Tag Archive for: LaBrae

BADGER FENDS OFF INVADING VIKINGS

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KINSMAN OH- In a highly anticipated matchup between two teams eyeing a deep tournament run, Badger hosted LaBrae on Thursday night in a clash that lived up to its billing. In a thrilling contest that kept fans on the edge of their seats, Badger managed to fend off the visiting Vikings to secure a hard-fought 62-57 victory.

Leading the charge for Badger was Hannah Betts, whose stellar performance saw her tally an impressive 18 points, showcasing her scoring prowess when it mattered most. Avery Rice and Brianna Huscroft also made significant contributions, notching 15 and 12 points respectively, to propel Badger to victory.

On the opposing side, LaBrae fought valiantly, with standout performances from Ella Kuszmaul, who tallied 15 points, along with Marissa Levensky and Riley Rowe, who added 13 and 12 points respectively to keep the game competitive until the final buzzer.

With this win, Badger concludes their regular season on a high note, boasting an impressive record of 20-2 as they shift their focus to the upcoming tournament. Despite notching a loss, LaBrae (17-5) remains a formidable contender heading into postseason play, with their sights set on a strong showing in the tournament. Badger’s next opponent is yet to be determined as they enjoy a bye, while LaBrae will kick off their tournament campaign by hosting Norwayne next Wednesday, setting the stage for an exciting postseason showdown.

CRESTVIEW COMPLETES PROGRAMS FIRST PERFECT SEASON

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In a historic regular season finale, Crestview made program history by finishing undefeated for the first time ever, with a stellar 22-0 record. The Rebels sealed their remarkable achievement with a commanding 64-33 road victory over LaBrae.

Leading the charge for Crestview was Addison Rhodes, who delivered a standout performance with 27 points, supported by Luvrain Gaskins contributing 18 points and Emily Downey adding 8 points to the winning effort.

Despite a spirited effort from LaBrae, with Ella Kuszmaul scoring 11 points, they couldn’t overcome Crestview’s dominance.

Now, Crestview (22-0) eagerly awaits the start of tournament play on February 21st, where they will face off against Andrew’s Osborne Academy. The Rebels enter the postseason with momentum and confidence, poised to make a deep run.

On the other hand, LaBrae (16-4) looks to fine-tune their game in a tournament tune-up opportunity against Cardinal on Monday, gearing up for postseason action.

ROWING THE BOAT

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LEAVITTSBURG OH-  LaBrae’s sophomore sensation, Austin Rowe, burst onto the scene with an extraordinary freshman season that left spectators in awe. Known for his exceptional skills and knack for making crucial plays, Rowe quickly established himself as a player to watch.

The dreaded “sophomore slump” seemed to have no place in Rowe’s trajectory. His secret? A relentless work ethic combined with unshakeable confidence on the court. While some players may find the transition to their second year challenging, Rowe embraced the opportunity to elevate his game and exceed expectations.

One key factor contributing to Rowe’s success is the trust bestowed upon him by his coaches. Always given the green light to shoot from anywhere on the floor, Rowe’s confidence soars. This freedom has not only allowed him to showcase his scoring abilities but has also made him a dynamic threat in various game situations.

Beyond the court, Rowe’s basketball journey is deeply rooted in family ties. His mom, leading the charge as the head coach of the girls’ team, brings a unique perspective and unwavering support to his game. Adding to the family affair, Rowe’s sister is a fellow player on the LaBrae basketball squad. The Rowe family’s basketball discussions can get competitive, with each member vying for the title of having the best game on any given night.

As LaBrae notches an impressive 14-2 start to the season, Rowe’s impact on the Vikings is undeniable. His skill set, combined with leadership qualities, has been a driving force behind the team’s success. Looking ahead, Rowe is poised to continue shaping the Vikings’ basketball legacy over the next two pivotal years of his high school career. The court is his canvas, and Austin Rowe is painting a masterpiece that promises to captivate the audience for seasons to come.

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VIKINGS BRING THE HURT TO CAMPBELL

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LaBrae dominated on the road Thursday night, delivering a commanding performance against Campbell in a decisive 55-14 victory. The Vikings showcased their offensive prowess and defensive tenacity, leaving little room for their opponents to mount a response.

Marissa Levensky led the scoring charge for LaBrae with an outstanding 17-point performance, closely followed by Ella Kuszmaul with 15 points. Mariah Jones contributed 9 points, adding to the well-rounded offensive effort displayed by the Vikings.

