Shearer Leads South Contingent to District Meet

Survive and advance.That postseason mindset paid off in a big way for Willoughby South on Saturday, as the Rebels pushed eight swimmers through to the OHSAA Division I district meet, with senior Ava Shearer and sophomore Riley McDaniel leading the charge by qualifying in four events apiece.For Shearer, the accomplishment meant something more than a list of events — it meant another week in the water.“It is a huge relief knowing I have another week to swim,” Shearer said. “I put in a lot of work during the regular season to set myself up for success in the postseason, so it feels great to see that effort paying off. It’s a great time to celebrate the successes of sectionals and focus on getting ready for districts.”Shearer advanced in both of her individual races — the 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke — and was a key piece of two qualifying relays.Her strongest swim came in the breaststroke, where she placed fifth in 1:11.03.“The 100 breaststroke was my best race because I had the opp

South Claims Two Titles at WRC Tournament

South’s wrestling team claimed two individual championships and placed eight other wrestlers among the top six at the final Western Reserve Conference tournament at Chardon on Saturday.Junior Cooper Fiebig and freshman Owen Willis led the Rebels by winning their respective weight classes.Fiebig won the 165-pound championship with a 3-0 record, two technical falls, and a pin. Willis went 3-0 with two pins in winning the 285-pound title.Junior Michael Manzi went 1-1 and finished second at 215 pounds.Collin Hollingsworth (138) and Tommy Rini (144) each placed third, Charlie Kevern was fourth at 190, and Alexian Mendez (120), Andrew Cirino (126), and Shawn Stryffeler (157) each placed fifth. Maurice Brown finished sixth at 150.Full ResultsTeam Scores1. Mayfield 243.52. Riverside 208.53. Kenston 178.54. Chardon 1665. South 1376. North 119.5.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container

South Settles Score at North

EASTLAKE — A week made all the difference.After falling to Eastlake North on their home floor last Saturday, the Willoughby South Rebels returned the favor Friday night, pulling away in the second half for a 62-50 Western Reserve Conference rivalry win.“It was a great win,” South coach Doug Barber said. “It was nice that we only had to think about that loss for six days. We thought about it for six days and wanted to get back and avenge that loss.”South (5-16, 1-8 WRC) led 23-22 at halftime before breaking the game open with a decisive 19-7 third quarter. North (4-17, 1-9) never fully recovered.Rakeem Drew sparked the surge, scoring seven of his game-high 21 points during the pivotal stretch. The Rebels found the consistency they lacked in last week’s 52-44 loss, when they were unable to protect a lead.This time, they slammed the door.Brady Shazivari added 14 points for South, while Malick Sy delivered his strongest outing of the season with 13 points — 11 coming in the second half as

Isabella ignites fourth quarter rally as South storms past Jefferson

Sydney Isabella delivered a dominant fourth-quarter performance Thursday night, scoring 13 of her game-high 19 points to lift Willoughby South to a 45-43 nonconference comeback victory over host Jefferson.Trailing entering the final period, the Rebels (6-14) erupted for a 21-11 surge to erase the deficit and steal momentum late in the season. The win sends South into Tuesday’s road trip to Harvey with renewed confidence after closing strong down the stretch.“The girls don’t quit,” said South interim coach Joe Pintar. “They always play until the final buzzer.”Jefferson built early momentum, leading 12-6 after the first quarter and holding a slim edge through three periods behind a 17-point effort from Dani Furman. South struggled to find rhythm offensively, scoring just 24 points through the first three quarters before everything shifted late.“We let the game into our head, and we weren’t playing our style of basketball,” Pintar said. “We were trying to play what was being given to us,

