CLEVELAND, Ohio – The second annual Ohio High School Athletic Association dual team tournament begins Wednesday with regional matches throughout the state. St. Edward is the defending champion in Division I, while St. Paris Graham and Delta are defending champs in Div. II and III, respectively.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The second annual Ohio High School Athletic Association dual team tournament begins Wednesday with regional matches throughout the state.

St. Edward is the defending champion in Division I, while St. Paris Graham and Delta are defending champs in Div. II and III, respectively.

First round, second round and regional quarterfinal duals are Wednesday. Regional semifinals and finals are Jan. 29. The eight regional winners in each division advance to the state tournament Feb. 8 at The Ohio State University's St. John Arena.

For complete brackets, visit baumspage.com.

Here's a look at where area teams will begin their dual team tournaments on Wednesday (winners of first-round matches wrestle 20 minutes after the first bout):

DIVISION I

Region 1

Sub-Region B

Host: Mount Vernon (Pleasant Street Elementary).  

First-round matchups: 2. Mount Vernon vs. 7 North Ridgeville; 3 Ashland vs. 6 Amherst.

Host: Elyria.

First-round matchups:  1 Elyria vs. 8 Madison Comprehensive; 4 Lorain vs. 5 Avon Lake.

Region 2

Sub-Region A

Host: Highland.

First-round matchups: 1 Wadsworth vs. 8 Highland; 4 North Royalton vs. 5 Medina; 2 Brunswick vs. 7 Berea-Midpark; 3 Parma vs. 6 Strongsville.

Sub-Region B

Host: Olmsted Falls

First-round matchups: 2 Olmsted Falls vs. 7 John Adams; 3 North Olmsted vs. 6 John Marshall.

Host: St. Edward.

First-round matchups:  1 St. Edward vs. winner of 8 Normandy vs. 9 Rhodes; 4 Shaker Heights vs. 5 Westlake.

Region 3

Sub-Region A

Host: Nordonia.

First-round matchups: 2 Nordonia vs. 7 Twinsburg; 3 Hudson vs. 6 Green.

Host: Brecksville-Broadview Heights.

First-round matchups:  1 Brecksville-Broadview Heights vs. 8 Ellet; 4 Copley vs. 5 Maple Heights.

Sub-Region B

Host: Solon.

First-round matchups: 2 Solon vs. 7 Mentor; 3 Garfield Heights vs. 6 Riverside.

Host: Bedford.

First-round matchups:  1 Willoughby South vs. winner of 8 Mayfield vs. 9 Euclid; 4 Bedford vs. 5 Madison.

Region 4

Sub-Region A

Host: Austintown-Fitch.

First-round matchups: 3 Aurora vs. 6 Boardman; 2 Austintown-Fitch vs. 7 Kenston.

Host: Uniontown Lake.

First-round matchups:  1 Uniontown Lake vs. 8 Kent Roosevelt; 4 Chardon vs. 5 Lakeside.

DIVISION II

Region 10

Sub-Region A

Host: Clyde.

First-round matchups: 2 Clyde vs. 7 Keystone; 3 Bellevue vs. 6 Brookside.

Host: Perkins.

First-round matchups:  1. Perkins vs. winner of    8 Clearview vs. 9 Firelands; 4 Sandusky vs. 5 Norwalk.

Region 11

Sub-Region A

Host: Padua.

First-round matchups: 2 Padua vs. 7 University; 3 Rocky River vs. 6 Buckeye.

Host: Benedictine.

First-round matchups:  1 Bay vs. winner of 8 Chagrin Falls vs. 9 Collinwood; 4 Benedictine vs. 5 Brooklyn.

Sub-Region B

Host: Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy.

First-round matchups: 2 Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy vs. winner of 7 Tallmadge vs. 10 Akron Hoban; 3 Woodridge vs. 6 Revere.

Host: St. Vincent-St. Mary.

First-round matchups:  1. St. Vincent-St. Mary vs. winner of 8 Buchtel vs. 9 Kenmore; 4 Norton vs. 5 Coventry.

Region 12

Sub-Region A

Host: Lake Catholic.

First-round matchups: 2 Lake Catholic vs. 7 West Geauga; 3 Canfield vs. 6 Howland.

Host: Perry.

First-round matchups:  1 Perry vs. 8 Jefferson Area; 4 West Branch vs. 5 Poland Seminary.

Sub-Region B

Host: Minerva.

First-round matchups: 2 Minerva vs. 7 Streetsboro; 3 Beaver vs. 6 Southeast.

Host: Crestwood.

First-round matchups: 1. Crestwood vs. 8 Salem; 4 Ravenna vs. 5 Alliance.

DIVISION III

Region 18

Sub-Region A

Host: Wellington.

First-round matchups: 2 St. Paul vs. winner of 7 Wellington vs. 10 Columbia; 3 Margaretta vs. 6 Willard.

Host: Edison.

First-round matchups:  1 Edison vs. winner of 8 Monroeville vs. 9 South Central; 4 Huron vs. 5 Sandusky St. Mary.

Sub-Region B

Host: Northwestern.

First-round matchups: 3 Loudonville vs. 6 Black River; 2 Northwestern vs. 7 Hillsdale.

Host: Waynedale.

First-round matchups:  1 Wayndale vs. 8 Orrville; 4 Mapleton vs. 5 Norwayne.

Region 19

Sub-Region A

Host: Kirtland.

First-round matchups: 2 Berkshire vs. winner of 7 Lutheran West vs. 10 Warrensville Heights; 3 Kirtland vs. 6 Hawken.

Host: Beachwood.

First-round matchups: 1 Beachwood vs. winner of 8 Cardinal vs. 9 Wickliffe; 4 Cuyahoga Heights vs. 5 Independence.

Sub-Region B

Host: Liberty.

First-round matchups: 2 Gerard vs. 7 Liberty; 3 Akron Manchester vs. 6 Grand Valley.

Host:  Rootstown.

First-round matchups:  1 Rootstown vs. 8 Waterloo; 4 Jackson-Milton vs. 5 Pymatuning Valley.

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.

The Browns will interview Bills defensive coordinator Mike Pettine a second time Tuesday night in Mobile, Ala. If things go well, the Browns might decide to look no further.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns will interview Bills defensive coordinator Mike Pettine for their head coaching vacancy a second time tonight in Mobile, Ala., a league source confirmed for cleveland.com.

If things go really well, the Browns might decide to look no further.

Mobile is the site of the 2014 Senior Bowl, where top college prospect are practicing and playing in the game Saturday.

The Browns are also set interview Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, according to FOX Sports' Alex Marvez. But that meeting could be dependent on Tuesday night's interview.

