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Cleveland.com Ice Hockey All-Stars 2025: Meet the best from Northeast Ohio

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Nolan Ignacio started his senior season at St. Ignatius like any other this past fall. Playing defense for the defending state champions, Ignacio had been an X-factor for the Wildcats as a defenseman who could finish around the net. Things took a turn for him as the season started. Ignacio played his […]

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CLEVELAND, Ohio — Nolan Ignacio started his senior season at St. Ignatius like any other this past fall. Playing defense for the defending state champions, Ignacio had been an X-factor for the Wildcats as a defenseman who could finish around the net.

Things took a turn for him as the season started. Ignacio played his shifts behind the blue line, but more often than not would integrate himself in the Wildcats’ offense as the young season marched on.

As his goal totals started to rise, so did his coach’s attention to where Ignacio was playing. Then came the Purple Puck Tournament just outside of Washington, D.C., at the end of December, where St. Ignatius head coach Pat O’Rourke made a change that put Ignacio on a totally different trajectory.

“Being a defenseman pretty much my whole life was something I thought I would carry on, especially this year, but things changed and our trip to Washington when I moved to forward, that was a really experience,” Ignacio said. “Being able to change so late in my career and having a good impact as soon as I changed over to offense was a really big help to my confidence and that just pushed me to keep rolling throughout the season.”

Ignacio and the Wildcats were off to the races after the bold move paid off in a big way. Ignacio’s senior season ended with a team-high 49 points off a team-high 34 goals and 15 assists, leading to All-Ohio first team honors this year.

Ignacio has also been named the cleveland.com ice hockey player of the year for the 2024-25 season.

It didn’t take long for Ignacio to change his mindset surveying a new part of the ice full time. A shoot-first mentality took Ignacio a long way during the season, and even led to the overtime goal against Toledo St. Francis de Sales to send the Wildcats back to the state championship game in March.

“Personally, I think it was my shot,” Ignacio said. “Not only was it the power in my shot that improved, but also the amount of shots I took. I shot the puck every chance I got. Like (Coach O’Rourke) said, every shot is a lottery ticket, obviously you could see that in the semifinal game of the state tournament. It wasn’t my best shot, but it still went in and that’s all it took.”

The other major factor in Ignacio’s success was the trust he has in his coaching staff. His entire career O’Rourke and the rest of the staff have been in his corner to mold him into the best player and person he could be.

“The coaching staff at Ignatius is pretty special because they all came from the same place. Most of our coaching staff went to Ignatius and played at Ignatius, but our core staff all played in the same class together,” Ignacio said. “They hear each other out way better than some other coaches might because of that special bond. That’s really special when you’re trying to build a team of brothers like they were when they played.”

A big part of that trust comes from the brotherhood built at St. Ignatius by living it firsthand.

“We were all so close together, even our families bought into the family aspect of our team,” Ignacio said. “We had just such a tight group inside and outside of the locker room that I knew we had to have the same thing this year. Just being so close as a group is the biggest thing that brought us success this year and last year.”

To be first-team All-Ohio takes years of development and passion. That doesn’t come by accident, with practices in the wee hours of the morning.

A player’s commitment to hockey starts with a belief from a young age, and Ignacio believes Northeast Ohio is as good of a hockey area as any in the country.

“Northeast Ohio just breeds athletes, especially hockey players,” Ignacio said. “Northeast Ohio is the place to be because we have such good development throughout the younger ages at every level. Everyone who wants to play hockey has a chance to play hockey, which is a really important thing.”

Ignacio just recently decided that while he has accomplished what few have on the ice, he will be focusing on baseball at the next level. He will play just down the road at Cuyahoga Community College.

With that move, Ignacio said he hasn’t closed the door on hockey just yet, there’s still “a crack” in the door he could give hockey another go.

Here are the rest of the 2024-25 cleveland.com ice hockey all-stars:

First Team

Goalie – Joshua Ellenberger, Walsh Jesuit, Sr.

A third-team All-Ohio goaltender, Ellenberger spent his senior year as one of the most dominant goaltenders in Ohio. Posting a 21-9 record in goal, Ellenberger helped the Warriors to the Kent Regional semifinals as one of the top teams in Northeast Ohio.

