The Daily Standard
Story Archive
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
Area seniors continue to make college and athletic commitments for next school year.
Fort Recovery has been busy with three athletes signing national letters of intent to compete on the next level. Marion Local senior Josie Bruns will stay closer to home to run at Bluffton University and New Knoxville's Preston Rutschilling will head to Tiffin University to join the soccer team.
Fort Recovery's Anna Roessner, seated center, is joined by family and coaches after signing to attend Hillsdale College and run track and field for the Chargers.
Roessner will take her prowess in sprints to the NCAA Division II program in Michigan after looking to finish her career with the Indians with another trip to state.
Last season, Roessner dueled with Coldwater's Izzy Zahn in the sprint events. Roessner reached the podium in the 100-meter dash at state with a fifth-place showing, then took third in the 200 dash.
The Chargers wrapped up the indoor track and field earlier this month by placing third at the Great Midwest Athletic Conference meet and started outdoor competition last week. Hillsdale also finished third at least season's G-MAC outdoor championships.
Fort Recovery's Joelle Kaup, seated center, will attend the Ohio State University and compete on the Buckeyes' rowing team.
Kaup is making rowing on the college level a family tradition.
Older sister Rachel Kaup was a member of Duquesne University's rowing team as a member of their varsity eights and competing in Atlantic 10 competition.
Kaup is a multi-sport athlete at Fort Recovery, running as part of the state-qualifying cross country team in 2023, swimming in the winter, taking first place in the 100-yard backstroke at the Cavalier MAC Meet, and then running track in the spring.
The Buckeyes started the spring portion of their season on March 15 with a scrimmage against Michgian State at Griggs Reservoir before competing in the Ivy Dust Up against Yale, Syracuse and Rutgers last weekend in New Jersey. The Buckeyes take part in the Big Ten/ACC Double Dual this weekend in Columbus.
Fort Recovery's Caden Grisez, seated, will attend Wright State University-Lake Campus and compete on the baseball team.
After injuries limited his pitching early last season, Grisez came back at the perfect time in helping the Indians to their best finish in school history in baseball by reaching the Division IV state championship game. Grisez started the title game against Berlin Hiland and took a hard-fought 3-2 loss as the Indians were state runner-up.
Grisez finished 2024 with a 3-1 record and an earned run average of 1.98. Grisez also batted .284 with three doubles and 15 RBI.
The Lakers are 6-9 this season after losing 9-7 to Hocking College on Wednesday.
Marion Local's Josie Bruns, seated center, will attend Bluffton University and join the cross country and track and field program.
Bruns heads to Bluffton after being a key part of the Flyers' cross country team and the distance squad for track.
Last spring, Bruns finished 11th in the 800-meter run at the Midwest Athletic Conference track and field championships. As a junior, Bruns eanred first team All-MAC honors in cross country with an 11th-place finish. Bruns did not compete in the 2024 meet due to injury.
The Beavers did not field a full team for cross country and did not score at the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference meet in Shelbyville, Indiana. The Bluffton track and field team finished eighth at the HCAC indoor championships earlier this month and were also eighth at the HCAC outdoor meet last May.
New Knoxville's Preston Rutschilling, seated center, will attend Tiffin University and play soccer for the Dragons.
Rutschilling heads to the Dragons after re-writing the records for goalkeeping for New Knoxville.
Rutschilling broke the school record for saves in a season as a sophomore in recording 262 saves and also set a school record for most saves in a match with 34.
This past season, Rutschilling recorded an 89% stopped shot percentage with 176 saves and four shutouts. His career totals include 749 saves, an 88% stop rate and 12 shutouts. Several games, Rutschilling also came out and played offense.
Rutschilling earned All-Western Ohio Soccer League honors his last three seasons, earning second team honors as a junior while being named to the honorable mention as a sophomore and senior.
The Dragons are coming off a big season, finishing 14-6-1 and 12-2 in the G-MAC. Tiffin lost in the conference semifinals 3-2 to Kentucky Wesleyan, but still earned a berth in the NCAA Division II tournament, earning a first-round bye as the fourth seed in Super Region 3. After winning 3-1 over Lewis University in the second round, the Dragons lost 2-1 to Saginaw Valley State University to end the season.
