By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Congratulations to my friend Tom Hardesty, who announced his retirement this morning in a column published by The Portager.

I had the honor to work alongside Tom for 15 years, and I not only learned a lot from him, we also had some of the most fun conversations any newsroom could ever imagine. A night working in the office with Tom never felt like true work. It was a night hanging out with a good friend. And it was never unusual for the conversation to hold us in the office hours after deadline had long passed.

He is a very talented writer, with a unique storytelling ability that can pull you in, paint the clearest mental images and leave you wishing the story had been longer because you just want to stay immersed in his words.

Thank you, Tom, for being a friend, mentor, colleague, comedian, historian, and more, for not just myself, but also for Portage County throughout your 40-year career!

Here is Tom’s retirement column.

SELLERS GETS ANOTHER WNBA CHANCE

Aurora graduate and former University of Maryland standout Shyanne Sellers has signed a training-camp contract with the Dallas Wings of the WNBA.

Sellers was drafted by the Golden State Valkyries in the second round of the 2025 WNBA Draft, but was waived. She was then claimed by the Atlanta Dream, but was waived before the start of the season.

Sellers last played with Maccabi Haifa of the Israeli Women’s Basketball Premier League.

RADDISH SETS NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL RECORD

Field 8th grader Gracie Raddish set a new middle school record for the program in the shot put on Saturday.

Competing at the Lake Relays, the Falcons’ standout achieved a throw of 42 feet, 2 inches, to set the new program-best mark.

TRACK AND FIELD TITLES AND RECORDS

It was a good weekend for high school track and field teams.

On the girls side, the Southeast Pirates won the Pymatuning Valley Laker Invitational and the Rootstown Rovers won the East Palestine Bulldog Invitational.

On the boys side, the Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders won the Brian Armstrong Northwest Invitational.

In the process, the Riders’ Braylon Hawthorne set a new meet record in the 800 (1:56.52), Tyler Ellington in the 100 (11.20) and Jaiden Portis in the long jump (21-6.5).

COLLEGE SIGNINGS

   • Mason King, Rootstown wrestling, Ashland University

   • James Morgan, Southeast golf, Walsh University

NO-HITTER FOR HAMPTON

Waterloo softball sophomore Jolean Hampton pitched a no-hitter last Wednesday in the Vikings’ 10-0 win at Campbell Memorial.

Hampton struck out 12 in the five-inning triumph.