Cassie Mattia is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine and lives in Historic Downtown
Loveland, Ohio – It has been a sad week for the Loveland High School Tiger Family as Head Women’s Basketball Coach, Darnell Parker, announced that he has been diagnosed with Colon and Liver Cancer.
Coach Parker made the devastating announcement over Twitter on October 29th and almost immediately the Loveland community rallied together to root him on in his battle with cancer. Below is the announcement Coach Parker made a little over one week ago.
Thank you all in advance for your Prayers and Support! I know I can’t respond to everyone but just know it’s appreciated!
Coach Parker has not been the only one to remain positive after being diagnosed with Colon and Liver Cancer; the support from the Loveland community and many others across Ohio has been outstanding! Below are just a few of the tweets that have been dedicated to Coach Parker’s post-cancer announcement.
Oh Man, I Love my Pep band Tigers!! Best in the Business!! Thank you it absolutely put a smile on my face!!! #TigerFamhttps://t.co/YbJQEiQC60
Thank @mcdermottmadi.. you will always have a special place in my heart! How could you not kid, your one of my "Day Ones"!! Love you kid, looking forward to watching you coach this year! #OurWay#ParkerStronghttps://t.co/9YotMRcN7s
Dog Gone it Coach I almost had a year free Monday! I appreciate this more than you can imagine! Looking forward to sharing the court with you guys soon!! https://t.co/nCpTJGNhFQ
This is what it's all about!! Love my GLen Este kids! Thank you @TF4_Era for posting the throwback! Love you kid! Keep doing great things, proud of you! https://t.co/by611I7VDW
It’s no secret that Coach Parker has not only done a lot for Loveland High School but has also succeeded in developing an unbelievable Women’s Basketball program, breaking several school records along the way. Click below to read about Coach Parker’s stellar coaching career and his 100 win milestone!
Coach Parker has touched the lives of everyone he has surrounded himself with including myself. The first meeting I had with Coach Parker and his Tiger basketball team was last year when I decided to do a feature on-camera interview with him, his coaching staff, and the women’s basketball team. I remember walking into the gym excited to feature a Tiger women’s team that was kicking butt and taking names! Last year the women’s basketball team had one of their most successful seasons in history and of course, it had something to do with the talent Coach Parker had on his team but it had more to do with Coach Parker’s “ourway” philosophy. Below is the interview I conducted on that very special day!
The passion, the excitement, and the heart Coach Parker displayed the first day I interacted with him inspired me to the core. I remember asking Coach Parker why he created the #ourway and his response made me want to join the Tiger women’s basketball team myself! He told me that he didn’t want the Tiger program to mimic any other program, he wanted to do things their way. Coach Parker wanted his team to stand out through the way they played and through the way they carried themselves off the court and in school. I loved his mentality. His tenacity honestly reminded me of my own experience of playing basketball for my father which is saying something because I consider my father one of the best coaches around.
My next encounter with Coach Parker other than through emails as I always made sure I kept him up-to-date on any articles featuring him and his Tigers, was when the women’s team faced Mount Notre Dame for the 2019 District Title at Princeton High School. Although I had heard about Coach Parker’s coaching style I had never experienced it in person. I was so impressed with how Coach Parker and his coaching staff were able to get the Tigers so focused while encouraging them to stay positive and just play the game they were born to play.
Unfortunately, the Tigers lost that day and of course, the players were upset but the one thing I noticed is that everyone including the fans, parents, and assistant coaching staff went directly up to Coach Parker gave him a big hug, and thanked him for his dedication to them and the game of basketball. That really spoke to me. The fact that the first thing everyone did after the loss was go up to Coach Parker to encourage and congratulate him on an outstanding season said to me that the Tiger community knew he gave the team and LHS his all regardless of the loss. Click below to read about the Tiger’s 2019 District Title run!
When I heard the news about Coach Parker and his battle with cancer my heart broke in two. Why does such an amazing human being have to go through so much pain? It just didn’t make sense to me. Then I read about the positive outlook Coach Parker decided to take on the entire situation. Wow what a selfless person. Instead of giving up on life, Coach Parker has decided to inspire others battling cancer through words of encouragement and sharing his own story. Although I am more than saddened by Coach Parker’s cancer diagnosis I know that he will do everything in his power to defeat cancer and spread love and kindness along the way!
Coach Parker, I want you to know that you have inspired me to not only be a better person but also spread positivity with a smile on my face regardless of what obstacles may be challenging me. I am here for you, your awesome family, and the Tiger’s Women’s Basketball Team, and I will do whatever I can to help you spread that cancer won’t defeat your spirit or dedication to the Loveland/Tiger community! We love you here at Loveland Magazine and we can’t wait to see how successful you will be in the near future!
Sincerely,
Cassie Mattia
Continue reading to see Loveland Magazine Editor in Chief, David Miller’s tribute to Coach Parker.
Dear Coach Parker,
You’ve become too much of a personal friend not to offer anything but, “Loveland Magazine is here for you to offer our support in any way we can.” You are more to me than just someone Loveland Magazine covers as a sports figure. I’ve come to love how you coach, always that big smile, always that grin, always that encouragement to your players. Even the prodding I see towards the officials is done with your natural good nature.