North Sweeps South in Girls-Boys Doubleheader

WILLOUGHBY—Rivalry Saturday belonged to Eastlake North.The Rangers traveled across town and came away with a sweep in a girls-boys doubleheader against Willoughby South, pulling away for a 55-24 victory in the girls’ game before rallying late for a 52-44 win in the boys’ matchup. The girls earned a season sweep over the Rebels, while the boys secured a much-needed rivalry win on South’s home floor.North’s girls set the tone early, building a double-digit lead in the first quarter behind Kaitlin Dobida, who finished with a game-high 20 points. Dobida drained four 3-pointers in the win. Angelie Cisternino added nine points with three triples, while Amaya Majette chipped in eight as the Rangers steadily widened the gap.“They brought a lot of energy, which was good to see,” North girls coach Staci Greene said. “I kind of threw something new at them today, doing the 1-3-1 (defense). I just told them, take a chance on stuff. We’ve got nothing to lose out here. Bring lots of energy, bring mor

North boys edge South while South girls hold off North at Wickliffe Lanes

WICKLIFFE — Eastlake North and Willoughby South traded victories Thursday at Wickliffe Lanes, as the Rebels captured the girls match while the Rangers answered with a tight win in the boys competition ahead of Friday’s Western Reserve Conference tournament. South’s girls earned a 1936-1911 victory behind a balanced effort led by Hailey Florence’s 395 series. Kira Woodring added a 362, Abby Handy rolled 268, and Lily Smiciklas finished with 252 as the Rebels built enough cushion to hold off a late push from North. North stayed within striking distance thanks to Hailey Sauric’s 339 and Kristina DiDonato’s 331, while Chloe Sutton contributed 302, Anna Spataro added 284, and Kailee Crissey finished with 243. In the boys' match, North pulled out a 2555-2522 win in a competitive back-and-forth battle. Colin Hutson led the way with a 486 series, followed by Antony Disantis at 433 and Ron Balante at 432. Isaac Mills added 211, and Murphy Tanner rolled 139 to help seal the Ranger

South rallies past Jefferson to snap nine-game skid

Willoughby South saved its best for last Monday night, storming back from a halftime deficit to defeat visiting Jefferson, 41-38, in a nonconference girls basketball game.The win snapped a nine-game losing streak for the Rebels, who improved to 5-10 on the season by holding Jefferson to just 11 points in the second half while scoring 23 of their own.“It feels great. As much as me and our assistant coaches do for those girls, they deserved it tonight,” said South assistant coach Joe Pintar. “They fought, and they don’t quit. They’re fighters. We were down nine at halftime today, and, unfortunately, we’re used to battling back. Our girls, that’s what they do. They fight and don’t give up. They deserved it tonight.”South trailed 27-18 at the break but flipped the game after halftime, outscoring Jefferson 12-6 in the third quarter and 11-5 in the fourth to complete the comeback.Charlotte Tierney led the surge, scoring all 12 of her points in the second half, while Morgan Hayek added all fo

Mayfield pulls away from South

A one-point game late in the first quarter turned into a runaway as Mayfield dominated the middle two quarters and rolled past visiting Willoughby South, 69-29, in a Western Reserve Conference matchup on Saturday.“It was a tight game early, but we definitely started playing to our level more the rest of the way and really started to lock in on our game plan,” said Mayfield’s Sydney Montgomery. “We picked up the pace, moved the ball well, and got more stops defensively, which led to easy transition and shot opportunities. Once we caught fire and created that momentum, we were able to build on it and control the second and third quarter.”After holding a slim 15-14 edge following the opening quarter, the Wildcats erupted for 22 points in the second and 23 more in the third, turning the game into a rout and building a commanding 60-20 lead heading into the final eight minutes.Montgomery led the charge, drilling six 3-pointers on her way to a game-high 20 points. She found her rhythm early

