Russia boys on course for big season

The Raiders return their entire state roster from 2025

It's not about how you start, it's how you finish. That cliché may be true, but for the 2026 Russia varsity boys cross country team, they will likely have success at both. Shelby County fans will find out soon enough. The season opening Shelby County Preview takes place this Tuesday, August 25th, at Russia Community Park. All seven SCAL schools, as well as Sidney and Lehman, will compete in both high school boys and girls and junior high. As has been the trend in recent years, the preview races have been shortened to just two miles for high school and one mile for junior high. Below is the schedule of events.

5:00 Junior High Girls

5:30 Junior High Boys

6:00 High School Girls

6:30 High School Boys

7:00 Youth Fun Run (Half Mile)

*Awards for the fastest runner in each high school and junior high grade level. Trophies for team champions and runner-up.

The preview course will cover all of Russia Community Park

The Division IV Raiders and head coach Zach Bell return their top seven runners from 2025. After winning the Shelby County Preview to start the season, the team later won both the SCAL and district championship for the first time in 11 years. They were also regional runner-up for the first time in 13 years. The boys capped 2025 with a 5th-place finish at the state meet, marking the third highest finish in 10 appearances throughout program history.

Paxson Bixler (left) and Samuel Phlipot are ones to watch this fall

Leading the way last season and most certainly this year is senior Samuel Phlipot. He was the 2025 SCAL Runner of the Year and a First Team All-Ohio honoree for his 8th-place individual finish at state. Last September, Samuel set a Russia school record when he blazed a 15:54 at Piqua to pass former record holder Luke Pohlman's 15:58 from 2010. On Samuel's heels this season will be sophomore Paxson Bixler who made quite a splash as a freshman. Paxson was a Second Team All-Ohio honoree at the state meet. His personal record time of 16:22 at last years regional meet ranks 6th all-time on the Russia record board. Paxson pushed Samuel the entirety of last season, making the duo one of the better 1-2 punches in Ohio.

The rest of Russia's roster includes guys that would lead other programs in the area. Senior classmates Owen Sargent, Eli Schmitmeyer, and Keagan Baldridge were all regulars in Russia's top seven last year. And junior Evan Smith was the Raider's #3 runner most of the season. Then there's junior Abe Hoehne and sophomore Lucas Borchers that battled for the final spot of the varsity roster much of last year.

Russia isn't the only SCAL boys team expected to do big things this season. For starters, Botkins will challenge the Raiders at the Preview and throughout the season. On the girls side, Ft. Loramie has won the last nine league titles and will positively dominate at the Preview on Tuesday. Enjoy the races cross country fans. 

The last time Russia hosted the SCAL Preview was 2020. Spectators were supposed to wear masks, but not everyone did.

Fish Report to air Russia Volleyball again

Russia's new mantra in 2026 is #BuiltForMore

Postgame with Jocelyn Wysocki

The 2026 Russia Volleyball regular season opens this week and Fish Report is once again along for the ride. We'll be airing all home varsity matches from press row with our experienced broadcast team. It starts when the Lady Raiders host their backyard rivals from Versailles for a rare Friday night showdown on August 21st. Matches begin with the JV-B at 4:30, followed by the JV around 5:30, and the Varsity finale for the nightcap. Fish Report will be live with play-by-play announcer Brandon Koverman and color commentator Craig Fiessinger for pre-game around 6:30. Listeners can check for live updates on the varsity start time inside the blue box located in the top-right corner of this website. Tune in for all the exciting game action and stick around for our postgame wrap up and interview.

Russia is coming off arguably their most successful season in program history. Their final 2025 record was 21-7, including 10-2 in the Shelby County Athletic League. That league mark tied with Anna and Ft. Loramie for the county championship. In the postseason tournament, the Raiders won their 12th district title and followed that with their first-ever regional title. Russia bowed out in the state semifinals at Vandalia Butler falling to Monroeville 26-24, 25-23, 25-20. Graduating from that team were three seniors in Claudia Hoehne, Izzy Chapman, and Kourtney Phlipot, who ended her career with 1,041 digs.

