Southeast High School Junior Cohen Richardson (23) rises and prepares to release the game-winning shot in Friday’s 3rd annual Portage Sports High School Basketball All-Star Games. The shot gave Team Stars a thrilling 74-72 comeback victory.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

The 3rd Portage Sports High School Basketball All-Star Games once again featured two games that showcased some of the county’s best student-athletes.

Hosted at Ravenna High School on Friday, the night finished with the boys game being decided by a buzzer-beating bucket by Southeast junior Cohen Richardson.

Kent Roosevelt senior Gavin Peeps throws down a two-handed dunk in Friday’s All-Star Game.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

Overall, the night included 46 selected basketball All-Stars combined between both boys and girls, along with 20 cheerleaders.

The teams were coached by Southeast’s Ashley Callihan and Mogadore’s Jennifer Ritch for the girls and Field’s Alex Blake and Garfield’s Matt Hill for the boys.

The girls game opened the night.

Team Stripes played a clean first half and captured a 27-25 lead by halftime, but Team Stars dominated and owned the second half. Team Stars outscored Stripes 38-6 in the second half and captured a 63-33 victory.

Leading the way for Team Stars was Kent Roosevelt senior Claire VanDamme, who finished with a game-high 17 points, which was the most points scored by a single player in either the boys or girls game on Friday. VanDamme also pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds and was also credited by coach Ritch as one of the leading halftime voices to help motivate the team to a stronger second half.

VanDamme was recognized as the Most Valuable Player in the team’s triumph.

BOYS AND GIRLS BASKETBALL GAME PHOTO GALLERIES!

Joining VanDamme on double figures were teammates: Mogadore junior Kasey Bolyard (16 points), Crestwood senior Becca Brady (12 points).

Aurora senior Addison Witting goes up for a left-handed layup on Friday. Witting led all players with six assists.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

Aurora senior Addison Witting was a top playmaker in the game for Team Stars, finishing with six assists, which was the most by a single player all night.

In the girls game, Team Stripes was led by Southeast junior Jenna Canale and Garfield senior Mandy Cardinal, who both scored nine points.

In the boys game, Team Stars was victorious on Richardson’s game-winner.

After Team Stripes turned the ball over with the score tied, Team Stars inbounded the ball to Richardson, who dribbled up the right sideline and to the right wing before driving to the center of the lane with a left-hand dribble, then stopped to pull up for an 8-foot floater that grazed the front of the rim as it fell through the net as time expired.

Richardson led Team Stars in points with 14 (12 in the second half) and was named the game’s MVP. Also in double-digits for Team Stars was Rootstown’s Blake Mullaly (13 points) and Mogadore’s Jordon Smith (12). Ravenna senior CJ Ross had nine points and 10 rebounds for Team Stars for the near double-double.

Kent Roosevelt’s Gavin Peeps led Team Stripes with 15 points, while Roosevelt’s EJ Churn had 14 and Aurora’s Gui Goedert scored 10.

Prior to the start of both games, Jon Ridinger sang beautiful renditions of the Star Spangled Banner.

Also, the Mogadore High School pep band was fantastic throughout the night and added a special atmospheric layer to the night.

Jon Ridinger sings the Star Spangled Banner prior to the start of the Boys All-Star Game on Friday.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

Portage Sports would like to sincerely thank the following group for helping make the Portage Sports All-Star Games a success:

   • Ravenna High School and its administration, especially athletic director Jim Lunardi and athletic secretary Megan Greene. Both have been tremendous supporters of Portage Sports for a long time.

   • Official scorekeeper Lesa Bauer

   • Clock operator Kyle Barkhurst

   • Statisticians Denny and Ruth Pickens

   • Public Address announcer Jack Hugg

   • National Anthem singer Jon Ridinger

   • Windham cheer coach Nicole Sweet and Mogadore cheer coach Julie Popio for coordinating and leading the cheerleaders and for the creation of great run-through signs for both teams.

   • Concessions by the Ravenna Athletic Booster Club

   • Admission greeting team and gym preparation by Tom and Julie Nader and Kyle Nader

• Photographer Paisley Nader

• The Mogadore High School pep band, which was fantastic throughout the night!

