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Posted 11/4/2024 at 5:50 a.m.

Three Players Share Top Honors; Moeller’s Bathiany Repeat Coach Of Year

The Greater Catholic League South Division has honored its share of blue-chip football players through its rich and storied history on the gridiron.  This year is no exception, with the latest talent-laden collection of league all-star players and special award winners for the 2024 season.
 
First- and second-team members of the All-GCL South Football Team, along with winners of the categorical awards, were voted on by league coaches at a special meeting held Sunday, October 27 at St.  Xavier High School.

Moeller junior quarterback Matt Ponatoski, who led the league in pass completions (187), completion percentage (69.0), yardage (2,684) and touchdowns (39) while being intercepted just twice in helping Moeller to a 9-1 regular season, is the GCL South Offensive Player of the Year.

La Salle senior linebacker Brady O’Conor and St. Xavier junior defensive back Kobe Clapper were voted co-Defensive Players of the Year by coaches after both turned in outstanding seasons in helping their respective teams to a combined 15-5 record.  

Moeller coach Bert Bathiany, who guided his team to nine wins, a second straight unbeaten season in the GCL South to earn the Crusaders a third straight league championship, was named Coach of the Year.  The Crusaders also finished the regular season No. 1 in the Division I, Region 4 Harbin computer ratings and No. 3 in the MaxPreps Ohio High School Football Rankings that include all classifications behind defending Division II state champion Massillon Washington and unbeaten Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit.

After throwing his lone two interceptions week four in a 21-14 overtime loss to Mallard Creek, NC in Ironton, Ponatoski was nearly perfect in the final six regular-season games – airing it out for 1,569 yards and 26 TDs.  In the Crusaders’ 35-30 win against defending DI state champion Lakewood St. Edward in week nine, Ponatoski connected on 17-of-24 passes for 191 yards and all five of Moeller’s TDs.

Ponatoski, a first-team selection as a sophomore when he helped guide Moeller to a 10-5 finish, league championship and third consecutive appearance I the DI state semifinals, threw for 3,344 yards and 29 TDs in 2023.  The last two seasons, Ponatoski has combined to completed 417-of-641 passes for 6,028 yards, 68 TDs and 11 interceptions.

O’Connor led the GCL South in total tackles with 86 while helping the Lancers post an 8-2 overall record to earn the No. 2 seed in the Division II, Region 8 Harbin computer ratings entering the postseason.  La Salle limited five of its 10 regular-season opponents to 12 points or fewer. O’Connor also registered a team-best 12 tackles for loss and intercepted one pass.

Clapper was second in the league in tackles, with 77, on a St. Xavier team that wound up 7-3 overall and 2-1 in the GCL South, good for second place.  The Bombers’ defense held eight of its opponents to 17 points or less, with the only two teams scoring more being Moeller and Indianapolis Cathedral.  He led the Bombers with nine tackles for loss and had 2.5 sacks.

All four league members were well represented on the All-GCL South teams and in the categorical special awards, all of which are listed below.
   
Here is a look at this year’s league all-star selections:

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
NAME, SCHOOL, POSITION, CLASS, HEIGHT, WEIGHT
Jake Britt, St. Xavier, RB, Junior, 6-0, 185
Jahmir Davis, La Salle, OL, Senior, 6-5, 297
Matt Fogler, Moeller, WR, Senior, 6-3, 185
Grant Hester, St. Xavier, OL, Junior, 6-3, 266
Tyler Josleyn, Moeller, RB, Junior, 5-9, 190
Tucker Kattus, St. Xavier, OL, Senior, 6-5, 305
Jovan Love, Moeller, WR, Senior, 6-3, 200
Titus Land, Moeller, OL, Senior, 6-1, 275
Jack Mallaber, Moeller, K, Sophomore, 5-10, 175
Roman Mason, Moeller, WR, Senior, 6-1, 195
Cooper McCutchan, Moeller, TE, Junior, 6-5, 225
Patrick McLaughlin, La Salle, QB, Senior, 6-0, 180
Matt Ponatoski, Moeller, QB, Junior, 6-1, 195
Chuck Powell, Moeller, OL, Senior, 6-4, 275
Joey Thamann, Elder, ATH, Senior, 5-8, 155
Tyrell Scott, Elder, OL, Junior, 6-4, 300
Daniel Vollmer, St. Xavier, ATH, Junior, 6-2, 220