Raider fans will be very familiar with the 2026 team and it begins with head coach Aaron Watkins, now in his 11th season with a career record of 178-91. Assistant coaches include David Strunk is his eighth season and newcomer Lonnie Cain. Coach Cain might be a beginner at Russia, but he's also an OHSVCA Hall of Famer, long-time head coach at Covington, and won two state championships as an assistant coach at Lehman in 2010 and 2005. Russia's staff will get added help from JV coaches Allie Hafer in her fifth season and Morgan Albers in her first.

Coaches David Strunk, Morgan Albers, Aaron Watkins, Allie Hafer, and Lonnie Cain

Heading to state in 2025

Along with the veteran coaches, there will be experience on the court as well. It starts with senior hitters Hazel Francis and Celeste Borchers, both First Team All-SCAL honorees last year. Hazel was the team MVP and Russia's top scorer with 365 kills last season. In a game against Ft. Loramie, she also tallied 10 blocks for a new school record. Hazel's first cousin, Celeste, has been just as effective. She racked up 288 kills in her junior campaign to bring her career total to 533. She also led Russia's team in that 2025 state semifinal match with a team high 11 kills. Three more classmates complete Russia's roster of seniors in returnees Violet Armstrong, Lily Francis, and Ava Gibson. Violet and Lily are versatile enough to play a couple of important roles for Coach Watkins this year. Ava's top priority will be setter, where she's recorded 1,057 assists coming into her final season.

The junior class includes Therese Gibson, Macy Smith, Alysha Phlipot, Jocelyn Wysocki, and All-SCAL Honorable Mention honoree Aryana Cordonnier. In Russia's preseason scrimmages Aryana has switched from her position last year as an outside hitter to the libero position this year. From Fish Report's point of view it looks like Ary has adjusted well. We also like the move for Russia's team considering some of the younger talent the Raiders have coming up.

Fans got a glimpse of that talent last year when freshman outside hitter Ruby Francis made her debut. Ruby split playing time with the JV team then, but could anchor the right side of the net this season as a sophomore. A couple tall classmates in Desiree Borchers and Gianna Poling are on the roster also. Finally, there's one freshman to keep your eye on and that's Jewel Cordonnier, the younger sister of Aryana. Time will tell what impact Jewel might have, but sources tell Fish Report she's off to a good start!

Russia fans will be excited on Friday for the start of another season

26th Russia Alumni this weekend

Russia's Class of 2013 is back to defend last year's alumni championship

The 2026 Russia Alumni Softball Tournament will take place this weekend August 14-16 at Russia Community Park. It's the 26th edition of the annual event. It's also the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Russia Park Board, which uses proceeds for improvements and maintenance to the park. This year's Park Board president is Trevor Monnin, who replaced 2025 president Mitch Bergman. Other current park board members include Mitchel Hoying, Zach Sherman, Colin Puthoff, Chett Borchers, Jordan Gariety, and newest member Sam Cook. 

In addition to the softball action, this year the Park Board has added a new highlight. On Saturday night at 8:00 there will be a contest called Russia's Fastest Man. The fastest alumni to run around the bases will be awarded the Fastest Man Chain. This spectacle will replace the former "world famous" Dino races that is being retired after a successful number of years.

Below is the entire schedule of pool play games, tournament bracket, and rules.

God Story with Anne Wilson

Contemporary Christian and country music singer Anne Wilson entertained everyone at The Fraze Pavilion in Kettering this past weekend

I first saw Anne Wilson (pronounced Ann) two years ago at the 2024 Country Concert Saloon Stage and stuck around just long enough for a couple songs. The tune I was most familiar with at that time was "My Jesus", which was a hit single that Wilson released in 2021. The song has quite a story behind it too. Wilson, a Lexington, Kentucky native who is now 24, had an older brother that died in a car accident when she was just 15 and he was 23. The younger Wilson says her brother was her best friend and following the tragedy she leaned on her faith in Jesus. After he passed, she felt called by God to pursue a career in music and encourage others to follow Jesus as well.

On the big screen and big stage in 2025

In 2025 Wilson returned to Country Concert again, only now as Friday's opening act on the larger main stage. This time I stuck around for Wilson's entire set and was impressed with her ability to both entertain a rowdy group of country music fans and communicate her spiritual message. I was also much more familiar with her setlist, including songs like "Sunday Sermon", "God & Country", "Rebel", "Rain in the Rearview", and "Songs About Whiskey".

