PENN LAIRD — Many athletes have a pregame regimen to get motivated before they go out to perform.

It could be listening to their favorite workout or hype music, watching old sports highlights, or listening to motivational speeches.

Whatever it takes, athletes will do what they can to get in the mode and be game-ready.

For Spotswood senior pitching aces Carter Lenz and Brady Hoover, neither of them has any go-to superstitions.

That’s because the two simply live for the game, and the excitement and thrill of taking the mound and competing gives them the spark they need before they take the field.

“Honestly, it kind of does itself,” Lenz said. “I love the game of baseball, so every game gets me pretty fired up and gets me going a little bit. … I just live in the moment with my guys.”

Where does Hoover get his energy from as he trots out to the mound?

At least this year, Hoover lets the feeling of knowing it could be his final high school game bottle up inside and gets set to release that adrenaline against whoever steps up against him at the plate.

“I don’t know when it’s going to be my last time playing high school baseball,” Hoover said. “If that doesn’t get you fired up, I don’t know what does.”

Hoover and Lenz have maximized that drive to keep playing high school baseball because, win or lose, they’ll be hanging up the Spotswood blue and white after this weekend.

In the end, the pitching duo could call themselves state champions.

“Carter and Brady are extremely special athletes,” SHS head coach Marcus Davis said. “Anytime they’re on the mound, they give us a chance to be successful. We’re extremely thankful for them. They put in a lot of work behind the scenes.”

Hoover and Lenz have varying pitching styles, making them a phenomenal 1-2 punch for the Blazers pitching staff.

They have differing mentalities on the bump, but Lenz said he and Hoover have a unique bond that pushes them both to be at their best.

“We’re both very similar people,” Lenz said. “We get along great. He’s a great teammate and I love to have him around. We use each other to push each other. Very similar in skill level and we just like to treat every game like a competition in the game. We always try to see who can have the better outing and push each other that way. It’s just a really fun dynamic between us.”

Hoover and Lenz have proven they can go the distance in any game while throwing a high volume of strikeouts, and while that might be similar, their styles are different.

Davis described Lenz as having a “closer” mindset on the mound with excellent velocity and extreme competitiveness.

No matter the situation, Davis said Lenz never wavers and believes he can get the job done.

“His mentality is more of a closer,” Davis said. “He’s going to dominate. That’s his mentality, is ‘I’m going to dominate whoever’s in the box, no matter what.’ … Carter is all-out, all the time, and I love it.”

Hoover is a more traditional pitcher, Davis said, describing him as one who throws a ton of pitches for strikes and understands the role of a starter.

“Brady is more of a finesse guy,” Davis said. “He pitches with some velocity but does a good job spotting.”

Hoover and Lenz have alternated as the starting pitcher essentially every other game this season.

With that amount of activity, Hoover said it’s important for he and Lenz to hold each other accountable, even if it’s the small things such as getting a run in after the game.

“I think we usually keep each other in check,” Hoover said. “After games, we always have [to run], so we always keep each other to that standard of finishing our running and all that. It just keeps us in good shape to be able to come out and pitch the next game and be ready.”

Davis often talks about executing the four phases of the game, with pitching being one of them.

Whether it’s Hoover or Lenz on the mound, the duo both have the confidence in themselves and in each other to check off that box every game.

“When I’m on the mound, I’m like, ‘All right, tonight, we’re getting that pitching box checked off,’” Lenz said. “‘We’re getting that done. I’m going to do my part to help our team win.’”

Hoover has played in his fair share of big-time games at Spotswood, but none will be greater than this Friday’s state semifinal matchup against Kettle Run at Fluvanna County High at 1:30 p.m.

But with the experience of those huge moments over the years, Hoover isn’t shying away from the spotlight this weekend.

“I feel like through all the big games I’ve played in my life, it’s definitely helped me up to this point,” Hoover said.

Hoover and Lenz have thrown some of their best outings in their final season with the Blazers, and the duo will look to do the same this weekend as they aim to notch two more victories and bring home the hardware to Penn Laird.

“It’d mean everything,” Hoover said. “It’d be awesome. … It’s what everyone works for and what everyone lives for.”

Lenz couldn’t find the words to describe what a state championship win would mean.

But one thing he knows for sure, between heartbreak in the playoffs the previous few years and the camaraderie among the players, Lenz knows it would be special.

“It’s something to look back on,” Lenz said. “It’s your last time really playing with the group of guys you grew up with, so it makes it special. Whenever a game is special, everyone is going to put their all into and really go all-out for it.”

Waukee CSD athletes wrapped up an exciting spring season! We’re proud to recognize their efforts and success. Take a look at the highlights from spring varsity sports at Waukee High School and Northwest High School:

Tennis

The NWHS girls tennis team claimed their very first state title in team tennis! The Wolves also had their best showing for the individual tournament in school history.

• 2nd place doubles: Mia Deines/London Taylor
• 5th place singles: Riley Hilton
• 8th place doubles: Ella Steffensmeier/Kate Osier

The Northwest boys tennis team earned another team state title for the second year in a row.

• 3rd place singles: Jake Nelson
• 4th place singles: Kellan Croatt
• 4th place doubles: Vivek Kothari/Maarten Beekhuis
• 5th place doubles: Drew Fenton/Vincent Flynn

NWHS had two entires in the coed state tennis tournament. The Wolves earned both first and second place!

