Raiders will reunite for softball and more

Russia Alumni's 2023 All-Tournament Team was a fun honor for a chosen few

The 24th Annual Russia Co-ed Alumni Tournament runs August 9th-11th. The event combines slo-pitch softball, "ice cold drinks" and camaraderie with Russia High School Alumni. It's also the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Russia Park Board, which uses proceeds for improvements and maintenance to beautiful Russia Community Park.

Tournament drawing takes place July 24th and the entry fee of $150 per team is exactly the same as 2023. Individual and combined classes of Raider alumni (and sometimes a variety of non-Russia teammates) will open the tournament on Friday with 20 teams. Those 20 will be separated into five pools of four teams. Each team will then play the other teams in their pool, guaranteeing three games for everyone. After the pool play is over, the top two teams from each pool will advance to a single elimination tournament. To earn Sunday's championship title, #1-seeded teams will need to win three games in the bracket and #2-seeded teams will have to win four. If all that sounds confusing, you can read the entire list of rules, click here.

A couple notes and quotes directly from the Russia Park Board:

• It requires a lot of time and effort to keep this annual tradition rolling. We ask that you please sign up to be a concession or beer stand volunteer. We all appreciate it!
• Come hungry! Along with the Park Board’s world famous hot fires, some other tasty items on the menu this year will include the traditional shroom burgers, fried bologna, and fried chicken tenders! Of course, there will be a freezer full of popsicles and delicious ice cream cones for the kids!
• Don’t want to be surprised by a ruling on the field? Increase your knowledge of the game and take a glance at the rules of the tournament.
• Back by popular demand, the whacky and wild dinosaur race will take place Saturday night on Diamond 2 at approximately 8:00 pm. Calculate the odds and place your bets!
• As always, if you have a question, please reach out to one of the friendly Park Board member
Trevor Sherman: 937-638-1583
Aaron Condon: 937-638-8724
Mitch Bergman: 937-726-3593
Trevor Monnin: 937-726-6635
Mitchell Hoying: 937-638-3183
Zach Sherman: 937-726-5419
Colin Puthoff: 937-622-0050

Have fun Raiders and try not to pull any muscles!

The 2023 Champions from the Class of 2011

The 2023 Runner-Up from the Class of 2023

Russia vs Hiland Preview: The only thing certain is the past

The Raiders need just one more gold medal for a complete 2024 set

Here we go again!

Russia is back in the Division IV State Tournament for a third consecutive year! This Saturday at 7:00 PM the Raiders play at Canal Park in Akron for the fifth time in three seasons. During that span, there's no other away venue the team has appeared at more times than the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. The once unimaginable and overwhelming statistics surrounding Russia's run is something Raider fans may never see again. Actually, I believe I made a similar statement last year. 

Since last Friday's regional championship over Troy Christian, a variety of folks have approached me and simply asked, can Russia do it? The word "it" translates to beating state-ranked #1 Berlin Hiland in Saturday's semifinals. You might recall, this is the same Hiland program that beat Russia last year in the state finals. That game was tied 4-4 after four innings and the Hawks scored 10 unanswered runs to make the final a 14-4 run rule. Russia threw their top four available pitchers, but couldn't stop the Hiland bats and their 15 hits. The Raiders also managed just three hits of their own against two flame-throwing pitchers names Will Schlabach and Isaak Yoder. Will and Isaak are now Hiland alumni, but since I'm mentioning last year, let's take a look at that Hawks box score from 2023 and analyze the differences between last season versus this season.

Players Gone

I put red lines through all five departed Hiland seniors. I'll also do the math and tell you those graduates accounted for 8-of-11 RBI, along with all seven innings pitched. Russia graduated three seniors as well, including their top two batters in the lineup that day and one pitcher that appeared in relief. Those three Raiders combined, totaled one base hit and gave up one earned run in the game.

