NOTE: The 2012-13 Winter Sports Page is under construction. Until it's ready, catch Cavs updates here.

While entering his fourth season, Head Coach Shawn Blue still has a young squad from top to bottom.

Chillicothe returns three starters from last season… two were freshmen.

“And the good thing about freshmen, they’ll only be sophomores.” Blue said with a smile.

The Lady Cavs could be described as “Kayla Keener and the Sweet 16”.

“We have 17 total players, JV and varsity. We have one senior and sixteen are either freshmen or sophomores” said Blue. “Kayla’s worked hard this summer and fall. She’s gotta score for us and knock down some shots, which I know she will for us.”

Blue’s is pleased with the maturity of his point guard Bri Dawes. “She played so many minutes and did a wonderful job. Sometimes we forget, last year those kids were freshmen. Some of the biggest changes she’s making is in her confidence. I think last year she felt inferior at times (to the competition) but now I think she feels she belongs.”

The Cavs also welcome the return of a third starter, sophomore Jenna Holton, who tore an ACL injury in the Cavs’ tournament game against Teays Valley last February.

This is the Cavaliers’ final year of membership in the SEOAL which is rich with competition. Defending champ Jackson looks to be strong, Warren hopes to build off of last year’s Regional appearance, Logan is always tough and both Gallia and Portsmouth are much improved.

“Our goal is to surprise people this year… we have a lot of talent, but our league is really good. It’s gonna be tough for us. We’ve got to play hard every night.”

Blue has a good bit of experience on his benches this year. “I love my coaching staff this year. Steve Dawes is back as Varsity Assistant What Steve brings to the table, whether it’s from his baseball career where he learned a lot of things or just talking with the kids, he brings so much to our program.”

Also new to the program, JV coach Chelsey Jones who made a Final Four appearance with the Huntington Huntsmen in her playing days and Rob Hitchens who for several years had been in the boys’ basketball program.

Chillicothe opens its season Wednesday at Whetstone.

To hear more of Dan Ramey’s interview with Coach Blue, click on the link:

 Shawn Blue Preseason 2012-13

While the nation was enamored with a little something called "March Madness", Chillicothe's Danny Demick and his companions on the Notre Dame College Wrestling team were winning the NCWA Men's Wrestling Championship, over 36 other teams.

The Falcons won the NAIA National Title in 2010 before making the transition to NCAA Division II. Since the school is in a provisional year in the DII membership process, they were not permitted to compete for the DII championship. The NCWA is a post-secondary athletic association which includes some collegiate teams not currently sanctioned for postseason competition in the NCAA or NAIA including several programs, like Notre Dame's, transitioning from the NAIA to the NCAA. (Click here to read more)

Demick, a 2010 graduate of CHS, said in an email to wbex.com, "It was nice being a starter on a team that had so much talent. It was an experience that I will never forget."

In his Cavalier wrestling days, Demick was used to wrestling on squads that had trouble filling out the lineup let alone filling up the lineup with good wrestlers. The 285 heavyweight adds "It was great wrestling well enough to come in 4th place (nationally), but a lot of the credit has to go to my drill partner Orlando Scales, he's an absolute beast on the mat." Demick says Scales, a junior from Cincinnati Elder, "really was able to help me improve a lot this year."

The National Championships were held in Daytona Beach, Florida in March. Demick describes and winning the event as a team as "The most satisfying part of the whole experience was being on a team that won nationals, it was an awesome feeling, especially being that this was for our third straight national championship."

Demick will be a sophomore next season with a chance to compete in the NCAA Division II tournament.

Click here to visit the NDC Wrestling Page. 

Running in two events at the New York City Armory in the New Balance Indoor Nationals, Chillicothe's Megan Osborne placed 5th in the 60 meter dash for emerging elites. Osborne matched her personal best in the 60 with a 7.80.

Osborne just missed qualifying for the 200 meter final, placing 9th with a 25.60. The top 8 places advanced to the finals. The 8th qualifying time was 25.59.

Cavs Girls Track Coach Steve Semancik says "It was a great experience for Megan."

Next, Osborne and several other area athletes will participate in the State Indoor Meet next Saturday at the University of Akron.

CLICK HERE to watch the 60 meter final (Osborne is in Lane 2)

Pending approval by the Chillicothe City School Board, the Cavaliers will have a new league affiliation beginning in the 2013 school year, the South Central Ohio League. Chillicothe’s membership in the Southeast Ohio Athletic League will expire following the 2012-13 school year.

Chillicothe and Wilmington school officials made their presentations to members of the SCOL nine days ago.

In a text to www.wbex.com, Chillicothe Athletic Director Garin Veris confirmed, “We were accepted into SCOL by a 6-0 vote.” Another source from Highland County confirmed both the Cavaliers and Wilmington Hurricane were accepted unanimously. Due to previous commitments, Wilmington will not become a member until the 2014-15 school year.

It’s now up to the Chillicothe City School Board to make the final decision. However, at their meeting the night before the presentation, the board appeared ready to make the move while hearing a report from Veris.

Chillicothe helped form the SCOL in 1923 with fellow charter members Circleville, Greenfield McClain,  Hillsboro, Washington Court House and Wilmington.

The Cavaliers began play the SEOAL in 2006 after nearly 30 years as a member of the Ohio Capital Conference in the Columbus area. Chillicothe had been a member of the Central Ohio League after leaving the SCOL after 1940.