Pettine first met with the Browns last week and they immediately liked him, a source said. In fact, Pettine's teenage daughter, Megan, tweeted that night that her dad would be brought back a second time. The tweet was later deleted, and the account deactivated.

Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, whose team will play the Broncos in the Super Bowl Feb. 2, is also possibly still in the mix, but the Browns might want to hire their man and set about the task of assembling a staff. The Senior Bowl is traditionally a place where available assistants find new jobs.

Earlier Tuesday, Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase pulled himself out of the running. The Browns didn't want to wait until after the Super Bowl to interview him a second time, and he always wavered on leaving the Broncos.

This season was Pettine's first as Bills defensive coordinator. His defense ranked 10th in total defense, and second in sacks (57) and interceptions.

They were also 20th in scoring defense. Pettine ran a 3-4 hybrid scheme in Buffalo, which is similar to what Ray Horton ran in Cleveland.

Pettine, 47, served as Jets defensive coordinator under Rex Ryan from 2009-12, with his defenses finishing in the top 10 all four years, including a No. 1 ranking in 2009.

Previously, Pettine was a Ravens assistant from 2002-2008.

The Bills finished this season 6-10 in 2013, including a 37-24 loss to the Browns on Oct. 3. But the rare scoring outburst included a punt return for a TD and an interception return for a TD.

In 2009, his first season as a defensive coordinator in the NFL, Pettine installed a completely new defense in New York, and his unit ranked first in points allowed, total defense and pass defense.

That season, Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis recorded what Ryan referred to as: “…the best year a corner has ever had (and) the most impact a corner has ever had in the National Football League. That's my opinion.” Revis was rewarded with first-team honors on every recognized team that year.

When Ryan brought Pettine to New York, he said, "Mike is a rising star in this league. We’re fortunate that we were able to get him on our staff.”

During his four seasons as the Ravens' outside linebackers coach, Baltimore's defense finished fifth (2005), first (2006), sixth (2007) and second (2008) in the NFL. In 2006, the defense allowed only 201 points and 264 yards per game.

cleveland.com's Paul Hoynes, Glenn Moore and The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff talk Tribe and recap today's press conference with Terry Francona.

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Will Carlos Santana be the Tribe's third baseman this season? Who will be this year's Scott Kazmir?

cleveland.com's Paul Hoynes, Glenn Moore and The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff talked Indians and recapped today's press conference with Terry Francona during a live show earlier on cleveland.com.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – After weeks of little movement at the top of the girls basketball poll, things changed last week in a big way. Three of the top five teams suffered a loss, while Walsh Jesuit moved up from No. 9 to No. 6 after a strong week. With teams starting to play each other to help get prepared...

CLEVELAND, Ohio – After weeks of little movement at the top of the girls basketball poll, things changed last week in a big way. Three of the top five teams suffered a loss, while Walsh Jesuit moved up from No. 9 to No. 6 after a strong week. With teams starting to play each other to help get prepared for the playoffs, expect more shakeup throughout the rest of the season.

Every Wednesday and Saturday we'll be preparing you for all the action in girls basketball on cleveland.com. Make sure to check back every Monday and Thursday for a recap of the biggest games, highest scorers and most surprising upsets. And we're going to do it every week this season so make sure to stick right here at cleveland.com.

GAME OF THE NIGHT

No. 8 Mentor at No. 6 Walsh Jesuit

The Cardinals are starting to pick up a lot of momentum after a big road victory last week over then- No. 8 Westlake. Mentor is led by Kayla Gabor, who comes into tonight’s game averaging 16 points. This match up against the Warriors is the beginning of a difficult stretch for the Cardinals, as they will be in action against Solon on Saturday.

The Warriors are playing as well as any team in the area, and have one of the best starting fives. Guard Anna Hall has been on a tear recently, scoring 20 points in three of her last four games, including a 29-point performance High school sports producer Lexi Pluym (@LexiPluym) will be tweeting live updates throughout the game.

OTHERS GAME TO LOOK OUT FOR

No. 10 Westlake at No. 5 North Royalton

The Demons got back on the winning track by defeating Amherst Steele on Saturday. Westlake did a good job in that game of getting off to a good start, something it had not been able to do the past few games. Monica Fury has been on a tear as of late, averaging 14 points in the last four games. The Demons do not have a ton of size in the frontcourt, but are an extremely quick team that has the ability to get out and run as well as any team in the area.

The Bears come into this game riding an impressive 12-game winning streak behind one of the deepest benches in the areas. Alison Smolinski is the leader on the team, averaging 11 points while also being one of the areas best defenders. The ability of North Royalton to go deep in their bench has allowed the team to wear their opponents down late to get the victory. High school sports producer Mark Kern (@Markkern11) will be tweeting live updates throughout the game.

 No. 24 Independence at Beachwood

The Blue Devils have quietly put together an impressive season thus far, as they are currently 11-4 on the season. Halle Dorko is a talented player, leading the way with 12.4 points. Independence has bounced back nicely from a loss to Hawken, winning three straight games by an average of 14.3 points. They will also have an opportunity to get a win against Beachwood, as the Bison won the earlier matchup, 41-32.

Beachwood has been kind of up-and-down this season, but has the talent to compete with a lot of teams. Aryana Jackson leads the way for the Bison, averaging 17 points. Jackson scored 25 points in the first matchup between the two teams. The Bison have played a difficult schedule, with all five of their losses being to teams ranked in the cleveland.com poll or state poll at the time. High school sports reporter Stephanie Kuzydym (@stephkuzy) will be tweeting live updates throughout the game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Brunswick used its third-place finish at the Bill Dies Memorial Tournament to jump into the top five in this week's cleveland.com wrestling Top 10. While the Blue Devils' jump forced a couple teams to slip a spot, the rest of the Top 10 remained steady again this week.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Brunswick used its third-place finish at the Bill Dies Memorial Tournament to jump into the top five in this week's cleveland.com wrestling Top 10.

While the Blue Devils' jump forced a couple teams to slip a spot, the rest of the Top 10 remained steady again this week.

Do you agree or disagree with our poll? Let us know in the comments section, or share your own Top 10. To comment you will need to register, but it's fast, easy and free.

Each Wednesday we will release an updated poll, along with a video discussing the picks. Also, watch for weekly talking points post, which will explain some of the decisions that go into shaping each week's poll.

Video will be added to this post shortly.

(The Top 10 takes into account both dual and tournament results. Previous ranking in parentheses.)

1. Brecksville-Broadview Heights (1)

Trending: Steady.

Last week: First at the Bill Dies Memorial Tournament.

This week: Vs. Ellet (state dual tournament) Wednesday; Hosts tri-meet with Amherst, North Olmsted Thursday.

