MASSILLON, Ohio — St. Vincent-St. Mary established itself defensively early on and never looked back in its 24-0 win over Trotwood-Madison in the Division III state title game. It was the second straight championship win for the Irish, and the second straight state championship loss for the Rams, who were playing in their fourth state title game in as...

MASSILLON, Ohio — St. Vincent-St. Mary established itself defensively early on and never looked back in its 24-0 win over Trotwood-Madison in the Division III state title game.

It was the second straight championship win for the Irish, and the second straight state championship loss for the Rams, who were playing in their fourth state title game in as many years.

Bill Landis and Stephanie Kuzydym of cleveland.com break down the game and share their thoughts on what the Irish to another state championship, the sixth in program history.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – When Glenville's football team needs to score points, there are plenty of places to turn. You have running back Davon Anderson, who could play football or run track in college next year. There is also running back Devine Redding, who is orally committed to Indiana.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – When Glenville's football team needs to score points, there are plenty of places to turn.

You have running back Davon Anderson, who could play football or run track in college next year. There is also running back Devine Redding, who is orally committed to Indiana.

At wide receiver there are national college recruits Marshon Lattimore and Erick Smith. At quarterback, there is three-year starter Quan Robinson Jr.

But as the Tarblooders prepare for Friday's Division II state championship game against Loveland at Canton Fawcett Stadium (7 p.m.), another player knows he, too, will be counted to score points.

And Tallis Jones-Washington is ready.

The 5-foot-10, 190-pound sophomore has been the Tarblooders' main place-kicker this season after impressing the coaches enough last year to earn the job. Like most Tarblooder kickers, Jones-Washington uses a straight-on approach as opposed to soccer-style.

"In the Senate (Athletic Conference) games last year they found out I could kick and they started using me," said Jones-Washington. "I was making them, so they said, 'You can kick.'"

The one consistent aspect of Glenville's kicking game over the years has been its inconsistency. This season has followed that pattern as the Tarblooders have had at least one unsuccessful extra point try in each of their games.

But the good thing about kicking for the Tarblooders is that you get plenty of practice. That's especially true in the Senate, where they averaged 49 points per game.

Against Collinwood this season, Jones-Washington hit 6-of-6 extra points in the first quarter of a 62-0 rout.

"I had a lot of practice that day," he said.

In the regional finals against Madison, Jones-Washington was 4-of-6, and the next week in the state semifinals against Highland he was 5-for-6. He is also 2-for-2 on field goals this season, hitting from 21 and 25 yards.

"He's gotten better. He was struggling in the beginning, and we still struggle a little bit now," said Tarblooders coach Ted Ginn Sr. "But he's always been the main guy."

The Tarblooders haven't had a game come down to a field goal attempt this season, other than against Solon in Week 2, when Marshon Lattimore's block preserved victory.

One of the Tarblooders' most memorable wins came in 2008, when kicker Marvel Brooks hit a 30-yard field goal as time expired to beat St. Ignatius, 20-17.

Jones-Washington has heard about that one.

"When I go home, my parents tell me (about it)," he said. "They tell me, 'Be ready.'"

Through the first three weeks of this season, the Tarblooders were just 3-of-6 on extra point attempts and 1-of-5 on 2-point conversion tries. But the Senate schedule – where the Tarblooders haven't lost since 1997 - provided plenty of chances to smooth things out.

"In the Senate, there's no real rush," said Jones-Washington. "I got used to focusing on the ball and it's a slower pace."

Keep your head down. That's Jones-Washington's biggest focus when approaching the ball. But the jump in competition in the playoffs has put that to the test.

"Against Madison, I missed because I was looking at the rush," said Jones-Washington. "They were right in my face. They were throwing my timing off. I had to try and not look at the other team."

Jones-Washington realizes this is all part of learning. Although he kicked at the youth level, he never envisioned his role with the Tarblooders would one day be as the kicker.

"I played so many positions when I was little, I didn't know where I'd be (on varsity)," said Jones-Washington, who is listed as running back/linebacker on the roster.

If 6-foot-4, 325-pound Marcelys Jones, an Ohio State commit, wasn't so busy dominating on the offensive and defensive line, Jones-Washington might not be the full-time kicker.

Jones, who kicked off last year, has returned to that role this season. Earlier this week, he was booming punts during a Tarblooders practice.

"He can punt. He may punt in (Friday's game)," said Ginn Sr. "He can also kick field goals and extra points. But it's hard when he's playing the whole game."

For now, though Jones-Washington remains the team's No. 1 option for extra points and field goals. He has embraced his role and hopes to keep it for the next two years. He wants to attend a kicking camp in the summer.

Ginn said he is comfortable using his young kicker from about 25 yards out. And if the Tarblooders get within range on Friday night, you can bet Jones-Washington will be ready.

"When we get close (to the end zone), the coaches say, 'Tallis, be ready.' But sometimes they'll just go for it," he said. "When they're between the end zone and the 30, I'm wishing they'll call me out there to kick it, because I know I can make it."

Contact high school sports reporter Scott Patsko by email (spatsko@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@ScottPatsko). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Purple Raiders employing four safeties in a unit that is ranked fourth nationally against the run.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Stopping the run up front starts in the back for Mount Union.

The Purple Raiders regularly employ a 3-6 aliment with four safeties in what has become one of the nation's best run defenses.

Mount Union is allowing 67.1 yards per game, which ranks fourth in NCAA Division III heading into Saturday's home national quarterfinal against Wesley (10-2).

Last week, Mount Union stonewalled Wittenberg's running game in a 56-21 victory. Wittenberg had been averaging 227 yards on the ground, and was held to 48 yards on 25 carries (1.4-yard average).

The UMU defense's other notable performance was limiting Heidelberg tailback Cartel Brooks to 68 yards on 26 carries (2.6-yard average) on Nov. 2. Two weeks later, Brooks rushed for an NCAA all-division record 465 yards on 38 carries against Baldwin Wallace.

“We've been pretty solid on run defense all year,'' Mount Union coach Vince Kehres said. “When you see what (Brooks) ran for against BW, that gives some credibility to how we were able to defend him.''

Mount Union's biggest asset against the run isn't just winning the point of attack, it's speed.

“We run to the ball well and try to make the ball go east and west,'' Kehres said. “We've had to adapt a little bit to our personnel. We're a 4-2 team utilizing our second strong safety to play more of an odd front and getting an extra defender to the weak side.''

Tom Lally, Matt Fechko and Ted Rosalva form the three-man front in the odd set. Defensive end Nyejel Thomas plays on passing downs.

“We're still mainly playing one-gap defense and need to be able to rush the passer. We're asking them (the linemen) to do a lot,'' Kehres said.

The extra defender is junior backup safety Cody Pogorelc, who had a team-high 10 tackles against Wittenberg. He plays in the back with starting safeties Alex Kocheff, Mike Maier and Joshua Scott. Jonathan Gonnell an Hank Spencer are the linebackers.

Turnover margin: For a team that is outscoring opponents by an average of 48-14, Mount Union has a surprisingly low turnover margin of plus-four. It did not commit a turnover against Wittenberg, and the defense produced one turnover, a fumble forced by Rosalva and recovered by Kocheff.

“If you play good, solid defense, turnovers will come,'' Kehres said. “We don't try to emphasize them. There are going to be games where you don't get as many as you want to. At the same time, we need to try to get them, too.''

Full-go, full-time: Mount Union played one of its best second halves of the season against Wittenberg, outscoring the Tigers 35-7. “Our team played a 60-minute football game. That's one of the things we needed in improve on,'' Kehres said.

