News

Bradford freshman Quarterback Owen Canan in 2021 dropped back to pass in a
game vs Tri-County North in the Inaugural Western Ohio Athletic Conference season.  
The Railroaders had to cancel their 2022 season due to low numbers but are optimistic about returning in 2023.

BRADFORD – The Railroaders football program will be unable to field a varsity team this season  citing safety concerns due to a lack of experienced upper classmen and overall numbers.

Head Football coach Marcus Calvert resigned his teaching position and duties as football coach as well. However, all is not lost, and the future is still optimistic for the program.

Bradford is working to try and put together a JV schedule that will allow the underclassmen an opportunity to play gaining valuable experience as they hope to bolster their roster next year with 22 Junior High players out this season along with good numbers in the Youth football program as well.

“We are looking to build our program up, not tear it down, but we had to be realistic in fielding a team this year with the lack of upperclassmen and with a younger roster and limited numbers, we have to keep the safety for all concerned,” Athletic Director Chloe Thompson said.

“The kids who play now will be rewarded next season and will be the first to play on our new athletic football field and we are excited for them to have that opportunity,” Thompson added.

The 12 team Western Ohio Athletic Conference had 10 teams playing football except for Newton and Franklin Monroe who doesn’t offer football.  Now that Bradford cancelled varsity football this year 9 teams will compete for a WOAC Championship in 2022.

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Bradford Softball made a return trip to Akron and the State Final but came up short in quest to repeat as State Champs.  (Don Selanders Photo)

AKRON – The Bradford Lady Railroaders returned to Firestone Stadium for the 3^rd time in 4 years and as the defending OHSAA DIV State Champions riding a 17-game winning streak … but they came up short in their bid to advance to the Championship game falling to Strasburg 10-1 in their semi-final game.  Strasburg would go on to win the 2022 State Championship.

“I just proud of them,” said Bradford coach, Shon Schaeffer. “They’ve gotten further than what anyone thought we could. It’s disappointing not getting as far as we wanted but it’s been a great season.”

Strasburg quickly took control of the game plating four runs in the top of the second with the big blow, a 3-run homer over the left-center field fence off the bat of the Tigers Hayley Reiger. The Lady Railroaders went down in order in its half of the inning.

Shay Swick tried to put the tag on the runner at the plate in state semi-final game.  
(Don Selanders Photo)

The Lady Tigers took advantage of one third inning hit to plate 3-runs with two of the runs coming by way of an error on a squeeze bunt.

The Lady Tigers added 3-runs in the top of the third inning on a hit taking advantage of a Bradford error plating 2-runs on a sacrifice bunt and a wild throw to the plate. Once again Bradford would go down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.

“They swung the bat and hit the ball well,” Coach Shaffer said of Strasburg. “Hats off to them.”

Three of the four Bradford hits on the day came bundled together with singles from Izzy Hamilton and Alani Canan and an Austy Miller RBI-single to center scoring Canan breaking up the Strasburg no-hitter and shutout.

Lailah Brewer puts the bat on the ball in OHSAA DIV State Softball Semi-Final Game
(Don Selanders Photo)

“I am super proud of the girls,” said Schaeffer. “They kept fighting. We battled nerves early and got down. I just couldn’t get the girls back from that nervousness, but they kept fighting.”

Strasburg added 3-runs in the top of the seventh to round out the scoring for the day to advancing to the championship game with a 10-1 victory.

Bradford Alani Canan was 2-3 for the Lady Railroaders including a double and Nylanie Beireis pitched a 12-hitter, walking four and striking out three.

Senior Abby Fike fields the ball and comes up throwing in semi-final game at state.  
(Don Selanders Photo)

Strasburg sophomore Amelia Spidell tossed a four hitter, striking out nine and walking three.

Bradford committed four errors on the day while Strasburg played error free ball.

“Nobody thought we would get this far,” Coach Schaeffer stated following the game. “Getting this far was a huge accomplishment,”

Bradford Nylani Beireis was huge for the Railroaders this year along with seniors Rylee Canan and Zoe Brewer.  It's never easy walking off the field in your last game but the girls can be proud of doing it in the State Final Four. (Don Selanders Photo)

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WOAC Athletes competed at the 2022 OHSAA Track & Field State Championships at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus and had a good showing.

The Ansonia Pole Vaulters had a good day with Jackson Shellhaas finishing in 3^rd place with a vault of 15’ and Colleen Steinmetz finished 3^rd going 12’ tying her personal best. 

Tri-Village Layne Sarver last year’s state champion finished 3^rd in the High Jump 6’4” and Justin Finkbine 8^th in the 110M Hurdles both finishing on the podium.  Loren Metzcar threw the discus 111-04.00 finishing 13^th, while Halle Bell ran the 300M Hurdles in 47.71 for a 12^th place finish for the Patriots.

Arcanum Chase Werling on his last throw of his high school career hit a personal best of 145’ and finished 14^th.  Ethan Reiman also closed out his career in the shot-put throwing 45’ and 16^th place in state for the Trojans.

Twin Valley South sophomore Colton Bishop pulled a triple feat at state not seen very often running the 100M – 11.39, 200M - 23.03 and 400M - 52.21 in prelims but did not qualify for any finals.  Teammate Wyatt Lakes ran the 300M Hurdles in 41.73 for 11^th place in the prelims.

