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GCL: News State Champions Joe Quinn Award College Commitments All Sports Trophy History News GCL South Announces 2023-24 Basketball Teams Unbeaten Champion Moeller Dominates All-League Teams, Special Awards It was a near-perfect regular season for the Moeller High School basketball team, which opened with nine consecutive victories and, following its only setback at state power Centerville, closed the remaining schedule with 12 straight victories to finish with a 21-1 overall record and an unbeaten 6-0 mark in the difficult South Division. As a result, Moeller earned its first GCL South title since sharing it with Elder and St. Xavier in 2020-21. The perfect record against league competition marked the fifth time in the last decade that the Crusaders have gone 6-0 in the GCL South, after earning four straight titles without losing a game from the 2016-17 season through 2019-20. The All-GCL South Basketball Teams, along with the three special individual awards, were voted on by league coaches at a special meeting held last Sunday. Moeller, which won its league games by an average margin of 18.5 points, also dominated the awards. Junior forward Alex Kazanecki of Moeller, who led the Crusaders’ balanced attack with 12.8 points per game while shooting 52.9 percent (101 of 191) from the field, 40.7 percent from three-point range (37 of 91) and 76.4 percent (42 of 55) from the free-throw line, was named GCL South Player of the Year. He also averaged 4.3 rebounds and scored 12 or more points in all six league games. Moeller senior Kyle Havens and Elder senior Drew Murphy, who ranked second in the GCL South averaging 2.0 steals per game, were named co-Defensive Players of the Year for their efforts against some of the top scorers their teams faced this season. In total, Moeller had five players named to the first and second teams. Veteran Moeller coach Carl Kremer was named GCL South Coach of the Year after guiding his team to its impressive record and high seed entering postseason play. The Crusaders improved their current winning streak to 13 with a 73-36 win over Talawanda in their opening game of the Ohio High School Athletic Association State Basketball Tournament last night at Fairfield High School. Moeller placed three players on the first team, led by Kazanecki. He is joined by senior Eric Mahaffey (who averaged 8.7 points, finished third in rebounds at 5.9, and led the league in assists, 2.8) and senior Noah George (8.5 points and a league-best 59.6 field-goal percentage). Also named to the six-person first team were junior Cam Williams of Elder, who led the league in scoring averaging 13.1 points per game, along with junior Jacob Wassler of St. Xavier (10.9 points, league-leading 6.8 rebounds and tied for the lead in blocked shots, 1.0) and La Salle junior Brady O’Connior earned the vote of league coaches after averaging 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and two assists per game for the Lancers. Two more members of the Moeller team were named second team: Havens and senior AJ McBride, while Elder had three in the eight-player group: Murphy along with seniors Ryan Brass (fourth in rebounds, 4.8, and fifth in assists, 2.5) and Tyler Johnson (third in points per game, 11.7, second in rebounds at 6.7 and tied for the lead in blocks, 1.0). St. Xavier senior Andrew Weber (third in assists, 2.7) and junior Donovan Waleskowshki (fourth in scoring, 11.2) were joined by La Salle junior Drae Arnold, who had a league-leading 2.2 steals per game and was fourth in assists, 2.6. Elder and St. Xavier tied for second in the league standings, at 3-3, with each falling to Moeller twice during GCL South play. Elder finished the regular season an impressive 17-4, going 14-1 against non-league opponents. The Panthers opened tournament play with a 57-23 victory against Colerain Wednesday night. St. Xavier wound up 16-6 in the regular season, finishing 13-3 outside the league. The Bombers will open sectional play by facing the winner of La Salle vs. Lakota East next Tuesday at St. Xavier. La Salle-Lakota East is set for 7:30 tonight at Fairfield. Here is a look at this season’s league all-star selections: ALL-GCL SOUTH DIVISION BASKETBALL TEAMS FIRST TEAM PLAYER, SCHOOL, GRADE, HEIGHT Noah George, Moeller, Senior, 6-5 Alex Kazanecki, Moeller, Junior, 6-5 Eric Mahaffey, Moeller, Senior, 6-5 Brady O’Connor, La Salle, Junior, 6-3 Jacob Wassler, St. Xavier, Junior, 6-11 Cam Williams, Elder, Junior, 6-2 SECOND TEAM PLAYER, SCHOOL, GRADE, HEIGHT Drae Arnold, La Salle, Junior, 6-0 Ryan Brass, Elder, Senior, 6-2 Kyle Havens, Moeller, Senior, 6-0 Tyler Johnson, Elder, Senior, 6-7 AJ McBride, Moeller, Senior, 6-5 Drew Murphy, Elder, Senior, 6-4 Donovan Waleskowski, St. Xavier, Junior, 6-5 Andrew Weber, St. Xavier, Senior, 6-0 PLAYER OF THE YEAR Alex Kazanecki, Moeller CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR Drew Murphy, Elder Kyle Havens, Moeller COACH OF THE YEAR Carl Kremer, Moeller GCL South Announces 2023 Soccer All-Star Teams Posted on 11/13/2023 at 9:45 a.m. Elder’s Paschka Player of Year; Moeller’s Welker Coach of Year The South Division is pleased to announce its all-star soccer team for the 2023 season. Members of this prestigious team, along with winners of special awards, were voted on by league coaches at a special meeting held at the conclusion of the regular season. Elder senior forward Mason Paschka, who led the league in goals and points scored during the regular season, was named GCL South Player of the Year. Moeller coach Mike Welker, whose team put together the best season in school history and one of the most incredible in state history that included winning the league championship without allowing a goal in six matches, is the GCL South Coach of the Year. Paschka scored 21 goals and added two assists for 44 total points, leading the league in both goals scored and points. He was the model of consistency, finding the net in 12 of Elder’s 14 matches. As a result, Paschka is tied for second in Elder history for goals in a single season (with Joey Sabato (21 goals in 2015). The pair trail Anthony Meyer, who scored a school-best 24 in 2007. Paschka’s 44 points scored is third best in school history , behind Meyer (58 in 2007) and Sabato (48 in 2015). Moeller suffered its only loss this season Saturday in the Division I final of the Ohio High School Athletic Association State Tournament at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, falling 2-1 to perennial power Cleveland St. Ignatius in sudden death. The Crusaders led 1-0 with five minutes remaining in regulation before surrendering the game-tying goal. The St. Ignatius goal was the first scored on Moeller since the Crusaders’ 4-1 win in their season opener on August 19, a 4-1 victory over Walnut Hills. After neither team scored in overtime, the match and state title came down to penalty kicks – with St. Ignatius prevailing, 5-4 to capture its fifth straight state title, eighth in the last 10 years and No. 13 overall. The Crusaders (24-1-0) had one of the most incredible seasons in Ohio soccer history. During its amazing defensive streak, the Crusaders outscored opponents, 88-0, and earned their third regional championship in program history, also winning in 2018 and 2022. Moeller and Beavercreek (2014, 2016 & 2017) have each won three regional titles the last decade, more than any other schools. Moeller had to get past GCL South rival St. Xavier in the regional final, winning 2-0 on November 4. Moeller finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in Greater Cincinnati, No. 1 in the final Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association State Poll from October 30, and were ranked No. 1 in the region and national United Soccer Coaches’ polls that were last posted on November 7. The Crusaders have set three OHSAA records, including fewest goals allowed in a regular season (one), longest consecutive shutout streak (23), most shutouts in a season (23), and are tied for fourth all-time in single-season victories (24) and tied with 10 other programs...