Wheelersburg boys and girls took the titles at the Huntington Invitational
Unioto boys finished second and Waverly finished third
Unioto handed Piketon its first Scioto Valley Conference loss of the season in a close one
3200M: Unioto's Caleb Caplinger (10:09.83)
110M hurdles: Waverly's Blake Osborne (16.27)
300M hurdles: Wheelersburg's Elijah Brown (41.81)
Unioto's Tanner Beam (41.93) and Amanda-Clearcreek's Reece Marshall (42.90)
High jump: Wheelersburg's Kenyon Evans (6-2)
Discus: Wheelersburg's Cashton Adkins (151-4)
Shot put: Wheelersburg's Ison Emnett (56-11)
100M: Southeastern's Karlie Peters (13.34)
200M: Southeastern's Karlie Peters (26.97)
400M: Southeastern's Karlie Peters (1:00.19)
800M: Wheelersburg's Ryleigh Harness (2:32.43)
1600M: Amanda-Clearcreek's Gavynn Sowers (5:21.32)
100M hurdles: Wheelersburg's Ella Hochstetler (16.14)
300M hurdles: Wheelersburg's Ella Hochstetler (47.75)
Amanda-Clearcreek's Sam Buckley (50.32) and Wheelersburg's Breanna Clark (52.21)
Long jump: Waverly's Paige O'Bryant (15-9)
Discus: Wheelersburg's Ella Hochstetler (145-4)
Shot put: Southeastern's Rowan Ruckel (35-7)
Benjamin Yandila and Malachi Upshaw defeated Grady Horick and Owen Florea 6-1
Johnathan Crawford and Kailey Oyer won by forfeit
Southeastern 2: Pierce Manson was the winning pitcher
Gunnar McCullough was 2-of-3 with two runs
Westfall 6: John Free had the go-ahead RBI single with two outs in the sixth on a 2-of-3 night where he also scored a run
He was also the winning pitcher with a complete game
Jase Rinehard had a two-RBI single that tied the game with two outs in the sixth on a 2-of-3 night with a run and a stolen base
Carson Free went 2-of-4 with two runs and a stolen base
Brenden Tuttle went 2-of-3 with two runs and two stolen bases
Piketon 0: KB Perkins had a complete game where he gave up only two hits
He was also 1-of-3 at the plate with a double
Callaway Ratliff was 2-of-4 with a run and an RBI
Adena 2: Brayden Elliott had a complete game
Seth Throckmorton went 2-of-4 with a double
Marcus Jackson went 1-of-2 with a double and a run
Valley 6: Liam Cross was 2-of-4 with an RBI
Kage Alexander and Hunter Hauck each scored runs
River Valley 4: Junior McDonald was 3-of-4 with a triple
Andrew Oyer was 0-of-1 with one run and one walk
Brayden Elliott went 0-of-2 with three runs
Seth Throckmorton was 2-of-3 with one run and one RBI
Piketon 1: Joey Pfeifer hit a homer on a 2-of-2 night where he scored twice
Carson McWhorter went the distance in the win
He also went 2-of-3 at the plate with a double
Paint Valley 1: Jaxon Zickafoose went 2-of-4 with a run and RBI
Blake Sanders got the win in a complete game
Carson Free went 1-of-4 with an RBI for Paint Valley
Piketon 5: The Shermans handed the Redstreaks their first league loss of the season
as they scored five times in the top of the fifth
five runs (two earned) and striking out one
Auburey Heath hit her 11th homer of the season on a 1-of-4 night with two runs and an RBI
Jackson 2: Vivian Morgan was 4-of-4 with two runs and one RBI
CJ Rittinger was 1-of-4 with one run and two RBIs
Adena 17: Adelyn Nelson was 1-of-1 with a homer
She also went 1-of-3 at the plate with an RBI and a run
Kelsea Brown went 2-of-3 with three RBIs and two runs
Allie Baker had a homer on a 2-of-3 night with a double
Taylor Tisdale went 1-of-3 with a double and two RBI
Savannah Bushatz went 1-of-3 with a double
Zane Trace 1: Dylan Skaggs went 1-of-3 with a double and three RBIs
Kylie Williams got the win in a complete game where she gave up three hits
She was also 2-of-2 at the plate with a run and two stolen bases
Ally Fisher was 1-of-3 with two runs and a stolen base
Aubree Thomas was 1-of-3 with an RBI for Zane Trace
Paint Valley 4: Jill Butcher went 2-of-5 with three runs and an RBI
Logan McNeal went 2-of-4 with a run and an RBI
Reise Rogers went 2-of-4 with a run and two RBI
Sophia Stauffer went 2-of-3 with two runs and four stolen bases
Kyla Littler went 2-of-3 with a run and RBI
Valley 6: Hayden Jones was 1-of-3 with two runs
Whitley Brown was 1-of-4 with one run and two RBIs
Southeastern 4: Aubrey Heath had a walk-off 2-RBI single for the win on a night she went 2-of-3 with a run
She was also 2-of-3 at the plate with an RBI
Reese Shanks and Lacrissa Leeth also scored runs
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Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine visited Hamilton Elementary School in Columbus and Wheelersburg Elementary School in Scioto County today
continuing his tour across Ohio to celebrate schools that have earned the Governor’s Science of Reading Champions Award
“These schools and their teachers are doing a phenomenal job using the Science of Reading as a foundation to help their students grow as readers,” said Governor DeWine
“Reading is the key to everything for our children – it opens the door to education
Governor DeWine and First Lady DeWine joined Hamilton Local School District Superintendent Mark Tyler
Hamilton Elementary School Principal Tyler Rush
and students to celebrate their school earning the Governor’s Science of Reading Champions award
and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) Director Stephen D
and teachers for a roundtable discussion about how they use the Science of Reading to shape their literacy instruction
Hamilton Elementary was one of the earliest pioneers of the Science of Reading in Ohio
They began using a language arts program aligned with the Science of Reading 10 years ago
Their curriculum for K-3 students combines phonics instruction with knowledge-building content
meaning students learn to read while they also read to learn
As the largest K–3 building in the state
Hamilton’s implementation has positively impacted countless young readers
Governor and First Lady DeWine attended a second grade reading class during their visit
the Governor and First Lady visited a class of second grade students to observe literacy instruction in action
before presenting the school with a congratulatory Science of Reading Champions banner
“Our Science of Reading Champions Award gives us a chance to hold up schools and teachers that are doing this work especially well and setting their students up for lifelong success,” said Governor DeWine
“It’s inspiring to visit these schools and see firsthand the incredible work that is happening in their classrooms.”
Governor DeWine got firsthand experience to see how students learn to read at Hamilton Elementary School
Governor DeWine joined district and school leaders and several teachers from kindergarten through third grade to discuss their school’s work to improve literacy achievement
Wheelersburg’s foundation starts with strong professional development
with 93% of their teachers and 100% of their administrators having completed professional development training in the Science of Reading
Governor DeWine visited Wheelersburg Elementary School and took part in a roundtable discussion about the benefits of the Science of Reading
The school also strategically utilizes data to enhance literacy outcomes
They use screening tools to identify students who may need literacy interventions and have multiple specialists at the ready to step in and provide tailored support if a student needs help
Their dedication has yielded remarkable results – most notably
an 84% third grade proficiency rate in English language arts during the 2023–2024 school year
The Governor joined students at Wheelersburg to watch the Science of Reading in action
Governor DeWine visited and observed literacy instruction in a class of young students
the Governor concluded his visit by presenting school leaders with a Science of Reading Champions banner
Governor DeWine joined Wheelersburg Local School District Superintendent Mark Knapp
Wheelersburg Elementary School Principal Janeen Spradlin and other school leaders
embracing professional development for teachers
and raising literacy achievement among their students
Hamilton and Wheelersburg elementaries were among the inaugural group of schools to be honored though the program
The Governor’s stops in Columbus and Wheelersburg were part of his tour recognizing schools in Ohio for their extraordinary work to implement the Science of Reading
Governor and First Lady DeWine kicked off the Science of Reading Champions tour two weeks ago with a visit to Harold Schnell Elementary School in West Carrollton
The Governor’s Science of Reading Champions program will honor a new group of schools each year
Based on decades of brain research and literacy development
the Science of Reading informs the most effective strategies for teaching students how to read
Governor DeWine has long supported the implementation of Science of Reading practices in all Ohio educational settings
more schools are becoming fully aligned with the Science of Reading and the results are noticeable
This past year’s School Report Cards showed significant improvement in English Language Arts proficiency among elementary students
climbing by 2.2 percentage points among Ohio third graders
5.2 percentage points among fourth graders
and 3.1 percentage points among fifth graders
Science of Reading FAQs – Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
Ohio Department of Education and WorkforceLacey Snoke, Chief Communications Officer614-995-1855Lacey.Snoke@education.ohio.govChad Eberly, Deputy Chief of Communications614-466-4839Chad.Eberly@education.ohio.gov
The Hillsboro Lady Indians faced two of their strongest opponents on their 2025 schedule this past Saturday (April 19) as they took on Pickerington North and Wheelersburg at Symmes Valley in a weekend doubleheader
Hillsboro made their schedule tough to prepare for the upcoming postseason in May
they held strong with two top softball programs
Hillsboro scored first with a run in the top of the second inning
but that run was equaled with PNHS scoring a run in the bottom of the same inning
Pickerington North scored their final two runs of the game
Hillsboro scored their final run in the top of the sixth inning
but HHS committed seven errors in the loss
In the circle during the non-conference game
Camryn Spruell was charged with the unlucky loss as she held Pickerington North to three hits
allowing three runs (all unearned) with two walks and 13 strikeouts in seven innings
The Lady Indians also had a walk by Spruell
The following game for Hillsboro saw them fall by a 3-2 score
this time to the Wheelersburg Lady Pirates
the Lady Indians led 2-1 after the top of the fourth as they scored both of their runs in that inning
Wheelersburg scored their runs with one in the bottom of the first
the Lady Indians collected four hits and no errors
while Wheelersburg had five hits and one error
as she finished 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI
Chloe Roberts ended the game at 1-for-2 with a run
The Lady Indians also had Addley Miller finish 1-for-2 with a walk
Spruell in the loss allowed three earned runs on five hits and one walk in seven innings
The Lady Indians now stand at 11-3 overall this season
ATHENS — It was a promising opening drive for West Muskingum
The seventh-seeded Tornadoes marched right down the field for a touchdown to start Friday's Division V
West Muskingum couldn't shake the miscues that haunted the Tornadoes throughout the season
along with Wheelersburg's strong running game
allowed the 14th seeded Pirates to walk away with a 30-14 victory at Athens' Joe Burrow Stadium
but our execution caught up to us," West M coach Nate Brownrigg said
"We played hard throughout and had it within one score in the fourth quarter
That's all you could ask for in our situation."