Academic All-Americans: Two Revere High School grads were named Division III first-team Academic All-Americans. Honored were Baldwin Wallace linebacker David Flagel (Revere) and Grove City defensive back Chris Gibbs. BW defensive back Zach Barley (Hudson) also was selected. Area second-team selections were BW defensive back Joe Kasper (Mentor) and John Carroll defensive back Brody Zangaro (Pittsburgh). All five are carrying grade-point averages of 3.76 or higher.

In Division II, Notre Dame College running back Pedro Powell (Liberty) was a second-team selection.

Browns receiver Josh Gordon will face one of his biggest challenges to date in Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib, but he vows "to make more plays.''

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns receiver Josh Gordon will face one of his stiffest challenges to date Sunday in Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib -- but he's not flinching.

In fact, he's calling his shot just like he did last week.

"I’m pretty sure he’ll make some plays, but I’m definitely going to make more plays,'' said Gordon.

Last week, Gordon said the Browns would exploit Jacksonville's three rookie defensive backs, and they did -- to the tune of a team-record 261 yards receiving for Gordon.

This week, he needs 41 to surpass Braylon Edwards (1,289 in 2007) for the club's most receiving yards in a season -- and he doesn't plan on letting Talib keep him from the feat.

"NFL cornerback is a hard position to play, and he’s doing a great job right now for that defense,'' said Gordon. "He’s a real physical, scrappy player. But I’m going to come out there and do the same, go out there and make plays myself and try to make sure that nobody can stop me.''

On Wednesday, Talib ranked Gordon, who's second in the league with his 1,249 yards, right up there with the best in the NFL.

"He reminds you of those names, the Calvin Johnsons, the Andre Johnsons, it’s

bigger guys with little guy speed and quickness,” Talib said. “He can turn an

8-yard curl into a touchdown in a heartbeat.

“You get a guy who’s 235 pounds” — actually 225, according to the Browns — “and

running like he’s 35 pounds, that’s definitely a challenge.”

Browns offensive coordinator Norv Turner said Gordon has yet to battle man-to-man with one of the league's premier corners. Since 2009, Talib ranks fifth in the NFL with 19 interceptions, and is tied for third with four for TDs.

"We’ve played against good corners (but) the biggest thing is we haven’t had a team just say, ‘We’re going to go up and play man and lock down,''' Turner said. "We’ve seen a variety of coverages, a good mix of coverages. So I think Josh has benefitted from that because we move him around a lot and we put him in position to make plays. That’s the next step, when you get a corner that’s a top-level corner and he comes up and says, ‘Hey I’m just going to play man all day,’ then it becomes a little bit of a different type of competition.”

Gordon is excited to face the 9-3 Patriots and see how he stacks up.

“Definitely looking forward to that challenge,'' he said. "I’ve never played this team. I hold this team in high regard for their past, their coaching staff and the guys they have on their team and what they’ve done. They might double team me they might not. If they do give me that look we’re prepared for it, for the double team, we’ve been practicing for it but if they don’t and they single me up we plan to exploit it.”

He surmised teams don't double him more because of the Browns' challenged offense.

"I think most teams just don’t respect us out here,'' he said. "That’s really what it is so if they continue not to, we’re just gonna continue to make plays and hopefully we can get some more wins.”

Horton on Brady: Browns defensive coordinator Ray Horton gushed over Tom Brady.

“My opinion, Tom Brady is the greatest draft pick in the history of the NFL,'' said Horton. "I know a lot of old names, and I wasn’t back there drafting in the old days, but when you look at what Tom Brady has done, from where he came from, I believe he’s the best draft pick in the history of football. I might go so far to say he’s the greatest player that’s ever played. That’s not just because we’re playing him; that’s my belief. The things he’s overcome, the way his will, his heart, his probably preparation for the game, I don’t know if there’s a better NFL player in the history of the game than Tom Brady.''

Horton on the Jaguars winning drive: Horton acknowledged that his defense blew it after Gordon put the Browns up 28-25 with 3:55 remaining. "I think everybody was highly, highly disappointed and probably nobody more so than Joe (Haden), who took it very hard,'' Horton said. "For that, I think shows outstanding character that it means that much to him. I think, I believe if you’d ask him before, he’d love to be the guy that they throw at to make the play. As happens in this league, it didn’t happen that particular time and he’s done that obviously a lot more than he had not for this year.''

He acknowledged that the defense could've made a statement with a stop on that drive.

"You should say, ‘Hey, put it on us,''' he said. "Great players would say, ‘Not only put it on us, but put it on me,’ that they throw the ball in that situation or try to, to get the sack. That’s how you make a name, a reputation, in this league of big-time players making big-time plays in big-time games. I would hope most of our guys would want to be in that situation; I know I did. I wanted it to be kind of like what we talked about in the halftime of the Kansas City game, being maybe an epiphany of how good we can be. Those are kind of drives, if you will, that cement, or help, build that legacy, that legend, that ability to be mentioned as a good top defense.”

Kruger frustrated? Pass-rush specialist Paul Kruger has only 2.5 sacks this season, which is as many as cornerback Chris Owens had when he was placed on injured reserve this week.

“What kind of season has he had? I would believe he would say frustrating, meaning our record, first of all,'' said Horton. "He had the majority of his sacks (in 2012) the last quarter of the season, plus the postseason, and he kind of helped Baltimore crash that wave to the Super Bowl. I think if you ask me to put an adjective to it, he’d say frustrating. He wants to do more. He’s doing everything that he can. Sometimes you can’t do it as one man and sometimes you just do. You ride that momentum of, ‘Wow. Everything’s clicking at the right time.’ But we’re not disappointed. I’m sure he is and I’m sure that he’s frustrated that most of our guys don’t have better numbers, but that’s individually.”

McFadden gearing up: Horton said he trusts rookie cornerback Leon McFadden, the team's third-round pick, to play well. “For me probably the biggest word to use for me is either trust or accountability,'' said Horton. "I believe you’re accountable to your teammates and I have to be able to trust you. He has that now. He has my trust to go into a game, he’s prepared hard, he’s worked hard on the field and he’s earned his chance to play. He is one of our starters in waiting and he’ll play for us and I expect him to do well.”

Here's a look at the Big Ten Championship, the Buckeyes and the Spartans from every angle.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Both No. 2 Ohio State and No. 10 Michigan State have a lot at stake in Saturday night's Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis.

The Buckeyes (12-0, 8-0 Big Ten) need a win to keep their national title hopes alive.

The Spartans (11-1, 8-0) need a victory to guarantee a coveted spot in the Rose Bowl, where they haven't played since 1988. If they lose, and Ohio State plays for the national title, the Spartans could go to the Rose Bowl anyway.

The Leaders Division-champion Buckeyes have one of the top offenses in the country, averaging 48.2 points a game to rank third in the nation. The Legends Division-champion Spartans are among best on defense, giving up a nation-low 237.7 yards and 11.8 points per game to rank fourth.

Here's what you need to know about the Buckeyes and Spartans heading into Saturday night's 8:17 p.m. kickoff at Lucas Oil Stadium:

Thursday

From cleveland.com

• Could weakness (OSU defense) vs. weakness (MSU offense) determine the game?
• An open letter to Auburn fans explaining the Buckeyes
• Can we tell you who the key players will be? Aye.
• 5 thoughts on why FSU isn't in the BCS debate; and how MSU has done it
• OSU WR Devin Smith is ready to explode onto the scene
• How Walsh Jesuit graduate Connor Cook became MSU's answer at QB
• What happens when OSU knows Auburn's fate before kickoff Saturday night?

