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Sports
Springfield softball finishes with one of Ohio’s all-time home run totals
Two years ago, the Springfield softball team hit a school-record 45 homers as the Blue Devils made a run to the state final game. With six freshmen from that 2022 team now juniors with tons of varsity experience, Springfield coach Rob Gwozdz knew coming into this year that his hard-hitting group could threaten that mark. Featuring a lineup as deep as it is powerful, Springfield bashed 54 home runs this year, with nine of the 14 players on the varsity roster going deep this season. “It starts in the weight room,” Gwozdz said. “We take it very, very seriously in the winter to get bigger and stronger, and our approach is to hit line drives up the middle. That's how we focus. These kids play great travel ball all year round. We don't mess with their swings too much, maybe with mechanics and timing a little tiny bit. But we focus on hitting line drives up the middle and then watch it fly.”
Which Toledo-area athletes are No. 1 seeds for the Ohio high school track and field championships?
Five Toledo-area individuals and a relay team garnered top seeds for the state high school track and field meet this week in Dayton. Springfield’s Maira Scott claimed the top finish among the four regional meets in the 100 and the 200 in Division I. Scott, the defending state champion in both events, ran the 100 at regionals in 11.51 seconds, 0.16 ahead of Westerville Central’s Olivia Pace. In the 200, Scott finished in 23.19, 0.80 ahead of Pace. Central Catholic’s Nyla King is the No. 1 seed in the 100 and 200 in Division II. King ran the 100, where she is the defending state champion, in 11.84, 0.26 ahead of Springfield Kenton Ridge’s Shanya Coleman. She posted a 24.59 time in the 200, 0.19 in front of Coleman. King is also the No. 2 seed in the 400.
Regional Track: Several area athletes punch tickets to the state meet in Dayton
Fairfield Union boys and girls take home titles: The Falcons’ postseason continues to be special as the boys and girls’ teams, not only won the Mid-State League-Buckeye Division and district championships, but on Saturday, they both placed first in the Division II regional meet at Muskingum University. The...
Dayton Mall hosts ‘Hometown Heroes’ signing event
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — The Dayton Mall will host two national championship winners for a signing event on Saturday afternoon. South Carolina Gamecocks Guard Bree Hall and University of Michigan Defensive Back Rod Moore Jr. will be in Dayton on May 25 for an autograph event. Both athletes graduated from local high schools, with Hall […]
Hodges looks to make his mark as girls basketball coach at Central Catholic
After overseeing an impressive program turnaround as girls basketball coach at Springfield High School, Clifton Hodges has moved over to Central Catholic and facing a different starting-point dynamic with the Fighting Irish. Hodges, who was announced last week as the Irish girls coach, inherits a program that graduated senior standouts in forward Brooklyn Vaughn and guard Corniya Clay. But, Hodges has several other experienced players set to return in 2024-25. “Obviously, [Hodges] has a great track record from making Springfield a very relevant player in the Northern Lakes League, and taking them to a regional final appearance,” Central athletic director Greg Dempsey said. “He had a lot of success in building something, he has great energy and passion for the sport, and he presented a great vision and plan to execute that vision with our program.” In five seasons as Springfield's head coach, Hodges had a 60-57 record overall, including 35-29 in Northern Lakes League play. His tenure included back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2021-22 and 2022-23, and a run to the 2023 Division I regional final. He stepped away after the 2023-24 season.
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