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SmeeSports is Still Searching for Broadcast + Social Media Sponsors

Strongsville, OH- Calling on businesses in the Cleveland and Stark County Areas. SmeeSports is searching for broadcast sponsors as the Fall season is only a few weeks away!

Alliance, Marlington, Minerva, Holy Name, Padua, Tri-C, and Strongsville are some of the many schools we cover throughout the course of the year. Just as we have a great variety of schools in our coverage range, we have a number of sponsorship packages that will fit your needs. Take a moment to read our sponsorship menu below.

– Basic Broadcast Sponsor ($10 Per Game): This gets you a 30-second ad that runs on rotation throughout the broadcast.

-Highlight Package Sponsor ($5 Per Video): This gets your logo placed on a short form (60 seconds or less) highlight reel featuring footage from one of our many games. These highlights could be one player or a group, depending on the game. The video gets posted to Instagram, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

-Gameday Graphic Sponsor ($5 Per Graphic): This gets your logo placed on a teaser graphic for our broadcasts. Typically, these graphics include a player from each team. The graphic is posted on Instagram, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

-Website Sponsor ($100 Per Year): This gets an ad for your business on our website under the sponsors tab. This ad will always be present on the website and is fully customizable. It’s a great way to be advertising 365 days a year!

-Article Sponsor ($15 Per Article): This gets an ad for your business placed at the top of each article you sponsor. You could sponsor a specific team, style of content, etc. Just like the website sponsorship option, it is fully customizable.

-Broadcast Presenter ($5 Per Game): This add-on has your name said throughout the game. For example, “This is WRCL baseball on SmeeSports presented by INSERT COMPANY.”

-Keys to Victory Sponsor ($5 Per Game): This add-on attaches your business’s name to 3 keys to victory that we will track throughout the game. For example, “Your INSERT COMPANY Keys to Victory are”

-Pregame Show Sponsor ($5 Per Game): This add-on attaches your business’s name to our pregame show segment. For example, “This is the SmeeSports pregame show presented by INSERT COMPANY.”

If you and your business are interested in becoming a SmeeSports sponsor, email Nathan Smee at nsmee00@gmail.com. Alternatively, you can contact us on social media.

The NABF Announces their All-Tournament Team for College World Series

Canton, OH- After 15 games across three days at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium, the Stark County Terriers were crowned NABF College World Series champions for the fourth consecutive season. On the morning of July 28th, WRCL commissioner and NABF representative John Mengelkamp sent out the all-tournament team selections for the 2025 NABF College World Series. Below is the all-tournament team.

C: Aidan Sheetz (Jasper Reds)-Northeast Dubois High School to IU Columbus

1B: Calvin Cackowski (B2 Bulls)-Thiel

2B: Christopher Maurer (Canton A’s)-Mount Union

3B: Anthony Bartiromo (Canton A’s)-Malone

SS: Nate Evans (3B Barons)-Penn State Shenango

OF: Ryan Shimek (Mountaineer Lumber Company)-Ashland

OF: Luke Ickes (Mountaineer Lumber Company)-Mount Union

OF: Nolan Kellicker (Stark County Terriers)-Baldwin Wallace

Utility: Dominic Trivisonno (Mountaineer Lumber Company)-John Carroll

Utility: Daniel Krabill (Stark County Terriers)-Oberlin

Utility: Josh Dezenzo (Stark County Terriers)-Washington & Jefferson

P: Ty Dennison (Stark County Terriers)-Mount Union

P: Brock Polilli (Canton Class A’s)-Massillon High School to Tiffin

P: Keagan Gilbride (Mountaineer Lumber Company)-Cuyahoga Community College

P: Braeden Kinnaird (B2 Bulls)-Hiram

P: Garret Odey (Stark County Terriers)-Earlham

Batting Champion: Nolan Kellicker (Stark County Terriers)-Baldwin Wallace

MVP: Ty Dennison (Stark County Terriers)-Mount Union

It is not a surprise to see the Stark County Terriers leading the way with five representatives, including the batting champion Kellicker and Dennison, the MVP, on the all-tournament team. The Mountaineer Lumber Company has four representatives, including Luke Ickes, who had a potential claim to the batting crown after pool play. The Canton Class A’s have three players while the B2 Bulls have two. Finally, the Jasper Reds and 3B Barons each have one representative.

Looking at colleges, the Ohio Athletic Conference ran the table with Mount Union having three players, and Baldwin Wallace, along with former OAC giants John Carroll, having one player each. Earlham, Hiram, Tri-C, Tiffin, Washington & Jefferson, Oberlin, Ashland, Penn State Shenango, Malone, Thiel, and IU Columbus have one player on the all-tournament team.

A Four-Peat: Dennison and Kellicker Steal the Show as the Stark County Terriers Win their Fourth Consecutive NABF College World Series Title

Canton, OH- In a transition year for the NABF College World Series and the Stark County Terriers, the 3-time defending champions found a way to keep their domination going as they knocked out the #3 seed Canton Class A’s and the #1 seed Mountaineer Lumber Company en route to their fourth title in a row.

