Both the boys and girls basketball teams and cheerleaders from Amelia and Glen Este pose for a picture on Saturday, Dec. 19 to commemorate the two schools’ final meeting on the basketball court.

Both the boys and girls basketball teams and cheerleaders from Amelia and Glen Este pose for a picture on Saturday, Dec. 19 to commemorate the two schools’ final meeting on the basketball court.
By Chris Chaney
Sports Editor

A week after the Crosstown Shootout took place between local collegiate rivals — the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University — another area rivalry was contested on the Bearcats’ home floor as West Clermont Local School District members Amelia and Glen Este met for the final time on the hardwood.

With the high schools merging in 2017-18, the district has decided to stop scheduling one another during the regular season in an effort to create an easier transition in when West Clermont High School opens up in two years.

To commemorate the end of the series, the school district put together a varsity doubleheader at UC’s Fifth Third Arena with the girls facing off for the final time, followed by the boys finale.

The rivalry is one that often pits student-athletes against their friends, their neighbors and, sometimes, even their family members. Making it all the more special is the fact that all four varsity coaches participated in the rivalry — Glen Este boys varsity head coach Craig Rieck played for Glen Este, while GE’s girls head coach Jeff Click, Amelia boys varsity head coach Craig Mazzaro and Amelia girls varsity head coach Tara Kaiser all played for Amelia.

“I have different kinds of feelings,” Click said. “Obviously, we’re a little bit sad when you think about how it’s always been such a great rivalry. Nothing beats a rivalry game like that — we’re going to miss the emotion that everybody had — but on the other hand, it’s exciting thinking about the future.”

“It’s been one of those classic neighborhood rivalries,” Mazzaro said. “We always have taken it as a big game.”

Playing in the opener, Click’s Lady Trojans moved to 9-0 on the season with a 76-26 rout of Amelia’s Lady Barons.

GE sophomore Jasmine Hale led all scorers with 11 points and all 14 of the Lady Trojans who got on the floor were represented in the box score’s scoring column.

For Amelia, MacKenzie Hultz led the way with eight points, followed by Kasey Broughton and Kendall Kaiser who each scored six points.

According to Click, over the last 20 years, Glen Este has gone 27-3 in the series and won the last 19 straight.

The nightcap was a much closer battle with the Trojans holding a six-point halftime lead before a 17-point third quarter for the Barons swung things back in Amelia’s favor.

Entering the game with nearly opposite records, the competition proved that wins and losses coming into the contest weren’t going to have any impact on the proceedings.

Amelia was able to hold on to their slim lead down the stretch to improve to 5-2 on the season with a 41-39 win. Glen Este sophomore Alex Puckett led all scorers with 15 points, while Amelia’s David Winkler had 14 points and Ryan Turner had 12.

Glen Este fell to 1-7 on the season with the loss, but owns an even 3-3 mark over the past six years against the Barons.

The current junior classes will be the final to graduate from their respective schools, but it was fitting that a pair of sophomores — Hale and Puckett — led the games in scoring because it will be their class that will be the first to graduate from West Clermont High School.

“Sometimes change has to happen,” Click said. “I’m excited that hopefully I’ll get to be a part of it and witness it. The players that we have now that will still be around will get to benefit from that.

“Being a longtime member of the community and playing at Amelia and coaching at Glen Este, I’m excited about the possibility of the future to see what opportunities are there for all of the students — from sports to the arts to the community.

“I think it’s something that’s going to be a special thing.”

Fittingly, before the teams went on their way Saturday, members of both girls and boys teams and the schools’ respective cheerleading squads got together to pose for a picture.

Not as Amelia add Glen Este, but as the future of West Clermont.