Lexington Blanks Ontario For 6th Straight Win
The good times keep on rolling for the Lexington baseball squad who shutout cross-county rival Ontario 9-0 on the road to extend their winning streak to six.
The Minutemen got on the board early, taking a 1-0 edge in the top of the first when Josh Aiello scored on a wild pitch from Warriors starter Avery Fisher, who would go on to surrender 7 runs in 3.1 innings of work. The game then remained at a 1-0 stale mate until Lexington exploded for seven runs in their offensive half of the fourth.
Aiello finished 2-3 with 2 runs, 2 walks and an RBI for a balanced Minutemen offense that saw seven different players produce hits with six driving in runs. Starting pitcher Ben Vore was lights out for Lex, throwing five innings of 2 hit ball while striking out nine before handing things over to Austin Basham who allowed just 2 baserunners with 3 K’s.
Since opening the season at 0-3, Lexington (11-6) has now won 11 of their last 14 games and are tied for the OCC lead. Ontario (10-11) has not been able to find the same success they did last year when the squad won 24-straight and competed for a regional title, but are still in the mix to repeat as MOAC champs.
Ontario Baseball 2019 Playoff Preview
The start of the Ontario baseball season wasn’t what the team had expected coming off an exceptional 2018 campaign that ended with a spot in the Division II Elite Eight. Early struggles have since evolved into clutch performances as the Warriors prepare for the postseason, however, and the team feels as though they’ve found their stride just in time for a playoff push.
Much like a season ago, when Ontario started the year at 0-3 before running off 25 consecutive victories on their way to the regional finals, the team was again humbled by stout competition during a holiday trip to Myrtle Beach and would be challenged again against top programs from Northwest Ohio. Gaining on-field experience against elite competitors prepared the Warriors for a late-season surge, though, that resulted in an unlikely defense of their league championship.
Ontario needed some help during the last week of the regular season to gain a share of the MOAC crown, but got the necessary breaks to stay in the mix. The Warriors also handled their own business by closing the year with a 4-game win streak that included a walk-off win in extra innings against Galion to claim a piece of the conference title.
With some building momentum fueling 6th-seeded Ontario as they prepare for a sectional championship showdown at #5 Shelby, the team says confidence is riding high as the postseason approaches. The Warriors understand how difficult it can be to beat the Whippets on their home field, having lost there 8-1 early in the season, but believe they will be ready for the challenge.
Shelby Knocks Out Ontario For Sectional Championship
A big inning from the plate and solid starting pitching have the Shelby baseball squad moving on to the Division II Sandusky District as 5-3 winners over Ontario in the sectional final.
The 6th-seeded Warriors had built some momentum heading into postseason play with victories in each of their last four outings and took an early 1-0 edge in the top of the 1st on an RBI from the bat of Noah Creed. Whippets starter Blaise Caudill would settle in, though, keeping Ontario off the board for the next five innings of action.
Caden Armstrong was strong on the hill for most of his outing, holding #5 Shelby scoreless until a close call at the plate tied the contest in the bottom half of the fourth. The key offensive damage for the Whippets arrived during a 2-out rally in the sixth that saw four Shelby runs cross the plate with Cameron Payne driving in a score and Caudill smacking a 2-RBI double.
Ontario (13-11) would make things interesting with a 2-out rally of their own in the top of the 7th, plating a pair of runs and loading the bases, but could not keep the momentum rolling as they did a season ago during a run to the regional finals.
Shelby (12-10) now advances to face #3 Norwalk in the district semifinals. The Truckers knocked off #1 Perkins 8-5 in their sectional final and beat the Whippets earlier in the season by a score of 6-2.
Barons Big Inning Fuels Triumph At Ontario
Buckeye Valley overcame a challenging start on the road at Ontario with a 5-2 come from behind win over the defending MOAC champs.
Despite sending heavy traffic onto the base paths over the first few innings, the Barons failed to get on the board against Warriors starter Andrew Cacchio until coming alive with a four-run rally in the fifth. Ontario would lead 2-0 at that point on RBI from Caden Armstrong and Cade Thompson in the bottom halves of the second and third, but would not cross the plate again.
Senior pitcher Ben Atiyeh went the distance for Buckeye Valley, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks with 4 strikeouts, while also batting 2-2 from the dish with an RBI and 2 walks. Evan Ulrich added 3 RBI for the Barons during a 2-3 hitting performance that included a run scored.
The win puts Buckeye Valley at 5-4, 3-1 while the Warriors dip to 4-4, 2-4.
Shelby Blasts Ontario 8-1 For 1st MOAC Win
In a Richland County showdown at Shelby, the Whippets handled defending MOAC champion Ontario 8-1 to claim their first league win of the young season.
Ohio State-bound shortstop Avery Fisher put the Warriors on the board with a run in the top of the first, but Ontario would fail to cross home plate again. Shelby quickly answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning, which would have been enough for junior starting pitcher Blaise Caudill who gave up 1 run on 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6 in six innings of action.
The Whippets tacked on three more runs in their half of the third with RBI from Evan Bogner and Austin Gray before extending their edge to 6-1 when Caudill drove in his second run of the game. Marek Albert then brought home the final two runs of the night on a right field single that all but shut the door on an Ontario rally.
Shelby improves to 3-3, 1-2 with the win while the Warriors dip to 3-2, 1-2.
Norwalk Takes Triple Overtime Thriller vs Ontario at Districts
It took seven sessions of basketball to decide who would advance to the Division II Mansfield District Championship, with top-seeded Norwalk surviving a triple-overtime marathon to beat #8 Ontario, 52-48.
Offense was tough to come by for the Warriors in the opening half, scoring just six points in each quarter but only trailed 24-12 at the half. The narrative then flipped in the game’s second half where the Truckers could only muster eight points as Ontario closed out the fourth on a 9-2 run to force overtime with the contest tied at 32 apiece.
