Sports
by Sarah sherepita
Skateboarding has long been a popular sport among kids and teenagers, offering a thrilling and dynamic way to stay active and have fun. For children looking to dip their toes into the world of skateboarding, Kids Skate Day is here to provide a fantastic opportunity to learn the basics in a safe and supportive environment.
With a team of experienced instructors boasting over 20 years of teaching experience, Kids Skate Day focuses on developing fundamental skills such as pushing, turning, balance, and overall improvement in skateboarding abilities. The camp aims to not only teach the technical aspects of skateboarding, but also instill safety awareness and consideration for fellow skaters.
One of the key aspects of the camp is teaching children the rules of the skate park and skate park etiquette. Understanding the proper way to behave and interact within a skateboarding community is essential for a positive and enjoyable experience for all participants. By learning these fundamental principles, kids can develop a strong foundation for their skateboarding journey.
Throughout the camp, children will be guided on various essential skills, including proper foot positioning, riding techniques, pushing the board, turning, and maintaining balance while navigating slopes. The lessons are designed to be positive and encouraging, with a focus on celebrating each other's successes and even failures. By fostering a supportive and inclusive environment, Kids Skate Day aims to boost kids' confidence and build a sense of camaraderie within the group.
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Volume 20, Issue 15, Posted 6:06 PM, 08.08.2024
by Christine Gordillo
Last month marked a significant milestone in Lakewood and Northeast Ohio high school athletics as the Cleveland West Conference was officially established. The Cleveland West Conference will be comprised of seven school districts, including eight high schools and 10 middle schools in the Greater Cleveland area. Dedicated to promoting sportsmanship, competition, and community, the conference offers a platform for student-athletes to excel both on and off the field.
The founding members of the Cleveland West Conference include:
Bay Village City Schools
Buckeye Local School District
Lakewood City School District
North Olmsted City Schools
Parma City School District
Rocky River City School District
Westlake City School District
Each of these school districts brings a rich tradition of athletic excellence and academic achievement to the conference. The creation of the Cleveland West Conference comes at a pivotal time, providing student-athletes with enhanced opportunities for growth and competition within their local communities.
"Lakewood is excited to be part of the inception of the Cleveland West Conference," said Lakewood Athletic Director Rob Slone. "The schools that comprise the new league share the philosophy that athletics are tools that students use to learn essential life skills such as self-discipline, teamwork and a strong work ethic. They also believe that our athletic programs help promote physical and mental wellness along with a positive self image for all of our student-athletes."
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Volume 20, Issue 15, Posted 6:06 PM, 08.08.2024
by Jim Maday
The Ranger Nation Football Club (RNFC), a newly established non-profit organization, is set to revolutionize youth football in Lakewood. With a mission to foster growth and development from the ground up, RNFC aims to create a supportive and inclusive community that emphasizes leadership, teamwork, and resilience.
The RNFC is dedicated to enhancing the football experience for players at all levels. By providing state-of-the-art equipment, exceptional training opportunities, and spirited Lakewood Purple and Gold gear, the organization hopes to cultivate a strong football identity that extends beyond the field.
"Our mission is to build a winning program that not only improves the experience for our players but also nurtures future leaders and strengthens the bonds within our community," said Mike Bentley, President of RNFC. "A strong youth football program is essential for assisting Coach Polevacik in building a successful high school program. A vibrant football community, as we had in the past, unites Lakewood and instills a sense of pride and belonging."
The RNFC’s first major initiative is a fundraiser to purchase professional-grade jerseys for the 5th and 6th-grade football teams. According to Bentley, a well-designed uniform not only instills pride but also fosters team spirit and unity among young players.
Lakewood High School Football Coach Mike Polevacik echoes Bentley's sentiments. He believes a comprehensive strategy that supports athletes from youth through high school is vital for sustained success.
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Volume 20, Issue 13, Posted 8:59 PM, 07.02.2024
by Mirsad Curri
It only takes reading a few of Dr. G’s Lakewood High School athletic recaps to see how high school sports bring us together as a community and fill us with Ranger pride.
According to Kristian Hila, LHS ’10 “The greatest strength of the LHS Boys Soccer program is our beautiful mix of cultures and life experiences that come together and create lifelong friendships and a shared love for our game and the Lakewood soccer family.”
Current and future athletes pour their hearts into the soccer program. You might see them on their way to conditioning at 6:00 am year-round or playing at the Madison Park Futsal courts late into the night. Behind the scenes there are hours spent studying – sometimes learning English for the first time or helping teammates master chemistry and algebra. Some players work part-time to help their family pay for rent and food. Others spend hours volunteering in the community.
While differences in finances are not an insurmountable hurdle within Lakewood, they play a big part in shutting down opportunities for some of our talented athletes to play high-level club soccer. This type of training exposes players to intense competition, puts them in front of college recruiters offering scholarship opportunities, and helps them realize their fullest potential.
Over the years, many in the community have been quietly helping make higher-level soccer training more accessible by paying for soccer cleats/uniforms, purchasing meals, or springing for extra hotel rooms. Now, with the encouragement of former LHS alumni and parent groups, the G.O.A.L.S. program has been launched. Granting Opportunity and Access for Lakewood Soccer (G.O.A.L.S.) is raising funds to provide high-level soccer training and equipment for boys from refugee and low-income families.Key to the program is creating a sense of belonging and support by removing income level as a barrier.
For me this is a personal story. Like many LHS soccer players, I came to Lakewood as an immigrant. I was 7 years old, from a single parent home and did not speak a word of English. The Lakewood soccer community was welcoming and generous. Families in our community found ways for boys like me to play for LSA and later Lakewood United. We had rides, and uniforms, and a safe, fun place to make friends and feel at home.
Waking up at 5:30 every day for training as an LHS soccer player was intense, exhausting and an amazing environment for building great habits, learning to make good decisions, and building the best friendships.
