Minster High School

West Liberty-Salem gathers motivation for high expectations

WEST LIBERTY — Ann Vogel spent a lot of her summer on Facebook.

The West Liberty-Salem High School cross country coach created a group, West Liberty-Salem’s Big Orange Cross Country, where she and members of the community posted motivational quotes and videos for everyone, including the runners, to see.

“It’s a good way to stay motivated,” Ann Vogel said. “The people in the community really get into it, sharing quotes. They even post when they see our kids running around town.”

The Tigers have plenty to be motivated about after last fall. The Tigers were the top-ranked team in Division III heading into the state meet, but finished fourth.

“It was a disappointment, but we’ve got to move on from it,” Vogel said. “We learned a lot. We learned what we had to do.”

Two years ago, the Tigers advanced to state with no expectations. Last year, the roles were completely reversed as they entered the race as the favorite. They’re hoping they can learn to mature and grow from the experience.

“We’re hoping to use it to our advantage,” Vogel said.

The Tigers return six of their top seven from last year, graduating just one senior, Courtney Karg.

Top runners Meghan Vogel and Shawnda Henault, both juniors, return, along with classmates Jordan Smith, Jasmine Smith, Savanna Shipp and Sarah Williams and sophomore Alyssa Strickland.

“All the horses are back,” Ann Vogel said, “but Division III girls didn’t get any easier.”

State powerhouse Minster won the title last season, while Coldwater, which placed seventh in D-II a year ago, also drops down to D-III.

Coach Vogel said her team is cautiously optimistic about this season, but knows they’ve got to work hard to make a run at a state title.

“Nobody is a shoo-in,” she said.

In A League Of Her Own…Katie Horstman — Press Pros Magazine

Bob Huelsman

Bob Huelsman is a former high school teacher, coach and administrator, serving for more than three decades at Covington High School, in Miami County. In his 13 years as head basketball coach at Covington, Huelsman won 228 games and five times guided the Buccaneers to the regional round of the state tournament. Currently, he serves as the associate athletic director at Newton High School, and treasurer for the Southwest District Athletic Board. A former member of the Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Control, Huelsman’s broad background in athletic administration has won the respect of his peers statewide.

Katie, who recently turned 76 years young, was a consultant for the movie, as she had played four years (1951-1954) in the league.  Throughout her four year career as an infielder, pitcher, and catcher, she batted .286, had an ERA of 2.50, hit 16 homeruns in 1954, and had a career 29-11 pitching record.  She played 3rd base on the 1953 All-Star team.  Katie was paid a “whopping” $250 per month—not bad for a high school kid and a summer job!

From 1955-57, Katie played on the All American touring team, a team that played 100 games in the summer and travelled over 10,000 miles.  During these years, she attended Indiana University-Purdue University in Fort Wayne for two years, and then enrolled in St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Records Librarian School in Danville, Illinois.

Katie graduated in December, 1959, and joined the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart in Joliet, Illinois.  She became Sister John Anthony at that point, and the first nun in the United States to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education from DePaul University.  A short time later, Sister John Anthony (Katie) left the order and taught a year in Gary, Indiana, before obtaining her Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling from Miami University.

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