It appeared the Warriors were on their way to a second straight tournament upset with a 34-32 advantage and Shaquan Coburn, who scored a game-best 26 points at the foul line for a 1-and-1 with 7.4 seconds to play, but a front end miss led to a Brandon Haraway coast to coast game-tying layup at the horn to force double overtime.
A trio of Ontario starters would foul out, putting them at a talent disadvantage heading into the final session of action. Haraway struggled from the free throw line throughout the game, knocking down just 14 of 25 attempts, but would hit a pair of freebies late in triple overtime to ice the victory, giving him 20 points for the contest.
Next up for Norwalk (22-3) is a District title shot against #3 Vermilion (19-5).
Ontario finishes their season at 16-9 overall.
Ontario Upsets Lexington For Sectional Title
March Madness was in full swing at the Division II Willard Sectional Championship where #8 Ontario overcame a slow start to take down cross-county rival Lexington by a final score of 45-41.
The Warriors came out flat offensively, scoring just three first quarter points as they fell behind 12-3 and trailed 21-14 at the half. The 2nd-seeded Minutemen would be outscored every quarter following the opening frame, as Ontario improved their shooting percentage from 20% in the first half to 42% in the second half.
A 15-11 third quarter charge by the Warriors was then followed by a 16-9 fourth quarter run, receiving a clutch offensive rebound and put back by senior Jayden Jacobs to seal the win. Cade Stover carried Lex with 18 points and 13 rebounds but would foul out in the closing minutes, finishing his career as the Minutemen’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder.
Ontario (16-8) will next take on #1 Norwalk (21-3) at the Mansfield District Semifinals.
Warriors Too Strong For Galion, Advance To Face Lex
It was a wire to wire beat down for the surging Ontario Warriors who made light work of sectional semifinal opponent Galion with a 67-37 victory at Willard High School.
Ontario pounded the ball inside early, receiving 16 points from senior Jayden Jacobs as they blew open a 15-4 advantage after the opening frame and swelled their lead to 32-18 by the half. Defensively, the Warriors limited Tigers leading scorer Isaiah Alsip to just a pair of second quarter buckets, holding him to 4 points for the night as they put the game to rest before the fourth quarter even began with a commanding 55-22 lead.
Griffin Shaver led all scorers with 21 points while Shaquan Coburn added 11 on his birthday as eight different Warriors got in the scoring column. Jack McElliott was the lone Galion player to reach double-figures with 13 points.
The #8 Warriors will next battle #2 Lexington for the D2 Willard Sectional title.
Tygers Outlast 52-49 Slugfest At Ontario
It was the definition of an “ugly win” for Mansfield Senior in a 52-49 battle at the O-Rena against a streaking Ontario bunch, shaking off a tough shooting night to end the Warriors 7-game win streak.
The Tygers (16-4) led for most of the night, riding senior De’Zion Taylor’s efficient opening half to a slim 21-19 advantage. Taylor dropped 8 of his 10 points in the first two frames before fellow senior guard Quan Hilory got things going in half number two.
Hilory cashed in for a team-best 13 points, all coming I the second half as Senior High maintained a 40-37 cushion heading into the fourth before Ontario (13-7) found their stride. A Warriors spurt, fueled Kolten Kurtz and Shaquan Coburn, who combined for 27 points, briefly saw the Warriors out in front past the midway point of the final frame.
Senior High finally capitalized on an offensive rebound by Jakobe Reese in the closing minutes to secure a hard fought win after shooting just 12-40 (30%) inside the arc for the contest. In victory, Hilory received the honorary T-Y “Hustle Chain” for his gutsy performance in the locker room after the game.
Colts Streak Past Ontario For 8th Straight Win
A hot start for Clear Fork paired with an icy shooting performance by Ontario led to a dominating 52-40 Colts victory on the road at the O-Rena.
In a key MOAC showdown, Clear Fork (8-1, 5-0) raced out to a 17-8 advantage heading into second quarter action and led 26-18 at the break, holding the Warriors to an ugly 26% (6-23) shooting display. Though Ontario surged back early in the third frame to within a single score, their offensive woes continued in the second half where they finished 8-26 (31%) from the floor.
A balanced scoring attack, led by senior A.J. Blubaugh’s game-high 12 points, saw the Colts increase their lead to 40-28 by the start of the fourth where they iced the contest for their eighth consecutive victory since losing on opening night to Lexington. Brennan South, Brady Tedrow and Jared Schaefer all added 11 points each with Schaefer also collecting 13 rebounds.
Jayden Jacobs paced Ontario’s (4-4, 3-2) scoring attack with 10 points while Griffin Shaver, Kolton Kurtz and Parker VanArsdalen each dropped nine for the blue and gold.
Arrows Dominant 4th Takes Down Ontario
In their first meeting since 1992, Ashland used a monster final quarter to defeat Ontario at their place with a 78-63 victory at the 419 Challenge.
In the final matchup of the four-game event, the Warriors and Arrows played virtually even for the majority of the contest with neither squad building a sizeable cushion until the final minutes. Ontario held a slim 14-13 advantage after the opening frame then trailed Ashland 32-31 at the break.
The contest entered the fourth quarter a one-score game with the Arrows out in front 54-52 and the scoring margin remained tight until the final three minutes of action. Trailing 66-60 with 2:45 remaining, the Warriors were then outscored 15-3 the rest of the way as Ashland converted key buckets and free throws to pull away for the road win.
The Arrows (3-2) had three players score over 20 points, receiving 24 from Keijhan Randleman, 21 by Mitchell Heilman & Garrett Denbow added 20. Ontario’s (3-2) scoring attack was paced by Griffin Shaver's 22 pts and Jayden Jacobs 12, while Ethan Keller and Kolten Kurtz both scored nine each.
Shelby Handles Ontario In 1st MOAC Showdown
A packed house in Shelby saw the Whippets take down Ontario 66-55 in the first meeting between the Richland County programs as members of the MOAC.