Ellenberger maintained a 90% save percentage with an average goals against of 2.1. In 31 games this past season, Ellenberger made 832 saves, which kept him busy and his team in nearly every game.

Defenseman – Carter Smith, St. Edward, Jr.

Smith was another defender who had a knack for goal scoring in 2025. Helping the Eagles make a run in the Brooklyn Region, Smith was a beast for the Eagles with a team-high 32 goals.

His hard-hitting defense was felt by many opponents, earning first-team All-Ohio honors as a junior shows just how high the ceiling is for Carter.

He managed 15 assists on the season to help show his selflessness on a young Eagles roster that brings back a lot of talent next season.

Defenseman – Jonathan Heckman, Walsh Jesuit, Sr.

The Warriors would not have found the success they did in 2025 without the help of Heckman. A third-team All-Ohio member for his efforts this past season, Heckman did it all for the Warriors.

Heckman had 14 points on offense, but was worth so much more on defense, leading one of the stingiest defenses in the state.

Forward – Ryan Kehres, Benedictine, Sr.

The Bengals took a tough step in 2025 and had one of the toughest draws in the Brooklyn Region. All of that still didn’t slow down Kehres.

Earning third-team All-Ohio honors thanks to his ability to finish around the net, Kehres accounted for 51 points for the Bengals. He led his team in both goals (23) and assists (28).

Forward – Max Matejcik, Padua, Sr.

Matejcik led one of the youngest teams in Ohio to one game away from an appearance in the Frozen Four. Matejcik was a catalyst for the Bruins, which helped him to third-team All-Ohio honors.

He capped off his senior year with 14 goals to go with 13 assists as the Bruins showed a lot of fight under his leadership.

Forward – AJ Trobenter, Mentor, Sr.

Trobenter led the Cardinals to the school’s first state semifinal in a program rich in hockey history. Trobenter put up eye-popping numbers as a senior. His 64 points (33 goals, 31 assists) were 22nd in the nation, according to MaxPreps.

The record books in Mentor are now littered with Trobenter’s name as this past season’s Cardinals team set a new standard in Northeast Ohio public school hockey.

Honorable Mention

Andy Benincasa, Shaker Heights, D

Finn Bryan, University School, D

Jagger Dalton, Walsh Jesuit, F

Ike Dooner, Cleveland Heights, F

Sean Evilsizer, Westlake, F

A.J. Feretti, North Olmsted, F

Dominic Filizetti, St. Ignatius, G

Gavin Jones, University School, F

Hayden Halverson, University School, G

Lex Herr, Benedictine, D

Andrew Holcomb, Walsh Jesuit, F

Marcus Kane, Padua, D

Ryan Lenahan, Shaker Heights, F

Luke Mack, Kenston, F

Jake Mackey, Mentor, F

Cooper Radillo, Orange, F

Gavin Rowell, Kenston, F

Rjordan Sjovold, Gilmour Academy, F

Cord Steigmeier, CVCA, F

Nolan Toole, Rocky River, F

Dominic Trem, Mentor, F

Ryan Wilkinson, Mentor, G

NOTE: The position for Jagger Dalton has been corrected.

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Illini Soccer Bolsters Roster with Pair of Transfers

Story Links CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois soccer head coach Katie Hultin announced the additions of Cayla Jackson (Clermont, Fla.) and Lauren Smith (Frisco, Texas) to the Fighting Illini roster for the 2025 season.  CAYLA JACKSON | FORWARD | CLERMONT, FLA. | GEORGIA // EAST RIDGE HS // TAMPA BAY UNITED ABOUT JACKSON Made 16 appearances, seven starts, in her freshman season […]

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Illini Soccer Bolsters Roster with Pair of Transfers


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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois soccer head coach Katie Hultin announced the additions of Cayla Jackson (Clermont, Fla.) and Lauren Smith (Frisco, Texas) to the Fighting Illini roster for the 2025 season. 

