Hoffee helps shoot Minerva boys basketball to opening victory

One game does not a season make, but so far, the Lions are roaring, particularly from long distance.

The Minerva boys’ basketball team opened its 2025-26 season on the road at Sandy Valley and behind the sharp shooting of Rowen Hoffee, the Lions rolled to a 74-46 victory. Half of the senior point guard’s 10 baskets were from downtown as he scored 31 points.

As a team, Minerva made 15 treys while the Cardinals managed to score only one. This allowed the Lions to cruise to a 19-10 lead following the first quarter and a commanding 37-20 advantage after the first half.

In addition to his five treys, Hoffee was also a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe. Other contributions for Minerva’s sharp-shooting display came from Owen Shick as all three of his baskets came from beyond the arc in a 9-point effort. Meanwhile, Braydon Wood added two more three-pointers as he scored 10 points for the Lions (1-0).

Thorn Stenger led Sandy Valley (0-2) with 16 points.

Girls basketball

A slow first quarter proved costly for the Lady Lions as they opened their season with a non-conference loss on the road at Sandy Valley Nov. 21.

The host Cardinals took a 17-12 advantage after the first eight minutes and held on for a 50-42 win in the opening game of the season for both teams. Minerva hung with Sandy Valley in the second quarter as the teams went to the locker rooms with the Lions trailing 29-24, but the Cardinals outscored Minerva by three in the second half for the final margin.

Senior shooting guard Kyleigh Lippincott led Minerva with 12 points as half her output came from the free-throw line. Center Rachel Benedict and guard Ivey Rettig led the Lions with four baskets apiece, Rettig finishing with 10 points and Benedict with 9.

The Cardinals (1-0) were led by guard Cali Eckinger, who scored 15 points.

On Nov. 25, it was a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire for Minerva as the Lions hosted Indian Creek in another nonconference contest. Unlike the previous game in which Minerva played well over the final three quarters, against, the Lions trailed the Redskins by four after one period, at which point, the wheels fell off.

Indian Creek outscored Minerva 14-1 in the decisive second quarter to take a 22-5 lead into intermission en route to a 47-21 win that spoiled the Lions’ home opener.

Benedict and Rettig shared scoring honors for Minerva (0-2) as each player finished with 7 points, respectively. The Redskins (1-0) were led by Kaydence Walker’s 15 points.

Bowling

The Lions also tangled with Sandy Valley as Minerva visited the Cardinals Nov. 20. Much like the boys’ basketball team, Minerva’s boys rolled over Sandy Valley.

The boys won decisively, outscoring the Cardinals, 2.435-1,678. Owen Frazier and Lane Hawk were excellent in the two-game series, racking up scores of 463 and 449, respectively. Frazier’s 246 in the first game led all bowlers, while Hawk rolled a 232 in the second game. Austin Ailing also notched a 232 as he logged a 391 series.

With a commanding 580-pin lead after the opening two games, the Baker format was a mere formality, but the Lions ruled there as well, winning all three games easily.

For the Lady Lions, it was heartbreak, however, as the Cardinals eked out a two-pin victory, 1,821-1,819. It was close throughout, but Minerva ended the two-game series with a 13-pin lead. Rylan Klitz (180-176) was steady as ever with a 356 series, while Bailey Wood (194-157) contributed a 351.

In the Baker format, however, the Cardinals seized the lead with a 134-117 win in the first game to take a four-pin lead. Sandy Valley won the second game as well, 156-151. Those five pins were crucial as Minerva came back to win the final game 142-135.

Both teams won the next time out, however, as visiting Minerva dispatched Canton South Nov. 25. The Lady Lions defeated the Wildcats 1,620-1,427 while the boys’ crew won 2,412-2,078.

Klitz (163-156) again paced the Lady Lions (2-1) with a 319 series, while Wood posted a 291 as Minerva opened up a 145-pin lead heading into the Baker games.

On the boys’ side, Hawk (230-234) was the picture of consistency in rolling a 464 series, while Frazier was close behind, putting together games of 229 and 221 for a 450 series as Minerva (3-0) held a 278-pin lead heading into the Bakers.