Tag Archive for: High School

SHOOTING FROM THE HIP

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MCDONALD, OH- As another football season kicks off at McDonald High School, senior linebacker James Hipple is ready to make his mark both on and off the field. Interviewed recently by DJ Yokley on the YSN Player Profile, Hipple shared insights into his journey from freshman hopeful to senior stalwart.

Reflecting on his most memorable moments with the team, Hipple noted, “I think the most memorable moments were in the weight room during winter. We had a lot of fun times with older kids and helping lift up the younger ones.” It’s clear that the camaraderie built in those sessions has shaped his leadership approach: leading by example rather than words.

Throughout his high school career, Hipple has evolved into one of the team’s premier communicators, though he admits it took some adjustment. “It was a big change from what I was used to,” he said. “I was used to having a leader tell me what I had to do, and now it’s my turn to lead part of the team.”

Notably, Hipple is easily recognized not just for his football prowess but also for his distinctive hairstyle. Sporting what DJ Yokley humorously dubbed the “McDonald waterfall,” Hipple shared the origin of his mullet: “I actually went to try a new haircut, and they messed it up completely. I ended up with a mullet and liked it, and then just stuck with it.”

With his final high school season underway, Hipple has clear goals in mind: “I want to have a good senior year, make a lot of memories football-wise, and have a winning season.” Looking beyond graduation, Hipple plans to enter a lineman career, poised to start earning straight out of high school.

When asked about those who’ve influenced him the most, Hipple credited former team leaders like Danny Gray and highlighted the crucial support from his parents. “My dad helped me a lot with getting in the weight room and eating correctly,” he shared. “My mom’s my biggest supporter, hands down.”

Hipple’s legacy, marked by hard work and dedication, sets a high standard for future players. As DJ Yokley summed up the sentiment of many in the community, “Keep being a leader in the McDonald community, my friend.”

As the McDonald High football team takes the field this season, they do so bolstered by the leadership and example of one of their own—Senior Linebacker James Hipple.

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FITCH ONE WIN AWAY FROM A REPEAT

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By Ty Bartell

AKRON OH- The Austintown Fitch softball team surged closer to defending their state title, overwhelming Fairfield with a 10-0 victory in five innings during Friday’s OHSAA Division 1 State Semifinal at Akron Firestone Stadium.

Kaliana Ray ignited The Falcons offense, leading off with a single and scoring the opening run after Abby Toth’s double. Although Toth was tagged out at third attempting to steal, Fitch seized an early 1-0 advantage. The inning concluded with a fly out by Kylie Folkwein.

In the second inning, Fitch’s bats went quiet. In the third, Lily Stevens singled to center, but pinch runner Miauna Jorge was left stranded in scoring position after a sacrifice bunt by Rachel Spalding and a walk to Ray.

Pitcher Sydnie Watts dominated from the circle, keeping The Indians scoreless through four innings, which set up a prolific offensive burst by Fitch in the bottom of the fourth. Folkwein led off with a single and a stolen base. After Watts struck out, Morgan Roby doubled to score Folkwein, extending the lead to 2-0. Roby advanced to third on a ground out and was driven home by Stevens’ RBI single. Consecutive walks to Spalding and Ray loaded the bases, and Ayla Ray’s ground-rule double brought in two more runs, pushing the score to 5-0.

The Falcons continued to capitalize on Fairfield’s errors. Toth reached base on a right fielder’s error, and Folkwein’s double advanced her to third. Watts then sealed the game with a three-run homer over the left-field fence, solidifying a 10-0 lead and invoking the mercy rule.

Watts, on her way to a perfect game, struck out the first two batters in the fifth inning, and the defense secured the final out, giving her a sixth career perfect game and propelling The Falcons into the State Championship.

Roby was instrumental, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI. Ayla Ray contributed two doubles and two RBIs, finishing 1-for-3. Stevens added two singles and an RBI, Toth had a double and an RBI, while Folkwein recorded a double and a single. Watts clinched the game with her three-run home run and accumulated three RBIs.

In the circle, Watts, with Folkwein catching, recorded nine strikeouts over five innings. The 22-1 Lady Falcons will face Pataskala Watkins Memorial (31-1) in the State Championship Game on Saturday, June 1, with the first pitch set for 6:15 p.m. at Akron Firestone Stadium. Stay updated with Fitch Softball’s postseason journey, including live games, scores, stats, and stories, on YSN.

LABRAE PUTS REBELS ON LOCKDOWN

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By Ty Bartell

STRUTHERS OH- For the third time this season, the LaBrae Vikings shut out the Crestview Rebels, this
time securing a 9-0 victory in the Division III Northeast 1 District Semi-Final.

Dylan Simpson, one of the Vikings’ aces, took the mound, while Ethan Feezle started for the Rebels. Crestview managed a leadoff walk, but Drew Datillio was caught stealing by Brogan Collins, who made an impressive throw from his knees. Feezle worked around an error and a single in the bottom of the first to keep the game scoreless.

Simpson navigated through some baserunners in the second inning, stranding a pair to end the Rebels’ two-out rally. Feezle retired LaBrae in order in the bottom half, maintaining the 0-0 scoreline after two innings.