This past Friday I saw Wilson perform for the third time. Only this environment was a much different scene. The Fraze Pavilion in Kettering hosted Wilson as their headliner following an opening act by Leanna Crawford. If you've never been to The Fraze, it's a much different musical experience than Country Concert. The main difference being the overall amphitheater vibe. Country Concert is a three-day festival with tens of thousands of people. The Fraze is a three-hour evening outing with a maximum of 4,300 attendees. To put it nicely, Fraze fans are probably a little more polished. On Friday they were also predominately mothers with their young daughters that were giddy to see Anne Wilson. I felt extremely outnumbered, but had my wife by my side for confidence on a date night.

Anne Wilson says you can't
take the church out of me

Before I rave about Wilson, I have to compliment Leanna Crawford for her poise getting the evening started. Crawford charged out on stage for an upbeat opening song only to quickly discover her microphone didn't work. The music stopped, things got quiet, and it was a little awkward. Crawford handled it like a true professional though, joking with the front row fans and signing autographs. Five minutes later she was back in business with a new mic. 

Fortunately, Wilson didn't have any audio problems. She hit the stage around 9:00 singing "God Story" as the entire crowd stood and cheered. My wife and I were in the seventh row and center stage. It felt like we were in the heart of the Anne Wilson fan club, as most folks around us seemed to know every word of every song. Wilson played those familiar hits I heard at Country Concert and I enjoyed some newer music I'd become familiar with like "Devil Is Too", "Hold Your Horses", and "Jesus On The Radio". 

My favorite things about Wilson are her clever songwriting and that distinctive vibrato voice. While she's most certainly a faith-based singer, it doesn't take a deeply religious person to appreciate her tremendous talent and the fun she has on stage. I also want to say, her positivity is an inspiration that I greatly admire in this day and age. Finally, the fact that I've had Wilson's playlist on repeat ever since I left the concert tells me all I really need to know. She's one that I want to see again! 

Anne Wilson made us smile. And isn't that why you go to a concert!

Downtown Dayton's biggest weekend

The band Gaelic Storm became world famous in 1997 when they appeared in the movie Titanic. They have been a Dayton Celtic Fest regular for the past 25 years.

Dayton's 25th annual Celtic Festival happened this past weekend and was perhaps their most successful one in a quarter century. The free event takes place each year at RiverScape MetroPark on the banks of the Miami River for three days, Friday-Sunday. It's presented by United Irish of Dayton and is a July version of a St. Patrick's Day party for downtown Dayton. I've been attending over the past six years and every festival keeps me coming back for more. My DNA origins are 12% Celtic, so I can legitimately say these are my people.

City officials estimate the Celtic Fest crowd at 90,000 attendees over the weekend

Almost too pretty to drink

Starting on the corner of Monument Avenue and Patterson Boulevard, 40 food and merchandise vendors stretched for two full blocks. My favorite meal this year was the Dublin Pub Rueben and world famous cheese fries. There was even a free shuttle bus for festival-goers wanting a transport to the actual Dublin Pub restaurant over on 5th Street for an authentic experience. 

That sandwich and fries had plenty of beverage options too, including a Celtic Fest Red Ale brewed by Breckenridge Brewery that became my go-to most of the weekend. The coolest beer of the weekend though had nothing to do with temperature, rather artwork. There was a dedicated Guinness beer tent that had several "Stoutie" machines. After you purchased a Guinness beer with a nitro foam head, you could walk over to the machine and have a free design printed in the foam. There was standard Guinness logos, as well as custom printed images if you downloaded their QR code. The whole process took about 20-30 seconds. It was a neat gimmick that was fun for about one or two beers.

