Loveland Magazine

LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

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Since 2004

Tag: COVID-19

  • After seven month legal battle, Eye on Ohio wins public records lawsuit over hospital capacity numbers

    After seven month legal battle, Eye on Ohio wins public records lawsuit over hospital capacity numbers

    Eye on Ohio is still waiting for the records

    By Bonnie Jean Feldkamp and Kathiann M. Kowalski

    This article provided by Eye on Ohio, the nonprofit, nonpartisan Ohio Center for Journalism. Please join their free mailing list as this helps them provide more public service reporting. Loveland Magazine provides support for Eye on Ohio through membership in the Ohio News Media Association.

    As the ongoing pandemic continues to surge, the Ohio Court of Claims ruled last week that the Department of Health must share public records with Eye on Ohio, showing the number of beds and ventilators available for COVID-19 patients at individual hospitals throughout the state. 

    The ruling comes seven months after Eye on Ohio initially sought the records. 

    “In times of crisis transparency is paramount,” said Rebekah Crawford, who has her Ph.D. in Health Communication, Relating & Organizing from Ohio University.

    People want credibility and clear lines around what is known and what is uncertain. “When risk communicators are at their best,” Crawford said, “they remain credible by showing what is known and what is not known and by being clear about why we don’t know, and what we’re going to do to find out.” 

    View the Eye on Ohio timeline pursuing the Department of Health public records COVID 19

    When Eye on Ohio first requested records, at the end of March, the state had only about 2,200 confirmed cases and 55 deaths, according to the online Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. As of November 12, Ohio had approximately 274,500 confirmed cases, and about 5,700 people had died from the disease.

    “We are in the midst of our third wave in Ohio,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in his November 11 address to the state. There had been warnings that cases would climb when weather turned cooler and people spent more time indoors again. But, DeWine stressed, the surge is “much more intense, widespread, and dangerous.”

    “As of today, every single one of our 88 counties has a high rate of virus spread, and areas of our state that were previously untouched—our rural areas—are being hit especially hard,” DeWine said.

    If current trends don’t change, some parts of the state are “maybe two or three weeks out” from hospitals having to crowd out non-COVID-related care as they try to keep up with the surge, reported Andy Thomas, a medical doctor at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, during the governor’s November 9 press conference. 

    Eye on Ohio sought records with the data as a way to provide readers with timely, local information about the ability of healthcare facilities in their area to deal with the pandemic. 

    In a state with nearly 45,000 square miles, that local information could tell citizens more about Ohio’s readiness to deal with emergencies for all its residents. Availability of beds and respirators in Cincinnati, for example, would mean little if hot spots of emergencies were concentrated in Ashtabula, nearly 300 miles away by car.

    Transparency Matters

    Leaders in times of crisis tend to assume that the public is going to panic, Crawford said, even though “research actually shows that panic isn’t the most prominent or even in the top ten of reactions that people have to communications of risk. People are most likely to be in denial. Studies of 9-11 show that people were excessively polite as they exited the World Trade Center because people don’t panic, they get especially compliant and cooperative in high stress or high risk situations.”

    Lack of transparency creates suspicion, hurts credibility, and diminishes trust-worthiness. Crawford said, “people who are untrained in risk communication go to that ‘don’t panic’  communication mode.” 

    Another misnomer is the assumption that people can’t understand how to interpret the information, so, Crawford said, “rather than taking it upon themselves to communicate in a transparent and understandable way they withhold information and say ‘we’ll make decisions for you’ which doesn’t work when people are anxious.”

    “A risk expert cannot look at some numbers and then tell a community ‘this isn’t a problem for you’ because the community may decide that it is a concern ‘because you don’t speak for us or understand what we value,’” Crawford said.

    Transparency is key for the public so individual communities can take the information given and decide for themselves what actions should be taken and individual needs addressed based on the needs and values of their demographic. 

    A Need for Transparency

    Reporters initially sought information from individual hospitals but were told that all information was being funneled to the Ohio Hospital Association, which in turn provided it to the Department of Health. And the Department of Health had arranged for the data to be entered into a database called Surgenet. 