This year marks the first time the NABF College World Series, along with the 16U and 18U World Series, were played in the Canton area. All of the College World Series games were held at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium, the home of the Canton McKinley Bulldogs and the former home of the Terriers. After two days of pool play, the Mountaineer Lumber Company and Stark County Terriers were 3-1. With one spot remaining, the Canton Class A’s snuck in due to the Jasper Reds losing 11-1 to the B2 Bulls late Saturday night.

In the semifinals, Nolan Kellicker started the game on the mound for Stark County while Jaxon Monnard began the game for the A’s. Both pitchers had 1-2-3 first innings. In the second, Canton had runners at the corners with two outs, but Cade Marks flew out to left field to end the frame. At the bottom of the inning, Josh DeZenzo drove in the opening run on a sacrifice fly. Gavin Marceric drove in the second run of the frame on an RBI single hit into left field. Through two innings, the Terriers held a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the third, the A’s would get their first run of the day courtesy of Chris Maurer. The rising junior at Mount Union sent the ball into right field for an RBI single. Brett Moore would keep the Terriers on top as he gloved a hard-hit ball, forcing a 4-6-3 double play. Stark County restored their two-run lead in the bottom of the inning as Kaiden Mastri’s pop-up fell into shallow right field. However, the big breaking point came with two on and one down. DeZenzo stepped back in for the second time and launched a three-run homer over the left center field wall. With one swing of the bat, the Terriers led 6-1. Bradyn Canter would come into the game moments later to replace Monnard, closing out the third.

The Canton Class A’s would have the bases loaded at the top of the fourth inning, but Kellicker was able to strike out Brady White to get out of the jam. In the bottom of the inning, Mastri drove in another run on a clean swing into left field. However, the A’s would get the final out of the inning on an excellent throw home. However, the replay showed the runner appeared to be safe. Either way, the controversial call ended the fourth inning with the Terriers up 7-1. The score would remain the same heading into the bottom of the sixth inning until Luke Senften drove in Kellicker. Heading into the final half inning, it was 8-1 in favor of Stark County.

With their backs against the wall, the Canton Class A’s fought hard to stay in the game. The first run of the seventh would come in on a passed ball, making it 8-2. William Feser, in his second inning of work after replacing Kellicker, would have the bases loaded behind him. The third run of the game would come in on a balk. By MLB and NABF rules, a balk is a live ball. While it was put into play via the bat, it was still live. With two down, Nathan Johnson would drive in a pair of runs. Up by three, the Terriers would find the final out on a routine flyout to centerfield. Stark County would advance to the NABF College World Series Championship Game with an 8-5 win over the Canton Class A’s.

In the championship game, defense told the story. Keagan Gilbride and Ty Dennison would combine for 12 strikeouts, with Gilbride pitching seven innings while Dennison stayed in the whole game. With the score 0-0 in the top of the fifth, Kellicker would drive in two runs on an RBI double smashed into deep right field. The Mountaineer Lumber Company would have their chances to get on the board, but the defense of the Terriers was too much. In the top of the ninth inning, Senften would drive in another pair to give the defense some insurance. With one out two go in the bottom of the ninth, Dennison had Will Taigen in a full count with two runners on. Without an out here, Dennison’s day would be done. However, he found his 9th strikeout and sealed the 4-0 victory for Stark County.

The Mountaineer Lumber Company had a total of four hits in the championship game. Taigen got the first hit of the game for the Lumber Company in the fourth. Ryan Shimek would hit a ground-rule double in the fifth to follow up Taigen’s single. Finally, Brayden Clark and Dom Trivisano would single in the ninth inning. As for the Terriers, Kellicker and Mastri led the way with two hits each.

This win marks the fourth straight NABF College World Series title for the Stark County Terriers. Former head coach Chris Willoughby, who was the PA announcer for the semifinals and championship, won the first three titles in this stretch. He took over in the 2022 season after the Terriers lost in the championship game in 2021. First-year head coach Rece Sabo took the reins for this season after Willoughby was asked to coach the 15U team for the Terriers. To make it more difficult for Sabo, most of the 2024 squad didn’t return. However, they found a way to get it done in the most important games of the year.

“This whole tournament is tough. Four pool play games, a semifinal game at 9, and if you win that, you go to the championship game at 11. The guys gotta dig deep. You gotta know who you are as a ball player, and the boys rose to the challenge,” remarked Sabo after the win.

Today was a bittersweet day for Braden Broom. The rising senior decided to retire from baseball after three years at Baldwin Wallace. Broom went out on a high, getting a hit in his final at bat along with a number of putouts from shortstop.

Broom gave his closing thoughts on his career as he said, “Thank you to baseball, I will love you forever. I also want to tell the Terriers to go win the next one.”

Looking at the special awards, Nolan Kellicker was awarded the batting title while Ty Dennison won MVP honors. Both played massive roles in this tournament win, especially in the championship rounds, as they were the two winning pitchers. However, the play of the tournament belongs to Dennison. With two outs in the sixth inning and a runner on third, Ty dives backward to retrieve a slow chopper off to his right. His acrobatic throw was just in time, keeping the shutout intact.

“I just saw the ball, I fielded it, then I was like, I have to get this out. They’re going to score if not, so I threw it with everything I had and saw that we made the out and kind of blacked out from there,” Dennison said when asked about the play.

