Darrell Groman provides an interesting footnote to Bluffton High's tennis win over the weekend in Lima. Here goes:
Many in Bluffton thought the Lima News caption in the Sunday, April 23, Sports Section was a typographical error. The caption with photo on page 4C reads, "Lima Senior's Christian Groman, playing at No. 3 singles, hits a return during Saturday's Lima City High School Tennis Tournament ..." (you can also find the article and photo on their website at www.limanews.com.
The caption is correct and not a typo. Lima Senior HS did not have enough players to play on Saturday in the tri-meet of Bluffton, LCC and LSHS. Bluffton HS Coach Mike Hilty offered LSHS one of BHS's players to step up and play for LSHS.
So, Christian Groman, of Bluffton HS, officially played for LS against two varsity players. He lost to his teammate, Trevor Bunch of Bluffton HS. He beat the LCC player to score one official point for LS.
Over the years, how many times have a Bluffton HS varsity player played (and scored in an officially-sanctioned OHSAA game?) for an opposing team who didn't have enough players? Most teams, without enough players, forfeit their game.
Many Blufftonites approached me in church yesterday and at the grocery store tonight to ask me what HS tennis team my son plays for. They either thought I had a relative who played for LS or that the article had a glaring typo. The Lima News was accurate. As Paul Harvey used to say, "Now you know the rest of the story."
