The best source for high school sports news in Lorain County https://www.morningjournal.com Ohio News, Sports, Weather and Things to Do Sat, 20 Jan 2024 03:42:11 +0000 en-US hourly 30 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.2 https://www.morningjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/MorningJournal-siteicon.png?w=16 The best source for high school sports news in Lorain County https://www.morningjournal.com 32 32 192791549 Monsters’ defense stifles Phantoms, 4-2 https://www.morningjournal.com/2024/01/19/monsters-defense-stifles-phantoms-4-2/ Sat, 20 Jan 2024 03:40:39 +0000 https://www.morningjournal.com/?p=816320&preview=true&preview_id=816320 Monsters coach Trent Vogelhuber was not happy with the way his team played defensively the last half-dozen games, so they worked hard in practice to correct those flaws.

Lessons learned.

The Monsters were decisive in front of goalie Jet Greaves on Jan. 19. They scored twice on the power play and went 4-for-4 killing penalties to knock off the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 4-2, in front of 9,287 fans at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

“They (the Phantoms) are top-five in minors against and they have a top-five power play,” Vogelhuber said. “Four or below is the amount of times we want to be in the penalty box. And then you have to win the special teams battle. That won the game for us tonight.”

The Monsters, first in the AHL North, are 24-10-1-1. They lost three of four games before beating the Phantoms, and even in the game they won, they gave up five goals before beating the Toronto Marlies, 6-5, in overtime.

“I thought defensively we were pretty good,” Vogelhuber said. “We worked a lot on that. I thought we had gotten loose over the last five or six games defensively.

“I thought we were a little bit rusty with the puck on our stick as far as execution goes. That went for both teams. That could be some ice conditions after not having the ice in for a while. So there’s room for us to improve. But overall it was solid and obviously we got the two points, which was great.”

The Phantoms scored first when the puck bounced off the end wall right to the blade of forward Samu Tuamaala, who flicked it past Greaves for his 12th goal of the season with 2:29 left in the first period.

Twelve seconds later, Luca Del Bel Belluz of the Monsters jumped on a loose puck in front of the net and beat Lehigh goalie Cal Peterson stickside to tie the game.

The Monsters took control with three goals in the second period — two of them on the power play.

James Malatesta broke toward the left post and took a perfect feed from defenseman Stanislav Svozil from the right circle. Malatesta took the puck on the forehand side of his blade, went to his backhand, back to his forehand and then tucked the puck behind Peterson’s right pad and inside the left post 1:33 into the second period for a power=play goal. When Malatesta went to his backhand, Peterson started to slide to his left as though he expected Malatesta to pass the puck back to Svozil.

“It was a great play, a really good move,” Vogelhuber said. “We talked this morning. (Malatesta) has been getting a lot of chances. He just hasn’t capitalized.

“But when you’re getting chances, you can’t focus too much on the end result. Just keep doing what he’s doing. He’s going to find the back of the net eventually.”

Malatesta made it 3-1 less than two minutes later. Jake Christiansen scored on the power play with 1:49 left in the middle period to finish off the Monsters’ scoring.

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816320 2024-01-19T22:40:39+00:00 2024-01-19T22:42:11+00:00
Olmsted Falls boys basketball: Peyton DeLisio has shown resilience through injuries https://www.morningjournal.com/2024/01/19/olmsted-falls-boys-basketball-peyton-delisio-has-shown-resilience-through-freak-injuries/ Sat, 20 Jan 2024 00:00:50 +0000 https://www.morningjournal.com/?p=815838 Peyton DeLisio went through more in 11 months as a middle schooler than most people go through in a lifetime.

The Olmsted Falls senior is a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and baseball, but there was a time it was all taken away from him.

“I think it has definitely matured me as a person,” DeLisio said. “That’s a lot at a young age, but I put my head down with the mindset that no matter what, the grass is greener on the other side. Just trying to work and be really focused on your goal at the end of the day. One step at a time.”

In the beginning of 2018, DeLisio was limping around playing basketball and it was thought to be a knee issue. Later on in May, he was diagnosed with a hip lesion after getting an MRI. It’s a rare condition where an area of the bone was withered away. The lesion was fortunately found on accident, and he had surgery two weeks later.

Fast forward to the following April at a baseball practice at T3 Performance in Avon. DeLisio was back and ready to go playing sports, and his team was working on bunting drills. He collided with one of his teammates, fractured his skull and had to get emergency surgery. That included brain surgery to make sure there wasn’t any further damage.

He missed the rest of the baseball season and his eighth-grade football season, but he was able to return to basketball in the winter of 2019-20. The rehab process was difficult, and DeLisio said the mental aspect was much tougher than the physical. He made it back to playing sports despite a hard path.