South edges North in split dual at West End YMCA

WILLOUGHBY--Eastlake North and Willoughby South split a tightly contested swimming dual meet Friday at the West End YMCA, with South doing just enough across both lineups to claim the combined victory, 158-152. South won the girls' meet, 91-69, while North countered by taking the boys' side, 83-67, creating a back-and-forth meet that stayed undecided until the final relays. On the girls’ side, South’s depth showed early and often. The Rebels opened the meet with a win in the 200-yard medley relay as Casey Heil, Ava Shearer, Emma Shearer, and Riley McDaniel touched first in 2:08.90. Ava Shearer followed with an individual victory in the 200 freestyle (2:17.39) and later swam a leg on the 200 freestyle relay and placed second in the 100 butterfly. Emma Shearer added a win in the 200 individual medley (2:40.88) and also swam on the winning 200 free relay, while McDaniel captured the 50 freestyle (28.52), won the 100 breaststroke (1:22.16), and contributed to both relay vict

South sends two to podium at Hephner Memorial

The Willoughby South Rebels wrestling team picked up a pair of place-winners Saturday while competing against a deep field at Austintown Fitch’s Josh Hephner Memorial Tournament.Freshman heavyweight Owen Willis led the way with a fourth-place finish at 285 pounds, while Cooper Fiebig placed sixth at 165 as South tested itself against top programs from across the area.“Going into all of my tournaments as a freshman and being undersized, I have the expectation to win, learn, and get better,” Willis said. “I feel like my overall performance this weekend was good, but I missed some opportunities at key points in my losses. I will take the time with my coaches this week to break down the film and learn from my mistakes to improve for next week.”Willis went 4-1 in pool wrestling with three pins, his lone loss coming against eventual champion Cliff Nicholson of Medina, a two-time state qualifier. He opened bracket wrestling with a 4-2 win over Bryan Curry of Harbor Creek, Pa., before being pi

Rebels Finish at the Line to Hold Off Jefferson

Willoughby South built a double-digit cushion, weathered a late push, and did just enough right when it mattered most in a 50-41 nonconference win over host Jefferson on Thursday.The Rebels carried a comfortable lead into the fourth quarter, then leaned on poise and free throws when the Falcons made it a two-possession game midway through the final period.“We had a double-digit lead, and we just didn’t make very good decisions in the first part of the fourth quarter,” said South coach Doug Barber. “But to our credit, we didn’t let the lead slip away. We made our foul shots down the stretch and were able to come home with the win.”South controlled the game early, taking a 26-19 lead into halftime and extending it to 40-27 after three quarters behind steady offensive balance and defensive pressure. Brady Shazivari set the tone with 18 points, knocking down three 3-pointers, while Rakeem Drew added 11 off the bench and Josh Jensen finished with 10.Jefferson made its move late, trimming th

North rallies past South in 44-26 rivalry win

Eastlake North shook off an early deficit and turned a Western Reserve Conference rivalry game into a decisive 44-26 win over visiting Willoughby South on Wednesday night.South scored the game’s first basket 2:18 in and still led 5-0 with 2:13 left in the opening quarter, but North answered with a 9-0 run that flipped the game and never gave the Rebels a way back.“It feels good all-around,” said North coach Staci Greene. “I told the girls it’s a rivalry game and it’s going to be a good game regardless. We had to focus on what we do well and expose some of their weaknesses, and I think we did just that tonight.”North closed the opening quarter with a 15-13 lead and continued to widen the gap in the second behind Kaitlin Dobida and Angelie Cisternino. Dobida finished with a game-high 22 points, while Cisternino drained four 3-pointers and scored 14. Paylin Oostdyk added four points, and Sophia Petro and Gillian Forwick chipped in two apiece.“It’s always fun to see some threes go in,” Gre

Rebel Rally Falls Short at Hawken

GATES MILLS — Hawken built a big lead with smart decisions and steady defense, then learned a little about finishing games along the way in a 55-45 nonconference win over visiting Willoughby South on Monday.The Hawks led 13-5 after one quarter, 29-12 at halftime, and 47-26 entering the fourth, using a fast start and a disciplined zone to control the flow for most of the night.“I saw them making great decisions,” Hawken coach Cy Lippold said. “We've really been working on our press break, so it's been really good to see our turnovers go down from game to game. Obviously, at the end, they pressured us a little bit, and that's just a new experience for this team. We're not used to really being up at the end of games, and something we want to be talking about more, but I'm very proud of their overall effort and playing together and sharing the ball.”Julia Scales was the centerpiece, dominating inside with rebounds and putbacks before stepping out to hit two 3-pointers on her way to 20 poin

