News and Features
Curtis Ranck awarded athletic scholarship for soccer
Lancaster Mennonite High School senior Curtis Ranck, son of Merle and Charlene Ranck, Gap, has been awarded an athletic scholarship to play Division II soccer at Cedarville University in southwestern Ohio.
This past fall Ranck, a three-year starter for the Blazers, helped his team win the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 4 and District 3 championships and advance to the semi-final round of State play. Ranck was a first team Lancaster-Lebanon All-Star in both his junior and senior years.
Coach Fred Winey says Ranck’s leadership and mature, “solid command” over his penalty box were crucial this year to the young team’s success.
"I challenged Curtis as the end of the regular season, saying, ‘A team can go a long way with a hot goalkeeper. I need you to get hot!,’” Winey said. “He did get hot and we did go a long way. Curtis was in excellent form during our play-off run, putting in several man-of-the-match type performances.
"I always felt confident that if our defenders made a mistake, Curtis could make the save when necessary.”
At Cedarville, Ranck plans to study mechanical engineering, influenced by classes he took at Lancaster Mennonite plus his experience on the drama department’s set construction team. Attending Cedarville includes a minor in Bible, an advantage Ranck believes will provide a "good foundation” for his life.