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WELCOME TO THE MVC MIDDLE SCHOOL WEBSITE

The Miami Valley Conference is comprised of the following middle schools/junior highs:  Cincinnati Christian, Cincinnati Country Day, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, Clark Montessori, Lockland, New Miami, North College Hill, Norwood, Miami Valley Christian Academy, Seven Hills, St. Bernard-Elmwood Place, and Summit Country Day.  Additionally, Roger Bacon and Purcell Marian are members in the high school portion of the conference.

This website will feature a section on the home page which features updates and recaps of the fall, winter, and spring sports seasons.  In addition, a weekly look at the past week's top performers can be found in the MVC Athletes of the Week section.  This is a very popular feature and all selections come from the head coaches themselves.

As Sports Information Director for the conference, feel free to contact me at mvcsid@gmail.com if you come across any errors or misspelled names along the way!

Good luck to all of our athletes, coaches, athletic directors, administrators, and parents who make the Miami Valley Conference the premier small-school league in the state!

Coaches Confidential

The Enquirer is doing a weekly series this fall called Coaches Confidential.  Area coaches are asked questions, and as the Enquirer states, "The purpose of this exercise is to educate parents, athletes and fans, uplift and encourage athletes to be the best they can be, mentor young coaches, idea share and, in some cases, just have fun."

What qualities do you look for in athletes when you decide on your roster and depth charts? What helps or hurts these players in terms of playing time?  Read HERE

Who is a current Greater Cincinnati high school football coach you respect most, and why?  Read HERE 

What do you consider an ideal parent-coach relationship? What are some best practices parents can take to support their athletes?  Read HERE

What stadium/fanbase gives you the best overall Friday Night Lights experience – home or away? Describe what makes it special from your perspective.  Read HERE

What is the biggest challenge you face as a high school football coach and how are you able to overcome it?  Read HERE

Which Greater Cincinnati football teams have surprised or impressed you to start the season and why? Read HERE

What athletes have impressed you this year, or which athletes do you need a game plan for in future games, and why?  Read HERE

Many athletes put pressure on themselves to play through injuries with concerns that include losing minutes on the field and being seen as weak or fragile, to name two. What do you want athletes and their parents to know about your thought process on the topic?  Read HERE

Describe the things high school football coaches do that people may not know are part of the job and why those aspects are important to you. Read HERE

In the season's final  Enquirer Coaches Confidential, area coaches were asked to pick their high school football dream teams using current and former Cincinnati standouts. Read HERE

2024 Fall Sports Season Updates

NOTE:  The Miami Valley Conference sponsors football, volleyball, and cross country during the fall sports season.

FOOTBALL:  CHCA is your defending conference champion finished the 2023 season 8-1 overall and undefeated in conference play.  

VOLLEYBALL:  The Conference tournament is slated to begin Saturday and continue Tuesday with the finals scheduled for Thursday.

CROSS COUNTRYCONFERENCE MEET UPDATE:  CHCA finished ahead of runner-up Seven Hills to capture the girls Conference title, while Summit Country Day outdistanced CHCA to bring home the boys championship.  Top three finishers for the girls were MVCA's Olivia O'Hare, CHCA's Addison Connor, and Seven Hills' Cora Krumanaker.  Summit Country Day's Maguire Imperial, Nico Palacio-Vega, and Kayden Smith finished 1-2-3 respectively for the boys.  Complete team and individual results are HERE for the boys and HERE for the girls.

 

MVC Athletes of the Week

The MVC is recognizing Athletes of the Week at the middle school level.  Like our conference high schools, coaches will submit their student-athletes and each recipient will be posted here weekly.

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 6

Norwood boys soccer recognizes Micah Stoxen, Antonio Reyes, and Yaszel Kritis. Micah is a defensive player, and a great one, too. He has gotten Norwood out of scary situations in our area, and he’s also managed to score a goal this season by dribbling from the back to the offensive goal box! Micah is a fantastic player to have on the team. He’s the type of player coaches wish they had - a player who is coachable, respectful, and willing to give 100 percent of everything he’s got. For that, he’s earned my respect, and I’m glad to have him on the team. Keep learning and keep improving! Antonio is a center back, also known as a defensive player. The only way I can describe Antonio is by calling him the Great Wall of China. He’s tough, aggressive, and isn’t afraid to get physical, which makes him a vital player for us to have! Beyond that, he’s Mr. Smile and a motivator. Always happy to play, he encourages his teammates, even when losing; he finds a way to look at it in a positive way. He continues to learn and to improve. Yaszel is a midfielder and defensive player. I know I can trust him. No matter which position I play him in, I don’t need to worry about it. He’ll complete the task and help the team win. He’s definitely a hard worker and continues to impress me with the amount of improvement he’s made over the years. The best way to describe him would be as a chameleon who easily adapts to whatever position is given to him. That can sometimes be hard for other players, but not for him. Another thing he’s mastered is vision for creating plays when and where to place ball is fundamental in Fútbol. Continue to grind and work hard, Yaszel