While the official all-tournament teams haven’t been finalized, it has been reported that Daniel Krabill will be on it for the Terriers as he played 1st base, catcher, and as the DH throughout this tournament. Luke Ickes will also be on the team for the Mountaineer Lumber Company. A total of eight hits and 5 RBIs in five games, along with one save, is more than enough to justify the rising junior at Mount Union’s place on the team.

While this year brought about a number of changes for the WRCL, NABF World Series, and the Stark County Terriers, the champs remained the same. Something special is happening with the Stark County Terriers as they now have their sights set on a five-peat.

SmeeSports LLC Announces Fall Semester 2025 Internship Program

Strongsville, OH- As our Summer internship program wraps up this Sunday, SmeeSports LLC is happy to open up the application period for the 2025 Fall Semester Internship Program. We are seeking highly motivated high school and college students who are eager to break into the sports media industry. With our unique business model and coverage areas, we have just the internship to get you started!

First of all, you may be wondering what SmeeSports LLC is. We are a broadcasting company built on the pillars of Faith, Family, and Sports that serves the Cleveland and Stark County areas. On top of broadcasts, we also do photography, written content, and more.

Our owner, Nathan Smee, is a sophomore at the University of Mount Union studying Sport Business and Media. Nathan has been in the sport media industry for around five years. In this time, he has built an impressive portfolio of content across a number of sport media niches. His most notable post and call was Andrew Cole shoving a player from Valley Forge during a game on January 5, 2024. This clip has received over 10 million views across the SmeeSports family of social media platforms with stars such as Reggie Bush and Shaquille O’Neal weighing in with comments or reposts.

This internship offers the roles of writer, broadcast help, on-air talent, and photographer. However, if there is something else you want to do, we can talk about making it work. This internship requires two games per week while being willing to learn.

The internship will run from mid-August to January 1st. The sports that we will plan on covering during this time include football, volleyball, soccer, hockey, basketball, and baseball.

While this is an UNPAID internship, we will help you take the next step by providing an avenue to get your name out to more people. We cover some of the biggest events and teams in Northeast Ohio, and we plan on growing even more this year. The teams we cover with broadcast coverage range from Alliance, Marlington, Tri-C, Padua, Holy Name, Minerva, Garfield Heights, and Warrensville Heights. We also do written content and photography for Mount Union athletics.

If interested in this internship or to learn more about this opportunity, email Nathan Smee at nsmee00@gmail.com.

We are looking forward to welcoming in the next batch of interns this fall.

Apply to the Fall Internship Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScuritwiUWVeoJxKMkRH1xvdir2ad0NkFfh_VHylUUt2oXLpQ/viewform?usp=header

SmeeSports to Begin Streaming Select Minerva High School Games Starting in the Fall of 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Minerva, OH – SmeeSports LLC is pleased to announce that we will begin broadcasting select Minerva High School sporting events on the SmeeSports YouTube channel this Fall.

We began to consider this expansion back in April while covering Minerva Vs Alliance baseball. That was not our first time covering Minerva, as we saw the Lions numerous times throughout our coverage of Alliance and Marlington athletics (which will continue into 2025). Given this prior connection, the decision was easy when the opportunity to expand presented itself. While we do not have a clear-cut schedule, the plan is to cover a few football games with plenty of volleyball and soccer added on to round out the fall. We are open to suggestions as to which games we should cover for Minerva. Message us on our social media pages if you have a suggestion/recommendation on a game we should broadcast.

Going to the business side of this expansion, we are in search of broadcast sponsors. Without sponsors, the number of games we can do will be limited. Minerva has a lot of great businesses that support athletics in the city. We are calling on them to become sponsors of SmeeSports. With broadcast packages starting at a base rate of $10 per game, it is a great way to promote your business without breaking the bank. To learn more about our sponsorship opportunities, contact us under the contact tab on this website or email Nathan Smee at nsmee00@gmail.com.

To wrap up this release, we want to thank Minerva’s Athletic Director, Garth Evans, for helping make this a reality. We are excited to work with him to showcase the best of Minerva athletics. This year has been a great year of growth for SmeeSports LLC. We are happy that our next piece of growth brings Minerva into the SmeeSports family.

It is time to Unleash the Beast!

LockedIn High School Summer League Shines in Breakout Summer for NEO Basketball

Warrensville Heights, OH- This summer has been a monumental one for the sport of basketball at the high school level. Midwest Live, a competition featuring the best basketball teams in Ohio and beyond, held at Cedar Point’s Sports Complex, broke onto the scene. Social media was flooded this past weekend with highlights, interviews, pictures, and graphics from the successful event. While this event captured headlines, other Summer leagues had great games this June. One of the mainstays over the past decade, the LockedIn High School Summer League, concluded its five-week season with North Canton Hoover taking home the crown with a 45-43 victory over Warrensville Heights.

Unpacking pool play, there were a lot of great contenders fighting for the 8 playoff spots. Pool A saw Cleveland Central Catholic go 7-0, taking the #1 seed in the group. Hoover and NDCL battled it out for the #2 seed, but the Vikings were able to get the job done with a 58-47 win over the Lions. In Pool B, Brecksville was able to take first place with a 6-1 record. The battle for second in this pool consisted of Warrensville Heights, Bedford, and Gilmour. The Lancers came in fourth with a 4-3 record. Both the Tigers and Bearcats finished with 5-2 records, but a 53-38 score saw Meechie Johnson’s Warrensville edge out Jermaine Gay’s Bedford.

