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Kent City Schools announces it will join Metro Athletic Conference

Tom Nader October 16, 2024

QB Dwyer returns from injuries to lead undefeated Aurora

Tom Nader October 16, 2024

Roosevelt’s Liam Curtis places second at Division I golf state championship

Tom Nader October 16, 2024

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Soccer: Updated statistical leaders (Oct. 17)

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER STATISTICAL LEADERS GOALS Erin Hallis, Crestwood, 40 Grace Wheeler, Southeast, 26 Alexis Henry, Waterloo, 22 Liv Martini, Crestwood, 18 Delilah Rahe, Field, 17 Ava Julian, Crestwood, 14 Sarah Craver, Southeast, 12 Olivia Willard, Streetsboro, 10 Koralee Jenior, Waterloo, 10 Taylor Larch, Crestwood, 10 NaCol Foreman, Ravenna, 10 Natalie Clark, Ravenna, 10 […]

Football: Associated Press state poll (Oct. 16)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ASSOCIATED PRESS STATE POLL WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16, 2024 The top teams in the Ohio Associated Press high school football polls, with first-place votes in parentheses, records and total points in voting. DIVISION I Mentor (8), 8-0, 139 Moeller (5), 7-1, 125 Winton Woods (1), 8-0, 114 Lakota West (1), 7-1, 78 Lewis […]

Kent City Schools announces it will join Metro Athletic Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The future of the Metro Athletic Conference will have a new look. Kent City Schools formally announced on Wednesday afternoon that Kent Roosevelt High School and Stanton Middle School have accepted an invitation to join the MAC, pending approval at the district’s Nov. 19 Board of Education meeting. The […]

QB Dwyer returns from injuries to lead undefeated Aurora

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Ryan Dwyer’s statistics tell the story of one of Northeast Ohio’s best quarterbacks in 2024. Thirteen touchdowns against only three interceptions. A completion percentage of 69.7. Zero sacks allowed for the entire season. And 1,115 yards through the air. All while leading the Aurora Greenmen to a brilliant […]

Roosevelt’s Liam Curtis places second at Division I golf state championship

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   PORTAGE COUNTY GOLFERS AT THE TOP The final state golf tournament of the OHSAA season competed Monday and Tuesday at NCR Country Club in Kettering. Golfers in the Division I state tournament played the 6,772-yard fairways to a par of 70 for the event. It was a cold, rainy […]

Football: Updated computer playoff rankings (Oct. 15)

OHSAA Football Computer Ratings – Oct. 15, 2024 (Entering Week 9) The top-16 schools from each region in the final report Oct. 27 will qualify for the playoffs.   Division I Region 1 – 1. Mentor (8-0) 21.9758, 2. Canton McKinley (6-2) 19.4615, 3. Perrysburg (7-1) 18.825, 4. Lakewood St. Edward (5-3) 16.6645, 5. Tol. Whitmer […]

2024 Volunteers of the Year

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Communities thrive for many reasons, but without question, at the top of the list would be the time, effort and enthusiasm provided by volunteers. The people who step forward to help simply because they want to. Because they care. In some cases, they step forward because nobody else […]

Roosevelt’s Liam Curtis in third place after first round of Division I state final

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   This is the first season for the Division I State Championship to be hosted by NCR Country Club in Kettering. Last year, Liam Curtis of Kent Roosevelt advanced to the state tournament at the Ohio State University Golf Club, Scarlet Course in Columbus, earning All-Ohio honors in seventh place. […]

Southeast golf celebrates special final day at OHSAA State Championships

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It can only be considered a complete success for the Southeast Pirates who advanced to the OHSAA’s Division II State Championship at Firestone Country Club. Advancing both James Morgan as an individual and the girls varsity team to the final event of the season, the golfers made the Southeast […]

Kent Roosevelt golfer Liam Curtis tees off at state championship on Monday

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It is hard to get to the state tournament once in Ohio, especially as an individual. What is even more difficult is returning to the state tournament as an individual a second year. But that is the success of Liam Curtis this season. A senior playing for the Kent […]

Golf: Southeast girls, James Morgan find success during first day of OHSAA State Championships

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   After the first round of golf at the OHSAA’s Division II State Championships, the Southeast girls sit in fourth place, just 16 strokes off the pace set by first place Columbus Academy and five strokes out of second place James Morgan, playing as an individual in the boys tournament, […]

Striking a Balance: Elwood, Miller celebrate big games

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   ELWOOD’S BEST On Oct. 7, Ron Elwood bowled in the Perfect Fit Trio at Spins Bowl. He fired games of 259, 278 and 279 for an outstanding 811 series.   HIGH SCHOOL MATCH PLAY PERFECTION Justin Miller, competing in the High School Match Play League, tossed a 300 game […]

High School Football: Week 8 Scoreboard

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD WEEK 8 FRIDAY, OCT. 11, 2024   SCORES Streetsboro 45, Ravenna 14 Aurora 49, Kent Roosevelt 14 Garfield 40, Newton Falls 0* Brookfield 28, Southeast 27 Coventry 21, Springfield 13 Norton 7, Woodridge 6 Berkshire 23, Crestwood 14 Rootstown 42, Grand Valley 22 Mogadore 47, Collinwood 14* Western Reserve 42, Waterloo […]

Southeast golfers tee off at state championships on Sunday

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   I’m going to state. Every high-school athlete would love to utter those four words before the end of their prep career. The girls varsity golf team from Southeast and Southeast boys golfer James Morgan, also a Southeast Pirate advancing as an individual, are among the elite athletes in Ohio […]

A fitting Senior Night result: Rockets win behind Klimak’s leadership

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   For Pete Thompson and his Streetsboro football coaching staff, there are no more surprises when it comes to Cohen Klimak. They have seen him do almost everything. And the little they maybe haven’t seen yet, they know it’s coming. That is the reality when watching the Rockets’ standout […]

Aurora improves to 8-0 with big-play win over Kent Roosevelt

By Phil Keren Correspondent   The undefeated Aurora Greenmen showed off their big-play capability from multiple playmakers in a 49-14 win over Kent Roosevelt on Friday. Aurora (8-0, 5-0 in the Suburban League American Division) had six plays of 20 yards or more — four on the ground and two through the air. Five different players […]

Football: Updated statistical leaders (Oct. 11)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 2024 STATISTICAL LEADERS OFFENSE RUSHING Player, School Att.-Yards Jack Eye, Windham 84-1,158 Drexal McAmis, Field 148-1,054 Bryer Pickana, Southeast 110-1,021 Nate Blasiole, Crestwood 132-989 Cohen Klimak, Streetsboro 80-900 Marcus Council, Streetsboro 50-671 Damien Reuting, Rootstown 112-609 Lucas Manderbach, Aurora 61-599 Carlos Bruton, Windham 48-593 Xavier Board, Aurora 59-440 Logan Fincham, Streetsboro 35-439 […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, OCT. 10, 2024 GIRLS SOCCER SOUTHEAST 2, WATERLOO 1 (At Waterloo) Halftime Score: Southeast, 2-0. Goals: (SE) Destiny Longgood, Grace Wheeler; (W) Alexis Henry. Assists: (SE) Sarah Craver, Maddie Lutes. Shots on Goal: Southeast, 8-7. Corner Kicks: Tied, 1-1. Goalkeepers/Saves: (W) Wood/6; (SE) Long/6.     BOYS SOCCER LAKE CENTER CHRISTIAN […]

Stoney’s Village Pizza’s Week 8 Pigskin Picks Challenge

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Pigskin Picks Challenge enters Week 8 of the high school football season. This week’s challenge is sponsored by Stoney’s Village Pizza in Windham, where you can always pick up a variety of pizzas, including some specialties like my favorite the baked potato pizza. In Week 7, four competitors […]

Hannah Timmons finds role with G-Men as place-kicker

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Mike Moser and his Garfield G-Men football coaching staff were staring at a big question mark entering the 2024 season. They needed a kicker. Veteran kicker Ethan Bittence graduated off the 2023 season after a record-breaking season, when he converted on 77-of-78 extra points in Garfield’s undefeated 10-0 […]

Coaches in the Classroom: Windham volleyball’s Lauryn Gintert

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The “Coaches in the Classroom” feature is a weekly series that is designed to spotlight and celebrate coaches throughout Portage County, who spend their days in the classroom leading today’s student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today’s spotlight is on Windham High School’s Lauryn Gintert, who is in her 13th […]

Boys and Girls Soccer: Updated statistical leaders (Oct. 10)

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER STATISTICAL LEADERS GOALS Erin Hallis, Crestwood, 40 Grace Wheeler, Southeast, 26 Alexis Henry, Waterloo, 22 Liv Martini, Crestwood, 18 Delilah Rahe, Field, 17 Ava Julian, Crestwood, 14 Sarah Craver, Southeast, 12 Olivia Willard, Streetsboro, 10 Koralee Jenior, Waterloo, 10 Taylor Larch, Crestwood, 10 NaCol Foreman, Ravenna, 10 Natalie Clark, Ravenna, 10 […]

Volleyball: Updated statistical leaders (Oct. 10)

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS ACES Isabella Kozma, Waterloo, 88 Sara Giugni, Windham, 59 Kaylie Liepins, Aurora, 56 Quinn Justham, Windham, 55 Reese Shirkey, Garfield, 48 Hannah Kernig, Garfield, 46 Emerson Spiesz, Aurora, 45 Emma Butler, Mogadore, 42 Presley Courtad, Aurora, 41 Gracie Shull, Mogadore, 41 Arianna Rebecchi, Waterloo, 38 Allison Strickland, Rootstown, 36 Tenley […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Aurora volleyball’s Emerson Spiesz

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Emerson Spiez was curious about a change. After emerging as a talented setter throughout middle school, she became interested with the idea of making a position switch and eyed becoming a defensive specialist. Her heart was there and she also had a club coach who was willing to […]

Volleyball: Blasiole uses passion, determination to play with torn ACL

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   A coach can teach a player the fundamentals of the game. They can improve techniques. They can strategize and gameplan. What they can’t do is coach passion. But they can certainly identify it in their players within a split-second. For players like Crestwood volleyball sophomore Jackie Blasiole, there […]

Girls Golf: Brookledge provides difficult challenge for area standouts

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It was a tough district for the local girls who qualified with the best golfers in the Northeast Ohio district seeking to advance to the OHSAA’s Division I State Tournament. The Aurora and Kent Roosevelt girls had qualified first and fourth, respectively, in the Division-I sectional and were seeking […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, OCT. 8, 2024 VOLLEYBALL ST. JOHN DEF. WINDHAM, 3-0 (At St. John) WINDHAM — Quinn Justham, 13 assists; Makenzi Blockinger, 2 aces, 5 points; Sara Giugni, 9 kills, 2 blocks, 7 digs.     MOGADORE DEF. ROOTSTOWN, 21-25, 25-20, 25-13, 25-23 (At Rootstown) MOGADORE — Addie Christy, 2 points, 1 ace; […]

Football: Updated computer playoff rankings (Oct. 8)

OHSAA Releases Weekly Football Computer Ratings Football regular-season entering Week 8 COLUMBUS – The Ohio High School Athletic Association released the official weekly football computer ratings Tuesday. The computer ratings are released every week beginning in the fifth week of the season, leading up to the final report on Sunday, Oct. 27, when 448 schools – […]

Kent Roosevelt’s Liam Curtis qualifies for Division I state championships

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The OHSAA Division I boys district tournament at Pine Hills Golf Club has a reputation as one of the toughest in the state. This year’s event, which was held on Monday in Hinckley, lived up to that reputation. Playing the tough course from the back tees (6,666 yards) the […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, Oct. 7, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, OCT. 7, 2024 VOLLEYBALL WATERLOO DEF. WINDHAM, 27-25, 25-22, 25-22 (At Windham) WINDHAM — Sara Guigni, 15 kills, 2 blocks, 3 aces, 9 kills; Quinn Justham, 16 assists, 8 points. WATERLOO — Arianna Rebecchi, 11 digs, 2 blocks, 1 ace, 2 points, 6 kills; Delaney Miller, 7 digs, 2 aces, 4 […]

High School Golf Report: Portage County authors amazing week of success

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It was an exciting week in high-school golf as state qualifiers earned their way into the Division II and Division III OHSAA state tournaments, Division-I golfer qualified at OHSAA sectionals for the Division I state qualifiers this week and leagues concluded their play with some announcing the best golfers […]

Volleyball: OHSVCA state poll (Oct. 6)

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE POLL  |  SUNDAY, OCT. 6, 2024 DIVISION I Seton St. Joseph Academy Magnificat Olentangy Orange Massillon Jackson Mason Perrysburg Others receiving votes: Olentangy Liberty, Pickerington Central, Pickerington North. DIVISION II Cincinnati St. Ursula Academy Anthony Wayne Avon Wadsworth Mount Notre Dame Dublin Scioto Oregon Clay […]

High School Football Week 7 Scoreboard

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD WEEK 7 FRIDAY, OCT. 4, 2024 SCOREBOARD Streetsboro 42, Woodridge 0* Aurora 45, Tallmadge 14 Crestwood 58, Cardinal 26 Warren JFK 20, Rootstown 14 Field 42, Coventry 6* Garfield 20, Liberty 13* Southeast 22, Champion 16 Waterloo 30, Jackson-Milton 28 Highland 56, Kent Roosevelt 7* Canton Central Catholic 23, Mogadore 14* […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, OCT. 5, 2024 BOYS SOCCER ROOTSTOWN 2, SMITHVILLE 1 (At Smithville) GOALS Rootstown: Blake Postlethwait, Zach Pastor. TEAM STATISTICS Shots on Goal — Smithville, 7-4. Corner Kicks — Smithville, 5-2. Goalkeepers/Saves — (R) Noah Zager/2, Daniell Strebler/4.     VOLLEYBALL SOUTHEAST DEF. WATERLOO, 25-16, 25-16, 21-25, 25-23 (At Southeast) SOUTHEAST — […]

Striking a Balance: High School Match Play prepares bowlers for season

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The high school bowling season is approaching fast. The first day of coaching for high school bowling is Nov. 1 and the season begins on Nov. 15. Youth have been preparing for the season all summer and into the fall with weekly events like the High School Match Play […]

Par for the Course: Cousins Gasaway, Pendergast compete in Cleveland State

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Each week, Par for the Course will update the successes of Portage County collegiate athletes both on and off the golf course. Featured athletes this week include Mogadore standouts Cory Gasaway and Dillon Pendergast. Both golfers earned Player of the Year honors playing for the Wildcats in the Portage […]

Aurora follows Manderbach’s lead in powerful win over Tallmadge

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Opponents never got to see the full version of Lucas Manderbach in 2023. He was a standout defensively (9 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 48 tackles), but his offensive production was stunted by the fact that he shared the backfield with another talented runner in Enzo Catania, who received […]

Blasiole, Addis run Crestwood to big win over Cardinal

By Phil Keren Correspondent   The Nate Blasiole Show took center stage in Crestwood’s 58-26 win over Cardinal Friday night. Blasiole rushed for 304 yards on 27 carries and scored four touchdowns in a quirky game that was a study in contrasts. Crestwood ran the ball 40 times, while Cardinal senior quarterback Cal Ciminello completed 18-of-39 […]

High School Football Central Week 7

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The athletic rivalry between Field and Mogadore has existed for decades. Like any great rivalry, the hope is that the play on the field is competitive and fierce, but always ends with respect and appreciation. The power of these rivalries is that the competition can build friendships and […]

Ganley Chevrolet of Aurora’s Week 7 Pigskin Picks Challenge

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor We are now six weeks into our challenge, with Week 7 tonight. This week’s sponsor is Ganley Chevrolet of Aurora. Following his perfect 11-0 week in Week 6, reigning Pigskin Picks Challenge champion Nathan Skaggs is back on top of the standings for this year. Skaggs is 54-12, with […]

Football: Updated statistical leaders (Oct. 4)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 2024 STATISTICAL LEADERS OFFENSE RUSHING Player, School Att.-Yards Nate Blasiole, Crestwood 132-989 Jack Eye, Windham 60-826 Byer Pickana, Southeast 84-809 Drexal McAmis, Field 133-840 Cohen Klimak, Streetsboro 74-778 Marcus Council, Streetsboro 44-528 Carlos Bruton, Windham 39-526 Lucas Manderbach, Aurora 50-516 Damien Reuting, Rootstown 90-451 Logan Fincham, Streetsboro 32-434 Ke’Shan Talbert, Kent Roosevelt […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, OCT. 3, 2024 GIRLS SOCCER METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT SEMIFINAL GAME STREETSBORO 1, FIELD 0 (At Streetsboro) Halftime Score: Tied, 0-0. Goals: (S) Lilly Schofield.     BOYS SOCCER METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT SEMIFINAL GAME FIELD 4, SPRINGFIELD 0 (At Field) GOALS Field: Logan Lonzrick, Cedric Martin, Alec Grimm, Springfield OG. […]

Streetsboro boys golf team celebrates historic season

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The 2023 Streetsboro boys golf team took a step forward in the Metro Athletic Conference and gave head coach Bruce Thomas a feeling that 2024 could be something special. Thomas’ feeling proved to be true. After finishing in third place of the MAC last year with a 10-4 […]

Volleyball: Updated statistical leaders (Oct. 3)

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS ACES Quinn Justham, Windham, 51 Isabella Kozma, Waterloo, 47 Sara Giugni, Windham, 47 Kaylie Liepins, Aurora, 46 Emerson Spiesz, Aurora, 43 Reese Shirkey, Garfield, 40 Hannah Kernig, Garfield, 35 Tenley Korosec, Garfield, 35 Arianna Rebecchi, Waterloo, 33 Emma Butler, Mogadore, 30 Charlee Hill, Garfield, 26 Delaney Miller, Waterloo, 26 Emma […]

Boys and Girls Soccer: Updated statistical leaders (Oct. 3)

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER STATISTICAL LEADERS GOALS Erin Hallis, Crestwood, 35 Grace Wheeler, Southeast, 24 Alexis Henry, Waterloo, 22 Delilah Rahe, Field, 17 Liv Martini, Crestwood, 15 Ava Julian, Crestwood, 12 Sarah Craver, Southeast, 11 Olivia Willard, Streetsboro, 10 Koralee Jenior, Waterloo, 10 Olivia Knepper, Streetsboro, 9 Julia Boyle, Waterloo, 9 Taylor Larch, Crestwood, 9 […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, OCT. 2, 2024 GIRLS SOCCER WATERLOO 1, CANTON CENTRAL CATHOLIC 1 (At Canton Central Catholic) GOALS Waterloo: C. Henry. Canton Central Catholic: Buckler. ASSISTS Waterloo: Jenior. TEAM STATISTICS Shots on Goal — Canton Central Catholic, 9-8. Corner Kicks — Waterloo, 6-5. Goalkeepers/Saves — (W) Wood/8.     VOLLEYBALL KENT ROOSEVELT DEF. […]

Sarchione Garrettsville’s Coaches in the Classroom: Garfield High School’s Theo Cebulla

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The “Coaches in the Classroom” feature is a weekly series that is designed to spotlight and celebrate coaches throughout Portage County, who spend their days in the classroom leading today’s student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today’s spotlight is on Garfield High School’s Theo Cebulla, who is 22nd year […]

Girls Golf: Southeast qualifies for state championship for first time in school history

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   For the first time in Southeast history, a golf team has qualified for the Ohio High School Athletic Association State Tournament. They earned the berth in championship honors, winning the Division II district title at J.E. Good Park Golf Course in Akron on Wednesday. The Pirates bested a dozen […]

Cheerleading: Field hosts annual NEOYFL competition at Kenneth Lohr Stadium

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Northeast Ohio Youth Football League hosted its annual cheer competition on Sunday at Kenneth Lohr Stadium at Field High School. Participating communities included Crestwood, Field, Garfield, Mogadore, Rootstown, Southeast and Springfield. All seven communities competed against each other in three different age divisions, including Mighty Mites, Junior Varsity […]

Ravenna announces 2024 Hall of Fame class

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Ravenna High School will induct eight into its Athletic Hall of Fame during a special ceremony scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26. The inductees will include: DIANDRA GIBSON Class of 2012 Gibson played soccer (4 letters), basketball (4 letters) and softball (2 letters). She was a four-year starter for the […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, OCT. 1, 2024 GIRLS SOCCER METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT FIELD 8, RAVENNA 0 (At Field) GOALS Field: Delilah Rahe 3, Mckayla Miller 2, Taryn Allen 2, Ally Harlin. ASSISTS Field: Miller 2, Rahe 2, Brooklyn Wilson, Kenzie Constable, Peyton Schock. TEAM STATISTICS Shots on Goal — Field, 25-6. Corner Kicks — […]

Girls Golf: Aurora, Kent Roosevelt qualify for district tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   GIRLS GOLF The Division I girls at Old Avalon Golf Club in Warren proved to be the perfect starting point for Portage County teams starting on their journey toward the state tournament. Aurora won the event with a final 336 score and Kent Roosevelt grabbed the fourth and final […]

Morgan becomes Southeast boys golf’s first-ever state qualifier

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   James Morgan is going to state. The Southeast junior becomes the first member of the Southeast boys team to qualify for the OHSAA State Tournament. It has been a good couple years for Southeast as girls golf standout Taylor Blazek became the first golfer in Southeast school history to […]

Football: Updated computer playoff rankings (Oct. 1)

OHSAA Football Computer Ratings – Oct. 1, 2024 (Entering Week 7) Top 16 schools from each region in the final report Oct. 27 will qualify for the playoffs.   Division I Region 1 – 1. Mentor (6-0) 15.0202, 2. Perrysburg (6-0) 14.8333, 3. Lakewood St. Edward (3-3) 11.0335, 4. Canton McKinley (4-2) 10.4975, 5. Tol. […]

1940 Windham High School football

Six-man football arrived in Ohio in 1938 and Windham took to the sport like very few other teams in the nation. In 1939, in only its second season, Windham was undefeated and was declared Ohio’s state champion by the creator of the sport, Stephen Epler, who ranked teams for “American Boy” magazine. Windham’s Superintendent and […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Southeast soccer’s Grace Wheeler

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Dean Dunlavy knew all along that he was getting an impact player. What the Southeast’s veteran girls soccer head coach didn’t know was that freshman Grace Wheeler was going to emerge as a scoring phenom so quickly. And with such proficiency that Wheeler’s name would find its way […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, Sept. 30, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, SEPT. 30, 2024 BOYS GOLF OHSAA DIVISION I BOYS SECTIONAL (At Windmill Lakes Golf Club, Ravenna – Par 70) Top-four teams and four individuals not on qualifying teams advance to D1 District. TEAM STANDINGS: Hudson 278, Walsh Jesuit 300, Brecksville Broadview Hts 301, Stow-Munroe Falls 312, Aurora 314, St. Vincent-St. Mary […]

High School Golf Report: Rootstown, Southeast, Kent Roosevelt all celebrate success

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The quest to qualify for the OHSAA state championship continues this week with sectional and district tournaments taking over the fairways of Northeast Ohio. But first, a few highlights from last week’s action.   THE ROOTSTOWN GIRLS The season is over for the Rootstown girls golf team, but not […]

Volleyball: OHSVCA state poll (Sept. 29)

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE POLL  |  SUNDAY, SEPT. 29, 2024   DIVISION I Seton Magnificat St. Joseph Academy Olentangy Orange Massillon Jackson Mason Pickerington Central Others receiving votes: Newark, Olentangy Liberty, Perrysburg, Pickerington North. DIVISION II Cincinnati St. Ursula Academy Anthony Wayne Avon Wadsworth Mount Notre Dame Kings Dublin […]

Par for the Course: Southeast hosts middle-school tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL TOURNAMENT Olde Dutch Mill was filled with junior golfers last Sunday, when Southeast hosted a middle-school tournament and the regular junior league continued Sunday play. Almost 60 junior golfers filled the fairways to both learn golf or compete in the five-team tournament. Champion of the tournament […]

Striking a Balance: Make it a perfect 300 for Matt Lyons

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Matt Lyons, bowling in the Garden Spot League, rolled the 12 strikes in a row needed to bowl a 300 game, leading the league for high game. Patrick Adolph tossed a 278-761 and Dave Reynolds was in the top three with his 269-794 effort. Leading the women was Jennie […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, SEPT. 28, 2024 BOYS SOCCER TWINSBURG 1, AURORA 0 (At Aurora) GOALS Twinsburg: Mario Sanders. TEAM STATISTICS Shots on Goal — Twinsburg, 8-1. Corner Kicks — Twinsburg, 6-1.     KIDRON CENTRAL CHRISTIAN 6, ROOTSTOWN 2 (At Kidron Central Christian) GOALS Rootstown: Blake Postlethwait, Noah Kager. Kidron Central Christian: Not reported. […]

District berth continues season of accolades for Roosevelt’s Liam Curtis

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   BOYS GOLF ROOSEVELT’S CURTIS ADVANCES TO DISTRICT  Liam Curtis, a senior at Kent Roosevelt and Kent State University men’s golf commit, fired a 3-over 75 to advance to the OHSAA’s Division I Pine Hills District. Curtis was consistent throughout the day at Tannenhauf, firing six bogeys and three birdies, […]

High School Football: Week 6 Scoreboard

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 6 FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024 SCORES Garfield 42, Southeast 7 Streetsboro 55, Norton 0 Field 49, Springfield 8* Rootstown 41, St. Thomas Aquinas 6 Aurora 68, Cuyahoga Falls 7 McDonald 35, Waterloo 0* Windham 60, Mathews 6 Warren JFK 27, Mogadore 8 Chagrin Falls 28, Crestwood 0 Woodridge 27, Coventry 0 […]

G-Men find similar success with new backfield in win over Pirates

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Garfield G-Men offense entered the 2024 season absent of 3,229 yards rushing. Keegan Sell (1,389 yards), Eric Geddes (1,226) and Deacon Sommer (614) all graduated, leaving an enormous void in the team’s backfield. While most programs would struggle through a rebuild, the G-Men had the pieces in place […]

Streetsboro dominates for statement win over three-time defending champion Norton

By Phil Keren Correspondent   Streetsboro was dominant on both sides of the ball in a commanding 55-0 win over Norton on a rainy Friday night. “By far, this is our most complete game (of the season),” said Streetsboro head coach Pete Thompson. It came against a Panthers team that entered also unbeaten in league play. After notching […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 25, 2024 VOLLEYBALL CHAMPION DEF. SOUTHEAST, 25-21, 25-15, 25-17 (At Champion) SOUTHEAST — Leila Evans, 10 kills, 3 blocks; Lilly Massrock, 13 assists; Kayla Grope, 13 kills.     TUESDAY CRESTWOOD DEF. WICKLIFFE, 25-14, 25-13, 25-15 (At Crestwood) CRESTWOOD — Mia Kalista, 11 points, 2 kills, 22 assists, 6 digs; […]

LeeAngelo’s Week 6 Pigskin Picks Challenge

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The 2024 Pigskin Picks Challenge heats up as competitors push into the final five weeks of picks. Six different people are all tied atop the standings: Alex Blake, Tom Rauber, Nathan Skaggs, Chris Myers, Jim Manion and Casey Timmons. Three more are just one game off the lead and […]

High School Football Central Week 6

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Tonight’s marks the tilt to the second half of the season. Week 6. All of the games have been important to this point, obviously, but the pressure of the schedule begins to heighten from this point forward. As playoff positioning and league standings shape out, each game will […]

Football: Updated statistical leaders (Sept. 27)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 2024 STATISTICAL LEADERS OFFENSE RUSHING Player, School Att.-Yards Nate Blasiole, Crestwood 107-834 Drexal McAmis, Field 121-717 Cohen Klimak, Streetsboro 61-716 Jack Eye, Windham 55-714 Byer Pickana, Southeast 68-647 Lucas Manderbach, Aurora 48-492 Carlos Bruton, Windham 37-487 Marcus Council, Streetsboro 35-394 Ke’Shan Talbert, Kent Roosevelt 45-379 Damien Reuting, Rootstown 78-368 Logan Fincham, Streetsboro […]

Offensive Line Spotlight: 11th annual All-Trench Team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor A football team’s success can always be directly tied to the play of its offensive line. They are the unsung heroes. They are the warriors who are not afraid to get dirty, grinding their way through the bruising work that they know awaits them on every snap. They do […]

Sarchione Garrettsville’s Coaches in the Classroom: Aurora’s Laura Bell-Peters

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The “Coaches in the Classroom” feature is a weekly series that is designed to spotlight and celebrate coaches throughout Portage County, who spend their days in the classroom leading today’s student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today’s spotlight is on Aurora’s Laura Bell-Peters, who is in her 20th year teaching […]

Aurora golf’s Vidovic earns medalist honors at Suburban League Tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   GIRLS GOLF ROUNDUP The fourth and final tournament for the Suburban League was hosted by Brookledge Golf Club in Cuyahoga Falls on Wednesday for both the American and National Divisions. Aurora individual golfers demonstrated they were still among the best in the area as Gracyn Vidovic earned medalist honors […]

Volleyball: Updated statistical leaders (Sept. 26)

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS ACES Sara Giugni, Windham, 45 Quinn Justham, Windham, 45 Isabella Kozma, Waterloo, 40 Reese Shirkey, Garfield, 40 Emerson Spiesz, Aurora, 38 Hannah Kernig, Garfield, 35 Tenley Korosec, Garfield, 35 Kaylie Liepins, Aurora, 34 Emma Butler, Mogadore, 30 Charlee Hill, Garfield, 26 Emma Zsiros, Streetsboro, 24 Gracie Shull, Mogadore, 24 Presley […]

Boys and Girls Soccer: Updated statistical leaders (Sept. 26)

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER STATISTICAL LEADERS GOALS Erin Hallis, Crestwood, 30 Grace Wheeler, Southeast, 21 Alexis Henry, Waterloo, 19 Delilah Rahe, Field, 14 Liv Martini, Crestwood, 10 Olivia Willard, Streetsboro, 10 Olivia Knepper, Streetsboro, 9 Sarah Craver, Southeast, 9 NaCol Foreman, Ravenna, 8 Kelsey Tucker, Field, 8 Julia Boyle, Waterloo, 8 Koralee Jenior, Waterloo, 8 […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Crestwood’s Erin Hallis

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Erin Hallis calls herself a player who will lead by example. Eric Sway, the Crestwood girls soccer head coach, does not disagree. He describes Hallis, his senior standout, as a player who is driven in the most quiet of ways. Quiet with her words, maybe, but her game […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, SEPT. 23, 2024 GIRLS TENNIS MONDAY SOUTHEAST 3, EAST LIVERPOOL 2 (At Southeast) FIRST SINGLES: Halley Reynolds (S) vs. Mia Williams (EL) _ 6-1, 6-1 Southeast. SECOND SINGLES: Miranda Timko (S) vs. Isabella Johnson (EL) _ 6-0, 6-0 Southeast. THIRD SINGLES: Makayla Flories (S) vs. Mayson McCready (EL) 6-3, 6-1 Southeast. […]

Football: OHSAA playoff computer rankings (Sept. 24)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL OHSAA PLAYOFF COMPUTER RANKINGS SEPT. 24, 2024 Note: The top 16 schools from each region in the final report Oct. 27 will qualify for the playoffs.   Division I Region 1 – 1. Mentor (5-0) 12.15, 2. Perrysburg (5-0) 12, 3. Lakewood St. Edward (3-2) 10.3433, 4. Tol. Whitmer (4-1) 9.15, 5. Canton […]

Southeast girls golf wins sectional title; Southeast boys qualify two for district tourney

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Pirates are headed to the district tournament. Following Monday’s Division II Sectional tournaments at Punderson (the girls) and Windmill Lakes (the boys), it was again the Southeast Pirates that accepted the challenge. When all teams had completed their 18 holes, at Windmill Lakes for the boys and Punderson […]

High School Golf Report: Portage County teams dominate league tournaments

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It’s tournament time in Ohio for all golfers as they begin OHSAA postseason sectional tournament action this week. There is much anticipation among Portage County teams to continue the success they have had in conference tournament action. As the Portage Trail Conference, the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference and the […]

Volleyball: Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association State Poll (Sept. 22)

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION  STATE POLL  |  SEPT. 22, 2024 DIVISION I Seton Magnificat St. Joseph Academy Olentangy Orange Massillon Jackson Mason Pickerington Central Others receiving votes: Hilliard Darby, Mentor, Newark, Olentangy Liberty, Perrysburg, Pickerington North. DIVISION II Cincinnati St. Ursula Academy Anthony Wayne Avon Mount Notre Dame Kings Wadsworth […]

Boys and Girls Soccer: GASSCA District Poll (Sept. 22)

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER GREATER AKRON SCHOLASTIC SOCCER COACHES ASSOCIATION DISTRICT POLL  |  SEPT. 22, 2024 DIVISION I Poll not reported DIVISION II Hudson Walsh Jesuit Hoover Wadsworth North Royalton Green Stow Perry Brecksville-Broadview Heights Cuyahoga Falls Barberton DIVISION III Revere Highland CVCA Cloverleaf Marlington Tallmadge Kent Roosevelt Copley Louisville Alliance DIVISION IV Field Norwayne […]

Golf Roundup: Streetsboro boys win first-ever league championship

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   BOYS GOLF ROCKETS CLAIM SHARE OF METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP For the first time in school history, the Streetsboro boys golf team are champions. The Rockets, with their second-place finish at Thursday’s league tournament championship, shared the league title with Norton. The MAC weights its regular season and league […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, SEPT. 21, 2024 GIRLS TENNIS SUBURBAN LEAGUE TOURNAMENT AMERICAN DIVISION TEAM FINISHES  1. Highland; 2. Revdre; 3. Aurora; 4. Copley; 5. Kent Roosevelt; 6. Tallmadge; 7. Cuyahoga Falls; 8. Barberton. FIRST SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP Haynes (Highland) def. Komlanc (Copley), 6-1, 6-2. SECOND SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP Schlak (Highland) def. Kurra (Revere), 6-2, 6-2. THIRD […]

Striking a Balance: Allison, Jackson deliver perfection to Perfect Fit Trio League

By  Susan Jenior Staff Writer   TWO PERFECT GAMES THIS WEEK Troy Allison, bowling in the Perfect Fit Trio, Erin Jackson continued to a three-game set of 743 for both high game and series. Her mom, Teri Plaso, tossed the second-high series in the league, a 652. Only Tanya Hunter ruined the daughter-mom duo at […]

Par for the Course: Many with Portage connections to golf at Mitchell Haskins tourney

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Northern Ohio PGA hosts the Mitchell Haskins Tour Championship today and Monday at The Country Club in Pepper Pike. The tour championship welcomes tournament champions from section events, past tour winners as well as the top-30 members, six associates and 15 seniors off the points list. Golfers to […]

High school Football: Week 5 Scoreboard

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD WEEK 5 FRIDAY, SEPT. 20, 2024   SCORES Mineral Ridge 42, Waterloo 18 Crestwood 52, Brooklyn 14 Rootstown 34, Akron North 6 Aurora 49, Copley 12 Norton 28, Field 7 Mogadore 34, Ellet 18* Garfield 50, Champion 0* Crestview 68, Southeast 19 Windham 61, Grand Valley 26 Barberton 17, Kent Roosevelt […]

Miscues haunt Falcons in league showdown with three-time champion Panthers

By Phil Keren Correspondent   Norton made bigs plays in all three phases of the game to secure a 28-7 road game victory over previously undefeated Field on Friday at Kenneth Lohr Stadium in Brimfield. “I thought that was the best complete football game we’ve played special team-wise, defense-wise, offense,” said Norton head coach Glen […]

Failure in fundamentals doom Vikings in loss to Rams

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Waterloo football head coach Mike Devies is prepared to take his team back to the basics on Monday. A day that is typically scheduled as a walkthrough day, will have a different look for the Vikings. “It is time to get back to the fundamentals,” Devies said. The […]

High School Football Central Week 5

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The number 100 takes center stage for two communities on Friday night for the fifth week of the high school football season. In Streetsboro, head coach Pete Thompson is sitting on 99 career wins. The veteran coach is in his 13th season, with his stint with the Rockets […]

Football: Associated Press state poll (Sept. 20)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ASSOCIATED PRESS STATE POLL FRIDAY, SEPT. 20, 2024   DIVISION I Rank School Total Points 1. Mentor (5) (4-0) 114 2. Cincinnati Winton Woods (5) (4-0) 105 3. Lakewood St. Edward (3) (3-1) 92 T4. Grove City (4-0), Cincinnati Moeller (3-1) 63 6. Perrysburg (4-0) 56 7. West Chester Lakota West (3-1) […]

Football: Updated statistical leaders (Sept. 20)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 2024 STATISTICAL LEADERS   OFFENSE RUSHING Player, School Att.-Yards Drexal McAmis, Field 109-656 Nate Blasiole, Crestwood 77-574 Byer Pickana, Southeast 53-540 Jack Eye, Windham 39-487 Lucas Manderbach, Aurora 38-400 Damien Reuting, Rootsotwn 67-340 Cohen Klimak, Streetsboro 33-324 Harper Troyer, Garfield 31-225 Carlos Bruton, Windham 25-219 Devin Bates, Garfield 44-202 Xavier Board, Aurora […]

Cross Country: Top running times leaderboard (Sept. 20)

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS CROSS COUNTRY 2024 TOP TIMES SEPT. 19, 2024 Nathan Eminian, Aurora, 16:13 Parker Shutty, Field, 16:33 Zack Ploskunak, Aurora, 16:41 Lucas Pollard, Field, 16:45 Tim Harkleroad, Streetsboro; Connor Flynn, Aurora, 16:48 Caden Dillon, Southeast, 17:05 Augie Schweickert, Crestwood, 17:11 Zach Best, Aurora, 17:28 Kevin Vechery, Crestwood, 17:49 Chris Daniels, Streetsboro, 17:50.66 Derik […]

Meyers Fence Company’s Week 5 Pigskin Picks

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Believe it or not, here we are, the halfway point of the season. Week 5. For the Pigksin Picks, the challenge has turned into a back and forth amongst the top of the standings. Alex Blake and Tom Rauber, along with Portage Sports owner Tom Nader, have all […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, SEPT. 19, 2024 VOLLEYBALL WATERLOO DEF. BERLIN CENTER WESTERN RESERVE, 22-25, 14-25, 26-24, 25-21, 15-13 (At Waterloo) WATERLOO — Arianna Rebecchi, 1 assist, 12 digs, 2 aces, 12 kills; Delaney Miller, 1 assist, 6 digs, 3 aces, 2 kills; Isabella Kozma, 5 blocks, 7y digs, 2 aces, 5 kills; Isabell McKenna, […]

Golf Roundup: Southeast girls win fourth straight league championship

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   PORTAGE COUNTY TEAMS MAKE HEADLINES AT MVAC CHAMPIONSHIPS The success was in the numbers at the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference championship tournaments on Wednesday. The Southeast girls won the championship easily, making it their first conference win in the MVAC and their fourth straight conference victory, continuing their success […]

Boys and Girls Soccer: Updated statistical leaders (Sept. 19)

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER STATISTICAL LEADERS     GOALS Erin Hallis, Crestwood, 21 Grace Wheeler, Southeast, 16 Alexis Henry, Waterloo, 15 Liv Martini, Crestwood, 10 Delilah Rahe, Field, 9 NaCol Foreman, Ravenna, 8 Kelsey Tucker, Field, 8 Ava Julian, Crestwood, 7 Sarah Craver, Southeast, 7 Julia Boyle, Waterloo, 7 Reese Tucker, Field, 6 Koralee Jenior, […]

Volleyball: Updated statistical leaders (Sept. 19)

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS     ACES Quinn Justham, Windham, 32 Sara Giugni, Windham, 31 Emma Butler, Mogadore, 30 Hannah Kernig, Garfield, 29 Reese Shirkey, Garfield, 27 Charlee Hill, Garfield, 25 Isabella Kozma, Waterloo, 24 Emma Zsiros, Streetsboro, 24 Gracie Shull, Mogadore, 24 Tenley Korosec, Garfield, 23 Arianna Rebecchi, Waterloo, 17 Addy Lay, Field, […]

Football: Updated OHSAA playoff computer rankings (Sept. 18)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL OHSAA Football Computer Ratings – Sept. 18, 2024 (Entering Week 5) Top-16 schools from each region in the final report Oct. 27 will qualify for the playoffs.   Division I Region 1 – 1. Mentor (4-0) 10.25, 2. Perrysburg (4-0) 9.575, 3. Lakewood St. Edward (3-1) 9.2628, 4. Tol. Whitmer (3-1) 7.675, […]

Golf: Aurora wins third (of four) Suburban League Tournament event

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer     The Aurora Greenmen may have surprised a few teams, winning the American Division by nine strokes over Medina Highland during Tuesday’s Suburban League Tournament No. 3. The Greenmen fired a 317 team total and also claimed one of three medalists. Kyle Lancaster was at the top of the […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, SEPT. 17, 2024 BOYS SOCCER ROOTSTOWN 11, ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 0 (At Rootstown) GOALS Rootstown: Blake Postlethwait 3, Zach Pastor 2, Nigel Wright 2, Jacob Sturm, Bryson Scarlett, Tycho Smolk, Sam Textor. ASSISTS Rootstown: Pastor 2, Oliver Hunt 2, Zach Hays, Dylan Boland, Scarlett, Sturm, Wright. TEAM STATISTICS Shots on Goal […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Windham’s Sara Giugni

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Home is where the heart is. For Sara Giugni, home is 4,291 miles away in Sondrio, a small village in northern Italy close to the border with Switzerland. Her heart is being filled with a new home right now, though. Windham, Ohio. The foreign-exchange student arrived in Windham […]

Rootstown boys soccer to host Military Appreciation Night

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Rootstown High School boys soccer program will host a Military Appreciation Night as part of the team’s matchup with St. Thomas Aquinas on Tuesday at Robert C. Dunn Field. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start, with the Rootstown girls playing, also against the Knights, […]

High School Golf Roundup: Morgan ties program record; Southeast girls win tourney title

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   BOYS GOLF MORGAN TIES NINE-HOLE RECORD FOR SOUTHEAST Southeast’s James Morgan is having an outstanding junior year and Monday was simply a continuation. As the Pirates beat Liberty (166 to 215), Morgan fired a 3-under-par 33. It was not only the lowest score of the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, Sept. 16, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, SEPT. 16, 2024 GIRLS GOLF CHRISTINE TERLESKY MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT (At The Lake Club, Warren – Par 72) DIVISION II TEAM STANDINGS Southeast 350, Columbiana 379, West Branch 405, Lakeview High School 415, Ursuline 434, Poland 462. Medalist: Taylor Blazek, Southeast 81 SOUTHEAST (350): Taylor Blazek 81, Sammy Morgan 84, Aubree Varga […]

Portage County’s place in the OHSAA state record books

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Ever wonder how some of Portage County’s greatest student-athletes still rank in Ohio history? Here is a look at the place they still hold in the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s state record book. BASEBALL OFFENSE CAREER HITS 9. Nick Jones, Woodridge, 178 (2005-2008) 23. Mike DeBord, Woodridge, 162 […]

Boys and Girls Soccer: GASSCA district poll (Sept. 16)

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER GREATER AKRON SCHOLASTIC SOCCER COACHES ASSOCIATION DISTRICT POLL  —  SEPT. 16, 2024 DIVISION I Jackson Brunswick Medina GlenOak Canton McKinley DIVISION II Hudson Walsh Jesuit Hoover Brecksville-Broadview Heights Wadsworth Green North Royalton Perry Stow Cuyahoga Falls DIVISION III Revere Highland Cloverleaf Tallmadge Marlington CVCA Kent Roosevelt Copley Louisville Lake DIVISION IV […]

Crestwood to host Champions Day for students with special abilities

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Friday will be Champions Day at Crestwood. The school district will host a day filled with athletic fun for students in grades six through 12 with special abilities from across Portage County. The student-athletes will start the day by receiving the game-day thrill of having their names announced […]

Cross Country: Boardman Spartan Invitational results

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS CROSS COUNTRY BOARDMAN SPARTAN INVITATIONAL (At Boardman High School) DIVISION II TEAM STANDINGS  1. Bay 79; 2. Woodridge 119; 3. Lexington 133; 4. CVCA 208; 5. Minerva 224; 6. Rocky River 241; 7. Lakeview 246; 8. Chagrin Falls 263; 9. Salem 296; 10. Orange 299; 11. Canal Fulton Northwest 331; 12. Tallmadge […]

High School Golf Report: Southeast senior Blazek honored with undefeated season

By Susan Junior Staff Writer   It was a night to remember for the Southeast Pirates varsity girls golf team. The team concluded their regular season with a perfect 17-0 record and 14-0 in their first year as a member of the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference. It was also the final home match for Taylor […]

Striking a Balance: Kertis, Sefcik, Roberts topple pins for perfect 300s

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   John Kertis fired a 300 game in the Perfect Fit League to lead all bowlers for high game. Rob Smolko had an outstanding 299 game, obviously, just missing high game by one pin. Jeremie Grund owned high series, a 976. Bonny Bender, in the same league bowled the high […]

Par for the Course: Mogadore graduate Tarter finishes in top 20 at Habitec-Toledo Open

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer The 94th Habitec-Toledo Open, competed over two days at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania found several local players golfing in the event. One of the highest finishes of local golfers was Nathan Tarter, an alumnus of Mogadore High School’s varsity golf team and currently employed at Firestone Country Club […]

Windham continues wave of momentum with dominant win over Saints

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Just about everything you can imagine is different for the Windham Bombers’ football team in 2024. You can see it. You can feel it. On Friday, the newest audience to witness it were the Tuscarawas Central Catholic Saints. Trust that they left Windham’s Ed Liddle Field in agreement […]

Run game leads Red Devils to victory over Beachwood

By Phil Keren Correspondent   A dominant ground game propelled Crestwood to a 40-6 victory over Beachwood at Jack Lambert Stadium on Friday night. “I can’t be more proud of the full team effort tonight,” said Crestwood head coach Jack D’Amato. The Red Devils’ rushing attack was led by senior running back Nate Blasiole, who had 112 yards […]

High School Football Week 4 Scoreboard

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, SEPT. 13, 2024 FOOTBALL  |  WEEK 4     SCORES Windham 42, Tuscarawas Central Catholic 0 Aurora 41, Revere 0 Crestwood 40, Beachwood 6 Pymatuning Valley 26, Rootstown 21 Mogadore 39, Newark Catholic 7* Field 20, Woodridge 14* Streetsboro 77, Coventry 0* Garfield 28, LaBrae 14* New Middletown Springfield 49, Waterloo […]

High School Football Central: Week 4

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Friday’s fourth week of high school football will have nice weather, the start of league play and much, much more. Let’s look at all of the action before tonight’s kickoff.     WHERE IS ALL THE NOISE? Through the first three weeks of the season, I have seen […]

Roma’s Bar and Grille’s Week 4 Pigskin Picks

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Pigskin Picks Challenge moves into its fourth week. This week’s competition is sponsored by Roma’s Bar and Grille, which is located in Mogadore. Gavin English jumped into the lead spot after Week 3, holding a one game advantage over previous leader Alex Blake and Casey Timmons. Here […]

Football: Updated statistical leaders (Sept. 13)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 2024 STATISTICAL LEADERS OFFENSE RUSHING Player, School Att.-Yards Nate Blasiole, Crestwood 77-574 Drexal McAmis, Field 86-499 Jack Eye, Windham 37-407 Byer Pickana, Southeast 39-386 Cohen Klimak, Streetsboro 33-324 Lucas Manderbach, Aurora 28-311 Damien Reuting, Rootsotwn 56-227 Harper Troyer, Garfield 26-185 Landon McClain, Waterloo 37-169 Carlos Bruton, Windham 22-162 Xavier Board, Aurora 25-145 […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, SEPT. 12, 2024 VOLLEYBALL STREETSBORO DEF. FIELD (At Field) STREETSBORO — Emma Zsiros, 17 kills; Ava Bodovetz, 16 kills, 19 digs; Neveah Monroe, 12 digs, 3 aces; Katie Blythe, 10 digs; Shemayah Stevens, 41 assists, 3 aces. MOGADORE DEF. ROOTSTOWN, 25-23, 20-25, 25-20, 25-17 (At Mogadore) MOGADORE — Emma Butler, 16 […]

Football: Associated Press state poll (Sept. 12)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ASSOCIATED PRESS STATE POLL THURSDAY, SEPT. 12, 2024 DIVISION I 1. Cincinnati Moeller (4), 3-0, 88 2. Cincinnati Winton Woods (1), 3-0, 83 3. Lakewood St. Edward (3), 2-1, 76 4. Mentor (2), 3-0, 74 5. Powell Olentangy Liberty, 3-0, 68 6. Cincinnati Elder, 3-0, 55 T7. Grove City (1), 3-0, 38 […]

Volleyball: Updated statistical leaders (Sept. 12)

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS ACES Quinn Justham, Windham, 32 Sara Guigni, Windham, 31 Isabella Kozma, Waterloo, 24 Reese Shirkey, Garfield, 22 Arianna Rebecchi, Waterloo, 17 Tenley Korosec, Garfield, 15 Delaey Miller, Waterloo, 12 Charlee Hill, Garfield, 11 Mollie Mathews, Field, 10 Emma Butler, Mogadore, 8 Allison Strickland, Rootstown, 8 Addy Germann, Rootstown, 8 Colbie […]