Comment: The Bees won their sixth consecutive Bill Dies title on Saturday with five individual champions and two runners-up.

2. St. Edward (2)

Trending: Steady.

Last week: Lost to St. Paris Graham 34-25.

This week: Vs. Normandy/Rhodes winner (state dual tournament) Wednesday; At Blair Academy (N.J.) Saturday.

Comment: Despite the loss, Eagles coach Greg Urbas was pleased with his team's effort against St. Paris Graham. They face the consensus No. 1 team in the country – Blair Academy – Saturday.

3. Perry (3)

Trending: Steady.

Last week: Third at the Maumee Bay Classic.

This week: Vs. Jefferson Area (state dual tournament) Wednesday; At No. 6 Nordonia Friday; Hosts tri-meet with Brooklyn, Coventry, Riverside Saturday.

Comment: The Pirates' Billy Miller (285) won an individual title, and three others finished runner-up at Maumee Bay.

4. Wadsworth (4)

Trending: Steady.

Last week: Defeated No. 6 Nordonia 34-21, Hilliard Darby 54-16, Lexington 30-27.

This week: Vs. Highland (state dual tournament) Wednesday; Hosts Grizzly Invitational Tournament Saturday.

Comment: The Grizzlies' win over Nordonia gave them their 55^th consecutive Suburban League dual match victory.

5. Brunswick (7)

Trending: Rising.

Last week: Third at the Bill Dies Memorial Tournament.

This week: Vs. Berea-Midpark (state dual tournament) Wednesday; Hosts Stow Thursday.

Comment: The Blue Devils had an individual champ in Ethan Rivera (113) and a runner-up in Josh Heil (120) at Bill Dies Saturday.

6. Nordonia (5)

Trending: Falling.

Last week: Lost to No. 4 Wadsworth 34-21; Sixth at the Top Gun Tournament.

This week: Vs. Twinsburg (state dual tournament) Wednesday; Hosts No. 3 Perry Friday; Tri-meet with Aurora, Twinsburg Saturday.

Comment: The Knights had three placers at Top Gun, including runner-up Alex Woicehovich (220). They tangle with No. 3 Perry in this week's only Top 10 matchup.

7. St. Vincent-St. Mary (6)

Trending: Steady.

Last week: Sixth at the Top Gun Tournament.

This week: Vs. Buchtel/Kenmore winner (state dual tournament) Wednesday; At Josh Hephner Memorial Tournament Friday, Saturday.

Comment: The Irish had four placers at Top Gun, including champs Ryan Skonieczny (138) and Aaron Adkins (182).

8. Elyria (8)

Trending: Steady.

Last week: Eighth at the Bill Dies Memorial Tournament.

This week: Vs. Madison Comprehensive (state dual tournament) Wednesday; Hosts Olmsted Falls Saturday.

Comment: The Pioneers' Ben Darmstadt (152) won an individual title at Bill Dies while teammate Kevin Vough (285) was runner-up.

9. Crestwood (9)

Trending: Steady.

Last week: Defeated Aurora 43-25.

This week: Vs. Salem (state dual tournament) Wednesday; At tri-meet with Revere, Padua Saturday.

Comment: The Red Devils are the latest Top 10 team that will try to keep Padua from jumping into the rankings.

10. Lake Catholic (10)

Trending: Steady.

Last week: Fifth at the Catholic Invitational Tournament.

This week: Vs. West Geauga (state dual tournament) Wednesday; At West Geauga Quad Thursday.

Comment: The Cougars are going to get their fill of West Geauga this week.

Dropped out: None.

Just off the mat: Padua, St. Ignatius, Rootstown, Coventry.

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.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This week brought a new No. 1 and a shuffled top 10 to Northeast Ohio girls basketball. The new No. 1, Wadsworth, as well as a team that fell a bit in the Top 10 after suffering its first loss of the season, No. 8 Stow, are all part of the third edition of the Pick-and-Roll...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This week brought a new No. 1 and a shuffled top 10 to Northeast Ohio girls basketball. The new No. 1, Wadsworth, as well as a team that fell a bit in the Top 10 after suffering its first loss of the season, No. 8 Stow, are all part of the third edition of the Pick-and-Roll girls basketball podcast.

Wadsworth coach Andrew Booth and his player-daughter Peyton will join Thursday's podcast as well as Stow coach Bob Podges and a Bulldog player. The podcast will air Thursday afternoon.

If you have any questions for our guests, or want to submit discussion topics for this week's podcast, you can do so in the comments section below. You can register here for an account if you don't have one.

Girls basketball reporters Stephanie Kuzydym (@stephkuzy) and Mark Kern (@mkern11) will also break down all things girls basketball.

We'll discuss the new Top 25 rankings, the local and non-local teams we saw play at Classic in the Country, plus what we've seen from being out and about at games and talking with coaches. We'll also break down Wednesday night's results and look ahead to the weekend.

The Pick-and-Roll podcast is a weekly podcast, featuring insight from Kuzydym and Kern as well as discussion from players and coaches. We'll have a promo post each week inviting you to share any questions you have for our guests.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the high school basketball season and engaging with you through the year.

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.

Get live coverage of the 2014 Greater Cleveland Sports Awards beginning Thursday night at 5:30 p.m.

The biggest night in Cleveland sports is back, and cleveland.com will be there with live coverage all night with our live show from the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards Thursday.

Join Glenn Moore (@GlennMooreCLE), Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) and Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) beginning at 5:30 p.m. live from the preshow reception at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel. They'll talk sports, interview the athletes and sports personalities in attendance and give you an inside look from the event.

Then, the show will move backstage where Glenn, Zack and Chris will have more interviews with the presenters and award winners.

Coverage of the Greater Cleveland Sports awards on cleveland.com will begin at 5:30 on Thursday, January 23.

TWINSBURG, Ohio -- This week's Off the court girls basketball feature stars Twinsburg's Baleigh Reid. Northeast Ohio Media group spent some time with the Tiger to discuss, basketball, pregame meals, travel and life away from basketball. BALEIGH REID

TWINSBURG, Ohio -- This week's Off the court girls basketball feature stars Twinsburg's Baleigh Reid. Northeast Ohio Media group spent some time with the Tiger to discuss, basketball, pregame meals, travel and life away from basketball.

BALEIGH REID

School: Twinsburg

Grade: Senior

Accomplishments: Special mention All-NEO Inland District player as a Junior, member of state finalist team as a Junior, member of state championship team as a sophomore.

