Martins Ferry adding to storied basketball history with first regional appearance since 2014

  By Jeff Harrison

  When the Martins Ferry Purple Riders take the court at The Convocation Center on the campus of Ohio University in Athens on Friday, it’ll be the first regional appearance for the Ferrians since 2014.

  Coach Derek Edwards’ squad will be adding to the storied history of the Riders which includes more than 1,300 all-time victories and four state tournament appearances more than 80 years ago – highlighted by the Class A State Championship in 1941.

  The 2024-25 Riders shook off a slow 3-8 start and will take a 13-11 record into the Division V Regional Semifinals against Chesapeake (22-3) at 8 p.m. Friday at “The Convo”.  The other semifinal features Garaway (17-6) against Minford (23-1) in a 6 p.m. tipoff, with the two survivors returning Sunday at 4:30 p.m. to play for a spot in the OHSAA Division V “Final Four”.

  Ferry’s road to Athens includes victories against Morgan (49-37), Union Local (58-48) and top-seeded St. Clairsville (70-54). Chesapeake’s tournament trail includes wins over Albany Alexander (59-46), Winchester Eastern (53-40) and Wheelersburg (49-45).

  The Purple Riders’ previous district championship seasons were 1940, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1951, 1953, 1956, 1982, 1996, 1998, 2013 and 2014.

  The only regional championships came in 1943 and 1944 (there were no regional tournaments in 1940 or 1941 – teams went directly from the district to the state tournament) and Ferry’s only state championship came in 1941.

  Ferry’s all-time winningest coach is Jeff Sabatino with a 323-214 record; Floyd Baker is second at 156-22 and Edwards, in his ninth season, is currently third at 138-71.

  Here’s a look back at Martins Ferry’s regional/state tournament appearances in boys’ basketball:

  1940 – After winning the district crown in Coach Floyd Baker’s first year, the Riders lost in the first round of the Class A State Tournament to Canton McKinley, 48-23, finishing the year with a 20-7 record. Al Joseph had six points to lead the Riders.

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  1941 – The Riders returned with a vengeance in ’41, soaring all the way to the Ohio Class A State Championship. It took four wins in Columbus to capture the title back then, and the Riders beat Lima Central (33-32) behind 11 points from Lou Bevilacqua and nine from Ed Joseph; topped Canton McKinley (40-27) in the quarterfinals with Lou Groza scoring 15 while Bill Elias had nine and Bevilacqua had eight; edged Xenia Central (36-34) in the semifinals behind 10 points each from Groza and Bevilacqua; and then downed Lakewood (37-30) to claim the title, with Groza scoring 18 points while Bevilacqua had eight. Groza and Elias represented Ferry, which finished the year 27-2 under Coach Baker, on the all-tournament team.

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  1943 – After a year’s absence, Ferry was back at the state tourney after winning sectional and district crowns before defeating Greenfield (52-48) and Akron Kenmore (55-40) to win the regional. The Riders then dropped a 44-36 decision to Newark in the Class A State Semifinals, with Bill Young and Ed Sterling both scoring 11 points and earning all-tournament recognition.

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  1944 – Baker’s final trek to Columbus followed sectional and district titles and a regional championship that included wins over Newark (41-36) and Akron North (64-44). Ferry then fell by a 38-34 score to Middletown in the Class A State Semifinals, with Alex Groza scoring 16 points and Eugene Joseph adding nine and both making the all-tournament team for the Riders, who finished with a 24-1 record.

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 1951 – The first of two regional teams under Coach Melvin ‘Mickey’ Weisgerber came after winning sectional and district titles. The Riders beat Youngstown Rayen (54-38) in the Class A Regional Semifinals before falling to Canton McKinley (42-41) in the finals. Ferry finished with a 21-5 record.

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  1953 – The Weisgerber-led Riders returned two years later, this time winning sectional and district crowns before falling to Canton Timken (73-66) in the Class A Regional Semifinals to cap a 19-7 season.

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  1956 – With Coach Elmer Freese at the controls, Ferry again reached the Class A Regional Semifinals, first winning the sectional and district before dropping close game to Canton McKinley (57-54) in the regional. That year, the Riders finished with an 18-5 record.

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  1982 – Coach Larry Duck guided the Riders to their first district championship since 1956, defeating Toronto (80-54), Steubenville Catholic (70-54) and Cambridge (71-65).

  Ferry then upended Portsmouth (61-56) in the Class AA Regional Semifinals before dropping a heart-breaking 71-69 loss to Wheelersburg in the Regional Championship tilt to close with a 20-5 record.

  In the semifinal win, senior Dennis Swearingen led the always-balanced Riders with 14 points and senior Anthony Davis scored 13 while junior Chuckie Allen and senior Bruce Woods each had 10. In the regional final, Allen poured in 25 points, Swearingen tossed in 19 and Woods had nine while Davis and junior John Hajdin each had 10 rebounds. Other regulars in MF’s seven-man rotation were junior Willie Scarfpin and senior Barry Voytecek.

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  1996 – This ended a 14-year drought as Coach Jeff Sabatino guided the Riders to the first of his four regional appearances.

  The ’96 team defeated Toronto (59-46), Wellsville (57-48) and Fort Frye (83-60) enroute to a district championship and into the Division III Regional Semifinals where they dropped a 55-46 decision to Seaman North Adams to finish with a 16-8 record.

  In the regional game, senior Dave Reasbeck led Ferry with 21 points while Joe Elerick tallied 11 and Dusty Namack had 10. The other starters were Nate Jackson and Ryan Lucas.

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  1998 – The Riders returned to the regional under Sabatino for the second time in three years, beating Steubenville Catholic Central (76-48), Bellaire (43-39), Buckeye Trail (74-72 in two overtimes) and Garaway (60-54) for the district crown.

  In the Division III Regional Semifinals, the Purple suffered a tough 57-50 overtime loss to Chesapeake, closing out a 21-4 record season. Senior Chad Coyne scored 15 points; sophomore James Watts had 13 and junior Ralph Pugh had nine points and 14 rebounds in the loss. Chad Brinker and Fred Ray rounded out the starting lineup.

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  2013 – It was 15 years before the Sabatino-led Riders went back to Athens, playing at their best in the tournament where they beat Bellaire (71-47), Fort Frye (51-50), Coshocton (58-39) and Garaway (56-48) for the district title before dropping an 85-54 decision to Ironton in the Division III Regional Semifinal to bow out with a 14-9 record. 

  Senior Cody Schau poured in 32 points while senior Tyler Strama and junior Robert Vargo each had 10. The other starters were Jake Barritt and Emilio Appolloni.

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  2014 – Sabatino’s fourth and final regional trip followed a year later, claiming another district championship thanks to wins over Monroe Central (61-59 in overtime), Buckeye Trail (55-50), Union Local (52-49) and Garaway (57-43).

  This time, the Riders’ tournament trail ended with a 69-49 loss to Lucasville Valley in the Division III Regional Semifinals, ending the season with a 15-10 mark.

  Sophomore James Edwards tallied 15 points, senior Robert Vargo collected 13 points and 11 rebounds, and sophomore Arjay Burris scored 10 in the setback. Jake Barritt and Emilio Appolloni rounded out the starting cast.