Stiff Competition

In 2023 Hiland finished with a record of 30-1, the one loss coming on the back end of a doubleheader versus a D-II school. In 2024 so far, Hiland has tallied a record of 25-5. Four of their five losses are one-run defeats to bigger divisions and there was one four-run loss to a D-II school. Russia's final record in 2023 was 26-7. In 2024 they're currently 27-4 with three losses to bigger divisions and one 2-0 loss versus D-IV Marion Local in the second game of the season.

Hitting & Pitching

Last year Hiland scored an average of 8.87 runs per game. They also gave up an average of 1.74 per game. This year they're scoring 7.56 and giving up 1.66. Does that mean the Hawk bats aren't as hot this season, but maybe the pitching is a little better? Except, Hiland won the regional tournament with scores of 13-2 and 18-0. This year Russia is averaging an additional 2.35 more runs than last year and giving up a microscopic 0.02 more runs to their opponents. The Raiders won their regional tourney games 6-2 and 12-3. 

Top Talent

Hiland has replaced those two previously mentioned state final pitchers with senior Finn Schneider (6-1) and junior Caden Coblentz (8-1). Russia's top two hurlers are senior Jude Counts (7-1) and junior Braylon Cordonnier (7-0). When it comes to previewing the Hawks batting line-up this weekend, the box score on the right is their regional final blowout last Friday. The first four batters are leading the team averages with Caden Coblentz (3B) hitting .369, senior Cody Yoder (CF) .478, junior Colin Coblentz (RF) .402 and senior Brady Yoder (SS) .363. The Raiders top two hitters on the season are Braylon Cordonnier going 42-for-84 at a .500 clip and senior Felix Francis swinging 45-for-100 at .450. Speaking of Russia batters, it's worth noting that seniors Hayden Quinter and Brayden Monnin are wrapping up four-year varsity careers with an eye-popping statistic. Hayden has recorded close to 450 at-bats and Brayden isn't far behind with around 410. It's safe to say that dynamic duo has literally seen it all when it comes to fastballs and curveballs.

History Lesson

Both Hiland and Russia have a common lineage named baseball. This weekend marks Hiland's seventh trip to the state tournament with titles in 2023 and 2016 (D-III), and runner-up finishes in 2017 (D-III), 2008 and 2000. The only year they came home empty-handed was 2012. Russia is making their sixth trip to state and they've always brought home hardware. In 2022 and 1971 it was gold trophies, and silver ones in 2023, 2017 and 1975. The two-year rivalry between the Hawks and Raiders will also likely conclude this season, as it's almost certain that realignment to seven divisions in 2025 will have Hiland in D-VI and Russia in D-VII.

Road Trip

Finally, it's possible there's a few lukewarm Russia fans getting bored with the third straight June of pre-game tailgates and the limelight of baseball's biggest stage. Those same folks might be contemplating the 200 mile drive to Akron, and whether to watch your state-ranked #4 Raiders in person or streaming on the internet from home. If that's your dilemma this weekend, allow me to remind you of a similar situation in 2022. Unranked Russia earned a Saturday morning title shot versus #3-ranked Lincolnview, with an unbeaten starting pitcher headed to The Ohio State University. It was 51 years since the Raiders last state championship and the critics were everywhere. However, head coach Kevin Phlipot's squad roughed up the future Buckeye and shocked Ohio with an unforgettable 10-4 victory. Rest assured, anyone who caravanned from zip code 45363 remembers how incredibly special that moment was. Who knows, maybe the stars will line up again on Saturday evening at Canal Park. We're not referring to the stadium light poles in prime time either.

Oh, and that's just the semifinals. See you in Akron.

Perhaps Braylon Cordonnier was asking his teammates last Friday in Cincinnati if they're ready for their second state title this weekend in Akron (Picture via Russia Baseball Facebook)

Another new regional semi opponent for Russia

The Raiders district championship last week extended their winning streak to 13 games and their streak of run rule victories to four (Picture by Amy Spradlin)

Russia Baseball (25-4) is back in familiar territory at the regional tournament for the seventh consecutive year. For the fifth straight year Raider fans will be mostly unfamiliar with their semifinal opponent. This Thursday at Princeton High School in Cincinnati that opponent is Northmor, a public school 55 miles north of Columbus and located in Galion, a city in Crawford, Morrow and Richland counties. In case you were wondering about those other semifinal matchups for Russia in previous seasons; In 2023 it was Berne Union, 2022 Southeastern, 2021 Fisher Catholic, 2019 and 2018 Cincinnati Christian, and 2017 Ft. Loramie.

