Category: Sports

By Carol McIntireEditorWhen the 3-point shot isn’t falling for your outside shooters and you’re riding a 13-game winning streak, what do you do?If you’re Carrollton Basketball Coach Mike Aukerman, you find the hot-handed man and feed him the ball. The Warriors found that success from their big man – 6 foot-4inch senior Cadyn Smith – who scored a career-high 20 points and led the hosts to 57-40 win over Salem

Carrollton and Alliance sit tied atop the Eastern Buckeye Conference standings after the Warriors knocked off the league leaders 65-60 in a thriller Jan. 19 in the Alliance gym.The Warriors fell to the Aviators 60-41 when the two teams met Dec. 9 in the CHS gym, which is Carrollton’s only league loss of the season. Coach Mike Aukerman’s team has two remaining conference games on the schedule: Salem this Friday

By Carol McIntireEditorCarrollton Coach Mike Aukerman’s boys basketball team won its ninth straight game in dominating fashion last week, downing rival Minerva 68-41 in the CHS gym.With the win, Carrollton improved to 11-2 and 4-1 in the Eastern Buckeye Conference (EBC).“We knew they had some close games recently and were capable of playing with anybody in spite of their inexperience,” Aukerman said following the win. “We knew we had the

By Carol McIntireEditorCarrollton wrestlers opened the Eastern Buckeye Conference (EBC)season with a win, claimed the team title at the Licking Valley Invitational and celebrated Josh Carman’s 100th career victory over the past week.The team also made history as the Carrollton girls wrestling team competed in its first dual meet since being organized in November 2022.Carman, a junior, set the tone for a 43-27 win over Marlington with a 57-second pin

The Conotton Valley girls bowling team knocked off the reigning state champions last week on the Rocket Center Lanes.  Coach Brian Baxter’s Lady Rockets defeated Triway by 33 pins, 2,515-2482 and spoiled the Titans’ undefeated season.  Conotton Valley held a 101-pin lead after the individual games, 1,794-1,693. Triway clawed its way back into the contest during the Baker competition with scores of 137, 244, 184 and 224 for a 789.

By Carol McIntireEditorOnce Carrollton girls basketball Coach Nik Schweikert’s team dissected the pressure defense the Meadowbrook Colts threw at them during a holiday matchup Dec. 28, they were nearly unstoppable on offense.The Warriors put up 71 points and held the visitors to under 50 points, one of Schweikert’s goals, to post a 71-47 non-conference victory.“We’ve scored an average of 70 points over the last four games,” the coach said following

Coach Wendy Russell’s Carrollton girls bowling team notched another tournament win Dec. 17 at the New Philadelphia Quaker Challenge.Carrollton had a pinfall of 2,743 in the individual three-game series and a score of 1,232 in six Baker games for a grand total of 2,975, good enough for first place.Zoey Elliott bested teammate Aubrey Taylor by one pin and posted scores of 178, 235 and 179 for a 592 series. Taylor

Lincoln Mallarnee hit a game-tying 3-pointer off a baseline out-of-bounds play with 20 seconds left in regulation to force overtime with the Salem Quakers last week.Carrollton took the lead in overtime on another Mallernee 3-pointer and the Warriors pulled away on four straight Jaxon Rinkes free throws for a 55-48 Eastern Buckeye Conference road win.Mallarnee, a junior, ended the game with 24 points. Eighteen of his points came from 3-point

Maddie Powers sank four shots from beyond the 3-point arc, added 12 of 13 free throw attempts for 32 points and led the Malvern Hornets to a 55-29 win over the Conotton Valley Rockets Dec. 14 in the new Rocket Center gym.With the win in the Inter Valley Conference North clash, Malvern improved to 5-2 overall and 4-1 in league play.The visitors led 14-8 after one quarter, 27-10 at halftime