In the third, Simpson breezed through a 1-2-3 inning, bringing the Vikings’ bats back to the plate quickly. LaBrae struck first with three consecutive one-out hits. An RBI single by Austin Rowe scored Owen Boone, followed by a grounder from Collins that resulted in two more runs due to a throwing error, putting LaBrae up 3-0.

Simpson continued to dominate, retiring the Rebels in order again in the fourth. The Vikings added three more runs in the bottom half, highlighted by an RBI double from Boone and a two-RBI single from Collins, extending the lead to 6-0.

In the fifth, Simpson recorded his third 1-2-3 inning. Boone brought home his second RBI with a single, scoring Nate Goldner, who had doubled earlier, to make it 7-0. Goldner later capped the scoring with a two-RBI double, his second of the game, pushing LaBrae’s lead to 9-0.

Boone recorded the save, pitching the final two innings and securing the win for Simpson, who delivered five innings of stellar work. The Vikings recorded their third shutout of Crestview this season, sweeping the series and ending the Rebels’ season at 11-10.

No. 3 seed LaBrae (18-5-1) will advance to the Division III Northeast 1 District Championship game against the top-seeded Perry Pirates (20-6) on Wednesday, May 22nd, at Bob Cene Park with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch.

 

 

IRISH RUN THE NIGHT

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By Noah Ricks 


STRUTHERS, OH – The Ursuline Fighting Irish showed the true meaning of playoff baseball in their district semifinal Monday night against Alliance. Right from the first inning, the dominance showed no signs of stopping as the Irish ran away with an 8-2 victory at Bob Cene Park.

 

Ursuline sent in all but one of their batters in the first inning as they jumped up to a 2-0 start with a 3-hit stanza. The Irish overall would compile 10 hits on the evening. They were also led by the spectacular play of CJ Frasco, who would go 4 of 5 and would cash in 4 runs off of 3 hits with an RBI

 

It would be an 8-0 Ursuline game heading into the bottom of the seventh before Alliance would score. Despite their early struggles, Nate Butt and Diangelo Fisk both combined for 5 of the Aviators’ 9 hits, including a run each to put Alliance on the board late. The Irish, however, were too hot to handle on defense as the fast arm of Frasco at shortstop, as well as a 5 strikeout night from starting pitcher Anthony Triveri, would be all they needed to put it away.

 

Ursuline (15-12) will now play in the district championship on Wednesday night at Cene Park against Canfield. The Irish will go up against the Cardinals in a highly anticipated rematch of a 7-4 Ursuline win on April 18th. Ursuline showed that despite early season adversity, they would become red hot when it matters most.

CARDS PUT ON SENIOR DAY SHOW

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CANFIELD OH- Michael Patellis was the star of the show, driving in four runs on two hits to propel Canfield past Alliance 14-8 on Wednesday. On Senior Day, Patellis showcased his versatility by playing every fielding position, starting with a bang by tripling and doubling in the fourth inning to rack up four RBIs.

Canfield found themselves in a 5-0 hole early but didn’t let that set the tone. Alliance initially charged ahead in the second inning with James and Craig bringing in runs and White knocking in two more with a groundout.

The game took a dramatic turn in the fourth when Canfield erupted for 10 runs on seven hits, with Patellis’s triple being the highlight, giving them a commanding 14-5 lead.

Sean Harrington snagged the win in relief for Canfield, allowing just one unearned run over two innings. On the flip side, Reece from Alliance took the loss, giving up three runs in his one-inning stint. Canfield’s Trent Rarick and Alliance’s Gress started on the mound, facing early challenges.

Canfield’s bats were hot, totaling 12 hits. Patellis, David Murphy, Enzo Cocca, Joey Gabriel, and Dylan Mancini each had a multi-hit game, with Tanner Stricko drawing three walks to lead the team’s disciplined approach at the plate. The team also showed their speed, swiping five bases, including two by Murphy.

Next, Canfield takes their momentum to a matchup against McDonald on Friday.

RUNNING WEDNESDAYS WITH RICK SYPERT (EP 3) FEATURING BROCK FARRIS & BLAKE BAKER

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Another week has come and gone at the track, and yes there is a ton to go over.  With a huge Chuck of results coming in from the Poland Invitational, and beyond you can tell these runners are starting to find their groove as we race towards post season. Rick Sypert and Anthony Hartwig are back this week to go over all the biggest names and times from the prior week.  They also preview the week ahead which is highlighted by the Trumbull County Championships.

This week the show brings on two special guests. Current rivals, and future teammates a rock Farris and Blake Bsker.  Brock from Boardman has etched his name in record books and is considered one of the best in the region.  While Blake represents the Spartans AAC rival Canfield with speed that is seldomly seen.  Both athletes have a massive reputation that goes far beyond their talent on the track.  The sportsmanship and grace in which they carry themselves had granted them the respect of the entire Track & Field community.  Both Brock and Blake look to continue their track careers at Youngstown State after graduating high school. But don’t worry Spartan, and Cardinal fans, they still have plenty of goals in their sights before that happens.  Check out Episode 3 of Running Wednesdays with Rick Sypert!

