News

By Eddie Mowen Jr.

PLEASANT HILL — With seven experienced players returning to the varsity lineup, Newton volleyball coach Danita Rapp believes the Indians have the experience and versatility to make a strong push in the Western Ohio Athletic Conference this fall.

Rapp enters her seventh season as Newton’s varsity head coach with an 89-52 career record. The Indians finished 7-4 in WOAC play last season, tying Dixie for fifth place in the conference standings.

This season, Newton brings back a veteran group that includes three seniors and four juniors with significant varsity experience.

Senior Mya Denlinger returns for her third season as the Indians’ starting libero and will serve as a team captain. Denlinger earned second-team All-WOAC and second-team District 9 honors in 2025.

Senior Emily Laughman is another team captain and returns for her third season as Newton’s varsity starting setter, while senior Holly Morse is back for her second season as a starting middle hitter.

The junior class provides Newton with additional experience throughout the lineup.

Emma Rapp, a team captain, returns as a two-year varsity starter and six-rotation outside hitter and defensive specialist. Ella Bayer also returns as a two-year varsity starter and six-rotation outside hitter and defensive specialist.

Junior Izzy Prickett enters her third season as a starting middle hitter, while junior Meghan Addison returns for her second season as a varsity right-side hitter.

With so many players capable of filling multiple roles, Rapp expects the Indians’ experience and versatility to be among their biggest strengths.

“With a large number of returning varsity players and their versatility on the court, I expect Newton volleyball to be a highly competitive team this fall with a strong run at finishing in the top portion of the conference,” Rapp said. “They have utilized this preseason to prepare a strong team dynamic and improve their game. They are focused and eager to compete for a strong season ahead.”

Newton will also work two younger players into its varsity rotation.

Sophomore Viven Bowser joins the varsity lineup as a defensive specialist and right-side hitter, while freshman Rylee Alexander will contribute as a setter and right-side hitter.

Rapp said both newcomers should add depth and additional options to an already experienced lineup.

“We are excited about both of our newcomers and the depth and range of skill they will bring to our lineup this fall,” she said.

After finishing in the middle of the WOAC standings last season, Newton enters the fall with aspirations of climbing the conference standings. Rapp believes the combination of experience, leadership and a productive preseason has positioned the Indians to compete with the league’s top teams.

She also expects a group she describes as driven and high-achieving to continue developing as the season progresses.

“As their coach, I anticipate that this group will achieve the goals they have established for themselves,” Rapp said. “They are driven and high achievers both on and off the court, and I expect nothing less than that they will give this season their 100% effort and will work to improve with every match.

“I am excited to see them compete.”

The Indians are currently 2-3 overall. They opened the season with three straight losses to Troy Christian (25-17, 25-23, 26-24), Covington (25-13, 25-15, 25-13) and Tri-Village (25-23, 25-21) before winning two straight over Bradford (25-9, 25-19) and Ansonia (25-19, 20-25, 25-15).

By Eddie Mowen Jr.

By Eddie Mowen Jr.

CAMDEN — A year after winning a Western Ohio Athletic Conference championship, the Preble Shawnee boys soccer team enters the 2026 season with a new-look roster and a familiar face taking over the program.

Veteran coach Jeff Stiver takes the reins after spending the past five seasons as an assistant with the boys program. Stiver is entering his 32nd year of coaching overall, including 27 seasons as a girls head coach, but this will be his first season as a boys head coach.

He inherits an Arrows program coming off an 11-6-2 season and a 7-0-1 mark in WOAC play.

Repeating that success will require a largely new group to develop quickly.

Preble Shawnee graduated eight seniors and nine starters from last year's championship team. That group included WOAC Player of the Year Ethen Fields and another first-team all-conference selection, along with two second-team selections and an honorable mention honoree.

Only two starters return, and just seven of the 21 players on this year's roster were part of the program last season.

"This is a total rebuild," Stiver said.