The Carrollton Warriors kicked off the 2022-23 wrestling season by posting a 3-1 mark in the Lake Duals Dec. 3.The Warriors topped Lake 37-34, Massillon 47-27 and Riverside 64-15 and fell to Western Reserve Academy 64-15.Three wrestlers posted 4-0 records, including Landon Jenkins (106); who won three matches by forfeit and defeated Clemens of Lake 2-0; Kail Snair (113) who won three matches by forfeit and posted a pin over

By Carol McIntireEditorConotton Valley bowling teams christened the new Rocket Center Lanes with victories over the Lake Blue Streaks on the first day of December.Not only was the match the long-awaited official opening of the 10-lane bowling alley on the lower level of the Rocket Center, it held special meaning to the teams and coaches as well.The match, which came a year after it was originally scheduled, pitted Robyn King,

Carrollton bowling teams opened the season with impressive finishes at the SCHBX Early Bird Tournament Nov. 19 at Park Centre.Boys competitionThe Warriors won the boys division by defeating Glen Oak 3-2 in the best of five championship round. Coach Dave Davis’ team defeated North Canton Hoover 2-0 in the best of three series to open the competition and downed Lake 2-0 to advance to the championship round.Stats for two individual

Three Warriors scored in double digits as Carrollton opened the 2022-23 boys basketball season with a 54-28 win over Tuscarawas Central Catholic.Senior Jaxon Rinkes led the way with 14 points. The point guard scored 12 points from the field and added two foul shots. He also led the team in rebounds with eight. Senior Micah Barkan and junior Lincoln Mallarnee both chipped in 10 points. Mallarnee and teammate Cayden Rininger

Malvern basketball coach Denny Tucci was named the recipient of the 2023 Paul Walker Award.The Paul Walker Award is presented annually by the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association to an active coaching member of the association who has made significant contributions to high school basketball. The award is named in honor of the late Paul Walker, the longtime coach of Middletown High School. At the time of his retirement,

The men responsible for making sure coaches in the press box could communicate with coaches on the sideline at Carrollton football games have both retired.Tom Haun placed the headsets in the case for the final time after Carrollton’s playoff game against Steubenville Big Red Oct. 28. His partner, John Wenner, retired after the COVID season (2020).The Carrollton residents served as the caretakers of the headsets for over 30 years for

Carrollton junior and senior girls took to the football field last week with members of the high school football team as coaches for a fundraising event.The powderpuff teams, accompanied by male cheerleaders, who received a few tips from the high school cheerleading squad, raised $2,450 for the high school Caring Helping Sharing (CHS) Club. The money will be put to good use, according to CHS Club Advisor Belinda Mach.“The funds

By Carol McIntireEditorTwo Minerva runners earned All-Ohio status at the 94th annual Cross Country State Championships Nov. 5 at Fortress Obetz on the east side of Columbus.The Lions girls team followed up their Division II state championship in 2021 with a fourth place finish in the team standings. Coach Olivia Scott’s Lady Lions were the favorite to repeat as champions in the pre-regionals Coaches State Poll releases Oct. 27. The

Minerva and Carrollton girls cross country teams finished first and third in the Division II regional meet at Pickerington Oct. 29, punching tickets for the state meet this Saturday at Fortress Obetz.The ladies will be joined by the Minerva boys team, which placed sixth in the Division II boys race.Minerva tallied 68 points and Carrollton 166 in the girls race and the Lion boys tallied 197 points. Fairfield Union won

Minerva qualified both its boys and girls teams and Carrollton its girls team for the Division II regional cross country meet Saturday at Pickerington.Carrollton runners Andrew Lane and Ricky Sibila qualified individually for the boys regional in District II while Conotton Valley’s Evan Siedel and Malvern’s Seth Kandel qualified for the District III boys race.It was a tragic day for the Lions as junior Owen Grubb was injured following the

