Meintel prime for collegiate debut today

February 25, 2008

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 ...

Quick Strike barely misses track record

February 28, 2008

He is one of the most dominating 3/8 greyhounds to ever race at Wheeling Island. He has speed and he has power. In the eyes of Charter Kennel trainer Rodney Cooley, TK Quick Strike is the “perfect 3/8 greyhound.” A July 2005 greyhound out of Flying Penske-Joanne’s Peach, Quick Strike displayed his superior speed earlier this week when he smoked a 37.41 over the 3/8 course. His time was just off the track record of 37.40 set by DEA’s Magictouch on June 4, 2003. “Quick Strike is scary fast when he gets loose. He is probably the fastest dog I have ever touched,” Cooley ...

Wrestler with no limbs advances in state meet

February 29, 2008

COLUMBUS – One step closer to a dream come true. Hillsboro’s Dustin Carter isn’t your typical wrestler, but his goals are similar to most other high school wrestlers. First he wanted to get to the state and now he wants to win a state title. Carter, who competes with no legs, no hands and no forearms, has made it no secret he is on a three-day mission and its taking place at the Ohio state wrestling championships. “I wake up every morning with the biggest smile in the entire world,” Carter said after his first round match. “I lay back thinking ...

Young grapplers learn the ropes

March 1, 2008

COLUMBUS — Unless you have ever been to the state wrestling tournament in Ohio you don’t truly understand the caliber of wrestlers that are showcased on the mat. In a three-day grind you have 672 wrestlers from the three classifications. “To get better you have to wrestle better competition,” St. Clairsville coach Jay Michael said in an earlier column I did this season. Coach Michael may not have realized it, but his quote is a huge understatement. Being able to wrestle this caliber of guys on a regular basis separates the boys from the men. The teams that are making an ...

Davis ready for AFL

March 1, 2008

Eventually, if you work hard enough, your dream will come true. Well, former Bellaire High School all-state quarterback Jose Davis has dreamed of playing football his entire life. In fact, he almost has. The 6-ft.-1 Kent State University graduate started playing Pee-Wee football. He moved up to junior high, high school, college and then, finally, the professional ranks. In the pros, Davis toiled for the Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers during the 2000 and 2001 seasons before hooking on with his hometown Ohio Valley Greyhounds in the NIFL for the 2002 ...

Buckeye’s revolving hoops door continues

March 3, 2008

That revolving door at Buckeye Local is revolving once again and this time the folks in Panther country are looking for a couple hoop coaches. It just seems that Buckeye has had a hard time holding onto varsity coaches and at the most recent Board of Education meeting, the board accepted two resignations at once. Both head basketball coaching spots were opened up with the resignation of Joel Nau as the Panther head boys basketball coach and Brian Best as the school’s head girls basketball coach. Since the school opened with the merger of Buckeye SouthWest and Buckeye North for the ...