Tag Archive for: Falcons

URSULINE OVERWHELMS FALCONS IN THE NEST

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AUSTINTOWN OH- In a highly anticipated showdown between two of the area’s football powerhouses, Ursuline and Fitch faced off in a thrilling contest that ultimately saw Ursuline sail to a convincing 32-14 victory.

The game kicked off with fireworks as Jy’Quise Liason of Ursuline made a monumental statement by returning the opening kickoff an astonishing 100 yards for a touchdown just 17 seconds into the game. Although Ursuline’s 2-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, they took an early 6-0 lead, electrifying the home crowd.

Ursuline’s dominance continued into the first quarter, with Jack Ericson scoring a 9-yard touchdown run at 3:28, extending their lead to 12-0. However, Fitch quickly retaliated with an incredible play of their own. Dan Evans III captivated the fans with an 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at 3:13, and Anthony Ruggles added the extra point. What made this play even more spectacular was the lateral pass from Davion Pritchard to Dan Evans III during the return, showcasing Fitch’s creativity on special teams. The score now stood at 12-7.

The second quarter saw Ursuline’s offensive prowess come to the forefront as Jack Ericson connected with DC Ferrell on a 51-yard touchdown pass at 3:53. Anthony Tabak successfully converted the extra point, further extending Ursuline’s lead to 19-7.

As the third quarter began, Fitch displayed their resilience with DJ Williams surging into the end zone on a 4-yard touchdown run at 2:53, narrowing the score to 19-14.

Ursuline, determined to maintain their lead, responded in the same quarter with another exceptional performance by Jack Ericson. This time, Ericson showcased his athleticism by leaping over a defender on a 26-yard touchdown run with just 26 seconds left in the third quarter. Although the extra point was missed, Ursuline held a 25-14 lead.

In the game’s closing moments, Ursuline’s Christan Lynch solidified the victory with a 6-yard touchdown run at 2:11 in the third quarter, and Gavin Sedoris added the extra point, securing the final score at 32-14. Lynch, who amassed an impressive 159 rushing yards throughout the game, played a pivotal role in Ursuline’s offensive dominance.

Ericson threw for 101 yards and a touchdown, and he ran for 66 yards with a pair of scores.

Ursuline’s exceptional performance against a formidable opponent in Fitch showcased their strength and determination, earning them a well-deserved 32-14 victory. This clash of football titans delivered thrilling moments and highlighted the remarkable talent and competitiveness of both teams.

X GONNA GIVE IT TO YA

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AUSTINTOWN, OH-  In today’s episode, we have a special feature on Austintown Fitch’s very own Xavier Dahn.

The unstoppable force himself, Xavier Dahn. As a senior, Dahn has made a name for himself on the football field, and his intimidating presence is something to behold. But there’s more to this powerhouse than meets the eye. In our interview, we delve into Dahn’s mindset before a game, his approach to handling distractions, and the incredible support he receives from his coaching staff.

In addition, we explore Dahn’s aspirations for the future, including his plans to study sports management and communications. So sit back, relax, and get ready to hear the inspiring story of Xavier Dahn, as we uncover the man behind the jersey.

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CARDINALS SPREAD THEIR WINGS AGAINST FITCH

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CANFIELD OH- In a commanding boys’ soccer matchup, Canfield showcased their skill and control as they secured a convincing 4-0 victory over Fitch. The match unfolded with Canfield’s offense in fine form, with several players making significant contributions to their win.

Canfield’s scoring efforts were well-distributed, with goals coming from multiple players. Ryan Dangol led the charge with an impressive brace, notching 2 goals to his name. Drew Snyder and an own goal by Fitch rounded out the scoring for Canfield. The team’s ability to find the back of the net consistently demonstrated their attacking prowess.

Assists played a crucial role in Canfield’s offensive execution. Andrew Battaglia and Ethan Mulichak both contributed with assists, showcasing the teamwork and playmaking ability of the Canfield squad.

In the defensive department, Cam Shaffer was a stalwart presence, making 6 crucial saves to preserve the clean sheet for Canfield. His performance between the posts highlighted his composure and ability to thwart Fitch’s scoring attempts.

This victory reflects Canfield’s cohesive teamwork and their ability to control the match on both ends of the field. Their offensive proficiency and defensive solidity were key factors in securing the win.

