HUNTINGTON -- With the 2008-09 prep sports year officially in the books, our final recap finds us checking out the action in the Buckeye State.

The beautiful thing about doing counties is that for the most part, there are only three or four per county. However with our Ohio schools, we have 10 schools to highlight, so we are going to switch things up and look at each school's top sports stories from the year.

As this chapter ends, the book opens on the 2009-10 sports year. Practice seasons open in one month for fall sports and preparations are underway for schedules to be released.

Hopefully, the year-to-be will be every bit as exciting as the year-that-was.

Fairland

As Roger Snyder rode off into the sunset toward retirement, he did so with a smile on his face after his baseball team advanced to the regional semifinals before falling to eventual Division III state champion Indian Valley.

The Dragons finished 17-2 on the season and each of the 11 seniors contributed to the great season as Snyder compiled his 400th victory earlier this year and finished his career with a 414-214 record as a baseball coach.

The 2008-09 year was Snyder's 41st in coaching, but he went out with a bang, serving as the football coach, baseball coach and athletic director.

It was not just a successful year in baseball. The boys basketball team finished 15-8 and won a section championship under coach John McClung.

Jordan Aldridge also recently finished third in the 100-meter hurdles at the OHSAA Division II track meet at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

Ironton

After a one-year hiatus, Ironton coach Bob Lutz returned to the sidelines and immediately took the team back to the postseason.

Ironton earned a 41-31 win over Williamsport Westfall in the opening round of the playoffs before losing to New Lexington, 38-6, at Holzer Field in Jackson to end the year at 8-4.

Recently, Lukas Morris finished third in the high jump with a jump of 6-foot-4 while also placing seventh in the long jump at the Division II state track meet at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Jon Monnig placed seventh in the pole vault

The basketball teams were also successful. Ironton's girls finished 17-7 and made it to the region semifinals before losing to South Point while the boys made it to the district semifinals before falling to Piketon and ending their season at 15-8.

Ironton golfer Nathan Kerns committed to play at Marshall University, and then won the Ohio Golf Junior Amateur Championship last week at Lancaster Country Club.

Also in recent news, Mark LaFon has been named as athletic director, replacing Mark Vass.

Chesapeake

Softball season was one to remember for Chesapeake coach Aaron Rice. He watched as his team went through the regular season unscathed at 22-0.

His team also defeated Ironton for the sectional title before falling victim to its lone loss of the year in the district semifinals to Piketon to end the season at 23-1.

In addition to winning the OVC title, pitcher Allison Chapman was named to the Division III All-Ohio team while also garnering the accolade of Southeast District Player of the Year, joining Rice who was the District Coach of the Year.

Success was also found in boys basketball where coach Ryan Davis' Panthers made it to the Division III district semifinals before losing to Westfall, 76-71.

Along the way, the Panthers picked up the OVC crown and finished 17-5 while Kyle Webb and Nathan Copley terrorized opposing defenses with their ability to hit the outside shot.

On the girls' side, Sammy Gue said goodbye to coaching to concentrate on his duties as principal, but not before leading the Panthers to a 17-4 record.

South Point

The Lady Pointers were Queens of the Court during the 2008-09 girls basketball season as coach David Adams led South Point to Ohio's Elite Eight where they fell to eventual state runners-up Oak Hill, 50-45, in the regional championship.

It was a magical year for South Point, who ended the season at 22-3. The best thing for Adams is that he has the nucleus of his team back next season.

South Point also claimed the OVC girls track title, led by Kayla Fletcher and Ericka Leighty.

In football, Chase Kratzenburg and Jacob Seagraves were part of a stellar corps of players that led South Point to a 6-4 record and share of the OVC championship despite a brutal schedule.

Boys basketball coach Gary Norris announced his retirement after leading the Pointers to a 12-8 record.

Coal Grove

Dave Lucas watched his team bulldoze its way to another share of the OVC crown in football in 2008 while on the track, the Hornets earned a Division III district title and OVC boys track title as well.

Oakie Haynes did the damage for both teams in their title endeavors, combining speed and agility to become one of the area's top athletes.

In addition to the previous two sports, Haynes was named as a Division III All-Ohio first-team selection as an outfielder for the Hornets' baseball team.

In boys basketball, Randy Ward led the Hornets to a 13-9 finish where they fell to Alexander in the Division III sectional tournament. Two years after going winless, Coal Grove found itself with a winning record.

In girls basketball, the Hornets finished 16-5 but lost to Wheelersburg in the sectional finals.

Rock Hill

Softball was expected to be in a rebuilding season with only two seniors and very little experience returning. However, the Redwomen finished the year 12-7 and with lots to look forward to in the future after making it to the district semifinals.

In baseball, the Redmen finished 10-6 on the season following a 16-1 loss to Adena in the district semifinals in which they allowed 11 runs in the first inning.

The boys basketball season saw Rock Hill notch just five wins on the season, but the team had one of its more impressive games of the season in a season-ending loss to Wheelersburg.

Rock Hill's girls basketball team fell winless on the year in 21 tries after falling, 52-43, to River Valley in the section tournament.

The Redmen fell to the same plight in football as victory eluded the team in all 10 attempts.

Symmes Valley

Baseball was the mainstay for the Vikings as the team went 17-3 and advanced to the Division IV regional semifinals before losing to Toronto, 7-6, in extra innings.

Toronto jumped out to a 5-0 lead before the Vikings rallied to tie the game 6-6 in the bottom of the seventh. However, a run in the top of the eighth would end Symmes Valley's hopes of playing in a region title game.

In football, Rusty Webb's squad finished 5-5 but lost three of its last four contests.

The boys basketball team went 9-12 while the girls ended the year at 7-10.

Green

Softball was the highlight of the Bobcats' sports year as the team finished 18-4, won the SOC championship and made a run to the Division IV regional championship.

Ali Thompson and Abbey Barrett were both named to the Division IV All-Ohio first team and will play at Shawnee State next year.

In girls basketball, the Lady Cats finished 13-9 following a loss to Lucasville Valley in the district semifinals.

On the boys side, the Bobcats finished 1-12 with the only win coming on a last second basket to beat Symmes Valley, 68-66.

Green's football program finished 2-7 in 2008.

Ironton St. Joe

A pair of seniors led the way for the Flyers in baseball and basketball.

Caleb Blackburn and Chad Harvey were instrumental in the success of both programs. Blackburn became the school's first Division IV All-Ohio first-team selection as a pitcher while Harvey was named to the All-Ohio second team in baseball as well.

The Flyers' baseball program spent much of the year ranked No. 1 in Division IV, but fell to Trimble, 8-3, in the Division IV district semifinals, thus ending the year at 16-3.

Harvey excelled on the basketball floor, eclipsing the 1,000-point mark for his career this season while Blackburn led the team in rebounding.

Both were also two of four valedictorians once the school year ended.

River Valley

The girls basketball program finished at 10-7 to spark a winning feel in Cheshire.

The Raiders' football team went 3-7 on the season while snapping a 21-game OVC losing streak in the season's final week with a 46-13 win over Rock Hill.

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