From Mlive.com:

• MSU's Shilique Calhoun a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award
• What is the "Spartan Dawg" anyway?
• MSU lands a tight end recruit, Montez Sweat
• MSU LB Denicos Allen credits his Ohio upbringing with his toughness
• For BCS bid, Spartans need to keep it "competitive"
• Some hypothetical Rose Bowl point spreads
• Four-star CB Tyson Smith commits to MSU for 2015 class

Wednesday

From cleveland.com

• Yahoo Sports' Dan Wetzel breaks down the BCS and the game (video)
• Who was right and wrong from the Big Ten preseason poll?
• Why BCS arguments for Florida State, OSU and Auburn are all wrong
• What can be learned from OSU-MSU 2012
• Mark Dantonio sees two national championship-caliber teams

From Mlive.com:

• Is defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi so good that MSU might lose him?
• Spartans are a bona fide top-10 team
• Damion Terry is impersonating Braxton Miller this week

Tuesday

From cleveland.com

• If you're in Indy, where to go before the game
• OSU LB Ryan Shazier edged out for B1G Defensive POY
• OSU QB Braxton Miller wins second straight B1G Offensie POY honor
• Mark Dantonio already has one win over Urban Meyer this week
• Thad Matta: If Buckeyes win, they should be in BCS title game
• This week's Heisman Trophy watch
• MSU defense, OSU offense: Worth the hype?
• 5 thoughts on Auburn, Jameis Winston, the BCS
• Best weekend ever for Big Ten: Monday takeaways (video)
• Why BCS is a four-letter word in Columbus this week
• Hall, Wilson receive no further post-fight discipline from Big Ten
• Buckeyes well represented on All-Big Ten teams . .
• . . . and who was snubbed

From Mlive.com

• Spartans playing with an edge, out to prove they are elite
• MSU back into the Rose Bowl? Don't say that to LB Max Bullough
• Denicos Allen, MSU linebacker, on the game: 'It's personal'
• Bullough is happy no OSU players were suspended after fight
• OSU has come a long way since MSU matchup in 2012
• Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly says MSU defense has no weaknesses
• Dantonio trying to get MSU a little BCS championship chatter
• Walsh Jesuit graduate Connor Cook steps out of the shadows for MSU
• So, how will MSU try to slow down the Buckeyes offense?
• MSU offense knows opportunities will be there vs. OSU defense

Monday

From cleveland.com

• Will OSU's porous pass defense be its downfall?
• Bill Livingston on Buckeyes and The Chase
• Former Buckeye Andrew Moses on how lessons from the past mattered vs. Michigan
• Why another close win won't help the Buckeyes' BCS case
• Point spreads: Among BCS title contenders, who'd be favored?
• ESPN's Game Day will be in Indy
• Amid focus on MSU, BCS title lobbying going on

From Mlive.com

• MSU had its share of All-Big Ten honorees
• Narduzzi a finalist for honor given to top assistant coach
• More on the key matchup: OSU offense vs. MSU defense
• The Buckeyes and Spartans by the numbers

West Virginia plans to announce the selection of former Ohio State President Gordon Gee as its interim president on Friday, according to news reports.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Gordon Gee, who retired last summer as president at Ohio State University, is planning to accept a position as interim president at West Virginia University, according to news reports.

The Columbus Dispatch says it learned through anonymous sources at West Virginia that Gee plans to accept the job.

From the Dispatch:

West Virginia’s board of governors announced (Thursday) that the board had chosen an interim president, but said that it would wait until Friday morning to announce a name. WVU Board Chairman James Dailey says the board is “thrilled” with its selection. “We are absolutely thrilled with our selection to lead the state’s flagship, land-grant university during an important time in our history,” Dailey said in a news release today. “This individual is uniquely qualified to move WVU forward and continue the momentum we are enjoying. We are anxious for our new president to arrive in the new year, and hope that folks will get a chance to say ‘hello and welcome’ very soon.”

A state higher-education committee will meet Friday and must approve the selection, the Dispatch reports. West Virginia plans to select a permanent president by early June, according to reports. The board has said the interim president will not qualify for the permanent job, according to the Charleston Gazette.

Gee, 69, was president at West Virginia from 1981 to 1985. He also was once dean at the university's college of law.

According to the Lantern, the student newspaper at Ohio State, Gee was at an OSU University Senate meeting on Thursday and said he would be teaching at Harvard next semester. He did not mention WVU and said in October he would not pursue a president's position anywhere else, the paper says. From an Oct. 21 interview with the Lantern:

“This is my home, and look, I’ve done this longer than any person in this country, and I’ve had the greatest opportunities at the greatest institution one could possibly imagine. But I’m really committed to making a difference by doing what I’m doing now, by actually being engaged in this university family but also engaged in and talking about the issues of higher education.”

Gee retired as Ohio State president on July 1, his second time as the school's top official. He first served as OSU's president from 1990 to 1997. He was president of Brown University and Vanderbilt University before returning to Ohio State in 2007.

Gee oversaw six campuses, 63,000 students and 42,000 faculty and staff at Ohio State. He was popular with students, but announced his intentions to retire shortly after making controversial comments about Notre Dame University and Catholics.

West Virginia has 32,348 students, with 29,466 on the main campus in Morgantown. It has divisional campuses in four other cities. It has more than 2,000 full-time faculty members.

Gee's return to West Virginia is welcomed by Hoppy Kercheval, a columnist with WVmetronews.com:

College presidents rarely have star power. The public usually knows more about the football or basketball coach than the head of the institution. Gee is different. He would be the main attraction in the room, whether it’s a board meeting, an alumni gathering or the halls of the State Capitol. That alone enhances the image of West Virginia University. Along the way, Gee will probably say or do something that will cause folks to cringe. After all, he’s the college president who rode the mechanical bull at a bar during one of WVU’s bowl trips. But Gee’s quirkiness is not malicious; it’s part of his unique character. And, when he keeps his foot at least a short distance from his mouth, it’s part of his charm.

Monsters slip past Toronto, 2-1

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Monsters defenseman Matt Hunwick, already nasty on the penalty kill, added an offensive dimension Thursday night against the Toronto Marlies.

Hunwick's shorthanded goal midway through the third period propelled the Monsters to a 2-1 victory at The Q.

The Monsters (11-9-0-1) snapped a two-game skid. They have not dropped three straight this season.

Lake Erie played its fourth of 11 in a row against North Division opponents. It is 2-2 in those games, with the next matchup coming Friday night against Hamilton at The Q.

Toronto (12-8-1-0) leads the North with 25 points, one more than Rochester and two clear of Hamilton and Lake Erie. Toronto had won three in a row and six of seven.

At 8:55 of the third, Monsters center Joey Hishon went to the box for an unsportsmanlike-conduct minor. His teammates picked him up in a major way. Inside of 20 seconds remaining on the penalty kill, left winger Paul Carey forced a turnover. The puck moved to Hunwick, who took a shot from tight right, secured the rebound and eventually wrapped around to beat goalie Christopher Gibson at 10:45.

"Paul Carey carried the puck into the zone and drew a couple of players to him,'' said Hunwick, who has two goals in 10 games. "I was able to join the rush as the second guy. I tried to take it wide and at least get a good shot off. It's not too often that you get a rebound off a high glove shot, but, lucky enough, it was able to come right back to me.''

The 5-11, 190-pound Hunwick continues to be a beast on the penalty kill. He always seems to be in the correct position.