A massive 10-0 run to begin the second quarter helped fuel Shelby to victory, building a 26-19 edge by the break after trailing 12-11 through one quarter of action. The third quarter then belonged to Whippets sophomore TJ Pugh who poured in a dozen of his game-high 22 points in the frame as Shelby took a commanding 46-34 lead into the final quarter of play.
Griffin Shaver tried to spark a late Warriors rally by cashing in 13 of his team-best 18 in the fourth, but with Shaquan Coburn (17 pts) being Ontario’s only other player in double-figures, the Whippets closed the door for an 11-point victory.
Senior’s Uriah Schwemley dropped 16 for Shelby, while Hunter Hoffman notched 13 and Nick Amstutz added nine to help the squad bounce back from their only loss of the season.
Lex Beats Ontario In 2OT For District Crown
For the second year in a row, Lexington and Ontario met with a trip to Regionals on the line. Much like last season, extra time was needed to decide a winner beyond regulation. In the final minutes of their second overtime session, the Minutemen would lock up the district crown with a dramatic 2-1 victory over their cross-county rivals.
The Warriors would find the back of the net first on a Jayden Jacobs header less than nine minutes into the match, but Isaac Weber responded with the equalizer for Lex just over three minutes later. Over the next 94 minutes and change, these Richland County foes battled one another in a chippy affair that would see the purple and gold slow down a bit once the contest reached extra sessions.
Then with only three minutes to play in the second extra session, sophomore Ryan Parker delivered the game-winning goal for the Minutemen heading a cross from Weber that somehow escaped the clutches of Ontario senior keeper Matt Weaver to end the match. The Minutemen win also marks a program milestone with the school reaching it’s 400th all-time victory.
Ontario finishes their season as District runners-up with a 12-6-2 record.
Lexington (14-5-0) now moves on to face the winner of the Elyria District at Wooster in the Regional Semifinals.
Jacobs Last Second Goal Sends Ontario To District Final
A pair of MOAC foes met for a spot in the Division II Madison District Championship and needed all 80 minutes to finally decide a winner. Ontario junior forward Alex Jacobs stunned Clear Fork with a game-winning goal at the 13 second mark of the second half to punch the Lady Warriors ticket for Saturday’s tournament final.
Just 20 days earlier in Butler, the Lady Colts defeated Ontario 2-1 to clinch an outright league crown. With a dozen seniors on the roster and the Lady Warriors struggling through their most challenging regular season in recent memory, it appeared the match was Clear Fork’s for the taking. Ontario has had the Lady Colts number in tournament play, however, and their streak of success would continue with a dramatic ending to say the least.
Third-seeded Ontario (11-7-1) will now advance to face defending district champion #1 Madison (15-1-3) for a spot in Regionals on Sat at 2 pm with the Lady Rams demolishing Lexington 7-1 in their semifinal matchup.
Clear Fork wraps-up their season at 13-4-2 as MOAC champions.
Ontario Knocks Out Vermilion For District Title Shot
The Division II Lexington District championship will be decided by a pair of Richland County rivals with Ontario knocking out second-seeded Vermilion 2-1 for a shot at Lexington for the title.
After the Minutemen stomped Huron 3-0 in the night’s first semifinal, the Warriors followed their lead, taking a 1-0 edge over the Sailors just 11 minutes into the match. An own goal by Vermilion that ricocheted into the back of the net off a defender was set up by a bending corner kick from Ontario’s Riley Lamport.
The Warriors took their 1-0 advantage into the half, but Vermilion would put home the equalizer less than five minutes into the second stanza. Following a blocked penalty kick by senior keeper Matt Weaver, who had 11 saves in the match, the Sailors were able to capitalize off the rebound to tie things up.
Then less than 13 minutes later, Ontario got what would prove to be the game-winning goal from junior mid-fielder Brennan Blaising who celebrated the score with a cartwheel followed by a spinning backflip. Ontario stayed on the offensive while Weaver and the Warriors backline played clean the rest of the way to punch their ticket to a second straight District Final.
The #3 Warriors (12-5-2) will now take on #1 Lexington (13-5-0) for a trip to Regionals on Thursday at 5 pm. The Minutemen beat Ontario 1-0 on opening night of the regular season.
Ontario Rides Meisse’s 4 Goals To Sectional Title
Lady Warriors stud senior forward Bria Meisse put her squad on the board in the opening minutes of their sectional championship match against Norwalk and continued to find the back of the net throughout Ontario’s 7-0 victory.
Meisse scored 4 goals and dished out an assist during the match as the third-seeded Lady Warriors dismantled a Lady Truckers team that had only lost twice all season, riding a 13 match unbeaten streak into the contest.
The win marks the fourth straight for Ontario after losing six of their previous seven games. The Lady Warriors outscored their opponents 17-0 during sectional tournament play.
#3 Ontario (10-7-1) will now move on to the Clyde District to face a #2 Clear Fork team that edged them 2-1 during the regular season. Norwalk wraps-up their campaign at 13-3-1.
Warriors Shutout Tygers For Sectional Championship
For the third time in the last four seasons, the Ontario boys’ soccer team is advancing to districts in tournament play. The third-seeded Warriors defeated #8 Mansfield Senior 5-0 to claim the sectional championship, their second consecutive shutout to open postseason action.
Senior forward Andrew Cacchio scored a pair of goals and added an assist, as Ontario took a 3-0 halftime edge over the Tygers. Early in the second half senior defender Jayden Jacobs scored his first goal of the season on a perfectly timed header while Brennan Blaising rounded out the Warriors scoring attack.
Ontario (11-5-2) now advances to the Division II District Semifinals to battle #2 Vermilion (14-1-2) at Lexington.
Clear Fork Tramples Ontario 54-14
The Clear Fork Colts smashed the Ontario Warriors with a 54-14 win at Niss Stadium with a dominating stretch across the second and third quarters.