The Elders will soon play 11 shows in Ireland from October 16-26

Shannon O'Shea was a 

contestant on America's 

Got Talent back in 2016

The best thing about Celtic Fest is of course the music. Three stages hosted a variety of local and national performers in both Irish song and dance. Included were headliners Gaelic Storm, The Elders, Socks in the Frying Pan, The Drowsy Lads, Davy Holt, and Bastard Bearded Irishmen. Gaelic Storm is wildly popular and have been regulars at Celtic Fest since the early years. After starting as just a pub band from Santa Monica, California in the 1990's, today they travel the country singing stories from more than a dozen of the albums they've released. Lead vocalist Patrick Murphy is the only remaining original member of the band, but still a treat to watch after all these years at age 55. He's a true Irishman and perhaps even a little rowdy. After playing an earlier 8:00pm show on Friday, Murphy and Gaelic Storm closed the festival on both Saturday and Sunday.

My personal favorite though was a six-person band based out of Kansas City, Missouri. The Elders travel the globe and last played Dayton's Celtic Fest more than 10 years ago. They were thrilled to return to the Gem City. How do I know? When I was standing in line for that Rueben sandwich with my wife, the person directly behind us was The Elders fiddler, Shannon O'Shea. She chatted like we were old friends. O'Shea talked about her family back home, including her mother that encouraged her daughter to start playing fiddle at a young age. With an Irish name like O'Shea, she explained she couldn't quit! It was a neat moment before The Elders took the stage to close after Gaelic Storm.

They were no Irish sing-alongs at Pins across from Day Air Ballpark, but it was a full house like most other bars in the area

In addition to the massive Celtic Fest crowd, the Dayton Dragon were home all weekend at Day Air Ballpark just around the block. That brought another 7,000 folks each night. Local eateries and watering holes like Pins Mechanical, The Foundry, Brixx Ice Company, Mikey's Late Night Slice, and others enjoyed the huge influx of customers. It was great to see downtown Dayton bustling with business on the biggest weekend of the year. If you'd like to attend in 2027, the dates are July 30-August 1.

Irish shenanigans a few seconds before the collapse!

The Best of Country Concert 2026

From the very start, there's been no better value in country music 

Another Country Concert is now history and as the slogan states, I've got a smile that will last all summer long! The event in Ft. Loramie has been an annual pilgrimage for me, my wife, and friends for many years. This past weekend we thoroughly enjoyed three days of country music and people-watching, Thursday through Saturday, from our Stage Front seats. These are the same seats we've sat in the past eight years and will again in 2027. This year we weathered heat, humidity, and even some rain. It was all worth it and below are five of my favorite moments from the festivities. 

Perhaps Rowdy Ron was looking my direction and remembering our conversation from a couple days earlier 

An emotional start to Country Concert. Prior to the opening ceremony on Thursday afternoon, I crossed paths with concert emcee "Rowdy" Ron Ackerman from Lima's T-102 FM two days earlier on Tuesday. I officially introduced myself by stating that my biological father used to emcee the concert once upon a time. Ron replied that he was co-workers with my father at the radio station. He also explained the two guys got into a lot of trouble together. So, it was pretty cool to see Rowdy Ron on stage for the opening ceremony with the president of Country Concert, Scott Barhorst. Scott delivered a heartfelt tribute on behalf of the Barhorst family to his brother Paul, who was sorely missed this year by everyone in attendance. 

I'll be looking for the next opportunity to buy tickets for Graham Barham

Most deserving to be on the big stage. I'll admit, coming into Country Concert I was already excited to see Louisiana-born singer-songwriter Graham Barham performing on the smaller Saloon stage. Barham's music is unique, as it combines country, pop, and hip-hop. His hit single "Oil Money" is a perfect example of that sound collaboration and his entire set was full of energy. Barham didn't disappoint and was also wonderful at interacting with his concert crowd. He joked about being a 27-year-old still using TikTok and later jumped off the stage to get up close with his front row fans. Country Concert is a three-day party and Barham brought the fun already at the start of Day 1.

Hudson Westbrook is a bright young talent and wasn't afraid to get wet

Well worth watching in the rain. One guy that I underestimated turned out to be one of my favorite performers of the weekend. At 4:00 on Saturday there was a steady rain falling on Country Concert with no relief in sight. Hudson Westbrook took the stage and I convinced myself to get rained on for one song while my wife and friends ran for shelter. Hudson hooked me with his opener as I danced in the downpour and decided to hang around for his entire set. Fortunately, Shelby County United Way president Karla Young spotted me getting drenched and gifted me her extra rain parka. When the show was over, Hudson Westbrook gained a new fan in me.

