COLUMBUS, Ohio - Watch video of Division II wrestler Aaron Adkins of St. Vincent-St. Mary during his championship preliminary win Thursday at the OHSAA state wrestling championships at Ohio State University. Adkins, a 182-pounder, scored an opening round win over New Concord John Glenn's Matt Tom. Adkins won with a pin in 2 minutes, 37 seconds.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Watch video of Division II wrestler Aaron Adkins of St. Vincent-St. Mary during his championship preliminary win Thursday at the OHSAA state wrestling championships at Ohio State University.

Adkins, a 182-pounder, scored an opening round win over New Concord John Glenn's Matt Tom. Adkins won with a pin in 2 minutes, 37 seconds.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Here are 26 video interviews with local wrestlers after their Division III preliminary matches Thursday at the Ohio High School Athletic Association state wrestling tournament. Perry sophomore Brady Toth lost to Justin Stickley, 9-2, to fall into the consolation bracket. Toth went on to lose to Alex Potts of East Liverpool, 5-2, to be eliminated.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Here are 26 video interviews with local wrestlers after their Division III preliminary matches Thursday at the Ohio High School Athletic Association state wrestling tournament.

Perry sophomore Brady Toth lost to Justin Stickley, 9-2, to fall into the consolation bracket. Toth went on to lose to Alex Potts of East Liverpool, 5-2, to be eliminated.

Tallmadge junior Terrell Grant defeated Skyler St. Peter of Athens, 10-2, to advance in the championship bracket of the 106-pound class.

University School senior Walker Chieffe defeated Vince Zitiello of Bay, 8-3, to advance to the next round of the 126-pound championship bracket.

Bay sophomore Vince Zitiello lost to University School's Walker Chieffe to fall into the consolation bracket in the 126-pound class. He responded to defeat Tyler Jenkins of Byesville Meadowbrook, 7-3, to make it to the next round in the consolation bracket.

Perry senior Aaran Gessic wrestler moved to 41-5 on the season with a 10-0 major decision victory over Chandler Golec of Claymont in the 132-pound weight class.

Crestwood senior Conner Nemec of Crestwood defeated Garrett Blackburn of London, 7-3, to remain in the championship bracket in the 132 pound weight class.

Padua junior Kyle Kaminski pinned John Watkins of Lexington in 3:57 to move on in the championship bracket of the 138-pound weight class.

Crestwood senior Jake Zemaitis defeated Jeremy Balboa 6-5 to advance in the championship bracket in the 138-point weight class.

Crestwood junior Nick Wrobel won a tight battle against Ben Petersen of Oak Harbor, 3-2, to move in the championship of the 145-pound weight class.

Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy junior Andy Dobben defeated Richard Jackson of Toledo Central Catholic, 4-2, to move on to the quaterfinals of the 145-pound weight class.

CVCA senior Jeff Hojnacki defeated Kenon Bowling of Mt. Orab Western Brown, 3-2, to advance to the quarterfinals in the 152-pound weight class.

Vermillion senior Mike Repko defeated Hannibal Tate of Columbis Miffin, 5-4, to advance to the next round in the 152-pound weight class.

Lake Catholic junior Matt Ludwig defeated William Navin of Granville, 7-2, to advance to the quarterfinals in the 160-pound weight class.

Harvey senior Alonzo Turner pinned Caleb Horn of Amanda-Clearcreek at 5:39 to move on in the championship bracket of the 160-pound weight class.

Ravenna junior Brendon Winning lost to Austin Robbins, 10-4 to fall into the consolation bracket in the 170-pound weight class. However, he bounced back to defeat Austin Robbins of Tipp City Tippencanoe, 13-2 to remain in contention for 3rd place.

Keystone junior Jacob Worthington defeated L.J. Henderson of Lewistown Indiana Lake, 4-0, to advance in the championship bracket of the 182-pound weight class.

Revere senior Ahmad Khatib lost Jhulyis Monroe of Columbus Marion-Franklin, 11-5, to fall into the consolation bracket of the 182-pound weight class.

Perry senior Alex Schenk defeated Jordan Leasure 12-4 to advance to the quarterfinals in the 182-pound weight championship bracket.

Woodridge junior Cody Jenkins lost to Josh Couchman, 10-4, to fall into the consolation bracket of the 195-pound weight class. Jenks fell to Tyler Dodd of Carrollton, 9-8, to be eliminated.

Crestwood senior Kenny Jackson defeated Jerimiah Jones of Washington C.H. Miami Trace, 7-3, to advance to the quarterfinals of the 195-pound weight class.

Perry junior Kyle Kremiller pinned James Ritchie in 3:02 to advance to the quarterfinals of the 195-pound weight class.

Woodridge senior Mason Hilling lost to Deaken McCoy of Galion, 11-5, to drop to the consolation bracket in the 220-pound weight class. Hilling lost to Reece Human of Carlisle, 9-6, to be eliminated.

