By The Examiner Staff
Bellefontaine opened the 2025 volleyball season on Tuesday as they outlasted visiting Northwestern in a five-set nonleague victory.
Northwestern took the opening set 25-22, before the Lady Chieftains won 25-19 and 25-21. The Warriors then won 25-20 to force the tiebreaker. Bellefontaine got an 18-16 win to take the match.
Kelsie Snapp had 24 kills and 22 digs for Bellefontaine, while Madi Zedeker was 16-of-16 on the service line and made 59 assists. Ava Layman had 17 kills, 20 digs, and three aces.
On defense, Jillian Ullom had 31 digs, Kaeleigh Flora had 10 kills and 17 digs, Presley Vigansky had seven kills and Ari Rangle had three solo blocks and four kills.
In the junior varsity contests, the JV Red team won 26-24 and 25-21. Rosalie Lightle had five digs and nine assists, Hailey Augustus had three aces, Alayna Boyd had five assists, four kills and one ace, and Brooklyne Kuntz had five kills and nine digs.
Northwestern defeated the JV Black team in three sets, 25-17, 24-26, 25-15. Ariane Moser and Kuntz each had seven kills, Lightle had 13 assists, three aces and six digs, and Lexi McKirahan had three aces.
Bellefontaine will host Riverside this evening.
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VOLLEYBALL
West Liberty-Salem 3, Triad 1
West Liberty-Salem defeated Triad in the season opener Tuesday night, winning by scores of 25-19, 27-25, 22-25 and 25-16.
For WL-S, Naomi Cole had 17 kills and Reese Winters had 11. Kiersten Stoll had seven, Lilli Heminger five and Ava Poppe four.
Reagan Winters had 14 digs. Lyndee Harrison had 21 assists and Sophia Landon made 18.
Harrison had seven aces, with two each by Stoll and Heminger.
West Liberty-Salem won the JV match 25-20, 25-17.
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Ben Logan 3, Waynesfield-Goshen 0
WAYNESFIELD — Ben Logan swept host Waynesfield-Goshen Tuesday in nonleague play.
The Lady Raiders won 25-12, 25-14 and 25-14.
Georgia Daniels had seven kills and five aces. Summer Cline had 12 assists, five kills and two aces. Abby Vance made nine kills and Kylie Harner had 12 assists.
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Urbana 3, Calvary Christian 0
Calvary Christian was swept by host Urbana Tuesday. The match scores were 25-14, 25-15 and 25-7.
Ava Cole had four kills. Grace Zell had nine assists and one ace, and Bella Titus had three kills and one block.
Urbana won the JV match in two sets.
Calvary Christian (1-2) hosts Ben Logan today.
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Indian Lake 3, Riverside 0
Indian Lake defeated Riverside in nonleague play on Tuesday.
The Lakers won by scores of 25-8, 25-8 and 25-6.
Cami Bailey had 10 kills, 11 digs and seven aces for Indian Lake. Annie Rapp and Courtney Altstaetter got five kills apiece. Riley Ross had 18 digs and five assists and Addyson Roby had 24 assists, eight digs and six kills.
For Riverside, Zoey Ransbottom had six assists, Miah Carman had five blocks and Chloe Purtee added 11 digs.
Indian Lake will host West Liberty-Salem and Riverside plays at Bellefontaine tonight.
The Lakers won the JV match 25-19 and 25-12.
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CROSS COUNTRY
Benjamin Logan hosted the Early Bird Invitational on Wednesday, with the teams running two miles instead of the usual distance of 3.1 miles.
Bellefontaine finished first in the boys teams with 36 points. Emmanuel Christian had 39, followed by Urbana (75), Fairbanks (100), Ben Logan (115) and Greenon (147).
Hayden Maus of the Chieftains was the individual winner in 10:24.
Oliver Grandstaff was fourth (10:58), Will Myers eighth (11:37), Landon Gerwels 10th (11:58) and Andrew Myers 13th (12:10).
