By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

In 24 years as the head coach of the Kent Roosevelt baseball team, Mike Haney has seen a lot of baseball.

He has been part of just about every scenario possible.

Baseball, though, has a unique way of introducing something brand new to every game.

Oftentimes, things you have never seen before.

In Haney’s case, the 2026 season turned into something unlike anything the veteran coach had ever seen.

It included six come-from-behind wins that were secured in the final innings of games or in the Rough Riders’ last at-bats. Five of those were in league games.

   • April 2 at Copley (4-3 win): The Riders trailed 3-1 going into the top of the sixth inning before scoring three runs to take the lead.

   • April 8 vs. Aurora (14-13 win): In a game that was suspended because of darkness, the teams returned on Saturday morning (April 11) for Teddy Maccarone to win the game with a walk-off single.

   • April 22 at Barberton (3-2 win): Down 2-0, the Riders scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take the lead. The game-winning run was brought hom on a sacrifice fly by Rocco Baggetta.

   • May 4 vs. Tallmadge (4-3 win): With the score tied in the bottom of the seventh inning, John Estep delivered the game-winning, walk-off single.

   • May 14 at Revere (5-4 win): Down 3-1 after the first inning, the Riders battled back to take the lead 4-3. Revere tied the game, 4-4, in the fifth inning, before Roosevelt won the game in the 8th inning on a hit by Luke Haney.

   • May 16 vs. Manchester (5-4 win): On Senior Night, Roosevelt trailed 3-0 after the first inning. The Riders battled back to tie the score, 3-3, in the fifth inning. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Luke Beatty walked the team off with a win with an RBI single.

Additional theatrics for the Riders included a pair of extra-inning games with eventual Suburban League American Conference champion Highland.

Once in 10 innings, losing 5-3, then in an eight-inning contest that the Hornets won 7-6.

“I can tell you that this was one of my favorites seasons of my career,” Haney said. “This group just battled day in and day out. We had to work through some unfortunate injuries again, and they approached every day with a next-man-up attitude.

“It was a perfect mix of old and young to help us continue to develop the program moving forward as we transition to the new version of the Metro Athletic Conference,” Haney added. “Our six-man senior class has truly left a lasting legacy on this program and with the young men who will follow them. We are super excited and the future is bright.”

SPRING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Teams across Portage County celebrated a variety of league championships this spring.

Congratulations to all of them!

   • Aurora softball — Suburban League American Conference

   • Aurora boys track and field — Suburban League American Conference

   • Aurora girls track and field — Suburban League American Conference

   • Crestwood girls track and field — Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division

   • Field baseball — Metro Athletic Conference

   • Field softball — Metro Athletic Conference

   • Garfield boys track and field — Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Gray Division

   • Garfield girls track and field — Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Gray Division

   • Rootstown softball — Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division

   • Southeast baseball — Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Gray Division

ST. PATRICK’S RUNS TO TITLE

The St. Patrick (Kent) 8th grade track and field team recently captured the Cleveland CYO East Region championship, which was hosted at Walsh Jesuit High School.

Members of the team include Nathan Ash, Lucas Ash, Alexander Fabrizio, Maddox Harper, Luke Hocevar, Oliver Nguyen and Kyrie Boyd Smith.

ROOTSTOWN HIRES LANGSTON

Rootstown High School has announced the hiring of Tara Langston as the new girls soccer head coach.

Langston is a graduate of Rootstown and was an all-league player for the Rovers. She has long been involved with the Rootstown Soccer Club as a coach and commissioner.

KEMBLE SETS NEW WINS RECORD

Southeast High School senior wrestling standout Dominic Kemble finished his career as the program’s all-time career wins leader!

Kemble’s 150 career wins bested the previous record holder Cole Bailey, who had 149 wins.

The program’s all-time wins top-10 list is now:

   1. Dominic Kemble 150

   2. Cole Bailey 149

   3. Shelton Morris 144

   4. Hunter McPeak 140

   T5. Brett Bailey 128

   T5. Neil Bailey 128

   6. Kaleb Dohse 127

   7. Mason Amodio 126

   8. Jacob Bartleyh 120

   9. Joe Knopick 119

   10. Billy Kemble 118

RADDISH PLACES AT STATE MEET

Field 8th Grade track and field standout Gracie Raddish qualified for the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Middle School State Championship last Saturday hosted at Hilliard Darby High School in Columbus.

Raddish finished 10th in the state in the shot put with a throw of 35 feet, 2.25 inches.

She also competed in the discus, finishing 12th in Ohio with her throw that landed at 84 feet, 5 inches.

Raddish was the only girl from Portage County to qualify for any of the events at the state championships.

COLLEGE SIGNINGS

   • Brett Epple, Streetsboro golf, University of Mount Union

   • Cameron Brady, Mogadore cross country and track and field, Baldwin Wallace