To Coach’s players… I am here for you too. Trying to put myself in your Nike’s is impossible because I have never been there, but I acknowledge how difficult this is for you. Loveland Magazine is here for you too!
Loveland Magazine is here for you… to help you all cut down this net too and we will be here to cover you cutting down many, many more!
In the photo above Jillian Hayes became Loveland High School’s all-time leading scorer in February of 2020.
by Cassie Mattia
Cassie Mattia is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine and is a resident of Historic Downtown
Loveland, Ohio – Another former Tiger athlete is already making quite the name for herself and the season hasn’t even started yet! LHS graduate and excellent student-athlete, Jillian Hayes, has a bright future ahead of her as she is just about to begin her freshman year as a guard on the University of Cincinnati Women’s Basketball Team. Click the link below to check out Hayes’ stellar basketball history as a Loveland Tiger in my “One-One With Jillian Hayes” feature article!
Hayes was recently featured on the latest episode of “Fresh Faces Presented by Kroger.” The Fresh Faces segment spotlights new and up and coming athletes on Bearcat Nation. Fresh Faces plans on featuring all of the new 2020-2021 Cincinnati Men’s and Women’s Basketball student-athletes.
According to GoBearcats.com Hayes was rated as a four-star prospect by Prospects Nation. Click below to read about Hayes’ unbelievable stats and what led to her being rated as a four-star prospect coming into UC as a freshman!
Both UC Women’s Basketball Coach Michelle Clark-Heard and Jillian Hayes told Bearcat Nation that they couldn’t be more excited to put UC on the map this year with all the talent they are bringing in!
“It means the world to me to put our city on the map and be able to be a part of building something here,” Hayes said, “It’s nice to know that my support system has been through what I’m going through and can talk to me and give me the right advice to guide me through it. Being able to talk to my brother, even my parents is a big blessing.”
“She is a Cincinnati native and someone that we knew was important to keep at home,” Clark-Heard said, “Jillian is going to cause matchup nightmares for our opponents as her size and athleticism allow her to play multiple positions in our system.”
— Cincinnati Women's Basketball (@GoBearcatsWBB) October 26, 2020
We want to wish Jillian Hayes and the UC Women’s Basketball Team the best of luck as they prepare for what we think will be a very successful season! We couldn’t be prouder to have someone like Jillian represent Loveland in such a positive light! We will be cheering you on, Jillian, as you strive to achieve greatness and hopefully break some records! GO BEARCATS!
To catch more of your local sports news stay tuned to the Sports 411 With me, Cassie Mattia!
Cassie Mattia is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine and lives in Historic Downtown.
Loveland, Ohio – Sports across the world have had many obstacles to overcome in 2020 as the spread of COVID-19 caused seasons and post-season tournaments to be canceled or rescheduled. Many Fall sports in the state of Ohio were able to postpone their seasons and eventually get back to the games they so cherish. Though athletes and coaches were worried that they wouldn’t be prepared for any type of competition due to only being able to virtually practice for several months, that just wasn’t the case for the Loveland Tigers!
Loveland High School’s Fall Sports teams excelled in their 2020-2021 seasons, many teams and individuals receiving several accolades for their performances. Without further ado, here is your Loveland Sports 411 with me, Cassie Mattia!
Football
The Loveland Tigers Football Team had quite the year as they had to deal with their season and post-season being held-up due to COVID-19. Even though the Tigers had a lot to overcome, they still gave their best effort during their competitions. The Tigers rounded up their season 0-4 in the ECC and 1-6 overall. The ECC 2020-2021 Champions this year were both Kings and Winton Woods.
Tiger’s playoff game against Little Miami on October 9.
Calvin Cloud had a stellar season placing 2nd in the ECC in Offensive Passing Yards with 1,950. As of current, the ECC has not published the post-season football awards.
Women’s Volleyball
The Loveland Women’s Volleyball Team made it quite far in the post-season tournament, getting all the way to the 3rd round!
On October 22nd the Tigers played Little Miami in the 1st round of the post-season tournament at Lakota East. Loveland beat the Panthers in 3 out of the 4 games, 22-25, 26-24, 25-15, 25-16.
On October 24th the Tigers faced West Clermont in the 2nd round of tournament play where they won 3 out of the 4 games, 25-14, 25-23, 23-25, 25-22.
Finally on October 27th Loveland played powerhouse Mount Notre Dame in the 3rd round of the tournament and lost 25-10, 25-14, 25-9.
The Loveland Women’s Volleyball finished their hard-fought 2020-2021 season 8-8 in the ECC and 14-10 overall. Loveland also had some impressive Tigers make into the top 5 in several categories in the ECC! Diana Clark placed 3rd in the ECC in Digs with 399 and 1st in the ECC in Pass Points with 1,266. Abbie Miller placed 5th in the ECC in Assists with 428 while Audrey Planner placed 4th in the ECC in Pass Points with 899 and 5th in Kills with 249.
Several Loveland Women’s Volleyball Tigers were awarded ECC honors for their regular season performances! Diana Clark received ECC’s 1st Team, Audrey Planner was awarded 2nd Team, and Maya Jepson was honored with ECC’s Honorable Mention.
The ECC Women’s Volleyball Champions for the 2020-2021 season was Lebanon.
Men’s Soccer
The Men’s Soccer Team had a great season earning OHSAA District Runner-up.
