Tag Archive for: Bears

WELLSVILLE GETS THEIR REVENGE

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WELLSVILLE OH- In a redemption-filled Friday night, Wellsville avenged an early-season loss to Leetonia, securing a decisive victory with a final score of 61-31.

Tyrell Watkins led Wellsville’s charge with an outstanding performance, amassing 33 points, 17 rebounds, and 7 steals. Elijah Douglas added 11 points and contributed 7 assists, while Richie Dowling chipped in with 6 points. Leetonia’s efforts were led by Carson Brock with 12 points, and Ashbee Merritt and CJ Faulkner each contributed 5 points.

With a 6-5 record, Wellsville now prepares for a non-conference road trip to Toronto on Tuesday. Leetonia, with a 3-10 record, aims to bounce back as they host Sebring on Saturday.

BEARS HUNT DOWN SOUTHERN

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SALINEVILLE OH- In a thrilling back-and-forth showdown on Tuesday night, Leetonia emerged victorious with a 52-45 win over Southern, securing the last laugh in this closely contested battle.

Carson Brock led the charge for Leetonia with an outstanding performance, contributing a remarkable 27 points. Ashbee Merritt added 8 points, and Dylan Johns chipped in with 7 points, collectively propelling Leetonia to the hard-fought win.

Southern, putting up a resilient effort, had notable contributions from Yago Alonso with 12 points, Mason Pitts with 10 points, and Noah Chase with 9 points.

With this win, Leetonia moves to a 3-9 record and looks ahead to their next challenge on Friday as they hit the road to face Wellsville. Southern, at 1-10, aims to turn things around on Friday as they host Columbiana, seeking a positive shift in their season.

RED DEVILS FIND POSITIVITY

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By Matt Maher


CAMPBELL, OH – good things come to those who wait and Campbell has been waiting all seas, that’s 9 games, to finally earn their first home win of the season and it came against the struggling Leetonia Bears who are still waiting on their first game of the season. Despite a very slow start the Red Devils made adjustments and found their rhythm and came out on top with the 34-16 victory.

 

When you think of slow starts you typically think of maybe a 10-8 score with a lot of fouls and a timeout or two but this game took the word slow to heart when the first quarter ended with the score of 4-2 for the Red Devils. The game didn’t see many fouls to this point but the officials had no problem calling a multitude of jump balls and Leetonia had trouble passing the ball. The Bears lone scorer Breyle Merritt who found a hard fought layup. Campbell found all their scoring from Angelis Diaz who found two buckets in the paint and had an opportunity to score more from the line but Diamon Sims couldn’t get her throws to fly. 

 

The second quarter looked more like a basketball game with Campbell scoring a much improved 9 points and Leetonia doubling their first quarter tally with 4. The Jumpballs kept on coming in this quarter and after the first quarter it became difficult to keep track of all of them but this game was determined to find ways to turn the ball over and give both squads opportunity in the offensive zone. Leetonia saw Merrit take advantage of one of the turnovers with another nice bucket and she also found herself at the free throw line where she made 1 of 2 shots. Star Neel also found the net in the form of a free throw as well going 1-for-2 from the stripe. Campbell saw three players score including Mileesa Williams and Angelis Espada who both found points in the paint and Sims who found a stride and hit an impressive 3 and made another bucket down the line.

 

Halftime brought a rested Red Devils team out on the floor and boy did that break help! Campbell put up 13 points in the quarter and held Leetonia to a mere 2 points. Leetonias scorer would be Taylor Chapman who used her size and strength to push through the defense and get a gritty score. The Red Devils would see another 3 made by Espada and Sims go 2-for-4 from the line but it would be Angeliz Diaz who would truly be the shining star because she erupted for 6 points in this frame and while that may seem like a small number I ask you to refer to the first quarter of this game. 

 

Quarter 4 was a fairly even frame with Campbell scoring 8 more points and Leetonia matching their host with 8. Diaz added another 6 points to her total, allowing her to finish with her team leading 16 points. Rayona Floyd-Brown would add to the scoring with the other 2 points. Leetonia saw the combined efforts of Merritt and Chapman pay off with both players putting up 4 points in this quarter all from under the hoop with layups or hard fought for rebounds. 