Recent decline in enrollment and travel costs led to school officials to begin looking for a new affiliation. Part of that search has included a failed attempt to join the Mid State League last spring.

Mr. Veris will have more details at 6:35am on Friday's edition of "Dan & Mike in the Morning" on 1490 AM WBEX and iheartradio.

Had Robbie Vest rolled his score (716) from last weekend's state qualifier, he'd won the Boys Bowling state championship by 14 pins.

Unfortunately, the Cavalier junior struggled and scored a 492 series and finished 69th. In fact, the only bowler to crack 700 was eventual state champ Danny Simmons a sophomore from Warren who finished with a 702.

Despite the difficult day in Columbus, it's been a great season for Vest and the Cavaliers.

CLICK HERE to see the final results

The Chillicothe 7th Grade Girls finished their 2011-12 season 18-0 and won the Middle School tournament championship at Wellston last weekend.

Congratulations to Coach Jeremy Beverly and his coaching staff and team.

Cavs freshman guard Bri Dawes and senior Alyssa Oates were named to the Division I & II All-District 14 Coaches Association Team for 2011-12.

Dawes was tabbed Second Team and Oates received Honorable Mention.

McClain's Jenna Perie and Jessica Guyette of Washington were selected Co-Players of the Year and Donna Peters of Logan Elm the Coach of the Year. Guyette will represent District 14 in the Coaches Association All Star Game. Perie is the alternate.

Click here to see the complete list for all Divisions in District 14.

Chillicothe landed a number of players on the ALL-SEOAL Boys and Girls Basketball teams. Among them: Zach Johnson (17.4ppg), MaLik London (14.1ppg/9.7rpg), Aaron Elliott (11.6ppg), Bri Dawes (9.9ppg) and Alyssa Oates (7.1ppg/10.2rpg).

2011-2012 ALL-SEOAL BOYS BASKETBALL

Player, School Ht Gr Pos

Zach Johnson, Chillicothe 6-2 11 G

Malik London, Chillicothe** 6-8 12 F/C

Colt Chapman, Jackson* 6-5 12 F

Luke Miller, Logan 6-1 12 G/F

Wayne Evans, Portsmouth* 6-2 12 G

Dion McKinley, Portsmouth* 6-5 12C

Zaide Whitley, Portsmouth 6-0 12 G

Evan French, Warren 6-4 10 F

Jeremy Hastie, Warren 5-10 12 G

Josh Windland, Warren 6-4 12 F

Honorable mention: Aaron Elliott, Chillicothe; Nick Saunders, Gallipolis; Alec Ray, Jackson; Gaven Jourdan, Logan; Len Collins, Portsmouth; Tyler Ward,
Warren.

Player of the Year: Dion McKinley, Portsmouth

Coach of the Year: Eugene Collins, Portsmouth.

*—indicates previous All-SEOAL team honors. Zach Johnson was honorable mention in 2010-11. Eugene Collins was Co-Coach of the Year in 2010-11.

Teams are selected via a vote of league coaches. Each team was accorded one automatic honorable mention selection.

Zach Johnson                                  MaLik London

Aaron Elliott                                    Bri Dawes

Alyssa Oates              Photos by Dana Cousins\wbex.com

2011-2012 ALL-SEOAL GIRLS BASKETBALL

Player, School Ht Gr Pos

Brianna Dawes, Chillicothe 5-7 9 G

Heather Ward, Gallipolis 5-5 12 G

Meredith Harless, Jackson 5-6 12 G

Madison Ridout, Jackson* 5-9 10 G

Ashley Frasure, Logan 6-1 10 F/C

Brooke Simons, Logan 5-9 12 G/F

Kayleigh White, Portsmouth 6-0 11 G

Allie Grace Proctor, Warren 5-6 12 G

Jordanna Rauch, Warren* 5-7 11 G

Emma Ryan, Warren 5-11 11 F

Honorable mention: Alyssa Oates, Chillicothe; Mattie Lanham, Gallipolis; Lydia Poe, Jackson; Abbie Hughes, Logan; Peighton Williams, Portsmouth; Kasey White, Warren.

Co-players of the Year: Madison Ridout, Jackson; Allie Grace Proctor, Warren.

Coach of the Year: Amy Colgrove, Warren

*—indicates previous All-SEOAL team honors. Alyssa Oates and Allie Grace Proctor were honorable mention in 2010-11.

Teams are selected via a vote of league coaches. Each team was accorded one automatic honorable mention selection.

BOWLING:

Chillicothe boys bowling team finished 3rd in the East/Southeast District tournament, held at Sunrise lanes in Zanesville Saturday.

Maysville won the tournament and the trip to the State with a score 4129 followed by Minerva with a 4127 and the Cavs with a 4115. Unioto was 5th and Zane Trace was 6th.

Robbie Vest qualified for the State Tournament next Friday, at Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl with a Tournament high series of 716.

Summer Finley finished 16th with a 537 series for the Lady Cavs.

WRESTLING:

Neither Jacob Price or Cristian Collins managed to advance from the District DII tournament.

CHEERLEADING:

Competing for the first time since winning the state championship in 2009, the Chillicothe cheerleaders won the South Central Extreme Challenge in the Varsity Mount Division and were the high point winners of the entire tournament.