When I am not studying for my accelerated BSN degree you can see me on the sidelines as a Lakewood United and Lakewood City Futsal coach, and in the stands for LHS games with fellow alumni and lifelong friends cheering on each new generation of Rangers. I am grateful to be able to give back to the community that did so much for me.
I hope you will consider making a contribution either directly to G.O.A.L.S. or by enjoying a delicious, healthy meal for dine-in or take-out on April 11, 2024 at the Lakewood Aladdin’s Eatery, 14536 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, OH 44107. On that day, 10% of all proceeds will go directly to support G.O.A.L.S.
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Volume 20, Issue 7, Posted 4:24 PM, 04.03.2024
by Ted Nagel
My name is Ted Nagel and I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you to the Lakewood Community on the occasion of my retirement as Lakewood High School's Girls Soccer Coach. I'm mostly writing to the younger families with girls aged 6-14 to consider joining the Beautiful Game as it is known around the world.
In recent years, participation in girls soccer has dropped off to the surprise of many of us who have been involved with the sport for the past 20+ years. Lakewood has been a vibrant soccer coummunity since my family moved here 12 years ago. The boys soccer programs have continued to thrive due to a number of factors, but the girls soccer participation rate has continued to slide over the last five years that I have coached. This trend is also nationwide (https://www.soccerwire.com/soccer-blog/new-study-shows-negative-trend-in-youth-soccer-player-retention/?fbclid=IwAR34nhCOp7hFsVsewpSwjAFOUxpuvJRP5Z109dBpSBgeEp4eS1pyVGEeBMo) and to those of us who love the game, it is very concerning.
From my perspective, I believe that the national trend is due to those involved in soccer at a high level being more concerned about developing the talent that can win the USA a World Cup over developing a love for the game and a participation rate at the grassroots level. We have adopted an "up or out" mentality in soccer that tells kids that if they haven't reached a national level team by age 14, they might as well hang up the cleats. This approach is a terrible mindset for youth sports and it is not limited to soccer. The benefit for kids in sports is that it is important to their personal growth. Having an ultimate goal of playing for your high school team, as most kids dream about for most other sports, is perfectly fine. And communities should be able to provide the coaching, facilities and other resources to allow them to do that all within their local community.
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Volume 20, Issue 1, Posted 1:59 PM, 01.10.2024
by Ted Nagel
With the end of the school year approaching, the Lakewood High School Girls Soccer Team begins their pre-season training to get ready for the upcoming 2023 season. The Girls Soccer Rangers are coming off of an impressive 12-5 season, a Great Lakes Conference East Championship and are looking forward to continuing that success in 2023. Beyond the playing field, our girls have had 2 recent Presidents of the National Honor Society, multiple class officers, and an astonishing Team 4.0 GPA, which the Athletic Director said was the first time for a large team of 30+ players in LHS history. The team starts with Captain's Practices at LHS Stadium, June 5, 9:00-11:00 am. Part of the great success of last year was our very talented senior class of 14 girls. Our task now is to replace that number with talented soccer players or aggressive athletes willing to learn.
The long-term health of our program is reliant on a motivated and knowledgeable population of families/ girls participating in various youth soccer programs offered by Lakewood and the surrounding area. Obviously, the younger kids start playing, the better their chances of playing in high school, but a really good athlete can often catch up if they start playing, love the game and really want to play in high school. So, just because you haven't played in the past, doesn't mean that you can't catch up. With that in mind, I would like to review the opportunities in this area to play soccer. The "entry level" of soccer in Lakewood is Lakewood Soccer Association (LSA) Saturday Soccer. LSA offers Saturday Soccer in the fall and spring and is played in the Metroparks on Saturday mornings. It is a fun introduction to the game of soccer and kids really learn to love the game playing in LSA. For information and registration go to: https://www.lakewood-soccer.com
The next level for the soccer player who really loves playing and is looking to further develop is "Travel Soccer" and that is represented by Lakewood United Football Club (LUFC). LUFC has teams starting at U9 and are split between boys and girls divisions. Players from 7-14 can join a team that exposes players to a higher level of coaching and competition. Players play for their community team against other, local community teams. There are different ability levels with multiple teams in the same age group to accommodate different levels of player ability. These teams usually practice twice a week and have a single game a week, usually. Contact: https://www.lakewoodunitedfc.org
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Volume 19, Issue 9, Posted 12:21 PM, 05.03.2023
by Drew Ferguson
Over the last two decades, lacrosse has been the fastest-growing team sport in the United States. Lakewood Saints Lacrosse is a Club Lacrosse program open to boys and girls enrolled in grades 2 through 8 living in Lakewood or Cleveland. The season runs from March through May and is a whole lot of fun to watch and play.
Lacrosse is a team sport that was invented by Native North Americans. Its name was dehuntshigwa'es in Onondaga ("men hit a rounded object"), da-nah-wah'uwsdi in Eastern Cherokee ("little war"), Tewaarathon in Mohawk language ("little brother of war"), and baaga'adowe in Ojibwe ("bump hips").
Each player has a stick (crosse) with a net on the end that is used for throwing and catching a rubber ball. The object is to advance the ball into your opponent’s end and score a goal. Lacrosse incorporates concepts from several sports including soccer, basketball and hockey. It doesn’t matter how big or how small you are, there’s a place for you in lacrosse. Speed, skill and smarts are just as important as size on the lacrosse field. Men’s lacrosse allows for varying levels of body contact requiring more protective equipment, while women’s lacrosse is a non-contact sport requiring less.
Lakewood Saints Lacrosse is a member of USA Lacrosse, North Coast Chapter and the Northern Ohio Lacrosse League. Lakewood Saints Lacrosse provides every athlete the opportunity to enter, enjoy and excel by learning and playing lacrosse in a way that’s best for each stage of growth and development. Boys and girls are divided into Learn To Play (Grade 2), Bantam (Grades 3-4), Youth (Grades 5-6) and Middle School (Grades 7-8). New players are accepted at all levels with the goal of developing knowledge and skill from year to year.