Others running are Brenden Murray (12:16), Nick Herrera-Diaz (13:28), Tristyn Wilson (16:10), Brayten Swisher (19:56) and Jake Christen (20:35).
Tyler Shoopman led the Raiders, finishing ninth with a time of 11:52. He was followed by Oliver Morse (22nd, 12:36), Greyson Butler (23rd, 12:46), Maxwell Troth (29th, 13:22), and Michael Berry (32nd, 13:44). Also in the field was Gabe Elsasser (14:15).
Riverside’s Aiden Fout (13:57) and Brenden Lattimer (18:37) were in action as well.
Bellefontaine will compete in the Bob Schul Invitational on Saturday, while Ben Logan will be at Northwestern.
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In the girls’ race, Fairbanks and Greenon each had 40 points. Urbana had 48 and Ben Logan 103. Runners from Riverside and Emmanuel Christian were also part of the field.
Lucy Wenger had a time of 14:31 and finished 13th. Next across was Gwen Smith (20th, 15:17), then Lauren Kennedy (23rd, 15:44), Elliott Butler (25th, 16:06) and Molly Siefring (26th, 16:14).
Others in action were Bonnie Brunson (16:24), Lottie Bodin (16:32), Peyton Smith (16:40), Illiana Vermillion (17:48), Montana Coleman (18;21), Mallory Chapman (20:00), and Natalie Chapman (28:01).
Competing for Riverside were Kristen Thompson (19:01) and Margaret Beaty (22:36).
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GIRLS GOLF
Indian Lake 203, Graham 229
Indian Lake defeated Graham in a Central Buckeye Conference match at Prairie View Golf Course.
Alex Kinney was the match medalist with a round of 41. Lily Michael carded a 49, followed by Taylor Klofta (56) and Adriana Andrus (57).
Others in action were Chloe Borgerding (57) and Bella Michael (64).
Scores for Graham were Riley Donnelly (47), Bayla Moffitt (52), Ellayana Little (65) and Hailey Langford (65).
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BOYS GOLF
Indian Lake 157, Graham 208
The Lakers won over Graham in CBC play on Tuesday at Prairie View.
Jaxon Snipes had a round of 38 to claim medalist honors. Joe Cummins and Crew McPherson each had 39, and Cooper Hall shot 41.
Other scores were Jesse Carder (44) and Kade Richardson (49).
GIRLS SOCCER
Ben Logan 3, Kenton 1
Ben Logan defeated Kenton in nonleague action on Tuesday to open the season.
Mayse Daniels, Rylan Norviel and Paisley Rodgenberger scored for the Lady Raiders. Daylin Varner and Ella Chamberlin had one assist each.
Goalie Rissa Bates had five saves, including one on a penalty shot to preserve the lead.
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BOYS SOCCER
Kenton 7, Bellefontaine 1
KENTON — Bellefontaine lost to host Kenton in nonleague play on Tuesday.
The Chieftains’ goal came with 25 minutes gone by in the second half. It was scored by Cody Hudson, with Anderson Konz providing the assist.
Kenton led 1-0 at the half. They scored on two penalty kicks just before and after the Chiefs’ goal, then added four more.
“We played them tough for three-quarters of the game, but that second PK really took the steam out of us,” said Coach Stephen Henry.
“Kenton has a good team, and they really kept us on our heels. But we fought them off most of the night. We just have to keep working and find a way to get some momentum back. It’s a tough way to lose, but we’re going to learn a lot from it.”
Bellefontaine (0-2) will host Jackson Center today.
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West Liberty-Salem 9, Fairlawn 0
West Liberty-Salem shut out visiting Fairlawn in nonleague play Tuesday.
Conner Leichty had three goals and Wyatt Longaberger scored two for the Tigers. Elijah Christison, Josiah Thoman, Jerome Cordrey, and Peyton Ziegler had one tally apiece.
Lance Campbell had three assists, David Roberts two, with one each by Longaberger, Logan Zanfirov, and Landon Zanfirov.
Ryan Leichty made one save.
WL-S (2-0) will visit Northeastern today at 7:30 p.m.
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