Strong start fades fastThe Tornadoes (9-3) marched 78 yards on 13 plays with Carter Winland capping the opening drive with a 1-yard TD run
Silas Kuhn added the extra point for a 7-0 lead with 4:28 left in the first quarter
Elijah Brown scored from 2 yards out at the 10:10 mark of the second quarter
but a missed extra point kept West M ahead 7-6
West M shanked a punt to give Wheelersburg prime field position at the Tornadoes' 44-yardline
The Pirates needed three plays to score when Braylon Rucker pushed his way in from the 1
and his two-point pass gave them a 14-7 lead
as the Pirates blocked a West M punt in the final minute of the half
and Carter Smith blocked the Pirates' field goal attempt as time expired to keep it a one-score game
The Pirates opened the third with another long drive
and the kick made it 21-7 with 8:04 left in the third
The Tornadoes reached the Pirate 24 on their ensuing possession
but Jake Anton's pass to the end zone on fourth down fell incomplete
Conner Hill's 31-yard return set up another scoring drive
as Anton found Smith on a swing pass and Smith sprinted 26 yards to the end zone
The extra point cut the lead to 21-14 with 9:24 left in the fourth
After West M's onside kick went out of the bounds
the Pirates missed a 44-yard field goal attempt
The Tornadoes went 3-and-out before the snap sailed over the punter's head and out of the end zone for a safety with less than six minutes left
Ison Emnett's 11-yard TD run capped the scoring with a minute left in the game
untimely penalties and special teams errors were too much to overcome
"You can't have those mistakes in a game like this
"We scored after losing our emotional leader (Carter Winland) in the second half
That's a credit to our guys to keep fighting through the adversity
The seniors set the tone throughout the season
completed 13-of-20 passes for 112 yards and ran for 39 yards on 14 carries
The Tornadoes leaned on their senior leaders
He also hopes their example inspires the underclassmen and the youth to build on this success
This was the longest postseason run in school history
and Carter (Winland) was a four-year starter
and what they've done is invaluable," Brownrigg said
I hope the younger guys saw it and look to continue their legacy
and it will be up to the next group to take that next step."
MORRISTOWN — Football can be a game of inches
found that out the hard way Friday night as the No
11 Jets (9-3) dropped a 28-23 decision to No
Region 19 contest on the natural grass surface at chilly Jets Stadium
The hosts had a long touchdown pass nullified by an illegal forward pass on their second play of the game and then watched as a ‘Hail Mary’ pass was picked off in the end zone with 43 seconds remaining
“I’m so proud of everyone in our program from our players to our coaches to our fans,” a dejected Union Local head coach Bernie Thompson said
“We hang our hats on blue-collar work … blue-collar mentality … and that’s going to carry over to life
For our team to go toe-to-toe with that team
3 Barnesville in a first-round encounter last week
with the exception of those wearing the Red
we were a couple of inches away,” Thompson noted
quarterback Isaiah Tomolonis handed off to running back Brody Perzanowski on a sweep right
Perzanowski pulled up and threw back across the field to Tomlonis who in turn fired a strike to a wide-open Dre Saunders for what appeared to be a 74-yard scoring play
but the officials ruled Perzanowski’s pass was a forward pass and not a lateral
The Jets did take a 3-0 lead as Jeff Bolon nailed a 30-yard field goal on their next possession
The Pirates (8-4) took the lead for good when quarterback Braylon Rucker found running back Ison Emnett along the right sidelines for a short gain
made a pair of cutbacks that made Jets miss tackles before lunging into the end zone to complete a 39-yard scoring play
78-yard drive with a 3-yard run over the left side of his line
Hemibach made it 14-3 with 3:24 left in the first half
Wheelersburg grabbed a 21-3 margin after going 74 yards on just four plays on the first series of the third quarter
Kenyon Evans took a reverse 47 yards and Rucker kept around his left end for a 19-yard TD run
Saunders returned the ensuing kickoff 83 yards to the Pirates’ 12 and Perzanowski took an option pitch from Tomolonis 12 yards to paydirt on the very next play
Union Local’s defense held and forced a punt
Perzanowski ripped off 27 on first down and a 15-yard personal foul penalty against the Pirates moved the ball onto their side of the 50 at the 38
Three carries by Perzanowski and a 5-yard facemask call against the visitors placed the ball at the 10
Tomolonis faked an option pitch right and kept for a 10-yard scoring run
leaving the Jets on the short end of a 21-16 count with just under three minutes left in the third quarter
Wheelersburg needed just four plays to find the end zone again
This time Rucker swept around his left end from 19 yards out and Heimbach made it 28-16
Union Local scored again midway through the fourth quarter as Tomolonis and Saunders hooked up for a 61-yard pitch-and-catch
A missed 39-yard field goal by Heimbach with 63 ticks left gave the Jets one last gasp
Saunders made a leaping grab between two defenders at the Pirates’ 38 and Tomolonis spiked the ball to stop the clock with 50 seconds remaining
His next pass was headed to a wide-open Sean Alkire the right side of the end zone
but Wheelersburg’s Xander Mowery made a leaping interception to seal the victory
“It wasn’t long ago that we were 0-10,” Thompson recalled
“Now we’re in the second round of the playoffs and gave a very good Wheelersburg team all it wanted
I’m already excited for next year.”
Perzanowski ran for 121 yards on 18 carries
He also completed 6 of 11 passes for 146 yards
Saunders had four receptions for 127 yards
Wheelersburg piled up 300 yards on the ground on 45 attempts
That site will be determined by OHSAA officials on Sunday
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(AP) — Michigan is expected to suspend coach Sherrone Moore for two games next season to address ..
NEW MARTINSVILLE — Tyler Consolidated scored five times in the top of the seventh to stun host Magnolia
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Ohio (WCHS) — A Wheelersburg man was arrested Wednesday following a burglary and a string of attempted break-ins
was taken into custody after police responded to a 911 call that came in about 3:15 p.m
which a resident stated a man had broken into her home while her son was there
according to a news release from the Scioto County Sheriff's Office
The caller said that the son attempted to stop the suspect
deputies and detectives were able to locate Allen and discovered the stolen items hidden in an area behind the apartment complex
Deputies said that detectives received information that Allen had previously broken into several cars and has attempted to break to other buildings in the Kinker Drive and Dogwood Ridge area
Allen has been charged with one count felony burglary and misdemeanor theft
He is being held at the Scioto County Jail on a $76,000 bond and is set to appear in Portsmouth Municipal Court on Dec
The investigation is ongoing and could result in additional charges filed against Allen
Deputies ask that anyone who may have been a victim of Allen’s string of break-ins
Barnesville’s Casey Carpenter (8) lets a pass fly during the first quarter of Friday night’s Ohio Division V
Region 19 quarterfinal at Shamrock Stadium
Looking for someone to block is Trey Toliver (26)
Carpenter went 21-for-33 for 168 yards and a touchdown
but the Shamrocks fell to Wheelersburg for the third straight season
BARNESVILLE – The seniors on the Barnesville football team won 43 games and lost five during their careers
They beat every team on the schedule at least once during the last four seasons
The Pirates (7-4) once again stunned the No
3 Shamrocks (10-1) by a 24-7 count Friday night at chill-filled Shamrock Stadium in an Ohio Division V
It marked the third consecutive season that Barnesville has seen its perfect season ended by Wheelersburg
“A lot of people look at our record and ask what kind of team we are
We’ve been through a gauntlet and our kids have stayed strong
Iron sharpens iron,” veteran Wheelersburg head coach Ron Woodward said of his team’s rugged schedule
“From the very first kickoff tonight I thought we showed that we are a very physical football team
We brought it defensively for the entire game.”