Ravenna senior Cody Hawkins fell to Evan Loughman, 11-7, to fall into the consolation bracket of the heavyweight class. He responded with a 6-2 victory over Michael Holzworth to remain in contention for 3rd place.

University School senior Kostas Parrish pinned Gavin Peacock of Hamilton Ross in just 36 seconds to advance to the quarterfinals in the heavyweight class.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Watch video of Division II wrestler Kyle Kaminski of Padua during his championship preliminary win Thursday at the OHSAA state wrestling championships at Ohio State University. Kaminski, a 138-pounder, scored an opening round win over Lexington's Jon Watkins with a pin in three minutes, 58 seconds.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Watch video of Division II wrestler Kyle Kaminski of Padua during his championship preliminary win Thursday at the OHSAA state wrestling championships at Ohio State University.

Kaminski, a 138-pounder, scored an opening round win over Lexington's Jon Watkins with a pin in three minutes, 58 seconds.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Here are 50 video interviews with local wrestlers after their Division I preliminary matches Thursday at the Ohio High School Athletic Association state wrestling tournament. Jarrod Brezovec of Aurora won his 106-pound matchup against Hilliard Davidson's Trent Gill 5-2.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Here are 50 video interviews with local wrestlers after their Division I preliminary matches Thursday at the Ohio High School Athletic Association state wrestling tournament.

Jarrod Brezovec of Aurora won his 106-pound matchup against Hilliard Davidson's Trent Gill 5-2.

Jarrod Bronstrup of Brecksville-Broadview Heights defeated Daniel Roth of Lakota East 7-4 in a 106-pound match.

Mayfield's Harry Feuer pinned Ben Tate of Mt. Vernon in 3:42 in their 106-pound matchup.

106-pounder Alan Hart of St. Edward fell by decision to Mason's Zach Donathan, 7-4.

Madison 106-pounder Corbin Post, who lost to C.J. Campbell of Hilliard Bradley in a major decision, 15-4.

Devione Edwards of Lorain, who defeated Cincinnati LaSalle’s Eric Beck in a 4-1 decision at 106.

Wadsworth’s Noah Baughman, 106 pounds, won by a 20-5 tech. fall against Clayton Northmont’s Chad Craft.

Daniel Clement of Solon lost his 113-pound match to St. Edward's L.J. Bentley, 8-3.

Strongsville's Garrett Lambert won his 113-pound match against Chris Doyle of Green, 4-2.

Brunswick's Josh Heil won a 120-pound match against Westerville North's Santino Disabato, 5-0.

Walsh Jesuit's Alex Mackall pinned Trenton Edgewood's T.J. Bean in 2:41 to win his 120-pound match.

Armando Torres of Elyria defeated Cameron Latham of Ashville Teays Valley in a 120-pound matchup, 5-1.

Brecksville-Broadview Heights 120-pounder Austin Assad, who pinned Slade Tyson of Dresden Tri-Valley in 3:19.

North Royalton's Alec Benedetti defeated Jared Davis of Oregon Clay, 4-2, in a 126-pound match.

Parma’s Tyler Workman, who lost a 5-2 decision at 126 pounds to Justin DeMicco of Brecksville-Broadview Heights.

Justin DeMicco of Brecksville-Broadview Heights, who defeated Parma’s Tyler Workman, 5-2, at 126 pounds.

Joey Bernosky of Avon Lake lost a 132-pound match to Bobby Smith of Hilliard Davidson, 3-1.

Solon’s Chris Wymer, 132 pounds, lost to Cin. Arch. Moeller’s Jacoby Ward by a 5-2TB decision.

Riverside's Nick Boggs won a major decision at 132 pounds against Cincinnati LaSalle's John Shirkey, 13-2.

Nolan Whitely of Walsh Jesuit won a 132-pound match by major decision against Brandon Selmon of Cincinnati Princeton, 11-2.

Brunswick 132-pounder Nick Kiussis, who scored an 8-1 win over Andrew Lieb of Pataskala Watkins Memorial.

Lakewood's Yassir Abdelsalam won his 138-pound match against Springboro's Jacob Ottaway by a major decision, 15-3.

Brunswick’s Christian Camacho, 138 pounds, lost to Col. St. Charles’ Tim Rooney by a 7-3 decision.

Madison's Ryan Montgomery lost to Dominick Demas of Dublin Coffman, 4-1, in a 138-pound match.

Green’s Ryan Kaminski, 138 pounds, lost to Cin. St. Xavier’s Ben Heyob by a 10-5 decision.

Mike Decesare of Nordonia defeated Austin Tomoletz of Mentor in a 145-pound match, 4-2.

Mike Kostandaras of Walsh Jesuit, who won a 3-2 decision over Tim Rooney of Columbus St. Charles at 138 pounds.

Madison's Bo Ransom lost a 145-pound match to Brecksville-Broadview Heights' Grayson Davis, 3-0.

