Having put together one of the finest seasons by a high school running back in history, Oil City junior Ethen Knox was honored with a pair of first-team selections in Region 4 on Tuesday as District 10 released its all-region football teams.
Knox was picked for the first team as both a running back and a defensive back after putting up huge numbers on both sides of the ball. On offense, he finished with 3,705 yards rushing on 385 carries and 41 touchdowns while he also scored on a 64-yard reception. On defense, he recorded 63 tackles, six interceptions and one sack.
TITUSVILLE — Oil City’s Jake Hornbeck led four players in double figures with 19 points Friday night as the Oilers bounced back from a loss at Franklin on Tuesday with a 75-55 win over Titusville in a Region 6 boys basketball matchup at the Launch Pad.
After taking over sole possession of first place in Region 6 following an emotional win over rival Oil City earlier in the week, Franklin’s boys basketball team was looking to solidify its position atop the region standings with a season sweep over visiting Warren on Friday night at the Castle.
Alaina Brown and Sydni Hoobler were each four-event winners as Franklin’s girls swim team pulled out an 86-75 victory over visiting Sharon on Thursday in Region 1 action while the Knights’ boys team followed suit with a 97-70 win to make it a sweep.
CORRY — Despite being outscored 11-0 in the first quarter and without the services of head coach Jake Stevens, Oil City’s girls basketball team battled back to beat homestanding Corry, 37-32, in overtime on Thursday night in a Region 5 action at the Beaver Dam.
STRATTANVILLE — Alex Painter rifled in a career-high 19 points while also adding four steals Wednesday night as homestanding Clarion-Limestone kept its impressive win streak intact with a 78-60 victory over Union in Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference boys basketball action.
SHEFFIELD — Cranberry had no problem improving to 4-1 on the season, taking down homestanding Sheffield 54-12 on Tuesday in District 9 wrestling action.
KARNS CITY — Madison McFarland and Lily Homan teamed up to net nine points in overtime as North Clarion went on the road to outlast Karns City, 49-45, in a KSAC girls basketball showdown on Tuesday night.
HADLEY — Rocky Grove’s trio of Quinn Ritchey, Schiffer Anderson and Blayne Baker combined for 44 points Tuesday night as the Orioles snapped a three-game losing skid with a 61-55 road win over Commodore Perry in Region 1 boys basketball action.
Over the past three seasons, the rivalry on the basketball court between Franklin and Oil City has been virtually non-existent as the two teams didn’t compete in the same region and they met only twice over that span, with the Knights winning both in dominant fashion.
CORRY — Estella Adams netted six of her eight points in overtime as visiting Franklin pulled out a 34-30 victory over Corry on Monday night in a Region 5 girls basketball matchup at the Beaver Dam.
KNOX — Skyler Roxbury scored eight of his 20 points in overtime as Union outlasted homestanding Keystone, 71-69, on Monday night in a Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference boys basketball clash.
Oil City’s boys swim team remained undefeated while the girls also prevailed Monday night in a Region 1 meet at Grove City. The Oiler boys improved to 8-0 with a 97-73 verdict while the OC girls moved to 5-3 with a 92-75 decision.
NEW BETHLEHEM — Midway through Saturday’s highly anticipated District 9 girls basketball matchup between homestanding Redbank Valley and Otto-Eldred, it looked as if the Bulldogs would have no problem adding their latest blowout victory to a season full of them.
Devon Lauer rifled in 19 points as Clarion improved to 12-5 on the season following a 70-48 victory over North Clarion on Saturday night in Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference boys basketball action.
GROVE CITY — Dalton Wenner and Brayden McFetridge grappled their way towards championships on Saturday while leading Cranberry to a fourth-place finish at the Fred Bell Tournament in Grove City.
WARREN — Oil City’s Cam VanWormer buried a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer Friday night to lift the Oilers past homestanding Warren, 60-58, in a Region 6 boys basketball classic.
SLIPPERY ROCK — Franklin’s boys swim team won nine of the 11 events on Thursday night en route to a 116-43 Region 1 victory over homestanding Slippery Rock. The Rockets earned a split by winning the girls meet, 122-47.
Sophomore center Katie Boal poured in a career-high 18 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked six shots Thursday night as Franklin cruised to a 55-21 win over Meadville in a Region 5 girls basketball matchup at the Castle.
GUYS MILLS — Franklin’s Jeremy Cunningham capped off a furious late-match rally with a 6-1 decision in the final bout as the Knights pulled out a wild 31-30 win over homestanding Maplewood in a Region 2 wrestling thriller.
