Local Sports

Defending Champion Panthers Defeat Rival Wolverines

Ellwood City couldn’t keep up with defending WPIAL and PIAA Champion Riverside and fell 17-2 on Monday afternoon and Sanders Field. Riverside got on the board in the top of the first inning after Bo Fornataro homered to center field, scoring three runs, and Christian Lucarelli drew a walk, scoring one run. Riverside added to their early lead in the top of the second inning after Ellwood City committed an error, and Sam Barber hit a sacrifice fly, each scoring one run. Riverside added one run in the third, three runs in the top of the fifth on a home…


COACH TALK: Softball Seasons Are Underway

Ellwood City and Riverside softball seasons are underway. Each team will look to return to their respective WPIAL class playoffs. Nine starters are back for Ellwood City and head coach Gary Rozanski is looking to improve in all aspects of the game. After an opening round playoff defeat last season, the Ellwood City Wolverines softball team will look to build on its 11-win campaign last season and secure yet another playoff berth. “New season, same group of players, and we want to be playing our best at the end of the season,” says the coach who returns for his 19th…


Riverside Hall of Fame to Induct Three Sports Icons as First Class; Banquet Will Celebrate, Honor Inductees

There are simply people in your life that make a difference, they guide you, they care about you, and you just never forget them. For many those people are coaches. The Riverside Hall of Fame will pay honor to its first class, all coaches, at its First Annual Hall of Fame banquet at Shakespeare’s Restaurant on May 4th from 6 to 10 p.m. Attendees will celebrate the esteemed inagural class of: Dan Oliastro, Karl Florie, and Royann Winfield. “This banquet is not just an event; it’s an opportunity to come together as a community, to express our gratitude, and to honor these individuals…


Riverside Swimming Wraps Up Its Appearance In PIAA State Championships

The Riverside Swimming team competed in the PIAA State Championships this past weekend at Bucknell University. “My assistant, David Peffer, and I are beyond proud of how our boys did this past weekend,” said head coach Alaina Marshall. “The bar at the competition level continues to be raised every year and our small team remains competitive amongst the best of them.” On Saturday, senior Joseph Roth broke his own 100-Yard Backstroke state record at finals with a time of 48.34, but was just out-touched at the finish by Luke Lamb of North Catholic. Roth finished 2nd Place overall as Lamb…


Mohawk Eliminates Ellwood City In PIAA Class 3A Playoffs

Mohawk rallied from a second half deficit Wednesday, knocking off Ellwood City for the third time this season – this time eliminating the Wolverines in the second round of the PIAA Class 3A Playoffs. The Warrior used 28 points from sophomore Bobby Fadden as Mohawk collected a 55-50 victory. Ellwood City senior Joseph Roth finished with a game-high 29 points. After a low scoring first half that saw the Wolverines lead 20-15, the teams combined for 42 points in third quarter alone. The Wolverines led by as many as eight points in the third quarter but Mohawk inched back to…


Wolverines Surge In Second Half, Defeat Westmont 62-44 In PIAA Opening Round

Ellwood City used a second half surge to pull away and defeat District 6 Champion Westmont 62-44 in the opening round of the PIAA 3A Playoffs on Saturday. The Wolverines held the Hilltoppers to only 12 points in the second half and recovered from three point deficit in the process. Joseph Roth led all scorers with 31 points. The senior hauled in 17 rebounds and added seven assists. Roth scored 11 points in the the first quarter as Ellwood City struck for 21 points, but the Wolverines trailed 32-29 at halftime. Westmont was held to only five field goals in…


Riverside Finishes 7th In WPIAL Swimming Championships, Roth Earns Two Silver Medals

Panther swimmers Peter Ruggeri, Nick Young, Nathan Goff, Gavin Frederick, Michael Styn, Ryan Turner, and Joseph Roth represented Riverside High School this past weekend at the WPIAL Class 2A Swimming Championships. Riverside placed 7th overall with a combined total of 126 points after two days of competition in the championships held at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool on February 29th and March 1st. “Our boys fell short of some of the goals we had set our sights on this season,” said coach Alaina Marshall afterwards. Senior Joseph Roth placed second in the 50-yard Freestyle (21.15) and the 100-yard Backstroke…


Wolverines Knock Off Yough, Qualify For PIAA Playoffs

Joseph Roth and the Ellwood City Wolverines boys basketball have qualified for the PIAA State Playoffs after collecting a 40-37 victory over Yough on Wednesday in a 7th place WPIAL Class-3A consolation game. Roth scored 21 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, and sank two critical free throws with less than five seconds remaining in the contest. The senior now has 2,049 career points. The game featured two 2,000 career point scorers as Yough senior Terek Crosby scored 21 points to push his career total to 2,036 in defeat. Crosby accounted for all 14 of the Cougars points in…


Wolverines Upset Bid Falls Short, Defeated by Deer Lakes In Overtime Thriller

Senior Joseph Roth eclipsed a career scoring milestone Thursday night, but the #9 seeded Wolverines were knocked off by defending champion Deer Lakes 39-38 in overtime on a buzzer beater. The Wolverines led by as many as seven points early in the fourth quarter, and by as many as five points in overtime but missed layups and continued turnovers spelled doom for Ellwood City. In the low scoring affair, Ellwood City overcame first quarter jitters and turnovers and used a late second quarter surge to earn a 18-17 halftime lead. Roth scored 10 of his game-high 20 points in the…


Allen, Lilly Collect 2nd Place Finishes At WPIAL Sectionals

Wolverines junior wrestlers Derek Allen and Gabe Lilly each collected second place finishes in their respective weight classes at the District 7 Class 2A Sectionals this past Saturday at Greensburg Salem High School. After receiving an opening round bye, Allen, who is now 25-8 on the season, used victories by pinfall and decision to earn a place in the 121-pound championship match. Allen was pinned and defeated by Luca Rosa of Burrell in the championship. Likewise, Lilly, who is now 27-5 on the season, received an opening round bye and used two victories, both by decision, to earn a place…