By Dan Weber
NKyTribune sports reporter
Week 1 as an NCAA Division II program is in the books for the Thomas More athletic program with across-the-board results much as to be expected with the Saints’ fall sports stepping up in class from the NAIA.
Here’s a recap and a look ahead.
FOOTBALL: With a road game opener against the No. 24 NCAA Division II Davenport University Panthers, a team coming off an 8-3 record and an NCAA postseason berth, Chris Norwell’s Saints came on in a 17-7 second half before falling, 31-17, after trailing 14-0 in the first quarter and 24-0 at halftime.
A blocked punt by redshirt sophomore Jordan Marksberry (Dayton High School) got things going leading to a 37-yard field goal by another sophomore, Luke Iden (Scott). An 83-yard drive followed with Jayden Hall (Springfield, Ohio, Shawnee) scoring on a 33-yard run after a Rae’Von Vaden (Louisville Moore) 23-yard completion to Ish Moss (Columbus, Ohio/Canal Winchester, Ohio) to make it 24-10. TMU’s final score came on a three-play, 67-yard scoring drive with Vaden hitting Georgetown College transfer Josh Gary (Lugoff, SC) for 17 yards, then Freddie Johnson (Cincinnati Colerain) for 27 and finally Tiffin transfer Anthony Grossnickle (Chicago, Ill., Northwest) for 19 yards and the TD.
Vaden finished with 17 of 39 passing for 160 yards with two interceptions while running for 73 yards. Johnson led the team in receiving with six catches for 65 yards. Grad student Del Thomas (Fairfield, Ohio) led the defense with 13 tackles (five solo, eight assists). Another grad student, Jackson Gear (Amelia, Ohio) had 10 tackles (six solo, four assists).
UP NEXT: Thomas More makes its NCAA D-II home debut at Republic Bank Field Saturday at 12 noon against UVA Wise.
• WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY: The TMU women placed third at the Queen City Invitational hosted by Northern Kentucky Friday (September 1st) with a team score of 77 in a meet featuring NCAA Division I teams like Northern Kentucky and Morehead State University.
Individually, sophomore Dyllan Hasler (Independence, Scott) finished 10th overall with a time of 20:09.86. Sophomore Savannah Faught (Georgetown, Ohio/Georgetown) finished 13th with a time of 20:29.90. Senior Sarah Bertsch (Wilder, KY./Newport Central Catholic) finished 22nd (21:29.79), senior Ashley Akins (Florence/Walton-Verona) 28th (23:08.22, senior Ashley Albrinck (Cincinnati, OH./Mercy McAuley) 29th (23:30.76), first-year Elizabeth Jackson (Cincinnati Seton) 30th (23:38.34), sophomore Maggie McSorley (Versailles, KY./Woodford County) 31st (23:39.79) and first year Marie Datillo (Cincinnati, OH./Seton High School) 33rd (24:08.18), sophomore Caroline Kleman (Lakeside Park/Notre Dame Academy) 37th (25:17.45) and first Year Taylor Crawford (Ashland/Boyd County) 38th (25:48.82).
UP NEXT: TMU returns to action Saturday at the Hanover (Ind.) Invitational.
• WOMEN’S SOCCER: The TMU women’s team opened at 25th-ranked Nova Southeastern in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Friday, 6-0, to open Division II play. Five Saints – sophomore Olivia Mohs (Cincinnati Seton), senior Grace Armentrout (Cincinnati Oak Hills), junior Eva Kinwel (Arnhem, Netherlands Beekdal Lyceum), graduate student Sydney Rhodes (Lebanon, Ohio/Kings) and first year Andela Popovic (Belgrade, Serbia Belgrade High School) — managed shots on goal.
In a second road game Sunday, TMU lost, 1-0, to Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., to fall to 0-2.
UP NEXT: TMU travels to Purdue University Northwest Saturday (3 p.m.) for a match at Pepsi Field, Hammond, Ind.
• WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL: The TMU women’s volleyball team lost the final two matches of the Ferris State Invitational on Saturday, dropping the morning match to Adelphi University, 3-0, and the afternoon match to Grand Valley State, 3-0.
In the first match, which TMU lost by scores of 25-11, 25-19 and 25-14, the Saints were led by freshmen Ceci Kamer (Louisville, KY / Holy Cross) and Rylee Hood (Independence/ Holy Cross). In the second match, which TMU lost by 25-17, 25-11 and 25-10, Hood and Kamer again led the offense while junior Sam McClanahan (Georgetown, Ky./Scott County) topped out in assists while junior Asia Ferrando (Masone, Italy/Barletti Ovada had the most digs.
UP NEXT: TMU will look for its first win in the U-Indy Invitational in Indianapolis Friday at 9 a.m. against G-MAC foe Northwood University in a non-conference match before playing McKendree University at 3 p.m. Two more matches follow Saturday, September 9th.
• MEN’S GOLF: The TMU men’s golf team opened last weekend at the seven-team Malone University Fall Classic Tannenhauf Golf Club, Alliance, Ohio. The Saints finished with a team score of 644 (322, 322).
Freshman Nathan Resing (Park Hills/Covington Catholic) led the way with a score of 157 (80/77) to finish tied for 13th. Sophomore Connor Albrinck (Hebron/ St. Henry) tied a career 36-hole best with a 159 (77, 82), to tie for 15th. Freshman Yuji Maruishi (Burlington/Cooper), finished 20th (84-80, 164). Sophomore Ben Epplen (Fort Mitchell/ Beechwood) finished 22nd with a 166 (87, 79). Senior Spencer Magee (Brooksville, Ky./ Mason County) shot 171 (85, 86), to finish 26th. Senior Brennan Eilers (Florence/ St. Henry District) competed as an individual and shot 162 (82, 80) to finish 18th.
UP NEXT: The Saints tee it up next at the Champions Golf Course in Columbus, Ohio at the Ohio Dominican Fall Invitational September 18th-19th.
Contact Dan Weber at dweber3440@aol.com. Follow him @dweber3440 on X (formerly Twitter).