As a team, Seven Hills placed second in the Cincinnati Middle School Central Conference this year (5-1 in conference play), but yesterday we finished fourth in the final CMS tournament (16 teams) which was 18 holes at The Mill Course.  Eighth grader Leo Cai shot a 76 with a pair of eagles!

This week’s MVCA’s Purple volleyball Athlete of the Week is eighth grader Ayla DeBra. Ayla is the kind of player you want on your team! She is a natural leader and always shows up ready to play! She is extremely versatile and is always willing to hit the floor at any time to dig a ball. Ayla's kind spirit, consistent leadership, and amazing play shines on the court. Her exceptional hustle as setter and outside hitter this season has played a vital role in the team’s success. So proud of your effort and determination, Ayla!

Congratulations to CHCA seventh grade cross country runners Presley Peschke and Norah Robinette for running a personal best at the CHCA Invitational. Also to eighth graders Samuel Pohl, Cameron Lessek, Peter Waldron, and Drew Cullen and seventh grader Elliot Gockerman for also running personal bests. All this to get primed for the MVC Championship on Tuesday. 

Norwood's volleyball player Lexi Wagers played a great game as defensive specialist in a win against Batavia. Lexi's on-target passing was remarkable in serve receive and defense.

This week's MVCA Silver volleyball Athlete of the Week is Sara Alpiger! Sara has been a great asset to the team. She has grown as an athlete and a leader - she found her voice! As a setter, a part of Sara's responsibility is to lead her team on the court and she has done just that. Her serves are unstoppable, her hits are fierce, and her quick game decisions are a force to be reckoned with! Not to mention, the girl has pretty much gone undefeated in our "popcorn" drills during practice. We are happy to have Sara on our team this year!

WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 29

The Norwood football offensive line was absolutely stunning in Thursday’s victory over MVCA, creating ample rushing lanes and clean pockets. Their efforts directly led to over 200 yards rushing and four rushing touchdowns along with 200 yards passing and one passing touchdown. This effort was led by Gabe Odeh, Demeco Armstead, Kypton Hull, Colton Stacey, and Leo Daniel.

The Eagles were on a break this past week from racing the 3200, but were still working on the track with a 1600 time trial. Congratulations to seventh grader Sophie Schultz for improving on her personal-best time. She started out the year going 9:40 and just ran a 6:44. For the boys, congratulations to eighth grader Rees Hargis, who improved from 16:04 to 11:30. Better every day!

Norwood soccer player Cesar Gutierrez has had a spectacular season as a defensive player and has been a great asset to the team, whether by stopping the opposition from scoring or by scoring himself! He managed to open the scoreboard for us with a fantastic goal from the 50-yard line. Sergio Ramos in the making—keep working hard and improving, Cesar! Cain Sanchez Meza started the season a bit rocky, but that hasn’t stopped him from putting in hard work, which has paid off. He secured our team's victory against Seven Hills by scoring and putting us ahead. Cain has shown that, no matter what obstacles come his way, he’s willing to keep grinding hard to achieve his goals.

Norwood volleyball player Maddi Maxwell continues to show leadership on the court.  Her efforts to chase down a ball or to put a third hit in play are unmatched. 

MVCA Silver volleyball player Nevaeh Schaffer has zoned in on improving her volleyball skills each and every week this season. Nevaeh has worked hard on becoming an excellent passer and has gained the team many points with her serves. She has recently become an asset hitter in the back and front row. Keep pushing to be the best athlete you can be Nevaeh; we are excited to see where the sport takes you!

MVCA Purple volleyball player Lena Erickson has been a key player for the team throughout this entire season. She is a natural leader and does not hesitate to take charge and help command the court. She is a natural athlete and an extremely hard worker. Her consistency, skill, and determination truly shine on the court. Lena is constantly demonstrating her ability to lead by example and has a gift to anticipate the ball and make solid plays. Her remarkable back row playing and right side hitting have helped her team earn its 8-0 conference record to date! Great job, Lena!

WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 22

Seven Hills eighth grade cross country runner Cora Krumanaker won the Seven Hills Invitational with a time of 14:42. 

New Miami eighth grade football player Karter Johnson rushed for 157 total yards (137 rushing and 20 receiving) and three rushing touchdowns against Madeira.  He also recorded seven solo tackles, four assisted tackles, and returned an interception for a touchdown.

Cincinnati Christian seventh grade cross country runner Silas Romine set a huge personal record yesterday at Cedarville’s Friendship Invitational with a time of 17:10 at 1:30 on his previous best!   Congratulations Silas on your hard work and your desire to continue to improve! 

Norwood girls soccer player Casey Warner recorded 24 saves in goalie in the Lady Indians' 1-0 win against Mariemont.

This week’s MVCA Purple volleyball Athlete of the Week is eighth grader Reagan Iles. Reagan is a wonderful teammate. She is constantly supporting her teammates and is always positive and inspirational. She led the team in kills this past Saturday against a friendly scrimmage with Nagel Blue, which played a critical role in MVCA securing the win in the first set. It is obvious that Reagan is putting in extra time off the court to improve her skills and it shows at practice and in matches. Her serving has improved significantly since the beginning of the season, and I can’t wait to see what else she does in the weeks to come! Great job, Reagan!

Norwood football player Terryion Smith accounted for five total touchdowns with over 300 total yards in a 48-0 victory over Clark Wednesday night. Defensively, Gabe Odeh led the charge with two sacks and eight total tackles.

In a hard fought match against MVCA, Norwood volleyball player Kinley Messer led the Lady Indians with the most digs and consistent attacks on offense.

The Norwood boys soccer Athletes of the Week are Benjamin O’Connor (8th grade), Sebastian O’Leary (8th grade), Isaiah Espitia (8th grade), and Elijah Henslee (7th grade). Ben has had a fantastic season this year, scoring four goals. However, it’s not just the goals that make Ben a great player; it’s also the role he plays on the team. Being a captain comes with many responsibilities and challenges, and Ben has proven to me that trusting him to be one of our leaders was a great decision. Keep up the good work! Sebastian delivered another great performance against Walnut Hills. Playing goalie might not be his favorite position, but when it’s game time, all that is out the window. Sebastian just keeps getting better! He makes great saves, helps his defensemen stay locked in, and his growing confidence shows why he’s a captain! Isaiah has been a great player to watch. He embodies the "Learn and Improve" motto of our team! He didn’t start as our team captain, but he worked hard for it and eventually earned the role. Isaiah has played as a defensive player and has excelled in that position, but he’s also been our goalie and has rocked that position as well! Isaiah has been pushing himself to be better, and all I have to say is ... keep going! Elijah has been working hard during practices and games. He scored a great goal off an amazing assist and continues to improve his skills and technique! So keep learning and stay on the grind - hard work pays off!

Congratulation to CHCA eighth grade girls cross country runner Addison Connor for placing 10th for all eighth graders at the Fairmont Invitational in tough adverse conditions. Also medaling were seventh grader Ella McGrath at 12th for all seventh graders and seventh grader Presley Peschke who finished 14th for all seventh graders. Presley even ran a personal best on Saturday which was even more impressive.

Congratulations to CHCA eighth grade boys cross country runner Cameron Lessek for placing 14th amongst all eighth graders at the Fairmont Invitational. Also medaling was seventh grader Eliot Gockerman who placed second out of all the seventh graders. Also receiving this honor was eighth grader Drew Cullen who ran a personal best at this Invitational. Drew is a role model of determination and hard work during the week and it paid off. 

This week's MVCA Silver volleyball Athlete-of-the-Week is Nora Brinkley! Nora has really stepped up this season in different positions on the court. She understands what it takes to be a well-rounded athlete. Her serves continue to help the team gain points, her passes have been consistent with helping set up plays, she has become an aggressive front AND back row hitter, and the strength in her hands to stop a ball is quite simply amazing. We are thrilled to have Nora - our Team Huddle Hype-Girl along with an all-around asset to the team on and off the court! 

WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 15

Norwood football player Preston Duff had 15 total tackles, 10 being solo, in a hard-fought 16-14 loss to a tough Williamsburg team. Preston was all over the field Wednesday and became a staple on defense for the Indians.

