Sports

Area grapplers compete in USA Wrestling national qualifier
Sports
Jonathan Alder’s Rayce Watson, right, is in an over-under tieup with Derion Williams of Cleveland in the 126-pound weight class in the Freestyle division. Watson lost 10-0. (Journal-Tribune photo by Kevin Behrens)
By Tim Miller 
May 21, 2026
Louisville Kentucky is the home of the late boxing champ Muhammad Ali and also USA wrestling’s  central regional tournament. The Fargo national qualifier was held this past weekend at the Norton Healt...
Lady Cats’ overall play leads to tourney victory at Centerburg
Sports
North Union pitcher Leah Cox prepares to fire the ball toward the plate. Cox helped the Lady Cats beat Centerburg in the Division V district semifinals. (Journal-Tribune photo by Bob Putman)
By Bob Putman 
May 20, 2026
Horse racing has its Triple Crown... the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. The North Union softball team had its own triple parlay as it took on Centerburg in a Central District Division V...
JA softball squad scores run-rule win in tournament game
Sports
Jonathan Alder’s Logan Donaldson slaps the ball for a hit in this file photo. The Lady Pioneers won a Division III district semifinal game with a run-rule verdict over Marion Harding. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
By Tim Miller 
May 20, 2026
Jonathan Alder softball coach Dave McGrew felt his third-seeded Lady Pioneers would be along the lines of a five or six-run favorite over No. 10 Marion Harding on Monday. The gap, however, was bigger ...
Panther baseball team tops Southeastern
Sports
By Tim Miller 
May 20, 2026
Fairbanks’ baseball squad turned in a 5-1 victory over Southeastern. The game was deadlocked at 1-1 after the first inning. The Panthers plated single runs in the visitors’ portion of the third and fi...
Lady Monarchs club New Albany with school-record six homers during district semifinal victory
Sports
Marysville’s softball team set a new single-game record with six home runs during Monday’s tournament win over New Albany. Round-trippers were by, from left, Brooklyn Gamby (one), Addie Altizer (one), Katelyn Bickerstaff (two) and Abigail Bryant (two). (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
By Tim Miller 
May 20, 2026
The Oakland Athletics of the late 1980s had the “Bash Brothers” of Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco. Marysville’s varsity softball team, at least for one evening, had the “Sister Sluggers.” The Lady Mona...
MHS jayvees win two games
Sports
By Tim Miller 
May 20, 2026
Marysville’s junior varsity softball team won a pair of recent games. The Lady Monarchs notched a 9-2 verdict over Central Crossing and a 12-2 victory over Hilliard Davidson. MHS-CC The Lady Monarchs ...
Panther baseball squad tops Elgin
Sports
Nolan Baker (30) of Fairbanks follows through on his swing. Baker tallied four hits during the Panthers’ victory over Marion Elgin. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
By Tim Miller 
May 20, 2026
A 19-4 non-conference verdict over Marion Elgin improved Fairbanks’ varsity baseball record to 14-9. The Panther batting order rocked Comet pitching for 15 hits. Nolan Baker, Trey King and Nate Meihls...
Area athletes place at state meet
Sports
By Bob Putman 
May 20, 2026
North Union Middle School had several athletes compete in the Ohio High School Athletic Association seventh and eighth-grade state track meet on Saturday at Hilliard Darby. Luke Mask earned a pair of ...
Lady Pioneers edge London; capture Kenton Trail Division track/field championship
Sports
North Union’s Griffin Osborne displays his Central Buckeye Conference most valuable player award following the CBC track and field championships at Jonathan Alder. Osborne posted victories the 100, 200, long jump and was part of a winning relay team. (Photo submitted)
By Bob Putman 
May 20, 2026
The boys part of the Central Buckeye Conference track and field championships needed all 17 events before a winner in the Kenton Trail Division was decided at Jonathan Alder. London and Jonathan Alder...
Wildcats fall in baseball action
Sports
By Bob Putman 
May 18, 2026
By BOB PUTMAN North Union could not overcome a pair of high-scoring innings in a 13-10 baseball loss at Mount Vernon on Thursday. The Wildcats (5-19) led 5-1 going into the bottom of the third inning,...
Benjamin Logan vaulter shatters CBC record
Sports
By Bob Putman 
May 18, 2026
Several field and running events were completed in the Central Buckeye Conference track and field meet at Jonathan Alder. It was the first day of the two-day meet. The finale took place on Friday. Nor...
Lady Panthers capture OHC track/field title
Sports
By Bob Putman 
May 18, 2026
The Fairbanks girls track team scored points in all 17 events in the Ohio Heritage Conference track championships that concluded Thursday at Greenon High School. Not only did the Lady Panthers score i...
NU opens tourney play with run-rule win
Sports
North Union’s Leah Cox (right) prepares to unleash a pitch against Worthington Christian. Cox finished one walk away from pitching a perfect game during the Division V tournament game at NU. (Journal-Tribune photo by Bob Putman)
By Bob Putman 
May 18, 2026
The next chapter of the 2026 North Union softball season began on Thursday. A few days after winning their first Central Buckeye Conference title since 2022, the Lady Cats opened Central District Divi...
FHS softball squad tops Northridge in tourney
Sports
Elizabeth Gregory of Fairbanks blasts the walk-off home run against Johnstown Northridge Thursday evening. The senior’s round-tripper ended the game in the bottom of the sixth with the Lady Panthers winning the Division V tournament game on the run rule by a score of 16-6. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
By Tim Miller 
May 18, 2026
Fairbanks softball second baseman Lexie Grant could be heard in the dugout saying something to the effect that “Liz needs to hit this out.” Grant was referring to Lady Panther senior Elizabeth Gregory...