Clear Fork went on a 47-0 run after the game was tied 7-7 following the opening frame, leading 34-7 at the half. Starting the third quarter with a sizeable advantage, the Colts stood their ground and defense dominated giving up almost no yardage to the Warriors until late in the contest.
Clear Fork would stampede through the 4th giving up a score, but would defeat Ontario by a large margin of 40 points to remain unbeaten. The Colts would celebrate a second straight 8-0 start while also celebrating the 200th career win for head coach Dave Carroll.
Clear Fork (8-0) now looks ahead to next Friday where they will take on Pleasant (7-1) as Ontario (3-5) gets set to play Galion (4- 4) .
Warriors Put Out Flames 2-1
Mansfield Christian closed out their regular season on senior night at Comstock Field, but visiting Ontario would spoil the Flames festivities with a 2-1 road victory.
On a cold, damp evening, the Warriors got on the board first when Kyle Woods finished a beautiful cross from Brennan Blaising at the 7:05 mark of the first half. Ontario took their 1-nil advantage into the break and would extend their edge in the early portion of half number two.
Senior forward Jalen Trammel tracked down a ball deep in the corner of Flames territory and fired a bending shot across the front of the net from a near impossible angle. The ball would curve back into the corner of the goal, however, giving the Warriors a 2-0 lead less than five minutes into the second half.
Ontario has struggled to put away opponents all season and would allow Mansfield Christian to get back into the match when leading scorer Jared Mount headed in a long free kick at the 20:12 mark to pull the Flames within a score. MC produced a handful of quality attacks down the stretch but were unable to capitalize with an equalizer, losing their contest to the Warriors for a second straight season.
Mansfield Christian (6-9-1) now heads into tournament play against Eastwood without a win in their last six matches. Ontario (9-5-1) will wrap-up their regular season with a make-up game against Marysville before opening postseason action against Clyde.
Warriors Draw With Ashland In Final Home Match
A fairly evenly played match ended with an even result for Ontario and Ashland, who finished with a 1-1 draw in their showdown on the Warriors home turf.
The contest saw Ontario shoot 17 times with 10 of those attempts ending on target while the Arrows produced a dozen shots, 10 of those on frame. Much of the first half action belonged to the Warriors who struck early on a Brennan Blaising goal just 5:30 into the match.
Ontario carried that 1-0 advantage into the break, though they had plenty of opportunities to extend their edge before the break. Over the last 40 minutes it was Ashland who settled in and controlled long stretches of play, eventually sending home the equalizer with 17:25 remaining on a quick transition goal by leading scorer Bryan Bostic, his 19th of the season.
Both squads put together quality scoring chances down the stretch in an effort to pull out a victory but clean goal keeping would see the match come to a close locked up in a tie. The match is the last at home for the Warriors 12 seniors who are the winningest class to ever come through the program.
Ashland (6-7-1) finishes their regular season with a pair of home matches against St Vincent-St Mary and Norwalk while Ontario (7-4-1) will head on the road for four more games.
Ontario Drops 2-1 Match To Clear Fork For MOAC Championship
For the second year in a row, Clear Fork is the MOAC league champion in girls soccer. The Lady Colts hosted Ontario in Butler with the conference title on the line and defeated the Lady Warriors, who they shared the MOAC crown with last season, by a final score of 2-1.
It was the first time since 2015 Clear Fork has beaten their county rivals and they did so by taking an early lead on a beautiful goal from Torri Curry off a perfectly placed MacKenzie Thorne corner kick, then responding to Alaina Reed’s equalizer late in the first half with Kaylin Helinski’s game-winner with just over 29 minutes to play. The Lady Colts tightened up a bit down the stretch, allowing Ontario to have the run of play over the last several minutes of action, but Kaylee Krausman kept the Lady Warriors off the board to preserve the win.
The win keeps Clear Fork spotless in MOAC play at 5-0 and improves their season mark to 8-2-2 with four regular season matches remaining. Ontario dips to 6-5-1 overall, suffering their first loss in MOAC play this season.
Buckeye Valley Edges Ontario 19-16
Buckeye Valley (2-4) completed a 19-16 victory at Niss Stadium in Ontario Friday night with a back and forth battle until the finish.
The Barons started out with a 3-0 lead after the first quarter before scored 10 unanswered points for a 10-3 lead at the half. Buckeye Valley regained the advantage 12-10 heading to the fourth quarter where seesaw action ended the 4th with the Barons outscoring the home team 7-6, claiming a 19-16 win in MOAC play.
Buckeye Valley (2-4) will next defend their home turf against Pleasant next Friday while Ontario (3-3) will travel to River Valley.
Rams Dominate Ontario 4-1
A monster first half by visiting Madison help sink Ontario at their place as the Rams smoked the Warriors 4-1.
On a soggy night, Madison took a 3-0 edge into the break on goals by James Wagner, Gavon Huggins and Ali Rabee, who drilled home a penalty kick just before the end of the first half set up by an Ontario red card. Rabee then found Huggins early in the second half to make it a 4-0 Rams advantage as the Warriors were forced to play shorthanded with 10 players the rest of the way, but did score on a Brennan Blaising free kick to make it a 4-1 final.
For the match, Madison out-shot Ontario 26-8 as they ended the Warriors 4-game winning streak. The Rams (9-1-2) will next travel to Lexington (8-1-0) to play for the OCC championship while Ontario (6-3-0) will host Bay Village (7-1-2).
Late Madison Rally Kicks Ontario 2-1
For the first time all season the Madison girls soccer team found themselves behind on the scoreboard in the second half, but a pair of late goals kept the Lady Rams unbeaten streak intact, knocking off Ontario 2-1.
The match was scoreless at the break with soggy field conditions affecting offensive consistency for both squads, though Madison would produce more scoring opportunities than the Lady Warriors. Possession would be controlled by the Lady Rams for most of the second half as well, but Ontario would get on the board first with a goal from Bria Meisse at the 22:22 mark.
