This year is also the fourth time the committee is presenting the Heart and Spirit Award, which will go to longtime Talawanda backers Russell and Carolyn Eversole.
The athlete inductees for the 2013 class will be: Steven K. Bowling (1967 THS basketball, baseball, cross country, track), Karen Morrison Clark (1976 THS cross country, track, basketball, volleyball), Alice Schwegman Krauth (1956 Stewart H.S. basketball, softball, volleyball,), Jeff Lancaster (1989 THS golf, basketball, tennis), Tom Paul (1966 THS baseball, basketball) and Keith Weiser (2003 THS baseball.
Weiser was one of the most dominant pitchers to ever come out of the Mid-Miami League, a master on the mound from 2000 through 2003. As the ace of the Braves pitching staff, he led his team to three straight MML South Division championships as well as two overall MML championships. A four-year varsity starter, he played first base when not pitching and was the team’s clean-up hitter posting a career batting average of .388.
Weiser posted a career record of 25-7 while going undefeated over his last two seasons. His nine career shutouts along with his career Earned Run Average of 1.26 was highlighted by a senior season where he posted a perfect 0.00 ERA. Fourteen times over his career he achieved 10 or more strikeouts in a game, earning a career high 19 K’s in a game against West Carrollton his junior year.
The 94 strikeouts he dealt to opposing hitters his senior year pushed his career total to 318, a record which still stands today.
Besides being voted as Talawanda’s Most Value Player three straight years, he earned First Team All MML honors his sophomore, junior and senior years, as well as the MML Player of the Year his junior and senior seasons.
Turning down an offer from the Atlanta Braves and several Division 1 colleges from around the country, Weiser decided to stay close to home and accept a full ride scholarship to play for the Miami University RedHawks. Following his junior year at Miami, Keith was once again selected in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.
Jeff Lancaster is a 1989 graduate of Talawanda High School. He was an outstanding athlete while at THS, participating in golf, basketball and tennis, earning nine varsity letters and part of six Mid-Miami League championship teams. He is remembered by most for his success as a four-year varsity golfer and a collegiate golfer at Xavier University.
After being named All MML second team in golf as a freshman, he was team MVP and first team all MML his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. As a senior, he also picked up MML Player of the Year honors with a 36.3 stroke average and he was a district qualifier to regional competition. His golf teams captured three MML championships.
A three-year letterman in basketball, he was a two-time Honorable Mention on the JournalNews All Golden Triangle team. A reliable ball handler, his assist/turnover ratio was 3-to-1 (198/69), while shooting better than 40 percent on three-point shots his junior and senior seasons.
Lancaster started playing tennis for THS as a junior, teaming up with Bobby Spencer at the No.1 Doubles position. As seniors they finished the regular season at 17-0, were MML champions at No.1 Doubles, and won the team Championship. They were Co-MVP’s for the Braves in that championship season.
Paul is an athlete who experienced personal success as a player, then later as a coach. He is a 1966 graduate of Talawanda High School who excelled two seasons of varsity basketball and varsity baseball.
In basketball, he was an All Mid-Miami League selection as a senior. That season the Braves captured the Mid-Miami League Championship and Paul was named team MVP.
Paul was also a standout pitcher for the Braves baseball team, earning All MML recognition his junior and senior years, as the Braves won back-to-back MML championships. Later that spring he was selected as the Outstanding Senior Male Athlete at Talawanda.
The induction event is open to the public. The evening will begin with an Inductee Reception at 5:30 p.m. with dinner in the cafeteria and the induction to follow in the auditorium. Banquet tickets are $30 each and can be purchased through the Talawanda athletic office by calling 513-273-3201, or by stopping in to the THS Athletic Office.
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