"It's knowing when to go, when to be aggressive,'' Hunwick said. "I'm not the biggest guy, I don't have the biggest reach, so I need to use my speed and quickness.''

The Marlies took a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 19:01 of the first period. Defenseman T.J. Brennan's blast worked its way past goalie Calvin Pickard. Left winger Troy Bodie was credited with a redirect for his third.

Lake Erie tied the score with a power-play tally at 4:43 of the second. Bryan Lerg beat Gibson with a slapper for his 10th. Lerg became the first Monster to reach double-digits in goals. Credit Hunwick with an assist.

Inside of two minutes remaining in the second, left winger David Broll broke loose from traffic and swooped in on Pickard. As Broll prepared to shoot, Pickard did an excellent job of taking away the angle. Broll sent the puck wide.

Early in the third period, Hishon committed his second two-minute penalty. In 12 previous games this season, Hishon had been penalized once for two minutes.

Seventy-two seconds later, Carey was sent to the box, giving Toronto a 5-on-3 for 48 seconds. The Marlies unloaded a couple of ringing slappers that failed to find the mark. The Monsters thought Toronto got away with bumping Pickard.

In the remaining 5-on-4, Pickard made two quality rejections. He finished with 29 saves.

"Picks seemed to be seeing the pucks well,'' Monsters coach Dean Chynoweth said.

Chynoweth appreciated his club's resiliency in the second period and its ability to stay on task against a tough opponent. He also wondered about some of Lake Erie's 10 infractions.

"We're not supposed to comment on the officiating,'' Chynoweth said. "There were some interesting, interesting calls. I'll leave it at that.''

MASSILLON, Ohio – St. Vincent-St. Mary senior Newman Williams looked at the Division III state championship trophy with the kind of wide eyes of a young football fan in awe of an NFL player. This was trophy No. 2.

MASSILLON, Ohio – St. Vincent-St. Mary senior Newman Williams looked at the Division III state championship trophy with the kind of wide eyes of a young football fan in awe of an NFL player.

This was trophy No. 2.

“I wanna touch that trophy,” he said as his teammates surrounding him began pointing at him as the trophy glided their way.

Check back shortly for a video.

There’s very little the Irish’s linebacker and running back couldn’t do Friday night.

Here’s what he did do.

He played two ways, rushing five times for 42 yards and two touchdowns, while also amassing four tackles. He bowled over his defenders like he’s a monster truck attacking the little white pins at the end of the lane.

He changed the game.

On Friday at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon, Newman Williams kept his word to do whatever it took to win the Irish’s sixth state championship and first back-to-back titles in school history when he helped his team to a 24-0 victory against Trotwood-Madison.

Last year, in about three and a half minutes, Williams changed the state title game with a touchdown, an interception and a trick play for a touchdown.

This year, though, there were no interceptions or trick plays.

“I’m a little disappointed he didn’t score on the fake punt,” Irish coach Dan Boarman said. He smiled as eight of his players, seven of whom were seniors, surrounded him in the post-game press conference.

Defensively, Williams was part of a state championship unit that allowed 12 total rushing yards and zero points on Friday.

“I hate judging year to year,” Boarman said about the defenses he’s coached, “but I’d like to see a better one.”

It all became noticeable with 7:36 left in the second quarter when Williams forced a fumble that Dante Booker Jr. recovered. Five plays later, it was Williams who took just his second carry of the game across the goal line for the Irish’s first touchdown of the night.

Three of the Irish’s five turnovers led to three touchdown drives. Two of those touchdowns were scored al la Williams. 

Yet in true Newman Williams style – he had very little to say about his day’s work.

“I didn’t know what to expect coming into this game,” Williams said. “I came in with mentality that it would take anything that these people right here needed me to do and I think I did that tonight.”

Williams makes up one-third of the best linebacker group in Division III, and probably one of the best in the state. The group helped SVSM’s defense to four shutouts and only 117 points given up this season.

Boarman believes that his team was so successful because  even with two Ohio State recruits, no one tried to be the star.

“It speaks of the character of this football team,” he said. “When you bring young men together that’s probably the most important thing to have some people who have some humility, that it’s not just about me, but it’s about the team.

“That’s a legacy that these guys will pass on to the younger kids that it’s not about the team that it’s about me.”

As Boarman finished, Williams looked to his left and placed his hand on the shoulder of RB/OLB Vince Lockett. Lockett snagged an interception, had a pass breakup and scored a touchdown Friday. He’s the only one of the group Boarman brought into the postgame press conference who will return next year. His teammates hoped what he carried with him wasn't just what it takes to touch a trophy.

It was hard work and humility.

Said Williams: “I’m sure he picked up a lot of stuff from us.”

Contact high school sports reporter Stephanie Kuzydym by email (skuzydym@cleveland.com) or on Twitter (@stephkuzy). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

MASSILLON, Ohio – Beneath the lights at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Ohio’s 2013 Mr. Football watched the ball bobble on the ground and picked it up. St. Vincent-St. Mary senior linebacker and tight end Dante Booker Jr. had quite the two days. On Wednesday, he was named the 27th Mr. Football in Ohio, the first in SVSM history.

MASSILLON, Ohio – Beneath the lights at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Ohio’s 2013 Mr. Football watched the ball bobble on the ground and picked it up.

St. Vincent-St. Mary senior linebacker and tight end Dante Booker Jr. had quite the two days. On Wednesday, he was named the 27th Mr. Football in Ohio, the first in SVSM history.

On Thursday, his team lifted the a state title trophy for the second straight year, also the first time in Irish history.

“It’s a great honor,” Booker said after the championship ceremony. “I received a second state championship. I’m going to watch Ohio State play and I’m sure they’re going to get the W too. It’s been a great weekend.”

SLIPPERY WHEN WET

The rain fell steadily upon Paul Brown Tiger Stadium with little regard to the important game waged on the turf on Friday night.

On the second play of the game, Trotwood-Madison quarterback Messiah DeWeaver dropped back, slipped and fell for a sack and an eight-yard loss.

The turf field held up though and there were only minor slips throughout the rest of the state title game.

Trotwood-Madison fans, though, drew the wrong side of the stadium. They sat beneath their rain ponchos and umbrellas as good amount of SVSM’s fans sat beneath an awning.

VINEGAR’S CONSECUTIVE STARTS ENDED WITH A STATE FINAL

Trotwood-Madison coach Maurice Douglas said after the game that senior offensive lineman that Clem Vinegar made his 59th consecutive start of the Rams, thanks to the fact that his team has made the playoffs every year.

That would mean Vinegar started every game in his career since the Ram’s opener his freshman season.

BY THE NUMBERS

4,940 – Total attendance of the 2013 Div. III state title game

12 – Net yards rushing for Trotwood-Madison

5 – Turnovers forced by the Irish

239 – Total kickoff yards

21 – SVSM’s winning streak

QUOTES OF THE NIGHT

“They beat us on the line of scrimmage. I never thought anyone would be us on the line of scrimmage.” – Trotwood-Madison coach Maurice Douglass

“I think we could’ve played another couple days and they still wouldn’t of scored.” - SVSM coach Dan Boarman

MASSILLON, Ohio — St. Vincent-St. Mary's football clinched its second straight Division III state title behind a strong defense, and an offense that made the most of its opportunities. Here are five takeaways from Thursday night’s win over Trotwood-Madison at Massillon:

MASSILLON, Ohio — St. Vincent-St. Mary's football clinched its second straight Division III state title behind a strong defense, and an offense that made the most of its opportunities.