Pool C was stacked with teams such as Garfield Heights, Glenville, and Hawken, who all made it to regionals. The Bulldogs took the top seed with a 6-1 record. Glenville finished in fourth with a 4-3 record, while Hawken came in fifth with a 3-4 record. Andrews Osborne Academy, with some new stars joining the squad, was able to place third with a 4-3 record. However, it was Solon who stole the show as they were able to achieve second place with a 5-2 record. Pool D saw two-time champion Lutheran West place first with a 6-1 record. Fairview Park and Padua Franciscan battled it out for second place as both squads earned a 5-2 record. However, the Warriors got the nod with a 61-52 victory on June 5th.

With these results in hand, the bracket was set. Cleveland Central Catholic took on Solon, Lutheran West faced Warrensville Heights, Brecksville got drawn up against Fairview, and Garfield Heights got North Canton Hoover. The Ironmen made a statement at the top of the bracket in the quarterfinals, getting a 63-26 victory over Solon. They would see the Tigers in the semifinals as they took care of the Longhorns 38-29. In the bottom bracket, Fairview took care of Brecksville 51-42 while Hoover outlasted a King Young-led Garfield Heights 56-50. This left Cleveland Central Catholic, Warrensville Heights, Fairview, and North Canton Hoover in the final four.

The Vikings would get a big win in the semifinals, 50-37 over Fairview, ending the Warriors’ Summer League. In the first half of the CCC Vs Warrensville game, the Ironmen controlled the game early. Coach Michael Duncan’s squad saw plenty of returners such as Mike Duncan, Donnie Driscal, and Marquis Foster. However, they did have some key figures, such as Deonte James graduated, while King Young transferred to Garfield. However, the Tigers were able to get control down the stretch in the first half. Warrensville, led by a mixture of varsity vets, underclassmen newcomers, and Lutheran East transfer Jayden Nellemsbey, was able to take control in the second half. Despite CJ Williams, Geo Hester, and Jalen Gum sitting out to rest for Midwest Live, the Tigers got the win 40-29. Nellemsbey took home player of the game honors with 10 points.

This set up a must-see championship game between Warrensville Heights and North Canton Hoover. The Tigers had the chance to win their first LockedIN Summer League in program history and on their home court, no less. As for the Vikings, they won the league back in 2021. Last season, their campaign ended in the semifinals with a loss to Bedford. The Federal League still had representation in the winners circle in 2024 with Canton McKinley taking home the crown. Similar to the semifinals of 2024, Hoover got off to a hot start. Rising junior Hunter Hershberger stole the ball and scored a transition and-one. Down 20-9, Warrensville started to get back into the game. At halftime, the Vikings led 28-22.

During the break, Chris Walker, the LockedIn High School Summer League commissioner and organizer, presented a very special award to Steve Newton. Steve, known for his work at 3rdCoastHoops, was given the ‘Industry Pioneer Award.’ The official plaque explains the award as,

“In recognition of over a decade of content innovation and unwavering commitment to growing the grassroots basketball landscape in Northeast Ohio. Your vision built the blueprint, and the industry followed.”

In the second half, Jaylen Billingslea took over as he would sink six threes. Overall, he ended the game with 20 points. Rising Freshman Marlin Jackson also provided some offense and defense for the Tigers. With a few months until preseason gets underway, Jackson has a good shot at earning some varsity minutes. In the final 90 seconds, Hoover and Warrensville were tied at 43. Rising senior Brady McCann made what would be the winning shot with around a minute left on the clock. After a few defensive stops, the Vikings would seal their second LockedIn High School Summer League title 45-43.

McCann won MVP of the championship game with 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. Billingslea also took home MVP honors for the second-place Tigers with 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. Additionally, LockedIn made a $1000 donation to the North Canton Hoover basketball program for winning the title. This replaced the old format, which saw a scholarship handed out. The Vikings join Lutheran West and CCC as the winningest squads in competition history with two titles.

In a Summer of change and growth, LockedIn stepped up their game and remained one of the top summer leagues in the area. On top of the varsity competition, a JV group was also introduced for the first time. While LockedIN/FunGamesLive has gone away from high school tournaments during the year, they still have great middle school and underclass competitions in the Winter. One thing still remains a definite, the LockedIn High School Summer League showcases the best up-and-coming talents in NEO basketball while also doing great work giving back to the community.

Link to Warrensville Heights Vs Cleveland Central Catholic Basketball: https://www.youtube.com/live/3JNqZe0btqE?si=U_CoCLvvhJnwz-2F

Link to Warrensville Heights Vs North Canton Hoover Basketball: https://www.youtube.com/live/tL2Q0bAahAA?si=7Bo5LRmZbyF9uNfB

Rising Underclassmen Standouts to Watch for Ohio High School Baseball

Kent, OH- Over the past couple of weeks, SmeeSports has covered numerous travel baseball games through our partnership with the 965 Midwest Challenge. While we have seen a lot of the game’s top stars at the high school level, we’ve also seen some future stars in the making. Below, we take a look at a few of these prospects

Jonny Kievman: Norton High School + Clutch Elite 15U (Class of 2028)

Jonny had a lot of lofty expectations to live up to even before stepping onto the diamond at Norton. His older brother, Jordan Kievman, is committed to play baseball at Wright State for Alex Sogard. While Jordan won MAC Pitcher of the Year honors, Jonny picked up 1st team all-conference honors as a middle-infielder. While the Panthers’ season ended in the District Finals with a 3-0 loss to Hubbard, the only way for Jonny to go was up. This summer, he has more than lived up to expectations. As the starting second baseman for Clutch Elite, Jonny leads a strong infield, which includes another player mentioned in this article. Additionally, his pitching has been strong this Summer with his fastball clocking in between 78 and 83 mph. Finally, his hitting has been tremendous. At the second Kent State Invite, we saw him crush a few baseballs.

