By RICK NOLAND

Assistant Sports Editor

MEDINA — The Blaze is still on fire and the Sting can still bite.

The under-10 Medina Blaze recently won the Lorain County Hot Stove District title by defeating the Medina Vipers, Medina Blue Hawks and Valley City/Smith Barney.

The Blaze, coached by Dave Gilleland, Steve Mannarino, Steve Newman, Ryan Noska and Mike Noska, will compete in the regional tournament Saturday at Grafton Reservoir Park.

Team members are Joey Boles, Kade Enders, Mathew Gilleland, Joey Imburgia, Billy Kosco, Cory Mannarino, Andy Newman, Jordan Noska, Dino Paoletta, Tyler Reis, Logan Whipple and Kyle Winquist.

The U-8 Sting recently completed a 20-5 season that featured second-place finishes in the Cuyahoga Valley Baseball Association regular season and postseason tournament.

Team members were Chris Fryer, Drew Wilkinson, Stephen Milhoan, Andrew Stich, Collin Szumski, Zey Parente, Aaron Masek, Mason DeLuca, Noah McKee, Breydan Cavey, Xavier Maxwell and Trace Peterson.

The coaches were Tom Wilkinson, Jeff Peterson, Doug Maxwell, Steve Milhoan and Brad Cavey.

Those 8 to 14 can try out for 2009 Sting teams on Aug. 3 and 10. For more information, go to medinayouthbaseball.org.

   MCRC: The Medina Community Recreation Center summer sports programs for youth volleyball and men’s three-on-three basketball are nearing completion. In volleyball, the Medina Mayhem, which will not compete in the postseason tournament, defeated the XLR8ers 25-23, 25-13, 25-17 to clinch the regular-season title. The Hot Hitters will be the top seed in the tourney after defeating the second-seeded Purple Lazers 25-14, 27-26, 19-25 in the final week of the regular season. MCRC Team downed Twisted Sisters 25-21, 20-25, 25-21 to wrap up regular-season play. In the three-on-three league, Don & Ron’s Boys won the regular-season title with an 11-6, 6-11, 7-4 win over Mo’s Misfits and an 11-10, 10-11, 7-5 victory over Frontcourt. In other action, Mo’s Misfits beat Still Here 11-3, 11-10, Trinity downed Still Here 7-11, 11-4, 7-2, Riot Makers routed Frontcourt 11-5, 11-8, Newman defeated Trinity 11-8, 11-6 and Riot Makers downed Newman 11-6, 11-8. The MCRC is now planning fall leagues for men’s basketball and flag football. For more information, call Maureen Dowell at 330-721-6935.

   SOFTBALL: Medina County will be well represented Sunday at Firestone Stadium when the Silver League holds its annual all-star games. Wadsworth’s Jim Clark and Brunswick’s Dan Frias will play in the Blue Division (70-plus) game, while Hinckley’s Ron Gsellman and Wadsworth’s Ho Hoffman will be in the Gold Division (60-plus) contest. Medina’s Tom Magier and Wadsworth’s Ron Beech will play in the White Division (55-plus) game, while Wadsworth’s Dave Atkinson will take part in the Silver Division (morning plus-60) contest. Medina’s Mel Arndt will take the field in the Red Division (plus-45).

   SOFTBALL: The Wizards, a coed team sponsored by Illes Architects and Mulligan’s, won its flight and finished second overall at the USSSA National Invitation Tournament at Armco Park in Lebanon, Ohio. Top hotters were Bryan Kaspar (.778), Bill Burdett (.700), Glen Evans (.611), Mike “Grunt” Zgrabik (.611) and Tracy Evans (.588). Kaspar, Zgrabik, Burdett, Tracy Evans and Barb Carpenter were named to the all-tournament team. Other members of the Wizards were Rob Poe, Veronica Briggs, Debbie Stephens, Jimmy Gnew, Nicole Bittner, Jamie Poe and Mike “Rocko” Walker. The Wizards will compete in NSA and USSSA state tournaments in August.

   SWIMMING: The Medina Makos’ Graham Burnell qualified for the Central Mega-Zone Championships, to be held Aug. 6-10 in Indianapolis, with his performance at the Freelander Swim Meet in Wooster. Burnell finished second in the 100-meter backstroke, 200 individual medley and 100 freestyle, third in the 100 butterfly, fourth in the 50 free and eighth in the 100 breaststroke. Makos swimmers Morgan Burnell, Edwina Gomez, Olivia Muchewicz, Samantha Petruzzi, Anthony Petruzzi, Joey Reilman and Zachary Reilman also posted top-10 finishes. Abby Draiss, Krysta Halupnik, Lizzy Kato, Allie Lyncha, Dehvan Mixon, Lauren Muchewicz, Arianna Soika and Alex Warner recorded personal bests.

   PARAMOUNT TENNIS: Paramount Tennis Club crowned the following champions at the Summerfest Junior Open: Seth Udelson, boys 18 singles; Colton Buffington, 16 singles; David Shankman, 14 singles; Robert Stroup, 12 singles; Erika Sullivan, girls 18 singles; Elise Griffin, 16 singles; Michelle Djohn, 14 singles; Catherine Areklett, 12 singles; Michael Gersman and Justin Sugerman, boys 18 doubles; and Joy Warner and Amanda Warner, girls 18 doubles. Winners of the USTA Boys Summer Junior Open were Joseph Horvath (18 singles), Ross Whittaker (16 singles), Aaron Sandberg (14 singles), Noah Hendrickson (12 singles) and Sam Ubersax and Will Young (18 doubles).

Noland may be reached at rickn@ohio.net or 330-721-4061.