Norwood boys soccer Athlete of the Week goes to Cesar Gutierrez, an eighth-grade defensive player. Cesar has had an impressive season so far as a defender. He had a great performance against Summit Country Day; even though we didn’t get the win, he still minimized any goal opportunities for Summit. It's exciting to see how much he's improved in just his second year, earning him the nickname "The Sergio Ramos of Norwood Soccer." Keep up the fantastic work. 

MVCA Purple volleyball Athletes of the Week go to seventh graders Annabelle Seddon and Maddie Neu. Our main setter was out sick this past week, and for two matches these girls stepped in to set (having never set in a match before). They both did a wonderful job, carrying their team to victory - winning both matches in two sets! These two are constantly pushing themselves to improve their game. Annabelle is a solid athlete and great teammate, and Maddie has demonstrated tremendous growth and dedication to her sport. Looking forward to them both continuing to shine! Congrats!

Norwood volleyball player Nevaeh Davis led her team to victory over Mariemont with her powerful serves and aggressive defense. 

Congratulations to CHCA seventh graders Presley Peschke, Elise Denne, Jackson Barnum, and eighth grader Samuel Pohl for running their personal best at the Springboro Cross Country Invitational. All four of them are first time cross country runners and are quickly finding out that hard work does indeed pay off. 

MVCA Silver volleyball player Franny Dorstal is coming off of an injury and has hit the court hard! She has put in the work to become a more advanced left arm hitter and a solid back row passer. Franny is constantly showing growth as a well-rounded player, as well as an encourager to her teammates. We are proud of Franny and the athlete she is becoming! 

WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 8

Norwood seventh grade cross country runner Josh Crank is a hard worker in his his first year running. Although he had a late start to the season, we’re happy to have him! At the Cincinnati Country Day Invitational, he ran his first 2-mile race in 23 minutes.

Norwood boys soccer Athlete of the Week goes to Sebastian O’Leary, an eighth grade goalie. Sebastian had a fantastic performance against Cincinnati Country Day, preventing them from scoring and making a total of 12 saves. Sebastian is also one of our team captains and plays a key role in keeping the team motivated and focused.

Cincinnati Christian eighth grade cross country runner Emmalyn Umholtz had a 20-second PR at the Brookville Invitational Saturday with a time of 15:44. Emmalyn has shown dedication, heart, and has such a sweet spirit about her on and off the course as she happily cheers for her teammates and encourages them on race day. We are so happy to have her on the team this year! Congratulations on your PR Emmy!  

MVCA eighth grade Purple volleyball Athlete of the Week is Riley Jones, whose performance on the court has been nothing short of amazing! Her stellar serves and key back row passing have really helped lead her team to victory. Off the court, Riley’s Christ-centered caring attitude, sportsmanship, and dedication make her a role model for her teammates. Her recognition as Athlete of the Week reflects her hard work and leadership. She is extremely coachable, applies feedback from her coach, and has already made significant improvements in her hitting and serving. Keep up the great work, Riley

Norwood volleyball player Madilyn Wade had a total of 23 serving aces in three games to lead to victories for the Lady Indians.  

MVCA Silver eighth grade volleyball player Kailynn Anspach embraced an opportunity during our first home game to serve! This is something Kailynn is not used to doing during her rotation, but coach asked her to do it, and she stepped out of her comfort zone and did it.  Not only did she do it, but she also gained the team some points in the process.  I am proud to see Kaitlynn stepping out of her comfort zone and gaining experience as a player! 

Congratulations to CHCA eighth grader Max Loar for medaling for the first time at the Little Miami Invitational. Max now becomes the #3 runner with this new sport that he is still learning strategy and pacing of his effort. Congratulations to seventh grader Norah Robinette for dropping her time from 19:30 to 16:54. She is new to cross country but works hard throughout the week and will continue to see improvement. 

WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 1

Cincinnati Chrstian seventh grade soccer player Josiah Runion had two goals in a hard-fought match against Seven Hills. 

Norwood football player Terryion Smith rushed for 90 yards and two touchdowns and also had an interception for a touchdown in an impressive victory over New Miami. Jeremiah Rideout had an interception on defense, along with several key blocks that led to touchdowns offensively.

Cincinnati Christian’s eighth grade cross country runner Kody Becker ran his personal best at the Lebanon Warrior Invitational with a time of 13:55.  He continues to strive each race to get better and better. Way to go Kody!

Norwood volleyball player Bella Stacy had a couple big serving runs to lift Norwood over Seven Hills on Wednesday. 