The Loveland Men’s Soccer Team ended the season with a bang also making it far into the post-season tournament and racking up some well-deserved ECC accolades!
On October 19th the Tigers played Withrow in the 1st round of the post-season tournament and won 7 – 0.
On October 22nd Loveland faced Mount Healthy in the 2nd round of the post-season tournament and again captured a very impressive victory, winning 9 – 0.
The Men’s Soccer Team played Elder on October 24th in the 3rd round of the tournament at Sycamore High School. The game was a nailbiter as it went into overtime where the Tigers claimed another win 3-2!
The Loveland Men’s Soccer Team rounded out the season 6-1-1 in the ECC and 13-3-3 overall making them the 2020-2021 ECC Champions along with Turpin. This was the 3rd season in a row that Loveland claimed the ECC Champions title!
Several Tigers ranked in the top 5 in the ECC in several categories. Helge Harris placed 3rd in the ECC in Offensive Points with 35 and Kees Ciric placed 5th with 33. Harris also placed 3rd in the ECC for Goals with 15 and Ciric grabbed 5th place in Assists with 9. Dylan Schwinn placed 1st place in the ECC in Shutouts with 7.5. Coach Mike Dunlap received ECC Coach of the Year for the 3rd year in a row and Kees Ciric was honored with Player of the Year and ECC’s 1st Team. Helge Harris and Nick Williams received ECC’s 1st Team honors as well. Addison Hearn and Joe Stepaniack were honored with ECC’s 2nd Team while Peyton Kubin was awarded Honorable Mention.
Women’s Soccer
Head Coach Todd M. Kelly was named ECC’s Women’s Coach of the Year
The Loveland Women’s Soccer Team claimed the ECC 2020-2021 Champions title with a 7-0-1 ECC record and a 14-1-3 overall record. The Tigers have now been ECC Champions 6 times out of the past 9 seasons!
— Loveland Strength & Conditioning (@Loveland_SC) October 16, 2020
On October 24th the Tigers played West Clermont in the 1st round of the post-season tournament winning1 – 0.
Loveland then went on to face Oak Hills in the 2nd round of the tournament and after giving all that they could give, the Tigers lost1 – 0.
2020 ECC Girls Soccer Champions
The success of the Women’s Soccer Team showed as several of the Tigers placed in the ECC in several categories! Lauren Donovan placed 4th in the ECC in Offensive Points with 26 and finished in 1st place in Assists with 12. Shraya Smolenski also placed in the ECC in Assists, grabbing 3rd with 7. Eva Dudeck placed 1st in the ECC with 13.0.
Loveland racked up quite a few post-season ECC awards for their successful 2020-2021 season! Head Coach Todd M. Kelly was awarded ECC’s Coach of the Year and Lauren Donovan was honored with Player of the Year and ECC’s 1st Team. Eve Dudeck, Abby Pawlikowski, and Leiah Goedde also received 1st Team ECC honors. Ella James and Brooke Hatfield received ECC’s 2nd Team and Sophia Kapzukiewicz was awarded Honorable Mention.
CONGRATULATIONS to our Lauren Donovan – on being named this week's @RPDiamondprint Athlete of the Week! Lauren led our Lady Tigers Soccer Team to an undefeated regular season and an ECC Championship – also finished first in the ECC in assists. Great season Lauren. Go Tigers! pic.twitter.com/pIMM4cbyPd
The Loveland Men’s Cross Country Team is having a historical season this year as they recently qualified for the 2020 OHSAA State Cross Country Tournament as a team, something they haven’t done in 49 years!
The Tigers had several top performers in the ECC after the regular season meets, 7 ranking in the top 25! Below are Loveland’s personal best times for the season and where they fell among the top 25.
On October 17th the Loveland Men’s Cross Country Team placed 2nd in ECC Championship Meet at Home of Brave Park. Loveland scored 57 points. If you would like to see the full results from the meet click the following link: 2020 ECC Cross Country Championship Results (Boys). Ryan Chevalier was the ECC 1st place champion finishing with a time of 15:51.60. Brady Steiner also placed in the top 10 grabbing the 7th place spot with a time of 16:39.98.
District Runner-ups
Junior Ryan Chevalier broke the Loveland XC School Record on October 3 at the Sycamore Sunset Invitational. His winning time of 15:34.5 bettered Mark Weden’s record of 15:44 set at the Saint Xavier Invitational fifteen seasons ago. (Loveland Magazine file Photo from 2019)
The OHSAA District Cross Country Championship meet was held at Voice of America Park on October 24th where the Tigers successfully qualified for Regionals as a team! Loveland finished in 2nd place with 66 points. If you would like to check out the full results from the meet click the following link: Division I Boys – District A – Voice of America Park, West Chester. Ryan Chevalier was the Tigers top performer finishing in 4th place with a time of 15:39.3. Sam Neiger also finished in the top 10 securing a 9th place finish with a time of 16:29.5.