Cayla Jackson Signed

CAYLA JACKSON | FORWARD | CLERMONT, FLA. | GEORGIA // EAST RIDGE HS // TAMPA BAY UNITED

ABOUT JACKSON

Made 16 appearances, seven starts, in her freshman season at Georgia
Scored the game-winning goal on her collegiate debut vs. Illinois on Sept. 5, 2024
Played for Tampa Bay United ECNL and East Ridge High School
Ranked in IMG Top 150 rankings
Named to First Team ECNL in 2021-22 and Second Team ECNL in 2022-23
Selected to ECNL Girls National Training Camp in 2022
Helped lead Tampa Bay United to ECNL U16 Final Four
Selected to ODP and USYNT U-14, U15, and U-16 player pools
Twice named to Orlando Sentinel First Team All-Central Florida
Named to three All-Area First Teams
Set school records for most goals in season and career
Captained East Ridge for two seasons
Scored 46 goals with 22 assists in junior season
Scored 38 goals with 17 assists in sophomore season and earned district championship.

Jackson joins the Illini after spending 2024 at Georgia. During her freshman campaign with the Bulldogs, Jackson scored one goal, on her collegiate debut vs. Illinois on Sept. 5, in 10 appearances, all coming off of the bench.

HULTIN’S TAKE: “We’re excited to welcome Cayla Jackson to our Fighting Illini famILLy. After a solid year at Georgia and a standout youth career, Cayla has proven herself to be a smart, technical and dynamic player. She brings a high level of skill and creativity to the field, but just as importantly, she’s a person of strong character, with an incredible work ethic, a positive attitude, and natural leadership qualities that will make an immediate impact.” 

WHY ILLINOIS: “I chose Illinois because it felt like home. My father went to Illinois State and this is the second time I’ve been recruited by the University with a completely different staff. I also scored my first collegiate goal versus Illinois and I feel as though God’s purpose was for me to be here.”

Lauren Smith Signed

LAUREN SMITH | DEFENDER | FRISCO, TEXAS | TEXAS TECH // MEMORIAL HS // STING DALLAS BLACK 06

ABOUT SMITH

Was a mid-year enrollee at Texas Tech…did not feature in a game with the Red Raiders
Two-time all-district selection at Memorial HS
Was named team’s defensive player of the year as a freshman
Attended elementary and middle school with current Illini Bella Zanoni

  • Mom and aunt played college soccer at Texas Tech and Houston, respectively
  • Smith joins the Illini after spending the spring at Texas Tech as an early enrollee. She was a two-time all-district selection at Memorial HS, where she tallied 10 goals in her high school career. She was also named the team’s defensive player of the year as a freshman.

    HULTIN’S TAKE: “We’re excited to add Lauren Smith to our program. She had a strong youth career and gained valuable experience this spring that has prepared her well for the college level. Lauren will be a great addition to our back line. She’s athletic, dominant in the air and brings a relentless mentality when it comes to protecting our goal. We’re looking forward to the impact she’ll make in our defensive unit.” 

    WHY ILLINOIS: “I chose Illinois because I feel it is the best fit for me and will give me the best opportunity both athletically and academically.”

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    Chicago Blackhawks’ Frank Nazar scores twice for US at worlds

    STOCKHOLM — Chicago Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar scored twice to help the United States rally for a 5-2 victory over the Czech Republic and hand the titleholder its first defeat at the ice hockey world championship Tuesday. The victory lifted the Americans to second place in Group B in Herning, Denmark. Switzerland won the group […]

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    STOCKHOLM — Chicago Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar scored twice to help the United States rally for a 5-2 victory over the Czech Republic and hand the titleholder its first defeat at the ice hockey world championship Tuesday.

    The victory lifted the Americans to second place in Group B in Herning, Denmark. Switzerland won the group with the Czechs finishing third.

    “I loved our effort and how we played to our identity,” U.S. coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “Give our power play credit too. Overall, great team effort and a good step forward as we continue to build.”

    Nazar deflected a shot into the net to tie the score at 2 on a power play 1:35 into the third period. He scored on another power play for the 21-year-old’s sixth goal in the tournament.

    Logan Cooley roofed a shot from close range to make it 4-2 with 6:31 to go, and Andrew Peeke finished it off with a goal into an empty net.

