Lakota East/Harrison Duals Rescheduled

The Lakota East dual wrestling match against Harrison High School has been rescheduled for Friday, Feb. 1st @ Lakota East High School. JV at 5:00 and Varsity at 7:00.

Submitted by Dan Hilen
Sports Information Director
Lakota East High School

James Horning Memorial Wrestling Tournament

Once again this year, Wm. Mason High School, the Mason Wrestling Family, and the James Horning Family will sponsor the James Horning Memorial Wrestling Tournament. This will be the fourth year for the annual varsity wrestling invitational held at the Mason Athletic Arena at Mason Middle School. On October 18, 2004 James Horning, a senior captain for the Mason Comets westling team as tradgically killed on I-75 when his truck lost control during a rain storm. From that incident, this tournament was started in his memory with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the James Horning Foundation which provides opportunities for wrestlers in need associated with the event.

This year's tournament will bring some of the best wrestling in the state to Mason on Saturday, January 19th. The field of schools include three dime Horning defending champions, Lakota West ranked fourth in the State of Ohio Division I Coaches' poll and Greater Metro Conference rival and host school Mason. Both Mason and Lakota West rank in the top 5 in the Cincinnati wrestling coaches' poll. Grove City Central Crossing is the top rated Columbus wrestling team will also be entered into the competition. Other schools who will participate are: Centerville, Dublin Coffman, Greenville, Kettering Fairmont, Lewis Center Olentangy, Milford, and Rochester (MI).

Since the first tournament, this one-day competition has been filled with outstanding wrestlers including four past Division I state champions, four state runners-up, twenty-three state placers, and seventy-one state qualifiers. And this year's field appears to be one of the strongest with the highest level of competition seen in the four year tournament. Lakota West's Ryan Field leads the returning competitors with three past Horning championships and three consecutive state runners-up performances. Robert Shepherd of Mason, Jesse Stevens of Lakota West, and Cody Beatty of Grove City Central Crossing all come into this year following a medal winning state tournament last year.

West's Tessa Elkins Commits To Ohio U.

Junior Tessa Elkins is a dynamic scoring point guard on the state's #1 women's basketball team. She is heavily counted on to create scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates. This includes making the right decisions with the ball.

On Sunday, Elkins made the right decision for herself as she committed to play basketball for Ohio University and coach Sylvia Crawley.

"I went on an unofficial visit last Wednesday and loved it," Elkins said. "Coach Crawley sat me down and offered me a full ride. I loved the coaches and just the atmosphere overall. My mom loved it too!"

Elkins was also considering Northern Arizona, Miami Univ., and other MAC schools.

Elkins, a 5'6" third year varsity player, is currently averaging 6.6 points per game on nearly 50% shooting. She was a 2nd Team All-GMC selection as a sophomore. West coach Andy Fishman feels like she will be very successful at OU.

"They love Tessa's athleticism," he said. "She will be a great fit there. She gets to play for one of the top programs in the MAC and she has a chance to go to the Tourney every year."

Elkins plans on studying sports medicine.

Submitted by Todd Hummer
Technology Education
Sports Information Director
Lakota West High School

Gamble named Fairfield football coach

Fairfield announced it has named Doc Gamble its new head football coach, pending school board approval Wednesday, according to the school district Web site.

Gamble, who had been head coach at Withrow since 2002, led the Tigers to a 17-4 record the past two seasons.

New Hacks Fab 5 Poll - Jan. 15

Cincinnati Big-School Division

1. Moeller (12-1) - Crusaders have played a tough schedule and are unbeaten against local competition. They are 3-0 against GCL South schools and beat USA Today No. 9-ranked Lincoln (NY). Only loss has been to USA Today No. 1-ranked St. Benedict's Prep (NJ) 56-45.

2. St. Xavier (13-1) - Bombers lone loss of the season is to No. 1 Moeller. All 13 wins are by double figures.

3. Elder (11-2) Panthers are on a six-game winning streak. Quality over La Salle (54-52) with close losses to Moeller (49-44) and St. Xavier (63-53).

4. Withrow (10-2) - Tigers are unbeaten against local competition and have quality wins over small-school power Taft and Scott County (KY).

5. Princeton (9-3) - Two of Vikings' losses have come to out-of-town competition. Quality win over a good Fairfield (11-3) team last week.

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Cincinnati Small-School Division

1. Seven Hills (10-1) - Stingers have won 10 straight and have not lost since Nov. 27 against North College Hill. Have since beaten NCH 75-66 in a rematch and also No. 4 Lockland.

2. Taft (9-5) Senators play a strong schedule and have faced several Division I teams.

3. Deer Park (11-1) Wildcats only loss a 60-54 setback against No. 5 Wyoming.

4. Lockland (11-1) - Ten-game winning streak to start the year snapped by Seven Hills last week. Quality win over Wyoming.

T5. Wyoming (7-4), NCH (9-5) - Cowboys have lost two of last three games, while Trojans have lost 3 of 5. Not the trend you want to see this time of year.

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Girls' Cincinnati Big-School Division

1. Lakota West (14-0) - Firebirds already own two big wins over No. 2 Mount Notre Dame and No. 3 Oak Hills and are clearly the top team at this point of the season. Could possibly run the table at 20-0 with only a couple of tough games remaining on the schedule.

2. Mount Notre Dame (13-2) - Cougars have rebounded from shaky 2-2 start with 11 straight wins. Only losses to Lakota West and Kentucky powerhouse Lexington Catholic.

3. Oak Hills (11-2) Good wins over Colerain and Winton Woods. Two losses to No. 1 Lakota West and strong Princeton team.

4. Winton Woods (11-1) - Not a real strong schedule. Only loss to No. 3 Oak Hills.

5. Colerain (12-3) - Cardinals slip in at No. 5 this week. Good win over Princeton.

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Girls' Cincinnati Small-School Division

1. CHCA (13-0) - Eagles keep winning, move to No. 1 this week.

2. Taft (11-4) Good win over Seven Hills.

3. Badin (9-5) - Nine wins playing a tough schedule keep Badin in top 5.

4. Seven Hills (11-4) - Three losses have come to No. 1 CHCA, the other to No. 5 Taft.

5. Georgetown (12-2) - Riding a seven-game winning streak after dropping two straight back in early December.

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Northern Kentucky

1. Holmes (13-1) - Bulldogs unbeaten against NKY competition, only loss 49-44 to Louisville Male.

2. Boone County (14-2) - Rebels on a roll winners of 14 of last 15 games. Soundly defeated Covington Catholic by 16 on the road last week.

3. Highlands (10-1) - Bluebirds lost first game of the season last week against Henry Clay 61-60. Defeated CovCath at the buzzer last week.

4. Covington Catholic (11-4) - Tough schedule may be starting to take its toll on Colonels, who have lost three of last five games.

5. Newport Central Catholic (9-3) - Good win over Cincinnati North College Hill. Lopsided losses to Highlands and Boone County. Questionable 71-56 loss to average Newport team.

Northern Kentucky Girls

1. Conner (12-2) - Good wins over Notre Dame, Ryle, Holmes and Cincinnati Taft. Losses are to Dixie Heights and Highlands.

2. Boone County (13-5) - Lady Rebels are unbeaten against local competition.

3. Simon Kenton (13-3) - Pioneers playing a tough schedule with good results so far.

4. Highlands (8-4) - Back to back wins over Conner and Boone County have the Lady Bluebirds on the rise.

5. Notre Dame (8-5) - Pandas play probably the toughest schedule in the area with all five losses coming to strong teams.