In the DIV III Regional Finals from a wet, soggy, chilly Tiffin, Ohio, several Lady Rams came out shining bright as well as Brandon Edwards for the boys track team.
The DIV III State Track & Field State Championships will be held on June 4th and 5th in Westerville, Ohio. (just north of Columbus)
Congratulations to Brandon Edwards for winning the 100-meter Regional Championship, qualifying for State.
Individually, Lexi Wachtman of the Lady Rams will head to State in four total events, three individual events, one team event, as she qualified for the State Track & Field events next week. Lexi qualified for State after finishing third in the long jump, fourth in the 300-meter hurdles, & fourth in the the100-meter hurdles, as well as with her team in the 4×100 meter relay.
Congratulations also to Lauren Sattler for finishing in 3rd place in the 3200-meter run to qualify for State as well. Sattler also broke her own school record with an 11.13 run.
In team events, congratulations to the Lady Rams 4×200-meter relay team for finishing in third place to qualify for State next week. (Emma Chafins, Mueller, Anna Gray, & Kjerstin Scott) Joining those above will be the Lady Rams 4×100-meter relay team, finishing in fourth place and qualifying for State. (Amanda Meyer, Emma Chafins, Lexi Wachtman, & Kjersten Scott)
Advancing to State from Wednesday was: ** ** Rams boys 4×800 advance to STATE, finishing 3rd at regionals. (Lance Rinkel, Evan Flory, Clay Carpenter, Jaxen Durfey, & Jacob Cramer)
** **Lady Rams 4×800 get a wildcard to qualify for STATE. (Lauren Sattler, Tori Morlock, Izzy Ferguson, & Addison Lee)
Congratulations to all the Tinora representatives and all those Rams who competed tonight.
No matter what your perspective was as you followed the 2021 Tinora Rams baseball team, watching the team in person, following in the newspapers, watching or listening online, the memories and excitement will last forever.
By now, the tears have dried, the pain has eased a bit, but not fully gone for all members of the 2021 Tinora Rams baseball team. All the fans have left, the field is empty, the scoreboard is blank, but what is left is a lifetime of memories for everyone involved.
Seniors Marcus & Max Grube, Ben Mendez Zach Spychala, Kade Vogelsong, Andrew Imthurn, & Jacob Bailey each put their heart and soul into the Tinora Rams baseball program during their years as a Rams baseball player.
From the bus ride over to Paulding on that foggy Saturday morning in late March for the season opener that never happened to the ride back from Elida after capturing the Ed Sandy Championship to the final out Friday evening vs Fairview, this team gave the community something to look forward to each game. Fans never knew what to expect next, a lineup that was capable of scoring at any time, a staff full of arms that could shut down oppositions whenever called upon, or a final at-bat walk-off win.
Season highlights include: ** Career win #400 for Head Coach Brent Renollet vs Patrick Henry. ** The 22-0 win @ Wayne Trace, Nolan Schafer with a grand slam HR. ** Winning the Ed Sandy Classic at Elida, a fantastic team win. ** Opening the GMC season with a road win @ Fairview. ** A big win at Defiance, Tristan Birks with a 7 inning complete game. ** A walk-off win vs state-ranked Montpelier- A 3 run rally in the 7th in a walk-off win. ** Another walk-off win vs state-ranked Antwerp -Jayden Bergman sends everyone home happy and with a HUGE GMC win. ** A big road win @Archbold – Marcus Grube with a big one-out save. ** The GMC clinching win at home vs Ayersville. ** Senior day vs Delta, Kade Vogelsong with a great win on the mound, Jacob Bailey with the walk-off hit. **Winning 16 of 18 to start the season, including a 12 game winning streak. ** Team average of .377 ** Team ERA of 3.48 – including 4 shutouts
Senior highlights: *3-year GMC record of 19-1 *3-year overall record of 56-18 – 76%
Next season will bring in a new senior class who will follow the path set by the seniors of 2021, as the classes before them set in place. Nolan Schafer, Cole Commisso, Jayden Bergman, Bryce Bailey, Tristan Birks, KP Delarber, Kegan Miles, Casen Wolfrum, & Tyler Wiemken will be the leaders of the 2022 class. Joining them will be talented underclassmen, Christian Commisso, Korbin Casteel, Cole Anders, Eli Plassman, Gavin Eckert, and many more.
Each of your footprints will remain on that diamond forever. Somewhere this spring, either at recess, on that T-ball field, or in his backyard to play catch with dad, some little guy went out to play baseball and headed to the outfield, or shortstop, the mound, saying “I’m Max Grube since I’m in center field, or I’m Zack Spychala in right field, or since I’m a lefty, I’m Jacob Bailey.”
