Loveland, Ohio – Registration is now open for the 18th Annual Paxton’s Grill Golf Outing benefiting CancerFree KIDS. “In 2023 we will once again have three days for making a difference in fighting childhood cancer: June 9, June 10 at Hickory Woods Golf Course , and June 12 at The Oasis Golf Club.”
This year our goal is to break the $100K mark in donations. Help us make that happen!
CORRECTION: Indian Hills’ Ella Riggs did not play in the game. I was reading old news that was featured on the team’s web page. Riggs graduated last year.
by David Miller
David Miller with his buddy the Loveland Tiger at the Mental Health Awareness Night on January 17th.
Loveland, Ohio – Haven’t seen the 2023 “Our Way” edition of Loveland High School Women’s basketball? Here is a photo sampling of the fierce play you’ve missed.
The Tigers are currently in 3rd place in the tough Eastern Cincinnati Conference with an 8-3, 11-4 record.
This past Monday they defeated Turpin on the Tiger court 39-36 and overwhelmed the Little Miami Panthers on the road, 54-39 on January 12. At home, on January 10 they defeated Winton Woods 37-36. And, on January 5 defeated Milford on the Tiger court 45-43.
That’s a 4 game-winning streak and 6 wins in their last 7 games.
The women travel tonight to nearby Indian Hill to take on their all-time leading scorer, Ella Riggs who on January 7 set the Braves record with 1638 career points. This is a non-conference game against the 5-4, 9-4 Braves, who are on a 8-win and 1-loss streak in the Cincinnati Hills League.
In the Tiger win over Turpin Olivia Rabe scored 16. At Little Miami, she scored 23 and pulled down 13 rebounds, had 5 assists and steals, and blocked 4 shots. She leads the ECC averaging 3.6 blocks per outing.
Jose Early scored 13 against Turpin and is second in the ECC with 4.1 assists per game. She is first among ECC opponents with 3 steals per game.
The scoring was spread out in the Winton Woods game with Katy Wilber, Olivia Raby, and Josie Early scoring 9 each and Sophia Kapszukiewicz adding 7.
For high school basketball fans, know that this Tiger team is aggressively smart and disciplined under the co-coaching staff of Keith Braswell and Brad Early.
The next home game for the Tigers is Monday, January 23 vs Anderson, however, Indian Hill High School is a close enough venue, and it will be a short journey to see some incredible athletes tonight. The game time is 7:30.
Loveland, Ohio – The induction into the Class 0f 2022 Loveland High School Athletic Hall of Fame will be on Friday, February 3 at Loveland High School. The time will be approximately at 7:30 PM between the JV and Varsity Men’s baseball games.
Loveland Athletic Achievement Award
Jeff Williams (right) escorts Tony Ricci and the game ball during 2019 Homecoming activities. (Loveland Magazine file photo)
Jeff Williams served as Loveland Athletic Booster President from 2005 to 2020.
There were three Loveland High School State Championships during his tenure for which he organized Tony’s dinners, championship rings, and state travel gear.
Jeff raised $500,000 for the first turf field and $750,000 for a weight room that is used by all athletes in grades 7 thru 12.
Jeff was responsible for the “Building Tradition” branding, creating the Friday Night football experience, revamping locker rooms, and the purchase of the “Bleacher Jersey” and two Tiger tunnels.
During his tenure, he established a long-term relationship with a spirit wear vendor. He challenged City Hall when they tried to ban candy from being thrown during the Homecoming Parade. Jeff started the tradition of ECC Champs and Senior dinners for all athletes at Tony’s Steakhouse. He revamped the Hall of Fame dinner and gifts.
Loveland Freshman, Like Waddell had 175 ground yards on 19 carries, and 194 total yards when Loveland High School won the state Division II championship in 2013.
High School Accomplishments
Graduated from Loveland High School in 2017.
Football
• 4 Year LHS Letterman 2013 through 2016.
• 2013 (13 wins – 0 loses) Division ll State Championship Team.
All ECC 2nd Team Freshman year.
All ECC 1st Team, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior year.
ECC Offensive Player of the Year, Senior year.
All-City 1st Team Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior year.
All-City Honorable Mention Senior year.
Max Prep 1, 2nd Team All-American.
Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown MVP Junior and Senior year.
