Hiram men’s volleyball enters season blending experience and youth
The Hiram Terriers men’s volleyball squad started their season 0-1, but Coach Kyle Martini is confident that Hiram’s best is still yet to come as the team enters a new chapter with a new coach at the helm. As The Villager previously reported, the Terriers (0-1, 0-0) will be on their third coach in three years but will have a...
Red Devil boys’ basketball come undone in fourth quarter in loss against Vikings
The Crestwood Red Devils boys’ basketball team had matched LaBrae point for point after three quarters but could not sustain their momentum in the fourth quarter and were outscored by 20 points to lose 82-60 against the Vikings last Saturday afternoon in Mantua. “The game last night against LaBrae was really a very good game,” said Coach Andrew Mertz. “It...
Garfield state champion thrower Edie Svonavec inducted in Hall of Fame
Garfield alum Edie Svonavec has never been one to brag about her multiple athletic accomplishments, such as being the first female state champion in school history. But her accomplishments still have been recognized by many, resulting in her being one of four new inductees into the Garfield Hall of Fame on Jan. 20. “It is an honor,” the 2015 Garfield...
Crestwood wrestling posts 3-2 record at Twinsburg Duals, takes third place
According to Crestwood Red Devils’ wrestling Coach Dave Wrobel, competing at the Twinsburg Duals was a good measuring stick to where the team really stood, and the Red Devils went 3-2 to take third place last Friday at Twinsburg High School. “It was nice to come out ahead and go 3-2,” the 26-year coach said. “I think that we had...
Garfield G-Men boys’ basketball edges Leopards, ends losing streak
Over the course of the Garfield G-Men boys’ basketball team’s five-game losing streak, Coach Matt Hill said that the team had shown flashes but needed to put together a complete game. They finally did so when they triumphed 60-58 against Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Grey Tier foe Liberty last Friday evening in Youngstown. “We needed a win any way we...
Garfield High School to honor 2025 Hall of Fame Inductees
The James A. Garfield High School Hall of Fame committee has announced its Hall of Fame induction class for 2025, recognizing four individuals for athletic achievement, coaching excellence, and post-graduate accomplishment. The 2025 induction class includes Edie Svonavec (Class of 2015), Vinny Sisson (Class of 2006), Aaron Gilbert, and Mike Moser. Edie Svonavec, a 2015 graduate, is being inducted in recognition...
Garfield, Crestwood and Ravenna set to new Portage County-based league
Less than a year after the official disbandment of the Portage Trail Conference (2024-2025 school year), a new conference is on the rise with an official announcement on Jan. 16 that the local Portage County schools are reuniting to form the eight-team Portage County league and will begin in the 2027-28 school year. The new league will consist of seven...
Red Devil girls’ basketball holds off Wolverines, snap eight-game losing streak
The Crestwood Red Devil girls’ basketball team celebrated senior night the right way, surviving a third-quarter comeback from Chagrin Valley Conference foe West Geauga to win 48-45, snapping an eight-game losing streak last Saturday afternoon in Mantua. “It was good,” said Coach T.J. Henderson. “With some of the inexperience we have at certain positions with certain players, those are good...
Area Schools Announce Formation of a New Athletic Conference
Communities across Portage County and the surrounding area are proud to announce the formation of a new athletic league. Beginning with the fall 2027 athletic season, the conference will bring together eight schools with deep-rooted traditions, strong community pride, and a shared commitment to student-athlete success. The new conference will include the following member schools: James A. Garfield, Southeast, Mogadore,...
Badger girls’ basketball relinquishes division lead in loss against Tigers
The race for the Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division banner just got tighter as the Berkshire Badgers girls’ basketball team lost 37-32 against league rival Chagrin Falls last Friday night in Burton. “It was a missed opportunity,” noted Coach Dave Albert. “The first time we played them too, we had a missed opportunity. We had a lead late and on...
Garfield G-Men girls basketball guts out gritty win against Huskies
The Garfield G-Men girls’ basketball team continue to show the grit and resiliency which has eluded them for the last several years. The G-Men stormed back in the fourth period to defeat Cardinal 38-35 last Saturday afternoon at the JAG Fieldhouse. “This is a big game for several of our players and coaches,” said Garfield Coach Aaron Gilbert. “Last year,...
Windham football joins Northern 8 Conference
The Windham Bombers’ football team will look a little different over the next two years, as Windham has agreed to a two-year contract to have its football team compete in the Northern 8 Conference, an 8-on-8 football league spanning from Ohio to Pennsylvania. “Sometimes change is necessary, and we felt like the time was now and it is adapt and...
Bomber girls’ basketball undone by poor third quarter in loss against Mustangs
The Windham Bombers girls’ basketball team’s first half lead against Northeastern Athletic Conference foe Matthews evaporated in the second half as foul trouble and a bad third quarter sank them, leading to a 40-34 defeat in a crossover league duel last Thursday evening at Marty Hill Court. “We got a lot of quality shots and a lot of breakaway shots,...
Berkshire wrestling nets fourth place at John Matteucci Tournament
The Berkshire Badgers’ wrestling team’s season of revitalization continued trending in the right direction when they finished in fourth place by scoring 160.0 points at the John Matteucci Memorial Tournament last Saturday at Eastlake North High School. “It was great for the kids,” said Coach Dave Malkus. “Getting those matches, even if it was not a victory, a couple of...
Streetsboro wrestling captures Portage County Tournament title
The Streetsboro Rockets’ wrestling team announced themselves as the top team in Portage County in a big way, winning the Portage County Tournament by crowning five champions to score 227 points last Saturday at James A. Garfield High School. “We came in to win that tournament and wanted to make a statement winning that tournament that this team is extreme,”...