Dean Hannah, the son of former local residents Keith and Rachel Hannah and the grandson of Connie Hannah of Oil City, was recently selected to compete in the Dream Series presented by Major League Baseball and USA Baseball.
CLARION — After suffering its first loss of the season, North Clarion wasted no time getting back on track, taking down homestanding Clarion 52-28 on Tuesday in KSAC girls basketball action.
Oil City senior Jake Hornbeck turned in another double-double performance Tuesday night as the red-hot Oilers made it 10 straight wins after a 69-32 dismantling of Conneaut Area in a Region 6 boys basketball matchup at the House of Hustle.
Sydney Stevens buried a three-pointer as the first-quarter buzzer sounded, sparking a big second frame for visiting Franklin that proved to be the difference in a 53-38 victory over Oil City in Region 5 girls basketball action on Monday night at the House of Hustle.
Logan Rakow, Caleb Stover, Kallie Smith, Emily Russell, Brea Fennick and Madyson Kissell each were three-time winners as Oil City’s boys and girls swim teams swept visiting Sharon on Monday night in a Region 1 meet.
LAWRENCE PARK — Caleb Stover, Logan Rakow and Connor Malek each swam a leg on a pair of relays that finished in first place as the Oil City boys swim team placed second on Saturday at the Iroquois Invitational.
James Henry rifled in a game-high 21 points as Venango Catholic improved to 5-9 on the season following a 50-42 decision over visiting Bethel Christian in non-conference boys basketball play on Saturday at Monsignor Antoun Gymnasium.
WARREN, Ohio — Cranberry had six wrestlers bring home championships on its way to the team title while Franklin also had a pair of first-place winners on Saturday at the 62nd Annual Howland Invitational.
North Clarion boys basketball coach Mike Brown, who was a standout at Reynolds High School where he graduated from in 1968, will be inducted today into the Mercer County Hall of Fame.
Jalen Wood got hot from long range, burying a total of six three-pointers to finish with a career-high 25 points as the equally hot Franklin Knights posted their fifth win in a row with an 83-48 dismantling of visiting Titusville in Region 6 boys basketball action on Friday night at the Castle.
WEST SUNBURY — Moniteau’s Davina Pry came within one rebound of a double-double Friday night as the homestanding Warriors posted a 40-25 victory over previously unbeaten North Clarion in a matchup of Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference girls basketball powers.
SLIPPERY ROCK — Led by triple winner Charlie Motter, Oil City’s boys swim team remained undefeated following Thursday night’s 112-50 Region 1 road victory over Slippery Rock. The host Rockets gained a split by taking the girls meet, 119-50.
FOXBURG — Cole Henry and Kyle Nellis teamed up to drain 41 points Thursday night as Keystone dropped homestanding Allegheny-Clarion Valley, 71-50, in a KSAC boys basketball matchup.
Twin sisters Jamie Blum and Jenn Blum each recorded career-high scoring games Thursday night as Franklin’s girls basketball team rallied from a deficit and then hung on for a 55-53 Region 5 win over Conneaut Area at the Castle.
FRILLS CORNERS — North Clarion’s Lily Homan rifled in a season-high 23 points and the She-Wolves fought off a furious fourth-quarter rally to defeat visiting Karns City, 51-47, in a Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference girls basketball showdown on Wednesday night.
LINESVILLE — Franklin got back-to-back pins from Jonah Heckathorne and Jeremy Cunningham to forge an 18-18 tie with Conneaut Area on Wednesday night, but the Knights wound up falling to the homestanding Eagles, 39-30 in a Region 2 wrestling matchup.
Between the ice, snow, mud and darkness, it can be a chore to keep your golf game sharp year-round while living in northwestern Pennsylvania. But, it just got a little easier thanks to Eric Thompson.
Oil City’s Ethen Knox recently added to his ever-growing collection of awards for his outstanding 2022 campaign on the gridiron by being named to the MaxPreps.com Small Town All-America High School Football Team.
JOHNSONBURG — Although Cranberry dropped three of the five contested bouts Tuesday night, the Berries used pins from Dalton Wenner and Alex McLaughlin, along with seven forfeit wins to crush homestanding Johnsonburg, 54-20 in a District 9 wrestling matchup.
TITUSVILLE — Oil City’s Emma Stahl scored eight of her game-high 12 points in the second half as the Oilers pulled away after the break for a 60-31 non-region road win Tuesday night over Titusville at the Launchpad.
Oil City’s Sayyid Donald pumped in a career-high 20 points and Jake Hornbeck nearly registered his second straight triple-double Tuesday night as the Oilers turned a tight game at halftime into a rout with a 63-49 win over Titusville at the House of Hustle in the Region 6 opener for both teams.