Edward Jones Student of the Month 3 times.
All-State Special Mention Junior year.
All-State Offensive Skill Player of the Year Junior and Senior year.
All-State Offensive MVP 3.
Archie Griffin Sportsmanship Award Senior year.
Tri-State Offensive Player of the Year Finalist Junior year.
LHS School Football Records
Career Rushing Yards 5600.
Career Points 500.
Career Touchdowns 83.
Career Receiving Yards 1699.
Single Game Rushing Yards 383 set on September 11, 2015.
Shattering nearly a half-century-old LHS record, Luke Waddell ran 19 times for 383 yards and scored 5 touchdowns at Oak Hills on September 11, 2015. (Read story…)
Single Season Rushing Yards 1784 (2013).
Single Season Points Scored 192 (2015).
Basketball
Varsity Letter Junior year.
All-ECC 2nd Team Junior year.
All-Conference Academic Junior year.
Charlie Harker Assists Award Junior year.
Baseball
Varsity Letterman Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior year.
Most Valuable Offensive Player Freshman and Junior year.
Tiger Man Award Sophomore, Junior, and Senior year.
All-ECC 1st Team Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior year.
Athlete of the Year Senior year.
1st Team All-Ohio Junior, and Senior year.
All-City Honorable Mention Freshman year.
All-City 1st Team Sophomore, Junior, and Senior year.
All-City 2016
All-USA Today Ohio 1st Team Senior year
East-West All-Star Senior year.
Cincinnati Sports Award Senior year
Cincinnati Athlete of the Year Finalist Senior year
Cincinnati Baseball Player of the Year Senior year
2016-2017 LaRosa’s Male MVP Finalist.
LHS School Baseball Records
Career Doubles 39.
Career Hit Leader 145.
Games Played 105.
30 Hit Club Freshman and Sophomore.
40 Hit Club Junior year.
100 Hit Club (105) Career.
College
Georgia Tech Yellowjackets Baseball. Three year starter.
Professional Baseball
Currently with Atlanta Braves’ minor league Mississippi Braves.
The NFL powers-that-be threw that riddle at the Bengals Friday when the owners voted to potentially send the AFC North champion and 11-4 Bengals on the road to Baltimore for next week’s Wild Card playoff game if they lose Sunday’s season finale at Paycor Stadium (1 p.m.-Cincinnati’s Local 12) against the 10-6 Ravens and then lose a coin flip for home field.
Despite a better winning percentage no matter the outcome, the only way the Bengals can secure a Paycor playoff game next week is with a win over a Baltimore team that doesn’t have quarterback Lamar Jackson (knee) for the fifth straight game and maybe not backup Tyler Huntley (throwing shoulder), limited all week and called questionable by head coach John Harbaugh.
Former Loveland High School Women’s basketball star and current University of Cincinnati star Jillian Hayes and Aubrie Rasheed an Oregon State soccer player join together in their latest podcast, The Truth About NIL. The NCAA NIL rule allows college athletes to get paid.
HALF AN ATHLETE W/ JIL AND AUBS
Episode 1: The Truth About NIL
Join us on our 1st episode “The Truth About NIL,” where we talk about the gender gap in the world of NIL.
Up-dated at 8:38 AM with this Buffalo Bills Statement
The Buffalo Bills issued the following statement at 1:48 am on Damar Hamlin’s condition.
Photo by Buffalo Bills
“Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in the Buffalo Bills’ game versus the Cincinnati Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”
Hamlin’s injury took place at the 5:58 mark of the first quarter. The game was postponed by the NFL after Hamlin received medical attention on the field.
The team and all of the sports world continue to pray for his recovery. Get well soon Damar!
Statement: Cincinnati Bengals
The Bills at Bengals game has been suspended until further notice. We will provide more details as they are available.
From Bengals.com:
The Bengals’ Monday night game against the Bills at Paycor Stadium was postponed when Bills safety Damar Hamlin was taken from the field in critical condition.
Hamlin went down with 5:58 left in the first quarter when he tackled Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins after what appeared to be routine a 13-yard gain. He got up and then suddenly collapsed.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Hamlin received immediate medical attention on the field by team and independent medical staff and local paramedics. He was then transported to University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
“Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills,” Goodell said in the statement. “We will provide more information as it becomes available. The NFL has been in constant communication with the NFL Players Association, which is in agreement with postponing the game.”
