HEADED HOME: LIBERTY LEOPARDS BASEBALL PREVIEW

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YOUNGSTOWN, OH – Tom Otto, the head coach for Liberty Leopards baseball team took a few minutes to speak with us about some upcoming new and key players for the 2021 season. Dwight Parker (senior) and Trevor Strohmeyer (senior) will be the 1-2 punch for the Leopards on the mound this year.  Anthony Patrone will also see plenty of action on the rubber but his main position is at first base. Anthony, also a senior, is coming back as a letterman after missing the 2020 season due to COVID. Coach Otto is expecting big things from his seniors. Coach Otto became head coach of the Liberty Leopards with this senior class as freshmen. Coach Otto was able to help his underclassmen an opportunity to play summer ball last year with an in house club team as well as also being able to locate other players to Class B baseball and other travel teams. Coach Otto did speak about how tough the MVAC is, the schedule is tough and its meant for us to prepare for the post season. Not that Coach Otto is looking ahead because every game inside the league is indeed a grind.

For all your Liberty Leopards baseball check on YSNLive.com!

 

HEADED HOME: MCDONALD BLUE DEVILS BASEBALL PREVIEW

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MCDONALD, OH – Head coach of the McDonald Blue Devils is Bill Ifft. COVID cost the McDonald Blue Devils just like every team in state of Ohio, and you’ll get no excuses from Coach Ifft. Coach Ifft is playing a lot of young guys this year, he expects his players to grow and gain the experience that they missed out on last season. With only three players who seen action in the 2019 season Coach Ifft and the Blue Devil staff are looking to coach up roster. Looking to compete hard every day in practice, simulating game like atmosphere each day to get his guys ready for the grind of a high school season. Pitching situation this year Coach Ifft is looking to “pitch by committee” using multiple guys in different spots this year.  Coach Ifft talked a little about how good their league is and how tough that grind can be. Bill also spoke about the team goals getting better each day and going out and competing to win ball games.

Catch the Blue Devils this year on YSNLive.com!

 

HEADED HOME: HUBBARD EAGLES BASEBALL PREVIEW

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HUBBARD, OH – John Schiraldi, head coach for the Hubbard Eagles, talked to us after a scrimmage against Austintown Fitch this week. Hayden Fox, a two year returning letterman, is the catcher and an extension of the coach on the field. Coach Schiraldi talked to us about the inexperienced the team is with most guys jumping from JV two years ago to now seniors and missed out on that growing year as juniors. Coach Schiraldi spoke about how important that year everyone missed out on in the growth process as high school baseball players. Getting outside and being able to have a full day of practice is important for Coach at this point, implementing the eagle way of baseball.Coach Schiraldi is looking to get out and compete every day and learn.

Catch more of the Hubbard Eagles this year on YSNLive.com!

 

HEADED HOME: LOWELLVILLE LADY ROCKETS SOFTBALL PREVIEW

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LOWELLVILLE, OH – Head coach Josh Kelly and the Lowellville Lady Rockets cannot wait to get on the field and start playing games! The Lady Rockets will look to Kennedy and Samantha Kelly, Marissa Rivera, and Callie Kester to be key leaders and contributors this season as they will try to knock off the rust and get back into the swing of things. Until then though, the Lady Rockets will look to take it day by day, game by game, and piece together their own success and continue to build the program, the “Rocket way” as the season goes on. Lowellville will open their season on Saturday, March 27th, at home against the Warren JFK Eagles.

YSN’s own, Billy McCartney and Quinn Puskar, had the opportunity to catch up with Coach Kelly to talk about how COVID effected the Lowellville softball program throughout last season and the preseason to this year, what Coach’s expectations are for this year and some of the goals that he and the team have set for themselves, as well as some of the key players that might make a huge impact on the team and the softball diamond all season long!

Check out this special softball sneak peak at the Lowellville Lady Rockets with head coach, Josh Kelly!

 

HEADED HOME: STRUTHERS WILDCATS BASEBALL PREVIEW

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STRUTHERS, OH – Head coach Mike Medvec and the Struthers Wildcats are eager to get back on the ballfield this season as the Cats are primed for an exciting season. Coach Medvec will look to Chance Laczko, Olindo Pezzone, and Alex Grzyb, to provide the leadership and skills to lead the Wildcats to success! Coach also discussed some of their team goals and the biggest one is being competitive in the NE8 but also winning more games than they did two seasons ago!

Stay tuned to YSNLive.com for all things WIldcats as the season goes on!

