Tag Archive for: Falcons

FALCONS PUT IT ON THE LINE, AND SEAL THE VICTORY

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AUSTINTOWN OH- In a fun Saturday filled with action on the network, the afternoon saw a pair of upper division teams square-off in some girls hoops with The Austintown-Fitch Falcons hosting in The Hathaway Brown Blazers. Coming off of two consecutive victories in a row, The Falcons looked to start a streak against a Blazers squad that had plenty of size, toughness and talent to match. Another unique thing about The Blazers is that they feature two sets of twins in their starting five with Anna and Emily Morgan as well as Maggie and Molly Castellanos.

The first quarter was a defensive battle that saw Fitch edge out Hathaway Brown by a score of 11-6 after a quarter. However, in the second quarter Molly Castellanos started finding her shot, scoring 5 of her 10 first half points to help tie the ballgame up 15-15 at halftime! Following a low scoring first half, the third quarter became a battle between Fitch’s Ayla Ray and Hathaway Brown’s Molly Castellanos. As Castellanos scored 7 of her team’s 11 third quarter points and Ayla Ray scored 7 of her team’s 9. With the score leaning the way of The Blazers 26-24 after three. The defensive war continued into the fourth, but it would be The Falcons who outscored Hathawy Brown 14-6 in the fourth to claim the 38-32 win!

Ayla Ray stuck out as The Player of the game, scoring 9 more points in the fourth and converting 12 of 13 free-throws at the stripe with 11 in a row finding the mark. Finishing with 19 points and battling it out on the boards, The Ace, Ayla Ray more than earned her Player of the Game honors! Other big scorers for The Falcons included Destanie McCullough who finished with 9 points and Rachel Spalding who finished with 7 points. Meanwhile, on the other side, Molly Castellanos led all scorers in the game with 21 points for The Blazers,while Emily Morgan pitched in with 5 points.

The win for Fitch (3-1) now sets them up on the road where they will head to the Cuyahoga Falls area to battle The Walsh Jesuit Warriors (1-0) on Monday, December 4th with a 7 p.m. tip-off. Keep updated with Fitch winter sports all season long with live games, scores, stats, stories and more on YSN!

FITCH CLAIMS COMPETITIVE SEASON OPENER

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By Ty Bartell

AUSTINTOWN OH- The first day of December, the opener to the Christmas season but also the opener to high school boys basketball in the state of Ohio! Multiple YSN teams utilized the first possible day to schedule games with plenty of teams on the network for the season tip-off. One of those games being The Austintown-Fitch Falcons battling The Massillon-Perry Panthers. Both teams have a similar build with a lot of talented underclassmen looking to make a splash this season. The Falcons will be looking to compete for the top spot in a very open All American Conference (AAC) this year, while on the other hand, Perry will, once again, be playing in the notoriously tough Federal League where anything can happen any given year.

A high-scoring first quarter got the fans rocking and rolling early on with Fitch leading 18-16 after a quarter, with Marcel Finkley scoring 9 of the points for Austintown. The second quarter was similar to the first and both The Panthers and Falcons had similar quarters, baking up a baker’s dozen worth of points in the second with Fitch edging out Perry 31-29 at the halftime buzzer. Finkley had 18 at the half for Fitch and Luke Wolf had 11 points to lead The Panthers at the half.

The third quarter went well for The Falcons as they turned defense into offense quickly on multiple occasions in the third, out scoring Perry 16-7 in the quarter to take a 47-36 lead into the fourth! However, The Panthers were able to sink their claws into some offense by flipping the script on Fitch and going on a big run in the fourth, while the lid was seemingly on the bucket for Austintown in the waning minutes of the fourth. Luke Wolf continued his hot shooting hand and finished with 25 points to lead Perry and the game in scoring; however, it would not be enough as Fitch pulled away with the 51-47 win with a clutch free throw made by Carter Owens to seal it.

Leading the way in scoring for Fitch was Marcel Finkley who finished with 23 points on the night as well as finding his teammates through the evening. His play was more than enough to earn him The Player of the Game! Other Falcons with productive nights scoring the ball included Allex Hill and Carter Owens who both finished with 9 points and Allen Hill who finished with 7 points. Interviews with Marcel Finkley and Fitch Head Coach Brian Beany can be found below!