Noah Edwards of Twinsburg lost his 152-pound match to Perrysburg's J.P. Newton by major decision, 12-4.

Bedford's Jairod James lost to Elyria's Ben Darmstadt, 7-3, in a 152-pound match.

Elyria’s Ben Darmstadt, 152 pounds, defeated Bedford’s Jairod James by a 7-3 decision.

Heath Phillibert of Nordonia lost a major decision in a 152-pound match against Casey Sparkman of Massillon Perry, 18-5.

Michael Coleman of Hudson won his 160-pound match by a major decision against Springboro's Joe Kylin, 14-1.

Austin Strnad of Brecksville-Broadview Heights pinned Pickerington North's Tyler McCafferty in 1:29 in a 160-pound match.

Tim Knipl of Wadsworth defeated Garrick Ginter of Sidney by a major decision, 17-6, in a 170-pound match.

Garfield Heights' 170-pounder Craig Sloan beat Hamilton Township's Clayton Ray, 8-3.

Nolan Kondik of Kenston jumped ahead early, but eventually lost a 170lb match to Jake Stratton of Hilliard Bradley by pin.

Jake Gladwell of Green was pinned in his 170lb match by Micheal Weber of Loveland.

Brecksville-Broadview Heights’ Troy Lang, 170 pounds, defeated Kenston’s Nolan Kondik by a 3-0 decision.

Monterol Johnson of Maple Heights lost his 195-pound matchup to Nic Kramer of Westerville North, 2-1.

Anthony McLaughlin of St. Ignatius advanced in the 182lb weight class by defeating Drew Fenton of West Chester Lakota West, 3-2 in a triple-overtime match.

Parma’s Mike Lewis, 182 pounds, defeated Miamisburg’s Kyle Schmidt, by a 8-6 decision.

Josh Murphy of Brecksville-Broadview Heights pinned Vincent Long of Kettering Fairmont in 2:47 in a 195-pound match.

Drew Schiemann of Madison lost, 5-3, in sudden victory to Central Crossing's Robbie Fusner in a 195-pound match.

Bedford's 220-pounder Marquise Copeland defeated Thomas Worthington's James Ford, 6-5.

Olmsted Falls 220-pound wrestler Noel Caraballo was pinned by Loveland's Seth Brennock of Loveland in 5:58.

Josh Burger of Aurora lost in his 285-pound match to St. Edward's Ralph Nichols by pin in 3:54.

Willoughby South's Nik Urban defeated Olmsted Falls' Jordan Lee, 6-1, in their 285-pound matchup.

Elyria's Kevin Vough pinned Canton GlenOak's Tristan Roberts in 3:34 in their 285-pound match.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The state gymnastics and state wrestling tournaments are in full swing and the cleveland.com high school sports page will continue to provide you with as much coverage as humanly possible throughout the day.  There are also plenty of other exciting high school sports stories and highlights to come for boys and girls playoff basketball, bowling and...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The state gymnastics and state wrestling tournaments are in full swing and the cleveland.com high school sports page will continue to provide you with as much coverage as humanly possible throughout the day. 

There are also plenty of other exciting high school sports stories and highlights to come for boys and girls playoff basketball, bowling and hockey. 

Girls Basketball

Read a profile on girls basketball player Baleigh Reid of Twinsburg who is a candidate to win cleveland.com player of the year. Reporter Mark Kern will bring you all of the details about this standout athlete. 

Reporter Stephanie Kuzydym will have a profile piece about Sarah Scelza of Magnificat. Both profiles will be posted complete with video. 

Freelancer Michael Fitzpatrick will be at the Division I girls basketball district final at Elyria Catholic where fourth-seed Magnificat will take on third-seed North Royalton.

Boys Basketball

Look for a post setting up Friday and Saturday boys basketball sectional finals that will include notes, embedded Tweets from players, links to our coverage and coverage from other media outlets from the past few days and more. 

Freelancer Zach Dzurick will be covering the Division III boys basketball sectional final between the fourth-seed Warrensville Heights and third-seed Gilmour. 

Hockey

Listen to what the coach Tim Sullivan of Holy Name and Pat O'Rourke of St. Ignatius have to say about the upcoming Brooklyn District final on Saturday at 3 p.m. Reporter Robert Rozboril will have a podcast posted featuring interviews with both coaches. 

Look for more hockey coverage in the evening as Lake Catholic and University School are scheduled to face-off in the Kent District final at Kent State University. Check back for a story recapping all of the action and follow @rrozboril on Twitter for live game updates while the game is in progress. 

General

See if you can think of a witty answer for Friday's High School Sports Question of the Day. 

Look for boys and girls basketball scores and game recaps to be posted throughout the night. 

State Gymnastics

Reporter Lexi Pluym will be providing live coverage of the state gymnastics meet, team competition. She will be posting updates throughout the day and interacting with readers in the comments so be sure to ask her your questions. 