Congratulations to the following CHCA cross country runners for their efforts at Saturday's Loveland Invitational. Running PRs for the Lady Eagles were Natalie Peterson (7), Mollie Ankenbauer (8), Kylie Snyder (8), and Elise Denne (7). And the most remarkable drop in time that I have ever seen was by Ella McGrath (7). She ran a 24:53.18 at the CCD Invitational and turned around a week later to run a 16:37.1. That is an 8:16 drop!  For the boys, the combination of Elliot Gockerman (7) and Cameron Lessek (8) continue to be a formidable 1-2 combination as they ran a PR and finished 13th and 14th at the Loveland Invite. Others who ran a personal best were Max Loar (8), Aiden Jin (8), Benjamin Romanello (8), Charlie Fey (8), and Alex Lorenz (7). Making the biggest drop was Landon Borreson (7). He ran a 17:21.92 last week and in just his second run on the team dropped to a 15:24.6. 

Summit Country Day volleyball lost to Cincinnati Christian, first set 25-16, second set 25-23, a great game showing growth and coachability!  The Lady Knights then won a tight match vs. New Miami, lost the first set 25-21, won the second set 25-19, won the third set in a true comeback fashion.  We were down 24-18 when Lexy Beyerbach served several aces, and a few amazing plays from the group we came back to win 26-24!

MVCA Purple volleyball player Hope Patterson is an excellent example that hard work and perseverance pays off.  She has been working on applying the advice from her coach on her hitting technique and her improvement has shown this week!  She also understands the meaning of teamwork and leads by example. One player forgot her court shoes in practice last week and she was the first one to lend her shoes. Hope is serious about her responsibility to her teammates on and off the court.  She has a can-do attitude and willingness to work hard whether she is cheering for her teammates or working hard on the court. Great job, Hope!

MVCA Silver volleyball player Tynlee Brasington is a natural leader on and off the court, which is a big reason she is one of the team's captains. Tynlee has offered and shared her volleyball experience during practices to help the team. She shows leadership by encouraging others, helping coach without being asked, helping lead rotations, and helping lead her team during games as one of our setters. This is Tynlee’s first year at MVCA, and we are happy to have her as an assist on our team! 

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 25

Norwood eighth grade cross country runner Ryan Dietz got in the top 20 at the Cincinnati Country Day Invitational with the time of 15:07. This is only his second cross country race and he is doing very well.

Congratulations to both the girls and boys cross country teams for placing first at the CCD Invitational. Award winners for the girls were Addison Connor (8th) in second, Emma Elpers (7th) in third, Sophie Shultz (7th) in seventh, and Hannah Hopkins (8th) in eighth. For the boys, they took the top three awards with Elliot Gockerman (7th) first, Cameron Lessek (8th) second, and Andrew Farkas (8th) in third.

Norwood quarterback Braylin Evans led the way on offense with 245 yards and three touchdowns in the air, he also rushed for 60 yards on the day.  Wide receiver Jeremiah Foree hauled in one receiving touchdown with another touchdown coming on the ground.  Wide receiver Carter Callahan came away with two receiving touchdowns, as well as a fumble recovery for a pivotal defensive touchdown early in a 40-8 victory over Deer Park.

MVCA’s Purple volleyball team will officially kick off their season on Monday, August 26! All the girls have been working hard for the last several weeks to prepare for the season. This week, we would like to recognize a student-athlete whose effort, desire, sacrifice and contribution has made a difference on this team. Eighth grader Brooklyn Smith has demonstrated great Christian character.  She leads by example and has a true desire to put others first. She is always ready to focus in on each practice and offers to help the coach after every practice. Brooklyn never stops working hard, is always positive, and is a wonderful example of how to be a leader both on and off the court.

Norwood seventh grade volleyball player Harper Murphy played an essential role in the team's win over Middletown Christian.  She used her speed and determined attitude to make big plays on the court. Her hard work this summer is paying off.  

Cincinnati Christian's Grahm Hendrickson finished fifth with a time of 13:31 at his JH debut at  CCD Cross Country Invitational this past Saturday. Congratulations Grahm

MVCA Silver volleyball player Susanna Willams has made improvements based on the advice coaches are giving her. She is striving to be an awesome front row middle hitter and being more aggressive on the front line! We are excited to see the progress Susanna continues to make and are proud to have her on our front-line attack! 

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 18

MVCA Silver volleyball team “Player of the Week” is seventh grader Harper NottHarper is such a positive light on the team and is proving each day her dedication to the sport by striving to learn and grow as an individual and player. She is a bright, positive light for our team!  She represents MVCA well on and off the court.