Random Thoughts: congrats, MAC, more

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

This week’s installment of Random Thoughts includes congralutions, facts and figures about the mighty MAC, and the continued Brendan Sorsby saga.

Congratulations

Congratulations to the Delphos St. John’s Blue Jays, Division VII baseball state champions.

The Blue Jays, who finished third in the MAC behind co-champions St. Henry and Coldwater, ended the season with nine straight wins, including a 5-3 victory over No. 1 Tiffin Calvert in the state semifinals and a six inning, 10-0 win over Leispic in the championship game. The last team to beat Delphos St. John’s – Lincolnview, 14-4, back on May 16.

Other state baseball notes

St. Henry made it to state semifinals but the No. 3 ranked Redskins fell to No. 2 Berlin Hiland 7-2.

The Van Wert Cougars can say they lost to the eventual state champions. The Cougars lost to Perkins 3-0 in the Division IV regional semifinals on June 2. The Pirates made it to the state tournament and defeated Bishop Fenwick 5-1 on Sunday.

MAC titles during the 2025-2026 school year

MAC teams won a total of five state championships during the 2025-2026 school year and St. Henry won three of them (Division VII football, Division II bowling, Division VI girls basketball). The other state titles were won by Delphos St. John’s (Division VII boys basketball and baseball).

Blue Jays win baseball state title

VW independent sports     

AKRON — A dominating victory in the Division VII baseball state championship game gave Delphos St. John’s its second state title of the 2025-2026 school year.

The Blue Jays defeated Leipsic 10-0 in six innings on Saturday to claim the small school title. In March Delphos St. John’s won the Division VII boys basketball state championship.

Junior Andrew Elwer earned the complete game win by allowing five hits with eight strikeouts and just one walk. Six of the Blue Jays’ runs came in the second inning, including an RBI single by Aidan Swick and a two-run single by Brademan Lindeman.

The Blue Jays finished the season 20-7.

Softball awards…

The Crestview softball program held its postseason awards ceremony to recognize athletes for their hard work throughout the season. Coach Meghan Lautzenheiser and her staff presented several awards during the event. NWC/District/All-Ohio awards (above, left to right): Kylie Williams (Honorable Mention NWC, Academic All-Ohio), Alli Thatcher (Honorable Mention NWC, Academic All-Ohio), Dakota Thornell (1st Team NWC, 1st Team All District, Honorable Mention All-Ohio, Academic All-Ohio), Kaci Gregory (2nd Team NWC, Academic All-Ohio), Violet Dirr (2nd Team NWC, Academic All-Ohio). Special awards (below, left to right): Dakota Thornell (Offensive Award, MVP Award, .350 Club), Violet Dirr (Knight Award, .350 Club), Kaci Gregory (Defensive Award, .350 Club), Emily Heth (Most Improved Award). Photos submitted

Blue Jays to play for state championship

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CANTON — Delphos St. John’s is one win away from the school’s second state championship in the 2025-2026 school year.

The Blue Jays, who won the Division VII boys basketball state championship in March, built up a 5-0 lead over No. 1 Tiffin Calvert in the Division VII baseball state semifinals, then held off the Senecas for a 5-3 win at Thurman Munson Stadium on Friday.

Leading 1-0 after four innings, Delphos St. John’s added three more runs in the top of the fifth, including an RBI single by Aidan Swick and an RBI triple by Braden Lindeman. Jackson Wiechart singled in a run in the top of the sixth. Calvert scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth and one more in the seventh, but could draw no closer.

Wiechart and Lindeman each had two hits for Delphos St. John’s. Cam Elwer earned the complete game win, allowing six hits with three walks and six strikeouts.

The Blue Jays (19-7) will face Leipsic for the Division VII title at 4 p.m. Saturday at Credit Union Park in Akron. The Vikings rallied to defeat South Webster 11-10 in the other semifinal game on Friday.

Indoor football game to be played in Lima

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LIMA — If you’re looking for something different on Saturday night, arena football is coming to Lima.

The Ohio Legends, based in Marion, will meet the Michigan Raptors in an opening around American Arena League 2 opening round playoff game. The game will be played at the Apex Sports Zone, 4565 Elida Rd., Lima. The doors will open at 6:15 p.m., with kickoff at 7 p.m. Admission is $15.

The American Arena League 2 (AAL2) is a developmental league with 12 teams in several states.

