His new-found beat sleuthing around barns and racetracks has brought baseball hall-of-famer Hal McCoy a new audience, and new respect to a career that was hardly lacking for recognition....
All Stories

Hal At The Head Of The Stretch…McCoy Finding New Turf Writing Racing
May 3, 2026
Bucks Out To Prove…Take Series From Nebraska, Seek Sweep
To the coach's liking, Ohio State and starting pitcher Chris Domke (above) put their game together Saturday night to take game two and the weekend series against Nebraska...and left little doubt about it....
May 2, 2026
Buckeyes Fashion Dream Win To Take Opener From Nebraska
Sophomore Gavin Kuzniewski delivered the best starting performance of the year, and a couple of sacrifice fly balls were enough to support a 2-1 heart-stopping opening win over second-place Nebraska....
May 2, 2026
Greenville’s Oswalt No-hits Troy In MVL Softball Showdown
Running for pitcher Ella Oswalt, Rylie Pfledderer scores Greenville's first run on a day when Oswalt's growing confidence in her changeup helped her tie a career-high with 16 strikeouts against previously unbeaten Troy....
May 1, 2026
McCoy: Dave Miller Is Harness Racing’s ‘Purple Jesus’
Because of his love for horses, Dave Miller (above, in purple) quit high school to drive harness tracks and become one of the sport's legends as a Hall of Famer with more than 15,000 wins...and $300 million in purse winnings...the leading driver this...
May 1, 2026
Hanners’ Brothers Act Knows No Bounds…..
At age 25 Luke Hanners has already won a thousand races and found rides with some of the best horses on the circuit. And spurred on by a family legacy and an older brother on the same upward trajectory, his future is unlimited...
April 29, 2026
Remembering David Maass…The Man Who Brought Troy To The World Of Wildife Art
Many will fondly remember artist David Maass at Presentation Weekend in downtown Troy. The man who painted the Eldean Bridge and added Troy to the world of wildlife art enthusiasts, has passed away....
April 29, 2026
Loramie Improves To 13-5, 8-0 In SCL…And As Good As They Have To Be
Botkins catcher Elijah Schuller (above) eyes his opportunity to tag out Ft. Loramie's Sam Goubeaux at home plate Tuesday. Fort Loramie won 9-3 and moved to 13-5 for the season, undefeated in league play, and the perennial threat come district tourna...
April 28, 2026
Buckeyes Enter Final Stretch, Need Wins To Boost Standings, Psyche
After losing a telling three-game series at Rutgers, the Buckeyes come home for alumni weekend to face second-place Nebraska and firm up both their place in the Big Ten standings, and their confidence....
April 28, 2026
Orange Knocks Off Top-Ranked, Unbeaten Liberty And Ace Van Engelenhoven
Orange relied on a relentless barrage of small-ball and the sensational pitching of Reid Hemrick to knock off intra-district rival Liberty in the first of three OCC Central matchups. Lewis Center, OH – When played flawlessly, baseball is certainly wo...
April 27, 2026
The Reader Speaks….April 26, 2026
The latest opinions and comments from readers on Ohio State basketball, versus football...does anything ever really change with Ryan Day...area high school baseball...and Greg Beals....
April 26, 2026
Troy Edges Past Tipp To Sweep Backyard Series….
Two all-league pitching candidates struggled with command Friday, but impressively hung around to give their respective teams a chance to win...Troy's Jake Reinhardt (above) celebrates the final out to sweep the 25-A series, 6-5....
April 24, 2026
St. Henry Walks It Off Against Elwer, DSJ, In Classic Pitchers’ Duel…
Delphos St. John's Cam Elwer and St. Henry's Max Delzeith gave up five hits between them in a throwback to dueling arms, but St. Henry walked it off with a pinch-hit single from Kale Schwartz (above, #55) in the bottom of the seventh to win, 1-0....
April 23, 2026
O’Leary’s Blast Pushes Troy Past Tipp…Trojans Improve To 12-1
Not as clean as games recent, and not as good as they'd have liked it. But Brady O'Leary's fourth inning home run (above) proved to be the winning run as Troy continued its winning ways with a Wednesday take-down of Tipp. Read more........
April 22, 2026
Piatt’s Move Is Journey Back To His Roots…New Celina Coach Looks For Trust And Will To Win
After six years at Miami, Hamilton, a national title in NCAA satellite campus basketball, a runners-up, and four Final Fours, Mike Piatt returns to his roots, Friday nights rivals, and that trusted culture of basketball....
April 21, 2026
Opinion: What Everyone Probably Missed About The Spring Game…And Will We See It Again?
If you taped it, go back and listen to the telecast of Ohio State’s spring football game, and then compare to what was written last year about their ability to block and run the football. Then tell me…were you convinced from what you saw on Saturday....
April 20, 2026
Buckeyes Swept At Purdue…Reset Necessary For Rutgers
Reeling after a three-game sweep at Purdue, the Buckeyes come home to reset before a critical, and winnable, three-game set at Rutgers next weekend....
April 19, 2026
What Did We Learn (If Anything) From Ohio State’s Spring Game?
The new-look defense prevailed in the Ohio State’s spring game, but it remains to be seen what that means for the fall. By Marcus Hartman for Press Pros Columbus, OH — The Ohio State spring game, 2026 edition, was your classic damned if you do,...
April 18, 2026
Pitching Woes…Buckeyes Drop Game 2, And Series, To Purdue
For the second day in a row, Purdue scored early and often to cruise past Ohio State and take the three game series from the Buckeyes. OSU seeks to avoid sweep on Sunday....