The Arrows have only one senior on the roster, and he returns to soccer after not playing the past two seasons.

Five juniors give Shawnee some additional experience. Colt Lyon, Braylen Haerr and Will Eickelberger return from last year's team, while another junior returns to the sport after not playing last season. A fifth junior transferred into the program after spending the previous two years playing football.

The sophomore class features seven players, with John Pegg, Jacob Trent, Jace Burton and Carson Burger among the four who saw action last season.

Eight freshmen complete the roster, giving Stiver a young group that could develop together over the next several seasons.

With so little varsity experience returning, Stiver isn't looking to make things overly complicated. Instead, the Arrows are emphasizing fundamentals and steady improvement as they build chemistry.

"We are trying to simplify things, going back to the basics and hopefully continue to get better each and every day," Stiver said.

Shawnee also wants to be a well-conditioned team capable of controlling possession and dictating the pace of play.

"Hopefully, we'll be in good shape, play a possession-type soccer and get some wins along the way," Stiver said.

The Arrows may look considerably different from the team that went unbeaten in WOAC play a year ago, but the defending champions will have an opportunity to establish a new identity in 2026.

For Stiver and his young roster, success will begin with development. With only seven returning players and eight freshmen, the Arrows will look to make progress throughout the season while attempting to remain competitive in the WOAC race.

The Arrows are off to an 0-4 start, including 0-2 in WOAC play.

(Photo Courtesy Champine Photography)

By Eddie Mowen Jr.

LEWISBURG — Experience could prove to be a valuable asset for Tri-County North this season as the Panthers look to climb the Western Ohio Athletic Conference standings.

TCN returns seven starters, including five seniors, for coach Allison Berning, who enters her third season with the program and second as head coach.

The Panthers are coming off a 5-18 season that included a 2-10 mark in WOAC play, but Berning believes an experienced roster and a productive offseason have TCN positioned to make significant improvement.

“I believe we have a great opportunity to be very competitive in our conference this year,” Berning said. “The majority of our starting lineup consists of seniors who bring a lot of experience and knowledge to the court. They have worked extremely hard in the offseason and have shown tremendous improvement.”

That senior group includes outside hitter and defensive specialist Kiley Adkins, setter and right-side hitter Bailey Quinn, middle hitters Mya Pinion and Madison Bondurant, and outside hitter and defensive specialist Audrey Fox.

Junior libero Paityn Davidson also returns to the starting lineup, while sophomore Alayna MtCastle gives the Panthers another option at setter and right-side hitter.

TCN's returning experience extends beyond the starting lineup. Sophomores Cassidy Harris and Brooklyn Barnes are back after seeing varsity action last season. Harris provides depth at outside hitter, while Barnes returns in the middle.

Junior Addy Mohr, a middle hitter, and freshman Riley Nisius, a right-side hitter, are among the newcomers expected to contribute at the varsity level.

Berning said the Panthers have shown encouraging signs leading into the season, particularly during preseason scrimmages against other WOAC programs.

“Our scrimmages against conference teams have gone very well, giving us confidence that we can compete at a high level,” Berning said. “I expect us to improve greatly on last year’s win record and make a strong impact in our conference.”

For Berning, the Panthers' potential improvement isn't based solely on the number of experienced players returning. She also believes the chemistry the team developed during the offseason could make a difference once conference play begins.

“I am very excited about the upcoming season and what this team can accomplish,” Berning said. “Our girls support one another, communicate well and work together as a team. Their commitment to improving themselves and each other has been impressive.”

With five seniors helping set the tone and a number of younger players adding depth, TCN hopes to turn its experience into more victories and become a tougher opponent throughout the WOAC schedule.

“With our experience, work ethic and team chemistry, I believe we are capable of having a successful season and making this a memorable year,” Berning said.

The Panthers are currently 1-1 on the season with a win over Belmont (25-15, 25-17, 25-6) and a loss to Middletown Christian (26-24, 17-25, 25-19, 25-18).

