Winter 2025-26

HURST NEEDS NEW COACH -- Ryan Riemedio, Ethen Knox's coach at Mercyhurst, is leaving to become defensive coordinator at Youngstown State. Riemedio has been head coach of the Lakers since 2022. Knox has spent the last two years at the Hurst since setting all kind of rushing records at Oil City forom 2021-23.

PREP, AGAIN -- Prep thumped Meadville, 102-65, Friday. The 16-1 Ramblers are averaging 94.1 ppg. They've scored at least 100 points four times (North East, Oil City, Franklin, Meadville) and have been over 90 on seven other occassions. Only teams that have held them down are Fairview and Girard. They have five regular season games left, two with Erie plus McDowell, McLane and Meadville again.

WORTH MENTIONING, I GUESS -- Jovon Johnson, who made some controversial remarks after his North East team defeated Ethen Knox-less Oil City in 2023, is now the defensive backs coach for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. Johnson left North East after the Oilers slammed the Grape Pickers in the playoffs...Totally unrelated, but interesting nonetheless, Johnsonburg outlasted St. Marys, 9-5, in a boys basketball game on Jan. 14. There had been a link on d9and10sports.com to rewatch the game (no thanks), but it doesn't work anymore...

LANCERS HIT THE SKIDS -- General McLane has fallen on hard times in hoops. The Lancers, who lost to Clarion the last time out, are 2-8 and bring up the rear in Region 6. They've beaten only West Middlesex and Greenville in a tipoff tournament.

DUNK-O-RAMA, PROBABLY -- Big, bad Cathedral Prep and playmates set all kinds of scoring records in the Burger King Classic in Erie over the weekend. Philly's Neumann-Goretti, reigning 5A state champion, outlasted the Ramblers, 107-91, for the title, handing them their first loss. Goretti's Allassane N’Diaye scored 41 against Prep in the finals. That's two points off the tournament record. And the Saints are the second team to score 100 points in the Classic, but just missed the record there, too. The Ramblers are 15-1 and will return to Earth Friday, facing Meadville. Ranked No. 1 in the state in 4A by the Post-Gazette, Prep averages 93.7 ppg.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER -- Cathedral Prep 115, Oil City 55 to basically close out 2025. I guess now Oil City has a basketball companion to partner with the 1928 football score of Sharon 108, Oil City 0. Oh well, sugar happens every 100 years or so.

Now, to the rear end hole who wrote the following post on Facebook:

"I know I’ll catch hell for this but it’s out of control.

 This “new prep”(2022-present) needs to change. First you’re playing an ECL basketball schedule which is embarrassing but playing Oil City(no offense to players and coaches of Oil City) is BEYOND embarrassing!!! This is NOT real Prep (1921-2021) basketball!! Your AD will tell you we always played the best of the best, not this stat stuffer of a schedule with new “fake” school records. There better be an asterisk from 2022 and beyond on any and all so called “records” Tell this new administration they better purchase an asterisk stamp!!! Make that 2, one for boys and girls.

1977 Alumni

Rant completed"

Well, I have to say I wondered why, if Prep is so good, it is playing in the Dick Russell tournament. Usually teams of Prep's supposed caliber (ranked No. 1 in the state) are playing powerhouses from Washington D.C. over Christmas. Not in the Dick Russell, unless they thought they were going to face your 2006 state champion Franklin Knights. But implying Oil City is worse than Erie County League teams and then -- no offense to the OCHS players and coaches -- saying it's beyond embarrassing. Well that IS offensive, not to mention ignorant. Hey, you're 60 years old or thereabouts. Are you still that stupid?

Oh, and by the way. You should look up some Prep scores from yesteryear. Like Prep losing to Corry, 30-27, in 1928.

And take a look in the mirror if you want to see "beyond embarrassing."

AFTER LOOKING SOME STUFF UP -- Oil City's Cole Findlay wasn't the only player in the state this season to pick off nine passes. Three of four others on that 4A list alone did that -- and, as with Findlay, they had other gaudy stats. Don't know if Aliquippa's Qa'Lil Goode was one of them, but his 100-yard pick 6 against the Oilers was probably enough to put him over the top. Yeah, it's a shame Findlay didn't make it -- but neither did anyone from General McLane, like the QB, Matt Caro. Or either of those tight ends. And that running back from McDowell, Brody Bonsell, had some games that statistically brought back memeories of Ethen Knox. Bonsell didn't make it in 6A. 3-7 probably didn't help. Still...I think it's odd that the Erie Times News has yet to release its All-District 10 teams. So they will be announced after the all-state teams come out. If ever. Whatever.