He was referring to when several Pirates hit kick returner Bradey McIntire
forcing a fumble that the Shamrocks’ Cam Carpenter eventually fell on
the Pirates will make a return trip to western Belmont County next Friday to face No
Barnesville couldn’t muster a running game
convert on third down or stop Wheelersburg on third down in the first half
It had one yard rushing and watched the Pirates move the sticks on four of six tries while going 0-for-5 itself on third down
I didn’t have them ready to play in the first half
I thought they showed a lot of fight in the second half,” Barnesville head coach Blake Allen stressed
“It’s extremely disappointing to have the season we did and to be done in one (playoff) game
“I’m sure there are going to be a lot of people critiquing what we should be doing
but I just want to tell everyone out there
we lost but the kids played their tails off.”
Wheelersburg drove 77 yards on seven plays after stopping Barnesville on a fourth-down attempt in the first quarter
Quarterback Braylon Rucker’s 38-yard run was the key play on the march that was capped by Ison Emnett’s 2-yard run
Cooper Heimbach’s PAT was good and the visitors led 7-0 with 48.8 seconds left in the first quarter
The Shamrocks picked up a first down but had to punt on their third possession and the Pirates made it 14-0
Wheelersburg converted four consecutive third downs en route to a 13-play
65-yard drive that chewed up just over six minutes off the clock
Elijah Brown scampered around his left end from 4 yards out and Heimbach’s placement capped the drive
Heimbach would complete the first half with a 46-yard field goal that put the Pirates ahead 17-0 with 24.7 showing
he missed from 43 on the first drive of the second half
Barnesville went 62 yards on eight plays as Casey Carpenter found Camden Carpenter all alone on the left hashmark and Camden waltzed into the end zone
Evan Lough added the extra point for a 17-7 deficit
Barnesville mounted a drive that carried over into the fourth quarter
it stalled at the Wheelersburg 42 after back-to-back incomplete passes
Coincidental penalties wiped out a huge Barnesville gain on a pass from Carpenter to Eli Messenger during the drive
“They battled through the whole second half and gave us fits at times
I’m so proud of our kid’s conditioning
their work ethic and how they went about tonight
“Our kids were so physical up front and that’s the most physical I’ve seen our defensive backs play,” Woodward said of his defense which held the powerful Barnesville offense to seven points and just 48 yards rushing on 21 carries
“The kids brought it tonight.”
The Shamrocks had another golden opportunity slip through their fingers – literally – midway through the fourth quarter and the Pirates sealed the deal when Rucker executed a perfect bootleg for 18 yards
Heimbach tacked on the final point with 1:26 remaining
What was Allen’s final message to his seniors
I know they are beating themselves up right now.”
Wheelersburg ran the ball 47 times for 263 yards and three touchdowns as Rucker gained 113 on 16 carries and Brown had 17 totes for 91
Koby Jones led Barnesville with 44 yards on nine carries as Trey Toliver suffered an ankle injury on Barnesville’s first play of the third quarter
Casey Carpenter passed for 168 yards on 21 of 33
Camden Carpenter caught a season-high eight passes for 49
McIntire finished with four receptions for 58 yards
Colt Carpenter and Bode Carpenter each had three catches
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NEW MARTINSVILLE – Tyler Consolidated scored five times in the top of the seventh to stun host Magnolia
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Ohio (WOUB) – The Chesapeake Panthers clawed back to secure a victory after trailing behind the Wheelersburg Pirates for the first half
The two teams battled for the Division IV Southeast District title on Friday night
with Chesapeake emerging victorious in a 49-43 win
With the season on the line and an intense atmosphere in the arena
A back-and-forth battle defined the second quarter
with Wheelersburg holding a narrow 19-17 lead at halftime
Chesapeake struck first in the third quarter with a three-pointer
continuing the seesaw battle from the second
Key player Karson Frecka made his presence felt on the boards
Wheelersburg maintained a 32-29 lead heading into the final quarter
Momentum shifted in the fourth as Chesapeake found its rhythm
Wheelersburg fought to keep the game within reach
The Pirates’ repeated fouls gave the Panthers multiple scoring opportunities
nerves set in as three consecutive timeouts were called
Wheelersburg’s attempts to regain control proved ineffective
as more fouls ultimately sealed Chesapeake’s victory
Chesapeake head coach Steven Ater reflected on his team’s performance:
“I thought after that it was just kind of a good back-and-forth game between good basketball teams
Just a great experience for them to get a chance to cut down nets here at the Convo.”
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went to be with the Lord at the Courtyard of Wheelersburg Assisted Living Facility Tuesday morning
daughter of the late Ishmael & Rosa (Mattingly) Clark
She was preceded in death by husband- Joseph Wilbur Hadley
Also preceding her in death was her daughter- Susan Hadley Guenther
Harold Clark and Layman Clark and an infant sister- Wilma Jane Clark
She is survived by her daughter- Virginia Hadley White
OH; great-grandchildren- Elijah Joseph Powell
& Tristan White; son-in-law- Carl (Deb) Guenther
Wilmington; 3 brothers- Virgil (Kathy) Clark
& Jeff Clark; 6 sisters- Mary Ellen (Jean-Deceased) Woods
& Alicia (Paul) Rosenberger; and several nieces & nephews
A charter member of the Wilmington Church of Christ (Christian)
she retired from Wilmington City Schools as a 4th & 5th grade teacher
she enjoyed being a volunteer at Clinton Memorial Hospital
Bertha & Joe also were very active in the Relay for Life that raised money for the American Cancer Society
Ohio with her daughter after having CoVid in 2020
she moved into the Courtyard of Wheelersburg
The Family would like to thank the administration and staff at Courtyard of Wheelersburg for their superior care and compassion.
97 West Locust Street at North Mulberry Street
Interment will follow in the Clarksville Cemetery
Friends will be received from 12 Noon until the time of services on Saturday
Contributions in Bertha's memory may be made to the American Cancer Society
https://donate.cancer.org/ or the Alzheimer's Association
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Ohio (WOUB) — The Union Local Jets welcomed the Wheelersburg Pirates for round two of the playoffs
The Pirates won the toss and decided to defer
Both the Jets and the Pirates failed to get anything going on their first drives
Union Local advanced the ball down the field
the Wheelersburg defense came up big and forced Union Local to settle for a field goal
Running back Elijah Brown paved the way for his team as he strung together multiple strong runs to move the ball down the field
The Pirates worked their way to the Jets’ 39-yard line where quarterback Braylon Rucker found his checkdown
who did the rest of the work to grab the lead for Wheelersburg
the Pirates added another touchdown as Brown found the end zone from three yards out to put the Pirates up 14-3 heading into halftime
Both teams found their offensive groove in the second half
Wheelersburg marched down the field and Rucker rushed into the endzone from 19 yards out to cement the Pirates’ lead at 21-3
On the kickoff they got all the way to the Pirates’ 35-yard line
running back Brody Perzanowski bullied his way into the endzone to ensure that Union Local wouldn’t be left in the dust
and their offense used the momentum to add another touchdown to the scoreboard
Tomolonis added a quarterback rushing touchdown of his own from 10 yards out
Rucker scrambled in for his second rushing touchdown of the night and third total to put his team up 28-16
The Jets wanted to make it known that they weren’t yet out of the game
Tomolonis unleashed the cannon and found Dre Saunders for a 61-yard touchdown to bring Union Local within five points
Wheelersburg were looking to cap this game off
but were forced to go for a 39-yard field goal that ultimately went wide
The Jets took over with roughly a minute left in the fourth quarter
Tomolonis finds Saunders for a 38-yard catch to put them past midfield
Tomolonis looked deep and heaved the ball into the endzone where he faced a similar fate – throwing an interception
The Pirates kneeled the ball and let the clock run out to win the game
the Wheelersburg Pirates will meet the seventh-seeded West Muskingum Tornadoes at a neutral site
Ohio (WOUB) — To kickoff the 2024-25 football season
the Ironton Tigers would win 37-7 against the Wheelersburg Pirates putting on an offensive masterpiece
The Tigers would travel to Ed Miller Stadium to take on their rival
as this is the 36th matchup between the two teams
the Tigers would come away with a 17-14 win
The first quarter would be a slow start for both teams as penalties would begin to pile up for both sides
The first score of the game wouldn’t occur until less than 4 minutes left in the quarter
Ironton’s Zayne Williams would find himself in the endzone off of a 7-yard run
the offenses for both teams would start to pick up as both sides stuck to the run game
The run game would prove to be efficient throughout the rest of the game
Braylon Rucker would get the first score for the Tigers off of a 16-yard run
With Wheelersburg climbing back into the ball game
Ironton had to figure out a way to shut down their offense early or extend their lead
Ironton’s Shaun Terry would find an opening and make his way to the endzone for 50 yards to extend the Tigers lead
the Tigers would pick up where they left off
The big plays from Ironton would prove to break down the Wheelersburg defense
allowing them to continue the Tigers offensive drives
Terry would be a major contributor for Ironton as he would tally up 7 catches for 138 yards and two receiving touchdowns and one rushing touchdown
The rest of the second half would stay the same as Ironton’s offense would rack up more scores and their defense would keep Wheelersburg’s offense to a minimum
Other contributions from this game include Ironton’s quarterback Braden Schreck who tallied 15/22 for 205 yards and 2 touchdowns
Wheelersburg quarterback Braylon Rucker would tally 8/11 for 34 yards and one rushing touchdown
Ironton looks to continue their winning streak against the Jackson Ironman
While Wheelersburg looks to bounce back against the Archbishop McNicholas Rockets
MORRISTOWN – Due to a pair of upsets in the first round of the Ohio Division V
Region 17 high school football playoffs last Friday
11 Union Local finds itself at home Friday night in the regional quarterfinals
The Jets (9-2) did their part last week by rallying past No
at Boston Field in Nelsonville for their first postseason nod since 2008
Kickoff Friday is set for 7 o’clock on the natural grass surface at Jets Field in Morristown
It will be the first time the two schools have met in football
“Last week was a special moment for a lot of people,” Union Local head coach Bernie Thompson said
the coaches and the community to finally get that second playoff win in school history
Union Local trailed 13-10 entering the fourth quarter before scoring two touchdowns – the first on offense and the second on defense – to stun the homestanding Buckeyes
We feel we are battle-tested because of our regular season schedule,” Thompson said
we were able to come through at the end.”