The story of Reid: The 5-10 guard is averaging 20.1 points a night. Reid scored her season high of 28 points vs. previously undefeated Stow on Jan. 16. She has increased her scoring average by 9 points from her junior year. The point guard is a team captain and is trying to finish her prep career with a fourth state final game appearance. She is the leader of a young team that lost several girls last season who went on to play college basketball.  Reid has given a verbal commitment to play college basketball at University of Miami.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — On the fourth installment of cleveland.com’s Full Court Press boys basketball podcast, we preview the Dunk 4 Diabetes Shootout in North Canton, while also touching on all of the upsets around the area on Tuesday. David Cassilo (@dcassilo), Mark Kern (@MarkKern11) and Bill Landis (@blandis25) of cleveland.com’s high school sports staff break down the action, and...

CLEVELAND, Ohio — On the fourth installment of cleveland.com’s Full Court Press boys basketball podcast, we preview the Dunk 4 Diabetes Shootout in North Canton, while also touching on all of the upsets around the area on Tuesday.

David Cassilo (@dcassilo), Mark Kern (@MarkKern11) and Bill Landis (@blandis25) of cleveland.com’s high school sports staff break down the action, and talk with Villa Angela-St. Joseph coach Babe Kwasniak and Dunk 4 Diabetes event director Chas Wolfe.

Here's a breakdown of this week's podcast:

0:00-3:57: Recap of Tuesday night's games.

3:58-7:02: Discussion of top players.

7:03-10:16: Reporters discussion of Dunk 4 Diabetes

10:17-18:07: Dunk 4 Diabetes event director Chas Wolfe

18:08-27:08: Villa Angela-St. Joseph coach Babe Kwasniak

27:09-31:04: Reporters picks/wrap-up

You can see the latest installment of the cleveland.com top 25 poll here.

The Full Court Press is a weekly podcast, featuring insight from David, Mark and Bill as well as discussions with area players and coaches. We’ll have a promo post each week inviting you to share any questions you have for our guests.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the high school basketball season and engaging with you throughout the year.

So what if the sin tax was replaced by a ticket surcharge? How much more would it cost to go to Browns, Cavs and Indians games?

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Don't like the sin tax, but you do like to go to pro sporting events in Cleveland?

How about paying an extra $3 for your next Indians ticket instead? Or would you consider $7 more for a Browns ticket?

This tax surcharge idea is not on the table as the Indians, Cavs and Gateway have come forward with a $135 million wish/need list for repairs and upgrades to the Gateway complex, following an earlier deal between the city and the Browns for the football stadium improvements.

The leases require the public, not the teams, to pay for the upkeep of the facilities.

But since an extension of the stadium sin tax is in play to cover much of the costs, we became curious about what all those extra pennies in taxes for beer, wine and cigarettes add up to each year. After all, it's hard to grasp exactly what $13.7 million - the amount the Cuyahoga County sin tax raised in 2012 - means to the everyday smoker, drinker, or sports fan for that matter.

Assuming that tax money -- $13.7 million -- would be split evenly among the three venues, as has been suggested, and putting the burden entirely on the Browns, Indians and Cavs fans, here's how it works out.

• $6.72 more for a Browns ticket.
• $2.75 more for an Indians ticket.
• $5.54 more for a Cavs ticket.

These figures are based on average attendance over the last five years for the three teams.

But, when it comes to the wide variety of events at Quicken Loans Arena, putting the burden entirely on the Cavs' fans might not be fair. The baseball park and football stadium have far fewer other events.

The Cavs typically account for less than half the attendance annually at the arena. The figure being circulated is that 2 million people a year go to the Q. The Q surcharge per ticket would be $2.28 if the sin tax money instead was collected from people buying tickets to see everything from Disney on Ice and Billy Joel, to the Cavs and any other event in the arena.

Sports fans, of course, might have another suggestion: Make better choices in hiring coaches. The Browns in recent years have been obligated to pay $49 million for coaches for not coaching, firing them before their contracts were up, Northeast Ohio Media Group's Tom Reed has estimated.

The total includes $10.5 million left on the contract for the most recently fired coach, Rob Chudzinski. That's enough to cover more than two years of sin tax money for FirstEnergy Stadium.

In sin tax terms (1.5 cents a beer and 4.5 cents a pack of cigarettes), that $10.5 million amounts to 350 million beers and 117 million packs of cigarettes.

Watch a prep hockey player from New Jersey score on an incredible shot with a face full of ice.

A New Jersey high school hockey player scored the goal of the year (so far, anyway) on Sunday with an amazing shot reminiscent of an eye-popping play made by Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin several years ago.

Video if the goal, showing Ramsey's Alex Whelan scoring the Ovie-esque tally to open the scoring in a 3-0 win over Glen Rock, was posted on NJ.com. In the footage, Whelan gets behind the defense with some pretty nifty stickwork before losing control and sliding head-first toward the net. With a face full of ice, Whelan chops at the puck, popping it over the head of the charging goalie and, somehow, into the net.

The goal came just four days after the eight-year anniversary of Ovechkin's strikingly similar goal against the Phoenix Coyotes on January 15, 2006 -- a celebrated highlight that is still widely considered the most spectacular of his career.

Whelan now has 22 goals and 18 assists for Ramsey, which is currently 15-1 and ranked No. 6 in the state by The Star-Ledger. Ramsey coach Bob Toy tells NJ.com that the highlight-reel score wasn't exactly out of character for his junior forward:

"Alex is almost like a wrecking ball," Ramsey coach Bob Toy says. "He's a leader. He gets the puck and wills his way around, even through people on the ice. His drive, his brute strength and his quick, heavy release allow him to score some pretty amazing goals."

The Cavaliers look to get back in the win column as Luol Deng faces his old team the Chicago Bulls tonight at Quicken Loans Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

CLEVELAND -- The Cavaliers look to get back in the win column as Luol Deng faces his old team the Chicago Bulls tonight at Quicken Loans Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

Get updates from Mary Schmitt Boyer and Jodie Valade on Twitter @PDCavsInsider and post your comments during the game below.

Tweets by @PDcavsinsider

Luol Deng has been talking for days about the Cavaliers and facing his former team, the Chicago Bulls.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- To Luol Deng, it must feel as if he has been talking for 48 hours.

On Tuesday, the questions came from reporters in Cleveland, asking him about facing his former team, the Chicago Bulls.

On Wednesday, most of the questions came from Chicago reporters, about how he looked back on his 10 years with the Bulls. He had kind words for the fans and his coaches, particularly Tom Thibodeau.

"As a player, I really appreciate the years that I had with Thibs there -- the winning years together,'' Deng said. "It really got me to love the game again and enjoy it. We did things that a lot of NBA players would not get. We didn’t win the championship, but we led the league in winning. Just winning that many games, not a lot of players get to experience it. That’s just something to show for our hard work and playing together. I’m sure we’re going to remain friends and those good years we’ll be talking about for a long time.''