CANFIELD’S DEFENSE SETS THE TONE

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Canfield’s girls’ soccer team continued their remarkable season, remaining undefeated with a clinical 2-0 victory over Austintown Fitch, further solidifying their position as a dominant force in their league.

The match unfolded with Canfield’s offense in fine form, as they secured the win with two well-executed goals. Hanna Wahib and Maci Toporcer were the goal-scorers, showcasing their scoring prowess and their ability to deliver when it mattered most. The teamwork on display was evident in the assists, with Vivian Nohra and Lexi Toporcer contributing to the successful scoring plays.

Canfield’s offensive dominance was further underscored by the shot count, as they outshot Austintown 20-0 throughout the match. Their ability to control the tempo and create scoring opportunities demonstrated their cohesive play on the field.

Defensively, Canfield’s goalkeeper put forth a stellar performance, with zero shots against, exemplifying the team’s solid defensive efforts. On the opposing side, Austintown goalkeeper Jordan Corll made 8 saves, displaying her resilience and determination in the face of Canfield’s offensive onslaught.

FALCONS HOLD UP A HUGE WIN

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By Ty Bartell

CORTLAND OH- A matchup that had conference implications a year ago found itself revived this season
with both programs agreeing to keep one another on the schedule. We, of course, are talking about The Northeast 8’s (NE8) Lakeview Bulldogs and The Chagrin Valley Lake Conference’s Jefferson Falcons. Making the shift from The NE8, The Jefferson Falcons joined a conference that had competition much closer to home; however, The Falcons still wanted to test themselves against their old conference foe and opted to make the trip down to Cortland, Ohio to battle the perennial powerhouse Bulldogs. With both teams entering the match having double-digit win marks halfway through the season, it made for more than an intriguing matchup!

In the first set Lakeview looked like Lakeview, with The Bulldogs gaining a good majority of their kills from the middle in Reagan Price and Ali Parise while simultaneously fortifying the net on defense! In a blink of an eye Lakeview rallied to a 10+ point advantage and ended the set with a 25-14 win. With the pressure squarely on The Falcons down 0-1 in sets on the road, Jefferson put together an incredible, all-around, defensive display as a team. Despite a great effort from The Bulldogs, The Falcons managed to earn a hard-fought 26-24 set two win.

With the sets knotted up 1-1, it suddenly turned into a best of three and the third set having the advantage hung in the balance. As the previous set was, set three was a tug-of-war with a back-and-forth battle engaging from the opening serve. Once again it came down to the wire and once again The Falcons were up for the task! Managing the clutch kills in the late stages, it was Chloe O’Rourke who capped it off with the final kill to lead Jefferson to the 25-23 set three victory! Turning the table and putting pressure on The Bulldogs, The Falcons would own the 2-1 set advantage with a chance at the match in set four. Jefferson looked like they were on a mission and took advantage of some uncharacteristic Lakeview mistakes, grabbing and holding onto an early lead in the set. Lakeview, again, managed to battle but it was Chloe O’Rourke who finished off the set, 25-23, with the final kill and claiming the match for Jefferson 3-1!

O’Rourke led the way in both kills (24) and digs (20), pairing the double-double with 3 aces in the match win. Helaina Edgar was keeping the offense involved to the tune of 42 assists in the match and also was behind some rallies with 17 service points. Kassidy Blood and Cheyenne McGirr solidified the net with 2 blocks a piece, McGirr would also be tied for the team lead in aces at 3 in the match.

Jefferson (11-2)(3-0) will now look ahead to conference action as they return home to face The Geneva Eagles (5-8)(3-1) on Thursday, September 21st. Lakeview (11-2)(7-0) will attempt to bounce back with conference action of their own, hosting The Struthers Wildcats (5-9)(4-5), also on Thursday. Interviews with Player of the Match Chloe O’Rourke and Head Coach Don Palm can be found below!

KNIGHTS ARMOR TOO MUCH FOR FITCH

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In a premier Saturday morning matchup on the volleyball court, two of the most talented
teams under The YSN banner squared-off, with The Austintown-Fitch Falcons traveling up to Barry Gym to battle The Archbishop Hoban Knights! The Falcons were coming fresh off a straight set sweep of Ursuline to hand The Irish their first loss of the season. On the other side, The Knights had been rolling, winning the first ten matches of the season and holding a 17 set win streak against some of the toughest competition throughout the region.

