HARRISON NEWS-HERALD
SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2021
Harrison’s Positano, Ferguson, Butler: All-TL Softball team CADIZ - Following the 2021 prep softball season, the Times Leader has compiled a list of 20 of the best players to represent the 2021 “All Times Leader Softball Team.” Following an exceptional campaign this season, it would be no surprise that Harrison Central would be represented in the final selection process. In fact, no less than three players from Coach Darrin Young’s 2021 squad would make the grade. To my knowledge, I believe that is the first time that three players from Harrison cracked the line-up in the same year.
The final cut included seniors Britton Positano and Lexi Ferguson and junior Maddy Butler. They say that “diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” but in this case, these three Huskies were “the diamond’s best friend! All three had remarkable stats this season, and their efforts highly contributed to the Huskies overall performance. Positano played four seasons as a centerfielder for the Huskies. She would hit at a remarkable .477 at the plate. She racked up 41 hits that included five doubles, with another three of the hits being long-rangebombers that traveled way beyond the fence. Her at-bats also resulted in 31 runners
crossing the plate. Ferguson earned a spot at second base for the Huskies this past season. The position was her first attempt to handle the alley and handle it she did! At the plate she produced an average of .417. Within her average, she safely hit 35 times. The hits included six doubles, a triple and three homers. She would also cause thirty runners to cross the plate. Butler manned third base for the Huskies. She would book the best batting average of the team with a whopping .524. The average held 43 hits, with six doubles and two home runs. In addition, her hitting helped 13 runners to cross the plate.
Britton Positano
Lexi Ferguson
Maddy Butler
By ED BANKS
NH Sports Writer
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Hopedale Huskies finish 2nd in Pony League Championship BY ED BANKS
NH Sports Writer
HOPEDALE - On Tuesday in Hopedale, the Hopedale Huskies of the Ohio Valley Youth Baseball League, entered the Pony League play-off series against visiting Weirton. Hopedale would earn their way to the playoffs as the number four seed, while Weirton carried the number five slot. In opening the contest, Weirton would be silenced in their share of the first and Hopedale would draw the game’s first score with a single digit. Moving into the second inning, the teams would close with nine combined scores going into the books. Weirton would record seven of the runs, while Hopedale picked up two additional. The seven runs scored by Weirton in the second, were aided by an error and a three-run blast by Mowdar Damir that cleared the centerfield fence. In the third, Weirton fell prey to Tuck Snyder’s arm and was fanned out of the inning.
Hopedale however, capitalized by using their bats, a timely steal, a base hit, a plunk, and a passed ball. In total, the Huskies plated four runs. With a runner on base and a plunk of another, two runs would make their way to the plate off a two-run single by Aubrey Wood. The two runs had Hopedale within one run of the visitors at a score of 6 - 7. In the fifth, Hopedale picked up their seventh and final run off a hit to center by A P Pelegreen. The top of the sixth brought three more scores for Weirton. They would lead off the frame with a double that was aided by a Husky error. A one-run double followed, which also was aided by an error. Hopedale went silently in share of the frame. In the final inning Weirton went three-up, threedown, and Hopedale sent four batters to the plate that were erased. The game ended with the 10 - 7 score favoring Weirton. Tuck Snyder took the loss from the mound for Hopedale. He was later lifted for Aubrey Wood. At the plate for
Hopedale, Wood had the tworun double and Pelegreen knocked in a run. On Wednesday night the Huskies traveled to Weirton for game two of the playoff series. Following another close scoring contest, the Huskies lost by a score of 5 - 3, ending their season. “We finished second in the Ohio Valley Youth Baseball League where we played in the Pony Division,” said Husky Coach Ryan Wood. “Many of our players will be moving on to high school baseball next year after playing together for many years here in Hopedale. We will certainly miss them,” he added. The Huskies played to an overall spring season record of 21 and 8 while playing competing against top area teams. The Huskies will begin playing in summer ball this coming weekend. “Our goal is to win some tournaments in the tri-state area during summer play,” Wood went on. “We will be playing another 25 to 30 games before the summer is over.”
Preventing substance abuse in Harrison County HARRISON COUNTY Ohio has the third-highest drug overdose mortality rate in the nation. In 2019, more than 4,000 Ohioans died of unintentional drug overdoses (a 7 percent increase from 2018). Harrison County has fewer drug overdose deaths than most Ohio counties, but there are ways to help prevent drug abuse. Many persons who misuse prescription pain relievers report getting those medications from friends and relatives. One idea to help prevent substance abuse is dispose of unused or expired prescription and nonprescription medicines. Drug disposal pouches are a safe way to do this.