“For me, it was trying to wake up every day and find a reason to keep pushing,” DeLisio said. “My reason was to make sure that my siblings knew that no matter what, everything is going to get better. They were a big motivator for me. Obviously, as a middle-school kid, it was hard. It made me mentally tougher, and I matured physically and mentally.”

Olmsted Falls boys basketball coach Chris DeLisio has seen many athletes over the years come up from his time going to school and coaching here. He has seen the different challenges teenagers face, but this time it was up close and personal with his own son facing a traumatic injury.

“As a family, I think we’ve always tried to do a good job of finding the positives and the next. This definitely tested our ability to do that,” Chris said. “… As much as Peyton went through, I’m just really proud of him. Obviously there’s a pride as a dad, but there’s a pride as a coach.

“When you watch the kids that you coach and what they do and go through, every kid is trying to overcome some obstacle. To watch Peyton play with the effort that he plays with after everything that happened, I’m just so proud of him.”

Peyton plays basketball. He still plays catcher in baseball. He played safety in football. He hasn’t shied away from contact and like his father mentioned, he plays hard with full effort. If there’s a loose ball, he’s on the floor. There’s no hesitation despite the injuries he has been through.

Being a leader means something to Peyton. He hasn’t felt sorry for himself once through this journey, and he hopes others follow in his footsteps by working hard.

“I’ve never really played sports scared,” Peyton said. “I’ve always been a big believer in if you’re going to do it, you should do it to the best ability and as hard as you can. … Finally after all of those years, just getting to be with the guys and creating relationships (was great).

“At the end of the day, it’s not an individual legacy that you want to leave, it’s a great team legacy. As a team, we’ve built those relationships and tried to set an example for a lot of people younger than us.”

Peyton and Chris spoke highly of the support system in their corner. Peyton said he couldn’t have done any of this without them. Chris couldn’t thank the Olmsted Falls community enough for its support during those hard times.

Chris is proud of how his son has overcome all of these obstacles, and he really wanted to have this story out there for perhaps another kid who is trying to find their reason to keep pushing to get back into sports.

“One of the reason you love sports is the life connections of the lessons that you learn as an athlete that help you go into life,” Chris said. “When you see young kids thrown into that, it’s reversed. How can I life situation guide them through sports in that moment? Usually, it’s vice versa.

“It was no different for Peyton. He had to find a way to be a productive member of the teams he was on despite not being able to play. (We thought about) how he can find a role as a leader and be an extra set of eyes for his coaches.”

Despite the circumstances, Peyton pushed through and has taken the best from it. He’s currently playing a big role on the basketball team as a starter, averaging 5.9 points per game and leading the team in 3-pointers.

With the rest of the basketball season and baseball season coming up this spring, he’s on track to finish his career on a good note. Looking back to over five years ago, he had to overcome a lot to get there.

“At this point in my life, it’s almost something that I’m grateful for,” Peyton said. “In all honesty looking back at it, you hate it in the moment and it’s really terrible, but I’ve overcome it and grown from it. It gave me a fearless mindset of no matter what happens, everything’s going to work out just fine.”

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815838 2024-01-19T19:00:50+00:00 2024-01-19T19:32:10+00:00
Browns’ Owusu-Koramoah, Teller added to AFC Pro Bowl roster https://www.morningjournal.com/2024/01/19/browns-owusu-koramoah-teller-added-to-afc-pro-bowl-roster/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 22:29:30 +0000 https://www.morningjournal.com/?p=816298&preview=true&preview_id=816298 Browns All-Pro left guard Joel Bitonio had to bow out of the Pro Bowl because of the high ankle sprain he suffered in the Jan. 13 wild-card playoff loss to the Texans. Wyatt Teller, the Browns’ starting right guard, has replaced him on the AFC roster.

Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is replacing injured Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt in the Pro Bowl set for Feb. 4 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.

This will be the first Pro Bowl appearance for JOK, a third-year linebacker from Notre Dame who led the Browns with 98 tackles. The 2023 season was his best by far. He credited his coaches and teammates for his success.

“I think it was a combination of a lot of things,” JOK said Jan. 14 as the players cleaned out their lockers in Berea. “First and foremost, you put it in a scheme that allows the player to get vertical. You have the players in front. I know the defensive line didn’t necessarily get any sacks or anything, but if you look, they did keep those double teams pretty well for us to get vertical. So I give credit to them.

“Coach (Jason) Tarver (linebackers coach) did a great job preparing us as linebackers to be able to do those things, specifically in those positions that I was in. So, it’s credit to the coaches, my teammates, but also a lot of the stuff that they keyed in on and some of the patience things that you can see from the position that I was in.”