    Josh Doan gave the Americans a 1-0 lead 9:25 into the game on a rebound with a backhand between the pads of goalie Karel Vejmelka.

    The U.S. dominated the first period, outshooting its opponent 23-8. The Czechs came back in the second as David Pastrnak tied the score on a breakaway 41 seconds into the period by beating his Boston Bruins teammate Jeremy Swayman for his sixth goal of the tournament.

    Pastrnak then set up Martin Necas in the left circle to one-time a shot that put the Czechs 2-1 up 8:33 into the second period.

    Earlier, Austria reached the playoffs for the first time in 31 years by defeating Latvia 6-1 to become the fourth and final team to advance to the quarterfinals from Group A.

    Sweden and Canada face each other later Tuesday for the top spot in the group. Finland, another qualified team, beat Slovakia 2-1.

    Switzerland beat Kazakhstan 4-1 in Herning and moved to the top of Group B before later games.

    Kazakhstan was relegated after five years in the top division.

    Switzerland finished with 19 points, two ahead of the Americans and Czechs

    The winner between Germany and Denmark later Tuesday will determine the fourth and final team from Group B to advance.

    Originally Published:



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    Bemidji State unveils 2025-26 slate for Beaver Women’s Hockey

    Story Links BEMIDJI, Minn. – In conjunction with the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, the Bemidji State University Women’s Hockey team unveiled its 2025-26 slate Wednesday morning. The Beavers will play a 34-game regular season which begins Sept. 26-27 with a series against defending National Champions University of Wisconsin at Sanford […]

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    BEMIDJI, Minn. – In conjunction with the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, the Bemidji State University Women’s Hockey team unveiled its 2025-26 slate Wednesday morning. The Beavers will play a 34-game regular season which begins Sept. 26-27 with a series against defending National Champions University of Wisconsin at Sanford Center.
     
    2025-26 will be the 28th season of Bemidji State Women’s Hockey and will feature 34 games during the regular season including 16 at its home arena, Sanford Center. The Beavers will play 28 games against some of the fiercest competition in collegiate women’s hockey while also playing six non-conference games against Robert Morris University, Lindenwood University and Merrimack College.
     
    For the complete schedule, click here.
     
    The Beavers’ kick-off the new season with its first two series at home hosting Wisconsin (Sept. 26-27) and Robert Morris (Oct. 3-4). Bemidji State will then travel to Columbus, Ohio to face Ohio State University Oct. 10-11 before back-to-back bye weeks.
     
    The Beavers return to action Oct. 31-Nov. 1 with a road trip to Minnesota State University, Mankato and then return to Sanford Center Nov. 7-8 to host University of St. Thomas. BSU then travels to University of Minnesota Nov. 14-15 before hosting St. Cloud State University Nov. 21-22.
     
    The Beavers will spend Thanksgiving weekend in St. Charles, Mo., for a non-conference series at Lindenwood Nov. 28-29. Bemidji State will play just two games in December when it hosts University of Minnesota Duluth Dec. 5-6.
     

    After the holiday break, the Beavers return to action Jan. 3-4 and travel to North Andover, Mass., to face Merrimack for the first time in program history. The Beavers then make their first appearance at the new Lee & Penny Anderson Arena in St. Paul, Minn., for a series at St. Thomas to cap-off a four-game road streak.
     
    Bemidji State returns home Jan. 16-17 to host Minnesota and then travels to Madison, Wis., for their second meeting with the Badgers Jan. 23-24. The Beavers end the month of January by hosting Minnesota State Jan. 30-31.
     
    BSU finishes the final month of the regular season with six games including four on the road. The Beavers begin February at Minnesota Duluth (Feb. 6-7) and then travel to St. Cloud State (Feb. 13-14). Bemidji State finishes the 2025-26 regular season at home hosting Ohio State Feb. 20-21.
     
    The 2026 WCHA Playoffs kick-off Feb. 27-28 with the WCHA Quarterfinals hosted by highest seeds. The WCHA Final Faceoff will be the following weekend at a site yet to be determined.
     
    The 2026 NCAA Women’s Hockey Tournament begins Mar. 13 with the NCAA Regionals followed by the 2026 NCAA Frozen Four at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pa., Mar 20.
     
