Auroraadvocate.com - Sports Wire: Twin skaters excel; Kuch to play v-ball for Princes

by Advocate Staffers

Aurora 10-year-old twins Samantha and Olivia Grohe finished first in the artistic showcase competition at a recent regional ice skating event in Strongsville.

Samantha won with her routine "Welcome to the 60s" and Olivia with "Do You Believe in Magic?" They are third and fourth, respectively, among 275 Northern Ohio skaters ages 9 to 17.

Finalists for the 2008-09 season from six venues will compete July 18-19 in Mentor. The Grohes are members of the Kent Skating Club.

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Recent Aurora High School graduate Heather Kuch will continue her academic studies at Heidelberg University and plans to play volleyball.

She will join 10th-year head coach Jason Miller this fall. She was a three-year letter winner at AHS.

In 2008, she was Aurora's most valuable player and claimed a spot on the Chagrin Valley Conference honorable mention list in her seniors and junior years.

She received the captain's award her junior and senior years, and the sportsmanship award in her junior year.

Heidelberg closed the 2008 season with a 31-8 record, marking a record for wins in the season.

The Student Princes were runnerup in the Ohio Athletic Conference regular season and tourney, and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III tourney.

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Auroran Ariel McNair finished 16th among the girls in the annual Hudson Junior Invitational golf tournament last week. She shot 87-82-169. Jordan Lippetz of Bradenton, Fla. won the girls division with 71-74-145.

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Area pro golfers have been teaming up with amateurs and juniors in a handful of tournaments recently.

In the R.C. Miller Memorial/Sky Golf pro-pro-am-am scratch at Alliance Country Club, Bill Reilly and Gus Mehallis joined with Joe Stegh and Tom Laubacher to tie for 12th at 3-under-par 137, while Dominic Antenucci and Joe Flogge teamed up with Ian Price and Mike Lazoran to finish 16th at 145.

In the Titleist Pro-3 juniors tourney at Firestone, Reilly, Sean Murphy, Katie Kohut and Kelly Krusoe tied for third at 14-under 126, while Antenucci, Katie Jenior, Jerry Moore and Spencer Andrei tied for fifth at 127.

Also, David Engram, Brandon Towers, Nick Staargaard and Nicki Henry finished seventh at 128; Mike Richey, Tommy Arison, Tommy Kimberly and Michael Brockman tied for 10th at 132; and Jeffrey Sasala, Mitchell Johnson and David and Andrew Hinton tied for 18th at 137.

In the Janice Moodie pro-lady event at Avon Oaks, Reilly, Krusoe, Holly James and Lizy Mark finished second at 126; Mehallis, Cheryl Carnevale, Bonnie Staley and Cassie Washburn tied for third at 128; and Antenucci, Jenior, Kristi Mangus and Natalie Sheere were 15th at 138.

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In a Kenny Novak qualifier last week at Fox Den in Stow, Scott Schroeder of Aurora tied for 19th at 85 in the 13-15 age division, while Brett Balog finished 41st at 100.

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In the recent Race for Hope 5K, Michael Guastaferri of Aurora took second place in men 55-59 in 40:54, while Stacy Guastaferri was third in women 45-49 in 40:55.

Meanwhile, in the Westside Catholic Center 5K, Rebecca Moore of Aurora finished 12th in women 45-49 in 29:53.

Mackenzie Berk of Aurora placed first in the 9-10-year-old age group in the Shaker Heights Father's Day Run on June 21, while her brother, Chapin, was first in the 12-year-old group and second in men's overall in the 1-miler. They both plan to run in Aurora's July 4 run.

A number of Aurorans competed in the Ohio City Run/Crawl 5K on June 20.

Cassie Kennedy finished 101st in women 21-29 (35:52.99), while Pam Kennedy was 27th in 40-49 (35:43.76) and Jane Springer was sixth in 50-59 (29:34.64).

For the men, Todd VanDyke was 38th in 21-29 (25:46.81), Frank Bitting was 18th in 40-49 (23:37.16) and Bill Kennedy was 36th in 40-49 (27:50.07).

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Aurora is gearing up for its 25th annual Independence Day fun run (5K and 1-mile) July 4 at 8 a.m. at Bicentennial Park.

Fees are $14 in advance and $17 on race day for one race and $16 and $20, respectively, for both races. Online closing date for entries is July 2 at www.active.com.

Participants can pick up their race numbers and T-shirts July 2 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Walker Building. T-shirts will go to the first 400 entrants.

For details, call the city's parks-rec department at 330-562-4333 or HMA Promotions at 216-752-5151.

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Two races are coming up June 27 and two June 28 in the Cleveland area.

Run for the Young 5K and 3K will be at Crocker Park in Westlake and PurpleStride Cleveland will be at Cahoon Park in Bay Village, both June 27 at 9 a.m.

A Most Excellent Race 10K and 5K will be at Beaumont School in Cleveland Heights and the Woodland 5K will be at 8:30 a.m. at Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, both June 28 at 8:30 a.m.

For information, visit www.hermescleveland.com.

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Hawken Middle School in Gates Mills is in need of the following coached for 2009-10: Assistant girls volleyball, assistant girls tennis, assistant wrestling and head/assistant boys lacrosse. Inquires should be e-mailed to cnalt@hawken.edu.

Kenston has openings for the following coaches: boys and girls assistant soccer and girls head softball. If interested, fax a resume to Lynn Gotthardt at 440-543-3047 by June 30.

Chagrin Falls High School needs a JV volleyball coach and the middle school needs a football coach. If interested, call Lenny May at 440-247-2072.