April 18, 2026
St. Clair Shows Ability To Be Ohio State’s Trusted Backup To Sayin
Julian Sayin is Ohio State’s unquestioned starting quarterback, but Tavien St. Clair answered an important question in Saturday’s spring game. He has matured enough and has the talent to step in well if needed. Columbus, OH – The most important poten...
April 18, 2026
Buckeyes Suffer Poor Start, Fall In Series Opener At Purdue
Purdue scored 9 times in the first four innings off Buckeye starter Gavin Kuzniewski...and a late comeback sparked by a pair of Dane Harvey home runs fell short as OSU drops mysterious opener in West Lafayette, 10-9....
April 18, 2026
Tri-Village Softball Spot On At Arcanum To Take Control Of WOAC
Patriots starter Liz Poling and catcher Hailey Burk kept Arcanum off balance while the offense stacked productive early innings to take control of the league standings. Read Jeff Gilbert...
April 16, 2026
Gone With The Wind…Coldwater And Mother Nature Hand St. Henry First Loss
Coldwater made the most of 30-mile-per-hour winds and sturdy pitching by Karsyn Homan (above) to win 7-3 Thursday, handing St. Henry its first loss....
April 16, 2026
Beals Returns To Bill Davis…In A Word, “Enjoyable”, In 11-7 Win Over Buckeyes
His homecoming drew a crowd to the old ballpark and a large contingent of local followers from Huntington. Greg Beals return to Ohio State proved successful Wednesday with an 11-7 come-from-behind win over the Buckeyes. Read more.........
April 16, 2026
Reinhardt 4-Hits Butler To Even Series…Trojan Junior Spectacular In Shutout Win
Troy junior Jake Reinhardt showed everything you need to be a dependable 'stopper', shutting out unbeaten Butler on 4 hits in downtown Dayton Tuesday to even the two game series between the conference's best....
April 15, 2026
Schilling’s Big Hit, Big Arm Push Butler To Comeback Win At Troy
Both teams couldn't stay unbeaten in the battle for Miami Valley League supremacy. This time Butler made the biggest plays. Tuesday night they meet again in Dayton. Read Jeff Gilbert...
April 14, 2026
Ohio State RBs Keeping The Faith Knowing More Is Expected
No Ohio State position group is under more pressure to improve this spring than the running backs, but their leader is confident they will come through. Read Marcus Hartman...
April 13, 2026
Buckeyes Hang On To Take Penn State Series…Purdue Next Weekend
The Buckeyes got off to a fabulous start, shortstop Henry Kaczmar hit a grand slam homer on their way to a 12-3 lead in the fifth...then held on to win as Penn State scored seven times in the last four innings....
April 13, 2026
Who’s Hot….Versailles Baseball Coach, Bill Sturwold, 500 Times Over
His career has been marked by both respected success and a legacy of competitive values passed on. And this week, Versailles' baseball coach Bill Sturwold achieved a notable milestone....
April 12, 2026
Buckeyes Bounce Back…Even Penn State Series With Saturday 3-2 Win
The Buckeyes and pitcher Chris Domke (above) bounced back from back-to-back losses to beat Penn State Saturday, and give themselves a chance for a third consecutive conference series win on Sunday....
April 11, 2026
Arcanum’s Christ Powers Through Newton In WOAC Showdown…Trojan Ace Strikes Out 12
Arcanum ace Regan Christ did the mound work and shortstop teammate Kolten Quigley provided the offense (above, with a first inning home run) for an impressive 3-0 Arcanum win over Newton in matchup of the WOAC's best....
April 10, 2026
Greg Hoard: A Remembrance of ‘Arnie’, And His True Gift
Here was a man who fully and truthfully appreciated his fans and what they had given him, and a man who went out of his way to show that appreciation. An encore presentation on Masters Weekend from the work of former contributor, Greg Hoard, enjoy h...
April 10, 2026
Sam’s The Man…Versailles’ Deland Brilliant In One-Hit Shutout
The smallest man on the roster, physically, Versailles' Sam Deland was big on the mound Tuesday with a one-hit shutout over visiting Russia...Sturwold, Tigers prepare for conference play. Read more........
April 7, 2026
Super Sayin? Ryan Day Identifies Biggest Key To Success For ’26 Buckeyes
Ryan Day did not wait until the end of spring practice to deliver the most important message of the month for the Ohio State football team. The Buckeyes will go as Julian Sayin goes. Read Marcus Hartman...
April 7, 2026
Like Mike Likes It…Minster ‘Squeezes’ Out A Win Over Wapakoneta
A pitcher's duel for five innings, Minster used a suicide squeeze bunt and a sixth inning single from Andrew Wiss (above) to finally go ahead and claim a chilly win Monday over visiting Wapakoneta, 4-1. Read more in Tuesday's Press Pros........
April 6, 2026
Seeing The Elephant…What To Make Of The Buckeyes’ Sudden Surge In The Big Ten Standings!
Woody Hayes said you win with people like senior shortstop Henry Kaczmar (above)…and what Justin Haire has conveniently borrowed to explain as best he can how the Buckeyes have suddenly become baseball contenders....
April 5, 2026
Buckeyes Blast Six Home Runs, Win Sixth Straight, Outlast Maryland For Series Win
Lee Simpson (above, left) celebrates his home run in the sixth inning Saturday as the Buckeyes won for the sixth time in a row, their second consecutive Big Ten Series, and won the home run derby in a game that saw Maryland and Ohio hit eleven home r...