Boys and Girls Soccer: Updated statistical leaders (Sept. 12)

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER STATISTICAL LEADERS GOALS Erin Hallis, Crestwood, 17 Grace Wheeler, Southeast, 13 Alexis Henry, Waterloo, 10 Liv Martini, Crestwood, 9 Delilah Rahe, Field, 7 Ava Julian, Crestwood, 7 Sarah Craver, Southeast, 7 Reese Tucker, Field, 6 Kelsey Tucker, Field, 6 Alyssa Hallis, Crestwood, 5 NaCol Foreman, Ravenna, 5 Claire Dillner, Southeast, 5 […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 11, 20224 BOYS GOLF MOGADORE 161, LAKE CENTER 184 (At Paradise Lake Country Club, Suffield – Par 34) MOGADORE (161): Jude Thiry 38, Tyler Pendergast 37, Max Shannon 41, Noah Hopkins 48, Brock Thiry 45, Jackson Lanham 48. LAKE CENTER (184): Jacob Rainieri 36, Tristan Roberts 42, Mason Pizor 47, […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, SEPT. 10, 2024 BOYS SOCCER WICKLIFFE 6, CRESTWOOD 0 (At Crestwood) GOALS Wickliffe: Not reported. AURORA 1, CUYAHOGA FALLS 0 (At Aurora) GOALS Aurora: Chris Savukas (Cam Gentille). Shots on Goal — Tied, 7-7. Corner Kicks — Tied, 3-3. FIELD 2, CLOVERLEAF 1 (At Field) GOALS Field: Cedric Martin, Brayden Ronowski. […]

Sarchione Garrettsville’s Coaches in the Classroom: Kent Roosevelt’s Shelley Loofboro

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The “Coaches in the Classroom” feature is a weekly series that is designed to spotlight and celebrate coaches throughout Portage County, who spend their days in the classroom leading today’s student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today’s spotlight is on Kent Roosevelt’s Shelley Loofboro, who is in her 13th […]

Boys and Girls Soccer: GASSCA District Poll (Sept. 10)

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER GREATER AKRON SCHOLASTIC SOCCER COACHES ASSOCIATION DISTRICT POLL     DIVISION I NOT REPORTED     DIVISION II Hudson Walsh Jesuit Hoover North Royalton Stow Wadsworth Cuyahoga Falls Perry Green Barberton, Brecksville-Broadview Heights     DIVISION III Revere Highland Cloverleaf Tallmadge Marlington, Copley — Louisville CVCA Kent Roosevelt Alliance     […]

High School Golf Roundup: Another record for Rootstown and 15 straight for Southeast

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   GIRLS GOLF ROVERS CONTINUE TO SET NEW SEASON RECORDS Rootstown welcomed the Springfield Spartans to Sunny Hill Golf Course on Monday, then soundly defeated them 178 to 208. New records were set during the match, including the lowest-team score of 178, with the previous low being a 181. On […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Rootstown soccer’s Blake Postlethwait

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Through the course of Blake Postlethwait’s soccer career at Rootstown, opposing teams have probably felt that they have seen him all over the field. Talented players with speed, footskills and intelligence often make their opposition feel that way. And all of that is true for Postlethwait. But so is […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, Sept. 9, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, SEPT. 9, 2024 GIRLS GOLF SOUTHEAST 186, BROOKFIELD 258 (At Yankee Lake Golf Course, Warren – Par 36) SOUTHEAST (186): Taylor Blazek 43, Sammy Morgan 43, Aubree Varga 49, Jessi Mix 52, Jenni Mix 52, Adrianna Sloan 51. BROOKFIELD (258): Ava Giordano 58, Kali Kettler 64, Jenna Agueda 69, Juliana Replogle […]

High School Golf Notebook (Sept. 9, 2024)

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   MIDDLE SCHOOL GOLF It was the middle school golf teams that were in action at Olde Dutch Mill Golf Course in Lake Milton on Sunday as the Southeast Middle School golf team welcomed the golfers from Lake Middle School in Hartville. The Pirates won the match, scoring a team […]

High School Golf Report: Rough Rider waits out rain to finish on Saturday

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   ROUGH RIDER INVITATIONAL CONCLUDED On Friday, 16 of the top teams in Northeast Ohio and beyond gathered at Windmill Lakes Golf Club in Ravenna for the annual Rough Rider Invite. The tournament was rained out, but that didn’t stop the competition as teams returned on Saturday to finish the […]

Volleyball: OHSVCA State Poll (Sept. 8)

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE POLL SUNDAY, SEPT. 8, 2024   DIVISION I School, Points (First-Place Votes) Seton, 117 (10) Magnificat, 94 Massillon Jackson, 82 St. Joseph Academy, 71 (1) Olentangy Ornage, 60 (1) Perrysburg, Newark, 41 — Pickerington North, Olentangy, 35 — Mason, 28 Others receiving votes: Hilliard Bradley, […]

High School & Middle School Cross Country Scoreboard (Sept. 7)

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY STREETSBORO INVITATIONAL (At Streetsboro High School) TEAM STANDINGS  1. Southeast 38; 2. Crestwood 51; 3. Garfield 76; 4. Streetsboro 98; 5. Cardinal 16; 6. Rootstown 168; 7. Ravenna 189; 8. Kent Roosevelt 198. INDIVIDUAL RESULTS SOUTHEAST Julia Wheeler; 3. Kristen Campbell; 7. Julia Frick; 12. Grace Wheeler; 15. Natalie Campbell. […]

Striking a Balance: Three 300s already claimed in Wednesday Night League

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   KEEPING IT CLOSE Kelly Stebner and Kim Stull tied for high game in the Mike’s Gal’s League, each rolling a 203. Stebner continued with her solid bowling to finish with a 559 high series, but Sue Motti sneaked in the top two, bowling a 516 high series with her […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, SEPT. 8, 2024 GIRLS SOCCER FIELD 2, TALLMADGE 1 (At Tallmadge) GOALS Field: Mckayla Miller, Delilah Rahe. ASSISTS Field: Kelsey Tucker, Audrey Richmond. Shots on Goal — Tallmadge, 5-4. Corner Kicks — Field, 3-2. Goalkeepers/Saves — (F) Carlee Fafrak/3.     BOYS SOCCER AURORA 1, CANFIELD 1 (At Canfield) GOALS Aurora: […]

Par for the Course: Golf careers continue in college for many Portage County standouts

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   So, what happened to the golfers you loved to read about and follow in high school? Many of them have continued both their golfing and their education at colleges and universities in Ohio. Collegiate golf has two seasons — fall and spring. Several tournaments are beginning this weekend and […]

Simplified gameplan runs Falcons to first 3-0 start since 2015

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Matt Furino knows that his team’s offense on Friday will not win any creativity awards. However, considering the circumstances his Field Falcons faced, it is fair to ask: What offense would? Heavy rain, along with an unexpected change in available personnel, put Furino and his staff in a unique […]

Week 3 High School Football Scoreboard (9.6.24)

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, SEPT. 6, 2024 FOOTBALL — WEEK 3 SCOREBOARD Field 21, Rootstown 0 Dalton 34, Mogadore 0* Aurora 37, West Geauga 0 Cuyahoga Falls 21, Southeast 6 Lakewood 21, Kent Roosevelt 13* Windham 26, Jackson-Milton 14 Garfield 20, Normandy 12* Revere 35, Ravenna 0* Streetsboro 56, Alliance 6* Cuyahoga Heights 35, Crestwood […]

High School Football Central: Week 3

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Week 3 of the high school football season kicks off tonight. For the Portage County teams in the Suburban League, Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference, Metro Athletic Conference and Chagrin Valley Conference, tonight is the final week of non-league games before beginning league play in Week 4. There are […]

Southeast girls, boys golf programs earn statement wins over Roosevelt, Rootstown

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Portage County was in the spotlight at Olde Dutch Mill Golf Course in Lake Milton as the Southeast boys welcomed Rootstown in addition to the Pirates’ girls program hosting the Rough Riders of Kent Roosevelt on Thursday. The match included solid golf, close matches and praise from the coaches […]

Football: Updated Statistical Leaders (Sept. 6)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 2024 STATISTICAL LEADERS OFFENSE RUSHING Player, School Att.-Yards Cohen Klimak, Streetsboro 33-324 Byer Pickana, Southeast 27-323 Drexal McAmis, Field 55-288 Jack Eye, Windham 17-241 Lucas Manderbach, Aurora 21-237 Landon McClain, Waterloo 32-140 Janiere Cook, Streetsboro 11-131 Xavier Board, Aurora 20-131 Harper Troyer, Garfield 16-124 Marcus Council, Streetsboro 17-118 Victor Brown, Field 20-107 […]

Water Street Tavern’s Week 3 Pigskin Picks Challenge

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Pigskin Picks Challenge enters Week 3. The first two weeks have shown a bit of parity throughout the competitors. This week’s picks are sponsored by Water Street Tavern in Kent. Before we look at this week’s list of games and selections, let’s first review the records following the […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, SEPT. 5, 2024 VOLLEYBALL MCDONALD DEF. WATERLOO, 25-21, 25-14, 25-10 (At Waterloo) Waterloo: Arianna Rebecchi, 6 kills, 3 digs; Delaney Miller, 1 kill, 8 digs, 1 ace, 1 assist; Brilyn Eddy, 5 digs, 18 assists; Isabelle McKenna, 4 kills, 1 block; Isabella Kozma, 1 kill, 3 digs, 1 ace, 1 block, […]

Volleyball: Updated Statistical Leaders (Sept. 5)

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL   STATISTICAL LEADERS ACES Quinn Justham, Windham, 22 Isabella Kozma, Waterloo, 15 Tenley Korosec, Garfield, 10 Mollie Mathews, Field, 10 Charlee Hill, Garfield, 9 Reese Shirkey, Garfield, 9 Emma Butler, Mogadore, 8 Allison Strickland, Rootstown, 7 Addy Germann, Rootstown, 6 Olivia Dyer, Field, 6 Morgan Stoicoiu, Field, 6     SERVICE POINTS […]

Boys and Girls Soccer: Updated Statistical Leaders (Sept. 5)

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER STATISTICAL LEADERS GOALS Grace Wheeler, Southeast, 12 Erin Hallis, Crestwood, 12 Alexis Henry, Waterloo, 10 Ava Julian, Crestwood, 6 Liv Martini, Crestwood, 6 Sarah Craver, Southeast, 5 Delilah Rahe, Field, 5 Reese Tucker, Field, 4 Mayara Krifa, Kent Roosevelt, 4 Julia Boyle, Waterloo, 3 Natalie Clark, Ravenna, 3 Elliott Smallfield, Rootstown, […]

High School Golf Roundup: Southeast runs undefeated streak to 12 games

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer GIRLS GOLF SOUTHEAST REMAINS UNBEATEN Southeast girls improved their record to 12-0 overall and 8-0 in the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Gray Division with a victory over Champion at Olde Dutch Mill in Lake Milton on Wednesday. Taylor Blazek continued her dominating run in matches, firing a 39 to earn […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 4, 2024 VOLLEYBALL WINDHAM DEF. LORDSTOWN, 25-11, 25-12, 25-20 (At Windham) Windham: Quinn Justham, 23 assists, 15 points, 6 aces; Sara Guigni, 25 kills, 4 blocks; Sydnie Sweet, 13 digs.     TUESDAY CRESTWOOD DEF. FIELD, 25-12, 25-20, 25-12 (At Crestwood) Crestwood: Mia Kalista, 9 points, 3 aces, 12 assists, […]

High School Golf Roundup: Southeast outdoes Garfield for narrow MVAC victory

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   BOYS GOLF THE PIRATES EARN ANOTHER TIGHT VICTORY The Southeast Pirates improved their record to 9-2 in the MVAC Gray Division with a four-stroke victory over the Garfield G-Men 188-192 on Tuesday. James Morgan again was the best on the fairways, firing a 2-over-par 38 on his way to […]

Sarchione Garrettsville’s Coaches in the Classroom: Waterloo’s Mike Devies

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Portage Sports proudly introduces its new series called “Coaches in the Classroom.” The series celebrates coaches throughout Portage County, who spend their days in the classroom leading today’s student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today’s spotlight is on Waterloo High School’s Mike Devies who is in his 10th year […]

Streetsboro to induct new class into athletic Hall of Fame

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Some of the greatest student-athletes in the history of Streetsboro High School will be inducted into the athletic department’s Hall of Fame on Sept. 13. The group will be recognized at the Rockets’ Friday home football game against Coventry in Week 4. The induction class includes six: Ken […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, SEPT. 3, 2024 GIRLS SOCCER CRESTWOOD 12, PAINESVILLE HARVEY 1 (At Crestwood) GOALS Crestwood: Erin Hallis 4, Ava Julian 2, Taylor Larch, Liv Martini, Alyssa Hallis, Lilly Stoots, Hailey Persarchek. ASSISTS Crestwood: Larch 6, E. Hallis, Julian, Martini.     BOYS SOCCER CRESTWOOD 6, LABRAE 1 (At Crestwood) GOALS Crestwood: Elijah […]

1948 Atwater High School football

The 1948 Atwater High School football team won the Portage County League championship. The Spartans finished the season with a 6-3 record, sharing the title with Ravenna Township High School. The team’s week-by-week results were: Week 1: Atwater 12, Goshen 0 Week 2: Suffield 13, Atwater 0 Week 3: Coventry 13, Atwater 0 Week 4: […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Mogadore cross country’s Alana Santiago

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Growing up, afternoons in the fall were filled with soccer for Alana Santiago. That changed the moment she chose to join the school’s Girls on the Run program in sixth grade. “It started a running obsession for me,” said the Mogadore High School junior cross country standout. It […]

Cross Country: OATCCC state poll (Sept. 2)

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY OATCCC STATE POLL DIVISION I School, Points (1st-place votes) Hilliard Davidson, 240 (12) Mason, 217 Avon, 198 Perrysburg, 169 Dublin Jerome, 153 Lancater, 149 Loveland, 141 Rocky River, 136 Olentangy Liberty, 112 Talawanda, 110 Lakota West, 105 Wadsworth, 100 Beavercreek, 87 Shaker Heights, 81 Centerville, 69 Others receiving votes: Milford, […]

1995 Southeast High School girls soccer

2024 marks the 30-year anniversary of the Southeast High School girls soccer program. Here is the school’s first team in 1995. Coached by Dean Dunlavy, who remains the Pirates’ coach to this day and entered the 2024 season with 234 career wins.

High School Golf Report: 150 wins for Kent Roosevelt girls golf and coach Bryan Harvey

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer Coaches often mark milestones by the number of wins, conference championships and other successes their teams earn. They may keep track of their own accomplishments, but don’t necessarily want everyone else to celebrate. Bryan Harvey, the coach of the Roosevelt girls golf team since the beginning of the program, had […]

Cross Country Scoreboard: Marlington Ashley White Invitational

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY SATURDAY, AUG. 31, 2024 MARLINGTON ASHLEY WHITE INVITATIONAL (At Marlington High School) DIVISION II-III TEAM STANDINGS  1. CVCA 47; 2. St. Vincent-St. Mary 84; 3. Salem 114; 4. Marlington 134; 5. Tallmadge 152; 6. Chagrin Falls 178; 7. Crestwood 182; 8. Southeast 184; 9. Orange 229; 10. Field 278; 11. […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, AUG. 30, 2024 GIRLS SOCCER SOUTHEAST 1, ROOTSTOWN 0 (At Southeast) GOALS Southeast: Grace Wheeler.     BOYS SOCCER AURORA 3, CHAGRIN FALLS 1 (At Aurora) GOALS Aurora: Cameron Gentille, Coby Conner, Jordan West. Chagrin Falls: Owen Edwards. ASSISTS Aurora: Seitz 2, Brennan Ries. Shots on Goal — Aurora, 7-2. Corner […]

Striking a Balance: Pair of 300 games already rolled at Spins

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   As fall leagues get started at area lanes, Spins Bowl already tallied two 300 games on the lanes this week. Joe Swanson and David Randazzo each rolled a perfect game in the Garden Spot League as Randazzo captured the high series, an 844. Tabitha Schlupe had the high series […]

Par for the Course: Parker wins NOPGA Senior Professional Championship

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Steve Parker, former head professional and now teaching professional at Portage Country Club and Kent State University alumnus, won the NOPGA Senior Professional Championship at Westbrook Country Club in Mansfield, firing rounds of 69 and 70, 5-under-par. The outstanding 36-hole score earned Parker a three-shot victory over Scott Pollack […]

High School Football Week 2 Scoreboard

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, AUG. 30, 2024 FOOTBALL WEEK 2 SCOREBOARD Ravenna 21, Mogadore 0 Field 24, Bay 17 (OT) (box score not reported) Aurora 48, Lutheran West 0 Rootstown 35, Champion 0 Crestwood 38, Minerva 0 Wooster 31, Kent Roosevelt 14 (box score not reported) Warren JFK 31, Garfield 13 Southeast 41, Mathews 6 Windham […]

Ravenna football ignores odds, sends Mogadore to historic loss

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Statistically speaking, the Ravenna Ravens were not supposed to win on Friday night. When your opponent is Mogadore, a program unmatched in success in Portage County, the numbers will always tilt against you. The Wildcats, who lost in their opener at Field last week, entered Week 2 in […]

JFK tops G-Men on scoreboard and at their own game

By Phil Keren Correspondent Physicality was the name of the game in Warren JFK’s 31-13 victory over Garfield on Friday night in Garrettsville. Noting that physicality is a hallmark of Garfield’s teams, Warren JFK head coach Damon Buente said he urged his players to play a physical brand of football in their visit to Garrettsville. […]

High School Football Central: Week 2

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor After an opening week that was filled with excitement, enthusiasm and plenty of stories, Week 2 is already here. Week 2 does not have the rivalry showdowns like Week 1 did, but the games will be competitive just the same. Portage Sports wishes every team the best of luck […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, AUG. 29, 2024 GIRLS TENNIS WOODRIDGE 4, RAVENNA 1 (At Ravenna) First Singles — Isabella Kohn (W) def. Whitney Holmes, 6-0, 6-0; Second Singles — Mallory Sterba (R) def. Addison Honey, 7-6, 6-4; Third Singles — Rachel Raid (W) def. Alannah Raffa, 6-1, 6-1; First Doubles — Claire Gregory/Bella Smole (W) […]

Roster size always an adversity ingredient (but never an excuse) for Windham football

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Football at Windham is always a numbers game. That is the reality of the situation for head coach Jake Eye. His knows it. His players know it. Both also know, though, that they will never let the program’s lower roster size dictate who they can be. They definitely […]

Waterloo coach Devies discovers motivation lives beyond wins and football

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Wins are not the only measurement of success for Mike Devies. Entering his 10th season, the Waterloo football coach has focused his development of young men first. His competitive spirit has always been strong and remains passionately alive, but his career record falls low on his priority scale. […]

Universal Concrete and Excavating’s Week 2 Pigskin Picks Challenge

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Week 2 of the high school football season kicks off on Friday night. Setting the stage for the second week of the Portage Sports Pigskin Picks Challenge. The Week 2 sponsor is Universal Concrete and Excavating. Before we get into each competitor’s selections for Week 2, let’s look […]

High School Golf Notebook: Southeast’s James Morgan earns No. 1 ranking

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   GOLF STATE RANKINGS Most of the boys and girls golf teams are halfway through their season, with conference tournaments and OHSAA postseason events in the near future. The OHSAA Wanamaker app, the scoring app that teams are using, has teams and individuals ranked in the state and district, with […]

Jenna Fesemyer prepares for second Paralympic Games in Paris

Southeast High School graduate Jenna Fesemyer will compete in her second Paralympic Games beginning on Saturday. Fesemyer, who graduated in the Class of 2015, arrived in Paris earlier this week to begin preparation for her wheelchair racing events. She will compete in three different events, with two of those including a preliminary round to advance […]

Volleyball: Updated Statistical Leaders (Aug. 29)

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS   ACES Isabella Kozma, Waterloo, 15 Quinn Justham, Windham, 11 Tenley Korosec, Garfield, 10 Mollie Mathews, Field, 10 Charlee Hill, Garfield, 9 Reese Shirkey, Garfield, 9 Emma Butler, Mogadore, 8 Allison Strickland, Rootstown, 7 Addy Germann, Rootstown, 6 Olivia Dyer, Field, 6 Morgan Stoicoiu, Field, 6     SERVICE POINTS […]

Boys and Girls Soccer: Updated statistical leaders (Aug. 29)

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER STATISTICAL LEADERS GOALS Grace Wheeler, Southeast, 12 Alexis Henry, Waterloo, 7 Sarah Craver, Southeast, 5 Delilah Rahe, Field, 5 Reese Tucker, Field, 4 Julia Boyle, Waterloo, 3 Natalie Clark, Ravenna, 3 Elliott Smallfield, Rootstown, 3 Cami Rhodes, Rootstown, 3 Brooklyn Wilson, Field, 3 Multiple tied with 2     ASSISTS Koralee […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28, 2024 GIRLS TENNIS CANTON McKINLEY 4, RAVENNA 1 (At Ravenna) First Singles — Annie Blythe (M) def. Whitney Holmes 3-6, 6-2, 1-0(10-8); Second Singles — Issie Becker (M) def. Alannah  Raffa, 6-2, 6-1; Third Singles — McKinley won by forfeit; First Doubles — Jaylynn Walker/Mallory Sterba (R) def. Gabi […]

Memory of playoff loss still stings — and motivates — Streetsboro football

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   For many of the Streetsboro Rockets, Nov. 3, 2023, is a date that still doesn’t sit well. It was the night that the team was eliminated from the Division IV playoffs, 31-28, at West Branch. “They were not satisfied with how the season ended last year,” Streetsboro head […]

Southeast football’s Youel, seniors embrace new opportunity in 2024

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The planning is over for Patrick Youel. The fall season is here and he has been deep into it since the middle of July. Youel is the Southeast football head coach, but also serves as the district’s athletic director and assistant principal. All three jobs require a significant […]

Rootstown football’s blueprint to success runs through offensive line

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Rootstown accomplished something in 2022 and 2023 that was accomplished only one other time in Portage County football history. More than a century of football and the Rovers were just the second school to ever produce back-to-back 2,000-yard rushers. The first time it ever happened was with Patrick Boggs […]

1968 Ravenna Rams youth football “Farm” cheerleaders

The 1968 Ravenna Rams youth football “Farm Division” cheerleaders included (left to right) Tish Rock, Kathy Liston (standing), Kay Castaldi and Marybeth Coates.

Sarchione Garrettsville’s Coaches in the Classroom: Field football’s Matt Furino

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Portage Sports proudly introduces its new series called “Coaches in the Classroom.” The series celebrates coaches throughout Portage County, who spend their days in the classroom leading today’s student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today’s spotlight is on Field High School’s Matt Furino, who is in his 34th year […]

Welcome to 2024, where the Wildcats are still the measurement of success

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Mogadore has been Portage County’s pinnacle of consistent excellence for decades. Communities try to emulate the continued success by trying to recreate the formula that has worked for the Wildcats for so long. As most would tell you, it’s easier dreamed than done. Some have built programs that […]

Roosevelt football coach Kardell Jackson finds best version of himself in hometown

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Kardell Jackson loves everything about Kent. His hometown has his heart. The fact that he is now the head coach for the same football program that had such an impact on his life, is not something that he takes for granted. “There is a lot of pride and […]

2024 High School Girls Cross Country Preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   High school girls cross country 2024 season previews. If a school is not included, their preview season preview will publish at a later date.   CRESTWOOD Head Coach: Jim Schweickert, 14th year. Coaching Staff: Greg Cicero. 2023 Record: 2nd in Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division. Returning Letterwinners (5): […]

Kent Roosevelt girls golf program celebrate Harvey’s 150th victory

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   When the Kent Roosevelt varsity girls golf team turned in their scores in Tuesday’s match against Brecksville, it was more important than just a victory. It marked the 150th win for head coach Bryan Harvey. Harvey, who is in his 13th season, has been with the program since its […]

High School Golf Roundup: Field’s Boley earns medalist honors

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer GIRLS GOLF ROVERS WIN BY ONE STROKE OVER STREETSBORO The Rootstown Rovers topped the visiting Streetsboro Rockets by one stroke at Sunny Hill Golf Course in Brimfield on Tuesday. The Rovers fired 196 to the Rockets’ 197 to walk off the course with the victory. Rootstown’s Alex Biggin fired a […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, AUG. 27, 2024 GIRLS SOCCER FIELD 10, SPRINGFIELD 0 (At Kenneth Lohr Stadium, Brimfield) GOALS Field: Peyton Schock 2, Brooklyn Wilson 2, Kelsey Tucker 2, Mckayla Miller, Reese Tucker, Delilah Rahe. ASSISTS Field: Mckayla Miller 3, Abby Harlin 2, Reese Tucker, Makayla Norman, Peyton Schock, Brooklyn Wilson. VOLLEYBALL STREETSBORO DEF. SPRINGFIELD, […]

2024 High School Boys Cross Country Preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor High school boys cross country team previews for the 2024 season. If a school is not included, their season preview will be published at a later date. CRESTWOOD Head Coach: Jim Schweickert, 14th year. Coaching Staff: Greg Cicero. 2023 Record: 5th in Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division. Returning Lettermen […]

Since joining MVAC, G-Men have been nothing but dominant

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Since the joining the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference, the Garfield G-Men have been nothing short of dominant. Undeniably dominant. In three seasons, the G-Men have outscored their league opponents 959 to 293 and have won two league championships. In 2021, Garfield outscored the MVAC 269-94. In 2022, the margin […]

‘Our kids are worth it’ — Falcons proudly unveil field turf at Kenneth Lohr Stadium

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   It may have been July, but it may as well have been December in Matt Furino’s eyes. When his football team sprinted out onto the new field turf at Kenneth Lohr Stadium on the final day of installation, all he could think about was Christmas. It takes a […]

Golf Roundup: Southeast girls remain unbeaten; Roosevelt’s Curtis medals again

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   GIRLS GOLF SOUTHEAST REMAINS UNDEFEATED IN MVAC Taylor Blazek fired a 1-under-par 34 at Olde Dutch Mill to help the Southeast Pirates beat Mineral Ridge 166 to 200 and remain undefeated in the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Gray Division. Southeast was consistent as Aubree Varga fired a 42 and […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, Aug. 26, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, AUG. 26, 2024 GIRLS SOCCER WATERLOO 2, NEW MIDDLETOWN SPRINGFIELD 1 (At New Middletown Springfield) GOALS Waterloo: A. Henry 2. Springfield: Page. ASSISTS Waterloo: English. Shots on Goal — Waterloo, 13-5. Corner Kicks — Waterloo, 6-1. Goalkeepers/Saves — (W) Wood/4.     SOUTHEAST 8, BROOKFIELD 2 (At Southeast) GOALS Southeast: Grace […]

Crestwood’s rebuilt football program is proud product of D’Amato and friends

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Five years ago, Jack D’Amato sat alongside friends Rich McIntyre and Chris Eyerman to talk about football. More specifically, a vision for what the next five years of Crestwood High School football could look like. D’Amato was considering applying for the coaching vacancy at Crestwood, but before he […]

From Aurora to Seattle: Veteran coach Mihalik has his first NFL player

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   In Bob Mihalik’s 24 years coaching at Aurora, the success stories have become a regular part of the season. He ascended to the No. 3 spot as Portage County’s winningest coaches last season (201 career wins) and won a state championship in 2008 (while also advancing to the […]

Champions crowned at 54th Senior Portage County Amateur

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The 54th Portage County Senior Amateur did not disappoint on the final day of competition at Windmill Lakes Golf Club. Scorecard playoffs were involved in two of the divisions before trophies could be awarded and new champions were also crowned in two divisions. On a hot, muggy day at […]

High School Golf Report: Roosevelt girls win historic 150th match

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer The Kent Roosevelt girls earned their 150th win as a program and successfully completed a victorious week with wins over Green, Solon, Tallmadge and Kenston. The competition against Green was a match play event as Kent earned 8.5 points to Green’s half of a point. Ashlyn Leavery, Ella Houk, Cassidy […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, AUG. 24, 2024 BOYS SOCCER FIELD 2, MARLINGTON 1 (At Marlington) GOALS Field: Ethan Flores-Soler, Marlington own goal. Marlington: Not reported. ASSISTS Field: Liam Waffen. Goalkeepers/Saves — (F) Caleb Brastine/7.     ROOTSTOWN 4, WARREN JFK 1 (At Warren JFK) GOALS Rootstown: Dylan Boland 2, Bryson Scarlett, Blake Postlethwait. ASSISTS Rootstown: […]

Scoreboard: 54th Portage County Senior Amateur (day one)

54th PORTAGE COUNTY SENIOR AMATEUR FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD (At Raccoon Hill Golf Club, Kent)   SENIOR DIVISION (Age 50-59) Bobby Wadsworth, Uniontown 72 Chris Minear, Akron 73 Rob Button, Westlake 76 Dove Fall, Windham 77 Christian Richardson, Brecksville 83 Brian Kukoleck, Cuyahoga Falls 86 Ed Marsinek, Shalersville 87 Mark Wilbur, Stow 90 Andrew Coddington, Independence […]

Par for the Course: Golf resurgence means more memorable moments

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   If you haven’t noticed, golf courses are busy. High-school golf has started, collegiate golf teams are practicing and getting ready for tournaments and league play is continuing on a march toward the end of the season. All of that coupled with outings and scrambles makes for filled tee sheets […]

Tee Times: Sunday’s 54th Senior Portage County Amateur golf tournament

54TH PORTAGE COUNTY SENIOR AMATEUR TEE TIMES SUNDAY (Aug. 25th) (At Windmill Lakes Golf Club, Ravenna)   SENIOR (Age 50+) 11:04: Eric Ernsberger, Ravenna; Mike Simons, Stow 11:12: Ed Marsinek, Shalersville; Mark Wilbur, Stow; Andrew Coddington, Independence 11:20: Dove Fall, Windham; Christian Richardson, Brecksville; Brian Kukoleck, Cuyahoga Falls. 11:28: Bobby Wadsworth, Uniontown; Chris Minear, Akron; […]

Roosevelt tops Ravenna in The Game’s 110th year

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Just like so many that came before it, The Game came down to the final moments on Friday at Roosevelt Stadium in Kent. It was the Rough Riders that emerged victorious, using a fourth-down touchdown run by quarterback Yahntae Smith in the third quarter to earn the win. Now […]

Boys Golf: Southeast avenges early loss to Champion

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer SOUTHEAST AVENGES EARLY LOSS The Southeast Pirates suffered their only loss in the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Grey Division earlier in the week to Champion. But the Pirates did not let that happen again. Firing the team-low score of the season, a 165, Southeast avenged the earlier loss, beating the […]

Week 1 Football Scoreboard: Friday, Aug. 23, 2024

HGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, AUG. 23, 2024   WEEK 1 SCOREBOARD Field 14, Mogadore 12 Crestwood 20, Rootstown 2 Garfield 47, Edgewood 27 (box score not reported) Aurora 42, Twinsburg 6 Waterloo 28, Akron Springfield 0 (box score not reported) Kent Roosevelt 14, Ravenna 7 Windham 49, Lisbon David Anderson 7 Streetsboro 29, CVCA 21 […]

Falcons unveil new turf with signature victory over Mogadore

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Matt Furino is in his third stint as the football coach at Field High School. In each of his previous two, he can specifically pinpoint games when he felt his Falcons make a turn toward the promising direction they had worked so hard to find. In the middle […]

Tee Times: 54th Portage County Senior Amateur golf tournament

54TH PORTAGE COUNTY SENIOR AMATEUR TEE TIMES SATURDAY (Aug. 24th) (At Raccoon Hill Golf Club, Kent) Questions — please text or call Susan Jenior (330-206-9083)   SENIOR (Age 50+) 8:00: Brian Kukoleck, Cuyahoga Falls; Dave Ryan, Stow 8:10: Andrew Coddington, Independence; Ed Marsinek, Shalersville; Mike Simons, Atwater 8:20: Dove Fall, Windham; Chris Minear, Akron; Dave […]

Siciliano’s Pizzaria Week 1 Pigskin Picks Challenge

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Let the fun begin! For the second season, Portage Sports introduces its Pigskin Picks Challenge. A 10-week competition that includes participation from readers who will attempt to pick as many correct game winners as possible throughout the regular season — for a little bit of local glory for the […]

High School Football Central — Week 1

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Here we go! Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. Week 1. The 2024 high school football season. January 1 may be when everyone recognizes the new year on the calendar, but in many cases, the “feel” for the start of a new year is connected to late August with the […]

2024 Windham Bombers football season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor     THE TEAM Head Coach: Jake Eye, 7th year, 23-31 career record. Coaching Staff: Rob Penney, defensive coordinator, defensive backs; Chase Eye, special teams coordinator, running backs, defensive backs; Larry Jones, wide receivers, linebackers; Tyler Simcox, offensive line, defensive line; Neil Martino, wide receivers. League: Northeastern Athletic Conference. […]

2024 Waterloo Vikings football season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor     THE TEAM Head Coach: Mike Devies, 10th year, 26-66 career record. Coaching Staff: Jeff Sharkey, defensive coordinator; John Foster, defensive backs, wide receivers; Owen Playmate, defensive line; Corey Rakes, offensive line, defensive line; Tyler Brown, wide receivers, defensive backs. League: Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Scarlet Division. Playoffs: […]

High School Golf Roundup: Wildcats score key win over Rovers

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   GIRLS GOLF ROVERS CHALK UP ANOTHER WIN AND ANOTHER NEW RECORD… The Rootstown Rovers fired a team total 196 to beat Springfield by 17 strokes. “This was our first sub-200 score away from Sunny Hill Golf Course,” said Matt Just, coach of the Rovers. The Rovers are in their […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, AUG. 22, 2024 GIRLS SOCCER WATERLOO 3, WOODRIDGE 2 (At Woodridge) GOALS Waterloo: Guth, Boyle, Jenior. Woodridge: Klingensmith, Martin. ASSISTS Waterloo: A. Henry, Jenior, C. Henry. Woodridge: Klingensmith, Martin. Shots on Goal — Tied, 8-8. Corner Kicks — Waterloo, 4-0. Goalkeepers/Saves — (W) Wood/9.     SOUTHEAST 7, LABRAE 1 (At […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, AUG. 21, 2024 GIRLS TENNIS SOUTHEAST 3, WEST BRANCH 2 (At West Branch) FIRST SINGLES: Holly Reynolds (S) vs. Sophia McDonald (WB) – 6-0, 6-1 West Branch. SECOND SINGLES: Makayla Flores (S) vs. Iris Shafroth (WB) – 6-6 (5-7), 5-3, 7-10 Southeast. THIRD SINGLES: Miranda Timko (S) vs. Audrey Mince (WB) […]

Sarchione Garrettsville’s Coaches in the Classroom: Crestwood volleyball’s Wanda Hoffman

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Portage Sports proudly introduces its new series called “Coaches in the Classroom.” The series will celebrate coaches throughout Portage County who spend their days in the classroom leading today’s student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today’s spotlight is for Crestwood High School’s Wanda Hoffman, who is in her 37th year […]

2024 Streetsboro Rockets football season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor     THE TEAM Head Coach: Pete Thompson, 13th year, 94-46 career record. Coaching Staff: Wezlee Spence, defensive coordinator, defensive line; Pete Smith, quarterbacks; Dave Verhotz, special teams coordinator, defensive backs; Tom Gerchak, linebackers; DJ Snyder, wide receivers; Connor O’Hara, offensive line, JV coach; James Heath, running backs; Lone […]

2024 Southeast Pirates football season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   THE TEAM Head Coach: Patrick Youel, 15th year, 81-65 career record. Coaching Staff: John Kinsey, offensive coordinator; Joe Callihan, assistant head coach; Rick Reynolds, co-defensive coordinator; Elliott Thomas, co-defensive coordinator; Brady DeRemer, Ronnie Reed, Mike Richeson, Dylan Sitosky. League: Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Grey Division. Playoffs: Division V, […]

2024 High School Volleyball Preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   High school volleyball previews for the 2024 season.     AURORA Head Coach: Katie Cicione, 6th year overall, 2nd year at Aurora, 76-59 career record. Coaching Staff: Emma Strobel, Madison Wade. 2023 Record: 19-6 overall (single-season school record for wins), Suburban League champions. Returning Letterwinners (4): Lana Witmer, […]

Kent State golf fundraiser, Rango Invitational, nears $1 million earned

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Herb Page was the men’s golf coach for 41 years of the Kent State University men’s team. When he first started, he realized he needed money to take care of the athletes on the team, expand the schedule and take care of financial challenges. Enter Rich and Dennis Rango. […]

2024 High School Girls Tennis Preview

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   High school girls tennis previews for the 2024 season. Teams not included did not submit team information by the publication deadline and will be spotlighted at a future date.   AURORA Head Coach: Vincent Cannata, 2nd year, 15-7 career record. Last Year: 15-7 Returning Letterwinners (6): Kamy Milano, jr.; […]

2024 Rootstown Rovers football season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   THE TEAM Head Coach: Tom Hannah, 27th year overall, 1st at Rootstown, 132-123 career record. Coaching Staff: Chris Kosiorek, assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, defensive backs; Al Hodakievic, offensive line, defensive line; Don Jones, wide receivers, linebackers; Kyle Fitzpatrick, quarterbacks, defensive backs, JV coach; Gaige McIntyre, offensive line, […]

2024 Ravenna Ravens football season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   THE TEAM Head Coach: Brian Coman, 1st year. Coaching Staff: Brett Dubinsky, co-offensive coordinator, running backs; Lester Carney, co-offensive coordinator, wide receivers; Davon Coman, quarterbacks, outside linebackers; Corey Gibson, offensive line; Devin Shipp, co-defensive coordinator, linebackers; Darshan Sanders, special teams coordinator, defensive line. League: Metro Athletic Conference. Playoffs: […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, AUG. 20, 2024 GIRLS SOCCER FIELD 6, NORTON 1 (At Field) GOALS Field: Delilah Rahe 4, Kelsey Tucker, Brooklyn Wilson. ASSISTS Field: Reese Tucker 3, Olivia Prof 1, Carlee Fafrak 1. Goalkeepers/Saves – (F) Carlee Fafrak/6.     WATERLOO 3, ELLET 0 (At Waterloo) GOALS Waterloo: A. Henry 2, Boyle 1. […]

2024 Mogadore Wildcats football season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   THE TEAM Head Coach: Matt Adorni, 21st year, 202-48 career record Coaching Staff: Billy Rosato, defensive coordinator, running backs; Thom Rosato, offensive line, defensive backs; Robert Christy, defensive line, tight ends; Chad Westfall, wide receivers, defensive backs; Anthony Ricci, special teams coordinator, quarterbacks; Bobby Shew, running backs, linebackers; […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Windham football’s Jack Eye

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Jack Eye has been waiting for this. After a black cloud of injuries rained on the Bombers’ aspirations in 2023, the team enters 2024 in a completely different place. Healthy. Including Eye, who missed the first three games last season, then remained slowed upon returning, after he fractured […]

Aaron Male takes over as athletic director at Field High School

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Aaron Male’s choice to pursue a career as an educator was influenced by the positive role models that filled his life throughout his academic and athletic careers. He felt the positive impact they had on his life, and he watched how they did the same for those around him. […]

High School Golf Roundup: Rovers win key PTC mach over Lake Center Christian

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   BOYS GOLF Luke Flowers (43) and Ryan Wolf (42) posted the lowest scores for Rootstown as they beat fellow Portage Trail Conference competitor Lake Center Christian 175-194. Rootstown improved to 7-2 overall and 2-1 in the PTC as the Rovers’ scores were consistent adding Trentan Sines (44) and Anthony […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, Aug. 19, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, AUG. 19, 2024 VOLLEYBALL SOUTHEAST DEF. RAVENNA, 25-8,20-25,25-15,25-23 (At Southeast) SOUTHEAST: Leila Evans, 21 points, 4 aces; Kayla Grope, 13 kills, 2 blocks; Lilly Massrock, 19 assists. JV Score — Southeast def. Ravenna, 2-0.     WESTERN RESERVE DEF. WATERLOO, 25-11, 24-26, 25-18, 25-17 (At Waterloo) WATERLOO: Delaney Miller, 18 digs, […]

2024 Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders football season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   THE TEAM Head Coach: Kardell Jackson, 2nd year, 4-6 career record. Coaching Staff: John Schumm, offensive coordinator, offensive line; Rich Graves, quarterbacks, Trei Thomas, wide receivers; Nick Spicer, tight ends, halfbacks; Jim DeLeone, offensive line; Marcus Wright, defensive line; Al Ehlert, linebackers; CJ Dennison, cornerbacks; Luke Larkin, safeties, […]

2024 Garfield G-Men football season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   THE TEAM Head Coach: Mike Moser, 12th year, 85-35 career record. Coaching Staff: Randy Ward, offensive line; Mike Paes, quarterbacks, defensive backs, passing game coordinator; Jarrod Lewis, defensive coordinator, wide receivers; Eric Cardinal, defensive line, running backs; Howie Moore, linebackers; Mike Finney, offensive line, defensive line, special teams […]

2024 Field Falcons football season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor     THE TEAM Head Coach: Matt Furino, 20th year, 99-96 career record. Coaching Staff: Mike Harris, defensive coordinator, linebackers; Mike Brown, defensive backs; Pat Harold, defensive line, special teams coordinator; James Dutched, offensive coordinator, offensive line; Austin Williams, running backs; Dave Tenney, quarterbacks; Alan Vanderink, running backs; Brian […]

2024 Crestwood Red Devils football season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   THE TEAM Head Coach: Jack D’Amato, 5th year, 19-22 career record. Coaching Staff: John Baldwin, defensive coordinator; Nate Peters, offensive coordinator; Tom Sporich, defensive line, special teams coordinator; Dylan Conant, defensive line; Brandon Civitarese, linebackers; Troy Spiker, defensive backs; Dave Lieberth, defensive backs; Mike Macer, offensive line; Jake […]

2024 Aurora Greenmen football season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor     THE TEAM Head Coach: Bob Mihalik, 24th year, 200-70 career record. Coaching Staff: Brian Wervey, defensive coordinator, outside linebackers, defensive ends; Brendan Gallagher, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks; Victor Ricketts, offensive line, run-game coordinator; Jay Price, defensive backs; Jim Slagle, defensive line; Jeff Decker, linebackers; Drew McVay, receivers. League: […]

High School Golf Report: Curtis starts season in special way for Roosevelt

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Liam Curtis of Kent, competing for the Rough Riders, has been having a memorable start to his season. Curtis was the tournament medalist in both of the Suburban League Conference tournaments (with two additional tourney events still scheduled). The Roosevelt Rough Riders recently competed at Walsh Jesuit’s Invitational at […]

Par for the Course: Dietz, Sierak qualify for PGA Professional Championship

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Kent Roosevelt and Kent State alumnus Randy Dietz qualified for the 57th PGA Professional Championship in April at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla., thanks to his outstanding runner-up finish at the Northern Ohio PGA Professional Championship. Hosted by Tippecanoe Country Club, Dietz, a golf instructor […]

Portage County Bowling Scoreboard: Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024

PORTAGE COUNTY BOWLING SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, AUG. 18, 2024 LEAGUES KUMMERLEE DOUBLES: Thomas Prater 208, Ruby Jones 565, Michelle Porter 180, Robin Wise 551. SUMMER FUN TRIO: Shaun Bennett 297-677, Robin Farquhar 191, Corky Farquhar 505. PERFECT FIT SUMMER TRIO: Bradley Stevens 279-1,041, Marissa Perrine 268-997. HAV-A-BAL 9PIN: Men:Jon Marshall 300-784, Jon Morrison 300; Women:Brooklynn Horner […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, AUG. 17, 2024 VOLLEYBALL SOUTH RANGE DEF. SOUTHEAST, 25-12, 25-10 SOUTHEAST: Savannah Bailey, 4 kills; Kayla Grope, 4 kills; Lilly Massrock, 5 assists; Neena Truex, 5 assists.     WEST BRANCH DEF. SOUTHEAST, 25-13, 25-12 SOUTHEAST: Leila Evans, 3 points, 5 kills; Neena Truex, 3 points; Lilly Massrock, 8 assists.   […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, Aug. 16, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, AUG. 16, 2024 BOYS SOCCER RAVENNA 1, SOUTHEAST 0 (At Southeast) First Half — No scoring. Second Half — 1. (R) Derick Skilton. Shots on Goal — Not reported. Corner Kicks — Not reported. Goalkeepers/Saves — (R) Lincoln Hedge/not reported.   FIELD 10, ELLET 1 (At Field) GOALS Field: Luke Lonzrick […]

High School Roundup: Team effort lifts Mogadore over Lake Center Christian

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer     BOYS GOLF MOGADORE’S TRUE TEAM EFFORT EARNS WIN The Wildcats proved that golf is a true team sport as individual scores ranging from 43 to 45 earned the victory over Lake Center Christian on Thursday. Despite Jacob Rainieri, golfing for the Tigers, earning medalist honors at Sable Creek […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, AUG. 15, 2024 GIRLS TENNIS FIELD 4, COVENTRY 1 (At Wingfoot Lake State Park, Suffield) First Singles — Lily Nicholson (C) def. Autumn Atha, 7-5, 6-2; Second Singles — McCayla Meffert (F) def. Joslin Weidlich, 6-2, 6-1; Third Singles — Field won by forfeit; First Doubles — Ali Kulic/Adriana Cunningham (F) […]

Tom Hannan named to Greater Akron Baseball’s Hall of Fame Class of 2024

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Tom Hannan has been announced as a member of the Great Akron Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024. Hannan has longtime connections to Portage County, coaching football at Crestwood High School from 1994 to 2010, while serving as the current football head coach at Rootstown High School. […]

Friday Night Futbol once again kicks off season for high school soccer

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   In the fall, Friday nights are reserved for high school football. Except for the first Friday of the fall season, which is saved to spotlight high school soccer as part of Friday Night Futbol — a statewide opportunity for schools to open their seasons ahead of football that […]

Sarchione Garrettsville’s Coaches in the Classroom: Garfield football’s Mike Moser

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Portage Sports proudly introduces its new series called “Coaches in the Classroom.” The series will celebrate coaches throughout Portage County who spend their days in the classroom leading today’s student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today’s spotlight is for Garfield High School’s Mike Moser, who is in his 24th […]

2024 High School Boys Soccer Preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor AURORA Head Coach: Ryan Conner. Coaching Staff: Andy Straight, Jason Bibs. 2023 Record: 11-6-3. Returning Lettermen (9): Colin Wilson, sr.; Coby Conner, sr.; Parker Seitz, sr.; Jordan West, jr.; Griffin McMaster, jr.; Chris Savukas, jr.; Owen Peckinpaugh, jr.; Bryce Peckinpaugh, jr.; Cameron Gentille, soph. General Outlook: “We have a […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, AUG. 14, 2024 GIRLS TENNIS LAUREL 4, FIELD 1 (At Laurel) First Singles — Autumn Atha (F) def. name not available, 7-3, 6-2; Second Singles — name not available (L) def. McCayla Meffert, 6-2, 6-1; Third Singles — name not available (L) def. Ali Kufic, 6-2, 6-1; First Doubles — names […]

High School Roundup: Personal bests spotlight Rootstown girls golf win

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   GIRLS GOLF GARDNER, GIEBEL, DERR FIRE PERSONAL BESTS The girls teams from both Rootstown and Field competed at Sunny Hill Golf Course in Brimfield, the course both teams call home, as the Rovers earned the win, 192 to 219, on Wednesday. During the match, Chloe Gardner (45), Morgan Giebel […]

2024 High School Girls Soccer Preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor AURORA Head Coach: Domenica McClintock, 9th year, 63-60-13 career record. Coaching Staff: Adam Gharky, Ken Labadie. 2023 Record: 6-8-3 overall, 3-3-1 Suburban League. Returning Letterwinners (14): Sophie Petrash, sr.; Charlotte Hart, sr.; Skylar Rule, sr.; Hannah Hopwood, sr.; Ally Kaufman, sr.; Kylie Griffis, jr.; Juliana Huth, jr.; Riley Verespej, […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, AUG. 13, 2024 GIRLS TENNIS ALLIANCE 4, RAVENNA 1 (At Alliance) First Singles — La’Kasia Williams (A) def. Whitney Holmes, 6-1, 6-2; Second Singles — Mallory Sterba (R) def. Jacquelyne De Leon, 6-2, 6-3; Third Singles — Kaia Canavan (A) def. Alannah Raffa, 6-0, 6-1; First Doubles — Sydney Haynam/Corie Horning […]

High School Roundup: Former PTC rivals meet in another showdown

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   BOYS GOLF FORMER PTC RIVALS COMPETE IN CLOSE MATCH Mogadore and Southeast were once Portage Trail Conference rivals and always enjoyed the close competition as league rivals. Now, in two different conferences, it didn’t make the competition any less important to the Wildcats and the Pirates as Mogadore earned […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Southeast girls golf’s Taylor Blazek

