Riverside girls basketball

McDade, Fox Combine to Lead Panthers To 69-58 Victory Over Lions

The inside-outside duo of Darren McDade and Drake Fox combined to score 36 points as the Riverside Panthers defeated New Brighton 69-58 Wednesday night. Fox drained four 3-pointers on the evening while McDade poured in 12 first half points to lead the victors. The Panthers led 33-32 at halftime and erupted for 24 points in a pivotal third quarter to stretch their advantage. Rob Janis (15 points) and McCartney Plassmeyer (11 points, two 3-pointers) also scored double figures for Riverside. Taylor scored a game-high 23 points in defeated for the Lions. The win snaps a six game losing streak for…


CORE FOUR: Lady Panthers Juniors Look To Shine This Season

After losing three starters – Gina Carr, Samantha Rosenberger, and Jaylynn Timmerman – to graduation last year, the Lady Panthers return a core group of athletes looking to build on their regular season record from last year. The team will lean on a junior class that will trot out four starters for the 2023-24 campaign. “Our Junior class has been a huge part of our program since their freshman year,” says head coach Renee Drake. “The excitement is high now that they are upperclassmen and have worked hard to play at a high level this year.” Returning starters Gabriella Finch,…


ROUNDBALL ROUNDUP: RHS/LHS Girls Basketball

The Ellwood City girls basketball team was busy this week with three games on the schedule. The Lady Wolverines collected its lone win of the week with a non-section road victory Wednesday night over New Castle. After trailing by nine entering the final quarter, Ellwood City rallied for a thrilling 48-47 victory. Claire Noble finished with a double-double (15 points, 15 rebounds, 3 steals) to lead a well rounded offensive attack for Ellwood City. Six players scored in the victory, with three bench players (Elsie Sturgeon, Abby Caminiti, and Caitlin Kreitzer) accounting for 19 points and five steals. The girls…


PHOTOS: Lady Wolverines Down Rival Panthers

The Ellwood City girls basketball team raced out to an early advantage Thursday night en route to its 54-31 Riv-Ell victory over the visiting Riverside Panthers. The Wolverines used a 20 point first quarter to jump out to an early advantage they never relinquished on their home court. Kayla Jones scored a game-high 19 points for the Wolverines (5-4 overall) while Aliya Garroway (11 points) and Claire Noble (10 points) joined Jones in double figures.  Ellwood City held a 30-18 halftime advantage and 38-21 lead after three quarters. Gina Carr (7 points), Sam Rosenberger (7 points, 6 rebounds), and DeLana…


Riverside Basketball Teams Looking To Improve In Upcoming Season

With the winter basketball season quickly approaching, the Riverside Panthers basketball coaches are looking to improve from last years season.  Both teams see areas of improvement and hope to improve from last season. Young Lady Panthers Looking To Bounce Back After Last Season “We are a completely different team this year than last year” says head coach Renee Drake for the Lady Panthers, who is entering her second season with the team. “We only have two returning players from last season.” Megan Zelch returns at guard and is the only senior, and co-captain of the team. “She is a great…


Lady Wolverines Surge In Second Quarter, Race Past Riverside

The Ellwood City Lady Wolverines used a 21-1 second quarter surge to race past the visiting Riverside Panthers 45-11 Monday Night at Lincoln High School. After exchanging scores early in the first quarter, Ellwood City posted their impressive run in the second quarter taking an 8-6 advantage to a comfortable 29-7 halftime lead.  Great defense translated to multiple fast break points and layups for the Lady Wolverines. The Wolverines kept on the pressure through the second half in defeating its rival in the first of two RivEll Cup contests this year.  Ellwood City held Riverside scoreless in the final quarter….


Riverside Girls Basketball Ready To Ball With First-Year Head Coach

The Riverside Lady Panthers will travel to face Mohawk on Monday, January 11th before settling in to its first home game on Thursday, January 14th versus the Laurel Spartans.  The team will welcome the long overdue season and begin with new faces, players and coach, on the bench. “We lost a lot of scoring due to graduation, so we will need players to step up into the role of scoring production,” said first year head coach Renee Drake. Drake was appointed head coach of the girls basketball team by the Riverside School Board in June.  Former head coach John Wolf…


PHOTOS: Chesko Pours In 25 Points, Lady Panthers Defeat Wolverines

Brielle Chesko drained four 3-pointers en route to a game-high 25 points to lead the visiting Panthers to a 51-31 Section 1-3A victory over rival Ellwood City on Thursday. Marley Wolf added 13 points for Riverside (11-11, 4-10). Chesko easily paced the victors, accounting for nearly half of the team scoring totals. Kyla Servick led the Ellwood City (3-17, 1-13) with 17 points in defeat.  The Lady Wolverines struggled offensively in the second quarter scoring only four points and allowing a four-point first-quarter deficit swell to a fourteen-point halftime deficit. The Panthers girls swept the Riv-Ell season series, having earned…


PART 1: High School Basketball Athlete Q&A; Girls Basketball

When the temperature drops and the roads become white with snow, school athletics turn to the great indoors to continue their competitive play. Within the two schools that reside in our small town, one of the most prominent indoor sports is boys and girls basketball. To give our winter warrior athletes their time to shine, EllwoodCity.org has decided to sit down and provide a Q&A with selected school district’s basketball student/athletes. We begin our two-part series recognizing the girls basketball teams, while part-two will feature the male athletes. ELLWOOD CITY LADY WOLVERINES Maria Ioanilli: Player Name: Maria Ioanilli, Forward Grade:…


PHOTOS: Lady Wolverines Claim Rivalry Victory Over Panthers

The Lady Wolverines claimed a 42-31 rivalry victory over Riverside on their home court Monday night. Balanced scoring a third quarter spurt helped the Wolverines pull away in the tightly contested game. Ellwood City held Riverside to a single field goal in a 3rd quarter that stretched what was a five-point halftime lead out to an 11-point cushion. All six Wolverines who played collected field goals led by Senior Isabella Roth finished with a game high of 15 points (four 3-pointers) including twelve in the first half. Chloe Sturgeon connected on two triples and finished with 8 points off the bench…