Senior Grant Bentley (Picture by Don Tudor)

Northmor (23-7) got over a proverbial hump last Wednesday after loses in the district finals the previous two years. The Golden Knights won just their second district championship in school history, the other coming in 1995 when they advanced all the way to the Division IV state tournament. Head coach Buck Workman took over the program in 2001 and has accumulated 292 wins during that time. One big reason for his success this postseason is a trio of pitchers in senior starters Grant Bentley and Drew Hammond, along with sophomore reliever Trevor Brubaker. Bentley was recognized recently as the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference Player of the Year. He received the same conference award in basketball this past March while totaling 1,420 points during his playing career. Hammond has plenty of athletic talent too, and will take his baseball talent to the University of Findlay in the fall to continue his career on the diamond. Brubaker made an impressive freshman debut last year with a 4-3 record and 1.11 earned run average. There's been no sophomore jinx either, as his win-loss record this year is tops on the team at 8-1 with a 1.13 ERA. Bentley is 5-1 with a 1.01 ERA and Hammond is 6-2 with a 1.93 ERA. Northmor wrapped up their regular season schedule this past Tuesday, dropping a meaningless 5-4 tune-up game to D-II regional qualifier Clear Fork. Hammond and Brubaker were among the six pitchers used in limited action by the Golden Knights. The one pitcher that didn't appear was Bentley, making him a likely candidate to start against Russia. 

Much like Northmor, Russia head coach Kevin Phlipot (198 wins in nine seasons) has a plethora of multisport athletes making history with their athletic achievements as well. Near the top of that list is ace pitcher and junior Braylon Cordonnier. The Marshall University commit recently garnered back-to-back Shelby County Athletic League Player of the Year awards and has already been to five state tournaments combined in baseball, basketball and golf. Senior Hayden Quinter was named SCAL Player of the Year in basketball this past winter and this Thursday will aim for his 103rd career win in baseball since stepping on the field as a freshman. Sharing those 103 wins is senior teammate Brayden Monnin, who was a key member of five state tournaments combined in baseball, basketball and cross country. Then there's senior Felix Francis who's been to five state tournaments himself in baseball, basketball and golf. Francis is also quietly having one of the best years in Russia baseball history, already breaking single season school records for runs scored and stolen bases, while currently being tied for single season triples and only six hits shy of matching the single season hits record. All four of the above mentioned Raiders were selected as 1st-Team All-SCAL honorees a couple weeks ago.

Our Fish Report projected starting line-up for Northmor versus Russia

If you're a Russia fan heading to the game, sources tell us the parking lot pep rally starts between 2:00-2:30 for first pitch at 5:00. If you're a Northmor fan reading this, Raider fans want you to know they're the friendliest tailgaters on the planet. For easiest entrance to the stadium, purchase your tickets online at https://www.ohsaa.org/tickets. Ticket-takers will accept cash at the gate if necessary. For folks who can't make the trip, you can listen live on ScoresBroadcast.com or WTGR.com 97.5FM. Both stations will also be broadcasting the 2:00 regional semifinal between Bradford and Troy Christian. There's a YouTube channel streaming the action as well at the following link. Stadium workers do not intend to clear the park between games, but will request that fans attending the first game leave seating space to allow the second game fans open seats. Only if necessary will they clear the stands and ask those in attendance to leave the park and purchase a new ticket for admission. Lastly, fans might like to know that state-ranked #3 Northmor will be the home team occupying the 1st-base dugout, while #4 Russia will be the visitors in the 3rd-base dugout. The winner will be the home team on Friday for a 5:00 finale versus the visitors from either unranked Bradford or Troy Christian.

A classy Russia program gave Fish Report an extra district championship medal last week for our season long coverage of Raider Baseball