Trailing 1-0 in the waning minutes, Madison would finally find the back of the net on a header by Hannah Schmidt off a beautifully placed corner kick from Trinity Tucker. Then just 27 seconds later, Kari Eckenwiler blasted home the game winning goal from 25 yards away with 8:20 remaining in the match as the Lady Rams held on to stay undefeated.
Madison (11-0-1) will next host Anthony Wayne (9-1-2) while Ontario (5-3-1) will travel to face Galion (2-6-3).
Ontario Soccer Reloaded For Second Half Surge
With just about everybody returning from the programs best season in school history, the Ontario boys’ soccer squad expected to take another positive step in 2018. A pair of early season losses, however, combined with a mass suspension of starters for two conference matches has the Warriors thirsting for a chance to prove themselves in the season’s second half.
For the first time all year, Ontario has their full complement of talent as the team gears up for a busy finish to the regular season. The Warriors are scheduled to play nine games between Sep 24 and Oct 13 against a challenging collection of competitors, including Madison (8-1-2), Bay (6-1-2), Mansfield Christian (6-4-0) and Marysville (6-1-3).
Now at full-strength, Ontario’s veterans feel as though they have the talent and motivation to close out the season strong as they gear up for another deep postseason run. The Warriors (5-2-0) are approaching their second half with a new outlook maintaining what they feel is a realistic goal to end the year at the State Final Four.
Warriors Smash Harding For Homecoming
The Ontario football team is off to a 3-1 start to the season with an impressive 28-7 victory over Marion Harding on Homecoming night.
The Warriors ran out to a 21-0 halftime advantage with a flurry of second quarter touchdowns that all came in about a five minute stretch. The defense then held firm by keeping the Presidents scoreless until the midway point of the final frame.
Ontario produced just 180 yards of total offense but held Harding to 218 yards from scrimmage and kept the Presidents off the board with defensive stops near the red zone on multiple occasions. The Warriors win is their first in MOAC play since joining the conference last season.
Next up for Ontario (3-1) is a trip to North Union (3-1) while Harding (1-3) will host Pleasant (4-0).
Ontario XC Pushing Towards Competitive Progress
The Ontario cross-country team doesn’t have a storied tradition of excellence as of yet, but the Warriors are breeding a new era of competition that appears headed towards sustained success unlike any the program has achieved to this point.
Under the direction of coach Meghan Willeke, the girl’s team has quadrupled over the last four years with the squad boasting a healthy roster of 22 runners. A mixture of veterans and talented freshman has seen the Lady Warriors consistently finish near the top of the podium in each competition they’ve ran at this season.
The boy’s team hasn’t tasted the same type of steady success, but senior’s Carson Walters and Connor Watts are committed to bringing along a capable group of younger runners to set the program up for increased prosperity in the future. The team continues to improve each week as they set the bar higher for their own goals at the end of the campaign.
Warriors Retool With Big Plans For Their Small Star
Two weeks into the high school football season Ontario 1st year coach Chris Miller is still piecing together the puzzle of his teams' identity. The Warriors followed up a gutsy Week 1 comeback win over Lexington with a blowout loss to Highland on their home turf.
The team has shown flashes of encouraging signs in each contest but has failed to put together a complete game as of yet. Ironically, the one consistent theme for Ontario through the first two weeks of the season is the play of a sophomore so slight in stature, his own team captain was worried about his health on Friday nights.
Sophomore WR/CB Owen Hatfield has been a breakout performer in all three aspects of the game, despite being just 5’ 5” tall, and weighing in a 125 pounds. His big-play ability has made him a fan favorite and earned Hatfield an expanded role in the Warriors offense heading into their Week 3 matchup at Black River (1-1).
Ontario will likely need another impressive performance from Hatfield when they lock horns with the Pirates as the only explosive threat to emerge at this point for the Warriors. The squad is excited to get their first road test of the season and are motivated to get a victory before heading into conference play the following week.
Highland Second Half Surge Buries Ontario
For a second straight week, it appeared as though Ontario would find a way to dig themselves out of an early hole with a dramatic comeback victory in front of their home fans. Instead, it would be visiting Highland that produced the strong second-half surge, scoring the final 19 points for a 47-16 win over the Warriors.
Unlike Week 1 when Ontario allowed a long scoring play to Lexington then buckled down defensively, the Warriors spotted the Fighting Scots 18 points in the first 16 minutes of action before finding a spark of their own. A 63-yard touchdown pass from Austin Ivy to Owen Hatfield trimmed the deficit to 18-7 and Ontario would close the gap to 18-10 by the break with a field goal to end the first half.
Hatfield again came up with a big play for the Warriors by returning the second half kickoff back 96 yards for a score to make it an 18-16 game, but Highland would control the action the rest of the way. The Scots racked up 228 rushing yards in the second half, finishing with 375 yds on the ground for the game on 66 carries to run away with a lopsided victory.
Ontario is now 2-7 all-time against Highland and has not beat the Scots since 1987.
Ontario Downs Lexington With Late Rally
It wasn’t a great start to the season for first-year head coach Chris Miller and the Ontario football squad, but a late 4th quarter surge propelled the Warriors past cross-county rival Lexington on opening night.
The Minutemen struck early on the road to quiet a raucous crowd on hand at Niss Stadium with an 80-yard bomb from QB Jake Depperschmidt to fellow senior Josh Aiello that put Lex on top 7-0 just past the midway point of the opening frame. Both defenses would then take over for the next three quarters as neither squad was able to produce any points until the final five minutes.
Warriors senior RB Bryce Hill punched in a 1-yard score with just 4:10 to play to tie the game at 7-7 and ignited the home crowd. On the Minutemen’s ensuing possession, senior standout Cade Stover would fumble while crossing midfield and Ontario would recover with a chance to win the game.
