By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Mogadore High School girls basketball coach Jennifer Ritch was recently selected to be a coach in the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association’s annual North-South All-Star Game.

The game will be played on April 24 at Olentangy Liberty High School at 6 p.m.

Ritch’s career record sits at 146-141, and she has won one league championship, four sectional titles, one district crown and a regional championship.

In addition to this honor, Ritch has previously also been named the OHSBCA Coach of the Year, Northeast Inland District Coach of the Year and the District III Coach of the Year.

Ritch has also been selected to coach Team Stars in the 2026 Portage Sports High School Girls Basketball All-Star Game on April 17 at Ravenna High School.

YOUTH WRESTLERS ON THE STATE’S BIGGEST STAGE

   • Crestwood youth wrestling’s Kayden Miller became the program’s first-ever Ohio Athletic Committee state champion, winning the Division II title at 75 pounds this past weekend.

Miller also won a OHWAY state championship the weekend before.

   • Kent youth wrestling’s Briggs Knopick, who is a 5th grader at Davey Elementary, placed third at the Ohio Athletic Committee’s wrestling state championship tournament this past weekend.

Knopick recorded the fastest fall in the entire boys tournament, with a pin in the finals in just 8.75 seconds.

He is now a two-time OAC state-placer.

ROOSEVELT GRADUATES SHARE GOLF COURSE AGAIN

Kent Roosevelt graduates and former Rough Riders golf standouts Morgan Bauza and Sydnie Leavery shared the golf course together once again this past weekend.

The duo (both from the Roosevelt Class of 2022) were paired together at the Intercollegiate at Prospect Bay women’s golf tournament hosted in Grayson, Maryland.

Bauza playing for Niagara University and Leavery playing for LaSalle University. They were in the same pairing on Saturday for the first day of the event.

COLLEGE SIGNINGS

   • Carter Stevenson, Kent Roosevelt cross country, Connecticut College

   • Conner Hunt, Garfield track and field, University of Cincinnati

   • Alexis Phillips, Garfield bowling, Texas State University

   • Mike Huebner, Garfield football, Kenyon College

   • Mandy Cardinal, Garfield basketball, Ursuline Collegee

   • Annie Rado, Garfield softball, Baldwin Wallace

   • Garet Warnick, Garfield baseball, Kent State Tuscarawas