Category: Sports

By Dan Ries Sports Reporter Marlington Dukes senior forward Chelsea Evanich scored 40 of her team’s 46 points, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Carrollton Lady Warriors basketball team from winning 55-46 Jan. 3 in the Carrollton High School gym. Evanich, a 5”11’ Seton Hill University recruit, hit 13 shots from the field and was 11-12 from the free throw line. She scored 21 points in the first half,

A search is underway for a new athletic director (AD) at Minerva Local Schools. Current athletic director Mike Waller has announced he will leave the position in July. The new AD will take over in August. Deadline to apply is July 12.  Interested applicants must complete the application on the district website and email a cover letter and resume to Lola [email protected]. Call 330-868-4332 for additional information.

By Carol McIntireEditorMalvern found itself in unfamiliar territory in the early going of an Inter Valley Conference North matchup with the Strasburg Tigers Dec. 23.For only the second time this season, the host Hornets found themselves trailing in the first quarter. The situation didn’t last long though as Malvern erased a 10-7 deficit at the 3:07 mark of the first quarter and cruised to a 73-30 win over the Tigers.

By Dan RiesSports ReporterHillari Baker scored 13 of her game-high 22 points in the first quarter of a non-league game with the Dalton Bulldogs Dec. 23 in the Carrollton High School gym.The Warriors’ pressure defense forced nine Dalton turnovers in the first quarter as well and the Warriors rolled to a 67-41 win.Dalton would take an early 1-0 lead before a stifling Warrior defense took control of the game and

By Dan RiesSports ReporterTwo young teams took to the hardwood floor at Malvern. Dec. 20 as the Lady Hornets hosted the Conotton Valley Rockets in an Inter Valley Conference contest.Of the five starters for the Rockets, four were sophomores. Malvern countered with two sophomores and two freshmen. Malvern trailed early by seven points but put together a comeback for a 45-37 victory.Conotton Valley took control of the game early, scoring

Malvern held Conotton Valley to single digits in each quarter and cruised to a 75-20 Inter Valley Conference win Dec. 19 in the Rocket Center. The visitors took a 16-6 lead in the first quarter and stretched the margin to 43-10 at intermission. The Hornets outscored the hosts 20-4 and 12-6 over the final two periods.  J’Allen Barrino’s 19 points led a list of nine Hornets to put points on

Veteran bowlers Jadynn Thompson and Shelby Worrell snared the top two places in the Quaker Challenge and led the Minerva Lions to first place in the tournament, held Dec. 16 at Boulevard Lanes in Dover.  Thompson, a junior, rolled a 619 three-game series (213, 175, 237) and Worrell, a senior, bowled a 619 (205, 225, 189).  Others scoring for the Lions were Izabelle Genet 516(160, 165, 191), Anna Leach 497

Minerva and Carrollton split matches when the rivals met for the first time this bowling season Dec. 13 at Minerva Bowl. The Carrollton boys team picked up its fifth win of the season 2,610-2,346 while the Lady Lions handed the Lady Warriors their first loss of the season 2,644-2,450. Noah Hutson laid down games of 222 and 219 for a match high 441 series. Jaden Johnston rolled games of 225

Five Carrollton senior wrestlers participated at the Salon Classic last weekend, where they placed 13th in a field of 26 teams. Josh Carman (138 lbs.) led the group, placing second, followed by Levi Pidgeon (132) in third; Landon Jenkins (113) fifth and Owen Spilker (215) sixth. Kail Snair (120) also participated and earned the 100th win of his career.    CHS junior varsity Carrollton junior varsity teams competed at United Local.

The Carrollton High School (CHS) Athletic Committee is recommending Carrollton native Storm Hill to the Carrollton Schools Board of Education to be hired as the next head football coach. He replaces Jim Tsilimos, who spent five seasons with the Warriors. Hill’s hiring will be on the agenda at the Jan. 9 school board meeting.  Coach Hill is a 2005 graduate of CHS where he lettered and was a captain in

Conotton Valley left off where they finished the girls bowling season last year in tournament action: as a force to be reckoned with.  The Lady Rockets placed second in the early December Norton Panther Challenge last week. Nordonia was last years’ Division 1 state champs and the Rockets were the Division II state champions.  The Panthers tallied a 3,812 score while the Rockets scored 3,729 in the field of 18

Southern Local claimed the team title and host Malvern earned the runner-up spot at the Malvern Holiday Invitational held Dec. 9 in the Hornet gym.The Indians tallied 207 points with Hornets at 194.5 in the 26-team field. Waterloo was third 179, Liberty fourth 151, Carrollton B fifth 140, United Local sixth 131, Louisville seventh 116 and Carrollton C eighth 80. The Malvern B team finished 17th, Southern Local B 20

