The OJCL Torch Winter 2016 | Page 4

Winter 2016 Sichel’s Advanced Certamen Predictions 1. Indian Hill No, I’m not biased. Stop asking. Got a problem? Fight me. Huh? Yeah, torch fingers turn to buzzer fingers. This team has far and away the most experience. Three seniors, one national champion and MVP, two players with multiple state championships, the list goes on. This team has gelled well over the past five years, and has proven to come up big repeatedly when it matters most. it comes to history and lit. I can foresee him running out of gas against a more well-rounded team. 6. Columbus Academy I made a trip up to the capital city to survey the competition. One player who stuck out in particular was a grammarian from the Academy. He seemed very solid in the informal rounds, and I expect his prowess to transfer well when the rounds matter. 7. St. Edward Will Ed be able to sustain the rebuilding process? Only time will tell. I do expect them to qualify for the semifinals, as is tradition. 8. Westlake Another team that could come out of nowhere. Certamen hype at Westlake hasn’t quite returned to the level it was at back in the time of all-time legend Tom Carroll, but consistently good Certamen teams make the journey into Columbus. 9. Mariemont Adam Sichel (right) playing National Certamen in 2014 2. Shaker Heights Historically strong team, but they lost 87% of their production from last year. Matthew McMillan and Blake Himes are returning to anchor the team. Shaker annually produces strong certamen teams by Convention time, and this year should be no different. A dark horse from the southwest. Mariemont could make a dramatic run into the semifinals. However, a dearth of experience may prove fatal on the trail there. Adam Sichel is a veteran Certamen player who has been around the block a few times. Adam has won various titles on the local, state, and national levels. Some say his Certamen career has already peaked, and they might be right. Complaint Hotline: (513) 255-7410 3. Summit Young team with lots of potential. Maverick Tullus Dean has been studying hard, but will his work come to fruition? Joseph Delamerced seems to be the strength of this team, the protégé of his two younger siblings, Tino and Anna. 4. Seven Hills Charlie Dwight has yet to be seen at a local Certamen. Will he still have the magic touch? Seven Hills hasn’t had a presence in the Cincinnati area, but they could still revive the dream with strong, stable play by Dwight. Update: Charlie competed in the final certamen in the Cincinnati area, where he led his team to victory. 5. Walnut Hills Peter Hattemer or Greg Jennings? Either way, he puts the team on his back. While he does establish grammatical and mythological strengths, he is noticeably lacking when Adam Sichel (2nd from right) playing in the Novice Certamen Finals in 2012 By Adam Sichel, Certamen Analyst, Indian Hill IV