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Volume 19, Issue 4, Posted 12:20 PM, 02.15.2023
by Sharon Mathaios
Come to Emerson Elementary School and grab a snack to benefit a good cause!
The Lakewood Recreation Cheerleaders are holding their second annual fundraising event. Last year, they raised more than $450 for the Lakewood Food Pantry. This year's proceeds will benefit Tabby Tails Cat Rescue in Custar, OH.
Tabby Tails is a 501c3 organization that serves as a safety net for high-risk cats. These cats are most likely to be euthanized in the shelter system. This includes feral and disabled cats. Cats with behavioral issues, hybrids, and severely ill or injured cats. Whether these cats are adopted or have to live at Tabby Tails' sanctuary, they will be safe and loved. To give cats a second, third, or even fourth chance at life.
The cheerleaders run a concession stand at the Saturday basketball games at Emerson Elementary School on Clifton Blvd. Selling tasty snacks that are a treat for both you and the cats.
Head Coach Valentina Teles, in her fourth season coaching with the Rec Department, is in charge of the fundraiser. "Cheering goes beyond just cheering at games; it's being a leader in your community and setting an example, thus the name Cheerleader," she says. I'm very proud of all my girls for their dedication to their squad, academics, and extracurriculars. This fundraiser would not be possible without them, the parents who help out, and the Lakewood community."
Coach Valentina is joined this year by Coach Kara Nieves, who is in her second season. Together they coordinate the Rec Cheer program.
If you have any questions, want to help, or donate, please contact:
lkwdcoachvalen@gmail.com
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Volume 19, Issue 3, Posted 11:49 AM, 02.01.2023
by Dr. Charles Greanofff
Of all high school sports, wrestling offers the most intense one-on-one matchups, a competition in which mistakes are amplified and mental and physical toughness are at a premium. Wrestling is commonly regarded as the oldest sport in the world-- the famous cave paintings in Lascaux, France, dating back 15,300 years, depict wrestlers. When a Lakewood Ranger steps onto the mat, they are walking into history and into a crucible of sorts. It is high stakes winner take all with no ambiguity, and it can be painful.
Thanks to the efforts of Head Coaches Gray Cooper (Boys) and Doug Thomas (Girls), the Lakewood Rangers Wrestling program is on the rise. Kate Borkowski (Assistant Coach: Girls) and Ino Gjermeni (Assistant Coach: Boys) are also invaluable to the program. Last Thursday, the boys defeated Valley Forge while the girls program continues to grow and improve. There are great things ahead for the Rangers, and here is why.
Guided by dedicated coaches, the student athletes that comprise our present teams are committing themselves to their techniques, conditioning and competitiveness. The girls are pioneers, laying down a standard and setting an example for those to follow (middle school girls wrestling is growing in Lakewood). Last season, Captain Jillian Coulson and Zayna Muntaser were state qualified (Zanya is currently 7-0 on the season). Also competing for the Ranger Girls are Alex Horton, Savanah Tate (notched her first win last Thursday), Olivia Demery and Danika Patera. They are getting better with every practice.
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Volume 18, Issue 24, Posted 7:26 PM, 12.21.2022
by Mike Deneen
The Lakewood football team fell 38-12 to Rocky River on Friday night at First Federal Lakewood Stadium. River senior running back Johnny Bebie had three touchdowns to lead the Pirate victory. The Pirates reclaimed the “Battle of the Bridge” trophy after losing it to the Rangers 21-14 in 2021.
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Volume 18, Issue 18, Posted 11:16 PM, 09.09.2022
by Mike Deneen
The Lakewood football team fell 26-7 to Bay on Friday night at First Federal Lakewood Stadium. The Rockets capitalized on Ranger turnovers, scoring three touchdowns in the second quarter to build a large lead. Lakewood held Bay scoreless in the second half, but wasn’t able to cut into the halftime margin.
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Volume 18, Issue 17, Posted 11:08 PM, 08.26.2022
by Mike Deneen
The Lakewood Rangers football team opened its season with a 34-13 win at John Marshall on a humid Saturday afternoon in West Park. Lakewood jumped out to an early lead and controlled most of the game, due in part to some key Marshall mistakes. It was the Rangers first-ever visit to nearby John Marshall, which recently had a new stadium built by the Cleveland Browns.
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Volume 18, Issue 17, Posted 4:37 PM, 08.20.2022
by Joe Ginley
One of Lakewood’s own is a statistical national champion.
Olivia Nagy finished as the NCAA Division III statistical champion in both double-doubles (21) and blocks per game (4.54) after an outstanding senior season with John Carroll University Women’s Basketball.
“I’m honored to be a statistical champion in two categories,” said Nagy. “While playing, I tried to focus on making important plays that didn’t just have to do with scoring. Getting rebounds and blocks is just as an important part of the game. I’m glad I could contribute those stats to my team and that it helped us to have a successful season.”
Nagy, a 2018 Lakewood High School graduate, guided the Blue Streaks to an Ohio Athletic Conference Regular Season Championship as well as a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Along the way, Nagy enjoyed plenty of individual success.
The Lakewood resident won a wide range of accolades for the 2021-22 season, including D3hoops.com and WBCA All-America recognition, the OAC Player of the Year award, First Team All-OAC, and a spot on the OAC All-Tournament Team. Nagy also secured the OAC Defensive Player of the Year award, as she is the only athlete to ever win this honor.
The former Ranger departs as John Carroll’s all-time leader in blocks (366), rebounds (952), rebounds per game (10.6), field goal percentage (.570), and blocks per game (4.1). Nagy also holds the OAC records for career blocks and blocks in a season (132).