    According to a court affidavit, Surgenet was first developed by the Greater Dayton Area Health Information Network (GDAHIN). The software was subsequently enhanced to its present “all hazards” function as “a tool to be utilized during an emergency involving the public’s health which could severely impact hospital services.” Eye on Ohio was told that only the Department of Health would grant access to the materials.

    Eye on Ohio then filed a formal public records request for access to the data or records with it. After cancelling a meeting that had been scheduled to discuss the request, the Department of Health then issued a flat-out denial, claiming the records were “security and infrastructure records” under an exception to the state’s public records law.

    Eye on Ohio had  no option but to file a case with the Ohio Court of Claims.

    The court said the statutory language for that security exception just didn’t fit. That part of the Ohio Revised Code exempts security and infrastructure records that are prepared for the express purpose of protecting against or responding to terrorism, school shootings or similar acts of attack or sabotage. None of those apply to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “Exceptions to disclosure are strictly construed,” wrote Special Master Jeff Clark in his October 20 report and recommendation. “And, in this case, the Department of Health failed to connect the data sought by Eye on Ohio with the prevention, mitigation or response to any existing or anticipated act of terrorism.”

    “To meet the burden of proof regarding alleged security records, ODH must offer more than its own conclusory labeling,” Clark wrote. He likewise rejected the Department of Health’s assertion that it should be able to stop release of the records because it didn’t want to discuss them.

    “Even assuming, arguendo, that some hospitals would rather not disclose their bed and resource availability, it is well-settled that public offices may not withhold records merely because of a policy preference for confidentiality,” Clark wrote.

    Court of Claims Judge Patrick McGrath approved the Special Master’s report and recommendation on November 10.

    In 2020, so far there have been 24 public records cases resolved in Ohio. In 14 cases, the party dismissed the action because records were provided. In seven cases, the party just dismissed the case. It’s not clear if the records were provided or they just weren’t relevant any more. Just three were decided by the Court of Claims. 

    What’s next

    Despite the court’s ruling, Eye on Ohio is still waiting for the records. In response to its journalists’ requests for access to the database, attorney Socrates Tuch wrote, “Instead, the Department is preparing a data extract to be provided on an Excel spreadsheet or sheets. Doing so is taking time as the Department staff attempts to accommodate this task with the COVID response.”

    Ohio law generally requires a reasonable time for production of public records. However, Eye on Ohio first sought the records with the information at the end of March. And the Special Master’s October 20 report came out more than three weeks ago.

    Eye on Ohio again pressed for production of the materials on Friday. 

    “We are working on gathering the records and when they are ready, we will send them along,” responded Press Secretary Melanie Amato at the Department of Health.

    When Eye on Ohio finally gets the materials, it plans to provide further reports on it and on updated data. Its journalists hope that more complete, local information can help the public as the pandemic continues. 

    Disclosure of the mounting strain on hospitals in their vicinity might also make people more vigilant in their efforts to control the pandemic and to “flatten the curve” of cases. Otherwise, as scientists have previously warned, the pandemic will cause even more deaths that could have been avoided.

    As for the resistance against complete transparency, “Far be it from me to criticize people who are providing care at a great risk to their own health in a time of heightened need,” Crawford said. “I’m not talking about the doctors and the nurses who are working in the hospitals, but the managers and administrators who are at the upper echelon of those really hierarchical corporations in some cases are motivated not to cooperate and share information. It really goes counter to public health needs and the demands in care and I would say ethical and medical provision.” 

  • Find a COVID 19 test site in Hamilton County

    Find a COVID 19 test site in Hamilton County

    Test and Protect aims to mitigate COVID-19 through rapid, efficient testing in those areas and organizations within Hamilton County that need it most.

    Find Testing Sites Near You

    No appointment needed. Save time in line by pre-registering.

    PRE-REGISTER

  • DeWine announces revised mask and social gathering orders

    DeWine announces revised mask and social gathering orders

    At the end of September, Ohio averaged under 1,000 new cases per day; this week, Ohio hit a record high of more than 6,500 new cases reported in a single 24-hour period.

    At the end of September, Ohio averaged under 1,000 new cases per day; this week, Ohio hit a record high of more than 6,500 new cases reported in a single 24-hour period.