    For more information on the Bemidji State women’s hockey program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on X or Instagram, or like them on Facebook.
     
    Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
     
    –bsu–





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    University Of Massachusetts Hockey Adds Transfer Mikey DeAngelo

    AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts hockey has added 5-11, 179-pound forward Mikey DeAngelo to its roster out of the transfer portal, head coach Greg Carvel announced on Wednesday. DeAngelo, who will join the Minutemen as a sophomore after one year at Michigan State, is the first new addition to the 2025-26 squad. “Mikey DeAngelo comes […]

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    AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts hockey has added 5-11, 179-pound forward Mikey DeAngelo to its roster out of the transfer portal, head coach Greg Carvel announced on Wednesday. DeAngelo, who will join the Minutemen as a sophomore after one year at Michigan State, is the first new addition to the 2025-26 squad.

    “Mikey DeAngelo comes to UMass after one year at Michigan State where he had a solid season on a very good college hockey team,” said Carvel. “Mikey will bring speed and skill to our lineup and will fill one of the spots created by three UMass centers signing NHL contracts after this past season. With the opportunity that exists on our team, we expect Mikey to be a point getter who plays a responsible game without the puck and plays with a lot of tenacity and plays to our identity as a team. It should be a smooth transition for Mikey, and I am excited to see his impact on our lineup.”

    As a freshman at Michigan State, DeAngelo helped the Spartans to a Big Ten title and an NCAA Tournament berth, appearing in 33 games and logging nine points on three goals and six assists with a +3 rating.

    Prior to playing college hockey, the Itasca, Illinois, native was a member of the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) for two seasons and combined for 34 goals and 53 assists in 110 games for the Gamblers. DeAngelo also spent a season with Dubuque (USHL) in 2021-22, appearing in 38 games and compiling six points on three goals and three assists. He represented Team USA at the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Slovakia and Czech Republic, leading the US skaters in points in the tournament with six (2g, 4a) over four games.

    DeAngelo is a product of the Chicago Mission youth organization, winning state championships in 2017 and 2020.

     



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    2025 primary election results | State College News

    Centre County voters cast their ballots in the 2025 municipal primary election on Tuesday. A total of 18,829 ballots were cast during the election according to unofficial results posted to centrecountypa.gov. Listed below are the unofficial election results for statewide races and State College officials as of 10:33 pm on Tuesday. Superior Court of Pennsylvania […]

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    Centre County voters cast their ballots in the 2025 municipal primary election on Tuesday. A total of 18,829 ballots were cast during the election according to unofficial results posted to centrecountypa.gov.

    Listed below are the unofficial election results for statewide races and State College officials as of 10:33 pm on Tuesday.

    Superior Court of Pennsylvania

    The Superior Court of Pennsylvania is one of the two statewide intermediate appellate courts within Pennsylvania. The Superior Court reviews civil and criminal cases that are appealed from the Courts of Common Pleas.

    Judges who are appointed to the Superior Court serve 10-year terms and must retire at age 75. Judges retain their seat after their term has expired via a retention vote.

    Brandon Neuman (D-Pa.) ran against Maria Battista (R-Pa.) and Ann Marie Wheatcraft (R-Pa.), with Neuman winning with a total of 823,710 votes. 9,224 of those votes were cast within Centre County.

    Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania

    The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania is the second intermediate appellate court and alongside the Superior Court, deals with regulatory agencies, state and local governments.

    Judges who are appointed to the Commonwealth court follow the same rules as the Superior Court in regards to term limits, retention and retirement.

    Stella Tsai (D-Pa.) ran against Matt Wolford (R-Pa.) and Josh Prince (R-Pa.). Tsai won with a total of 821,340 votes. 9,243 of those votes came from Centre County.

    District Attorney

    The district attorney (DA) acts as a representative of the United States government in criminal cases that take place in county-level and local courts. DAs can serve a total of two four-year terms.

    Bernie Cantorna (D-Pa.), ran unopposed and was reelected with a total of 9,407 votes. Cantorna has served as district attorney in Centre County since Jan. 2, 2018.

