Northwest Central Conference champion Hardin Northern led the way in the all-league volleyball voting as three Polar Bears were selected to the first team with Shelby Alloway being named the player of the year. Alloway, a senior, averaged nine kills, three aces and 14.8 digs per match for the Polar Bears.

A pair of Kenton volleyball players received All-Western Buckeye League honors on the 2017 teams released this week. Wildcat senior libero Haylee Bushong received second team recognition, while Lauren Johnson was chosen honorable mention.

The White and Black teams tied in Masonic Pool Tournament play on Thursday night. The Black team still leads the tournament by 10 points.

MOUNT BLANCHARD — After taking advantage of two free kicks, top-seeded Riverdale carried a 2-0 lead into halftime and built on it in the second half, taking down No. 8 Allen East 7-0 in a Division III sectional final girls soccer contest Wednesday night.

Several area teams look to stay in the race for a postseason spot as they enter week nine of the high school football season. Ada looks to keep its playoff hopes alive when its hosts Bluffton on Friday.

After a year in which the Kenton boys soccer team won a school-record 14 games and had a best-ever second place finish in the Western Buckeye League team, the Wildcats received their due from league’s coaches. Six Wildcats received All-WBL recognition led by juniors Landon Bartlett and Drew Hoppe, who both received first team honors.

The Kenton football team has gotten on a roll the past three weeks, holding on in the fourth quarter for victories over Van Wert, Shawnee and Ottawa-Glandorf to even its mark at 4-4. The three wins have placed the Wildcats in a position where a winning season and even an outside chance at a playoff berth, which four weeks ago seemed unthinkable, are still possible if they can win out the final two weeks.

Kenton sophomore Hannah Holland received first-team recognition as the Wildcats placed three players on the All-Western Buckeye League girls soccer team. Holland, who scored 17 goals this season, helped the Wildcats to a program best 7-6-3 mark this season.

DEFIANCE — When a soccer match gets to a penalty kick shootout, it becomes a guessing game for the goalkeepers. On Tuesday night, Defiance keeper Teyah Castillo guessed correctly once more than Kenton keeper Alivia Purtee and that was exactly the number the Bulldogs needed as they edged Kenton 1-0 in a shootout in sectional semifinal play.

MOUNT BLANCHARD — The seeders acknowledged Riverdale’s tough boys soccer schedule with a home sectional game. Visiting Mansfield St. Peter’s proved the Falcons still have some things to learn.