“That second half was crazy,” Thompson recalled
“We found ourselves in a third-and-9 situation
(Our quarterback) Isaiah (Tomolonis) rolled to his left
then rolled all the way back across the field before finding Dre Saunders on a huge play to keep that drive alive
We scored (a touchdown) on the very next play.”
Tomolonis kept this time from 5 yards and Jeff Bolon’s kick put the Jets ahead 17-13
Senior Billy Schumacher stepped in front of a Nelsonville-York pass and took it 34 yards to the house with a little more than four minutes left
“Billy really came through with a big play for us,” Thompson acknowledged
“But I can’t credit that senior class enough
we had seniors making plays all over the field
“We stressed how important week 11 was to the kids,” he added
“We knew that no other team in school history had played a game in week 12
It’s pretty cool to find ourselves here right now.”
Union Local breezed through the first seven weeks of the season before stubbing its toe twice in the final three weeks
those two setbacks came to a pair of teams that combined to go 20-0 in St
When asked if playing Barnesville just two weeks ago would help in preparing for the Pirates this week
we know how physical Barnesville was and Wheelersburg just handled them
they’ve handled them over the past few years,” Thompson said
Having that right matchup and being able to get your athletes the ball in space
“We understand how talented Wheelersburg is
but we also understand we are a talented team
“Wheelersburg hasn’t played us before
They’ve never played in Morristown on our grass field
so we have a lot of positives going our way
“We could sit back and look at how impressive they are and everything
Thompson said playing at home is a benefit for Union Local
Wheelersburg traveled three-plus hours last week and now they have to turn around and make that same trip this week
just a little further down the road,” Thompson said
“They will be playing on a grass field for
We have a ton of confidence playing at home
especially our seniors to get to play another game on their home field.”
has split time with junior Colby Carpenter for most of the season
but Thompson said it was his time to shine last week
They’ve both performed when their number has been called,” the coach praised
“Isaiah was finally healthy this past week and he played well
I know he will be ready to come in and sling it (the ball) around like he does,” Thompson added
Not only is he a special player that people see during the games
but he’s a special kid off the field
“I want this win Friday night so bad for these guys because of all the hard work they’ve put in
Thompson and his coaching staff knew the offensive line needed some work
“Those guys are the unsung heroes of our team,” Thompson stressed
“Coach (Ryan) Kutcher and Coach (Tony) Gregory) have done a fantastic job with those kids
They’ve been nothing but the driving force to our success
We are so proud of those guys because everything starts with them up front.”
while the guards are senior Mason Porter and junior Konnar Kovacs
The tackles are seniors Nick Grob and Daniel Goodson
“We need to get off to a fast start Friday night,” Thompson said
“Every game we’ve won this year we’ve got off to a fast start
We’ve had good opening drives.”
Sophomore tailback Brody Perzanowski enjoyed another 1,000-plus season on the ground
He had 95 yards on 22 carries last week after breaking the 200-yard barrier against Barnesville with a pair of long runs in the second half
Causby led the team with 10.5 tackles last week from his outside linebacker position
He is joined by junior Ryader Gainer on the other side as Hess mans the middle
The ends are Goodson and sophomore Brody Kerns
with Kovacs and senior Steven Martin at the tackles
The corners are Saunders and senior Sean Alkire
while Schumacher is the strong safety and junior Max Duncan the free safety
Jeff Bolon has come on strong as the Jets placekicker
He booted a 31-yard field goal to get the scoring started last week
The Pirates dominated the Shamrocks from the get-go
They ran for 200-plus yards behind a line that includes three 300-pounders
“They are mammoth,” Thompson said of Wheelersburg’s line
Quarterback Braylon Rucker is the offensive key as everything surrounds him
His ball handling skills fooled the Barnesville defense
Tailback Elijah Brown has speed and quickness
with the same three 300-pounders anchoring a line that held Barnesville to 1 yard rushing at halftime
Kicker Cooper Heimbach booted a 46-yard field goal in the second quarter
That was the prevailing statement from the Adena volleyball after they defeated Wheelersburg in the Division V regional final on Saturday at Logan High School
the girls said it meant everything to them to know the next game would be in the Final Four
I may tear up telling about it," Coach Laura Smith said
and just for them to be able to achieve this just beyond words."
More: Adena volleyball: From underdogs to Scioto Valley Conference champs
More: Adena volleyball punches ticket to regional final with win over SVC rival Zane Trace
But a loss in the second set was the moment when the team had to adjust or risk elimination
Smith said that set featured communication mistakes by the team on in-and-outs
often reaching on balls that appeared headed out of bounds
She had to get her team on the track they had used to get to the regional finals in the first place
"Do what you know you can do and do it to the best of your ability," Smith said about her message to the team after the second set
Kayla Grooms said they all trust each other
which has been an important part of their season
as a ball was heading out of bounds and would have given a point to Wheelersburg
hit it back in and her team ended up with the point
"We don't want a ball hitting the ground without one of us trying to get it," Sowers said
Jacey Smith admitted the team's energy was a bit off
partly because many of the players didn't expect to reach this point in the season
"We finally found the kind of energy we needed and what we needed to get us started and what we needed to continue throughout the sets," Smith said
when we were down in the second set we had to find ways to come back."
Jacey Smith said they knew they could come back and win the next two
I think we worked super hard for it and I'm just so proud of our team," said Corinne Day
We all get along and we all hype each other up."
Day was key to Adena's frontline presence every match
Coach Smith said Wheelersburg are tough blockers
so harder shots aren't always the best strategy
must decide in the moment how to play the ball
"This season I really worked on placing the ball
I was trying to kill every ball," Day said
"I realized as I went along it's not always about killing the ball
You don't have to hit the ball hard to get a kill
Placing the ball is what we have all been working on."
Adena (24-3) will face Mentor Lake Catholic (22-4) in the state semifinal at 6 p.m
Thursday at Wright State University's Nutter Center
This is the 11th time Adena has been to the state and the eighth time under Smith
For the team to reach this point together means more because they are beyond teammates
"We are friends on and off the court," Grooms said
A great rivalry unfolds in the Buckeye State with Wheelersburg hosting Ironton on Friday as Wheelersburg aims for another deep playoff run in 2024
Ohio (WCHS) — A great rivalry unfolds in the Buckeye State with Wheelersburg hosting Ironton on Friday as Wheelersburg aims for another deep playoff run in 2024
"It's something that was started long before I ever came and a lot of the guys that are in on my coaching staff have been 20 years in the program or have been throughout this program,” head coach Rob Woodard said
just upholding that traditions that have been instilled in place and our kids are working hard every day to do that.”
"We've got 14 seniors and most of those seniors are part of our offense and defense line,” Woodard said
Six of those started last year as sophomores and they got their first introduction in high school football."
