Local Sports

PHOTOS: Riverside ‘Panther Night’

The annual Riverside community event, Panther Night, kicked off back to school season Thursday evening at Riverside Memorial Stadium. The free event offered attendees the opportunity to be introduced to fall sports teams, athletes, and enjoy fundraising booths throughout the stadium grounds.  Many booths offered food items or a raffle ticket to help support their respective organization or group. The Riverside Varsity Football team will host Our Lady of the Sacred Heart on Friday, September 3rd at 7:00 p.m. at Memorial Stadium to start their football season. Friday evening will feature crosstown Ellwood City’s annual Pie Festival festivities at Helling…


LHS Pie Festival, Riverside Panther Night Scheduled This Week

Two local events this week kick off the back to school season and highlight the fall sports season. Riverside Panther night will be held on Thursday, August 26 at Riverside Memorial Stadium while Ellwood City will hold its annual Pie Festival on Friday, August 27 at Helling Stadium. “Panther Night is a Riverside community event kicking off back to school and highlighting our high school fall sports teams,” says Christy Hughes. “We also include our high school band and youth football program.” The gates for Panther Night open at 6:00 p.m. with the presentation of the Riverside teams beginning at…


Ellwood City Champion Returns to Basketball Court As Head Coach

Dena Noble has never been able to forget the feeling of being on a winning team. That adrenaline rush of hitting the basketball court is still a draw for Noble, who was recently named head coach of the Lincoln Girls Basketball Team. She wants to provide that feeling to a new generation of players. “I’m looking forward to getting the nostalgic feeling,” Noble said. “I love that feeling, that adrenaline rush especially on game day. I can’t wait to see the girls take what was taught to them and watch it play out.” Noble, the Ellwood native, is no stranger…


Ellwood City To Be Apart Of Largest Virtual Game Of Catch

Ellwood City will be one of over 100 virtual locations to take place in the largest virtual game of catch next Wednesday June 30th. Jeff Potter of The Potter Baseball Tour, came up with this idea as a way to bring the community together have people of all ages participate in this once in a lifetime event. The Potter Baseball Tour is partnering with organizations and individuals all over the country for this event. “It’s great that Ellwood is getting involved and are being brought together to reach a common goal,” said Potter. Not only will this event be a…


Wampum Native And Dallas Stars Defenseman Stephen Johns Announces Retirement From NHL

After six seasons in the NHL, Wampum native Stephen Johns is hanging up his skates. The 29-year-old Stars defenseman announced his retirement on social media Sunday. Johns now plans to travel the country to help others struggling with their mental health. Johns writes: Someone asked me the other day what I like to do for fun… and I didn’t give him an answer, because I didn’t have one. I’m writing this post because I’m tired of letting depression destroy my life. The realization that my career has come to an end has really [expletive] with my identity… What I’ll miss…


Ellwood City Tennis Set To Host Mini-Clinic

Ellwood City Tennis will be conducting a tennis clinic for any boy or girl interested in learning the basics of tennis. The tennis clinic will be held on June 28th, 29th, and 30th, 2021 at the Ewing Park Courts from 10:00 a.m to 11:15 a.m. Any child ages 5-12 is eligible to sign up and participate. Each participant will receive a t-shirt. The clinic will promote tennis skills from the basic to moderate level. “We have coaches, instructors, and players help run the clinic,” said Ellwood City head coach John DiBuono. “We hope that elementary aged students will gain an…


PHOTOS: Wolverines Fall To Lady Chucks In Extra Innings Of PIAA Opening Round

A walk-off single propelled Punxatawney to a 4-3 ten-inning victory over WPIAL runner-up Ellwood City in the opening round of the PIAA Class 3A softball playoffs Monday afternoon at Heindl Field in DuBois. After tying the game with two outs in the seventh frame, Kaylee Guidice drove in the game-winning run with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th for the Lady Chucks. The 10th-inning rally started with the international tie-breaker rule in place, putting a courtesy runner on second base. Ellwood City intentionally walked Ciara Toven, and Madi Shiock reached on a fielder’s choice with no outs…


Petrak Among Twelve Ohio State Swimmers Taking Part In Olympic Trials

Taylor Petrak is among 12 Ohio State University men’s and women’s swimmers that will be competing this weekend, June 4-7, in Omaha, Neb., during Wave I competition. The trials are being held at the CHI Health Center, in Omaha. Petrak, a 5’8″ Buckeye Senior, will compete in the 50-yard freestyle.  The Ellwood native is the daughter of Patti and Jay Petrak. The trials are being split into a Wave I and a Wave II trials this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to USA Swimming. The Buckeyes will be competing during this Wave I competition in a prelims-finals format….


Wolverines Fall In WPIAL Championship; Move On To PIAA

Top seeded Mt. Pleasant ripped ten doubles in its convincing 15-0 victory over Ellwood City in the Class-3A WPIAL Softball Championship Game on Wednesday at Cal U. The 11-seeded Wolverines were seeking a fourth WPIAL title but fell one game short in defeat after its victories over No. 6 Deer Lakes, No. 3 Waynesburg and No. 7 Southmoreland to gain entry in the championship game. Ellwood City won in Class 3A in 2008 and ‘17 and 2A in ‘16. The Wolverines could only post two hits against Vikings senior ace Mary Smithnosky, singles by Angie Nardone and Kyla Servick, while…


Riverside Gearing Up For PIAA Track Championship

Coming off of a “4-PEAT” in the WPIAL Championship and competing this past week at Slippery Rock University, a select few Riverside athletes are getting ready for the State Championship beginning this Friday May 28th. The two day championship event is set to take place at Shippensburg University. Live streaming for the meet will begin at 10:15 a.m. on both days. PCN TV will be streaming the events on both cable or by stream. Colby Belczyk and Ty Fluharty, who this year have set school records and were 1st and 2nd in the 800m at WPIAL Championships  with times of…