Dixie Dewey Hill had a great 400M run and finished 4^th in the finals running 49.36.   Teammate Sierra Brinson threw in two field events; in the Disc she threw 115-01 for 11^th place and 38-10 in the shot put to reach the podium in 7^th place.

Colleen Steinmetz

Jackson Shellhaas

Layne Sarver

Justin Finkbine

Loryn Metzcar

Halle Bell


Chase Werling


Ethan Reiman


Colton Bishop

Whyatt Lakes

Dewey Hill

Sierra Brinson

Congrats to all the WOAC Athletes who competed at State.

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The Bradford Softball Team was 2022 Conference Champions going 11-0.  
(Dale Barger Photo)

The Western Ohio Athletic Conference came down to the a match-up between the Arcanum Trojans and Bradford Railroaders. A game Bradford won 7-4 to win the first WOAC title. The Railroaders are returning to the Akron to defend their DIV State Championship Title and will play Strasburg Franklin on Friday in the state Semi-final game at 10AM at Firestone Stadium

The Arcanum girls also had a great run in post season winning their 1st District Title in 20 years defeating Georgetown 5-0. They came up short in their regional semi-final game against Fredericktown 5-3 ending the season with a 25-6 overall record and 10-1 in the WOAC.

The Arcanum Girls Softball Team won a District Title and finished runner-up in
the WOAC in 2022.  (Dale Barger Photo)

Here are the 2022 Final Regular Season & Overall WOAC Standings:

All League Honors were headlined by Austy Miller of Bradford selected as Conference Player of the Year. Bradford head coach Shon Shaffer was also selected as "Coach of the Year". Miller batted 577 this season and had 56 hits, 12 doubles, 10 triples, 9 homers, 28 stolen bases and 37 RBIs.

Austy Miller was the WOAC Conference Player of the Year.  (Dale Barger Photo)

Here is the complete list of WOAC All Team Selections.

Congratulation to all the softball players and teams participating this year.

Bradford coach Shon Schaffer was selected as "Coach of the Year" in the WOAC.
(Dale Barger Photo)

The Western Ohio Athletic Conference has several athletes who will be competing at the State Track & Field Championships Friday & Saturday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus.

In the Boys Competition Twin Valley South Cole Bishop will compete in 3 events; 100M, 200M & 400M.  Dixie's Dewey Hill also is running the 400M. Tri-Village Justin Finkbine will be run 110M Hurdles while Twin Valley South Whyatt Lakes will run the 300M Hurdles.  Arcanum Boys had two qualifiers, Chase Werling in the Shot Put and Ethan Reiman in the Discus.  Ansonia Jackson Shelhaas will compete in the Pole Vault and Tri-Village Layne Sarver will be looking to defend his State High Jump Title.

Boys 110 Meter Hurdles 39” (10:10AM) (Friday)
Justin Finkbine – Tri-Village


TV Justin Finkbine will compete in 110M Hurdles. (Dale Barger Photo)

Boys 100 Meter Dash (10:25AM) Friday
Colton Bishop – Twin Valley South

Boys 200 Meter Dash (11:50AM) Friday
Colton Bishop – Twin Valley South

Boys 400 Meter Dash (11:10AM) Friday
Colton Bishop – Twin Valley South
Dewey Hill – Dixie


TV South Cole Bishop will compete in 3 Events at the State Track Meet.  
(Dale Barger Photo)

Boys 300 Meter Hurdles 36” (11:30AM) Friday
Wyatt lakes – Twin Valley South

Boys Discus Throw (4:00PM) Friday
Chase Werling – Arcanum


Arcanum Chase Werling will complete in the Discus.  (Dale Barger Photo)

Boys Shot Put (1:00PM
Ethan Reiman – Arcanum

Boys High Jump (1:00PM)
Layne Sarver – Tri-Village

Tri-Village Layne Sarver will look to defend his State High Jump Title.  
(Dale Barger Photo)

Boys Pole Vault (4:00PM) Friday
Jackson Shellhaas – Ansonia

In the Girls Competition Dixie Sierra Brinson will throw the Shot Put & Discus.  Tri-Village  Loryn Metzcar will also throw the Disc.  Tri-Vilage Halle Bell will run the 300 Meter Hurdles and Colleen Steinmetz of Ansonia will compete in the Pole Vault.

Girls 300 Meter Hurdles 30” (11:20 AM) Friday
Halle Bell – Tri-Village

Girls Discus Throw (1:00PM) Friday
Sierra Brinson – Dixie
Loryn Metzcar – Tri-Village

Girls Shot Put (4:00PM) Friday
Sierra Brinson – Dixie


Dixie Sierra Brinson will be throwing the Shot & Discus at the State Meet.

Girls Pole Vault (1:00PM) Friday
Colleen Steinmetz – Ansonia

Ansonia Pole Vaulter Collen Steinmetz will compete at state along with fell Tiger; Jackson Shelhaas in the Mens Pole Vault.  (Dale Barger Photo)

Good Luck to all the WOAC Track & Field Athletes competing at State.