The Minerva girls bowling team won the 7th Dover Invitational over the weekend with three bowlers named to the All-Tournament team. The Lady Lions were 323 pins ahead of the second place team after the qualifying round. The team faced off against Dover for the championship and won the best of three Baker rounds and won the best of five Baker games against Riverview to win the team title.  Izabelle

By Carol McIntire Editor J’Allen Barrino is a name the Smithville Scotties aren’t likely to forget any time soon. The 6-3 Malvern senior guard was inside, outside, under the basket and on the baseline making shots, stealing the ball, grabbing rebounds and basically tearing holes in the Scotties defense on opening night of the 2023-24 season for both teams. Barrino ended the night with 27 points, just shy of half

The Minerva Lions girls basketball team travelled to Magnolia Nov. 22 for the season opener with Sandy Valley and came away with a 54-32 victory. The Minerva Lions forced the Cardinals into 13 turnovers and did not allow a field goal in the third quarter. The game started slowly with the score tied at four with just over four minutes left in the first quarter. Minerva went on a 7-0

Conotton Valley Senior Masyn Baker, the daughter of Jason and Heather Baker, signed with Bradley University where she will continue her academic and athletic career next fall.Athletically, she will be joining the Braves’s Softball Team and academically, she plans tomajor in Occupational Therapy.“She’s been the heart and soul of our team for the last three years, and I don’t expect anything different this year. She’s been the team leader when

Malvern Hornet senior wide receiver/defensive back Dylan Phillips was named Player of the Year for the north division of the Inter-Valley Conference when the IVC released the  All Star selections for the 2023 football season. Malvern Head Coach Matt Chiurco was named IVC North Coach of the Year. He led the Hornets to a 10-2 record and the second round of the playoffs where the team lost to Norwalk St. Paul

By Carol McIntire Editor  Minerva Cross Country Coach Olivia Scott woke on the morning of the State Cross Country Championships feeling good. In fact, she said, maybe it was the best she’d ever felt on race day. Scott’s “good feeling” got even better later in the day when her Lady Lions won the Division II girls race, 13 points ahead of second place Woodridge. “I was super confident in them,”

The Malvern Hornets (5 seed) will host the Norwalk St. Paul Flyers (13 seed) in a Division VII second round football matchup Friday at 7 p.m. This will be their first matchup between the two veteran playoff teams, so here’s what you need to know about St. Paul. This is St. Paul’s 25 time in the state playoffs since 1995, including the last 12 years in a row.  They finished

Minerva is once again sending its boys and girls cross country teams to the top race in the state this weekend at Fortress Obetz near Columbus.The Lady Lions won the Division II girls regional race at Pickerington to qualify while the boys team earned the fifth qualifying spot in the Division II boys race.With an impressive showing by a group of underclassmen, the girls team tallied 68 points with four

CCM Staff Report Dylan Phillips caught two touchdown passes and threw another to lead the Malvern Hornets to a 35-20 victory over Southern Local in the first round of the football playoffs Friday at home.  Malvern will face Norwalk St. Paul at home Friday Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. St. Paul, a 13 seed,  upset four seed Toronto 56-20. Jared Witherow found receiver Rodney Smith open for a 14-yard pass at

Submitted PhotoThe Carrollton girls soccer team defeated St. Clairsville 2-1 for the sectional championship, the second in school history. The Warriors (No. 9 seed) were scheduled to play Zanesville (No. 10) in the opening round of district action in the combined East District 2 Tuesday Oct. 24) at St. Clairsville at 6:30 p.m. Carrollton is 11-4-4 and Zanesville 8-8.Team members are shown above. Kneeling from left: Assistant Coach Adrianna Thompson,

CCM Staff ReportMalvern continued its dominance in the Inter Valley Conference (IVC) North Division Friday with a 49-0 win over the East Canton Hornets at East Canton and secured a slot in post season action.With the win, the Hornets retain ownership of the “Hornet” trophy, presented to the winning team in the rivalry game each year and cut into East Canton’s 11-game edge in the series (33-23-1), and was the

By Dan RiesSports ReporterThe Carrollton Warriors completed the regular season with a 34-0 victory over rival Minerva Lions at Dr. Robert H. Hines Stadium on Oct. 20 and earned the points necessary to qualify for the post season tournament.It was Carrollton’s first shutout of the season and Minerva’s fourth. Minerva has not beaten Carrollton since 2015 and lost the last 29 games.The Warriors (No. 16) will travel to Steubenville Friday

