improved Liberty Center Tigers and new head coach Mallory Beach in girls volleyball.
Both Tinora and Liberty Center entered the non-conference match with identical 4-1 records.
The Tigers took the highly contested first set, 25-21 to grab a 1-0 advantage.
Set two saw the Tigers hold off the Lady Rams 25-19, taking a 2-0 lad over Tinora.
The Lady Rams of Tinora finally broke through with a hard earned 25-20 advantage to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Liberty Center held off Tinora in set four, defeating the Lady Rams 25-20, taking the match 3-1.
This is the first win for Liberty Center over Tinora since 2011, ending the Lady Rams 12 game winning streak against the Tigers.
Tinora falls to 4-2. The Rams will start GMC play on Tuesday as they will host longtime rival Fairview.
Liberty Center improvs to 5-1. The Tigers will next play on Tuesday and host Hilltop.
PICS courtesy Mrs. Wells
💚❤️🩷🐏 The Tinora Athletic Boosters will be walking around Friday during the Archbold vs Tinora football game accepting donations for the Becker family.
Thank you from the Ram community, we are all family.💝