Fall Season Brings Success On Field, In Classroom for Rangers

continued churning out well-rounded student-athletes this fall.

“This was maybe the best season we’ve had in a decade,” said Athletic Director Bob Thayer.

In eight sports, the Rangers captured two Northeast Ohio Conference team championships, two Coach of the Year Awards, four Player of the Year awards and 27 First Team All-NOC selections.

The volleyball and golf teams were the top in the conference, and also garnered both Coach of the Year honors, for Bojan Miocinovic and Brian Wisner, respectively.

“It was another solid year for our volleyball team, and our golf team is building somewhat of a dynasty,” Thayer said. It was the volleyball team’s second conference championship in three years, and the golf team’s third consecutive trophy.

Boys’ cross country senior just completed “one of the great cross country careers in Lakewood history,” culminating in the NOC Runner of the Year Award this fall, Thayer said.

Senior volleyball player Bridgette Garcia also received Player of the Year honors, leading the volleyball team to a 17-6 finish.

Golfer Chris Richardson won his second consecutive NOC Player of the Year Award, and Eric Kunze was voted the best boys’ soccer player in the conference.

Jackosky and Garcia reflected on their athletic careers at the meeting Monday at .

Both said their experience as a student-athlete and on a team helped them in the classroom.

“The friendships that are made between teammates are much stronger than those between classmates,” said Garcia, who is attending Kent State University next year. “Spending multiple hours a day with teammates who have the same goal builds an indescribable bond.”

Jackosky, who is planning to run cross country at either the University of San Francisco or Iowa State University, also highlighted the impact of sharing goals with his teammates.

“I love having so many people around me that are so motivated for the same goals as I am, and willing to put that work in and willing to see the fruits of their labor, and their personal records and their achievements,” he said.

The Rangers were also dominant in the classroom this fall, with 68 NOC Scholar-Athlete Award winners. To qualify, students had to be varsity letter winners and maintain a grade point average of 3.4 or higher.

The golf team led the school with an average GPA of 3.857. Girls' soccer wasn't far behind at 3.851.

"Great student-athletes tend to gravitate towards certain sports," Thayer said.

The football team, which saw its first winning season since 2003, posted the lowest team GPA, at 2.703. The average LHS student carries about a 2.45 GPA, Thayer said.

"Overall, our student-athletes posted a 3.262 GPA in the first quarter," he said. "They did a tremendous job."

Garcia said encouragement from Coach Miocinovic helped her focus in the classroom. But athletics provided her with the spirit and motivation to listen.

“I’m a fairly competitive person, and if academics weren’t made into a competition for me, I never would have tried so hard or done so well,” she said.