Red Devil boys’ basketball stumbles early, falls to Mayhem
The Crestwood Red Devils boys’ basketball team’s joy about capturing their first victory of the season was short-lived as 24 hours later, they were defeated by Fuchs Mizrachi 65-49 last Saturday evening in Beachwood. “It is a tough loss,” said Coach Andrew Mertz. “The game was extremely physical. Obviously, that is going to benefit Fuchs Mizrachi, they are senior-laden, and...
Mike Moser adds to Garfield coaching legacy by reaching 100+ victory milestone
Finding stability as a football coach is no easy task but that is something that Garfield G-Men football Coach Mike Moser has achieved, having completed his 26th year of coaching the football team. In addition to having carved out a permanent coaching role, Moser has created an already impressive legacy, bolstered by earning his 100th career coaching victory in...
Portage County Junior High Tournament crowns champions at Garfield
Wrestlers from across Portage County competed Friday, Jan. 2, at the Portage County Junior High Wrestling Tournament, hosted by James A. Garfield High School, with champions decided across multiple weight classes. Tournament champions were determined through title brackets, with second place awarded to the championship runner-up. Additional placement matches were used to determine third, fourth and fifth place finishers. At 245...
Crestwood grad Charlie Schweickert returns to boys’ basketball program in coaching role
2024 Crestwood graduate Charlie Schweickert has always believed he has the voice to become a play-by-play television sports announcer, but he is also now finding his voice as a basketball coach, returning to his alma matter to serve as the Red Devil boys’ varsity assistant and freshmen head coach. “I am so incredibly grateful,” Schweickert told The Villager last Friday....
Ravenna boys’ basketball outlasts Akron Coventry in gritty battle
Ravenna Ravens boys’ basketball Coach Justin Rahim has emphasized that his team not just play with a physical edge but also a mental edge. The Ravens achieved that goal when they used a late run to pull away from Metro Athletic Conference rival Akron Coventry 53-47 last Saturday afternoon at their James L. Coll Gymnasium. “I told the guys before...
Rocket boys’ basketball grounded by Falcons in last-second defeat
The Streetsboro Rockets boys’ basketball team’s early season struggles continued, as they were edged by Metro Athletic Conference rival Field 51-50 on a game-winning shot last Friday evening at Streetsboro High School. “We had the lead the whole game until up about three minutes to go and hats off to Field,” said Coach Nick Marcini. “They made the winning plays...
Badger girls’ basketball locks down Red Devils in league clash
There is a new leader in the race for the Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division championship. The Berkshire Badgers girls’ basketball used stout defense to pull away from league rival Crestwood, winning 39-24 to vault into first place in the division last Friday evening in Burton. “It was a very tough, physical game,” said Coach Dave Albert. “They played very...
Garfield G-Men wrestling crowns two champions, places fourth at D-III Classic
The Garfield G-Men wrestling team may have been short-handed at the annual Division III Classic Tournament at Waterloo High School last weekend, but they showed their mettle as two G-Men wrestlers finished as champions, and the team finished in fourth place with a score of 299.5 points in Atwater Township. “We are making do with what we have,” said Coach...
Garfield G-Men girls’ basketball stays gritty, storm back to stun Southeast
After staying within striking distance throughout the game, the Garfield G-Men girls’ basketball team seized their opportunity in the fourth quarter, rallying in the final minutes to beat Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Grey Tier and Portage County rival Southeast 53-46 last Friday evening at the JAG Fieldhouse in Garrettsville. “This was a big win for our girls,” said Coach Aaron...
Bombers’ basketball fends off Red Devils for season’s first victory
The Windham Bombers boys’ basketball team finally snapped their winless start to the season by edging Northeastern Athletic Conference Stripes Division rival Lordstown 53-48 to capture their first victory last Friday evening in Warren. “It is something that our group has talked a lot about is gaining confidence and believing in ourselves,” said Coach Cody Apthorpe. “Unfortunately, typically the order...
Berkshire wrestling finishes as runners-up at Russ Ward Memorial tournament
The Berkshire Badgers’ wrestling team announced themselves in a big way as they finished in second place by crowning two champions to score 179.5 points at the Russ Ward Memorial Tournament last Saturday at Cardinal High School. “It was definitely on our minds as a coaching staff that we could push for a high placement but the boys, they came...
Badger boys’ basketball mounts late rally but still falls to Tigers
The Berkshire Badgers boys’ basketball team stormed back late with a dominant fourth period, but their comeback fell short losing 47-46 against Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division and Geauga County rival Chagrin Falls last Saturday afternoon in Burton. “It has been a problem putting the ball in the basket,” said Coach Joe Montanero. “They fight, the effort is there. I...
Raven girls’ basketball plagued by bad habits in loss against Bulldogs
The Ravenna Ravens girls’ basketball team’s slow start in Metro Athletic Conference play continued when they were defeated by league foe Woodridge 56-17 last Friday evening at the James L. Coll Gymnasium in Ravenna. “First, I give credit for Woodridge and their coach and their players, they played tough, they played hard, and they played their game, and they came...
Cardinal girls’ basketball shines in NAC opener, tops Pymatuning Valley
The Cardinal Huskies girls’ basketball team announced its presence in the Northeastern Athletic Conference in a big way. The Huskies controlled the game from start to finish, prevailing 45-32 against NAC Stars Division foe Pymatuning Valley last Thursday evening in Middlefield. “I think it is a total confidence booster for them going into the NAC and seeing what all the...
Crestwood wrestling nets 10th place at North Coast Classic
In a crowded field of some of the best high school wrestling programs in Northeast Ohio, the Crestwood Red Devils asserted themselves by finishing in 10th place as a team by scoring 357.5 points at the North Coast Classic last weekend at the Independence Fieldhouse. “Usually, week one you are trying to ease your way into it but this year...
