2025 EC Fall Sports Preview
Yep folks, it’s that time of the year again - it’s Fall Sports Season at Ellwood City! ECS will pick up where they left off last year continuing the coverage of ALL EC varsity sports across the school year! Some teams are already under way, while others begin their journey in section in the upcoming week! Check out the Fall Sports previews below!
Cross Country
Cross Country gets under way at the 53rd Marty Uher Vulcan Invitational next Saturday (8/30) with the expectation of good things. After another solid year with a record of 10-1, ECXC looks to keep things rolling in the right direction with a program that has had great success the past decade. The “three-headed monster” of XC have all graduated for EC - Bradley Custer, Kailyn Hamilton, Drew Steffler. That means the reigns will be handed over to Lucas Bleakney and Nicklas Young who in turn will be the seniors to lead the team meanwhile upcoming JR Dante Venezie will be the third leg in terms of experience on the team. JR Olivia Parson looks to add to the girls side of things, being a mult-sport athlete for Falls Sports at EC.
Football
How can you outdo a perfect regular season of football while making a run to the semifinals in WPIAL? Making playoffs in back-to-back-to-back years for the first time since 1985-1987, that’s how. That’s what the 2025 Ellwood City Fighting Wolverines will look to do and it begins tonight against 1A Lawrence County foe Laurel. After graduating 16 seniors, EC willl have their hands full of youth to go around and fill the gaps left from last year’s 10-1 team. In Head Coach Dan Bradley we trust, and that trust continues as it should. Returning staff and returning big-play makers including Dom Hogue, DaiLonn Currie, P.J. Dubois, and Deklan O’Brien, the Wolverines will look to make history yet again. You can catch the entire football season on our YouTube page as well as the radio, WKFH 95.5 throughout the Fall Sports Season!
Boys Golf
Boys Golf has picked up where they left off last year, starting the season with victories over several Lawrence County teams. HC Sam Barry is on the verge of 200 wins in his 20 plus seasons as coach for golf, while the Wolverines are looking to repeat as section champions and making a bigger impact in the playoffs. EC did suffer its first loss in almost two years, losing to Neshannock at Castle Hill. Winning the section outright may be out of the picture, but EC can still defeat the Lancers and bare minimum share the title for the section. The loss also snapped EC’s 22 match wins in a row. EC bounced back to defeated Mohawk, allowing EC to start the making of a new winning streak. Led by seniors across the board - Jordan Keller, Nate Kennedy, Jaxon Rozanski, Andy Lin, Braden Roberts, Jackson Kerr, Carlo Nardone - the group is primed for a late run as a team and individuals in WPIAL playoffs.
Girls Golf
Girls Golf continues to build back up the program that was reinstated two years ago as a club and now in its second year back competively. After last year’s 2-12 record with 2 section wins against Ambridge, the girls team already has made progress this year including a victory over Beaver, an opponent in all EC sports that the Wolverines haven’t won against in years. The girls sit 1-3 (1-3) and will be in action today vs Ambridge and will continue their season next week with great possibilities to maybe get over .500 against Seton LaSalle and Central Valley. Seniors Chelsea Baker, Gabrielle Cioffi, Rori Minerd with the likes of Junior Rylee Prestopine and upcoming Freshman Ava Trputec will help bolster the roster in the Beaver County section play!
Soccer
Soccer looks to continue to add to its roster, including some familiar faces across the board that will also be back to try and break through for the programs first victory since 2010 (September 25th, 4-1 victory over South Side). Led by seniors Camyrn Campbell and Quinn Smith, the team will add some crucial members to their roster to try and make a dent into the Beaver County section play this year. First game on ECS for soccer will be September 2nd against…you guessed it…South side.
Girls Tennis
Girls Tennis will look to do something they haven’t done in a couple years - make playoffs in back-to-back years. Head Coach John DiBuono and Assistant Coach Al Campman are back at it again and this time, may have the balance they need to make a later push into playoffs. After a 6-5 (4-3) season that including an upset in the first round of playoffs to move beyond the pigtail games, EC youth will turn quickly into experience on the court. Roster numbers continue to grow with the help of Seniors Kiley Leviere, Mia Meredith, and Rori Minerd, EC has a chance to yet again make some movement in the Beaver County-led section play.
Volleyball
Volleyball turns the page in many ways, including a new Head Coach in EC’s very own Saylee Grinnen. Grinnen was part of the program just a couple years removed from one of the most successful seasons in EC volleyball history. The page turns also on the roster as six seniors graduate for EC, all six being primary starters on the court. The roster this year will include four seniors that have been part of the recent success, including Emma Schlafly, Ava Lucarelli, Natalie Jones, and Payton Hamilton. EC will have to fill some holes on the court, losing most of their front-court size, but a roster with 21 players on it will do the trick. Look out for the Lucarelli’s on the court - once again another group of multi-sport athletes across the board!