    In a statewide address to Ohioans Wednesday evening, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called on citizens to recommit to their individual efforts to prevent coronavirus spread as Ohio moves through its most intense, widespread, and dangerous surge of cases to date.

    Ohio is currently facing a record number of coronavirus-related hospitalizations and intensive care admissions, with nearly 3,000 people in the hospital, including more than 700 people in the ICU.

    During the first week of November alone, 104 Ohioans infected with the coronavirus died.

    To reinforce the necessity of wearing masks and slowing virus spread, Governor DeWine announced two forthcoming orders:

    Revised Mask Order

    DeWine said, “To protect frontline workers and customers, the Ohio Department of Health will reissue Ohio’s mask order and add the following provisions:

    • Each store will be required to post a sign outlining face-covering requirements at all public entrances to the store;
    • Each store will be responsible for ensuring that customers and employees are wearing masks; and
    • A new Retail Compliance Unit, comprised of agents led by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, will inspect to ensure compliance. 
    • A first violation will result in a written warning and a second violation will result in closure of the store for up to 24 hours.

    New Social Gathering Order

    Ohio’s April order that limits public events and private gatherings of more than 10 people is still in effect, however, there has been rampant spread of the virus as a result of banquets, wedding receptions, and social gatherings following funerals according to DeWine.

    “To address the tragedies that have resulted from such events, the Ohio Department of Health will issue an order that will place significant new restrictions on these social activities,” DeWine said.

    Specifically, open congregate areas will no longer be permitted to open, and everyone will be required to be seated and masked unless they are actively consuming food or drinks.

    Bars, restaurants, and fitness centers may remain open, but this will be reassessed one week from tomorrow for potential closure. 

    “If the current trend continues and cases keep increasing, we will be forced to make these closures,” said DeWine. “I am very well aware of the burden this will place on employees and owners, but these are places where it is difficult or impossible to maintain mask-wearing, which we know now is the chief way of slowing this virus.”

    Concern for healthcare workers

    “With this new wave of COVID-19, the onset of flu season, and an already-exhausted group of healthcare workers, there are serious concerns that there won’t be enough people to fully staff our healthcare facilities in the next few weeks,” said DeWine. “If we don’t change this, Ohio won’t be able to provide appropriate care for COVID patients or for Ohioans who require other emergency care for things like accidents, strokes, and heart attacks. Hospitals will again be forced to postpone important, but less urgent, care.”

    Although testing capacity in Ohio has nearly doubled, the number of people testing positive for the coronavirus has increased almost four times. At the end of September, Ohio averaged under 1,000 new cases per day; this week, Ohio hit a record high of more than 6,500 new cases reported in a single 24-hour period.

    “As we wait for the vaccine, which could come as soon as December, we have so much to protect,” said DeWine. “What each Ohioan does in his or her own life impacts every citizen and every place we desperately want and need to keep open– our schools, nursing homes, hospitals, and businesses.”

    For Governor DeWine’s entire address, visit ohiochannel.org or read his prepared remarks at coronavirus.ohio.gov.

  • Gov. DeWine on COVID in Ohio

    Gov. DeWine on COVID in Ohio

    This afternoon Ohio Governor Mike DeWine delivered a statewide broadcast address to Ohioans to discuss the “critical stage” Ohio is at in battling COVID-19 and its impact on Ohio moving forward.

    The address is archived on the Ohio Channel.

    http://ohiochannel.org/video/governor-mike-dewine-11-11-2020-statewide-address-to-ohioans

  • Clermont County allocates CARES Act funds to entities affected by pandemic

    Clermont County allocates CARES Act funds to entities affected by pandemic

    Clermont County continued to allocate nearly $10 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding. Another nearly $10 million in CARES Act funding has been allocated for local municipalities and townships.

    The Board of County Commissioners on Nov. 4 approved memorandums of understanding and agreements with a number of entities for use of CARES Act funding.