Here are five takeaways from Thursday night’s win over Trotwood-Madison at Massillon:

SVSM defense a force to be reckoned with

St. Vincent-St. Mary coach Dan Boarman didn’t go as far as to say this defense is the best he’s coached in his career, but he admitted he’d be hard-pressed to find one better. The Irish bottled up the Rams’ potent offense and held them to just 111 yards.

Trotwood’s star sophomore quarterback Messiah DeWeaver was held to 9-of-25 passing for 84 yards and three interceptions. Six Trotwood rushers were held to 12 total yards on 23 carries.

Defense leads to offense

On all three of SVSM’s scoring drives, the defense put the offense in a good position to score. Two of those scoring drives started inside the Rams' 30-yard line, the other started at the Irish 40.

Dropped pass a turning point

Trotwood had a chance to get on the board just before the half, but Kendric Mallory dropped a fourth down pass in the end zone, keeping the Rams off the board going into the half.

From that point, Trotwood struggled to move the ball, gaining just 55 yards and two first downs in the second half.

Big day for punters

In a state title game, it’s easy for punters to get overlooked, but both teams had strong punting games Thursday. Trotwood’s Eric Copsy got away seven punts for an average of 41.6 yards.

SVSM punter Sean Devany punted five times, often under pressure, for an average of 30 yards. The Rams started in Irish territory just once all game.

Irish mix it up on offense

There was a lot of Parris Campbell Jr., and Newman Williams used his power to get two touchdowns, but SVSM threw some wrinkles into the offense Thursday night as well.

Eight players carried the ball for the Irish, and a big completion to Dante Booker Jr. — his second of the season — helped set up their first score.

Contact high school sports reporter Bill Landis by email (blandis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@blandis25). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

MASSILLON, Ohio -- St. Vincent-St. Mary's football team celebrated its sixth state title and first back-to-back title in school history and cleveland.com was there to capture it all. The Irish defeated Trotwood-Madison, 24-0 on Friday at Massillon's Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. SVSM's defense held the Rams to just 12 rushing yards. The victory was their fourth shutout of the...

MASSILLON, Ohio -- St. Vincent-St. Mary's football team celebrated its sixth state title and first back-to-back title in school history and cleveland.com was there to capture it all.

The Irish defeated Trotwood-Madison, 24-0 on Friday at Massillon's Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. SVSM's defense held the Rams to just 12 rushing yards. The victory was their fourth shutout of the season, meaning the Irish began and finished the 2013 season with a shutout. 

The victory extended the Irish's win streak to 21 games, including a 15-0 undefeated season.

"We have some talent," Irish coach Dan Boarman said. "You don't win state championships without talent."

Middle linebacker and running back Newman Williams led the night with a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and two rushing touchdowns, as well as a 28-yard run on a fake punt. Outside/middle linebacker and tight end Dante Booker Jr. also had a fumble recovery, as well as a 44-yard reception.

"It's a testament to these kids intensity and their heart," Boarman said. "They're built to run the football and play good tough football."

Check out the most complete video coverage of St. Vincent-St. Mary’s second straight Division III state football championship - from pre-game warm ups to an empty Paul Brown Tiger Stadium just before midnight.

Also, make sure to read up on the game with Bill Landis’ gamer, Stephanie Kuzydym’s sidebar on Newman Williams, five takeaways from the game and a special state football insider.

Stick with cleveland.com for all your postseason playoff coverage throughout this state final weekend.

State finals preview

Halftime analysis

Postgame analysis

Trotwood-Madison press conference

St. Vincent-St. Mary press conference

Two-time Irish State champion and Ohio State commit Parris Campbell Jr. talks about the team's second state title

Two-time Irish State champion and Ohio State commit Dante Booker Jr. talks about the Irish's dominating defensive performance

Why might some analysts be picking the Spartans? Well, they now have their own personalized "Type of Way" lyrics.

INDIANAPOLIS - "Dantonio got them feeling some type of way."

"Everybody great, even our punter great."

"That's Spartan power, watch Connor Cook throw it deep to Bennie Flowers."

Those are just a sampling of the lyrics from a new Michigan State mix of "Some Type of Way" out this week from Blaze1, the younger brother of Atlanta recording studio CEO/owner Curtis Daniel III, a former MSU player.

The real "Type of Way" from Rich Homie Quan (or Richie Home Quans, as MSU coach Mark Dantonio called him on the Big Ten Network on Monday) has become an MSU anthem of sorts this season, the song the Spartans dance to in the locker room after each win. They'll want to play it in Indianapolis on Saturday night. If they beat the Buckeyes, maybe they can use the new version.

Mike Griffith of Mlive.com detailed how the latest version came about and you can go ahead and take a listen take a listen.

Will Michigan State's "Type of Way" work?

Several national analysts have picked the Spartans, who are 5 1/2-point underdogs. At CBSSports.com, five of six analysts, as well as the Prediction Machine, went with Ohio State. It was Dennis Dodd who picked the Spartans.

Phil Steele, picking at ESPN.com, chose the Buckeyes 30-20.

Of four Big Ten analysts, two picked the Buckeyes and two picked the Spartans.

ESPN analysts Brian Griese and Mark May, making their picks at halftime of the Thursday night game, both went with Michigan State. And ESPN's Mark Schlabach made the Spartans his upset pick of the week.

More from us: 

• Could weakness (OSU defense) vs. weakness (MSU offense) determine the game?
• An open letter to Auburn fans explaining the Buckeyes
• Can we tell you who the key players will be? Aye.
• 5 thoughts on why FSU isn't in the BCS debate; and how MSU has done it
• OSU WR Devin Smith is ready to explode onto the scene
• How Walsh Jesuit graduate Connor Cook became MSU's answer at QB
• What happens when OSU knows Auburn's fate before kickoff Saturday night?

Elsewhere:

• OSU alum and comedian Richard Lewis is angst-ridden over Auburn, and ready for a playoff

• Big Ten assistants break down the Buckeyes with BTN.com's Tom Dienhart 

MASSILLON, Ohio — St. Vincent-St. Mary linebacker Dante Booker Jr. flashed a smile across the room to teammate Newman Williams when Trotwood-Madison’s total rushing yards were read aloud. “Twelve.”

MASSILLON, Ohio — St. Vincent-St. Mary linebacker Dante Booker Jr. flashed a smile across the room to teammate Newman Williams when Trotwood-Madison’s total rushing yards were read aloud.

“Twelve.”

Booker and Williams wanted that number to be lower, but the Irish put up a zero in the place it mattered most — the scoreboard. St. Vincent-St. Mary clinched its second straight Division III state football title with a 24-0 win Thursday night at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon.

It was the first shutout in an Ohio state championship game since 2008.

“We’ve got a real special defense,” said Booker, who was named Ohio’s Mr. Football on Wednesday night. “We came here with good preparation. It’s awesome to look up and see that goose egg after the game.”

Also, make sure to check out additional cleveland.com posts, including seven videos from the game, Stephanie Kuzydym’s report on Newman Williams, five takeaways from the game and a state football insider.

The defense forced Trotwood (11-3) into five turnovers — two fumbles and three interceptions by sophomore quarterback Messiah DeWeaver. Three of those turnovers set the Irish (15-0) up on a short field and led to all three of their touchdowns.

Williams had touchdown runs of 1 and 8 yards, Vince Lockett had a 1-yard touchdown run and Evan Cunningham hit a 36-yard field goal. Quarterback Aaron Bushner completed just 3 of 10 passes for 56 yards, and the Rams held the Irish to 236 total yards.

But that was all the offense had to do on a day in which the Irish defense controlled things from the start.

