SPORTSINK.COM PHOTO
Coach Sonny Tilden's Ravenna Ravens are still undefeated and atop the PTC Metro Division. The Ravens are 17-0 and face Waterloo on Saturday.
The Ravenna girls basketball team has been riding a level of confidence that only few teams can claim this late in the season. The Ravens are unbeaten through 17 games.
“We’re playing really well together as a team,” coach Sonny Tilden said. “The girls have got their mind set at winning these final games.
“They feel confident right now.”
Although the Ravens have undoubtedly showed their success under their second-year coach, Tilden keeps the team grounded because opponents pay extra attention to the high-powered Ravens, who moved to No. 3 in the Division III State Associated Press poll.
The Ravens, who pulled in two first-place votes, trail No.1 Manchester by 44 points with 205 overall.
“Every time out everybody is playing their A-game against us,” said Tilden, whose team jumped from its previous No. 4. “They’re trying to knock us out.”
Seniors Malorie Gibson and DiAndra Gibson have made it tough for opponents attempting to upend the Ravens, who will play Niles McKinley at Austintown-Fitch High School on Feb. 22 for the opening of the sectional tournament. DiAndra, who will play at the University of Akron next season, leads the team with 13 points per game.
“They’re a great duo between the two of them,” Tilden said. “DiAndra’s almost at a double-double every game. She’s just gotten so much better from last year.”
Malorie has been very successful from the field this season, averaging just over 10 points a game. Tilden said she’s averaging close to 60-percent on two-point shot attempts.
“That is just amazing,” he said. “She’s having a great season this year.”
This Saturday, the team welcomes Waterloo for Senior Night.
“I’m going to hate like crazy losing them,” Tilden said. “I’m going to tell them that I didn’t want this day to ever come, but you know it’s got to come to an end sometime.”
“They’ll be hard to replace.”
Wrestling
The Crestwood wrestling team will look to repeat as PTC Metro Division champions this weekend at the PTC Tournament at Rootstown.
At last year’s tourney Crestwood boasted a dominant victory that included five championship wrestlers for the team’s first title in 19 years.
The Red Devils leveled the field, tallying 224 points at the tournament. Coventry and Field rounded out the top three spots scoring 166 and 137, respectively.
The Red Devils boasted five championship wrestlers: Mitchel Porter and Cheney Matarrese (seniors), Stevie Alger (junior), as well as two top contenders in this year’s tournament in Connor Nemec and Dylan Kager, who are at the helm of the Red Devils’ success.
Nemec and Kager, who were both state qualifiers last year, appeared on the Brakemen Report, an analysis by wrestling prognisticator Brian Brakeman as he predicts state champions, placers, qualifiers and names to watch.
Field’s T.J. Fox was the highest-ranking Portage Trail Conference wrestler in the report ranked No. 3 in the 145-weight class.
Fox has a proven history of success. He finished last season 48-2, was the Division II state runner-up in the 140-weight class, which was the farthest any Portage County wrestler traveled through the postseason.