Jun 3, 2025
photograph by: Nick Henthorn
Oak Glen head coach Sherrie Garner, left, and Bridgeport head coach Hannah Boyer, proper, pictured with OVAC Softball Commissioner Tom Bechtel after being named OVAC Co-Coaches of the Yr at Monday’s OVAC All-Star Softball Recreation.
WHEELING – The Ohio Valley Athletic Convention despatched out one other class of senior standouts in model on Monday within the convention’s annual OVAC All-Star Softball Recreation on the JB Chambers I-470 Sports activities Complicated. In a night crammed with award ceremonies, multi-colored jerseys and 9 innings of softball, the West Virginia All-Stars took the exhibition outing 11-8.
The OVAC’s 1A via 5A Gamers of the Yr have been honored after every inning- 1A’s Madison Kelley from Conotton Valley, 2A’s Makayla Mumaw from Caldwell, 3A’s Giana Chirpas from Martins Ferry, 4A’s Kelsey Powers from Harrison Central and 5A’s Sena Smith from Steubenville.
Whereas the Gamers of the Yr had been introduced final month, the OVAC Coach of the Yr award was handed out on Monday throughout the All-Star sport. Out of the nominees of Conotton Valley’s Jeremy Bleininger, Bridgeport’s Hannah Boyer, Oak Glen’s Sherrie Garner, Martins Ferry’s Jerry Magistro and Harrison Central’s Darren Younger, Boyer and Garner have been chosen as Co-Coaches of the Yr for the 2025 season.
“It’s an enormous praise to get honored inside your peer group within the OVAC,” Garner mentioned. “It’s a unbelievable group and unbelievable governorship of our convention. I believe it’s the most effective convention within the nation. It’s nice to carry this sport to the youngsters and it’s an honor to educate.”
“It’s nice,” Boyer started. “It’s such an honor and I wish to say thanks to my crew this yr, my teaching staff- I couldn’t do it with out my teaching employees, they’re superior. I couldn’t do it with out my women, my crew is unbelievable, my faculty district, my neighborhood, thanks to them.”
On the sphere, West Virginia noticed three runs within the first inning, with Weir’s Rayna Hoover, Wheeling Park’s Belle Thomas and Wheeling Central’s Josie Frizzell crossing the plate. Three runs would change into the distinction by sport’s finish.
Hoover scored once more within the third, and Ohio bought on the board as Bridgeport’s Vanessa Mullen got here round within the house half of the inning, trailing 4-1.
Weir’s Kylie Dean scored within the fifth to extend West Virginia’s lead, however Ohio had an enormous backside of the fifth- Indian Creek’s Emma Vok, Harrison Central’s Emma Skinner, Steubenville’s Sena Smith, Indian Creek’s McKenna Scott, Steubenville’s Paige Matteson and Barnesville’s Madelynn Tyson all scored in a six-run inning that put Ohio forward 7-5.
West Virginia re-took the lead within the seventh, with Oak Glen’s Kayla Wright, Frizzell, Madonna’s Chloe Orecchio and Wheeling Central’s Ava Hanson all scoring.
River’s Kaylee Hagan scored within the eighth inning, and West Virginia added two extra within the prime of the ninth when Oak Glen’s Riley Bruce and John Marshall’s Carlie Keyser every scored.
“That is such an pleasing expertise to be right here with the seniors,” Garner mentioned. “Whether or not it’s journey or competing, they’ve identified one another. It’s pleasing and enjoyable for them and it’s a very good alternative to come back along with the opposite coaches and honor our seniors’ dedication to softball. And it’s all the time enjoyable to have extra runs than the opposite crew on the finish of it.”
“This implies a lot to the OVAC,” Boyer mentioned. “This was an awesome present of expertise from either side, Ohio and West Virginia performed nice. There’s numerous expertise on the market and we don’t get to see that daily so it was good to see everybody come collectively.”
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