Fall Sports Q&A 2026: Part 4 Ellwood City Athletes

This is part four of a four-part series featuring area athletes in fall 2026 sports.

The start of fall sports is upon us, so we took the opportunity catch up with the athletes of those teams to see what they are doing to prepare for the upcoming rivalries and to offer some perspective on the season ahead and their plans for the future.

ICYMI: Wolverines Football Team Under Direction Of New Head Coach

Dante Venezie

School you attend? Lincoln High School

Sport? Golf

Grade? 12

How many years have you have participated? 2 years

What do you feel is your biggest strength? My mental game, being able to stay cool even after bad shots

What is your favorite part of it? Having fun and shooting low rounds with my friends

Who do you feel is your biggest rivalry this upcoming season? Neshannock

What has been your favorite memory been over the years? hitting a hole in one on hole 13

What is one thing that you have learned through your participation in sports that will carry with you through your life? Putting your energy more towards the future is more important than putting thought into what has already happened in the past

What are your future plans after graduation? I plan to attend college and get a degree in business

Do you plan to continue to play sports after high school? No

Olivia Parson

School you attend? Lincoln Jr/Sr High School

Sport? Cross Country

Grade? 12th grade

How many years have you have participated? 3 years

What do you feel is your biggest strength? I feel that my biggest strength is being a leader for the team and constantly encouraging others.

What is your favorite part of it? My favorite part is being part of the team and constantly encouraging others.

Who do you feel is your biggest rivalry this upcoming season? I think Shenango will be our biggest rivalry.

What has been your favorite memory been over the years? The making of lifelong friendships has been my favorite part of it.

What is one thing that you have learned through your participation in sports that will carry with you through your life? I have learned that hard work and consistency will always pay off in the end.

What are your future plans after graduation? I plan on attending a four-year university to major in education.

Do you plan to continue to play sports after high school? I plan on playing sports after high school.

Laine Photography

Reese Edwards

School you attend? Lincoln High School

Sport? Cross Country

Grade? 11th

How many years have you have participated? This will be my 5th cross country season.

What do you feel is your biggest strength? Perseverance. Together we have run in almost every weather condition possible, but also being able to work through all it means to be a student athlete takes perseverance.

What is your favorite part of it? The community that we have built. Through the years we have gained and lost runners, but our current team is very strong. I really like getting to do this sport with my friends.

Who do you feel is your biggest rivalry this upcoming season? Mohawk and Neshannock are our biggest competition.

What has been your favorite memory been over the years? Going to States last year, definitely! I was ecstatic when we placed at WPIAL’s. But getting to go to Hershey with my teammates was even better.

What is one thing that you have learned through your participation in sports that will carry with you through your life? To just keep going and pushing.

What are your future plans after graduation? I started looking at colleges this summer, but I plan to go where I can specialize in Forensic Linguistics.

Do you plan to continue to play sports after high school? I’m undecided, but running is something that I will definitely do for as long as I can.

Jacoby McKinney

School you attend? Ellwood City

Sport? Cross Country

Grade? 11

How many years have you have participated? Since 7th Grade, this will be my 5th year

What do you feel is your biggest strength? I believe my biggest strength is enjoying the process of getting better every single day.

What is your favorite part of it? My favorite part of running is the practices and all the time spent with my teammates working towards a common goal.

Who do you feel is your biggest rivalry this upcoming season?  Our section is very competitive this year, which means each race will have strong competition. I believe that competition will make everyone better.

What has been your favorite memory been over the years? My favorite memory was last season, when the cross-country team qualified for states. The five of us working towards that goal are memories that I will cherish forever.

What is one thing that you have learned through your participation in sports that will carry with you through your life? Since I’ve started running, I have learned that with hard work and determination, anything is possible. I believe that has made me a better person in my everyday life.

What are your future plans after graduation?  I’m still figuring out exactly what I want to study in college. I’m excited to see where running takes me while also weighing my options academically.

Do you plan to continue to play sports after high school? I plan to continue running as long as my body allows me to!