LOUDONVILLE – A two-month whirlwind loaded with memorable big steps and breakthroughs for Tyler Bates has swiftly come to a stop on a new landing spot. Bates, who coached the Loudonville girls basketball team in the Division IV state semifinals March 18 in Dayton, announced four days later he would be resigning as the LHS […]
loudonville redbirds
Posted inSoftball
Undefeated Lady Lex earns top seed in softball tourney draw
LEXINGTON — Lady Lex may be the best-kept secret in all of Ohio — at least for now. Unbeaten Lexington picked up the No. 1 seed in Sunday’s Division II Willard district tournament draw. Lady Lex (19-0) opted for a first-round bye and will host either No. 9 Vermilion or No. 10 Tiffin Columbian in […]
Posted inSoftball
Ontario goes 2-1 in Mid-Ohio Spring Classic
ONTARIO — John Davis could rest easy Friday night and not because his fitness app informed him he walked 21,000 steps and climbed 28 flights of stairs earlier in the day. For the first time in three years the Mid-Ohio Spring Classic went off without a hitch and Davis, the event’s organizer, couldn’t have been […]
Posted inSoftball
Mid-Ohio Spring Classic draws top Ohio softball teams to Marshall Park
ONTARIO — It has a new name and a new address, but the competition should be as fierce as ever. The Mid-Ohio Spring Classic, formerly known as the Wendy’s Spring Classic, will make its debut at Marshall Park this weekend in the 31st edition of Ohio high school softball’s showcase event. Of the 20 teams […]
Posted inEducation
Loudonville Schools navigates safety threat with aid of local police
LOUDONVILLE – Loudonville-Perrysville Exempted Village School District (LPEVSD), in cooperation with Loudonville Police Department and other area law enforcement, was placed in lockdown following notification of police activity in the Loudonville area related to an individual with an outstanding warrant. In a coordinated effort to ensure the safety of all students and staff, the district […]
Posted inGirls Basketball
Loudonville’s Vermilya selected Ohio’s Division IV Player of the Year
LOUDONVILLE — She led her team to the Final Four and rewrote Loudonville’s record book along the way. It’s no wonder Corri Vermilya is Ohio’s Division IV Player of the Year. A 5-foot-9 senior guard, Vermilya led the Redbirds to the state tournament for just the second time in program history and first time since […]
Posted inBoys Basketball
A New Era? Shelby’s Final 4 berth 1st in north central Ohio since 2018
It may be a little premature to call it a full-blown revival, but Shelby’s run to the Final Four could usher in a new era of north central Ohio high school basketball. Or maybe it’s a return to a former era. The Whippets snapped the area’s six-year state-tournament drought when they knocked off Lutheran West […]
Posted inGirls Basketball
Bates stepping down at Loudonville when school year ends
LOUDONVILLE — One of the most successful basketball coaches in Ashland County history announced Monday that he will step down at the end of the school year. Loudonville coach Tyler Bates said he will resign as the Athletic Director and Dean of Students at LHS. “Subsequently, I will also be stepping down as the girls […]
Posted inStatewide Girls Basketball
Loudonville’s furious rally falls short in Final Four loss to state powerhouse Waterford
DAYTON — Loudonville senior Corri Vermilya helped limping teammate Sophia Spangler to the stage of Thursday morning’s state semifinal press conference in Dayton. Vermilya stopped just short of the last biggest step, picked up a tearful Spangler and physically carried her on to the stage. It was the final moment of their high school basketball […]
Posted inGirls Basketball
Successful road for Bates, Redbirds finally reaches pinnacle
LOUDONVILLE — It was almost as if Tyler Bates could finally exhale Saturday night. The 11th-year Loudonville girls basketball coach stood near mid-court at Massillon Perry High School – a grin on his face that refused to fade – soaking in reality. You got the sense he almost wanted to drag a sleeping bag onto […]