    Jury Commissioner

    The jury commissioners are tasked with overseeing the civil jury process within their appointed county. There are two jury commissioners in Centre County who serve four-year terms.

    Shelley L Thompson (D-Pa.) and Hope P Miller (R-Pa.) were both reelected to their positions with a total of 9,125 and 7,515 votes respectively. They both ran unopposed on their respective ballots.

    Mayor

    The Mayor of State College is the official representative of the municipality as well as the presiding officer of the State College Borough Council. They are limited to four-year terms before needing to be reelected.

    Ezra Nanes (D-Pa.) was reelected as mayor of State College with a total of 1,535 votes. He ran unopposed, save for 42 write-in Republican ballots.

    State College Borough Council

    The State College Borough Council consists of seven members including the mayor, who all serve four-year terms that overlap, resulting in some members seeing elections before others.

    Nalini Krishnankuttty (D-Pa.), John Hayes (D-Pa.) and Gopal Balachandran (D-Pa.) ran unopposed to be reelected to their positions on the council, with Krishnankutty receiving 1,459 votes, Hayes receiving 1,371 votes and Balachandran receiving 1,430 votes.

    School Director, State College School District

    The State College Area School District (SCASD) is governed by a board of directors which consists of nine members who all serve four-year terms.

    Seven candidates ran on both the Democratic and Republican ballots for four available seats on the board with Deborah Anderson being reelected to the board with 6,084 votes across both ballots.

    Jackie Huff, another incumbent, is also expected to be reelected with 5,490 votes across both ballots.

    Jesse Barlow and Rebecca Arnold Desmarais are also expected to win seats on the SCASD Board of Directors with each candidate receiving 5,834 votes and 5,059 votes respectively across both ballots.

    Judges

    Judges in Centre County serve in minor courts within Pennsylvania’s judicial system and consist of magisterial district judges who preside over several municipal courts throughout State College and elsewhere.

    These courts are tasked with determining if criminal cases go to the Court of Common Pleas, dealing with Preliminary arraignments and preliminary hearings and setting and accepting bail, except in murder or voluntary manslaughter cases.

    State College is made up of two magisterial districts.

    Magisterial District 49-1-01 consists of Voting Districts within State College, specifically East 2, East 3, and East 4, East Central 2 and 3, South 2, South Central 1 & 2, Southeast and West Central 2.

    Donald M Hahn ran on both the Democratic and Republican ballots to be reelected as judge for magisterial district 49-1-01, which includes State College, with a total of 930 votes across both ballots. He ran unopposed for the position.

    Magisterial District 49-3-05 consists of Voting Districts within State College, specifically Voting Districts East 1, East Central 1, North, Northeast, Northwest, South 1, West 1, West 2 and West Central 1.

    Steven F. Lachman ran on both the Democratic and Republican ballots to be reelected as judge for magisterial district 49-3-05, which includes State College, with a total of 889 votes across both ballots. He ran unopposed for the position.

    The full list of Centre County unofficial Municipal Primary Elections results is available at centrecountypa.gov.

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    Luzerne County voters choose council candidates

    It appears Luzerne County Republican voters chose three incumbents, a prior councilman and a newcomer to advance to the November general election in the county council race, according to unofficial primary election results. At 11:45 p.m., with all 186 precincts reporting, the following Republicans were in the lead: Council members John Lombardo, Brian Thornton […]

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    It appears Luzerne County Republican voters chose three incumbents, a prior councilman and a newcomer to advance to the November general election in the county council race, according to unofficial primary election results.

    At 11:45 p.m., with all 186 precincts reporting, the following Republicans were in the lead: Council members John Lombardo, Brian Thornton and Greg Wolovich, past county councilman Stephen J. Urban and southern county resident Jackie Scarcella.

    Meanwhile, county Democrats nominated these five based on unofficial results: Denise Williams, Dawn Simmons, Chris Belles, Steven M. Coslett and Tony Perzia.

    Nine Republicans sought that party’s five nominations Tuesday, which means the following four will not advance if the unofficial leads stand: incumbent Kevin Lescavage, Thomas Dombroski, Ronald D. Knapp and Rob Viars.

