A group of seventh-graders at Kenton Middle School gathered around a cell phone held by the Rev. Scott Johnson on Friday to get a closer look at an orphanage a world away. Speaking to them through the phone was Cherylann Gangel, the owner and operator of the Be Like Brit orphanage in Haiti.

CELINA — Through their first four games, the Kenton boys basketball team has been able to out-muscle opponents and dictate the flow of the game. On Friday night, however, it was Celina that overpowered the Wildcats and the result was Kenton’s first setback of the season.

DOLA — After being tied with Hardin Northern at 13 midway through the first quarter, Upper Scioto Valley stepped up its game and went on a 14-0 run just before the end of the quarter. The streak was enough to give the Rams the separation they needed, and they would hold their lead and see out the remainder of Friday’s boys basketball contest, earning the 72-48 win.

MOUNT VICTORY — The Ridgemont FFA Chapter was recognized for its continuing success at the national level by the school’s board of education on Thursday night. A board certificate was presented to the chapter for being recognized as a Top 10 Premier Chapter in the nation in the divisions of Strengthening Agriculture and Growing Leaders.

The Kenton girls basketball team rallied from a 15-point third quarter deficit to take a one-point lead over Celina when Keelee Barrett made the first of two free throws with eight seconds left in the game on Thursday night. The Wildcats only lead of the game was short-lived, however, as the Bulldogs’ Bailey Exman swished a pair of free throws on the other end of the floor after being fouled while going after the rebound of the second missed free throw by Barrett to lift Celina to the 49-48 Western Buckeye League win.

McGUFFEY — An 8-1 advantage in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference as Hardin Northern pulled away to defeat Upper Scioto Valley 26-19 in a Northwest Central Conference girls basketball game on Thursday. Hardin Northern led 2-0 after one quarter before the Rams outscored USV 14-10 in the second eight minutes to take a 14-12 advantage at halftime.

An Amish farmer gathers up the bundles of corn stalks at his field south of Kenton with his dog nearby. The recent dry weather has allowed farmers throughout the county to get into their fields and harvest one of the most successful corn crops on record for the area.

An unique cloud formation to the southwest of Kenton absorbed the colors of the sunset to create a scene out of a painting on Wednesday evening.

Firefighters from throughout the area responded to a house fire Tuesday afternoon in Kenton. The call came into the Kenton Fire Department at 4:52 p.m. for the house owned by Keri Rood at 312 Robinson Ave.

RIDGEWAY — For most graduating seniors, the time between football and baseball season is taken up with basketball games and practices or other extracurricular activities.