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
NAME, SCHOOL, POSITION, CLASS, HEIGHT, WEIGHT
Walter Berry Jr., La Salle, DB, Senior, 5-10, 175
Lucas Bishop, St. Xavier, DB, Senior, 5-10, 175
Kobe Clapper, St. Xavier, DB, Junior, 6-2, 210
Conner Cuozzo, Moeller, LB, Junior, 6-1, 225
Griffin Daley, Moeller, DB, Senior, 6-0, 185
Joey Ditullio, Elder, DB, Senior, 5-10, 160
Alex Dugan, Elder, LB, Junior, 6-3, 180
Thomas Gerke, Moeller, DL, Senior, 6-2, 275
Christian Haris, Moeller, DL, Junior, 6-1, 275
Jonah Hayes, Moeller, DL, Senior, 6-6, 220
Fergus Kreider, La Salle, DL, Senior, 5-10, 230
Trent Maxam, St. Xavier, P, Senior, 6-1, 170
Brady O’Connor, La Salle, LB, Senior, 6-3, 210
Aden Reeder, St. Xavier, LB, Junior, 6-3, 205
Brayden Reilly, St. Xavier, DB, Junior, 6-3, 190
Sayre Smothers, La Salle, DB, Senior, 5-11, 157
Ricky Thomas, Moeller, DB, Junior, 6-1, 185
Derek Uran, Elder, LB, Junior, 6-2, 190

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
NAME, SCHOOL, POSITION, CLASS, HEIGHT, WEIGHT
Mateo Armenta, Moeller, OL, Senior, 6-2, 301
Jeremiah Bolah, Moeller, OL, Senior, 6-1, 230
Greylo Coach, Moeller, RB, Sophomore, 5-7, 165
Sam Hamilton, Moeller, TE, Junior, 6-3, 230
Chase Herbstreit, St. Xavier, QB, Senior, 6-2, 195
Matthew Hoerst, St. Xavier, TE, Senior, 6-3, 210
JT Hoffman, Elder, OL, Senior, 6-1, 220
Naim Jackson, La Salle, OL, Senior, 6-5, 240
Carson Khayo, Moeller, WR, Junior, 5-8, 155
Christopher Paff, Elder, WR, Senior, 5-9, 160
William Sweeny, St. Xavier, OL, Junior, 6-0, 255
Max Welter, La Salle, ATH, Senior, 6-5, 210

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
NAME, SCHOOL, POSITION, CLASS, HEIGHT, WEIGHT
Will Adkins, Moeller, DL, Senior, 6-2, 230
Jacob Cravens, Moeller, LB, Senior, 6-0, 195
Josh Fasbender, St. Xavier, DL, Sophomore, 6-4, 220
Zach Gates, La Salle, DL, Senior, 6-2, 209
Matthew Golinar, Elder, DL, Senior, 6-2, 190
Marino Middleton, Moeller, DB, Sophomore, 6-0, 180
Cooper Sandhas, Elder, DB, Senior, 5-9, 165
CaRon Seymore, St. Xavier, LB, Senior, 5-10, 220
Shane Strayhorn, St. Xavier, DB, Senior, 6-0, 170

SPECIAL AWARDS
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Matt Ponatoski, Moeller

CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Kobe Clapper, St. Xavier
Brady O’Connor, La Salle
 
COACH OF THE YEAR
Bert Bathiany, Moeller
  
CO- ALL-PURPOSE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Joey Thamann, Elder
Daniel Vollmer, St. Xavier

BACK OF THE YEAR
Matt Ponatoski, Moeller

RECEIVER OF THE YEAR
Jovan Love, Moeller
 
TIGHT END OF THE YEAR
Cooper McCutchan, Moeller

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
Tucker Kattus, St. Xavier
 
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
Christian Harris, Moeller
 
CO-LINEBACKERS OF THE YEAR
Brady O’Connor, La Salle
Derek Uran, Elder
 
DEFENSIVE BACK OF THE YEAR
Kobe Clapper, St. Xavier
 
KICKER OF THE YEAR
Jack Mallabar, Moeller 

PUNTER OF THE YEAR
Trent Maxam, St. Xavier

Posted 10/28/2024 at 2:34 p.m.