On Halloween, the Tigers traveled to Troy, Ohio to compete in OHSAA’s Regional Cross Country meet. In order to qualify for the State Championship, which will be held at Fortress Obetz in Obetz, Ohio on November 7th, Loveland had to be one of the top 5 teams and they did just that! The Men’s Cross Country team finished in 5th place with 168 points. If you would like to see the full results of the Regional meet click the following link: Region 4 – Division I Boys. Ryan Chevalier was the top finisher for the Tigers grabbing the 7th place spot with a time of 15:58.8. Sam Neiger finished 37th with a time of 17:00.4, Cayden Dyer placed 40th with a time of 17:02.0, Ajay Stutz crossed the finish line in 48th with a time of 17:09.6, Brady Steiner placed 53rd with a time of 17:11.4, Colin Beran finished in 71st place with a time of 17:34.5, and Grant Hanson placed 109th with a time of 18:32.1. The Tigers will run the Division 1 Championship at 3 PM on November 7th.
The Tigers’ successful season brought one individual on the team a huge honor within the ECC! Ryan Chevalier was selected as the 2020-2021 ECC Runner of the Year. Lebanon claimed the 2020-2021 ECC Champions Title.
Women’s Cross Country
Emmy Sager will compete in the State Cross Country meet on November 7th at 4 PM.
Advancing to the Regional Meet
The Loveland Women’s Cross Country team ran like true Tigers this season as the team advanced to Regionals!
On October 17th the Tigers ran at the Home of the Brave Park for the ECC Championship meet. Loveland placed 2nd with 61 points. For the full ECC Championship meet results click the following link: 2020 ECC Cross Country Championship Results (Girls) Emmy Sager was the top Tiger finisher placing 6th with a time of 19:23.98. Jessie Gibbins also placed in the top 10 finishing in 8th place with a time of 19:32.59.
On October 24th Loveland competed in OHSAA’s District Cross Country meet at Voice of America Park. The Tigers qualified for the Regional Cross Country meet by placing 2nd with 75 points. To see the full meet results click the following link: Division I Girls – District B – Voice of America Park, West Chester. Emmy Sager finished in the top 10 crossing the finish line in 3rd place with a time of 18:59.6.
On October 31st in Troy, Ohio at OHSAA’s Regional Cross Country meet Loveland missed making the State Tournament as a team by one spot finishing in 6th place with 169 points. To see the full meet results click the following link: Region 4 – Division I Girls.
In order for individual runners on their designated team to qualify for the State Championship, the runner had to finish in the top 20. Emmy Sager who finished in 8th place with a time of 19:01.9 was the only Tiger to qualify for the State Meet, which will be held in Obetz, Ohio on November 7th.
The rest of Loveland’s Women’s Cross Country team ran great races Jessie Gibbins finishing in 23rd with a time of 19:39.6, Maaike Snider placing in 45th with a time of 20:15, Sophia Huff finishing in 47th with a time of 20:20.4, Ally Colegate finishing in 63rd with a time of 20:43.2, and Ellie Carr placing in 103rd with a time of 22:03.7.
After so many great performances throughout the season, several Tigers ended the 2020-2021 season ranked within the top 20 in the ECC for their stellar 5k times. Below are where each individual runner placed and their season personal best 5k time.
The Men’s Golf Team won the ECC this year with an undefeated record! This is the 2nd year in a row that the Tigers have managed to grab the ECC Champions title.
Head Coach David Allan won ECC Coach of the Year and Tyler Vallee was awarded Golfer of the Year. Several other Tiger golfers received ECC honors for their excellent performances during the 2020-2021 season. Joe Jankowski, Anthony Moran, and Tyler Vallee joined ECC’s First Team, Aiden Callahan was awarded 2nd Team, and Ben Kirlin joined 3rd Team.
There were a couple of top-performing Tiger golfers that were honored with ECC accolades for the 2020-2021 season. Emme Amy was awarded ECC’s 2nd Team and was ranked 17th in the league for her performance with a 48.00 average and 171 holes. Kristin Dygert received ECC’s 3rd Team.
Congratulations to these 3 fine Tennis Players. All moving on to round two. Maira Hoder wins 6-3, 6-4. Babs and Batsch win 6-0, 6-2. Go Tigers! pic.twitter.com/BpU9v2pX2G
The Loveland Women’s Tennis Team had a historical 2020-2021 season as they finished at the top of the ECC with a 7.5 for the regular season and an 11.0 for the tournament totaling 18.5! The Tigers were ECC Champions for the second year in a row with a 5-2 league record and a 14-4 overall record.
Congratulations to our Girls Tennis team on an outstanding fall season. We finish the season as ECC Champions! We appreciate your hard work and dedication. Forever, Go Tigers! pic.twitter.com/7wYxG1r9n0
The Loveland Tennis Team gathered several ECC awards as Head Coach Mikayla Pitman received ECC’s Coach of the Year and Maira Hodar was awarded ECC’s 1st Team in Singles. Tess Broermann and Hannah Wenger also received ECC’s 1st Team in Doubles. Jenna Batsch and Babs Dwyer were awarded ECC’s 2nd Team in Doubles and Grace Haught received Honorable Mention in Singles.
Thus far into the 2020-2021 Athletics season, Loveland is in 2nd place with 74 points for the ECC’s All-Sports Trophy. Turpin currently is in the top spot for the All-Sports Trophy with 76 points.