 

HEADED HOME: EAST LADY GOLDEN BEARS SOFTBALL PREVIEW

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YOUNGSTOWN, OH – Head coach Carissa Benchwick and the East Lady Golden Bears are eagerly waiting for the season to start as the girls have been working hard all winter to prepare for a big season! Coach Benchwick will look to the senior class to be key leaders and contributors for the Lady Golden Bears this season. East will open their season on Monday, March 29th, on the road against the Sebring Trojans.

YSN’s own, Billy McCartney and Quinn Puskar, had the opportunity to catch up with Coach Benchwick to get an idea of what her expectations and goals are for this upcoming season, how COVID effected the East High program throughout last year and coming into this season, as well as, who we should keep an eye on from the team that could be making a big splash this year on the diamond!

Check out this special softball sneak peak at the East Lady Golden Bears with head coach, Carissa Benchwick!

 

HEADED HOME: URSULINE LADY IRISH SOFTBALL PREVIEW

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YOUNGSTOWN, OH – Head coach Mike Kernan and the Ursuline Lady Irish are back to work and ready to make some noise this season! Coach Kernan will lean heavily on his upperclassmen this season for leadership and dominant play! The Lady Irish are going to be led by a trio of college commits, Maris Barbato (Toledo), Emily Holland (Ohio Dominican), and Julia Nutter (Slippery Rock), will accompany a solid junior class that will look to teach the Ursuline way to the newcomers and younger players in the program.

YSN’s own, Billy McCartney and Quinn Puskar, had the opportunity to catch up with Coach Kernan to get an idea of what his expectations and goals are for this upcoming season, how COVID effected the Ursuline program throughout the course of last year and coming into this season, as well as, who we should keep an eye on from the team that could be making a big splash this year on the diamond!

Check out this special softball sneak peak at the Ursuline Lady Irish with head coach, Mike Kernan!

 

HEADED HOME: NEWTON FALLS LADY TIGERS SOFTBALL PREVIEW

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NEWTON FALLS, OH – First year head coach, Christina Baker, will take over the Newton Falls Lady Tigers. With only two seniors coming back this year, Coach Baker is looking to the seniors to lead this team. While being a first year head coach is always a challenge in itself Christina Baker is up for the task. A COVID cancelled season meant a lot of players were stuck having to experience game and practice time with travel and rec season, most of the Lady Tigers had that chance to get a bunch of games in over the summer. Coach Baker is looking to have an exciting team a lot of untapped talent here in the Falls, and as the season progresses coach expects her girl to play better towards the tournament. The MVAC has a ton of challenges ahead and Newton Falls is always near the top.

YSNLive.com will cover all the Lady Tigers updates this year!

 

HEADED HOME: CHAMPION LADY GOLDEN FLASHES SOFTBALL PREVIEW

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WARREN, OH – We spoke to the head coach for the Champion Lady Golden Flashes, Cheryl Weaver this past week. Coach Weaver is a 6 time state champion as head coach with the school having been to 9 state championships. Key players returning from the 2019 season are captains Emma Gumont, Lauren Fife, Cassidy Shaffer, and Brooklyn Witt. They will look to get these Flashes off to a hot start. Coach Weaver talked to us about the experience some of her girls missed out on with last season being cancelled. Almost all the girls got a chance to play some sort of travel ball and or rec ball into the summer months. Missing the season last year was hard for any team, but Coach Weaver stressed freshman need that first year to get the details of what it takes to play varsity softball. I asked Coach Weaver what does it take to consistently keep playing at a high level year in and out ? Cheryl Weaver responded that it’s the details, harp on the details in practice and make the games simple. That’s the key to success in high school softball. We also imagine talent helps too and the Lady Flashes have plenty of that too.

Follow the Flashes right here as they look to have an incredible season YSNLive.com!

 

HEADED HOME: CRESTVIEW REBELS BASEBALL PREVIEW

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COLUMBIANA, OH – The Crestview Rebels are back in action this spring as COVID wiped out their season last year and head coach Kory Whitacre has the boys eager and ready to get on the diamond. The Rebels are led by a strong group of seniors that are willing to do whatever it takes to win ball games and build upon their season as it progresses. The underclassmen will look to make their mark on the Rebels program as every spot is open for the taking and that competition is what drives Crestview to success.

Check out this very special baseball preview at the Crestview Rebels as YSN’s own, Billy McCartney and Quinn Puskar, had the opportunity to talk with head coach, Kory Whitacre!