Basketball Preview 2016

JM Boys Looking to Take Next Step

By KYLE LUTZ MOUNDSVILLE — Since around the middle of the season last year, it was becoming pretty clear that the John Marshall boys’ team was getting to where they wanted to be. With a young team on the court, the Monarchs started to play up to their potential. With three returning starters in senior Logan Grimm and juniors Gunner Thompson and Krsna Nathini, John Marshall looks to take that next step. This season, Chad Clutter will be in charge of the surging Monarchs. Before making the move to JM, Clutter coached at Cameron for 14 years and made them a contender every ...

Straughn to Lead Donahue

By TRACY WATSON McMECHEN — There is plenty to be excited about for long-time coach Tom Wise and his Bishop Donahue boys’ basketball team. The Bishops are coming off a 9-11 season but return four starters and will have a deep bench. Included in that mix will be one of the hidden treasures of Ohio Valley hoops, senior Taylor Straughn. Not that people don’t know who Straughn is, but the two-time all-state performer has had to play in the shadows of a couple of rivals the last three seasons, Wheeling Central’s Chase Harler and Magnolia’s Preston Boswell. This ...

Injuries May Hurt Edison

By MIKE MATHISON RICHMOND — The Edison girls’ team returns five letterwinners with all having started multiple games last season. But the Wildcats, according to second-year head coach Ryan Powell, “have suffered multiple injuries this preseason causing our numbers to be low and our depth to be thin. “We need to get a couple of returning players healthy and cleared to play and avoid any future injuries to maintain some depth.” Edison will have five seniors in Skylar Fankhauser, Sarah Anderson, Madison Shannon, Parry Kryder and Jaclyn Horvath; three juniors in ...

Agnew Excited About Possibilities

By KIM NORTH ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Stacey Agnew’s return to the bench last year was a trying experience as head coach of the St. Clairsville girls’ program. “It was kind of helter-skelter. It seemed as though anything that could go wrong did, especially injury-wise,” he said of a 7-15 campaign that ended with a loss in the Ohio Division II sectional championship game to Riverview. “We had two girls go down with torn ACLs and one with a displaced hip.” However Agnew, who has coached in different capacities at several schools in the area, has half-a-dozen ...

Five Seniors To Pace Wildcats

By MIKE MATHISON RICHMOND — The Edison boys’ basketball team will be led by its five seniors. “These five seniors have experience and our success will be determined by their leadership ability,” coach Nate Moses said. They are Bryce Piatt, Dom Rogers, Zac Kramarich, Michael Speedy, and Joey Nave. The Wildcats will also have junior Connor Hyndman and sophomores Zack Easter and Anthony Sinicropi. “They will be relied upon to provide some depth,” Moses said. Rounding out the roster are junior Jeffrey McAfoose, sophomores Brandon Boyd, Bryce ...

Clifford Begins 26th Season at St.C.

By SETH STASKEY ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Kim Clifford can hardly believe it himself sometimes. He is embarking on his 41st season as a basketball coach — 32nd as a head man and 26th with St. Clairsville. Clifford’s passion for the game and working with kids hasn’t waivered. And it’s seasons like what lies ahead that keep him motivated. The Red Devils have become of the steadiest programs in Eastern Ohio during Clifford’s tenure. Last season, St. C. finished with a 15-7 record. Gone from that squad, which was bounced in the opening round of the Division ...