Deng even joked that Thibodeau, who yells throughout the game, might forget what he's doing and yell at Deng.

"I might have a bad defensive stand or turn the ball over and he'll start yelling at me,'' Deng said. "We’ll see how it goes.''

Thibodeau admitted how much he appreciated Deng.

"Anybody who contributes the way Luol contributed to our team, he embodied all the things that we certainly value -- hard work, smart play, played for the team, unselfish,'' Thibodeau said. "Those things go a long way. When you look at his career, and it’s more than just when I was there, when he first arrived they were in a big hole. They were basically in the lottery every year. So that group lifted that team out of that. And then with us he took us to another level. The one thing I liked about him is you could count on him every game. You knew what you were going to get. You’re never going to out-compete him, he’s a great competitor.’’

Thibodeau was asked if the Bulls missed Deng more on the court or in the locker room.

“He was a great leader because of the things he did on the floor,'' the coach said. "The way he practiced, the way he played, the way he competed, and to me a lot of guys say all the right things and do none of them. He was probably the opposite. When he spoke people listened because he didn’t just talk to talk. His actions were the great leadership each and every day, and he did it year round. The way he took care of his body, the way he stayed in great shape, and that says everything you need to know about him. The type of person he is, I think you guys all know the things that he’s gone through, the goodness in him. He did a lot in the community in Chicago, and everywhere for that matter. That’s just who he is. And he’s not one of those guys that did it for attention. He did it because it was the right thing to do.’’

Big day for Irving: Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving is expected to be named a starter for the Eastern Conference All-Star squad on Thursday night at 7 p.m. on TNT. He also is almost certain to be part of the group selected for the 2014-16 national team announced by USA Basketball on Thursday morning.

Technical difficulties: Deng said he'd been keeping an eye on the Bulls, somewhat accidentally.

"I had the NBA app and my home team was the Bulls and I’ve been trying to change it, but I don’t know how,'' he said with a smile. "It’s really annoying when you get updates of the Bulls on your phone. I’m trying to change getting all these Joakim Noah double-double updates. I gotta get rid of that.''

The last word: Deng on facing Noah and knowing what buttons to push, "Trust me, I know. I know real well. I’ve got my game plan, so it’ll be interesting.''

Entering his second year as Tribe manager, Terry Francona is the senior head coach/manager in town.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I needed a break from all the angst and gnashing of teeth over the Browns' search for a head coach.

So I went to Terry Francona's press conference. There actually wasn't anything especially newsworthy about it. The Tribe manager was simply available to talk a little baseball.

OK, Francona did mention the Browns: "I was pissed that Coach Chud (Rob Chudzinski) got let go. I liked him."

Now, back to baseball. In this town where head coaches are fired so often, Francona happens to be the senior pro sports leader with one full year on the job. And I may add, that Francona also happens to be the American League Manager of the Year.

And his Indians did win 10 in a row to end last season.

And their final record was 92-70, giving them an appearance in the American League wild card game. The Tribe lost, 4-0, to Tampa Bay, a game that Francona still thinks about.

"It hurts," he said. "We played so well to get there …"

The Indians needed to win every one of those 10 games to reach the playoffs.

"I can't tell you how much (that game) stung," said Francona. "It's like the season came to a crashing halt."

He was excited to see Cleveland turn out in full Wahoo red, white and blue for that playoff game. He desperately wants to turn the town onto baseball. Making it to the next round of the playoffs would have helped in that area.

Nonetheless, just imagine if the Browns had finished 9-7 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. That's what the Tribe did in 2013.

"(Last year), I wanted us to get to September with a chance to make a run at it," said Francona. "To see that team come together … you know how hard it is to win 10 in a row?"

Even more impressive, they did it when every game counted. Francona talked about coming to the park each day in September "tired and nervous … it's a great feeling."

The same for those who embraced the Tribe last season -- the game mattered. There was drama, 11 walk-off victories. Six times at home, the Tribe ended games with homers to win it.

"We're not the '27 Yankees," he said. "But if we play a clean game … and play good baseball … we can win."

Francona came to town with two World Series rings from Boston. But he was criticized after his 2011 Red Sox blew an eight-game lead in September and missed the playoffs. The manager will never say it, but he had to take satisfaction when his 2013 Tribe went 21-6 in September, roaring to a playoff berth.

No one is sure how the Tribe will finish this season. The roster isn't loaded with talent. The American League is strong.

But when you are around Francona, you know the team has a steady leader. The players know that he has the complete support of the front office.

The Tribe fanfest starts Friday. Pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear in only 19 days.

How's that for a sports town ready for some good news?

The Buckeyes have lost to Michigan State, Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska, and now will host Illinois on Thursday. The Illini are also on a four-game losing streak.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- An undefeated team hits a four-game losing streak, and there are some questions. Some of them are even able to be repeated in polite company.

No. 17 Ohio State will host Illinois on Thursday after road losses to Michigan State, Minnesota and Nebraska, squeezed around a home loss to Iowa, dropped the Buckeyes to 15-4 overall and 2-4 in Big Ten play.

To boil down the recent issues, the Buckeyes aren't playing team defense, they look lackadaisical, their coach questioned their mental toughness, they have no inside presence, there's not much of a bench and they can't shoot.

It's a lot to handle. While speaking to Buckeyes Sam Thompson and Shannon Scott, and more importantly, coach Thad Matta, on Wednesday, attempts were made to answer some of those questions, and some others dogging the team and rattling around in the brains of Buckeye fans.

Are there chemistry issues?

The Big Ten Network announcing crew for the Nebraska game Monday night mentioned during the telecast that they thought it looked like there were some chemistry issues with the team, that maybe Aaron Craft wasn't being as demonstrative in his leadership as in the past. So I asked Matta if he thought there were chemistry issues.

“I don't,” he said. “Almost wish there was a little bit. But, no the camaraderie, all that, is good. We've got a great group of guys. And quite honestly, you look for those things. But (I) have seen nothing. In fact, this team is probably as close as any team we've had.”

I asked what he meant when he said he wished there was a chemistry issue, and Matta indicated that would be an easier fix if it was part of the problem. But when I asked if sometimes you could use a player calling other guys out, and maybe creating friction, he agreed with that, too.

“I like close-knit teams,” he said. “But by the same token, you want guys that are going to speak up and call guys out, because they in turn have to back up what they're saying, and that's always a good thing.”

Could a lineup change be coming?

Playing two point guards in Craft and Shannon Scott has been great at times, and not so great at times. Also, sixth man Sam Thompson is clearly one of Ohio State's five best players. He has embraced his role this year, but could a change be coming?