Here at Loveland Magazine, we want to congratulate the Loveland Tigers Fall Athletic squads for all the hard work and dedication they put into perfecting their craft! We understand it has been a difficult time for the sports world, but we couldn’t be prouder of how Loveland Athletics was able to overcome the obstacles that were thrown at the high school student-athletes, coaches, parents, and administrators. We can’t wait to see what’s to come in Tiger sports for the remainder of the year! GO TIGERS!!
Stay tuned for more of your Loveland Sports 411 with me, Cassie Mattia!
Cassie Mattia is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine and lives in Historic Downtown Loveland
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – A former Loveland Tiger stand-out student-athlete will get the opportunity to showcase his football skills on the CBS Sports Network on Wednesday, November 4th!
Drew Plitt, Loveland High School graduate, and now Ball State University’s quarterback will be facing MAC Champion Miami for their season-opener, as the 2020 season was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at 7 PM.
On top of being showcased on National television, Plitt was nominated for two very prestigious college football awards. Plitt was placed on the watch list for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award just two weeks after being placed on the watch list for the Manning Award, which recognizes the top-performing quarterback in America.
In a near blizzard, Drew Plitt quarterbacked the Loveland Tigers to a 41 – 23 win over Glenville at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium to win the Div II State Championship in 2013. The temperature was 28 degrees, the wind was 5-10 mph, and steady snow kept plows busy clearing the Canton Fawcett Stadium yard lines throughout the game. Dec. 6, 2013.
Before Plitt headed to Ball State himself to play football he was a top-notch student-athlete at Loveland High School. Plitt was a member of the National Honor Society all while earning multiple awards in both basketball and football. As a Junior Plitt was Team Captain, MVP, and First-Team All-Conference in basketball. In football, Plitt received All-Conference twice as well as Honorable Mention All-District as a Senior. Plitt helped lead the Loveland Tigers to a 2013 state title and still has the school record for career passing touchdowns (42).
It was announced recently the Plitt’s college football team, Ball State University will have their first three games nationally televised! On Wednesday, November 4th you can catch the Cardinals playing their rival Miami on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM, and then one week later on November 11th you can watch BSU as they host Eastern Michigan at 7 PM. The third game on BSU’s six regular-season game schedule will be played on November 18th against Northern Illinois at 7 PM. This particular game will be broadcasted on ESPN2, ESPNU, or CBS Sports Network.
According to BSU’s website, “The TV designation for the NIU game and designations and kick times for all three of the Cardinals’ Saturday contests to close the regular season will be announced 12 days before each game. The three Saturday games will appear on CBS Sports Network or an ESPN platform. The MAC Football Championship Game will air Friday, Dec. 18 on ESPN or ESPN2. As always, all BSU football games can be heard on the Ball State Radio Network on 104.1 WLBC.”
We wish Drew Plitt the best of luck for the up and coming BSU Football Season! We can’t wait to see all the awards and accomplishments he racks up! Check out BSU’s Football schedule below and what platform each game will be televised on.
2020 Ball State Football Schedule
Wed., Nov. 4 (7 p.m.) at Miami (Oxford, Ohio) – CBS Sports Network (CBSSN)
Cassie Mattia is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine and lives in Historic Downtown Loveland, Ohio
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – The City of Loveland is full of lovely people! If you visit the city and simply walk along the Loveland Bike Trail or along the sidewalks as you pass the local businesses you will find that everyone within the community supports and loves one another. Many individual community members, business owners, and local leaders have been recognized for what they have done for the City of Loveland and its people but one person, in particular, has proven time and time again to go above and beyond what is asked of him. That person is Mark Bersani, owner of Loveland Canoe and Kayak.
On October 13th at Loveland’s City Hall Bersani was honored with the Louis G. Rockwood Community Service Award, an award that recognizes the time and accomplishments of volunteers in the City of Loveland.
Bersani was introduced and was given the prestigious award by Mayor Kathy Bailey. Two prominent members of the Loveland community nominated Bersani for the award and read their testimonials during the city hall meeting.
Tim Butler, member of the Loveland City Council and Owner of local business Mile42 Coffee, read his nomination first.
“Mark is a ceaseless advocate for preservation and aesthetics along the Little Miami River. He is an active and fervent supporter of local businesses,” Butler noted, “Mark is also involved in a project which offers canoeing and kayaking opportunities to inner-city youth. Mark is a true representative of the ‘Think Global/Act Local’ mentality. Mark is always thinking of ways to improve the City. He is well-deserving of this honor.”
Neil Oury, also a member of the Loveland City Council, delivered his kind testimonial next during the city hall meeting.
“Mark Bersani, owner of Loveland Canoe & Kayak, for his tireless efforts to helping Loveland businesses since 2003 with events and for being involved in the downtown business district,” Oury said, “Mark has mentored many young employees through his summer hiring. Mark cares about Loveland, the river, and our residents. His retail store offers canoes & kayaks and accessories along with offering demos, fishing tournaments, and tread shows which brings our community together.”
After Mayor Kathy Bailey awarded Bersani, his wife, and daughter, Bersani got the opportunity to speak about how thankful he was to receive such an honor in the city he loves so much. Bersani explained that he was not only honored but very humbled by the award. He said everything he does is a team effort and that his family has played a big part in his success and volunteering efforts. Bersani said that he loves being apart of a community that supports one another and was sure to thank his wife, daughter, and canoe staff for all their hard work and support especially during the pandemic.
