DAYTON — The brightest of lights were an appropriate setting for Shelby’s Alex Bruskotter. The Whippets’ senior authored one of the greatest performances in state tournament history. But his 34-point outburst was just a bit short as Maysville found just enough second-half magic to extend its storybook season. Bruskotter scored 34 points but the Whippets […]
state tournament
Posted inBoys Basketball
State of Play: Richland County boys basketball on the upswing again
SHELBY — Greg Gallaway knew it and so did Mansfield Senior coach Marquis Sykes and Lexington’s Scott Hamilton. No matter which team won the Division II Ontario district tournament, there were going to be some worthy squads sitting at home for the regional. “We said there were going to be some very good basketball teams […]
Posted inBoys Basketball
Maysville plays beyond its years as state semifinal with Shelby looms
ZANESVILLE — The roster may suggest otherwise, but Maysville plays like a team full of grizzled veterans. The Panthers (25-3) will meet Shelby (25-2) in the state semifinals at 2 p.m. Saturday at the University of Dayton Arena. They are a study in contrasts. While the Whippets rely heavily on a talented senior class, Maysville’s […]
Posted inBoys Basketball
Shelby’s Gallaway coaches from lessons learned as an Ashland player
SHELBY — He was an undersized guard who survived on grit and off-the-charts basketball IQ, and Greg Gallaway’s Shelby Whippets share some of those same traits. The Whippets (25-2) will meet Maysville (25-3) in the second of two Division II state semifinal games at 2 p.m. Saturday at the University of Dayton Arena. Kettering Alter […]
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
ANALYSIS: Loudonville heads to state tournament in rare underdog role
LOUDONVILLE — Rare air is all around the Loudonville girls basketball team. The Redbirds are in the state tournament for the first time since the 1992 squad finished as Division III state runner-up. Those ‘Birds beat Versailles 61-48 in the state semifinals before falling to Coldwater 63-47 in the championship game at St. John Arena […]
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Crestview’s Cunningham finishes dominant weekend with state wrestling championship
COLUMBUS — There are 18,809 seats inside the Value City Arena at Ohio State’s Jerome Schottenstein Center, but neither the venue nor the stage was too big for Crestview’s Caleb Cunningham. Cunningham, a 285-pound senior, completed perhaps the most dominant performance ever by a local wrestler at a state tournament. Cunningham pinned Harrison Central’s third-ranked […]
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Road Less Traveled: Ontario’s Turnbaugh takes long path to third-place state finish
COLUMBUS — They reached the same rung of the state podium, but took vastly different routes to get there. Ontario 113-pounder Jacob Ohl and 138-pounder Mason Turnbaugh both finished third Sunday morning at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center, but not all third-place finishes are created equal. A junior, Turhbaugh couldn’t have navigated a more difficult path. […]
Posted inSports
Mansfield-area wrestlers shine on 1st day of state tournament
COLUMBUS — Luke Schlosser spoke for the entire north central Ohio state-qualifying wrestling contingent after an impressive opening day in Columbus. “I expected to come down here and win,” Schlosser said after dispatching Beaver Local’s Justin Cox 7-2 in the opening round of the Division II state tournament. “That’s the mindset you’ve got to have. […]