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Volume 18, Issue 13, Posted 12:21 PM, 07.06.2022
by Sharon Mathaios
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Volume 17, Issue 21, Posted 10:15 AM, 01.05.2022
by Mike Deneen
The Lakewood Ranger football team earned their biggest win in a decade on Friday night, defeating Rocky River 21-14 at Rocky River Stadium. The victory makes the Rangers 4-0 on the season, and legitimizes the team’s playoff hopes. The game was played on a beautiful evening in River before an enthusiastic crowd. A large contingent of Ranger fans filled the eastern bleachers of the stadium, and they did not go home disappointed.
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Volume 17, Issue 18, Posted 10:51 PM, 09.10.2021
by Mike Deneen
The Lakewood football team defeated Fairview 55-3 on Friday night to remain undefeated this season. This is the program’s first 3-0 start since the mid-1990s, a fact that delighted the festive crowd at First Federal Lakewood Stadium. The win was a strong team effort, and senior running back Hakeem Quran had another career night. He scored seven touchdowns, running for over 320 yards and making an interception on defense.
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Volume 17, Issue 18, Posted 10:42 PM, 09.03.2021
by Ted Nagel
On August 13, Lakewood High School Girls Soccer team hosted St. Joseph Academy in a charity soccer game to benefit the Greater Clevend Food Bank. After collecting over 300 food items, the storm came rolling in and the varsity game was postponed. After some hasty coordination, the game was played on the following Monday giving the teams' supporters an extra opportunity to give. The final tally for the food drive was over 450 food items weighing in at close to 500 pounds of food to help local families.
Kim Barber was the Lakewood mom who honcho'd the effort while her daughter Lauren Barber was the Lakewood player of the game in goal. St. Joe's won the game 2-0 in a closely fought contest. The ultimate winners are the families helped through the efforts of the families of our soccer community. Thank you all!
Ted Nagel is the Lakewood High School Girls Varsity Soccer Coach.
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Volume 17, Issue 17, Posted 2:41 PM, 09.01.2021
by Mike Deneen
The Lakewood Ranger football team opened its season with a decisive 38-6 victory over the Lawyers of John Marshall High School on Friday night in FFL Stadium. Senior running back Hakeem Quran paced the Ranger offense, scoring four touchdowns and gaining over 270 rushing yards. The Ranger defense was aggressive throughout the night, disrupting the Lawyer offense and forcing numerous turnovers.
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Volume 17, Issue 17, Posted 10:52 PM, 08.20.2021
by Dr. Charles Greanoff
The myth of the Phoenix is so enduring because it goes to the deepest of human wants—that is, the hope of rebirth, of coming back from the dead, of recapturing long lost glory. Well, the once proud Lakewood Rangers Softball program was already all but dead, and then we entered into Covid-19 dystopia—a lost season for all spring sports. Low point, rock bottom.
But thanks to dedicated parents, a fresh approach to coaching/program building, and of course a bunch of hard working players, the Ranger Softball Team rose off the ash heap, posting a 12-6 record in the GLC (13-12 overall). First year coach Lucas Yousko, who had been an assistant in previous years, brought an upbeat, positive, fun approach, that included Saturday afternoon cookouts between games but at the same time put forth some serious, focused work on the field. Softball is once again an event at LHS. Coach Yousko concurs. “We tried to make softball an event that could attract girls back to the sport. The Saturday tailgate parties seemed to be a big hit and we are hoping next year gets even better. “
Of course, the main actors in the drama are the players, and this year the Rangers had many strong contributors. Junior Inga Wilhelmy, (1st Team GLC /3rd team all Cuyahoga County), led the offense, while freshman Mia Carroll-Greeves (2nd team All GLC) and sophomore Jordan Rossen (Honorable Mention GLC) were stalwarts on the mound. Junior Alesha Hanna-Kotula also earned an Honorable Mention with timely hitting a solid defense. Yet, the success of the the season also depended upon many others.
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Volume 17, Issue 11, Posted 3:01 PM, 06.02.2021
by Christine Gordillo
The Rangers' first fall season in the Great Lakes Conference has paid dividends with 50 student-athletes earning some level of All-Conference honor, including 11 named to the GLC's 1st Team. The following Rangers were selected for their standout play:
1st Team: James O'Donnell (cross country); Omar Almutari, Quinn Costanza, Ben Merriner, and Aubree Nagel (soccer); Brandyn Bates, Javion Goudy, Tico Jones, Jr., Pete Patsouras, and Hakeem Quran (football); and Annabelle Sorge (volleyball).
2nd Team: Lauren Barber, Sam Hudak, Matthew Hueter, and Eli LaDue (soccer); Matt Bowen and Lucas Winters (football); Sadie Gregg and Teeghan McGann (cross country); and Ella Bangert (volleyball).
Honorable Mention: Jazi Dunay, Ben Jablonowski, Abby Sacha, and James Toole (cross country); Nobert Baguma, Annette Doren, Sean Teets, and Mallory Zavatchen (soccer); Jack Derethik and Sean McHugh (golf); Bilal Abuaun, Mohammed Alniserawly, Othman Awad, and Sean Teets (football); Helen Hylton and Amy Pilgrim (volleyball); Kkyu Du, Hay Nay Lwi, and Sofia Rivera-Bitner (tennis); and Lanajah Honera and Isabelle Reay (cheerleading).
Sportsmanship Award: Lindsay Gregg and Simon Sanders (cross country); Muzafar Ali and Jasmine Magda (soccer); Cole Dockus (golf); Mohammed Alniserawly (football); Ella Bangert (volleyball); Maya George (tennis); Mayda Strnad (cheerleading).