April 5, 2026
4-0 Troy Enjoys A Very ‘Good Friday’…In Run-Rule Win Over Xenia
Taking advantage of every opportunity that Xenia offered up, Troy's Logan Akers (above) tracks a third inning home run as the Trojans blasted the Buccaneers to improve to 4-0 on Good Friday. Read more in weekend Press Pros....
April 3, 2026
Tipp Rebuild Hits A Bump, But Tackett Forging Ahead
Charles Tackett's second tour as head softball coach is gaining momentum even if Thursday's game against Beavercreek ended abruptly after five innings....
April 3, 2026
Day’s Spring Goal: Learn What Makes The 2026 OSU Football Team Tick
Ohio State's Ryan Day is used to replacing starters. But in the transfer-friendly era, he and his staff have 51 new players to integrate on their path to figuring out who this team is. Read Jeff Gilbert...
April 1, 2026
The Reader Speaks…April Fool’s Day, 2026
It's pretty much all state tournament basketball, our latest reader resonse regarding posts in the month of March...on rough play...find one arena for all the games...and except for Cam Elwer and Delphos St. John, "where were the shooters?"s?"...
April 1, 2026
Miami East’s Hit Parade Too Much For Covington
Powered by Caitlin Howell's grand slam, the Vikings scored nine runs in the fourth inning and seven in the fifth to pull away in a duel between the best softball teams in the Three Rivers Conference. Read Jeff Gilbert...
April 1, 2026
Old Friends Are The Best Friends…Tales Of The Battered Helmet, And More, Mark Generational Piqua-Sidney Meeting
In a back room setting away from fans and Friday night lights, eight friends from years of Piqua vs. Sidney (above) met this week to not smash, but smile...over the games, the memories, and a few good stories that never made it to Main Street....
March 31, 2026
St. Henry Flexes…Pitching, Hitting, And Experience To Beat Lima Shawnee
Mike Gast's St. Henry baseball team showed enough of the requisite skills necessary to win (starting pitcher Hudson Schmitz, above), taking down visiting Lima Shawnee on Monday, 7-2....
March 30, 2026
A Baseball Story You Had To Live…To Believe!
Forty-five years have passed since my days as a minor league umpire, and a week of trying to fit a square peg in a round hole gone wrong. And it does make you wonder...why anyone would ever want to be an official?...
March 30, 2026
New Coach Fits Culture, Identifies How OSU WRs Can Improve
Cortez Hankton is embracing the chance to replace one of the best position coaches in the country, and he is not going to be Brian Hartline 2.0. Read Marcus Hartman...
March 30, 2026
From Readers: “Why Aren’t You Covering Ohio State Baseball Like Before….?”
Times change, people come, and people go...all reasons why Press Pros has not traveled with Ohio State baseball through the first six weeks of the season, as some of you have written to ask....
March 29, 2026
Buckeyes Smack Minnesota To Take The Series…Seek Sweep On Sunday
The pitching was good enough, and the offense was big with Noah Furcht and Mason Eckelman. Combined, it was good enough to beat Minnesota in game 2 of the series and play for a sweep on Sunday....
March 28, 2026
Buckeyes Take Series Opener At Minnesota…Kuzniewski Brilliant In His Second Win
For the second weekend in a row starter Gavin Kuzniewski warmed to the task, striking out 10 Minnesota hitters over five innings to lead Ohio State to a 4-3 series-opening win....
March 28, 2026
Arcanum, Power Pitching, Spoils Sturwold Debut In Opening Loss For Versailles
A superior starting pitching performance by Arcanum's Regan Christ spoiled the Versailles coaching debut of Bill Sturwold as the Trojans closed out the Tigers, 4-1....
March 27, 2026
Buckeyes Winning Some Games, But Now…72 Hours In Minneapolis
With a 10-13 record the Ohio State Buckeyes are at least a month ahead of 2025's issues and a 13-37 record. But now, they delve into the games that matter most, traveling to Minneapolis this weekend to face the 17-8 Gophers....
March 27, 2026
Spring Football: Patricia Back To Face New Set Of Challenges
Matt Patricia got a nice raise to continue Ohio State's two-year run of great defense, and he has a lot of new starters to find and transfers to teach what it means to be a Silver Bullet. Read Marcus Hartman...
March 26, 2026
Elwer’s Patience, Focus, Lands Him Boys Area Coach Of The Year Honors
Aaron Elwer’s focus on basketball, and patience for talent to develop and trust in each other, delivered Delphos St. John its first OHSAA basketball championship in 24 years....
March 26, 2026
McCoy: UD Flyers’ NIT Run Comes To End
A 13-0 run to open the game gave Illinois State the momentum to stay ahead of the Dayton Flyers en route to a 61-55 win at UD Arena, ending Dayton's NIT run in the quarterfinals....
March 26, 2026
Spring Football: New OC Smith Loves Physical Offensive Line Play
Arthur Smith's reputation as a coach is one focused on establishing the run game and great offensive line play, but he won't limit his running of the offense to a narrow set of preferences. Read Jeff Gilbert...
March 24, 2026
St. Henry’s Nate Uhlenhake Is Our 2026 Area Girls Basketball Coach Of The Year
There was no self-promoting over the quality of the hand he held throughout the season, while at the same time being ranked #1 in Division VI. And in the end, St. Henry's Nate Uhlenhake chose to let his team prove their own qualities by winning the ...
March 24, 2026
‘The No. 1 Guy’ Ian Fairchild Is Delphos St. John’s Fan Favorite And Favorite Teammate
Ian Fairchild seldomly played for the Division VII state champions, but he meant so much to the team and its fans in ways that can't be measured. Read Jeff Gilbert...