Campbell, facing a formidable LaBrae squad, found themselves limited on the scoreboard. Diamon Sims led the charge for Campbell with 12 points, but the Vikings’ relentless defense proved challenging.

With this emphatic win, LaBrae’s record now stands at an impressive 15-3. The Vikings will aim to maintain their winning momentum as they host Grand Valley on Saturday. Meanwhile, Campbell (2-16) looks to regroup and kickstart a turnaround on Monday as they face Liberty.

LABRAE ABSORBS WARRIORS BEST SHOT

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By Matt Maher 


BROOKFIELD, OH – The 5th place Warriors welcomed the 1st place Vikings to town for one heck of a battle that saw Brookfield hold their own and stay extremely close to the powerhouse LaBrae has proven themselves to be. While the Warriors stood strong and showed everyone they could tussle with the big dogs they could never deliver the final blow and take back the lead and the result was a 66-59 win for LaBrae. 

 

Brookfield started off well with a nice stop after the tip and the first 2 points of the game but it didn’t take long for LaBrae to wake up and show us what they could really do and the result was a 7 point run that would help lead them to a 22-12 1st. Brookfield saw their scoring come from Matteo Fortuna, Judah DeJoy and Riley Russo who all scored 4 points in the paint. Jay McGarry and Austin Rowe would have an impressive 1st with McGarry sinking two 3’s and Rowe sinking two 3’s as well as a 2, Derek Wilson would also find his first 4 points of the night as well.

 

The second quarter was even and the score reflected that with both teams putting up 14 points. DeJoy and Teagan Barbie both hit 3’s while Shaun Dungee went a perfect 2-for-2 from the line. Derek Wilson accounted for 11 of LaBraes points with three made 2’s and 50% from the line with 3-of-6 made free throws, Rowe found the other 3 from beyond the arc.

 

Brookfield stepped up their game and built off of a solid 2nd and finished the 3rd 21-15. Owen Boone found himself leading LaBrae in the 3rd with a made layup and-1 and two more made free throws. Jaxson Lancaster would also go 2-for-2 and Rowe and Wilson both hit 3’s. The headline of the quarter was Matteo Fortuna who found 13 points all by rushing into the paint and either laying them in or drawing fouls, he found for 2’s and went 5-for-5 from the line. 

 

The 4th quarter stayed close but Brookfield would only score 12 while LaBrae found 16 more points to cap off the night. Fortuna went cold only hitting 1-of-2 free throws and Dungee, DeJoy and Barbe all hit 3’s. Rowe stepped up once more for LaBrae with 7 more points including a 3 and two 2’s. Boone added two more points by going 2-for-2 from the line  and McGarry capped his night off with a 3.

 

While LaBrae showed a great effort and earned the victory, Brookfield looked fantastic against the MVAC’s best and showed that they have what it takes to stand toe to toe with the top teams. LaBrae saw Austin Rowe finish with 16 points, Derek Wilson with 18 and Jay McGarry with 10 while Brookfield was led and at times carried by Matteo Fortuna who led all scorers with 21 points. LaBrae (13-2, 9-1) will be back at home on February 2nd when they host Liberty at 7:00PM while Brookfield (6-10, 4-6) will hit the road to take on Campbell Memorial on February 2nd at 7:00PM.

YSN HSBB POWER RANKINGS RELEASED FOR 1/26/24

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EAST PALESTINE, OH- As the high school basketball season unfolds, the competition is fierce, and teams are jockeying for position in the rankings. Your Sports Network (YSN) has evaluated teams based on various factors, including the Rating Percentage Index (RPI), winning percentage (WP), opponent winning percentage (OWP), and opponent’s opponent winning percentage (OOWP) and recent success/momentum. Let’s dive into the rankings:

1. John F. Kennedy Catholic (Warren)
– **RPI:** 0.728116
– **WP:** 0.923077
– **OWP:** 0.635416
– **OOWP:** 0.545958
– **W/L:** 12-2

