Experience propels Franz’s undefeated start
Olentangy Berlin senior mimics Raducanu’s feat
Through the first eight matches of her senior tennis season, Ella Franz did her best impression of Emma Raducanu’s run at the U.S. Open.
Franz, one of Olentangy Berlin’s captains, did not drop a set until Thursday, when she lost the first set of her match against Olentangy Orange’s Tyler Reed — though she did win the match to stay undefeated on the year. Until that match, Franz had won all eight matches in straight sets, including three matches in a row that she won 6-0, 6-0.
Raducanu, barely two years older than Franz, did the same on her way to the U.S. Open women’s final. And while Raducanu is new to having success in Grand Slams — until this year’s U.S. Open, she’d never made it past the first round of a Grand Slam event — it’s Franz’s experience at the high school level that’s gotten her to a strong start this year.
“She’s put in a lot of work over the years, so at this point, she just keeps refining her game and developing more, adding more to her shots,” said Berlin tennis coach Richard Hunt. “She puts in so much time and she’s had so much experience playing high-level matches that it’s what helps her win some of these close ones . ... She’s continuing to work on certain areas of her game that she can improve on. It’s been a good start to the season.”
Not many of Franz’s matches this year, or even many across her high school career, have been close. According to Ohio Tennis Zone’s records, she’s played only six three-set matches in the past two seasons, and has lost in straight sets just once.
Thursday’s match against Reed pushed Franz as close to a loss as she’s come this year, and she rebounded from losing the first set 6-3 to win the next two sets 6-2, 6-4.
“Because of her experience, on the mental side of the game, she’s able to win the close points,” Hunt said. “Or if it’s close in the third set, she’s been there before. She’s done it so many times. She’s won and lost some, but she’s confident and knows that she can pull those out.”
Football
In middle school action Wednesday night, Hilliard Weaver seventh grader Kassie Mccue became the first female football player in Hilliard school district history to intercept a pass — and she returned it 35 yards . ...
Grandview’s Maddox Baker scored all three touchdowns for the Bobcats in the second half as they came back from a 14-0 deficit to beat Whetstone. Baker finished with 125 yards on 37 carries . ...
West Jefferson senior quarterback Tyler Buescher continued his strong start to the season, completing 22 of his 27 pass attempts for 317 yards and three touchdowns in a 57-0 win over Cedarville . ...
Olentangy Liberty senior Andrew Stamp returned two interceptions for touchdowns with returns of 13 and 58 yards in the fourth quarter of the Patriots’ 38-14 win over Olentangy Berlin . ...
New Albany running back Jadyn Garnes scored two touchdowns — one a 50-yard run and one a 79-yard run — and finished with 190 rushing yards in a 34-20 win over Lancaster . ...
Dublin Coffman quarterback Mason Maggs rushed for 218 yards and four touchdowns and added another 168 yards and a touchdown through the air as he led the Shamrocks to an overtime, comeback win over Dublin Jerome. With the 49-42 win, Coffman avoided an 0-4 start and knocked off the undefeated Celtics.
Soccer
Canal Winchester senior Chase Alwood scored two goals in a 9-0 win over Franklin Heights on Thursday to bring his tally to six goals in six games . ...
In the first state soccer poll, New Albany ranks third in the boys Division I poll. Grandview Heights ranks third in the boys Division III poll. For the girls, Granville tops the poll in Division II, while Upper Arlington ranks fourth in Division I.
Cross Country
Gahanna senior Alyssa Shope set a school record with a time of 17:58.6 at the Hot Summer Bash on Sept. 4, which also broke the meet record . ...
In the latest Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches poll, Granville ranks second in the Division II girls poll with three first-place votes. In Division I, Hilliard Davidson ranks second in both the girls and boys polls.
Volleyball
Logan Elm coach Aaron Ridenour earned his 500th career win in a win over Chillicothe on Sept. 4 . ...
Westerville Central senior setter Mia Saunders reached 1,000 career assists on Tuesday.
Field Hockey
Cora Hamilton scored four goals in Thomas Worthington’s 7-0 win over Olentangy Orange on Tuesday. Lauren Beier added another two goals to the scoresheet.
Golf
Hayley Dye broke a Delaware Hayes 9-hole record with a 31 on Wednesday afternoon at Oakhaven. Dye had six birdies in the round to finish 5-under par.
Athlete of the Week
With a Friday afternoon comeback in the poll, Upper Arlington senior goalie Abby Reisz won Athlete of the Week for Aug. 30-Sept. 5. Nominations for next week’s ballot are due at noon Monday.