Wheelersburg finished 9-4 overall last year
falling to Harvest Prep in Game Three of the playoffs
"Last year was probably the hardest since I've been a part of Wheelersburg program and we had that young team as we mentioned,” Woodard said
“Those guys were conditioned throughout the year and and that we were able to make the play off last year and have a deep run
The Tigers topped Wheelersburg 17-14 last year
""I'm just so excited to play Ironton
play all these tough teams," Elijah Brown
we get to usually make a playoff run every year and it's because we build up every year at these tough teams at the beginning and Iron sharpens Iron
"We've all been in the weight room we've all been preparing for this game and practice has been awesome so far getting ready for the game,"Nathan Lanning
Some on the team are looking for their first taste of regular season victory over the rival
"I know that my class hasn't beaten them in the regular season
so it's a big game for us,” Logan Evans
said “We're just really trying to get the energy moving throughout the team and We're not having a problem with that so far
Ohio (WOUB) – The Wheelersburg Pirates sailed over to face the Portsmouth West Senators in a fight for the Southern Ohio Conference championship
Both teams were undefeated in the conference until Wheelersburg sealed the deal with a 36-6 victory over the Senators
The Senators started the game with some good drives moving the chains
but a bad snap caused a fumble deep in Pirate territory
Wheelersburg did not waste the great field position
with Braylon Rucker finding Brady Doss in the back corner of the end zone for an early 7-0 lead for the Pirates
The Senators heard the wake-up call and got back to moving the chains with some crucial runs from Anthony Bishop
Brody Hall also got Bishop deep with a 22-yard pass
The drive culminated with senior running back Mason Parker punching it in for the touchdown
They were unsuccessful on the two-point conversion
keeping them down 7-6 against Wheelersburg
It only took Elijah Brown two plays to find a cutback
He broke away for a 40-yard touchdown run to keep the Pirate ship moving
After the Pirates’ great defensive stop
chunking together runs to get them in the red zone
quarterback Braylon Rucker couldn’t see anyone open and had to take it himself to add to the Wheelersburg lead 21-6
both teams’ defenses were able to stall out drives to force their opponents to kick the ball away
the Pirates drove down the field with quick passes
Rucker lobbed it to Xander Mowery for his second passing touchdown of the night
The Pirate’s defense was suffocating the senators
forcing them to kick it away during fourth and 18
Rucker would add yet another passing touchdown to the night
The Pirates would go for the running clock on the two-point attempt and get it with Rucker throwing it up and Doss coming down strong with it to keep the clock rolling
When the Senators were trying to get something going
Wheelersburg’s Xander Mowery would add to his night this time on defense with an interception
taking it back just five yards short of the end zone
the play would be called back because of a block below the knees
Winning this game gave Wheelersburg back-to-back SOC championships and the win they needed to clinch a spot in the playoffs
Both teams will survive to play another week
so we must wait and see what the playoffs bring them
Ohio (WOUB) — The Wheelersburg football program began its tradition of excellence when it first took the field in 1930
Head coach Rob Woodward has been the captain since 2008
and the recipe for success has never changed
“I’m just working to try and maintain that … that spark that was started years ago,” he said
“I’m trying to carry that torch and keep it lit.”
Now entering his 17th season as head coach
Woodward has led the Pirates to nine Southern Ohio Conference (SOC) championships and one State Championship in 2017
Wheelersburg finds itself short on leadership
Graduating six All-Ohio players from this past season means important roles need to be filled
Junior wide receiver Kenyon Evans knows this all too well and isn’t afraid of the challenge
“Some teams aren’t willing to fight for or work for anything
Most of that work doesn’t take place on Friday nights; it happens during practices and summer workouts
It’s then when guys like Evans step up as leaders
“I’m trying my hardest to lead everyone … like the underclassman at receivers
I’m trying to lead them and make them progress so they’re ready,” Evans said
With a new group of younger leaders at the helm
Woodward spends time preparing them for the long haul that is a full season
This ladder inside the Wheelersburg locker room serves as a reminder to keep climbing
[Donovan Varney | WOUB].“We’ve got a ladder in (the locker room) that represents those 16 rungs we’ve got to climb
and each one is a little tougher each and every week,” Woodward said
“We’re trying to work as far up that ladder as we can.”
Each rung of the ladder has the opponent’s name for that week painted on it
and last season the Pirates fell a rung short of a Regional Championship
the new generation at Wheelersburg still knows who they’re fighting for
Senior Xander Mowery has been around for the highs and lows but made it clear what motivates his team every game
As soon as the players walk into the locker room
a clock on the wall counts down the seconds until they face their week one opponent
Junior Landon McGraw had one thing to say to those who doubt Wheelersburg will climb all the way to the top:
“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.”
Article Presented By Accurate Heating, Cooling & Plumbing…
(Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association) – The Division IV and V football All-Ohio teams were announced Tuesday by the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association
The All-Ohio teams are based on nominations from the seven districts of the OPSMA
which vote on the all-district teams from regular-season accomplishments
the Division VI and VII All-Ohio teams were announced
The Division II and III teams will be announced on Wednesday
The Division I All-Ohio team will be announced Thursday.
Offensive Players of the Year: Bodpegn Miller
Defensive Players of the Year: Cincere Johnson
Coaches of the Year: Desean Washington
Cleveland Heights Lutheran East; Bill DiFucci
Defensive Players of the Year: Alex Reese
Design by Marcy Design
DODSONVILLE — After trailing for most of the game
then tying the score in the latter stages of the second half
the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs saw the visiting Wheelersburg Pirates score two quick goals
leading to a 3-1 loss for the host Mustangs
the Mustangs never got full momentum of the match on the offensive side of the ball
the Pirates controlled the tempo of the non-conference contest
Wheelersburg was first to score with a goal by Nick Sylvia at the 23:20 mark of the first half
as that’s the score that stood when halftime arrived
The first half was mostly all Wheelersburg on offense
but LCHS keeper Isaac Eyre played a good game with strong saves in the first half
The second half saw Eyre make another big stop with 27 minutes left in the match
and then at 17:13 Eyre once again kept it a one-goal deficit with a two-handed diving stop to the right side of the net
The defense of the Mustangs also helped keep it a 1-0 score with 12:55 left in regulation
and Eyre even had to shake off a hard collision with a Wheelersburg player at the net
resulting in a yellow card with 9:31 on the clock
The Mustangs got on the board with a goal from Braedon West
with the assist from Cody Bell for the 1-1 score with 8:20 left in the match
the Mustangs were trailing as the Pirates had Sylvia put the Pirates back in the lead with 8:03 on the clock with a made penalty kick
The Mustangs then were handed a yellow card of their own following the penalty kick
the Pirates were ahead by a 3-1 score as Carter Rawlins scored a goal for the visitors
and Tanner Roberts (who played in the latter stages of the second half) had one save for the Mustangs
The loss moves the Mustangs to 5-2-0 overall
and they are currently 4-0-0 in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference
Next for the Mustangs is a home SHAC match on Monday
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FALLS TOWNSHIP — When Rashid SeSay graduated
the void left in West Muskingum's offense was like a sinkhole
He was the unquestioned focal point of the 2023 offense that helped coach Nathan Brownrigg's squad win a Muskingum Valley League-Small School Division title and win a playoff game for the second straight year
His loss would have crippled many past teams
the growth of his supporting cast showed the program's growth entering Friday's Division V
Region 19 regional semifinal clash with Wheelersburg (8-4) at Athens High School's Joe Burrow Stadium
a two-way starter who shared Division V Offensive Player of the Year by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association
the Tornadoes also lost a seasoned group of linemen that paved the way for his success
But something happened along the way: Somehow the team got even better
More: 'It's going to have to be a lot better next week': West M football survives playoff opener
More: Week 12 Roundup: West M relies on big plays to keep season alive
The Tornadoes (9-2) have won seven straight games since consecutive home losses to Garaway and New Lexington in Weeks 3 and 4
They dealt Proctorville Fairland a 33-7 loss on the road last week to reach the semifinals
"All of us have played with a chip on our shoulders," senior quarterback Jake Anton said
"The offensive linemen who all got told because of what we lost last year that they couldn't do the same thing
they have come in and played their (butts) off and done everything they can
The wide receiver group were told they wouldn't be as good because Rashid is gone
and they've come and exceeded expectations."
Anton's improvement as a passer has been among the focal points of the team's success
While most everyone expected an even bigger season in 2024 from running back 205-pound Carter Winland
who delivered with a 1,200-yard regular season
Anton's efficiency has caught some by surprise
He had 1,492 yards and completed 65 percent of his passes in the regular season
with 14 touchdowns and just four interceptions as he topped 2,000 total yards after two playoff wins
has 455 yards receiving on 29 catches and Conner Hill
Tavin Bennett and Braxton Brownrigg have each topped 20 receptions
Anton said that teams must respect Winland's hard-running
"I'm not under a lot of pressure," Anton said
and I've got six guys who at any given time can catch the football
whether its receivers or Wes (Houston) or Ashton (Ansel)
We've got all kinds of weapons who can do different things."
Brownrigg wasn't surprised at the offensive development
as many of the same faces who contributed last year developed in the offseason and matured physically into older players
The development of the passing game has forced teams to play honest
The one who haven't often pay a hefty price
"We have weapons on other parts of the field," Brownrigg said
"Jake has been really good with his decision making and his leadership."
the team still sat at 2-2 and was making critical mistakes in the fourth quarter that led to the losses
In a region where the margin for error was slim
"I'm proud of the kids because we came in wanting to compete for the MVL title and put ourselves in position for the playoffs," Brownrigg said
"Once the MVL title was out of our hands we kind of poured everything into
'Let's finish the regular season and win the right way
and set ourselves up to make an actual run.'
"The kids came out and responded," Brownrigg added
"We rattled off four straight shutouts and got better."
The next challenge figures to be the toughest yet in the postseason
Wheelersburg has rebounded from an 0-3 start against playoff teams Ironton (37-7)
Cincinnati McNicholas (34-3) and Jackson (28-24) to win eight of its past nine games under veteran coach Rob Woodward
One of those was a convincing 24-7 road win at 10-0 Barnesville to open the playoffs
Brownrigg sees similarities between the teams
to the way they are coached and the physicality they offer
returner and linebacker that plays with a fearless disposition
Two of the Pirates' line starters were All-Southeast District picks in senior Nathan Lanning (6-2
while quarterback Braylon Rucker completes better than 60 percent of his passes with numbers similar to Anton's
Brownrigg said his team must play clean and stay ahead of the chains
but in the playoffs it doesn't really matter," Brownrigg said
If we do play well I think we can compete with just about anybody."