Moeller’s Lang Selected Player of Year; Crusaders’ Welker Earns Coach Honor

The Greater Catholic League South Division is pleased to announce its all-star soccer team for the 2024 season. Members of this prestigious team, along with winners of special awards, were voted on by league coaches at a special meeting held at the conclusion of the regular season.

Moeller junior forward Karson Lang, who ended the regular season second in the league in points (23) and goals scored (nine) and was tied for fourth in assists (5), was named GCL South Player of the Year.   Lang, second team All-GCL as a sophomore, now has 17 goals and 24 assists in his career and ranks fifth in career assists at Moeller, with 24. 

Moeller coach Mike Welker, whose team finished the regular season unbeaten for the third time in school history, was named GCL South Coach of the Year the for the second straight season.

Moeller posted a 14-0-3 regular-season mark, including a 5-0-1 record in the GCL South to extend its unbeaten league streak to 13 matches.

Moeller – which recorded 10 defensive shutouts this season - placed four players on the first team: Lang, a three-year starter who had suffered only two losses during his career entering the postseason tournament; junior Jose Stefano; junior Thomas Oliver; and sophomore Garrett Tyra-Griffith.

St. Xavier, which had another strong regular season against a difficult schedule finishing 9-6-1 overall and 4-2-0 in the GCL South, had three seniors named first team:  Bennett Tekavec, Adam Schwab, and Charlie Lynch.

Moeller and St. Xavier will meet for the third time this season in the regional semifinals of the Ohio High School Athletic Association State Tournament.  Kickoff is 7 p.m. Wednesday at Lakota East High School in Liberty Township.

La Salle and Elder each placed two players on the first team:  senior Andrew Reed and junior Joe Harmon for the Lancers, with Harmon ending the regular season first in the league in goals and total points, with 12 and 24, respectively.  Elder senior Conner Accurso and junior Nichlas Leuenberger joined the prestigious first team.

Here is a look at this year’s league all-star selections:

FIRST TEAM
NAME, SCHOOL, CLASS
Karson Lang, Moeller, Junior
Jose Stefano, Moeller, Junior
Thomas Oliver, Moeller, Junior
Garrett Tyra-Griffith, Moeller, Sophomore
Bennett Tekavec, St. Xavier, Senior
Adam Schwab, St. Xavier, Senior
Charlie Lynch, St. Xavier, Senior
Andrew Reed, La Salle, Senior
Joe Harmon, La Salle, Junior
Connor Accurso, Elder, Senior
Nicholas Leuenberger, Elder, Junior

SECOND TEAM
NAME, SCHOOL, CLASS
Michael Stocks, Moeller, Senior
Paxton Hafner, Moeller, Senior
Tad Wolfe, Moeller, Junior
David Rimkevicus, Moeller, Senior
Luke Smith, St. Xavier, Junior
Davis House, St. Xavier, Senior
Antony Santagata, St. Xavier, Senior
Kellan Riesenback, La Salle, Junior
Benji Crow, La Salle, Senior
Maxwell Martin, Elder, Junior
Jack Banister, Elder, Junior

SENIOR ACADEMIC ALL-STARS
NAME, SCHOOL
Hayden Rankin, Elder
Sam Schneider, La Salle
David Antaki, Moeller
Evin Lodder, St. Xavier

SPECIAL AWARDS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Karson Lang, Moeller
 
COACH OF THE YEAR
Mike Welker, Moeller

Posted 10/21/2024 at 12:10 p.m.