A long run by senior QB Austin Ivy would set up a 3-yard game-winning touchdown run by senior FB Garrett Niss with just 39 seconds to play and the Warriors defense would hold on to secure a dramatic victory on opening night.
Next up for Ontario (1-0) is a Week 2 visit from Highland (0-1) while Lexington (0-1) will host Shelby (1-0).
Minutemen Stun Ontario At Friday Night Futbol
It wasn’t a great start to the season for first year head coach Chris Miller and the Ontario football squad, but a late 4th quarter surge propelled the Warriors past cross-county rival Lexington on opening night.
The Minutemen struck early on the road to quiet a raucous crowd on hand at Niss Stadium with an 80 yard bomb from QB Jake Depperschmidt to fellow senior Josh Aiello that put Lex on top 7-0 just past the midway point of the opening frame. Both defenses would then take over for the next three quarters as neither squad was able to produce any points until the final five minutes.
Warriors senior RB Bryce Hill punched in a 1-yard score with just 4:10 to play to tie the game at 7-7 and ignited the home crowd. On the Minutemen’s ensuing possession, senior standout Cade Stover would fumble while crossing midfield and Ontario would recover with a chance to win the game.
A long run by senior QB Austin Ivy would set up a 3-yard game-winning touchdown run by senior FB Garrett Niss with just 39 seconds to play and the Warriors defense would hold on to secure a dramatic victory on opening night.
Next up for Ontario (1-0) is a Week 2 visit from Highland (0-1) while Lexington (0-1) will host Shelby (1-0).
Warriors Soccer Building On New Foundation Of Success
The winning tradition for the Ontario boys’ soccer program doesn’t date back very far. For years the Warriors were considered a doormat in the area, but 5th-year head coach Chris McClenathan has the team trending in a successful direction.
Last season is considered the best Ontario has ever seen, finishing with an impressive 15-3-2 record as Division II District champions. The squad is expected to perhaps even exceed last year’s success with eight starters returning for a senior-laden bunch, that arguably possesses a deeper collection of talent than any team in school history.
With a beefed-up schedule that will test the Warriors throughout the regular season, there is a strong belief amongst veteran players that a state tournament run could be within the cards for this confident bunch as the regular season approaches. Ontario kicks off their season on August 17 at Lexington against a Minutemen squad that beat them on opening night last year
A Salute To Man Buns of Soccer: Featuring Carson Gear
When it comes to hair styles in sports, there are a few rare expressions of one’s head that are worthy of extra attention.
At the top of the list sits a hairdo so bold only a few are brave enough to wear it: the soccer man bun.
The Ontario Warriors feature multiple man buns in their bouncy lineup, led by junior center midfielder Carson Gear, who shares the secret behind his brash hairstyle and how it helps him on the field of play.
Football Warriors Train With The Few And The Proud
Members of the United States Marine Corps visited Ontario football practice to give the Warriors a taste of their standard physical and mental training.
The nearly four-hour-long leadership session tested the teams' mind and bodies as they learned how to be leaders both on and off the field. Warriors players tackled each challenge with intensity and camaraderie which helped them forge a stronger bond as a collective unit.
The team also ended the day with a greater appreciation for the hard work and devotion Marines dedicate to protect their freedoms after running through the same drills members of the Corps are tested for on a regular basis.
Ontario Football Building Success In The “War Room”
The game of football has a physical component unlike any other sport on the planet. Overall strength and stability carry immense value given the violent nature involved on the gridiron, so finding the weight room can be crucial to a player’s success.
Following three consecutive losing seasons with a combined eight wins, seniors on the Ontario football team have made a point to find some gym time throughout the summer months in an effort to change their fortunes in 2018. The “War Room”, as the Warriors high school weight training facility is nicknamed, has been jam-packed for first-year head coach Chris Miller all offseason which may provide the successful culture change the program has been seeking for the last half-decade.
Hear from Miller and some of the top Warriors veterans as we go inside the “War Room” for an Ontario workout and find out which players are considered the strongest on the squad.
Wapakoneta Ends Ontario’s Streak For Regional Championship
In a highly anticipated matchup to decide the Division II Bowling Green Regional Championship, the streaking Ontario Warriors gave top-ranked Wapakoneta everything they could handle.
Riding a 25-game win streak into the title game, the Warriors jumped out to a 2-0 advantage when junior RF Noah Creed smacked a 2-RBI double in the bottom half of the first inning. After the Redskins tied things up with a pair of runs in the third, Ontario then reclaimed the lead by scoring on an error in their offensive half of the frame.
Wapakoneta would plate three unanswered runs in the fifth and sixth to hold a 5-3 edge heading into the bottom half of the seventh where the Warriors would find a way to force extra innings by scoring two runs. The top half of the eighth would cost Ontario a potential trip to the state final four, however, as they walked seven Redskins batters and allowed six runs in the inning. The Warriors were unable to answer back in the bottom half of the inning, dropping the game by a final of 11-5.
Ontario (25-4) wraps-up their season as Regional Runners-Up while Wapakoneta (23-1) will advance to face Circleville (19-10) in the State Semifinals.
Youthful Lady Warriors Reloading For New Season
The most consistent girls’ soccer program in North Central Ohio without question has been the Ontario Lady Warriors. Since Larry Atkinson took over some 13 years ago, the standard each season has been to win a state championship.
With a dozen returning letter winners and 18 freshmen in the mix for Ontario this year the team has a promising balance for both present and future success. The top two goal scorers from a season ago also return for the Lady Warriors in senior Bria Meisse and junior Alaina Reed, and the tandem has found a groove with one another during the offseason that should help generate a ton of offense when the regular season begins.
Atkinson says his program has done an incredible job of maintaining their winning tradition by allowing inexperienced players to log heavy minutes early in the season to discover which of them are ready to make an impact at the varsity level. He says this season will be no different, understanding with the high volume of underclassmen that his bunch may struggle some out of the gates as they determine which lineups work best with one another.