Here at Loveland Magazine, we have always been huge supporters of Mark Bersani, his amazing family, and his legendary business! The Louis G. Rockwood Community Service Award could not have been given to a better Loveland community member! We are so lucky to be apart of a community that recognizes people like Mark for their outstanding efforts in making Loveland that much better to live, work, and have fun in! From the moment I stepped foot into the City of Loveland I knew the Bersani family was special so I decided to write a story about their journey last year! If you would like to read the story click the following link: https://lovelandmagazine.com/an-inspirational-loveland-family-canoes-their-way-into-peoples-hearts/.
Congratulations Mark Bersani! Click below to watch Bersani and his family honored at the October 13th City Hall Meeting with the Louis G. Rockwood Community Service Award!
Cassie Mattia is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine and lives in Historic Downtown Loveland
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – It’s that spooky time of year again when all the little ghouls and goblins are running amuck in search of the best candy! Well, thankfully the Candy Police are back and ready to make sure EVERYONE is able to enjoy Trick-or-Treating in Loveland!
The Loveland Police Department and the Hamilton Township Police Department will be working together this Halloween in order to bring joy and of course candy to any kids or adults with special needs who can’t physically go trick-or-treating. Could Loveland get any sweeter?!
Both police departments said that they want to make sure Halloween is a special day for not just the kids with special needs but the adults as well!
If you have a loved one who loves Halloween but is unable to Trick-or-Treat due to a disability and lives in the City of Loveland or Hamilton Township, please contact Lieutenant Mike Szpak at 513-707-6116 or through email at mszpak@lovelandoh.gov. Whether you decide to call or email Lt. Szpak, please include your name, your loved one’s name, the address you would like candy delivered to, and a phone number that you can be reached at.
The Candy Police will do their best to schedule all visits between 6 PM and 8 PM on October 31st but may have to adjust the hours due to high demand.
Unfortunately, the police departments are not able to consider the Coronavirus as a special need or disability.
Want to help the Candy Police spread Halloween spirit successfully throughout Loveland?! Please contact Lieutenant Szpak to donate any deliciously creepy treats to the Candy Police Program.
Loveland, Ohio – The 2020 Ohio High School Athletic Association Football postseason is finally here! On October 1st, OHSAA announced the regional brackets for the football playoffs, which currently includes 648 schools.
During a normal OHSAA Football season, 224 schools typically qualify for the playoffs, with eight schools from each of 28 regions earning a bid through the OHSAA’s Harbin computer ratings system. This season the Harbin system will not be used. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the playoffs will begin in Week 7 (Oct. 9-10) and all teams could potentially opt-in.
The Loveland Tigers will travel to Little Miami High School this Friday, October 9. Game time is 7 PM. Little Miami has a 15 seed and Loveland is seeded 18.
The Panthers beat the Tigers in Tiger Stadium on September 18th, 55-20.
The Tigers lost at Kings last Friday night 63-32 and play the last game of their announced schedule on Friday, October 16th at Milford. All teams have the option of playing more games if or when they are eliminated from the State Tournament. The Milford game scenario would change depending on tournament first-round game results.
Below is the Region 8 Bracket for Div II. (Right-Click the Bracket and open in a new tab or window for a larger view)
(Continue reading about the State Tournament below the Bracket…)
The head coaches in each region voted to determine the seeding in their region. OHSAA placed teams in particular brackets according to their seeds. In most regions, the higher seeds will have a first-round bye.
All playoff tickets will be sold online through www.OHSAA.org/tickets and will be available starting Tuesday, October 6.
Divisions, I, II, III, and VII will play on Friday nights. Divisions IV, V, and VI will play on Saturday nights. All games will kick-off at 7 p.m.
For each game through at least the regional semifinals, the higher seeded team will have the first opportunity to host the game. If the higher-seeded team cannot host, the other team will host the game. The OHSAA will determine sites for the regional finals, state semifinals, and state championships. If a team is unable to play a playoff game on the assigned day according to the bracket, its opponent will advance on the bracket.
Schools eliminated from the playoffs or that chose not to enter have the option to schedule additional regular-season contests through Saturday, November 14 (maximum of 10 regular season contests permitted).
All sports in Ohio – at all levels – are under the direction of the latest Ohio Department of Health order, which was signed on August 19th by Governor DeWine. The order and additional guidance from the ODH and OHSAA are posted at:https://www.ohsaa.org/Home/OHSAA-COVID-19-Correspondence
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
The Division I State Championship Game will be played Friday, November 13th. The specific dates and times for the state championship games in Divisions II through VII will be announced at a later date but will be played within the November 19th-22nd date range. Sites will be announced at a later date, as well, but it is unlikely that all seven games will be played at the same venue according to the OHSAA. There will be no state championship games that happen simultaneously, as each game will have its own time slot
Spectrum News 1 will be the official television partner of the OHSAA and will select several playoff games each weekend to televise live. Only Spectrum can provide live television coverage of the OHSAA Football Playoff Games. All other television broadcasts can start at 10 P.M. on the same day as the game. Live video streaming will be permitted for games not selected by Spectrum News 1 at rates set by the OHSAA.
For more of your Loveland Sports 411 With Me, Cassie Mattia, stay tuned!
