By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

It has been an up and down couple of weeks for Field High School senior boys basketball player Sam Confer.

The downside is that a recurring left shoulder injury will, unfortunately, cost him the remainder of the 2025-26 season.

Shannon Eldreth/Special to Portage Sports

The upside is that just before his season was cut short, he was able to capture a memory that the majority of players never get to realize: A game-winning buzzer-beater.

Confer’s magical 3-pointer came back on Jan. 23, lifting the Falcons to a thrilling 57-56 overtime victory over the visiting Coventry Comets.

“Sam had been grinding to have one of the games like he had at Coventry,” head coach Alex Blake said of Confer, who scored a season-high 21 points in the win. “He had been rehabbing the same injury, that now has him out for the season, for a few months now. He never took anything for granted for his senior year.”

With 6 seconds left in overtime, Blake called a timeout to set up a sideline out-of-bounds play and drew up a set that had Confer taking the ball out of bounds.

Confer was to look for fellow senior Brian Fox as the primary option, but Blake was sure to relay an important message to Confer while still in the timeout huddle.

“Throw the ball to ‘Foxy,’ but make sure you step in bounds and be ready to shoot the ball in case he can’t get a shot off’.”

Confer’s reply: “OK, I got you.”

When the referee handed the ball to Confer, he initially hit Fox, who had run laterally off a series of screens. As Blake anticipated, the ball ended back in Confer’s hands and he lifted to bury the game-winner.

ANOTHER HALL OF FAME FOR HANNAN

The Hall of Fames just keep calling for Tom Hannan.

His most recent induction will happen this year as part of the National Semi-Pro Baseball Hall of Fame.

Hannan, who is currently Rootstown High School football head coach, has previously been inducted into the Cuyahoga County AAA League Hall of Fame (1986), Brookside High School Athletic Hall of Fame (2018) and the Greater Akron Baseball Hall of Fame (2024).

Hannan’s semi-professional baseball career has spanned 47 years from when he first started playing for the Lorain Internationals and Strongsville Americans.

Hannan is the Cuyahoga County AAA League’s all-time leader in at-bats and hits (1,037). He is also approaching 1,000 hits while playing as a member of the Erie Coast Cubs, which he has also served as the manager for.

Hannan, who graduated from Brookside in 1978, has also played for the Bison, Avon A’s, Lumber and Lightning, 50-and-over Sidewinders, 40-and-over Canton Tigers and 60-and-over Orioles.

KENT ROOSEVELT GIRLS SWIMMING

What a run of dominance by the Kent Roosevelt High School girls swimming and diving team!

Three years…

Three Suburban League championships…

Not a single loss!

The Rough Riders have captured their trio of titles with a perfect 36-0 league record.

Congratulations on an amazing and historical achievement!

CRESTWOOD GRAD BLASIOLE NAMED ALL-AMERICAN

Ohio Northern University football standout Louie Blasiole was recently named a First Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators. 

During his career with the Polar Bears, Blasiole has 2,815 career rushing yards, which ranks as the eighth-best in program history.

This past season as a senior, Blasiole rushed for 1,399 yards on 281 carries and scored 21 touchdowns, helping ONU to an 8-3 overall record and 7-1 in league play.

Blasiole rushed for 881 yards and 11 TDs as a junior and 535 yards and four TDs as a sophomore.

He was also named First Team All-Ohio Athletic Conference and Second Team All-Region.

Blasiole is a 2022 graduate of Crestwood High School and rushed for 2,770 yards in his Red Devils career. The total ranks fourth in school history.

ROOTSTOWN GIRLS BASKETBALL MILESTONES

The Rootstown girls basketball team’s 49-29 victory over Kirtland last Wednesday secured the outright Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division championship for the Rovers.

It is the program’s fifth consecutive league title.

A special way to celebrate Senior Night.

That wasn’t all, though.

The win was also the program’s 600th all-time.

The Rovers are only the third girls program in Portage County history to reach the milestone, joining Mogadore and Waterloo.