Ontario opens the season on August 17 at Lexington.
Ontario Still Streaking Into Regional Title Game
No matter what the score or situation, the Ontario baseball squad never seems to question whether or not they’ll leave the field victorious. That special brand of belief continues to carry the streaking Warriors through tournament play as they secured a spot in the Division II Bowling Green Regional Championship with their incredible 25th consecutive win.
Their Regional Semifinal matchup against Lakewood (22-7) was a defensive battle for the majority of the game with both pitchers keeping the opposing offense in check. Senior Nolan Hatfield, starting on the mound for the first time in nearly two weeks, went 5 innings allowing just 4 Lancers hits and striking out 5, giving up his lone run in the 2nd inning.
The Warriors produced just 3 hits off Lakewood starter Christian Lethes through the first 5 innings and trailed the Lancers 1-0 heading into the bottom of the 6th where in standard Ontario fashion, the team found a way to get it done. A leadoff triple by senior Jake Gleason set the stage for junior Avery Fisher who drove in the tying run with an RBI single and just 2 batters later junior Noah Creed delivered a game winning RBI double that gave the Warriors a 2-1 victory.
Ontario’s (25-3) Regional Championship matchup should be their toughest challenge yet as the red hot Warriors will battle state #1 Wapakoneta (22-1) at Carter Park with a trip to the state final four on the line.
Ontario Knocks Out Clear Fork For District Championship
The highly anticipated third meeting between Ontario and Clear Fork on the baseball diamond to decide which Richland County program would move on to compete at regionals overflowed the stands at Heise Park in Galion for a Sunday night battle that wouldn’t disappoint under the bright lights.
After being rained out at Heidelberg University on Saturday afternoon, the game was moved to Galion where over 1,000 estimated fans came out to watch the Division II District Championship showdown that saw the Warriors extend their incredible win streak to 24 in a row with a 12-7 victory over the Colts.
Clear Fork lit up the scoreboard first with a pair of runs in the top half of the opening frame but Ontario junior shortstop Avery Fisher smashed a 2-run bomb to square the contest in the bottom half, producing the Warriors first home run of the season. Both teams would generate runs in five of the first six innings of action but Ontario would post a crooked number in four of them, scoring two runs in the first, three in the second, four in the third and two more in the sixth. Seven Clear Fork errors would lead to seven unearned runs, however, as the Warriors had just eight hits and the Colts stranded 12 runners.
Clear Fork will graduate a talented senior class consisting of 11 players who were a part of back to back state final four appearances the last two seasons, finishing with a record of 20-7. Ontario (24-3) will advance to face Hebron Lakewood in the Bowling Green Regional Semifinals at Carter Park.
Dugout Chants With The Ontario Baseball Team
Dugout Cheers With The Ontario Baseball Team
Ever wondered what kids are saying inside the dugout during a high school baseball game? The Ontario baseball team is one of the most vocal groups in the area with a handful of cheers they believe make a positive difference on a regular basis.
Hear from Warriors veterans Trey Thompson, Nick Arnold, Luke Smith, Andrew Cacchio and Avery Fisher as they explain their favorite dugout cheers, the meaning behind them and how they influence the teams play on the diamond.
With 23 consecutive wins now under their belts it's how to argue about the effectiveness of Ontario's cheers.
Warriors Keep Streaking Into District Championship
The Ontario baseball squad will compete for a district championship on Saturday still without having suffered a single loss in the state of Ohio this season. A 7-0 Warriors victory over Tiffin Columbian in the Division II Heidelberg District Semifinals extended their win streak to 23 in a row receiving a total team performance on both sides of the plate.
Despite learning he would be the starting pitcher in the contest from head coach Jeff Fisher during third period of school, junior Andrew Cacchio would throw a shutout gem for the Warriors giving up five hits in six innings with three walks and three strikeouts. Cacchio also went 3-4 from the batter’s box and scored a run.
Ontario’s defense was also stellar from start to finish with multiple players making key outs when they mattered most. Junior shortstop Avery Fisher was especially great backing up Cacchio, combining on a pair of double plays and a potential run-saving first inning out that prevented the Tornadoes from taking an early lead.
Most of the Warriors offensive damage came in the fifth inning of a scoreless game when freshman second baseman Griffin Shaver initiated a 2-out rally that saw five runs cross home plate. Ontario would tack on a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh as well and finished off the shutout to advance in tournament action.
Diamond Prospects: Ontario Jr. Avery Fisher
Since taking the high school baseball diamond in 2016, Avery Fisher has been arguably the most dominant player in North Central Ohio. The Ontario junior shortstop is a true five-tool player, with a rare combination of speed, power, quickness and arm strength, to go along with his immense knowledge of the game.
Fisher has been around the sport ever since he can remember with his father, Jeff, being a former standout 2nd-baseman at the University of Akron, inducted into the Zips Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. He spent 6 seasons as the head coach of his high school alma mater Bucyrus and now coaches Avery and the Warriors at Ontario.
Fisher has a .513 batting average this season with 5 triples, 24 RBI, 37 runs, 32 steals and a ridiculous 1.252 OPS. His range and throwing ability on defense are equally as impressive and a major reason why several Division 1 college programs recruited Fisher to play at the next level, including the Ohio State University where Avery committed as a sophomore.
His teammates universally agree that Fisher is the most intelligent baseball mind on the squad and believe his brains and ability raise the level of play for everyone on the team. Fisher’s Warriors are currently riding a 22-game winning streak into the Division II District Semifinals, where they will face Tiffin Columbian on Thursday at Heidelberg University.
Ontario Wins 21 Straight For Sectional Championship
It’s now 21 consecutive wins and counting for the streaking Ontario baseball squad. A 5-4 victory over Norwalk (13-12) on Friday evening kept the blue and gold undefeated in the state of Ohio this season and also clinched a berth to the Division II Heidelberg District.
