Light shining in mat return

December 29, 2017

Wrestling is about as individual of a sport as you can get. It’s just you and your opponent out there on the mat. Not everyone can be a wrestler. It takes determination, guts, hard work and many, many sacrifices. Travis Light has all of the aforementioned credentials, and then some. The Buckeye Local sophomore lightweight was partially paralyzed last February while competing at the Panther Classic. He was slammed headfirst to the mat and subsequently taken by medical helicopter to a Pittsburgh hospital. After undergoing months of rehabilitation, Light is back on the ...

Sam Andy Classic off and running

December 24, 2017

WHEELING -- Sam Andy is nothing short of an Ohio Valley basketball legend. The former Wheeling High and Wheeling Park taskmaster amassed an amazing 611 wins to go with three West Virginia Class AAA state titles - just two of his countless coaching milestones. He died in July of 2016. His legacy will always live on due to such monumental success. It will now be brightly spotlighted thanks to a new hoop tournament named in his honor which got off to a rousing success Dec. 16. The inaugural Sam Andy Classic brought six OVAC teams to WesBanco Arena, delivering an ...

Prep Wrestling: Two big tourneys slated during the holiday break

December 19, 2017

The high school wrestling season does not take a break for the holidays as a couple of exciting tournaments are scheduled before the ‘Big Ball’ drops to signal the start of 2018 at midnight on Jan. 1. The biggest of the biggest — the 27th annual Wheeling Park Duals — is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 28 and Friday, Dec. 29 inside WesBanco Arena. Thirty-two teams are entered this year and the action promises to be non-stop. “This is an outstanding venue for the fans because they will be able to witness each and every dual meet,” Steve Shaffer, former long-time Wheeling Park ...

Durdines excited with new football challenge at SJC

December 17, 2017

BELLAIRE — John Durdines resuscitated a football program on life support at Bishop Donahue. He did it masterfully for 15 seasons, taking it to OVAC championship levels before the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston closed the doors on the school last winter. Now the highly-respected coach has signed on to undertake an even more challenging task. Durdines accepted the head football coaching position at St. John Central this past Tuesday. The Fighting Irish have a great football tradition. Unfortunately, the Green grid program has been out of business for the past two falls. Why? Not ...

OVAC shines at Ironman

December 13, 2017

CUYAHOGA FALLS — Nine Ohio Valley Athletic Conference wrestlers competed in the prestigious Walsh Jesuit Ironman over the weekend, with one claiming the top prize. Parkersburg South sophomore Braxton Amos, who is ranked No. 3 among sophomores nationally and No. 4 overall, received a first round bye before winning four consecutive bouts. He pinned his second opponent before earning a trio of decisions. He nipped Ben Golden, of Lake Highland Prep, 2-1 in the finals. Amos did not compete in last year’s OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament. The Wood County Patriots also had a placewinner in ...

Committed players keep Reno going

December 10, 2017

STEUBENVILLE — When you think prep football in the Ohio Valley, Steubenville Big Red immediately pops into your mind. When you think Steubenville Big Red football, you immediately think of Reno Saccoccia. Big Red football and their ageless taskmaster are still basking in the glory of another state championship. It came in the form of a Division IV 50-36 pasting of Clinton-Massie last Saturday. The cherished title triumph helps to ease the pain of the previous two seasons of state runnerup finishes to Columbus Bishop Hartley. For Saccoccia, his fourth state crown at the Big Red ...