“It's something we could definitely do,” Matta said, adding he hadn't thought about it much.

Matta often says he's considering lineup changes, but rarely makes the switch. One thing to consider – how someone like Scott, Lenzelle Smith or Amir Williams would react to having their starting spot taken away. That's a factor Matta must consider. Could it motivate a guy, or might the coach lose the player sent to the bench?

Either way, Matta thought the Buckeyes have played pretty well at the start of recent games with this lineup.

“We've got to get the middle and end corrected,” he said.

Does this team just not have any real shooters?

The Buckeyes are shooting 34 percent from 3-point range, which is tied for 189th in the nation and ranks seventh in the Big Ten. They're shooting 45.9 percent overall from the floor, which is tied for 95th in the nation and fifth in the Big Ten. It sure seems like Ohio State is worse than that offensively.

In the four-game losing streak, the Buckeyes are shooting 30.3 on 3-pointers and 40.8 percent from the field. But there are times when it looks like they can't make anything – layups, putbacks, open jumpers. With defense-first players like Craft, Scott, Thompson and Smith, do the Buckeyes just not have any natural shooters?

“It's funny. I watch us shoot over and over and over again,” Matta said when asked. “And we're making them. But I look across the country, I look at our league, and shooting is down right now. Maybe the defense is that good.

"As much as these guys have scored throughout their careers before they got here, as much as they have worked in terms of that … I don't know if we have Jon Diebler running around out there. Obviously, we don't, percentages say. But with Jon, truth be told, Jon made himself a shooter. So hopefully we can continue to climb the mountain there.”

Is the bench, with just nine scholarship guys active, a problem?

With 13 scholarships allowed, the Buckeyes have just nine scholarship players, with freshman Kam Williams the 10th scholarship player, but he's redshirting. So when the starters struggle, Matta looks at sixth man Thompson, freshman Marc Loving, Amedeo Della Valle and Trey McDonald. And that's it.

That's not a lot of options. Does Matta ever wish he looked down the bench and had more choices? And should something have been done in recruiting to add players when Jordan Sibert and J.D. Weatherspoon transferred after the 2012 season?

“It's kind of how it worked out,” Matta said. “And there's nothing worse as a coach than you look down at the end of the bench and guys 11, 12 and 13 are looking at you (bored) like this during the game. That's always difficult as well.”

That may be the case. But this is a roster that could clearly use a third big man and a dead-eye shooter, roles that a good Big Ten shouldn't have a terribly hard time filling. And those extra guys on this team might help.

Is burning the redshirt on Kam Williams a possibility?

“Kam can make shots,” Matta mentioned when talking shooting. So even though he missed the start of the season with mono, why not get the freshman in the lineup now, even though 19 games are gone and just 12 regular-season games remain?

“I wouldn't want to do that to him,” Matta said. “He's missed too much, and that would be selfish on my part. So I wouldn't do that.”

What can be done about Amir Williams?

The junior starting center can look disinterested and out of the flow. That's been a knock since he arrived on campus.

The Buckeyes went with their small lineup the entire second half against Nebraska to stage a comeback and take the lead, before losing it again. The small lineup, with LaQuinton Ross as the center, may have to be used even more if Williams doesn't find his way. It can work, and it has worked, but it really leaves Ohio State with a hole inside. But what more can the Buckeyes do to get something out of Williams, maybe the most enigmatic player of Matta's tenure?

“We need Amir to play well,” Matta said. “We need him to play consistently on both ends of the floor. We've got to get him back tracking the ball. We've got to get him back to blocking shots, more active around the rim in terms of challenging shots.

“And we have to do a good job getting him the ball inside. He's got to finish. When he has played well, we've played well, I know that.”

It just hasn't been that way lately.

Akron Zips go on the road Wednesday night looking to get back on the winning track at Eastern Michigan.

University of Akron logo.

YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Shaken, but not stirred, the Akron Zips built a huge early lead on the sharp shooting of 6-7 sophomore Jake Kretzer. The Zips, with four new starters in the lineup, then held on for a 78-68 victory at Eastern Michigan as Kretzer finished with a career-high of 25 points Wednesday night in the EMU Convocation Center.

A 39-19 Akron lead at halftime was whittled down quickly by Eastern Michigan as the Eagles went on attack mode and drove hard to the rim for baskets. Akron's advantage was down to 43-30 before a pair of tough inside hoops by the Zips (12-6, 4-1) momentarily restored order, 47-30.

But an EMU (11-7, 3-2) team that had not hit a 3-pointer all game suddenly hit two straight by Karrington Ward. Then an Akron turnover led to a bustout dunk at the 12:08 mark putting Akron's 20-point halftime lead down to 47-38. Then, following an Akron free throw, Ward hit his third 3-pointer and the Zips lead was now a tenuous 48-41 with just under 12 minutes still to play.

Kretzer, who paced Akron with 19 points in the opening half, had missed all three 3-pointers taken at that point in the second half. But when he finally hit one at the 10:02 mark, and it was followed by hoop inside from Demetrius Treadwell, Akron's lead was back up to 56-41 with less than 10 minutes left in the game.

But the Eagles would not fold, and following a 3-pointer with 6:32 to play Akron's lead was now at 60-50. Then a jumper in the lane from the Eagles got EMU within 60-52. But another Kretzer 3-pointer triggered an 8-2 run by Akron to get the Zips within closing distance with 4:05 to play.

But before the last media break Eastern's Darrell Combs hit a layup and was going to the line for a free throw leaving Akron's cushion at 68-57 with 3:48 to play.

With 1:36 to play Akron was finally shooting the bonus at the line, and closed the game out from there.

The Zips went with four new starters to go with Demetrius Treadwell and the move paid quick dividends. Akron jumped to a 10-0 lead, making all four of their initial shots, including a pair of Kretzer 3-pointers. That forced EMU to take a timeout less than three minutes into the game.

But the drought continued for the Eagles even after the timeout as Akron's defense forced them to miss their first seven shots from the field and had a pair of turnovers as well.

The scoring drought extended to 14:28 before the Eagles dropped in a free throw, and the field goal drought was even longer to the 11:41 mark, - 0 for 9 with four turnovers - before Jalen Ross and the Eagles found the bottom of the net.

By then Akron was holding a 17-3 lead. Then Kretzer answered that EMU hit with his fourth straight 3-pointer to increase Akron's advantage up to, 20-3. Eastern then used a pair of Akron turnovers to get back-to-back hoops before the second media break of the game. That cut Akron's lead down to 20-7.