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Volume 16, Issue 22, Posted 11:35 AM, 11.18.2020
by Ted Nagel
If you look up those words, there will be a version in almost every culture: English Proverb. Japanese Proverb. Presidents. Statesmen. Clergy. The Lakewood Girls High School Soccer Team is pretty darn good company. With a 3.85 TEAM GPA, the Lakewood Girls' Soccer Team led all Fall sports in 2019 for Team GPA. The three Senior Captains for 2019 were all in the National Honor Society, including the Lakewood NHS President, Emma Hirsch. The three Senior Captains from this 2020 team are also members and Aubree Nagel is the current Lakewood NHS President. She is also the current Lakewood Class President for 2020. But the statistic I am most proud of (as coach) is that team GPA. I don't take any credit for it, but this is an amazing group of young women.
Some who read the LO regularly may remember that I wrote a similar article recently and wonder why I am coming back to re-iterate these points. My main concern as the high school coach as I look at the community is that we have very few girls in our Lakewood Girls Soccer feeder programs right now. Lakewood has two long-time, quality soccer programs in the Lakewood Soccer Association (LSA) and the Lakewood United Football Club (LUFC). Each organization fills a role for soccer development in an adolescent's life. When I moved to Lakewood about 10 years ago. we had over 20 travel/ club teams in girls soccer. We are down to 4 teams this fall, with entire year groups unrepresented. As a high school coach, I look to have anywhere from 6-14 freshmen girls come into the program each season. That usually means the U14/15 cohort has about one-half to two-thirds of the travel team try out for the High School team. An example is that the travel team that moved up this season had about 20 eighth-graders on it. I had about 14 sign up to tryout. About 8 showed up and about 6 stuck with it. All of this happened in the COVID-19 atmosphere, so those numbers are off and I'm hoping some of the girls who considered it, but did not stay with it will come back.
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Volume 16, Issue 19, Posted 6:07 AM, 10.08.2020
by Eliot Oreskovic
Burning River Esports is announcing its flagship program, Burning River REC, a recreational esports league for kids, teens, and young adults aged 10 to 35 living throughout Greater Cleveland, which is the first such program of its kind in Northeast Ohio.
Registration is now open for players, and the organization is calling on any youth development organizations in the area to sponsor a team. Both team sponsorship and registration are free of cost, and forms for each are available at burningriver.gg. Play is expected to start in Spring 2021 and will be held entirely online until the pandemic ends and in-person events are safe to attend.
Founded in the summer of 2020 at the start of the coronavirus pandemic by friends-turned-business-partners Eliot Oreskovic and John-Paul Richard, Burning River Esports is a Cleveland-based nonprofit promoting youth development through recreational esports.
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Volume 16, Issue 18, Posted 5:22 PM, 09.16.2020
by Ronald Ciancutti
Sam Ciancutti, Lakewood High School Class of 2015, left for Salt Lake City Utah in early September where he will play on the "Select Developmental Squad" of the Utah Warriors Professional Rugby team.
Sam was the team captain in his rugby years at LHS. He was granted the rugby-coveted Higgins College Scholarship that led him to Bowling Green State University, graduating in 2019. During his years at BGSU he collected numerous awards for team leadership and sports integrity and his teams won the Mid American Conference Title four times. In 2018 BGSU won the National Title as well. It was the first time in the club's 50 year history.
After going undrafted in the 2020 Pro Selection round up, Sam declared as a free-agrent and was invited, as such, to multiple camps. Utah's offer was the one he selected and his performance with the developmental squad through the end of 2020 will determine whether a pro contract will be signed.
Good luck Sam. The City of Lakewood hopes your tough-minded determination will find you in the Pro League by 2021!
The Ciancutti Family has lived in Lakewood since 1994 where they raised five children and enjoyed and appreciated every great thing the city has to offer. Ron recently retired as Director of Procurement after 37 years with Cleveland Metroparks.
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Volume 16, Issue 18, Posted 5:22 PM, 09.16.2020
by Ted Nagel
Abbie Tuleta, a 2020 Graduate of Lakewood High School was just named the 2019/2020 season's Female Athlete of the Year as well as the Archie Griffin Sportsmanship Award - Female recipient. Abbie earned Varsity Letters in Soccer, Softball and Ice Hockey this last season and was named the Softball team's Captain and MVP as a Junior. Abbie comes from a long line of great athletes in the Tuleta family and her father John was a hockey coach in the community for many years. Congratulations to Abbie and the whole Tuleta family for this great honor.
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Volume 16, Issue 13, Posted 5:19 PM, 07.01.2020
by Ted Nagel
The Lakewood Girls Soccer Team is a program on the rise. As a coach during the COVID 19 pandemic, I'm very concerned that the incoming freshmen may not get all of the information they need and someone may fall between the cracks. I want to make an appeal to parents and players to get in touch with me if you are an 8th Grader (rising Freshman) thinking about playing soccer in High School. The team usually has Captain's Practices soon after school lets out for the summer. I am talking to the Captains, the Athletic Director and reading OHSAA guidance for how best to do that and when we can start. In the mean time, the team is doing physical and training challenges each week to stay in shape and stay sharp.
LHS Girls Soccer finished the season at 7-7-4 in a very tough Southwest Conference last year. We are moving (along with the rest of the school to the Great Lakes Conference (GLC) this Fall. This should make the team a little more competitive in conference play, increase friendly rivalries with our closest border cities and towns including Rocky River and Fairview and cut down on travel a bit. The GLC is still very competitive with perennial powerhouses Rocky River, Bay Village and Buckeye. We look forward to this new challenge.
You'll also be joining the smartest team in town. The Girls Soccer Team had the highest team GPA in Fall Sports in 2019. All of our team captains were on the LHS National Honor Society last year and this year. And 2020 grad Emma Hirsch recently passed the Presidency of the LHS NHS to returning Captain Aubree Nagel. You couldn't be joining up with a better group of role models. If you have a daughter interested in trying soccer either as a player who already loves the game or as an athlete interested in trying the game for the first time, please get your information to me, Coach Ted Nagel. You can contact me at TJNagel84@gmail.com or comment on the Facebook pages for "Lakewood Girls Soccer" or "Lakewood High School Girls Soccer." We are training already! Don't miss the opportunity to keep up with the team. Official tryouts are currently scheduled for August 1st. I look forward to meeting some new, dedicated soccer players. For you younger girls, get out there and join up with the Lakewood Soccer Association or the Lakewood United Football Club. The best way to make the team in the future is to join a team now! Check them out online or at the Lakewood Recreation Department.