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ROCKETS SCREAM PAST BROOKFIELD

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LOWELLVILLE OH- Lowellville cruised to victory on Thursday night, dominating Brookfield with a commanding 13-1 win.

At the plate, Lowellville’s offense was firing on all cylinders. Liam Bartlett led the charge, going 2 for 3 with 4 RBI, including a walk and 3 runs scored. Cody Nolfi also had a stellar performance, going 3 for 4 with 2 RBI and 3 runs scored. Tino Rivera-Ocasio contributed with a 2 for 3 performance, adding 1 RBI, a walk, and 3 runs scored. Geno Perry chipped in with 1 RBI, along with 2 walks and 2 runs scored.

On the mound, Zak Sargent delivered a strong performance, pitching 5 innings and allowing just 1 hit and 1 earned run while striking out 3 batters.

WARRIORS START OFF BEACH WEEK WITH A BASH

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Photo Credit Dominic Hall

Story contributed by Larry Jennings

Vera Beach, Florida- The Edgewood Warriors commenced their 2024 season with a resounding 13-3 victory, invoking the mercy rule against the Westby Norsemen from Westby, Wisconsin. The clash took place at the former LA Dodgers spring training facility in Vero Beach, Florida.

Despite the Norsemen notching a run in the opening frame, the Warriors swiftly retaliated. Zane Naylor’s bases-loaded hit-by-pitch drove in their first run, followed by Aidan Hernandez’s single, bringing home pinch runner Logan Randolph for Tony Hall. Riley Baldwin’s solid line drive plated two more, with Caleb Johnson’s double extending the lead to 6-1 after the first inning.

In the bottom of the second, Alex Sperduto’s sacrifice fly added another run for the Warriors, while Westby managed to score one more in the top of the third.

As Westby threatened in the fifth, loading the bases and scoring one run, Alex Sperduto replaced Anthony Ciesicki on the mound, striking out the next two batters to halt the momentum.

The Warriors unleashed a barrage of offense in the bottom of the fifth, tallying six more runs through a combination of hits, wild pitches, and walks, sealing the 13-3 victory under the mercy rule.

The game was not without its physical toll, as the Warriors endured a total of seven hit-by-pitches, ensuring they might feel a few bruises come Thursday morning.

Tony Hall and Riley Baldwin led the Warriors in hits with two each, with Baldwin also topping the team with three runs batted in, highlighting their impactful contributions to the team’s triumphant season opener.

 

BERNIE BRINGS IT BACK!

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YOUNGSTOWN, OH- Local legend and former football quarterback Bernie Kosar, known for his career with the Cleveland Browns and the University of Miami, shared valuable insights and experiences during a special interview for the YSN podcast. The interview was part of the lead-up to the YSN slam dunk contest taking place at Boardman High School.

Kosar expressed gratitude for being able to contribute to the YSN event and outlined the importance of community involvement and giving back. He emphasized the challenges that young athletes face today, particularly in dealing with pressures and anxieties, and highlighted the need for holistic approaches to mental well-being.

During the interview, Kosar also touched on the lessons he learned through sports, emphasizing discipline, respect, and the value of competing on and off the field. He discussed the impact of sports on young athletes, emphasizing the importance of nurturing life skills and holistic development.
Additionally, Kosar shared his personal journey in dealing with health challenges and the importance of seeking natural and holistic approaches to well-being. He spoke openly about the adverse effects of certain medications and the responsibility he feels in sharing his experiences to support others in making informed decisions regarding their health.

Kosar’s heartfelt and candid reflections were a source of inspiration for many, and his commitment to giving back to his community and supporting the next generation of athletes was evident throughout the interview.

The YSN event, set to take place, promises to not only showcase athletic talent but also underscore the importance of community involvement and support. Kosar’s participation has added an extra layer of significance to the event, and his message of resilience, self-improvement, and community engagement is sure to resonate with attendees.

As the YSN event approaches, the community eagerly anticipates the positive impact that Kosar’s insights and the overall event will bring to local sports and the community at large.

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DON’T DOUBT DOTA

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MINERAL RIDGE, OH- 8th grade standout Delaney Dota recently sat down with DJ Yokley for an exclusive interview at the Post Office Pub in Mineral Ridge. Delaney, a multi-sport athlete, shared her thoughts on her impressive basketball season, future aspirations, and the support she receives from her family.

Delaney expressed her excitement and nervousness about transitioning to high school, emphasizing the need for hard work and team growth to match the level of high school competition. She also highlighted the importance of running and cross country in preparing her for basketball and her dedication to improving her game, particularly in becoming more aggressive on the court.

During the interview, Delaney revealed her highest-scoring game as 19 points and her desire to expand her shooting range beyond the banned three-point line. She also credited her uncle and family, especially her father, for instilling the discipline and work ethic that have contributed to her success.

As she looks ahead to her future in high school, Delaney’s leadership and commitment to improvement are sure to make her a key player to watch in the coming years.

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