RUARK’S READY TO EXCITE

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NEW MIDDLETOWN, OH – Kolten Ruark is back for his senior season as starting quarterback for the Springfield Tigers football program and he is eager to take the field this Friday night! Ruark is looking to build off of a solid junior season and take that next jump to propel the Tigers to a deep playoff run in 2023. Kolten not only dominates on the football field, he also takes care of business on the baseball diamond too! But as of right now, football is the priority and up first for Kolten and the Tigers is a match up with the defending state champs as South Range will come to town on Friday night.

YSN’s own, Steve Leslie had the pleasure of chatting with Kolten Ruark at the Tiger’s Table this week to discuss his offseason and senior season, what his plans are for this football season and upcoming baseball season, what his plans are post high school on the field or diamond, what being a part of the Tigers community means to him, and a rapid fire questionnaire to find out some of the little things that make him the person and player that he is.

Check out this exclusive player profile with senior quarterback, Kolten Ruark!

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DATTILO DIGS IN FOR SENIOR SEASON

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NEW MIDDLETOWN, OH – Lucas Dattilo has been a part of the Springfield Tigers football program for as long as anyone can remember and now he is one of the seniors on this 2023 Tigers team that has the community buzzing with excitement. From his spot on the line, Lucas looks to lead by example in the trenches and create plays that will spring the Tigers to success each game.

YSN’s own, Steve Leslie had the opportunity to sit down with Lucas Dattilo this week to discuss his senior season, what his plans are for the season and after he graduates, what it means to him to be a Springfield Tiger, and a rapid fire questionnaire to find out some of the little things that make him the person and player that he is.

Tune in to this exclusive player profile with senior Lucas Dattilo of the Springfield Tigers!

 

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NO CAP; CAPECE IS MARQUEE

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NILES OH- Omaha! Omaha! Another great athlete is coming out of Nebraska and his name is Connor
Capece. A graduate of Omaha Gross Catholic High School in Nebraska, Capece really honed his skills as a baseball player both on the mound and behind the plate.

Prior to that, Capece’s father played a major role in his development, both as a ball player and a young man. Putting the pressure on Connor from an early age “he saw the potential in me early on” Capece said. Finding success in the high school ranks, Capece had a decision on his plate of where he wanted to go to college to continue his playing and academic careers. His choice, ultimately, came down to the freedom and flexibility a university would be with him to be both a pitcher and a catcher. The hometown school of The Creighton Bluejays was his collegiate decision.

Before going off to play college ball, Capece made a summer pit stop in Niles, Ohio to be a part of The Mahoning Valley Scrappers and compete in The MLB Draft League. Playing under major leaguer and Scrappers Manager, Dmitri Young, as well as some older players on the team allowed Capece to have a truly unique experience before going to college. His biggest takeaway from the league? Understanding there will be bumps in the road on the path to greatness, “It’s a game of failure.” Capece said.

Getting to know him from humble beginnings as a young Nebraska kid with a dream to taking steps to living out that dream everyday, Capece offers advice to players that wish to have a future at the collegiate level.

Catch all this and more in this edition of Player Profile with the Creighton commit and form Mahoning Valley Scrapper, Connor Capece!

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HAVRILLA CONTINUES TO LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY

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CANFIELD OH- Every now and then an athlete comes across a community that leaves a legacy that lasts long after they go. In Canfield AJ Havrilla has slowly but surely continued to make his mark on the local baseball scene.  He’s done it all, from rocking the show in the high school level with Canfield, to dominating the local travel scene in Class B Baseball, and even representing Youngstown against the world in Texas at the Palomino World Series.  Havrilla and his teammates have punched that ticket to Texas yet again has he has one last chance to leave another mark on Youngstown baseball before going on to play at Marshall in college.

