Tag Archive for: Dragons

GIRARD COOLS OFF THE DRAGONS

/in /by

GIRARD OH- After the big victory against the Lady Red Devils of Campbell, the lady Niles Red Dragons looked to have a big night against the Indians of Girard.  Unfortunately, a quick start turned into a one sided affair for the lady Indians as they pulled away, winning 66-36. 

 

For Girard it was Sieasia Triplett who scored a high 17.  Combined for 14 points was Allison Durkin, Ezra Dede and Mia Malito, and Abbey Rafferty with nine.  Next, it was five points for Makenzee White, four for Aly Wakefield, three for Abby Iceman, and a combined four points then for Aly Gassman and Sophia Latell.  

 

For Niles, it was Abbey Reed with nine points, six for Brooke Money, 12 points combined for Gianna Wagner, Alaina Thigpen who was back from injury, and Caroline Cormell.  Emily Macik scored a three and Katie Heinselman along with Jules Money combined for four points. 

 

Girard will host Poland in a rematch looking to tie the series this season, while Niles will travel to take on the Lady Falcons of Jefferson. After, Ian O’Brien caught up with legendary coach Andy Saxon after the big win. 

 

*contributed by YSNs Ian O’Brien*

 

NILES SEES RED IN ANOTHER CONFERENCE WIN

/in /by

NILES OH- coming into the game, the Niles Red Dragons had a winning streak going, but in order to continue it, they would have to get past a Hubbard team that was looking to get their first win of the season and in 2023.  Unfortunately for the Eagles that did not happen as Niles walked away with a big 79 to 61 victory over rival Hubbard.  

 

Leading the squad was Sam Perrone, Stefan Dorsey and Anthony Budak, all three having 13 points. Matthew Kozak finished with 12 and had a triple double.  Keyshon Talley would finish with 10 points, seven for Robert Strickland, five for Alex Fernandez, Yaunsene Blackmond with four and Nate Coots with a layup.  

 

For Hubbard, Nikolas Hendrix and Javon Greene combined for 30 points and Gavin Rybicki finished with 30 points too. 

 

Niles (8-3) will travel down to Jefferson to take on the Falcons while Hubbard will try to get their first win against Girard. After the game, Ian O’Brien caught up with coach Doug Foster and Matt Kozak. 

 

*Contributed by YSNs Ian O’Brien*

DRAGONS SHOW THE DEVILS THEIR TEETH

/in /by

CAMPBELL OH- Both teams needed a new start for the new year and one team was able to pull away early and not look back as the Lady Red Dragons got their fourth win of the season and first in 2023 50-23 against the Lady Red Devils of Campbell. 

 

Because of no Junior Varsity game, coach Bernard Bolha decided to change it up a bit.  First due to an injury to Alaina Thigpen, Jules Money got the start.  Second, he decided to swap benches in the rotation.  That led to Emily Macik being the highest scorer with 13 points.  Abbey Reed finished with 10 points, Brooke Money, Kennedy Barrell and Katie Heinselman combined for six points, Caroline Cornell and Hannah Grimm combined for eight points, six for Jules Money and five for Gianna Wagner.  

 

For Campbell, leading the pack was Diamon Sims with 12 points, five for Amira Kamal, four for Brooke Thomas and a combined four points for Le’Asia Miller and Cha’Deja Marshall. Campbell will host Newton Falls next while Niles will travel to Girard for the battle of 422. 

 

After the coach, Ian O’Brien caught up with coach Bernard Bolha and player of the game Emily Macik. 

 

*contributed by YSNs Ian O’Brien* 

 

NEIDER NAILS FREE THROW RECORD IN WILDCATS WIN

/in /by

NILES OH- Over the past couple decades, this rivalry has been one sided by the Lady Wildcats of Struthers who came into the game with an eight and five record.  Meanwhile after a big time game winning three against Mineral Ridge, the Niles McKinley Lady Red Dragons showed the momentum heading into 2023. However, that will have to wait after a fourth quarter show had the Wildcats pull away winning 64 to 37. 

 

For Struthers it was Chloe Neider leading the squad with 28 points and is only a few games away from 1,000 career points.  Neider also hit 7 free throws giving her the career free throw record at Struthers. The mark was previously 278.  Adrianna Rudzik and Katelyn Kimble combined for 23 points.  Emma Morris would score six points, with a combined six in total then from Natalie Adams, Lorieona Jannone, Faith Stellato and Mia Rodriguez.  