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Volume 16, Issue 11, Posted 10:38 PM, 06.03.2020
by Chuck Greanoff
All good things must come to an end. On March 7th, at the classic Elyria Catholic Gym, the Lakewood Rangers (16-9) Basketball season did just that in the District Final at the hands of a richly talented Lorain team. After Lakewood stormed back from an early deficit to briefly take the lead in the second quarter, the Titans found their rhythm and eventually pulled away in the 3rd quarter. Never again will we see Nate Mims dominate a game with slashing drives and stifling defense, nor the hustle plays of Matt Bohurjak and Max Budzar. Dante Wahba's 3-point bombs, Antonio Crockett's clutch plays and Chris Brown's silky drives are a thing of the past.
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Volume 16, Issue 6, Posted 3:12 PM, 03.19.2020
by Christine Gordillo
The Lakewood High School wrestling team competed in its last Southwest Conference championship tournament on February 22 and left with two individual titles and a runner-up. Congratulations to senior Milan Jackson, who won the 160-lb. weight class, and Milan's brother, junior Jayden Jacskon, who won the 170-lb. weight class. Also reaching the awards podium were sophomore Brandyn Bates (220 lbs.) as runner-up, and junior Nistor Krizan (195 lbs.), who took third place. The team was scheduled to compete at the Division 1 Sectionals tournament February 29 at St. Edward High School.
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Volume 16, Issue 5, Posted 10:32 AM, 03.04.2020
by Ted Nagel
Lakewood High School held its annual National Honor Society induction ceremony 6 February 2020. The Lakewood High School Girls Soccer Team was very well represented. The current Society President, Emma Hirsch opened the ceremony and delivered a very moving speech to the audience summing up the four pillars of the National Honor Society: Scholarship, Service, Leadership and Character. Her speech was the summary event after each of the other Society Officers covered one of the four pillars each. One could have been confused that they were not at a Toast Masters event given the eloquence and obvious preparation each speaker delivered. Lakewood Boys Soccer was also well represented by Team Captain Cameron Levis who delivered a terrifically entertaining talk with humor and poise.
But I'm not sure that there was another school organization as well represented as the Lakewood Girls Soccer Team. Team Captains Emma Hirsch (President of this year's National Honor Society), Ava Clause and Emily McIntire were joined by team member Isabelle Cooper as four members of the current National Honor Society. These great leaders welcomed new members and next year's Team Captains Aubree Nagel, Quinn Costanzo and Jasmine Magda. In addition, senior player Nikena Norris was also inducted this year. Three Senior Captains welcomed next year's three senior captains. This team also had the highest team GPA at the Lakewood High Fall Awards Ceremony. Ranger Nation is very proud of these great leaders. Work hard and you too can join the ranks of these terrific young women.
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Volume 16, Issue 4, Posted 4:27 PM, 02.18.2020
by Ted Nagel
The Lakewood High School Girls Soccer Team finished its 2019 campaign against Hathaway Brown in the second round of the Ohio Division 1 playoffs. After a very competitive game which saw the Rangers down 1-0 at halftime, the very experienced Hathaway Brown team pulled away later in the game to win 3-0. The resurgent Rangers ended the season 7-7-4. The team had exciting outings including a 1-1 tie early in the season against perennial powerhouse and eventual Section Champion Avon. They also tied cross-town rival St. Joseph Academy, 0-0 in a hard, defensive battle. The Rangers had key wins against Holy Name and North Olmsted.
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Volume 15, Issue 23, Posted 12:41 PM, 12.04.2019
by Christine Gordillo
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Volume 15, Issue 6, Posted 12:58 PM, 03.05.2019
by Christine Gordillo
Congratulations to Lakewood High senior and soccer All-American Malvin Gblah on winning the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards' Male High School Athlete of the Year honor! Malvin was one of three finalists for the award, which was given at a ceremony hosted by the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission on February 7. Malvin's accolades, in addition to his All-America award earned earlier this year, include:
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Volume 15, Issue 4, Posted 2:41 PM, 02.19.2019
by Mike Deneen
Lakewood senior Tommy Sala hit a pair of clutch free throws with 1.5 seconds left to secure a 52-51 win on Senior Night. Sala scored the final six points of the game to help the Rangers overcome a 51-46 deficit with 2:25 left in the game. The nonconference win over Bay lifts Lakewood’s record to 14-6 on the season. The game was preceded by a ceremony honoring the team’s nine seniors: Shannon Cotto, Christian Marcano, Derek Walker, Tim Smith, Zion Kolodynski-Darby, Tommy Sala, Dominic Wahba, Alex Bransteter, and Delvaun Phillips. This group has gone 36-9 over the past two seasons, and was key to last year’s conference championship.
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Volume 15, Issue 4, Posted 10:17 PM, 02.16.2019
by Mike Deneen
The Lakewood boys basketball team rolled to a 72-50 win over Westlake on Tuesday night at LHS. The victory lifts the Rangers’ record to 12-6 on the season. Senior Tommy Sala led Lakewood with 19 points.
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Volume 15, Issue 4, Posted 10:24 PM, 02.12.2019
by John Hueter
The registration deadline is coming up soon for the spring season of Lakewood Soccer Association's Saturday Soccer program.
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Volume 15, Issue 3, Posted 2:00 PM, 02.05.2019
by Mike Deneen
The LHS football season ended Friday night with a 56-13 home loss to North Ridgeville. Lakewood running back DJ Jackson, who was honored along with all the senior players before the game, had 194 yards and two touchdowns in the contest. The senior class persevered a turbulent era at LHS, having three different head coaches over the past three seasons.