A pall quickly fell over the most anticipated Monday Night Football game in recent memory that was not only taking place before a national television audience but in front of an overflow crowd thought to be the biggest crowd in Paycor history.
Hamlin, 24, is a second-year player from the University of Pittsburgh.
In a midnight media conference call, Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations, said the decision to postpone the game came after the head coaches, Zac Taylor of the Bengals and Sean McDermott of the Bills, met with their teams back in the locker rooms.
“It was fluid and things were changing by the minute. The emotions you can imagine in both locker rooms,” said Vincent, who along with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith were patched into conversations with the coaches and head referee Shawn Smith.
“I commend both of those coaches. Tough situation to go back and look at 53 men in the locker room to just try and calm people down. It was obvious on the phone with them that emotions were extremely high. It was a very volatile situation and I think the coaches, they led tonight. They led their locker rooms.”
Vincent said there was no thought of resuming the game after a five-minute delay.
“Five-minute warmup never crossed my mind, personally. And I was the one,” Vincent said, “that was communicating with the Commissioner. We never, frankly, it never crossed our mind to talk about warming up to resume play. That’s ridiculous. That’s insensitive. And that’s not a place that we should ever be in.”
Jeff Miller, NFL executive vice president of communications, public affairs & policy, said there has been no thought about how the league plans to address the unprecedented postponement when it comes to a future date. It won’t be Tuesday. The Bills planned to fly home Monday night, although the league said some of Hamlin’s teammates stayed behind to be with him.
“That’s not the consideration right now,” Miller said. “Our concern is for the player and his well-being. At the appropriate time, I’m sure that we’ll have a conversation around the next steps regarding the game.”
The Official Statement from the NFL:
Tonight’s Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game has been postponed after Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin collapsed, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced.
Hamlin received immediate medical attention on the field by team and independent medical staff and local paramedics. He was then transported to a local hospital where he is in critical condition.
Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
The NFL has been in constant communication with the NFL Players Association which is in agreement with postponing the game.
The NFL Network:
Bills safety Damar Hamlin in critical condition after suffering cardiac arrest; Buffalo-Cincinnati game postponed
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, 24, suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Bills announced early Tuesday morning. He is currently sedated and in critical condition.
With just over six minutes remaining in the first quarter Monday night, Hamlin tackled Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins after a 13-yard catch. Hamlin got to his feet, then collapsed backward. Hamlin received CPR while on the field. According to the Bills, his heartbeat was restored on the field before he was transported in an ambulance to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for further testing and treatment.
After initially suspending play, the NFL announced the game had been postponed.
“Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills,” the NFL said in a statement on Monday. “We will provide more information as it becomes available. The NFL has been in constant communication with the NFL Players Association which is in agreement with postponing the game.”
The NFLPA said it had been in touch with both teams and the league, and is focused on Hamlin’s “health and well-being.”
Hamlin was attended to immediately by medical staff, with players from both teams surrounding him, many of them visibly emotional. After Hamlin was taken to the hospital, officials spoke with coaches from both teams. The decision was then made to suspend play, with players and coaches exiting the field to the locker room, before the game was ultimately postponed.
On a conference call with the media a couple hours after the game’s postponement, NFL executive vice president of personnel Troy Vincent said there was never any conversation about a five-minute warmup period to resume play, as was referenced during the ESPN broadcast.
“It never crossed our mind to talk about warming up to resume play,” Vincent said. “That’s ridiculous. That’s insensitive.”
Bills players were scheduled to travel back to Buffalo from Cincinnati on Monday night, with a handful of members from the organization staying back to support Hamlin, Vincent said. Members of the Bengals organization, including head coach Zac Taylor, also went to the hospital to check on Hamlin, NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reported.
There are currently no plans to resume the Bills-Bengals game and a determination on that will be made at an appropriate time, NFL EVP of communications, public affairs and policy Jeff Miller said on the conference call. The game was halted with six minutes remaining in the first quarter and the Bengals leading, 7-3.
Since his hospitalization, there has been an outpouring of support to a community fundraiser Hamlin previously established.
Hamlin was a sixth-round pick of the Bills in the 2021 NFL Draft. He made his first career start in Week 3 of this season after Buffalo safety Micah Hyde sustained a season-ending injury. Hamlin has remained in the starting lineup ever since.