State Bowling

Freelance reporter Jarrod Ulrey will be covering state bowling in Division II boys at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl. 

STATE WRESTLING COVERAGE:

One stop shopping

Find everything in one place with our Day 2 aggregation post, which will be updated all day with links to everything posted on the site having to do with state wrestling. 

Division I 

Reporter Scott Patsko will have a post of live Division I updates in the comments all day and will be interacting with readers in comments. 

Also be on the lookout for posts about the top story lines of the day as well as ones keeping you plugged in to all of the action throughout the day. There will also be photo galleries and videos to allow you to see and hear some of the action. 

Division II 

Reporter Bill Landis will have a post of live Division I updates in the comments all day and will be interacting with readers in comments. 

Continually check back for posts about the top story lines of the day as well as photo galleries and videos.

Division III 

Reporter Nate Cline will have a post of live Division I updates in the comments all day and will be interacting with readers in comments. 

There will also be plenty of posts about the top story lines of the day as well as photo galleries and videos. 

Mat Storify

See what people and the wrestlers themselves are saying on Twitter in a Storify post by reporter Joe Noga. 

Megaposts

Each division will have its own "Megapost" providing easy access to virtually everything a high school wrestling fan could want, including video interviews, aggregation, results and more. 

Thursday's coverage: 

OHSAA state wrestling: Links to all coverage from Day 1 2014 (slideshows, videos)

Top storylines from Division I championship preliminaries: OHSAA

Top storylines from Division II championship preliminaries: OHSAA

Top storylines from Division III championship preliminaries: OHSAA

North Royalton girls basketball joins the Pick-and-Roll

Garfield Heights and Beachwood discuss the boys basketball postseason: Full Court Press podcast

Previewing the Kent District final between Lake Catholic and University School with coaches Ryan Okicki, Bill Beard: High school hockey playoff podcast

Three St. Ignatius hockey players suspended from playing in Brooklyn District final

John Davis III is catalyst for transformation of Beachwood boys basketball program (video)

COLUMBUS, Ohio — See a picture gallery from the Division I, II and III consolation Round 1 on Thursday night from the state wrestling tournament at Ohio State.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — See a picture gallery from the Division I, II and III consolation Round 1 on Thursday night from the state wrestling tournament at Ohio State.

The answer to the question routinely changes, dependent on the season, the month or, sometimes, the day of the week. Now, given the city's 50-year championship drought, the question elicits a sense of urgency and desperation.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- No professional Cleveland sports team has raised a championship banner in 50 years.

However, 2007 was a banner year of sorts for Cleveland sports.

The Cavaliers reached the NBA Finals, the Indians came within one victory of a trip to the World Series and the Browns won 10 games.

Which team will break Cleveland's championship hex?

At that juncture, the question sparked healthy debate, if only for an instant.

In 2008, the Cavs limped to a 45-37 record and fell short in the second round of the playoffs. The Indians dealt reigning Cy Young Award winner CC Sabathia en route to an 80-82 finish. The Browns went 4-12.

Now which team will break Cleveland's championship hex?

No longer did the question prompt healthy debate.

The answer to the question routinely changes, dependent on the season, the month or, sometimes, the day of the week. Now, given the city's 50-year championship drought, the question elicits a sense of urgency and desperation.

The Indians rebounded from a 94-loss campaign in 2012 to capture 92 victories and a Wild Card Game berth a year later. In a vacuum, they would appear the closest of Cleveland's three teams to a championship.

The Browns sat at 3-2 before dropping 10 of their final 11 games of the 2013 season and plummeting far, in theory, from being the answer to this question. Keep in mind, though, that the Seahawks, who claimed the Lombardi Trophy earlier this month, compiled four straight losing seasons and a 23-41 record from 2008-11.

Also today:
• Imagining the scene of a professional sports championship parade in downtown Cleveland

In the NFL, change can set in quickly. The Browns squeezed a 10-6 season in 2007 between a pair of 4-12 efforts.

"If you get the right guy, coupled with the right quarterback, I think the Super Bowl dream could happen in two to three years," said former Browns receiver Reggie Rucker. "In today's game, it's no longer the five-year plan and then, 'Let's see where we are.' Teams are going to the Super Bowl in two or three years. Look what happened in Seattle. Look what happened in San Francisco when they hired [Jim] Harbaugh. That's what this owner wants. Clevelanders are not going to be out of this for so long. We're getting closer."

The Cavs are in their fourth year of a rebuild following the departure of LeBron James. The gap between their standing and the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference is small, but there's a sizable crater between their ranking and that of the league's titans.

Former Cavs center Jim Chones said ex-general manager Wayne Embry told him it takes eight to 10 years to complete a rebuild in the NBA. The league doesn't cater to parity. Since 1984, only eight franchises have won an NBA title. During that same span, 18 different teams have won the World Series and 16 have won the Super Bowl.

