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SPORTSBRIEFING

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Heartland Christian in regional semifinal BARBERTON — The third time was the charm for the Heartland Chrisitian boys basketball team. The Lions captured their first district title after a third straight trip to the district finals. Fourth-seeded Heartland (21-4) opens regional play against second-seeded Fairport Harding (22-2) at 6 p.m. today at Barberton High School. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for students. Heartland beat Fairport Harding, 69-66, in a district semifinal last season before losing to Jeromesville Hillsdale, 73-54. In today’s nightcap, fifth-seeded ...

Rhodes, Kalaher top picks

Local Sports

CANTON — Crestview senior Addison Rhodes and Heartland Christian junior Collin Kalaher are more than district champions. Both were named players of the year in their respective divisions on the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association’s 2025-26 All-Northeast Inland District basketball teams announced Monday. Rhodes is the Division V district player of the year for a second straight season and is a four-time first-team selection for good reason. She led the Rebels to a 23-3 season and their first district title since 2007. She is Columbiana County’s all-time leading OHSAA scorer with ...

SPORTSBRIEFING STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Local Sports

County basketball scholarships LISBON — The Columbiana County Basketball Coaches Association awarded $12,000 in scholarships to county seniors at the 39th Columbiana County Classic on Sunday night. Receiving $500 scholarships were Beaver Local’s Nicolas McKenzie, Luke Rettos and Bella McLevey; Columbiana’s Trey Snyder and Megan Moser; Crestview’s Tyler Savage and Ava Bucey; East Liverpool’s Elliottt Fitch; East Palestine’s Amara Wilson; Heartland Christian’s Isaiah Matthews and Kelleigh Shodd; Leetoni’a Ethan Mathia and Kasey Williams; Lisbon’s Ashton Hinchliffe, AJ ...

Potter girls make trip back to state

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MENTOR — United Local senior Auston Brown is headed to her fourth state tournament after action on Sunday at the girls district wrestling tournament at Mentor High School. Brown made it to the 135-pound final where she was pinned in 51 seconds by Talea Guntrum of Steubenville. Brown (41-5) is a three-time state placer for the the Eagles and was third at 125 last year. Brown is ranked No. 3 in the weight class by DubStat while Guntrum (41-0) is No. 1. East Liverpool junior Paige Cowan finished third after scoring a default win over Austintown’s Yelieishka Perez- Navedo in the ...

Nobody in county could slow Rhodes down

Local Sports

LISBON — Crestview senior Addison Rhodes has another trophy to add to her collection on the wall at home. “There are four rows of them,” she said. Rhodes scored 37 points with nine three-pointers in leading her away team to an 84-47 win at the Columbiana County Classic on Sunday night. “We saw her in the regular season (a 70-33 loss to the Rebels on Feb. 4),” said Salem’s Maddy Andres, the MVP for the home team. “You can’t stop her.” She said Rhodes is the best player she has played against. “She’s a good teammate, too,” Andres said. “It’s not all ...

Schmidt grabs 215-pound state title

Local Sports

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Oak Glen senior Noah Schmidt ended his high school career at the top of the podium on Saturday the West Virginia state wrestling championships at Mountain Health Arena. Schmidt conquered Shady Spring senior Joey Cowger in a 7-1 decision in the 215-pound Div. II final. Schmidt scored a point an escape point early in the second period and closed the match with two takedowns in the final seconds to pull away. No. 2 ranked Schmidt (47-6) dropped down from 285 this season because he believed the pathway to a state title was clearer. Last season at 285 he lost a ...