A seven-time Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association writer of the year, Blackledge spent the final 34 years of a four-decade career as the chief prep beat writer for the Columbus Dispatch. A Delaware, Ohio native, Blackledge graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1982 with degrees in journalism and communications. He served as sports editor of the Wilmington News-Journal for three-plus years. He also worked at the Lake County Telegraph and the Delaware Gazette. In addition to the prep beat, Blackledge has covered the Browns, Indians, Reds, Bengals, Columbus Crew and various Ohio State sports.
AJ Goldmeyer, AJ Clymer and Andrew Leonard smacked back-to-back-to-back doubles in a seventh-inning uprising as Liberty overtook Orange in a battle of area and state powers. Lewis Center, OH – As a first-team All-Ohio quarterback on the Division I state championship football team, a prolific scoring forward on the ice hockey team (2024 state champion)
Olentangy Orange opened the second half on an 8-0 run and never looked back in routing Reynoldsburg in the first big-school state final featuring two Columbus-area teams. Dayton, OH – During the second quarter of an abysmal Division I state championship game Saturday night, Olentangy Orange coach Anthony Calo looked over his shoulder at a
Micah Young (24 points, eight rebounds) and Tai Perkins (19 points, four assists, four steals) led the charge as the Warriors ambushed Perry to cap a championship season with a 24th straight win. Dayton, OH – In the midst of a second-quarter Westerville North feeding frenzy Friday night, a Massillon Perry fan frantically screamed at
Micah Young scored 29 points as high-powered North won its 23rd straight game — most of them in the same dominant fashion as Sunday. Fairborn, OH – Truth be told, Westerville North’s road to the Division II state championship game has seemingly been free and clear of any red lights or speed bumps. In winning
Damon Griffin found an inexplicably wide-open Xavier McKinney alone under the basket and the Raiders erased a four-point deficit in the final 80 seconds to edge West Chester Lakota West 64-63 in a wildly entertaining state semifinal. Fairborn, OH – The final second of a wild and crazy Division I state semifinal Sunday at Wright