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Saturday, October 2, 2021
Harrison News-Herald Sports
Husky Sports Briefs: HC golf lands 1st BY ED BANKS Harrison News-Herald Sports Writer
Junior High Volleyball: Tuesday night, the junior high volleyball teams split matches with visiting Steubenville Big Red. Harrison Central’s seventh grade would win their share of the event in two sets by scores of 25-19 and 25-18. In a very tight second set that played dead even at and through regulation, the eighth-grade team would fall to Steubenville with scores of 25-11 and 26-24. Varsity Golf: Last Thursday, the Harrison Central varsity golfers finished in 1st place over visitors Indian Creek, Edison, and Toronto. Harrison would finish the match with a score of 186. Aiden Sliva and Nash Roberts led the team, both shooting a 43. Heath Clay and Wyatt Foreman both scored a 50 for the Huskies. For Indian Creek, the Redskins were 2nd with a score of 204. Connor Garbade finished best for Indian Creek with a score of 46, while Noah Tweedy shot a 50. Logan Kuczykowski also had a 50, and Luke Merriman had a 58. For Edison Local, who had a 231, Aiden Ferguson led with a 51, Tommie Phillips 55, Tristin Arnold a 60, and Ryan Dinger 65. The Toronto golfers finished the event with Ty Suffoletta shooting a 49, Noah Karaffa 55, and Gunnar Blood 56.
Varsity volleyball holds Senior Night
Red Devils cruise in Coal Bucket showdown BY D.J. WATSON Harrison News-Herald Sports Writer ST. CLAIRSVILLE—A true David vs. Goliath story unfolded last Friday night in Belmont County. Unfortunately for the Huskies, the Red Devils “Goliath” performed as expected and commandeered the contest from start to finish. The 55-7 victory moved 20-year head coach Bret Mclean and his St. Clairsville program to 5-1 on the year. As predicted in the preseason, the perennial playoff power appears primed to make another deep run in the Division IV playoffs come the end of October. Harrison Central head coach Anthony Hayes agrees with the postseason prospects of his team’s biggest rival. “Credit to them, they are a very good football team, and they are likely going to make a run in the postseason,” Hayes stated. Harrison supporters were likely hoping for a remake of the 2019 Coal Bucket game, in which the Huskies entered Red Devil Stadium as 35-point underdogs and left with a 42-35 monumental upset. However, the magic simply wasn’t there this year. The Huskies (2-4) were down 21-0 after the first quarter, and things never turned around from there. The Red Devils led 35-0 at the
break. “Obviously, it was not the outcome we were looking for. We tried multiple things to give us a chance, and they had answers for every one of our adjustments. Credit to our kids: We are short-handed and thin right now due to injuries, illnesses, etc., but our young kids are giving us everything that they have. We aren’t making excuses. That’s not who we are. We are trying to figure out how to grow. We will take whatever lumps that come along with that process and be better because of our effort and attitude,” Hayes explained. In the early moments of the third quarter, Huskies defensive back Cameron Mcafee returned an interception for a touchdown for Harrison’s only score. Both the Red Devils and Huskies got plenty of playing time for the underclassmen in the second half. The Red Devils outgained the Huskies 48693, and much of the box score mirrors what one could expect from two teams so unevenly matched. Week 11 is a foregone conclusion for the Red Devils, but even with the OHSAA expanding the playoff format to 16 teams per region, the same can’t be said for the Huskies. Harrison is currently sitting in 18th place in the Division V Region 17 rankings. After taking their bumps
Harrison News-Herald Photo/D.J. WATSON Harrison’s Tre Rex and a pair of teammates run down a Red Devil in St. Clairsville last Friday night.
and bruises from the Red Devils, the Huskies can now look at the final four weeks with some optimism. Beaver Local, Edison, Indian Creek, and Buckeye Local remain on the schedule. It is fair to assume that in at least two, maybe three, of those matchups, the Huskies will be at or closer to the competition line. Indian Creek and Buckeye Local are a combined 1-8 so far this season. All in all, Hayes and his staff remain goal-oriented. “No game is bigger than the present one. We are back to work getting focused on a very sound Beaver Local team.”