Slowly, as the Zips went cold from the field, the Eagles found their rhythm, and with 7:08 a Karrington Ward bustout dunk on an Akron turnover led the Zips to take their own timeout as a 12-5 run by Eastern had cut the Zips 17-point lead down to 22-13.

But Akron responded with a run of their own, 14-0, including three straight 3-pointers to go up 36-13, then 39-19 by halftime.

Kretzer had already matched his career-high with 19 points, including 5 of 6 3-pointers. Overall, Akron was shooting 51.9 percent at halftime, including 8 of 12 on 3-pointers while holding EMU to 21.2 percent from the field.

Eastern picked it up in the second half, but not enough to top the Zips.

Luol Deng's new team -- the Cavaliers -- was horrible in the first matchup against his old team -- the Chicago Bulls, who beat the Cavs, 98-87, on Wednesday at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It was hard to tell which was worse -- the Cavaliers defense or their offense in a 98-87 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night at The Q.

Suffice it to say, both were bad.

The Bulls, playing without starters Derrick Rose (knee), Carlos Boozer (calf) and Kirk Hinrich (hamstring), still managed to shoot 53 percent and improve to 21-20, 7-2 since trading their leading scorer, Luol Deng, to the Cavs on Jan. 7. D.J. Augustin had 27 points, Taj Gibson finished with 26 points, and Joakim Noah had 18 rebounds and 9 points.

Even Deng couldn't help the Cavs shoot any better than 37.5 percent. In fact, he made just 2-of-11 shots for 11 points against his former teammates. Chicago took the season series, 3-1, and has won 14 of the last 16 games between these teams.

Kyrie Irving led the Cavs with 26 points, 15 in the second quarter. Dion Waiters added 15 points, and Anderson Varejao had 10 points and 11 rebounds as the Cavs lost their second straight home game to fall to 15-27. It's not exactly the way they wanted to start this five-game homestand.

For the second straight game, the Cavs got off to a terrible start. The Bulls scored the first seven points of the game and built a 10-point lead early in the second quarter, 30-20. They were still in front, 32-22, before Irving brought the Cavs back with five straight 3-pointers as Cleveland finished out the half on a 22-11 tear for a 44-43 lead.

Gibson scored six straight points to open the third quarter, and the Cavs took a timeout with 10:01 left. But that didn't help immediately. Chicago would lead, 65-54, with 4:32 left in the third before the Cavs scored the next eight points to close to 65-62 on an 18-footer by Irving with 1:49 left. Chicago finished the period on a 6-0 run for a 71-62 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Pettine, the Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator, has had a second interview with the Browns. He expects to get some feedback by tonight.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns coaching candidate Mike Pettine told cleveland.com Wednesday that he might know something about the Browns job by Wednesday night.

"I should have some feedback on my interview by the end of the day,'' he said from the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Pettine, the Bills defensive coordinator, declined to characterize where things stand with the Browns, referring specific questions to his agent, Trace Armstrong of Creative Artists Agency. Armstrong could not be immediately reached for comment.

Pettine declined to say if a report by the Buffalo News that the deal could be close was true.

The Browns spent four hours interviewing Pettine for the second time on Tuesday night at the Senior Bowl, where coaches and personnel executives from all 32 teams are scouting top college prospects.

But the Browns left town without a deal for Pettine, 47, and headed straight to their Wednesday morning interview with Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter. ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, who covers the Falcons, reported Wednesday that the Koetter interview has already taken place, but characterized Koetter as a longshot.

Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is also still believed to be in the mix. Quinn is preparing to play in the Super Bowl Feb. 2 against the Broncos, but can interview with the Browns for a second time by Sunday.

If the Browns decide Quinn is their man, they can't hire him until after the Super Bowl -- but they can certainly make their decision following the second meeting.

Quinn's top-ranked defense will face the Bronco's top-ranked offense in the Super Bowl. His unit finished first in yards against, points against and takeaways. It also forced three turnovers in the final quarter of their victory over San Francisco in Sunday's NFC Championship Game.

Koetter, 54, had interviews lined up with the Brown and Eagles last year, but canceled them to stay on for another year with the Falcons, who stumbled to a 4-12 record after reaching the NFC Championship Game the year before.

The Falcons offense finished 14th overall and seventh in passing in 2013. It ranked last in the league in rushing.

Koetter, 54, has been the Falcons' coordinator since 2012.

Koetter's offense was hampered by a season-ending broken foot on the part of premier wideout Julio Jones and and ankle and hamstring injuries to Roddy White. It finished 20th with 20.7 points per game and 22nd in red zone offense.

But quarterback Matt Ryan still played well, finishing 12th in the NFL with an 89.6 rating and fourth overall with 4,515 yards. He also finished fourth in completion percentage at 67.4.

In 2012, his first season in Atlanta, Koetter led the Falcons to top 10 rankings in a number of key categories, including third down efficiency (45.1 pct, 2nd), scoring efficiency (44.0 pct., 2nd), red zone points scored (317, 3rd), red zone scoring efficiency (90.5 pct., 6th),first downs per game (21.4, 6th), scoring offense (26.2, 7th) and passing offense (292.0, 7th).

As for Pettine, he spent one season as the Bills' defensive coordinator and the previous four years as Jets defensive coordinator under Rex Ryan.

Pettine's 2013 Bills defense ranked 10th in total overall, fourth against the pass and 28th against the run. The Bills were also second in sacks (57) and interceptions (23). Pettine coached two Bills' players to double-digits sack seasons, including defensive end Mario Williams with a team-high 13 for second-most in his career and defensive end Kyle Williams with a career-high 10.5.

Pettine ran a 3-4 hybrid scheme in Buffalo, which is similar to what Ray Horton ran in Cleveland.

Pettine served as Jets defensive coordinator under Rex Ryan from 2009-12, with his defenses finishing in the top 10 all four years, including a No. 1 ranking in  2009. Pettine was known as Ryan's righthand man in New York, and was well-liked by his players.
Previously, Pettine was a Ravens’ assistant from 2002-2008, including his last four as outside linebackers coach when Ryan was the Raven's coordinator.

The Bills finished this season 6-10 in 2013, including a 37-24 loss to the Browns on Oct. 3. But the rare scoring outburst included a punt return for a TD and an interception return for a TD.

The Cleveland Indians should consider ditching Chief Wahoo if they want a proposal to ask voters to extend the county's 'sin tax' to succeed in May, Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Sunny Simon said Thursday. A team executive said the team is studying the issue.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians should consider ditching Chief Wahoo if they want voters to extend Cuyahoga County's 'sin tax' in May, County Councilwoman Sunny Simon said Thursday.

