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Rataiczak records 1,900th consecutive game

During my high school days I had perfect attendance for all four years at Troy High School. Sure, there were some difficult times in achieving that honor, but I was the only one in my class of more than 300 to do so. Just think, roughly 180 days a year times four is 720 days of going to classes. Wow. That’s quite a lot of studying! How about keeping a high school boys’ basketball scorebook for 49 years? Tom Rataiczak reached a milestone Friday night when he charted the St. Clairsville versus Bellaire JV-Varsity doubleheader inside the ‘House of Champions’ on Guernsey Street ...

Bell building on collegiate grid success

WHEELING -- Elijah Bell is not one to rest on his laurels. Rather, the former Wheeling Park standout continues to raise his game. Bell played a key role in the Patriots capturing their first state football championship in 2015. He landed 17 TD passes that fall, encompassing 1,124 yards. Those gaudy numbers earned him the Randy Moss Award, given annually to the top wide receiver in the state. He was also named the USA Today Offensive Player of the Year for West Virginia. Bell's explosive skills, combined with his 6-1, 221-pound frame, landed him a grid scholarship to ...

Wheeling Jesuit, West Liberty wrestlers set to square off

This is a big week of wrestling, both collegiately and scholastically. Bragging rights for Ohio County will be on the line Thursday when nationally ranked Wheeling Jesuit University travels up W.Va. 88 to meet West Liberty University in a Mountain East Conference dual meet. The first bout begins at 7 inside the Activities Sports Recreation Complex. According to WLU officials, this will be a black-out event with the first 50 WLU students in attendance receiving a free Hilltoppers wrestling t-shirt and all WLU fans are encouraged to wear black. Both teams have had an extended ...

Youthful WJU spikers primed for regional

WHEELING — It has become a rite of late fall: Wheeling Jesuit University winning the conference volleyball championship. The youthful Cardinals captured their fifth straight Mountain East Conference net title last weekend, downing rival West Liberty in the finals at the McDonough Center. Christy Benner has built a net juggernaut in her 16 years at the Cardinal helm. She has directed the Cardinals to more than 500 wins and five-straight NCAA Elite Eight appearances. The highlight of that great run, undoubtedly, is Wheeling Jesuit's 2015 NCAA D-II national championship. ...

Mancini sees local boxing as key

CHESTER — A boxing legend doesn’t think fighters are as tough these days as they were during his career. Nor does he like the distance championship bouts are. “The bigger name fighters nowadays get paid a helluva lot more for doing a helluva lot less,” International Boxing Hall of Famer Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini said while attending the 9-card Feast of Fists boxing card Wednesday night at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort. “Ten or 12 rounds is not a championship distance. A true championship distance is 15 rounds.” Mancini said the change came about as the result ...

New lease on life

BELLAIRE — Larry Schmidli has a lot to say. It’s important, he believes. For, as he sits down today to enjoy Thanksgiving with his family, he’s thankful. Thankful for his new lease on life, one that came via an unexpected source. “I’m so thankful I have a family,” he said. “I’m blessed.” Larry has been through a lot. His mom died when he was 2 and his dad passed when he was 8. “My mom died the day of my birthday party,” Larry remembers. That left Larry to be cared for by his elderly grandparents. Truth be told, he was taking care of them. Quite a burden ...