    • Clermont County Public Health: $542,000 primarily for expenses related to preparing for vaccinations and reimbursement of personnel;
    • Clermont County Park District: $75,000 for equipment, materials and supplies used to mitigate or respond to the pandemic;
    • Public and private schools: not to exceed $1 million for equipment, materials, supplies and other items used to mitigate or respond to the pandemic;
    • Public and private schools: not to exceed $60,000 for costs of business interruption and required closures due to the pandemic;
    • Clermont Senior Services: not to exceed $45,000 for equipment, materials, supplies and/or other items used to mitigate or respond to the pandemic;
    • YWCA of Greater Cincinnati: not to exceed $110,000 for costs of business interruption and additional costs caused by required closures arising from the pandemic, while serving Clermont County clients;

    Funds already had been allocated for other uses, such as $1 million for a small business relief program. The county is continuing to identify pandemic-related expenses and work with social service agencies who may have costs tied to COVID-19 that would be covered by the CARES Act.

    The county has until Nov. 20 to encumber expenses and the end of the year to spend these funds.

  • DeWine hires attorney with thin public health background to lead health department

    DeWine hires attorney with thin public health background to lead health department

    By Jake Zuckerman

    Columbus, Ohio – Gov. Mike DeWine hired an attorney to lead the Ohio Department of Health on Thursday, a position that has remained vacant for the past five months of the pandemic.

    Stephanie McCloud, who currently runs the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, will take over a position that has been filled on only an interim basis since Dr. Amy Acton stepped down in June.

    She will now oversee the quickly worsening COVID-19 pandemic, as measured by spiking case counts, rising positivity rates, a swelling active hospitalization count, and an ever-ascending death toll.

    McCloud’s hire is a pivot from the physicians who previously held the post like Acton or Dr. Joan Duwve, who was set to replace Acton but quit the job in September before she officially started. DeWine has said in the past he specifically wanted a medical doctor to fill the post.

    “When I was elected governor, I knew that I wanted a Director of Health with a strong public health background, someone who had a passion for public health, and someone who could talk to Ohio citizens in a candid way about health issues,” DeWine said in June.

    An about page on the BWC website lists McCloud’s backgrounds in insurance administration and the law, but nothing specifically relating to public health or infectious disease control.

    A 1993 state law requires the ODH director to be either a physician or a person who has had “significant experience in the public health profession.”

    Dan Tierney, a DeWine spokesman, said McCloud’s work at BWC, which consists in part of evaluating claims of work-related health care claims and finding ways to prevent workplace health issues, meets the terms of the statute.

    He also emphasized DeWine’s related announcement of hiring a new chief medical officer, Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, and related moves from lower-profile COVID-19 response staff.

    “There’s multiple people who need to lead on this,” he said.

    McCloud has valuable experience in management but nothing as it relates to public health, according to Micah Berman, a professor of public Health Law at Ohio State University.

    “To me, this is indicative of the lack of respect — or understanding — of public health as a field of expertise,” he said. “The Director of Health should have expertise in public health — not just in health care or another health related field.”

    The position has proven difficult to fill since Acton left. Acton had been the public face of Ohio’s public COVID-19 response to the newly emergent coronavirus, which included delaying a primary election, closing schools and businesses, and beginning to phase in a mask mandate.

    However, Acton faced tremendous public backlash. Protesters gathered and called her out by name in rallies in front of the Capitol and outside her Franklin County home. Some of them carried guns. At least two people hoisted anti-Semitic signs at both locations.

    Even after she stepped down, businesses and individuals challenging various COVID-19 health orders have named Acton as a defendant and issued summons seeking to drag her back into the fights. She described to The New Yorker hearing a conservative talk radio host in Ohio say if his key adviser quit during a crisis, he’d want to punch him in the face.

    In September, DeWine announced that Duwve would fill in where Acton left off. However, just hours after DeWine announced her hiring, Duwve declined the job.

    Duwve cited harassment of Acton as a reason for turning it down.

    Announcing Duwve’s hire, DeWine boasted of her “extensive experience in public health” in both government service and academia.

    The medical community has started to shine light on increasing backlash against public health officials navigating pandemics with no fixed playbook.

    An August viewpoint article with the Journal of American Medicine cited Acton and dog-whistle anti-Semitic remarks thrown her way by a state politician in its argument for more cover for health officials from political leaders.

