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END OF THE ROAD
Kennedy Stewart was one of five Cranberry players who hit .400 or better.
D-5 champ Everett ousts Berries
from state softball playoffs
Cranberry's softball season came to an end Monday when its rally in the late innings fell short against Everett in a PIAA 2A first round game.
Final score was 9-7 as the District 5 champion Warriors scored six in the second inning and added another run in the third to make it 7-0.
It was 9-0 before the Berries plated seven runs in the last three frames, but that wasn't enough.
Everett, 19-8, moves on in the playoffs Thursday against Bentworth while the Berries closed at 17-6.
Danica Wenner, who hurled a shutout May 27 against Keystone to keep Cranberry's playoff hopes alive, wasn't as good against Everett. She gave up six runs in 1.2 innings while Gracee Hess finished and allowed three more in 4.1. Neither struck out a batter and gave up five hits to go with 11 Warrior hits.
Ashlyn McWilliams, who missed most of this, her junior season with a hip injury, led a nine-hit attack with a triple ad two singles. She was a .500 hitter in 24 at-bats. This after a break-out sophomore season in which she hit .476.
Cranberry had five players who hit .400 or better. The others: Jadyn Shumakaer .441. Kennedy Stewart .434, Emma Morrow .441 and Wenner .400. The Berries also had Avery Coe at .360, Cheyne Scarborough at .357, Hess at .339 and Hannah Smith at .321.
Happy days were here again for Ashlyn McWilliams, who picked up where she left off in 2025 after returning to the lineup. McWilliams, who missed time with a hip ailment, hit .500 for the Berries. She was at .476 last season.
TRACK 2026: the end
Cranberry thinclads happily pose for the photographer -- well, except for the young lady with her nose in the phone, tsk, tsk. Sign of the times. My personal fave of the season. It's just a nice picture.
Franklin's Logan Knight gets the big sendoff to the state track meet from his mom, the former Jackie Craft of OCHS hoops fame back in the '90s. Logan stars in the shot and discus.
Morris Woodhouse takes the handoff from Carter Thompson
Cranberry thinclads happily pose for the photographer -- well, except for the young lady with her nose in the phone, tsk, tsk. Sign of the times. My personal fave of the season. It's just a nice picture.
Click on photo to get full effect.
Curtain Call
Rocky Grove's Noah Baughman (15) and Landen Carter (2) played in the 22nd annual Roundball Classic Saturday at North Allegheny. Carter scored 24 points and Baughman 11. They played on a team of mostly District 9/10 seniors against the WPIAL 2A all-stars in what was one of four boys games Saturday. There were two girls games Sunday. Franklin's Jameson Wofford was on the original roster of the District 9/10 team, which won its game. (Photos by Christy Fackler)
THIS 'N THAT
Jake Riddle, 6-2, 285-pound tackle from Franklin, has signed a letter of intent to play football at Geneva. He is the son of Chad and Amy Riddle. Riddle was a two-way second team all-region pick last fall.
Cranberry Awards​
Zofia Earp, a member of the cross country team, received the Keith Siverling Memorial Scholarship. She plans to attend Clarion, where she will major in early childhood education.
Senior Jake McCloskey, received the Eric Meade Memorial Award for his play on the diamond.
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OIl City Track Awards
Oil City track MVPs went to Bailey Stevens and Morris Woodhouse. Others: Addison Wyant and Rilee Matalino, running; Olive Collins and Nevin Stinson, jumps; and Madi Garland and Spence Simgleton, throws.
Keegan Kirkwood, son of Mark and Jamie Kirkwood, signed a letter of intent to continue his athletic career at Slippery Rock. Keegan will participate in cross country at the Rock. An injury sidelined him for most of the track season in 2026. He's also the grandson of Larry Kirkwood, an Oil City and Slippery Rock grad who was a highly successful cross country and track coach at Titusville in the 1970s and 1980s.
Ken Pleger
Football
Halyday Street resident scored six touchdowns and 40 points for 1952 Oilers. The 225-pound tackle tallied three TDs on short runs against Warren, a 27-12 victory. Pleger delivered a key block on a 71-yard TD run by Bobby McFadden against North East...Pleger also scored on a 27-yard run, setting up the TD with a 17-yard dash on a reverse, and averaged 45 yards on three punts…Had a 53-yard run called back by a clipping penalty against Hickory in 1952…
Basketball
Scored 261 points for the 1952-53 Oilers, and 150 points as a junior in 1951-52. Apparently missed significant time as a senior due to illness…Teammates included Pete Burch (Dutch’s younger brother), Ron Black, Bosco Hajduk and Jim Enos…Scored 28 points in a loss to Meadville in 1953…Played center AND guard on the basketball team
Track
Took fourth in the shot put in the state track meet in 1951 and 1952. Undefeated in the shot going into the D-10 meet in 1952 when he threw 47-51/2 to win the title. Threw 46 feet in the state meet…Eligibility apparently ran out after the 1952-53 basketball season…​
College/Pros
Voted greatest tackle ever at Capital University in Ohio...Little All-American...Drafted in the 16th round (#185) by the Chicago Bears in 1958...released by the Bears in 1958...played "minor league" football with Ottawa Rough Riders and Columbus Colts through 1962...Grew to 280 pounds as a pro...
OCHS athletic director Bundy Fulmer sent these photos along -- a gift from the Steelers.
Bundy said he had to Google Pleger. Actually, many people are probably not familiar with him, so, here's a little something.