Our camping group solicited donations for a new lawn chair and we received a total of two dollars along with a scratch-off lottery ticket

There's more to Country Concert than just the music. There's also the camping and the fun. This year for the first time ever, we joined some friends for the camping part. Although we didn't actually sleep overnight, we split a campsite and camper with several other couples. This gave us a shield from the weather, a spot to eat meals together, and it also provided lots of belly laughs. Let's face it, most concert fans need a break at some point during each day. After all these years, we finally discovered a campsite is the perfect solution.

My view of the weekend's best show from Jason Aldean in my Stage Front seats

Closing the weekend with a bang. After 45 years, Country Concert knows a thing or two about how to wrap up the weekend. The Saturday night headliner is almost always the best show and this year was no different. Jason Aldean is still one of Nashville's biggest stars at 49-years-old with a catalog full of hits. From his opener of "Hicktown" through his finale of "She's Country", I sang along to every one of them. This was Aldean's fifth year playing Country Concert and I've been to four of those five performances. This was his best yet. As I walked back to my car, I thought to myself the same thing I did last year; what a great weekend and I wonder how Country Concert will top it again next year!

We'll see you in 2027 Country Concert!

Mr. Perfect!

Russia senior pitcher Maddox Goubeaux threw a PERFECT GAME on Monday, April 13th, topping Houston 12-0 in five innings with 12 strikeouts against 15 batters. The Raiders also got a big night at the plate from senior Cooper Unverferth going 3-for-3 with a double and 4 RBI.

History of Russia

A History of Russia compiled by Ruth Davidson in the Bicentennial Year of 1976! 

Link here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WuAwuGjwC-SMIxGgzURQHSDECDvcSfb6/view?usp=drive_link

Preseason Preview: Russia Girls Basketball

The 2025-2026 Lady Raiders roster includes five players 6-foot or taller

With opening night of the high school basketball season tipping off this weekend, the Russia girls are preparing to build off last season's success. The 2024-2025 campaign ended when the Raiders fell in overtime at the district final to Mississinawa Valley 45-44. That finish should provide both fuel and expectations for the program and their fans in the months coming up. Below is Fish Report's recap from last year, our expectations for this year, and a few games you can circle on your calendar.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Recap 

Russia ended last year 14-10 overall and 8-4 in the Shelby County Athletic League. Their league record was third best in the county and also marked back-to-back seasons of 8-4. 

Highlight wins:

• An early confidence building victory at backyard rival Versailles 46-38 on December 14th. Junior Claudia Hoehne led the way with 17 points.

• A takedown of D-V Waynesville 53-43 at the Tiger Classic on January 20th. The Spartans finished the season 21-5, including 12-0 in the SWBL.

• A district semi-final defeat of Southeastern 53-43 on February 19th. The Raiders sank 13-15 free throws in the fourth quarter, including 9-10 from freshman Aryana Cordonnier.
  

With one lone senior last season in starter Addison Shappie, Russia proved they could beat quality competition. However, the Raiders also lost an abundance of close contests simply because they couldn't finish. Eight of their ten losses were by six points or less.

Last year's Ft. Loramie at Russia game went into overtime before the Redskins topped the Raiders 39-34

___________________________________________________________________________________

Expectations

Third-year head coach Michael Bashore and his staff will likely work towards closing ball games in the regular season, with an eye on this year's league title and ultimately a deeper postseason run. 

Star players:

• Claudia Hoehne (Sr., 6-2): Guarding the top returning all-league honoree and all-Ohio recipient from last year would have been a tall task for opponents. However, Hoehne is out with an injury. Replacing Claudia's scoring, her ability to crash the boards, and her presence in the paint on defense will be tough.
  

• Hazel Francis (Jr., 6-0): If you follow Russia volleyball or track & field, it's no secret that Francis has the best hops of anyone in the area. Her athleticism combined with experience as a third-year starter means Hazel should wake up feeling dangerous this season. Put her on your radar.
  

• Celeste Borchers (Jr., 6-0): Every great team has a coach on the floor. After starting as a freshman and sophomore, we believe Borchers fills that role this year. Celeste also brings a unique energy that Russia's program will desperately need in those key moments that define a season.