Lady Husky soccer takes on John Marshall BY SHARON DALTON Harrison News-Herald Sports Writer On Monday, the Lady Huskies soccer team traveled to Moundsville, West Virginia to take on the John Marshall Monarchs. The Huskies opened the scoring six minutes into the half
with a goal by Lily Gibbons off a cross from Lexi Smith. John Marshall responded by scoring the next two goals to take a 2-1 lead. Only seven minutes before the half, Smith scored off a Maddy Bender assist to tie the score. John Marshall then scored before the half to make it 3-2 in their favor. With the sun setting, Smith scored her
second goal after dribbling past the Monarch defense. And just two minutes later, Gibbons would score again on a cross from Collete Downs to put the Huskies ahead, 4-3. With daylight fading, the referees decided to take 12 minutes off the clock. Following this adjustment, neither of the teams would score again, finishing the game with a 4-3 Husky victory.
Husky volleyball defeats Edison, loses to Beaver and St. C BY ED BANKS Harrison News-Herald Sports Writer
Harrison News-Herald Photo/SHARON DALTON Harrison Central volleyball seniors were honored at the Harison Central vs. Edison game on Wednesday night. Pictured are seniors Sarah Touville, McKayla Dunkle, and Kacey Novak.
CADIZ—Last Thursday, the varsity volleyball team defeated visiting Edison Local in 4 sets. They captured the win with scores of 25-21 (EL), 25-10 (HC), 25-20 (HC), and 25-19 HC). In that final set, Harrison overcame a set tie of 19-all to claim the win. McKayla Dunkle paced the Lady Huskies with 16 kills and 8 blocks. Logan Johnson had 18 assists, Maddy Butler had 29 digs, and both Johnson and Danica Rensi had 18 points. The Husky junior varsity lost in 3 sets and by scores of 25-8 (EL), 25-21 (HC), and 25-18 (EL). The following Monday, the Huskies were on the road at Beaver Local. Trailing through the 3 sets of the match, the Huskies would ultimately fall behind with set scores of 25-14 (BL), 25-15 (BL), and 25-13 (BL). In a very gallant effort, the Huskies faced St. Clairsville at home on Wednesday evening. Getting underway, the Huskies never looked so good, as they pounded out their efforts and carried the contest into a 5-set affair. The first set went Harrison’s way, ending with a score of 25-17. The Huskies led the entire way while putting up commanding numbers in point total separation. The second set was a near mirror image of the first, as the Huskies secured the upper hand at a score of 25-18. In Set 3, though owning an early set lead, the Huskies began to experience what would be a pendulum swing, as signs of fatigue became evident. The Red Devils would recognize the opportunity and exploit it with
multiple substitutions throughout the set. They would go on and capture the set by a score of 25-16. Securing an early lead in the fourth set, the visitors would maintain the lead throughout. The fourth set became a match determiner, and the two squads went toe-to-toe to produce a 2-2 tie. The set would go into extra service before the Red Devil visitors won by a score of 26-24. During the fifth and deciding set, St. Clairsville again owned the early lead and turned the match’s outcome into a 15-9 final score and the win. The Husky reserve squad won by scores of 25-22 and 25-20.
Harrison News-Herald Photo/ED BANKS On Thursday, the Harrison Central varsity volleyball team defeated visiting Edison Local in 4 sets. The Huskies would lose the first set and go on to win in the final three. Pictured during that match is Harrison Central’s Sarah Touville (4) as she, while in flight, returns a volley during the second and game-changing set. A pleased head coach Ray Hibbs can be seen in the background as he observes the play.
Lady Husky volleyball falls to Beaver Local BY SHARON DALTON Harrison News-Herald Sports Writer
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The Lady Husky volleyball team traveled up the river to take on Beaver Local on Monday evening. The Beavers took the lead in the first set and kept the ball rolling, winning all three sets: 25-14, 25-15, and 25-13. McKayla Dunkle’s 6 kills led the Huskies. Logan Johnson had 13 assists, and Maddy Butler had 15 digs and 7 points. Beaver Local also picked up a win against the JV Huskies 2-0, with scores of 25-6 and 25-19. The Ladies went back into action Wednesday against the St. Clairsville Red Devils at home and again against Martins Ferry at home on Thursday.
Harrison News-Herald Photo/SHARON DALTON Logan Johnson led Harrison Central in assists (13) against the Beaver Local Beavers on Monday.