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The first nine-hole round of Taylor Blazek’s career had some good and some bad. At least that was the way she saw it. The bad, her score was far from where she wanted it to be. “I shot over 80. Yeah, it was rough,” she remembers. The good? The […]

High School Roundup and Scoreboard: Roosevelt’s Curtis wins medalist honors

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   BOYS GOLF ROUNDUP LIAM CURTIS EARNS CO-MEDALIST HONORS Liam Curtis of Kent Roosevelt fired a 76 at Club Walden in Aurora to share medalist honors with Marco Silva of Barberton in the second of four Suburban League tournaments. Kent Roosevelt finished fourth and Aurora third in the American Conference […]

High School Golf Report: Rootstown girls set new course record

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Portage County golfers are traveling throughout Northeast Ohio to compete in matches and tournaments as they seek league honors and work towards postseason tournaments.   NEW RECORD The Rootstown Rovers varsity girls team competed against Minerva in their third match of the season at the Rovers’ home, Sunny Hill […]

Portage County Bowling Scoreboard: Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024

PORTAGE COUNTY BOWLING SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, AUG. 11, 2024 LEAGUES KUMMERLEE DOUBLES: Rudy Jones 2334, Thomas Prater 619, Michelle Prater 171, Robin Wise 489. SUMMER FUN TRIO: Fred Endres 268-746, Corky Farquhar 201-494. HAV-A-BAL 9 PIN: Men: P.J. Siriani 300-834, Women: Abby Smith 290-743, Boys: Will Brown 243-583, Girls: Emily Morrison 266, Coco Wijnhoven. PERFECT FIT […]

Par for the Course: Youth golfers shine at Northern Ohio PGA’s Section Championship

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Northern Ohio PGA League Section Championship was hosted by Eagle Creek Golf Club in Norwalk this week. More than 200 juniors played at Eagle Creek on Friday in both 13U and 17U division teams. Following Friday’s stroke-play qualifying, four teams were brought back for Saturday’s final matches, including […]

2024 High School Girls Golf Preview

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The OHSAA allowed for an earlier start to the golf season this season, allowing coaches and golfers to tap into the talent they have been honing throughout the summer. Portage County is a wealth of talent in golf, with three state qualifiers returning from the 2023 season and numerous […]

2024 High School Boys Golf Preview

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The OHSAA allowed for an earlier start to the golf season this season, allowing coaches and golfers to tap into the talent they have been honing throughout the summer. Portage County is a wealth of talent in golf, with three state qualifiers returning from the 2023 season and numerous […]

High School Golf Roundup and Scoreboard: Roosevelt places second at own invitational

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer GIRLS GOLF RIDERS FINISH RUNNER-UP AT THEIR OWN INVITATIONAL They had to wait a week due to the weather, however, the afternoon flight of the Lady Rider Invitational saw eight teams vie for the championship at The Fairways at Twin Lakes in Kent. Walsh earned the championship (323) followed by […]

High School Golf Roundup and Scoreboard: Wildcats earn first win of 2024

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer     BOYS GOLF WILDCATS EARN FIRST WIN Tyler Pendergast fired a 37 on the Par 34 fairways at Paradise Lake to help the Wildcats easily win over St. Thomas in a Portage Trail Conference matchup on Thursday. Jude Thiry added a 41 to the Wildcats’ total. All four of […]

Aurora boys soccer to raise awareness, funds for pediatric cancer

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Aurora High School boys soccer team will be playing for something special on Aug. 20. For the program’s home opener against Madison, the Greenmen are partnering with Go4theGoal to host a “Lace Up for Pediatric Cancer Night.” The Greenmen will wear gold socks and Madison has been invited […]

High School Roundup and Scoreboard: Rough Riders win Suburban League girls tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   GIRLS GOLF SUBURBAN LEAGUE GIRLS TOURNAMENT #1 (At Goodpark Golf Course, Akron – Par 72) The first of four Suburban League tournaments to determine the girls golf champions was contested at Good Park Golf Course in Akron on Wednesday. Gracyn Vidovic of Aurora continued her outstanding play, earning medalist […]

High School Golf Roundup and Scoreboard: Riders finish second at Suburban League tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   BOYS GOLF SUBURBAN GOLF LEAGUE – TOURNAMENT 1 (At Pine Hills Golf Course, Hinckley – Par 72) The Suburban Golf League held the first of four tournaments for the boys at Pine Hills Golf Club in Hinckley for both the American and the National Conferences. In the American Conference, […]

Sarchione Garrettsville’s Coaches in the Classroom: Kent Roosevelt football’s Kardell Jackson

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Portage Sports proudly introduces its new series called “Coaches in the Classroom.” The series will celebrate coaches throughout Portage County that spend their days in the classroom leading today’s student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today’s spotlight falls on Kent Roosevelt High School’s Kardell Jackson, who is in his 2nd […]

High School Golf Roundup: Rootstown places third at Lady Spartan Invitational

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   GIRLS GOLF SPRINGFIELD LADY SPARTAN INVITATIONAL (At Chenoweth Golf Club, Akron – Par 71) The Rootstown Rovers traveled to Chenoweth Golf Club in Akron to compete in the always competitive Lady Spartan Invitational hosted by Springfield. The Division-II Rovers took home the third-place trophy, firing a 417 team score […]

Southeast earns title at Lady Rider Invitational’s morning flight

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Kent Roosevelt hosts one of the largest girls tournaments to start the season each August, welcoming girls teams in two flights, morning and afternoon. On Saturday, the weather had another idea as rain shortened the morning flight to nine holes and the afternoon-flight teams will return on Friday to […]

Par for the Course: Revisiting the action from the Portage County Amateur tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   With the 10th Kids Am, 18th Junior Am and 94th Amateur in the record books, one amateur tournament remains, the Seniors. The 54th Senior Amateur tees off at Raccoon Hill Golf Course in Kent on Aug. 24 and concludes at Windmill Lakes Golf Course on Aug. 25. Register today […]

Portage County Bowling Scoreboard: Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024

PORTAGE COUNTY BOWLING SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, AUG. 4, 2024 LEAGUES KUMMERLEE DOUBLES: Jerry Losh 239, Thomas Prater 664, Michelle Prater 192, Lisa Grafton 483. ADULT-YOUTH SUMMER CAMP: Men: Daniel Warren 191-497, Women: Tanya Hunter 183-493, Boys: Gavin Warren 244-637, Girls: Rylan Carter 135-363. HAV-A-BALL 9-Pin: Men: Jon Marshall 296-847, Women: Abby Smith 208-544, Boys: Lucian Sekierko 146-357, […]

High School Golf Roundup and Scoreboard: Friday, Aug. 2, 2024

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   GIRLS GOLF KENT ROOSEVELT 168, NORTH ROYALTON 188 (At The Fairways at Twin Lakes, Kent – Par 34) “Ashlyn Leavery and Adrianna Mineo continued their strong play after a great showing a Brookledge Golf Course on Thursday,” said Roosevelt head coach Bryan Harvey. “Coco Golden has also had a […]

An Open Letter to Student-Athletes: Find the moments to make a memory

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   High school sports are here. After a summer calendar that was probably more jam-packed than ever. Filled with off-season training sessions, camps, workouts and showcases. Hopefully, for everyone, there was still some down time filled with family time and vacations. But here we are. The 2024 athletic season […]

High School Roundup and Scoreboard: Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Ohio High School Athletic Association allowed an earlier start to the golf season this year and many teams are taking advantage. Watch Portage Sports early next week, as many schools begin their conference play, for golf previews and information on all the girls and boys teams in Portage […]

1975 Brimfield Karg Construction G League baseball

The 1975 Brimfield Karg Construction G League baseball team finished as champions of the Portage South League. The group advanced to the Hot Stove state championship game before finishing as runners-up. Overall, the team finished with a record of 18-3. The team included: Front row left to right: Batboys Todd Schell and Joey Neer. Second […]

Aurora’s Vidovic captures championship at Kenny Novak Championship

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer The PGA tour considers Saturdays moving day during the professional golf tournaments as players often move up or down the leaderboard on the third day of competition. Junior golfers competing in the prestigious Kenny Novak Championship, hosted by the Northern Ohio PGA, celebrated their own moving day on Wednesday as […]

Friendships and storytelling: An afternoon with Portage County’s wrestling royalty

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The history of wrestling in Portage County includes some of the state’s most elite programs, athletes and coaches. Across every category, a reputation was developed long ago that the county was filled with hard working, tough, strong, master technicians who were ready to compete against anyone and any […]

Aurora’s Vidovic takes early lead at Kenny Novak Championships

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Kenny Novak Championship invites juniors who competed in the Northern Ohio PGA tournaments throughout the summer to a final 36-hole tournament to determine the best golfers among the golfers. Competing at Walden Golf Club in Aurora, the host of the tournament since its inception, the course is a […]

Portage Sports hosts football photoshoot for upcoming magazine

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Portage Sports proudly hosted its 2024 High School Football Photoshoot at Mogadore High School last Friday morning. The photoshoot included 11 football players and 12 cheerleaders as part of the production of the 2024 Portage Sports High School Football Preview and Feature magazine. The main football photo selected […]

Champions crowned at 94th Portage County Amateur golf tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer The second and final day of the 94th Portage County Amateur saw changing leaderboards, a few very low scores and a beautiful day to score at Raccoon Hill Golf Club in Kent. Windmill Golf Club in Ravenna provided the first-round scores that saw one under-par score, Ryan Sam of Canfield […]

1978 Windham Dairy Queen baseball state champions

The 1978 Windham Dairy Queen Hot Stove baseball state championship team. The team included: Front left to right: Mark Jones, Robbie McQuerry, Robbie Lusher, Steve Molnar, Tim Mulhern, Bobby Starks, Ricky Fincham, Chuck Suzelis. Back row left to right: Manager George Apthorpe, Darryl Williams, Ralph Mickens, Larry Mullenax, Mike Fabry, Dean Gilpin, Brad Crislip, assistant […]

Golf: Portage County Amateur day two tee times

94TH PORTAGE COUNTY AMATEUR SECOND ROUND TEE TIMES SUNDAY @ RACCOON HILL GOLF CLUB COUNTY DIVISION 9:00: Kevin Lewis, Mogadore (98); Eric Ernsburger, Ravenna (95) 9:10: Aaron Snyder, Garrettsville (92); Jackson Eichler, Atwater (90); Ben Jenior, Rootstown (87) 9:20: Bailey Campbell, Mogadore (87); Jacob Springer, Atwater (85); Derrick Benner, Mantua (85) 9:30: Mike Nichols, Garrettsville […]

Par for the Course: Suffield’s Rippey takes home title at Futures tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer KENNY NOVAK CHAMPIONSHIP The conclusion of the Junior Tours hosted by the Northern Ohio PGA culminates in the NOPGA Kenny Novak Championship at Walden Golf Club in Aurora on Tuesday and Wednesday. The invite-only championship features players that have earned their way into the tournament through victories and great efforts […]

Portage County Bowling Scoreboard: Saturday, July 27, 2024

PORTAGE COUNTY BOWLING SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, JULY 27, 2024   HAV-A-BALL 9 PIN: Men: Jon Morrison 290, Jon Marshall 762; Women: Heather Gard 256, Abby Smith 672; Boys: Lucian Sekierko 93; Girls: Emily Morrison 220-582. ADULT-YOUTH SUMMER CAMP: Men_ Dan Addison 217-602, Women: Angie McMasters 106-295; Boys: Gavin Warren 257-710; Girls: Isabella Ellis 125-326. KUMMERLEE DOUBLES […]

Golf: 94th Portage County Amateur tournament tee times

94TH PORTAGE COUNTY AMATEUR FIRST ROUND TEE TIMES (At Windhmill Lakes Golf Club, Saturday) COUNTY DIVISION 11:04 a.m.:  Ed Marsinek, Shalersville; Jeremy Knight, Streetsboro; Ryan Conover, Cleveland 11:12: Derrick Benner, Mantua; Chad Brazill, Streetsboro; Dove Fall, Windham. 11:20: Bailey Campbell, Mogadore; Evan Dalziel, Kent; Kevin Ina, Kent. 11:28: Jackson Eichler, Atwater; Parker Barrett, Aurora; Laszlo […]

Boys Track and Field: 2024 All-Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD 2024 ALL-MAHONING VALLEY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE GREY DIVISION COACH OF THE YEAR Matt Pfleger, Garfield     FIRST TEAM 100 Meters: Ian Orwig, Champion, senior 200 Meters: Christian Davis, Brookfield, junior 400 Meters: Christian Davis, Brookfield, junior 800 Meters: Michael Mesaros, Campbell Memorial, senior 1,600 Meters: Wyatt Brundage, LaBrae, sophomore […]

Winners crowned at 18th Matt Mishler Junior Amateur golf tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer The 18th Matt Mishler Junior Portage County Amateur crowned six champions on Tuesday after two days of competition at Windmill Lakes Golf Club in Ravenna and Sunny Hill Golf Club in Brimfield. Beautiful weather greeted the juniors for both days of the competition that featured 36 holes of golf for […]

Aurora Board of Education approves lacrosse for spring 2025

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Aurora City School District Board of Education voted to approve boys and girls lacrosse as the newest sponsored varsity sport. The lacrosse programs move from club-sport status to varsity sport for the spring 2025 season, spending just one season as a club sport. The teams will be […]

Girls Track and Field: 2024 All-Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Grey Division

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD 2024 ALL-MAHONING VALLEY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE GREY DIVISION     ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Hannah Kernig, Garfield, junior     FIRST TEAM 100 Meters: Laylah Hayes, LaBrae, junior 200 Meters: Laylah Hayes, LaBrae, junior 400 Meters: Rylie Turner, Garfield, senior 800 Meters: Adri […]

Rootstown to host Crestwood in alumni football game Aug. 10

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Rootstown High School football team will host the Crestwood Red Devils on Friday, Aug. 23, to kickoff the 2024 season. However, it won’t be the only time the Rovers and Red Devils meet on the gridiron this year. Two weeks before the start of the high-school season, […]

Golf: Tuesday tee times for 18th Matt Mishler Junior PCA tournament

18TH MATT MISHLER PORTAGE COUNTY JUNIOR AMATEUR TUESDAY TEE TIMES @ SUNNY HILL GOLF COURSE, BRIMFIELD BOYS 16-19 7:00: Anthony Pratt, Ravenna (109); Clayton Smith, Mogadore (108). 7:10: Trentan Simes, Rootstown (106); Joe Weaver, Rootstown (104); Logan Uphold, Ravenna (99). 7:20: Anthony Cambareri, Kent 99; A.J. Halsne, Stow (96); Cooper Mraz, Boardman (95). 7:30: Brett […]

Golf: Eight earn medals at 10th Kids Amateur tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   More than 40 junior golfers ranging in age from second to ninth grade filled Sunny Hill Golf Course on Sunday for the 10th Portage County Kids Amateur golf tournament. For many junior golfers, it was their very first tournament, learning the etiquette of golf, keeping a scorecard and additional […]

1921 Mantua Center boys basketball

The 1921 Mantua Center boys basketball team included: Front row left to right: E. Rode, (captain) Keither McGowan, A. Krohn. Standing left to right: Cavanaugh, coach W.V. Cooper, L. Krohn.   The team finished the season with a perfect 11-0 undefeated record. The team’s game-by-game results included: Mantua Center 34, Ravenna 7 Mantua Center 16, […]

Par for the Course: Aurora’s Vidovic wins title at Ohio Juniors Golf Tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Gracyn Vidovic of Aurora, a senior this fall for the Greenmen, has set herself apart as one of the best golfers in Portage County, advancing to the state tournament her junior year and racking up top-10 finishes in local NOPGA tournaments. She has spent this summer continuing to prove […]

Portage County Bowling Scoreboard: Sunday, July 21, 2024

PORTAGE COUNTY BOWLING SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, JULY 21, 2024   SUMMER FUN TRIO: Michael Calvert 278, Donny Shallahamer 769, Corky Farquhar 179-467. PERFECT FIT SUMMER TRIO: Ryan Ambler 280, Marak Wasko 1,006, Tabitha Schlupe 260-960. HAV-A-BALL 9 PIN: Men: Dale Hahn 300-823, Women: Joanne Penn 234-583, Boys: Will Brown 233-486, Girls: Coco Wynhoven 263, Emily Morrison […]

Golf: Tee times for 18th Matt Mishler Portage County Junior Amateur tournament

18th MATT MISHLER PORTAGE COUNTY JUNIOR AMATEUR GOLF TOURNAMENT TEE TIMES (First Round at Windmill Lakes, Ravenna)   BOYS AGE 16-19 11:04: Joe Weaver, Rootstown; Anthony Pratt, Ravenna; Anthony Cambareri, Kent. 11:12: Tyler Pendergast, Mogadore; Brayden Baxter, Akron; Deacon Smith, Kent. 11:20: Cooper Mraz, Boardman; Brett Epple, Streetsboro; Clayton Smith, Mogadore. 11:28: A.J. Halsne, Stow; Lucas […]

Golf: Tee times for 10th annual Kids Amateur

10th KIDS AMATEUR TEE TIMES (At Sunny Hill Golf Course, Brimfield) BOYS FLIGHT A (9 Holes) 3:20 — Jacob Morrison, Louisville; Samuel Klem, Rootstown 3:30 — Connor Pipoly, Kent; Nathan Waesch, Rootstown; Declan Thomas, Mansfield GIRLS FLIGHT A (9 Holes) 3:40 — Jenni Mix, Deerfield; Morgan Geibel, Ravenna; Scarlett Adkins, Ravenna. 3:50 — Colbie Kruger, […]

Women in Sports: Tarka’s legendary coaching career at Southeast had unlikely beginning

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   No coach in Portage County history has coached for as long as Mary Tarka. The fall 2024 season will push her past half a century, yet her coaching career began in the simplest of ways back in 1974. Her lunch break became an unexpected job opportunity. “I was […]

Women in Sports: Mogadore graduate Kreiner finds gold-medal moment at Olympics

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Sometimes dreams don’t come true. Inside her broken dream, though, Kim Kreiner still found her gold-medal moment. One that showcased her determination and defined her character. A moment stamped in time from 2008 in Beijing, China. Kreiner, who graduated from Mogadore High School in 1995, was representing the United States […]

Kent’s VanDamme wins Junior PGA Series at Windmill Lakes

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer Brooklyn Millard of Aurora, James Morgan of North Benton and Andrew VanDamme of Kent each carded the best Portage County scores in their age divisions at the Northern Ohio PGA Junior Series hosted by Windmill Lakes Golf Course in Ravenna. Millard took home the runner-up spot among a talented field […]

Women in Sports: Crestwood’s Nemec set legendary standard in wrestling

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   A lot in wrestling has changed for Paige Nemec. There was a time when it was common for her to be the only girl in the wrestling room. A few weeks back, coaching at a girls clinic near Columbus, Nemec helped instruct about 80 girls all specifically there because of their […]

Women in Sports: An Open Letter from Kayla Fischer

By Kayla Fischer Special to Portage Sports     Editor’s Note: Kayla Fischer is a 2018 graduate of Kent Roosevelt High School and 2023 graduate of the Ohio State University. She currently plays professional women’s soccer for Racing Louisville FC of the National Women’s Soccer League.     I am writing today not just as […]

Par for the Course: Roosevelt’s Turner advances in Drive, Chip and Putt competition

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer Jax Turner, a member of the Kent Roosevelt golf team, has qualified for the next level of Drive, Chip and Putt, earning the runner-up and second qualifying spot at the Windmill Golf Center for boys 14-15. Next step is the sub-regional qualifiers at Westfield Country club on Aug. 25 and […]

Portage County Bowling Scoreboard: Sunday, July 14, 2024

PORTAGE COUNTY BOWLING SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, JULY 14, 2024 ADULT LEAGUES KUMERLEE DOUBLES SUMMER: Joe Baker 241-585, Lisa Grafton 172, Robin Wise 462. SUMMER FUN TRIO: SHAUN Bennett 268-714, Robin Farquhar 192-520. HAVE-A-BALL 9 PIN SUMMER: Men _ Jon Marshall 300-842, Women _ Brooklyn Horner 253-708, Boys _ Lucian Sekierko 152-374, Girls _ Coco Wijnhoven 235-662. […]

Southeast’s Blazek wins girls championship at Good Park Junior Tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The third and final day of the Good Park Junior Golf Tournament in Akron saw shifting scoreboards and solid scores on the way to awarding the plaques to the champions. Taylor Blazek, a senior for the Southeast Pirates, maintained her lead wire-to-wire from the qualifying round through the final […]

Mineo leads locals at Fox Den Junior golf tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Golfers competing on the Northern Ohio PGA Junior Tour and Futures Tour checked in at Fox Den Golf Course in Stow on Friday. Adrianna Mineo of Kent, a junior on the Kent Roosevelt varsity girls golf team, led the local contingent of golfers in the girls 16-to-19 age division […]

Southeast’s Blazek and Morgan continue elite play at Good Park Junior

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Two of the best in Portage County demonstrated on Thursday that they deserve to be in the conversation as the best golfers in the area. Southeast senior girls golfer Taylor Blazek and junior boys golfer James Morgan walked onto the fairways at Good Park Golf Couse in Akron on […]

Three Portage County golf standouts qualify for championship flights at Good Park Junior

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The 85th Good Park Junior Tournament at the city course in Akron welcomed youth golfers to the first of three days and the qualifying day on Tuesday. Portage County golfers demonstrated they are a force to be reckoned with during the qualifying round. Taylor Blazek and James Morgan, both […]

Softball: NFHS approves new rule to allow electronic communication to catchers

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The NFHS Softball Rules Committee announced the approval for high school softball coaches to use electronic devices in the dugout for one-way communication to the catcher while the team is on defense. This rule will begin for the 2025 season and was approved at the committee’s annual rules […]

Par for the Course: Portage County Kids and Junior Amateurs are great entry-level tournaments for youth golfers

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Junior golfers look forward to an exceptional number of tournaments in July to hone their competitive skills prior to the official start of practice for the Ohio High School Athletic Association season. For high-school golfers, the first day of coaching and the beginning of the season is July 29. […]

Portage County Bowling Scoreboard: Sunday, July 7, 2024

PORTAGE COUNTY BOWLING SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, JULY 7, 2024   KUMMERLEE DOUBLES: Rudy Jones 243, Thomas Prater 675, Nancy Zolgus 205, Michelle Prater 520. SUMMER FUN TRIO: Jon Endres 248-719, Robin Farquhar 189-421. PERFECT FIT TRIO SPRING: Men—Joey Hardin 279-964, Zoe Bevilacqua 209-729. HAV-A-BAL 9 PIN: Men—Kevin Zolgus 300, Dale Hahn 838, Women—Abby Smith 218-634, Boys—Will […]

A friend to all, Terry Slattery announces retirement from Kent Roosevelt

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Kent Roosevelt won’t ever quite be the same. As soon as Terry Slattery announced his retirement, that was always going to be the case. There are other tremendous educators at Roosevelt, but Slattery was one of a kind. His engaging personality immediately makes a student feel welcome. He has […]

Mogadore graduate Tarter finishes 19th at 103rd Ohio Open

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   On the final day of the 103rd Ohio Open, hosted by the Northern Ohio PGA at the Westfield Country Club, there was another change at the top of the leaderboard. Drew Salyers, of Howard, moved to the top of the remaining 62 golfers, firing a 68 on his final […]

Mogadore graduate Tarter makes cut at 103rd Ohio Open

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The 103rd Ohio Open did not disappoint as the 168-player field was cut to the top-63 golfers on Tuesday at the Westfield Country Club in Westfield Center in Medina County. It took only a 2-over-par after 36 holes to make the championship final round. Making the cut was Nathan […]

2000-01 Field High School girls basketball

The 2000-01 Field High School girls basketball varsity team included: Front row left to right: Ebony King, Kristen Hunter, Danielle Knapp, Kim Shanfelt. Middle row left to right: Katie Gasper, Erin VanHouten. Back row left to right: Shayla Patton, Julie Curtiss, Jamie Notch, Amber Biltz, Joanna Griffiths, coach Jerry Clemens. The 2000-01 Field High School […]

Excited English takes over Waterloo program that has special meaning

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   In mid-May, Gavin English was announced was the new boys basketball head coach at Waterloo High School. The 21-year-old and 2021 graduate is only the school’s fourth coach in program history. The program’s lineage began with legendary Fred Brookover, who coached the Vikings from 1961-1978. His teams won […]

First Portage Sports golf tournament showcases area golfers, high school athletes

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The 2024 Portage Sports Foursome Scramble Golf Tournament teed off at Sunny Hill Golf Course on Saturday. It was the first golf tournament for Portage Sports and featured foursomes from throughout Northeast Ohio. Unique to any other golf tournament, the Portage Sports event featured an All-Sports Battle component […]

Portage County Bowling Scoreboard: Sunday, June 30, 2024

PORTAGE COUNTY BOWLING SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 2024   SUMMER FUN TRIO: Fred Endres 268-758, Corky Farquhar 193-510. PERFECT FIT SUMMER TRIO: Logan Manhard 300, Colton Riddle 300, John Kertis 300, Treg Trotter 300, Bob Smolko 988, Marissa Perrine 269-909. KUMMERLEE DOUBLES SUNDAY: Rudy Jones 267, Jerry Losh 709, Lisa Grafton 192, Michelle Prater 488. […]

Par for the Course: Juniors shine at Olde Dutch Mill tourney; Wilburn sinks ace

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   OLDE DUTCH MILL JUNIOR TOURNAMENT The 25th annual Olde Dutch Mill Junior Tournament was successful once again this season, with the two Portage Trail Conference golfers of the year earning the top spots in their age division. James Morgan won the Boys 16 to 18 Division and Taylor Blazek […]

Local golfers compete at Northern Ohio PGA’s Junior Section Championship

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It is a goal of many juniors in every section of the PGA as they compete in tournaments to advance to the National Junior PGA Championships. The Northern Ohio PGA hosted the two-day Junior Section Championship at Alliance Country Club in Alliance on Monday and Tuesday and named the […]

Par for the Course: Westfield Country Club prepares for 103rd Ohio Open

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Northern Ohio PGA’s goal is to grow the game of golf and give great opportunities for golfers of all ages to compete. The calendar is full of NOPGA tournaments for youth and adults however, the NOPGA is preparing for one of the most prestigious events on their calendar, […]

Portage County Bowling Scoreboard: Saturday, June 22, 2024

PORTAGE COUNTY BOWLING SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, JUNE 22, 2024   SUMMER FUN TRIO: Mike Marcello 246, Jon Endres 691, Corky Farquhar 204, Barbie Hamric 488. PERFECT FIT TRIO SPRING: Parker Addison 300, Ron Elwood 914, Laura Elwood 223-686. HAV-A-BAL 9 PIN: Men — Jason Radcliffe 298, Kevin Zolgus 761; Women — Abby Smith 185-487, Boys — […]

Local golfers fare well at prestigious Hudson Junior Invitational

By Susan Junior Staff Writer   The Country Club of Hudson has hosted the Junior Invitational since 1978, welcoming an international field of talented junior golfers. This season’s tournament concluded on Thursday with, again, a stellar field of junior golfers competing over 54 holes. This summer, the boys field was led by a host of […]

Gymnastics: Kent State women’s coach Brice Biggin receives 2-year contract extension

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Kent State University athletic department announced a two-year contract extension for gymnastics head coach Brice Biggin on Thursday. Biggin, who was a four-year gymnast at KSU, beginning in 1980, became a coach for the Golden Flashes in 1983 as an assistant on the men’s team. He remained […]

Scorebook provides deep appreciation of baseball for Field’s Battaglia

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor     A baseball scorebook is not just a book to Dan Battaglia. It is a canvas. A work of art that paints a picture and tells a story. A fascinating story. And Battaglia has been in love with it since he was about 10 years old. That summer […]

1934 Kent Roosevelt High School boys basketball

The 1934 Kent Roosevelt High School boys basketball team. If you have any information about the player and coach names, as well as the team’s record or game-by-game results, please email me at tomnader@portagesports.com.

Youth Baseball and Softball Scoreboard: Tuesday, June 18, 2024

YOUTH BASEBALL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2024 COACH PITCH 1 SUFFIELD FALCONS 15, WESTERN RESERVE 2 Top Hitters: (S) Cyrus Waldeck, three singles; Luka Blake, three singles, three RBI; Johnny Meyers, single, two doubles, four RBI; Leo Moore, three singles, two RBI; Leo Budd, three singles, RBI; Kayson McGlothlin, two singles, RBI; Easton Knapp, single, […]

Crestwood regains title at Bailey Simons Memorial Alumni Basketball Tournament

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   For the third time in four years, the Crestwood Red Devils were crowned champions of the Bailey Simons Memorial Alumni Basketball Tournament. Crestwood defeated reigning champions Waterloo in the title game on Saturday at Rootstown High School in the annual event’s ninth year. The Red Devils topped the […]

Par for the Course: Junior golfers continue to impress at tournaments

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer     Since the last Par for the Course column, the Northern Ohio PGA hosted multiple tournaments at four sites around northeast Ohio as junior golfers of all ages continue to impress with their abilities and scores. At the sites of the NOPGA junior tournaments, golfers competed in the Collegiate […]

Portage County Bowling Scoreboard (Monday, June 17, 2024)

PORTAGE COUNTY BOWLING SCOREBOARD MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2024 ADULT LEAGUES PERFECT FIT TRIO SPRING: Joey Harden 300-984, Laura Elwood 223, Zoe Bevilacqua 706. SUMMER FUN TRIO: Mike Verona 200-752, Corky Farquhar 192-553. KUMMERLEE DOUBLES: Tom Walker 225, Thomas Prater 606, Michelle Prater 177, Robin Wise 516. HAV-A-BALL 9 PIN: Men _ John Marshall 300-815, Women […]

Windham announces Marty Hill Drive to honor legendary coach

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor     Marty Hill used Bauer Avenue for all 47 years he was a high school teacher and coach at Windham High School. Now, he has a part of the road. In a small, but meaningful ceremony on Monday morning, Bauer Avenue, which leads to the front doors of […]

Ravenna’s McPherson qualifies for national motocross race

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Jacob McPherson’s next race will be against the world’s best amateurs at the most prestigious competition in the motocross circuit. The 15-year-old sophomore at Ravenna High School recently qualified for the 43rd annual Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at the historic Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, […]

9th annual Bailey Simons Memorial Alumni Basketball Tournament is Saturday

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The ninth annual Bailey Simons Memorial Alumni Basketball Tournament will be held on Saturday at Rootstown High School. The tournament is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. and will feature six different teams. Waterloo is the event’s reigning champion, with Crestwood, Field, Mogadore, Rootstown Blue and Rootstown White […]

Hiram College announces plans for three new sports

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Hiram College announced on Saturday that it will introduce three new sports beginning in 2025. The three sports are men’s ice hockey, women’s lacrosse and women’s bowling. “This is a historic period for Hiram athletics and its new total of 26 varsity sports,” Director of Athletics Scott Pohlman […]

Boys and Girls Track and Field: All-time event leaderboard (updated 2024)

BOYS TRACK AND FIELD ALL-TIME PORTAGE COUNTY RUNNING EVENTS 110 HURDLES G. Heffner, Field, 14.0 (1975) John Oliver, Garfield, 14.05 (1999) Olaun Simmons, Kent Roosevelt, 14.3 (1999) Rob Licursi, Crestwood, 14.4 (1987) Roger Dietz, Rootstown, 14.5 (1957) Pavel Henderson, Ravenna, 14.61 (2023) Joe Divoky, Southeast, 14.6 (2002) John Eskridge, Rootstown, 14.70 (1970) Denoah Wright, Ravenna, […]

Boys Tennis: 2024 All-Suburban League

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TENNIS 2024 ALL-SUBURBAN LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Vincent Cannata, Aurora     COACH OF THE YEAR David Heideman, Revere     FIRST TEAM Vincent Cannata, Aurora Finn Keenan, Revere Sam Lazbin, Revere Luke Butcher, Highland Dan Choi, Revere Truman Voris, Revere Colin McDonald, Revere Sawyer Suzener, Highland Chris Cifani, Aurora   […]

Baseball: 2024 All-Suburban League American Division

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL 2024 ALL-SUBURBAN LEAGUE AMERICAN DIVISION PLAYER OF THE YEAR Dominic Trivisonno, Aurora     COACH OF THE YEAR Kenny Linn, Tallmadge     FIRST TEAM Dominic Trivisonno, Aurora, catcher, senior Zach Williams, Aurora, pitcher, senior Evan Chmielewski, Copley, pitcher, senior Keagan Gilbride, Tallmadge, pitcher, senior Josh Misener, Copley, catcher, senior Shane Cope, […]

OHSAA approves 14 requests from schools to ‘move up’ a division

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Board of Directors announced on Wednesday that it has approved 14 requests to move up a division from a lower division for the 2024-25 school year. The requests came from 11 different schools and included specific requests for fall and winter sports. […]

Waterloo Vikings: Spring 2024 All-Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   All-Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference honorees from Waterloo High School for the spring 2024 season.     GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD FIRST TEAM 4×100 Relay: Siena Ross, Ava Reynolds, Courtney Eisenbraun, Tess Rodenbucher SECOND TEAM 4×200 Relay: Siena Ross, Chloe Guth, Courtney Eisenbraun, Tess Rodenbucher HONORABLE MENTION Tess Rodenbucher, […]

1948 Rootstown High School football

The 1948 Rootstown High School football team. The team was coached by John Small and finished the year with a 1-6-2 record, with the following results: Week 1: Brewster, 0-26 Week 2: Freedom, 18-6 Week 3: Windham, 6-6 Week 4: Garrettsville, 0-0 Week 5: Randolph, 6-25 Week 6: Atwater, 7-35 Week 7: Suffield, 0-19 Week […]

Ravenna names Brian Coman as new football coach

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Ravenna High School has announced the hiring of Brian “Fuzz” Coman to be its new varsity football head coach. Coman, who will be formally approved by the Ravenna Board of Education on June 24, is a 1988 graduate of Ravenna and was a standout multi-sport athlete for the […]

Par for the Course: Portage Sports Golf Tournament announces participating high-school athletes

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Portage Sports Four-Person Scramble Golf Tournament, set for June 29 at Sunny Hill Golf Course in Brimfield, will provide a fun event for all golfers with the chance to meet some of the best athletes in Portage County and use their skills to advance the foursome around the […]

Portage County Bowling Scoreboard: Sunday, June 9, 2024

PORTAGE COUNTY BOWLING SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024 ADULT LEAGUES KUMERLELE DOUBLES: Larry Stout 211, Thomas Prater 705, Nancy Zolgus 175, Robin Wise 473. PERFECT FIT TRIO SPRING: Drew Beitzel 244, Joey Hardin 916, Zoe Bevilacqua 214-746. PERFECT FIT TRIO SUMMER: Taz Moore 296, Troy Allison 943, Marissa Perrine 267-891. HAV-A-BAL 9 PIN: Men _ […]

Crestwood Red Devils: Spring 2024 All-Chagrin Valley Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor All-Chagrin Valley Conference honorees from Crestwood High School for the spring 2024 season. FIRST TEAM SOFTBALL Bella Hunter, infield, senior Grace Harper, utility, freshman BASEBALL Jake Eyerman, utility, sophomore GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD Runner of the Year: Livia Martini Field Event Athlete of the Year: Lilly O’Bryant Coach of […]

Baseball: 2024 All-Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Gray Division

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL 2024 ALL-MAHONING VALLEY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE GRAY DIVISION     PLAYER OF THE YEAR Dylan Simpson, LaBrae     COACH OF THE YEAR Ed Anthony, LaBrae     FIRST TEAM Carson Fife, Champion, pitcher, senior Dylan Howell, Champion, infield, junior Shane Hixson, Champion, infield, junior Ethan Feezle, Crestview, pitcher, senior Zach Davis, Crestview, […]

Softball: 2024 All-Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Gray Division

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL 2024 ALL-MAHONING VALLEY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE GRAY DIVISION PLAYER OF THE YEAR Gabby Gradishar, Champion     COACH OF THE YEAR Cheryl Weaver, Champion     FIRST TEAM Arianna Jones, Brookfield, catcher, senior Cadence Huffman, Brookfield, infield, senior Jasmine Hubbard, Brookfield, outfield, senior Mileena Williams, Campbell, catcher, junior Ramani Adams, Campbell, pitcher, sophomore […]

2024 Ohio High School Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association All-Ohio teams

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL FASTPITCH SOFTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION 2024 ALL-OHIO     DIVISION I FIRST TEAM Carsyn Cassady, Watkins Memorial, pitcher, senior Jordyn Wycuff, Watkins Memorial, catcher, senior Andrea Day, Hilliard Darby, infield, senior Ashley Mowery, Lancaster, infield, junior Kendall Brown, Lancaster, catcher, sophomore Kylan Brock, Tri-Valley, infield, senior Sydnie Watts, Austintown Fitch, […]

2024 Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association All-Ohio teams

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATON 2024 ALL-OHIO     DIVISION I PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jake Hanley, Mason COACH OF THE YEAR: Matt Stricker, North Royalton     FIRST TEAM Brady Sasse, North Royalton, pitcher, senior Zion Theophilus, Archbishop Moeller, pitcher, junior Keegan Holmstrom, Grove City, pitcher, senior Dan Tome, St. […]

Softball: 2024 All-Portage Trail Conference

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL 2024 ALL-PORTAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Shelbie Krieger COACH OF THE YEAR Jeff Fankhauser, Mogadore FIRST TEAM Shelbie Krieger, Rootstown, senior Katie Gardner, Mogadore, senior Miranda Timko, Southeast, freshman Olivia Kidd, Mogadore, senior Addie Christy, Mogadore, junior Lily Hotchkiss, Mogadore, junior Emma Full, Lake Center Christian, senior Morgan Muncy, Southeast, […]

Baseball: 2024 All-Portage Trail Conference

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL 2024 ALL-PORTAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Harrison Coblentz, Lake Center Christian     COACH OF THE YEAR Shane Byler, Lake Center Christian     FIRST TEAM Harrison Coblentz, Lake Center Christian, senior Nathan Bryant, Lake Center Christian, sophomore Freddy Bolchalk, Warren JFK, junior Cole Reese, Mogadore, junior Caleb Hadley, Warren […]

Girls Track and Field: 2024 All-Portage Trail Conference

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD 2024 ALL-PORTAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE     ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Melanie Plecko, Rootstown     COACH OF THE YEAR Kim Kreiner, Mogadore     FIRST TEAM Melanie Plecko, Rootstown, senior Brooklynn McIntyre, Rootstown, senior Sarah Stock, Lake Center Christian, senior Colbie Curall, Rootstown, sophomore Ari Tompkins, Mogadore, junior Gianna […]

Youth Baseball and Softball Scoreboard: Monday, June 3, 2024

YOUTH BASEBALL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, JUNE 3, 2024   10U DIVISION SUFFIELD CHARGERS 14, STREETSBORO BLUE 3 Top Pitchers: (SC) Jackson Buso, Hunter Lackey. Top Hitters: (SC) Ben Dussel, double, single, two RBI; Emerson Kisamore, home run, single; Luka Royer, home run, two RBI; Jackson Buso, triple, single, two RBI.     YOUTH SOFTBALL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, […]

The story of Russ Swartz: A life with basketball, lots of wins and emotions

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Basketball has always been important to Russ Swartz. Ever since he can remember. Back to the days when he was just a toddler running around the gymnasium inside Springfield High School, where his dad was a coach. The love started to grow there. And it has never stopped. […]

Boys and Girls Track and Field: Final 2024 event leaderboards

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD 2024 PORTAGE COUNTY LEADERS RUNNING EVENTS 4X800 RELAY Field (B. Silk, S. Silk, Shutty, Pruszynkski), 7:56.32 Streetsboro (Ivory, Tiller, Puleo, Hodge), 8:19.38 Aurora, 8:55.78 Crestwood, 9:06.6 Kent Roosevelt, 9:08.96 Rootstown (Fillmore, Baughman, Burrell, Reuting), 9:09.2 Garfield, 9:31.15 110 HURDLES Logan Border, Field, 15.00 Aiden Rodstrom, Rootstown, 15.10 James Durham, […]

Baseball and Softball: Final 2024 statistical leaders

2024 HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS HITTING BATTING AVERAGE Jack Eye, Windham .686 Jake Eyerman, Crestwood .571 Austin Biggin, Rootstown .537 Colin Hensley, Aurora .500 Nate Muncy, Southeast .481 Eric Geddes, Garfield .468 Grady Eader, Field .459 Alex Carter, Garfield .452 Brett Epple, Streetsboro .447 Mav Wood, Southeast .447 Jake Hopkins, Mogadore .429 Scott Wilson, […]

Boys Track and Field: 2024 All-Portage Trail Conference

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD 2024 ALL-PORTAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Jacarie Corner, St. Thomas Aquinas     COACH OF THE YEAR Larry Bailey, Rootstown     FIRST TEAM Jacarie Corner, St. Thomas, Aquinas, freshman Deuane Earley, Warren JFK, junior Gianni Damicone, Rootstown, junior Jason Garvin, Mogadore, freshman Gavin Bertka, Southeast, senior […]

Baseball: OHSAA state tournament pairings and schedule

2024 Baseball State Tournament Pairings Home team listed first. All games at Canal Park, Akron. All games on the NFHS Network and the OHSAA Radio Network. Pairings shown with final state rank by Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association. Division II Parma Padua Franciscan vs. No. 6 Hamilton Badin, Friday, June 7, 10 a.m. Wintersville […]

Garfield’s Hunt wins three state championships, Streetsboro’s Sobie wins two

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Saturday’s finals at the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s state championships turned into a special day for Garfield’s Conner Hunt and Streetsboro’s Milena Sobie. Hunt won the state championships in the Seated Division in the 100, 400 and 800. Sobie, a senior, won the state championships in the […]

Track and Field: 2024 OHSAA state championship roundup

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Mogadore girls 4×200 relay team came as close to winning a state championship as you could ever train for. The group of Julie Tompkins, Brook McIntyre, Katie Lane and Ari Tompkins finished as runners-up in the Division III race, losing to Coldwater by seven-hundreths of a second. The […]

Portage County Bowling Scoreboard (June 2, 2024)

PORTAGE COUNTY BOWLING SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, JUNE 2, 2024   LEAGUES KUMERLEE DOUBLES: Lou Drouhard 205, Thomas Prater 662, Michelle Prater 158, Robin Wade 440. PERFECT FIT SUMMER TRIO: Bradley Woodrum 300, Bob Smolko 992, Lisa Osborne 248-549. SUMMER FUN TRIO: Fred Endres 275-667, Robin Farquhar 104-525. HAV-A-BALL 9 PIN: Men: Jon Marshall 300-810, Women: Abby […]

Par for the Course: Portage Sports tourney announces cash prize

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Golfers and teams competing in the Portage Sports Four-Person Scramble on June 29 at Sunny Hill Golf Course will have the opportunity to take advantage of the skills offered by talented Portage County athletes and win a $500 cash prize awarded to the champion team. Registration is $300 per […]

Home Run Derby champions crowned in Ravenna

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Home runs took center stage in Ravenna on Saturday, with the high school baseball program’s annual derby that showcased multiple age divisions from youth to alumni. Sparked by Ravens varsity head coach Lee Lovejoy, the annual event pulls in players of all ages in a fun-filled afternoon. In […]

Boys Tennis: 2024 All-Metro Athletic Conference

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TENNIS 2024 ALL-METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Lucas Foote, Norton     COACH OF THE YEAR Phil Seenes, Norton     FIRST TEAM Lucas Foote, Norton, junior Ivan Vasich, Coventry, sophomore Jackson Davis, Norton, senior Parker Upton, Woodridge, junior Dhevan Sivapatham, Cloverleaf, senior Zach Pickett, Norton, junior Luke Martell, Norton, […]

Youth Baseball and Softball Scoreboard: Thursday, May 30, 2024

YOUTH BASEBALL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2024 10U DIVISION SUFFIELD CHARGERS 12, ROOTSTOWN 5 Top Pitchers: (S) David Paul Duma, Jace Bachus, Ben Dussel. Top Hitters: (S) Ben Dussel, triple, two singles, four RBI; Jace Bachus, triple; Jackson Buso, double, three RBI. 11U DIVISION GARFIELD 17, NEWTON FALLS 5 Top Pitchers: (G) Thompson, 4 strikeouts; […]

Rootstown’s McIntyre earns All-Ohio status in discus, shot put

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Brooklynn McIntyre had a special day on Thursday. The Rootstown senior earned All-Ohio status in a pair of Division III events at the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s state championship track and field event in Dayton. McIntyre qualified for a berth at the state finals in both the discus […]

Baseball: 2024 All-Metro Athletic Conference

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL 2024 ALL-METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE     PLAYER OF THE YEAR Grady Eader, Field     PITCHER OF THE YEAR Landon Homan, Field     COACH OF THE YEAR Joe Peterson, Field     FIRST TEAM Grady Eader, Field, junior Landon Homan, Field, junior Landon Moritz, Coventry, junior James Evans, Ravenna, junior Jack […]

Softball: 2024 All-Metro Athletic Conference

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL 2024 ALL-METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE     PLAYER OF THE YEAR Destiny Ruggiero, Springfield     PITCHER OF THE YEAR Maddie Burge, Field     COACH OF THE YEAR Beth Dyer, Field     FIRST TEAM Destiny Ruggiero, Springfield, senior Maddie Burge, Field, junior Abagale Gray, Cloverleaf, junior Madison Burkhart, Coventry, senior Ava […]

Track and Field: 2024 OHSAA State Championships Preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Portage County will be well represented at the OHSAA’s state championship meet in Dayton. The three-day event begins on Thursday and will continue on Friday before closing on Saturday. Here is a complete list of all of the state qualifiers from all three divisions: Division I State Qualifiers: https://milesplit.live/meets/568366 […]

Girls Track and Field: 2024 All-Metro Athletic Conference

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD 2024 ALL-METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE     TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Riley Evans, Cloverleaf     FIELD EVENT ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Morgan Hallet, Norton     COACH OF THE YEAR Garth Gucker, Cloverleaf     FIRST TEAM Shot Put: Morgan Hallet, Norton, senior Discus: Morgan Hallet, Norton, senior […]

Boys Track and Field: 2024 All-Metro Athletic Conference

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD 2024 ALL-METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Garrett Tiller, Streetsboro     FIELD EVENT ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Robert Melzer, Ravenna Trevor Dixon, Field     COACH OF THE YEAR Scott Mercer, Woodridge     FIRST TEAM Shot Put: Robert Melzer, Ravenna, junior Discus: Camden Radeschi, Field, […]

2001 Crestwood High School softball

The 2001 Crestwood High School softball team were champions of the Portage County League. The team finished with a 26-3 overall record and were 13-1 in the PCL. The team included Kelly Bukas, Michelle Penney, Stephanie Moore, Lindsey Harper, Amy Iamarrino, Sherry Murdock, Amber Murdock, Kaitlyn Guyette, Brittany Vanderink, Danielle Robine, Leanne VanAuken and Amanda […]

Longtime Field softball assistant Bob Bauer makes profound impact

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Field softball team doesn’t go anywhere without Coach B’s bucket. A gift from standout alumni Megan Schmidt, the white bucket acts as Bob Bauer’s perch, where he calls pitches for the Falcons’ staff while sitting as close to home plate as possible. The bucket is decorated with a […]

Youth Baseball and Softball Scoreboard: Sunday, May 26, 2024

YOUTH SOFTBALL SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2024 10U DIVISION SUFFIELD (GEIGER) 9, SUFFIELD FALCONS 7 Top Pitchers: (S) Sophia Uminski, 15 strikeouts; (SF) Tegan Lightfoot, 15 strikeouts. Top Hitters: (S) Nellie Dunlap, double, two runs; Izzy Confer, double, two RBI; Eliana Reagan, single, two runs. (SF) Lizzy Daves, single, two RBI; Aria Meyers, RBI; Lilly […]

Softball: OHSAA State Tournament pairings and schedule

2024 Softball State Tournament Pairings Home team listed first. All games at Firestone Stadium, Akron. Pairings shown with final state rank by Ohio Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association. Division IV No. 1 Strasburg-Franklin (28-3) vs. No. 2 Minster (29-1), Thursday, May 30, 10 a.m. No. 8 Viena Mathews (23-8) vs. Monroeville (23-6), Thursday, May 30, 12:30 […]

Par for the Course: Juniors compete at Northern Ohio PGA event in Ashland

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Ashland Golf Club in Ashland hosted the first of several 36-hole junior events hosted by the Northern Ohio PGA. Juniors receive recognition for their place overall as well as in age divisions. In the Girls 11-19 age division, Gracyn Vidovic of Aurora fired a 5-over-par for 36 holes […]

Aurora’s Barner returns home before start of NFL career

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Before officially making his home out west in Seattle, AJ Barner found time to come back to first home in Aurora. The Greenmen football alumni, who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks after a national-championship season with the University of […]