Victor Rodriguez: Youngstown East High School + Clutch Elite 15U (Class of 2028)

When thinking of a power-hitting first baseman who also has a solid glove, a player like Victor Rodriguez comes to mind. During an 8-16 season with Youngstown East in their penultimate campaign before the merger, Rodriguez headlined the offensive talent with a .364 batting average in 20 games. That average was good enough to rank second on the team as a freshman. Beyond the average, he drove in 14 runs while hitting one home run. Finally, he had a fielding percentage of 86.4%. Rodriguez has been crushing baseballs so far this Summer for Clutch Elite. In the games we covered, his power stole the show. On top of his base hits, he also had a big triple down the left field line. While there is plenty of uncertainty about the future of the Youngstown High School’s given the merger, Rodriguez should be an easy selection to lead the joined baseball program into the next era while also wrapping up East Baseball’s legacy.

Brock Bourquin: Canton Central Catholic High School + Mashfactory Bourquin 15U (Class of 2028)

The last name Bourquin is synonymous with Stark County radio. Sam Bourquin, Brock’s distant cousin, is the ‘Voice of Stark County’ and Mount Union Football and Basketball. However, Brock is paving his own path at his cousin’s alma mater as a star baseball player. Standing at 6’0 and 180 pounds, the three-sport athlete has turned a lot of heads through one year of high school. He was a key piece of the Crusaders’ Regional Final appearance, where they lost to eventual state champions Waynedale 6-3. Heading into the second Kent State Invite of the Summer, Bourquin headlined the crop of talent. He proved why on numerous occasions en route to a championship over the #1 seed MAF Gators. In the game against Mentor, Brock climbed the ladder to make a great catch on a high throw to end an inning. He followed this up with a big triple, setting himself up as the opening run in a tight victory. He would keep up the great hitting through the championship game while also playing standout defense at first.

Benjamin Ariyajasingam: Archbishop Hoban High School + Mashfactory Bourquin 15U (Class of 2028)

With Hoban’s ace Andrew Karhoff graduated and off to Ashland, a spot in the pitching rotation has opened up. This leaves the door open for rising sophomore Ben Ariyajasingam. The 5’11, 175-pounder lists himself as a RHP and a first baseman. We saw him against the Mentor Cardinals at the second Kent State Invite as a pitcher-only, and he dominated. Through five innings of work, he didn’t allow a run en route to a 2-0 victory. He took the contact pitching approach in this game, striking out three batters. In close quarters, Ariyajasingam rose to the occasion, showcasing his great intangibles. If he can keep this up, look for him to earn a spot in Hoban’s pitching rotation for the 2026 season and beyond.

Dylan Wood: Cochoton High School + Mashfactory Bourquin 15U (Class of 2028)

Not only did Dylan Wood pitch in the second Kent State Invite semifinals and championship-earning two wins while striking out over 10 batters-he hit the game-sealing RBI double. He stepped up in a big way for Mashfactory, proving he can be elite in the clutch. While he wasn’t on the Cochocton varsity baseball roster in 2025, it would be a shock to not see him there in 2026 as a key contributor, assuming he continues to improve this Summer.

Nolan Andrejack: Perry High School + Release Baseball Hejduk 14U (Class of 2029)

Our first rising freshman on the list looked like a seasoned vet in Release Baseball’s 12-4 victory over the H24 Longhorns in the Laurie Mendenhall Memorial Showcase semifinals. Outside of a rocky second inning that saw four runs score, he was lights out. In the first inning, he struck out the side. Out of five innings, four frames were 1-2-3 innings. His high school team-the Perry Pirates-finished the 2025 season with a 22-6 record. Having a guy like Andrejack coming up next year, they have another option to use in their rotation as they look to make 2026 another unforgettable campaign.

Johnathan Kefalos: Barberton High School + H24 Longhorns 14U (Class of 2029)

Rounding out our list is a player who has the potential to transform Barberton baseball from an 11-10 squad to a final-four contender. Johnathan Kefalos started in center field for H24 in their semifinal game against Release Baseball at the Laurie Mendenhall Memorial Showcase. He was beyond impressive in the outfield as his range spanned deep into both left center and right center. He also brought plenty of power with his bat, crushing a baseball deep into the outfield. While the Longhorns didn’t get the win, he showed plenty of talent and intangible traits. If he can continue his development, there’s a good chance that he will have a great high school career for the Magics with college ball potentially following. The future looks bright for Kefalos and for Barberton.

