POST Wednesday, January 7, 2026 • Vol. 18 No. 16 • FREE
PreSort Std U.S. Postage PAID Middlefield, OH 44062 Permit No. 77
Postal Customer Local / ECRWSS
Community News from Middlefield, Parkman, Huntsburg and Surrounding Areas
OR CURRENT RESIDENT
Middlef ield Strever Clutch in Huskies Victory By Alan Kornspan sports@karlovecmedia.com For the Cardinal Huskies Boys basketball program, the past few years have been challenging. However, this season the Huskies are led by a group of underclassmen looking to turn things around. On Dec. 30, with four sophomores and a freshman on the court in the final minutes, the Huskies held off a furious comeback bid by the Springfield Spartans to claim a 62-61 victory on their home court. With less than 30 seconds to go in the game, and the Huskies clinging to a 60-59 lead, the Spartans made the decision to send the Huskies to the free throw line. After the Spartans fouled sophomore Kannon Strever, he went to the line to shoot two free throws. Kannon Strever explained that during the intense final minutes, stay-
Cleveland Woman Dies Dec. 25 after Crash on 87
ing relaxed under pressure was key. “You just got to stay calm and not let them control the pace, you just got to slow it down,” Strever said. As Kannon Strever went to the foul line with the game on the line he was focused on making both free throws in order to deny the Spartans a chance to hit a game winning shot. At the free throw line, Strever concentrated on his breathing in order to stay calm and keep his mind clear. “I was just breathing, not letting anything in my head, I wasn't really thinking about it,” Strever said. “I just shot my two shots. Stayed calm and made both my free throws.” After Strever put the Huskies up 62-59, the Spartans had a final opportunity to complete a miraculous fourth quarter comeback and send the game into overtime. In the final moments of the contest, Kannon Strever said that the See Huskies • Page 6
ALAN KORNSPAN/KMG
As Kannon Strever went to the foul line with the game on the line he was focused on making both free throws. Strever did just that as Cardinal beat Springfield, 62-61 on Dec. 30.
Claar Pleads No Contest To Vehicular Homicide Staff Report
Staff Report Amanda Beesley, 36, of Cleveland, died following a single-vehicle accident just before noon on Christmas Eve at the intersection of Bundysburg Road and state Route 87 in Middlefield Township, said Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Scott Schweinfurth in a press release. A 1971 Chevy Fleetside pickup truck, driven by Sherman Moore, 42, of Cleveland, was eastbound on state Route 87 when it went off the right side of the highway, hit a large rock, flipped over and caught fire, according to the OSHP press release. Moore and two passengers were ejected from the truck, the patrol said. Beesley and Donald Davis, 61, also of Cleveland, were flown to MetroHealth Medical Center in See Crash • Page 6
SCREENSHOT
Matthew Claar is escorted into Geauga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Matt Rambo’s courtroom Dec. 22 after pleading no-contest to vehicular homicide regarding a two-vehicle accident Oct. 4 that killed Joseph Plotts, of Middlefield Township.
Matthew Claar, 47, of Leavittsburg, Ohio, was released on a personal recognizance bond Dec. 22 after entering a no-contest plea to vehicular homicide stemming from a two-vehicle crash Oct. 4 that resulted in the death of Joseph Plotts, 46, of Middlefield Township. A change-of-plea hearing was held in front of Geauga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Matthew Rambo after the defendant initially pleaded not guilty at his arraignment, according to Geauga County Prosecutor Jim Flaiz. Claar faces a mandatory six to 18 months in prison, a $2,500 fine and a possible one- to five-year driver’s license suspension, Rambo said during the hearing. Claar was charged with vehicular homicide after he failed to slow his vehicle down and struck See Claar • Page 6
facebook.com/middlefieldpost x.com/MiddlefieldPost