All those kids in the infield at practice were Marcus Grube, and that kid who was pitching today was Andrew Imthurn or Kade Vogelsong. That kid racing over to get that sweaty catcher’s mask and equipment was Ben Mendez for a while at afternoon practice. Just as you all were growing up pretending to be Landon or Derek Drewes, Brevin or Reid Renollet, EJ Kissel, Mathias Grube, or pretending to be Clay Pittman driving in the winning run, these kids are growing up, looking up to you, and someday soon, will be on the same field you just left.
Everything each of you accomplished was done with class, and those memories will be spread into those upcoming classes for years to come. Great job gentlemen, best of luck in whatever the future may bring to each of you.
Thank you Marcus & Max Grube, Ben Mendez Zach Spychala, Kade Vogelsong, Andrew Imthurn, & Jacob Bailey. Don’t be strangers to the ballfield, please come back and visit in the upcoming years.
The wins and losses will fade, memories will remain, but you will never forget your teammates, no matter what time lapses.
**2021 GMC Champions 7-0 **23-5 overall record – most wins since 2014’s state title team **2021 GMC Player of the year – Andrew Imthurn
*Head Coach Brent Renollet *Assistants: Chuck Cary, Michael Walker, Reid Anders *Trainer: Emily Trisel *Scorekeeper: Emily Brown
Team Leaders – Batting: Average: Marcus Grube .433 Hits: Marcus Grube 39 Runs: Nolan Schafer 46 HR: Christian Commisso 2 RBI: Cole Commisso 39 SB: Nolan Schafer 15
Team Leaders – Pitching: Wins: Andrew Imthurn 8 IP: Andrew Imthurn 47 2/3 K’s Andrew Imthurn 55 ERA: Cole Commisso 2.71 Shutouts: Andrew Imthurn 2
Some season highlights below:
Rams capture GMC title vs Ayersville – Final out ^Bailey wins it for the Rams vs Delta ^Marcus Grube bases loaded save vs Archbold ^Win #400 Brent Renollet ^Rams walk off vs Montpelier, Bryce Bailey ^Rams walk off vs Antwerp, Jayden Bergman ^Final senior salute ^
To the Pressbox crew of Denise & Doug Rumbaugh, Greg Schafer, a few visits from Chris Wityk and an appearance by Ed Jimenez, and a game with analyst Tony Fairchild, thank you all!
Thank you for all the memories -Keith – Tinora Rams Live
The scoreboard is blank, what remains are a lifetime of memories
No matter what your perspective, the excitement lives on
After missing the entire season due to Covid-19, first-year head coach Denny Helberg didn’t know what to expect as the Lady Rams headed into the 2021 spring season. The longtime Lady Rams assistant took over for Gary Rodenberger starting with the 2020 season, which was canceled.
The Lady Rams were led by a class of five seniors, senior shortstop Tristen Norden, Libby Bumb, Ellie Manley, Haylie Lero, & Sara Neff. Joining the seniors were underclassman Quinn Horn, Anna Frazier, Logan McQuillin, De’Vona Holmes, Paige Carpenter, Maren Pittman & freshman Scylea Zolman.
After a season-opening win over Patrick Henry, the Lady Rams got a confidence-boosting win at Defiance over the Lady Bulldogs, a 10-0 shutout, improving to 2-0. A GMC opening win vs Wayne Trace left the Lady Rams undefeated to start the season at 3-0.
A three-game losing streak in the middle of April put the Lady Rams back to the .500 mark at 3-3, but the ladies didn’t let that slow the momentum.
The Lady Rams got back on track over the next two weeks, winning 7 of 8 games, including a 6 game winning streak to end the month of April, a high point was a Saturday doubleheader sweep on the road highlighted by freshman Scylie Zolman’s two wins on the hill, in 2 games Zolman allowed 2 hits, 0 earned runs, while striking out 28 Leipsic batters over 13 innings.
The Lady Rams ended the month with a home shutout over Antwerp 10-0. The Lady Rams also ended the month with a 4-1 GMC record, the only loss to eventual GMC Champions, the Fairview Lady Apaches.
As they headed into May with a 9-4 record, Tinora was defeated by Liberty Center to fall to 9-5. Up next was the River Rivalry as the Lady Rams hosted the Ayersville Lady Pilots. Coach Helberg and the Lady Rams brought out the bats, defeating Ayersville 11-5 to improve to 10-5, 5-1 in the GMC. Freshman Zolman again came up big, striking out 16 in the win over the Lady Pilots as well as Tristen Norden with a three-run home run.
