Wellsville, Crestview shy of state

LORAIN — Wellsville junior twins Madelyn and Makayla Landess came up just short of Division II state tournament berths at the district bowling tournament Saturday at Rebman Recreation.

Madelyn Landess finished in 11th place with a 526 series (144-166-216), which was 24 pins shy of a state berth. Makayla Landess, the Warren sectional champion, was 16th with a 514 series (146-186-192).

The tournament qualified four teams and four individuals not on a qualifying team to the state tournament set for Friday and Saturday at H.P. Lanes in Columbus.

Fairport Harding captured its second straight district title with 3,512 pins. Other state qualifiers were East Canton (3,489), Rootstown (3,473) and Elyria Open Door Christian (3,352).

Struthers was seventh (2,228).

The Crestview girls finished 16th in the team standings (2,532). The Rebels had 1,834 heading into the baker games.

Freshman Kylee Wolfe was the Rebels’ top bowler in 57th place with a 428 series (158-128-142.

Also for the Rebels, senior Olyvia Barnett was 62nd with a 412 series (147-126-139), freshman Nicole Kernich was 77th with a 366 series (98-155-113), sophomore Cathryn Best was 85th with a 328 series (98-100-130) and sophomore Desirae Boley was 86th with a 300 series (87-111-102).

Fairport Harding senior Lauren McKinney ran away with the individual tournament title with a 648 series (221-247-180).

Individual state qualifiers included Oberlin freshman Keira Phillips with a 598 series (242-160-196), Firelands senior Katie Smith with a 582 series (214-180-188), Struthers senior Maddie Marshall with a 558 series (176-213-189) and Wooster Triway freshman Savannah Starcher with a 550 series (191-157-202).

The field of 103 bowlers averaged 149.2 per game.

United tops EOAC tourney

COLUMBIANA — United captured the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference wrestling tournament Saturday at Columbiana High School.

The Eagles went 3-0 in the four-team dual format. United beat Southern Local 54-12, East Palestine 48-23 and Columbiana 54-12.

Potters’ Cowan wins in Carrollton

CARROLLTON — East Liverpool’s Paige Cowan was the 125-pound champion at the Carrollton Lady Spearhead Invitational on Saturday.

Austintown Fitch topped the 25-team field with 147 points.

Here are the individual champions:

100: Ella Thomas (Poland); 105: Mia Forberg (Massillon Perry); 110: Bailey Hilliard (Minerva); 115: Kandice Spry (Tri Valley); 120: Skylar McCuen (Olentangy Berlin); 125: Paige Cowan (East Liverpool); 130: Carolyn Geckler (Massillon Perry); 135: Talea Guntrum (Steubenville); 140: Emma Shephard (Massillon Perry); 145: Tori Wilson (Tusky Valley); 155: Taylor Owen (Black River); 170: Reghan Koch (Austintown Fitch); 190: Sidney Bosler (Tusky Valley); 235: Heylie Camacho (Waterloo).

Seven Oak Glen wrestlers advance to state

WEIRTON, W.Va. — The Oak Glen wrestling team had seven state qualifiers from the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC) Division II Region I Tournament Saturday at Weir High School.

The Golden Bears finished second out of 13 teams with 198 points, trailing team champion Williamstown with 198. Cameron was third with 130 1/2.

Noah Schmidt topped Oak Glen by winning the 215-pound weight class by pinning Wheeling Central’s Dustin Sanner in 1:53.

Schmidt was the state runner-up at 285 last year and placed fourth as a sophomore.

Other Oak Glen state qualifiers include Jordan Tomsic, second at 106 pounds; Kaleb Eckleberry, second at 126; Kayden Spencer, second at 138; Wyatt Wolanski, third at 144; Parker Boyce, fourth at 157; and Paxton Ware, fourth at 165.

State alternates include Mason Lamp, fifth at 190; Evan Geer, fifth at 285; Lliam Flanigan, fifth at 132; Micah Julian, sixth at 120; Isaac Cline, sixth at 150; Owen Schmidt, sixth at 175.

The WVSSAC state wrestling tournament will be held March 5-7 the Marshall Health Network Arena in Huntington, W.Va.

Career effort by Gregory

FORT WAYNE, Indiana — Youngstown State sophomore and former West Branch All-Ohioan Sophia Gregory filled the state sheet Saturday.

Gregory had career highs with 37 points and 19 rebounds in leading the YSU women’s basketball team past Purdue Fort Wayne, 76-71, at Gates Sports Center.

She is the only player in the country with at least 37 points and 19 rebounds in the same this season, according to HerHoopStats.com.

Gregory was 16-of-19 from the field along with three assists, three steals and two blocks in 38 minutes.

She had the highest point total by a Penguin since Heidi Schlegel scored 38 points at Valparaiso 11 years ago to the date, and her 16 field goals tied Schlegel for the most by a YSU player since 1988. Her 19 rebounds were the most since Lilly Ritz grabbed 21 on March 2, 2023.

The Penguins improve to 21-8 overall and 14-5 in the Horizon League, locking up the second seed in the upcoming Horizon League Tournament. The Penguins tied a single-season record with 11 road victories.

Youngstown State will host Detroit Mercy in the regular-season finale at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Thunder strike Cavs

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Isaiah Joe scored 22 points and Cason Wallace added 20 points and 10 assists to help the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-113 on Sunday.

Chet Holmgren had 17 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks for Oklahoma City (44-14), which made 21 of 41 3-point attempts (51.2%), including six by Joe, and converted 17 turnovers into 31 points.

The Thunder played without injured starters Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) and Jalen Williams (strained right hamstring). and key contributors Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain) and Alex Caruso (sprained left ankle).

Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Sam Merrill each had 20 points for Cleveland (36-22), which lost for the first time in eight games. The Cavaliers, who made 13 of 39 3-pointers (33.3%), fell behind early but couldn’t complete the comeback against the hot-shooting Thunder.

Oklahoma City turned to the long ball early and built a 28-5 lead on the strength of five 3-pointers, including three by Joe. Oklahoma City made 14 of 22 (63.6%) from beyond the arc before halftime, but by then Cleveland had cut the lead to 64-55 on a jumper by Mitchell to beat the buzzer.

The Cavaliers got eight quick points from Merrill in the third quarter, and took a 69-68 lead — their first of the game — on a short jumper Jared Allen. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Jared McCain and Joe gave the Thunder an 82-75 advantage. But Cleveland scored 11 of the next 14 points, and got a 3-pointer by Jaylon Tyson to tie the score 86-all.

Oklahoma City got consecutive 3s from Lu Dort, Kenrich Williams and Wallace to build a 102-95 lead in the fourth. Back-to-back jumpers by Isaiah Hartenstein, who had 10 points in the quarter, gave the Thunder a 106-98 lead they never relinquished.

The Cavaliers will host New York on Tuesday.