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STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS in athletics and music programs were among some of the most popular articles published in The Times Leader in 2023, with parents, grandparents, friends and neighbors all excited to see what local young people could accomplish.
The Barnesville Shamrocks were undefeated in regular football season play this year, grabbing their final victory against Union Local, 40-19. That win not only completed back-to-back undefeated seasons, but it was also the 26th consecutive victory in regular-season action, allowed the Shamrocks to keep possession of the coveted Milk Bucket Trophy, and clinched the OVAC Class 3A title.
"10-0 was not our goal. Our goal was to be playing our best football entering the playoffs," senior tailback Taison Starr stressed. "I think we are doing that."
All-in-all, twenty-one Ohio Valley Athletic Conference high schools qualified for the Ohio football postseason in October. Among those schools were Toronto, Steubenville Catholic, Southern Local, Conotton Valley, Caldwell, Bridgeport, River, Monroe Central, Beallsville, Shadyside, Fort Frye, Martins Ferry, Bellaire, Harrison Central, Edison, Barnesville, Union Local, Beaver Local, Steubenville, St. Clairsville and East Liverpool.
Harrison Central also made an impression on the baseball diamond this year. A seven-game winning streak carried the team to the Division III state championship. Unfortunately, Harrison Central found itself down 7-0 after two innings of championship play and handed a 10-1 victory to Apple Creek Waynedale, which successfully defended its 2022 state championship.
In wrestling, Barnesville's Reese Stephen captured the Division III state championship in March. The Shamrocks 150-pound junior, competing at Jerome Schottenstein Center on the campus of Ohio State University during the 86th annual Ohio state championships, earned a 3-2 decision over Beachwood's Josh Greenwood.
"I'm just glad I got it done. I am the first state champ that my dad has coached. That means a lot to me because I'm his son. I'm glad it was me," Stephen said.
Stephen is also the first Barnesville state champion since heavyweight Tim Moxley accomplished the feat nearly three decades ago, winning back-to-back titles in 1984 and 1985.
Another state championship was claimed by Bellaire junior Mayson Sochor, who in June hurdled his way through the OHSAA State Track and Field Championships at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on the Ohio State University campus in Columbus.
Another area native celebrated professional success when Oklahoma State announced in January that it had hired St. John Central graduate Bryan Nardo as defensive coordinator. Nardo graduated high school in 2004 and is a native of Shadyside. He was defensive coordinator at Division II Gannon University prior to heading to Oklahoma.
Also on the gridiron, but mainly at halftime, the St. Clairsville Marching Band competed in the Music for All's Bands of America Grand National Championships at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, in November, placing 63rd out of 92 high school marching bands from across the United States. The Red Devils marching band competed with bands that had up to 500 members -- much larger than St. Clairsville's band.
The band also earned a superior rating at the Ohio Music Education Association State Finals on Nov. 4. This is the band's third year in a row receiving a superior rating. The competition was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, but the band also earned a superior rating in 2018 and 2019.
And some individual musicians from Union Local High School marched in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Several times in the last decade, Union Local has been represented with students taking part in the Macy's Great American Marching Band. Seniors Carson Phillips and Brody Roman and junior Andrew Coleman took to the streets of New York City to perform.
Phillips returned for a third year in the band playing tenor sax. Roman also was no stranger to the Macy's parade and NYC. He returned for a second year on the alto saxophone. Coleman mad his Macy's debut this year on the trombone.