BYESVILLE − A year older and a year wiser has the two-time Division III district champion Meadowbrook High softball team confident and better prepared for their second consecutive Division III regional tournament appearance
the Colts will be facing two-time defending D-III state champion Wheelersburg High
which ended their OHSAA postseason run a year ago
Moments after his young squad's 12-0 setback to the Pirates in their Division III regional semifinal matchup last season
head coach Sean Frizzell confidently predicted his Colts would be back this year
"We will be here again next year," Frizzell said confidently following that game
"There is no doubt Meadowbrook will win the East District again next year
and we will be ready to compete even better next year
Our young kids gained a lot of experience and that will make us stronger next season."
The reason for Frizzell's confident prediction was his young squad
That talented group has made good on Frizzell's prediction and returns looking to secure a different outcome this time around
Meadowbrook returns a total of eight starters
who will take the field for a second straight regional appearance versus the Pirates
and Addy Sichina all return to the starting lineup
Newcomers who will take starting spots Wednesday are sophomore transfer Mckendell Boyer and freshman Natalee Norman
Rounding out the Meadowbrook roster are reserves junior Bethany Dickey
Frizzell's coaching staff includes Mike Wiggins and Veronica Vargeson with Liv Gray as the Colts' scorekeeper
Frizzell and his Colts know full well the tough challenge they face again
but they are looking forward to getting a bit of payback this time around
"We feel we can compete with anybody," Frizzell said
"Now we have to get past the two-time defending champs in Wheelersburg if we want to get to the state championship
to get back to regionals and beat Wheelersburg and get back the respect they took from us last year
"I feel we matchup much better with them," Frizzell added
"And we are a year older and have a much better idea of what we are up against
But we feel we are a pretty good team ourselves
and we are excited to get another crack at them."
Wheelersburg collected three more wins after getting past the Colts last season to complete a perfect 29-0 season along with a Division III state title with a 6-0 win over Indian Lake in last year's championship contest
Wheelersburg punched its return trip to the D-III regionals with a convincing 15-2 win over Fairfield to capture the Southeast District title for the second consecutive season
which includes a 12-game winning streak heading into this year's matchup with the 21-10 Colts
at the Ohio University softball field in Athens
More: Strong Wheelersburg squad ends Meadowbrook postseason run in D-III regionals
More: Walk-off winners: Meadowbrook softball claims second straight district championship
whose clutch push bunt delivered the game-winning run in Thursday's 3-2 walk off win over Sandy Valley to secure the Colts' second straight Division III district title and a repeat regional berth explained getting another shot a Wheelersburg has been an inspiration all season for the Colts
"We wanted to get another shot at Wheelersburg this year
Now we have that opportunity again on Wednesday at OU
We are very excited and are so looking forward to it."
sophomore Jordyn Vargeson admitted she might have been a tad bit intimidated by the Wheelersburg squad in last year's matchup ..
but this year enters with confidence in herself and her team
and I know that I was intimidated knowing their record last year," Vargeson said
"I also know that I can step up challenge along with my team
we are going to give it our best effort this year."
Vargeson gives credit to Sichinia for coming up with the "Revenge Tour" motivational catch phrase the Colts used for motivation during the season
"Taylor named it 'The Revenge Tour,' and it helped us keep motivated"
"We knew last year that we dropped the ball on a few games and wanted those games back
We feel like we left last season unfinished
Getting as far as we did last year only made us want to go further this year."
Sophomore Sommer Ginn feels Meadowbrook will be more relaxed and prepared this time around against Wheelersburg
"Last year we went into the regionals and didn't really know what it was all about," Ginn said
"Maybe had a little bit of just glad to be there going on
but I think we are much better prepared this time around."
Meadowbroook will take on Wheelersburg on Wednesday at 2 p.m
in Athens at the Ohio University softball field
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ATHENS − Take a bow Meadowbrook Colts softball ..
you earned it for another successful season
Wednesday's Division III regional semifinal rematch with Wheelersburg did not go the way the Colts were hoping for
as they suffered a disappointing 12-2 five-inning setback to the two-time defending state champions
The simple fact is for the second consecutive season
the Colts captured a Division III East District championship and a berth in the D-III regionals to finish as a top 16 team in the state again
That's an achievement the Colts and the entire Meadowbrook community can be proud of and should celebrate
and we stayed in the game with them," Meadowbrook head coach Sean Frizzell
This time we didn't get shut out and walk off the field with our heads down like last year."
"We played the two time defending state champs pretty tough," Frizzell added
"I think we are one of the few teams to put up runs on them in the tournament
there is a reason they are two time champions
Meadowbrook has racked up back-to-back Division III sectional and district titles
with a core group that still has two years of softball remaining
Juniors Alexx Combs and Addy Wiggins should return for their senior seasons
Jordyn Vargeson and Addy Sichina have two more seasons on the diamond for the Colts
sophomore transfer student-athlete Mckendell Boyer and freshman Natalee Norman
who made huge contributions this season and should be back in the fold
There's even more young talent returning next year with junior Bethany Dickey
Jaycee Eubanks and Hailey Arnold and freshman Chloe Callahan ready to contribute
including our top two pitchers in Addy (Sichina) and Mckendell (Boyer)
We could very well run the table for the next two years again with talent we still have coming back
and Mackenzie Krenisky closed out their solid Meadowbrook softball careers with the regional loss
"We also have some more good young players coming up as well
The future of Meadowbrook softball is still very bright," Frizzell said
"Our plan is to take the Colts to the regionals and battle for a state championship a every year thing
We are hoping to build a strong program like Wheelersburg has
and I feel we are well on our way with that."
Defensive struggles put end to Colts seasonIn order to upset the two-time champion Pirates
Frizzell and the Colts knew they would need to bring their 'A' game to the Ohio University diamond
Unfortunately for Meadowbrook and their faithful fan base in attendance
the usually solid Colts' defensive effort was MIA with a total of five errors in the contest
"Five errors was the difference in the game
You can't make five errors against a team like Wheelersburg and expect to have a chance," Frizzell said
Trailing 1-0 entering the bottom of the second frame
the first defensive lapse by the Colts jumpstarted a huge Wheelersburg inning off Meadowbrook sophomore starter Mckendell Boyer
a hit batter and a walk that forced in a run to push the Pirates lead to 2-0
Wheelersburg lead off hitter Ava Estep then made the miscues hurt badly
launching a long grand slam over the right field fence
clearing the bases and extending the lead to 6-0
Estep finished 2-for-3 with five RBIs to pace the Pirates' offense
"Their lead off hitter had a day," Frizzell said
"I think we did finally get her out that last time
but she had that big home run in the second
We gave them an opening with the error and walks
More: Meadowbrook's 'Revenge Tour' continues with unfinished business vs. Wheelersburg
Trailing by an 11-0 margin entering the top of the fourth
Meadowbrook made an attempt to get back into the game with a spirited offensive effort
Seniors Taylor Sichina and Hailey Fordyce and junior Addy Wiggins singled to load the bases with no outs against Wheelersburg starter Caitlyn Carter
Carter then collected a strikeout for the first out
but Boyer delivered a solid single into left center
plating Fordyce and Sichina to pull the Colts within 11-2
Wheelersburg (22-2) tacked on the winning run with a fifth-inning RBI base hit from Laken Wright for the 12-2 victory and a spot in Friday's Division III regional championship game against South Webster at 5 p.m
Wiggins singled twice to lead the Colts' eight hit attack
with Boyer adding her base hit that plated a pair of runs
Taylor Sichina and Vargeson each added base hits
Meadowbrook finished the season with a final record of 21-11
Ohio (WSYX) — The Scioto County Sheriff's Office has arrested a man on Sunday after a 911 call claiming that two juveniles under the age of 10 were sexually assaulted
The 911 caller claimed that her daughter and one other juvenile were the victims of the assault
Detectives and the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim’s Unit investigated the call's claim
Deputies arrested 31-year-oldJonathan Andrew Gold at his residence in Wheelersburg
first-degree felony counts of rape of a child under the age of 10
and one count of pandering obscenity involving a minor
Gold is also being held on a $1,020,000 bond
and he is expected to be inPortsmouth Municipal Court on Jan
WHEELERSBURG — Sheridan made the long trek to Wheelersburg and came away a winner on Friday
Avery Mueller led off the game with a solo home run to center field and winning pitcher Cora Hall made it stand with a three-hitter as the Generals earned a 4-1 victory over the two-time defending Division III state champions