By Carol McIntireEditorA group of five Carrollton High School seniors closed out the most successful three-year run in the history of the school’s golf program at the Division II state golf tournament Oct. 14 on The Ohio State University Scarlet course.The Warriors placed third in the field of 12 teams.It was the third consecutive appearance for the team, which placed third in 2021, and set the bar high for future

The Carrollton boys golf team won its second consecutive Division II East District golf title and qualified for the state tournament Oct. 14 and 15 at The Ohio State University Scarlet Course.The Warriors scored a new team record of 295 on the 18-hole EagleSticks course at Zanesville Oct. 3 to win the title. St. Clairsville finished second, 33 strokes behind the Warriors, with a score of 328.Sandy Valley senior and

By Carol McIntireEditorForty-eight minutes of football between two high-powered offenses came down to the final three minutes of the game at Sebo Stadium in Salem Friday night.The Salem Quakers’ high-powered offense, engineered by quarterback Jackson Johnson, and the Carrollton Warriors’ punishing ground game, led by senior tailback Chase Oehlstrom, were unstoppable for over three quarters of play.Then, in a matter of minutes, both defenses came to life. It was Carrollton’s

Carrollton improved to 10-8 overall and evened its league record at 5-5 with a win over Minerva last week.The Warriors and Lions battled their five sets before the winner was determined. Carrollton won the first set 25-18 only to have the Lions take the second and third sets, 25-16 and 25-23, before the Warriors came back to win the fourth 25-13 and force a fifth set, which they won 15-8.Bayley

Defending Division II state golf champion Connor Ritter won medalist honors at the East District Sectional Golf Tournament and the Carrollton Warriors won the team title Sept. 26 at River Greens Golf Course.Ritter, a senior at Sandy Valley, was one of four individuals not on a qualifying team who advance to district competition at Eagle Sticks Golf Course this week.Minerva senior Case Waller carded a 77 and tied for fourth

By Carol McIntireEditorJared Witherow is etching his name in the Malvern football history book.The sophomore quarterback set a new single game passing record Friday with 350 yards through the air against the Strasburg Tigers Friday at Malvern. The new mark is 13 yards better than the previous record of 337 yards set in 2010 by Shawn Ball.The 6-4, 175-pounder completed 21 of 25 passes, including four touchdowns, in the Hornets

Carrollton defeated runner-up West Branch by 331 strokes to win its four consecutive Eastern Buckeye Conference (EBC) boys golf championship Sept. 19 at Salem Country Club.Carrollton recorded a team score of 308 while West Branch tallied a 339, Marlington 343, Minerva 388, Salem 404 and Alliance 455.The season-ending tournament also marked the third time the Warriors were undefeated in regular season play. The team finished the 2019 season with a

By Carol McIntireEditorIn 1978, Conotton Valley Football Coach Don Hertler was a sophomore at North Canton Hoover High School. His junior varsity coach was Dick Gross.Friday, Gross, who retired from coaching in 2011, was on the sidelines watching his former player lead his Rockets to a 42-18 win over the previously once-beaten Bridgeport Bulldogs.“When Don was a sophomore our quarterback was Todd Blackledge: ever heard that name?” Gross asked leaning

By Carol McIntireEditorCarrollton turned two early Garfield fumbles into touchdowns and cruised to a 49-18 non-conference win in a rare Saturday afternoon game at Akron Sept. 17.A quick touchdown by junior Ryan Kiko after the visiting Warriors pounced on a Rams fumble on the second play of the game and a one yard score by senior Ben Zinda on a third-and-13 play on Garfield’s next possession gave the Warriors a

Conotton Valley senior Evan Rice ran for five touchdowns as the Rockets routed Strasburg 50-22  Friday in an Inter Valley Conference (IVC) matchup.  Rice ran for 306 yards on 25 carries and added two 2-point conversions. The Rockets started fast and kept their foot on the accelerator, scoring 28 points in the first quarter and 16 in the second to hold a 38-8 halftime lead. Strasburg cut the lead to 38-22