For the Cavs, much could depend on a marquee offseason acquisition or free-agent signing. Would James' return tilt the answer in the Cavs' favor?

James once figured to be the savior, the face of Cleveland sports who would direct the city to the long-desired championship. Bernie Kosar once held that short-lived distinction, as did Albert Belle, Austin Carr, Brian Sipe and others.

Which team will buck the trend in Cleveland? Vote in our poll, chime in with your opinion in the comments section below and watch our roundtable discussion in the video above. 

What, exactly, would a championship celebration in Cleveland look like? Even closing your eyes and trying to imagine the scene might prove to be a difficult task. So open your eyes and read below, as we paint the picture of a downtown Cleveland festival.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- What, exactly, would a championship celebration in Cleveland look like? Even closing your eyes and trying to imagine the scene might prove to be a difficult task. So open your eyes and read below, as we paint the picture of a downtown Cleveland festival.

-----

It started outside of the casino, a fitting locale.

After all, who would have bet on this outcome?

The last time all of Northeast Ohio flocked to Public Square for a championship celebration, the building wasn't brimming with blackjack tables and money-guzzling slot machines. It was Higbee's department store, a wonderland of clothing and get-up.

Five decades have passed, and the waiting, the patience, the bitter cocktail of desperation, frustration and anxiety were finally put to rest in one, over-the-top, euphoric parade in the heart of downtown Cleveland.

All of those dreadful winters that blanketed the city with snow, slush and misery have melted away into merely a distant memory.

Each year, natives occupy the streets on St. Patrick's Day as they gulp green beer and watch the floats and bands navigate their way around downtown. They return when the circus comes to town. The elephants typically start outside of First Energy Stadium -- which has hosted a real circus of sorts for years -- and the beasts march their way toward Quicken Loans Arena.

Cleveland has waited for this procession for half a century.

It started with the owner, as Jimmy Haslam sat atop an orange wooden plane, with "Flying J" appropriately scrawled across the side. General manager Ray Farmer flanked his boss to his left. President Alec Scheiner sat to the right. 

The coaches came next. First-year boss Mike Pettine stood and soaked up the adoration from hollering fans, his bald dome glistening in the February sun.

The players followed. Cornerback Joe Haden, the city's patron saint, joined linebacker Paul Kruger in clutching the Lombardi Trophy. Barkevious Mingo and Phil Taylor, clad in parkas and earmuffs, waved to the crowd.

The fans showered the final section with the most praise. On the last float stood Bernie Kosar, Ernest Byner, Brian Sipe and other Browns legends. Not only was this a celebration of the present, but it served as a rite of vindication for the oft-frustrating and tantalizing past.

There, they passed around the microphone and talked about the expedition through the 2014 campaign.

In reality, it started 50 years ago. The journey has taken Cleveland through moments of heartbreak and despair. It even left town and left behind a city of avid supporters who thought it might never return.

It did. And the trek continued, albeit through another period of anguish and failure. The era finally ended the instant the clock struck zero at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. The jubilation followed the team back across the country and spilled out onto the streets for the parade.

No one wanted to leave. An unrelenting cheer drowned out every word shouted by players and coaches.

This was the rapture. This was hell freezing over. This was pigs flying.

No one ever detailed what is supposed to happen after those mythical phenomena. No one could foresee the relenting of Cleveland's hex.

Until now.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The top-seeded St. Ignatius Wildcats are set to take on second-seed Holy Name in the Brooklyn District hockey final on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the John M. Coyne Recreation Center in Brooklyn.  St. Ignatius fought off Rocky River in the semifinals, getting a 4-3 victory in double overtime on Tuesday. 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The top-seeded St. Ignatius Wildcats are set to take on second-seed Holy Name in the Brooklyn District hockey final on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the John M. Coyne Recreation Center in Brooklyn. 

St. Ignatius fought off Rocky River in the semifinals, getting a 4-3 victory in double overtime on Tuesday. 

Holy Name earned its way to the district final by beating St. Edward in a close, low-scoring affair on Wednesday, which ended with a dramatic, game-winning goal by Jamie Bucell. 

Listen to what Wildcats coach Pat O'Rourke and Green Wave coach Tim Sullivan had to say about their upcoming meeting. 

Check cleveland.com for coverage of the matchup. For live updates from the game, follow Robert Rozboril on Twitter: @rrozboril.

Note: This podcast was recorded prior to the news that three St. Ignatius players would not be allowed to play in the district final due to undisclosed disciplinary reasons.

LeBron James' new mask; Leah Remini dishes on Scientology; more snow for Midwest; Russian troops in Ukraine?

Read more about LeBron James' protective mask, what Leah Remini had to say about Scientology, how much snow we could see in Cleveland this weekend and other top trending stories for today.

