Several area players have been chosen to participate in the games. For the girls Divisions I-II team, Jamari McDavid (Kenton Ridge) is on the South roster. Kendal Peck (Alter) and Danielle Thomas (Tecumseh) are the South Division I-II coaches. Among the South Divisions III-IV players are Allie Downing (Tri-Village), Tia Karras (Miami Valley) and Jessica Erwin (Southeastern) and Gabbard is a South coach.
Torrey Patton (Trotwood-Madison) and Miles Joiner (Vandalia-Butler) made the cut for the South Divisions I-II boys team. Dalton Stewart (Brookville) and Nathan Lessing (Fairlawn) have been selected for the boys South Divisions III-IV team.
Gabbard has been a coach/teacher/administrator fixture at Waynesville for at least 28 years. He’s listed by the Ohio High School Athletic Association as having won 465 girls basket games. His teams have won at least nine league titles and appeared in a D-III state final four in 2005.
The Waynesville girls were 22-2 this past season, losing only at Milton-Union in the regular season and to Purcell Marian in the D-III sectional. The Spartans won an outright Southwestern Buckeye League Buckeye Division title and were co-champs in 2016.
Coaches must be OHSBCA members for coach of the year and player nomination consideration. All the players are seniors.
• Patton’s recruitment rocketed in a 24-hour period last week. His lack of offers during the boys final four state tournament at Columbus was a hot topic. Since then he received offers initially from Akron and Duquesne. Wright State, Miami and Youngstown followed in rapid succession.
Walsh University has announced that Christian Montague (Chaminade Julienne) has committed to play for the NCAA D-II program. Both Patton (20.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists) and Montague (23.4, 5.5, 1.4) were among the area’s best guards the past two seasons.
• At least nine area track and field invitationals are scheduled for this week. On Tuesday it’s the 40th annual Rex Aukerman Classic at Fairborn, the Bellbrook Relays at Miami Valley South stadium and the Miami County Championships at Piqua.
Friday is loaded, featuring the Edwin C. Moses/Dayton Relays at Welcome Stadium. Also Friday is the Springboro, the Eaton Stoltz, the Franklin Bart Owens and the Preble Shawnee invites. All those meets will begin at approximately 4 p.m.
The Milton-Union Bulldog Track Classic at West Milton (11 a.m.) is Saturday.
• Visiting Moeller snapped Vandalia-Butler’s 13-game unbeaten streak to start the baseball season, 15-3 on Saturday. Moeller has won four state D-I championships since 2009. Lebanon (11-1) has lost only its season opener to Edgewood. Oakwood (12-2) and Waynesville (9-2) have separated themselves in Southwestern Buckeye League baseball. The Spartans host the Lumberjacks on Tuesday.
Miamisburg (11-1) and Lebanon (10-1) are headed to a Greater Western Ohio Conference National West softball showdown, playing twice next week. Monroe (9-1) and Franklin (8-1) are the SWBL’s best. They’ll have a two-game showdown in the final week of the regular season that could decide the Southwestern Division title.
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