Garlock steps down from L-B post

FINDLAY – After two highly-successful stints as Liberty-Benton's head football coach, Scott Garlock announced on Friday that he was stepping down from the position. Garlock's first head coaching job was at L-B, when he took over the program when Tony England stepped down in 2002. Garlock's teams wen t 59-13 overall, including 12-win seasons in 2006 (12-2) and 2007 (12-1). Garlock took a 14-year break from the head coaching ranks from 2008 to 2021, then replaced Tim Nichols in 2021. In his second stint as head coach, Garlock guided the Eagles to a 47-12 record, raising his career numbers at the school to 106-25. This past season, L-B went undefeated in Blanchard Valley Conference games (8-0) and 10-0 during the regular season. The Eagles won 12 straight games and were ranked No. 5 in the Division V state poll, but had their season end with a 42-10 loss to No. 1-ranked Liberty Center in the Region 18 semifinals. Garlock's replacement will enter a transition period at the school. Due to increases in enrollment over the years, L-B has, basically, outgrown the Blanchard Valley Conference and will be moving to the Cardinal Division of the Northern Lakes League beginning with the 2026-27 school year. Liberty-Benton's move will make the NLL a 12-school conference. L-B, Sylvania Southview, Fremont Ross, Bowling Green and Napoleon are the five smallest school s in the league; Toledo Whitmer, Perrysburg, Findlay, Sylvania Northview and Anthony Wayne are the five biggest. Enrollment-wise, Oregon Clay and Springfield are in the middle. It is uncertain if the league will elevate one school to the Buckeye to create a six-six split, or if it will continue to rotate those two schools between the Buckeye and Cardinal Divisions like it did in 2024 (Springfield) and 2025 (Clay). Girls Basketball N, BALTIMORE &emsp;&emsp;58 STRITCH &emsp;&emsp;37 NORTH BALTIMORE – Unbeaten North Baltimore raced to a 21-9 first quarter lead and cruised to its fourth straight win on Wednesday, a 58-37 victory over Cardinal Stritch. Lacie Allison had a 16-point, 12-reboud double-double and dished out seven assists. Kaylee Allison had a stat-stuffing night as well with 16 points, five steals and five assists. North Baltimore put up 31 3-point attempts and nailed 10, with Kaylee Allison connecting on four treys and Avery Benedict (9 points) three. Morgan Kennedy led Cardinal Stritch with 16 points. Angie Hill added 13 points for the Cardinals (2-3). STRITCH (2-3) Miltz 2-2—6, Kennedy 5-1—16, Hill 6-0—13, Carbe 0-2—2. TOTALS: 13-44 5-12—37. N. BALTIMORE (4-0) Cotterman 3-0—6, L. Allison 7-0—16, Delancey 1-0—2, K. Allison 6-0—16, Paynter 2-2—7, Snyder 1-0—2, Benedict 3-0—9. TOTALS: 23-68 2-6—58. Stritch &emsp;&emsp;9 &emsp;&emsp;10 &emsp;&emsp;10 &emsp;&emsp;8—37 N. Baltimore &emsp;&emsp;21 &emsp;&emsp;13 &emsp;&emsp;11 &emsp;&emsp;13—58 3-POINT GOALS: Cardinal Stritch 6-20 (Kennedy 5, Hill); North Baltimore 10-31 (K. Allison 4, Benedict 3, L. Allison 2, Paynter). REBOUNDS: Cardinal Stritch 33; North Baltimore 36 (L. Allison 12). TURNOVERS: Cardinal Stritch 25; North Baltimore 16. (14-sub head) Elchert signs FINDLAY – Liberty-Benton's all-Ohio receiver Seth Elchert backed up his verbal commitment with the University of Toledo by signing his national letter of intent with the Mid-American Conference school on Wednesday during the first day of the early signing period for high school football players. A 6-foot-3, 190-pound senior, Elchert had 1,052 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns this past season. A four-time all-BVC receiver, he set nine school receiving records and ranks in the top 10 all-time in OHSAA history in career receptions, touchdowns and receiving yards. He also holds the OHSAA record for most consecutive games with a reception (47). Elchert is ranked as the No. 46 player in Ohio's class of 2026 by ESPN and the No. 70 player in Ohio by Rivals.com. He is listed as a three-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports. Elchert is part of a 2026 recruiting class by UT coach Jason Candle and his staff that was judged best among MAC schools (183.06 by 247Sports) for the eighth straight year. (14-sub head) BGSU tickets BOWLING GREEN – In recognition of Bill Frack, a Findlay native who was an avid supporter of Bowling Green State University men's basketball, BGSU is offering Findlay residents and workers discounted tickets for the Jan. 9 game with Akron. Discount6ed tickets for the 8 p.m. game will be $13 and can be accessed by goi9ng to https://bgsufalcons.evenue.net/promotions/FINDLAY. If questions, the BGSU ticket office can be contacted at 419-372-0000. Local Sports BOWLING TUESDAY'S RESULTS Sportsman Lanes UNITED METHODIST LEGAUE High game: (men) Jay Bowen 224; (women) Katrina Rigsby 175. High series: (men) John Demuth 568 (women) Rigsby 451. WEDNESDAY'S RESULTS Sportsman Lanes MORNING GLORIES LEAGUE High game: Kim Leeper, Koehler Realty, 186. High series: Carol Yeager, LaRiche Chevy. 498. SUNSETTERS LEAGUE High game: Charity Schafer, Snap Crackle Pop, 181. High series: Schafer, 491. PRIME TIMERS LEAGUE High game: (men) John DeMuth 245; (women) Deb Franks 179. High series: (men) DeMuth 622; (women) Franks, 465. Schedule Thursday's Events BOYS BASKETBALL Findlay at Springfield GIRLS BASKETBALL Ada at Vanlue (BVC) Arcadia at Liberty-Benton (BVC) Arlington at Carey Elmwood at Pandora-Gilboa (BVC) Allen East at Columbus Grove (NWC) McComb at Van Buren (BVC) Leipsic at Riverdale (BVC) Lima Shawnee at Ottawa-Glandorf (WBL) Cory-Rawson at Ridgemont (NWCC) PREP SWIMMING Toledo Notre Dame/Toledo St. John's at Findlay