 

For Niles, leading their pack was Abbey Reed who had 14 points.  That was followed up by Gianna Wagner with eight. Five points for Brooke Money, three points for Alaina Thigpen and a combined four points for Brionna Bash and Jules Money.  After the coach, Ian O’Brien caught up with coach Bill Neider and player of the game Chole Neider about the game and what to expect against South Range. Niles meanwhile will head to Campbell on Saturday to take on the Red Devils. 

 

*Contributed by YSNs Ian O’Brien*

 

RED DRAGONS KEEP THE HAMMER DOWN

/in /by

NILES OH- After a Holly Jolly Christmas, the Niles McKinley Red Dragons were back in action, looking for a bounce back win after falling to rival Poland right before the break.  In order to do this, they’d have to face a Mineral Ridge Rams team that was hungry for their first win of the season.  In the end, it was Niles who pulled away late and never looked back, winning 74 to 58.  

 

For Niles, they had a few double digit scorers on the night.  Leading them was Sam Perrone with 16 points.  Anthony Budak got the starting position and played well with good assists and getting 15 points.  Keyshon Talley scored 13 points, and both Matt Kodak and Robert Strickland scored a combined 24 points.  Nate Coots would score a layup late and a point too for Yaunsene Blackman.  

 

On the Mineral Ridge side of the ball, it was Jordan Moore with scored 13 points, combined 22 points from Trey Rigley and Ian Erb.  10 points from Jon Rozzi, six points for Nate Rohrman, a combined six from Julian Rozzi and Elias Clarke and a free throw from Triston Valley.  

 

Mineral Ride (0-8) will travel to Sebring next while Niles (5-3) will travel to Campbell to play the memorial Red Devils on Thursday. 

 

After the game, Ian O’Brien caught up with coach Doug Foster and player of the game Anthony Budak.  

 

*contributed by YSNs Ian O’Brien*

 

POLAND’S DOMINANCE OF THE DRAGONS CONTINUES

/in /by

Since 2006, Niles has only one once against the Poland Bulldogs, coming in 2019.  The Red Dragons under coach Doug Foster were looking for their fifth win of the season, but a fast first half slowly turned into a struggle second half with the Bulldogs pulling away and never looking back, winning by the final score of 50 to 37.  

 

On Poland’s side it was JP Genova finishing with a high of 15 points and was followed by another double digit scorer in Noah Huda who had 10 points.  Both Andrew Todd and Carson Maurer finished with a combined 10, six points for Danny Nittoli and two points for Luke Generalovich.  

 

On Niles, they got off to a hot nine point run but fell.  Sam Perrone finished with 13 points, never missing from the corner and Anthony Budak finished with 11 points.  Robert Strickland finished with five points, Keyshon Talley with four and a combined four points for Stefon Dorsey and Matt Kozak.  Niles will host the Mineral Ridge Rams after the break, while Poland will get ready after the break for the battle of 224 basketball edition against the Canfield Cardinals.

 

After the game, Ian O’Brien caught up with coach Eric Fender and player of the game JP Genova about the game and what to expect next. 

 

*Contributed by YSNs Ian O’Brien*

 

NILES PUTS AWAY THE WILDCATS

/in /by

NILES OH- One point in the game, you’re nearly up by 30 points with the momentum on your side.  Then next thing you know, a scare happens and your opponent comes soaring back.  That is what happened in this Northeastern 8 classic rivalry at the Veterans Memorial Gymnasium between the Niles McKinley Red Dragons and the Struthers Wildcats.  The first half was all Niles making shot after shot, barely missing a beat while Struthers could not score on offense nor make a defensive stop.  What helped too was the technical fouls on Struthers that led to Sam Perrone free throws.  

 

However the second half was a different story.  Niles could not score as Struthers was guarding the paint.  For the most part, it was that defense that coach Wernicki used back when he was the assistant at YSU. The Wildcats were led by Nick Delgratta who finished with an impressive 35 points, half of those in the second half.  Rocco Garchar would put up 10 points for the Wildcats, with Chance Laczko scoring nine.  A combined six points would be made then by Nico Farina who was the cause of the technicals, Austin McCullough, and Sincere Miller. Brady Clyde who fouled out late finished with two.  