 

Despite the improved 4th quarter for the Bears, Campbell found their scores earlier and much more often and their continued pressure on Leetonia and the lucky turnovers they found all combined for the 34-16 win. Leetonia will be back home on January 8th when they host Southern at 7:00PM while Campbell will keep it in their neighborhood when they host Liberty on January 8th at 5:30PM. 

CLIPPERS KEEPING UP THE PACE

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COLUMBIANA OH- In an authoritative performance on Friday night, Columbiana showcased their strength at home, securing a commanding 61-18 victory over Leetonia in EOAC action.

Seth Struharik led the Clippers’ scoring effort with an impressive 17 points, demonstrating his offensive prowess on the court. Supported by a well-distributed team effort, Columbiana had eight other players contribute to the scoring column, emphasizing their depth and collaborative play.

Maddox Brown (11 points) and Ian Less (10 points) also made significant contributions to Columbiana’s offensive output, underscoring the team’s balance.

Leetonia faced a tough challenge against the Clippers’ defensive prowess, with Carson Brock (5 points) and Ashbee Merritt (4 points) providing notable offensive efforts for the Bears.

With this resounding victory, Columbiana improves to a 7-3 record and looks ahead to their next matchup at home against East Palestine on Tuesday. Leetonia (2-9) will regroup for their upcoming game on the road against Southern on Tuesday.

BEARS SECURE A CONVINCING VICTORY

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Leetonia Cruises to a 66-39 Victory Over Lordstown

In a standout performance on Wednesday, Leetonia displayed their determination and skill, securing an impressive 66-39 win over Lordstown. The victory not only marked their second win of the season but also stands as the largest margin of victory for Leetonia since February 20th, 2018, when they recorded a 78-43 win over Heartland Christian.

Leetonia’s scoring was well-distributed, with Dylan Johns leading the way with a stellar 20-point performance. Carson Brock contributed 14 points, and Cameron Roller added 13 points, showcasing the team’s offensive depth. Ashbee Merritt chipped in with 8 points, and Brayden Earl rounded out the scoring with 6 points.

The 27-point victory marks Leetonia’s largest margin of victory since February 20th, 2018 with a 78-43 win over Heartland Christian. With a 2-8 record, the team aims to leverage this win as momentum heading into their upcoming matchup at Columbiana on Friday. The impressive performance signals a positive turn for Leetonia’s season as they continue to build on their successes.

BEARS ABLE TO KEEP THEIR GRIP

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HOWLAND OH- In a hard-fought contest on Tuesday, Youngstown East faced a determined and streaking Howland team, ultimately emerging victorious with a 54-51 win. The game unfolded as a gritty battle, with Youngstown East managing to maintain their lead despite Howland’s determined efforts.

Isaiah McCray led the scoring charge for Youngstown East, contributing an impressive 24 points. Jaren Colon added 8 points, while Tyris Davis chipped in with 6 points, collectively forming a strong offensive trio for the team.

Despite Howland making a strong push in the third quarter, winning it 16-6, Youngstown East displayed resilience to secure the narrow victory.

For Howland, Alex Henry stood out with an impressive 22 points, complemented by John Perry and TJ Douglas, each contributing 9 points.

With this win, Youngstown East improves to a 4-2 record and looks ahead to their next challenge on the road against John Adams on Thursday. Howland, now at 3-4, will regroup and prepare for their upcoming matchup on the road against Newton Falls on Friday. The intense battle between Youngstown East and Howland added another chapter to the season, showcasing the competitive spirit of both teams.

LISBON RETURNS TO THEIR EXPLOSIVE WAYS

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LISBON OH- Lisbon’s offense reclaimed its explosive form on Friday night, dominating Leetonia in an impressive 72-37 victory within the EOAC.

Leading the scoring charge for Lisbon, Trevor Siefke poured in an outstanding 20 points, while Alex Schreffler contributed 13 points and Luke Kraft added 10 points. Hunter Dailey and Austin Dailey also played crucial roles, chipping in 9 and 8 points, respectively.

Leetonia, facing a tough challenge, saw notable performances from Ashbee Merritt with 14 points and Carson Brock with 13 points.

With this convincing win, Lisbon extends their undefeated streak to 6-0, showcasing their prowess in the league. The team is set to carry this momentum on the road as they travel to Southern on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Leetonia, now at 1-4, will aim to regroup at home, facing Valley Christian in their upcoming matchup on Tuesday.