Carrollton opened girls sectional soccer tournament play with a 2-1 victory over the New Philadelphia Quakers at a wet and rainy Community Field Oct. 14. Gracy Martin scored first for New Philadelphia off a penalty kick with 15 minutes left in the first half. Just one minute later, the Warriors Isabella Nuzzolillo found the back of the net to tie the score at 1-1. Chelsea Pesta had the assist. The

 Minerva won its sixth consecutive Eastern Buckeye Conference (EBC) girls cross country championship Saturday at Alliance.  Led by Katie Ison in third place, the Lions tallied 28 points  to outdistance the field of four teams. Salem placed second with 38 points, Marlington third, 59 and Carrollton fourth, 118.  Ison, fourth, had a time of 19:43.30 just fractions of a second ahead of teammate Kayla Crissman in fourth place (19:43.50).

By Carol McIntire Editor Senior Dylan Phillips’ interception on the second play of the game set the tone for a mismatch between the Malvern Hornets and Tuscarawas Central Catholic (TCC) Saints on Friday the 13th. The Saints likely felt like Friday the 13th was their misfortune – punts taking bad bounces, passes going through the hands – was the Hornet’s fortune in a 63-0 defeat.  The win clinched at least

The Minerva Lions boys soccer team hosted the Carrollton Warriors on senior night Oct 2.  The match-up resulted in a hard fought 1-0 victory for the Lions. Scoring for Minerva was Jeremiah Smith with an assist by Aiden Thomas with 21:17 left in the match.  It was the second shutout this season for Jakson Boone. Minerva had 15 shots on goal compared to seven for the Warriors. Boone was credited with

By Dan Ries CCM Sports Reporter The Carrollton Warriors overcame a sluggish first half to defeat Eastern Buckeye Conference (EBC) foe Salem 21-7 Oct. 6 at Community Field on senior night. Salem came in with the same game plan as the Warriors – ball control. The visitors used a mixture of running and short passing to control the ball. The Quakers ran 13 plays and took five minutes off the

By Dan Ries Sports Reporter The Carrollton Warriors volleyball team hosted the Minerva Lions for a senior night game Sept. 28.  The Lady Warriors owned the night, winning in four sets 22-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-16. Carrollton jumped out to an early lead at 6-3, stretching the lead to 17-11 before the Lions mounted a comeback, tying the score at 18. The game would be tied three more times before Minerva

Carrollton fell to West Branch 8-0 in a battle of the Warriors Sept. 26 at Community Field.Goalkeeper Gianna James had 23 saves for Carrollton in the Eastern Buckeye Conference contest.The Lady Warriors traveled to Sandy Valley Sept. 26 for a non-league game and came home with a 4-3 win.The match was tied 1-1 after the first half. Carrollton jumped out to a 4-1 lead with 4:49 left in the match,

 By Dan Ries Sports Reporter The Carrollton Warriors used a ‘ground and pound offense’ to perfection Sept. 29 to beat the Eastern Buckeye Conference (EBC) favorites, the Alliance Aviators, 31-28 at Mount Union’s Kehres Stadium in Alliance.  Carrollton controlled the clock for nearly 33 minutes, keeping the ball from Alliance quarterback and Oklahoma bound Brendan Zurbrugg’s hands. Alliance ran just two plays in the fourth quarter. “We’ve been doing

The Ison sisters – Katie and Hannah – led the the Minerva Lions girls cross country team to a first place finish in the large school division at the Sandy Valley Invitational Sept. 23.The Lions tallied 34 points, followed by Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy 53, and Meadowbrook 106. Carrollton placed seventh (207) and Edison eighth (232), in the field of 11 teams.Katie Ison clocked a time of 19:15 to place

Malvern swept a young Conotton Valley team in three sets in girls volleyball action Sept. 19, but the outcome didn’t match the intensity on the court.Playing in the Malvern gym, the two teams traded points the first two sets with neither team gaining more than a couple point advantage the entire game. The Hornets came out strong in the third set, taking a 4-1 lead and never relinquished the lead

Ashlee Garner shot a 78 to lead the Carrollton Warriors Girls Golf team to the Eastern Buckeye Conference (EBC) championship at Zoar Golf course Sept. 21.The Lady linkers finished the regular season with a 15-0 record, 7-0 in the EBC. Along the way they broke several school records.At the EBC/Tri County Tournament, the Warriors placed second with a 335, but since they were the lowest EBC score, outdistancing their nearest