 

Almost the whole squad on the Red Dragons side scored in double digits.  Even with foul trouble, Doug Foster’s squad never backed down.  Sam Perrone scored 15 points, 14 points for Keuyshon Talley, combined 36 points for Anthony Budak, Stefon Dorsey, and Robert Strickland.  Matt Kozak did foul out but had six points and a free throw for Alex Fernandez.  Niles would hang on to win 72 to 62. After the game, Ian O’Brien caught up with coach Foster and Sam Perrone. 

 

*Contributed by YSNs Ian O’Brien*

DRAGONS TAKE THEIR SHOT AT SOUTH RANGE

/in /by

NILES OH- Both NE8 conference rivals were coming off of tough losses and looking to bounce back.  South Range has won the last nine games going back to 2018 when they first started to play Niles twice a year.  However, this time it would be Niles getting their first win against the Raiders 50 to 38 at the Veterans Memorial Gymnasium on Tuesday after a close first half which saw the score 32 to 27. 

 

For the Red Dragons, it was Matt Kozak scoring the leading points with 14, having a great night rebounding and getting put back shots in the paint.  His performance was followed up by two others in double digit scoring.  That would be Robert Strickland with 11 and Keyshon Talley with 10 points.  Sam Perrone finished with seven points while both Stefon Dorsey and Anthony Budak finished with four.  

 

On the Raiders side, 22 points were combined for Landon Moore and Ayden Leon.  Followed by 12 combined points for Nate Lewis and Luke Rohan.  Jared Klucinec would put four on the board but not enough for the comeback.  South Range (0-4) will host Girard (4-1) Friday.  Niles (3-2) will host Struthers (2-2) at 7pm on Friday.  

 

After, Ian O’brien caught up with coach Doug Foster and player of the game Matt Kozak, talking about the performance and the next game against Struthers.

 

*Contributed by YSNs Ian O’Brien*

 

 

BULLDOGS HOLD ON THE LEAGUE CONTINUES

/in /by

NILES OH- The last time the Lady McKinley Red Dragons won against Poland was nearly ten years ago in 2013.  Last night was an opportunity to end the winless streak against their Northeast 8 rival Bulldogs and gain momentum against Jefferson and before the Holidays.  Unfortunately, that would not happen their way as the Poland Lady Bulldogs came out fast and never looked back winning 61 to 15.  

 

Katie McDonald led the Bulldog pack with 12 points and was able to get the much needed rebounds and put backs in the paint all night.  Behind her was Elliana Thompson scoring nine, seven for Mary Brant, six for Ava Nicholudis, five for Brooke Rowe and Allie Grope, four for Ariana Daniels, three for Sarah Forsyth, Lucy Harrell, and Leanne Williams and finishing it off was two points for Kylee Hudran.  On Niles, it was Abbey Reed who’s been averaging 10 points per game being the leading scorer with six.  That would be followed by Gianna Wagner with five, and four points combined for Alaina Thigpen and Katie Heinselman.  

 

Both teams will continue NE8 conference Rivalry action thursday.  Niles (2-4) will travel to Jefferson while Poland (5-1) will travel to the South Range.  After the game, Ian O’Brien caught up with head coach Nick Blanch and player of the game Katie McDonald. 

 

*Contributed by YSNs Ian O’Brien*

DRAGONS PUT A CLAMP ON CHANEY

/in /by

CHANEY OH- First year coach Dwight Berry and the lady Chaney Cowgirls came into action at the veterans memorial stadium, looking to get their revenge against the lady McKinley Red Dragons on Monday as both teams came into the game with one win and two losses.  For Chaney, new coach Berry won championships in Colorado, a year of improvement is necessary and in this game, they showed how much GRIT has come into the Lady Cowgirls program.  For Niles, they faced Chaney’s Steel Valley Rival east and were in need of a comeback.  They would get that victory by winning with a final score of 38 to 25. 

 

For Niles, Abbey Reed finished with 19 points, Aliana Thigpen finished with eight points, three points for Gianna Wagner, Hannah Grimm with five points, and Barrell had a free throw.  On Chaney’s side, Lexi Pete hit back to back threes early and finished with eight. But it was Madonna Jones who finished the highest with 10 points.  That would be followed up by Anjelisa McKinney with three points and two points for Elsha Perkins and Saniya McNeil.  

 

Their next game will be against Heartland Christian while Niles will take on Lakeview Thursday.  After the game, Ian O’Brien caught up with coach Bolha and player of the game, Abbey Reed. 

 

*Contributed by YSNs Ian O’Brien*