• Coed State Champs – London Taylor and Jake Nelson
• Coed State Runner-up – Riley Hilton and Kellen Croatt

Girls Golf

NWHS finished off their great season as runner-up at the state meet, losing in the championship by just one stroke.

NWHS students Adalyn Wiig, Kendall Curran, and Hannah Kenkel were named to the All-District Team.

Soccer

WHS and NWHS punched their tickets to the girls’ state soccer tournament, meeting in a semifinal matchup. Northwest edged Waukee 1-0 to advance, then went on to defeat Linn-Mar 3-2 in the championship to claim the Class 3A state title.

Both teams were well represented on the Class 3A all-tournament team. Northwest had five players selected: Grace Thomason, Lindsay Shane, Josie Jones (named captain), Romey Croatt and Izzy Simonini, while Waukee had two players named to the honorary team: Stella Braddock and Lauren Nidey.

Track & Field

Our track and field programs had an impressive season. The NWHS girls team claimed the 4A State Team Title for the third time in four years! There were also six relay winners:

Green High School alum Maxwell Moldovan has one of the early highlights at Oakmont Country Club.

On the first hole of his first round at the 2025 U.S. Open Golf Championship, former Green and Ohio State golfer needed just two strokes to get his ball into the cup, earning him an eagle on the par-4 hole.

Moldovan, who turned pro in June 2024 and in April won his first pro event at the PGA Tour Americas Brazil Open, was one of four players in a field of 83 to qualify out of Springfield Country Club, located in Springfield, Ohio. He put together rounds of 69-65 to go 5 under, which sent him to the U.S. Open.

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This is his fourth straight year competing in the event.

Dispatch reporter Rob Oller contributed to this report.

Breaking and Trending News Reporter Nathan Hart can be reached at NHart@dispatch.com and at @NathanRHart on X and at nathanhart.dispatch.com on Bluesky.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Maxwell Moldovan sinks eagle at U.S. Open

ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – The next edition of nominees are revealed for the 2025 Twin Tiers Sports Awards.

Sponsored by Mansfield University Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, this year’s top highlights were hard to narrow down to just four. But, we have done just that. Make your voices be heard and vote for all of the Twin Tiers Sports Awards honoring the best in local sports in the past year right here: https://www.mytwintiers.com/18-sports-awards-2025/

The 2025 Twin Tiers Sports Awards is proudly presented by Pine Valley Body Shop and will be on Thursday, July 10 at 7 PM on mytwintiers.com/sports with hosts Andy Malnoske and Nick Ketter. Don’t miss this year’s Twin Tiers Sports Awards!

Below, a full list of nominees for the Highlight of The Year:

Twin Tiers Sports Highlight of The Year

Horseheads’ Coleton Owen nails cartwheel takedown in wrestling

Malaki Banks’ monster jam for Elmira Express hoops

Elmira College’s Amarinoah Dixon hits wild shot

Corning soccer’s Lia Mazzali scores a moonshot goal

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM – MyTwinTiers.com.

June 12, 2025, Press Release from the Ohio Department of Commerce:

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing is celebrating Homeownership Month by offering essential advice to help first-time homebuyers make confident, informed decisions.

“Becoming a homeowner is an incredibly exciting time in someone’s life, but preparation is key to making sure this process goes smoothly for homebuyers,” Division Superintendent Daphne Hawk said. “Because purchasing a home is likely the largest investment many individuals will ever make during their lifetimes, our goal is to make sure buyers are not only excited about owning a home but also educated as they take this important step.”

Here are the top three tips and red flags new homebuyers should keep in mind as they begin their homebuying journey:

Top Three Tips for First-Time Homebuyers

1.       Set a Realistic Budget: Before house hunting, take a close look at your finances. Consider not only your mortgage but also additional expenses like insurance, property taxes, and ongoing maintenance. Securing preapproval from a lender can help clarify your price range and strengthen your offers. 
2.       Do Thorough Research: Look beyond aesthetics by researching neighborhoods, schools, and property values. By choosing a home that aligns with your current lifestyle and future goals, you can help ensure you make a sound long-term investment. Take advantage of tools like Ohio’s Homebuyers Guide and fair housing resources. These resources can help you understand how the real estate transaction process works and how you can properly prepare for each step.
3.       Don’t Skip the Home Inspection: An inspection can reveal critical issues you might otherwise miss, saving you future headaches and large repair bills. Avoid the temptation to skip this step in order to speed along the transaction since you may end up regretting that decision.

Top Three Red Flags for First-Time Homebuyers

1.       Unlicensed Individuals: Always verify the credentials of an agent or broker before you engage them since unlicensed individuals may lack the expertise and accountability needed to properly guide your home purchase. Working with a buyer’s agent is strongly encouraged to ensure they prioritize your best interests. For example, if attending an open house without a buyer’s agent, keep in mind that the listing agent represents the seller. By avoiding sharing sensitive details like your budget or timeline, you can protect your negotiating power. If you’re working with a buyer’s agent, discuss attending open houses with them in advance.
2.      Insufficient Property Disclosures: Be wary of incomplete information about a home’s condition since missing or vague disclosures could signal hidden problems. It’s important to ask the seller and their agent as many questions about the condition of the property or other facts about the property that may influence your decision to make an offer to purchase.
3.       Fraudulent Listings: Exercise caution if you see homes listed on social media sites or other nontraditional platforms. It is possible that the home listed on those platforms may not even be for sale. Watch out for potential scammers who refuse to meet in person or via a video call, are willing to sell fast, and have an asking price below market value.

For additional homebuying resources, visit the Division’s consumers page.