Sports Scene: Russia’s tourney runs nothing short of incredible

I returned from a two-week vacation out west earlier this week, and before that was kept extremely busy the first two weeks of the month by late-stage spring tournament events.

There wasn’t the time (nor physical space in the printed paper) for this column during that hectic period early in the month, nor the time to write anything before I left.

But now that I’m (reluctantly) falling back into routine, allow me to belatedly reiterate what I said on Russia baseball broadcasts three and four weeks ago: the run the Raiders made in the last year was incredible.

To advance to state finals in consecutive years is extremely hard to do. Aside from the talent and experience required, some things need to go your way, especially in baseball.

Enough went Russia’s way in 2022 when the squad won its final five postseason games in comeback fashion on the way to the D-IV title. And enough went the squad’s way this year in tight games against Newton, Sugar Grove Berne Union and St. Henry.

Berlin Hiland proved too potent a challenge to overcome in the state final on June 10. But that doesn’t detract from it being a huge accomplishment just to get back to the final game of the season.

Add in the fact many of the same players helped Russia’s basketball team earn a Div. IV state berth in March, and you can safely say there has hardly been a better year for a group of prep athletes in Shelby County history than this group of Raiders.

Fish Report stepping back

While I was out west, Craig Fiessinger announced a semi-retirement for his Fish Report website.

Fiessinger had been updating the site daily for 19 years and also produced play-by-play broadcasts of Russia sporting events, in addition to running a weekly video show for nine seasons that was broadcast on YouTube and on local cable public access channels.

Fiessinger’s youngest sun Ross, who was a starter for Russia’s baseball squad, graduated last month. Craig said in a blog post earlier this month he will cease the daily updates he’s done for nearly two decades.

“Fish Report won’t completely vanish, but will be drastically changing,” Fiessinger wrote. “I plan to continue following local sports, but not near as passionately as you’ve become used to. I’m 51-years-old now and for the first time since age 32, I’m looking forward to closing my eyes at night without dreaming about what to post on the front page in six hours.”

Fiessinger said he will occasionally broadcast some games and will continue to post updates on Fish Report’s Twitter feed at times.

Muehlfeld’s retirement takes effect

Longtime Anna athletic director Mike Muehlfeld announced he was retiring at the end of the 2022-23 school year last year, and his retirement takes effect as of July 1.

Muehlfeld worked at the school for 40 years, including 36 as athletic director. He replaced Bob Anderson as AD in the spring of 1987; Anderson had worked as the school’s athletic director for 31 years.

The school district announced earlier this year Wapakoneta and Miami University graduate Keaton Metz would replace Muehlfeld as athletic director. Metz previously worked in the Wapakoneta and Celina districts.

Billing has been the sports editor of the Sidney Daily News since 2017. He can be reached at [email protected].