As the OHSAA tournament approached, the Lady Rams were awarded a home game vs Genoa. Tinora was standing at 11-6 record heading into the game vs the Lady Comets of Genoa. After falling behind 1-0, the Lady Rams were dealt another loss in the fifth inning, losing starting pitcher Scylie Zolman to injury in the fourth inning. Tristen Norden was called upon to pitch, Norden having pitched just 2 innings all season came through in a big way. Norden pitched 2 2/3 solid innings of relief. The game was tied at 3-3 as teams headed to the bottom of the 7th, sophomore Logan McQuillan led off with a walk. The senior Norden stepped in, sending a smash off the glove of the Genoa second baseman allowing the hustling McQuillin to score the winning run from first base in the Lady Rams dramatic sectional win, 4-3.
The Lady Rams headed to face the State Ranked Otsego Lady Nights in the Sectional Finals. Tinora was no match for the #9 ranked Lady Knights Otsego, losing 10-0.
The Lady Rams had two remaining games to make up after being eliminated from the postseason tournament. The Delta Lady Panthers came to visit the Lady Rams in the last week of the season, Tinora with an 18-2 victory, improving to 13-7 on the season. Junior Quinn Horn with a big day, three hits, and four RBI.
On Senior Day, the Lady Rams welcomed in Holgate, who was playing in their final GMC contest before moving to the BBC in the Fall of ‘21 In a Hollywood ending, Tristen Norden stepped up with the bases loaded in her final AB as a Tinora athlete. Norden sent the first pitch she saw over the center-field fence. Tristen also recorded the final out on the mound as a Lady Ram, ending her career in storybook fashion. Tinora went on to a 16-6 win, sending out the seniors with a win.
The Lady Rams under first-year coach Denny Helberg finished with a 14-7 record, 6-1 in the GMC.
Going out with style were Lady Rams seniors Tristen Norden, Libby Bumb, Ellie Manley, Haylie Lero, & Sara Neff. Thank you for all you did as a Tinora athlete, the memories will last forever.
Following in their footsteps will be a great-looking upcoming group of players. Quinn Horn, Anna Frazier, Logan McQuillin, De’Vona Holmes, Paige Carpenter, Maren Pittman, Scylea Zolman Tegan Norden, Paige Tong, and Tanae Smith, to name just a few.
The Lady Rams staff of Helberg, Dick Buchhop, & Kaitlyn Hearne will have a great group of girls to work with during the upcoming years. With the young arms of Zolman and Pittman, the Lady Rams should be set on the mound for the next three years. Zolman has the possibility of reaching a very high ceiling, collecting her 150th strikeout on the season in the final game vs Holgate, finishing with 162 K’s in 2021. Carpenter, McQuillin, & Horn will be a handful at the plate in the next few seasons as well.
Although I didn’t cover as many Lady Rams softball games as I would have liked to, the few I did were filled with excitement. A bright future awaits coach Helberg and his Lady Rams.
-Keith, Tinora Rams Live
Logan McQuillin scores winning run vs Genoa Zolman’s 150th strikeout on the season Tristen Norden final at bat
*Lexi Wachtman – 100 hurdle District Champion *Kjersten Scott – 100 meter dash * Owen Ackerman – High jump * Lauren Sattler – 1600 m District Champion * Izzy Ferguson finish – 1600 meter * Brandon Edwards – 100 meter dash * Lexi Wachtman – long jump NOTE: broke her own THS record of 17’ 31/2” District Champion * Clay Carpenter – 1600 meter * Jacob Cramer – 1600 meter * Addison Lee – 800 meter * Tori Morlock – 400 meter dash * Boys 4×100 relay team of Jared Grieser, Cole Sweinhagen, Elijah Ackerman and Brandon Edwards * Lady Rams 4×200 m relay team of Emma Chafins, Liv Mueller, Anna Gray and Kjersten Scott * Lady Rams 4×100 relay Amanda Meyer, Emma Chafins, Lexi Wachtman and Kjersten Scott * Lauren Sattler – 3200 meter District Champion * Lady Rams 4×400 relay team of – Liv Mueller, Izzy Ferguson, Addison Lee and Tori Morlock * Evan Flory – 300 meter hurdles * Emma Chafins – 200 meter dash * Lexi Wachtman – 300 meter hurdles District Champion * Jacob Cramer – 3200 meter District Champion
Advanced from Wednesday: *Izzy Ferguson – in the high jump *Lady Rams 4×800 meter relay team of Addison Lee, Tori Morlock, Lauren Sattler, & Karli Okuley *Rams boys 4×800 relay teams – Lance Rinkel, Evan Flory, Clay Carpenter, & Jacob Cramer – District Champions
In a matchup of two of the hottest teams in Northwest Ohio, The Fairview Apaches came to Tinora to take on the Rams of Tinora for the chance to move on in the OHSAA playoffs. The weather matched the teams, as the temperature at game time was 87 degrees at Tinora High School.