With the stage set for this big matchup, the first set did not disappoint! Both teams held the lead for considerable time in the early to middle portions of the opening set. With Fitch beginning to pull away at 17-14 in the set, The Knights focused up and battled it back to even at 18-18. Both teams continued exchanging points back-and-forth until they were knotted up again 21-21. With Fitch owning a 24-23 set lead and the serve, Hoban’s Amber Watson delivered a big time kill to tie it up 24-24 and force extra points. It would be there where the Knights would finally escape with the marathon set 30-28.

Leading both squads into a big second set where the goal for both teams was get the energy levels and the mentals back to even. With Hoban trying to avoid riding in the set too high and Fitch now wanting to get down on themselves following an opening set defeat. The Falcons would capitalize early in the set and take a 7-2 advantage early on. However, as The Knight did in the prior set, they battled their way back. Eventually taking the lead and pulling away late, Hoban captured a 2-0 set lead with a 25-18 set two victory.

Making no mistakes and not messing around in the third set. Hoban controlled almost every aspect of the set and captured a convincing 25-10 set win to record the straight set match sweep of The Falcons!

The Knights Amber Watson led the way in kills once again, grabbing 15 in the three set contest. While Macie Mintz was on it defensively, leading The Knights with 16 digs “My goal was to stop every ball from touching the floor.” Mintz said. The senior captain Sophia Day was sharing the wealth, setting-up her teammates to the tune of 21 assists in the match. While it was a good day to be an “Ava” with Ava Norton getting it done behind the service line with 3 aces and 9 service points and Ava Norfolk doing it at the net with 2 blocks.

Following the win, Hoban (11-0) will look to continue their undefeated streak as they hit the road to do battle with Walsh Jesuit (1-7) on Thursday, September 21st. Fitch (9-3) will look to regroup with an All-American Conference (AAC) matchup on Tuesday, September 19th where The Falcons will host The Howland Tigers (4-8).

FITCH PUTS ON A SHOW

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AUSTINTOWN OH- In a commanding display of strength and skill, Fitch High School extended their winning streak with a resounding 41-0 victory over Stow Monroe Falls.

The first quarter set the tone for Fitch’s dominance, as DJ Williams opened the scoring with a 5-yard touchdown run, followed by a successful extra point, putting Fitch ahead 7-0. DeShawn Vaughn showcased his precision with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Dan Evans III (DE3), extending the lead to 14-0. Williams was back in action with a 1-yard touchdown run, and the extra point was good, leaving Fitch firmly in control at 21-0.

The second quarter continued the onslaught, with Deon’Dray Richard contributing a 6-yard touchdown run, further widening the gap to 28-0. Vaughn’s precision passing was on full display when he connected with Brady Evans for a 15-yard touchdown pass, putting Fitch ahead 35-0 as halftime approached.

Fitch’s dominance showed no signs of waning in the third quarter. Vaughn once again demonstrated his passing prowess with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Dan Evans III, who had an exceptional game. The extra point attempt was successful, sealing a commanding 41-0 lead for Fitch.

The game showcased Fitch’s formidable offense and stout defense, as they cruised to an impressive victory. With this performance, Fitch continued to build on their win streak and left no doubt about their prowess on the field.

FALCONS STRUGGLE AGAINST LONGHORNS

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Jefferson, OH- In a challenging matchup against the Lutheran West Longhorns, the Jefferson Falcons faced a tough battle on the gridiron. The game started with Lutheran West’s Jalany Theodore connecting with Xavier Vizcarrondo for a 38-yard touchdown pass, setting the tone for the Longhorns. They successfully converted the extra point, taking an early 7-0 lead.

Jefferson quickly responded, with Kaige Boczar breaking free for a spectacular 44-yard touchdown run. Unfortunately, the extra point attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 7-6 in favor of Lutheran West. However, the Longhorns continued to assert their dominance, as Kendrick Boddie added another touchdown with a 14-yard run, and Theodore found Greg Fuentes for a 36-yard touchdown pass, both accompanied by successful extra point attempts. This propelled Lutheran West to a commanding 21-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Longhorns extended their lead in the second quarter when Kendrick Bodie rushed for a 20-yard touchdown, and once again, the extra point was good. By halftime, the score stood at 28-6 in favor of Lutheran West.

In the third quarter, Kendrick Boddie added another touchdown to his impressive tally with a 4-yard run, and the extra point was converted, making it 35-6 in favor of the Longhorns.

