Tag Archive for: Falcons

FITCH SLAMS THE DOOR ON URSULINE

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YOUNGSTOWN OH- Fitch grabbed control early Wednesday night and never let up, rolling to a 48-35 win over Ursuline. The Falcons came out hot, building a commanding 32-11 lead by halftime to put the game out of reach.

Rachel Spalding led the way with 21 points, while Samantha Severn added 13 to keep the offense rolling. Amiya Harris chipped in 5 as Fitch stayed in the driver’s seat.

For Ursuline, Marina Bellitto and Kennedy Carpenter each scored 6, but the Irish couldn’t dig out of their early hole.

Fitch heads back home Monday to take on Walsh, while Ursuline travels to Chaney on Friday for a boys/girls doubleheader.

JEFFERSON HOLDS OFF DRAGONS COMEBACK

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NILES OH- Jefferson jumped out to a big lead Tuesday night, but they had to dig deep to fend off a furious Niles comeback. The Falcons led 30-11 at the half but saw their cushion shrink before doing just enough to secure a 62-53 victory.

Anthony Covetta was lights out for Jefferson, dropping 20 points to lead the way. Dyllan Shetler added 13, Dylan Beebe chipped in 12, and Georgia Dzura came through with 9 to keep the Falcons ahead down the stretch.

Niles got a monster performance from Avon Fryer, who poured in 22 points to spark the rally. True Carey-Hardin added 14, and Alex Doyle chipped in 6, but the Red Dragons couldn’t quite complete the comeback.

Jefferson is back in action Wednesday on the road at Conneaut, while Niles will look to bounce back Friday when they travel to Lakeview. Buckle up for more action!

AUSTINTOWN FITCH BASKETBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP 1) WITH BRIAN BEANY

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By Ty Bartell

AUSTINTOWN OH- Get ready Falcon faithful, another high school basketball season is upon us! For Austintown, the boys side will once again be under the direction of Head Coach Brian Beany. Serving as Fitch’s skipper for several years now, Coach Beany looks to lead his Falcons into an open and competitive All American Conference (AAC).

The five team juggernaut that is The AAC looks to be stronger, yet more open than ever before. With all five teams being evenly matched in talent, it really is a case of “any given night.” However, Coach Beany sees The Falcon being right in the thick of it this year!
In this edition of Coaches Corner, YSNs Ty Bartell gets the chance to catch up with The Falcons head coach. Featuring topics like the impact players this year, the expanded playoff divisions, the future of high school basketball and much more right here on YSN, your streaming home for The Austintown-Fitch Falcons.

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FALCONS CANT KEEP UP WITH CRUSADERS

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By Ty Bartell

AUSTINTOWN, OH — The Austintown-Fitch Falcons fell to the Canton Central Catholic Crusaders in an 86-66 loss during a fast-paced home contest Tuesday night.

Canton Central Catholic (1-0) came out strong, taking a 27-20 lead after the first quarter. Fitch (1-1) kept the game close in the second quarter but trailed 43-37 at halftime. The Crusaders pulled away in the third, outscoring the Falcons 31-20 to extend their lead to 74-57, and held firm in the final quarter to secure the win.

The Falcons were led by Marcel Finkley’s 20 points, while Carter Owens added 12. E.J. Giles and Anthony Waller each contributed 9 points in the effort.
Canton Central Catholic’s offensive dominance was highlighted by Luke Vlacovsky’s 28 points, supported by Lance Vlacovsky with 16. Jonathan Stangl scored 10 points, and Tyler Cook added 7 for the Crusaders.
Austintown-Fitch will look to bounce back on Friday, Dec. 6, when they travel to face the Massillon Perry Panthers. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

FALCONS FIND SUCCESS THROUGH SENIORS

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By Ty Bartell

AUSTINTOWN, Ohio — The Austintown-Fitch girls basketball team opened their home schedule with a hard-fought 53-47 victory over the Kenston Bombers on Monday night.

The Falcons (1-1) started strong, taking a 14-10 lead in the first quarter behind an efficient offensive performance. Kenston (0-2) closed the gap in the second quarter, but Fitch maintained a slim 25-23 advantage at halftime.

A back-and-forth third quarter saw both teams trade baskets, but the Falcons held their edge, heading into the final frame up 43-39. Fitch sealed the win with a steady performance at the free-throw line, keeping the Bombers at bay in the closing minutes.

Samantha Severn led the Falcons with 17 points, including two three-pointers and a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe. Rachel Spalding added 16 points, converting six of 10 free-throw attempts. Amiya Harris contributed six points, with Elizabeth Spalding and Jewliana Farmer chipping in five and four points, respectively.

Interviews with “Sammy Buckets” and Rachel Spalding can be found below! Kenston was paced by Morgan Cicek’s 15 points, while Aurora Young scored 12. Trinity Osterman and Regan Trusley combined for 11 points in the effort. With the win, Austintown-Fitch will next face the Struthers Wildcats (0-3) on Thursday, Dec. 5, in an away matchup set for a 6:15 p.m. tip-off.

 

WATTS MAKES IT OFFICIAL WITH GEORGIA TECH

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AUSTINTOWN OH- Austintown Fitch’s Sydnie Watts is taking her extraordinary softball career to Georgia Tech. After three remarkable seasons that left the local softball scene in awe, Watts is ready to make her mark on the college level in Atlanta.

