State champions highlighted 2008

State championships are an every-year occurrence for area high schools. But the six state titles that were added to area trophy cases this year combined to make those achievements the No. 1 local sports story of the year.

Two belonged to teams who, by most people's standards, could be called surprises after they finished third in their own respective leagues, but first in the state. Two came a year after heart-wrenching disappointments.

And, as usual, the Midwest Athletic Conference was an abundant source of state titles.

Delphos St. John's, the Division VI football state champion, and Ottawa-Glandorf, the Division III boys basketball champs, dominated once they got to the postseason parts of their schedule after finishing third in their league standings.

The Blue Jays (13-2) won their state semifinal game by 19 points, won their state title game by 20 points and didn't lose to a Division VI team all season.

Ottawa-Glandorf (23-5) beat Anna by eight points in the state semifinals, then swamped Sugarcreek Garaway by 18 points in the state championship game.

No one was as dominant on the big stage, though, as New Knoxville.

The Rangers won their school's first state championship by running through the Division IV boys basketball state tournament with a 62-41 decision over Wayne Trace and a 74-52 win over Worthington Christian in the finals.

New Knoxville's state title came a year after a senior-heavy unbeaten, No.1-ranked Rangers team lost to eventual state champion Georgetown in a regional championship game.

Bluffton's boys' state title in the Division III state track meet had some of that same contrast of great celebration after disappointment a year earlier. One of the driving forces for the Pirates, senior sprinter John Guagenti, missed the chance to qualify for the 2007 state track meet because of a hamstring injury.

But this time he won the 400-meter dash in state record-time, won the 200 meters and helped Bluffton set records in two relays.

Minster's girls cross country team didn't place a runner in the top 20, including individual runners at the state meet. But with four girls in the top 15 in the team competition, it added up to another state title for the Wildcats.

Marion Local's volleyball team was short on experience, but not on skill, and repeated as Division IV state champion, knocking off Jackson Center in the title game.

A list of the Top 10 stories of the year follows:

1. Six state champions. Delphos St. John's in football, Ottawa-Glandorf and New Knoxville in boys basketball, Bluffton in boys track, Minster in girls cross country and Marion Local in volleyball, bring state titles home to the area.

2. St. Henry's Todd Boeckman loses his job as Ohio State's starting quarterback after helping the Buckeyes reach the BCS national championship game last season.

3. Crestview High School and Bowling Green State University offensive lineman Kory Lichtensteiger is selected in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Denver Broncos.

4. Life in the fast lane: Delphos St. John's Cameron Hermiller repeats as boys Division III 100-meter dash champion at the state track meet. Bluffton's Bonnie Stratton sweeps the girls Division III 100 and 200. John Guagenti and Bluffton boys relay teams set Division III state records in the 400 meter dash and in the 800-meter and 1,600-meter relays.

5. Coaching milestones: Bath's Laura Ford becomes the first Ohio softball coach with 500 career wins and former Ottawa-Glandorf boys basketball coach Dave Sweet is inducted into the Ohio High Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

6. Pandora-Gilboa wins its first Putnam County League boys basketball title in school history.

7. Lima Senior dedicates it new baseball facility, Joe Bowers Field.

8. Bath's girls basketball team advances to the Division II state semifinals, sets what is believed to be a state record with 241 3-pointers and three of the Wildkittens players, Rachel Mauk, Stefanie Mauk and Nicki Hopkins, sign with NCAA Division I basketball programs.

9. Perry High School baseball coach Phil Krouskop retires after 39 years in that job. His teams won 503 games.

10. Veteran football coaches Larry Smith and Jim Ehresman, both with histories in the area dating back several decades, die after long illnesses.

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