Teller is headed to his third Pro Bowl. He was an alternate on the Pro Bowl team announced last month. Bitonio was voted to the Pro Bowl for a sixth straight time in 2023. He battled a knee injury, back injury, oblique injury and finger injury during the season. His ankle was sprained in the second quarter against the Texans when another player rolled on the back of his leg. He missed a few plays and then was back at left guard. The next day he wore a walking boot in the locker room.

“He’s unbelievable,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said Jan. 14 in his wrap-up news conference. “He’s unbelievable. He didn’t have to go back in that game with a high ankle sprain, and most people couldn’t and most people wouldn’t. And he was not going to let his guys down. He battled to the end.

“He’ll rest up and heal up, but he’s a quintessential teammate. That’s what we’re talking about. When you talk about the Cleveland Browns, you talk about guys that will do anything and everything they can for their teammate.”

Wide receiver Amari Cooper, defensive end Myles Garrett, tight end David Njoku and cornerback Denzel Ward from the Browns also made the Pro Bowl this season.

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816298 2024-01-19T17:29:30+00:00 2024-01-19T17:30:02+00:00
High school boys basketball statistics for Jan. 19 https://www.morningjournal.com/2024/01/19/high-school-boys-basketball-statistics-for-jan-19-2/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 22:15:35 +0000 https://www.morningjournal.com/?p=816166 Points:

Name, School Games Points Avg (min 10)
Nathan Borling, Columbia 9 220 24.4
Sean Whitehouse, Wellington 11 226 20.5
Jacob Radcliffe, Elyria Catholic 6 118 19.7
Nolan Waechter, Brookside 12 223 18.6
Peyton Lerch, Avon Lake 11 201 18.3
Will Allen, Fairview 9 164 18.2
Collin Jones, North Ridgeville 10 181 18.1
Brandon Sharpe, Brookside 12 211 17.6
Jayden Crutcher, Elyria 11 193 17.5
Jaiden Guerra-Howard, Lorain 12 206 17.2
Grant Hartley, Keystone 11 187 17
Julius Moon, Open Door 13 219 16.8
Liam Goran, Keystone 11 176 16
Anthony Januzzi, Open Door 13 207 15.9
Collin Lucas, Fairview 9 137 15.2
AJ Gerber, Vermilion 11 165 15
Zavior Castillo, Elyria Catholic 9 133 14.8
Tyler Birk, Avon Lake 11 161 14.6
RJ Penney, Open Door 13 189 14.5
Burke Lowry, Fairview 10 143 14.3
Julian Patti, Rocky River 9 127 14.1
David Moore, Midview 12 168 14
Derek Occhipinti, Westlake 8 112 14
Tristyn Young, Amherst 11 149 13.5
Zane Austin, Avon 11 148 13.5
Nate Farley, Avon 8 103 12.9
Aaron Pattee, Open Door 12 153 12.8
Tyson Ziegler, Avon 10 127 12.7
Cameron Moore, Avon Lake 11 136 12.4
Ryan Raich, Olmsted Falls 11 136 12.4
Eggie Cordero, North Olmsted 10 124 12.4
Drew DiFranco, Midview 12 148 12.3
Jayden Parish, North Ridgeville 11 134 12.2
Jai Walton, Clearview 8 97 12.1
Riley Kearns, Vermilion 11 132 12
Eli Solak, Amherst 7 84 12
Taylor Blanton, Elyria 10 112 11.2
Landen Bray, Amherst 11 122 11.1
Dylon Susan, North Olmsted 10 110 11
JR Beato, Fairview 10 110 11
Naoki Soto, North Olmsted 10 109 10.9
Asiah Kielian, Lorain 12 126 10.5
Adam Michalak, Wellington 11 113 10.3
Steve Komar, Midview 12 121 10.1
Deakan Wirth, Wellington 11 111 10.1

3-pointers:

Name, School 3-pointers (min 14)
Nolan Waechter, Brookside 32
Jayden Crutcher, Elyria 31
Anthony Januzzi, Open Door 30
Dylon Susan, North Olmsted 30
Jayden Parish, North Ridgeville 28
Drew DiFranco, Midview 25
Nathan Borling, Columbia 25
Cameron Moore, Avon Lake 25
Ike Rowser, Lorain 24
Ryan Raich, Olmsted Falls 23
Teddy Budinger, Elyria Catholic 22
Tyler Birk, Avon Lake 22
Liam Goran, Keystone 21
Jacob Radcliffe, Elyria Catholic 21
Anthony Fernandez, Westlake 20
Ryan Yoder, Amherst 20
Ryan Turk, Westlake 20
Will Allen, Fairview 19
Zane Austin, Avon 19
Jayden Nazario, Brookside 19
Taylor Blanton, Elyria 19
Landen Bray, Amherst 18
Grant Hartley, Keystone 17
Brandon Sharpe, Brookside 17
AJ Gerber, Vermilion 17
David Moore, Midview 16
Lincoln Barnhart, Brookside 16
Cy Christensen, Clearview 15
Jaden Charney, Rocky River 15
Burke Lowry, Fairview 15
Riley Kearns, Vermilion 15
Tyson Ziegler, Avon 14
Logan Menge, Columbia 14
Peyton DeLisio, Olmsted Falls 14