Fitch (1-0) will now look ahead to Tuesday, December 5th when they hit the road to battle Canton Central Catholic in The Crusaders season opener! While Perry (0-1) will wait a week before getting back in-action, this time traveling to Uniontown Lake to battle The Blue Streaks on Friday, December 8th. Keep updated with all Austintown-Fitch winter sports this season with live games, scores, stats, stories and more on YSN!

LAKERS MAKE A SPLASH AT HOME

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Andover, OH-In an early season thriller, the Jefferson Falcons suffered a close defeat against the Pymatuning Valley Lakers with a final score of 70-71. Despite a strong effort from key players like Anthony Covetta and Joey DeGeorge, the Falcons fell short by just one point.

The individual scoring showcased impressive performances, starting with Joey DeGeorge’s outstanding 31 points leading the Falcons, followed closely by Anthony Covetta with 22. Dylan Beebe contributed 12 points, while Robbie Pisano and Joel Navarro added 3 and 2 points, respectively.

On the home side, the Pymatuning Valley Lakers secured the victory with a well-rounded team effort. Zane Neczeporenko led the Lakers with an impressive 29 points, supported by Seth Bryan with 14 points. Blake Krznaric contributed 13 points, and other players like Trevor Clute, Ryan Croston, and Brady Tisch added to the team’s overall success.

Looking ahead, the Jefferson Falcons, now 0-1, will face the Benedictine Bengals on the road. The Bengals, also 0-1, aim to bounce back from their recent loss to Gilmour Academy. On the other hand, the Pymatuning Valley Lakers, with a 1-0 record, will go on the road to take on the Bristol Panthers, who are also 1-0 after a convincing 62-40 win over the McDonald Blue Devils. The upcoming matchups promise exciting basketball action on 12/08/23 and 12/05/23, respectively.

FITCH SURVIVES FOURTH QUARTER SCARE

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AUSTINTOWN OH- In the first full week of games for girls basketball, The Austintown-Fitch Falcons hosted The Struthers Wildcats for a non-conference contest Wednesday night. The game opened up as a close contest after a quarter, with Struthers’ Emma Morris knocking down a pair of triples in the opening frame. Meanwhile, five different Falcons scored in the first eight minutes to hold an 11-10 lead after a quarter. Fitch would keep that same tempo into the second quarter, this time seven different Falcons scored a bucket, out-scoring Struthers 16-7 in the second and held a commanding 27-17 lead at halftime!

Out of the half, Fitch looked like they were set to put the game away early, once again winning a quarter over The Wildcats, this time 17-10 in the third to hold a 44-27 lead heading into the final quarter of regulation. Then, the fourth quarter became The Katelyn Kimble show when she scored 13 of her 15 points in the final quarter! Struthers would manage a comeback and battle within a bucket of Austintown. However, despite being out-scored 19-6 by Struthers in the fourth, Fitch would hold on with a clutch late-game rebound by Ayla Ray to clinch the 50-46 win over The Wildcats.

Katelyn Kimble would lead Struthers and the entire game in points with 15 on the night. Emma Morris was right behind her with 10 points on the night, while Ava Croyle scored 9 points to round out the Struthers big three in scoring. Austintown was highlighted with six girls scoring 7 or more points in the evening! Leading the way was Destanie McCullough with 9 points, followed by four Falcons scoring 8 points in Dasiyia Donlow, Sam Severn, Lannie Henning and Rachel Spalding. Rounding things out was Ayla Ray who finished with 7 points. With so many names putting up similar-like scoring numbers, our players of the game went to both Ayla Ray and Dasiyia Donlow for, not only their ability to score, but the rebounds they were able to secure to help lead their team to victory! Interviews with both of them as well as Fitch Head Coach Dan Horacek can be found below!

Fitch (2-1) will now look ahead to Saturday, December 2nd when they host Hathaway Brown (1-0) set for a 1:30 p.m. tip-off. Meanwhile, Struthers (0-2) will look to get on the winning side when they hit the road to battle Western Reserve (0-2) on Monday, December 4th with a 6:15 p.m. tip-off. Keep up-to-date with both The Struthers WIldcats and The Austintown-Fitch Falcons with live games, scores, stats, stories and more on YSN!