BOX SCORES

BOYS BASKETBALL

3RD ANNUAL PORTAGE SPORTS ALL-STAR GAME

STARS 74, STRIPES 72

(At Ravenna High School)

TEAM STRIPES (72) — Gui Goedert 4 0-0 10; Ryan Roscoe 1 2-2 5; Devin Bates 1 2-2 4; Gavin Peeps 7 0-0 15; Keegan Kiser 0 0-0 0; Ethan Laryea 0 0-0 0; Colton Mayle 1 0-0 2; Johnny Trivisonno 3 0-0 7; Matt Kolaczek 2 0-0 4; EJ Churn 6 0-0 14; Collin McGranahan 3 0-0 9; Angelo Dinardo 1 0-0 2. Totals 29 4-4 72.

TEAM STARS (74) — Jordon Smith 5 1-1 12; Blake Mullaly 5 1-1 13; CJ Ross 4 0-2 9; Gavin Gardner 2 1-2 5; Dean Abdlrasul 2 2-2 6; Sean Jordan 1 2-3 4; Trevor Flarida 2 0-0 5; Joe Sharish 2 0-0 5; Main Biltz 0 1-2 1; Cohen Richardson 6 0-0 14. Totals 29 8-13 74.

STRIPES 42-30—72

STARS 34-40—74

Three-Point Goals — Team Stripes (10): McGranahan 3, Churn 2, Goedert 2, Roscoe 1, Peeps 1, Trivisonno 1. Team Stars (8): Richardson 2, Mullaly 2, Smith 1, Ross 1, Flarida 1, Sharish 1.

Total Rebounds — Team Stripes (36): Ross 10, Smith 7, Richardson 4, Gardner 4, Jordan 2, Mullaly 2, Abdlrasul 2, Sharish 2, Flarida 2, Biltz 1. Team Stars (39): Peeps 7, Churn 6, Trivisonno 5, McGranahan 4, Bates 3, Klaczek 3, Kiser 3, Goedert 2, Dinardo 2, Laryea 2, Roscoe 2.

Total Assists — Team Stripes (9): Richardson 3, Flarida 2, Abdlrasul 1, Jordan 1, Ross 1, Gardner 1. Team Stars (10): Peeps 3, Churn 2, Mayle 1, Bates 1, Laryea 1, Roscoe 1, Kiser 1.

Total Steals — Team Stripes (11): Richardson 4, Flarida 3, Jordan 2, Ross 1, Abdlrasul 1. Team Stars (10): Mayle 3, Churn 3, Kiser 2, Trivisonno 1, Laryea 1.

Total Blocked Shots — Team Stripes (4): Abdlrasul 2, Ross 1, Smith 1. Team Stars (1): Kolaczek 1.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

3RD ANNUAL PORTAGE SPORTS ALL-STAR GAME

STARS 63, STRIPES 33

(At Ravenna High School)

TEAM STRIPES (33) — Colbie Curall 1 1-1 3; Miriyha Sandifer 1 0-0 2; Alexis Henry 0 0-0 0; Audrey Richmond 2 4-4 6; Jalysia Thompson 2 0-0 4; Mandy Cardinal 4 0-0 9; Johanna King 0 0-0 0; Jenna Canale 4 0-2 9. Totals 13 5-7 33.

TEAM STARS (63) — Kasey Bolyard 8 0-0 16; Hayli Clester 1 00- 2; Becca Brady 4 2-2 12; Makenzie Blockinger 0 0-0 0; Carlee Bedford 2 0-0 6; Addison Witting 3 0-0 6; Brielle Jones 1 2-4 4; Claire VanDamme 7 3-4 17. Totals 26 7-10 63.

STRIPES 27-6—33

STARS 25-38—63

Three-Point Goals — Team Stripes (2): Cardinal 1, Canale 1. Team Stars (4): Brady 2, Bedford 2.

Total Rebounds — Team Stripes (28): Thompson 8, Canale 5, Cardinal 5, King 3, Richmond 2, Sandifer 1. Team Stars (38): VanDamme 10, Clester 6, Jones 6, Bolyard 5, Brady 5, Bedford 3, Witting 2, Blockinger 1.

Total Assists — Team Stripes (8): Curall 3, Cardinal 2, Richmond 1, Thompson 1, Canale 1. Team Stars (11): Witting 6, Bolyard 3, Jones 1, Brady 1.

Total Steals — Team Stripes (4): Sandifer 2, Curall 1, Canale 1. Team Stars (10): Bolyard 5, Brady 4, Jones 1.

Total Blocked Shots — Team Stripes (6): Thompson 4, Curall 1, Richmond 1. Team Stars (0).