Loveland, Ohio – Victory is ours! The Moeller Crusaders 1-1-2 in the Greater Catholic League, 2-3-3 overall traveled to Tiger Trail to face the Loveland Men’s Soccer Team on Thursday where the Tigers captured a win with a 0-4 shut-out!
Many of the Tigers contributed to the victory as Zach McHenry scored on a penalty kick with 19 minutes left in the 1st half, Kees Ciric scored twice and Helge Harris scored once in the 2nd half.
The win against Moeller took the Tiger’s record to 8-1-2 (4-1-0 in the ECC). Loveland was scheduled to play Winton Woods on Saturday however because there was a shortage in officials the game was not played.
Currently, in the ECC in regards to Men’s Soccer Walnut Hills is undefeated with 4 victories and both Anderson and Turpin are 5-1. Loveland is sitting in 4th place in the ECC out of 10 teams.
On Tuesday the Tigers will host Anderson who is 8-2-2 overall (5-1-0 in the ECC) and on Thursday, September 15th Loveland will travel to Lebanon (0-5-0 in the ECC, 3-8-1 overall) to play another ECC match.
The following is the Southwest Ohio D1 Men’s Soccer poll results for Week 7:
Please enjoy the Tiger photo compilation below that Loveland Magazine’s very own David Miller put together from the Loveland Men’s Soccer Team’s big win against Moeller!
Cassie Mattia lives in Historic Downtown and is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – Did you miss out on some of your favorite Tiger competitions last week? Well now is your chance to catch up! Here is your Loveland Sports 411!
FOOTBALL
On Friday, September 18th, the Loveland Tigers Football team hosted Little Miami. Both teams had a big first quarter, the Tigers scoring 20 points while Little Miami scored 42 points. Unfortunately, Little Miami ran away with the game scoring 6 points in the 3rd quarter and 7 points in the 4th quarter. The final score was Little Miami 55 and Loveland 20. Senior, Calvin Cloud had quite the game for the Tigers completing 16 out of 35 attempted passes, 3 of those passes being touchdowns. Cloud is in 4th place in the ECC for Offensive Passing Yards at 621. Currently, Loveland is sitting at 0-3 in the ECC.
The Loveland Football team will be playing again this Friday, September 25th at Holmes (KY) at 7 p.m.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
The Loveland Women’s Volleyball played several games last week winning one and losing the other two. On Monday, September 14th, the Tigers took on Little Miami at home, where they gained a big ECC victory! Loveland won 3 out of the 4 games, 25-11, 25-22, 21-25, and 25-11.
On Tuesday, September 15th, Loveland traveled to Anderson for another conference game! Although the Tigers lost they battled hard in all 3 games played, 25-20, 25-20, and 25-15.
The Loveland Women’s Volleyball team had their final game of the week on Thursday, September 17th, at home against Kings. The Lady Tigers played 3 very close games but came up a little short. The final scores of the games were 25-11, 25-18, and 25-23.
After Loveland’s week of competitions, several Lady Tigers are sitting in the top 5 in the ECC for individual stats! Senior Abbie Miller is in 5th place for Assists with 221, Senior Diana Clark is in 1st place for Digs with 221 and Pass Points with 654, and Junior Audrey Planner is in 4th place for Pass Points with 467.
This week Loveland has already played one game at home against West Clermont and captured another win with a score of, 25-19, 25-19, 17-25, and 35-33. The Tigers are now 6-6 overall and 4-5 in the ECC. Loveland took on Walnut Hills at home on Tuesday, September 22nd at 6:30 p.m. (results will be in the next edition of the 411), and on Thursday, September 24th the Tigers will face Winton Woods at home at 6:30 p.m.
MEN’S SOCCER
The Loveland Men’s Soccer team had a very successful week collecting 2 wins and 1 tie! On Tuesday, September 15th the Tigers hosted rival Little Miami beating them 6-0. Senior Max Flanders had 1 goal, Senior Helge Harris scored 4 goals, and Senior Ethan Smith had 1 goal in the big Tiger win.
Thursday, September 17th Loveland played another important ECC match-up at Kings, winning 2-1. Just a couple days later on Saturday, the Tigers took on GMC powerhouse Mason. Loveland played hard tying the Comets 2-2. Loveland’s stats have yet to be reported for their games against Kings and Mason.
After last week’s games, the Loveland Men’s Soccer team is in 1st place in the ECC with an overall record of 5-1-2 (3-1-0 in the ECC).
This week Loveland played on Tuesday, September 22nd at home against Highlands at 7:30 p.m. (results will be in the next edition of the 411) and on Thursday, September 24th at home against West Clermont at 7:30 p.m.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
The Loveland Women’s Soccer team had an exciting week, gaining 1 win and 2 ties! On Tuesday, September 15th the Lady Tigers played at Little Miami where they won 4-0. Impressively enough several Tigers added to the scoreboard! Senior Lauren Donovan scored 1 goal, Junior Leiah Goedde had 1 goal, Sophmore Brooke Hatfield collected 1 goal, and Sophmore Sophia Kapszukiewicz also added a goal to the win.
On Thursday, September 17th Loveland took on Kings at home where they tied 1-1. Junior Erin Bullock scored the tying goal for the Tigers. On Saturday Loveland traveled to Mason where they tied again 1-1. Junior Leiah Goedde had the 1 goal for the Tigers.