Track and Field: 2024 OHSAA state championship qualifiers

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD 2024 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS FIELD Lucas Pollard, junior, 300 hurdles, 39.18 seconds, 3rd place at Youngstown Regional Trevor Dixon, sophomore, 6-5, 1st at Youngstown Regional Trevor Dixon, sophomore, 21-1.75, 3rd at Youngstown Regional 4×800 Relay (Evan Pruszynski, Billy Silk, Lucas Pollard, Sean Silk), 8:00.06, 5th at Youngstown Regional (at-large […]

Boys Lacrosse: Southeast still alive in postseason during breakout year

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Southeast High School boys lacrosse team is still alive in the regional tournament. The Pirates topped Aurora and will play against Hunting Valley University School, the No. 1 seed in the regional tournament, on Thursday at 6 p.m. Karl Mesaros, coach of the Pirates, is looking forward to […]

Youth Baseball Scoreboard: Tuesday, May 21, 2024

YOUTH BASEBALL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2024 COACH PITCH 1 SUFFIELD FALCONS 16, LAKE 7 Top Hitters: (S) Luka Blake, two singles, double; Leo Budd, four singles, RBI; Rhett Appleby, four singles, RBI; Leo Moore, four singles; Johnny Meyers, three singles, double, three RBI; Colton Delp, four singles, two RBI; Weston Aronhalt, four singles, two […]

Abilities Week takes center stage at Southeast

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   For the second year in a row, Southeast hosted an Abilities Week that expanded to a district-wide event this year and closed with an inclusive basketball game. The opportunity to showcase Abilities Week across the entire district was led by the coordination of Christina Hemberger, who is a […]

Track and Field: Portage County’s regional qualifiers

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Here is a list of high school boys and girls track and field regional qualifiers from Portage County, along with their event, result and placement at the district meet.     AURORA BOYS Andrew Snyder, high jump, 11-6, 4th place Leo Sesuraj, long jump, 21-1, 2nd place Jaxson […]

Bowling Scoreboard: Sunday, May 19, 2024

PORTAGE COUNTY BOWLING SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024 LEAGUES PERFECT FIT SUMMER TRIO: Derrick Simon 278, Jolson French 969, Marissa Perrine 258-919. KUMERLEE DOUBLES: Larry Stout 242, Ray Weinman 621, Liz Hickman 166, Michelle Prater 483. PERFECT FIT TRIO SPRING: Jason Kalbaugh 300, Ron Elwood 945, Zoe Bevilacqua 225-753. HAV-A-BAL 9 PIN: Men _ Vince […]

Par for the Course: Russ aces No. 10 at Paradise Lakes

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Josh Russ of Rootstown scored his first ace playing at Paradise Lake Golf Club in Suffield in the Friday Night League. Russ took a score of one on the card for the tough 10th hole, traveling the 144 yards to the cup over the water on the par 3 […]

Track and Field: Updated Event Leaderboard (May 17)

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD 2024 PORTAGE COUNTY LEADERS RUNNING EVENTS 4X800 RELAY Field (B. Silk, S. Silk, Shutty, Pruszynkski), 8:11.0 Streetsboro (Ivory, Tiller, Puleo, Hodge), 8:19.38 Aurora, 8:55.78 Crestwood, 9:06.6 Kent Roosevelt, 9:08.96 Rootstown (Fillmore, Baughman, Burrell, Reuting), 9:09.2 Garfield, 9:31.15 110 HURDLES Aiden Rodstrom, Rootstown, 15.10 Logan Border, Field, 15.17 Lucas Pollard, […]

Baseball and Softball: Updated Statistical Leaders (May 17)

2024 HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS HITTING BATTING AVERAGE Jack Eye, Windham .686 Jake Eyerman, Crestwood .571 Jayden Coffie, Streetsboro .565 Austin Biggin, Rootstown .537 Colin Hensley, Aurora .500 Nate Muncy, Southeast .481 Grady Eader, Field .472 Eric Geddes, Garfield .468 Alex Carter, Garfield .452 Scott Wilson, Streetsboro .451 Brett Epple, Streetsboro .447 Mav Wood, […]

Youth Baseball Scoreboard: Thursday, May 16, 2024

YOUTH BASEBALL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2024 COACH PITCH SUFFIELD FALCONS 21, LAKE 14 Top Hitters: (S) Luka Blake, three singles, RBI; Rhett Appleby, single, double, two RBI; Leo Moore, single, two doubles, RBI; Johnny Meyers, two singles, RBI; Colton Delp, three singles, double, two RBI; Weston Aronhalt, four singles, two RBI; Easton Knapp, three […]

OHSAA member schools vote approval for six referendums

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Ohio High School Athletic Association member schools passed all six proposed revisions to the OHSAA Constitution and Bylaws in votes that were made public by the athletic organization on Thursday. Each member school has one vote for each of the referendums and the vote is officially casted by […]

1965 Ravenna Rams JV youth football

The 1965 Ravenna Rams youth football team and cheerleaders. The football team photo includes: Front row left to right: John Nottingham, Brant Shearer, Tom Ayers, John Hairston, Bill Smith, Russ Svoboda, Brent Bolyard, Tom Tortorella, Dan Heasley, Paul Lansky, Dennis Smith, Ken Yonker. Second row left to right: John Jordan, Ralph Swartout, Jim Coll, Dave […]

Ravenna ESPYS celebrate school’s great athletes, moments, memories

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Ravenna High School athletic department hosted its 9th annual ESPYs event on Tuesday. The event was initiated by Ravenna social studies teacher and boys soccer coach Matt Wunderle in 2016 as a regal and exciting replacement to the school’s annual Letterwinner’s Dinner. Tuesday’s prestigious and formal-dress event captured […]

Southeast baseball celebrates program resurgence in 2024

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Baseball has been a bit different for the Southeast Pirates this spring. Different from last year. Different than the last six seasons, actually. It was back in 2017 when the Pirates celebrated its last season above .500. That season’s group finished with a 10-7 overall record and were […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, May 14, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2024 SOFTBALL BEREA DIVISION III DISTRICT SEMIFINAL COLUMBIANA 7, ROOTSTOWN 1 (At South Range) ROOTSTOWN 000-000-1—1-3-2 COLUMBIANA 100-321-X—7-7-0 Batteries: Krieger and Hammerschmidt. Gamble and Perkins. WP — Gamble (12 strikeouts). LP — Kreiger (7 strikeouts). Top Hitters: (R) Silveus, single, run; K. Hammerschmidt, single; Thomas, single.     MACEDONIA […]

Track and Field: Metro Athletic Conference Championships results

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2024 TEAM STANDINGS 1. Woodridge 158; 2. Field 131; 3. Cloverleaf 92; 4. Streetsboro 81.5; 5. Ravenna 62; 6. Norton 56.5; 7. Coventry 25; 8. Springfield 14. INDIVIDUAL RESULTS RUNNING EVENTS 4×800 RELAY (7:53.84) — 1. Woodridge (Griffiths, Jansen, McAllister, Su); 2. […]

Track and Field: PTC Championships results

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD PORTAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2024 TEAM STANDINGS  1. Rootstown 121; 2. Mogadore 100; 3. Warren JFK 90; 4. Southeast 89; 5. Lake Center Christian 57; 6. St. Thomas Aquinas 31. INDIVIDUAL RESULTS RUNNING EVENTS 4×800 RELAY (8:57.72) — 1. Rootstown (B. Fillmore, Baughman, Burrell, Reuting); 2. […]

Youth Baseball Scoreboard: Monday, May 13, 2024

YOUTH BASEBALL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, MAY 13, 2024 COACH PITCH 2 SUFFIELD FEARLESS FALCONS 8, SPRINGFIELD 7 Top Hitters: (SFF) Nickson Sexton, single, double, run; Luke Smith, two singles, two runs; Leland Zappie, two singles, double, three runs; Zach Peters, three doubles, five RBI, two runs; Weston Trainer, double, single, two RBI.     11U DIVISION […]

Track and Field Report: A season of bad weather opens to a run toward the postseason

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The start of the 2024 track and field season was filled with a lot of rain and cold weather. Far from peak running conditions. However, track runners in Northeast Ohio are ready for anything. Teams continued to train for league meets in late April and May’s race toward […]

Youth Softball Scoreboard: Monday, May 13, 2024

YOUTH SOFTBALL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, MAY 13, 2024 10U DIVISION SUFFIELD 13, MOGADORE WILDCATS 9 Top Pitchers: (M) Zoey Straight, 6 strikeouts. Top Hitters: (M) Keira Francis, single, two RBI; Haleigh Rambler, single; Harper Walker, single; Josie Fournier, single.     SUFFIELD FALCONS 15, ROOTSTOWN HOT SHOTS 11 Top Pitchers: (S) Carly Nader, 5 strikeouts; Tegan […]

Softball: Final OHSFSCA State Poll (May 13)

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL FASTPITCH SOFTBALL COACHES ASSOCAITION FINAL STATE POLL MONDAY, MAY 13, 2024 DIVISION I Rank, School, Points Walsh Jesuit, 119 Watkins Memorial, 117 Anthony Wayne, 97 Austintown Fitch, 94 Lancaster, 72 Hilliard Bradley, 61 Centerville, 44 Perrysburg, 36 Lebanon, 28 Holland Springgieldf, 23 DIVISION II Canfield, 110 Granville, 84 Kenton […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, May 13, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, MAY 13, 2024 BASEBALL LOUISVILLE DIVISION II SECTIONAL SEMIFINAL SALEM 2, KENT ROOSEVELT 1 (At Salem) ROOSEVELT 000-001-0—1-2-1 SALEM 000-100-1—2-8-2 Batteries: Page and Schromm. Rhodes and Burt. WP — Rhodes (9 strikeouts). LP — Page (6 strikeouts). Top Hitters: (KR) Smith, single; Haney, single; Spears, run.     MASSILLON DIVISION III […]

A mission fulfilled: Jackie Peterson lived, sacrificed to provide for her son Joe

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Up the stadium bleachers he ran. With a football in his hand. His cleats click-clacking on each board. The football game was not over yet, but the game could wait. Something far more important had hit his heart. He had to find his mom. Joe Peterson had just […]

Par for the Course: Current, former Kent State golfers celebrate success

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Northern Ohio PGA started its junior series of tournaments at Trumbull Country Club in Warren. Gracyn Vidovic, of Aurora, an OHSAA state qualifier for the Greenmen in 2024, earned a third-place victory in the girls 16-to-19 age division. Vidovic fired a 2-over-par on the tough fairways at Trumbull […]

Boys Tennis: Aurora’s Cannata advances to district tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Vincent Cannata qualified for the OHSAA’s Division I boys tennis district tournament. Cannata worked his way through the individual bracket on Friday at Solon to finish third, among the top-four players advancing to the next level. “He played great,” said his coach, and father, Vincent Cannata. When the tourney […]

Portage County Bowing Scoreboard (May 12)

PORTAGE COUNTY LEAGUE SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2024   PERFECT FIT TRIO: Ron Elwood 279, Joey Hanlin 279-1,022, Zoe Bevilacqua 268-865. KUMMERLEE DOUBLES: Rudy Jones 257, Ray Weinman 654, Robin Wise 172, Michelle Prater 493. HAV-A-BALL 9 PIN: Men—Jon Marshall 300-844, Jon Morrison & Kevin Zolgus 300; Women _ Brooklyn Horner 234-678; Boys _ Lucian […]

Softball: 8th annual Gold Glove Award winners

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor As important as a batter that hits for power and average, having a player star on the defensive side of the field is a luxury that coaches wish they could share across all nine positions. These are the players that make the difficult plays look easy. The players that […]

Baseball and Softball: Updated statistical leaders (May 10)

2024 HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS HITTING BATTING AVERAGE Jack Eye, Windham .689 Jake Eyerman, Crestwood .571 Austin Biggin, Rootstown .522 Eric Geddes, Garfield .492 Nate Muncy, Southeast .481 Grady Eader, Field .472 Alex Carter, Garfield .466 Scott Wilson, Streetsboro .451 Brett Epple, Streetsboro .447 Mav Wood, Southeast .447 Ethan Rinehart, Field .438 Caden Kolesar, […]

Baseball: 8th annual Gold Glove Award winners

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   As important as a batter is that hits for power and average, having a player star on the defensive side of the field is a luxury that coaches wish they could share across all nine positions. These are the players that make the difficult plays look easy. The […]

Youth Baseball Scoreboard: Wednesday, May 8, 2024

YOUTH BASEBALL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2024 COACH PITCH 2 SUFFIELD FALCONS 18, MOGADORE 7 Top Hitters: (S) Nickson Sexton, three singles, duble, four runs; Timmy Schlarb, three singles, three runs; Leland Zappie, two doubles, two singles, two RBI, three runs; Zach Peters, four singles, two RBI, two runs; Maddox Bashlor, four singles, two RBI, […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, May 8, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2024 SOFTBALL FIELD 14, RAVENNA 0 (At Field) RAVENNA 000-00—0-0-7 FIELD 614-3X—14-8-1 Batteries: K. Sterba and M. Sterba. Bey and Hindle. WP — Bey (8 strikeouts). LP — Sterba. Top Hitters: (F) Gressman, single, double; Bey, double; Pollard, double.     BASEBALL GARFIELD 10, CHALKER 0 (At Chalker) GARFIELD 601-111—10-6-1 […]

Softball: OHSFCA state poll (May 8)

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL FAST PITCH SOFTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE POLL WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2024 DIVISION I Rank, School, Points Watkins Memorial, 109 Walsh Jesuit, 107 Austintown Fitch, 85 Anthony Wayne, 81 Lancaster, 80 Hilliard Bradley, 49 Centerville, 37 Holland Springfield, 32 Lebanon, 29 Perrysburg, 23 DIVISION II Canfield, 109 Granville, 91 Kenton […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Aurora softball’s Sam Petrash

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Q: Hometown? A: Maple Heights, Ohio. Q: High school? A: St. Peter Chanel. Class of 1985. Played baseball. Q: College? A: University of Dayton. Class of 1989. Degree in business administration. Q: Current occupation? A: Project manager. Q: What inspired you to become a coach? A: The opportunity to […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, May 7, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, MAY 7, 2024 SOFTBALL AURORA 7, HIGHLAND 3 (At Highland) AURORA 203-200-0—7-7-1 HIGHLAND 101-001-0—3-7-1 Batteries: Metzger and Schechterman. Brewster and Riedy. WP — Metzger (6 strikeouts). LP — Brewster (6 strikeouts). Top Hitters: (A) Metzger, double, two RBI, run; Retton, home run, double, two singles, three RBI, two runs; Unverferth, two […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Windham baseball’s Jack Eye

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   One of the goals that drives Jack Eye is that he wants to be a better baseball player than his father. That is not the easiest goal to achieve considering his dad Jake Eye starred at Windham, then Ohio University, before being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in […]

OHSAA announces 2024-25 winter sports division alignments

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced its preliminary divisional breakdowns and regional-tournament representation for the 2024-25 winter sports tournaments on Monday. The OHSAA Board of Directors approved the new divisions and tournament representation for all winter sports except wrestling at its April board meeting, which included the previously […]

Youth Baseball Scoreboard: Monday, May 6, 2024

YOUTH BASEBALL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, MAY 6, 2024 COACH PITCH 1 SUFFIELD FALCONS 22, SPRINGFIELD 15 Top Hitters: (SF) Luka Blake, three singles, three RBI; Leo Mudd, two singles, double, RBI; Rhett Appleby, three singles, RBI; Leo Moore, two singles, double, two RBI; Johnny Meyers, four singles, RBI; Colton Delp, four singles, two RBI; Weston Aronhalt, […]

Indoor Soccer: Crunch, Invaders announce reunion event in Akron

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Canton Invaders and Cleveland Crunch have announced a 40-year reunion game that will be played on Saturday, May 25, at the Goodyear Hall in Akron. The event is being billed as a “Night of Soccer Legends.” The Invaders were formed in 1984 and at one point won five […]

Youth Softball Scoreboard: Monday, May 6, 2024

YOUTH SOFTBALL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, MAY 6, 2024 10U DIVISION MOGADORE WILDCATS 10, ROOTSTOWN FIREHOUSE 10 Top Pitchers: (M) Haleigh Rambler; Zoey Straight, 10 strikeouts. Top Hitters: (M) Harper Walker, single; Noah O’Karma, single; Charleigh Thiry, single. SUFFIELD BOWMAN 11, SUFFIELD FALCONS 9 Top Pitchers: (SB) Avery Bowman, 8 strikeouts. (SF) Tegan Lightfoot, two strikeouts; Carly […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, May 6, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, MAY 6, 2024 SOFTBALL ROOTSTOWN 3, WESTERN RESERVE 0 (At Rootstown) WESTERN RESERVE 000-000-0—0-4-2 ROOTSTOWN 000-210-X—3-5-1 Batteries: Krieger and Hammerschmidt. WP — Krieger (14 strikeouts). Top Hitters: (R) White, double, RBI; Krieger, single, run; Silveus, single, run; Thoams, run.     MANCHESTER 9, FIELD 5 (At Field) MANCHESTER 300-300-3—9-13-2 FIELD 000-320-0—5-8-1 […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, May 4, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2024 SOFTBALL AURORA 10, GREEN 2 (At Green) AURORA 231-112-0—10-15-0 GREEN 200-000-0—2-4-2 Batteries: Bohanan, Metzger (6) and Schechterman. Liszewski and Spada. WP — Bohanan. LP — Liszewski. Top Hitters: (A) Bohanan, triple, two singles, two RBI, run; Metzger, three doubles, two RBI, two runs; Schechterman, three doubles, two RBI, […]

Local Bowling League Scoreboard (May 5)

STRIKING A BALANCE SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, MAY 5, 2024 LEAGUES SUMMER FUN TRIO: Gavin Guy 279-727, Robin Farquhar 179, Corky Farquhar 494. HAV-A-BALL 9PIN: Adults _ Dale Hahn 278-803, Abby Smith 264-717; Youth _ Will Brown 254-602, Emily Morrison 232-598. PERFECT FIT TRIO: Joey Hardin 300-959, Zoe Bevilacqua 249-805. KUMERLEE DOUBLES: Thomas Prater 236, Ray Weinman […]

Par for the Course: Portage Sports Scramble Tournament introduces unique elements

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   PORTAGE SPORTS GOLF SCRAMBLE Tom Nader, Portage Sports publisher, announced the first Portage Sports Four-Person Scramble Tournament this week — scheduled for Sunny Hill Golf Course in Brimfield on Saturday, June 29. Registration is $300 per team ($75 per person) and will offer many traditional golf event competitions, including […]

Baseball and Softball: Updated Statistical Leaders (May 3)

2024 HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS HITTING BATTING AVERAGE Jack Eye, Windham .689 Jake Eyerman, Crestwood .571 Jayden Coffie, Streetsboro .565 Caden Kolesar, Field .512 Colin Hensley, Aurora .500 Scott Wilson, Streetsboro .481 Eric Geddes, Garfield .468 Alex Carter, Garfield .452 Caleb Miller, Southeast .450 Grady Eader, Field .432 Carter Little, Field .429 Josh Boldin, […]

Track and Field: Updated Event Leaderboards (May 3)

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD 2024 PORTAGE COUNTY LEADERS RUNNING EVENTS 4X800 RELAY Field (B. Silk, S. Silk, Shutty, Pruszynkski), 8:11.0 Streetsboro (Ivory, Tiller, Puleo, Hodge), 8:24.77 Aurora, 8:55.78 Crestwood, 9:06.6 Kent Roosevelt, 9:08.96 Rootstown (Fillmore, Baughman, Burrell, Reuting), 9:09.2 Garfield, 9:31.15 110 HURDLES Aiden Rodstrom, Rootstown, 15.10 Logan Border, Field, 15.17 Lucas Pollard, […]

Boys Tennis: Metro Athletic Conference Tournament results

BOYS TENNIS METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT (At Ravenna High School) TOURNAMENT STANDINGS: Norton 50, Cloverleaf 37, Woodridge 32, Ravenna 27, Field 26, Coventry 21. SEASON RECORD: Norton 10-0, Cloverleaf 7-3, Ravenna 4-6, Coventry 4-6, Woodridge 4-6, Field 0-10. FINAL OVERALL STANDINGS: 1. Norton, 2. Cloverleaf, 3. Woodridge, 4. Ravenna, 5. Coventry, 6. Field. FIRST SINGLES: […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, May 2, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, MAY 2, 2024 BASEBALL WATERLOO 8, RAVENNA 7 (At Waterloo) RAVENNA 211-020-1—7-10-7 WATERLOO 102-103-1—8-8-1 Batteries: Miller, Welling (6) and Fuller. Simons, Hurst (7) and Russell. WP — Simons (9 strikeouts). LP — Welling. Top Hitters: (R) Fuller, double, single, twoRBI; Jennings, two singles, three runs; Hysell, isingle, two RBI, run; Eldredge, […]

Mogadore graduate Hope Murphy’s decorated college career now includes prestigious BW honor

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Hope Murphy’s college running career that has been filled with accolades earned one more. As prestigious as they come, too. Murphy, a 2021 Mogadore High School graduate, was named the 2023-24 Baldwin Wallace Women’s Senior Athlete of the Year. Murphy, a senior majoring in hospitality and tourism management […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, May 1, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2024 BASEBALL KENT ROOSEVELT 6, HIGHLAND 5 (At Kent Roosevelt) HIGHLAND 020-300-0—5-10-1 ROOSEVELT 010-230-X—6-8-2 Batteries: Myser, Cope (4), Ganda (6) and Toth. Page and Schromm. WP — Page (3-3). LP — Myser. Top Hitters: (KR) Schromm, double, RBI, three runs; Smith, single, two runs; Estep, double, run; Baggetta, two […]

Track provides life of happiness for Rootstown coach Rodstrom

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   A few weeks ago, Kyle Rodstrom saw an interesting statistic flash across his television screen. In the totality of an athlete’s life, sports competition, on average, will only account for 3 percent of their lives. The purpose of the stat was to offer perspective that a person’s impact […]

1949 Deerfield High School basketball

Portage Sports reader Laura Lindberg shared this great photo of the 1949 Deerfield High School boys basketball team from the Deerfield Historical Society. Many of the player identifications are missing, but Laura shared that No. 10 is her father Jesse Carver, while No. 33 is Paul Richey and No. 55 is Gale Diehl. Laura said, […]

OHSAA announces preliminary fall sports divisions

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced its preliminary divisional breakdowns and regional tournament representation on Tuesday for the upcoming fall sports season. The announcement came after the OHSAA Board of Directors approved the new divisions and tournament representation last week during its April board meeting, which included […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Waterloo baseball’s Jeremy Randles

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know” is a regular Portage Sports feature created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to become tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Waterloo High School baseball head coach Jeremy Randles, who is in his second season leading the […]

Youth Baseball Scoreboard: Tuesday, April 30, 2024

YOUTH BASEBALL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2024 COACH PITCH 2 GARRETTSVILLE GOLD 11, GARRETTSVILLE GOLDEN EAGLES 10 Top Hitters: (GE) Grayson Allen, three singles, three RBI; Tucker Norton, four singles, RBI; Lucas Nieves, four singles; Landon Wade, three singles, two RBI. (GG) Isiah Paes, double, two RBI. Defensive Standout: (GE) Grayson Allen.     GARRETTSVILLE […]

Youth Softball Scoreboard: Tuesday, April 30, 2024

YOUTH SOFTBALL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2024 COACH PITCH 2 SUFFIELD STORM 12, SUFFIELD HOT SHOTS 2 Top Hitters: (SS) Aurora Stutzman, two singles, home run, three RBI. (SH) Harper Ilg, three singles, RBI. 10U DIVISION SOUTHINGTON 9, CRESTWOOD DIAMOND DEVILS 9 Top Pitchers: (S) Adalynn Presley. Top Hitters: (S) Myra Miranda, single; Annaleigh Kren, […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, April 30, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2024 BASEBALL WINDHAM 20, SOUTHINGTON CHALKER 1 (At Chalker) WINDHAM 252-0(11)—20-13-1 CHALKER 001-00—1-1-4 Batteries: Eye and McCune. WP — Eye (11 strikeouts). Top Hitters: (W) Eye, two doubles, two singles, four RBI, three runs; Ridenbaugh, three singles, two RBI, two runs; McCune, two singles, three RBI, four runs; King, […]

Softball: OHSFSCA state poll (April 30)

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL FASTPITCH SOFTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE POLL TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2024   DIVISION I Rank, School, Points Watkins Memorial, 122 Walsh Jesuit, 106 Anthony Wayne, 94 Lancaster, 89 Austintown Fitch, 80 Hilliard Bradley, 55 Holland Springfield, 39 Lebanon, 31 Amherst Steele, 20 Centerville, 19 DIVISION II Canfield, 109 Granville, 90 […]

Baseball: OHSBCA state poll (April 30)

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE POLL TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2024   DIVISION I Rank, School, Points, Record Archbishop Moeller, 280, 18-0 Mason, 219, 17-3 Olentangy  Berlin, 190, 17-3 Springboro, 182, 12-1 Grove City, 157, 16-3 Olentangy Orange, 134, 15-3 North Royalton, 58, 14-3 Pickerington Central, 56-15-2 Kettering  Fairmont, 54, 16-3 […]

‘Pirates on the Move’ community group enjoys Southeast’s new track

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   At the opening ceremonies for the new Southeast High School track last week, Superintendent Bob Dunn announced the track would be open to the community to use when athletes at the high school were not using it for competition or practice. “The community was instrumental in helping Southeast build […]

Red, White and Bowl raises scholarship money for Northern Ohio Folds of Honor

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer Spins Bowl in Kent welcomed the first Red, White and Bowl sponsored by the Northern Ohio Folds of Honor to raise scholarship funds for the families of fallen military and first responders. The evening was filled with families from northern Ohio supporting the organization, while enjoying three hours of bowling, […]

Kent Roosevelt’s 17th annual David Starkey Classic set for this weekend

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   For the 17th season, the Kent Roosevelt High School baseball team will host the David Starkey Memorial Baseball Classic. Games are schedule to begin this weekend and will be played in honor of Starkey, who graduated from Roosevelt in 1991 and was a standout member of the Rough […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, April 29, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2024 BASEBALL STREETSBORO 11, NORTON 0 (At Streetsboro) NORTON 000-00—0-4-3 STREETSBORO 121-7X—11-8-3 Batteries: Lewis, Williams (3), Saffel (4) and Senderak. Pincoe and Epple. WP — Pincoe. LP — Lewis. Top Hitters: (S) Boldin, home run, four RBI, run; Pincoe, two singles, two runs; Batten, triple, two singles, three RBI, […]

Striking a Balance: White’s Senior Doubles League concludes season

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   White’s Senior Doubles concluded their season with an awards ceremony to honor high scores and champions. The league had three 300 games in the final half: Fred Endres, Tabitha Schlupe and Jack Steele. Honored for most improved average was: Barbie Hamric 129 to 138 and Jack Steele 183 to […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, April 27, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024 SOFTBALL GAME ONE FIELD 12, LAKE 2 (At Lake) FIELD 054-003—12-13-2 LAKE 000-101—2-9-6 Batteries: Gressman and Hindel. Ury, Greathouse (4) and Dutton. WP — Gressman. LP — Ury. Top Hitters: (F) Gressman, two doubles; Sutkowy, three singles; Ulrich, two singles, Rahe, two singles, home run. (L) Barr, home […]

Par for the Course: Kent State women’s golf wins 25th straight MAC Tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   PORTAGE COUNTY SENIOR AMATEUR Once played in conjunction with the Portage County Amateur, the Senior Portage County Amateur split into a stand-alone tournament in 2011 as the field for both tournaments grew. Holding two separate tournaments also allowed golfers who loved the competition to compete in both the Amateur […]

Aurora graduate AJ Barner drafted by Seattle Seahawks

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Aurora High School graduate AJ Barner, who won a national championship at the University of Michigan this past season, was drafted in the fourth round (121st overall pick) of the NFL Draft on Saturday by the Seattle Seahawks. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound tight end began his college career at Indiana […]

Streetsboro grad Mike Hall drafted by Cleveland Browns

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor It was only four short years ago that Michael Hall Jr. was terrorizing quarterbacks across Portage County. Now, after a successful career at Ohio State University, the 6-foot-3, 290-pound defensive lineman, is a member of the NFL. Better yet, he received the opportunity to stay home. The Cleveland Browns […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, April 26, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024 SOFTBALL WOODRIDGE 10, RAVENNA 7 (At Ravenna) WOODRIDGE 104-104-0-10-14-1 RAVENNA 120-012-1—7-17-1 Batteries: Not reported.     FIELD 12, NORTON 1 (At Norton) FIELD 130-206—12-14-3 NORTON 000-100—1-7-5 Batteries: Burge and Weis. Mullet, Messed (2) and Drener. WP — Burge. LP — Mullet. Top Hitters: (F) Burge, sigle, double, home […]

Boys Tennis: Aurora finishes as runner-up at Suburban League Tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer The Aurora boys tennis team earned the runner-up spot in the Suburban Boys Tennis League Tournament hosted by Highland High School on Friday in Medina. The Greenmen’s Vincent Cannata proved his top seed was well earned, as he worked his way through the bracket and ultimately defeated Luke Butcher, of […]

Football: OHSAA announces divisional assignments for 2024

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced its divisional breakdowns and regional assignments on Thursday for the upcoming 2024 high school football season. The OHSAA places the largest 70 schools in the state in Division I, then divides all the reamining schools as equally as possible into Divisions […]

Baseball and Softball: Updated Statistical Leaders (April 26)

2024 HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS   HITTING BATTING AVERAGE Jack Eye, Windham .692 Jake Eyerman, Crestwood .571 Jayden Coffie, Streetsboro .565 Caden Kolesar, Field .512 Colin Hensley, Aurora .500 Scott Wilson, Streetsboro .481 Eric Geddes, Garfield .441 Grady Eader, Field .432 Nate Muncy, Southeast .429 Ronnie Skye, Mogadore .429 Carter Little, Field .429 Josh […]

Track and Field: Updated Event Leaderboard (April 26)

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD 2024 PORTAGE COUNTY LEADERS RUNNING EVENTS 4X800 RELAY Streetsboro (Ivory, Tiller, Puleo, Hodge), 8:24.77 Field, 8:32.14 Aurora, 8:55.78 Crestwood, 9:06.6 Kent Roosevelt, 9:08.96 Rootstown, 9:09.2 Garfield, 9:31.15 110 HURDLES Aiden Rodstrom, Rootstown; Logan Border, Field, 15.20 Lucas Pollard, Field, 15.4 James Durham, Crestwood, 16.12 Micah Sheller, Kent Roosevelt, 16.64 […]

Youth Baseball Scoreboard: Thursday, April 25, 2024

YOUTH BASEBALL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024 COACH PITCH 1 SUFFIELD FALCONS 16, SUFFIELD SLUGGERS 0 Top Hitters: (SF) Easton Knapp, three singles, double, two RBI; Leo Moore, two singles, two doubles, four RBI; Colton Delp, single, RBI; Cyrus Waldeck, two singles, triple; Kayson McGlothlin, single; Johnny Meyers, three singles, three RBI; Luka Blake, two […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, April 25, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2024 BASEBALL MOGADORE 9, STREETSBORO 7 (At Streetsboro) MOGADORE 320-301-0—9-10-2 STREETSBORO 000-007-0—7-7-1 Batteries: (M) Thiry, Smith (5), Constantine (7) and Hopkins. Epple, Pollock (3) and not reported. WP — Smith. LP — Epple. Top Hitters: (M) Constantine, double, two singles, three RBI, three runs; Buso, triple, single, three RBI, […]

1957 Windham High School football

A two-page spread from the 1957 Windham High School yearbook that was shared on a Windham alumni Facebook page. Shown are all of the Bombers’ senior lettermen from the 1957 season. The Bombers finished the 1957 season with a record of 6-0-1. Here is a look at the week-by-week results: Week 1: Ravenna Township, 32-13 […]

Coached by Dean Olson, Ohio Girls Wrestling Club was ahead of its time 20 years ago

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Dean Olson has watched the rise of girls wrestling with a smile, but also without surprise. “It has been unbelievable to see,” he said. Twenty years ago, Olson was at the forefront of the sport in Portage County. At a time when it still would catch spectators off […]

Southeast formally cuts ribbon on new all-weather track

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The opening ceremony for the new Southeast Local Schools’ all-weather track hit all the right notes as school officials, board members, community members and a who’s who in the Portage County track community gathered to help the Pirates celebrate on Tuesday. The band was in the bleachers to play […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, April 23, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2024 BASEBALL FIELD 15, STREETSBORO 6 (At Streetsboro) FIELD 020-430-6—15-13-0 STREETSBORO 110-000-4—6-11-4 Batteries: Homan, Kolesar (7) and Rinehart. Batten, Wilson (5), Pollock (5), Atkin (6), Coffie (6) and Epple. WP — Homan. LP — Batten. Top Hitters: (F) Clapp, single, three RBI; run; Eader, two singles, two RBI, two […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Roosevelt softball coach Luke Darrah

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know” is a regular Portage Sports feature created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to become tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Kent Roosevelt High School softball coach Luke Darrah, who is in his sixth season leading the […]

Softball: OHSFSCA state poll (April 23)

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL FASTPITCH SOFTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE POLL TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2024 DIVISION I Rank, School, Points Watkins Memorial, 124 Anthony Wayne, 107 Lancaster, 90 Walsh Jesuit, 85 Austintown Fitch, 74 Holland Springfield, 46 Hilliard Bradley, 43 Lebanon, 40 Amherst Steele, Brecksville-Broadview Heights, 22 DIVISION II Canfield, 115 Granville, 98 Unioto, […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Field softball’s Maddie Burge

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Maddie Burge is forever ready to do whatever it takes for the Field softball team. A year removed from battling through a season of injuries, Burge has re-established herself as the team’s pitching ace at the perfect time for her Falcons. After a 13-win freshman season as the program’s […]

Baseball: OHSBCA state poll (April 22)

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE POLL MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2024   DIVISION I Rank, Team, Points, Record Archbishop Moeller, 250, 10-0 Mason, 218, 11-1 Olentangy Orange, 181, 10-1 Olentangy Berlin 156, 13-2 North Royalton, 118, 12-1 Grove City, 93, 12-3 Springboro, 64, 13-1 University School, 45, 10-1 Kettering Fairmont, 32, […]

Ravenna’s Joe Callihan resigns as football coach

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Ravenna High School football head coach Joe Callihan announced his resignation from the position last week. The 2023 season was Callihan’s second leading the Ravens. He posted a 6-14 overall record, with back-to-back 3-7 records the previous two seasons. The Ravens were 4-10 in conference play and split the […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, April 22, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2024 BASEBALL ST. JOHN’S 13, WINDHAM 1 (At St. John’s) WINDHAM 000-100-0—1-3-4 ST. JOHN’S 517-0X—13-12-0 Batteries: King, Hopper (4) and McCune, Cales. Wychok and Seuerino, Hernandez. WP — Wychok. LP — King. Top Hitters: (W) Eye, double, single, run; Paolella, single; Cody, RBI. (SJ) Campbell, double, single, three RBI, […]

Column: A rush of nostalgic summer baseball memories

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Many have memories that can transport them back to the baseball or softball diamond. Each spring, it is easy for those memories to come rushing back with a wave of nostalgia. The smell of the cut crass. The gritty feel of the dirt. The popping sound of the […]

Youth Baseball Scoreboard: Sunday, April 21, 2024

YOUTH BASEBALL SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2024 COACH PITCH 2 GARRETTSVILLE GOLDEN EAGLES 12, JACKSON-MILTON 11 Top Hitters: (G) Grayson Allen, four singles and four RBI; Landon Wade, three singles and RBI; Rowdy Pridemore, three singles, double and three RBI; Eli Rusch, four singles and three RBI; Tucker Norton, four singles. Defensive Standouts: (G) Rowdy […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, April 20, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024 BASEBALL SATURDAY WEST LAKE 8, AURORA 1 (At West Lake) AURORA 000-001-0—1-6-1 WEST LAKE 110-042-X—8-9-0 Batteries: Bonnett, Cifani (2), Kilway (6) and not reported. Not reported. WP — n/a. LP — Bonnett. Top Hitters: (A) Pfiffner, two singles; Hach, single, RBI, run; Embrescia, single; Hensley, single; Larrance, single. […]

Par for the Course: 94 years of Portage County golf history tees off in July

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It’s the one that started it all. The Portage County Amateur has been a part of the golf landscape since 1930. The Amateur was the original tournament, but now has expanded to include stand-alone tournaments for seniors, juniors and kids and includes divisions for women as well, reflecting the […]

Bowling Scoreboard: Sunday, April 21, 2024

BOWLING SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2024 ADULT LEAGUES WHITE’S THURSDAY SENIOR TRIOT: Troy Allison 256, Fred Endres 697, Larry Stout 207, Raymond Weinman 600, Patti Andrews 188, Tabitha Schlupe 651, Pam Perry 185, Robin Wise 496. PERFECT FIT TRIO: Joey Hardan 279-891, James Bender 267-928, Alex Rudolph 252, Bob Szarka 852, Zoe Bevilacqua 223-740, Laura […]

Crestwood spotlights five at College Signing Day celebration

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Crestwood High School recognized five seniors on its College Signing Day on Friday morning in the school library. Volleyball’s Zoe Babnik and Jazmyn Stevens, boys basketball’s Charlie Schweickert, softball’s Bella Hunter and track and field’s Lilly O’Bryant were all part of the special event. All five signed their official […]

Track and Field: Updated Event Leaderboards (April 19)

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD 2024 PORTAGE COUNTY LEADERS RUNNING EVENTS 4X800 RELAY Field, 8:32.14 Aurora, 8:55.78 Crestwood, 9:06.6 Kent Roosevelt, 9:08.96 Rootstown, 9:09.2 Garfield, 9:31.15 110 HURDLES Aiden Rodstrom, Rootstown, 15.20 Lucas Pollard, Field, 16.01 James Durham, Crestwood, 16.12 Logan Border, Field, 16.13 Micah Sheller, Kent Roosevelt, 16.64 Anthony Schwind, Mogadore, 17.11 Derek […]

Baseball and Softball: Updated Statistical Leaders (April 19)

2024 HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS HITTING BATTING AVERAGE Mav Wood, Southeast .750 Jayden Coffie, Streetsboro .688 Cohen Richardson, Southeast .667 Brandyn Bogucki, Garfield .600 Jake Eyerman, Crestwood .571 Braden Craft, Streetsboro .571 Scott Wilson, Streetsboro .550 Caden Kolesar, Field .531 Colin Hensley, Aurora .500 Caleb Miller, Southeast .500 Logan West, Southeast .500 Carter Oyster, […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, April 18, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2024 BASEBALL GARFIELD 13, STRUTHERS 2 (At Newton Falls) GARFIELD 221-125—13-13-0 STRUTHERS 100-010—2-7-2 Batteries: Carter and Pesicek. Carnahan, Pastella (3), Moore (6) and McMurray. WP — Carter. LP — Carnahan. Top Hitters: (G) Geddes, double, single, three RBI, two runs; Hill, double, three singles, four RBI; Carter, two singles, […]

Women’s Basketball: Kent State gives contract extension to Starkey

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Kent State University announced on Thursday that it extended the contract of women’s basketball coach Todd Starkey through the 2029-30 season. Starkey just recently completed his eighth season with the Golden Flashes, and he has posted seven winning seasons, earned five postseason berths and won more than 20 games […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, April 17, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2024 BASEBALL BRISTOL 10, WINDHAM 2 (At Bristol) WINDHAM 101-000-0–2-2-4 BRISTOL 213-004-X—10-12-1 Batteries: Paolella, King (3) and McCune. Picke, Miller (2) and Swagsr, Musson. WP — Picke. LP — Paolella. Top Hitters: (W) Paolella, two singles; Eye, RBI; McCune, two runs; King, RBI. (B) Picke, double, two singles, two […]

Rootstown hires Tom Hannan as new football coach

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Rootstown has turned to one of Portage County’s all-time winningest coaches to take over the high school’s football program. Tom Hannan was board approved on Wednesday to become the next coach of the Rovers, taking over for Chris Knopick, who resigned after three seasons leading the program. Knopick […]

Softball: OHSFSCA state poll (April 16)

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE POLL TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2024 DIVISION I Rank, School, Points Lancaster, 106 Watkins Memorial, 87 Anthony Wayne, 84 Walsh Jesuit, 77 Austintown Fitch, 72 Holland Springfield, 58 Amherst Steele, 54 Centerville, 53 Lebanon, 39 Hilliard Bradley, 37 DIVISION II Canfield, 103 Granville, 70 Unioto, 64 Indian Lake, 54 Jonathan […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, April 16, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2024 BASEBALL STREETSBORO 4, WOODRIDGE 1 (At Woodridge) STREETSBORO 010-011-1—4-8-1 WOODRIDGE 000-000-1—1-3-2 Batteries: Craft, Batten (7) and Epple. Heisler, Johnston (7) and Anderson. WP — Craft. LP — Heisler. Top Hitters: (S) Wilson, single, run, RBI; Batten, home run, RBI, run; Coffie, double, RBI. (W) Duffy, single, run; Iglegeart, […]

Sarchione Garrettsville Chevrolet’s Getting to Know: Streetsboro track coach Rob Kidd

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor “Getting to Know” is a regular Portage Sports feature created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Streetsboro High School track and field coach Rob Kidd, who is in his sixth season leading the […]

Crestwood track and field coaching legend Don Faix

For the 19th year, the Crestwood High School track and field program hosted its annual invitational to honor legendary and respected coach Don Faix, who died in 2001 after an illustrious career with the Red Devils. Faix is a member of both the Ohio Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Halls of Fame, as […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Garfield baseball’s Eric Geddes

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   One of the most alluring tags a Major League Baseball prospect can receive is being identified as a five-tool player. The stamp is used to describe a rare player that is exceptional at all five of the important physical tools of the game: Speed, throwing, fielding, hitting for […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, April 15, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, APRIL 15, 2024 BASEBALL LAKE CENTER CHRISTIAN 10, SOUTHEAST 2 (At Southeast) LAKE CENTER 012-230-2—10-6-1 SOUTHEAST 000-001-1—2-3-5 Batteries: Maninga, Shelly (7) and Smilek. Muncy, Muccino (5) and Blankenship. WP — Maninga (3-0). LP — Muncy. Top Hitters: (LCC) Tanner Norman, two doubles, two RBI; Harrison Coblentz, two singles.     RAVENNA […]

Column: An All-Star sized thank you

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   After a few days to reflect on the first Portage Sports High School Basketball All-Star games, I felt it was important to revisit the night to address a few things that helped turn the night into success. It was an amazing night, the stars were shining bright and […]

Baseball: OHSBCA state poll (April 15)

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE POLL MONDAY, APRIL 15, 2024     DIVISION I Rank, School, Points, Record Archbishop Moeller, 299, 11-0 Mason, 268, 11-1 Oletangy Orange, 219, 10-0 North Royalton, 180, 9-1 Grove City, 111, 9-3 Butler, 75, 9-3 Lancaster, 67, 9-1 […]

Par for the Course: Junior golfers will take center stage in July

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It is a busy three days for junior golfers with the 10th Kids Am at Sunny Hill on July 21 and the 18th Matt Mishler Junior Portage County Amateur set for July 22-23. The Junior Am tees off at Windmill Lakes in Ravenna on July 22 with girls and […]

Bowling Scoreboard: Saturday, April 13, 2024

BOWLING SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 2024 ADULT LEAGUES WHITE’S SENIOR DOUBLES: Larry Stout 265-555, Mario Laramee 225-650, Robin Wise 201-526, Betsy Mako 183-491. PERFECT FIT TRIO: Troy Allison 269, Bob Szarka 267-950, Alen Rudolph 920, James Bender 259, Joey Hardin 876, Zoe Bevilacqua 231-807. WHITE’S SENIOR TRIO: Tom Walker 263, Fred Endres 725, Raymond Weinman […]

Track and Field: Updated event leaderboard (April 12)

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD 2024 PORTAGE COUNTY LEADERS RUNNING EVENTS 4X800 RELAY Field, 8:32.14 Aurora, 8:55.78 Crestwood, 9:06.6 Kent Roosevelt, 9:08.96 Rootstown, 9:09.2 Garfield, 9:31.15 110 HURDLES Aiden Rodstrom, Rootstown, 15.55 Lucas Pollard, Field, 16.01 James Durham, Crestwood, 16.12 Logan Border, Field, 16.13 Micah Sheller, Kent Roosevelt, 16.64 Anthony Schwind, Mogadore, 17.11 Derek […]

Baseball and Softball: Updated statistical leaders (April 12)

2024 HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS HITTING BATTING AVERAGE Jayden Coffie, Streetsboro .889 Mav Wood, Southeast .750 Cohen Richardson, Southeast .667 Jack Pincoe, Streetsboro .667 Scott Wilson, Streetsboro .667 Caden Kolesar, Field .571 Jake Eyerman, Crestwood .571 Braden Craft, Streetsboro .571 Colin Hensley, Aurora .500 Caleb Miller, Southeast .500 Kayden Smith, Field .500 Logan West, […]

Basketball: Portage Sports All-Star Games feature thrilling finishes

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Portage Sports High School Basketball All-Star Games filled Ravenna High School’s James Coll Gymnasium with energy on Wednesday night. In the inaugural edition of the games, both the boys and girls contests came down to the final seconds. For the girls, it was Team South that defeated […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, April 10, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL 2024 PORTAGE SPORTS ALL-STAR GAME TEAM SOUTH 85, TEAM NORTH 84 (James Coll Gymnasium, Ravenna) TEAM SOUTH (85) — Jackson Eichler 2 0-0 4; Corey Lehner 4 0-0 9; Garrett Sprutte 12 3-4 28; Cameron Mahone 4 2-2 10; Layne Miller 4 0-0 10; Manny Smith […]

Portage Sports All-Star Basketball Games tip off tonight (April 10)

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The first Portage Sports All-Star basketball games will tip off tonight (Wednesday, April 10) at Ravenna High School. This will be the first public event for Portage Sports, and I am excited to bring it to everyone. Both the boys and girls basketball games will be hosted at Ravenna […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Garfield baseball’s Mike Paes

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know” is a regular Portage Sports feature created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Garfield High School baseball coach Mike Paes, who is in his 10th season leading the G-Men. […]

OHSAA member schools to vote on six referendums

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Ohio High School Athletic Association member schools will vote on six proposed changes to the organization’s bylaws during the annual referendum voting period, which lasts from May 1 to May 15. The results of those votes will be formally announced by the OHSAA on May 16. For any […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, April 9, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2024 BASEBALL FIELD 9, NORTON 8 (At Norton) FIELD 004-210-2—9-10-2 NORTON 242-000-0—8-9-1 Batteries: (F) Yutzy, Kolesar (3) and Rinehart. (N) Mattei, DeDomenic (3), Lewis (4), Meyer (7) and Fuller. WP — Kolesar. LP — Lewis. Top Hitters: (F) Rinehart, four singles, four RBI; Kolesar, double, two runs; McAmis, single, […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Aurora softball’s McKennah Metzger

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   There is a lot of pressure on a softball pitcher. And it is easy to feel it. Inside the circle, with every pitch, the spotlight is on. With each pitch, a new wave of emotion, pressure and accountability. As physically demanding as the position is, there is a […]

Baseball: OHSBCA state poll (April 8)

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE POLL MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2024     DIVISION I Rank, School, Points, Record Archbishop Moeller, 278, 7-0 Jackson, 206, 6-1 Mason, 194, 7-1 Grove City, 123, 6-2 North Royalton, 116, 6-0 Sylvania Northview, 80, 5-0 Springboro, 62, 5-0 Troy, 61, 7-2 Butler 57, 6-1 North […]

Track and Field: 19th annual Don Faix Invitational Scoreboard

HIGH SCHOOL TRACK AND FIELD SCOREBOARD MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2024 BOYS CRESTWOOD 19th ANNUAL DON FAIX INVITATIONAL (At Bridget Franek Track, Crestwood High School, Mantua) TEAM STANDINGS  1. Field 129; 2. Aurora 89; 3. Ravenna 57; 4. Painesville Harvey 54; 5. Orange 56; 6. Cuyahoga Falls 39; 7. Garfield 36; 8. Kent Roosevelt 35; 9. […]

High School Scoreboard: Sunday, April 7, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2024 BASEBALL KENT ROOSEVELT 5, CUYAHOGA FALLS 0 (At Kent Roosevelt) CUYAHOGA FALLS 000-000-0—0-2-0 KENT ROOSEVELT 000-131-X—5-6-1 Batteries: (CF) Glenny, Weirs (5), Smith (6) and not reported. (KR) Page and Schromm. WP — Page (2-1). LP — Glenny (0-1). Top Hitters: (CF) Eggleton, single; Watson, single. (KR) Maccarone, double, […]

Par for the Course: All four Portage County Amateurs return in 2024

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Mark your calendars for the annual Portage County Amateurs, four tournaments that welcome golfers from preschool to seniors at Portage County area golf courses. First on the calendar is the 10th Kids Amateur on July 21 at Sunny Hill Golf Course in Brimfield. The popular event welcomes more than […]