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Volume 14, Issue 21, Posted 9:55 AM, 10.27.2018
by Mike Deneen
The LHS football team suffered a disappointing loss on Friday night, falling 49-14 to Midview. Turnovers and mistakes doomed the Rangers, who were coming off their first win of the year against Westlake. Lakewood senior Kyren Jefferson provided the highlight of the evening, setting the new school record for pass receptions in a season. The previous record (48 catches) was set in 1988 by Chip Chambers.
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Volume 14, Issue 21, Posted 11:16 PM, 10.19.2018
by Mike Deneen
Since the beginning of training camp, new Lakewood football coach Tom Thome has challenged his team to get better each week. It paid off on Friday night at First Federal Lakewood Stadium, where the Rangers defeated Westlake 35-26 for their first win of the 2018 season. The Rangers turned in a very gutsy performance, overcoming both the Demons and cold, damp conditions. The rain- soaked crowd had a raucous celebration, as this was the first home victory for the Rangers since the 2015 season.
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Volume 14, Issue 20, Posted 9:59 AM, 10.13.2018
by Mike Deneen
The LHS football team fell 56-7 to Avon on Friday night at First Federal Lakewood Stadium. The game was part of the school’s Homecoming festivities, and was preceded by the annual Spirit Parade. The game was attended by a large number of LHS graduates, and many alums participated in the marching band at halftime.
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Volume 14, Issue 20, Posted 10:40 AM, 10.06.2018
by Tricia Dent
Are you looking for something to do for Sweetest Day weekend?
Lakewood Rangers Volleyball is hosting a fun-filled evening at Vosh Lakewood on Friday, October 19, 2018. The event runs from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.
Tickets are just $25 per person and include complimentary valet parking, appetizers, one drink ticket, raffle baskets, sideboards, music, dancing and fun!
Stay after the event for the local band, SHOUT, as they perform music ranging from Big Band, R&B, Rock, Motown, 70s Disco, Funk, 80s Pop to today's current hits.
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Volume 14, Issue 19, Posted 2:26 PM, 10.02.2018
by Mike Deneen
The Lakewood Ranger football team lost 49-14 Friday night to Olmsted Falls at First Federal Lakewood Stadium. The Bulldogs entered the game as one of the top ranked teams in the area, and they looked the part. The game was part of the school’s Hall of Fame Weekend celebration, which included a halftime salute to honored alumni and staff members. Honorees included Athletic Hall of Fame members Adam Gold ’03, Julie Zickes Laub ’88, Michelle Sikes ’03, Aaron Johnston-Peck ’03, and Kelsey Moran ’09. Distinguished Alumni were Mickey Krivosh ’70, Dr. Sam Shaker ’60, David Malloy ’94, and Jennifer Griveas ’94. Staff honorees were Jan Lushbaugh Soeder ’64, Patti Komperda, and John Drotleff.
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Volume 14, Issue 18, Posted 11:03 PM, 09.14.2018
by Mike Deneen
The LHS football team fell 50-12 to Berea-Midpark on Friday night. The Ranger offense had its best outing of the season, highlighted by a pair of touchdown catches by sophomore wide receiver Evan Hampton. Senior wide receiver Garrett Waite had a pair of touchdown receptions for the Titans, helping them to build a big first half lead.
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Volume 14, Issue 18, Posted 11:05 PM, 09.07.2018
by Mike Deneen
The LHS football team fell 56-0 to Amherst on Friday night in the conference opener for both schools. The game was played at Memorial Field in Amherst, where a pregame ceremony honored fallen Ohio Trooper Kenneth Velez. Velez, a father of three Amherst student athletes over the years, died in 2016 while directing traffic on I-90 along the Lakewood/Cleveland border.
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Volume 14, Issue 17, Posted 11:32 PM, 08.31.2018
by Mike Deneen
The LHS volleyball team defeated Valley Forge 3-1 on Saturday afternoon to earn its first victory in the new Lakewood High School Gymnasium. The program spent the last four seasons playing at Harding Middle School while construction was being done at LHS. Head coach Maggi Sczcepaniak, who has been impressed with the team’s focus and effort this offseason, cited seniors Eliza Richardson and Hannah Martin as keys to the victory. The win, first for the program since the 2016 season, sparked a celebration among fans and players at the new facility.
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Volume 14, Issue 17, Posted 9:13 AM, 08.26.2018
by Mike Deneen
The LHS football team opened the 2018 season on beautiful Friday night at First Federal Stadium. A festive crowd enjoyed the late summer weather, which was warm with a nice breeze. The student section wore a festive "beach" theme, and the marching band had a great program of Broadway songs. However, Garfield Heights spoiled the party with 42-0 win over the Rangers.
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Volume 14, Issue 17, Posted 11:39 PM, 08.24.2018
by Mike Deneen
RANGERS BEGIN THOME ERA
LHS hired new football coach Tom Thome (rhymes with “home”) this past winter to replace the outgoing Tom Hannan. Thome, who will teach social studies at LHS, arrived from Twinsburg High School. He and the team have been working hard this offseason and are anxious to hit the field.
The program has seen an impressive influx of freshmen this season, with 22 9th graders joining the team. The group offers quality as well as quantity. “I’m blown away at their IQ,” Coach Thome says of the newbies. As many as three of the freshmen could see playing time on the varsity squad. More importantly, the group is large enough to field a full freshman team this year – something that hasn’t been possible in recent seasons.
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Volume 14, Issue 16, Posted 7:15 PM, 08.21.2018
by Mike Deneen
After an 11 year absence, basketball returned to Madison Park on July 25. The Lakewood Outdoor Basketball Committee (LOBC) and the City of Lakewood opened Lakewood's first full basketball court since 2007. Kids, city leaders, community activists and LOBC members gathered on a sunny evening for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony. Also in attendance were LHS boys varsity basketball coach Alex Cammock and LHS girls basketball coach Mike Harper.