March 23, 2026
What We Saw Over The Weekend…March 23, 2026
I, you, and thousands who cared saw the latest vestige of high school basketball…deserving of some criticism, but fixable if we would listen to those who aren’t trying to profit from its reformation....
March 23, 2026
Ice Cold Bradley Suffers Painful Loss To Princeton In DI Title Game
Known for its ability to control tempo and lure opponents into low-scoring battles, Hilliard Bradley fell into an early 14-2 hole and never recovered as Cincinnati Princeton romped to its first championship. Dayton, OH – There will be a time w...
March 22, 2026
Comparing Yesterday’s And Today’s Baseball Athlete
With the start of high school baseball season less than a week away, former professional player and successful high school coach Mark Brunswick shares some insights on how make the most of your passion for the game...and how to make the best impressi...
March 22, 2026
Westerville North’s Quest For Rare Repeat State Title Falls Just Short
The Warriors couldn’t hang on to a 15-point lead and lost to Massillon Washington 68-63 in overtime in the Division II state final. It marked the first state basketball championship ever for the Tigers. Dayton, OH – Throughout back-to-back runs...
March 22, 2026
History Made…Delphos St. John Runs The Table To Win The Division VII Title
Delphos St. John won the Division VII basketball title Saturday in familiar style. Cameron Elwer (above) scored 28 points, and when he didn’t score his buddies were right there to lend a hand. He watches the clock strike 0:00 as the Blue Jays captu...
March 22, 2026
Marion Local Comes Close, Falls In 2 OTs To Hiland in DVI Final
In a no blood, no foul kind of game, Marion Local was on the verge of a state championship in regulation, but their bid to win the game they lost last year slipped away in a physical game marked by big plays on both sides. Read Jeff Gilbert...
March 22, 2026
McCoy: UD Rips UNC-Wilmington To Advance To NIT Quarterfinals
After a slow first half start, the University of Dayton Flyers grounded the UNC-Wilmington Seahawks in the second half with a stifling full-court aggressive defense for an 80-61 blowout to move into the NIT quarterfinals for the first time since 2010...
March 21, 2026
Wild Last-Second Layup Sends Hilliard Bradley To Division I State Title Game
After struggling offensively much of the night, Jayden Reed-Davis was the man at the right spot at the right time for Hilliard Bradley, turning a missed 3-point shot and a fumbled rebound into an easy layup for a 44-42 win over hard-luck Pickerington...
March 21, 2026
Columbus Academy Again Takes Home Division V State Runner-Up Trophy
In a rematch of last year’s Division V state title game, the Vikings again fell to the Falcons as Lutheran East won a state-record fourth consecutive championship and seventh overall. Dayton, OH – Throughout the last two seasons, the little thi...
March 21, 2026
Back-To-Back Division II Titles In Clear Sight For Reloaded Westerville North
Elijah McCree (25 points, four assists) and Tony Cornett (17 points, seven rebounds) paved the way in North’s dominant 74-49 state semifinal victory over North Royalton. It was the same-old, same-old for the Warriors, who used their speed, athl...
March 21, 2026
Marion Local Flexes Way Back To State Final To Face Hiland
Lincolnview couldn't stop Marion Local from getting to the basket. And the Flyers did it their way Friday in a physical defensive battle against Lincolnview to return to the Division VI state final. To win it this time, the Flyers will have to battle...
March 21, 2026
Blue Jays Within One Of The Title…Mash Malvern Division VII State Semi
Impressive in ways other than Camron Elwer's offense (above), Delphos St. John blew out first-timer Malvern in the state Division VII semi-final game to set up the anticipated prize at the end of the journey - one win away from a title....
March 20, 2026
Columbus Academy Rolls Past West Muskingum, Sets Up Title Game Rematch With Lutheran East
There will be plenty of motivation for the Vikings in Saturday’s championship game: A rematch against three-time defending champion Lutheran East and the last chance to secure a ring for retiring 58-year assistant coach John Exline top the list...
March 20, 2026
March Madness: Buckeyes Rally But TCU Fights Them Off In Final Minute
How and why Ohio State lost its first NCAA Tournament game since its last appearance in 2022 is open to debate and how fans choose to feel about it. Read Jeff Gilbert...
March 19, 2026
McCoy: UD Buries Bradley In NIT Opener
Forced to play on the road because UD Arena was hosting the NCAA's First Four, the University of Dayton had to play at Bradley, despite being the higher seed, but sloughed it off behind Javon Bennett's 25 points and whipped Bradley, 80-66. in the fir...
March 19, 2026
March Madness: Miami Shows No First-Four Fear, Shoots Past SMU
The RedHawks shoot the basketball often and better than any other team in the country this season. They showed SMU and doubters on Wednesday night in raucous UD Arena just how good their all-around game is. Read Jeff Gilbert...
March 19, 2026
Ray Reilly: Local Fishing…And The Value Of A Place
If fishing is your happy place, don't let stories of bigger and better fishing discourage your passion for the relaxing thrill of doing what you like. I learned recently that someday - many days - fishing is not to be confusing with catching....
March 18, 2026
March Madness: Howard, Texas Provide Early Examples Of The Power Of The NCAA Tournament
Howard and Texas took their opportunities to make lifetime memories and ran with them Tuesday night at the First Four. Tramon Mark lets go of the winning shot against N.C. State in the 2026 First Four. ...