Fiebig leads South to seventh at Matteucci Tournament

EASTLAKE — Willoughby South placed seventh at the 2026 John Matteucci Memorial Tournament on Saturday at North, led by a championship run from 165-pounder Cooper Fiebig as the Rebels finished with 115 points against a deep field.Fiebig delivered the Rebels’ top highlight by navigating a demanding bracket and capping the day with a convincing win in the finals.“It’s very exciting,” Fiebig said. “It’s what we strive for every day in the room, so it feels good to win a tournament. I still have a lot of work to do before the postseason.”The South junior set the tone early by going 2-0 in pool wrestling with two technical falls, pushing the pace and building leads quickly to secure bonus points for the Rebels.“In the pool matches, I was taking shots and scoring points,” Fiebig said. “My style of wrestling is to drive up the score and get a tech fall.”Fiebig then survived a tight semifinal, edging Hubbard’s Misail Smalios, 4-2, before pulling away in the championship bout with a 7-2 decision

Mayfield pulls away in third to beat South

MAYFIELD — In a game that was tight for most of the first half, Mayfield used a decisive third-quarter surge to pull away from visiting South for a 64-51 win in a Western Reserve Conference showdown on Saturday.The Wildcats turned a one-point game into separation by outscoring the Rebels 19-9 in the third quarter, a stretch that defined the afternoon. Freshman Sienna Giancola was at the center of that run, scoring eight of her team-high 22 points as Mayfield took control.“It was a very exciting win,” Giancola said. “From the start, it was a close game, but we worked as a team and came home with a big win.”Mayfield led 30-29 at halftime after the teams traded baskets throughout the first two quarters. South stayed within striking distance behind the scoring of Sydney Isabella, who finished with a game-high 25 points and helped the Rebels keep pace early with two 3-pointers in the opening quarter.But the Wildcats’ offense found a rhythm coming out of the locker room. Alexa Januszewski an

South snaps skid with lopsided win

Willoughby South put an end to a five-game skid Saturday, rolling past visiting Ravenna, 69-42, in a nonconference game that was effectively decided in the opening minutes.“We've been playing some good basketball offensively,” said South coach Doug Barber. “It’s been a little bit of a struggle, but the hoop opened up for us tonight. We were able to throw some shots in and beat the Ravens.”Senior Brady Shazivari made sure the Rebels (3-9) had breathing room early, scoring 11 of his game-high 21 points in the first quarter as South surged to a 19-5 lead. Shazivari buried three 3-pointers in the opening period as the Rebels never trailed.“He got us going from the outside,” Barber said. “He made three 3-pointers in the first quarter. That kind of set the tone, and then we kind of fed off of that momentum. Then we got our defense going. We were able to create and cause turnovers against them.”South maintained control throughout, matching its first-quarter output with another 19 points in th

South Girls Surge to 4-1 Start

Willoughby South’s girls’ basketball team has plenty to feel good about as it heads into the conference portion of its schedule this weekend.The Rebels are 4-1 through their first five games, with wins over Maple Heights, Lakeside, Cleveland Central Catholic, and JFK, and they’ve done it while leaning heavily on youth and balance.“It’s tremendous considering how young we are,” said South head coach Chris Taglieri. “We’re starting two freshmen, two sophomores, and one senior, so the girls have done a remarkable job.”South has been efficient on both ends of the floor, averaging 51.6 points per game while allowing just 31.6.Senior Sydney Isabella leads the scoring at 11.6 points per game, followed closely by sophomore Lanila Fatica at 10.2. Freshman Tia Jackson is right behind at 9.0 points per game, with fellow freshmen Neve Duffy (7.4) and Morgan Hayek (7.3) also providing consistent offense.One of the more unusual parts of the Rebels’ early-season success is the long pause they’ve had