Elizabeth Funkhouser led the Carrollton girls to the championship title for large schools at the Dover Invitational Sept. 10. Athletes ran together in the boys and girls divisions and results were then broken down into large and small school division. Carrollton tallied 36 points in the six-team field to win the girls team trophy. Funkhouser, a senior, placed second overall in the girls race (first in the team competition) with

By Carol McIntire, Editor Carrollton Coach Jim Tsilimos’ Warrior football team set the tone for a 63-6 win over the St. Thomas Aquinas Knights on the first possession of the game. “I told them we were going to come out, kick off, get the ball and score and that is exactly what they did,” Tsilimos said following the victory. Carrollton kicker Lawson sent the ball sailing into the end zone

Senior Jaxon Rinkes fired a one-under-par 35 at Great Trail Golf Course Sept. 1 to help the Carrollton Warriors remain undefeated in boys golf action. It was the first of two meetings between the Warriors and Minerva Lions this season with the Warriors posting a 152-179 win.  Colton Moore carded a 37 and Isaac Warner a 38 for the winners. Cayden Rininger and John Birong both added 42s for the

Football, soccer, volleyball, golf and cross country highlights are featured in this week’s issue of The Messenger. Follow the fall athletes from Carrollton, Conotton Valley, Malvern and Minerva schools.

Malvern Football Head Coach Matt Chiurco will lead a young team this year but, he has a lot of experience returning.  Of the 13 lettermen returning, only two are seniors. The team lost several to graduation, including Tristan Phillips, Bryson White, KJ Thomas, Noah Ball (IVC North Player of the Year), Sam Foster, Will Steinberg, Kaden Grinder, Johnny Walker and Trevor Slider.  “We have 11 guys who at least started

First year Minerva Football Coach Tim Speakman is excited about building a football program at the school.He returned to his hometown earlier this year and takes over a program that won one game last season.Nineteen lettermen return to the squad. Returning are sophomore Hunter Dietrich, QB/DL; junior Nathaniel Frankford, WR/DB; junior Jon Davis, WR/DB; sophomore Jayden Yerger, WR/DB; junior Eli Miller, QB/WR/DB; sophomore Joel Gropp, WR/DB; junior Lance Deibel, WR/DB;

Head Coach Don Hertler noted the Conotton Valley football set four goals for the season which include winning a play-off game.  On the way to winning a play-off game, Hertler wants his team to get better each week, play their best games last and earn a home spot for an Ohio Valley Athletic Conference (OVAC) play-off game. The Rockets return several lettermen along with promising risers and newcomers.  “We have

Win league; win season; make playoffs Fifteen players were lost to graduation from a Carrollton football team that posted an 8-4 regular season record and garnered second place in the Eastern Buckeye Conference (EBC) with a 5-1 mark. The Warriors won their first Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) playoff game over Cambridge before falling to St. Clairsville in the second round.  The graduating class included quarterback Austin Colletti, who

By Carol McIntire Editor The Carrollton varsity football schedule looks a little different for the 2022 season, including a Saturday afternoon contest, three new opponents and all Eastern Buckeye Conference games clumped together at the end of the season. Canton South, St. Clairsville and Coventry are gone from the schedule, replaced by Manchester, Philo and Garaway. “Canton South withdrew from the EBC so we knew we would be looking for

State track meet results Minerva senior Connor Shingleton turned in the top performance of area competitors at the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) state track meet June 3 and 4 at Jesse Owens Stadium on the campus of The Ohio State University. Shingleton earned berths in the Division II 800 and 1,600M, placing seventh in the 1,600 and 16th in the 800. According to Minerva team officials, another competitor

Conotton Valley pays tribute to baseball coach Dave DiDonato or “Dino” as he is known throughout the baseball community, has decided to call it a career.  The Conotton Valley board of education accepted the resignation of the longtime high school baseball coach during the May 19 meeting.  When he resigned as the school’s athletic director in October, Dino announced his return to the dugout for one final season. That season ended