March 18, 2026
March Madness: Miami Wants To Keep The Fun Times Rolling At The First Four
Miami won 31 straight games before losing, but they don't care. They are in Dayton to win against SMU and have fun doing it. Read Jeff Gilbert...
March 17, 2026
March Madness: The First Four Teams You Don’t Know And The Dreams You Can’t Imagine
The Howards and the UMBCs of college basketball come to Dayton every year to win and advance. But don’t think they’re just happy to be here. They have bigger dreams. Read Jeff Gilbert...
March 17, 2026
The Wisdom Of Carla Siegel…Retires After 27 Years, 4 State Titles, And 584 Wins
The enormously successful coach of Fort Loramie women's basketball announced over the weekend that she'd had enough...four state titles, 584 wins, innumerable conference championships, and more outstanding proteges' than you can even name. So why no...
March 17, 2026
March Madness: First Four Finds Familiar Faces On Other Side This Time
Texas duo Sean Miller and Dailyn Swain have been to UD Arena before, but the differences from their previous trips represents how weird college basketball has gotten. Read Marcus Hartman...
March 16, 2026
Pitching Improved Despite Buckeyes Dropping Series At Washington
After winning in extra innings on Friday night, the Buckeyes dropped identical 5-4 decisions in the final two games at Washington. Record now stands at 6-12....
March 16, 2026
What I Saw This Weekend…Observations On Marion, Tri-Village, Botkins And St. John
The long-awaited regional round of the boys tournament is here and gone, and with it some reader responses on Sunday, asking the inevitable questions...if Tri-Village and Marion played again (Grant Kremer, above)...would there be a different outcome?...
March 16, 2026
OSU Draws TCU In 8-9 Game To Open NCAA Tournament
Ohio State's four-year absence from March Madness is over in Jake Diebler's second season. Bruce Thornton finally reaches his goal after three frustrating seasons....
March 15, 2026
McCoy: Flyers Fail At Foul Line, Lose To VCU
After falling 15 points behind in the first half as VCU hit three after three after three, the University of Dayton Flyers staged a late comeback but misses six of seven free throws in the final three minutes and lost the Atlantic 10 tournament final...
March 15, 2026
Who’s Hot? St. Henry Girls Basketball, Of Course….
They captured the school's first women's basketball title on the heels of a pair of devastating injuries to key starters, relying on their faith in each other and a Providential blessing. The St. Henry basketball girls helped us all to become better...
March 15, 2026
Determined Marion Local Boys Stop Tri-Village, Return To State
Kurt Gottemoeller enjoys the net gain after Kale Aherns and Brennan Hess lead a stout defensive effort and Ahrens scores 17 points to give the Flyers a second shot at a state championship. And Tri-Village's Trey Sagester scores 25 points in his final...
March 15, 2026
Hilliard Bradley, Pickerington Central Capture Regional Crowns, Set Up DI State Semi Meeting
Hilliard Bradley used its smothering defense and outstanding guard play of Kypton Norris and Ben Mirgon to overwhelm Newark in Region 2 and Pickerington Central fed off its role as underdog to pull off a massive upset of top-ranked Lakota West in Reg...
March 15, 2026
From Role Player To Star, McCree Powers Westerville North To Another Regional Title
It didn’t come as easily as many thought it would, but Westerville North – top-ranked in the state – disposed of feisty New Albany to keep alive its goal of repeating as Division II state champion. Columbus, OH – Elijah McCree never doubted him...
March 15, 2026
Milestone Reached…Elwer(s) And Delphos St. John Push Aside Botkins In Div. VII Regional Final
As if by script, Cam Elwer (above, in white) and his relatives, along with some enviable depth of roster, erupted during the middle sixteen minutes of the Division VII regional final to send a competitive Botkins home, 62-39....
March 14, 2026
McCoy: L’Etang’s Tip-In Propels UD To A-10 Finals
The University of Dayton Flyers are one win from a trip to the NCAA finals after beating No. 1-seeded Saint Louis, 70-69, in the semi-finals of the Atlantic-10 Conference tournament, 70-69, earning them a shot in the championship game Sunday against ...
March 14, 2026
Russia Falls Hard In Division VII Final To Strasburg…Raiders On Wrong End Of Brilliant Defense
Russia coach Mike Bashore couldn't contain his concern (above) as the Raiders shot just 15.2% from the field in the Division VII championship final against Strasburg. Russia finished as the runner-up, 38-17. Read more.......
March 14, 2026
Buckeyes Snap Loss Streak, Beat Washington In 10 Innings, 10-9
Lee Ellis's home run in the tenth snapped the Buckeyes' eight-game losing streak and propelled them to a 10-9 win in Seattle....
March 14, 2026
St. Henry Completes Emotional Run For Girls State Basketball Title
Morgan Baumer (left) and Molly Wendel were the emotional impetus...as the St. Henry Redskins came to UD Arena and used their teammates as the motivation to win the Division VI state championship in dominating fashion. Jeff Gilbert writes the story f...
March 14, 2026
McCoy: UD Flyers Survive Bonnies In A-10 Quarterfinals
'The Three Basketeers,' Javon Bennett, Jordan Derkack and Keonte Jones all did their individual things, the things they do the best, to lead the University of Dayton Flyers to a 68-63 win over St. Bonaventure in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament ...
March 14, 2026
Big Walnut’s Title Hopes Foiled In DII State Semi Again As Mount Notre Dame Prevails 55-43
Defensive-minded Mount Notre Dame drew up a unique — and effective — game plan designed to both neutralize Ms. Basketball winner Sydney Mobley and harass Big Walnut's guards on the perimeter. It resulted in a 10th state title game berth....
