Breaking News

Sports Columns

Time to put fishing back on the radar

“One of these days …” It’s a threat, a promise or a dream. It all depends on the circumstances. Anglers often aspire to fulfill an ambition “one of these days.” Perhaps it’s to visit a faraway lake or to catch a bucket-list species. For many, however, the “one of these days” aspiration is to take up fishing or perhaps to return to the sport they loved as a kid. Ohioans who are contemplating fishing as a new hobby or to dust off their long-idle fishing tackle have their once-a-year opportunity to cast their lines without having to invest in a fishing license. ...

A strong 1st impression

Mahoning Valley athletes, you’ve got our attention. Another year has come and gone for our area’s athletes, but for nearly all of the writers in this outlet’s sports department, it was Year 1 in the Youngstown area. Talk about a strong first impression. In the fall, we were fortunate enough to see the Ursuline football make it all the way to the state championship game. Though the Irish came up just shy of the ultimate achievement to their stellar season, it was a pleasure to see the excitement that drew. As it turns out, my very first Ohio high school football game was ...

Recalling a home run fishing trip of sorts

Sometimes a fishing trip can be a home run even when the fish fail to show up. For retired Mathews High School teacher Mike Miller, a long weekend of frustration on Pymatuning Lake with his father and brother turned out to be one of the best days of his life. Mike’s dad, Gerry Miller, was a hard-working man who toiled at two jobs to support his family in Vienna. When Gerry did finally make time to go fishing, the trips often turned into three-day expeditions that were — in Mike’s words — “fish, fish, fish.” Summer was waning in 1968 when Gerry announced to Mike and ...

Like in life, coaches rely on mentors and other resources

As a journalist, whenever I find myself in a jam and in need of advice I always turn to former colleagues, bosses, and professors. There’s my former editor at the Verde Independent in Cottonwood, AZ, Dan Engler. He was the one who gave me my first full-time job as a journalist and someone who taught me so much about the business. In fact, before I took this job I reached out to him to talk about the opportunity, just to have a sounding board. Then, there are my former professors at Arizona State University, Paola Boivin and Brett Kurland. Two of the best to ever do it. Dan gave ...

Local anglers giving back to support community

When the opportunity to give back to the community presents itself, some people step up and some turn away. It’s human nature. Some are givers. But even the most generous givers appreciate the opportunity to have some fun to go along with their investment. A dedicated corps of bass anglers has answered the call in Youngstown annually since 2000. Every year on the Saturday after Memorial Day, they gather at Aqua Ohio’s Evans and Pine Lakes to compete for the title of champion of the United Way Bass Classic. Now known as the Muransky Companies Bass Classic, the tournament started ...

Aces in the circle: Pitchers played major role in local district titles

The old adage goes “Defense wins championships” and when it came to six of our local softball teams winning district titles this past week, that saying could not be truer. But, you could also throw a little wrinkle into the mix and include the young ladies that stepped into the circle for our local champions. Winning pitchers in five of the six district title games went the distance this past week and all five of those winning pitchers recorded 10 or more strikeouts. Austintown Fitch’s freshman phenom Sydnie Watts could call herself a strikeout queen after this week as she ...