Minerva teams find success on the road and at home

Most teams enjoy home cooking, but Minerva’s boys basketball squad appeared just as comfortable on the road this week, picking up two away wins with victories over Garaway and Eastern Buckeye Conference rival Marlington.

Minerva opened the stretch with a nonconference win at Garaway Dec. 16. The Lions jumped out to a 13-4 lead after one quarter and extended it to 29-13 by halftime before cruising to a 58-44 victory.

At Garaway, Minerva made short work of the Pirates, racing out to a 13-4 lead after one quarter, which ballooned to a 29-13 advantage by halftime, allowing the Lions to coast to a comfortable 58-44 victory.

Owen Shick and Rowen Hoffee scored 14 points apiece to lead Minerva, while Braydon Wood and Wyatt Gonzalez each chipped in eight points. Jaxon Garber led all scorers with 15 for Garaway (0-5).

The Lions then made the sojourn to Marlington and to say Shick was on fire would be putting it mildly as he nailed four buckets from downtown and scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Lions to victory.

This one was in doubt throughout as the teams were tied at halftime as well as at the start of the fourth quarter. Minerva’s 14-9 differential in the final period proved the difference as the Lions won 58-53.

In addition to Shick’s sharpshooting, Lane Tarbet also caught fire, hitting three treys and 12 points on a night the Lions (4-2, 2-1) combined for 11 three-pointers. Cameron Evanich logged a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds to lead Marlington (0-5, 0-2), while Brady Denham added 13 points.

Girls Basketball

It may have taken a week or two and several games longer than expected, but the Lions’ got a stocking stuffer gift early as they notched their first win of the season against EBC foe Alliance Dec. 17. Before the team could celebrate its gift, however, Minerva had to put up with a big lump of coal in a loss to Canal Fulton Northwest first.

On Dec. 15, the Lions went on the road to face Northwest, currently ranked 16th in the state in Div. IV. The Indians, whose only loss was by two points on the road at Carrollton, played worthy of their ranking as they led Minerva 17-2 after one period and 45-9 by halftime on their way to a 62-14 win.

Rachel Benedict paced the Lions with four points. Alexandra Sharrer and Adalie Horsfall scored 11 points apiece for Northwest (6-1) as all 11 players on the team’s roster scored.

Two days later, Minerva hosted Alliance in an EBC showdown and a decisive second quarter provided the impetus for the Lions first victory of the season. Trailing 10-9 after one quarter, Minerva turned it around in the second and outscored the Aviators 21-10 to take a 30-20 lead into halftime.

The Lions coasted to the 37-27 win as they busted out of their slump with only two games left to go in 2025. Ivey Rettig tallied 14 points while Rachel Benedict added 13. Ireland Kirkpatrick and Peyton Beaumariage – who sank three treys – each scored nine points as Minerva improved to 1-7 overall and 1-3 in the EBC. Alliance is now 2-6 and 0-4.

Boys Wrestling

The Lions’ EBC matches got underway and you’d be hard-pressed to find a more thorough opening win than Minerva’s 52-15 dismantling of West Branch Dec. 18. Of the 11 weight classes that were contested, the Lions won seven of them, including four by pin and one by major decision.

Alex Wright (106 lbs.) set the vibe as he pinned the Warriors’ Jackson McDonald in 3:30. Shawn Weaver (120), Colton Godsey (150), and Ethan Weaver (165) also got in on the action as all won by pin for Minerva. Weaver was particularly economical, picking up his pin in just 51 seconds.

Also scoring for Minerva (1-0) was Timothy Kirkpatrick (190) who earned an 11-3 major decision over Jackson Shinn. At 175, Lincoln Wallace logged a 10-4 decision, while Kolton Almasy (132) recorded a 12-6 decision.

Girls Wrestling

The Lady Lions competed at the Mapleton Mountie Girls Invitational tournament, hosted by Mapleton High School. Minerva placed seventh overall as a team, and three Lions placed in the top three.

Wrestling at 115 lbs., Bailey Hilliard recorded a 4-0 decision in the championship round. Teammate Emery Cell (125) placed second, and Ellie Kuttie picked a third-place finish at 125.