Striking a Balance: Bowling Scoreboard

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer     BOWLING LEAGUE SCOREBOARD WHITE’S SENIOR DOUBLES LEAGUE Men: Jack Steele 300-659, Fred Endres 269-734, Mario Laramee 255-685, Jerry Losh 239-570, John Roberts 214-560, Don Morrow 211-607. Women: Tabitha Schlupe 235-672, Cathy Lisic 208-665, Patti Andrews 198-459, Betsy Mako 194-491, Pam Fife 193, Jane Roop 192-481. GARDEN SPOT: Sean […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, April 6, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 2024 BOYS TENNIS WEDNESDAY COVENTRY 2, FIELD 2 (At Field) First Singles — Ivan Vasich (C) def. Kaden Schrader; Second Singles — Andrew Naugle (C) def. Mason Long; Third Singles — Field by default; First Doubles — Kyle Lamp/Vincent Tie (C) def. Bryce Cannon/Walter Siegfried, postponed due to weather; […]

OHSAA expands 7-on-7 football opportunities

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Ohio High School Athletic Association has announced that football 7-on-7 competition is now permitted at any time prior to and after the football season, other than the 28-day no-contact period immediately after the season. Previously, 7-on-7 competition was not permitted until May 15. Full practice and hitting are […]

Northeast Ohio Baseball/Softball in need of umpires

The NEO Umpires organization is currently seeking anyone interested in becoming an umpire for local youth baseball and softball teams this spring. Games range from ages 6 to 15 years old. The pay ranges from $50 to $60 per game, which are approximately 2 hours long. The Northeast Ohio Baseball and Softball league includes 324 […]

Golf simulator donated to Windham in honor of Pete Bennett

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Pete Bennett had a special childhood in Windham. It is where he fell in love with the game of golf. A love that persisted throughout his life. All the way until his death on Aug. 10, just months after winning a local tournament, at the age of 74. “Pete […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, April 4, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2024 BOYS TRACK AND FIELD ROOTSTOWN 72, CRESTWOOD 55 ROOTSTOWN 102, COLUMBIA 22 CRESTWOOD 78, COLUMBIA 44 (At Rootstown) FIELD EVENTS Shot Put — 1. Siglow (R) 42-7; 2. Doering (C) 40-10.5. Discus — 1. Doering (C) 124-8; 2. Damicone (R) 123-4.5. High Jump — 1. Wurm (C) 5-6; […]

Baseball and Softball: Updated Statistical Leaders (April 5)

2024 HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS   HITTING BATTING AVERAGE Mav Wood, Southeast .750 Cohen Richardson, Southeast .667 Kayden Smith, Field .571 Caden Kolesar, Field .571 Colin Hensley, Aurora .500 Caleb Miller, Southeast .500 Logan West, Southeast .500 Carter Oyster, Southeast .500 Caleb Brastine, Field .500     HITS Mav Wood, Southeast 6 Colin Hensley, […]

Waterloo’s Kaira English perseveres through knee surgery, recovery

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   In many ways, senior seasons are supposed to be filled with celebrations, crowning moments and goodbyes. For Waterloo’s Kaira English, her goodbye came sooner than expected. And it shaped a senior season that was considerably different than she could have expected. Absent of soccer. Absent of basketball. One […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Aurora baseball’s Trent Dalton

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know” is a regular Portage Sports feature created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Aurora High School baseball coach Trent Dalton, who is in his third season leading the Greenmen. […]

1950 Rootstown High School football: Brothers on the gridiron

The 1950 Rootstown High School football team featured five different sets of brothers on its roster. They included: • Clarence and Harley Hogue • Bob and Roger Ward • Jim and Ronnie Staley • George and Merrill King • Don and Richard Cheatwood In an article that was published by the Record-Courier following the end […]

Baseball: OHSBCA State Poll (April 1)

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE POLL MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2024     DIVISION I Rank, School, Points, Record Archbishop Moeller, 257, 4-0 Jackson, 202, 5-0 Mason, 199, 5-1 Olentangy Berlin, 83, 3-0 Marysville, Sylvania Northview, 79, 5-0 — Olentangy Liberty, 66, 3-1 Hoban, 65, 2-0 Pickerington North, 59, 4-0 Grove […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, March 30, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2024 GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD SATURDAY NEWTON FALLS TIGER INVITATIONAL (At Newton Falls) TOP THREE TEAM SCORES  1. West Branch 162; 2. Field 124; 3. Western Reserve 51 FIRST-PLACE FINISHERS (Field only) RUNNING EVENTS 400 Meters — 1. Raegan Slusser, 1:05.9 800 Meters — 1. Maddie Adams, 2:42 FIELD […]

Boys and Girls Lacrosse: Southeast 2024 Season Previews

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer Lacrosse is often found at Division I and private schools as they compete as a OHSAA sport. However, the sport has found a home at Southeast High School, with the boys competing for the past 11 years and the girls in only their third season. SOUTHEAST BOYS LACROSSE 2024 SEASON […]

Fun Masters-style event caps off Pirates Play Golf youth program

  By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Pirates Play Golf, the after-school program that teaches youth the game of golf throughout the winter at Southeast Elementary School, recently concluded its second session with a Mini-Masters Tournament and presentation of awards. The young golfers proceeded through a series of skills, including putting and full swing, demonstrating […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, March 29, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2024 BASEBALL CHIPPEWA 11, RAVENNA 6 (At Ravenna) CHIPPEWA 410-032-1—11-10-X RAVENNA 010-140-0—6-9-X Batteries: (C) Oyler, Hegarty (5) and Warner. (R) Hysell, Jennings (5) and Fuller. Top Hitters: (C) James Evans, two singles, RBI. (R) Connor Welling, double, two singles, three RBI; Jeriah Miller, two singles, two runs.     […]

Crestwood awarded Portage Sports Golden Basketball Trophy

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Portage Sports Golden Basketball Trophy for the 2023-24 season was presented to Crestwood High School on Thursday afternoon by Portage Sports owner Tom Nader. Nader delivered the trophy to Crestwood, and its “Crestwood Crazies” student section, at a pep assembly that was coordinated by the Red Devils. The […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, March 28, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, MARDCH 28, 2024 SOFTBALL ROOTSTOWN 9, PAINTSVILLE 2 (At Rootstown) PAINTSVILLE 001-001-0—2-2-0 ROOTSTOWN 001-143-X—9-11-2 Batteries: (P) Music and Webb. (R) Krieger and Hammerschmidt. WP — Krieger (1-0, 15 strikeouts). LP — Music. Top Hitters: (R) Krieger, home run, triple, single, two RBI, two runs; White, two singles, two RBI, two runs; […]

Boys Basketball: Division I-II All-Ohio teams

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Division I and Division II high school boys basketball All-Ohio teams. The teams are selected through a voting process coordinated by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association.     DIVISION I  Player of the Year: Marcus Johnson, Garfield Heights Coach of the Year: Anthony Calo, Lewis Center Olentangy […]

2024 High School Girls Track and Field Previews

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Portage County high school girls track and field previews for the 2024 season.     AURORA Head Coach: Greg Cicero, 24th year (2nd at Aurora). Coaching Staff: Mark Dingman, Megan Watt, Alexus Loze, David Kindall, Tom Nalepa, Jenna Schadle, Brendan Gallagher. 2023 Record: 3-1 dual meets, 3rd place […]

2024 High School Boys Track and Field Previews

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Portage County high school boys track and field previews for the 2024 season. AURORA Head Coach: Chris Radtke, 8th year. Coaching Staff: Greg Cicero, Mark Dingman, Brendan Gallagher, Dave Kindall, Alexus Loze, Tom Nalepa, Jenna Schadle, Megan Watt. 2023 Record: 3-1 Suburban League American Conference, 4th at Suburban League […]

Boys Basketball: Division III-IV All-Ohio

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Division III and Division IV high school boys basketball All-Ohio teams. The teams are selected through a voting process coordinated by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association.     DIVISION III Players of the Year: Colin White, Ottawa-Glandorf; Jesse McCulloch, Cleveland Heights Lutheran East Coach of the Year: […]

2024 High School Softball Season Previews

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Portage County high school softball team previews for the 2024 season.     AURORA Head Coach: Sam Petrash, 7th year, 84-38 career record. Coaching Staff: Rob Kennedy, Sarah Ross, Jerry Gattozzi, Glenn Galang, Cayla Mazzola. 2023 Record: 23-5 overall, 13-1 Suburban League American Conference. Returning Letterwinners (11): Madeline […]

Boys Bowling: Rootstown’s Miller wins Singles State Championship

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer Rootstown junior Justin Miller traveled to Columbus to compete in the State Singles 11th Grade Championships that were hosted at HP Lanes on Sunday. Miller started his competition with qualifying games of 221, 255, 168, 246 and 215 for an 1,105 score total, which was good for runner-up in qualifying. […]

Boys Tennis: 2024 Aurora Greenmen season preview

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   A season preview for the 2024 season for the Aurora High School boys tennis team.     AURORA Head Coach: Vincent Cannata, 2nd year, 17-4 career record. 2023 Highlight: Vincent Cannata, a senior this season, advanced to the district tournament as a junior. 2024 Season Outlook: Coach Cannata is […]

2024 High School Baseball Season Previews

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Portage County high school baseball team previews for the 2024 season. AURORA Head Coach: Trent Dalton, 3rd season, 31-16 career record. Coaching Staff: Jake Knapp, John Scott, Alan Krontz, Collin Witherspoon, Scott Williams. 2023 Record: 17-9 overall, 11-3 Suburban League American Conference. Returning Lettermen (12): Dominic Trivisonno, sr.; Nate […]

Girls Basketball: Division I-II All-Ohio

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Division I and Division II high school girls basketball All-Ohio teams. The teams were selected through a voting process coordinated by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association.     DIVISION I Player of the Year: Berry Wallace, Pickerington Central Coach of the Year: Demarris Winters, Lyndhurst Brush First […]

Crestwood to re-dedicate Memorial Fieldhouse to honor four KIA in Vietnam

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Tim Benner wants his community to remember. Worried that history would be lost in time, the Crestwood High School graduate (Class of 1975) stepped forward to remind the school board that the district’s field house was originally dedicated as a memorial to four boys that died serving our […]

Rootstown, Southeast compete at NAQT state championships

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The NAQT’s small school state championships were hosted in Upper Sandusky this past weekend, including competition between 32 teams from 25 different schools from 21 counties. Here is a peek at the local results (with a special thank you to Greg Bossick for helping share information): SOUTHEAST 4-5 […]

2005 Rootstown High School boys soccer

The 2005 Rootstown High School boys soccer team were champions of the Portage Trail Conference. The Rovers finished the season with an overall record of 11-2-5. The team included: Front row left to right: Travis Nader, Brad Luli, Mike Weigand, Sam Ebie, Ben Rizzo, Kevin Varner, Neil Luketic. Second row: Brady Riemenscheider, Matt Langston, Erik […]

Girls Basketball: Division III-IV All-Ohio

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Division III and Division IV high school girls basketball All-Ohio teams. The teams were selected through a voting process coordinated by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association.     DIVISION III Player of the Year: Kamryn Grant, Columbus Africentric Coach of the Year: Rocky Houston, LaGrange Keystone First […]

Wrestling: 2023-24 All-Portage Trail Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The 2023-24 All-Portage Trail Conference wrestling team. WRESTLERS OF THE YEAR Tristan McKibben, Rootstown Mia Gaetjens, Mogadore COACH OF THE YEAR Anthony Anderson, Rootstown FIRST TEAM 106 pounds: Mason King, Rootstown, sophomore 113: Alex Ely, Rootstown, sophomore 120: Will McEwuen, Rootstown, senior 126: Dominic Kemble, Southeast, sophomore 132: Nate […]

Striking a Balance: Endres, Schlupe sit atop doubles leaderboard

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Fred Endres and Tabitha Schlupe were again at the top of the men’s and women’s leaderboards in the White’s Senior Doubles League. Endres rolled a nice 265 on his way to a 657 series, while Schlupe led all women, rolling a 224 high game and 629 high series. Ed […]

Folds of Honor bowling event coming to Kent to raise scholarship money

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer Families bowling for an outstanding cause. That’s the goal of the first Red, White and Bowl scheduled for Spins Bowl in Kent on April 27 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sponsored by the Northern Ohio Folds of Honor, the event raises money to provide life-saving educational scholarships to the spouses […]

Mogadore Madness: Basketball card scavenger hunt brings excitement to hallways

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor March Madness has found its way to Mogadore. Or, at least, a form of it has. Introduced by English teacher and girls basketball coach Jennifer Ritch, a March Madness Scavenger Hunt has taken over the hallways of Mogadore’s school building. Designed to bring a little bit of fun to […]

1977 Ravenna Rams “A” Farm Team

The 1977 Ravenna Rams youth football “A” Farm Team included: First row left to right: Manager D. Samaco, J. Gauding, S. Berry, D. Elkins, J. Leigh, S. Emery, T. Mendleson, M. White, L. Rutter, manager T. Emery. Second row left to right: F. Samaco, M. Sangston, J. Costello, P. Williams, T. Miller, T. Moore, J. […]

Column: Mogadore’s McIntyre shows what it means to care

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor With only seconds remaining and the game’s outcome determined, Mogadore girls basketball head coach Jennifer Ritch seized the opportunity to give her starters, especially her seniors, a fitting, deserved and deliberate exit moment. An opportunity to specifically recognize their careers and improbable season of success that was continually threatened […]

Roosevelt notes program progress in year two under coach Black

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Kent Roosevelt boys basketball coach Curtis Black has a direction he wants to take the program. His players are moving in the same direction. As a coach, there may not be a better feeling. Black recently completed his second season as the leader of the Rough Riders’ program. […]

Girls Bowling: 2023-24 All-Portage Trail Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The 2023-24 All-Portage Trail Conference girls basketball team.   BOWLER OF THE YEAR Natalie Hammerschmidt, Rootstown, senior     COACH OF THE YEAR Andy Day, Rootstown     FIRST TEAM Natalie Hammerschmidt, Rootstown, senior Payton Curall, Rootstown, senior Emma Day, Rootstown, junior Elli Campbell, Rootstown, senior Maggie Frick, […]

Boys Bowling: 2023-24 All-Portage Trail Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The 2023-24 All-Portage Trail Conference boys bowling team.   BOWLER OF THE YEAR Justin Miller, Rootstown     COACH OF THE YEAR Thom Butcher, Rootstown     FIRST TEAM Justin Miller, Rootstown, junior Nick Moorhead, Rootstown, junior Anthony Cambareri, Rootstown, junior Caleb Stevens, Rootstown, sophomore Sean Boveington, Rootstown, […]

Basketball: Portage Sports proudly announces All-Star Games

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Portage Sports is proud to announce the first Portage Sports High School Basketball All-Star Games! When: Wednesday, April 10, 2024 Time: 5:45 p.m. girls; 7 p.m. boys Where: Ravenna High School Cost: $3 preorder (Venmo @PortageSports); $5 day of; All kids 10 and under are free Who: South vs. North […]

Girls Basketball: Portage wins WTCBCA All-Star Game vs. Summit

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Women’s Tri-County Basketball Coaches Association hosted its annual high school girls basketball All-Star Game on Monday at Norton High School. The Portage All-Stars defeated the Summit All-Stars by a final score of 68-56. The two teams battled relatively even throughout the entire game, but it was the second […]

Girls Bowling: 2023-24 All-Metro Athletic Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The 2023-24 All-Metro Conference girls bowling team.   BOWLER OF THE YEAR Melaena Martin, Springfield     COACHES OF THE YEAR Melinda Weakland, Springfield Mike Sayre, Norton     FIRST TEAM Melaena Martin, Springfield, junior Madalyn Mullet, Norton, junior Madison Knox, Springfield, sophomore Alannah Raffa, Ravenna, sophomore Emily […]

Boys Basketball: State Tournament Pairings

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor       The 2024 OHSAA high school boys basketball state-tournament pairings; All games are at the University of Dayton Arena. Home teams are listed first. Pairings are shown with current record and final Associated Press state rank, if applicable. Friday games will be broadcast on Spectrum Channel 314. […]

Boys Bowling: 2023-24 All-Metro Athletic Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The 2023-24 All-Metro Athletic Conference boys bowling team.   BOWLER OF THE YEAR Logan Calo, Norton     COACH OF THE YEAR Aaron Rose, Coventry     FIRST TEAM Logan Calo, Norton, senior Jacob Robinson, Norton, junior Wade Allen, Coventry, freshman Rylan Slusser, Springfield, freshman Connor Stevens, Streetsboro, […]

Striking a Balance: Madden, Morrison, Simon among youth bowling standouts

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Dominic Madden led the Spins Bowls Juniors League, tossing a 200 high game and a 527 high series. The girls high set was rolled by Emily Morrison, a 179-457. The youngest bowlers on the lanes are always happy when they find success with a strike, a spare or one […]

Girls Basketball: 2023-24 All-Portage Trail Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The 2023-24 All-Portage Trail Conference girls basketball team.   PLAYER OF THE YEAR Nadia Lough, Rootstown     COACH OF THE YEAR Joe Leonard, Rootstown     FIRST TEAM Nadia Lough, Rootstown, senior Colbie Curall, Rootstown, sophomore Ava Darney, Warren JFK, senior Brooklynn McIntyre, Rootstown, senior Didi Ryan, […]

Garfield’s champion: The story of Tyler Lutz’s fight against cancer

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The 1957 Chevy in Tyler Lutz’s garage has always been a labor of love. Found in a field about six years ago, it has been a piece of history that he has always gravitated to. The car is now stripped down to the bare metal and it is […]

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 All-Portage Trail Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The 2023-24 All-Portage Trail Conference boys basketball team. PLAYER OF THE YEAR Layne Miller, Mogadore, senior COACH OF THE YEAR Russ Swartz, Mogadore FIRST TEAM Layne Miller, Mogadore, senior Garrett Sprutte, Southeast, senior Nick Ryan, Warren JFK, junior Matt Warder, Lake Center Christian, senior Bronson Gilyard, St. Thomas Aquinas, […]

Basketball: Final 2023-24 Statistical Leaders

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2023-24 STATISTICAL LEADERS BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING Player, School Average Garrett Sprutte, Southeast 28.3 Dekota Johnson, Crestwood 20.4 Preston Gedeon, Garfield 20.2 Layne Miller, Mogadore 17.9 Carlos Bruton, Windham 17.6 Cooper Carnahan, Aurora 16.3 Cameron Mahone, Rootstown 15.4 Charlie Schweickert, Crestwood 14.0 Grady Eader, Field 13.3 Corey Lehner, Mogadore 13.0 Curtis Ross, Ravenna […]

Wrestling: 2023-24 All-Metro Athletic Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The 2023-24 All-Metro Athletic Conference wrestling team. WRESTLER OF THE YEAR Steven Duffy, Woodridge COACH OF THE YEAR Mark Mole, Cloverleaf FIRST TEAM 106 pounds: Jarreau Walker, Streetsboro, freshman 113: Aidan Carone, Streetsboro, senior 120: Logan Letner, Cloverleaf, sophomore 126: Anthony Sindelar, Streetsboro, sophomore 132: Omar Leon, Springfield, sophomore […]

Girls Basketball: 2023-24 All-Metro Athletic Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The 2023-24 All-Metro Athletic Conference girls basketball team.   PLAYER OF THE YEAR Naomi Benson, Streetsboro     COACHES OF THE YEAR Carl Singer, Streetsboro Brian Miller, Norton     FIRST TEAM Naomi Benson, Streetsboro, junior Andie Osolin, Norton, senior Delilah Rahe, Field, junior Cameron Hoover, Woodridge, senior […]

1966 Atwater High School cheerleaders

The 1966 Atwater High School are shown before the start of a basketball game, warming up in the hallway, and included (left to right) Barbara Twark, Dorothy Wiley, Nancy Combs, Mary Jo Muratore, Donna Weber. It was the last year for Atwater High School before it merged with Randolph High School to form Waterloo High […]

Waterloo boys basketball coach Jason Wise resigns

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Jason Wise has spent the last 30 years coaching basketball at Waterloo High School. On Tuesday, the longtime coach and Vikings graduate announced his resignation. Wise has spent the last 11 seasons as the program’s head coach. He has posted a career record of 137-131 and winning back-to-back […]

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 All-Metro Athletic Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The 2023-24 All-Metro Athletic Conference boys basketball team. PLAYER OF THE YEAR Luke Dobbins, Norton COACH OF THE YEAR BJ Sanderson, Norton FIRST TEAM Luke Dobbins, Norton, senior Anthony Ahern, Springfield, senior Logan Forbes, Cloverleaf, senior Buddy Willig, Norton, sophomore Reggie Edwards, Coventry, sophomore Evan Duve, Woodridge, senior Jack […]

Basketball: 2023-24 Northeast Inland All-District

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The 2024 Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association All-Northeast Inland District basketball teams honor the top players and coaches from parts of Stark, Summit, Portage, Medina, Wayne, Trumbull, Columbiana, Mahoning and Ashland counties. The teams are selected by a media panel from those areas.     BOYS BASKETBALL DIVISION I […]

Garfield two-time state champion Keegan Sell reflects on thrilling title

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Keegan Sell would not have wanted it any other way. Tie score. Eleven seconds remaining. State championship on the line. If you wanted to dream up a dramatic scenario, the Garfield senior standout’s 190-pound state-championship battle with Liberty Center’s Xander Myers had it all. Even late-match heroics. And […]

Wrestling: 2023-24 All-Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The 2023-24 All-Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference wrestling team.   WRESTLER OF THE YEAR Keegan Sell, Garfield     COACH OF THE YEAR Dan Andel, Garfield     FIRST TEAM 106 pounds: Camron Lewicki, Garfield 113 pounds: Luke Kaufman, Garfield 120 pounds: Jayden Scott, Jackson-Milton 126 pounds: Landon Andel, […]

Girls Basketball: 2023-24 All-Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The 2023-24 All-Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference girls basketball teams.   GREY DIVISION PLAYER OF THE YEAR Isabella Meyer, Champion     COACHES OF THE YEAR Mandy Rowe, LaBrae Mike Cole, Champion     FIRST TEAM Isabella Meyer, Champion, senior Kayla Haynie, Champion, senior Bailey Wellman, Brookfield, senior Luvrain […]

Chris Knopick announces resignation as Rootstown’s football coach

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Rootstown High School football head coach Chris Knopick announced his resignation on Monday. Knopick spent three years as the Rovers’ coach and posted a record of 21-12. After taking over the program in 2021, Knopick’s Rovers posted a 5-6 record. In 2022, the Rovers were 7-4 and Knopick led […]

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 All-Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The 2023-24 All-Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference boys basketball teams. SCARLET DIVISION PLAYER OF THE YEAR Jackson Eichler, Waterloo COACH OF THE YEAR DJ Aldish, Lowellville FIRST TEAM Gage Hawley, Waterloo, junior Michael Ballone, Lowellville, senior Michael Lucido, Lowellville, senior Ryen Romigh, Jackson-Milton, junior Sean Guerriero, Springfield, senior Dom Ricciardi, […]

Garfield’s Keegan Sell repeats as wrestling state champion

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   For the second consecutive year, Garfield’s Keegan Sell is a state champion. Sell concluded his remarkable season, which he posted an overall record of 54-1, with an 11-6 decision over Liberty Center’s Xander Myers on Sunday in a Division III, 190-pound state final. The win came in thrilling fashion, […]

High School Bowling Report: Season concludes, but excitement for next season already looms

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The OHSAA bowling season wrapped up this weekend with the Division I state tournament at H.P. Lanes in Columbus. It was an exciting season for Portage County teams, earning success at the sectional and district tournaments, with the Rootstown varsity girls, along with Rootstown’s Justin Miller and Garfield’s Sierra […]

Wrestling State Championships: Complete statewide tournament results

HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING OHSAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS   STATEWIDE RESULTS DIVISION I 1. St. Edward 226.5; 2. Perrysburg 137.5; 3. Mass. Perry 132.5; 4. Dub. Coffman 88.5; 5. Brecksville 77.5; 6. La Salle 67.0; Olen. Liberty 67.0; 8. Wadsworth 65.5; 9. Moeller 62.0; 10. Springboro 40.5; 11. Nordonia 37.0; 12. Med Highland 30.0; 13. Whitmer 29.5; […]

Girls Basketball: State semifinal tournament pairings

GIRLS BASKETBALL STATE SEMIFINAL TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS   All games at University of Dayton Arena. Home team listed first. Pairings shown with final Associated Press state rank. All games available at OHSAA.tv and on OHSAA Radio Network. Championship games televised by Spectrum News 1. State tournament coverage: https://www.ohsaa.org/Sports-Tournaments/Basketball-Girls/Girls-Basketball-2023-24/2024-Girls-Basketball-State-Tournament   Division IV No. 7 Loudonville (26-2) vs. […]

Boys Basketball: Regional semifinal tournament pairings

BOYS BASKETBALL REGIONAL SEMIFINAL TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS   Home team listed first. Division I southwest district championship games are Sunday, March 10. All boys basketball regional tournament games streamed live by the NFHS Network at www.NFHSNetwork.com. Log on and search ‘Ohio’ for listings. Brackets and tournament coverage at: https://www.ohsaa.org/Sports-Tournaments/Basketball-Boys/Boys-Basketball-2023-24/2024-Boys-Basketball-State-Tournament-Coverage   Division I Region 1 Akron Archbishop […]

1957-58 Rootstown High School wrestling

The 1957-58 Rootstown High School wrestling team included: Front row left to right: Bob Haley, Phil Reed, Frank Smith, Bill Messaros, Wayne Pratt, Paul James, Dale Pratt, Buddy Howel, Freddie Mehling. Back row left to right: Coach Clarence Boyle, Frank Mehling, Bill Slide, Dave Pratt, Gordon Hall, Bob Fair, Albert Farris, Jeff Eldridge, Charles Miley.

Striking a Balance: Spotlight on Perfect Fit Trio and Garden Spot leagues

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   For the first time in many weeks, a perfect game was not reported except for the casino leagues. But high scores and successful series were still the norm on the lanes. Many of the leagues are looking toward the end of the season and the start of spring and […]

Wrestling: State championships day two statewide results

HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING OHSAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS SATURDAY, MARCH 9 (At the Schottenstein Center, Columbus)     DIVISION I TEAM STANDINGS  1. St. Edward 198.5; 2. Perrysburg 109.5; 3. Massillon Perry 105.5; 4. Dublin Coffman 78.5; 5. Moeller 58; 6. Olentangy Liberty 51; 7. Wadsworth 50.5; 8. Brecksville 50; 9. La Salle 48; 10. Springboro 36.5; […]

Wrestling: State championships day one scoreboard

HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING OHSAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS FRIDAY, MARCH 8 (At The Schottenstein Center, Columbus) DIVISION I TEAM STANDINGS 1. St. Edward 39.5 2. Mass. Perry 34 3. Perrysburg 25.5 4. Brecksville 22 5. Dub. Coffman 20 6. Olen. Liberty 15 7. Mentor 14 8. Wadsworth 13.5 9. La Salle 13 10. Springboro 11.5 11. Moeller […]

Girls Basketball: Streetsboro’s historic season ends in regional-final loss to Laurel

  By Jim Smith Correspondent   The historic season for the Streetsboro girls basketball team ended in the Division II Region 5 title game on the Jack Greynolds floor in the Barberton High School gymnasium Friday night. The Laurel Gators halted the Rockets’ tournament experience with a 53-32 victory. “It was an amazing ride. This […]

Wrestling: 2024 state championships preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Ohio High School Athletic Association’s 87th annual wrestling state championships begins on Friday. In Portage County, 13 wrestlers qualified for the event, which will be hosted by Ohio State University at the Schottenstein Center. Rootstown leads the way with five state qualifiers, with Aurora producing the second-most […]

Determined resilience: The story of Mogadore girls wrestling standout Mia Gaetjens

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor A lot has certainly changed for Mia Gaetjens. So much so that she admits that the seventh grade version of herself would have no idea how to even react. “She would be so proud of me,” Gaetjens said. Now a senior, Gaetjens is in the midst of a historic […]

State qualifier Carver continues to pioneer female wrestling at Southeast

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Lauren Carver’s career has featured a series of firsts for female wrestling at Southeast. She is the program’s first pre-regional champion. The first regional champion. And first state qualifier. Carver, a senior, is actually now a two-time state qualifier and even still, she has been flying under the […]

Crestwood introduces ‘Dante’ as way to spark school spirit

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Holly Tayerle and Kim Krueger know what school spirit looks like. More specifically, as proud graduates, they know what Crestwood school spirit looks like. And they knew it was time to bring it back. “Our pep rallies had kind of fizzled out. The kids didn’t think they were […]

Girls Basketball: Rockets reach Elite Eight with thrilling comeback win

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The magic is not over for the Streetsboro girls basketball team. In fact, Tuesday may have been the most magical night yet. The Rockets’ historic season added another memorable moment with a thrilling, come-from-behind, 45-42 victory over St. Vincent-St. Mary on Tuesday in a Division II regional semifinal hosted […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, March 4, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL SCORES TOURNAMENT — DISTRICT SEMIFINALS Division III: Lutheran East 108, Southeast 43 Division IV: Dalton 57, Mogadore 46 (OT) Division IV: Warren JFK 81, Hillsdale 49     SCHEDULE MARCH 5 Division IV: No. 8 Lake Center Christian vs. No. 19 Elyria Open Door Christian, 7 […]

Aurora gymnast Hannah Salgado wins state championship on beam

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Aurora High School gymnast Hannah Salgado’s decorated career reached its pinnacle on Sunday. Salgado, a senior, won the state championship in the beam event. Her score of 9.725 not only bested the field for this year’s competition, but it bested the all-time field at the event, setting a […]

Girls Basketball: OHSAA regional tournament pairings

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Ohio High School Athletic Association’s high school girls basketball regional tournament pairings. The regional qualifiers are the final 64 teams remaining in the tournament overall, and inside each division, each team represents the “Sweet 16.” The state tournament will be held on March 14-16 at the University […]

Streetsboro girls basketball celebrate another first: A district title

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Streetsboro girls basketball team keeps adding to its season of firsts. Just two weeks ago, the Rockets celebrated the first league championship in program history. On Saturday, another celebration. The program’s first-ever district championship. Streetsboro earned the prestigious honor with a 49-36 victory over Norton in Division II […]

Wrestling: 2024 OHSAA state championship qualifiers

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Wrestlers that qualified for the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s state championship, which will be held at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus on March 8-10. Detailed state tournament information. DIVISION I AURORA Luke Green, 106 pounds, 2nd place Johnny Green, 113 pounds, 3rd place Drake Brasiel, 150 pounds, 4th […]

Youth Boys Basketball Scoreboard: Saturday, March 2, 2024

YOUTH BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2024 THIRD GRADE CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD BLACK 33, FIELD WHITE 3 Field Black — Cruz Sugg, 2 points; David Paul Duma, 8 points; Rylan Peterson, 23 points. Field White — Broderick Kline, 2 points; Abel Edsall, 1 point.     SEMIFINAL FIELD BLACK 37, KENT 15 Field Black — […]

Girls Bowling: Rootstown finishes 4th overall at Division II state championship

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It was a day to remember for the Rootstown Rovers’ girls bowling team. In their first trip to the OHSAA Division II State Championship in Columbus, the Rovers bowled their way to a top-four finish among the toughest teams in Ohio. “The girls fought all day,” said Andy Day, […]

Striking a Balance: USBC announces upcoming tournament schedule

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Amanda Kiss, Portage County USBC Association Manager, shared a look at the organization’s upcoming tournaments. On April 7, beginning at 1 p.m., Kent Lanes will host the annual Senior Memorial Tournament. April 13 will find the start of the Portage County USBC Open starting at 10 a.m. Then, the […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, March 2, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL SCORES TOURNAMENT — DISTRICT FINALS Division II: Streetsboro 49, Norton 36 Division II: Gilmour Academy 52, Aurora 39 Division IV: Loudonville 61, Mogadore 44 SCHEDULE TOURNAMENT — REGIONAL SEMIFINALS MARCH 5 Division II: Streetsboro vs. St. Vincent-St. Mary, 8:30 p.m., Barberton High School BOX SCORES STREETSBORO […]

Curtain falls on Mogadore’s season, but not before valiant effort vs. top-seeded Loudonville

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   At every turn this season, a new adversity was staring straight back at the Mogadore girls basketball team. And it started on the first night of the season. In the Cats’ opener, senior leader and scoring phenom Brook McIntyre, who had already eclipsed 1,000 points as a junior, […]

Crestwood’s historic season ends in sectional-final loss to Smithville

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor If only Crestwood could have bottled its offensive energy from the first 4 minutes of Friday’s sectional final. In those opening moments, the Devils’ offense was free flowing and junior Dekota Johnson was red-hot. The sharp-shooter buried his first four 3-pointers, with each one coming with a higher degree […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, March 1, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT SCORES — SECTIONAL FINALS Division II: Streetsboro 55, Marlington 47 Division II: Warrensville Heights 40, Woodridge 25 Division II: Coventry 42, Norton 38 Division III: Smithville 42, Crestwood 39 Division III: Southeast 58, Crestview 49 Division III: South Range 74, Garfield 46 Division IV: Mogadore […]

Boys Bowling: Rootstown’s Miller places 26th in Division II

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Rootstown’s Justin Miller advanced to the OHSAA’s Division II Boys Bowling State Championship and concluded his season in 26th place on Friday. The Rovers’ junior earned the spot among the 101 bowlers that qualified to the tournament as both individuals and on teams. Miller started his first game with […]

Wrestling: List of Portage County’s district qualifiers

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor A list of Portage County’s high-school wrestling district qualifiers. AURORA Luke Green, 106 pounds (sectional champion) Johnny Green, 113 pounds Nicholas Turba, 120 pounds Cole Munn, 126 pounds Michael Kennedy, 132 pounds Drake Brasiel, 150 pounds Cole Walton, 157 pounds Michael Wise, 175 pounds Austin Grossman, 190 pounds CRESTWOOD […]

Tompkins twins, McIntyre lead Wildcats with strong family bond

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The relationships between twin sisters Ari and Julie Tompkins and cousin Brook McIntyre are complicated. In a good way. The friendships are bookended on one side by love and on the other by an unbreakable bond — both of which are the types that only family members can […]

Basketball: Updated statistical leaders (March 1)

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2023-24 STATISTICAL LEADERS   BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING Player, School Average Garrett Sprutte, Southeast 28.1 Preston Gedeon, Garfield 19.9 Dekota Johnson, Crestwood 19.7 Layne Miller, Mogadore 18.4 Carlos Bruton, Windham 17.6 Cooper Carnahan, Aurora 16.3 Charlie Schweickert, Crestwood 14.8 Cameron Mahone, Rootstown 14.8 Grady Eader, Field 13.3 Corey Lehner, Mogadore 12.5 Curtis Ross, […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL SCORES TOURNAMENT — DISTRICT SEMIFINALS Division IV: Warren JFK 53, Cornerstone Christian 42 Division IV: Mogadore 51, Salineville Southern 41 Division III: Keystone 48, Rootstown 43 Division III: Chippewa 69, Southeast 26 Division II: Gilmour Academy 63, Crestwood 32 Division II: Aurora 39, Edgewood 29 Division […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Streetsboro girls basketball coach Carl Singer

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know” is a standard Portage Sports feature created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Streetsboro High School wrestling coach Carl Singer, who is in his ninth season leading the Rockets. […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, FEB. 27, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT — SECTIONAL SEMIFINALS SCORES Division II: Shaw 66, Ravenna 42 Division II: Woodrige 41, Salem 36 Division II: Norway 66, Field 25 Division II: Streetsboro 26, Cleveland Central Catholic 23 Division III: Garfield 55, Lakeview 44 Division III: Southeast 63, Beachwood 54 Division III: Perry […]

1986 Rootstown High School volleyball

Members of the 1986 Rootstown High School volleyball team pose underneath a spirit sign that was painted by the cheerleaders to support their classmates. The “WE BELIEVE” signage was hung inside the gymnasium, in various locations, throughout the 1980’s and into the late 1990’s.

Boys Basketball: Final Associated Press state poll (Feb. 26)

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL ASSOCIATED PRESS STATE POLL MONDAY, FEB. 26, 2024   The top-10 teams in the final Associated Press high school boys basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, followed by win-loss record and total points.   DIVISION I Cincinnati Moeller (7), 21-1, 108 Cleveland St. Ignatius (4), 19-3, 87 Garfield Heights, 21-1, […]

Portage Quizbowl League teams invited to national championships

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   A collection of Portage Quizbowl League teams have received a prestigious invitation by the NAQT (National Academic Quiz Tournament) to compete in national tournaments. The invitation was the result of team results throughout the regular season — and further invitations may be extended following the Portage Quizbowl League […]

Bowling: Streetsboro’s Stevens, Clark narrowly miss opportunity for state

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer The OHSAA Northeast Division I District bowling tournaments were held Sunday and Monday, with opportunities available to advance to the state tournament. Streetsboro had two individuals in the events, Connor Stevens and Kendall Clark. Clark, a sophomore, rolled games of 150-164-119 on her way to a 433 to miss qualifying […]

High School Bowling Report: Portage County sends two individuals, one team to state tourney

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   When the Northeast Division II District championship concluded at Rebman Lanes in Lorain, Portage County bowling fans had a lot to cheer about. One team and two individuals rolled their way into the top-four qualifiers and are now planning their excursions to the OHSAA Division II State Championship Bowling […]

Girls Basketball: All-Women’s Tri-County Basketball Coaches Association teams

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL ALL-WOMEN’S TRI-COUNTY COACHES ASSOCIATION TEAM DIVISION I PLAYER OF THE YEAR Anna Hurst, Stow COACHES OF THE YEAR Bob Podges, Stow Pam Davis, Hoban UNDERCLASSMEN OF THE YEAR Caitlyn Holmes, Ellet FIRST TEAM Jenna Slates, Green, junior Haley Hajdu, Revere, senior Olivia Klanac, Medina, junior Kennedy Morgan, Highland, sophomore Niera Stevens, […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, FEB. 24, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL SCORES Division II Sectional Final: Aurora 51, Lutheran East 36 Division II Sectional Final: Canton South 52, Field 36 Division II Sectional Final: Streetsboro 67, Niles McKinley 22 Division II Sectional Final: Crestwood 52, Glenville 15 Division II Sectional Final: Woodridge 60, Bay 51 Division II […]

Wrestling: Sectional tournament results

HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING SATURDAY, FEB. 24, 2024   ROOTSTOWN DIVISION III SECTIONAL TEAM STANDINGS 1. Rootstown 257.5; 2. Sal. Southern 150.0; 3. Crestwood 141.5; 4. Chippewa 128.5; 5. United 122.5; 6. Loudonville 119.0; 7. Jackson-Milton 112.0; 8. Clearview 106.0; 9. Norwayne 80.0; 10. B.C. Western Reserve 65.0; 11. Elyria Catholic 58.0; 12. Canton C.C. 41.0; […]

Youth Boys Basketball Scoreboard: Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024

YOUTH BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, FEB. 24, 2024 THIRD GRADE FIELD WHITE 17, FIELD GRAY 13 Field White — Oliver Farwell, 4 points; Mason Few, 4 points; Luca Pennino, 4 points; Abel Edsall, 3 points; Broderick Kline, 2 points. Defensive Standouts — (FW) Broderick Kline. Special Effort Players — (FW) Abel Edsall.     FOURTH […]

Striking a Balance: Carden and Moore are latest to roll 300s

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Spins Bowl continues to host league bowlers that are finding their way to perfect games. This week, Denny Carden and Rich Moore both achieved the 12-strike game in the Garden Spot League. Derrick Simon and Patrick Adolph rolled the high series, a 789, and Alicia Yacono bowled the best […]

Girls Bowling: Rootstown advances to state championship for first time ever

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Rootstown Rovers varsity girls bowling team bowled their way to the fourth and final team qualifying spot at the OHSAA Division II District on Saturday. Rootstown rolled a 3,616 series that was only 18 pins shy of third place and 182 pins short of the championship. The outstanding […]

G-Men find offensive outlet in big rival win over Bombers

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Garfield football is known for punishing teams with its relentless single-wing rushing attack. On Friday, it was the G-Men boys basketball team that went the other direction and aired it out. In a gameplan that head coach Andy Olesky said his team implemented after seeing something on film […]

Bowling: Rootstown junior Justin Miller qualifies for state tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Rebman Lanes in Lorain proved to be the perfect place for Rootstown’s Justin Miller to bowl. The junior qualified for the OHSAA’s Division II state tournament as an individual, bowling an outstanding 760 series to win the district tournament and advance to Columbus. Miller almost took the team with […]

Swimming: Riders’ 200 Medley Relay places ninth at state championships

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Kent Roosevelt is enjoying success as swimmers compete in the OHSAA State Swimming Championships at C.T. Branim Natatorium in Canton. The 200 Medley Relay team, including Adam Springer, Drew Vecchio, Kadin Pyka and Jack Puhalla, won the B final and finished ninth in the state for the relay. The […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, Feb. 23, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, FEB. 23, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL SCORES Garfield 79, Windham 51 Twinsburg 55, Aurora 52 Warren JFK 93, Rootstown 61 Mogadore 53, Lake Center Christian 42 Southeast 60, St. Thomas Aquinas 55 Geneva 79, Crestwood 62     BOX SCORES TWINSBURG 55, AURORA 52 (At Twinsburg) AURORA (52) — Patton 0 5 […]

Basketball: Updated statistical leaders (Feb. 23)

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2023-24 STATISTICAL LEADERS BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING Player, School Average Garrett Sprutte, Southeast 28.1 Dekota Johnson, Crestwood 19.7 Preston Gedeon, Garfield 19.0 Layne Miller, Mogadore 18.9 Carlos Bruton, Windham 17.6 Cooper Carnahan, Aurora 16.3 Charlie Schweickert, Crestwood 14.8 Cameron Mahone, Rootstown 14.8 Grady Eader, Field 13.4 Corey Lehner, Mogadore 12.4 Curtis Ross, Ravenna […]

State Swimming: Aurora’s McCrae places fourth in Division II diving

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The first two days of competition at C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton, featured the state-qualifying diving athletes for both Division I and Division II. On Tuesday, divers from Aurora High School competed in the Division II diving competition. Aurora’s Colten McCrae had an outstanding tournament, finishing fourth among the […]

Seven basketball standouts celebrate 1,000-point scoring milestone

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Seven scoring phenoms have celebrated reaching the 1,000-point milestone during the 2023-24 boys and girls basketball seasons. Three of the seven are still only juniors, but all seven have authored special high-school careers that now place them in a special category in their respective schools’ history. Here is a […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, FEB. 21, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT SCORES DIVISION II SECTIONAL SEMIFINALS Field 62, Buchtel 43 Streetsboro 88, Buchtel 7 Aurora 64, Padua Franciscan 52 Howland 78, Ravenna 9 West Branch 56, Coventry 18 Crestwood 49, Jefferson Area 28 DIVISION III SECTIONAL SEMIFINALS Rootstown 63, Lakeview 19 DIVISION IV SECTIONAL SEMIFINALS Mogadore […]

Ohio high schools will get spring vote on ‘playing up’ to Division I

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   A proposal was approved for a spring vote that would allow Ohio high school teams the opportunity to play up to Division I, on a sport by sport basis, if they desired for a season. The new referendum was one of five items that the Ohio High School […]

1974 Suffield Red Devils cheerleaders

The 1974 Suffield Red Devils “C” Team youth cheerleaders. The team included (front) Laura Young and (back row left to right) Judy Masters, Diana Abdoo, Kristy Linn, Dee Dee Horak, Theresa Hoskin and Kim Smith.

Fairway at Twin Lakes set to publicly unveil new golf simulator

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer How many times have you peered out your window and thought about playing golf even though the weather is not ideal? You may have a cart cover and a heater, but, naturally, ice on the greens or left over snow keeps the course unplayable. And sometimes the golf course just […]

Boys Basketball: Associated Press state poll (Feb. 21)

BOYS BASKETBALL ASSOCIATED PRESS STATE POLL WEDNESDAY, FEB. 21, 2024   The top-10 teams in the boys Associated Press Ohio high school basketball polls of the 2023-2024 season. First-place votes are in parenthesis — followed by the team’s record and total points collected by media votes.   DIVISION I 1. Cin. Moeller (8)                             20-1     108 […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Roosevelt wrestling’s Chris Dunfee

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know” is a standard Portage Sports feature created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Kent Roosevelt High School wrestling coach Chris Dunfee, who is in his first season leading the […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, FEB. 20, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL SCORES Kent Roosevelt 49, North Royalton 46 Southeast 50, Waterloo 37 Mogadore 52, Akron Garfield 44 Poland Seminary 38, Streetsboro 30 Youngstown Chaney 63, St. Thomas Aquinas 52 Bristol 76, Garfield 39 Rootstown 59, Windham 44   BOX SCORES KENT ROOSEVELT 49, NORTH ROYALTON 46 (At […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Crestwood basketball’s Charlie Schweickert

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   When it comes to offense, the Crestwood boys basketball team has a saying: “Let it rip.” The three words encompass how the Red Devils like to play the game. And how the coaching staff, led by head coach Josh Jakacki like to coach the game. “We don’t have […]

Bowling Roundup: Streetsboro’s Stevens, Clark qualify for district tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Streetsboro Rockets had a successful sectional, sending two individuals to districts after the final frame was bowled at Roseland Lanes in Oakwood. Both Connor Stevens and Kendall Clark (448) earned qualifying spots among the top-four individuals not on qualifying teams and will bowl in the Division I District […]

Girls Swimming: Late start doesn’t slow Roosevelt’s Houk on way to state championships

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Athletes across Ohio are traveling to Canton this week after qualifying for the OHSAA Division I and Division II state swimming and diving championships. Local swimmers and divers from both Aurora and Kent Roosevelt will be competing at the C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton, which is the largest swimming […]

Crestwood supports ‘warrior’ Fannin after scary head injuries

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Inside one of the scariest moments of his life, all Ty Fannin could think about was his team. Laying on his back, having just regained consciousness after experiencing a seizure from hitting his head on the court, Fannin looked up at his coach Josh Jakacki and asked, “Did I […]

2023-24 All-Quiz Bowl Team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor 2023-24 All-Quiz Bowl Team PLAYER OF THE YEAR Philip Yao, Aurora FIRST TEAM Philip Yao, Aurora — 168.75 points per game Cooper Kelly, Southeast — 116.50 ppg Micah McConahay, Lake Center Christian — 85 ppg Logan Walgenbach, Mogadore — 70.50 ppg Vincent Goodyear, Waterloo — 66 ppg Teddy Brunn, […]

High School Bowling Report: Area teams, individuals prepare for district tourney

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   This is an important week for bowlers as qualifiers to the Division II district tournaments will bowl for the opportunity to advance to the state tournament. Portage County is well represented at the Division II district tournaments. Three teams will bowl at Rebman Recreation in Lorain, the Rootstown boys […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, FEB. 17, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL REGULAR SEASON STREETSBORO 41, CANFIELD 38 (At Canfield) STREETSBORO (41) — Olivia Johnson-Wilson 1 0-2 2; Sydney Abbuhl 2 6-8 11; Naomi Benson 9 3-3 21; Ella Kassan 2 0-0 4; Carlee Bedford 0 1-2 1; Madelyn Hajec 1 0-0 2. Totals 15 10-15 41. CANFIELD […]

1918 Kent High School girls basketball

The 1918 Kent High School girls basketball team. No other information is currently known about this team. If you know of any player identifications, schedule or season highlights, please email me at tomnader@portagesports.com.