The Carrollton Warriors girls golf team remained unbeaten in regular season matches last week, picking up five matches.The Warriors improved to 14-0 overall and 7-0 in Eastern Buckeye Conference (EBC) action as the regular season winds down and tournament play begins.The week began Sept. 11 with a home match at Carroll Meadows against Louisville, which the Lady Warriors won 180-192. Claire Hostetler carded a 36 to lead the winners. Ashlee

By Carol McIntireEditorThe fireworks expected when the unbeaten Malvern Hornets hosted the once-beaten Sandy Valley Cardinals Sept. 15 didn’t materialize.The Hornets had no answer for the high-powered Cardinal offense and the Cardinals had a successful game plan that shut down the Malvern offense. The result: a lopsided 40-7 Sandy Valley win.Cardinal Coach Brian Gamble called his team’s defensive effort, “unbelievable.”“Ben Thomas, our defensive coordinator, put together an amazing game plan,”

By Dan RiesSports ReporterAnyone arriving late to their seat Friday at Community Field likely missed the first touchdown by the Carrollton Warriors on their way to a 41-20 win over the Akron Garfield Golden Rams.After receiving the opening kickoff on their own 31-yard line, Ryan Kiko took the handoff on a second-down play through the left side of the line and to the endzone for a 69-yard touchdown. Only 21

By Carol McIntireEditorA banged up, short-handed Conotton Valley Rockets team gutted it out Friday for a 20-14 Inter Valley Conference win over the Strasburg Tigers Friday at Leesville.The Rockets were playing without the services of multi-purpose player Kamden Wright and had use of Zach Putnam only on offense.“It took a lot tonight,” Coach Derek O’Hara said after celebrating the win with his team. “We kept fighting and came out on

On paper, the Conotton Valley Rockets and Newcomerstown Trojans played a pretty even contest Friday at Leesville. The scoreboard told the different story: Newcomerstown 52, Conotton Valley 20. The host Rockets scored first. Zach Putnam found receiver Kamden Wright open for 48 touchdown and converted the two-point conversion in the first quarter. The was the only score the Rockets would put on the board until the fourth quarter when Putnam

Hornet Rodney Smith (11) turns up field on his way to a 65-yard touchdown against Harrison Central. Lineman Zach Babiczuk (53) trails the action.

By Carol McIntireEditorA pair of miscues late in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference in a non-league football matchup between the Carrollton Warriors and Philo Electrics Friday night at Sam Hatfield Stadium in Duncan Falls.The visiting Warriors tied the contest at 14-14 with 9:40 remaining in the fourth period in a contest that appeared to be shaping up as a repeat of the week one double overtime win

By Dan RiesSports ReporterThe Malvern Hornets’ defense stole the show Friday night as they hosted the Conotton Valley Rockets. The defense held the Rockets to 117 total yards, only 22 rushing yards and forced seven turnovers en route to a 28-0 win.The game didn’t start off well for the Rockets as their opening kickoff went out of bounds at the Hornets 49-yard line. The hosts drove 51 yards in 6:15

Records continue to fall nearly every time the Carrollton girls golf team takes the course.The Lady Warriors have compiled an impressive 3-0 mark in dual matches and have won two tournaments and placed second in two since opening the season in early August.The Lady Warriors most recent win was a 53-stroke victory at the Marilyn Jackson Memorial Tournament Aug. 15 at Alliance, where they shot a 343 to claim the

By Carol McIntireEditorConotton Valley graduated a ton of up-front talent from the 2022 football team.With only three seniors on the team, the question for new head Coach Derek O’Hara heading into the 2023 season was how well the offensive and defensive lines would perform.His young lineman answered that question and put an exclamation mark on the response with a 48-0 win over Tuscarawas Central Catholic (TCC) in the Saturday night

By Carol McIntireEditorIf Friday’s season opener against the Manchester Panthers is any indication of what the 2023 season holds for the Carrollton Warriors, it’s going to be barn burner!The Warriors erased a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter, tied the game at the end of regulation, won a 37-30 thriller in double overtime and gave Coach Jim Tsilimos his 200th career win.The win, on the Warriors’ home turf, was anything

By Carol McIntire Editor For Carrollton Coach Jim Tsilimos, Friday’s thrilling win over Manchester was more than just a win on the gridiron. It was the 200th win in his coaching career. The modest gridiron veteran was quick to say he didn’t want the team’s thrilling 37-30 double overtime win to be about him. “I didn’t want this to be about me,” he said following the game, after he was