“They beat us on the line of scrimmage,” said Trotwood coach Maurice Douglass, whose team was playing in its fourth straight state championship game. “I never thought anyone would beat us on the line of scrimmage.”

When Rams running back Marc Raye-Redmond was stopped for no gain by Lockett on the game’s first play, it was a sign of things to come for the defense, which held Trotwood to just 111 total yards.

The closest the Rams came to scoring was a dropped fourth down pass in the end zone by Kendric Mallory that was closely defended by Jarel Woolridge.

“Have you seen better defense played than that?” Irish coach Dan Boarman said. “Just unbelievable. I have to give credit to our defensive coaches. They came to play.”

Anthony Adkins led the group with seven tackles. Lockett, Travonte Junius and Nate Bischof each had interceptions. Booker and Newman each had fumble recoveries.

The Irish first got on the board when a 44-yard pass from Bushner to Booker set up Cunningham’s field goal. Williams’ first touchdown followed at the 5:56 mark of the second quarter.

The drop by Mallory kept the Rams off the board going into the break, and by that time, the Irish defense knew it could control the game.

“We were pretty confident going into halftime,” Booker said. “Knowing how good they were, we made a point as a defense to not let up a big scoring game. (Defensive coordinator Marcus Wattley) says it all the time, that’s not gonna happen. We play defense at St. V.”

They played plenty of defense Thursday night, posting their fourth shutout of the season, holding a team that came in averaging 46 points per game scoreless.

Parris Campbell Jr., who led the Irish with 73 rushing yards on 18 carries, had plenty of confidence coming into the game, even guaranteeing a victory after last week’s state semifinal win.

What made him so confident?

“The guys who are on my team,” Campbell said. “We all work hard. It’s not cockiness, it’s confidence. We’re not afraid to be confident.”

With two state titles in two years, who could blame them?

Contact high school sports reporter Bill Landis by email (blandis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@blandis25). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

On the eve of the unlikeliest of SEC championship games, the coaches looked to their roots.

ATLANTA -- As Auburn and Missouri prepared Friday to play in perhaps the most unlikely SEC championship game in recent memory, both coaches embraced their past.

For Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, Friday was a day to reflect on his humble roots as an assistant coach at a small Arkansas high school. Missouri's Gary Pinkle, meanwhile, reflected on the influence the late Don James had on his coaching career.

Their stories are particularly compelling this year as they bring to Atlanta two of the most compelling cases for national coach of the year in college football.

No. 3 Auburn and No. 5 Missouri, both 11-1 and 7-1 in the SEC, are among college football's greatest overachievers this season.

Malzahn inherited an Auburn team coming off a 3-9 season and an 0-8 SEC finish and most expected Malzahn to face a rebuilding job that would be measured in years.

Instead he's taken a former Georgia defensive back, turned him into a quarterback and, in a year when several other SEC teams had senior star quarterbacks, Malzahn turned his run-first approach into the second most prolific offense in the SEC behind reigning Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M.

Missouri defensive lineman Michael Sam (52) has been one of the best defensive players in the SEC this season. (Associated Press)

Missouri did not get a chance to practice on an eve of the big game, denying it a final chance to try to figure out how to slow down both Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall and running back Tre Mason.

Nobody has lately. Ever since LSU shut out Auburn in the first half of AU's only loss of the season, a 35-21 LSU win over Baton Rouge Sept. 21 -- the Auburn offensive machine has been unstoppable.

Even against LSU, AU rolled up 437 offensive yards and 21 second-half points after falling behind 21-0.

The next week, Auburn struggled, relative to what it would eventually do, getting held to 375 yards in a 30-22 win over Ole Miss. After that, the Tigers have gotten better and better. They have been held under 40 points just twice since the Ole Miss game -- once against Arkansas in a game where AU seemed to protect Marshall, who was banged up that game -- and by Alabama.

Not even Nico Johnson and Alabama's vaunted defense could corral Tre Mason and Auburn's high-powered rushing attack. (Vasha Hunt/ vhunt@al.com)

Certainly, Auburn will be challenged again. Missouri is a defense that allows plays, but has playmakers of its own.

If Auburn wins this win, it thinks it deserves a shot at playing for a national championship over a potentially unbeaten Ohio State team.

Maybe it would. Maybe Missouri would. It's a conversation that, at its heart, is purely subjective.

But chalk up the winner of Saturday's Atlanta showdown as the biggest turnaround story in college football led by the best coaching job in the college game this year.

Bowling Green Falcons flex their offensive muscle against undefeated Northern Illinois in the Mid-American Conference Championship game.

DETROIT, Mich. -- The Bowling Green Falcons went right to the heart of the No. 14 Northern Illinois, carving up the middle of the field with long pass plays and touchdowns that led to a stunning 47-27 victory over the slightly favored and undefeated Huskies in the 2013 Mid-American Conference Championship game in Ford Field.

It was the fewest points scored by the Huskies since a 27-20 victory over Akron, Oct. 12, and the most points NIU allowed since giving up 39 to Eastern Illinois, Sept. 21.

This victory capped a now 10-3 season for the Falcons and was the coming out party for sophomore quarterback Matt Johnson. He directed a BG offense that rolled the tote board for 504 yards of offense by the end of the third quarter and 576 yards for the game.

In the process Johnson and BG took some of the air out NIU's QB Jordan Lynch and his potential late-season Heisman Trophy dash.

That BG won was no real surprise as this game was rated a near toss-up. But the final margin was as impressive as it was unexpected, with Johnson as the trigger going 21-of-27 for 393 yards and a MAC record five touchdowns covering 28, 36, 22, 12 and six yards.

"We would have been absolutely crushed if we didn't win this football game,'' BG head coach Dave Clawson said. "We thought we were the better team."

Even before the game started NIU head coach Rod Carey was worried about the Falcons young QB, who would join the likes of Bruce Gradkowski (Toledo) Ben Roethlisberger (Miami) and Byron Leftwich (Marshall) with four TD passes by halftime, and Johnson still had two quarters left to play.

His fifth TD pass gave Johnson the MAC Championship record alone, and sealed the victory with a 40-20 lead and still 10:17 to go in the game..

"They're getting really good quarterback play,'' Carey said of the Falcons. "Any time you get an offense that is being productive like they are, then the quarterback is the reason, because of his decision-making.

"No matter how good your run game is, there is going to be times when you are in third down, or you have to take a shot and throw the ball. The quarterback is the guy that does that. He's playing really well, and that is what concerns you. They are already good in the run game, they're already good up front. They have good receivers.

"Now they got the quarterback making the right decision at the right time. That's what is most concerning.''

His concerns were justified.

The touted Falcons defense was no stone wall, but the offense was a jauggernaut as Bowling Green rolled up 381 of their yards and 31 points in the opening half, to 229 yards for NIU (12-1). Johnson put the No. 14 Huskies into a 31-13 hole at the break with 294 yards passing and four touchdowns.

While the Falcons scored touchdowns at every opportunity the Huskies were forced to kick three long field goals, missing two, to hurt their own scoring cause.

Lynch looked unsettled throughout the first 30 minutes, missing open receivers for touchdowns and throwing a critical interception with 1:05 to go in the half just after the Falcons had turned the ball over to NIU with a fumble.

Cool and collected, Johnson was 16 of 19 for 294 yards and 4 TD the first two quarters. He took that interception at the 49 and led BG to what looked to be a game-clincher, his third touchdown pass in the middle of the field, 12-yards to tight end Alex Bayer for the stunning lead at halftime.