As they’ve done all season long, the MOAC champs found a way to secure a win by capitalizing on their opponent's mistakes, coming up with timely hits and making clutch outs when they have to get them.
The Warriors capitalized on each of the Truckers four costly errors, scoring on a pair of missed throws and wild pitches that would make the difference in the game. Although they were out-hit 11-9, Ontario also made key defensive plays when they needed them most to keep Norwalk from having an explosive offensive inning.
Now at 21-3 overall, the #4 Warriors advance to play #9 Tiffin Columbian in the district semifinals on Thursday after the Tornados upset top-seeded Lexington 3-2 in their sectional final. First pitch is scheduled for 2 pm at Heidelberg University.
19th Straight Warriors Win Clinches MOAC Title
The incredible win streak for the Ontario baseball squad continued Monday evening in their key conference showdown with Clear Fork, defeating the Colts 6-2 for their 19th consecutive victory.
The win also clinched an outright MOAC Championship for the Warriors who at 19-3 overall remain unblemished in league play at 12-0. The Colts (15-6, 8-3) had an opportunity to stay in the league title chase with a win but allowed five runs in the second inning courtesy of six fielding and throwing errors that allowed Ontario to build a sizeable edge.
Senior Luke Smith delivered on a pair of RBI singles for Ontario while senior reliever Will Watkins picked up the win and the save throwing 3 shutout innings allowing 1 hit and a walk while striking out 3 Colts batters. Watkins entered the game in a bases-loaded, no outs situation in the fourth inning and retired three straight Clear Fork hitters before again working out of a bases-juiced situation in the sixth.
Constructing A Season: Ontario Baseball
It feels like a long time since the Ontario baseball squad started the season at 0-3 while playing in a nationwide tournament in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Likely because the 17-3 Warriors haven’t dropped a single game after their slow start, accumulating a perfect record on the diamond since returning to the Buckeye State.
The red-hot Ontario bunch is riding a 17-game winning streak into the weekend with a ton of confidence riding with them. With a team batting average over .330 and an ERA below 2.7 for the season, the Warriors have proven to be nearly impossible to defeat throughout their incredible season.
Warriors Win 16th In A Row With 9-2 Victory Over Galion
The winning streak continues for the red-hot Ontario Warriors who remain undefeated in the state of Ohio this season after blitzing Galion 9-2 on Tuesday evening.
Ontario fell behind 1-zip in the top of the first but quickly regained the lead by plating a pair in the bottom half of the inning. The MOAC leading Warriors then posted five runs in the second, aided by four Galion errors, taking a commanding 7-1 edge and they never looked back.
Starter Jake Gleason went the distance allowing 2 runs on 4 hits with 7 strikeouts, helping his own cause from the dish going 2-3 with 2 RBI, 2 runs, and a walk. Nolan Hatfield drove in 4 runs on 2 hits while Avery Fisher went 2-3 with a triple, scored 3 runs with an RBI and a walk.
The win marks 16 in a row for the Warriors following a 0-3 start in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the team feels as though they have much bigger feats to conquer on the horizon. Ontario (16-3, 10-0) will play the Tigers (12-7, 3-6) again on Tuesday at their place with an opportunity to claim a share of the MOAC championship with a victory.
Big 5th Inning Propels Madison By Ontario
It took a while for the Madison offensive unit to find their groove in a battle of unbeatens at Ontario but the Lady Rams put together a monster 5th inning to stay perfect with a 7-3 victory. A high wind advisory was in effect at the start of the game which had an effect on Madison senior pitcher Mackenzie Mullins' ability to locate her breaking balls. The Lady Warriors offense took advantage by plating a pair of 3rd inning runs with RBI from Lexi Augustine and Labriana Wallace, increasing their edge to 3-0 through 4 innings on an Addi Kissinger RBI.
Mullins then approached head coach Tim Niswander after pitching her way out of a 1-out bases-loaded jam to end the 4th and suggested fastball specialist Sloan Kiser take her place in the circle, feeling she would have more success. The switch paid off with Kiser throwing 3 innings of scoreless ball and allowing just 2 hits.
The Lady Rams bats then caught fire in the top of the 5th inning, scoring 5 runs on a bases-clearing single from Egypt Murphy and 2 RBI double by Mullins. Leah Boggs added an insurance run in the 6th with an RBI double as the Madison offense generated 12 hits to Ontario’s 7.
Madison remains undefeated at 5-0 handing the 3-1 Lady Warriors their first loss of the season.
Santoro's Game Winner Sends Bellevue Past Ontario
Top-ranked Bellevue survived a tough test from #6 Ontario in the girls Division II Galion District semifinals advancing on a game-winning shot from sophomore Casey Santoro who finished with a game-high 19 points.
The AP #2 Lady Redmen defeated Ontario 39-37 for a spot in the district championship game. The Lady Warriors finish their season at 16-9 as senior's Madeline Collins (10 pts), Nashail Shelby (8 pts), Faith Nigh (4 pts), Londyn Niss (4 pts)and Maddie Payne (3 pts) played in their final high school game.
Hardwood Heroes: Ontario vs Clear Fork
With an opportunity to clinch the program's first league championship since 2002 the Colts came undone during the fourth quarter of action, falling at home to the Warriors 70-60. Logan Jones filled it up with a game-best 19 points with teammates Logan Houle and Griffin Shaver each adding 14. Chance Barnett paced Clear Fork with 15 pts on Senior Night, who also received 12 apiece from Brady Tedrow and Brennan South.
Eye Catching Cuts: Clear Fork vs Ontario
Check out the Top-10 plays from Clear Fork's 53-48 overtime victory over Ontario to remain undefeated in MOAC play led by Chance Barnett with a game-high 20 points & Brennan South with 12 & 6 rebounds. Freshman guard Griffin Shaver helped fuel a Warriors come back scoring a team best 13 pts while senior teammate Logan Jones finished with 11 pts & 6 rebs.