Breaking News

Sports Columns

Buckbeak: Mr. Consistency

Don’t look for Gable Buckbeak on the win leaderboard. Since coming to Wheeling in February 2007 from Corpus Christi, the middle distance racer has only tasted victory 11 times in his 60 starts and just four times in his 34 Grade AA trips. However, in the eyes of Gable Kennel trainer Wayne Piquette and kennel operator-owner Harlyn Goebel, Buckbeak is a winner. A May 2004 greyhound out of Gable Oscar-Good Life, Buckbeak has consistently hit the board since arriving at Wheeling Island from Texas a year ago. In his 60 Wheeling 3/8 starts, he has 11 wins, 13 seconds, 17 thirds and 7 ...

Kropka, Davia to represent HC in Ohio All-Star Game

Harrison Central’s football program struggled in its infancy. There’s no two ways about it. They went through several coaches and several winless seasons and just three years ago the Harrison Hills Board of Education hired a bright-eyed young coach to take over the Huskies program. And since the time Justin Kropka left Dave Bruney’s Martins Ferry staff to nurture his own program, the Huskies have been on a steady rise to respectability and have also just narrowly missed a playoff berth. Well, the work Kropka’s done hasn’t gone unnoticed by his coaching peers. The Martins ...

Flying Eagles-Miner duo fueled by desire

One is a veteran with stops at four different racetracks. The other is a newcomer with only 16 career starts. As different as Flying Rugby and Flying Wheeling are in experience, they do have one common denominator: a burning desire to compete and a refuse to lose attitude. “Both Rugby and Wheeling have tremendous heart and never give up no matter how far behind they get. They are two very determined greyhounds,” Flying Eagles-Miner Kennel trainer Ashley McMillen said. “Both have been consistent money dogs since coming to Wheeling and I’m glad to have them in the kennel.” ...

Shadyside’s Meintel prime for collegiate debut

Michael Meintel has been working toward the opportunity he’s about to receive this afternoon for quite sometime. From the time he was old enough to pick up a baseball, Meintel has been honing his pitching skills. Whether it was in Mustang, Bronco, Pony or during his high school days at Shadyside High, Meintel has been a dominant force on the pitching mound. Meintel experienced the fruits of his labor last spring when he signed his National Letter of Intent to join the Wright State University baseball team after a lengthy recruiting process in which several Division I schools were in ...

Same old, same old

It doesn’t matter how you color it, it’s still a loss. I’m talking about Wheeling’s 5-4 loss to Reading Sunday night at WesBanco Arena in ECHL action. The contest could very well describe the Nailers’ frustrating season in itself. The home team allows the first goal of the game for the umpteenth time, then ties the game only to see the Royals find the net twice in a matter of 49 seconds at the outset of the second period, with the first lam-lighter coming on a deflected pass and off a Nailers’ stick. Wheeling battled back and finally drew even early on in the ...

St. C., Shadyside carrying the O.V. flag

Both Kim Clifford and Ed Andes have been down this road before. The veteran head coaches have guided St. Clairsville and Shadyside to several appearances in the district tournament. However, while both are highly successful, neither has claimed a spot in the Ohio Sweet 16 in their careers. But once again, this week, the two will go after a district championship. St. Clairsville will be in action Tuesday evening in the 8 p.m. game at New Philadelphia High School against state-ranked and highly-regarded Garaway. Shadyside, meanwhile, will open its Division IV district tournament a ...