March 13, 2026
A First For Everything…Russia’s Defense Cashes In With Semi-Final Win Over Seneca
They fought nerves and stretches of scant offense to do it, but Russia (Aryanna Cordonnnier, above) relied again on its defense and advanced to title day with a Division VII semi-final win over Seneca East....
March 13, 2026
Buckeyes Battle Michigan To The End In Loss, Await NCAA Destination
Ohio State took its first lead with 5:39 left, but Michigan had enough answers in the final minutes to advance to the Big Ten tournament semifinals with a four-point victory....
March 13, 2026
Pick Central Runs Out Of Gas, Can’t Overtake Top-Ranked Fairmont in State Semi
The defending state champion showed a lot of moxie in rallying from a 14-point deficit, but ultimately a miserable 22.8-percent shooting night doomed their chances in a 45-41 defeat. The 27-0 Firebirds will try to secure their first title since 2013 ...
March 13, 2026
Pickerington Central Wins, Berlin Falls In Boys Regional Semis
The Tigers edged Centerville to set up a matchup for the regional title against Lakota West, which ended the best finish in Olentangy Berlin’s program history. Columbus, OH – Pickerington Central boys basketball is enjoying a renaissance of sor...
March 13, 2026
St. Henry Rises Above Devastating Injury, 10-Point Deficit To Reach State Final
How 'bout that?....Coach Nate Uhlenhake and senior Alexis Buschur celebrate Thursday's state semi-final win - without their point guard, and then they lost center Molly Wendel in a horrific crash to the court. But they found the “courage” to overcome...
March 12, 2026
Thornton, Buckeyes Hang On For Big 10 Tourney Win Over Iowa
Bruce Thornton carried Ohio State to double-digit second-half leads, but beating Iowa came down to a missed 3-pointer at the buzzer. Next is Michigan at noon Thursday. Read Jeff Gilbert...
March 12, 2026
Reilly: Why People Fish The Way They Do…..
What I learned about fishing where there is GOOD fishing. When you think like a fish, and use tactics that appeal to fish, you catch more fish....
March 12, 2026
Unbeaten St. John’s Gets Worthy Foe, But Still Can’t Be Stopped
Pregame and mid-game delays and a better than advertised opponent can't stop the No. 1 Blue Jays – not when Cam Elwer is scoring 32 points or when the defense creates offense at key moments....
March 12, 2026
Underestimated Botkins Knocks Out Lehman, Will Play St. John For Regional Title
At 23-3 the Botkins Trojans have been overlooked as a Division VII team that might have the goods to take down #1-ranked Delphos St. John. And after braking Lehman Catholic's ride in the regional semi-final, they're going to get that chance....
March 12, 2026
Hilliard Bradley, Newark Ride Defensive Gems To Set Up Regional Final Showdown
Hilliard Bradley nearly squandered a big fourth quarter lead, but got a great defensive play on the final possession to hold off Olentangy in a regional semifinal. Meanwhile in the other semifinal, Newark dominated the boards and controlled the tempo...
March 12, 2026
Tri-Village Crushes Troy Christian In Regional Semifinal, Will Face Marion Local For Trip To State
Tri-Village controlled every phase of the game in a 62-31 regional final win over Troy Christian. The second-ranked Patriots will face top-ranked Marion Local in the regional finals on Saturday. Trey Sagester led all players with 17 points, scored fr...
March 11, 2026
Versailles Run Ends In Double OT Loss to Waynesville
A Division V semifinal game between Versailles and Waynesville started late and ended later, but only the Spartans get to keep playing. Read Marcus Hartman...
March 11, 2026
#1 And #2 Will Meet In Regional Final…Marion Flies By Fort Recovery In Div. VI Regional Semi
With an almost perfect exhibition of high school basketball, the #1-ranked Marion Local Flyers beat Fort Recovery in the Division VI regional semi-final to set up the anticipated showdown with #2-ranked Tri-Village. Read more in Wednesday's Press Pr...
March 11, 2026
Trotwood Ends Tipp’s Regional Run In Heartbreaker
The Red Devils, already deeper in the tournament than most thought probable, lose in the final seconds when a play on each end of the floor goes Trotwood's way. Read Jeff Gilbert...
March 10, 2026
Day Counting On Roster Numbers To Pay Off For Buckeyes
Roster building isn't what it used to be, but Ohio State can win the numbers game with its built-in ability to recruit top players, develop them and attract as many top transfers as they need in a given year. Read Jeff Gilbert...
March 10, 2026
People And Their Issues…The Way Things Used To Be…And Siblings Keeping The Tournament In The Family
What we observed over the week, and what we heard from like people who simply liked things "the way they used to be." And we heard it more than once, and in more than one sport....
March 9, 2026
Buckeyes Swept By UCLA…The Question Of How Much Better, And How Soon?
They didn't win, but after giving up 30 runs in the first two games of the series, the Buckeyes bounced back with some positive moments (Miles Vandenheuvel's diamond gem, above) to compete against UCLA in the series finale Sunday at Bill Davis Stadiu...
March 9, 2026
OSU Stakes Claim To NCAAs As Thornton Scores Record
Ohio State’s main goal Saturday was to beat Indiana. And along the way they secured an NCAA Tournament berth and Bruce Thornton became the highest scoring Buckeye in history. Columbus, OH – Ohio State bet on Bruce Thornton. Bruce Thornton bet o...
