BY KELLIE TAYLOR
Enquirer contributor
Some of the best upcoming area basketball players joined forces this summer on the Cincinnati Junior Tar Heels 13-and-under team. The team, which is coached by Indian Hill High School coach Jon Perry, finished the season 41-2 and placed second in the Youth Basketball of America National Championships at Lakeland, Fla. The Junior Tar Heels lost 57-42 to the Memphis Wave in the championship game, erasing the chance of a second consecutive national title.
"I was extremely proud of the effort my girls put forth," said Perry, who started the program four years ago. "It is very difficult to repeat as National Champions, but we gave it our best and that is all you can ask for."
Holmes High School guard Erica Hallman and Hopewell Junior High forward Christy Wilson were both named to the all-tournament team.
Hallman, who started on Holmes' varsity team the past two seasons, was the Tar Heels' leading scorer, averaging over 17 points per game.
"She's phenomenal," Perry said.
Wilson was the Tar Heels' second leading scorer, averaging 10 points.
Other team members are Erin Schmitt (the only four-year member on the team) and Kari Tepe, both from Indian Hill, Kerri Hotchkiss (St. Margaret and Mary), Heather Neeher (Finneytown), Palmer Fitzhugh (Cincinnati Country Day), Jamie Skoog (Princeton), Pam Watts (Walnut Hills) and Kristi Robinson (Ryle).
"I'd really like to try and keep this team together at least another year," Perry said.
Perry is helped out by assistant coaches Heather Shaver and John Richardson.
SOCCER INVITEES:
Look out, Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy -- a local player may be the one to fill your cleats in the future.
Three area players have been invited to attend the United States Youth Soccer Association Region II Girls Olympics Development Camp in Concord, New Hampshire.
Sophomores-to-be Shawn Reynolds (Lakota West), Kayla Lockaby (Ross) and Sara Randolph (Sycamore) were among the 30 girls selected. Over 250 players from 14 Midwestern states tried out for the team. "Being selected to the regional pool is a major accomplishment," Bonnie Skover, Regional Administrator for the Olympic Development program, said. "Shawn, Kayla and Sara will be observed now and in the future for possible selection to a United States national team."
SWIMMING:
The Cincinnati Marlins won the team championship last Wednesday at the United States Junior National Swimming Championships in Buffalo, New York.
The team finished with 420 points, 51 ahead of the second-place Scarlet Aquatic Club, to defend its 1997 title.
Lesley Meade was the team's top finisher, placing second in the 200-meter breaststroke and 400-meter individual medley and third in the women's 200-meter individual medley and 100-meter breaststroke.
Rachel Tepe finished fourth in the women's 100-meter backstroke and Erin Phenix finished fifth in the 100-meter freestyle.
The Marlins' 800-meter freestyle relay team of Kelley O'Hara, Julie Waizenhofer, Meade and Phenix finished fourth, and the team of Phenix, Meade, Waizenhofer and Lindsey Kroeger took third in the 400-meter freestyle relay.
DIVING:
The Cincinnati Stingrays, coached by Steve Voellmecke and Charlie Casuto, left their mark on the 1998 Speedo Junior Diving Nationals -- five of the top 13 divers in the women's 16-18 platform event are members of that team.
Taking top honors in the event was Dixie Heights' Lindsay Long whose score of 474.48 blew away the second place score of 435.03. Teammates McKenzie Murphy (sixth), Tricia Sanzaro (ninth), Taylor Lynch (10th) and Nicci Fusaro (13th) also placed high in the event.
Carrie McCambridge finished second in the girls 14-15 platform. In the 13-and-under 3-meter springboard, Emily Hunter placed seventh, Kristen Ytterbo was 19th and Brittany Hill was 22nd.