Ballard leads South to fourth at WRC championships

Willoughby South’s swim team put together a balanced showing Saturday, finishing fourth in both the girls’ and boys’ standings at the 2026 Western Reserve Conference swimming & diving championships at Cleveland State University.Senior Vincent Ballard anchored the Rebels’ effort on the boys’ side, scoring in three events and delivering one of the meet’s strongest individual performances. Ballard finished runner-up in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:56.75, then added a third-place finish in the 500 freestyle and helped South place third in the 400 freestyle relay.“Overall, I would say that I'm very happy with my performance in all of my events,” Ballard said. “All of my times were within a few seconds of my best from the end of last year's season, which I feel is a great sign for what could happen later this season.”Owen Bliss, Luke Schmidt, and Christian Rausch teamed up with Ballard to place third in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:57.87.Ballard said the meet marke

South’s Olivia Pennington Represents Ohio on All-America Stage

“It was awesome.”That’s how Willoughby South junior Olivia Pennington summed up her week in Florida, where she was one of just two Ohio players selected to compete in the 2026 Under Armour Next Girls Flag Football All-America Game at Spec Martin Stadium in Deland.“Being selected was honestly a surprise,” Pennington said. “Obviously, I go out and compete and want to be selected, but when you actually get selected, it is surprising. Being flown down, and all the stuff that they help teach us, all the stuff that they provided us, it was really a great experience.”Pennington’s selection came after earning an invitation to a UA Next camp, where she worked her way into the All-America field.“I got invited to a UA Next camp that they run around the country, and from there, I earned my spot to come here,” she said.The Ohio Flag Football Player of the Year, who led Willoughby South to a state runner-up finish last spring, flew to Florida with her brother Kyle on Wednesday. The days that followe

Scouting the 2026 Western Reserve Conference Swimming Championships

The 2026 Western Reserve Conference swimming and diving championships continue on Jan. 3 at Cleveland State University, bringing together defending champions, proven scorers, and emerging underclassmen across a deep two-day meet.With multiple returning event winners and several top seeds hovering near conference records, both team races and individual titles are set to be tightly contested.Here’s a look at each swimming event:GIRLS EVENTS200 Medley RelayKenston enters as the top seed at 1:53.60, but Mayfield and Chardon bring championship experience into the opening event. Chardon won this relay in 2025, while Kenston finished second and Mayfield third. The conference record of 1:49.12 is within sight of Kenston’s seed, and clean exchanges could put pressure on that mark early.200 FreestyleJanet Rockenberger (Chardon) leads the psych sheet at 1:59.89 after winning the event last year. She is joined in the top three by Riley McDaniel (South) and Madeline Cresho (Chardon), who placed fif

Olivia Pennington Named to Under Armour All-American Flag Football Team

Today, we are excited to celebrate an outstanding accomplishment by one of our own.This year, one hundred of the nation’s premier high school flag football players have been selected by ESPN Recruiting to participate in the 2026 Under Armour Next All-America Game. Over its 17-year history, the UA Next All-America Game has produced many of football’s top collegiate and professional athletes. It has become a true proving ground for the next generation of stars.Olivia, congratulations on achieving this remarkable honor and being named a 2026 Under Armour Next All-American. Your dedication, talent, and hard work have brought you to this moment, and we could not be more proud. We look forward to watching you represent our community in Florida.You can watch Olivia compete in the Under Armour Next All-America Game on January 3rd.For updates and coverage, follow @UANEXTFOOTBALL on Instagram and X.