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Volume 14, Issue 15, Posted 1:35 PM, 08.07.2018
by Mike Deneen
More than five months after his hiring by the school board, new LHS football coach Tom Thome opened his first training camp last Monday at First Federal Lakewood Stadium. Coach Thome (rhymes with “home”) and the players spent the offseason conditioning, participating in camps, and doing community service projects. They are looking forward to their opening game later this month.
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Volume 14, Issue 15, Posted 1:35 PM, 08.07.2018
by Rick Harvey
Join LHS Varsity Coach Andrew Toth and the Ranger team for their LHS Junior Rangers MINI-CAMP Fall Warmup!
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Volume 14, Issue 10, Posted 3:06 PM, 05.15.2018
by Rick Harvey
Join LHS Varsity Coach Andrew Toth and the Ranger team for their annual LHS Junior Rangers Summer Soccer Camp!
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Volume 14, Issue 10, Posted 3:06 PM, 05.15.2018
by Mike Deneen
The LHS boys track and field team finished first in the 36th Annual Kiwanis Ranger Relays, held on April 13th at First Federal Lakewood Stadium. Lakewood finished with 80 team points, edging out Berea-Midpark with 78 points. Rocky River and North Royalton finished third and fourth with 74 and 72 points, respectively. LHS junior Tyler Hannah led the Ranger effort by winning the 110 meter hurdles, anchoring the winning distance medley relay team, and leading the first-place high jump relay team. The LHS girls finished fifth in the event, with senior Abby LaForm taking second place in the 3200 meter run.
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Volume 14, Issue 9, Posted 9:43 AM, 04.15.2018
by Mike Deneen
The LHS Athletic Boosters "Night at the Races" fundraiser on March 10 was a success. The 14th annual event raised over $20,000. This money helps to keep Lakewood's pay-to-play fees among the lowest in northeast Ohio. Thisi is the Boosters' largest fundraising event of the year.
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Volume 14, Issue 6, Posted 7:14 PM, 03.20.2018
by Mike Deneen
St. Edward won its second consecutive district championship on Saturday night at CSU's Wolstein Center. They defeated their arch-rivals from St. Ignatius 71-57 in a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated. The Eagles completed a three game season sweep of the Wildcats, having won both regular season contests earlier in the year.
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Volume 14, Issue 6, Posted 11:31 PM, 03.10.2018
by Mike Deneen
St. Edward defeated Lakewood 59-45 Wednesday night in an OHSAA district semifinal game held at Strongsville High School. The victory moves the Eagles into Saturday's district championship game, which will be held at the CSU Wolstein Center at 7pm. It also ends a historic season for Lakewood, which won the Southwestern Conference Championship and entered this game riding a 19 game winning streak.
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Volume 14, Issue 6, Posted 11:24 PM, 03.07.2018
by Mike Deneen
The LHS boys basketball team defeated North Royalton 57-49 Saturday night in second round OHSAA Tournament action. The victory sends the Rangers to the District semifinals, where they will face St. Edward on Wednesday night at Strongsville High School. The Eagles defeated Rhodes 88-57 at home on Saturday to earn their spot in the game.
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Volume 14, Issue 6, Posted 9:59 PM, 03.03.2018
by Jacob Chabowski
Confidence wasn’t lacking from the Lakewood Rangers in their first postseason game at Lakewood’s new gym.
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Volume 14, Issue 5, Posted 9:38 AM, 03.01.2018
by Mike Deneen
The LHS boys basketball team defeated North Ridgeville 71-52 on Friday night to wrap up a share of the Southwestern Conference championship. The Rangers and Olmsted Falls each finished 17-1 in the league, splitting their two head-to-head games. The conference championship is the first for the Rangers since 2014, when they won the now-defunct West Shore Conference under head coach Phil Argento. This is also just the second conference for the LHS Athletic Department since joining the SWC in the fall of 2015. The previous championship was boys cross country in fall 2016.
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Volume 14, Issue 5, Posted 11:53 PM, 02.23.2018
by Mike Deneen
St. Edward defeated Solon 84-70 Tuesday evening in a highly anticipated matchup of local powers. Solon entered the game undefeated, and was ranked the top team in the entire state of Ohio. The Eagles, who narrowly defeated Central Catholic in OT on Saturday, had risen to #8 in the state polls. An overflow crowd was in attendance on the unseasonably warm evening, causing numerous game delays due to condensation on the floor.
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Volume 14, Issue 5, Posted 10:19 PM, 02.20.2018
by Mike Deneen
The LHS girls basketball team defeated Brecksville-Broadview Heights 55-20 on Saturday night to advance in the OHSAA state championship tournament. The victory was the 100th at LHS for head coach Mike Harper. The team commemorated the event by presenting a banner to Harper after the game. Athletic Director Sean Jackson was among those congratulating Harper on the milestone.
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Volume 14, Issue 5, Posted 3:46 PM, 02.18.2018
by Mike Deneen
The Lakewood boys hoops team defeated Westlake 57-32 on Tuesday night at LHS, retaining their spot in first place of the Southwestern Conference with only two conference games remaining. The Rangers swept the season series from the Demons, and boosted their overall record to 17-2 on the season.
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Volume 14, Issue 4, Posted 9:51 AM, 02.14.2018
by Mike Deneen
The LHS girls basketball team defeated Avon 32-30 on Saturday afternoon to complete their regular season. The Rangers swept Avon in the season series, having defeated the Eagles at home in January in a 49-45 overtime game. This game was close throughout, and an intense defensive battle. Both teams forced numerous turnovers and forced the opposition into tough shots.
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Volume 14, Issue 4, Posted 1:48 PM, 02.11.2018