Rebounds:

Name, School Games Rebounds Avg (min 5)
Julius Moon, Open Door 13 114 8.8
Logan Nagle, Keystone 11 92 8.4
Julian Patti, Rocky River 9 72 8
Steve Komar, Midview 12 93 7.8
David Moore, Midview 12 92 7.7
Aaron Pattee, Open Door 12 87 7.3
Nate Farley, Avon 8 59 7.3
Derek Occhipinti, Westlake 8 56 7
Grant Hartley, Keystone 11 76 6.9
Nathan Borling, Columbia 9 60 6.7
Jai Walton, Clearview 8 50 6.7
Collin Jones, North Ridgeville 10 65 6.5
JR Beato, Fairview 10 65 6.5
BJ Todd, Elyria 11 68 6.2
Charlie Steinmetz, North Ridgeville 11 66 6
Riley Kearns, Vermilion 11 66 6
Tyler Wilson, Elyria Catholic 10 58 5.8
Chase Mckenzie, Wellington 11 63 5.7
Peyton Lerch, Avon Lake 11 63 5.7
Korrie Freeman, Oberlin 9 51 5.7
Sean Whitehouse, Wellington 11 62 5.6
Ethan Elbert, Midview 10 56 5.6
Burke Lowry, Fairview 10 56 5.6
Ethan Meier, Columbia 9 50 5.6
Jayden Nazario, Brookside 12 64 5.3
Sam Brucchieri, Westlake 11 58 5.3
Carter Duley, Columbia 9 48 5.3
Matthew Bloomfield, North Olmsted 10 52 5.2
Gaga Maruna, Columbia 9 47 5.2
Julian Anderson, Oberlin 9 47 5.2
Dillon Foulkes, Olmsted Falls 11 55 5

Assists:

Name, School Games Assists Avg (min 2.5)
Anthony Januzzi, Open Door 13 82 6.3
Wyatt German, Vermilion 10 44 4.4
Ayden Cruz, Clearview 8 35 4.4
JR Beato, Fairview 10 42 4.2
Landon Wright, Wellington 11 44 4
David Moore, Midview 12 45 3.8
Brandon Sharpe, Brookside 12 45 3.8
Ethan Meier, Columbia 9 33 3.7
Grant Hartley, Keystone 11 40 3.6
Derek Occhipinti, Westlake 8 29 3.6
Julius Moon, Open Door 13 46 3.5
Landen Bray, Amherst 11 38 3.5
Tyler Birk, Avon Lake 11 38 3.5
Liam Goran, Keystone 11 37 3.4
Jason Geagea, Westlake 12 40 3.3
Drew DiFranco, Midview 12 40 3.3
Naoki Soto, North Olmsted 10 31 3.1
Sean Whitehouse, Wellington 11 33 3
AJ Defazio, Elyria Catholic 10 30 3
Ethan Elbert, Midview 10 30 3
Eggie Cordero, North Olmsted 10 30 3
Logan Connelly, Olmsted Falls 11 32 2.9
Danny Berg, Rocky River 9 26 2.9
Brady Engle, Elyria Catholic 10 28 2.8
Will Allen, Fairview 9 24 2.7
Jermiah Daniels, Elyria 11 29 2.6
Derek McCrum, Avon Lake 10 26 2.6
Collin Jones, North Ridgeville 10 26 2.6
RJ Penney, Open Door 13 32 2.5

Steals:

Name, School Games Steals Avg (min 2)
Grant Hartley, Keystone 11 41 3.7
Landen Bray, Amherst 11 37 3.4
Zavior Castillo, Elyria Catholic 9 28 3.1
Ashton Noble, Clearview 8 24 3
JR Beato, Fairview 10 29 2.9
Drew DiFranco, Midview 12 32 2.7
Brandon Sharpe, Brookside 12 30 2.5
Sean Whitehouse, Wellington 11 25 2.3
Collin Jones, North Ridgeville 10 23 2.3
Nathan Borling, Columbia 9 21 2.3
Derek Occhipinti, Westlake 8 18 2.3
Jacob Radcliffe, Elyria Catholic 6 14 2.3
Nolan Waechter, Brookside 12 26 2.2
Eggie Cordero, North Olmsted 10 21 2.1
Liam Goran, Keystone 11 23 2.1
Burke Lowry, Fairview 10 20 2
Naoki Soto, North Olmsted 10 20 2

Blocks:

Name, School Games Blocks Avg (min 1)
Tyler Wilson, Elyria Catholic 10 14 1.4
Burke Lowry, Fairview 10 12 1.2
BJ Todd, Elyria 11 13 1.2
Sean Whitehouse, Wellington 11 12 1.1
Riley Kearns, Vermilion 11 11 1
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816166 2024-01-19T17:15:35+00:00 2024-01-19T17:15:35+00:00
North Ridgeville girls basketball: Is Grace Kingery in contention for Ohio Ms. Basketball? https://www.morningjournal.com/2024/01/19/north-ridgeville-girls-basketball-is-grace-kingery-in-contention-for-ohio-ms-basketball/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 22:12:20 +0000 https://www.morningjournal.com/?p=815482 Since the Ohio Ms. Basketball award’s inception in 1988, The Morning Journal coverage area has yet to produce a winner of the coveted award.

Enter Grace Kingery from North Ridgeville, whose exceptional performance on both ends of the court game after game.

The question has to be asked. Could she contend for Ohio Ms. Basketball?

After the Ball State signee recorded a 27-point, five-block, three-steal and seven-rebound performance in a 52-49 win over Avon Lake, she averages 28.4 points per game, 11.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 2.4 blocks.

Avon Lake vs. North Ridgeville girls basketball: Rangers win completes season sweep

Time and time again, she has showcased her limitless seemingly limitless range. Combine that she stands at 6-foot-1 and has guard skills, she becomes a mismatch for nearly every opponent.

She has the third highest point per game average in Ohio, according to MaxPreps.

"I think regardless, if she is in (the Ohio Ms. Basketball conversation) there or not, we all know that she is one of the best players to ever come through this and in the state," North Ridgeville coach Amy Esser said. "She is going to have an amazing end of her (North Ridgeville) career and go to Ball State."

In the Rocky River Travel Basketball Girls Hoops Classic, Pirates coach Jamey Pfahl assigned 5-11 Mackenzie Russell on Kingery.

She was an All-Ohio midfielder on the soccer pitch. Russell transitions her length and athleticism to the basketball court. Despite that, Kingery scored 25 points in the first half, 32 total, for North Ridgeville to win, 44-39.

“What made (Kingery’s) performance so great was that I thought we were playing great defense. Mackenzie (Russell) was all over her, and she kept hitting shots and she was playing great,” Pfahl said after the game.

Avon Lake coach Paul Appel had to think outside the box to guard her, even with Shoregals defense stalwart Izzie Polinko guarding her. Yet, he still felt compelled to double-team Kingery.

“We never ran girls at people to double team and tonight we did that for the first time. … You also have to give a lot of credit to North Ridgeville,” Appel said. “I thought they shot really well. There are not a lot of girls you can double off of because they have a lot of capable players. It makes (playing defense) hard.”

Over 14 games played her highest scoring performance was 45 points against Elyria in an 80-51 win. Ten days later, she scored 38 in a 63-47 victory against Lakewood.

North Ridgeville girls basketball: Rangers prepare for Avon Lake with dominant win against Lakewood, Grace Kingery scores 38 points

Kingery showcased herself as more than just a scorer. Against Avon Lake, she recorded five blocks, three steals and seven rebounds. The latest performance put her average to 11.5 rebounds per game, 1.9 steals and 2.4 blocks.

"What (Kingery) puts on the floor every day doesn't necessarily have to be points, even though most times we need that from her. It's whatever the team needs for us to win," Esser said. "That is all that kids care about. She could care less about records and awards. All she wants to do is win. You can see it in every aspect of her game."

With Kingery leading the charge, North Ridgeville (12-3, 6-1 in SWC) has a chance to win its first conference championship since 1995. However, it plans to take the season one game at a time.

"I take it one game at a time. I worry about the future when it comes, so I take it step-by-step," Kingery said.

The Rangers will travel to square off against Amherst (7-6, 4-4 in SWC) on Jan. 20. The Comets lost to Avon, 51-47, but played North Ridgeville tough, for the Rangers to scrape by with a 59-51 victory.

The Morning Journal coverage area has yet to produce a Ms. Basketball winner. Northeast Ohio has had 16 winners.

Canton McKinley's Kierstan Bell was the last winner from Northeast Ohio. She won the award three years in a row (2017-19).

In comparison to last year's Ms. Basketball winner, Dee Alexander (Cincinnati Purcell Marian), she averaged 26.2 points per game, 10.1 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 2.6 assists en route to a Division II state championship.

Alexander was a sophomore in the 2022-23 season. Among the seven finalists, four of them were underclassmen.

Other 2022-23 Ohio Ms. Basketball Finalists

Sinai Douglas, Toledo Start, 5-4, Jr.: 16.8 points per game, 6.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 5.3 steals.

Madison Greene, Pickerington Central, 5-7, Sr.: 15.2 points per game, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, Division I regional champion.

