By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

The California wildfires caught the attention of many across the world, including 15 students at Streetsboro who were ready to jump into action.

The group is part of Robert Kidd’s Social Problems class, which commonly becomes a forum to discuss current events.

“I told my class that if anyone wanted to be part of trying to do something (for the relief of those impacted by the fires) that we could meet,” Kidd said.

At the first meeting, 15 students were there and immediately began to talk about what they could do from thousands of miles away in Northeast Ohio.

“This was a time consuming process, and we went over many different options,” Kidd said. “We didn’t want to do just a general donation to a large organization. We wanted to be able to make a difference in the lives of a particular family.”

After a lengthy discussion and reviewing multiple options, the group eventually used the GoFundMe platform to sort through families who had already begun to seek help.

During that search, the Streetsboro students identified a family of six consisting of a mother and father, two young sons and infant twins.

“This particular family lost everything and were in desperate need of any sort of financial help, including diapers, clothing, and more,” Kidd said.

The students set up links for financial donations that they shared with friends, family and the community — and the monetary donations were set up to go directly to the family. The students are working with the aunt of the family to arrange for the physical donations, like diapers and clothing, to be delivered appropriately.

“What I was very impressed with, besides the charitable attitude, was how the students really controlled every step of this process,” Kidd said.

The students include seniors Ben Watson, Riley  Watterson, Shemyah Stevens, Madelyn Genovese, Harmony Brown, Jon Akron, Sydney Burfield, Melodie Smith and Mar Fall, along with juniors Xzavier Megha and Jason Lucas.

“I only served as a helping hand and helped brainstorm and troubleshoot,” Kidd said.

COLLEGE SIGNINGS

• Mogadore football’s Karson Jaber announced that he will continue his career at Walsh University.
• Field football’s Drexal McAmis signed his intent to play for Walsh University.
• Field graduate Will Nienhius announced that he has signed to play for Walsh University.
• Aurora wrestling’s Luke Green announced that he will continue his career at the University of Mount Olive (N.C.).
• Streetsboro football’s Cohen Klimak recently signed to continue his career at John Carroll University.

PIRATES WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP

The Southeast Middle School wrestling team recently captured the Division III championship in the Eastern Ohio Wrestling League.

Additionally, eighth-grader Grace Nelson became the first female to ever reach the podium at the EOWL tournament championship.

“This is a very tight-knit group, who cares about each other and come to practice every day wanting to get better,” head coach Rick Reynolds said. “A shoutout to Jaidyn Sapp, a first-year coach, for doing an outstanding job with these wrestlers.

“Grace’s success is a direct result of the extra coaching from her drill partner and teammate Riley Diehl. These wrestlers have been a blast to coach,” Reynolds added.

TOP OF THE PODIUM FOR SLADKY

Rootstown eighth-grader Alexa Sludgy was the only middle school girls wrestler who competed in the recent 2nd annual Chippewa Invitational Tournament.

She did not just compete, though, she won the tournament championship, helping the middle-school Rovers program to an eighth-place finish (out of 18).

FALCONS HELP WITH BIRDIE BAGS

Founded by the Ben Curtis Family Foundation in 2013 to help food-insecure school children, the Birdie Bag program has grown to serve 13 school districts, with approximately 6,000 bags being sent home on a monthly basis.

Each bag contains six meals and four snacks.

Districts in Portage County that the Birdie Bags are distributed in include Field, Kent, Ravenna, Rootstown, Southeast, Streetsboro, Waterloo and Windham.

Recently student-athletes from Field High School visited the foundation’s headquarters to help stock the Birdie Bags for delivery.

The group of  Falcons help pack 2,170 bags into 45 bins.

The foundation posted on its Facebook: “Their hard work and positive energy made the day such an amazing pack.”

FUTURE ROCKETS WITH TODAY’S ROCKETS

The Streetsboro girls basketball team, which recently won its second consecutive Metro Athletic Conference championship, spent Monday evening with future Rockets.

This year’s high-school Rockets opened up their gym to share the space to work and practice with the youth basketball teams.

Streetsboro’s Director of Teaching and Learning Brett McCann posted on X, saying, “Not many programs are inviting their youth players to practice with playoffs just around the corner. This is so awesome and one of the reasons this program will be where it is for years to come!”

PORTAGE COUNTY IN COLUMBUS

Portage County was well represented at Thursday’s Ohio High School Football Coaches Association’s North-South Senior All-Star Game luncheon in Columbus.

Pictured (below left to right) are Field’s Drexal McAmis, Ravenna’s Bobby Melzer, Streetsboro’s Jackson Gula and Streetsboro’s Cohen Klimak.

The quartet will play in the association’s 80th North-South All-Star Game on April 26 at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon.

CRESTWOOD REMEMBERS YESTERYEAR PLAYERS

The Crestwood boys basketball program honored 22 alumni players on Friday night, including former Red Devils that dated back to 1957.

What a special tribute to celebrate the program and its history!

The group recognized included:

Bill Ungar (1967)

Tom Learn (1987)

Del Stamm(1977)

Jerry Davis (1977)

Perry Davis (1978)

Todd Harper (1999)

Casey Ailiff (1999)

James Johnson (1997)

Mason Jakacki (2020)

Mark Jakacki (1970)

Joey Campbell (2002)

Trent Jakacki (2021)

Bob Lieberth (1983)

Jake Lieberth (2016)

Dave Mayle (1999)

Josh Jakacki (1994)

John Major (2011)

Dave Hayes (1957)

Tim Bilsza (2003)

Bob Gallagher (1965)

Mike Matarrese (1976)

Charlie Schweickert (2024)

NEW NO. 1 FOR GARFIELD G-MEN

The Garfield boys basketball program has a new all-time leading scorer: Senior guard Preston Gedeon.

Gedeon surpassed Mark Phelp’s career scoring record of 1,325 points during the G-Men’s 91-68 victory over Brookfield on Friday night.

TWICE AS NICE FOR RED DEVILS

The Crestwood boys basketball team captured the 10th league championship in school history last Friday with a 74-43 victory over Wickliffe.

The Devils’ title banner now includes the years: 1966, 1967, 1970, 1999, 2000, 2011, 2017, 2020, 2024 and 2025.

BRENTON SEARS IS MR. SMILES

If you have been around the Field schools or basketball teams over the last few years, then you likely have seen Brenton Sears.

If you are lucky, you have had the chance to meet Sears.

I have nicknamed him Mr. Smiles, because he is always smiling. He is always in a good mood and ready to try to make your day better.

On Friday, I got to see Sears at the Field at Streetsboro boys basketball game, where he was filling in for veteran scorebook extraordinaire Ellen Arena for the night.

Arena is a rock star in her own right, as she is in her 54th year keeping the scorebook for the Field boys basketball team.

JUST OUTSIDE OF PORTAGE COUNTY

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni played college football at Mount Union and won three National Championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

Sirianni was a wide receiver and finished his career with 68 receptions for 1,332 yards.

He emerged as a star on the 2002 national-title team, pulling in 52 catches for 998 yards and 13 touchdowns.

The only receiver on the 2002 team that had more receptions and yards than Sirianni was Field High School graduate Randy Knapp (69 receptions, 1,467 yards).

Sirianni won another National Championship with the Purple Raiders as an assistant coach in 2005.