Addison Grosse doubled to lead off the third and scored on a Mueller single; Megan Ranck hit a one-out single in the fourth and came home on Grosse's two-out RBI single; and Payton Powell belted a solo home run in the fifth
Hall fanned three and walked two in the complete game victory
while Mueller finished with three hits and Powell and Grosse had two hits apiece for the Generals (10-3)
New Lexington 1: Ally Peterson's two-run homer capped a three-run first inning
6-1) kept pace the Muskingum Valley League race with the win
Winning pitcher Paiton Murphy struck out eight and scattered five hits in going the distance
Peterson chipped in two hits and three RBIs and Cydnee Wolford added two hits for Tri-Valley
Abby Wilson had two of the New Lex's five hits and Mia Metzger gave up seven hits in the complete game loss for the Panthers (5-7
Philo 2: The Knights (9-3) plated three runs in the top of the seventh to down the Electrics (3-7) in non-league play
allowing five runs on 15 hits with five strikeouts in 6⅔ innings
while Kyleigh McGraw had a pair of singles and Megan Tom doubled to lead the offense
Maysville 13: Jaeli Tiedt had two hits and five RBIs and Courtney Snyder drove in four runs with three hits and scored three times
as the 'Skins (2-10) topped the Panthers (1-8) in a slugfest
Savannah Gambill added three hits and two RBIs
Jazlene Brown had three hits and Kylee Raber chipped in two hits and three RBIs for the Coshocton offense
allowing 13 runs on 11 hits with four strikeouts and three walks
drove in two runs and scored twice and Kam Brooks and Chloe Burley had a single and two RBIs each for the Maysville offense
Burley also allowed 19 runs on 15 hits in taking the loss
Sonni Nelson and Rylee Chamberlin each had two RBIs as the Ceramics (8-5
while also hitting a double and a single with a RBI
Chamberlin and Lundell had two singles and scored two runs apiece
Mylin Driggs and Madison Goodin also drove in runs
fanning three and walking three in four innings and Kylie Dobson
Bridgette Bible and Addyson Blair added singles for River View
West Muskingum 1: The Blue Aces collected 12 hits and used a five-run sixth inning to put the game away against the host Tornadoes (9-3)
Gabbi Hammer singled with an RBI and Kadie Bare suffered the loss
allowing two runs on seven hits in 5⅔ innings
Coshocton 1 (5 inn.): Winning pitcher Haylee Young tossed a one-hitter with four strikeouts as the Muskies (8-2
6-1) completed a suspended game with a mercy of the 'Skins (0-9 MVL)
Sydney Marshall went 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs
Lydia Brown tripled and drove in five runs
Alivia Boothe added three hits and three runs scored
Ava Miller had a pair of hits and scored twice and Kinley Porter swatted a triple with three RBIs for the John Glenn offense
Mallorie Stamper had a double for Coshocton's only hit and Savannah Gambill gave up 13 runs on 13 hits in two innings to take the loss
Cambridge 3: The visiting Colts took advantage of some sloppy defensive play by the Bobcats to sweep the season series between the Guernsey County rivals on Friday evening
Cambridge (10-2) committed a whopping eight errors that led to 10 unearned runs for Meadowbrook
with the visiting Colts scoring in six of the seven innings played
The Bobcats scored two runs in the bottom of the first to take their only lead of the game
Mel Ruiz and Abby Mann each singled and moved up on a wild pitch
Ruiz scored on a ground out by Jazz Bell and Mann scored on a single by Laney Harper
Meadowbrook (9-4) did plenty of work at the plate
finishing with 13 hits in the road victory
Senior Taylor Sichina led the way with a 3-for-4 night with a home run
Addy Sichina also went deep with a home run and singled to collect a pair of RBIs
Mackenzie Krenisky added a two-run home run and double to finish with two RBIs for the Colts
Hailey Fordyce singled twice and Mckendell Boyer doubled
Addy Sichina picked up the win in the pitching circle for the Colts
allowing three runs on five hits with one strikeout
Senior Abby Mann suffered the loss in the circle for the Bobcats
Mann struck out five and only walked one while giving up just four earned runs
Cambridge finished with six hits in the loss with Jazz Bell and Laney Harper each picking up RBI base hits
Ridgewood 2: Tarryn Morris belted a pair of doubles and Emma Rettos also had two hits
on five hits and walked five in the complete game loss for Ridgewood
She also had a single and an RBI and Maggie Shannon also doubled and scored
Rosecrans 9: Mallory Moody collected a double
a single and two RBIs and Sam Delik and Kate Ward had three hits apiece
but the Bishops (3-7) fell short against the Irish
Emily Jenkins and Dakota Householder also had two hits and an RBI each
while Householder surrendered nine runs on nine hits in 2⅔ innings to take the loss
0: The Devils were no-hit in the first game and collected three hits in the second against the Warriors
who are one of the top teams in Division I
Jaliyah Edwards and Jayden Spencer had singles in Game 2 for the Devils
while Maddie Murgatroyd was handed both losses in the circle
Ridgewood boys win Newcomerstown's Ernie Art Invite: The Generals tallied 94 points to top Shenandoah (53)
Preston Ator and Aiden Sparger captured the 4x200 (1:35.96)
Ator and Christian Hortsman won the 4x100 (46.32)
Carns (42.13) and Fenn (45.5) went 1-2 in the 300 hurdles
Ayden Salmon was first in the 3,200 (11:01)
Humphrey and Lockard were first in the 4x400 (3:44.56)
and Logan Sesser swept the shot (51-0 1/2) and discus (141-5) for the Ridgewood boys
Cody Croy also posted a throw of 18-9 in the seated shot put
Chris Art and Keaton Stone in the 4x800 (10:41)
and Dotson in the pole vault (8-6) were second for the Generals
The Ridgewood girls were third (54.5) behind Shenandoah (82) and Strasburg (58)
Alaina Swiney and Kenzie Bice won the 4x400 (4:32.74) and 4x800 (11:38)
Jaelyn McQueen placed first in the 100 (13.97) and long jump (15-6 3/4)
and Bice took second in the 200 (27.87) and 400 (1:02.18)
West M compete at Indian Valley: The Muskie girls won 10 events to claim the team title at the Indian Valley Bell Legacy Invitational
Winners were Faith Saxton in the 400 (1:04.36)
Brayden Snider in the pole vault (11-6) and Chelsea Sotherden in the discus (110-3 1/2) and shot (36-2 1/2)
Sadie Gardinsky was also second in the high jump (4-10)
Snider placed second in the long jump (15-4)
Kira Kaiser took second in the 1,600 (5:39.59)
Laurie Baughman came in third in the 800 (2:35.15) and Teegan Walrath was third in the 100 hurdles (17.49) to round out top finishers for the John Glenn girls
Caiden Lake took second in the 1,600 (4:46.8) and third in the 800 (2:06.11)
Alex Smith came in second in the pole vault (11-0) and fourth in the long jump (17-4)
Cameron House was fourth in the 400 (54.47) and Cameron Barnhouse took fourth in the 300 hurdles (46.05) for the John Glenn boys
Lane Kennedy placed second in the 200 (23.19) and third in the 100 (11.52)
Dustin Brown came in second in the 300 hurdles (42.96)
the 4x100 (45.32) and 4x200 (1:34.16) relays finished second
and Carter Winland was third in the long jump (17-6) for the West M boys
while Molly Spiker finished third in the 300 hurdles (50.98) and fourth in the 100 (13.6) and long jump (15-0 1/2)
the 4x100 relay (54.42) and 4x200 (1:55.6) relays were third
and Kloe Hershey took third in the discus (94-8 1/2) and fourth in the shot (27-5) for the girls
River View sweeps Joe Prosek titles: The Black Bears scored 128 to Coshocton's 97 and New Lex's 34 in the boys
while the Lady Bears tallied 170 points to Coshocton's 53 and New Lex's 34
Winners for the RV boys were Micah Hardesty
Trey Skjold and Landon Cochran in the 4x800 (9:29)
Carter Hammersely in the 110 hurdles (18.62)
Wyatt Barnett and Kayden Billman in the 4x200 (1:43.48)
Carpenter and Daniel McCarthy in the 4x100 (53.64)
Aidan Stevens-Woolery in the 3,200 (11:46)
Cochran and Parker Andrews in the 4x400 (3:54.89)
Chloee Adams and Lydia Black in the 4x800 (11:34)
Annie Killiany and Shriver in the 4x200 (1:52.49)
Antonia Werner and Sibert in the 4x400 (5:03)
Adams in the high jump (4-8) and Kirsten Courtright in the pole vault (9-0) and triple jump (31-1) were winners for the RV girls
long jump (18-11) and triple jump (37-4 1/2)
Israel Rice won the 100 (11.05) and 200 (22.47)
Ellzye Smith won the discus (117-5) and Sev Workman took first in the shot (46-6) for the Coshocton boys
while Gabriella Wesney placed first in the shot (30-10 3/4) and discus (76-1) and Isabelle Lauvray captured the long jump (15-3) for the girls
Jocelynn Bowen won the 100 hurdles (16.01) and 300 hurdles (51.12)
Moreh Longhenry and Isabella Starlin were first in the 4x100 (54.4)
and Myles Wilson placed first in the 300 hurdles (44.81) won events for New Lex
Sheridan sweeps tri-meet: The General girls scored 99 points to Philo's 28 and Fairfield Christian's 19
while the Sheridan boys scored 60 points to Philo's 40 and Fairfield Christian's 28 on Thursday
Nora Covey in the 1,600 (5:58) and high jump (4-8)
Claire Shriner in the 100 hurdles (17.52) and 300 hurdles (51.34)
and Lily Dennis in the shot (34-7) and discus (123-8) won for the Sheridan girls
Delylah Boetcher claimed the pole vault (9-6) and Emily Stockdale captured the long jump (15-1 1/2) for the Philo girls
and Cole Davis in the shot (47-8) and discus (111-3 1/2) claimed events for the General boys
Alex Evans won the 200 (24.74) and 300 hurdles (41.91) and Deacon Scott came in first in the 110 hurdles (15.8) to lead the Electric boys
OHIO (WCHS/WVAH) — It's been almost 50 years
but residents of this small community in Southern Ohio still feel some anxiety anytime the wind blows
a nice and cozy town nestled along the Ohio River in Scioto County
That's the highest rated tornado possible on the enhanced-fujita scale
which touched down just across the river in Kentucky around 4 o clock that evening
Ohio--barely sparing parts of West Virginia with its wrath
Baseball sized-hail also occurred near the track of the tornado
"When you go through something like that