ASHTABULA COUNTY HOOPS PREVIEW

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Ashtabula,OH- As the winter season approaches, the anticipation for high school basketball in Ashtabula County is reaching its peak. The upcoming 2023-2024 season promises thrilling matchups, fierce competition, and a showcase of young talent. Let’s take a closer look at some of the teams that are gearing up for an exciting campaign.

Lakeside Dragons: Rising with Height and Experience

The Lakeside Dragons enter the season with a determination to improve upon their 6-17 record from the previous year, and they have the tools to make it happen. Head coach Josh Hartz leads a squad with a formidable frontcourt, boasting four seniors, all standing at 6’3 or taller.

Aiden Hathy, a 6’6 senior swing player, brings versatility to the team, excelling in both paint defense and scoring from inside and outside. Alex DiSalvatore, a 6’4 senior, adds toughness and strength in the paint, complemented by his ability to defend perimeter shooters. With seniors Connor Mead and Kerrye White also contributing, the Dragons aim to utilize their size advantage strategically.

In the backcourt, junior guard Dylan Newsome assumes the role of primary ball handler and distributor, showcasing sharpshooting prowess on offense and formidable on-ball defense.

Jefferson Falcons: A Deep and Skilled Lineup

The Jefferson Falcons, coming off a 16-7 season, present a well-rounded team with depth and skill. Junior Anthony Covetta leads the charge, showcasing shooting ability, ball skills, and an increased focus on defense that positions him as one of the county’s most dangerous players.

Supporting Covetta is the experienced Robbie Pisano, a cerebral point guard, and senior Joey DeGeorge, a 6’5 stretch four with a high release point. The Falcons feature depth in the guard position with talents like sophomore Joel Navarro and junior Caleb Welser.

Entering the challenging CVC conference for the first time, the Falcons aim to make their mark and build on last year’s success.

Edgewood Warriors: Filling Big Shoes with a Well-Rounded Approach

The Edgewood Warriors face the challenge of filling the void left by their top scorer, Zach Vencill. With a 15-10 record in the previous season, the Warriors look to senior Jacob Ernst to lead the charge. Ernst’s well-rounded game includes excellent ball handling, three-point shooting, and strong finishes at the rim.

Senior Logan Kray, known for his rebounding prowess, contributes on the offensive end with his shooting and playmaking abilities. The underrated defender Brady Anderjack adds a tenacious on-ball defense to the mix.

The Warriors’ strategy involves spreading the floor with sharpshooters and pushing the pace with quick guards like Zach Carlton-Hull.

St. John Heralds: Youthful Backcourt and Emerging Big Men

After finishing the 2022-2023 season at 6-17, the St. John Heralds face the challenge of filling the gap left by the graduation of post player Jesus Hernandez. With a youthful team, senior AJ Hensley leads as the lone senior.

The Heralds will heavily rely on their backcourt play, with junior Vin Narducci and sophomore Anthony Severino leading the charge. Narducci’s scoring ability and Severino’s slippery moves on the court bring a dynamic element to the team. Junior Aaron Wychock, known for his quick defensive presence, adds energy to the backcourt.

In the paint, the Heralds turn to sophomores Anthony Petrochello and Donald Crawford to control the boards and provide a strong presence.

Grand Valley Mustangs: Frontcourt Dominance

Coming off a 7-16 season, the Grand Valley Mustangs aim to replace the scoring and court presence of dynamic guard Nate Boiarski. The team looks to seniors Bobby Rogers and Jerry Schultz to lead the charge in the frontcourt.

Rogers, with unmatched athleticism and elite off-ball defensive skills, contributes both in rebounding and scoring. Schultz, following a breakout junior season with a double-double average, anchors the center position with scoring and shot-blocking prowess.

Guards Braden Hart and Sammy Goforth take charge of ball handling and setting the tone on offense, showcasing their scoring ability and playmaking skills.

Pymatuning Valley Lakers: Reloaded for Success

After a stellar 20-4 season crowned with a NAC conference championship, the Pymatuning Valley Lakers enter the new season without dynamic players Tyler Britton and John Moschell, who graduated. However, the team returns with a talented post player in Blake Krznaric, a sharpshooter with shot-blocking abilities who stands at a towering 6’5.