Not only were the teams hot, the weather hot, but Fairview lead man Andy Singer and Tinora headman Brent Renollet brought a combined 40 years of coaching experience into the sectional finals. Both Singer and Renollet had a combined 664-244 record, a 73% winning percentage, as they brought their teams into the much-anticipated rematch. Back on April 13, the Rams defeated the Apaches 10-5 in a game much closer than the final score.
The Apaches sent out senior highhanded Caleb Frank, Frank came in with a 1.59 ERA, the entire Fairview staff had a season ERA of just 2.37. The Rams sent out 2021 GMC player of the year, senior righty Andrew Imthurn, Imthurn came in with an 8-0 record and a 2.18 season ERA.
The Rams bats were as hot as the air in their bottom half of inning one. Tinora’s first four batters reached safely off Frank. Rams lead-off hitter Nolan Schafer started the inning with a single, followed by another single by senior shortstop Marcus Grube. The Grube single scored Schafer who stole second and went to third on the throwing error. POY Andrew Imthurn walked, bringing up Cole Commisso. A Commisso single scored Grube giving the Rams a 2-0 lead with no one out.
After a strikeout for the first out, the next two Rams hitters may have had the 2 most key at-bats in the game. The Rams first baseball sent a deep drive to left field, sending Apaches right fielder Austin Lashaway smashing into the fence, the Commisso drive hit near the top of the fence, missing a three-run home run by 24 inches. The Commisso smash resulted in just an RBI single, scoring Imthurn, giving the Rams a 3-0 lead. Up stepped Tinora right fielder Jayden Bergman with Rams runners on first and second. Bergman sent a line drive headed to left field, unfortunately in the way was Fairview third baseman Jackson Grine. Grine was in the right place at the right time, snagging the liner off Bergman’s bat, doubling off the runner at second to end the Rams inning.
Over the next few innings, both Imthurn and Frank sent most batters back to their respective benches empty-handed.
Fairview finally broke through to score two runs off Tinora’s Imthurn. Runs by Lashaway & Ripke cut the Rams lead to 3-2 after the third inning.
Neither team could get going over the next few innings, Ripke settled down after the rough first inning while Imthurn settled back in over the next few innings as well. Tinora led Fairview 3-3 as teams headed to the sixth inning.
The middle part of Andy Singers order was headed to the plate vs the senior Imthurn. Jackson Grine singled to center, followed by a Ronnie Adkins single off the glove of pitcher Imthurn to start the Fairview offense. After a strikeout for the first out of the inning, and runners on first and third, Brady Karzynow walked to load the bases for Fairview. Up stepped Apache Austin Lashaway with the Rams infield each playing in on the grass. Lashaway sent a one hopper off the hard Tinora infield dirt over the head of Rams third baseman Casen Wolfrum into left field, scoring both Grine and Adkins giving Fairview a 4-3 lead. With one out, a Rams throwing error allowed Karyznow to score from third, increasing the Fairview lead to 5-3 after six.
After an infield single to start the seventh, Imthurn exited and Jayden Bergman entered the game on the mound for Tinora. The Apaches added another run, a Caleb Frank run off a Jackson Grine RBI single, giving the Apaches a 6-3 lead.
After a lead off walk to Kade Vogelsong to start the bottom of the seventh for the Rams, the senior Caleb Frank retired the next three Rams hitters, sending the Apaches home with a 6-3 win over the Tinora Rams.
In winning, Fairview advances to Defiance High School where they will play Archbold on May 27. Fairview is now 15-10, Andy Singer with win #299. With the loss, the Rams Cinderella season comes to an end, finishing 23-5.
Playing in their final home game were seniors. Marcus & Max Grube, Ben Mendez Zach Spychala, Kade Vogelsong, Andrew Imthurn, & Jacob Bailey. Best wishes on your future, and thank you for a fantastic ride this season, Each of you has left footprints that will last forever on the baseball field at Tinora.