Verde Environmental Technologies, maker of Deterra Drug Disposal pouches, granted more than 800 pouches to the Harrison County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (HCSAPC). Deterra Drug Deactivation and Disposal system is safe, easy-to-use, and permanent. Simply open the pouch, put in unused medications, add some warm water, wait 30 seconds, seal the pouch, shake, then put into the trash. Free Deterra Drug Disposal pouches are available at The Ohio State University Extension Office; the Harrison County Health Department; Cadiz Senior Center; Harrison
Community Hospital Pharmacy; Custer Pharmacy; Cadiz Police Department; and Puskarich, Scio and Clark Memorial Public Libraries. HCSAPC is comprised of citizens, treatment professionals, and agency leaders who are committed to helping prevent the abuse of legal and illegal drugs by Harrison County residents. HCSAPC meets monthly 2-3 p.m. on the third Wednesday. For additional information on the Deterra pouches or the Harrison County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, you can contact Joseph Maioranomaiorano.2@osu.edu or 740582-6024.
Pictured are the Hopedale Huskies of the Ohio Valley Baseball’s Pony League. The team played two games in the League’s play-off series before being defeated on Wednesday night. The Huskies played to an overall spring season record of 21 and 8, while playing competing against top area teams. They will begin playing in summer ball this coming weekend.
Take precautions to avoid ticks in the outdoors this summer COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife is encouraging hunters, anglers, birders, and all outdoor enthusiasts to use caution and take steps to avoid contact with Ohio’s tick species while exploring the outdoors this summer. Ticks are found throughout Ohio and sometimes carry potentially dangerous diseases. Ohio has three medically important species of ticks: the American dog tick, blacklegged tick, and lone star tick. All three of these species have the potential to carry and transmit diseases to humans and pets. The American dog tick is the most common tick in Ohio and is found in grassy areas. This tick is most active during the summer months and is the primary transmitter of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. When exploring the outdoors, everyone should take precautions to prevent a tick from becoming attached to the skin. Outer clothing should be sprayed with permethrin-based repellent according to the label directions. Pants should be tucked into socks or boots and
shirts into pants to keep ticks on the outside of the clothing. Wear light colored clothing which will make spotting ticks easier. Thoroughly check clothes and skin for any attached ticks. Don’t forget to check pets and gear, too. Attached ticks should be removed as quickly as possible to reduce the risk of contracting tick-borne diseases. To remove a tick, use tweezers or gloved hands. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out with steady, even pressure. Do not use petroleum jelly, fingernail polish, alcohol, cigarettes, matches, or other similar methods to try to kill or stimulate the tick to back out. These methods do not work, delay proper removal, and may be dangerous. “Ticks have the ability to transmit diseases to humans in 36 to 48 hours after the initial bite,” said Ohio Wildlife Council President and retired veterinarian Dr. Paul Mechling. “Urban and suburban development as well as outdoor recreation allows the spread of these diseases as people come in close contacts with mice, whitetailed deer, and other hosts for
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ticks. Pets in an outdoor setting should have tick control.” Blacklegged tick populations have increased in Ohio since 2010, particularly in areas with forested habitat. This species can carry Lyme disease and is active throughout the year, including during the winter. Also known as the deer tick, blacklegged ticks are frequently found on white-tailed deer. The lone star tick is found mostly in southern Ohio and can transmit several diseases. It is found in shaded, grassy areas and is active during the warmer months of the year. “Ohioans are at greatest risk for contracting tick-borne disease from June through August, but Lyme disease is possible year-round,” says Dr. Glen Needham, Associate Professor Emeritus of Entomology at The Ohio State University. “Wear proper clothing and use repellent to help prevent tick attachment.” Dr. Mechling also advises landowners, particularly those who own woodlots, to consider the makeup of plants on their property. According to recent research conducted by the University of Maine, woodlots
with invasive plants such as bush honeysuckle, Japanese barberry, and buckthorn had three to four times the number of blacklegged ticks compared to woodlots with no invasive plants. It is important to note that unlike humans and pets, wild animals such as deer are not affected by the blacklegged tick and suffer no ill effects from
Lyme disease. Additionally, Lyme disease cannot be transmitted by the consumption of venison. Hunters should remember that hunting and dressing deer may bring them into close contact with infected ticks. More information on these and other tick species, and photos to help identify ticks can be found on the Ohio
Department of Health webpage. To learn more about tick-borne diseases and their symptoms, visit cdc.gov/ticks. The Ohio State University is hosting a day-long Ohio Regional Tick Symposium 2021 in October. Registration is available at osu.edu. For more information on ticks in Ohio, visit wildohio.gov .