Loveland, Ohio – Eight games into the season the Tiger Men (2-3, 5-3) stand in 5th place in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference (ECC). Leading the Tigers in scoring is 11th grader Brayden Frietch averaging 11.5 points per game. Close behind is 11th grader Jack Sauer averaging 11.4. Both Frietch and Sauer have scored 12 three-pointers.
The Women are 3-3, 5-3, and Leading the Women are Senior forward Olivia Raby averaging 10.6, and Senior guard Josie Early averaging 10. The Women are in 7th place in the ECC.
Loveland, Ohio – Come and Support the Loveland Women’s Hoops teams tonight as they take on the undefeated West Clermont Wolves. Bring your canned goods for the LIFE Pantry.
The Varsity Tigers are 3-3, 5-2. The Wolves are 4-0, 6-0.
JV game is at 5:30 PM and Varsity at 7 PM.
@TigerSpiritClu1 is giving 1 concession coupon if you bring 2 canned goods! (Limit to 2 coupons per person) #OurWay
Loveland, Ohio – In their home opener on Monday, December 5 before the Women’s Varsity game began, former Head Coach Darnell Parker was recognized for the impact his life made on the Loveland and regional athletic community.
The evening was also a fundraiser for the Foundation set up by his daughters, Alexis and Madison Parker to raise scholarship dollars for deserving graduates.
Jessica Early (alumni parent) spearheaded the tribute night, along with help of Athletic Director Rich Bryant, Assistant Athletic Director Shayne Lyons, (alumni parent), and with the help of all the current Loveland basketball parents, coaches, and players.
Early said afterward, “We wanted to make sure that Coach Parker’s family felt our love. We wanted the girls to have the opportunity to publicly dedicate the season to Coach Parker. Our Loveland community and basketball program were so greatly impacted and inspired by Darnell.”
Here is a LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV video from December 2021 the night before Coach Parker went to the Cleveland Clinic for cancer surgery.
Split-the-pot raffle tickets and half-court shot tickets were sold throughout the JV and Varsity games.
You can continue to donate to the Darnell Parker Memorial Athletic Scholarship…
If you are interested in applying for this scholarship, information will be available in Spring 2023 to apply.
If you would like to contribute to the Darnell Parker Memorial Athletic Scholarship, click here. Donations may also be venmo’d to @Dana-Parker-41 or checks made payable to S3C, Inc. may be mailed to 6187 Cardington Place, West Chester, OH 45069.
Coach Parker told Cassie Mattia in January 2022, “This community needs a win, and I have to deliver it to them.” He said it with his legendary smile when Mattia interviewed him for a “What’s In Loveland’s DNA” interview.
Mattia said at the time, “Coach Parker has certainly become a big part of the Loveland community spreading positivity among his student-athletes and the cancer community. There’s no question that Coach Parker is a part of ‘What’s in Loveland’s DNA!”
Loveland, Ohio – On Monday, December 5 you can join our Tiger Nation in celebrating the life and legacy of Women’s Basketball Head Coach Darnell Parker. His daughters have established a scholarship in their father’s name to award to a deserving Loveland High School athlete.
The Varsity Game is at 7:30 PM and the JV game is at 6 PM. Sometime around 7, between the JV and Varsity games is when Darnell’s family will be called down to mid-court.
Will you wear orange and black spirit wear? Will you wear your Coach Parker tee? Will you come and compete in the half-court throwdown? Will you buy enough split-the-pot tickets to win the split?
The split-the-pot raffle, the half-court shot tickets, and cookies will be sold throughout the JV and Varsity games. The half court competition and split the pot winner will be announced at half-time of the Varsity game.
Darnell had more fun than anyone could imagine playing collegiate basketball and earning his bachelor’s degree.
A student earning this scholarship will be continually inspired by Coach Darnell Parker to push through adversity to accomplish their dreams.
If you are interested in applying for this scholarship, information will be available in Spring 2023 to apply.
If you would like to contribute to the Darnell Parker Memorial Athletic Scholarship, click here. Donations may also be venmo’d to @Dana-Parker-41 or checks made payable to S3C, Inc. may be mailed to 6187 Cardington Place, West Chester, OH 45069.
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