The Loveland Women’s Soccer team is currently in 1st place in the ECC with an overall record of 6-0-2 (3-0-1 in the ECC). On the ECC’s Women’s Soccer “leaderboard,” many Tigers are making a name for themselves with their individual stats. Leiah Goedde is tied for 4th place with her own teammate, Brooke Hatfield, for Points, both having 13. Goedde is also in 4th place for Goals with 6. Junior Eva Dudeck is sitting in 2nd place for Shutouts with 5.0, and Lauren Donovan is in 1st place for Assists with 6.
This week Loveland played at West Clermont on Tuesday, September 22nd at 7 p.m. (results will be in the next edition of the 411) and at home against Lakota West on Saturday, September 26th at 7 p.m.
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
The Loveland Women’s and Men’s Cross Country team will be competing again on Saturday, September 26th at the Saturday Night Lights Meet which will be held at Centerville High school. The time is still being determined!
MEN’S GOLF
The Loveland Men’s Golf team has had quite the impressive season as they finished the season in 1st place and undefeated, 9-0 overall (8-0 in the ECC). Loveland competed in the ECC Tournament on Tuesday, September 22nd at Grizzly Golf Course, and won with 304 points! Tyler Valee grabbed 2nd place in the tournament with a score of 73, Joe Jankowski finished in 4th with a score of 74, Anthony Moran placed 5th with a score of 78, Aiden Callahan placed 7th with a score of 79 and Ben Kirlin rounded out the top 10 with a score of 81. Tiger, Jake Zicka placed 44th with a score of 102.
The Tigers will golf one more time at St. Xavier at 4 p.m. at Oasis Golf Course on Monday, September 28th.
WOMEN’S GOLF
The Loveland Women’s Golf team also competed in the ECC Tournament last week on Thursday, September 17th at Walden Ponds Golf Course.
The Lady Tigers, 2-5 in the ECC, finished the tournament in 6th place with 407 points. The top performer for Loveland was Emme Amy who finished in 20th place with 95 points. Caroline Sproull tied with her teammate Kristin Dygert for 26th place with a score of 103, and Ryan Smith placed 36th with a score of 114.
The Loveland Women’s Golf team will compete again at St. Ursula on Thursday, September 24th. The time is still being determined!
WOMEN’S TENNIS
The Loveland Women’s Tennis team had a very busy week last week competing 3 times! On Monday, September 14th the Lady Tigers competed against Indian Hill losing 5-0, but bounced back the next day at Lebanon capturing a 5-0 win!
On Wednesday, September 16th Loveland faced St. Ursula losing a close battle, 3-2. Again the Tigers came back on Monday, September 21st, and grabbed a win against Little Miami, 5-0.
On Tuesday, September 22nd, Loveland competed in the ECC Championships, but the score has yet to be reported.
Currently, there are a few Lady Tigers sitting in the top 10 for their individual stats in the ECC! Maira Hodar is in 4th place for Single with a 4-3 record in the ECC (8-8 overall), and Grace Haught is in 8th place for 2nd Singles with a 5-2 record in the ECC (11-5 overall). Tess Broermann and Hanna Wenger are in 1st place in the ECC for Doubles with a 6-0 record (12-0 overall, and Sarah McKenzie and Kendall Forrest are in 4th place for 2nd Doubles with a 2-0 record.
The Loveland Women’s Tennis team, 5-2 in the ECC (12-4 overall), will compete on Monday, September 28th at Mason High school at 4 p.m and on Wednesday, September 30th against Walnut Hills at 4 p.m.
Stay tuned for more of the Loveland Sports 411 with Me, Cassie Mattia!
Cassie Mattia lives in Historic Downtown Loveland and is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – The saddest day of the year has finally come for the city of Loveland, and if you’re not a Loveland resident you maybe asking yourself when is this day coming and why is it so sad?! On Sunday, September 27th the legendary sweetest place in town, Loveland Dairy Whip, will be closing its doors for the season.
“We will be opening February 26th, 2021,” owner Rick Morgan informed the community.
The family-owned soft serve ice cream shop, located at 611 W Loveland Ave, has been open since 1955 and has become quite the tradition for many families around town. The Loveland Dairy Whip has a variety of options on its menu ranging from Dairymen’s vanilla, chocolate, or twist cones to specialty ice cream creations like The Chocolate Mountain and the Reese Tulip. Of course there are also options for the kiddos like the Clown Sundae and the Gummy Monster!
The friendly Loveland Dairy Whip owners and staff ask that you stop by during their final week of the Summer to celebrate another successful season! The ice cream shop has plenty of seating in their shaded picnic area so that you and your family can enjoy your favorite ice cream treat! The Loveland Dairy Whip’s hours this week will be from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
For more of Loveland’s latest news stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With Me, Cassie Mattia!
![[VIDEO] Mark Bersani honored with Louis G. Rockwood Community Service Volunteer Award](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/feature-Mark-Bersani.jpg)
The head coaches in each region voted to determine the seeding in their region. OHSAA placed teams in particular brackets according to their seeds. In most regions, the higher seeds will have a first-round bye.
![[Photo Album] Loveland Men’s Soccer Team shuts-out Moeller](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/soccer-feature-3.jpg)