Overall, these seven rising stars have the makings to become the big names of tomorrow. Players like Kievman, Rodriguez, and Bourquin have already broken onto their varsity squads at Norton, East, and Canton Central. Still, they have greater aspirations for the next three years. Ariyajasingam and Wood look poised to become varsity players next season as they take the next step towards stardom. Finally, Andrejack and Kefalos have the tools to enter high school and not miss a beat en route to a varsity roster spot. All in all, the future is bright for these young men and their teammates.

To see full game footage of these players, check out our coverage of Kent State Invite II and the Laurie Mendenhall Memorial Showcase 14U tournament on the SmeeSports YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SmeeSports/streams

Release-Edwards’ Offense Dominates En Route to 18U Tim Lally Memorial Diamond League Tournament Title: Full Championships Recap

Lakewood, OH- According to head coach Jaret Edwards, Release Baseball is an organization that plays the sport “the right way.” That brand of America’s pastime was more than enough to secure Release Edwards’ first tournament win of 2025 as they knocked off #2 Ohio Mavericks 11-2 and #4 NMC Reitenbach 12-0 in the championship game.

In the first semi-finals, #1 Ohio Elite had the task of taking down #NMC Reitenbach. The odds were stacked against Reitenbach to even make it to the field of four. Heading into the final pool play game, they were sitting fifth with a record of 1-1-1. NMC Carevic held down the final spot with a 2-1-1 record. The tie breaker in pool play is the number of runs allowed. Carevic had allowed 22 through their four games, while Reitenbach had allowed 19 heading into their final game against the Midwest Stars. However, Reitenbach was able to get the job done as they took down the Stars 16-1. With two fewer runs allowed, Reitenbach made the final four.

Ohio Elite had their own adversity to face entering the final four. Only three of their actual players were available for the championship rounds. Carrollton stars Hunter Allison, Landon James, Garrett Broadwater, and Issac Husted all had their end-of-season banquet. Some of the pitchers, including Dom Marchett, were not available to pitch again. Add in injuries to the mix, and Aaron Moses still being in the state tournament with University School, the rampage of the lineup is complete. Braeden Deutsch, Spencer Siedlecki, and AJ Likowski were the three OEB 18U players who played. Brady Bowen, formerly of Wooster and Akron baseball commit, stepped in from the start this weekend, who could be classified as a fourth member of the crew.

Players from OEB Andrews and OEB Aukerman got the call-up from the 16U/17U division for the semi-finals to fill out the numbers. Additionally, siblings Chase Deutsch (Hudson ’28), and Brock Bowen (Wooster ’27) helped OEB out with some solid innings starting in left field and third base, respectively.

In the first inning, Braylon McBride of NMC was called out due to interference as he clipped Siedlecki’s outstretched glove. Initially, the decision was an error that gave McBride second base. Luca Reyes left less to the imagination as he struck out the two-hitter Owen Courtney. Back-to-back walks put two runners on for Quinton Albert. The power hitter wasted no time, hitting a two-run double. Ryan Wilkinson would bring Albert in from second with an RBI single in the following at-bat. Reyes was able to settle things down in the end as he struck out Izaak Matthews to end the top of the first.

Ohio Elite was able to get their leadoff man on by way of a second base error by McBride. B. Deutsch lined out to second, and B. Bowen hit into a fielder’s choice. With two down, Siedlecki drew a walk to keep the inning going. However, NMC’s starting pitcher Luka Pagura was able to strike out 1st team all-Ohio selection Tucker Webb to retire the side. Through one, NMC Reitenbach led 3-0.

NMC would load the bases to begin the second inning with three different methods. Brady Eckert reached on an error, Murphy Kelley walked, and Faris Thabata hit a bunt single. McBride would hit a sac fly to make it 4-0 while Courtney hit an RBI single. Just like the first go around, Pagura and Ja’Von Clayton walked back-to-back. This time, Clayton’s walk brought in the sixth run. One final sacrifice fly, this time by Wilkinson, would score the seventh run of the game for OEB. At the bottom of the inning, Pagura retired the #1 seed in order.

Reitenbach was not done yet by any stretch, as the bases would be loaded with one out after a leadoff strikeout. Courtney would walk to bring in the eighth run. Ohio Elite was able to get the final two outs with a strikeout and a lineout. However, a passed ball saw the ninth run score. After Pagura struck out C. Deutsch, he was pulled to save his arm for the championship game. Matthews came in and retired Br. Bowen and Likowski to retire the side.

Just like the prior two innings, NMC would load the bases quickly with a pair of walks and a single. Eckert brought in the 10th run for NMC on a sacrifice. Kelley walked to load the bases again for Thabata. He was able to bring in the 11th run as he reached on an E5. McBride would hit his second sac fly of the game to bring in the 12th run. Courtney added a second RBI single to score the 13th run. To end the game, OEB went in order again. This sealed the 13-0 win for #4 NMC Reitenbach. What makes this win more impressive is that Pagura and Matthews combined for a four-inning no-hitter. Additionally, including pinch hitters, all 12 players that hit for NMC would reach safely at least once.