Players named for Lincoln Hwy. Classic

VW independent sports/submitted information

Mark your calendars for 8 p.m. Monday, June 22, for the first annual Lincoln Highway Classic baseball game, which will be played under the lights at Smiley Park in Van Wert. This first time event will feature 19 recent graduates from Delphos Jefferson, Lincolnview, Van Wert and Crestview high schools.   

The event is sponsored by Klosterman Pizza  and Lee Kinstle Chevrolet and has been organized by local businessmen Kevin Price and Eric McCracken.   

“Van Wert County has always done a great job of connecting our youth through sports,” McCracken said. “Kevin and I are baseball guys and we want to honor outgoing senior baseball players with a game. The Lincoln Highway connects all four schools in Van Wert County, so that is where the name came from.” 

“We invited every senior baseball player from those four schools to play in this one game,” he continued. “I am really excited to see these guys get one last chance to play with and maybe against their teammates from high school.”

“Having 19 guys commit to play is perfect,” Price stated. “Everyone will get maximum time on the field. We will see lots of talent showing out. I am excited for the blind draw of teams.”   

“Every players name will go into a hat then Holden Price will draw for the Klosterman Team and Griff McCracken will draw for the Kinstle Team, he added. “That will make it interesting.”

This is Year No. 1 for this event. McCracken and Price are hoping for a great turnout and would like to see it become a yearly tradition. 

Brent’s Rolling Kitchen will be at the game serving food.

There’s no charge for admission to the game. Ray Geary (Delphos) and Tim Price (Lincolnview) and one person from Crestview will be honored before the game.

Random Thoughts: Bears and more

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

The latest installment of Random Thoughts includes congratulations and well wishes, a stunning ruling, the Chicago Bears and NFL cities and a team that’s moving on up.

Congratulations

Congratulations to all local track and field athletes who competed at the OHSAA track and field state championships in Columbus this past weekend. There were record setting performance and an all around good showing but a very talented group of athletes.

Good luck

Best of the luck to the Delphos St. John’s Blue Jays, as they try to win another state championship. On the heels winning the Division VII boys hoops title, the Blue Jays are in the Division VII baseball state semifinals and will face Tiffin Calvert at 10 a.m. Friday, with the winner moving on to Saturday’s championship game.

What?

The NCAA took one on the chin on Monday, when a Texas judge ruled that Texas Tech star quarterback Brendan Sorsby can indeed play this season, after he was ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA for betting on his own team while he was at Indiana and after that.

It just doesn’t make sense – the NCAA is quite clear about gambling, especially on your own team. Even betting on your team to win is a big no-no.

Even if you’re not a fan of the NCAA, the ruling seems to make little sense.

Bears on the move

Depending on which report you read, the Chicago Bears are on the move to Hammond, Indiana. Some reports say it’s a done deal, others indicate the Illinois legislature could still somehow make a play to build a new stadium in the Land of Lincoln. Personally, I still don’t completely believe it’s a done deal but it seems very close.

If the new stadium is built in northwest Indiana, the team will still be referred to as the Chicago Bears. It did get me thinking though – what if teams were listed where they actually play? Here’s how the NFL would look with stadium locations and their respective teams.

Cougars at state!

Van Wert’s Micah Cowan (above) earned a place on the podium at the OHSAA track and field state championships over the weekend. Cowan finished eighth in the Division III 300 meter hurdles (40.03). Meanwhile, Flannery Foster (below) wrapped up her freshman campaign with a 13th place finish in the discus (112-05). Photos courtesy of Monica Campbell

Knights set records!

Crestview’s 4×100 relay team of Graylie Grose, Ellie Ward, Delanie Balliet and Lydia Grace finished third with a school record time of 49.95 at the OHSAA track and field state championships in Columbus. Meanwhile, the boys 4×200 relay team of Drayden Hoffman, Hayden Perrott, Liam Putman and Brentyn Rodriguez was the runner-up in Division V with a school record time of 1:28.74. Lincoln Smith finished third in Division V in the 3200 meter run (9:31.97). Wyatt Richardson photo
 

Peters at state!

Lincolnview’s Noah Peters competed in the 110 and 300 meter hurdles at state, finishing 10th in the preliminaries of the 110 (15.20) and 12 in the prelims of the 300 meter hurdles (40.51). Wyatt Richardson photo