    Seven Democrats ran, and the unofficial leads indicate the following did not secure nominations: Johnny Price and Emily Singh.

    Council members receive $8,000 annually. In addition to adopting a budget, their duties include approving larger contracts, appointing members to outside county boards, enacting codes and ordinances, confirming nominations to eight division head positions and hiring/firing and evaluating the manager.

    The compensation and powers of council could change if voters adopt a proposed home rule charter in November. For example, the county government study commission drafting the revised charter is recommending increasing the annual compensation for council members from $8,000 to $10,000 due to their responsibilities and workload.

    The five council members selected in November will take office or start new terms the start of 2026 and serve with Joanna Bryn Smith, Harry Haas, Patty Krushnowski, LeeAnn McDermott, Jimmy Sabatino and Brittany Stephenson.

    Chris Perry, the remaining incumbent in a seat that expires at the end of this year, did not seek re-election.

    The unofficial vote tally as of 11:45 p.m. with 186 precincts reporting:

    Republicans: Lombardo, 12,065; Thornton, 9,838; Urban, 9,042; Scarcella, 8,999; Wolovich, 8,638; Lescavage, 8,339; Dombroski, 8,017; Knapp, 6,629; and Viars, 4,742.

    Democrats: Williams, 14,647; Simmons, 12,461; Belles, 12,048; Coslett, 11,501; Perzia, 10,618; Singh, 8,763; and Price, 8,057.

    Some background on the nominees based on their announcement and other communications:

    Republicans

    • Lombardo, of Pittston, received a bachelor’s degree in political science and media relations from Penn State University in 2015. He currently works as a full-time firefighter/EMT at the City Fire Bureau and has served on county council since January 2022.

    • Thornton, of West Pittston, graduated from Lehigh University with a degree in mechanical engineering. He initially worked as a project engineer in New York City and has worked as a financial advisor in the county for 28 years. He had previously served on West Pittston Borough Council for a decade and has been a county council member since January 2022.

    • Urban, of Kingston, is an IT support coordinator for a major food distributor and prior county council member. He served on county council from 2012 through 2015 and from 2020 through 2023. He currently serves on the county Government Study Commission.

    • Scarcella, of Hazle Township, works as the development and alumni stewardship officer at Penn State University’s Hazleton campus and is a graduate of Hazleton High School and the Luzerne County Community College. She served two terms on the Hazleton Area School Board from 2016 to 2023.

    • Wolovich, of Hanover Township, has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from King’s College and works as an operations manager at Wegmans Food Market in Wilkes-Barre Township. He has served on county council since January 2022.

    Democrats

    • Williams, of Kingston Township, began her career as a registered nurse and later became the coordinator of religious education at Saint Therese’s Church in Shavertown, a role she held for 24 years until her retirement in 2021. From 2017 to 2021, Williams volunteered with Fair Districts PA, a nonpartisan citizens group working to end gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. She served as county election board chair from 2021 through the end of 2024.

    • Simmons, of Wilkes-Barre, Simmons, is a U.S. Air Force veteran and Realtor and described herself as a “resolute advocate for veterans, families and economic growth.”

    • Belles, of West Pittston, is a 2004 Dallas High School graduate and a 2009 graduate of King’s College. He has spent most of his life in Luzerne County and currently works as a data analyst for Astound Broadband (RCN), where he focuses on identifying opportunities for efficiency.

    • Coslett, of Forty Fort, graduated from the Wyoming Valley West School District and attended Luzerne County Community College, where he studied business management and criminal justice. Additionally, Coslett is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Academy in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. He retired after 23 years with the county correctional services division but continues to serve on the honor guard and its board of directors.

    • Perzia, of Luzerne, said he is a dedicated community advocate with more than 30 years of experience in the community. He has served on the Luzerne Borough Council, as the Wyoming Valley West School District’s support staff president and on the PSEA Legislative Committee.

    There was no primary competition in the county controller’s race because incumbent Republican controller Walter Griffith and Democratic contender Tim McGinley were each unopposed. The two will run against each other in November.

    Based on the unofficial primary tally at 11:45 p.m., McGinley received 17,841 votes, while Griffith obtained 15,888.



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