Youth Basketball Scoreboard: Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024

YOUTH BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, FEB. 17, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL SECOND GRADE ROOTSTOWN (KAVALI) 20, FIELD (JARVIS) 16 Field — Ben Paparone, 6 points; Caiden Nelson, 4 points; Aiden Doubrava, 4 points; Carson Terry, 2 points. Defensive Standouts — (F) Ben Paparone. Special Effort Players — (F) Colton Cain.     ST. PATRICK’S (ASHE) 26, FIELD […]

Striking a Balance: Garrettsville’s Zerucha wins sold-out USBC singles tourney

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Bowl Portage USBC Handicap Singles held at Kent Lanes was sold out, with 60 bowlers competing in the qualifying, seeking a spot in the stepladder finals. The ultimate champion was Mark Zerucha, of Garrettsville, who finished third in the qualifying and moved to the top-four stepladder finals, working […]

Winning basketball: Mogadore captures seventh league title in nine years

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Friday ended in a special way for the Mogadore boys basketball team. One by one, players climbed up the ladder and snipped a piece of the net in a postgame championship celebration that has happened with plenty of regularity for the Wildcats. With the Wildcats’ 63-46 victory over Rootstown […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, Feb. 16, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, FEB. 16, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL SCORES Kent Roosevelt 56, Copley 53 Mogadore 63, Rootstown 46 Woodridge 55, Field 53 Streetsboro 67, Coventry 43 Crestwood 63, Waterloo 45 Warren JFK 67, Southeast 23 Cuyahoga Falls 70, Aurora 61 Newton Falls 61, Windham 24 Norton 80, Ravenna 34     BOX SCORES WOODRIDGE […]

Rootstown celebrates 100-win milestones for quartet

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The 2023-24 high school wrestling season has been a bit of deja vu for the Rootstown Rovers. Another league championship. Make that nine consecutive and 13 in the last 14 years. Also, additional career win milestones to celebrate. Make it four for this season alone, with Will McEwuen, Tristen […]

Wrestling Report: Champions, milestones and more as postseason nears

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   It has been an exciting high school wrestling season and league tournaments, as well as the postseason are both just around the corner. Here is a peek around Portage County:   CRESTWOOD The Red Devils finished second overall in the Chagrin Division of the Chagrin Valley Conference, finishing […]

Basketball: Updated statistical leaders (Feb. 16)

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2023-24 STATISTICAL LEADERS BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING Player, School Average Garrett Sprutte, Southeast 29.2 Layne Miller, Mogadore 20.6 Dekota Johnson, Crestwood 19.7 Preston Gedeon, Garfield 19.6 Carlos Bruton, Windham 17.6 Cooper Carnahan, Aurora 16.3 Charlie Schweickert, Crestwood 14.8 Cameron Mahone, Rootstown 14.8 Grady Eader, Field 13.5 Curtis Ross, Ravenna 11.9 Corey Lehner, Mogadore […]

OHSAA approves division expansion for seven sports

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Board of Directors unanimously approved division expansion on Thursday for seven sports. The approval came at the board’s normally scheduled meeting and will expand divisions for volleyball, girls soccer, boys soccer, girls basketball, boys basketball, softball and baseball. The new divisions will […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, FEB. 14, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL SCORES Southeast 46, St. Thomas Aquinas 36 Crestwood 54, North Olmsted 39 Streetsboro 53, Ravenna 6 Woodridge 56, Field 44 Rootstown 62, Warren JFK 29     BOX SCORES STREETSBORO 53, RAVENNA 6 (At Streetsboro) RAVENNA (6) — Miriyha Sandifer 1 0-0 2; Jalysia Thompson 2 […]

Girls Basketball: Rockets make history with first-ever championship

By Jacob Shondel Correspondent Being a part of history, but also setting a new standard for the Streetsboro girls basketball team is something coach Carl Singer had visions of. Wednesday, the Rockets defeated Ravenna 53-6 to capture the program’s first league championship in school history. “Coming into the season, I knew we had a special […]

Durham’s shooting clinic leads Crestwood to rout over Field

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor It was Youth Night at Field High School on Tuesday night so it was only fitting that one of the most electric performances that Portage County has seen this year came from the youngest player in Crestwood’s starting lineup. Red Devils freshman point guard Brody Durham delivered a career […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, FEB. 13, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD Aurora 71, West Geauga 69 Crestwood 71, Field 43 Tallmadge 64, Woodridge 60 Streetsboro 45, Kent Roosevelt 34 Waterloo 50, Rootstown 40 Southeast 79, Garfield 57 Mogadore 83, Windham 30 Coventry 66, Chippewa 52     BOX SCORES CRESTWOOD 71, FIELD 43 (At Field) CRESTWOOD […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Aurora gymnast Hannah Salgado

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Sometimes you just know. That’s how it was for Gina Gastaldo from the moment she met Hannah Salgado. “From the day I met her, I knew she was an incredible gymnast,” the Aurora gymnastics head coach said. That was four years ago when Salgado was a freshman. Now […]

Basketball: Associated Press state poll (Feb. 12)

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL ASSOCIATED PRESS STATE POLL MONDAY, FEB. 12, 2024 The top-10 teams in the boys Associated Press Ohio high school basketball polls of the 2023-2024 season. First-place votes are in parenthesis — followed by the team’s record and total points collected by media votes. DIVISION I 1. Cin. Moeller (6)                         20-1 140 […]

Girls Bowling: Rootstown wins sectional title; Garfield, Ravenna’s Raffa and Southeast’s Smith advance to district

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Rootstown girls bowling team made a statement at the Division II Tri-County Sectional, earning a berth into the district tournament. To get there, the Rovers won the sectional by 250 pins over runner-up qualifier Triway. Four of the Rovers’ bowlers landed in the top 10 of the tournament, […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, Feb. 12, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, FEB. 12, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL ROOTSTOWN 67, WINDHAM 24 (At Rootstown) WINDHAM (24) — Mariah Woods 0 4-4 4; Briah Daniel 4 6-6 15; Abby Simpson 0 0-2 0; Lorena De Oliveira 1 0-0 2; Terra McCall 1 0-0 3. Totals 6 10-12 24. ROOTSTOWN (67) — Colbie Curall 5 3-3 […]

Boys Basketball: OHSAA Tournament first-round pairings announced

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced its 2023-24 boys basketball tournament draws on Sunday. Here are the dates for all of Portage County’s teams.   AURORA Division I, Northeast 3 Feb. 28 — No. 50 Kent Roosvelt at No. 37 Aurora, 7 p.m.     CRESTWOOD Division […]

Youth Boys Basketball Scoreboard: Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024

YOUTH BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, FEB. 10, 2024 THIRD GRADE FIELD BLACK 26, FIELD WHITE 10 Field Black — Rylan Peterson, 16 points; David Paul Duma, 7 points; Kolton Bowman, 2 points; Leo Reuting, 1 point. Field White — Luca Pennino, 6 points; Johnny Walker, 2 points; Mason Few, 2 points.     FOURTH GRADE […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, FEB. 10, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL ROOTSTOWN 57, GARFIELD 19 (At Garfield) ROOTSTOWN (57) — Colbie Curall 3 1-4 7; Addy Germann 2 0-0 5; Abby White 2 1-3 5; Kelsey Bittecuffer 3 0-0 9; Melanie Plecko 1 2-2 4; Porter Smith 1 0-0 2; Brooklynn McIntyre 4 1-2 9; Sasha Nichols […]

Par for the Course: Mark your calendars for this year’s Portage County Amateurs series

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Mark your calendars for the annual Portage County Amateurs, four tournaments that welcome golfers from preschool to seniors at Portage County area golf courses.     The 94th Portage County Amateur tees off at Windmill Lakes on July 27 plays the final round at Raccoon Hill on July 28. […]

Striking a Balance: Portage County quartet roll best team game in the nation

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Bowling in the Roofing Guy League, the mixed team of Scott Hensley, Courtney Martin, Neil Martin and Brian Glass rolled the best team game in the league, a 1,091. Portage County USBC board members knew it was better than that. The game bowled by team was tied for the […]

Boys Bowling: Rootstown, Ravenna’s Stefansic, Garfield’s McIe, Field’s Dilworth all advance to districts

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Portage County bowlers competing at the Tri-County Sectional at Spins Lanes on Friday demonstrated their strength as many will continue their bowling season, advancing to the Division II District. The Rootstown Rovers qualified as a team to the district that will be held at Rebman Lanes in Lorain on […]

Boys Basketball: Rovers snap 26-game league losing streak in dramatic fashion

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   If recent history had its way, Friday would have simply been another game that the Rootstown boys basketball team was not supposed to win. Trailing by four points with only 15 seconds remaining in regulation, the Rovers seemed destined to discuss another outcome that featured a valiant effort, […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, Feb. 9, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, FEB. 9, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL SCORES Streetsboro 54, Springfield 45 Rootstown 66, Southeast 64 (OT) Norton 59, Field 44 Crestwood 90, Wickliffe 57 Lake Center Christian 69, Warren JFK 65 Garfield 57, Brookfield 55 Barberton 58, Kent Roosevelt 50 Mogadore 69, St. Thomas Aquinas 50 Waterloo 51, Sebring McKinley 41 Pymatuning […]

Pirates Play Golf youth program tees off for seventh year

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   This is the seventh year that future golfers for the Southeast Pirates have gathered in the school’s elementary gymnasium and cafeteria to swing their first club or hone their skills. The popular “Pirates Play Golf” program holds two sessions, with the first group including elementary students as young as […]

Quiz Bowl: Final results update for 2023-24 season

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor     First Division Round Nine Aurora 400, Rootstown 75 Southeast 415, Cloverleaf 155 Hudson 390, Garfield 80 Round Ten Aurora 395, Rootstown 145 Southeast 475, Cloverleaf 55 Hudson 635, Garfield 0 Final Standings Aurora, 10-0 — Champions Hudson, 8-2 Southeast, 6-4 — Top Small School Rootstown, 4-6 Cloverleaf, […]

Basketball: Updated statistical leaders (Feb. 9)

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2023-24 STATISTICAL LEADERS BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING Player, School Average Garrett Sprutte, Southeast 28.3 Layne Miller, Mogadore 20.6 Preston Gedeon, Garfield 20.1 Dekota Johnson, Crestwood 19.5 Carlos Bruton, Windham 17.6 Charlie Schweickert, Crestwood 15.1 Cameron Mahone, Rootstown 14.8 Cooper Carnahan, Aurora 14.8 Grady Eader, Field 13.6 Curtis Ross, Ravenna 11.9 Corey Lehner, Mogadore […]

Streetsboro athletic secretary Debbie Stockard announces retirement

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Debbie Stockard has always been perfectly fine with working behind the scenes. She has never sought the spotlight. She has never wanted any of the attention. In her heart, both belonged to her Streetsboro Rockets student-athletes and coaches. Where the irony enters, is that as the school’s athletic secretary, […]

Girls Basketball: Rootstown captures championship three-peat

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Rootstown High School girls basketball team captured its third consecutive league championship on Wednesday with a 66-46 victory over host Mogadore. The win for the Rovers clinched at least a share of the Portage Trail Conference title, with the opportunity to win the crown outright set for […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, FEB. 7, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL SCORES Warren JFK 71, Southeast 42 Streetsboro 59, Nordonia 40 Rootstown 66, Mogadore 46 Grand Valley 54, Windham 26 Berkshire 48, Garfield 29     BOX SCORES STREETSBORO 59, NORDONIA 40 (At Nordonia) STREETSBORO (59) — Olivia Johnson-Wilson 0 1-2 1; Cara Tiller 1 0-0 3; […]

Basketball: Updated standings (Feb. 7)

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   An updated look at the area’s high school boys and girls basketball standings.   BOYS BASKETBALL PORTAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE Mogadore 14-3, 6-1 Warren JFK 14-4, 6-1 St. Thomas Aquinas 9-7, 4-3 Lake Center Christian 13-5, 4-3 Southeast 8-9, 1-6 Rootstown 3-14, 0-7     METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE Norton […]

2000 Field High School cross country

The 2000 Field High School boys and girls cross country team included: Front row left to right: Meagan Hughes, Jessica Schaffner, Sheena Lemmons, Brandy Ricketson, Beth Harry, Heidi Dressler. Middle row left to right: Nick Schuck, Brad Sinick, Dee Cramer, Michelle Merth, Dawn Hollis, Meghan Mollie, Scott Sinick, unidentified runner, Jason Patch. Back row left […]

Roosevelt ice hockey celebrates teachers with special recognition game

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Kent Roosevelt ice hockey team roster included an additional 16 members last Thursday. Each special guest was in uniform, but none found their way on the ice. Instead, the group were special guests to the Rough Riders players as part of Teacher Appreciation Night. Each Roosevelt ice […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Roosevelt ice hockey’s Brad Edwards

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor “Getting to Know” is an ongoing series created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Kent Roosevelt High School ice hockey coach Brad Edwards, who is in his fourth season coaching the Rough Riders. […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, FEB. 6, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL SCORES Field 71, Rootstown 60 Revere 57, Aurora 48 Crestwood 75, Orange 58 Garfield 62, Crestview 40 New Middletown Springfield 53, Waterloo 42 Southeast 60, Cardinal 26 Mogadore 81, Ravenna 53 Coventry 68, Tusky Central Catholic 44     BOX SCORES REVERE 57, AURORA 48 (At […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Streetsboro basketball’s Naomi Benson

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Basketball seasons are long. With as many positives that are celebrated, there are just as many layers of stress and periods of physical and mental exhaustion. They are all ingredients in helping the maturity of a team and its players across a season that begins in October and […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, Feb. 5, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, FEB. 5, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL SCORES Tallmadge 66, Ravenna 17 Kent Roosevelt 62, Willoughby South 35 Mogadore 39, Maplewood 21 Rootstown 58, St. Thomas Aquinas 55 (OT) Brookfield 44, Garfield 28 Boardman 62, Warren JFK 47 Canton Central Catholic 52, Southeast 47 West Branch 54, Norton 20   BOX SCORES KENT […]

Basketball: Associated Press state poll (Feb. 6)

BOYS BASKETBALL ASSOCIATED PRESS STATE POLL TUESDAY, FEB. 6, 2024 The top-10 teams in the boys Associated Press Ohio high school basketball polls of the 2023-2024 season. First-place votes are in parenthesis — followed by the team’s record and total points collected by media votes. DIVISION I 1. Garfield Hts. (5)                            19-0     135 2. St. […]

Girls Basketball: OHSAA Tournament first-round pairings announced

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced its 2023-24 tournament draws on Sunday. Here are the dates for all of Portage County’s teams.   AURORA Division II, Northeast 1 Feb. 21 — No. 46 Padua Franciscan at No. 15 Aurora, 7 p.m.     CRESTWOOD Division II, Northeast […]

1924 Brimfield High School football

The 1924 Brimfield High School football team. The team included: Front row left to right: Harold Rymer, Goodman Roach, Erich Schurman, William Guth, John Urban, Lynn Jones and George Rymer. Back row left to right: G.H. Donaldson, Harold Bauer, Herman Bauer, Russell Smyth, James Adams, Howard Ebie, Glen Warner and coach Andrew Ambrose.

Quiz Bowl Scoreboard: Monday, Feb. 5, 2024

First Division   Round Three Rootstown 200, Garfield 100 Round Four Rootstown 225, Garfield 130 Round Seven Aurora 470, Hudson 175 Round Eight Aurora 465, Hudson 275 Standings   Aurora, 8-0 — Champions Hudson, 6-2 Southeast, 4-4 Rootstown, 4-4 Cloverleaf, 2-6 Garfield, 0-8 — relegated Second Division – North   Western Reserve Academy has been […]

Youth Boys Basketball Scoreboard: Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024

YOUTH BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, FEB. 3, 2024 THIRD GRADE FIELD WHITE 26, ROOTSTOWN 8 Field White — Luca Pennino, 18 points; Broderick Kline, 6 points; Johnny Walker, 2 points. Defensive Standouts — (F) Johnny Walker. Special Effort Players — (F) Luca Pennino.     SIXTH GRADE WATERLOO 38, RAVENNA 19 Waterloo — AJ Heppe, […]

Mogadore mourns death of coaching legend Bill Rosato

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Portage County football legend Bill Rosato died this weekend at the age of 92. His son, Thom Rosato, announced on Sunday that his father had “called his last play.” Rosato was a true titan in the sport and spent more than 50 years volunteering as a youth football coach […]

High School Bowling Report: Champions crowned at MAC, Suburban League tournaments

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Portage County bowling teams have almost concluded conference tournaments. On Saturday, Ravenna, Field and Streetsboro competed in the Metro Athletic Conference championship at Spins Bowl in Akron and Kent Roosevelt concluded their conference season at the Suburban League Tournament. The Ravens were led by Jake Stefansic, who bowled the […]

Striking a Balance: Senior bowlers continue to shine

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The senior bowlers at Spins are giving the younger bowlers a lesson as Bill White’s Senior Trio and Whites Senior Doubles continue to demonstrate how to bowl. This week, Don Morrow had an outstanding 754 series with a 279 game. The series was 145 pins over his overage. He […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, FEB. 3, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL STREETSBORO 57, CHAGRIN FALLS 44 (At Streetsboro) CHAGRIN FALLS (44) — Abby Kay 4 0-0 9; Avery Russell 5 7-8 18; Amelia Bencko 4 3-4 11; Elena Goodwin 1 0-2 2; Lilly Stukus 1 2-4 4. Totals 15 12-18 44. STREETSBORO (57) — Olivia Johnson-Wilson 3 […]

Defensive-minded Rockets win thriller over Woodridge

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The importance of defense has been magnified for the Streetsboro boys basketball team in 2023-24. It has long been a staple of Nick Marcini’s coaching philosophy, but with this year’s Rockets still yet to eclipse 60 points scored in a single game, the emphasis to be a strong defensive […]

Boys Basketball: Crestwood wins title to complete program turnaround

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Crestwood boys basketball team’s ride home from Kirtland on Friday night was approximately 45 minutes. Once the Red Devils returned to Mantua, there was still work to do, though: A trip into the gymnasium to cut down the nets to celebrate a historic night. Crestwood defeated the […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, Feb. 2, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, FEB. 2, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD (Not all teams submitted box scores) Streetsboro 42, Woodridge 39 Coventry 71, Field 59 Aurora 73, Highland 59 Crestwood 67, Kirtland 64 Mogadore 77, Southeast 62 Newton Falls 60, Garfield 38 Waterloo 37, McDonald 33 Warren JFK 81, St. Thomas Aquinas 36 Bristol 72, Windham […]

Celebrating 50 years of Kent Roosevelt ice hockey

By Jim Smith Correspondent In 1973, the Theodore Roosevelt ice hockey team earned recognition as a varsity sport and because of that recognition, the Kent State Ice Arena has been a special place for Rough Rider players, coaches, students and the Kent community for five decades. And the history of the program, celebrating its 50th […]

Quiz Bowl Results and Standings Update (Feb. 2)

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor First Division Round Seven Southeast 455, Garfield 100 Rootstown 210, Cloverleaf 180 Round Eight Southeast 420, Garfield 60 Rootstown 265, Cloverleaf 175 Standings Aurora, 6-0 Hudson, 6-0 Southeast, 4-4 Rootstown, 2-4 Cloverleaf, 2-6 Garfield, 0-6 Rescheduled games January 30 Aurora at Hudson Rootstown at Garfield Second Division – North […]

Learn how to win this Mark Price autographed jersey!

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor New Portage Sports subscribers in the month of February will have a chance to win a framed autographed jersey of Cleveland Cavaliers legend Mark Price. Portage Sports is locally owned and operated and is not supported by a powerful national media mogul. Our company was created to serve public […]

Basketball: Updated statistical leaders (Feb. 2)

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2023-24 STATISTICAL LEADERS BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING Player, School Average Garrett Sprutte, Southeast 28.6 Preston Gedeon, Garfield 20.1 Layne Miller, Mogadore 19.0 Dekota Johnson, Crestwood 18.9 Carlos Bruton, Windham 18.1 Charlie Schweickert, Crestwood 15.4 Cameron Mahone, Rootstown 14.8 Cooper Carnahan, Aurora 14.2 Grady Eader, Field 12.4 Curtis Ross, Ravenna 11.9 Nick Hopper, Windham […]

Southeast graduate Jenna Fesemyer hosts clinic for adaptive sports

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The second Wheelchair Track and Field clinic for middle school and high school students with a permanent disability, as well as parents and coaches, was hosted by Jennifer Fesemyer, an alumnus of Southeast High School, in conjunction with the Ohio High School Athletic Association and Columbus Parks and Recreation […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Aurora gymnastic’s Gina Gastaldo

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know” is an ongoing series created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Aurora High School gymnastics coach Gina Gastaldo, who is in her 17th season coaching the sport.   Q: […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL MOGADORE 40, ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 38 (At St. Thomas Aquinas) MOGADORE (40) — Julie Tompkins 3 3-6 10, Amelia Morris 3 2-2 8, Brook McIntyre 2 3-4 9, Ari Tompkins 1 4-6 6, Ava Miller 0 2-2 2, Olivia Kidd 0 5-6 5. Totals 9 19-26 […]

Basketball: Associated Press state polls (Jan. 31)

GIRLS BASKETBALL ASSOCIATED PRESS STATE POLL WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31, 2024   The top-10 teams in the girls Associated Press Ohio high school basketball polls of the 2023-2024 season. First-place votes are in parenthesis — followed by the team’s record and total points collected by media votes.   DIVISION I 1. Pickerington Cent. (4)                    17-3    104 […]

Wrestling: Southeast to honor 1973 state championship team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Southeast welcomes back wrestling royalty on Wednesday night. The Pirates’ 1973 state championship team will be recognized and honored as part of the team’s dual meet with Liberty at Southeast High School. Wednesday will feature a full slate of wrestling action, with Southeast beginning action with a youth […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, JAN. 30, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL WINDHAM 53, SOUTHINGTON CHALKER 14 (At Chalker) WINDHAM (53) — Makenzi Blockinger 1 1-4 3; Sydnie Sweet 0 0-0 0; Mariah Woods 9 3-5 21; Briah Daniel 5 1-2 11; Abby Simpson 2 0-0 5; Lorena DeOliveira 3 0-0 6; Tearra McCall 2 0-0 5; Skylor […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, Jan. 29, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, JAN. 29, 2024 BOYS BOWLING TALLMADGE 2,179; KENT ROOSEVELT 2,124 (At Kent Lanes, Kent) TALLMADGE (2,179): Bryce Elijah 171-167 338, Conner Faith 168-218 386, Bobby Higham 159-179 338, Brandin Ullman 200-179 329, Jamese Weeks 143, Evan Gergezy 120. GAMES: 841-863 1,704; BAKER: 137-182-156 475. KENT ROOSEVELT (2,124): Aidan Broyles 171-170 341, […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Crestwood basketball’s Hannah Ward

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Shooting 10,000 shots is a tough thing to do. Making 10,000 shots is a completely different story. A story that Hannah Ward can tell. The Crestwood junior girls basketball standout wrote that story between June and September, becoming the first player in coach TJ Henderson’s career to accomplish the […]

High School Bowling Report: Teams prep for league tournaments

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   This is the week that Portage County teams compete in their conference championships on the heels of the Portage Trail Conference crowning the Rootstown Rovers boys and girls teams the victors. This weekend, the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference, Metro Athletic Conference, Suburban League Conference and the Chagrin Valley Conference […]

Youth Girls Basketball Scoreboard: Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024

YOUTH GIRLS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, JAN. 28, 2024 THIRD GRADE TALLMADGE 15, FIELD RED 9 Field Red — Lacey Moore, 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals; Cora Stoicoiu, 6 rebounds, 3 steals; Kassidy Bey, 1 point, 4 rebounds; Kiley Gallatin, 1 point, 2 rebounds; Tegan Lightfoot, 5 rebounds; Aria Meyers, 1 rebound.     FOURTH […]

Bowling: Rootstown boys, girls complete PTC championship three-peat

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It’s becoming a habit. For the third straight year, the Rootstown Rovers boys and girls varsity bowling teams captured the Portage Trail Conference bowling championships and earned the overall PTC league title. Marching through the season undefeated, both teams also topped the leaderboard at the final bowling tournament of […]

Striking a Balance: Spotlight shines on youth leagues

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The youth were back on the lanes at Spins Bowl in Kent, with many juniors owning high games and series for the week to lead their teams. In the Bumper Division, Bryson Horner rolled a high game of 104 on his way to a two-game set of 206 to […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, JAN. 27, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL JACKSON 54, STREETSBORO 36 (At Streetsboro) JACKSON (54) — Ashley Lahmers 5 0-0 13; Madison Lepley 6 1-2 14; Megan Campbell 5 1-1 11; Ashley Helle 3 1-2 10; Lexi Pizer 3 0-0 6. Totals 22 3-5 54. STREETSBORO (36) — Olivia Johnson-Wilson 3 1-2 8; […]

Youth Boys Basketball Scoreboard: Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024

YOUTH BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, JAN. 27, 2024 THIRD GRADE FIELD WHITE 24, FIELD RED 7 Field White — Broderick Kline, 6 points; Johnny Walker, 6 points; Luca Pennino, 6 points; Oliver Farwell, 4 points; Abel Edsall, 2 points. Defensive Standouts — (FW) Broderick Kline. Special Effort Players — (FW) Luca Pennino, Noah Yaworski.   […]

Crestwood finds chemistry, continues hot streak

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor So much has changed for the Crestwood boys basketball team over the last 357 days. To rewind for a second, when the Red Devils lost to the Cardinal Huskies for the second time last season, on Feb. 3, 2023, the loss dropped the team to 4-14 overall. Crestwood went […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, Jan. 26, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, JAN. 26, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL SCORES *Indicates no box score submitted Streetsboro 53, Field 40 Crestwood 62, Cardinal 37 *Waterloo 42, Mineral Ridge 24 *Campbell Memorial 63, Garfield 46 *Mogadore 63, Warren JFK 53 *Barberton 57, Aurora 58 *Tallmadge 53, Kent Roosevelt 41 *Coventry 74, Ravenna 54 *Windham 57, Lordstown 46 […]

Rootstown girls bowling completes undefeated PTC season

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Rootstown girls varsity bowling team celebrated Senior Night with a Portage Trail Conference victory over the Southeast Pirates on Thursday. The win clinched an undefeated league season for the Rovers. Topping the Pirates by over 400 pins, the Rovers were led by Mal Butcher’s high game of 192, […]

Janzig family creates hockey wonderland in Aurora

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Most enjoyed the fact that Thursday’s temperatures leapt over 40 for the first time in weeks. The Janzig family, along with their neighbors, including the Phillips and Joy families, were not so thrilled. The slightly warmer weather meant ice melting around Northeast Ohio and that meant the loss of […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, JAN. 25, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL STREETSBORO 62, FIELD 46 (At Field) STREETSBORO (62) — Olivia Johnson-Wilson 4 1-2 10; Maiya Taylor 3 0-0 7; Sydney Abbuhl 5 0-0 12; Kaileigh Lilly 1 0-0 2; Naomi Benson 8 0-0 16; Ella Kassan 5 0-0 10; Carlee Bedford 1 1-2 4; Madelyn Hajec […]

Basketball: Updated statistical leaders (Jan. 26)

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2023-24 STATISTICAL LEADERS BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING Player, School Average Garrett Sprutte, Southeast 28.6 Dekota Johnson, Crestwood 19.8 Preston Gedeon, Garfield 18.8 Carlos Bruton, Windham 18.1 Layne Miller, Mogadore 17.9 Charlie Schweickert, Crestwood 15.3 Cameron Mahone, Rootstown 14.8 Cooper Carnahan, Aurora 14.2 Grady Eader, Field 13.1 Curtis Ross, Ravenna 11.9 Nick Hopper, Windham […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL FIELD 63, RAVENNA 50 (At Ravenna) FIELD (63) — Grady Eader 4 4-5 13; Trevor Dixon 5 0-2 11; Landon Wilmoth 1 1-2 4; Brayden Ronowski 1 1-2 3; Ben Stayer 6 4-4 16; Sam Confer 1 1-1 3; Manny Smith 2 1-2 5; Nick Papiska […]

1914 Ravenna High School football

The 1914 Ravenna High School football team finished the season with a 6-3-1 overall record. The team’s week-by-week results included: Week 1: Hiram, 35-0 Week 2: East Tech, 0-72 Week 3: Oberlin Academy, 6-6 Week 4: Warren, 20-6 Week 5: Akron West, 7-35 Week 6: Medina, 7-2 Week 7: Chagrin Falls, 33-0 Week 8: Wadsworth, […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Roosevelt swim coach Corey Spicer

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know” is an ongoing series created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Kent Roosevelt High School swimming and diving coach Corey Spicer, who is in his third season leading the […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, JAN. 23, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL MOGADORE 64, LAKE CENTER CHRISTIAN 51 (At Mogadore) LAKE CENTER CHRISTIAN (51) — Warder 7 5-8 23; Hulse 1 0-0 2; Norman 7 0-0 16; B. Miller 2 5-8 9; Lynch 2 0-0 4. Totals 19 10-16 51. MOGADORE (64) — Corey Lehner 3 1-2 7; […]

Basketball: Associated Press state polls (Jan. 22)

BOYS BASKETBALL ASSOCIATED PRESS STATE POLL MONDAY, JAN. 22, 2024   The top-10 teams in the boys Associated Press Ohio high school basketball polls of the 2023-2024 season. First-place votes are in parenthesis — followed by the team’s record and total points collected by media votes.   DIVISION I 1. Olentangy Orange (2)             14-0     83 […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, Jan. 22, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, JAN. 22, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL HATHAWAY BROWN 47, FIELD 37 (At Field) HATHAWAY BROWN (47) — Anna Morgan 2 0-0 4; Jane Kennedy 3 1-2 7; Emily Morgan 3 4-8 10; Maggie Castellano 1 0-1 2; Molly Castellanos 8 8-8 24. Totals 17 13-19 47. FIELD (37) — Mckayla Miller 2 […]

Youth Girls Basketball: Scores, Standings and Tournament Schedule (Jan. 21)

YOUTH GIRLS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SPRINGFIELD YOUTH GIRLS BASKETBALL LEAGUE SUNDAY, JAN. 21, 2024 SCORES THIRD GRADE Tallmadge 33, Field Black 2 Manchester 26, Waterloo 6 Norton 18, Rootstown 9 Field Red 24, Springfield 1 Mogadore 12, Streetsboro 2     FOURTH GRADE Coventry 23, Marlington 7 Field Red 26, Norton 23 Streetsboro 29, Springfield 14 […]

High School Bowling Report: League tournaments emerge on the horizon

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Portage County’s high school bowling teams are looking toward the end-of-season conference tournaments as regular-season schedules are almost complete. The first postseason tournament is the Portage Trail Conference as teams will roll-off in three regular games and six Baker games on Saturday at Spins Bowl in Kent. The Rootstown […]

Striking a Balance: Double perfection for Tabitha Schlupe

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Tabitha Schlupe of Stow is often found at the top of the leaderboard in several leagues at Spins Bowl in Kent. Schlupe not only participates in leagues, but also competes in Professional Women’s Bowling Association tournaments, including the Ohio Queens, PWBA in North Carolina and PWBA in Myrtle Beach. […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, JAN. 20, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL CRESTWOOD 44, GRAND VALLEY 39 (At Grand Valley) CRESTWOOD (44) — Brody Durham 1 1-2 3; Augie Schweickert 1 2-2 4; Dekota Johnson 4 0-0 10; Charlie Schweickert 8 0-1 20; James Durham 2 0-0 4; Steven Lincoln 1 0-0 3. Totals 17 3-5 44. GRAND […]

2000-01 Field High School boys basketball

The 2000-01 Field High School boys basketball team, which was coached by Craig Nettleton, included: (From left to right) Ray Barry, Nick Walinski, Steve Kuzemchak, Micah Schumacher, Nate Burton, Paul Banner, Todd Reschke, Steven Gay, Ben Wanchik, Jesse Bruce, Bobby Douglas and Tim Knapp.

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, JAN. 18, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL TALLMADGE 63, AURORA 58 (At Aurora) TALLMADGE (63) — Ewers 0 2 2; Davis 11 4 28; Reifsnyder 2 0 5; Taylor 2 3 8; Jascoe 0 2 2; Eisaman 2 2 7; Rusinko 3 5 11. Totals 20 18 63. AURORA (58) — Ben Lukasik […]

Basketball: Updated statistical leaders (Jan. 19)

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2023-24 STATISTICAL LEADERS BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING Player, School Average Garrett Sprutte, Southeast 27.4 Dekota Johnson, Crestwood 19.1 Preston Gedeon, Garfield 18.8 Carlos Bruton, Windham 18.1 Layne Miller, Mogadore 17.9 Cooper Carnahan, Aurora 15.2 Charlie Schweickert, Crestwood 15.2 Cameron Mahone, Rootstown 14.8 Grady Eader, Field 13.1 Curtis Ross, Ravenna 11.9 Nick Hopper, Windham […]

Swimming and Diving: Rough Riders celebrating special season

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Kent Roosevelt High School boys and girls swimming and diving seasons have been perfect. Literally. Both programs are undefeated. And both programs captured titles at the Suburban League Championships earlier this month. Head coach Corey Spicer said off-season training offered a peek at what he thought could turn […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, JAN. 17, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL SPRINGFIELD 59, FIELD 52 (At Field) SPRINGFIELD (59) — Eckenrode 1 4-6 7; Thomas 1 0-0 3; Berger 1 0-0 2; Ahern 7 4-6 24; Hahn 5 2-2 12; Farmer 0 1-2 1; Siegferth 2 1-2 6; Gaspar 2 0-2 4. Totals 19 12-20 59. FIELD […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Rootstown basketball’s Bobby Staudt

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know” is an ongoing series created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Rootstown High School boys basketball coach Bobby Staudt, who is in his first season leading the Rovers’ program. […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, JAN. 16, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL SUNDAY BERKSHIRE HALL OF FAME HOOPFEST STREETSBORO 45, EASTLAKE NORTH 13 (At Berkshire High School) STREETSBORO (45) — Olivia Johnson-Wilson 1 0-0 2; Maiya Taylor 1 0-0 3; Sydney Abbuhl 3 0-0 7; Kaileigh Lilly 1 0-0 2; Naomi Benson 7 1-1 15; Ella Kassan 4 […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Mogadore basketball’s Layne Miller

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   There is a visible calmness to Layne Miller. So noticeable that it could be mistaken for an absence of intensity. Even Russ Swartz, a 35-year coaching veteran, had to learn Miller’s characteristic tendencies and how his peace and confidence complemented a desire to win. “He has always been […]

Basketball: Associated Press state polls (Jan. 15)

BOYS BASKETBALL ASSOCIATED PRESS STATE POLL MONDAY, JAN. 15, 2024   The top-10 teams in the boys Associated Press Ohio high school basketball polls of the 2023-2024 season. First-place votes are in parenthesis — followed by the team’s record and total points collected by media votes. DIVISION I 1. St. Ignatius (5)                        11-3     85 2. […]

Youth Boys Basketball Scoreboard: Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024

YOUTH BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, JAN. 13, 2024 THIRD GRADE MOGADORE 24, ROOTSTOWN 10 Mogadore — Sawyers Ryan, 8 points; Carter Wunder, 4 points; Gauge Campbell, 4 points.     FIELD WHITE 25, KENT 16 Field White — Broderick Kline, 12 points; Mason Few, 6 points; Abel Edsall, 4 points; Luca Pennino, 3 points. Defensive […]

Youth Girls Basketball Scoreboard and Standings: Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024

YOUTH GIRLS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, JAN. 14, 2024 SCORES THIRD GRADE Norton 22, Waterloo 2 Tallmadge 32, Streetsboro 10 Manchester 28, Field Black 1 Mogadore 15, Springfield 1 Field Red 20, Rootstown 5     FOURTH GRADE Mogadore 25, Field Black 10 Field Red 20, Rootstown 7 Manchester 25, Cloverleaf 11 Coventry 14, Southeast 10 […]

1920 Atwater High School boys basketball

The 1920 Atwater High School boys basketball team. Portage Sports supporter Lynn Harvey provided a bit of information on this team, according to the Atwater Speedometer from May 1920. The team included three seniors: Thornton Douthitt, James Rhoads and Paul R. Day. Any additional information about this team is welcome! Email me at tomnader@portagesports.com.

High School Bowling Report: Rovers host, win sectional preview tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer The Rootstown Rovers hosted the 18th annual Rover Sectional Preview Tournament at Spins Bowl this past weekend, with Division-I teams competing on Saturday and Division-II teams on Sunday. Although some teams were unable to make it to the tournament this season due to the unfriendly weather that hit Northeast Ohio, […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, JAN. 13, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL KENT ROOSEVELT 48, FIELD 46 (At Kent Roosevelt) FIELD (46) — Mckayla miller 2 0-0 5; Abby Harlin 1 4-6 6; Delilah Rahe 10 1-2 23; Tia Ulrich 1 0-0 3; Ally Harlin 2 0-3 5; Sarah Balzar 2 0-0 4. Totals 18 5-11 46. KENT […]

Striking a Balance: Lang narrowly misses perfect 300 game

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Former manager of Spins Bowl, Keith Lang, just missed a 300 in the Perfect Trio League. Lang rolled a 299, leaving that pesky single pin on the final ball. High series was tossed by John Kertis, putting four games together for a 1,052. The women in the league shared […]

Shooting advice from Rod Swartz sparks Graham, Wildcats

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   For a player seeking advice on how to pull out of a shooting slump, it would be difficult to find someone better to work with than legendary Mogadore high-scoring alumni and current assistant coach Rod Swartz. That player was Devin Graham. And Swartz, who scored 1,494 career points […]

Roosevelt finds win through ‘playing the way we want to play’

By Phil Keren Correspondent   Strong guard play and scoring in transition played key roles in Kent Roosevelt’s 51-43 win over Copley on Friday night. Kent Roosevelt (7-5, 4-3 in Suburban-American Conference) head coach Curtis Black praised the decision making of his guards. “They made all the right looks,” said Black. “…We had guys playing the […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, Jan. 12, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, JAN. 12, 2024 SCORES (Games with asterisks did not have box scores reported) Mogadore 71, Rootstown 51 Crestwood 58, Berkshire 47 Aurora 49, Cuyahoga Falls 43 *Woodridge 56, Field 42 *New Middletown Springfield 43, Waterloo 40 *Warren JFK 74, Southeast 41 *Crestview 55, Garfield 54 *Windham 62, Maplewood 52 *Kent Roosevelt […]

Ravenna Superintendent Laura Hebert inducted into National Lacrosse HOF

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Laura Hebert was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in Maryland on Jan. 6, the crowning achievement in an incredible 30-year career in the sport. Hebert, who was named the Ravenna School District Superintendent in 2021, was recognized by the Hall of Fame committee as a “truly […]

1993 Field High School football

The 1993 Field High School football team finished the season with a 1-9 record, with six of the losses coming by two touchdowns or less. Here is a look at the Falcons’ week-by-week results: Week 1: Tallmadge, 0-17 Week 2: Manchester, 0-29 Week 3: Springfield, 7-35 Week 4: Liberty, 6-19 Week 5: Crestwood, 26-7 Week […]

Basketball: Updated statistical leaders (Jan. 12)

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2023-24 STATISTICAL LEADERS   BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING Player, School Average Garrett Sprutte, Southeast 27.5 Dekota Johnson, Crestwood 19.3 Layne Miller, Mogadore 18.2 Preston Gedeon, Garfield 18.1 Carlos Bruton, Windham 18.1 Cooper Carnahan, Aurora 15.2 Cameron Mahone, Rootstown 14.8 Grady Eader, Field 14.5 Charlie Schweickert, Crestwood 14.5 Curtis Ross, Ravenna 11.9 Nick Hopper, […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, JAN. 11, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL STREETSBORO 81, CLOVERLEAF 47 (At Cloverleaf) STREETSBORO (81) — Olivia Johnson-Wilson 4 0-0 9; Cara Tiller 1 0-0 3; Maiya Taylor 4 1-1 9; Sydney Abbuhl 3 0-0 8; Kaileigh Lilly 6 0-2 12; Kendall Epple 1 0- 3; Naomi Benson 9 0-0 18; Ella Kassan […]

OHSAA’s Board of Directors announce schedule for division-expansion meetings

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Board of Directors held its standard January meeting on Thursday in Columbus. Of note from the meeting:      • The OHSAA plans to conduct in-person meetings in each of its districts later this month, and into February, to discuss division expansion in […]

Girls Basketball: 2023-24 All-Glue Girl Team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Winning teams make winning plays. It seems like such a simple idea. That is not always the case, though. But in order to make winning plays, you need winning players. Players that are willing to do whatever it takes no matter how big or small the spotlight is for […]

Middle School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, JAN. 10, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL 7TH GRADE STREETSBORO 48, RAVENNA 22 (At Ravenna) Streetsboro — Levert, 21 points; Krezeminski, 9 points; Sanford, 4 points; Simpson, 2 points; Detero, 2 points; Alexander, 10 points. Ravenna — Tay Askew, 2 points; Kael Jordan, 2 points; Royce Sims, 8 points; Bryce Ransom, 6 points; […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, JAN. 10, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL KENT ROOSEVELT 56, BARBERTON 37 (At Kent Roosevelt) BABERTON (37) — T. Miller 4 2-5 14; T. Crews 1 1-2 4; A. Anzaldi 1 0-1 3; V. Miller 1 0-0 2; A. Curry 1 2-5 4; K. Witwer 3 0-0 8; B. Valencia 0 2-2 2. […]

Field High School to install field turf at Kenneth Lohr Stadium

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Field High School’s Kenneth Lohr Stadium is getting a new look in 2024. Installation of field turf, as well as new LED lighting, speakers and a drainage system, was school-board approved on Monday. The project, which will cost an estimated $1.3 to $1.4 million, has been set for […]

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 All-Glue Guy Team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Winning teams make winning plays. It seems like such a simple idea. That is not always the case, though. But in order to make winning plays, you need winning players. Players that are willing to do whatever it takes no matter how big or small the spotlight is […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Field boys basketball coach Alex Blake

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know” is an ongoing series created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Field High School boys basketball coach Alex Blake, who is in his first season leading the Falcons’ program. […]

Middle School Scoreboard: Monday, Jan. 8, 2024

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, JAN. 8, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL 8TH GRADE FIELD 35, RAVENNA 22 (At Ravenna) Field — Jaelyn Mallet, 2 points; Audrey Richmond, 23 points; Aubrey Homan, 3 points; Peyton Schock, 5 points; Brynn Williams, 2 points. Ravenna — S. White, 9 points; N. Walker, 1 point; L. Clark, 2 points; C. Foster, […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, JAN. 9, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL FIELD 67, ACADEMY FOR URBAN SCHOLARS 31 (At Field) ACADEMY FOR URBAN SCHOLARS (31) — Taylor 2 0-2 4; Wilson 1 0-0 2; Young 2 0-0 6; Rouan 2 0-0- 5; Hawkins 6 1-2 14. Totals 13 1-4 31. FIELD (67) — Grady Eader 3 5-6 […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Rootstown basketball’s Nadia Lough

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   A basketball gymnasium is usually a noisy place. The echo of many bouncing basketball’s. The squeak of basketball shoes changing directions. The swell of a coach’s voice yelling instructions and motivations. Amongst the audio chaos, Rootstown junior standout Nadia Lough finds bliss. She finds peace. And it has […]

Basketball: Associated Press state polls (Jan. 8)

BOYS BASKETBALL ASSOCIATED PRESS STATE POLL MONDAY, JAN. 8, 2024 The top-10 teams in the Associated Press Ohio boys high school basketball poll with first-place votes in parentheses. won-loss record. and total points: DIVISION I 1. St. Ignatius (3) 9-2 77 2. Findlay                         8-0       69 3. Garfield Hts. (2)          9-0        67 (tie) Cin. Moeller (2)       9-0        67 […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, Jan. 8, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, JAN. 8, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL FIELD 65, INDEPENDENCE 23 (At Field) INDEPENDENCE (23) — Rini 2 0-0 4; McGhee 1 0-0 3; Priebe 1 2-2 4; Johnson 1 0-0 3; Gibbons 2 0-0 4; Spencer 2 1-2 5. Totals 9 3-4 23. FIELD (65) — Nema McAmis 1 1-1 3; Mckayla […]

Crestwood, Streetsboro cheerleaders perform at Citrus Bowl

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Members of the Crestwood and Streetsboro High School cheerleading squads performed as part of the Citrus Bowl in Orlando on Jan. 1. For the Red Devils, squad members Emmy Grebb, Deanna Stahl, Emma Sayre, Ella Sayre, Makenna Tyburski, Bree Rogan, Madi Ashby, Alivia Pruszynski, Jade Davis and Audrey Julian […]

High School Bowling Report: Rootstown places second at G-Men Classic

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Rootstown Rovers’ girls bowling team traveled to Sky Lanes for the annual G-Men Classic and brought home the second-place trophy. Rootstown was led by Natalie Hammerschmidt’s 215-561 and Payton Curall’s 229-541 on the way to the runner-up spot. The Rovers only lost to Boardman in the Baker finals. […]

Wrestling: Portage County Tournament results

PORTAGE COUNTY TOURNAMENT WRESTLING RESULTS AT RAVENNA HIGH SCHOOL     MIDDLE SCHOOL TOURNAMENT FRIDAY, JAN. 5, 2024 TEAM STANDINGS  1. Streetsboro 265.5; 2. Aurora 175; 3. Crestwood 155; 4. Rootstown 125; 5. Kent Roosevelt 121; 6. Ravenna 94; 7. Mogadore 80; 8. Southeast 77; 9. Garfield 58.5; 10. Waterloo 53; 11. Field 20. INDIVIDUAL […]

Crestwood High School unveils new Wall of Fame

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Crestwood High School athletic director Troy Spiker recently unveiled the school district’s new Wall of Fame, which celebrates All-Ohio student-athletes. The project has spanned about a year and a half and included the help from coaches, administration, community members, booster club members and students. The result was growing […]

Ice Hockey: Roosevelt sweeps Aurora in ‘Battle of Portage County’

By Jim Smith Correspondent   The Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders completed a two-game sweep in the “Battle of Potage County” series after defeating the Aurora Greenmen 6-1 at The Pond Ice Arena in Chagrin Falls on Sunday afternoon. Roosevelt defeated Aurora 8-2 in the series’ opening game last Thursday. In what seemed like a deja […]

Youth Girls Basketball Scoreboard: Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024

YOUTH GIRL BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, JAN. 7, 2024 SCORES THIRD GRADE Field Red 18, Norton 8 Tallmadge 20, Springfield 2 Mogadore 15, Rootstown 7 Waterloo 13, Field Black 10 Manchester 22, Streetsboro 4     FOURTH GRADE Streetsboro 27, Manchester 10 Springfield 14, Southeast Maroon 9 Mogadore 32, Cloverleaf 6 Field Black 24, Coventry 7 […]

Striking a Balance: Leagues restart competition with turn of new year

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   White’s Senior Doubles started their league over again, beginning on Jan. 2, with 32 teams for 64 total bowlers. Earning high series among the men was Wade Morrow, a substitute bowler competing with his dad, Don Morrow. The son rolled a 178-684 series. His dad grabbed the third-high-game-series, 246-570. […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, JAN. 6, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL FIELD 45, BUCHTEL 42 (At Buchtel) FIELD (45) — Mckayla Miller 2 1-2 6; Abby Harlin 3 0-0 8; Delilah Rahe 7 2-2 16; Ally Harlin 5 2-7 13; Sarah Balzar 1 0-2 2. Totals 18 5-13 45. BUCHTEL (42) — Aaliyah Goblen 1 0-0 2; […]

Youth Boys Basketball Scoreboard: Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024

YOUTH BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, JAN. 6, 2024 FOURTH GRADE WATERLOO 34, FIELD REICHLEY 11 Field — Bryce Feeman, 5 points; Ellis Knapp, 4 points; Beckett Stoicoiu, 2 points. Waterloo — Austin Graening, 20 points; James Marsh, 10 points; Mateo Murphy, 4 points. Defensive Standouts — (F) Parker Jones. (W) Mateo Murphy. Special Effort Players […]

Boys Basketball: Southeast dominates fourth quarter to run past Rootstown

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Through the first three quarters of Friday’s game between Southeast and Rootstown, there were 13 lead changes. A back-and-forth game with neither team backing down from adversity. The fourth quarter had zero lead changes. Southeast led 44-43 entering the fourth quarter and never relinquished the lead. In fact, […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, Jan. 5, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, JAN. 5, 2024 GIRLS BASKETBALL FIELD 49, SPRINGFIELD 42 (At Field) SPRINGFIELD (42) — Kayla Gaspar 3 0-0 6; Rhian Kendall 0 1-2 1; Kendal Wilderman 3 1-2 8; Destiny Ruggiero 7 1-6 16; Sydney Hillyard 5 0-2 11. Totals 18 3-12 42. FIELD (49) — Mckayla Miller 0 1-4 1; […]

Girls Basketball: Streetsboro takes first round showdown over Norton

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Streetsboro girls basketball team scored a big Metro Athletic Conference victory on Friday, topping the Norton Panthers 45-38 in Streetsboro. The showdown featured the top two teams in the league, with both the Rockets and Panthers entering Friday’s contest with undefeated league records. The two teams battled […]

Girls Basketball: Rootstown’s success dates back 10 years with 3 different coaches

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   At 11-0, few girls basketball teams in the state have started the 2023-24 season like Rootstown. The Rovers have dominated the beginning half of their schedule, winning games by an average margin of victory of 33.4 points per game. Off-season and preseason work certainly played an integral role […]

Ice Hockey: Roosevelt takes ‘Battle of Portage County’ over Aurora

By Jim Smith Correspondent The Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders skated to an 8-2 victory against the Aurora Greenmen in the first of a two games “Battle of Portage County” series on Thursday night at the Kent State University Ice Arena. The teams represent the only varsity ice-hockey programs in the county. After Aurora’s Will Pfiffner tallied […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Jan. 4, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, JAN. 4, 2024 BOYS BASKETBALL NORTON 63, FIELD 37 (At Field) NORTON (63) — Hunter 6 0-0 12; N. Willig 2 0-0 4; Duncan 1 0-0 2; B. Willig 3 1-2 7; Hardy 3 1-1 9; Lewis 2 1-2 7; Dobbins 8 6-8 22. Totals 25 9-13 63. FIELD (37) — […]

1982 Kent Roosevelt High School football

The 1982 Kent Roosevelt High School football team finished the season 5-5 and is remembered by retired Hall of Fame head coach John Nemec as one of his most memorable seasons. After beginning the season 0-5, the Rough Riders won their final five games of the season. Following the team’s fifth loss in a row […]

Basketball: Updated statistical leaders (Jan. 5)

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2023-24 STATISTICAL LEADERS   BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING Player, School Average Garrett Sprutte, Southeast 27.5 Dekota Johnson, Crestwood 19.5 Preston Gedeon, Garfield 18.6 Layne Miller, Mogadore 17.2 Grady Eader, Field 15.0 Cooper Carnahan, Aurora 14.3 Cameron Mahone, Rootstown 13.6 Charlie Schweickert, Crestwood 12.3 Jack Batten, Streetsboro 11.4 Zach Pannetti, Aurora 11.1 Charles Ivory, […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, JAN. 3, 20224 GIRLS BASKETBALL ROOTSTOWN 69, MOGADORE 22 (At Rootstown) MOGADORE (22) — Julie Tompkins 0 2-2 2; Ari Tompkins 2 6-10 11; Ava Miller 0 1-2 1; Amelia Morris 2 2-6 6; Rylee Clark 1 0-0 2. Totals 5 11-20 22. ROOTSTOWN (69) — Colbie Curall 2 1-2 9; […]

Waterloo survives fourth-quarter collapse, tops Windham in OT

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   When Jackson Eichler scored to open Wednesday’s overtime period, it was a reminder to the Waterloo Vikings and their head coach Jason Wise that the ball did actually still fit. It also jumpstarted a dominant extra session that led to the Vikings’ 57-44 non-league road victory over the […]

Wanda Hoffman makes history, impact with Crestwood volleyball

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   In October, Crestwood coach Wanda Hoffman made Ohio volleyball history. She became just the 32nd coach in state history to earn 500 career wins. Only one other coach in Portage County, Mary Tarka with 750 wins, has reached the milestone. “She is my idol. I am trying to […]

Mogadore girls basketball perseveres through wave of adversity

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Mogadore girls basketball team is tough and determined. It is a good thing, too, because not a single moment of the season has been easy for the Wildcats. Currently, of the team’s program-wide 14-player roster, only nine are physically able to play. Between injuries and illnesses, head coach […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Ravenna wrestling’s Eric Kline

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know” is an ongoing series created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Ravenna High School wrestling coach Eric Kline, who is in his second season leading the Ravens’ program.   […]

High School Bowling Report: Rovers shine at holiday tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Many bowling teams had practices and continued to hone their games over the holiday break, while several competed in tournaments offered to keep teams sharp for the hard push in January toward OHSAA postseason events as well as conference finals.   CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT Spins Bowl in Springfield hosted […]

Wrestling: Waterloo D3 Classic Results

HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING WATERLOO D3 CLASSIC (At John Herchek Court at Fred Brookover Gymnasium, Atwater) FINAL TEAM STANDINGS Garfield, 162.5 points Manchester, 115 Southeast, 101.5 Mogadore, 100 Martins Ferry, 97 Jackson-Milton, 86 Waterloo, 82.5 United Local, 82 Tuscarawas Valley, 78.5 St. Paul, 65 Conneaut, 64 Sandy Valley, 43 Alexander, 40 Chippewa, 34 Grand Valley, 27 […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Southeast basketball’s Garrett Sprutte

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The blueprint of what a leader looks like can be found inside Garrett Sprutte’s timeline for Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. Right in the middle of the school’s holiday break, the Southeast senior’s Pirates were scheduled to host the Ravenna Ravens. By the early afternoon hours, sitting at home, […]

Par for the Course: Golf in the winter? Yes, you bet!