It was his first big league spring training. The Athletics, who drafted him in the second round the previous summer, handed him a No. 72 jersey. In the locker adjacent to his hung Goose Gossage's No. 54 uniform.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Jason Giambi cautiously approached his locker at Phoenix Municipal Stadium in February 1993.

It was his first big league spring training. The Athletics, who drafted him in the second round the previous summer, handed him a No. 72 jersey. In the locker adjacent to his hung Goose Gossage's No. 54 uniform.

"I remember I didn't say a word all of spring training," Giambi said.

That apparently earned Gossage's respect.

"By the end of spring training," Giambi said, "he was like, 'You know what, kid? I respect you. You sat there; you didn't say a word.'"

Then, Giambi was a timid, 22-year-old, unproven commodity. Now, he's 43, is in perhaps his final spring camp and his locker emits a gravitational pull in the clubhouse that lures young players, reporters and clubhouse attendants in his direction to listen to his tales.

His spring training role has evolved, but Giambi maintains the same emotion toward digging his cleats into the Arizona dirt each February and March.

"I love to play," Giambi said. "That's why I'm still playing. I only get about 150-170 at-bats a year. I better love being out here."

For their first offseason transaction following a loss in the American League Wild Card game, the Indians signed Giambi to a minor league deal with a spring training invitation. Manager Terry Francona said it wasn't a coincidence that they secured the veteran's rights before completing any other roster shuffles.

Giambi batted .183 with nine home runs and 31 RBIs in 216 at-bats last season. He did contribute what Francona deemed the most memorable moment of the season. During the final week of the regular season, Giambi pummeled an Addison Reed pitch over the center-field fence for a walk-off, season-rescuing homer.

The Indians cherished the slugger's leadership, experience and, of course, timely hitting. Thus, they brought him back.

What, though, does Giambi have left in the old, rusted tank? No longer is he that wide-eyed, wild-haired kid. No longer can he endure the rigorous offseason training regimens that used to prepare him for the regular season's long haul. This winter, he took a month off to let his body heal and he allowed his frame to rest for about one week each month after that.

No longer can Giambi afford to sit, mouth shut, and wait for at-bats to fall into his lap during spring training. He needs action to re-acclimate his body to game speed.

"That's always the hardest thing to gauge as you get older is to see where you're at and what you need to work on," Giambi said. "It's never the same. I can't recreate it unless I go play in the game."

Giambi went 0-for-1 with a walk in his spring debut on Thursday. Francona said the two will devise a plan to provide Giambi with the most beneficial spring playing schedule possible. Giambi said he would prefer to receive at-bats in the earlier stages of the exhibition slate so he isn't playing catch-up.

"I said, 'Just put me out there earlier so I know what I need to work on,'" Giambi said. "Some of the guys are playing later on in spring. I can't do it anymore. I can't just try to rush it and say, 'Oh, give me three weeks and I'll get ready.' I don't know how long it's going to take."

It's a balancing act of sorts. Giambi began the 2013 campaign on the disabled list. Francona stressed the importance of granting his bench players consistent playing time during the spring to prevent them from collecting dust once the regular season arrives and starters attempt to cement their standing.

"He's not here to play every day, so we wouldn't do that in spring training, either," Francona said. "There's a little bit of a fine line trying to get everybody ready. It is different. A guy like Aviles or Raburn, you want to almost put some gas in their tank and give them as many at-bats as you can give them, because the first two weeks are the hardest on a bench."

Giambi doesn't envy the plotting required to map out five weeks worth of spring playing time. Bench coach Brad Mills arrives at the ballpark at 4:30 a.m. each day to sketch out the plan.

"The biggest thing is there's always that fine line," Giambi said, "especially for a manager, to get me enough at-bats but also try to keep me healthy."

Giambi and Gossage remain in touch. Giambi contributes to the conversations now.

To Giambi's side in the Indians clubhouse sits the locker of All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis, a 26-year-old with only two full major league seasons under his belt. Kipnis picks his brain on a regular basis and the two share nicknames for each other.

For Giambi, it's just another eight-week expedition, another appetizer preceding another 162-game entree. It's a stretch that often evokes memories of his first trek to camp and his first instance of being starstruck at his own workplace.

"It was fun," Giambi said. "It was like a dream come true."

COLUMBUS, Ohio — See action video of Sam Gross of Beachwood in Friday night’s Division III championship semifinal. Gross, wrestling in the 132-pound weight class at the state championships at Ohio State, defeated Covington's Ryan Ford, 7-3. See video of that match above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — See action video of Sam Gross of Beachwood in Friday night’s Division III championship semifinal.

Gross, wrestling in the 132-pound weight class at the state championships at Ohio State, defeated Covington's Ryan Ford, 7-3. See video of that match above.

Gross will face Lyle Plummer of Dayton Chaminade Julienne in the Division III 132-pound state championship match on Saturday night, which begins at 5:45 p.m.

