Local Sports

Two Home Runs and a Mercy Rule: Ellwood Claims WPIAL Title and Prepares for PIAA Playoffs

Mercy rule. Shut out. Grand slam. These are all terms a great softball team experiences but usually not at the WPIAL championships. The undefeated Lady Wolverines only needed four and a half innings to defeat South Park 10-0 and claim the Class AA WPIAL title. The game on Friday at California University was originally scheduled for Thursday but delayed due to rain. Meanwhile, Ellwood’s three seniors, Allie McKelvey, Kayla Murin and Mallory Swogger, went through Lincoln’s commencement on Thursday anticipating the next day’s game. Ellwood suffered a setback in the first inning when McKelvey sprained her ankle after beating out…


Lady Wolverines are the WPIAL Champs

With a 10-0 mercy rule win, the Ellwood City softball team are the WPIAL champions! The Class AA championship game was played this afternoon at the University of California against South Park. Reagan Mittler’s grand slam in the first inning opened the Lady Wolverine’s offense. Camille Maine’s three-run hit in the second inning brought Ellwood to 8-0. With two more runs in the third, Ellwood shut out South Park until the top of the fifth when the mercy rule went into affect. The full game will be covered in more detail next week. Photo submitted.  


WPIAL Softball Game Postponed

The Ellwood City-South Park WPIAL playoff softball game, originally scheduled for today at 11 a.m., has been postponed to tomorrow at 4:45 p.m. The game will still be held at the California University of Pennsylvania in California, Pa. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students.


WPIAL Preview: Undefeated Lady Wolverines Preparing for South Park

The Ellwood City girl’s softball team is one game away from a WPIAL title, but if they’re nervous, they aren’t showing it. At a practice on Friday, the girls displayed their usual mix of enthusiasm and dedication combined with a devoted sense of fun. For tomorrow’s game against South Park at California University, the Lady Wolverines are using the same approach they have all season: taking it one game at a time and trying to get better every day. From the first game to the semi-finals, Ellwood remains undefeated with a record of 19-0. They defeated Neshannock 11-4 in the…


Riverside Wins WPIAL Title

Senior Braden Bentel hit the WPIAL-winning run in the bottom of the ninth as Riverside clinched the WPIAL title from Neshannock in a 1-0 game. Riverside and Neshannock stood toe-to-toe for an extended nine-inning game as pitchers Michael Boswell and Frank Fraschetti dueled. In the bottom of the ninth, senior Kolby Wolf got on base on a throwing error. Wolf advanced to second on a sacrificial bunt by sophomore Austin Dambach. In the game’s grand finale, Bentel stood up to the plate with two outs in the inning and hit a single that drove Wolf home. Riverside’s win was their…


Ellwood City Men’s Softball League Schedule

Five teams comprise the Ellwood City Men’s Softball League at Stiefel Park this summer. Games commenced Tuesday, May 17 and will continue through August. The five teams represented include Laser Security, Venezie’s Sporting Goods & Apparel, The Color Center, Marshall’s Tree Experts and Duncan’s Auto Service. Game formats are seven-inning contests with double-headers at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. The league uses the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) rules with open rosters. Playoff format is as follows: Round 1: Best of 3 Series, played in one day. Round 2: Best of 5 Series, to be played over two days. Championship: Best…


WPIAL Softball and Baseball Schedules

Congratulations to the Ellwood City softball team and Riverside baseball team. Both teams have advanced to the WPIAL playoff game. The softball team remains undefeated, with a 10-3 win over Steel Valley yesterday. They will play South Park at California University on Thursday, June 2 at 11 a.m. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students. The Riverside baseball team will play Neshannock on Tuesday, May 31 at 4 p.m. at the Console Energy Center in North Franklin Township. Riverside is 16-2 overall. Softball team page Baseball team page


Ellwood’s Petrak and Lott Advance to Track States

The 300 meter hurdles and 1600 meter run are two of the most physically taxing events in track and field. The hurdles not only requires one to sprint an extended distance, but navigate hurdles as well. The 1600 (approximately one mile) requires speed, endurance and a considerable amount of strategy to pace the four laps and outlast the competition. Ellwood has an athlete advancing in each event. Junior Taylor Petrak placed fourth at the Class AA WPIAL finals in the girls 300 hurdles with a time of 47.35 seconds and junior Billy Lott placed seventh in the boys 1600 with…


Nine Riverside Athletes to Compete in Track and Field PIAA Championships

Nine Riverside athletes will compete at the track and field PIAA championships this weekend at Baldwin University. To qualify, athletes must have placed in the top five in the WPIAL finals. Results from WPIAL.org. Boys Lance Fisher: junior, shot put, second place, 48-10.75 Brandon Tedrow: senior, pole vault, fourth place, 12-03 Jeremy Spicher: junior, 300 meter hurdles, fourth place, 40.97 Calvin Wetzel: freshmen, 300 meter hurdles, fifth place, 41.11 Skylar Rubsic, Calvin Wetzel, Jackson Coyne and Nate Brown: 4 x 400 meter relay team, fourth place, 3:28.12 Girls Elsa Antal: junior, 100 meter hurdles, third place, 15.66 Elsa Antal: long…


Stiefel Hockey League Seeking Donations for Rink

The Stiefel Hockey League is seeking donations from local businesses to cover the cost of constructing boards for the community hockey rink in Stiefel Park. Businesses that donate a minimum of $100 will have their name displayed on a sign outside of the rink listing sponsors. The boards are built by the league’s hockey players. Earlier this spring, the Ellwood City Borough Council repaved the rink. However, the siding had deteriorated and needed completely replaced. League associate fundraiser Francis Todorich emphasized that the rink is for the entire community, and the members have spent several days a week working on…