 2. Ursuline (Youngstown)
– **RPI:** 0.690662
– **WP:** 0.833333
– **OWP:** 0.603117
– **OOWP:** 0.584951
– **W/L:** 10-2

3. LaBrae (Leavittsburg)
– **RPI:** 0.64529
– **WP:** 0.846154
– **OWP:** 0.537842
– **OOWP:** 0.474336
– **W/L:** 11-2

4. East Liverpool – 0.637339

5. David Anderson (Lisbon) – 0.631076

6. Canfield – 0.631733

7. Poland Seminary (Poland) – 0.612005

8. Pymatuning Valley (Andover) – 0.612984

9. Cardinal Mooney (Youngstown) – 0.617002

10. Badger (Kinsman) – 0.61758

11. West Branch (Beloit) – 0.61894

12. Springfield (New Middletown) – 0.603519

13. Austintown Fitch – 0.600702

14. Edgewood (Ashtabula) – 0.594858

15. Heartland Christian (Columbiana) – 0.583468

16. Newton Falls – 0.57736

17. Memorial (Campbell) – 0.577266

18. Columbiana – 0.574458

19. South Range (Canfield) – 0.589136

20. Hubbard – 0.509149

21. Lowellville – 0.526699

22. Waterloo (Atwater) – 0.561961

23. Howland (Warren) – 0.523109

24. East (Youngstown) – 0.521267

25. McDonald – 0.492494

 

ON THE BUBBLE: 

Struthers

Lakeview (Cortland)

Wellsville

Brookfield

United (Hanoverton)

Orange (Pepper Pike)

Note: The teams are ranked in descending order based on their RPI values.

These rankings provide a snapshot of the current landscape in high school basketball. The teams are battling hard, and every game counts as they aim for success in the season. Stay tuned for more updates as the competition unfolds.

TIGERS TAKE A STEP UP THE MOUNTAIN

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By Matt Maher 


LEAVITTSBURG, OH – Two of the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference’s (MVAC) beast ducked it out Tuesday night when LaBrae welcomed Newton falls to town. While LaBrae sits atop the MVAC Grey division it was the Tigers (3rd) who would climb the mountain and take down the Vikings by the final score of 64-56.

 

These two juggernauts battled in a close first quarter where the tigers would narrowly lead 14-12 after the first 8 minutes. The Vikings held multiple 5 point leads in this frame but Newton Falls found their groove in the second 4 minutes and set the tone moving forward. LaBrae saw Austin Rowe lead his team with 5 points, 3 made free throws including an and-1 and David Blackmon III would add 4 points in the paint as well. Carson Howard led his squad with 5 points in the first and Jabriel Rufai snatched another 4.

 

The second Quarter was where the Tigers truly took control with 17 points to LaBraes 6 it wasn’t even close. Rowe added a nice 3 and Blackmon found a 2 and went 1-for-2 from the line to account for all Vikings points. Newton Falls saw Landon Mcgregor enter the chat with three made 2’s for 6 points while Howard continued to score with 5 more points.

 

Newton Falls continued to outdo themselves coming out of the break with 21 points but LaBrae kept close by with 17 points. LaBrae saw Jay McGarry score his first 5 points while Rowe hit a 3 and went 2-for-2 from the line and Jackson Lancaster found 3 more points with a 2 and 1 of 2 made free throws. Cameron Huff found himself on top of his team with 6 points all from beyond the arc which is where he excels from. Zach Stinson added 5 more points with two 2’s including an and-1. 

 

LaBrae found life in the 3rd with an impressive 21 point performance and much better defense that limited Newton falls to just 12 points. Huff found 6 more points from beyond the arc while both Howard and Rufai had the same point line with a made 2 and going 1-for-2 from the line for 3 points each. Austin Rowe looked rejuvenated this frame with three made 3’s all from well beyond the arc he really turned it up. Derek Wilson scored 8 points, all 2’s and Owen Boone brought the boom with two made 2’s. 

 

Despite a good second half and Austin Rowes 22 point night, the Vikings just couldn’t stop the Tigers who built momentum off of a dominant 2nd quarter and great play from Carson Howard with 16 points and Cameron Huff with 14 as well as solid team play. Newton Falls (10-4, 6-2) will be home on January 26th to take on the Liberty Leopards at 7:00PM while LaBrae (11-2, 7-1) will stay home to take on the Champion Golden Flashes on January 26th at 7:00PM.

CHAMPION’S SWEEP OF THE VIKINGS GIVES COLE 200 WINS

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WARREN OH- In an intense matchup on Monday night, Champion secured a season sweep of LaBrae with a hard-fought 52-47 victory. The game took an unexpected turn as LaBrae surged to a 21-12 lead after the first quarter, but Champion rallied for a remarkable comeback.