• Aryana Cordonnier (So., 5-7): This could be a breakout season for the youngster. Cordonnier is a proven spot-up shooter that becomes a nightmare for opposing coaches as she learns to shoot off the dribble. Ary's efficient passing and defending with physicality makes her a legit four-tool player.
  

The Raiders also return several additional seasoned veterans in Faith York (Sr., 5-8), Callie Goubeaux (Sr., 5-7), and Kylie Doseck (Sr., 5-10). Furthermore, Fish Report believes newcomers Cami Schafer (So., 6-0) and Ruby Francis (Fr., 5-8) will provide a youthful impact at the season evolves. If the program can find synergy with all that talent, Russia could be one of the top Division VII teams in southwest Ohio.
___________________________________________________________________________________

Calendar

Marquee matchups:

While the SCAL schedule should be entertaining, here are a few non-league games to circle on the calendar:

• Monday, December 22nd at Division IV Archbishop Alter. The Knights escaped Russia with a 3-point win last year and later finished as state runner-up.

• Monday, January 19th versus D-IV Brookville at Versailles. The Blue Devils played in D-V last year and fell in the regional semis to Versailles in double overtime.
  

• Tuesday, January 27th hosting D-VI Legacy Christian. The Knights played D-VII last year and finished 22-3 after losing in the regional semis to Mississinawa Valley, following the Blackhawks district final win over Russia.

Russia opens the season this Saturday night at home versus D-VI Arcanum. Fish Report will be broadcasting audio play-by-play for every girls and boys home game all season long. Simply click the 'Streaming' link at the top of this page to listen for free. Also, stay tuned to our website for updates on occasional broadcasts from the road.

The Raiders won't be happy with district runner-up hardware this season (Picture by Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News)

Russia hoping to rewrite history

The last Russia boys cross country team to win a regional championship was back in 2009. Bottom - Coach Neal Schafer, Trevor Sherman, Blake Worthington and Luke Pohlman. Top - Coach Kyle Moore, Joel Meyer, Alex York, Chris Ball, Andy Toller and Coach Doug Foster.

Let's start with the obvious. In recent years it's not been uncommon for Russia fans to watch their cross country team run at the regional meet, then later that day watch the volleyball team compete in the district finals. In fact, diehard Raider spectators have been pulling double duty on this upcoming Saturday for many years. What is uncommon is Russia's potential to bring home those two tournament titles in the same weekend. Actually, it's never been done in school history.

This Saturday at 10:40am the Division IV state-ranked #7 Russia boys will race for the regional championship on the banks of the Great Miami River in Troy. Before the race is over, at 11:00am the Division VII state-ranked #5 Russia girls will aim for a district volleyball championship at Fairborn High School. Due to those starting times and venues, Raider fans will need to pick their favorite team to watch live this weekend. Looking ahead though, if the stars line up over Russia High School next week, followers could logistically watch both teams in person on Saturday, November 1st at the state cross country meet and regional volleyball finals. Alright and enough, we'll put away our Fish Report crystal ball for now.

This season the boys captured their first SCAL cross country championship since 2014

School record holder Samuel Phlipot

If you're heading down to Troy, be prepared for an early Halloween treat. In the D-IV boys race, a total of 19 teams and 38 individuals will be competing for just five team and 10 individual qualifiers to state. For clarification on the individuals spots, those runners who finish in the top 10 positions AFTER removing team qualifiers will advance. 

Last Saturday two district races were ran in the southwest region. In the race at Cedarville University, Russia edged the hometown Cedarville Indians by just two points for the championship. Fourth year head coach Zach Bell's Raiders were led by junior Samuel Phlipot in 2nd-place with a time of 16:21. Earlier this season Phlipot broke the school 5K record with a 15:54, which topped 2011 alumni Luke Pohlman's old record of 15:58. On Phlipot's heels at the district race was freshman teammate Paxson Bixler in 3rd-place with a 16:26. Russia's entire roster of seven runners this Saturday will all be underclassmen. Junior Owen Sargent, sophomore Evan Smith and junior Eli Schmitmeyer were the Raider's third, fourth and fifth runners respectively last weekend. Those three scorers have also recorded personal records in the past two weeks. Rounding out the top seven are junior Keagan Baldridge and sophomore Abe Hoehne. 