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Happy New Year. As the holiday season draws to a close it has been a unique Christmas in December for golfers with the outstanding weather making it perfect to hit the fairways across the greater Portage County area. Fairways at Twin Lakes in Kent, Raccoon Hill in Kent and […]

1978 Kent Roosevelt boys golf

The 1978 Kent Roosevelt High School boys golf team became district champions. The team was coached by Dick Pfeiffer. The team included (left to right): Coach Pfeiffer, Todd Sandomierski, Jeff Bentley, Kirk Dennis, Ken Lane, Todd Dennis and assistant coach Jerry Johnson.

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, DEC. 30, 2023 GIRLS BASKETBALL KENT ROOSEVELT 53, CRESTWOOD 36 (At Crestwood) KENT ROOSEVELT (53) — Danica Banks 1 0-0 2; Julia Nash 2 0-0 5; Maddie VanDamme 4 0-0 8; Lindsay Wills 0 2-2 2; Arie Wilson 1 0-0 2; Zariyah Taylor 9 4-5 22; Claire VanDamme 4 4-6 12. […]

Basketball: Updated standings (Dec. 30)

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL STANDINGS UPDATE SATURDAY, DEC. 30, 2023   PORTAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE Lake Center Christian 6-0, 2-0 Warren JFK 7-1, 2-0 St. Thomas Aquinas 4-2, 1-1 Southeast 4-2, 0-1 Mogadore 3-3, 0-1 Rootstown 2-5, 0-2     METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE Norton 7-1, 4-1 Coventry 5-3, 3-2 Cloverleaf 5-4, 3-2 Woodridge 4-5, 3-2 Streetsboro […]

1975 Windham High School football

The 1975 Windham High School football team finished the season with a 2-8 overall record. The team’s schedule included: Week 1: Southeast, 6-14 Week 2: Field, 6-14 Week 3: Rootstown, 7-6 Week 4: Garfield, 0-24 Week 5: Crestwood, 0-17 Week 6: Waterloo, 6-16 Week 7: Mogadore, 20-0 Week 8: Streetsboro, 13-27 Week 9: LaBrae, 16-36 […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, Dec. 29, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, DEC. 29, 2023 BOYS BOWLING ROOTSTOWN 2,563, AUSTINTOWN FITCH 2,424 (At Spins Bowl, Kent) ROOTSTOWN (2,563): Caleb Stevens 201-184 385, Anthony Cambareri 189-189 378, Elijah Birch 174, Justin Miller 234-211 445, Nick Moorehead 194-235 429, Ben Kline 183. GAMES: 992-1,002 1,994; BAKER: 216-193-158 569. AUSTINTOWN FITCH (2,424): Daniel Jones 173-278 451, […]

Pirates follow defense, Sprutte to win over Ravens

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Offensive consistency has been a struggle this season for the Southeast boys basketball team. There have been moments of scoring bursts, but there have also been moments of scoreless droughts. Head coach Matt Dillon knows that is a sign of his team’s youth. While he waits for his […]

Basketball: Updated statistical leaders (Dec. 29)

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2023-24 STATISTICAL LEADERS     BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING Player, School Average Garrett Sprutte, Southeast 29.5 Dekota Johnson, Crestwood 20.3 Preston Gedeon, Garfield 16.8 Layne Miller, Mogadore 16.0 Grady Eader, Field 15.0 Cooper Carnahan, Aurora 14.3 Charlie Schweickert, Crestwood 13.5 Jack Batten, Streetsboro 13.0 Cameron Mahone, Rootstown 12.6 Blake Mullaly, Rootstown 11.4 Zach […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, DEC. 28, 2023 BOYS BASKETBALL LAKE CENTER CHRISTIAN 71, FIELD 52 (At Field) LAKE CENTER CHRISTIAN (71) — Baker 1 0-0 3; Hernandez 2 0-0 4; Underwood 1 1-2 3; Cook 4 0-0 11; Halse 3 0-0 7; Norman 5 7-9 18; Stokes 1 0-1 2; Miller 3 1-2 7; Lynch […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Rootstown wrestling’s Anthony Anderson

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know is an ongoing series created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Rootstown High School wrestling coach Anthony Anderson, who is in his first season leading the Rovers’ program.   […]

High School Bowling Report: Adolph, White helped lead push for bowling as varsity sport

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Bowling practice continues over the holidays with only a few matches and tournaments scheduled. This week, the column focuses on two people who were instrumental from the beginning of high-school bowling in Portage County from the beginning.   TERRY ADOLPH There is a change in high-school bowling in Portage […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Windham basketball’s Carlos Bruton

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Things were always going to be different for Carlos Bruton this season. Head coach Cody Apthorpe knew it. He just needed to make sure that Bruton knew it, too. With a maturity that exceeds his tenure as a second-year varsity basketball head coach, Apthorpe approached Bruton in the […]

Striking a Balance: Remembering bowling pioneer Doris Roe

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It was sad news for the greater Portage County bowling community with the news of the death of Doris Roe, Portage County Hall of Fame member and so much more. The biography, including her induction into two Halls of Fame, Portage County and Tri-County, don’t really tell the story […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, DEC. 23, 2023 WRESTLING WATERLOO D3 CLASSIC (At John Herchek Court and Fred Brookover Gymnasium Atwater) CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS 106 pounds — Cameron Lewicki (Gar) dec. over Braeden Martin (SE), 6-1 113 — Luke Kauffman (Gar) dec. over Asher Crissey (SV), 7-5 120 — Jase Mahoney (MF) tech. fall over Domonic Kemble […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, Dec. 22, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, DEC. 22, 2023 BOYS BASKETBALL LAKE CENTER CHRISTIAN 51, ROOTSTOWN 41 (At Rootstown) LAKE CENTER CHRISTIAN (51) — Brody Zook 4 0-0 12; Jace Hulse 3 0-2 6; Tanner Norman 4 2-2 11; Xander Stokes 3 1-2 7; Chase Gingerich 2 0-0 4; Braidon Miller 1 1-4 3; TJ Lynch 3 […]

Bombers reach team agreement, then rally for win over Grand Valley

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Four minutes into Friday’s game, Cody Apthorpe was seeing the same style of basketball that led his Bombers to back-to-back double-digit losses to Bristol and Southeast in the team’s last two games. He had seen enough. He called his second timeout of the first quarter in an attempt to […]

Rootstown sets forth proper procedure to hire coach for girls wrestling program

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The proper procedure has begun to officially hire the first-ever coach of the Rootstown High School girls wrestling program. The program is new to the district this season, with girls in previous seasons being part of the boys team. The necessary procedure also resets the program overall, which temporarily […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, DEC. 21, 2023 BOYS BASKETBALL COVENTRY 50, FIELD 46 (At Field) COVENTRY (50) — Ryan Dinan 2 0-0 5; Luke Futrel 1 0-0 2; Jayden Keenan 4 4-6 13; Alex Meinen 9 1-3 20; Victor Singfield 2 0-0 4; Reggie Edwards 1 4-4 6. Totals 19 9-13 50. FIELD (46) — […]

Basketball: Updated statistical leaders (Dec. 22)

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2023-24 STATISTICAL LEADERS BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING Player, School Average Garrett Sprutte, Southeast 29.5 Dekota Johnson, Crestwood 20.3 Layne Miller, Mogadore 16.0 Preston Gedeon, Garfield 15.0 Grady Eader, Field 14.2 Cooper Carnahan, Aurora 14.2 Charlie Schweickert, Crestwood 13.5 Jack Batten, Streetsboro 12.8 Cameron Mahone, Rootstown 12.6 Jack Batten, Streetsboro 12.0 Blake Mullaly, Rootstown […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, DEC. 20, 2023 GIRLS BASKETBALL KENT ROOSEVELT 50, TWINSBURG 40 (At Kent Roosevelt) TWINSBURG (40) — T. Dye 6 2-5 16; C. Fletcher 4 0-0 12; M. Sweeney 2 0-0 5; G. Taylor 1 0-1 2; J. Anderson 1 2-2 4; L. Young 0 1-2 1. Totals 14 5-10 40. KENT […]

Middle School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, DEC. 20, 2023 BOYS BASKETBALL 7TH GRADE FIELD 37, WOODRIDGE 28 Field — Paxson Silveus 2 2-2 6; Mason Fulst 3 2-2 9; Grady Peterson 2 3-3 9; Tristan Zeman 2 0-0 5; Colton Herchick 3 0-0 6; E. Jackson 1 0-0 2. RAVENNA 26, NORTON 23 Norton — Tay Askew […]

Basketball: All-time career wins for coaches in Portage County history

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The most recent Portage Sports historical project was to create a list of the all-time career wins for high school boys and girls basketball coaches. Admittedly, the list for both boys and girls may be missing a name or two that was inadvertently and innocently overlooked. If that is […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, DEC. 19, 2023 BOYS BASKETBALL HIGHLAND 50, AURORA 48 (At Highland) AURORA (48) — Zach Pannetti 5 5 15; Brock Habbyshaw 2 0 5; Cooper Carnahan 11 2 24; Josh Harrell 1 2 4. Totals 19 9 48. HIGHLAND (50) — Albright 5 0 12; Sooy 1 0 3; Radigan 2 […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Field basketball’s Delilah Rahe

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   A life without basketball? Delilah Rahe is not interested in thinking about it. In fact, she struggles to find the words to describe what her life would be like without her favorite sport. Fortunately, thanks to her third-grade self, she doesn’t have to find the words. By the […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, Dec. 18, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, DEC. 18, 2023 GIRLS BOWLING SOUTHEAST 1,566, ALLIANCE 1,554 (At Spins Bowl, Kent) SOUTHEAST (1,566): Ally Smith 137-174 311, Rebekah Wood 177-128 299, Lily Seem 111-108 219, Odyssey Cadle 104-97 201, Julia Smith 47-62 112. GAMES: 570-575 1,145. BAKER: 159-119-143 421. ALLIANCE (1,554): Campbell Dosa 126-162 288, Georgia Gordon 127-96 223, […]

Girls Bowling: Southeast narrowly edges Alliance

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   SOUTHEAST 1,566, ALLIANCE 1,554 It was the closest match of the season so far as the Southeast Pirates beat the Alliance Aviators by 12 pins on Monday. Competing at Spins Bowl in Kent, Southeast was getting beat by Alliance at the end of the regular games. Down by 49 […]

High School Bowling Report: Field boys, girls steadily improving in first year

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It is always exciting when a new sport is added to the roster of a school’s athletic choices. That was the case this season when the Field Falcons added boys and girls bowling. Field competes in the Metro Athletic Conference and they are steadily making progress. At the beginning […]

Youth Girls Basketball Scoreboard: Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023

YOUTH GIRLS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, DEC. 17, 2023 SCORES THIRD GRADE Streetsboro 15, Field Black 5 Field Red 24, Waterloo 3 Tallmadge 26, Rootstown 4 Streetsboro 15, Field Black 5 Manchester 11, Springfield 3 Mogadore 17, Norton 6 FOURTH GRADE Mogadore 19, Streetsboro 12 Field 13, Springfield 8 Coventry 15, Cloverleaf 9 Marlington 19, Ravenna […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, DEC. 16, 2023 WRESTLING WEDNESDAY ROOTSTOWN 51, GARFIELD 27 (At Garfield) Note: Only Rootstown winners were reported. 113 — Ely won by pin 120 — McEwuen win 132 — Marzec win by pin 138 — Malek win by pin 144 — Lee win by pin 150 — Paulus win by pin […]

Youth Boys Basketball Scoreboard: Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023

YOUTH BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, DEC. 16, 2023 THIRD GRADE ROOTSTOWN 15, KENT 12 Rootstown — Brock Bellar, 9 rebounds. Defesive Standouts — (R) Jacob Weber. Special Effort Players — (R) Calvin Sharp. FIELD (BLACK) 29, FIELD (RED) 9 Field Black — Cruz Sugg, 2 points; Leo Reuting, 3 points; Rylan Peterson, 14 points; David […]

Striking a Balance: Junior-Senior Tournament champions crowned

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   An exciting week of bowling this past week included the final results of the Portage USBC Junior-Senior Trio Tournament and the conclusion of the White’s Senior Doubles League for this year.   PORTAGE USBC JUNIOR-SENIOR TOURNAMENT The champions of the Junior Senior Trio was the team of Nick Kurtzman, […]

Falcons put on defensive clinic, led by Miller, in win over Comets

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   It can be amazing what a box score doesn’t tell you. A quick glance at the Field girls basketball team’s box score from Friday’s dominant 55-12 victory over Coventry shows junior Mckayla Miller scored four points. If you stopped there, you would inaccurately suppose that she had little […]

Southeast offense fails to keep up in loss at Lake Center Christian

By Phil Keren Correspondent   Southeast played tenacious defense, but struggled to score on a consistent basis in a 52-37 road loss to Lake Center Christian on Friday night. Lake Center Christian came into the game averaging 75 points per game, but were held to 52 thanks to a strong defensive performance from the Pirates. […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, Dec. 15, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, DEC. 15, 2023 GIRLS BASKETBALL CRESTWOOD 39, KIRTLAND 38 (At Crestwood) KIRTLAND (38) — K. Boyd 0 2 2; B. Bradac 0 2 2; A. Fleming 1 0 2; A. Dumstruff 1 0 3; E. Ridgeway 2 0 4; P. Dolovacky 2 0 5; K. Sayle 1 0 2; L. Palagyi […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Southeast boys golf coach Mike Jenior

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know” is an ongoing series created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Southeast High School boys golf coach Mike Jenior, who is in his 7th season as the leader of […]

Basketball: Updated statistical leaders (Dec. 15)

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2023-24 STATISTICAL LEADERS BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING Player, School Average Garrett Sprutte, Southeast 29.5 Dekota Johnson, Crestwood 20.3 Grady Eader, Field 14.8 Cooper Carnahan, Aurora 13.5 Charlie Schweickert, Crestwood 13.5 Jack Batten, Streetsboro 12.0 Aiden Rodstrom, Rootstown 11.8 Cameron Mahone, Rootstown 11.8 Blake Mullaly, Rootstown 11.3 Trevor Dixon, Field 10.8 Zach Pannetti, Aurora […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, DEC. 14, 2023 BOYS BASKETBALL RAVENNA 63, FIELD 59 (At Field) RAVENNA (63) — Curtis Ross 7 1-4 15; Dylan Carrozzi 3 0-0 7; Nigil Williams 5 2-4 12; Jaxon Kelly 3 6-6 12; Bryant Thompson 2 0-0 5; Dean Baker 3 3-5 9; Austin Marshall 0 3-4 3. Totals 23 […]

Middle School Scoreboard: Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, DEC. 14, 2023 GIRLS BASKETBALL 8TH GRADE MONDAY GARFIELD 36, WINDHAM 25 Windham — K. Sanders, 5 points; M. Jones, 21 points.     FIELD 41, GARFIELD 17 Garfield — Payton Soltis, 12 points; Leah Hill, 2 points; Olivia Bailey, 2 points; Lola Lake, 1 point. Field — Jaelyn Mallet, 6 […]

Hopperton, Sell complete historic football careers

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Portage County has been the home of a long list of very special high school football players. Standouts that caught the spotlight of statewide attention. Phenoms with decorated four-year careers that rewrote school history books. Two more authored their historic final chapters in 2023. Garfield’s Keegan Sell. Streetsboro’s […]

OHSAA considers division expansion in multiple sports

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced on Wednesday that it is studying tournament-division expansion for volleyball, boys soccer, girls soccer, boys basketball, girls basketball, softball and baseball. The OHSAA is expected to hold multiple statewide meetings in January to present data on the idea, while also collecting […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, DEC. 13, 2023 GIRLS BASKETBALL AURORA 39, KENT ROOSEVELT 35 (At Aurora) KENT ROOSEVELT (35) — Julia Nash 5 0-0 11; Arie Wilson 1 0-2 2; Zariyah Taylor 8 0-1 16; Claire VanDamme 3 0-0 6. Totals 17 0-3 35. AURORA (39) — Sam Stask 6 0-0 16; Julia Miller 0 […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, DEC. 12, 2023 GIRLS BOWLING MONDAY BERKSHIRE 1,310, SOUTHEAST 1,101 (At Spins Bowl, Kent) BERKSHIRE (1,310): Alie Rychaiski 129-115 244, Abby Bartholomew 79-127 246, Megan Passow 93, Charlotte Connors 94-81 175, Mac Conrad 109-140 249, Mattie Davis 64. GAMES: 504-527 1,031; BAKER: 102-82-95 279. SOUTHEAST (1,101): Abby Smith 1147-128 275, Odyssey […]

Bonsky Heating and Cooling Athlete of the Week: Aurora basketball’s Sam Stask

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Long before Sam Stask became the on-court leader for the Aurora girls basketball team, head coach Erika Greenberg simply knew her as a youth player that would come into the gym to shoot around. Greenberg says she knew then that the Stask’s future was going to be a special […]

Windham announces 2023 Athletics Hall of Fame induction class

By George Belden Portage Sports Contributor   The Windham High School Athletic Hall of Fame will open its doors once again this month, as the HOF Committee has selected two athletes, two coaches and one administrator for enshrinement. The Windham Hall of Fame has been inducting new members since 1995 and the HOF will include […]

Wrestling: 2023-24 Rootstown Rovers season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   THE COACH Jeremy Anderson 20th year overall; 1st year at Rootstown     THE TEAM Coaching Staff: Al Marzec. 2022-23 Record: 14-1, Portage Trail Conference champions; 1st place at Dies, Division III sectional championship, Division III district championship, 2nd at OHSAA Dual Meet State Championship. Returning Lettermen (10): […]

Middle School Scoreboard: Monday, Dec. 11, 2023

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, DEC. 10, 2023 BOYS BASKETBALL 7TH GRADE ROOTSTOWN TIP-OFF TOURNAMENT SATURDAY CHAMPIONSHIP GAME FIELD 29, RAVENNA 22 Ravenna — Tai Askew, 1 point; Kael Jordan, 10 points; Royce Sims, 3 points; Bryce Ransom, 2 points; Aiden Nartker, 4 points; ZayInne Sanders, 2 points. Field — Paxson Silveus, 8 points; Mason Fulst, […]

Portage Quiz Bowl Scoreboard (Dec. 10)

First Division Round Three Aurora 435, Cloverleaf 195 Hudson 390, Southeast 210 Garfield v Rootstown, postponed to January 9 Round Four Aurora 665, Cloverleaf 10 Hudson 520, Southeast 165 Garfield v Rootstown, postponed to January 9 Round Five Hudson 420, Cloverleaf 140 Southeast 490, Rootstown 105 Aurora 545, Garfield 30 Round Six Hudson 370, Cloverleaf 165 […]

Bowling Report: Special individual performances across Portage County

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Several Portage County bowlers are already collecting hardware and building their resume early in the bowling season. Others are leading their teams to victory over opponents with high games and high series.   ABBY SMITH, SOUTHEAST The Southeast Pirates are off to a solid start to their season, picking […]

Wrestling: 2023-24 Waterloo Vikings season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   THE COACH John Foster 3rd year     THE TEAM Coaching Staff: Deagan Foster, Bill Jackson, Tyler Brown. 2022-23 Notable Finishes: 2nd at Malvern Invitational; 4th at D3 Classic; 3rd at Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Tournament. Returning Lettermen (8): Rex Fryer, sr.; Aidan King, sr.; Jayden Hakin, sr.; […]

Wrestling: 2023-24 Southeast Pirates season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   THE COACH Shane Kuberry 2nd year 9-10 career record     THE TEAM Coaching Staff: Andy Mesaros, Mike Richeson, Barry Sapp, Owen Martin, Mike Kemble. 2022-23 Record: 9-10. Returning Lettermen (9): Preston Bello, sr.; Lauren Carver, sr.; Deian Longgood, jr.; Kian Romeo, jr.; Brice Schoenbaechler, jr.; Dominic Kemble, […]

Wrestling: 2023-24 Ravenna Ravens season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   THE COACH Eric Kline 2nd year 3-10 career record     THE TEAM Coaching Staff: Shawn Bonfine, Maddison Davis, Jeremiah Sanders, Brad Hager, Darshon Saunders, Shane Michael, Mike Prikryl, Eric Kococheck, Jeff Davis. 2022-23 Record: 3-12. Returning Lettermen (4): Carter Prissy, Ryder Denning, Cameron Boykin, David Davis. Lettermen […]

Wrestling: 2023-24 Mogadore Wildcats season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor THE COACH Duane Funk 11th year THE TEAM Coaching Staff: Sherman Benedum, Joey Hancock. Returning Lettermen (14): Travis Hummel, sr.; Kasey Pruitt, jr.; Cole Reese, jr.; Breadan Manley, jr.; Blake Hershberger, jr.; Matthew Plum, jr.; Matthew Trusky, soph.; Dylan Benedum, soph.; Mia Gaetjens, sr.; Sidney Fortner, jr.; Lizzy Terry, […]

Wrestling: 2023-24 Garfield G-Men season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   THE COACH Dan Andel 7th year     THE TEAM Coaching Staff: John Bond, Logan Kissell, Ken Sell. Returning Lettermen (7): Camron Lewicki, Vince D’Amico, Deacon Sommer, Keegan Sell, Aiden Kissell, Andrew Borecki, Ivan Trent. Lettermen Lost (4): Hunter Andel, Grayson Hoover, Ian Hunt, Joseph Sparks.     […]

Wrestling: 2023-24 Field Falcons season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   THE COACH Dave Tenney 21st season overall; 7th season at Field     THE TEAM Coaching Staff: Clark Bookman, Mason Brained, TJ Fox. 2022-23 Record: 2-5 duals. Returning Lettermen (10): John Riley, Mason Long, Joe D’Amico, Carter White, William Nienhius, Brady McCoy, Broc Sclimenti, Owen Wymer, Spencer Hunt, […]

Wrestling: 2023-24 Crestwood Red Devils team preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   THE COACH Dave Wrobel 23rd season 208-136-2 career record     THE TEAM Coaching Staff: Derek Wrobel, Marco Berquist, Conner Nemec, CJ Novotny, Nick Vespucci. 2022-23 Record: 3-4 duals; 1-1 Chagrin Valley Conference. Returning Lettermen (8): JP Wrobel, sr.; Drake Rennecker, sr.; Gavin McIntyre, sr.; Blake Baumgardner, sr.; […]

Wrestling: 2023-24 Aurora Greenmen season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   THE COACH Jeremy Johnson 9th year overall; 2nd year at Aurora     THE TEAM Coaching Staff: Tony Tritto, Jarrod Brezovec, Cameron Kelly, Scott Meyer, Tim Rooney, Mike Trav. 2022-23 Record: 3-2 duals. Returning Lettermen: 9. Lettermen Lost: 4.     SEASON OUTLOOK Aurora’s core group of wrestlers […]

Youth Boys Basketball Scoreboard: Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023

YOUTH BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, DEC. 9, 2023 THRID GRADE FIELD BLACK 32, ROOTSTOWN 13 Field — Cruz Sugg, 2 points; Leo Reuting, 3 points; Rylan Peterson, 15 points; David Paul Duma, 8 points; Kolton Bowman, 4 points. Defensive Standouts — (F) Jorden Montz, Easton Barton. Special Effort Players — (F) Kolton Bowman, David Paul […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, DEC. 9, 2023 GIRLS BASKETBALL HIGHLAND 63, KENT ROOSEVELT 51 (At Kent Roosevelt) HIGHLAND (63) — R. Kildoo 5 0-0 12; K. Morgan 6 2-4 17; G. Weber 5 0-0 13; E. Miller 3 4-6 12; B. Palette 1 1-2 3; E. Gausman 2 2-5 6. Totals 22 9-17 63. KENT […]

Striking a Balance: Youth leagues return from Thanksgiving break

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Juniors were back competing in leagues following the Thanksgiving break. Here is a recap on their return. SPINS BOWL JUNIORS Ryan Kertis made a statement as he returned to the oldest-junior league, rolling a high game of 204 on his way to a 536 series to lead the boys […]

Waterloo grits out win over Garfield in budding rivalry clash

By Phil Keren Correspondent   Some hustle plays down the stretch keyed Waterloo to a 40-38 road victory over Garfield on Friday night. “We needed to get one,” said Waterloo head coach Jason Wise. “We have seven of our first eight games on the road … we needed to find a way, before we get […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, Dec. 8, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, DEC. 8, 2023 BOYS BASKETBALL AURORA 49, TALLMADGE 45 (At Tallmadge) AURORA (49) — Torren Pride 1 0 3; Ben Lukasik 2 1 5; Brock Habbyshaw 1 0 3; Josh Harrell 5 0 12; Johnny Trivisonno 1 0 3; Cooper Carnahan 7 1 15. Totals 17 2 49. TALLMADGE (45) — […]

Basketball: Updated statistical leaders (Dec. 6)

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2023-24 STATISTICAL LEADERS   BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING Player, School Average Garrett Sprutte, Southeast 29.5 Jack Batten, Streetsboro 16.0 Dekota Johnson, Crestwood 16.0 Charlie Schweickert, Crestwood 13.0 Trevor Dixon, Field 11.5 Charles Ivory, Streetsboro 10.0 Grady Eader, Field 9.5     REBOUNDS Player, School Average Garrett Sprutte, Southeast 15.0 Manny Smith, Field 7.0 […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, DEC. 7, 2023 BOYS BASKETBALL STREETSBORO 51, NORTON 46 (At Norton) STREETSBORO (51) — Charles Ivory 4 2 11; Michael Berry 3 4 10; Jackson Gula 0 4 4; Preston Laryea 3 0 6; Ethan Laryea 1 0 2; Jack Batten 6 2 18. Totals 17 12 51. NORTON (46) — […]

Kent Roosevelt’s fall 2023 All-Suburban League honorees

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The following student-athletes were honored as All-Suburban League for the fall 2023 season. BOYS CROSS COUNTRY Second Team: Cor Asp. Honorable Mention: Carter Slack. BOYS GOLF Player of the Year: Liam Curtis. First Team: Liam Curtis. Second Team: Christian Mineo. Honorable Mention: Rowan Baynes. BOYS SOCCER Player of the […]

Football: Division I All-Ohio team

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ALL-OHIO DIVISION I     Ohio Offensive Players of the Year: Marquise Davis, Cleveland Heights; Danny Stoddard, Medina; Jordan Marshall, Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller Ohio Defensive Player of the Year: Paul (P.J.) Nelson, Cincinnati Princeton Ohio Coaches of the Year: Wade Bartholomew, Lewis Center Olentangy; Mac Stephens, Cleveland Heights First Team Offense QB: […]

Middle School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, DEC. 6, 2023 BOYS BASKETBALL 7TH GRADE FIELD 31, RAVENNA 21 (At Brown Middle School, Ravenna) FIELD (31) — Paxson Silveus, 6 points; Mason Fulst, 2 points; Grady Peterson, 5 points; Oscar Pollack, 1 point; Cole Schumacher, 8 points; Chase Berthed, 2 points; Kamren Brastine, 5 points. RAVENNA (21) — Tai […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, DEC. 6, 2023 BOYS BASKETBALL TUESDAY SOUTHEAST 43, LOWELLVILLE 29 (At Lowellville) SOUTHEAST (43) — Case Myers 5 0-0 10; Garrett Sprutte 10 7-8 28; Cohen Richardson 2 1-2 5. Totals 17 8-10 43. LOWELLVILLE (29) — Michael Ballone 1 3-3 5; Braylen Dabney 1 0-0 2; Matt Lucido 1 2-4 […]

Football: Divisions II and III All-Ohio teams

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DIVISION II ALL-OHIO TEAMS   Ohio Offensive Players of the Year: Brodey Berg, Cincinnati Anderson; Luke Hamilton, Avon Ohio Defensive Player of the Year: Dorian Pringle, Massillon Washington; Jordan Pritchard-Sewell, Akron Hoban Ohio Coaches of the Year: Mike Elder, Avon; Nate Moore, Massillon Washington First Team Offense QB: Grant Kinnee, Whitehouse Anthony […]

1993-94 Southeast High School boys basketball

The 1993-94 Southeast High School boys basketball team were champions of the Portage County League. The Pirates were coached by Russ Swartz, alongside assistant coaches Ted McDivitt and Rod Truman. The team roster included: Front row left to right: Tim Honeck, Brad Pettitt, Joe Dillon, Jason Gorham, Eric Dillon, Keith Montgomery. Middle row left to […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, DEC. 5, 2023 BOYS BASKETBALL KENT ROOSEVELT 62, FIELD 35 (At Kent Roosevelt) FIELD (35) — Trevor Dixon 2 6-8 10; Grady Eader 3 3-4 12; Manny Smith 1 0-0 3; Brayden Ronowski 0 1-2 1; Nick Papiska 1 1-1 3; Ben Stayer 1 2-6 4; Dylan Jackson 1 0-0 2. […]

Football: Divisions IV and V All-Ohio teams

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DIVISION IV ALL-OHIO   Ohio Offensive Players of the Year: D’Shawntae Jones, Cleveland Glenville; Poochie Snyder, Canton South Ohio Defensive Player of the Year: Tayshawn Banks, Cincinnati Taft Ohio Coach of the Year: Matt Dennison, Canton South First Team Offense QB: Logan Lesch, Sandusky Perkins, 6-1, 195, sr.; Brayden DeVito, Shelby, 5-11, […]

Middle School Scoreboard: Monday, Dec. 4, 2023

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, DEC. 4, 2023 BOYS BASKETBALL 8TH GRADE SATURDAY ROOTSTOWN TIPOFF TOURNAMENT ROOTSTOWN 23, RAVENNA 22 (At Rootstown) RAVENNA (22) — Ethan 1 0-0 2; Ryan 1 1-1 3; Jonny 1 0-0 3; Jeremiah 1 0-0 2; Kenny 1 0-0 3; Divarian 4 1-5 9. ROOTSTOWN (23) — Giulietto 0 1-2 1; […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, Dec. 4, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, DEC. 4, 2023 GIRLS BASKETBALL SOUTHEAST 50, SPRINGFIELD 27 (At Southeast) SPRINGFIELD (27) — Gasper 2 1-2 5; Kendal 2 1-1 6; Frient 0 1-2 1; Wilderman 1 4-7 7; Nillgard 2 3-7 8; Holmes 0 0-2 0. Totals 7 10-21 27. SOUTHEAST (50) — Alexandra Hrkach 1 0-0 2; Lexie […]

Football: Division VI and VII All-Ohio teams

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DIVISION VI ALL-OHIO TEAMS   Ohio Offensive Player of the Year: Michael Osborne, Versailles Ohio Defensive Player of the Year: Rocco Alfieri, Kirtland Ohio Coaches of the Year: Jason Peters, Grandview Heights; Jeff Richards, Bluffton; Jason Wallick, Sugarcreek Garaway   First Team Offense QB: Austin Buescher, West Jefferson, 6-4, 165, so.; Trevor […]

Youth Girls Basketball Scoreboard: Sunday, Dec. 4, 2023

YOUTH GIRLS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, DEC. 3, 2023 THIRD GRADE Tallmade 22, Norton 6 Springfield 14, Field Black 13 Streetsboro 10, Waterloo 6 Field Red 15, Mogadore 6 Manchester 20, Rootstown  FOURTH GRADE Rootstown 18, Field Black 10 Manchester 12, Springfield 8 Norton 36, Cloverleaf 7 Mogadore 27, Southeast Maroon 8 Southeast Gold 28, Ravenna […]

High School Bowling Report: Roosevelt’s Darko, Rootstown’s Curall make history

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It was a busy week for bowling teams in Portage County as individuals and teams achieved success on the lanes.   A 300 GAME It didn’t take in the young season for a high-school bowler to roll a 300 game. The feat was accomplished by Brayden Darko, of Kent […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, DEC. 2, 2023 GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING KENT ROOSEVELT 112, LAKE 62 (At Kent Roosevelt) 50 Freestyle — 2. (KR) Trinity Heath. 100 Freestyle — 1. (KR) Trinity Heath. 200 Freestyle — 1. (KR) Gabriella Melin; 2. (KR) Natalie St. John. 500 Freestyle — 1. (KR) Gabriella Melin; 2. (KR) Jeanie […]

Middle School Scoreboard: Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, DEC. 2, 2023 BOYS BASKETBALL 7TH GRADE ROOTSTOWN TIP-OFF TOURNAMENT RAVENNA 23, ROOTSTOWN 12 (At Rootstown) RAVENNA (23) — Jordan, 7 points; Sims, 3 points; Ransom, 4 points; Norther, 5 points; Summers, 2 points; Sanders, 2 points. ROOTSTOWN (12) — Israel McCants, 2 points; Sam Klem, 4 points; Doug Nichols, 1 […]

Youth Boys Basketball Scoreboard: Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023

YOUTH BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, DEC. 2, 2023 THIRD GRADE FIELD WHITE 28, FIELD 6 Field White — Luca Pennino, 8 points; Oliver Farwell, 8 points; Broderick Kline, 4 points; Abel Edsall, 4 points; Mason Few, 2 points; Johnny Walker, 2 points; Noah Yaworski, 2 points. Defensive Standouts — (FW) Oliver Farwell. Special Effort Players […]

Sprutte sparks Southeast to season-opening victory over Field

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Patience can be a difficult skill for a high school basketball player to understand. Even once understood, it can be even more challenging to exercise it inside of games. On Saturday, patience paid off for Southeast senior standout Garrett Sprutte. In the Pirates’ season and home opener against […]

Striking a Balance: Grund rolls Perfect Fit Trio’s second 300 game

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   League play continues to find teams and individual standouts in the bowling lanes of Portage County. With holiday parties and New Year’s Eve celebrations in the future of bowlers, they are still focused on solid scores to lead the leagues.   PERFECT FIT TRIO Jeremie Grund rolled a 300 […]

High School Scoreboard: Friday, Dec. 1, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, DEC. 1, 2023 GIRLS BASKETBALL CLOVERLEAF 60, RAVENNA 38 (At Ravenna) CLOVERLEAF (60) — Madi Young 2 0-0 4; Emma Hibler 8 2-3 19; Mackenzie Seiwerth 2 0-0 6; Brooke Gucker 0 3-4 3; Saige Foky 3 3-4 9; Karoline Kreider 0 1-2 1; Merrin Crow 1 0-0 2; Evie Barth […]

Late-game big plays lift Spartans over Rovers in OT

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Bobby Staudt has a vision for his Rootstown boys basketball team. On Friday, he saw glimpses of that vision. The Rovers, however, were left with glimpses of a win that ultimately drifted out of reach. Right there to snag up the victory was Springfield. The Spartans erased a double-digit […]

Rough Riders struggle in season-opening loss to Explorers

By Phil Keren Correspondent   The Kent Roosevelt boys basketball team had a tough start to their 2023-24 season on Friday night, but head coach Curtis Black is confident that his team will bounce back. “We’ll get better from here,” said Black, after his team lost to Hudson 53-30. “We’ll definitely get better.” On the […]

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 Windham Bombers season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Cody Apthorpe 2nd year 15-10 career record     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Terry Peterson, JV; Austin Peterson, assistant; Dave Apthorpe, assistant.    • 2022-23 Record: 15-10 overall; 9-5 Northeastern Athletic Conference.    • Returning Lettermen (6): Anthony Wiley, sr.; Jake Collins, sr.; Carlos […]

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 Waterloo Vikings season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Jason Wise 11th year 122-124 career record     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: John Herchek, assistant; Gavin English, JV.    • 2022-23 Record: 16-9 overall; 8-6 Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference.    • Returning Lettermen (4): Drew Flarida, sr.; Jackson Eichler, sr.; Kyle Werbeck, sr.; […]

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 Streetsboro Rockets season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Nick Marcini 14th year 173-122 career record     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Bruce Thomas, assistant; Phil Starks, JV; Tyler Shank, freshmen; Ron Estes, freshman assistant.    • 2022-23 Record: 8-16 overall; 7-7 Metro Athletic Conference.    • Returning Lettermen (5): Michael Berry, sr.; […]

Middle School Scoreboard: Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, NOV. 30, 2023 BOYS BASKTEBALL 7TH GRADE WEDNESDAY FIELD 35, SPRINGFIELD 15 (At Field) SPRINGFIELD (15) — Baggott 0 0-2 0; Woodward 0 0-2 0; Garrison 1 0-0 2; Hahn 1 0-0 2; Woods 0 1-2 1; Kunkler 2 2-3 6; Wilson 1 0-0 2; Roberts 1 0-0 2; Parker 0 […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, NOV. 30, 2023 GIRLS BASKETBALL CLOVERLEAF 46, CRESTWOOD 37 (At Crestwood) CLOVERLEAF (46) — M. Young 1 0 2; E. Hibler 3 2 8; B. Gucker 0 1 1; S. Foky 6 3 19; K. Kreider 1 0 2; M. Crow 1 0 2; E. Barth 6 0 12. Totals 18 […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Southeast girls basketball’s Ashley Callihan

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know” is an ongoing series created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Southeast High School girls basketball coach Ashley Callihan, who is in her first season as the leader of […]

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 Southeast Pirates season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor HEAD COACH Matt Dillon 7th year (2007-2013; 2023) THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Zeddie Pollock, JV; Doug Craver, assistant; Scott Garrett, middle school; Nick Dillon, middle school.    • 2022-23 Record: 7-17 overall; 3-7 Portage Trail Conference.    • Returning Lettermen (1): Garrett Sprutte, sr.    • Lettermen Lost […]

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 Rootstown Rovers season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Bobby Staudt 1st year 0-0 career record     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Chuck Palmer, assistant; Matt Patrick, assistant; Mike Fillmore, JV.    • 2022-23 Record: 4-19 overall; 0-10 Portage Trail Conference.    • Returning Lettermen (3): Joe Weaver, sr.; Aiden Rodstrom, sr.; Cameron […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, NOV. 29, 2023 GIRLS BASKETBALL SOUTHEAST 40, FIRESTONE 37 (At Firestone) SOUTHEAST (40) — Lexie Morris 3 4-7 10; Bailey Long 1 0-0 2; Emerson Small field 7 3-6 17; Bailey Morris 1 0-0 2; Claire Dillner 0 3-4 3; Jenna Canale 1 0-2 2; Elliott Smallfield 1 1-2 3. Totals […]

Middle School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, NOV. 29, 2023 GIRLS BASKETBALL 7TH GRADE FIELD 32, SPRINGFIELD 3 (At Springfield) FIELD (32) — Ryann Huddleston, 4 points; Brynn Williams, 16 points; Alison Church, 4 points; Emma Knapp, 4 points; Piper Eisenman, 2 points; Sophia Confer, 2 points. SPRINGFIELD (3) — Brianna C., 3 points. CLOVERLEAF 34, RAVENNA 17 […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, NOV. 28, 2023 GIRLS BASKETBALL FIELD 34, CANTON CENTRAL CATHOLIC 33 (At Canton Central Catholic) FIELD (34) — Mckayla Miller 1 1-2 3; Delilah Rahe 8 4-6 20; Ally Harlin 5 1-5 11. Totals 14 6-13 34. CANTON CENTRAL CATHOLIC (33) — Sarah Belden 3 0-0 8; Emily Schmidt 1 0-0 […]

1971 Ravenna Rams youth football

The 1971 Ravenna Rams junior varsity youth football team pictured at the bottom of the hill of the team’s field at Brown Middle School. Name identifications are unknown. If you have information about this team, please email me at tomnader@portagesports.com.