GATES MILLS, Ohio – Fourth-seeded Warrensville Heights' boys basketball team knocked off third-seeded Gilmour, 71-56, Friday in a physical Division III sectional final in front of a capacity crowd. Gilmour jumped out to an early lead but Warrensville Heights used its length and quickness to wrestle control of the game and never looked back.

GATES MILLS, Ohio – Fourth-seeded Warrensville Heights' boys basketball team knocked off third-seeded Gilmour, 71-56, Friday in a physical Division III sectional final in front of a capacity crowd.

Gilmour jumped out to an early lead but Warrensville Heights used its length and quickness to wrestle control of the game and never looked back.

The Tigers improved to 17-7 and won their eighth straight game. With the team now at full strength and the experience gained from a strong schedule, Warrensville Heights is peaking at the right time.

“We didn’t make excuses early in the season,” Warrensville Heights coach Brian Swift said. “We learned a lot. We now have all of our guys back. We are playing so hard right now and I am so proud. This is the time we need to pull everything together.”

Gilmour used its defense to create turnovers to jumpstart a 7-0 run to take a 14-7 lead early in the first quarter. Warrensville Heights answered with 18 straight points. The Tigers controlled the offensive boards and pounded the paint.

The Tigers led, 27-17, after the first quarter while shooting 58 percent from the field. The lead would never fall to single digits for the rest of the game. Warrensville Heights’ Yavari Hall led all scorers with 18 points. Ishamel Hargrove was Gilmour’s top scorer with 17 points.

Warrensville Heights point guard Jalen Jackson was able to use his quickness to attack the paint. He knew that even if he missed, one of his teammates would be there to clean up the basketball.

“We have a lot of athletes,” Swift said. “Once Jalen was able to get into the paint, we have a lot of guys who can rebound and finish. Jalen did a good job tonight.”

Jackson had 14 points and was able to orchestrate the offense.

“Our intensity level rose during that 18-0 run,” Jackson said. “We got a lot of turnovers and steals. We were able to score some easy buckets we weren’t getting early on. I know my teammates and if I throw it up there I know they are going to get it.”

Once Warrensville Heights started to dominate the paint, Gilmour was forced to sink lower and lower. The Tigers took advantage and hit six three-pointers.

“Whenever you get into the paint the defense tends to sink down and we did a good job of taking advantage,” Swift said.

Gilmour had cut the lead to 11 at the start of the fourth quarter and seemed to be changing the momentum. However, Gilmour missed eight of nine free throws in the fourth quarter. The Lancers were charged with a technical with six minutes to play and the Tigers took advantage. Jackson drained both free throws and on the ensuing possession, Quinton Wells drained a three-pointer to push the lead to 16.

Gilmour’s season ended at 19-4.

“Every time we tried to make a run they were able to make a stop or an extra basket,” Gilmour coach David Pfundstein said. “Warrensville is a heck of team. Coach Swift does a great job with them and they are going to be tough to beat.”

The Lancers had 11 seniors on the team. Pfundstein was proud of the season they were able to put together.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our guys,” Pfundstein said. “What a great group of kids.”

With four state-ranked teams in the Garfield Heights District, the district is one of the toughest in the state. Warrensville Heights will play second-seeded Beachwood on Monday at Garfield Heights in a district semifinal at 7 p.m.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Since he was in eighth grade, Crestwood’s Kenny Jackson has spent championship Saturday in the stands. He’s watched in awe at the fanfare of the final day of the OHSAA state wrestling championships, hoping some day he would be down on the floor instead of up in the stands.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Since he was in eighth grade, Crestwood’s Kenny Jackson has spent championship Saturday in the stands.

He’s watched in awe at the fanfare of the final day of the OHSAA state wrestling championships, hoping some day he would be down on the floor instead of up in the stands.

That day has come.

With his 5-3 win against Perry’s Kyle Kremiller in the Division II semifinals at 195 pounds, Jackson clinched a berth in Saturday’s championship match — a moment that’s been five years in the making for the senior, who qualified for his first state tournament last year, but didn’t place.

“It feels great,” Jackson said. “This has been my dream since I was a little kid and now I get to do it.”

He’ll face a familiar opponent on Saturday, too. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy’s Tyler Maclellan advanced to the finals at 195 pounds with a 3-0 win against St. Paris Graham’s Josh Couchman, setting up a championship match that will serve as a rematch of the Alliance District championship, which Maclellan won, 3-1, in overtime.

“I think it will be a good battle,” Jackson said. “Hope I can get revenge in that one.”

The championship finals for all divisions begin at 5:45 p.m. on Saturday at Value City Arena in Columbus.

Padua’s DeCesare ready for the big stage

Though he’s only a sophomore, Padua’s Tony DeCesare isn’t frightened by the big stage he’ll be on Saturday night. After beating Toledo Central Catholic’s Josh Venia, 5-3, in overtime during Friday’s semifinals at 106 pounds, DeCesare is ready for his first state championship match.

He’ll rely on the experience he gained after finishing sixth as a freshman.