Saniyah Hall, Laurel, 6-0, Fr.: Amherst native, 20.8 points per game, 9.1 rebounds, 4.2 steals, 2.6 assists, 1.6 blocks.

Rylee Sagester, New Madison Tri-Village, 5-6, Sr.: 21.7 points per game, 4.2 assists, 2.4 steals, 41.9% 3-point shooter, Division IV state champion.

Corri Vermilya, Loudonville, 5-9, Jr.: 29.5 points per game, 12.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 6.5 steals.

Reagan Vinskovich, Belmont Union Local, 6-2, Sr.: 22 points per game, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2.5 assists.

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815482 2024-01-19T17:12:20+00:00 2024-01-19T17:12:57+00:00
Keystone wrestling: Defending state champ Tristin Greene reaches 150 career wins https://www.morningjournal.com/2024/01/19/keystone-wrestling-defending-state-champ-tristin-greene-reaches-150-career-wins/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 22:04:55 +0000 https://www.morningjournal.com/?p=815289 Just about any athlete will tell you they hate losing.

The thought drives athletes of the past and present up a wall. It’s ingrained into psyche and also frowned upon by others. Losing simply doesn’t feel good.

What people tend to overlook is how losing doesn’t have to be all negative. The lessons learned from losing are often more numerous than what is gained from winning. Athletes learn to improve upon their deficiencies and are better off going forward.

Take Keystone defending Division III 157-pound state champion and two-time state qualifier Tristin Greene as an example.

Entering the 2022 Division II state wrestling tournament with a 46-3 record as a sophomore at 138 pounds, Greene scored a tech fall and a decision on his way to the championship semifinals the night of March 12. A win would put him in the title match.

When an exhausted Greene fell to Columbian’s Bret Minnick by decision, 7-2, he was visibly upset. While he’d win another match, he’d lose out on third place via a 3-1 decision. That left him even more frustrated coming off the mat during the third day’s morning session.

Once he got over those sophomore year shortcomings, all Greene has done is win and learn from those experiences. He became a Fargo National Champion in 16-Under Greco Roman that same summer before taking home the state crown last year, going 47-2.

On Jan. 13, Greene kept rolling and at Northwestern’s Husky Invitational, he reached a significant milestone – 150 career wins.

“I knew this was coming for a while now,” Greene said. “Last year, I ended the season with about 130 – maybe a little more – wins. But I knew it was coming, knew it was going to be any day now. It happened last weekend, and it was kind of cool.”

Following two conference quad dual wins Jan. 18, Greene sits at 155 career wins to 12 career losses. He has lost only four total OHSAA matches since his junior year began – two losses each in 2022 and 2023 at the Walsh Iron Man, considered to be one of – if not the – toughest tournaments in the nation.

While those losses have built Greene up, they don’t define him. The past is the past, and he’s looking forward to bigger and better things.

“I try not to look back on losses in a negative light,” he said. “Like I said before, I look at them for guidance and how to get better.”

Greene has a pathway to take over the top spot on the Wildcats’ career wins leaderboard by the end of the year. William Spangler (173-23 record) and Brian Spangler (157-22) stand in Greene’s way – with the current senior having an outside shot at 175 career victories. What would Greene say to himself back two years ago after all he’s accomplished since then?

Keystone's Tristin Greene dominated on his way to a state title at the 2023 Division III state wrestling tournament. (Steve Hare For The Morning Journal)
Keystone’s Tristin Greene dominated on his way to a state title at the 2023 Division III state wrestling tournament. (Steve Hare — For The Morning Journal)

“Just keep working hard,” Greene answered.

“Push yourself, go with the best guys you can. Don’t think about trying to win state anymore – try thinking about winning nationals. Try to prepare yourself to beat the best guy in the nation instead of the best guy in the state because the best guy in the state will come naturally if you can beat the best guy in the nation. Always look for that next step.”

Greene has done exactly that. He keeps his focus on the moment and never looks too far ahead in a bracket trying to gameplan a path to the finals. That’s where many wrestlers will trip themselves up mentally by ignoring the opponent in front of them.

“That’s always been… kind of pushed in my skull,” Greene noted. “Just don’t look at the brackets too much, don’t really worry about who you’re going to face. Just wrestle your next match.”

Greene seeks out the best competition and continually works on addressing his flaws, many of which are hard to find nowadays.

“You can ask my coach (Chris Vondruska), I always ask for film,” he said. “I always look for what my guy does – I love planning against my guys.”

Greene cracked a smile, as a memory bubbled to the surface.

“Coach (Vondruska) once made a joke that if I could know what (my opponents) had for breakfast that day, I’d want to know.” The defending state champ chuckled before wrapping up his point.

