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By Eddie Kahl | Steel Valley Sports Photography by Eddie Kahl YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO — There’s a new buzz around Youngstown State football, and it’s not just the echo of the Ice Castle crowd on game day. The Penguins are quietly building something sustainable — a program grounded in physicality, discipline, and steady progress that’s catching the attention of college football watchers across the Midwest. A Clear Identity Head coach Doug Phillips has emphasized the same message sinc

By Steel Valley Sports Photography by Eddie Kahl YOUNGSTOWN, OH — It hasn’t been a perfect season, but the Youngstown State Penguins  are proving that progress isn’t always measured by the standings alone. Sitting at 5–3 overall  and 3–2 in conference play , YSU has shown flashes of what Head Coach Doug Phillips  has been building since taking over the program — a disciplined, tough, and resilient football team. The Offense Finding Balance Quarterback play has been steady, wi

By Steel Valley Sports Photography by Eddie Kahl CLEVELAND — The 2025 season didn’t end with a playoff berth, but it did end with something Cleveland baseball has quietly been missing — momentum. The Cleveland Guardians  finished the year with a roster full of homegrown talent, a pitching staff that showed flashes of dominance, and a fan base that’s beginning to see the payoff of patience. A Season of Lessons, Not Letdowns The Guardians’ final record might not tell the full s

By Marcus Taylor | Steel Valley Sports Edited by David Rosen, Managing Editor • Photography by Eddie Kahl CLEVELAND — From the roar inside Cleveland Browns Stadium to the echo of the crack of a bat at Progressive Field, there’s a new rhythm building along Lake Erie. After years of frustration and transition, Cleveland’s major sports teams are finding fresh energy — not in championships yet, but in attitude, culture, and connection. The Browns: Searching for Identity, Not Just

By Marcus Taylor | Steel Valley Sports Edited by David Rosen, Managing Editor • Photography by Eddie Kahl CLEVELAND — A new season brings new expectations for the Cleveland Cavaliers , a team standing on the edge between promise and pressure. After back-to-back playoff appearances, the Cavs enter 2025 determined to prove they belong among the Eastern Conference elite. Donovan Mitchell’s Defining Year All eyes are once again on Donovan Mitchell , who enters the season as the f

By Eddie Kahl | Steel Valley Sports Sharon, Pa —  The band’s playing, the crowd’s fired up, and the lights cut through a chilly night. In this part of the country — Western Pennsylvania, Northeast Ohio, and Northern West Virginia — football isn’t entertainment. It’s who we are. Community Before Kickoff From Farrell to Aliquippa, Friday nights still mean something. Some folks head straight from work to the field, others catch the score between shifts — but everyone knows who’s