1,000 FOR VANDAMME AND RICHARDSON

Kent Roosevelt Claire VanDamme became the 4th player in program history to reached the 1,000-point milestone on Wednesday.

VanDamme joins the trio of Erica Floyd (1,266 points), Kayla Fischer (1,064) and Brianna Rock (1,019).

VanDamme also recently became the program’s career rebounds leader. She now has 641, besting the previous record of 593 set by Jessica Anderson (2006-09).

Southeast junior boys basketball standout Cohen Richardson reached the 1,000-point milestone on Saturday during the first quarter of the Pirates’ road game at Waterloo.

Richardson had entered the game with 998 career points after leading his team to a 67-61 win over Newton Falls on Friday. He scored 25 points in Friday’s win.

Richardson is the seventh player in school history to reach the plateau.

He joins:

1. Seth Truman, 1,792 points
2. Garrett Sprutte, 1,440
3. Micah Herndon, 1,280
4. Eddie Hunt, 1,174
5. Patrick Divoky, 1,115
6. Joe DeJacimo, 1,050

FURINO TO COACH LOUISVILLE FOOTBALL

Matt Furino was officially announced as the new head football coach at Louisville High School.

Furino coached the Field Falcons for 20 years over three different stints and totaled a school-record 108 career wins.

“Coach Furino understands what it takes to build and sustain a successful program,” Louisville athletic director Terrie Horn said. “He values the groundwork that has already been laid and brings the experience and vision to help take the program to the next level.”

GREATER PORTAGE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SEEKS COMMISSIONER

The Greater Portage Athletic Conference is currently seeking applicants for its Commissioner position.

Interested candidates should apply by sending a resume and letter of interest to Garfield Superintendent Ted Lysiak at tlysiak@jagschools.org.

The GPAC has communicated that the 2-year contracted position will include: League leadership and operations, financial management, serve as a liaison to the OHSAA.

AURORA AND STREETSBORO CHEER ADVANCE TO STATE

The Aurora and Streetsboro cheer programs successfully qualified for the State Competition, which will be held on Feb. 21 at Big Walnut High School in Columbus.

The Greenmen and Rockets both qualified at the regional competition, which was hosted at Jackson High School.

To advance to the state event, teams must compete at regionals and earn a qualifying score of 75 percent or higher.

Unlike some other cheerleading competitions where a set number of top teams advance, the regional competition is based purely on scoring. Teams either meet the qualifying standard or they do not.

Aurora’s cheer team, which is coached by Jessica Pascoe and Christina Pistone, includes Jakki Antonelli, Molly Locker, Adriana Lorello, Gianna Merolla, Ava Onk, Hailey Postan, Genevieve Stanton and Vanessa Zembala.

“We would also like to take a moment to remember and honor our former coach, Cathy Bower, who offered her support and guidance to our team in the past and has since passed away. Her contribution and spirit continue to inspire us,” Pascoe said.

Streetsboro’s cheer team, which is coached by Jackie Ogden and Alli Hoffman, include Nyjah Rangel, Cece Hall, Raegan Collins, Mackenzie McIntosh, Saniya Tucker, Emma Chamberlain, Lizzie Bolyard, Stella Mauler, Amaya Basinger, Autumn Benci, Abby Coy, Sophia Jeffrey and Kylie Sladky.

“This team has actually overcome many obstacles,” Ogden said. “We have had illness and injury setbacks almost weekly causing us to have to modify the routine — sometimes extensively. Every competition, they faced a new challenge with a new girl performing a stunt or part she has never done before. Their resilience each time was remarkable and I could not be more proud of them.”

COLLEGE SIGNINGS

   • Janiere Cook, Streetsboro football, John Carroll University

   • Xavier Board, Aurora football, Gannon University

   • Luke Bonnette, Aurora football, Gannon University

   • Colbie Curall, Rootstown girls basketball, John Carroll University

   • Ava Miller, Rootstown girls golf, Malone University