March 8, 2026
St. Henry Girls Overcome Injury, Advance To State For First Time
Redskins coach Nate Uhlenhake said his team’s near-perfect season has often been credited to different players stepping up at the right time. In Saturday’s regional final, that was more true than ever....
March 8, 2026
Late Shot Snuffs MInster’s Regional Hopes, Season…Wildcats Fall To Kalida
The unthinkable shot that won it....A gut-wrenching last thirty seconds spelled doom to the Minster Wildcats Saturday night in the Division VII district finals at Van Wert...win eludes them on missed free throws, late three-pointer (above). Read mor...
March 8, 2026
Hustle Play By Walburn Helps Olentangy Knock Off Orange 50-47 In OT
Top-seeded Hilliard Bradley, second-seeded Newark, third-seeded Olentangy, fourth-seeded Reynoldsburg, ninth-seeded Pickerington Central and 13th-seeded Olentangy Berlin captured district boys championships Saturday at the Ohio Expo Center and Ohio D...
March 7, 2026
Lehman, Botkins Pull Away In Second Half To Claim District Titles, Will Meet In Regional Semis
Lehman Catholic and Botkins won Division VII District championships, and will face each other in the regional semifinals. Lehman's high-octane offense will come face-to-face with Botkins' stout defense....
March 7, 2026
Gilbert: Thornton Sets Career Scoring Record, Never Wavering In His Love For OSU
Bruce Thornton is Ohio State's new career scoring leader. To become an an all-time great Buckeye, he stayed the course, caring about his team more than personal goals and accolades. Read Jeff Gilbert...
March 7, 2026
Big Walnut Girls Pull Away From Kilbourne For 2nd Straight State Berth
Ms. Basketball candidate Sydney Mobley had 28 points, but the Golden Eagles had several other key contributors while beating the Wolves 67-54 in a Division II regional final. Morral, OH – Considering Sydney Mobley is a Ms. Basketball finalist and one...
March 7, 2026
Fort Recovery Finds Rare Success; Troy Christian Does It Again
Fort Recovery's rise under Bob Leverette paid off Friday night with a first district title since 2010. Troy Christian, regulars at this stage, won their third in four years. Read Jeff Gilbert...
March 7, 2026
Pick Central Adds To Resume With 17th Regional Title; Olentangy Falls
Pickerington Central and Kettering Fairmont rolled to regional final wins at the Ohio Expo Center Taft Coliseum Friday, setting up a tantalizing state semifinal matchup in Dayton Thursday. Columbus, OH – Blame it on humility or silly coaching superst...
March 7, 2026
McCoy: Statistics Lie As VCU Stops Dayton
Although the University of Dayton basketball team bested VCU in nearly every statistical category Friday night in UD Arena, the statistics lie as the Rams stopped the Flyers' six-game winning streak, 68-62....
March 7, 2026
Mismatch…Mescher, Marion Overwhelm Ada In Div. VI District Final
Going our way....Marion Local's energetic bench signals change of possession during the second half of Friday night's 52-23 Flyers win in the Division VI district final game with Ada. Read more in Saturday Press Pros......
March 6, 2026
Minster Gets Youthful Contribution, And A District Win Over Upper Scioto Valley
Not the prettiest of wins, but it was a tournament win and at times looked like swimming upstream. Minster prevailed in round two of the Division IV districts, knocking out Upper Scioto Valley....
March 6, 2026
Elwer Passes LeBron … St. John’s Rolls Into District Final
Cam Elwer scores 28 points and moves up the Ohio career scoring chart much to the delight of the Blue Jays’ mobile fan base. And the Blue Jays cruise into a district final. Read Jeff Gilbert...
March 5, 2026
Buckeyes In A Familiar, Uncomfortable Place As Conference Play Opens
At 5-6 the Buckeyes host #1-ranked UCLA in the Big Ten opener this weekend at Bill Davis...and that 5-6 poses as many questions (or more) than answers at they start conference play against the nation's best....
March 5, 2026
Buckeyes Pound Penn State; Mobley Jr. Scores 28
Ohio State helped its NCAA Tournament chances with a blowout victory at Penn State behind 28 points from John Mobley Jr....
March 5, 2026
Pay Back … Anna Knocks Off Versailles In OT In Region Semis
The first meeting two months ago ended strangely in Versailles' favor. Anna's redemption on Wednesday had its own strange flavor of unusual events in a girls Division V regional semifinal. Read Jeff Gilbert...
March 5, 2026
Russia Girls Extend Historic Season, Cruise Past Ridgedale In Regional Semis
Russia's stifling defense carried the Raiders through to the regional finals amidst a sluggish offensive performance. The Raiders used an 18-0 run to oust another lesser opponent. They'll face Cedarville, who knocked off Mississinawa Valley 49-43....
March 5, 2026
Lehman Advances…Jackson Center Knocks Out Russia To Play For The District Title
Big runs marked the start of Wednesday's Division VII district semi-final round at Garbry Gym. When it was over Lehman and Jackson Center both won and earned the right to play Saturday for a district title....
March 5, 2026
St. Henry Girls 1 Win From 1st State Tournament After Dominating Minster
Being the first to win something is rare at St. Henry, but the girls basketball team is on the cusp after beating Minster in a Division VI regional semifinal Wednesday night....
March 4, 2026
Troy Christian, Fort Recovery Take Care Of Business In Division VI
The favorites advanced with different degrees of difficulty Tuesday night in Division VI tournament action at Troy High School....
March 4, 2026
Botkins’ Defense Lights Up Scoreboard; Loramie Loses Heartbreaker
Botkins moves on to a Division VII district final playing the way it likes to play while learning it can't deviate from that plan in March if it wants to continue to survive and advance, while Fort Loramie loses a heartbreaker to Cedarville. Read Jef...
