Clermont County’s varsity boys basketball teams are showing some serious late season spark. Amelia defeated Fort Ancient Valley Conference Buckeye Division (FAVC-C) opponent Turpin to drop the Spartans from sole ownership of the conference lead.

Batavia’s girls and those from Glen Este and Goshen are enjoying the best finishes to the 2006-07 regular-season of varsity basketball. Batavia is still in the midst of the Southern Buckeye Conference National (SBC-N) Division championship chase after a 53-32 beating of Blanchester. The host Bulldogs were in command all the way 10-3, 24-17, and 40-22.

Six more of Clermont County’s varsity boys basketball teams will be beginning their trail through their respective sectional tournaments. Milford (number-10 seed) versus Wilmington (number-19 seed), Feb. 22, 8 p.m., at the University of Cincinnati.

Clermont countians turned in respectable performances in their respective sectional swimming meets. New Richmond senior Nate Kramer was the pacesetter for the county in the Division I Sectional and all sectionals, both boys and girls, with two first place finishes. He won the 200-yard freestyle in 1-minute, 44.55-seconds and the 500 free in 4:45.10.

A total of 41 Clermont County wrestlers qualified for this weekend’s district wrestling tournaments. The top four in each weight class at each division site qualified from the sectionals for the districts. There are 11 alternates (fifth place finishers) who could possibly advance if someone in their respective weight class can not go to the district.

Pamela Cox has died. She was preceded in death by grandchildren, Cody and Shaunta Cox. Funeral services were held Feb. 15 at the E.C. Nurre Funeral Home in Amelia.

Dorothy Jean Reeves, 83, of Milford died Feb. 8, 2007. She was a social worker at Clermont Senior Services. She was preceded in death by brothers, Graydon Swisher and Loren Swisher; and sister, Marion Mount.

Mary Kathleen Cruze, 79, of Goshen, died Feb. 17, 2007. She was an AT&T telephone operator. Funeral services were held Feb. 21 at the Evans Funeral Home in Goshen.

Regina L. Cottle (nee Iori), 60, of Milford, died Feb. 12, 2007. She was a manager at McDonald’s. Funeral services were held Feb. 17 at the Evans Funeral Home in Goshen.

Emma “Timmie” Sullivan, 89, of Milford, died Feb. 14, 2007. She was a homemaker. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles J.D. Sullivan.