Geiss third in showcase

PAINESVILLE — Heartland Christian senior Rebecca Geiss has been running with the best her entire career.

Geiss finished third out of 288 runners in Riverside’s HOKA Kickoff Classic XC Showcase on Saturday night.

Geiss — the Ohio Division III state cross country champion in 2023 and state runner-up in 2024 — ran 18 minutes, 27.69 seconds on the 3.1-mile course at Riverside High School during the showcase event.

Avon senior Kaitlyn Reese won in 17:43.33. Reese, the fastest Lorain County girl since 1983, was fifth as a sophomore and seventh as a junior at the Ohio Division I state cross country meet.

Senior Annie Czajkowski from Norwin High School in North Huntington, Pa., was second in 18:17.05. She was the race winner last year.

Canfield junior Sabrina Baskett was 24th in 19:37.26.

Events set at Valley

COLUMBIANA — Valley Golf Club has scheduled several charity golf scrambles in the coming weeks.

The Knights of Columbus four-person scramble will be held on Saturday. Cost is $40 per person or $160 per team for the nine-hole event, which includes lunch at the course, green fees, cart and dinner afterward at the K of C Club in Leetonia. Proceeds benefit St. Patrick’s Food Pantry.

The Annual Senior Scramble is set for Sept. 11. Entry is $35 per person or $140 per team. The four-person, nine-hole scramble includes lunch, green fees and cart. A hole-in-one on No. 2 or No. 4 will win $5,000, sponsored by Holloway Insurance Co. and Valley Golf Club. Proceeds benefit Columbiana Area Meals on Wheels and Hospice House of the Valley.

The Annual Belleria of Columbiana three-person, 18-hole scramble is scheduled for Sept. 13. Dinner will be provided by Belleria Columbiana. A hole-in-one on No. 2 or No. 4 is worth $5,000, sponsored by Belleria and Valley Golf Club.

To register a team for any event, call the Valley Golf pro shop at (330) 482-9464.

Marlington edges Salem

SALEM — The Salem girls tennis team dropped a close 3-2 match against Marlington on Tuesday at Memorial Park.

With the loss, the Quakers move to 1-1 in EBC play.

The Lady Quakers return to action today against Southeast at at Memorial Park.

FIRST SINGLES: Hadley Carlisle (S) def. Izzy Christian ,6-1, 6-1.

SECOND SINGLES: Memphis Haueter (S) def. Aleah Stauffer, 6-1, 6-0.

THIRD SINGLES: Ember McCarty (M) def. Meadow Anderson, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4.

FIRST DOUBLES: Lia Foith-Myla Christian (M) def. Grace Zellers-Eva Minto, 6-0, 6-2.

SECOND DOUBLES: Laney Cross-Jacqueline Seaburn (M) def. Haylee Foor-Emma Harsh, 6-0, 6-1.

Bananas grow in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — The popular Savannah Bananas will be playing two games at sold-out PNC Park this weekend.

The Bananas will play the Texas Tailgaters at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday with activities around the ballpark beginning as early as 2 p.m. each day. Gates to PNC Park will open at 4:30 p.m.

In addition to the two Bananas baseball games, the Acrisure Stadium Kickoff and Rib Fest will take place outside Acrisure Stadium on Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m. Also, the University of Pittsburgh Football team will play Duquesne at the stadium at noon Saturday.

Federal Street from General Robinson Street, through the Roberto Clemente Bridge, will close to vehicular traffic from 6 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Sunday.