WHERE IS COLE FINDLAY? -- Not on the all-state team, even after making 14 career INTs...Cathedral Prep is 10-0 in basketball. Oilers will be seeing them in the Dick Russell.

STINSON UPDATE -- Oil City's Nevin Stinson will go into Christmas tournament season with 199 points in eight games, an average of 24.9 per. As said earlier, Stinson could break the school single-season scoring record of 545 points set in 1920 by Stephen "Ike" Cleaves. In those days, teams had a designated free throw shooter, and Cleaves was it for the Oilers. Cleaves made 215 of Oil City's 219 foul shots that season. He had 165 baskets and averaged 21.8 points per game. If you are thinking well, that shouldn't count, -- the free throws business -- note that Cleaves didn't play in the day of the three-point shot and in playoffs, playoffs, playoffs adding up to more games. If you do want a "modern" record, that would be 498 points set in 1971 by Mike Emick. His big claim to fame that season was scoring a school record 56 points against Rocky Grove.

LADY OILERS GYMNASTS HEADED TO STATES -- Oil City competitive gymnasts qualified for the state meet Jan. 9-10 at Johnstown. The Lady Oilers were second to McDowell in the "big school" District 10 meet, but their 73.50 average was high enough to advance,

SCORING RECORDS IN DANGER? -- Don't look now, but two Oil City scoring records are

being threatened this season. One is Tracy Whitling's career scoring mark for girls. She finished her career in 1997 with 1,346 points. Challenging is Payton Liederbach, who is up to 1,044 as of Dec. 19. She has the rest of this month and all of January and February to get there. The other is the oldie but goodie of anyone's records: Steve Cleaves' single season 545 points set in 1920. Nevin Stinson has come into play here. He already has 141 points with 16 regular season games left. Both are longshots, but both are doable. And for a school that is not known for setting scoring marks -- especially the boys.

Interesting note about Steve Cleaves. Originally attended Allegheny before joining his more famous brother, Jack, at Princeton where he starred in football. Steve captained a 21-2 team his senior year in 1925. He also played la crosse at Princeton. After gradurating from Harvard Law School, he practiced law in New York City for 59 years.

SNUBBED -- Kinda feel Oil City's Caleb Sparks was snubbed on the D9and10.com All-District 10 team. Coach Dan York has been known to rave about his defensive line, yet nobody is on the all-stars. Just noticed, too, that none of the Coach of the Year awards ever go to anybody from Oil City. Others with all-star credentials: Franklin's Connor Ritchey and Caden Mincer. Just sayin'

COACH WANTED -- Warren, along with Franklin, is looking for a new football coach...Now, so is Slippery Rock.

WHO SAW IT COMING? -- Southern Columbia and its wing T offense really did a number

on Farrell in the 2A state championship game to the tune of 351 yards rushing. The Steelers finished with minus 34 yards rushing after Southern dominated the first half. Final was 43-22. Farrell's star running back, Nebraska recruit Juelz Johnson, finished his career with 5,121 yards rushing, but was limited to 4/18 against Southern. The Tigers have a record 15 state titles, much to the dismay of those who wonder why the PIAA doesn't make the them play up and belly ache about Aliquippa. Heh, come to think of it, of the three crown jewels of western Pa. football, only Clairton lived up to its press clippings. Oh well.

WHO DOESN'T LIKE IKE? -- Here's something you don't see every day: Eisenhower beating Warren in basketball. Happened Friday night in the finals of the Eisenhower Tipoff tourney. The Knights/Ikes won by 20, too, putting six players in double figures...When the Oilers face DuBois tonight in the Keystone finals, they'll be taking on three-point shooting specialist Maddox Bennett, who scored his 1,000th career point against Clarion. The Beavers beat the Oilers by four in last yeart's final, Bennett getting 23...The big showdown tonight is in the Roy Sanner Tipoff where Rocky Grove and Cranberry clash in the championship game. The Orioles' won last year's final, 65-64, on Aiden Focht's game winner in the final seconds.

FIRST BASKETBALL PLAYER/WRESTLER? -- Don't know, but Oil City freshman Ella Kasunic plays basketball for the Lady Oilers and wrestles for Cranberry. Don't recall anybody ever having that combo next to their athletic resume. Not surprised because she's excelled at both sports in the lower grades like forever. It would appear that wrestling is in her blood. She's related to Brayden Crocker, who had a brilliant wrestling career ahead of him until a knee injury derailed both his football and mat careers a few years back.