TVC-Hocking Standings: Teams looking ahead to resuming conference play
By: Hardwood Heroes
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This week in the TVC-Hocking, Waterford girls dropped their first game of the season to Sheridan. However, they quickly bounced back after a win over Newark Catholic. The Eastern boys picked up two wins this week, adding to an impressive start to the season. The Belpre and Federal Hocking girls each picked up wins before conference play resumes. Southern and Belpre boys will officially break the tie at the top of the standings this week.
TVC-Hocking Boys’ Standings
T1. Southern Tornadoes | 6-3 (Conf. 3-0)
Written by: Joshua Hoerner
Southern continued its strong start to the season. They started the week with a 56-54 victory over Glenwood before losing to Ravenswood.
One of their most important tests of the season lies ahead on Tuesday, as Southern and Belpre will break the tie for the top of the conference. Their other game this week is at home against Wahama, before taking on third-place Eastern.
T1. Belpre Golden Eagles | 4-5 (Conf. 3-0)
Written by: Joshua Hoerner
Belpre’s lone game of this week was against Warren, where the Golden Eagles lost to Warren 74-48.
As mentioned above, the most important game this week is at Southern on Tuesday. Belpre’s next conference game isn’t until the following week against Waterford. Something to keep an eye on for the Golden Eagles is the end of their regular-season schedule, where Belpre will finish with five of its last six games being in-conference.
3.Eastern Eagles | 7-3 (Conf. 2-1)
Written by: Ashley Frye
The Eastern Eagles are back on another win streak after last week taking back-to-back wins against River Valley, 65-44, on Friday and South Gallia, 75-55, on Saturday.
The Eagles need this momentum as they have a heavy three game week ahead of them welcoming Trimble on Tuesday, then traveling to Meigs on Friday, January 10 and to Caldwell on Saturday, January 11.
4.Waterford Wildcats | 3-5 (Conf. 1-2)
Written by: Charlie Ihlenfeld
The Waterford boys have taken a well-earned holiday break. After their loss to the Alexander Spartans, the Waterford boys have not played in a week. After this long break, the boys’ team will have a gauntlet of games they will have to navigate. In back-to-back days, the Wildcats will play Fisher Catholic and Federal Hocking at home. Three days later, they will host Parkersburg Catholic. Their upcoming match against the Federal Hocking Lancers projects to be the most important of their four-game homestand. It will be the first time Waterford has faced the Lancers since being eliminated in the postseason tournament.
The Wildcats will continue to lean on Cole Sparling-Ponchak and Finn Pennock. Pennock, the sophomore guard, leads the Wildcats in scoring, assists, steals and is second in rebounds per game. Sparling-Ponchak, the senior center, is second in points per game, leads rebounding and blocks. The duo has been instrumental in the defensive success of coach DJ Cunningham’s unit. Heading into the back stretch of the year, they will be crucial to a strong run to finish the year.
T5. Trimble Tomcats | 1-8 (Conf. 0-3)
Written by: Ty Carpenter
With the new year came a break for the Trimble Tomcats Boys’ team, with no games played this week after their loss to the Athens Bulldogs. Sitting at 1-8 on the season and 0-3 in conference, they will head back into conference play this week as they host the Eastern Eagles on Tuesday, hoping to find their first win in-conference. They will then follow that game up heading on the road to face Wellston on Friday to close out the week.
T5. Federal Hocking Lancers | 2-8 (Conf. 0-3)
Written by: Gavin Carrig
A long break for the New Year saw the Lancers out of Federal Hocking have two games in back-to-back successions. Fed Hock began 2025 on a high note, taking down Wellston 53-48 in a cross TVC matchup. Freshman Wren Ballew has continued to have a stellar first season, as he led the team with 16 points on the night. Mosiah Cottrill also added 14 in the win.
The Lancers then welcomed New Hope Christian Academy to Stewart to cap off the week. The Statesmen had the upper hand on Fed Hock all night, as that would lead to a Lancer loss by a final of 47-66. Ballew once again led the team in scoring, dropping a very impressive 20 points.
The upcoming week is going to be a busy one for the Lancers, seeing them play 3 games in that amount of time. Starting off the week is a matchup on the road against Waterford (3-5). Fed Hock will be looking to grab their first conference win of the season. After that is a trip to The Alley to face off against Alexander (2-8). To close out the week, the Lancers will host Nelsonville-York (6-3).