“I’m just a very competitive person. I love to win. And if I can do almost anything to get a better chance at that, I would.”

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815289 2024-01-19T17:04:55+00:00 2024-01-19T17:05:39+00:00
Morning Journal Players of the Week for Jan. 19 https://www.morningjournal.com/2024/01/19/morning-journal-players-of-the-week-for-jan-19/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 13:00:22 +0000 https://www.morningjournal.com/?p=815303 Emilie Conley

Elyria>>Girls wrestling

Sophomore>>135 pounds

On the mat: Went 5-0 with four pins and won the individual championship at the Freddie Invitational in Fredericktown.

Off the mat: Nicknamed ‘Em.’ Conley’s favorite sports memories often involve spending free time with her teammates before and after tournaments. Her favorite hobby is drawing and favorite school subject is chemistry. Conley’s favorite song is “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

Austin Dye

Midview>>Boys wrestling

Senior>>285 pounds

On the mat: The two-time state qualifier and one-time state placer took home the individual title at the Maumee Bay Classic, recording his 100th career win in the process.

Off the mat: Dye is undecided on what college he wants to go to, but he plans to wrestle if he attends. One of his favorite sports memories was at last year’s state wrestling tournament when he won his match to place after losing to the same wrestler by a point in the district championship semifinals. A few hobbies of his are swimming, playing basketball with friends, and working on old cars.

Evan Alexy

Bay>>Boys basketball

Senior>>Center

On the court: Against Elyria Catholic on Jan. 9, Alexy posted a double-double with 23 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and a block.

Off the court: Nicknamed “King,” Alexy’s top choices for college are Dayton and Miami University, and he’s undecided about playing basketball in college. In his own words, “I’ve lived in Bay Village my whole life. My favorite hobbies have to be going fishing or golfing. And finally, my favorite basketball memory is getting an alley-oop dunk in our first playoff game last year, and then winning that game.”

Emma Molenaar

Avon>>Girls swimming

Freshman

In the pool: Molenaar did not lose over the previous week, going 7-for-7 in winning events at dual meets. She also qualified for all four of her events’ finals at the 87-team classic, among other feats.

Out of the pool: In Molenaar’s own words, “I have been swimming competitively since the age of 7 and my favorite memory throughout the course of my athletic career would have to be the time I broke a minute in my 100 free for the first time. My hobbies include writing, journaling and reading! Biology is my favorite school subject, my favorite food is sushi, and my favorite sports team is the Arizona Diamondbacks.”

Ian Rottari

North Ridgeville>>Boys wrestling

Junior>>106 pounds

On the mat: Rottari went 6-0 last week with five pins and a decision, going on to win the 106-pound championship at the John Matteucci Memorial Classic. In his finals match, Rottari was down 10-0 and came back with a pin to win the championship

Off the mat: In Rottari’s own words, “My favorite sports memory was qualifying for districts my freshman year. My hobbies are playing video games and training jiu-jitsu with my dad and my brother. Some things I like are my dogs, watching UFC and going out to eat. My favorite food is shrimp, and my favorite show is “Attack on Titan.”

Isabelle Niederst

Elyria Catholic>>Girls basketball

Senior>>Point guard

On the court: Going up against Rocky River on Jan. 13, Niederst stuffed the stats sheet with 29 points, seven rebounds, three assists and five steals.

Off the court: Nicknamed “Iz,” the Avon native will be attending Tiffin University, where she will play basketball. Her favorite sport is basketball and she also loves volleyball and softball. Niederst’s favorite school subject is math and her favorite food is steak. She likes watching college basketball and football. For music genres, she likes country and rap.

Ben Montgomery

Brookside>>Boys basketball

Senior>>Guard

On the court: Montgomery had 21 points on 8-for-9 shooting – going 5-for-6 from the free-throw line, with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals in the Cardinal’s 95-76 win over Black River on Jan. 9. He had only scored 23 points on the season going into that game.

Off the court: Nicknamed “Showtime,” Montgomery is undecided on college. His favorite sports memories are being named a two-time All-Ohio selection in football and “Going to B-Dubs with the team.” His favorite school subject is Advanced Video Production; Movie: “Wolf of Wall Street;” TV Show: “Jujutsu Kaisen;” Musician: J Cole and sports team: Cavaliers.

Edgardo Cordero

North Olmsted>>Boys basketball

Senior>> Shooting guard

On the court: In two huge wins over Westlake and Bay, Cordero has averaged 19 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Against Bay, the game was tied 58-58 with 10 seconds left and Cordero drove to the rim and got an and-one free-throw to go through to win the game.