The Huskies got the second-half kickoff, and Lynch went to work with a 64-yard touchdown drive ending with his eight-yard scoring run. That cut the score to 31-20 to give the Huskies hope.

Johnson's first pass of the second half was for 44-yards, indicating he had not lost his touch. From there he too BG to the Huskies eight, facing third-and-five. This time his pass in the middle was too high, leading to a short field goal that was missed, giving momentum to NIU.

Lynch, however, could not take advantage. One of many missed pass connections led to another field goal attempt, and this was the second straight miss for Matt Sims.

With the third quarter ticking down and Johnson driving the Falcons again, NIU needed to hold BG to a field goal or less to have a chance inside the final 15 minutes. Facing third-and-seven at the NIU 26, the first play of the fourth quarter, Johnson had his first hiccup as he was called for intentional grounding, leading to a 52-yard field goal that was good for a 34-20 BG lead with 14:50 to go.

Lynch then threw his second interception of the game, returned 37 yards to the NIU 20, to all but lock up a Championship for the Falcons.

Lynch would finish the game with 219 yards passing and 126 rushing.

CANTON, Ohio — For Glenville coach Ted Ginn Sr., it was never about the final number on the scoreboard. A state championship for his Tarblooders, one that would’ve stood historic as the first OHSAA football title claimed by a Cleveland public school, would’ve been a fitting end to this season. But things didn’t fall Glenville’s way Friday night in...

CANTON, Ohio — For Glenville coach Ted Ginn Sr., it was never about the final number on the scoreboard.

A state championship for his Tarblooders, one that would’ve stood historic as the first OHSAA football title claimed by a Cleveland public school, would’ve been a fitting end to this season. But things didn’t fall Glenville’s way Friday night in a 41-23 loss to Loveland in the Division II state championship at Fawcett Stadium.

Seven turnovers and other missed opportunities might haunt the Tarblooders for the next few days, but Ginn Sr. wants his players to know that merely getting to this point was a victory.

“Any time you can engage children for 15 weeks and constantly give them opportunities to achieve some things, to be a servant and serve the community, it’s always good,” Ginn said.

For the Glenville seniors, Friday’s loss marked the end of a journey that was in some ways a season of redemption for a team that missed out on the playoffs the last two seasons.

It also meant a lot to get their coach back to a state championship game.

“It means everything to us to have Coach Ginn back on that sideline and to make it this far,” senior Marshon Lattimore said. “The last year we didn’t even make the playoffs. It was just great being here and having the chance to win, even though we came up short.”

The Glenville seniors had a major role in Glenville’s comeback attempt in the second half. Lattimore had three catches for 83 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. Erick Smith had a team-high four catches for 76 yards and a fumble recovery on defense.

Quarterback Quan Robinson hung in against tough pressure and accounted for 262 total yards and two touchdowns.

It didn’t amount to a victory, but Robinson hopes the Tarblooders still made a statement this season.

“I hope people will learn that we’re just not kids from the inner city,” Robinson said. “We’re not what they view us as. We can be successful and can been seen in a different light. All it takes is a little hope and faith to get you to the promised land. We came up short, but I’m happy my team kept fighting and I love them.”

Contact high school sports reporter Bill Landis by email (blandis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@blandis25). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Monsters rely on speed and stick-handling, but they can get physical if necessary. On Friday night at The Q, the Monsters never backed down from the prods and shoves of the Hamilton Bulldogs, all the while staying true to their skill roots. The result was a resounding triumph. Colin Smith scored two goals and goalie...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Monsters rely on speed and stick-handling, but they can get physical if necessary.

On Friday night at The Q, the Monsters never backed down from the prods and shoves of the Hamilton Bulldogs, all the while staying true to their skill roots. The result was a resounding triumph.

Colin Smith scored two goals and goalie Calvin Pickard made 21 saves as Lake Erie rolled, 4-1, in front of an energetic crowd of 7,497. The Monsters went 3-for-6 on the power play.

The Monsters (12-9-0-1) have won two in a row, including 2-1 over Toronto on Thursday night at The Q. They are 3-2 in an 11-game stretch against North Division opponents.

"These are huge points at this time of year because they're all division games,'' Monsters coach Dean Chynoweth said. "Somebody's going to get these points.''

Chynoweth did not like how the Monsters managed the puck during the second period. Beyond that, he was pleased with a club that, despite being banged up, displayed tenacity and grit in sweeping a back-to-back.

"All in all, a huge four points,'' he said.

Hamilton slipped to 10-10-0-3 overall, 3-4-0-1 on the road.

Lake Erie and Hamilton don't like each other, not in the least, which typically leads to high entertainment value. Among highlights for the hosts Friday: Lake Erie enforcer Daniel Maggio having his way with Hamilton's Jarred Tinordi during a fight in the second period.

The Monsters lead the season series, 3-1-0-1. Game six of 10 will be Sunday afternoon in Hamilton, where the Bulldogs prevailed, 4-1, Nov. 30.

The Monsters took a 1-0 lead at 4:54 of the first period. Maggio and J.T. Wyman created a chance that produced a loose puck in the slot. Smith secured it and scored from the edge of the right circle for his third.

"Rebound in the slot, and I was just trying to get off a good shot,'' Smith said.

At 5:48 of the first, Hamilton winger Nick Tarnasky was whistled for interference. One minute into the power play, Monsters center Mark Olver passed the puck to Bryan Lerg, who had multiple options at the top of the crease. Lerg chose the unselfish play and fed Joey Hishon on the right. Hishon easily beat goalie Dustin Tokarski.

The Monsters made it 3-0 in the final minute of the second period, defenseman Matt Hunwick scoring on a blast from inside the blue line on the power play. On Thursday night, Hunwick notched a short-handed goal.

Smith's power-play goal at 1:38 of the third created a four-goal cushion. Garrett Meurs chipped the puck to Paul Carey, who delivered to Smith at the top of the crease. Tokarski entered at 4-1-1 with a 2.06 goals-against average and .930 save percentage.

Hamilton did not solve Pickard until late in the third on the power play. Pickard also was stingy Thursday.

"Too bad we couldn't hold them off at the end to get Picks the shutout, but he was solid,'' Chynoweth said.

The teams combined for 16 infractions for 38 minutes, with countless dust-ups along the way. Hamilton desperately wanted to use its size to dictate terms.

"If teams want to play physical, we're able to match it,'' Smith said. "And then we can use speed on the forecheck to create opportunities.''

Earlier in the day, the Monsters signed NHL veteran defenseman Brett Clark to a professional tryout contract (PTO). Clark did not play against Hamilton.

All-Star Kyrie Irving sent scoreless for the first time in his career as the Cavaliers fell to the Atlanta Hawks, 108-89. The Cavs dropped to 6-13 on the season, 1-10 on the road.

ATLANTA, Georgia -- After a lengthy delay, Cavaliers coach Mike Brown stepped out of the locker room to speak to the media after the Cavaliers listless 108-89 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night in Philips Arena.

During the course of his remarks, the Fox Sports Ohio backdrop started to slip and then slowly fell from the wall behind Brown. It was only too fitting, for on this night it was curtains for Brown and the Cavs.

They were done in by yet another uneven performance that included a horrible start, the first scoreless game of point guard Kyrie Irving's career. Starting small forward Alonzo Gee also went scoreless.

"It's on all of us,'' Brown said as the Cavs fell to 6-13, 1-10 on the road. "It's on me. I've got to keep trying to a better job of getting them prepared better for the game -- mentally and physically. It's on everybody in that locker room. It's players and coaches. We've got to come out and we've got to compete for 48 minutes.''