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 Ravenna Ravens season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Marlon Jones 4th year 32-34 career record     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Jordan Jones, JV; Davante McKinney, assistant; Michael Boltz, freshman; Larenzale Askew, freshman assistant.    • 2022-23 Record: 18-6 overall; 11-3 Metro Athletic Conference.    • Returning Lettermen: None.    • Lettermen […]

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 Mogadore Wildcats season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Russ Swartz 15th  year at Mogadore; 35th year overall 258-109 at Mogadore; 480-315 overall     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Rod Swartz, JV; Anthony Ricci, assistant; Nate Robinson, strength and conditioning.    • 2022-23 Record: 20-6 overall; 7-3 Portage Trail Conference.    • Returning […]

Girls Basketball: 2023-24 Windham Bombers season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor HEAD COACH Jim Collins 6th year 28-123 career record THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Dougle Hankins, JV; Zach Burns, middle school; Larry Jones, middle school.    • 2022-23 Record: 7-16 overall; 6-12 Northeastern Athletic Conference.    • Returning Letterwinners (3): Mariah Woods, sr.; Briah Daniel, sr.; Abby Simpson, […]

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Curtis Black 2nd year 9-14 career record     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Rod Moxley, Jr., Rich Graves, DJ Hickle, Will Yount.    • 2022-23 Record: 9-14 overall; 6-8 Suburban League.    • Returning Lettermen (9): Tyrel Ellington, sr.; Jeremiah Lepp, sr.; Grant Leslie, […]

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 Garfield G-Men season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Andrew Olesky 13th year 139-143 overall     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Tommy Bissler, assistant; Matt Hill, assistant and JV.    • 2022-23 Record: 7-16 overall; 4-10 Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference.    • Returning Lettermen (4): Preston Gedeon, jr.; Nick Edic, jr.; Aidan Hill, […]

Girls Basketball: 2023-24 Streetsboro Rockets season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Carl Singer 9th year 101-89 career record     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Ira Campbell, Bryan Bedford, Scott Clark.    • 2022-23 Record: 19-6 overall; 12-2 Metro Athletic Conference.    • Returning Letterwinners (11): Ella Kassan, sr.; Maiya Taylor, sr.; Maddy Hajec, sr.; Cara […]

Girl Basketball: 2023-24 Southeast Pirates season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Ashley Callihan 1st year 0-0 career record     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Hannah Harnar, assistant; Lisa McCann, JV; Mike Stiles, 8th grade; Dean Dunlavy, 7th grade.    • 2022-23 Record: 15-7 overall; 6-2 Portage Trail Conference.    • Returning Letterwinners (4): Alexandria Morris, […]

Football: OHSAA to keep state championships in Canton through 2026

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced on Monday that the high school football state championships will remain in Canton through 2026. The OHSAA signed a new three-year contract with the Pro Football Hall of Fame to keep the finals to be played at Tom Benson Hall of […]

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 Field Falcons season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor HEAD COACH Alex Blake 1st year 0-0 career record THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Noah Dockus, assistant; Matt Farley, assistant; Nick Pollack, JV.    • 2022-23 Record: 2-21 overall; 1-13 Metro Athletic Conference.    • Returning Lettermen (6): Manny Smith, sr.; Nick Papiska, sr.; Grady Eader, jr.; Mikai […]

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 Crestwood Red Devils season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Josh Jakacki 23rd season 286-196 career record     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Bob Lieberth, assistant; Jake Lieberth, assistant; David Mayle, JV; Mason Jakacki, middle school.    • 2022-23 Record: 5-17 overall; 1-9 Chagrin Valley Conference.    • Returning Lettermen (8): Dekota Johnson, jr.; […]

Girls Basketball: 2023-24 Rootstown Rovers season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Joe Leonard 2nd year at Rootstown; 4th year overall 17-6 at Rootstown; 30-29 overall     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Brian Layton, assistant; Thano Kapolis, assistant; Angela Gibson, JV; Erica Moore, JV.    • 2022-23 Record: 17-6 overall; 8-0 Portage Trail Conference.    • […]

Girls Basketball: 2023-24 Ravenna Ravens season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor HEAD COACH Courtney O’Donnell 2nd year 5-18 career record THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Tyler Conley, assistant.    • 2022-23 Record: 5-18 overall; 1-13 Metro Athletic Conference.    • Returning Letterwinners (5): Abby Schofield, sr.; Breena Kainrad, jr.; Jaylynn Walker, jr.; Lou White, soph.    • Letterwinners Lost […]

Boys Basketball: 2023-24 Aurora Greenmen season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Cody Calhoun 1st year at Aurora; 6th year overall 0-0 at Aurora; 34-78 overall     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Austin Nupp, assistant; Tim Keyes, JV; Adam Whitacre, freshmen; Jeff Fromwiller, 8th grade; Dom Massa, 7th grade.    • 2022-23 Record: 3-20 overall; 2-10 […]

Girls Basketball: 2023-24 Mogadore Wildcats season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Jennifer Ritch 10th year 100-115 career record     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Bill Ritch, assistant; Tom Pollock, JV; Ann Murphy, middle school; Mike Murphy, middle school.    • 2022-23 Record: 15-10 overall; 4-4 Portage Trail Conference.    • Returning Letterwinners (9): Brook McIntyre, […]

Girls Basketball: 2023-24 Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Craig Foreman 18th year 169-217 career record     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Kate Swango, Jaclyn Mahoney, Jeremy Bish, Leah Reeves, Greta Wilker.    • 2022-23 Record: 10-13 overall; 4-10 Suburban League.    • Returning Letterwinners (6): Arie Wilson, sr.; Maddie VanDamme, sr.; Zariyah […]

High School Bowling Report: Rootstown boys, girls have strong showing at Ravenna Invitational

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The Rootstown Rovers varsity girls team didn’t just start their season, they are demonstrating they are a team to beat. Competing in the Ravenna Ravens Invitational at Spins Bowl in Kent on Saturday, Rootstown finished in fourth place following the stepladder finals, losing only to Nordonia in three Baker […]

Girls Basketball: 2023-24 Garfield G-Men season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH Aaron Gilbert 17th year 279-171 career record     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Andy Cardinal, assistant; Madison Hartung, assistant; Taylor Smith, assistant.    • 2022-23 Record: 23-3 overall; 12-2 Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference.    • Returning Letterwinners (7): Zoey May, sr.; Kali Tasker, sr.; […]

Girls Basketball: 2023-24 Field Falcons season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   HEAD COACH John Misenko, Jr. 2nd year at Field; 8th year overall 14-11 at Field; 103-64 overall     THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Mariah Siedler, assistant; Tessa Ludwick, JV.    • 2022-23 Record: 14-11 overall; 7-7 Metro Athletic Conference.    • Returning Letterwinners (10): Olivia Bey, […]

Girls Basketball: 2023-24 Crestwood Red Devils season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor HEAD COACH T.J. Henderson 2nd year 14-31 career record THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Tom Henderson, assistant and freshmen; Ashley Folks, JV.    • 2022-23 Record: 4-19 overall; 1-7 Chagrin Valley Conference.    • Returning Letterwinners (4): Lilly O’Bryant, sr.; Hannah Ward, jr.; Maddie Dustman, jr.; Abby Guyette, […]

Girls Basketball: 2023-24 Aurora Greenmen season preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor HEAD COACH Erika Greenberg 16th season 195-137 career record THE TEAM    • Coaching Staff: Matt Witting, assistant; Trent Dalton, JV.    • 2022-23 Record: 9-15 overall; 5-9 Suburban League.    • Returning Letterwinners (9): Sam Stask, sr.; Kailey Feckner, sr.; Brooke Manav, jr.; Julia Miller, jr.; Anna Blum, jr.; […]

Striking a Balance: Worthy, Hensley raise averages in Roofing Guy League

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Many leagues in Portage County took a break this week due to the Thanksgiving holiday, but there were still several notable games and series accomplished.   IMPROVING ON AN AVERAGE Dexter Worthy tossed the high game (279) and Scott Hensley the high series (726) in the Roofing Guy League […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, NOV. 25, 2023 GIRLS BASKETBALL ROOTSTOWN 60, BEAUMONT 39 (At Beaumont) ROOTSTOWN (60) — Coblie Curall 6 6-8 21; Addy Germann 2 0-0 5; Abby White 1 1-2 3; Kelsey Bittecuffer 3 2-4 8; Porter Smith 2 1-2 5; Brooklynn McIntyre 2 0-0 4; Sasha Nichols 1 0-0 2; Nadia Lough […]

High School Scoreboard: Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, NOV. 22, 2023 GIRLS BASKETBALL ROOTSTOWN 49, FIELD 45 (At Rootstown) FIELD (45) — Mckayla Miller 1 0-0 2; Tia Ulrich 1 2-2 5; Abby Harlin 1 1-4 4; Morgan Stoicoiu 0 0-0 0; Delilah Rahe 8 4-5 20; Carlee Fafrak 0 0-0 0; Averi Weis 0 0-0 0; Ally Harlin […]

Defensive pressure pushes Rovers past Falcons in opener

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Rootstown girls basketball team’s pressure defense is unrelenting. It is frenetic. And it comes in waves. The Rovers featured a nine-player rotation on Wednesday, with all nine creating havoc on ball-handlers to set the tone for what became a thrilling 49-45 victory over the visiting Field Falcons […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Rootstown girls basketball’s Joe Leonard

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know” is an ongoing series created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Rootstown High School girls basketball head coach Joe Leonard, who is in his second season leading the Rovers. […]

Football: 2023 Northeast Inland All-District teams

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The 2023 Northeast Inland All-District high school football team. The All-District team recognizes players from Ashland, Columbiana, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, stark, Summit, Trumbull and Wayne counties. The teams are selected by a media panel of journalists from all of those same counties.     Division I FIRST TEAM […]

Girls Golf: 2023 All-Portage Trail Conference team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The All-Portage Trail Conference boys golf teams for the 2023 season. The teams are established through a selection and voting process coordinated by league coaches.   GOLFER OF THE YEAR Taylor Blazek, Southeast, junior     COACH OF THE YEAR Cindy Fesemyer, Southeast     FIRST TEAM Taylor […]

Boys Golf: 2023 All-Portage Trail Conference team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The All-Portage Trail Conference boys golf teams for the 2023 season. The teams are established through a selection and voting process coordinated by league coaches.   GOLFER OF THE YEAR James Morgan, Southeast, sophomore     COACH OF THE YEAR James LaPolla, Warren JFK     FIRST TEAM […]

Girls basketball’s 2023-24 season tips off on Wednesday

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The 2023-24 high school girls basketball season officially tips off on Wednesday night. Five different games are featured on the opening-night slate that include Portage County teams. All with a 7 p.m. start scheduled.    • Crestwood at Garfield    • Field at Rootstown    • Springfield at […]

Bowling Roundup and Scoreboard: Monday, Nov. 20, 2023

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   ROUNDUP BOYS BOWLING RAVENNA 2,371, STREETSBORO 1,733 (At Spins Bowl, Kent) Carson Schueller set a new two-game record for the Ravens as he rolled games of 279 and 263 for a 542 series. Schueller tossed 11 strikes in a row to start his 279 game, just missing the 300 […]

Football: Final list of 2023 statistical leaders

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 2023 STATISTICAL LEADERS   OFFENSE RUSHING Player, School Att.-Yards Dawson Morgan, Rootstown 306-2,195 Nate Blasiole, Crestwood 276-1,780 Preston Hopperton, Streetsboro 160-1,461 Keegan Sell, Garfield 127-1,389 Cohen Klimak, Streetsboro 166-1,303 Eric Geddes, Garfield 122-1,226 Austin Marshall, Ravenna 141-1,105 Antonio Mejia, Southeast 164-1,053 Enzo Catania, Aurora 139-985 Case Myers, Southeast 114-963 Jayden Hakin, Waterloo […]

High School Scoreboard: Monday, Nov. 20, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD     MONDAY, NOV. 20, 2023 BOYS BOWLING MAC PRESEASON CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT (At Spins Bowl, Kent) TOURNAMENT CHAMPION: Springfield 4,022 TOP-FIVE SERIES: Ryan Slusser, Springfield 706; Wade Allen, Coventry 698; Logan Calo, Norton 695; Jacob Robinson, Norton 681; Jeriah Miller, Ravenna 662. INDIVIDUAL HIGH GAME: Ryan Slusser, Springfield 279. TEAM STANDINGS: Springfield […]

Youth Girls Basketball Scoreboard: Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023

YOUTH GIRLS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SPRINGFIELD YOUTH GIRLS BASKETBALL LEAGUE TEAM SCORES THIRD GRADE Tallmadge 20, Field Red 8 Streetsboro 12, Springfield 6 Manchester 11, Norton 1 Rootstown 16, Field Black 10 Mogadore 23, Waterloo 5 FOURTH GRADE Mogadore 26, Manchester 12 Field Red 31, Southeast Gold 5 Southeast Maroon 9, Coventry 6 Rootstown 26, Cloverleaf […]

Bowling Report: MAC Preseason Tournament begins season

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   And just like that, the OHSAA’s winter sports season, including high-school bowling, has started. Many teams enjoy the bulk of their schedule beginning in December, with conference play in December and January prior to the OHSAA state tournaments. However, a few tournaments are early with the competitive bowling season […]

Girls Bowling: 2023-24 Season Preview

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It’s time for the high school bowling season and athletes take over area lanes in the afternoon following school and at tournaments scheduled on the weekends. Portage County has a rich history of bowlers advancing far into the postseason and this year will be no different as many teams […]

Boys Bowling: 2023-24 Season Preview

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It’s time for the high school bowling season and athletes take over area lanes in the afternoon following school and at tournaments scheduled on the weekends. Portage County has a rich history of bowlers advancing far into the postseason and this year will be no different as many teams […]

Football: OHSAA playoffs state semifinal pairings and game locations

OHSAA Football State Semifinal Pairings All games on Friday, November 24, at 7 p.m. Pairings shown with Associated Press state rank. Designated home team listed first. Note there are several changes from initial release on Nov. 14. Division I Springfield (9-5) vs. Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (10-4) at Piqua Alexander Stadium No. 6 Hilliard Bradley (13-1) […]

Striking a Balance: Perfect Games fill up Portage County lanes

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer White’s Senior Doubles League had something to celebrate during Halloween week as bowlers have been throwing outstanding games and series. Fred Endres rolled a 300 game and finished with a 748 series to lead the league. Jack Steel rolled a 269 and Dave Senerchia, subbing in the league, had a […]

State power Kirtland eliminates Mogadore from playoffs

By Phil Keren Correspondent   It’s awfully tough to beat a team that does not have a weakness. That was one of Mogadore head coach Matt Adorni’s observations after his Wildcats lost to Kirtland 42-0 in the Region 21 championship game Friday at Nordonia High School. “They completely dominated us tonight,” said Adorni. “We knew […]

Girls Soccer: 2023 All-Portage Trail Conference team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The All-Portage Trail Conference girls soccer teams for the 2023 season. The teams are established through a selection and voting process coordinated by league coaches. PLAYER OF THE YEAR Andrea Ryan, Warren JFK, freshman COACH OF THE YEAR Kayla Zoccole, Warren JFK FIRST TEAM Natalie Opritza, Rootstown, goalkeeper, senior […]

Boys Soccer: 2023 All-Portage Trail Conference teams

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The All-Portage Trail Conference boys soccer teams for the 2023 season. The teams are established through a selection and voting process coordinated by league coaches.   PLAYER OF THE YEAR Nick Ryan, Warren JFK, junior     COACH OF THE YEAR Anthony LaDenko, Warren JFK Caleb Schroll, Lake […]

Records and milestones set throughout fall 2023 season

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The fall 2023 curtain has not officially dropped all the way. The Mogadore football team is the only fall team still alive in postseason play, with the Wildcats set for their showdown with the Kirtland Hornets on Friday night in a regional championship between two Division VI powers. Like […]

Boys Cross Country: 2023 All-Portage Trail Conference team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The All-Portage Trail Conference boys cross country teams for the 2023 seasons. The teams are established through a selection and voting process coordinating by league coaches. RUNNER OF THE YEAR Carter Evans, Southeast, senior COACH OF THE YEAR Larry Bailey, Rootstown FIRST TEAM Carter Evans, Southeast, senior Ryan Keren, […]

Girls Cross Country: 2023 All-Portage Trail Conference team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The All-Portage Trail Conference girls cross country teams for the 2023 seasons. The teams are established through a selection and voting process coordinating by league coaches.   RUNNER OF THE YEAR Gianna Ritchie, Lake Center Christian, sophomore     COACH OF THE YEAR Diana Morris, Mogadore     […]

1921-22 Ravenna Township High School girls basketball

The 1921-22 Ravenna Township High School girls basketball team. If you have additional information about this team, including player name identifications or season results, please email me at tomnader@portagesports.com

PTC plans to move forward as five-school league in 2024-25

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   By the end of the spring 2024 athletic season, the once 16-team Portage Trail Conference will diminish to just five member schools for the 2024-25 school year. Southeast was the latest school to announce its departure, choosing to leave the league to join the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference’s […]

Volleyball: 2023 All-Portage Trail Conference team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The All-Portage Trail Conference volleyball teams for the 2023 seasons. The teams are established through a selection and voting process coordinating by league coaches.   PLAYER OF THE YEAR Tori Wilson, Lake Center Christian, senior     COACH OF THE YEAR Cassie Braden, Rootstown     FIRST TEAM […]

OHSAA relaunches ‘Respect the Game’ program to promote sportsmanship

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced plans on Wednesday to expand on its “Respect the Game” program that was first introduced back in 2004. The announcement reaffirms that organizations’ commitment to protect and promote sportsmanship across the state and intends to allocate resources to fulfill the expansion. The […]

Portage Quizbowl League Results: Monday, Nov. 13, 2023

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Results from the first match day of the Portage Quizbowl League.   FIRST DIVISION ROUND ONE Cloverleaf 275, Garfield 65 Hudson 500, Rootstown 55 Aurora 560, Southeast 160     ROUND TWO Cloverleaf 300, Garfield 40 Hudson 525, Rootstown 15 Aurora 380, Southeast 285     FIRST DIVISION […]

Football: 2023 All-Portage Trail Conference team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The All-Portage Trail Conference football teams for the 2023 season. The teams are established through a selection and voting process coordinated by league coaches.   OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Dawson Morgan, Rootstown, senior Zeke Cameron, Mogadore, senior     DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Tony Karp, Rootstown, […]

Recalling Mogadore golf’s historical state championship three-peat

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The banners in the Mogadore High School gymnasium proclaim back-to-back-to-back state championships. Readers might think this is a football story, but, in fact, it is the remarkable athletes from the 1971, 1972 and 1973 varsity golf teams who brought home the consecutive OHSAA trophies. Historically, the only Portage County […]

Girls Tennis: 2023 All-Metro Athletic Conference team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The All-Metro Athletic Conference girls tennis teams for the 2023 season. The teams are established through a selection and voting process coordinated by league coaches. PLAYER OF THE YEAR Katarina Jovanovic, Norton, junior COACH OF THE YEAR Phil Seenes, Norton FIRST TEAM Katarina Jovanovic, Norton, junior Jameson Jordan, Ravenna, […]

1925 Kent Roosevelt High School girls basketball

The 1925 Kent Roosevelt High School girls basketball team played their way to the Trolley League championship. Unfortunately, there is no additional information available to help tell the story of this team and its players. If you have any information, please email me at tomnader@portagesports.com.

Girls Golf: 2023 All-Metro Athletic Conference team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The All-Metro Athletic Conference girls golf teams for the 2023 season. The teams are established through a selection and voting process coordinated by league coaches.   GOLFER OF THE YEAR Samantha Clark, Streetsboro, senior     COACH OF THE YEAR Dan Brodnik, Cloverleaf Tim Foster, Streetsboro     […]

Boys Golf: 2023 All-Metro Athletic Conference team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The All-Metro Athletic Conference boys golf teams for the 2023 season. The teams are established through a selection and voting process coordinated by league coaches.   GOLFER OF THE YEAR Ryan Dinan, Coventry, senior     COACH OF THE YEAR Jack Morgan, Springfield David Dinan, Coventry     […]

Bowling Report: Field introduces boys and girls bowling for 2023-24

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It is always exciting when a new sport is added to a school’s athletic department roster. That is the case this season for the Field Falcons, as the sports of both girls and boys bowling becomes a student option for competition this season. “Over the years, students had expressed […]

Youth Girls Basketball Scoreboard: Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023

YOUTH GIRLS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, NOV. 11, 2023 SPRINGFIELD YOUTH GIRLS BASKETBALL LEAGUE 3RD GRADE DIVISION SCORES Streetsboro 13, Rootstown 11 Springfield 12, Waterloo 8 Manchester 15, Field Red 14 Tallmadge 18, Mogadore 13 Norton 16, Field Black 10 4TH GRADE DIVISION SCORES Mogadore 15, Springfield 2 Field Red 24, Field Black 11 Streetsboro 30, […]

Football: Regional final pairings and game locations

OHSAA Football Regional Final Playoff Pairings Designated home team listed first. Pairings shown with regional seed and overall record. All games on Friday, November 17, at 7 p.m., unless indicated otherwise.   Division I Region 1 1 Lakewood St. Edward (11-1) vs. 6 Medina (9-3) at Parma Byers Field at Robert Boulton Stadium Region 2 […]

Girls Soccer: 2023 All-Metro Athletic Conference team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Metro Athletic Conference girls occer team for the 2023 season. The teams are established through a selection and voting process coordinated by league coaches.   PLAYER OF THE YEAR Kate Lasker, Woodridge, senior   COACH OF THE YEAR Ryan Willard, Streetsboro   FIRST TEAM Laney Klein, Streetsboro, […]

Boys Soccer: 2023 All-Metro Athletic Conference team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The All-Metro Athletic Conference boys soccer team for the 2023 season. The teams are established through a selection and voting process coordinated by league coaches.   PLAYER OF THE YEAR Jackson Davis, Norton, senior   COACH OF THE YEAR Matt Davis, Norton Aaron Cummings, Cloverleaf   FIRST TEAM […]

Bowling Scoreboard: Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023

BOWLING SCOREBOARD SPINS BOWL, KENT (Season league high games and series. Scoreboard will have each week high games and series going forward.)   YOUTH LEAGUES BUMPERS: Boys—Bryson Horner 117, Dylan Smith 96, Matthew Briggs 88; Bryson Horner 190, Dylan Simon 188, Matthew Briggs 167. Girls—Lilly Renkel 135, Olivia Lexington 98, Baylee Baldwin 97; Lilly Renkel […]

Striking a Balance: Tournaments on the horizon; 300 games cracking pins

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   It is a busy time for the sport of bowling, with leagues in full swing at Spins Bowl and Kent Lanes in Kent and Sky Lanes in Garrettsville. High-school bowling competition gets underway this week and plans are set for the first tournaments sponsored by the Portage County USBC. […]

High School Football Scoreboard: OHSAA Regional Semifinals

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FRIDAY, NOV. 10, 2023 OHSAA PLAYOFFS REGIONAL SEMIFINALS     DIVISION III, REGION 9 CHARDON 31, AURORA 0 (At Jerome T. Osborne Stadium, Mentor) CHARDON 0 24 7 0 — 31 AURORA 0 0 0 7 — 7 SCORING SUMMARY FIRST QUARTER No scoring. SECOND QUARTER CHA — Sacerich 20 field goal, […]

Mogadore rolls into regional final with win over Mineral Ridge

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Mogadore Wildcats overcame three turnovers on Friday night to knock off Mineral Ridge and advance to the Division VI, Region 21 championship game. The Wildcats earned the 21-7 victory, which offers an opportunity for a rematch with Kirtland in the regional-title game. The Cats and Hornets met […]

Perry ends Garfield’s magical football season

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   What does it feel like to play the Perry Pirates? After 48 minutes of playoff football against the top-seeded juggernaut, Garfield head coach Mike Moser felt like he could offer a pretty succinct synopsis. “It is like holding on for dear life on every single play,” the veteran […]

Girls Cross Country: 2023 All-Metro Athletic Conference team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The All-Metro Athletic Conference girls cross country teams for the 2023 season. The teams are established through a selection process amongst league coaches.   RUNNER OF THE YEAR Reese Reaman, Woodridge, senior   COACH OF THE YEAR Jeff Howard, Woodridge   FIRST TEAM Reese Reaman, Woodridge, senior Marissa […]

Boys Cross Country: 2023 All-Metro Athletic Conference teams

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The All-Metro Athletic Conference boys cross country teams for the 2023 season. The teams are established through a selection process amongst league coaches.     RUNNER OF THE YEAR Sam Su, Woodridge, senior   COACH OF THE YEAR Jeff Howard, Woodridge   FIRST TEAM Sam Su, Woodridge, senior Parker […]

Volleyball: 2023 All-Metro Athletic Conference team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The All-Metro Athletic Conference teams for the 2023 season. The teams are established through a selection process amongst league coaches.   PLAYER OF THE YEAR Sidney Scherler, Cloverleaf, senior   DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR Catie Patterson, Woodridge, junior   COACH OF THE YEAR Leslie Flohr, Norton   […]

Legendary Mogadore youth football coach Ralph ‘Ruf’ Pierce’s next play call: Retirement

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Ralph “Ruf” Pierce fell in love with football when he was just shy of 2 years old, chasing every minute he could find to spend time with his dad. His hero. “I just always wanted to be with him,” Pierce said. So by the time he was 2 […]

Football: 2023 All-Metro Athletic Conference team

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The All-Metro Athletic Conference teams for the 2023 season. The teams are established through a selection process amongst league coaches. OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Preston Hopperton, Streetsboro, senior DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Noah Willig, Norton, senior LINEMAN OF THE YEAR William Nienhius, Field, senior COACH OF THE […]

Girls soccer POY Hallis leads collection of All-CVC Red Devils

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Crestwood Red Devils were well represented on the All-Chagrin Valley Conference teams for the fall 2023 seasons. Here is a listing of all of the student-athletes that were honored, including girls soccer Player of the Year Erin Hallis. FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM Nate Blasiole, junior Gavin McIntyre, senior SECOND […]

Fall 2023 All-MVAC honorees from Garfield, Waterloo

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference recently announced its all-league teams for the fall 2023 season. Here is a look at the honorees from Garfield and Waterloo that were recognized for their stellar seasons. ALL-MAHONING VALLEY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SCARLET DIVISION FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM Jayden Hakin Landon McClain SECOND TEAM Bobby […]

Seven Bombers (football, volleyball) named to All-NAC teams

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Windham Bombers landed seven players on All-Northeastern Athletic Conference teams during the fall 2023 season. In football, Jack Eye and Anthony Paolella earned First Team honors, while Carlos Bruton and Jace Heil were both named Honorable Mention. On offense, Eye, a junior, finished the season with 684 […]

Golf: Northeast Ohio All-District team announced

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer The Northeast Ohio District Golf Coaches announced the athletes named to its All-District golf teams and, as expected, Portage County golfers were rewarded for their outstanding play on the fairways this season. Kent Roosevelt’s Liam Curtis and Aurora resident Chris Pollak (Hoban) led the honorees on the boys Division I […]

Youth Girls Basketball Scoreboard: Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023

YOUTH GIRLS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD SUNDAY, NOV. 5, 2023 SPRINGFIELD YOUTH GIRLS BASKETBALL LEAGUE 3RD GRADE DIVISION SCORES Rootstown 20, Springfield 3 Field Red 26, Field Black 1 Tallmadge 41, Waterloo 2 Manchester 11, Mogadore 2 Norton 18, Streetsboro 8 4TH GRADE DIVISION SCORES Springfield 14, Southeast Gold 2 Rootstown 17, Southeast Maroon 8 Field Red […]

High School Bowling Report: Setting up coverage for the 2023-24 season

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The high school bowling season is, quite literally, right around the corner as coaches and teams were permitted by the OHSAA to start practicing on Nov. 3, with the first competitions getting underway Nov. 17. Portage County has teams playing across several leagues, including the Portage Trail Conference (Rootstown, […]

OHSAA announces regional semifinal pairings and game sites

OHSAA Football Regional Semifinal Playoff Pairings Designated home team listed first. Pairings shown with regional seed and overall record. All games on Friday, November 10, at 7 p.m., unless indicated otherwise.   Division I Region 1 1 Lakewood St. Edward (10-1) vs. 4 Canton McKinley (9-3) at Parma Byers Field 2 Cleveland Heights (11-1) vs. […]

Cross Country State Championships: Field runs to best finish of Conroy’s career

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor To accurately measure how special the Field boys cross country season was, consider that the Falcons’ seventh-place finish on Saturday at the Division II state championship is the program’s seventh-best in school history. For a program as rich in tradition as Field’s, it is a remarkable accomplishment. The seventh-place […]

Portage Sports introduces Striking a Balance bowling column

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   As the regular golf column comes to an end (unless specific stories of winter tournaments and golfers’ successes warrant), bowling takes over. And you can anticipate seeing this column publish weekly on Portage Sports every Sunday throughout the bowling season. Leagues, youth and adult, are in full competition mode […]

Par for the Course: Dropping the curtain on the 2023 golf season

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   This is the final Par for the Course column for the season. It was an exciting season for golfers with new events on the schedule, including the first Junior Ohio Cup at Westfield Country Club between the Northern Ohio and Southern Ohio PGAs, another successful series of Portage County […]

High School Football Scoreboard: Regional Quarterfinals

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FRIDAY, NOV. 3, 2023 OHSAA PLAYOFFS SCOREBOARD Division III: Aurora 30, Gilmour Academy 27 Division IV: West Branch 31, Streetsboro 28 Division V: Garfield 56, Harrison Central 35 Division VI: Mineral Ridge 17, Rootstown 9 (no stats reported) Division VI: Mogadore 29, Pymatuning Valley 8 (no stats reported)     DIVISION III, […]

Streetsboro falls in playoff heartbreaker at West Branch

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Streetsboro head coach Pete Thompson had real concerns about the start of the 2023 season. Not because he didn’t believe in his talented group of players, but because he knew his Rockets football team would experience four difficult weeks of football against four talented football teams. During the […]

G-Men continue domination, pickup road playoff win

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The train that is the Garfield G-Men keeps picking up steam. On Friday, in a Division V regional quarterfinal, the G-Men rolled past Harrison Central by a final score of 56-35. The triumph sets up a Week 13 matchup with Perry, which is the No. 1 seed of […]

Aurora’s playoff win is coach Mihalik’s 200th career win

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Aurora celebrated a team win on Friday night and also a coaching milestone. The Greenmen knocked off Gilmour Academy 30-27 in a Division III regional quarterfinal showdown, using a fourth-quarter touchdown run of 15 yards by Brandon Liepins to top the Lancers and advance to next Friday’s regional semifinals. […]

Goodbyes are never easy for high school football seniors

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Just like the last two Fridays, tonight will turn into a difficult night for many football players. For the last time, they will put on their helmets and pads. A revered action that will never truly be duplicated again. For most of the players, football will always be […]

Football: Updated statistical leaders (Nov. 3)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 2023 STATISTICAL LEADERS OFFENSE RUSHING Player, School Att.-Yards Dawson Morgan, Rootstown 280-2,045 Nate Blasiole, Crestwood 276-1,780 Preston Hopperton, Streetsboro 160-1,461 Cohen Klimak, Streetsboro 166-1,303 Keegan Sell, Garfield 82-1,126 Austin Marshall, Ravenna 141-1,105 Antonio Mejia, Southeast 164-1,053 Enzo Catania, Aurora 139-985 Case Myers, Southeast 114-963 Jayden Hakin, Waterloo 200-930 Eric Geddes, Garfield 69-859 […]

1920 Aurora High School football

The 1920 Aurora High School football team finished the season with a 7-2-1 regular-season record. The team included (front row left to right, last names only): Wolfe, Oswald, Hartwell, Krause, Miller (captain), Zents, Tauring, Brewster, Forsythe. (Back row left to right, last names only): Superintendent J.F. Koeppe, Pearson, Colebrook, W. Stutzman, P. Stutzman, T. Truce, […]

Cross Country: Southeast’s Julia Wheeler state championship preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Portage County will be represented at the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s cross country state championships by two teams and one individual. Regional qualifiers for the 2023 race were the Field boys in Division II, the Mogadore girls in Division III and Southeast sophomore Julia Wheeler for the Division […]

Cross Country: Mogadore girls state championship preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Portage County will be represented at the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s cross country state championships by two teams and one individual. Regional qualifiers for the 2023 race were the Field boys in Division II, the Mogadore girls in Division III and Southeast sophomore Julia Wheeler for the […]

Cross Country: Field Falcons boys state championship preview

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Portage County will be represented at the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s cross country state championships by two teams and one individual. Regional qualifiers for the 2023 race were the Field boys in Division II, the Mogadore girls in Division III and Southeast sophomore Julia Wheeler for the Division […]

Soccer: All-Portage County Scholastic Coaches Association Teams

BOYS SOCCER ALL-PORTAGE COUNTY SCHOLASTIC SOCCER COACHES ASSOCIATION TEAM     TEAM OF THE YEAR Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders   COACH OF THE YEAR Paul Krzeminski – Streetsboro   PLAYER OF THE YEAR Elijah Jurisch – Crestwood (11)   FIRST TEAM Forwards ▪Amir Spratt – Kent Roosevelt (12) ▪Julian Rios – Ravenna (12) ▪Payton Krzeminski […]

OHSAA announces reduced tickets for high school football playoffs

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced on Monday that it was reducing all ticket prices for the current high school football playoffs. Tickets had been $12 for an adult and $9 for students if purchased by preorder online. However, tickets had all been $15 — for adults and […]

Skaggs wins Portage Sports Pigskin Picks championship

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Portage Sports introduced its Pigskin Picks for the 2023 high school football season. In total, 30 participants joined the competition and were required to select their expected winners for approximately 10 games per week through the 10 weeks of the regular season and the first week of the […]

2001 Field High School baseball coach Bob McCrackin

The Field Falcons’ baseball team won the 2001 Portage County League championship, capturing the program’s second consecutive league title in the process. The Falcons won the crown by defeating the Woodridge Bulldogs in the PCL championship game. Field athletic director Craig Nettleton (pictured at left) presents baseball coach Bob McCrackin the championship trophy. It was […]

Football: Regional Quarterfinal Playoff Pairings

FOOTBALL OHSAA REGIONAL QUARTERFINAL PLAYOFF PAIRINGS Pairings shown with regional seed and overall record. All games on Friday, November 3, at 7 p.m., unless indicated otherwise.   Division I Region 1 8 Canton GlenOak (7-4) at 1 Lakewood St. Edward (9-1) 12 Cleveland St. Ignatius (2-8) at 4 Canton McKinley (8-3) 7 Berea-Midpark (7-4) at […]

Volleyball and Soccer: 2023 Regional Tournament Pairings

VOLLEYBALL OHSAA REGIONAL TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS Brackets and Tournament Coverage: https://www.ohsaa.org/Sports-Tournaments/Volleyball-Girls/2023-Girls-Volleyball/2023-OHSAA-Girls-Volleyball-State-Tournament-Coverage Note: Designated home team listed first   Division I Region 1 Cleveland St. Joseph Academy vs. Mentor at Hudson High School, Thurs., 6 p.m. Chardon Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin vs. Massillon Jackson at Hudson High School, Thurs., 7:30 p.m. Regional Final: at Hudson High School, Sat., […]

High School Golf Report: Southeast Board of Education honors Blazek

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer     Southeast junior Taylor Blazek was invited by the Southeast Board of Education to be recognized for her outstanding achievement during the 2023 golf season. The Board of Education presented Blazek with a Recognition of Excellence. Blazek was the first Southeast golfer ever to qualify for the state tournament. […]

Par for the Course: Kent State alum Steve Parker inducted into HOF

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Kent State Golden Flashes golf team member and alumnus Steve Parker, current head professional at Portage Country Club in Akron, was inducted into the Northern Ohio PGA Hall of Fame at the organization’s fall meeting. Parker, a former Northern Ohio PGA president, began his professional career in 1996 after […]

High School Football Scoreboard: First Round Playoffs

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, OCT. 27, 2023 PLAYOFFS — FIRST ROUND SCORES DIVISION III Aurora 41, Alliance 7 DIVISION IV Streetsboro 41, Beaver Local 20 (box score not submitted) Mentor Lake Catholic 38, Field 14 (box score not submitted) DIVISION V Garfield 56, Conneaut 13 Perry 56, Crestwood 0 DIVISION VI Rootstown 43, Southeast […]

Fast-start Rovers win first playoff game since 2017

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   In periphery ways, Friday’s first-round playoff game began to look much like Rootstown’s difficult loss to Mogadore one week prior. It was raining. The field was muddy and wet. A division rival was staring back at them from across the line of scrimmage. The Rovers were once again […]

Aurora’s Vidovic, Millard to tee off in inaugural Junior Ohio Cup

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The high-school golf season in Ohio concluded with the OHSAA state tournaments, but for Gracyn Vidovic and Brooklyn Millard, both of Aurora, one more tournament is on their schedule. The inaugural Junior Ohio Cup tees off Saturday and continues Sunday. The event welcomes 32 juniors, 16 from the Northern […]

Football: Average league game win-loss differential for Portage teams

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   A look at the average win and loss differentials for league games only for all 12 Portage County teams for the 2023 high school football season.     AURORA Wins: 27.6 Losses: No league losses — undefeated league season.     CRESTWOOD Wins: 17.0 Losses: 28.5     […]

Stoney’s Pizzeria’s Week 11 Pigskin Picks

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The moment of truth for the 2023 Pigskin Picks Challenge! The final set of games for the group to select. This week’s Pigskin Picks are sponsored by Stoney’s Pizzeria and Game Room located in Windham. After the results are calculated from this week’s games, the winner will be officially […]

Football: Updated statistical leaders (Oct. 27)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 2023 STATISTICAL LEADERS OFFENSE RUSHING Player, School Att.-Yards Dawson Morgan, Rootstown 255-1,865 Nate Blasiole, Crestwood 257-1,717 Preston Hopperton, Streetsboro 142-1,246 Cohen Klimak, Streetsboro 152-1,202 Keegan Sell, Garfield 82-1,126 Austin Marshall, Ravenna 141-1,105 Drexal McAmis, Field 176-1,043 Antonio Mejia, Southeast 151-1,010 Jayden Hakin, Waterloo 200-930 Eric Geddes, Garfield 69-859 Case Myers, Southeast 102-816 […]

2002 Ravenna High School football’s Ryan Mattie

Ravenna High School senior football standout Ryan Mattie dives across the goal line during a game from the 2002 season. From that year, Mattie was one of five Ravens players that earned First Team All-Western Reserve Conference South Division honors. The 2002 Ravens finished the season with a 3-7 overall record. The team’s game-by-game results […]

Portage County’s football programs navigate fluctuating enrollment figures

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor It is not unusual for school districts to navigate through fluctuating enrollment figures. Those numbers often have a lot less to do with a team’s on-field results and everything to do with what division they are categorized in by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. The translation: Just because […]

Football: Q&A with OHSAA’s Tim Stried on playoffs schedule format change

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   In July, the Ohio High School Athletic Association announced it was changing its playoffs scheduling format. In 2022, the first two rounds were played on Friday nights and the next three rounds were split between Friday (Divisions I, II, III and V) and Saturday (Divisions IV, VI and […]

Volleyball: 2023 statistical leaders

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS SERVICE RECEIVING Kenzington Miller, Mogadore, 688 Katie Blythe, Streetsboro, 416 Emerson Spiez, Aurora, 348 Brooke Gecina, Aurora, 346 Zoe Pastva, Rootstown, 343 Kylie Bailey, Southeast, 301 Audrey Fusci, Crestwood, 289 Zoe Babnik, Crestwood, 288 Ava Sheeler, Field, 270 Mady Stelzer, Field, 198 Taylor Ober, […]

Football: Final Associated Press state poll (Oct. 24)

FOOTBALL The final Associated Press state poll for the 2023 regular season.   DIVISION I School Rec Pts 1. Lakewood St. Edward (16) 9-1 198 2. Gahanna Lincoln (2) 10-0 163 3. Cincinnati Princeton (1) 10-0 139 4. Milford 10-0 119 5. Lewis Center Olentangy 9-1 100 6. Hilliard Bradley (1) 9-1 92 7. Pickerington […]

Ohio High School Football Notebook (Oct. 24)

Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association High School Football Notebook: Week 10 COLUMBUS – The regular-season wrapped up on Saturday night and the 2023 OHSAA football playoffs are set. Here are the top performances from around the state in the final weekend of the regular-season as compiled by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association for this week’s high […]

Cross Country: List of regional qualifying teams and individuals

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   A look at the regional qualifiers for this week’s high school boys and girls cross country meets.     GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM QUALIFICATIONS DIVISION II STREETSBORO (6th place) Kendall Epple, 30th place, 22:18.60 Madi Campbell, 34th, 22:33.10 Cara Tiller, 50th, 23:24.40 Kenzie LaGuardia, 52nd, 23:27.70 Grace Thomson, […]

High School Golf Report: The 2023 season comes to a close

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The high school golf season has concluded, with the OHSAA’s Division I state championship providing the final competition in Columbus this past weekend. Portage County was well represented this season at the state tournaments, with four golfers advancing to compete on the Ohio State University Golf Club’s Scarlet and […]

Football: Official OHSAA first-round playoff matchups

OHSAA Football First-Round Playoff Pairings Pairings shown with regional seed. All games on Friday, October 27, at 7 p.m., unless indicated otherwise.   Division I Region 1 16 Elyria (1-9) at 1 Lakewood St. Edward (8-1) 15 Euclid (1-9) at 2 Cleveland Heights (9-1) 14 Brunswick (3-7) at 3 Wadsworth (8-2) 13 Strongsville (3-7) at […]

Golf Roundup: Curtis, Vidovic, Kost close out memorable rounds at state final

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer When the boys and girls teams started the postseason looking toward the OHSAA State Championship Tournaments, there were 87 boys teams and 64 girls teams — plus a handful of individuals seeking a berth at the championship finals from the Northeast District. That is more than 440 boys and 330 […]

Par for the Course: Golf offers another reminder that it is all about family

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer Golf is a family. Rarely do I attend any tournament, golf outing, scramble or high-school match that someone doesn’t say, “Do you remember me?” Everyone considers their teams a family, but golf stretches farther than that. Golfers walk 18 holes with three golfers from other towns and other schools, often […]

Week 10 High School Football Scoreboard

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, OCT. 20, 2023 WEEK 10 SCOREBOARD Mogadore 27, Rootstown 0 Crestwood 28, Grand Valley 27 Garfield 60, Brookfield 25 Aurora 9, Highland 7 Southeast 25, Warren JFK 24 Pymatuning Valley 36, Windham 0 Waterloo 28, Bridgeport 12 Norton 39, Ravenna 16 Streetsboro 62, Coventry 7 Revere 26, Kent Roosevelt 0 […]

Football: Unofficial playoff seedings and first-round matchups

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The Ohio High School Athletic Association will officially announce the final playoff computer rankings on Sunday. However, the forever trusted website www.joeeitel.com has become an accurate, but still unofficial, calculator for teams throughout the season. According to Eitel, who was featured in a Portage Sports story last fall, […]

Golf Roundup: Liam Curtis (Roosevelt) tied for seventh at state championships

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Kent Roosevelt junior Liam Curtis led the charge among Portage County golfers, finishing in a tie for seventh place on his first day of competition on the tough Scarlet Golf Course fairways on Friday. Curtis fired front and back nines of 35-38 for a 18-hole total of 73 — […]

Cats pounce on Rovers’ mistakes to capture PTC championship

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   As he stood in three inches of churned up mud and rain fell onto his green windbreaker, Mogadore football head coach Matt Adorni radiated an energy that only a championship night can produce. Adorni’s Wildcats had just completed a 27-0 shutout victory over previously undefeated Rootstown to capture […]

Crasi delivers heroics once again to lift Aurora to league title

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   Dylan Crasi is creating a precedence for himself that will be impossible to maintain. For the second straight week, the Aurora senior made the game-winning play to help his team to a victory. On Friday, Aurora’s narrow 9-7 victory over Highland secured the Suburban League American Division championship. […]

Sell’s historic performance caps historic season for G-Men

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   A historic season featured a historic finish. The Garfield G-Men completed a perfect 10-0 undefeated season on Friday with a commanding 60-25 victory over Brookfield. With it, the G-Men secured the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference championship. To get there, senior Keegan Sell provided the fireworks with a game […]

High School Football Central: Week 10

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The final week of the regular season. For some, the last Friday night ever for football. An emotional realization. For some, the chance to capture a championship. For some, the opportunity to secure at least a Week 11. For all, another special night for fall football! I will […]

Keegan’s Seasonal Services’ Week 10 Pigskin Picks

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor The final week of the regular season is the second-to-last week for the Pigskin Picks Challenge. This week’s Pigskin Picks are sponsored by Keegan’s Seasonal Services, with owner Mike Keegan making this week’s selections for the Sponsorship Team. Before we look at this week’s list of games and each […]

High School Scoreboard: Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD THURSDAY, OCT. 19, 2023 VOLLEYBALL DIVISION IV SECTIONAL FINAL MOGADORE DEF. CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN, 16-25, 25-14, 21-25, 25-20, 15-11 MOGADORE — Kenzington Miller, 29 digs, 2 assists; Jordin Twiddy, 13 kills; Kaitlyn Clester, 5 kills, 6 blocks; Kendall Barcus, 17 assists, 1 ace.   DIVISION IV SECTIONAL FINAL NEWTON FALLS DEF. WINDHAM, 25-17, […]

Mogadore-Rootstown set for Week 10 championship showdown

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Mogadore and Rootstown began scheduling each other as Week 10 opponents beginning regularly in 2015. Since that time, 2019 is the only year that they did not play each other in the final week of the regular season. The scheduling arrangement has coincided with a rebirth of a gridiron […]

Football: Updated statistical leaders (Oct. 20)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 2023 STATISTICAL LEADERS OFFENSE RUSHING Player, School Att.-Yards Dawson Morgan, Rootstown 230-1,767 Nate Blasiole, Crestwood 235-1,636 Preston Hopperton, Streetsboro 135-1,174 Cohen Klimak, Streetsboro 147-1,105 Austin Marshall, Ravenna 125-919 Antonio Mejia, Southeast 127-858 Drexal McAmis, Field 126-808 Keegan Sell, Garfield 69-802 Enzo Catania, Aurora 108-769 Case Myers, Southeast 94-751 Eric Geddes, Garfield 67-728 […]

1973 Windham girls basketball PCL Sportsmanship Award

The 1973 Windham High School girls basketball team were the proud winners of the Portage County League’s Sportsmanship Award. Shown accepting the honor are (left to right) Diane Belden, Susie Capparell, Anne Ehrenberg and Michelle Warren. The photo was shared by George Belden on the Windham Alumni Facebook Page.

Boys and Girls Soccer: Stat leaders

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER STATISTICAL LEADERS GOALS Elijah Jurisch, Crestwood, 32 Amir Spratt, Kent Roosevelt, 19 Aaron Hart, Waterloo, 19 Payton Krzeminski, Streetsboro, 18 Nate Pastor, Rootstown, 17 Zach Pastor, Rootstown, 14 Kyle Shelhamer, Crestwood, 11 Derek Schindler, Rootstown, 8 Eli Christine, Streetsboro, 7 Brayden Ronowski, Field, 7 Alec Grimm, Field, 6 Mason Biltz, Waterloo, […]

Roosevelt’s Curtis sets new expectations in return trip to Columbus

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Going to the state tournament is always a goal of high-school golfers. Making a repeat trip back to state is special and often difficult to do. Liam Curtis, a junior member of Kent Roosevelt’s varsity golf team, has already accomplished the latter, qualifying a second year as an individual […]

Aurora’s Vidovic turns successful summer into state-final berth

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Gracyn Vidovic, an Aurora junior, is going to state. She earned that opportunity at the Brookledge Division I District, firing a 4-over-par 75 as the runner-up medalist and first individual qualifier. “I wasn’t putting great,” said Vidovic. “I managed to pick it up on the back nine and make […]

Family aspect takes golf to another level for Roosevelt’s state-bound Kost

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer Maddie Kost, a senior at Kent Roosevelt, realizes how important golf has been. “The experiences have been awesome,” said Kost. “My senior year has made me realize how fast everything goes. I’m embracing everything, every match and every tournament. “We were undefeated in matches this season,” Kost added. “It has […]

Sarchione Chevrolet Garrettsville’s Getting to Know: Mogadore AD Steve Lutz

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   “Getting to Know” is an ongoing series that was created to spotlight the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders. Today, we get to know Mogadore High School athletic director and teacher Steve Lutz.   Q: Hometown? A: Mogadore, Ohio.   […]

Ohio High School Football Notebook (Oct. 18)

COLUMBUS – We have reached Week 10 in the 2023 Ohio high school football regular-season. Here are the top performances from around the state as compiled by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association for this week’s high school football notebook. Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association High School Football Notebook – Week 9 * The Shelby Whippets earned […]

High School Scoreboard: Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD MONDAY, OCT. 16, 2023 BOYS SOCCER DIVISION III SECTIONAL SEMIFINAL ROOTSTOWN 7, LOUDONVILLE 1 Goals — (R) Nate Pastor 3, Blake Postlethwait 2, Zach Pastor, Derek Schindler. Assists — (R) Zach Pastor 2, Nate Pastor, Bryson Scarlett. Shots on Goal — Rootstown, 16-4. Corner Kicks — Rootstown, 6-2. Goalkeeper/Saves — Trent Gauer/3. […]

2023 Volunteers of the Year

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor Volunteers are volunteers for a reason. In most cases, they do it because nobody else would. They do it for the love of their community and for the families that call it their home. They do it with energy and enthusiasm, almost always with a smile on their face. […]

Palmyra softball wins 12U fall ball championship

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor   The 12U Palmyra team completed an undefeated season with a tournament championship as members of the Portage Girls Softball fall league season. The team went 10-0 in the regular season and earned the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. In the tourney’s semifinals, Palmyra defeated Jackso-Milton by […]

Football: Updated playoff rankings (Oct. 17)

OHSAA Football Computer Ratings Top 16 schools from each region in the final report Oct. 22 will qualify for the playoffs. Division I Region 1 – 1. Lakewood St. Edward (7-1) 27.048, 2. Cleveland Heights (8-1) 25.3605, 3. Canton McKinley (7-2) 25.2828, 4. Wadsworth (7-2) 24.1552, 5. Mentor (6-3) 19.1212, 6. Medina (6-3) 17.2278, 7. […]

Football: Associated Press State Poll (Oct. 16)

FOOTBALL ASSOCIATED PRESS STATE POLL MONDAY, OCT. 16, 2023     DIVISION I 1. St. Edward (11)                  8-1 164 2. Hilliard Bradley (4)                      9-0 137 3. Pickerington North (1)                    9-0 129 4. Cin. Princeton                      9-0 107 5. Milford                                   9-0 105 6. Gahanna Lincoln                           9-0 93 7. Olentangy                    8-1 […]

Track and Field: 2024 state championships moved to Dayton

The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced Monday that the 2024 track and field state tournament will be held at Welcome Stadium in Dayton. The track surface at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium at The Ohio State University will be removed in May and replaced with a new track that will take several months to complete. […]

Father and son — Pat and Jackson Adolph — partner for bowling title

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Rootstown’s Pat Adolph has already established himself as one of the best bowlers in the area. So, it is no surprise that his son is also an awesome bowler. Put the two of them together at a USBC Adult/Youth Tournament and, no surprise to anyone, they both will come […]

High School Golf Report: Blazek’s state berth gave Fesemyer special memory

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   Taylor Blazek, a junior at Southeast, represented her school and herself well at the state tournament as the first golfer for the Pirates to advance to the OHSAA event. “Some kids get nervous,” said the girls golf coach, Cindy Fesemyer. “Taylor was confident and steady. I was impressed with […]

Football: Week 9 Scoreboard

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD FRIDAY, OCT. 13, 2023 FOOTBALL WEEK 9 SCORES Kirtland 56, Crestwood 6 Rootstown 35, Southeast 7 Aurora 35, Barberton 33 Streetsboro 76, Springfield 6 Garfield 56, Crestview 7 Mathews 14, Windham 6 Lowellville 40, Waterloo 18 Tallmadge 18, Kent Roosevelt 17 Norton 41, Field 0 Mogadore 53, St. Thomas Aquinas 6 Woodridge […]

Middle School Scoreboard: Metro Athletic Conference cross country championship results

MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY   METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS THURSDAY, OCT. 12, 2023 TEAM STANDINGS Woodridge 35 Field 46 Cloverleaf 49 Streetsboro 111 Norton 133   INDIVIDUAL RESULTS TOP 10 Jaryleen Rosario-Stanford, Woodridge, 13:08 Leia Brugler, Field, 13:41 Alison Church, Field, 13:42 Brianna Curry, Springfield, 13:48 Gwen Neitenbach, Woodridge, 13:54 Adame Rebeca, Woodridge, 14:02 […]

Cross Country: Metro Athletic Conference championship results

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS THURSDAY, OCT. 12, 2023 TEAM STANDINGS Woodridge 22 Cloverleaf 46 Field 100 Streetsboro 107 Springfield 111 Ravenna 179 Norton 194 INDIVIDUAL RESULTS TOP 10 Reese Reaman, Woodridge, 18:57 Marissa Boone, Woodridge, 19:17 Lola Mullen, Woodridge, 19:22 Megan Knapp, Cloverleaf, 20:04 Maddie Adams, Field, 20:09 Emma Hibler, Cloverleaf, 20:13 […]

Par for the Course: Randolph Golf League celebrates champions

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   League play is competing in their final rounds across Portage County as awards are presented and winners announced. The first league to award the champions trophy was the Randolph Golf League at Paradise Lake Golf Club in Suffield. The league came to an exciting climax Wednesday night when the […]

Girls Golf: Southeast’s Blazek finishes 14th at state tournament

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   The final day at the OHSAA Division II Girls State Tournament proved to be challenging for the field competing at the Gray Course of the Ohio State University Golf Club. An hour delay, thanks to weather conditions including rain, put the entire field on hold until conditions warranted a […]

Middle School Scoreboard: Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, OCT. 14, 2023 GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY PORTAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM STANDINGS Rootstown 26 Southeast 40 Lake Center Christian 72 Mogadore (no team score) INDIVIDUAL RESULTS Ashlyn Dougherty, Rootstown, 13:08 Abigail DeLotell, Rootsotwn, 13:30 Natalie Campbell, Southeast, 13:38 Lila Kirkpatrick, Lake Center Christian, 13:41 Paisley Day, Rootstown, 13:58 Grace Wheeler, Southeast, […]

High School Scoreboard: Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SATURDAY, OCT. 14, 2023 BOYS SOCCER AURORA 2, CHARDON 1 Halftime Score — Aurora, 1-0.     GIRLS SOCCER DIVISION III SECTIONAL SEMIFINAL WATERLOO 8, GARFIELD 0 Halftime Score — Waterloo, 4-0. Goals — (W) Mya Bennett 4, Olivia Boyle 3, Garfield own goal. Assists — (W) Sydney Jackson 2, Boyle 2, […]

Rootstown dominates trenches to knock off Southeast, set up title game with Mogadore

By Tom Nader Publisher and Editor At this point of the season, it is hard to imagine the Rootstown football team as anything but a team designed around its power run game. With the Rovers’ athletic and strong offensive linemen Brian Youngblood, Kyle Kuharich, Tony Karp, Dominic Siglow and Braden Wright, along with fullback Dominic […]

Girls Golf State Championships: 7-over puts Southeast’s Blazek in seventh after first round

By Susan Jenior Staff Writer   In her first appearance at the state tournament and Southeast’s first golfer qualifying for the state tournament, Taylor Blazek demonstrated she deserved to be there. Firing a 7-over-par 70 on the Ohio State University Gray Course on Friday, Blazek sits in a tie for seventh place among the 72 […]

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