IRISH DOMINATE DOWNTOWN RIVAL

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By Tim Corso


YOUNGSTOWN OH- Ursuline rolled past Youngstown East 82-57 in its Steel Valley Conference and home opener Friday Night.

Keith Gunther’s Fighting Irish entered Friday night winning 21 straight games inside the Cafaro Gymnasium and on the hardwood of the Lyden Family Court.

They were looking to make it 22 tonight and improve to 5-0; they did just that.

The Irish got out to a fast start that included a 19-6 lead and finished up 27-8 after the first eight minutes. Freshman Noah Bell was the player to spearhead that start with 7 points.

Bell wasn’t the only freshman to pull his weight (and then some).

Jaylen Gunther and Jace Riccardo showed why the trio of Gunther, Bell, and Riccardo headlines what is regarded as one of the best freshman classes in Northeast Ohio.

Gunther finished with 14 points and 7 assists, while Riccardo added 7 and hauled in numerous clutch rebounds.

It was all gas and no brakes going into the intermission for Ursuline as they led 49-16.

However, the Golden Bears wouldn’t go away.

East scored 16 in the third quarter, already matching its first half total.

That scoring spark in the third sparked a team comeback that got the Irish lead down to just 16 halfway through the fourth, in thanks to Isaiah McCoy’s hot shooting and Tyris Davis’ thunderous slam that almost blew the roof off the building.

McCoy and Davis paced the Golden Bears with 18 and 13 points, respectively.

The fight the Bears showed wasn’t reflected in the final score as Ursuline went on a 14-5 run from that point to put the game to rest.

Two other Irish players reached double figures, in Junior Jared Klucinec (10) and Sophomore Myles Miller (15).

Miller hounded the boards for double-digit rebounds for the game.

Seniors Jayden Payne and Geno Lucente added 9 points each in the effort as well.

East’s Kevin Pullen reached double figures in the setback with 10.

Ursuline (4-0) will travel to Massillon Washington (2-0) on Tuesday, December 19 to take on the Tigers at 7:30 p.m.

For East (3-2), they’ll also be back in action on Tuesday when they host Howland (3-3) at 7 p.m.

Game Photos HERE: https://ysn.smugmug.com/12-15-b-bb-ursuline-east/12-15-b-bb-ursuline/103EOS1D/

 

 

BEARS FEAST ON BOARDMAN

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By Michael Ginocchi


Youngstown, OH- The Youngstown East boy’s basketball team earned an impressive 75-68 win over Boarman on Tuesday evening. The Golden Bears used a fast start shooting fantastic from beyond the arch making a total 11 threes. Their offensive rebounding was also a huge factor throughout the game giving them multiple second chance opportunites. East improved to 3-1 on the year and knocked off previously unbeaten Boardman.

 

For the Golden Bears, Isaiah Mccray was the driving force offensively. He knocked down seven three pointers in his route to 31 points. Tyris Davis wasn’t too far behind with 22 points and even threw down a ferocious dunk during the game. Jared Colon and Jerry Smith each reached double figures. East was well rounded on the offensive end, with four players reaching double figures.

 

Boardman however, struggled to find its offensive rhythm. The Spartans shot only 11-20 from the free throw line, had troubles with the East quickness and gave up too many second chance opportunities. Grayson Eicher and Kaden Mayhew each scored 11 points for Boardman. Noah Ziak chipped in nine. It wasn’t the result the Spartans wanted, but they will look to bounce back Friday night against the undefeated Potters.

 

Youngstown East will have a big Steel Valley Conference showdown with Ursuline this Friday at 7:00 p.m. The Golden Bears will look to pull off the upset against a very talented Fighting Irish team.

 

WILDCATS STAY FOCUSED DOWN THE STRETCH

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In a gritty comeback, Struthers showed resilience on the court, rallying in the fourth quarter to secure a 35-29 victory over East. The Wildcats didn’t blink, overcoming a 23-22 deficit after three quarters.

Leading the charge for Struthers was Katelyn Kimble with 11 points, while Taiya Baraka contributed 6 points. Emma Morris and Ava Croyle each added 5 points, showcasing a collective effort in their comeback win.

Looking ahead, Struthers is set for a road challenge on Thursday against South Range, aiming to build on their momentum. Meanwhile, East will hit the road on Saturday, traveling to Chaney in their pursuit of a rebound performance.