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.
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 Dominican. Columbus, OH – Olentangy junior standout Ty Walburn stood at the free throw line with 19.2 seconds left in overtime as his Braves were on the
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 superstitions, but Johnathan Hedgepeth would just as soon not know the specifics of his Pickerington Central girls
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 Hilliard Darby and seventh-seeded New Albany entered a tantalizing Division I girls district title game matchup Saturday allowing exactly 37.4 points
Already crowned champion of the Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division two weeks ago, Olentangy raced to a 17-0 lead and blasted intra-district rival Berlin to go into the district tournament with a head of steam. Delaware, OH – Amiable veteran Olentangy boys basketball coach John Feasel is never one to mince words. When looking ahead
Five years without a championship seems like an eternity for tradition-rich Hilliard Bradley, but the Jaguars turned in a superlative defensive performance to slay the two-time defending Central champs and 2025 state champs. Hilliard, OH – That big old number 66 stuck out like a sore thumb on the otherwise glittering resume of the Hilliard