You can watch Game 1 by clicking this link: https://www.youtube.com/live/YImyaSxytIQ?si=6xvDSMEv805RfMqE

In the second game, the Ohio Mavericks were able to strike first as back-to-back errors brought in their leadoff hitter, Ty Roediger, who began the bottom of the first with a walk. Despite the tough start, Release would quickly steal the spotlight. Write State commit Grant Lashutka, Bo Davis, and Jack Laux walked while Reece Stillings hit a sacrifice fly to score Lashutka. With the score 1-1, Zander Triplett destroyed a baseball by sending it well over the left field fence. In one swing of the bat, Release took a strong 4-1 lead. Jackson Anthony followed up the three-run shot with a solo shot of his own. Heading into the bottom of the second, Release led 5-1.

The Mavericks responded by applying some pressure to the Release defense by loading the bases as Casey Robinson singled while CJ Santagata and Charlie Capretta walked. However, Davis made up for the error he committed in the first inning and recorded a routine putout to retire the side. Through two innings, Release led 5-1.

In the third inning, Release’s leadoff man, Dan Miller, reached by way of a walk. With one down, Lashutka flew out to left field, but Miller was too far off the bag at second to get back in time. Thus, the 7-4 double play retired the side. In a more traditional fashion, the Mavericks went in order. The fourth inning had slightly more substance with Laux singling for Release, but the other six batters were retired with ease.

In the fifth, Release was able to slam the door shut on the #2 seed. Triplett began the frame with a leadoff double. Anthony reached by way of a walk to put two on for Grady Falkenstein. He was able to barrel a baseball into the outfield to put two more runs on the board. This two-RBI double was followed up by a routine flyout for the first out of the inning. Ryan Stoops singled in the following at-bat, placing runners at the corners. Stoops drew a throw over from Robinson. This pickoff move gave Falkenstein the time to take home. He was also helped out by a high throw to second from first. Stoops was able to cruise into third as a result. Lashutka brought in the final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly, making it 9-1. The Mavericks’ offense came up empty in the bottom of the frame, thus, they needed some runs in the sixth to avoid the run rule.

Release was given another break in the basepath as a failed fielder’s choice put runners at second and third. The bases would load as Stillings got hit by a pitch. Triplett would put Release into double figures with a sacrifice fly. The #3 seed would score their 11th and final run of the game on a wild throw into the outfield. With two outs, the Mavericks were able to score their second run of the game on a single that turned into an outfield error. Finally, relief pitcher Luke Doss forced a popout to Lashutka at shortstop, ending the game with Release getting the 11-2 win. Jack DeGeeter threw six great innings for Release, striking out 5 batters and allowing a few hits, depending on which scorebook is the most accurate.

You can watch Game 2 by clicking this link: https://www.youtube.com/live/Br_5Sqq7ch4?si=0e7rTg5VKKvFDOqu

The championship game featured the two lower seeds in #3 Release and #4 NMC Reitenbach. As expected, Pagura would get the start for Reitenbach again. This was a chance for redemption for NMC as they lost to a different release squad a year ago in the 16U Tim Lally Memorial Diamond League Tournament Championship Game at Hudson. Courtney hit an early double, but that would be NMC’s only hit of the game. They had two other base runners due to hard 90’s.

Release’s offense found a whole host of creative ways to score. Overall, they would score 13 runs on six hits. However, past balls, free passes, and two perfectly executed squeeze plays in a row in the third did the damage. On the mound, Nick Hart got the start, throwing two innings while recording three strikeouts. Lashutka would come on to close the game out, getting two innings of work with one strikeout under his belt. Overall, this was the definition of a true team win by Release as they took home the title 12-0.

You can watch Game 3 by clicking this link: https://www.youtube.com/live/8NjtvaCP2ek?si=D1Ul7zC7LBteKNYy

After the game, Triplett said,

“It feels good (to win). We just played good, played really hard, did the little things right, and didn’t have any bad innings.”

The rising senior at Louisville had a total statline of 5 Hits, 2 Doubles, 1 3 Run HR, 1 Walk, 6 RBI’s across the two games. This is nothing new for the Triplett name as Zander’s father was a standout player for Canton Central Catholic a while back.

“He’s been a big part of my life, just helping me out,” Triplett remarked. “He’s my hitting coach and taught me how to play baseball.”

Coach Edwards shared the same sentiment as Triplett as he said,

“These guys played really hard. We’re at our best baseball when we throw a lot of strikes, we play good defense, and we run hard.”

Edwards is an assistant coach at Lakewood High School during the Spring and has been able to grow under Grant Graves, the Rangers’ head coach. Lakewood won their first district title since 1992 this season as they defeated Warren G Harding 1-0. In the end, they bowed out in the Regional Finals 7-0.

Release-Andrews (5-1) is back in action this weekend for their second tournament at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. They have matchups with Team Elite Midwest 17U, Marucci Spikes Showcase 17U, and USA Prime Indiana-Indy 17U in pool play. These games can be followed along on GameChanger by searching for Release 17U (Edwards).

NMC Reitenbach (3-2-1) has four scheduled games this coming weekend. First off, it’s a Friday morning battle with Bo Jackson Elite- 17U Harris in Hilliard, Ohio. Bo Jackson Elite-17U Follina, Golden Gloves Elite 17U, and Bo Jackson Elite-18U Withrow, round out the weekend with all games taking place at Hilliard Darby High School.