Widely regarded as the best pitcher in the area, Watts has been a powerhouse on the mound for Fitch, racking up close to 1,000 strikeouts and an impressive record of 65-4 with a minuscule ERA of 0.56. In 1,434 batters faced, she allowed just 26 extra-base hits—an incredible feat that speaks to her dominance. Her skill in the circle was a driving force behind Fitch’s back-to-back state championships in 2023 and 2024.

But Watts wasn’t just a threat from the mound; she delivered at the plate, too. With a career batting average of .507, 30 home runs, and 99 RBIs, she rounded out her game as a complete player, leading Fitch in every facet.

Graduating early to get a head start at Georgia Tech, Watts will soon be suiting up as a Yellow Jacket. We congratulate her on an unforgettable career at Fitch and wish her all the best in Atlanta!

FINKLEY READY FOR THE NEXT LEVEL

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AUSTINTOWN OH- Austintown Fitch’s Marcel Finkley is ready to take his basketball talents to the next level. The standout guard, who’s been a cornerstone for the Falcons since his first season, officially signed on to continue his hoops career at Pitt-Johnstown.

Finkley had a breakout junior season, averaging 15.8 points per game and guiding Fitch to a 13-win year. The highlight? A nail-biting 74-69 postseason victory over Walsh that had fans on their feet and proved just how clutch he could be in big moments.

Now, as he heads into his senior season, Finkley’s looking to close out his high school career on a high note before heading to Pitt-Johnstown. He’s set to tip off his final season with the Falcons on November 29th at Struthers, where he’ll look to lead Fitch to another memorable year.

JEFFERSON GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP 1) WITH BRANDON HANNA

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By Ty Bartell

JEFFERSON OH- Few Coaches have the power to motivate and inspire like Brandon Hanna does. Coaching previously for The Jefferson Falcons football team, taking them to new heights never before seen in the county, Coach Hanna now looks to bring his talents to The Falcons girls basketball team.

A 10-13 team from a season ago, The Falcons are looking to level up with plenty of returning talent from last year. Playing out of The Chagrin Valley Conferences (CVC) Lake Division once again, Jefferson will be looking to take the crown from defending conference champion The Edgewood Warriors. However, The Perry Pirates and Madison Blue Streaks will also be in contention.

YSNs Ty Bartell gets the opportunity to have a great conversation with Coach Hanna about the upcoming season, highlighting some impact players, discussing Coach Hanna’s experience in coaching basketball, the conference outlook and so much more! As YSN looks forward to being the exclusive streaming home to The Jefferson Falcons for another year as we get you ready with this Coaches Corner preview.

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FALCONS GET SWEET REVENGE ON RAIDERS

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By Ty Bartell

 

AUSTINTOWN, OH — Austintown Fitch’s dynamic rushing attack led the Falcons to a decisive 42-21 victory over the Warren Harding Raiders at Falcon Stadium. Avenging their Week 10 loss at home just a few weeks ago.

Fitch quickly established control, scoring twice in the first quarter with Deon’Dray Richard powering his way to touchdowns from three and sixteen yards. Warren Harding responded in the second quarter with a 22-yard touchdown pass from James Jones to Tyler Smith, but Fitch answered as Junie Higgs broke free for a 48-yard rushing touchdown, extending the Falcons’ lead.

Though Harding closed the gap to 21-14 in the second quarter with a 50-yard strike from Chaz Coleman to Stephen Sims, Fitch pulled away in the second half. Higgs added another short touchdown run in the third, and Richard added a fourth-quarter score to seal the game.

The Falcons relied heavily on their ground game, racking up 371 rushing yards on 40 carries. Richard led with 221 yards and three touchdowns, while Higgs added 122 yards and three touchdowns. Harding struggled to match that pace, despite 165 rushing yards and 161 passing yards.

The Falcons’ defense was crucial, limiting Harding’s offense to 50 total plays, forcing punts, and containing The Raiders key player Chaz Coleman. Falcons are now 20-18 all-time in 38 meetings with Warren G. Harding, with Fitch also carrying the 2-1 edge in playoff games since the 2020 playoff expansion.

#4 Fitch (9-3) will now battle #1 Walsh Jesuit (12-0) on Friday, November 15th with a 7 p.m. kickoff. The game will be played at a neutral site which will be announced later in the week.

SIMONS TAKES HOME 2024 SETTER OF THE YEAR

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AUSTINTOWN OH- Austintown Fitch’s own Rylie Simons has been named the 2024 YSN Volleyball Setter of the Year, a well-deserved honor for a player who has been one of the area’s top setters throughout her high school career. In her junior season, Simons went above and beyond expectations, showcasing her unmatched skill and leadership on the court.

This season, Simons hit major milestones, starting with reaching 100 career aces, and not long after, surpassing 2,000 career assists—less than a month into her third season. She continued to dazzle by breaking her own single-season assist record with 868 assists. Simons also set the bar for the program by becoming the all-time leader in career aces, finishing this season with 168. On top of her setting prowess, she finished second on the team in digs with 329 and recorded 23 blocks, displaying her all-around game.

Congratulations to Rylie Simons on an incredible season and for being named the 2024 YSN Setter of the Year!