said Dan Ward—a lifelong resident of Wheelersburg
They were both finishing classes at a local middle school when the ferocious winds hit
the clouds looked really layered and we had never seen that before"
Debbie will never forget the sense of urgency before the storm hit
"Principal getting on the intercom and stating that there was a tornado coming across the Ohio River”
Dan Ward says he will never forget the awful noise right before the twister hit
and all of a sudden we heard like a sound we've never heard before--and it was a roaring sound
Dan and his friends found refuge in a fieldhouse
Seven people lost their lives as the tornado quickly raced through; that’s certainly a tragedy
but amazing it wasn't worse considering that buildings were flattened & swept clean
A train was even picked up and tossed off the tracks due to the estimated 200 plus mph winds
The cemetery in Wheelersburg was especially hard hit
there are headstones there that are apparently still missing as a result of the violent winds
Surviving a tornado of that magnitude will be difficult if you're not below ground--but thankfully
only 59 EF5 tornadoes have been documented in the United States since 1950; this makes them very rare
The best thing to do when a tornado is nearing is to find a basement
or to find an interior closet with no windows
Get as low as possible to the ground and cover your head
because most tornado deaths occur as a result of flying debris
A few hills surround the Ohio River Valley community of Wheelersburg
but when the parent thunderstorm is thousands of feet high—it’s simply not enough to slow a long-tracked twister down
3 Barnesville made the trip to Hamilton High School
as plenty of fans from both sides seemed to have no issue with the drive
Barnesville received the ball on the opening drive with quarterback Casey Carpenter at the helm for the Shamrocks
The Barnesville offense put together a long drive on the ground and through the air into Pirate territory
The Shamrocks converted on a crucial fourth down inside of the Wheelersburg 15 yard line and running back Taison Starr handled the rest
He scored on a three-yard rush for the first score of the game
The Pirates and the Shamrocks offense would both stall on the ensuing drives
It wouldn’t be until the next quarter that we’d see another score
Wheelersburg turned the momentum their way when they stopped a fourth and short inside the red zone to give their offense the ball
Wheelersburg quarterback Braylon Rucker connected with Devon Lattimore for 26 yards to put them in scoring position
Rucker handed the ball off to Creed Warren who took it 15-yards to the house for a Pirates score
Another Wheelersburg defensive stand halted the Barnesville offense
The Pirates got the ball back with little time before half and Creed Warren gave them a little boost with a 58-yard run to put them in scoring position with the clock ticking
Rucker threw it to the back of the end zone where Duker Castello intercepted it
Both teams headed to the locker room all tied up 7-7 at half
After the break the Pirates offense came out cold and had a three and out drive that was riddled with penalties
The Shamrocks had a similar drive of their own when they punted after a three and out of their own
Creed Warren must’ve been tired of the offensive staleness because he took a handoff 83-yards into the end zone and was untouched the entire way
Wheelersburg up 14-7 at the end of the third quarter
The Pirates offense sailed down the field in the fourth quarter and capped their drive off with a three-yard touchdown catch from their tight end Kolton Salyers
This touchdown would be 20 unanswered points from the Barnesville defense after a missed extra point
Both teams would score once more in the fourth quarter to put the final score at 26-13 with Wheelersburg advancing to the Regional Finals
The Pirates send home the three seed and are slated to play Harvest Prep at a neutral site next Friday
Harvest Prep came into Wheelersburg and handed them a 32-16 loss earlier this season
so these two teams have some unfinished business to handle when they see each other again on the gridiron
CHILLICOTHE − A young Meadowbrook High School softball squad came up short in Wednesday's Division III regional semifinal matchup with defending state champion Wheelersburg at Unioto High School
A 12-0 setback to the powerful Lady Pirates
ended the Lady Colts' impressive postseason run
Meadowbrook racked up three consecutive victories
2 (Edison) seeds along the way to reach the regionals
But there were no long faces on these Lady Colts
In fact most were already thinking about a return trip to the regionals next year
"We will be here again next year," Frizzell proclaimed confidently following the game
The reason for Frizzell's confident prediction is his young squad fielded five freshmen starters
the Colts will be returning everyone except May and Katelynn Heady
"They have some big hitters who are used to going deep
and our freshman pitcher Addy Sichina was able to keep them under control," Frizzell added
and it was just a great effort by my young kids today
So this is just the beginning for this group of girls and I'm proud of them."
But this night belonged to the veteran Lady Pirates squad
who opened the scoring in the second-inning
Sydney Shriver drove a ball deep over the left field fence for a two-run bomb off Sichina
Sichina regrouped to retire the next two hitters and appeared ready to end the inning allowing just the two runs
a Lady Colt error followed by back-to-back hits loaded the bases
who got just enough to bloop a ball that fell in shallow left field and out of the reach of three Meadowbrook defenders
That two-out hit cleared the bases and extended the lead to 5-0
"That little blooper in the second inning cost us three runs," Frizzell said
"That made it go to 5-0 instead of just 2-0 and that's a big difference against a team like Wheelersburg
Because once you get behind a team as talented as they are
Sichina kept the powerful Wheelersburg offense scoreless over the next three frames to keep the deficit at 5-0 heading to the fifth inning
Wheelersburg starter Andi Jo Howard was shutting down the Lady Colts offense
allowing just a pair of infield singles from freshman Jordyn Vargeson
The Lady Pirates finally added a pair of runs in the fifth to push the lead out to 7-0
with Catie Boggs and Emma Smith coming up with RBI base hits
Wheelersburg pushed across two more in the sixth
with RBI singles from Riley Lane and Ava Estep to build the lead out to 9-0
the Lady Pirates would close out the scoring with a three-run rally with Lane delivering the big blow with a two run double
Vargeson finished with a 2-for-3 effort with a pair of base hits
with freshman Asie Poland collecting the only other Meadowbrook hit with a single
allowing just three hits with a pair of Ks and three walks in seven scoreless innings of work
Estep paced the Lady Pirates with a double
two singles while Eaton add three base hits to collect a big five RBIs
Meadowbrook closes its season with a 15-12 mark
JACKSON - The tears Luke Myers could not fight back Saturday certainly were different than the ones the Johnnies cried 12 months ago
the Johnnies talked about getting a second chance at Wheelersburg
Johnstown (13-1) eliminated defending state champion Wheelersburg (12-2) in a Division V state semifinal
beating the Pirates 32-14 at Jackson High School and taking the program to Week 15 for the first time
We tasted blood in our mouths from last year," said Myers
the senior fullback who helped the Johnnies avenge a 34-7 loss to the Pirates in the 2017 regional finals
"We are a different team than last year," he added
and (coach Mike Carter) pushes us hard
Johnstown plays Orrville for a state title at 3 p.m
next Saturday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton
The Red Riders routed Liberty Center 38-7 on Saturday
When Makaya Matthews raced down the sideline for a 76-yard touchdown on the game's first play
Johnstown easily could have had a sinking feeling
allowing just two more first downs until the final minutes
We are two games away from the state championship,'" senior linebacker Kaden Davis said
We have to give it our all,' and that's what we did."
the Johnnies made long drive after long drive
grinding the Wheelersburg defenders to dust
Luke Myers' 1-yard touchdown run capped a 15-play
After Alex Jenney's 23-yard field goal gave Johnstown a 10-7 lead
the Johnnies ran 11 plays on their next possession
scoring on Bryce Barasch's 5-yard touchdown run with 1:59 left in the first half
We knew coming into the game that we had to be more physical than them
Myers' 2-yard touchdown run opened the third quarter to push the lead to 22-7
That drive was highlighted by Caden Calhoun's 27-yard pass to Jake Lusk on fourth-and-8
Barasch's 2-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter capped a 16-play drive
touching off a joyous celebration on the Johnstown sideline
The rest of a partisan Wheelersburg crowd watched in stunned silence
"This was a perfect game for Johnstown," junior offensive lineman Wyatt Walton said
knowing that all of the hard work we've put in is paying off
and we are going to be playing in Canton next weekend."
Johnstown ran 77 plays to Wheelersburg's 31 and nearly put all three ball carriers over 100 yards
and Calhoun's 109 on 20 and Myers' 86 on 19 followed
Wheelersburg's All-Ohio receiver Tanner Holden was held to one catch for four yards through the game's first 43 minutes
and Stew Davis had a game-clinching sack as Wheelersburg was held to 12 yards rushing and resorted to throwing screens in an attempt to avoid Johnstown's relentless pass rush
"We found what our weaknesses were," Jakeway said
Johnstown first reached the state semifinals in 2011 and has run into some of the state's best teams in attempts to return since
This season's Johnnies are one of the state's best teams
they have a chance to prove they are the best
"We have worked so hard for this all summer and throughout the year