AJ’s senior season at Canfield was nothing short of what everyone expected. He stayed loose and had fun all the way to team leading batting average of .431.  That included with his impressive stat of only striking out 4 times all season was enough to earn him a nod as YSN’s Co-Offensive Player of the Year.  He was also named the NEOBCA Division II Player of the Year.  He would follow up his success with the Red Birds to dominate the summer with the Dirty Birds.  The Astro Falcons dominated the 18u Class B division all the summer with AJ as a headliner of the lineup.  It was his fifth year playing with the Falcons 18u squad, and made every rep worth it.  That same team won the Class B playoffs, and then went on to win the Palomino East Zone Championship to pack their bags to Texas to compete against the world.

AJ was kind enough to take some time to talk to YSN’s Anthony Hartwig before preparing for his last weekend playing baseball for Youngstown. They talk about his long career, moving on to Marshall, and so much more.  Check out this exclusive interview with AJ Havrilla only on YSN!

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440 IS READY TO GO

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EAST PALESTINE, OH- “I wish I had this when I was in high school,” is a quote that Sam Torres hears a lot in Ashtabula County.  Torres, who began a sports podcast, and streaming service called 440 and Goal 3 years ago- is invested to say the least.  The podcast would follow specifically each team in Ashtabula County and highlight players, coaches, and their stories.

Sound familiar?

That’s why when Sam got a message from YSN, the fit and collaboration was a no-brainer for each side. With the passion that Torres brought to the table, and initiative and leadership added in- the fit was like the glass slipper on Cinderella.

More than just being on-air, Sam has a passion for making the people around him better.  Which is why the annual Ashtabula Combine is so near and dear to his heart.   This weekend marks the third edition of the program and could be the biggest to date.  With six teams competing against each other to sort out the fastest and strongest, Torres’ push is more than just what’s being done on the field.  “We give out scholarships for the Ashtabula County Player of the Year.  Everything goes right back into local athletes and opportunities to make them feel special,” said Torres.

We had the opportunity to sit down with the Ace of Ashtabula, and pick his brain about how the 440 is ready to go!

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CALL HER A VICTORY ANNABELLE

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CORTALND OH- When talking with soccer coaches across the area, it doesn’t take long to realize that big reason the growth of the game is picking up pace in the area is because the dedication of the clubs that student athletes can get in before they step foot on a high school field. One of the more successful clubs in the area is Soccer Vision Academy. The 15u team is stocked full of YSN talent. Every player on the roster represents a school in the YSN family.

Lakeview’s own Annabelle Humphrey serves as one of the main leaders of the team. She is a huge reason why they have trekked all the way to the US Club Nationals in Denver.  Humphrey brings the leadership from club season straight to the field during the fall. She quickly became one of the biggest young stars in the game during her freshman season at Lakeview.  Her second year with the Bulldogs promises to be a great one as she’ll bring the momentum of this club season where her team has won so much.

Annabelle took the time to chat with YSN’s Anthony Hartwig to discuss her club team’s success. She also talks about being a part of such a successful team, building bonds with her teammates, and much more. Check out this exclusive Player Profile only on YSN.

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ROCKIN WITH DORAN

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CORTLAND OH- Soccer is growing more and more in our neck of the woods every year. Not only is the success of the local soccer teams during the high school season proof of that, but so is the competitiveness of the club scene.  Soccer Vision Academy has taken a massive step with their 15u girls team. Through a long club season they have earned their way to a trip to the US Club Nationals in Denver Colorado later on this summer. SVA features a roster that exclusively holds YSN athletes. The experience that these athletes are getting has made them some of the best young stars on the soccer field. One of the players featured on the roster is Lakeview’s McKenna Doran.

Doran has already made a big name for herself during her freshman season with Lakeview Doran was key to the Bulldogs run.  She promises to be a force to be reckoned with for the rest of her career at Lakeview, and she’s going to play a big part in SVA’s success in Denver.

Doran took the time to talk with YSN’s Anthony Hartwig to talk about her club team’s success. They also talk about how much confidence a run like this gives her, what it’s like playing with so much local talent, and much more. Check out this exclusive player profile only on YSN.