    “The present harassment of health officials for proposing or taking steps to protect communities from COVID-19 is extraordinary in its scope and nature, use of social media, and danger to the ongoing pandemic response,” it states. “It reflects misunderstanding of the pandemic, biases in human risk perception, and a general decline in public civility.”

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  • Operation Santa set for December 5 in Symmes

    Operation Santa set for December 5 in Symmes

    You can help fill Santa’s bag!

    santa

    Symmes Township, Ohio – Santa and his helpers will make their annual visit through Symmes Township neighborhoods on Saturday, December 5th from 5 until 8:30 PM to spread holiday cheer.  Social distancing guidelines will be implemented.

    In the spirit of the giving season, the Township hopes that residents will help Santa refill his bag with new, unwrapped toys or cash gifts for The Dragonfly Foundation.  

    Please note that due to COVID The Dragonfly Foundation can only accept items that are in their original packaging.  

    For a complete list of items see below.

    Anyone interested in making a donation to this worthy organization may give it to Santa or one of his helpers as they travel through the Township. Checks should be made payable to the Dragonfly Foundation. 

    A list of locations and time stops is here:

    Right Click to view larger

    Items In Need

    We need any of the following items:
    ALL DONATED ITEMS MUST BE NEW AND IN ITS ORIGINAL PACKAGING
    Please help us by sponsoring, or donating an auction item for, one of our     Featured Events.

    Here are the items TDF needs most. Please note that all donated items must be new and in their original packaging.

    • Wal-Mart, Target, MasterCard/Visa and Gas Gift Cards:
      Our Dragonflies use these to buy their favorite foods, clothes, games, toys, and more. A desperate family can use a gas card to help cover the cost of visiting their child or taking their child receive chemo. The uses are endless! Plus, it only takes 2 stamps to send them, versus $10 for shipping toys or other gifts!
    • Toys & Gifts
      • Infant Toys
      • Light Up & Play Music Toys
      • Lego Sets (Especially For Teens)
      • Coloring Kits
      • Crafts (All Ages)
      • Educational Toys (All Ages)
      • Super Hero Toys
      • PlayStation 4 & XBox One Games and Consoles
    • Care Package Items
      • Laundry TABLETS (Must be FREE/CLEAR)
      • Dryer Sheets (Must be FREE/CLEAR)
      • Digital Thermometers (A hospital requirement for cancer/BMT patient discharge)
      • Woman On The Go Kits (Personal Care Supplies)
      • Small Boxes of Tissues
      • Accordion File Folders
      • Binders (1 inch), divider tabs, business card holders
      • Mesh laundry bags
      • Ear Plugs
      • Dry erase white boards (8.5″ x 11″)
    • Tablets and Laptops with Webcams (for laptops, be sure to call us so we can give you the specifications required by our partner hospitals).
    • Tickets & Suites. Thanks to One Call Now, a hosted messaging service, we can call, text, and email families about ticket opportunities — even at the last minute!
    • Boxes & Packaging Materials: Please drop off any sized shipping boxes and packaging materials to Safe Ship of West Chester, OH (anytime during business hours). They do not charge us for packaging patient/family gifts, if we can provide them with these materials. They will take any type of packing material (i.e. peanuts, foam, air packs, bubble wrap, etc) and ANY size box! (Don’t pitch, RECYCLE!!)
  • Milford High School closes until November 16

    Milford High School closes until November 16

    News up-date from the Milford School District

    IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR MILFORD HIGH SCHOOL FAMILIES!

    Beginning tomorrow, Friday, November 6, Milford High School will move to a remote model.

    Students will return to the building Monday, November 16.

    This means students will learn from home and will follow their school schedule at home.

    Staff will be working in the building and providing live virtual instruction to students.

    Athletics, fine arts, and extracurriculars are cancelled November 6 through November 15.

    We are making this change to remote learning for the high school due to the large number of staff out on quarantine or absent due to illness. We are unable to find enough substitutes to cover for teacher absences. We also have a large number of students in quarantine.

    We are NOT moving the entire district to Plan B (remote learning) because we are only seeing an upward movement of cases combined with staff coverage issues at the High School and at Meadowview Elementary at this time. (Yesterday we cancelled classes for the third and fourth grade at Meadowview Elementary until November 16 out of an abundance of caution because there were students and staff in those grade levels who tested positive for COVID-19.)