TVC-Hocking Girls’ Standings
1.Waterford Wildcats | 11-1 (Conf. 5-0)
Written by: Charlie Ihlenfeld
The Waterford girls hit their first speed bump of the year against the mighty Sheridan Generals. In a gritty defensive battle, the girls fell 36-26 at home. Despite the loss, Avery Wagner and Kendall Sury led the scoring as they opened up their traditional brutal January slate. Wagner etched her name into Waterford history with her 1,000th points in the game. After the loss, the girls hosted Newark Catholic, a team they split a memorable season series with the year before. This time, the Wildcats dominated at home behind 13 points from Avery Smithberger, 12 from Wagner and 12 from Sury to earn a convincing 57-32 win.
As the new year gets rolling, Waterford’s schedule gets even more difficult. On the 9th, they will have to defend home court against the Federal Hocking Lancers. One week later, the Wildcats host Southern. After that brief conference reprieve, Waterford plays at Berlin-Hiland in the Classic in the Country, a team they went to overtime with in the regional final last year. Finally, only two days later, the Wildcats head to Pickerington North for the Classic in the City. It only gets better from here.
2.Belpre Golden Eagles | 8-3 (Conf. 4-1)
Written by: Joshua Hoerner
The Golden Eagles finished last week on a two-game winning streak. They only played Alexander this week, winning 64-34. Senior Haley Alloway led the way with 16 points, and junior Shyanna Miller followed up with 13 herself.
It was another great start to the regular season for Belpre. Two conference games to keep an eye on are at Federal Hocking and at home against Waterford. The following week for Belpre will feature Eastern and Shenandoah.
3.Federal Hocking Lancers | 9-3 (Conf. 3-2)
Written by: Gavin Carrig
It was a two-game week for the Lady Lancers, which saw them pick up wins in both of their contests. To close out 2024, it was a trip away to Nelsonville-York. This game was all Lancers straight from the tip, seeing them pick up the win in dominate fashion 70-29 over the Buckeyes. Jaylee Orsborne led the way, scoring 14 on the night. Rorie Tabler and McKayla Nelson would add 13 and 11 of their own in the win.
The Lancers would continue their road stand with a trip to Southeastern. Led by Brenlee Cottrill’s game-high 29 points, Fed Hock headed back to Stewart with a 59-57 win over the Panthers.
This upcoming week sees the Lancers have two games once again. Starting off the week is a highly anticipated TVC-Hocking clash with the Waterford Wildcats (11-1). The first time these two met this season, Waterford defeated the Lancers 63-55. Fed Hock will close the week out with a rescheduled matchup against Minford (3-3).
4.Trimble Tomcats | 6-4 (Conf. 2-3)
Written by: Ty Carpenter
After a much-needed break for the New Year, the Trimble Tomcats Girls’ team hoped to build a win streak. Coming off a win against the Tyler Knights last week, the Tomcats traveled to take on the 7-3 Notre Dame Titans, a matchup they would win 42-36. This win would put Trimble at 6-4 on the season.
Looking ahead, the Tomcats will hope to keep this momentum alive as they host the 0-9 Meigs Marauders Monday, before heading back into conference play against the 8-5 Southern Tornadoes on Wednesday. This will be the second time the two teams have faced off this season, with Trimble winning the first matchup on the road, 39-34.
5.Southern Tornadoes | 8-5 (Conf. 1-4)
Written by: Joshua Hoerner
Southern’s four-game winning streak came to an end this week, with a 56-32 loss to River Valley.
Despite the loss, Southern has had a strong start to the season. They have key wins against Ironton and Northwest. The following week for the Tornadoes will feature matchups against Trimble and Gallia Academy.
6.Eastern Eagles | 1-10 (Conf. 0-5)
Written by: Ashley Frye
The Eagles fell to a 1-10 record after taking two losses this past week against River Valley, 56-27, and Green, 66-37.
This puts Eastern on a five-game losing streak as they head into a crucial in-conference matchup against Belpre on Wednesday, Jan. 8, and an important game against Meigs on Thursday, Jan. 9.