Kayla Haynie showcased her scoring prowess for Champion, contributing 16 points, including four three-pointers. Carlie Easterday added 11 points and 7 rebounds, while Bella Meyer and Addie Warzala chipped in with 8 points and 7 points, respectively, enhancing the team’s overall performance.

On the LaBrae side, Mariah Jones led the scoring effort with an impressive 19 points, securing the game-high. Ella Kuszmaul contributed 13 points, and Riley Rowe added 8 points to bolster the Vikings’ offensive efforts.

Notably, the victory marked a significant milestone for Champion head coach Michael Cole, achieving his 200th career win, a testament to his coaching prowess and the team’s success under his leadership.

Champion (13-4) looks ahead to their next challenge, hosting Campbell on Thursday. LaBrae (12-3) aims to bounce back in their upcoming game on Thursday as they host Brookfield, seeking to regain their winning momentum after a hard-fought battle against Champion.

VIKINGS OFFENSE PREVAILS OVER CRESTVIEW

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LEAVITTSBURG, OH- The LaBrae Viking offense is worth the price of admission, and on Tuesday night- they showed why en route to an 85-46 win over MVAC rival, Crestview.

The Vikes splashed 28 points right out of the gate in the first quarter, only giving up ten, which set the tone for the likes of their three-headed monster in David Blackmon, Derek Wilson, and Austin Rowe- who accounted for 69 of the team’s 85 points on the night.  Wilson led the way with 31 points, followed by Rowe with 22, and Wilson with 16.  Jay McGarry had seven tallies, and Jaxson Lancaster and Owen Boone each chipped in four.

LaBrae would win every quarter’s scoring totals during the contest.

The Rebels were led by valiant efforts from Jonathan Best with 16 points, Justin McKee with a dozen, and Jameson English with seven points and four assists on the night.

LaBrae improves to 11-1 overall and 7-0 in the league, while Crestview is 3-9 and 3-4 in the MVAC.  The Rebels will play host to Liberty on Friday night.

 

THE VIKINGS STRIKE BACK

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By Matt Maher 


LEAVITTSBURG, OH – The Vikings are on a mission to prove they are among the best teams in the Mahoning Valley and Saturday’s 65-32 victory over Bristol certainly helped them in their mission. With 4 players scoring 10 or more points over their non-conference foes LaBrae showed off their skill on the ball as well as away from it with turnover after turnover forced against the Panthers.

 

LaBrae came out of the pregame huddle with their highest scoring quarter of the day, a 20-4 difference set the tone for how the game was going to be played. Majority of LaBraes opportunities in this quarter (and game for that matter) came off of turnovers whether it be because they were able to force them or because of small mistakes that Bristol made the Vikings took advantage. Riley Rowe and Mariah Jones were a couple of studs in the first quarter with Rowe scoring 8 points and Jones with 6. 

 

Bristol found their energy in the second quarter but would still be outscored but just 17-13. Marissa Levensky found her first 6 points in the quarter including a 3 made from distance. Ella Kuszmaul would add 6 more points to her total including a buzzer beating 3 that took some conversing after the fact to get added to to score. Bristol would see Lauren Church score 5 points in the frame which was a nice compliment to her playmaking throughout the entire half.

 

The scoring dialed down out of the break with LaBrae only putting up 11 to Bristol’s 8. Jones would lead her team this quarter with 4 points including 2 of 3 made free throws. Rowe added another 3 to her total as well which would also be her last points of the game leaving her with 14 points against the Panthers. Church continued to lead her team by putting up 6 points out of the 8 her team found.

 

LaBrae capped off their performance with 17 more points in the 4th and only allowing Bristol 7. Kuszmaul added 6 more points to her total and she finished with 18 points. Levensky found 4 more points and finished with 10 points and Jones put in another bucket allowing her to finish with 12. 

 

Both teams showed some struggle during this game with both teams having trouble from the free throw line which was very worn out after the second quarter where both teams exceeded their 5 foul limit early on. While free throws were an issue, LaBrae took advantage of a bevy of turnovers from Bristol and over thrown shots which allowed them to score with ease and coast into their 11th win of the season. Bristol (6-7) are back in action when they host Chalker on January 15th at 7:00PM and LaBrae (11-2) hits the road when they face Newton Falls on January 18th at 7:00PM.