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CJ grad enjoying life in the desert, for now

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By Sean McClelland, Staff Writer 12:57 AM Saturday, December 18, 2010

Matt Miller (Chaminade Julienne) became the first Moraine native to play in a bowl game when his Arizona Western College team lost to Blinn Junior College 31-27 in the C.H.A.M.P.S Heart of Texas Bowl on Dec. 4 in Copperas Cove, Texas.

At least that’s what his dad, Dave Miller — who runs the Payne Recreation Center in town and has monitored residents’ athletic exploits for decades — is telling people.

“I could see him knowing a statistic like that,” said Matt, home from the Yuma, Ariz., campus on holiday break. “That’s awesome.”

Miller, a 6-foot-2, 255-pound defensive end, made several solo tackles against Blinn, one of Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton’s former schools, in finishing the season second on the team in sacks and tackles for losses. A redshirt sophomore, he has another year in the desert, then hopes to enroll at a Division I school closer to home, like Cincinnati.

“I want to go to Cincy real bad,” he said. “I always grew up watching Cincy and I have a couple of friends there. To tell you the truth, though, I just want to play football somewhere back east. I like the weather out there, but I miss the people here. They’re a lot more genuine.”

Miller had D-I aspirations out of high school, but underachieving in the classroom cost him a shot. So he headed west. And now, studying criminal justice and winning a Western States Football League championship on a team that finished No. 4 in the final NJCAA poll, his coaches say he’s back on the radar.

The bowl game helped with exposure. So did playing alongside defensive tackle Jesse Williams, the top juco recruit in the country, who is headed to Alabama. Miller got to meet Nick Saban late in the season when the Alabama coach visited campus.

“We just shook hands in the cafeteria,” Miller said. “I hope he remembers my name.”

Wright impression

Running back Marcus Wright (Dunbar) introduced himself to the nation in Texas Southern’s 11-6, ESPN Classic-shown Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) football championship win over Alabama State on Saturday by gaining 137 yards on 32 carries.

Wright set a school rushing record with 1,212 yards this season, second in the SWAC, and was a first-team all-conference pick playing for fellow Dunbar grad Johnnie Cole, was was named SWAC coach of the year.

Campus tour

• Eric Wenzler (Springboro), a fifth-year senior cornerback at Ohio Northern, was named second-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference after a season in which he had 26 tackles, two interceptions and four pass break-ups. Wenzler started 37 games in his career with 140 tackles and eight interceptions.

• Caitlyn (Mauch) Brooks (Alter) is averaging 4.8 points and 5.2 rebounds for the Cedarville University women’s basketball team, which is 8-3 and ranked No. 11 in NAIA Division II. Brooks had career highs of 24 points and 18 rebounds Saturday in a win at Huntington (Ind.).

• Kasey Roeser (Northmont), a junior volleyball player at Division III Ohio Northern, led the nation in digs this season with 933. She had a career-high 50 in one match. Roeser, a libero, has started every match of her college career. She will enter her senior year second in ONU career digs with 2,358.

If you have news of area athletes competing in college sports, please contact Sean McClelland at smcclelland@DaytonDailyNews.com or at (937) 225-2408.

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