Off the court: Nicknamed “Eggie,” Cordero said that he plans on going to college and play basketball, but is undecided. In his own words, “My favorite memory playing basketball at North Olmsted was my junior year when we would go out with the team to eat. Those were always the best. I miss my teammates from last year. My hobbies are helping my mom around the house and spending time with family, which I think is very important. I have hitchhiker’s thumb. I was told it is very rare and a secret talent I have is playing the guitar. I love all Cleveland sports but my Browns take the cake. I love watching them play on Sundays, whether I’m at the game or watching on the TV.” His family is spread from the Dominican Republic to California, New York and Florida.

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815303 2024-01-19T08:00:22+00:00 2024-01-18T20:48:58+00:00
High school scoreboard for Jan. 18 https://www.morningjournal.com/2024/01/18/high-school-scoreboard-for-jan-18-4/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 03:39:15 +0000 https://www.morningjournal.com/?p=816001 Wrestling

Berea-Midpark 60, North Ridgeville 21

Elyria 37, Amherst 29

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816001 2024-01-18T22:39:15+00:00 2024-01-18T22:47:30+00:00
North Ridgeville wrestling: Ian Rottari uses his past experiences against opponents https://www.morningjournal.com/2024/01/18/north-ridgeville-wrestling-ian-rottari-uses-his-past-experiences-against-opponents/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 02:24:26 +0000 https://www.morningjournal.com/?p=815865 In his third season wrestling at 106 pounds, North Ridgeville’s Ian Rottari looks like a different wrestler.

A district qualifier in 2022 as a freshman, Rottari improved in his second high school season but narrowly missed on a return trip to the district round in 2023.

Earning 43-second pinfall victory against Berea-Midpark in a Jan. 18 dual match — which went in the Titans favor by a 60-21 final score — the junior was one of four Rangers winning in the five wrestled matches.

Rottari went out on the mat as the aggressor and came away with his 20th victory of the season to only six losses.

The weekend prior, Rottari trailed by as much as 10-0 in the second period of Eastlake North’s John Matteucci Memorial Classic against Western Reserve freshman Lucas Summerfield.

Using experience and skills built upon several more high-level matches, Rottari turned the tables and scored a pinfall with 25 seconds remaining in that second period to take the tournament title away from Summerfield.

“This year, I feel like I’m going out (on the mat) with a lot more confidence,” Rottari noted. “I know what my moves are going to be. I’ve been really honing in on that bar — I’m really getting that move down. I’m just going out there with a lot more confidence, a lot more energy.”

PHOTOS: North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024

Rottari managed to keep his composure in that title match, not initially realizing he’d beaten Summerfield.

“It was unbelievable!” Rottari exclaimed. “When I won, it didn’t sink in until a couple of seconds after.

“I kept my composure — I felt that he was going a little to high (with positioning). He was getting a little cocky, in a sense. So I took advantage — took my shot, hit my quarter, and it was there. It was a pin.”

“Ian’s had his ups and downs, but he’s seemed to develop a pretty good mindset right now. We’re watching him become more aggressive,” North Ridgeville coach Joel Melvin said, who was coaching the girls team last week and at another site but was following along.

“To see him down and come back to get the pin, that’s the grit that we need out of him,” Melvin continued. “We need him. He’s 106 pounds, he’s a junior and he should be able to be very successful. He’s got the skill set – Now it’s just a matter of digging down deep and just getting after it.”

With most wrestlers who start at 106 pounds typically being first or second-year high school wrestlers, Rottari’s third season at the lightest weight class isn’t typical. Compared to other high schoolers, he has an edge in the experience department as an elder statesman of sorts.

With each weight class there’s a different style to it, with the style of someone wrestling at 138 pounds vastly different from Rottari’s 106 class. He’s seen the moves in nearly 100 total high school matches and how to stay in the moment against kids who may have done a lot of work in youth, but not on the high school stage before.

Rottari’s made those mistakes the younger wrestlers have made and he knows from experience what to look for from his opponents.

“Back in those (first two) years, I’d always get hit with those bars and get snapped down,” he said. “Now I’m doing the moves on them. I can definitely recognize the patterns of my mistakes and put them onto the mat.”

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815865 2024-01-18T21:24:26+00:00 2024-01-18T21:24:26+00:00
PHOTOS: North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024 https://www.morningjournal.com/2024/01/18/photos-north-ridgeville-vs-berea-midpark-wrestling-jan-18-2024/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 02:07:56 +0000 https://www.morningjournal.com/?p=815993 Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024, by Joe Colon.

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • North Ridgeville's Ian Rottari works an arm bar into an...

    North Ridgeville's Ian Rottari works an arm bar into an eventual pin during his 106-pound dual match against Berea-Midpark, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

  • Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024....

    Photos from North Ridgeville vs. Berea-Midpark wrestling, Jan. 18, 2024. (Joe Colon - For The Morning Journal)

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815993 2024-01-18T21:07:56+00:00 2024-01-19T06:49:47+00:00