March 4, 2026
‘They Played Tough, We Played Tight’…Marion Survives Bremen, St. Henry Falls To Spencerville
Marion survived a shaky rematch with New Bremen to move on to the weekend district finals, while St. Henry's self-inflicted wounds cost them in the nightcap, and a second half fall to Spencerville. Read about tournament basketball in Wednesday's Pre...
March 4, 2026
McCoy: UD Flyers Put Down Pesky Spiders
The University of Dayton secured a double bye in the Atlantic 10 tournament Tuesday with a hard to secure 65-60 victory at Richmond, lifting the Flyers overall record to 21-9 and their A-10 record to 12-5, good for third place with one game remaining...
March 3, 2026
Fast-Starting Arcanum Sinks Anna; Versailles Rolls
Hot starts were the name of the game Monday night in the Division V district semifinals at Northmont, carrying Arcanum and Versailles to victory. Read Jeff Gilbert...
March 3, 2026
All Systems Go…Troy Gets Healthy At Miamisburg’s Expense With 3rd Quarter Sprint
Coach Mark Hess called it being healthy, finally, at the right time...Aiden Luis (above) had his most timely game of the season...and Troy advanced to the district finals on Monday with a confident win over the Miamisburg Vikings. Read more..........
March 2, 2026
Hartman: What Ohio State’s NFL Combine Contingent Tells Us About Last Season (and Next)
The NFL Scouting Combine provided one more reminder of the talent on every Ohio State roster -- and to wonder once more what might have been. Marcus Hartman writes from Indianapolis........
March 2, 2026
What We’ve Seen Through Two Weeks Of Seven Division Basketball…March 2, 2026
The scores have been non-competitive, and no one seems concerned. One observer simply put it, "This is the state tournament. It should be better than this." And 'this' is OHSAA tournament basketball!...
March 2, 2026
5-5 Buckeyes Close Road Trip With A Loss To Texas…Open At Home This Week
The Buckeyes close out the weekend and the February portion of their schedule with a 10-3 loss to Texas. Open at Bill Davis this week....
March 1, 2026
Gilbert: OSU Pops Purdue, Gives Itself Some Bubble Help
With a healthy enough five starters, Ohio State built a lead, held its own on both ends of the court, and added an important line to their NCAA Tournament resume with a win over #8-ranked Purdue. Read Jeff Gilbert.........
March 1, 2026
Coldwater Duo Takes Top Two Spots at Girls State Bowling Tourney
The Cavaliers left with the state runner-up team trophy...but Brittany Burden (above, right) earned medalist honors and teammate Rachel Moeller finished second, individually. Read more about this story in Sunday Press Pros....
March 1, 2026
Kidwell’s Clutch Defensive Play Lifts New Albany To 43-40 Upset Of Third-Seeded Darby
Marysville, Dublin Coffman, New Albany, Pickerington Central, Newark and Olentangy walked off with Division I district girls basketball championship trophies Saturday at the Ohio Expo Center and Ohio Dominican University. Columbus, OH – Third-seeded ...
February 28, 2026
Buckeyes Shut Out By Ole’ Miss…Pitching Surrenders Four Home Runs In 8-0 Beat
The Buckeyes lost for the second time in as many days in Houston, 8-0 to the University of Mississippi in the Bruce Bolt College Classic....
February 28, 2026
Versailles Soars, Swoons, And Soars Again…Survives Madeira In Division V District Final
Versailles (Madison Yagle, above) survives a wrenching mid-game offensive swoon to come back in the fourth quarter and defeat Madeira in the Division V district final at Trotwood. Tigers seeks their first regional title since 2015. Read.......
February 28, 2026
Tri-Village Falls Short In District Final, Fayetteville-Perry Rebounds Its Way To Regionals
Fayetteville-Perry's runs of 10-0, 9-0 and 9-0 earned the Rockets their first district title since 2014. Tri-Village couldn't shoot its way out of a rebounding disparity, and the Patriots know, even at 21-5, they missed their mark. Read Alan Brads...
February 28, 2026
No. 3 Lehman Shoots Tri-County North Out Of The Div. VII Tournament…
Showing a lot of firepower, and willingness to pull the trigger, 18-5 Lehman (Evan O'Leary, above) made short work of Tri-County North Saturday morning in the Division VII sectional at Piqua....
February 28, 2026
Freshman Leads Fort Loramie Past Mississinawa Into District Semifinals
The team that played the tougher schedule triumphed Friday night in Piqua when Fort Loramie took on Mississinawa Valley....
February 28, 2026
McCoy: UD Survives Rumble In D.C.
After taking a big first-half lead over George Washington, the University of Dayton Flyers needed two late free throws by Amaël L'Etang and a blocked shot by Keonte Jones in the dying seconds to secure their fifth straight win, 69-67, over the Revolu...
February 28, 2026
Buckeyes Drop Weekend Opener In Houston To Texas-San Antonio
The baseball Buckeyes dropped the weekend opener in Houston as the University of Texas-San Antonio scored five times in the final three innings to win, 6-5....
February 27, 2026
Just One Big Layup…St. Henry Cruises Past Perry In Tourney Debut
Loose and confident, #2 seed St. Henry and Tate Boeckman (above, 14 points) enjoyed a stress-free tournament debut with a 30-point win over Lima Perry...and shot a lot of layups doing it. Read about the game in Saturday Press Pros....
February 27, 2026