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A BRUBAKER’S DOZEN

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COLUMBIANA OH- When a player gets an opportunity to shine, the best of the best take it and run with it.  For Crestview softball after losing a lot of big talent and leadership to graduation there was a need for someone new to take a big step up. Brooke Brubaker was the no doubt candidate for the next big role model inside the Rebels dugout.  Even though she had some big shoes to fill, she never shied away from the big moments. Brooke quickly became not just a big name inside the MVAC, but in the area as a whole.

Brubaker led her team in a lot of different categories but everything starts in the circle. Brubaker was the leader in innings pitched for the Rebels spending 66.1 in the circle.  She struck out 78 hitters in that time.  Brubaker also hit well at the plate.  Her .522 average led the team by almost 80 points.  On the year she smacked 1 home run, 2 triples, and 10 doubles.  Those extra bass hits helped her collect 26 RBI.  She also scored 12 runs.

Brooke took the time for a great interview with YSN’s Anthony Hartwig to talk about her season and growth as a player. They discuss getting through adversity, what kind of leadership she brings to the table, and so much more. Check out the latest Crestview Softball Player Profile exclusively on YSN.

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MEYER’S MAGICAL SEASON

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WARREN OH- Champion has a rich history of softball success. With a list of names that goes on for miles of players that have brought pride to the Champion program, you don’t have to look hard for inspiration. However, on Champion’s standards they’d been in a down trend the last couple of seasons.  Since their state championship in 2019, Champion hadn’t gotten out of the district rounds of the state tournament.  That is until this group of players made sure to change all that. Champion put their best foot forward this year and got Champion back to one of the most respected teams in the land. One of their biggest leaders was junior shortstop Bella Meyer.

Bella got a huge burst of leadership during the basketball season when because of injuries she quickly became a player that everyone turned to. Getting her teammates through that adversity taught Meyer a ton about how to be a leader. She carried those skills into her softball season.  She rallied her fellow Flashes to an impressive regional runner up season.  Meyer made the decision earlier in the school year to commit to Youngstown State to continue her softball career.  That decision took a lot of stress over the recruitment process off of Meyer’s shoulders.  She was able to play loose and free, and it showed all season long.

Meyer’s numbers this season were nothing short of incredible.  Meyer hit .583 on the season in the middle of the Champion order.  She hit 17 doubles, 7 triples, and 2 home runs.  All of that added up to 33 RBI.  Meyer raked a slugging percentage of .968.

Meyer was kind enough to join YSN’s Anthony Hartwig to talk about her junior year. They talk about taking steps as a leader, what it’s like getting Champion’s tradition back, and so much more. Check out the latest Champion Softball Player Profile only on YSN!

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STRONG FAITH CAN GO A LONG WAY

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CANFIELD OH- The Canfield Cardinals are heading to the state championship game. They got to this point in one of the most dramatic ways you could think of in your wildest dreams. A team that has been all about their faith all season long needed every bit of it Thursday night trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the seventh against Steubenville.  The Cardinals weren’t just looking for their first run of the game, but also their first hit in the game.  After senior Gianna Pannunzio broke up the no hitter, and eventually came around to score it came down to junior Faith Morell with the game winning run 60 feet away.  Faith got the bunt signal from Mike Kernan, and called a timeout to make sure she got it right. Faith hadn’t been asked to bunt all season, but this was her time. Without missing a beat Faith put one perfectly down the first base line scoring Freedy, and winning the game for Canfield! A moment that Morell will never forget.

YSN had to get in touch with newest hero in the Canfield lore.  Faith like a couple other other of her teammates stepped into her first year on the varsity level with a sense of confidence she could get the job done.  That’s exactly what she has done so far as Faith has earned her way to the four spot in the lineup always staring at RBI opportunities.

Faith comes through more than not in those moments too. Morell is currently hitting .447 on the year.  She has an impressive OPS of 1.003.  Faith has gathered 4 doubles on the year and 13 RBI. No RBI bigger than the walk off suicide squeeze to put Canfield in the state championship.

Faith took the time to jump on a video call with YSN’s Anthony Hartwig one day before the big game in Firestone Stadium.  They go over that game winning moment in the state semifinals, how Faith keeps a strong mentality, and so much more. Check out the latest Canfield softball Player Profile only on YSN!

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