The Lakers’ backcourt features dynamic guards in Ryan Croston and Zane Neczeporenko. Croston stands out as the team’s best on-ball defender, while Neczeporenko’s ball-handling and shooting skills contribute to offensive opportunities.

Conneaut Spartans: New Coach, Young Talent

After a 5-18 season, the Conneaut Spartans embark on the 2023-2024 journey with a new coach, Rich Marshall. The team, featuring only two seniors in Chance Loomis and JR Hutchinson, embraces a youthful roster.

Loomis, a talented guard with exceptional ball-handling skills and sharpshooting ability, provides offensive firepower. Hutchinson, playing guard and forward, contributes through defense and energy, aiming to spark the Spartans.

With no players over 6’2, the Spartans plan to utilize pace, energy, and technical play to navigate the challenges of the upcoming season. Rotations featuring Noah Hamm, Ryan Turner, Jordan Kulko, Cole Stump, and Devonte Harris will provide different looks and maintain a dynamic playing style.

As the season unfolds, basketball enthusiasts in Ashtabula County can look forward to witnessing the growth and development of these teams, filled with promising talents and a shared passion for the game. Whether it’s the Dragons utilizing their size advantage, the Falcons showcasing depth, or the Lakers defending their conference championship, the stage is set for an exhilarating journey on the hardwood. The county’s basketball landscape is rich with stories waiting to be written, and each team is poised to contribute its chapter to the unfolding narrative of the 2023-2024 season. This year looks to be a fun and exciting year in hoops and you will be able to watch and follow all your favorite teams right here on www.ysnlive.com your home for northeast ohio high school sports.

FITCH PROTECTS THE NEST FOR FIRST WIN

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AUSTINTOWN OH- In a triumphant home opener, Fitch secured their first win of the season with a commanding 47-30 victory over Hudson. The Fitch players showcased their skills, contributing to a well-rounded team effort.

Ayla Ray led the scoring charge with an impressive 14 points, while Destanie McCollough added 11 points to Fitch’s total. Kaliana Ray, Dasiyia Donlow, and Sam Severn each made valuable contributions with 7, 5, and 5 points, respectively.

Fitch’s solid performance on both ends of the court set the tone for an exciting season ahead. As they celebrate this significant win, the team will undoubtedly build on this momentum in the games to come.

The victory in the home opener not only marks a successful start for Fitch but also provides a platform for the team to continue their pursuit of success throughout the basketball season.

AUSTINTOWN FITCH GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP 1) WITH DAN HORACEK

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By Ty Bartell

AUSTINTOWN OH- The Austintown-Fitch Falcons girls basketball team was a story of ups and downs last season. Finishing 10-13 a year ago, The Falcons are looking to take the next step in The All-American Conference (AAC) by having better success in the non-conference portion of the schedule. Losing some impact players from last year, Fitch hopes to utilize its returners to build off last year by having girls step into new roles that require more leadership. As always The AAC presents plenty of challenges this season.

Challenges are meant to be overcome and dreams are meant to come true, both of which occurred for new Austintown-Fitch Falcons girls basketball coach Dan Horacek! A longtime member of the program, Coach Horacek looks to leave his stamp on a team that he cares about very much! Despite facing unique adversities, Coach Horacek looks to have The Falcons back to form, competing for a conference crown.

In this edition of Coaches Corner YSNs Ty Bartell and Anthony Hartwig got the chance to chat with the new skipper for girls hoops at Fitch in Dan Horacek. Topics of discussion included Coach Horacek’s story leading up to this role, his expectations for the team this year, an outlook of The AAC this year and much more! YSN is your home for Austintown-Fitch live games, scores, stats, and stories!

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JEFFERSON GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP 1) WITH TJ FURMAN

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By Ty Bartell 

JEFFERSON OH- It is a new season for The Jefferson Falcons girls basketball team and things will look similar but different at the same time this season. Joining a different conference this season, The Falcons look to do battle with the likes of more Ashtabula County teams this year as members of The Chagrin Valley Conference (CVC) Lake Division. Looking to build off last year, Jefferson will return a fair amount of players that will look to fill new leadership roles available.