The fourth quarter saw Lutheran West’s Jalany Theodore connecting with Jamyan Theodore for a 13-yard touchdown pass, with the extra point adding to their lead. However, Jefferson managed to find the end zone one more time when Kaige Boczar broke free for a 50-yard touchdown run, and this time the extra point was successful. Despite the late effort, the final score favored Lutheran West with a convincing 42-13 victory.

With this result, the Jefferson Falcons (0-5) will now shift their focus to hosting the Conneaut Spartans (3-2) as they kick off conference play in the CVC Lake Division for week 6. Meanwhile, the Lutheran West Longhorns (3-2) will be heading on the road to face the Perry Pirates (5-0) in week 6, as they begin their campaign in the CVC Chagrin Division

URSULINE RUNS IN TO FALCON SIZED ROADBLOCK

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Thursday night was host to many intriguing matchups across the highschool sports world, both on the field and court alike. Over in Austintown, The Fitch Falcons volleyball team hosted The Ursuline Fighting Irish for a standard best of five set match. Fitch was returning home following two road losses to both The Crestview Rebels and The Mineral Ridge Rams. While Ursuline was as hot as can be, entering Thursday with a perfect match record of 8-0 and an undefeated set record to pair with at 24-0! With Fitch needing a win to get back on track and Ursuline not tasting defeat in slightest for this season, it made for a high stakes contest!

It started out with both teams exchanging points early on while getting acclimated with one another’s defensive looks. But it was Fitch that went on a big run in the middle of the opening set and cruised to a 25-13 win.

Keeping the momentum in the following set, Austintown excelled both behind the service line as well as defensively at the net. Gaining points at a rapid pace off the serve, The Falcons claimed the 25-10 set two win. The Irish had their backs against the wall and came out in the third set with a strong effort, grabbing the initial lead. But once again, The Falcons made good adjustments and attacked in an all-around effort on offense. Spreading the love and getting production from everyone,

Fitch was able to get the straight set sweep with the 25-14 set three win. Three Falcons had double-digit kills on the evening, with Jordan Smith (12) leading the way followed by Kylie Folkwein (10) and Afton Roby (10). Rylie Simons impressed once again, totaling 35 assists to lead the way for Fitch. Morgan Roby was everywhere in the box score, leading the team in digs (9) and aces (4) while chipping in 6 kills of her own!

Ursuline (8-1) will now look to bounce back with a conference contest on the road against The East Golden Bears (5-5). Fitch (9-2) will now hit the road to battle another undefeated team in The Archbishop Hoban Knights (10-0) on Saturday, September 16th. That matchup will be live streamed, for free, on YSN!

GIRARD FACES DOWN OLD RIVAL

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JEFFERSON OH- Girard’s volleyball team triumphed in an exhilarating five-set battle on the road against former conference rival Jefferson. The match was a rollercoaster of emotions and intense rallies, with Girard ultimately prevailing with scores of 25-19, 27-29, 25-18, 20-25, and 15-12.

Girard’s standout performer of the night was Bree Latell, who showcased her incredible hitting ability with a whopping 29 kills. She was well-supported by Nico Cochran, who contributed 14 kills of her own, and Bailey Walters, who chipped in with 6 kills. The trio’s offensive firepower was a key factor in Girard’s success.

Bailey Walters, the team’s setter, played a crucial role in orchestrating the offense, tallying an impressive 42 assists. She also contributed defensively, with 23 digs, showcasing her versatility on the court.

Nico Cochran and Alexis Pieton led the serving charge, amassing a total of 12 service points each. Cochran also impressed with her four aces, while Pieton anchored the defense with three blocks.

Defensively, Bailey Walters continued to shine with 23 digs, while Bree Latell added 19. Their tenacious work in the backcourt helped Girard withstand Jefferson’s offensive onslaught.

On the Jefferson side, Chloe O’Rourke’s 29 kills were a standout performance, accompanied by Marillia Matuz’s 13 kills and Helaina Edgar’s 7 kills. Helaina Edgar orchestrated the team’s offense brilliantly, notching 48 assists.

Sara Stone was a service point machine for Jefferson, earning 22 service points, while Helaina Edgar added 20. Chloe O’Rourke’s 31 digs were crucial in keeping the team competitive throughout the match.

Despite the closely contested battle, Girard emerged victorious, celebrating a hard-fought win on the road. The thrilling victory showcased the team’s resilience and determination, and they look forward to building on this success as the season progresses.