At last weekends other D-IV southwest district race down at Voice of America MetroPark in West Chester, #32-ranked Miami Valley Christian Academy won their championship with far slower times than the course at Cedarville. 

Russia hasn't captured a boys regional championship since 2009, when the program won the title for the third year in a row. The hope this year is a return to those glory days. A pre-race tailgate for Raider fans will be hosted by parents on Saturday at 7:00am. Breakfast on the grill will begin the party at Troy City Park by the shelter house across the street from Hobart Arena. 

Cross Country links: Results ~ Schedule ~ Course Map ~ Tickets

The Lady Raiders shared a SCAL championship this season with a 10-2 record

Seniors Chapman, Hoehne & Phlipot

Russia folks choosing to caravan to Fairborn High School on Saturday will witness Raider volleyball tradition. The program, led by 10-year head coach Aaron Watkins, has rattled off an amazing eight consecutive district championships dating back to 2017. Watkins is the school's all-time winningest coach with 176 career victories, a record he achieved back in 2021 when he surpassed former Raider's coach Joan Herron who had 107 wins in nine seasons.

The tournament trail for Russia has been paved with rose petals so far, winning easy matches over Calvary Christian and Yellow Springs. However, the district finals has a thorny history for teams looking too far ahead. The Raiders will depend on leadership from all-league senior libero Kourtney Phlipot, along with all-league juniors Celeste Borchers and Hazel Francis. Francis was runner-up in voting for top player in the Shelby County Athletic League, and back in September tied a school record for blocks in a match with 10. She now shares that record with 2015 alumni Kylie Wilson. Other key Raiders include starting seniors Claudia Hoehne and setter Izzi Chapman, juniors Violet Armstrong, Ava Gibson and Lily Francis, along with all-league sophomore starter Aryana Cordonnier and freshman starter Ruby Francis. 

Fish Report believes the odds are favorable for Coach Watkin's 177th win and a ninth district title, as Russia (18-6) will take on New Miami (17-5). The Vikings beat Felicity Franklin on Thursday. They also won the Miami Valley Conference White Division this season with a perfect 8-0 record under fourth year head coach Shalei McColm. Their top player is four-year starter Kadie Davidson (No. 5) who led the MVC with 100 service aces.

Only one thing is certain prior to Saturday's match. The winner of Russia versus New Miami will get a buzzsaw in the regional semifinals. That would be Northwest District champion and state-ranked #2 Leipsic. The Lady Vikes (24-1) topped Hardin Northern up in Findlay on Wednesday and will certainly be in attendance on Saturday to scout their next opponent. That regional opener is scheduled for next Thursday at 6:00pm at Northmont High School.

Sounds like super Saturday on tap. Enjoy the day Raider fans.

Volleyball links: Bracket ~ Tickets

The 2017 team began Russia's current streak of eight straight district championships. Bottom - Lexi Monnin, Whitney Pleiman and Kendall Monnin. Middle - Alana Gariety, Jenna Cordonnier, Morgan Wenrick and Faith Apple. Top - Ashley Scott, Cameo Wilson, Laurissa Poling, Samantha Gaerke and Claudia Counts.

Golden celebration coming up in Russia

50 years ago this monument was erected in the Village of Russia

The Russia Alumni Softball Tournament will take place August 8th-10th and this year is of particular significance for the annual event. Not only will Raider alums be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the tournament, but they'll also be honoring the 50th anniversary of Russia Community Park. 

On Saturday evening, August 9th at 8:00, a ceremony will take place recognizing volunteers and donors who established the park in 1975. A display will also be on hand with enlarged newspaper articles documenting the original planning and construction. Current Park Board President, Mitch Bergman, is inviting every Park Board member that served the past 50 years to attend for a group picture scheduled at the end of the ceremony. Highlighting the festivities will be a ceremonial pitch between Russia's first Park Board President, Ed Borchers, and Village Mayor, Terry Daugherty. 

The entire three day event is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Russia Park Board, which uses proceeds for improvements and maintenance to Russia Community Park. Below is the entire rundown of pool play games, tournament bracket, and rules.