The Ohio Mavericks (3-1-1) have Michigan MR, 17U Tripletown Aces, Chronister 17U, and Indy Titans Caplinger 17U in Sandusky at Sports Force Park this weekend. Finally, Ohio Elite (4-1) has a tournament this weekend against opponents to be determined.

53rd Annual Cuyahoga County East-West High School All-Star Scholarship Football Game is Set for June 6

Berea, OH- As the 2024/25 school year comes to a close, it is tradition across Ohio to have one final big game for the state’s best football players. These all-star games not only help prepare players who are going to the next level by providing them some Spring football, but also a way for many to say goodbye to the sport they love.

Tomorrow night, Cuyahoga County is having its All-Star game at George Finnie Stadium on the campus of Baldwin Wallace University. The teams have been practicing for over a week at their respective fields. Tonight is walkthrough and media night for the squads as they get ready for the game tomorrow night.

Looking at Team East, there is a heavy emphasis on Cleveland-area players with schools such as Benedictine, John Hay, Bedford, Lutheran East, Maple Heights, Glenville, Cleveland Heights, and Shaw represented. Additionally, the likes of Garfield Heights, Warrensville Heights, Orange, Chagrin Falls, Brush, Wickliffe, Euclid, Madison, Trinity, Shaker Heights, and Gilmour also have representation on the roster. All in all, a good sample of Cleveland resides on Team East with plenty of college-bound players set to impress.

As for Team West, there’s a bigger emphasis on the suburbs of Cleveland. The Cleveland West Conference has a lot of representation with Lakewood, North Olmsted, Normandy, Valley Forge, Bay Village, and Rocky River having players on the roster. The North Coast Conference is represented by both sides of the Parma Holy War, with three Namers and one Bruin on the squad.

Looking at the colleges, a good amount of Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets are going to be playing along with other OAC schools, such as Heidelberg and Muskingum, having representation. Former Ohio Athletic Conference stars John Carroll also have a few players in this game. Additionally, Ashland leads the D2 charge with plenty of standout players.

Tomorrow night is going to be bittersweet for a lot of these players. It is the last time that they will be representing their high schools, now Alma Maters. Still, while the emotions will be at an all-time high, so will the talents of these players. No pressure of next week, just the pressure of one final Friday Night Lights session under the Berea night sky.

Premier Ohio Vs Stark County Terriers WRCL Baseball Sets League Live Viewership Record

North Canton, OH- On June 2, the 2025 Western Reserve Collegiate League began with a battle between the regular season champion Stark County Terriers hosting the regular season and playoff runner-ups, Premier Ohio.

Outside of two broadcasts last year, this marks the beginning of the league having games broadcast on SmeeSports. The fans did not disappoint as 304 views were recorded live. At the time of writing, there are 444 views of the broadcast. While that number seems small, perspective shows the full story. Last season, the most viewed WRCL broadcast tallied 317 views, including playback. Expanding the stats to Summer baseball across all leagues, our record is 348 for the OPL Championship between North Coast and BHM Buckeyes.

Expanding to high school sports, which tend to get more views than travel leagues, Monday’s broadcast competed with plenty of our OHSAA broadcasts. Including a district semifinals game, all six softball games streamed on SmeeSports were outperformed by Monday’s game. Additionally, 12 high school baseball games recorded fewer views, with one (Alliance Vs Warren JFK) matching the 444 views exactly at the time of writing. Finally, five Tri-C games recorded fewer views. Adding that context, the viewership is really impressive.

Looking at the game, Premier got the opening day win 9-4 behind an impressive 16 hits. Ed Ramos put Premier on the board with an RBI double in the second. He would proceed to score from third later in the inning. RBIs from Michael Steingass, Jack Amis, Bryce Bogan, and Teagan O’Guinn added four more runs to Premier’s lead. In the bottom of the third, William Feser hit an RBI single for Stark County to put them on the board. However, the game script shows five Terriers stranded on the basepath between the second and third innings. From there, Premier held a steady lead with 9-1 being the largest it ever got.

On the mound, it was Henry Mates, Matthew Botger, Zach Barber, and Ryan Gordon holding things down. Mates got the start, throwing two innings while recording two strikeouts and earning the win. Botger followed up with two strikeouts of his own. Barber and Gordon closed the game out with one strikeout each.

As for Stark County, Mount Union sophomore (rising junior) Ty Dennison started the ballgame. This was his first start since his impressive six-inning relief outing against Catholic in the NCAA baseball tournament. Dennison earned three strikeouts but allowed six runs in a losing effort. Garret Odey and Luke Jansen finished the game off for the Terriers. Odey struck out two batters while Jansen punched out one. The big play on the mound came from Jansen as he threw out a runner at first, getting a lead.

With collegiate Summer leagues folding across Northeast Ohio, the Western Reserve Collegiate League has remained a mainstay and staple in the area. With seven top-tier teams this year, the competition will be fierce. The best way to stay connected to the league is to follow the WRCL on X at @wrclbb. The league website is also updated daily. To watch our broadcast of the game on Monday, click the link below.

Link to Stark County Terriers Vs Premier Ohio Baseball: https://www.youtube.com/live/uSvg6JRCegk?si=x4fJqU4VLnbo4nyZ

The Healthiest You Chiropractic Center Player of the Game: Quinn Marquis (3/4)

Want to sponsor our broadcasts? Contact me at nsmee00@gmail.com