Some county voters are offended by the Indians' mascot, a red-faced caricature of a Native American, Simon told Indians officials during a council hearing on the proposed extension of taxes on alcohol and cigarette sales.

"If this does get on the ballot, would the Indians consider addressing that issue? Because these people vote, and they're going to be at the ballot box," said Simon, a Democrat.

Dennis Lehman, the Indians' vice-president of business, said he couldn't say "yea or nay" as to whether the team would get rid of Chief Wahoo before May.

"We're doing some research on the issue. It's a discussion we're having on an ongoing basis," Lehman said.

The exchange occurred near the end of Thursday's hearing on the proposed 20-year extension of the sin tax to pay for maintenance for FirstEnergy Stadium, Progressive Field and Quicken Loans Arena. Eight of council's 11 members must vote 'yes' in order for the proposal to move forward.

Reports emerged earlier this year that the Indians were phasing out Chief Wahoo in favor of a 'block C.' But teams officials told Northeast Ohio Media Group's Mark Naymik the change only affected the logo displayed on television during live broadcasts, and that the mascot would remain on the team's hats and jerseys.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With only a couple of weeks left in the regular season, several teams across Northeast Ohio are still very much in the race to win their respective divisions.  BIG GAMES TO COME

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With only a couple of weeks left in the regular season, several teams across Northeast Ohio are still very much in the race to win their respective divisions. 

BIG GAMES TO COME

Rocky River vs. Shaker Heights

The race between the Pirates and the Red Raiders to finish first in the Red North this year has been as close as any in local high school hockey. Neither team has a loss against a league opponent. The only difference between the two teams' divisional records is that Shaker Heights has a pair of ties at 5-0-2 while the Pirates only have one at 6-0-1, giving them a slight edge as the standings currently sit. 

Things are sure to get interesting when the two teams meet on Sunday at 6 p.m. in Rocky River. If the Red Raiders win, they move into first place. If the Pirates win or tie, they retain their position atop the Red North and will only have to win one more game, against Hudson on Feb. 1, to be crowned league champions. Shaker Heights will face Mentor on Friday and the Red Raiders' last league matchup will be on Jan. 31 against Brecksville. 

@MentorAthletics Cards hockey faces Red North Division opponent Shaker Heights Friday at 6:00 pm at the Civic Center.

— Paul McKito (@BigRedDukes7) January 23, 2014

St. Ignatius vs. St. Edward

Lady Luck hasn't been on the Eagles' side much of this season, although they are still the No. 8-ranked team in the Jan. 20 state hockey poll. Fans of both St. Edward and No. 1-ranked St. Ignatius from coming out to see the two teams clash for the final time this season on Friday at 8 p.m. at the Brooklyn Rec Center. The Wildcats are 2-0 against the Eagles this year, including a 3-0  league-game win on Jan. 4 and a 6-5 overtime victory in the final round of the Meadville MLK Tournament on Jan. 19. 

Championship Sunday Recap: St. Edward vs. St. Ignatius What an amazing end to a great weekend. I don't think... http://t.co/2QLicto6i5

— The Bulldog (@MeadvilleHockey) January 20, 2014

St. Ignatius is 4-1-2 in the Great Lakes Hockey League and is still in the running for a league championship with Walsh Jesuit (5-1-2), Holy Name (5-1), University School (4-1-2) and Lake Catholic (4-2-2). St. Edward is only 1-5 in league play this season. The team's 3-0 loss to the Wildcats was the only one of its five league losses that was by more than two goals. 

Hockey tickets go on sale this morning for the game against Ed's on Friday at Brooklyn.

— St. Ignatius Hockey (@IgnatiusHockey) January 23, 2014

Holy Name vs. Padua

The Green Wave and the Bruins have been rivals for many years, due to their proximity to one another, making their matchup on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. at Ries Ice Rink highly anticipated. Holy Name beat Padua, 5-1, in the season-opener for both teams on Nov. 22. Although Holy Name has had much more success than the in the newly-formed GLHL this season, Green Wave coach Tim Sullivan has said that every game in the league is a tough one and that he is just as concerned about Padua as he is about first-place Walsh Jesuit. The Bruins are 0-9 against league opponents but are 7-10 against teams outside of their division. 

@HNGreenwave and U. S. win Wednesday. Five teams now within two points of first in the GLHL. Complete standings: http://t.co/K7hJmdAMhj

— Scott Harrington (@scottbhl) January 23, 2014

Walsh Jesuit vs. Lake Catholic

The Warriors came away from their Jan. 15 matchup against the Cougars still in first place in the GLHL after the contest ended in a 2-2 tie in Mentor. On Saturday at 7:45 p.m., the two teams will meet once again. This time, it will be on Walsh Jesuit's home ice in Kent. 

Mayfield vs. Cleveland Heights

The Wildcats are still looking to clinch the White East as they enter their Saturday game against the Tigers at 5 p.m. in Cleveland Heights. Mayfield is in first place with a 5-1 record in league play while Cleveland Heights is 3-1. The Wildcats are the only White East team to defeat the Tigers this season, beating them, 5-1, on Dec. 15. Cleveland Heights will also play second-place Orange (4-2) on Sunday at 6:40 p.m. at The Pond. 

Avon vs. Western Reserve

The Eagles are on a nine-game winning streak entering their Friday night matchup against the Pioneers. Both teams are tied for first place in the White West with 6-1 league records. This game could decide which team takes sole possession of the top spot in the division with both teams only having two league matchups left on their schedules after they meet at 5:50 p.m. in Kent. 

RECAPPING MIDWEEK MATCHUPS

University School defeats Gilmour

University School kept its hopes for a GLHL title alive with a 3-2 win against Gilmour on Wednesday night at The Pond. Clark Jones scored with 2:43 left in the second period for the Preppers to make the score 3-1. Ryan Hall added a goal for Gilmour with 18 seconds left in the frame, but US held on through a scoreless third period for the victory. The Preppers are currently ranked No. 3 in the state. 

And we have a final score of 3-2 Preppers. #hailuniversity

— US Athletics (@UnivSchoolSport) January 23, 2014

Holy Name beats Lake Catholic 

Tim Higgibotham scored in the second period and Kyle Canda netted the game winner with 5:15 remaining in the third for the Green Wave, clinching a 2-1 victory for No. 5-ranked Holy Name. Lake Catholic is currently ranked No. 4 in the state. 

SEE WHAT TEAMS ARE RANKED IN THE STATE POLL

Several teams in the GLHL are ranked highly in the state hockey poll. See all of the state rankings by clicking here. 

PLAYOFF MAYHEM TO ENSUE

Read what Jon Behm of the Morning Journal has written about the race for the playoffs among several teams on the West Side.