    We examine the data each and every day to make the best decisions for our students and staff. Our goal is to keep students learning in person in school safely for as long as possible.

  • Milford cancels some classes after multiple students and staff test positive for COVID-19

    Milford cancels some classes after multiple students and staff test positive for COVID-19

    Milford, Ohio – Milford has canceled classes at their Meadowview Elementary for 3rd and 4th grade until next Monday.

    The District currently lists 441 students and staff as quarantined both from contact within and outside of the schools.

    Below is their announcement:

    Out of an abundance of caution, we made the decision to cancel classes for Meadowview Elementary School’s third and fourth grade. The third and fourth graders will learn remotely the rest of this week and through next week. They will return to school Monday, November 16.

    We decided to close the third and fourth grade classrooms because there have been multiple students and staff in those grade levels who have tested positive for COVID-19. At this time there is not a need to close the rest of the building. We are monitoring student and staff health closely.

    Our COVID-19 dashboard is continually updated to reflect current positive cases district-wide and to show the numbers of students in quarantine. (The COVID-19 dashboard is on our website: https://www.milfordschools.org/…/r…/covid-case-reporting-61/)

    We have seen an increase in cases over the weekend to now. We have a relatively large number of students who are currently quarantined. The majority of the quarantined high school students listed in the chart are quarantined due to exposure from a teammate on an athletic team. There are also students and staff district wide who are under quarantine from exposure not related to school; for example, exposure to a positive close contact who is a family member.

  • Join us While we Celebrate LHS’s Fall Sports Victories and Memorable Accolades!

    Join us While we Celebrate LHS’s Fall Sports Victories and Memorable Accolades!

    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.

    (October 22 vs. Little Miami)

    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!

    (Video by Claire Beseler)

    Finally, on October 29th the Tigers faced Centerville where they lost the battle 5-0.

    Coach Mike Dunlap was named ECC Coach of the Year for the 3rd year in a row (Photo by David Miller © 2020)

    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!

    On October 24th the Tigers played West Clermont in the 1st round of the post-season tournament winning 1 – 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 lost 1 – 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. 

    Men’s Cross Country

    Team Qualifies for State Meet

    The starting gun at the Regional Finals 

    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.

    4. Ryan Chevalier (Jr) Loveland Sycamore Sunset Invitational 15:34.50
    5. Ajay Stutz (Sr) Loveland Sycamore Sunset Invitational 16:12.80
    6. Brady Steiner (So) Loveland Sycamore Sunset Invitational 16:15.00
    9. Sam Neiger (Jr) Loveland Sycamore Sunset Invitational 16:29.20
    12. Cayden Dyer (So) Loveland District Championships 16:35.20
    21. Colin Beran (Sr) Loveland Sycamore Sunset Invitational 16:54.60
    25. Grant Hanson (So) Loveland Lakota East Invitational 16:59.90

    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.

    https://twitter.com/lovelandcc1/status/1322625060503519240

    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. 

    https://twitter.com/lovelandcc1/status/1322644564218417153

    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.

    4. Emmy Sager (Jr) Loveland Loveland Invitational 18:53.50
    5. Sarah Madix (Jr) Loveland Lakota East Invitational 18:54.20
    7. Jessie Gibbins (Jr) Loveland Lakota East Invitational 19:02.70
    9. Ellie Carr (Sr) Loveland Sycamore Sunset Invitational 19:36.40
    10. Ansley Richards (Sr) Loveland Sycamore Sunset Invitational 19:37.50
    14. Ally Colegate (So) Loveland Sycamore Sunset Invitational 19:49.90
    15. Maaike Snider (Jr) Loveland Sycamore Sunset Invitational 19:50.50
    18. Lauren Gard (Fr) Loveland Sycamore Sunset Invitational 19:57.20

    Men’s Golf

    Golf team advancing to OHSAA Districts!

    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.

    Women’s Golf

    The Loveland Women’s Golf Team battled this season ending the year in 6th place in the ECC with a 3-5 record in the league and 3-9 overall.

    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.

    Women’s Tennis

    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.

    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!