In this edition of Coaches Corner, YSNs Ty Bartell talks with The Falcons Head Coach TJ Furman about the expectations for the upcoming season, the excitement of local matchups returning, impact players to look out for and so much more! Keep updated with YSN, your home for Jefferson Falcons live games, scores, stats, stories and more

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

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AUSTINTOWN OH- It’s time for another basketball season! Austintown Fitch is gearing up for another exciting year. The Falcons have put together one of the toughest schedules you’ll find on YSN.  Head coach Brian Beany wants to make sure when tournament time hits that his team is ready for any style of basketball opponents will throw at them.  The Falcons have a ton of talent at their disposal, and experience to go with it.

Coach Beany took the time to preview the season with Ty Bartell and Anthony Hartwig.  They talk about the Falcons tough schedule, leaders of the team, and much more. Check out Episode 1 of Coach’s Corner with Brian Beany.

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HORNETS HAVE NO STING AGAINST FITCH

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By Ty Bartell

CLEVELAND OH- Week one of the Ohio high school playoffs for football has officially begun! As countless teams embark on their journey to their ultimate goal, half of the remaining teams will say goodbye in the coming weeks until seven teams will stand tall as State Champions for 2023. Heading into the Division 2, Region 5 playoffs there was an intriguing matchup between the #7 seeded Cleveland John Hay Hornets (5-4) hosting the #10 seeded Austintown-Fitch Falcons (6-3) in the first round of the playoffs at The Collinwood Athletic Complex in East Cleveland, Ohio.

The Falcons struck first taking their first drive of the game down the field a full 80 yards on 9 plays while heavily featuring sophomore running back Junie Higgs, who capped the drive off with a 2 yard rushing touchdown, making it 7-0 Fitch with 2:11 in the first quarter. Fitch quickly transitioned to the air attack their next drive, as opening the second quarter, Fitch would run two plays, a 37-yard pass to Dom Perry and a 25-yard touchdown strike to Dan Evans III, Anthony Ruggles mad another PAT, making it 14-0 Austintown with 11:20 in the second.

A three and out would follow for The Hornets the very next drive, with a fourth down blocked punt by Fitch setting The Falcons up with excellent field position to start their third drive. Starting the drive on The Hornets 12 yard line, it only took Fitch one play, as with 10:07 left in the second, a 12 yard touchdown pass to Dom Perry helped make it 21-0! The offense was as potent as DeShawn Vaughn Jr. orchestrated a great 6 play, 52 yard drive that ended with himself in the endzone from a yard out on a designed quarterback run, giving Fitch the 28-0 lead with 6:40 left in the first half. Like the Vince Carter meme, Vaughn had one more in him, putting together another great drive in the waning moments of the second quarter, Vaughn would lead The Falcons 68 yards down the field on 9 plays as the freshman Christian Mahone capped it off with a touchdown! Extending the score to 35-0 in favor of Austintown going into the halftime locker room.

With a running clock being implemented in the second half, it just came down to The Falcons being able to salt time away, and with the second unit in, they did just that! As Davanzo Tate took the intialt possession of the second half right down the field, burning over 10 minutes of game clock in driving Fitch down the field 75 yards on 13 plays with a beautiful 23 yard dime to Brady Evans, a PAT by Jaxon Faulkner and The Falcons sealed the first round a 42-0 winner over John Hay.

Big performers for Fitch included Junie Higgs, as the sophomore ran for 75 yards on 11 carries and grabbed a touchdown, all in the first half. Dome Perry also had a monster first half, reeling in 4 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, DeShawn Vaughn Jr. had an excellent day slinging the rock, going 10/12 in completions with 207 yards passing and 2 touchdowns. Dan Evans III also had a nice 5 catch, 68 yard performance as he got his 6th receiving touchdown of the season.

Fitch (7-3) will now advance to the next round where they will meet the #2 seeded Walsh-Jesuit Warriors (10-1) on Friday, November 3rd at Walsh Jesuit with a 7 p.m. start time. Stay up-to-date with all Austintown-Fitch athletics scores, stats, stories and more on YSN!