St. Xavier’s Bruns Earns Runner of Year; Wietmarschen, Bombers Streak At 14

The Greater Catholic League South Division is pleased to announce its all-star cross-country team for the 2024 season. Members of this prestigious team, along with winners of special awards, earned their respective status through their performances at the annual GCL Cross Country Championships, a meet that was held on Saturday, October 12 over the course at Christ’s Church in Mason.

St. Xavier senior Alex Bruns was named GCL South Runner of the Year after finishing first over the 5K course with a time of 15:44.7.  A year ago, Bruns finished just .09 seconds behind Bombers’ senior Evan Trapp, who won the race for the second straight time and held the league’s top running honor.

St. Xavier coach Andy Wietmarschen, who has led his teams to league title each of the last 14 years, was again named GCL South Coach of the Year.  His Bomber runners claimed the top four spots and five of the top six to finish with a team score of 16.  The league title was No. 27 for St. Xavier’s outstanding program.

In the league championship race, St. Xavier came in first with a team score of 23 after seven Bomber runners finished in the top 10.  Moeller was scored with a 39, with Elder in third at 75, and La Salle finishing at 114.

St. Xavier junior Dom Ellis came in second with a time of 16:12.6, followed by a pair of Moeller runners in juniors Brock Grubert (16:24.9) and Preston Wesley (16:27.3) finishing third and fourth, respectively.  St. Xavier senior Jack Nesbit (16:34.8), fifth; Moeller junior Owen Speed (16:40.5), sixth; and Bombers’ senior Landen Fernandez (16:43.7), seventh, were named to the first team.

The second-team members are runners who finished in the next seven spots at the league meet, listed in order:  sophomore Benjamin Wangugi, St. Xavier; senior Owen Paul, St. Xavier; senior Nick Hastings, St. Xavier; junior Zach Lazor, Moeller; and Elder seniors John Merk, Chris Moorman and Parker Smith, respectively.

The GCL South runners turned in an impressive performance at the OHSAA Division I Southwest District Championships last Saturday at Voice of America Park in West Chester.  St. Xavier came in first atop the 16-school field with a team score of 38, with Moeller third at 93, and Elder sixth with a 174.  League runners claimed five of the top 10 positions, with Bruns finishing first in the 106-runner field with a time of 15:19.8.

Bombers’ teammate Ellis was third at 15:35.7, while Moeller’s Grubert was fifth at 15:51.10.  Speed of Moeller came in eighth, at 16:01.6, with Nesbit of St. Xavier eighth with a time of 16:02.5.  The Region 4 meet is Saturday at Troy Memorial Stadium.

Here is a look at this year’s league all-star selections:

FIRST TEAM
NAME, SCHOOL, CLASS
Alex Bruns, St. Xavier, Senior
Dom Ellis, St. Xavier, Junior
Brock Grubert, Moeller, Junior
Preston Wesley, Moeller, Junior
Jack Nesbit, St. Xavier,  
Owen Speed, Moeller, Junior
Landen Fernandez, St. Xavier, Senior

SECOND TEAM
NAME, SCHOOL, CLASS
Benjamin Wangugi, St. Xavier, Sophomore
Owen Paul, St. Xavier, Senior
Nick Hastings, St. Xavier, Senior
Zach Lazor, Moeller, Junior
John Merk, Elder, Senior
Chris Moorman, Elder, Senior
Parker Smith, Elder, Senior

SPECIAL AWARDS
RUNNER OF THE YEAR
Alex Bruns, St. Xavier

COACH OF THE YEAR
Andy Wietmarschen, St. Xavier

Posted 10/14/2024 at 5:55 a.m.

Elder’s Morgan Three-Peats As Golfer of Year; St. X’s Kepley Again Coach of Year

The Greater Catholic League South Division is pleased to announce its all-star golf team for the 2024 season. Members of this prestigious team, along with winners of special awards, earned their respective status through a league season of matches that included a total of 72 holes comprising four 18-hole events that culminated with the two-day, 36-hole GCL Championship to close its league season.