Boys Basketball Tryouts

Boys basketball tryouts will be this Friday (10/31) from 2:40-4:45pm in the fieldhouse and Saturday (11/1) from 8:30-10:45am in the main competition gym.  We will make the first set of cuts on 11/1.  Any football player wishing to play basketball will have their tryouts the first Monday and Tuesday after football season ends.  We will make the second set of cuts when this happens.  This may potentially include individuals who made the first set of cuts.  Below are the times those Monday and Tuesday tryouts would be. Monday 11/3:  2:40-4:30pm.  Tuesday 11/4:  6:15-8:15pm (Middle School Gym)Monday 11/10:  7-8:30pm.  Tuesday 11/11:  6:15-8:15pmMonday 11/17:  7-8:30pm.  Tuesday 11/18: 6:15-8:15pm.  In order to try out, all players must have an updated physical and be signed up on Final Forms. FinalForms - Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools

South vs Hudson DII Football Playoff

Willoughby South will take on the Hudson Explorers in the first Round of the OHSAA football playoffsDate: 10/31/25Time: 7 pmTickets: https://www.ohsaa.org/tickets

Tillie O'Donnell Qualifies for OHSAA State Cross Country Meet

Congratulations to Tillie O'Donnell for qualifying for the OHSAA State Cross Country Meet. She will run this Saturday at Fortress Obetz and Memorial Park.2025 OHSAA Cross Country State Championship MeetFortress Obetz & Memorial Park, Obetz Ohio

South Cross Country/OHSAA Regional Qualifiers

Congratulations to the following cross country runners for qualifying for the OHSAA Regional Cross Country Meet. The Regional Meet will be held this Saturday (10/25) at Boardman High School.Leland DunhamBrogan WoodieVincent BallardQuinn Smith Tillie O'DonnellEmma ShearerCasey HeilHazel Ballard

Volleyball and Boys/Girls Soccer OHSAA Information

Please see the attached schedule of OHSAA/South events.10/15 Boys Soccer @ West Geauga 7pm10/16 Girls Soccer @ Parma Padua 7pm10/21 Volleyball Home vs Winner of Chardon/Midview 7 pmTickets: https://www.ohsaa.org/tickets

Cara and Lindsay Nejak Advance in Girls Tennis

Congratulations to Cara and Lindsay Nejak! Cara and Lindsay advanced in the D1 OHSAA Tournament in doubles play. The girls will play Oct. 9th and 10th at Springside Athletic Club at 9 am.

Ralph Zappola Qualifies for Districts

Congratulations to Ralph Zappola for qualifying for the OHSAA District Golf Tournament. Ralph shot a 73 at Quail Hollow, and will continue at Pine Hills next Monday (9/30).

Kareem Hunt: #3 Retired

On Friday, September 19, Kareem Hunt had his number retired.At South High School, Kareem rushed for a school record 5,295 yards and 88 Touchdowns in his three year varsity career. Kareem was All Northeast Ohio, All County, All League and All-State in football in  2011 and 2012. In 2012, He was the News Herald Co-Player of the year. Also a track athlete, at the time of graduation, Kareem was a 3 time Letterwinnerand owned the School Record In the High Jump, Long Jump, 100m and the 4 by 100m relay.Kareem was a state qualifier in the high jump and long jump, six time conference champion, and four time district champion.Kareem earned a full scholarship to the University of Toledo to continue his football career. At Toledo, he was a four year starter for the Rockets. He holds career school records for yards per rush, and total yards from scrimmage with 5,500. Kareem finished his career at Toledo with 4,945 rushing yards, 555 receiving yards, and 45 touchdowns. Kareem was First Tea

Willoughby South Wins WRC Golf Tournament/Ralph Zappola Individual Champion

Willoughby South Wins WRC Golf TournamentThe Willoughby South Golf Team captured the WRC Tournament Championship with a team score of 331.Ralph Zappola led the way, earning Medalist honors and the title of Individual Champion with an outstanding round of 74.Tyler Hace contributed with an 84, Sam Leskiewicz added an 86, and Jack Kubish carded an 87 to secure the team victory.In addition to the team championship, Zappola, Hace, and Leskiewicz were named All-Conference selections.Congratulations to the Rebels on this incredible accomplishment!>

OHSAA Ticket Information