Dion Waiters scored 30 points, and Andrew Bynum had 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Cavs. But the night really belonged to Kyle Korver and the Hawks. The lanky sharpshooter sank a 3-pointer in his 90th straight game, breaking the record of 89 that he had shared with Dana Barros. Korver finished with 10 points, and Al Horford had 22 points and 9 rebounds for the Hawks, 11-10.

Korver hit his record-breaking 3-pointer with 5:29 left in the first quarter, and the Hawks stopped the game briefly to honor him. But it wasn't even the best 3-pointer of the period. That belonged to Paul Millsap, who drained a 50-footer at the buzzer that lifted Atlanta to a 37-20 lead over Cleveland heading into the second quarter.

By halftime, Irving was 0 for 8 from the field, 0 for 3 from 3-point range and 0 for 3 from the free-throw line. He finished 0 for 9 overall and played just 5 minutes in the second half, none in the fourth quarter. Gee played just 3:43 in the second half, all in the third quarter. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time two NBA starters played at least 10 minutes and went scoreless was last week at Houston, when Brooklyn starters Andray Blatche and Shaun Livingston went scoreless.

"It was more letdowns on our part, starting with myself,'' Irving said. "When the ball is not going in and you’re not getting stops…they got out to a lead and never took their foot off the gas pedal as good teams do.

"There wasn’t one look I didn’t like. Only shot nine times, I thought I shot more. They were all good misses for me, but it happens. I’m not shooting the best this year, but I’m getting the shots that I want and that’s all you can ask for. You can look back and try to fix things, but at the end of the day I play off instincts. Sometimes I’m out there thinking too much, but you just gotta play basketball. That’s what it boils down to. The confidence level has to remain the same for myself and my teammates.''

Waiters sees the same thing happening over and over -- especially on the road.

"We’re not good enough team to just come out the way we came out,'' he said. "We’ve got to come out with a sense of urgency. We just have to do a better job of getting off to a better start. This is the NBA. Once you get down, it’s kind of hard to come back, especially when you’re 20 points down trying to fight the whole night instead of coming out playing with an intensity and being aggressive and throwing the first punch.

"It’s frustrating having to keep talking about the same thing over and over instead of just going out there and doing it. But like I said, nobody's walking in. Superman is not coming in the locker room to help us. It’s just us and we’re all we got. At the end of the day, we have to come out and play and play the right way, too.''

With Brown struggling to find any sort of spark, he finally resorted to a three-guard lineup featuring Waiters, former Georgia Tech star Jarrett Jack and rookie Matthew Dellavedova with Bynum and Anderson Varejao, and later Tristan Thompson. That group helped cut the Hawks 29-point third-quarter lead to 12 early in the fourth quarter. Brown said the production of that group, rather than the failings of any others.

"I felt like as a group besides when we had the unit out there with Delly and Jack, we just didn't play hard,'' Brown said. "I just felt our energy as a group and our ability to defend and get stops wasn't there and that's why I made the change. That group played hard and got us back into the game. I tried to roll with them and ended up getting beat.''

Waiters would like to see some changes in approach and attitude.

"We’re just not at that point where we can just relax,'' he said. "We have to throw the punch, we have to be the aggressor and be aggressive. Every time a team throws the first punch, we lay down. Instead of just playing, guys have their head down and we’re moping. Everybody as a team, everybody as a unit, we have to do a better job.''

CANTON, Ohio — So far four games have been played in the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s football championships, and three of those game were never really in doubt. Glenville’s 41-23 loss to Loveland Friday night in the Division II championship continued a trend of lopsided victories so far in the state championship games.

CANTON, Ohio — So far four games have been played in the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s football championships, and three of those game were never really in doubt.

Glenville’s 41-23 loss to Loveland Friday night in the Division II championship continued a trend of lopsided victories so far in the state championship games.

St. Vincent-St. Mary won the Division III title by a 24-0 count over Trotwood-Madison Thursday night, and Kirtland disposed of Haviland Wayne Trace 44-16 in the Division VI final.

The lone close game thus far was the Division IV final in which Clinton-Massie beat Youngstown Cardinal Mooney 27-21 to claim its second straight state title.

First title and a record for Loveland

The Tigers came into these playoffs with one playoff victory in program history. They scored the biggest win in program history Friday night, claiming their first state title.

The 27 points the Tigers scored in the second quarter were the most point ever scored in one quarter of a Division II championship game, according to the OHSAA.

Two repeat champs

St. Vincent-St. Mary and Clinton-Massie successfully defended their state title from a year ago. Cincinnati Moeller, Coldwater and Maria Stein Marion Local will have the chance to pull off the repeat Saturday.

Tressel makes the trip

Former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel was spotted in the press box at Fawcett Stadium during the Glenville-Loveland game.

Another ironman

One night after Trotwood-Madison lineman Clem Vinegar made his 59th consecutive start, according to coach Maurice Douglass, Kirtland's Ryan Loncar strapped on the pads for the 58th consecutive game.

The previous record for most consecutive starts is 57, made my Mogadore's Tommy Lee from 1999-2002.

More weather on the agenda

Thursday it was rain, Friday it was snow that was at times blinding. Saturday it will be bitter cold players have to contend with.

Saturday’s high for the Canton-Massillon area is 26 degrees. The expected temperature for the Division VII final between Glouster Trimble and Maria Stein Marion Local is 14 degrees.

Contact high school sports reporter Bill Landis by email (blandis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@blandis25). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

CANTON, Ohio -- It wasn't meant to be for Glenville on Friday, as the Tarblooders lost to Loveland 41-23 in the Division II state title game. Glenville fell behind 34-0 and was never able to overcome the deficit. Here are five takeaways from the loss:

CANTON, Ohio -- It wasn't meant to be for Glenville on Friday, as the Tarblooders lost to Loveland 41-23 in the Division II state title game.

Glenville fell behind 34-0 and was never able to overcome the deficit. Here are five takeaways from the loss:

Tarblooders hurt by turnovers

It's pretty hard to win any game when you turn the ball over seven times, and that's what Glenville did on Friday. Loveland was able to capitalize on those mistakes and scored a touchdown on each of Glenville's five turnovers in the first half.

Despite the extra possessions those miscues gave Loveland, the Tarblooders actually outgained the Tigers, 412-406. 

Glenville defense not at its best

It's not often that Glenville defense gives up 41 points. It was the most point the Tarblooders have given up since 2010. It was only the fifth time since 2002 that Glenville gave up at least 40 points.

The key was the rushing attack for Loveland, which compiled 340 yards on the ground, including 175 yards from Luke Waddell.

Losing the battle at the line of scrimmage

One of the reasons that Loveland was able to run the ball so successfully was the blocking done by the offensive line. The Tigers averaged 6.8 yards per carry.

Loveland's offensive also did a good job protecting the quarterback. The Tigers gave up no sacks on the team's five pass attempts.

Trouble sustaining drives

The Tarblooders struggled to put together many long drives on Friday. Glenville was a combined 5-for-16 on third down and fourth down conversions.

That included a 0-for-4 performance on fourth downs. Those added to the team's turnovers to mark 11 times that Glenville gave Loveland the ball.

Goodbye to a great senior class

The game marked the end of an era for Glenville. Marshon Lattimore, Erick Smith, Quan Robinson Jr. and Marcelys Jones are among those who will never play again for the Tarblooders.

This year was only the second time ever that Glenville reached the state title game. The previous time was in 2009, when it lost in the Division I final to Hilliard Davidson.

Contact high school sports reporter David Cassilo by email (dcassilo@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@dcassilo). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.