Elder senior Cayse Morgan, who is competing in the Ohio High School Athletic Association State Golf Tournament today and Tuesday, closed out an outstanding high school career by earning an unprecedented third consecutive GCL South Golfer of the Year.  Morgan finished a combined 10-under over the 72 holes.  Morgan, who came in third at state last year, is committed to continue his golf career at Xavier University.

St. Xavier coach Alex Kepley, whose team emerged from the tightest league race in years, extended its reign over the GCL South to 10 consecutive years, was named the GCL South Coach of the Year.  The Bombers’ program has now won 35 of the last 45 league titles.  The Bombers also earned a berth in the OHSAA State Tournament by winning the Southwest Ohio Division I District Tournament at Pipestone Golf Club, edging out state qualifiers Anderson and Moeller.

St. Xavier again captured the GCL in what turned out to be one of the tightest finishes to date.  The Bombers tied Elder in the final round, each finishing with a team score of 301, with Moeller just two shots off at 303.  The final aggregate totals were St. Xavier, 1188, followed by Elder at 1201, Moeller 1242, and La Salle 1306.  La Salle was the most improved team over 2023 scores, cutting off 79 strokes, while Elder improved by 24 shots.

All seven St. Xavier golfers who played at least two of the four rounds, were named All-GCL South. Four earned spots on the first team, including senior captain Michael Stagnaro Jr. (second); sophomore Eli Moore (fourth); senior captain George Baker, senior Ben Zieker, and sophomore Patrick Paquette.  Senior captain Tanner Berry and junior Owen Sedgwick earned second-team honors from St. Xavier.

Senior Landon Meiners joined Morgan from Elder on the first team, while Moeller also had two representatives in senior Landon Harris and junior Griffin Valencic.   Juniors Jack Richardson and Jake Voss, along with freshman Michael Moorman, from Elder were named second team, along with La Salle senior Colin Bobowski.

The league held its first two 18-hole league matches at Western Hills Country Club (August 23) and Hyde Park County Club (September 3) before closing with 36 holes spread over two 18-hole rounds one week apart at PipeStone Golf Club in Miamisburg (September 15 & 22), site of last week’s Southwest Ohio Division I District Tournament.

Here is a look at this year’s league all-star selections:

FIRST TEAM
NAME, SCHOOL, CLASS
George Baker, St. Xavier, Senior
Landon Harris, Moeller, Senior
Landon Meiners, Elder, Senior
Eli Moore, St. Xavier, Sophomore
Cayse Morgan, Elder, Senior
Michael Stagnaro Jr., St. Xavier, Senior
Patrick Paquette, St. Xavier, Sophomore
Griffin Valencic, Moeller, Junior
Ben Zieker, St. Xavier, Junior

SECOND TEAM
NAME, SCHOOL, CLASS
Tanner Berry, St. Xavier, Senior
Colin Bobowski, La Salle, Senior
Michael Moorman, Elder, Freshman
Jack Richardson, Elder, Junior
Owen Sedgwick, St. Xavier, Junior
Jack Voss, Elder, Junior

SPECIAL AWARDS
GOLFER OF THE YEAR
Cayse Morgan, Elder
COACH OF THE YEAR
Alex Kepley, St. Xavier

Unbeaten Champion Moeller Dominates All-League Teams, Special Awards 

It was a near-perfect regular season for the Moeller High School basketball team, which opened with nine consecutive victories and, following its only setback at state power Centerville, closed the remaining schedule with 12 straight victories to finish with a 21-1 overall record and an unbeaten 6-0 mark in the difficult Greater Catholic League South Division.

As a result, Moeller earned its first GCL South title since sharing it with Elder and St. Xavier in 2020-21.  The perfect record against league competition marked the fifth time in the last decade that the Crusaders have gone 6-0 in the GCL South, after earning four straight titles without losing a game from the 2016-17 season through 2019-20.
 
The All-GCL South Basketball Teams, along with the three special individual awards, were voted on by league coaches at a special meeting held last Sunday.  Moeller, which won its league games by an average margin of 18.5 points, also dominated the awards.  
 
