Led by Wynford’s Seth Benedict’s first-team selection, eight area players received All-Ohio football honors in Divisions VI and VII on Sunday.

MOUNT BLANCHARD — The Riverdale girls basketball team was looking for revenge Friday night in the season opener against rival Carey in a non-conference game. They found it, defeating Carey 40-36 in a thriller that went down to the wire and was decided by free throws. The teams shot a combined 60 free throws in the game, with Riverdale connecting on 20-of-29 while Carey was just 13-of-31 from the charity stripe.

NEW RIEGEL — Take on a leadership role and keep shooting, even when the shots aren’t falling. That was the message that former Upper Sandusky guard Abigail Fogle gave to her sister, Upper Sandusky senior guard Alexis Fogle, heading into the 2018-19 season, a season in which the Rams will be without Abigail Fogle and Megan Hensel, who accounted for over 50 percent of the Rams’ scoring last season.

BUCYRUS — It does not matter to coach Amy Taylor-Sheldon how Wynford got there. The end result was a 53-51 victory that makes the Royals 1-0 for the first time for almost all of the team’s players. The Vikings rallied from 12 down in the fourth quarter to take a late two-point lead, but Lyndie Williams’ bucket tied it, and Olivia Grove made two free throws with 36.5 seconds left to help the Royals survive for their first season-opening victory since beating the Vikings 54-42 in 2016.

Carey’s Sarah Reinhart and Upper Sandusky’s Troy Mawer earned the top honors on the All-Daily Chief-Union cross country team as runners of the year, while Riverdale’s Kim Rall was named coach of the year. Reinhart, a freshman, was the top girls runner this season, posting a season average race time of 20:27.

Four Upper Sandusky competition cheerleading squads competed at the Oak Harbor Cheerleading Invitational last weekend. Not only did every squad — the Tiny Rams, Mini Rams, Little Rams and junior high — win first place in their individual division, but the Rams also earned the Nancy Leaser award for the highest school district average.

The Dafne Bianchi Cheer Spectacular was held Sunday at Upper Sandusky Middle School with 28 teams competing. Event organizer Katie Taylor spoke to open in the opening ceremony, followed by Jack Bianchi, the father of the late Dafne Bianchi.

Since she was in middle school, Upper Sandusky senior Kenedi Hayden has wanted to run track in college. Beginning next school year, that dream will become a reality.

The Upper Sandusky football team recently announced its letter winners at the awards banquet.

Upper Sandusky High School boys basketball reserved seats are on sale for the 2018-19 season. For more information, contact Brad Ehrman at brad_e@usevs.org or 419-294-2308.