Short-handed Tigers overcome early blocked punt and pull away for a 42–8 victory

By Jim Freeman

ANSONIA — It may only be Week 2, but Ansonia delivered an unmistakable statement Friday night.

Facing a Preble Shawnee team expected to contend near the top of the Western Ohio Athletic Conference, the Tigers controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football and earned a convincing 42–8 victory.

Both teams entered the game at 1–0 after relying heavily on their running attacks in season-opening wins. Preble Shawnee, coming off a 10-win season and a trip to the second round of the playoffs, presented Ansonia with an important early test.

Before the game, Preble Shawnee coach David Maddox expected a physical matchup between two teams with similar identities.

“We’re both pretty physical teams, and I think we’re going to go at each other a little bit here tonight,” Maddox said.

Ansonia ultimately took control of that physical battle and never relinquished it.

The Tigers did face some early adversity. A blocked punt on their opening possession gave Preble Shawnee an opportunity to capture the momentum and put Ansonia in an early hole.

The Tigers’ defense responded with a stop, however, preventing the Arrows from capitalizing on the favorable field position. Ansonia then drove the football down the field for a touchdown and followed with touchdowns on its next two possessions as the Tigers began to take command.

“Getting a punt blocked is not a good way to start a game,” Ansonia coach Adam Hall said. “A majority of the time when you get a punt blocked, you’re going to lose the game. It was big for our guys to step up and get over the hump on that. Once we got rolling, I felt like we did a pretty good job of playing good football.”

The performance at the line of scrimmage was especially impressive because Ansonia entered the game short-handed. The Tigers lost three varsity linemen to injuries during the week, forcing two freshmen who had been running backs just one week earlier to step into starting roles on the offensive line.

Jacob Hartings and Austin Tobe answered the call.

“The injury bug hit us this week, and we lost three varsity linemen,” Hall said. “We had two freshmen who were running backs last week step in and start for us tonight, and they did a great job. Jacob Hartings and Austin Tobe stepped in and played very well for us, and you can’t say enough about them.”

Hall also credited Ansonia’s veteran players for helping the two freshmen prepare for their unexpected assignments.

“The seniors around them did a good job making sure they knew what to do,” Hall said. “They stepped up and played great for us, too.”

Despite the changes up front, Ansonia’s running game consistently moved the football. The Tigers’ backs found running room, broke tackles and continued to produce yards throughout the night.

Their contributions extended beyond carrying the football.

“We have very good running backs,” Hall said. “They all run the ball very well, but the thing people may not understand is that they all block for their teammates. They all fake when they’re supposed to fake. We had good blocks from the backs and good fakes from the backs. We had it rolling in the backfield.”

Ansonia’s defense was equally impressive.

Preble Shawnee entered the game after producing 313 yards of offense—including 241 rushing yards—in its 20–13 victory over Middletown Madison. Against Ansonia, however, the Arrows struggled to establish the same rhythm as the Tigers controlled the point of attack and prevented the explosive plays that could have shifted the game.

Preble Shawnee continued competing and broke through for its touchdown late in the game. The score does not diminish an Arrows team that remains talented and capable of winning plenty of football games this season. On Friday night, though, Ansonia was firmly in control.

Through two games, the Tigers have outscored their opponents 74–8. Riverside was shut out 32–0 in Week 1, and Ansonia’s first-team defense has yet to surrender a point this season.

“We started Week 1 slowly, and since then we’ve played decent football on defense,” Hall said. “There are always going to be things that we need to improve on, but for Week 2, I think we’re heading in the right direction.”

There is still plenty of football ahead, and Hall knows improvements will be needed as the season progresses. But defeating another expected conference contender by 34 points—while playing without three varsity linemen—showed Ansonia possesses more than talent.

The Tigers displayed depth, discipline and the ability to respond when the game presented its first real challenge. Most importantly, they controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

Two games into the season, Ansonia looks every bit like a team capable of contending for the WOAC championship.

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