Pioneers topple Shawnee
Sports
Jonathan Alder’s Brooks Pierce follows through on his swing. Pierce helped lead the Pioneers to a victory over Shawnee. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
By Tim Miller 
May 18, 2026
Brooks Pierce, Garrett Bauer, Cam Martin and Cashton Wheeler had hot bats when Jonathan Alder’s baseball team got back on the winning track. Pierce went three-for-five at the plate and drove in three ...
NU edges Bellefontaine for second consecutive baseball triumph
Sports
By Bob Putman 
May 18, 2026
Following a game in which three pitchers combined for a no-hitter, North Union made it two straight wins on Wednesday as it defeated Bellefontaine 4-3 at North Union. Greyson Bledsoe pitched the Wildc...
Monarch athletes capture OCC Cardinal track/field championships
Sports
Marysville’s Ava Schmutz (left) and Kaylor Niemi respectively won the girls and boys pole vault championships during the first day of the Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division meet. The meet is being held at Olentangy High School. (Photos submitted)
By Tim Miller 
May 18, 2026
A trio of Marysville High School athletes captured Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division titles during the opening day of the divisional track and field championship. Monarch pole vaulters Ava Sch...
MHS baseball squad suffers run-rule loss to D. Coffman
Sports
Marysville’s Cam Schulze can’t get a handle on the ball as a Dublin Coffman runner steals second base. The Monarchs fell 10-0. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
By Tim Miller 
May 14, 2026
The “Gould Gang” came to Marysville Tuesday evening and continued its magic with Dublin Coffman’s baseball team. Former Marysville High School diamond standouts and brothers Corey and Casey Gould are ...
Marysville’s Scheiderer making strides as starter for BGSU diamond team
Sports
Griffin Scheiderer (left) makes the putout at second base during a 2025 tournament game for Marysville. The former Monarch is the starting shortstop for Bowling Green State University as a freshman. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
By Tim Miller 
May 14, 2026
There is generally an adjustment period for athletes who move on from high school sports to the collegiate level. Griffin Scheiderer, a 2025 graduate of Marysville High School, can attest to that. Aft...
Fairbanks, Triad athletes compete in OHC meet
Sports
By Bob Putman 
May 13, 2026
The first day of the Ohio Heritage Conference track championships was held Monday at Greenon High School. Field events completed were boys long jump and shot put and girls discus, high jump and pole v...
MHS girls take third at Gahanna meet
Sports
Marysville’s Keilana Ferguson competes in a hurdle race. Marysville’s girls placed third at the Gahanna Invitational. (Journal-Tribune photos by Tim Miller)
By Tim Miller 
May 13, 2026
Marysville’s girls track and field team placed third during the Gahanna Invitational. Gahanna won the meet with 147 points and Beavercreek was the runner-up with 110. The Lady Monarchs tallied 96 poin...
Monarchs end OCC Cardinal baseball slate with victory
Sports
Ryan Melish connects on a pitch in a file photo. Melish recorded a hit and drove in a run in Monday’s win over Hilliard Darby. (Journal-Tribune photo by Jack Christian)
By Jack Christian 
May 13, 2026
Marysville’s varsity baseball team wrapped up conference play Monday night with a 10-6 win over Hilliard Darby. The Monarchs (11-13 overall and 8-7 in the Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division) wo...
JA girls win CBC middle school track title
Sports
By Bob Putman 
May 13, 2026
The Central Buckeye Conference recently held its middle school track and field championships at North Union. Jonathan Alder edged out Shawnee for the girls title, finishing with 98.5 points. Shawnee h...
Wildcats topple Liberty Christian
Sports
By Bob Putman 
May 13, 2026
Greyson Bledsoe swatted three doubles and drove in five runs while Alex Dexter, Will Jones and Owen Wills combined to pitch a no-hitter as North Union defeated Liberty Christian 17-0 on Monday. The pi...
FHS’ Reames strikes out nine during shutout over West Liberty
Sports
Panther southpaw Carson Reames is about to fire the ball toward the plate. Reames went the distance on the mound during a 3-0 victory over West Lliberty-Salem. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
By Tim Miller 
May 13, 2026
There was a similiarity between Fairbanks pitcher Carson Reames and West Liberty-Salem hurler Timmy Howells on Monday. Both southpaws yielded five hits when the Ohio Heritage Conference rivals met on ...
Local baseball teams seeded for post-season
Sports
By Bob Putman 
May 12, 2026
The Central District held its tournament draw for baseball teams in Division I through Division VII on Sunday. The rankings for each team is determined by using the MaxPreps Ratings Percentage Index. ...
NU’s Osborne, Lindsey named MVPs of WL-S Invitational
Sports
By Bob Putman 
May 12, 2026
North Union and Benjamin Logan were among the 14 teams that competed Friday in the West Liberty-Salem Tiger Invitational track meet. North Union finished fifth (70.5 points) in the boys meet and ninth...
Lady Cats club Bellefontaine; earn outright Mad River Division crown
Sports
Rylee Fox of North Union looks at a pitch from Bellefontaine’s Joy Fogan. The Lady Cats beat the Chieftains and earned the outright Central Buckeye Conference Mad River Division title. (Photo submitted)
By Bob Putman 
May 12, 2026
Before the North Union softball team took to its home field on Saturday for a Central Buckeye Conference game against Bellefontaine, it knew one thing for certain. As a result of Shawnee’s 14-0 loss t...