Junior forward Alex Kazanecki of Moeller, who led the Crusaders’ balanced attack with 12.8 points per game while shooting 52.9 percent (101 of 191) from the field, 40.7 percent from three-point range (37 of 91) and 76.4 percent (42 of 55) from the free-throw line, was named GCL South Player of the Year.  He also averaged 4.3 rebounds and scored 12 or more points in all six league games.

Moeller senior Kyle Havens and Elder senior Drew Murphy, who ranked second in the GCL South averaging 2.0 steals per game, were named co-Defensive Players of the Year for their efforts against some of the top scorers their teams faced this season.  In total, Moeller had five players named to the first and second teams.

Veteran Moeller coach Carl Kremer was named GCL South Coach of the Year after guiding his team to its impressive record and high seed entering postseason play.  The Crusaders improved their current winning streak to 13 with a 73-36 win over Talawanda in their opening game of the Ohio High School Athletic Association State Basketball Tournament last night at Fairfield High School.
 
Moeller placed three players on the first team, led by Kazanecki.  He is joined by senior Eric Mahaffey (who averaged 8.7 points, finished third in rebounds at 5.9, and led the league in assists, 2.8) and senior Noah George (8.5 points and a league-best 59.6 field-goal percentage).

Also named to the six-person first team were junior Cam Williams of Elder, who led the league in scoring averaging 13.1 points per game, along with junior Jacob Wassler of St. Xavier (10.9 points, league-leading 6.8 rebounds and tied for the lead in blocked shots, 1.0) and La Salle junior Brady O’Connior earned the vote of league coaches after averaging 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and two assists per game for the Lancers.

Two more members of the Moeller team were named second team:  Havens and senior AJ McBride, while Elder had three in the eight-player group:  Murphy along with seniors Ryan Brass (fourth in rebounds, 4.8, and fifth in assists, 2.5) and Tyler Johnson (third in points per game, 11.7, second in rebounds at 6.7 and tied for the lead in blocks, 1.0).

St. Xavier senior Andrew Weber (third in assists, 2.7) and junior Donovan Waleskowshki (fourth in scoring, 11.2) were joined by La Salle junior Drae Arnold, who had a league-leading 2.2 steals per game and was fourth in assists, 2.6.

Elder and St. Xavier tied for second in the league standings, at 3-3, with each falling to Moeller twice during GCL South play.  Elder finished the regular season an impressive 17-4, going 14-1 against non-league opponents.  The Panthers opened tournament play with a 57-23 victory against Colerain Wednesday night.

St. Xavier wound up 16-6 in the regular season, finishing 13-3 outside the league.  The Bombers will open sectional play by facing the winner of La Salle vs. Lakota East next Tuesday at St. Xavier. La Salle-Lakota East is set for 7:30 tonight at Fairfield.

Here is a look at this season’s league all-star selections:

ALL-GCL SOUTH DIVISION BASKETBALL TEAMS

FIRST TEAM
PLAYER, SCHOOL, GRADE, HEIGHT
Noah George, Moeller, Senior, 6-5
Alex Kazanecki, Moeller, Junior, 6-5
Eric Mahaffey, Moeller, Senior, 6-5
Brady O’Connor, La Salle, Junior, 6-3
Jacob Wassler, St. Xavier, Junior, 6-11
Cam Williams, Elder, Junior, 6-2

SECOND TEAM
PLAYER, SCHOOL, GRADE, HEIGHT
Drae Arnold, La Salle, Junior, 6-0
Ryan Brass, Elder, Senior, 6-2
Kyle Havens, Moeller, Senior, 6-0
Tyler Johnson, Elder, Senior, 6-7
AJ McBride, Moeller, Senior, 6-5
Drew Murphy, Elder, Senior, 6-4
Donovan Waleskowski, St. Xavier, Junior, 6-5
Andrew Weber, St. Xavier, Senior, 6-0

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Alex Kazanecki, Moeller

CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Drew Murphy, Elder
Kyle Havens, Moeller
 
COACH OF THE YEAR 
Carl Kremer, Moeller