“It’s helped a lot,” said DeCesare, who used in quick takedown in the first overtime period to claim a sudden victory win in the semifinals.

“I wasn’t as nervous this year at all.”

He’ll face defending champ Tyler Warner of Uhrichsville Claymont in Saturday’s final. Asked if he’s nervous about his first state title match, one against a former title winner, DeCesare was as confident as ever.

“I’m not worried,” he said.

DeCesare’s win was one of two overtime semifinals on the day for the Bruins. Kyle Kaminski went to an extra period with Toledo Central Catholic’s Josh Mossing, where he lost, 3-1, at 138 pounds.

Defending champions move on

The three defending Division II champions from Northeast Ohio will get a chance to defend their respective titles on Saturday night.

St. Vincent-St. Mary’s Aaron Adkins advanced to the final at 182 pounds with a 9-1 major decision against Claymont’s Colt Crall. Perry’s Billy Miller, the defending champ at 285 pounds, beat Thomville Sheridan’s Evan Loughman, 7-1, to advance to Saturday’s final, where he’ll put his unbeaten 43-0 record on the line.

Lake Catholic’s Anthony Tutolo will defend his title at 126 pounds after beating Springfield Northwestern’s Devin Rogers, 6-3, in the semifinals.

“It’s the highlight of the season,” Tutolo said. “I’ve been thinking about it the whole season, the whole tournament. It’s exciting and I can’t wait to get back out there (Saturday).”

Scouting the championship bouts

At 106 pounds: DeCesare (23-1) faces Claymont’s Tyler Warner (42-1), who won the title as a freshman a year ago. DeCesare placed sixth as a freshman in 2013.

At 126 pounds: Tutolo (35-1) will face Bellbrook’s Cameron Kelly (24-0), a two-time state placer who won the title at 106 pounds in 2012. Tutolo, also a two-time state placer, was the runner-up at 113 pounds in 2012.

At 182 pounds: SVSM’s Aaron Adkins (45-5) will face Urbana’s Jack Harris (49-2), a sophomore who placed fifth at 182 in 2013.

At 195 pounds: Jackson (38-5), who has never medaled in a state tournament, will face Maclellan (38-5), who placed eighth at 170 pounds in 2013.

At 285 pounds: Miller (43-0) will face Beloit West Branch’s Logan Sharp (34-3), who has never placed in the state tournament.

In the consolation semifinals

The following locals will wrestle in consolation semifinals on Saturday: Cory Simpson, Field (113); Paul Petras, Padua (113); Aaron Gessic, Perry (132); Conner Nemec, Crestwood (132); Ryan Skonieczny, SVSM (138); Kyle Kaminski, Padua (138); Andy Dobben, CVCA (145); Jeff Hojnacki, CVCA (152); Alonzo Turner, Harvey (160); Zeck Lehman, Revere (170); Alec Schenk, Perry (182); Jacob Worthington, Keystone (182); Sean Rutherford, Norton (220).

Winners advance to the third-place match, while losers fall to the fifth-place match.

Seventh-place matches set

The following locals will wrestle in seventh-place matches:

Markus Cruz (Clearview) will wrestle Lima Bath’s Colin Ingram at 120 pounds.

Garrett Carter (SVSM) will wrestle Plain City Jonathan Alder’s Bret Yutzy at 132 pounds.

Nick Wrobel (Crestwood) will wrestle Oak Harbor’s Ben Peterson at 145 pounds.

Ravenna’s Brendan Winning will wrestle Poland Seminary’s Mike Audi at 170 pounds.

SVSM’s Dre’k Brumley will wrestle Sandusky Perkins’ Kordell Chaney at 220 pounds.

Perry coach honored

Perry Coach Dave Rowan was honored as the Division II Coach of the Year prior to Friday’s second session. The Pirates currently sit in fourth place in the team standings with 49 points.

History on the bill for Saturday?

Paris Graham’s Micah Jordan beat CVCA’s Dobben by technical fall, 25-10, in the semifinals at 145 pounds. A win in the finals on Saturday would make Jordan the 26th wrestler in state history to win four state championships.

The Ohio State recruit would also be the fourth member of his family to pull off the feat. His brother, father and uncle were also four-time champs.

Team standings

Speaking of Graham, the Falcons are in good shape to win their 14th consecutive team title, and 16th overall. They are in the lead with 149.5 points heading into the final day of wrestling.

Claymont is second with 109.5 points. SVSM (5th, 48 points), Padua (6th, 36 points); CVCA (8th, 33 points) and Crestwood (8th, 33 points) are also in the top 10 in the team standings.

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.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — See action video of Zack Ladich of Beachwood in Friday night’s Division III championship semifinal. Ladich, wrestling in the 152-pound weight class at the state championships at Ohio State, defeated Nelsonville-York's Dakota Mays, 5-2. See video of that match above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — See action video of Zack Ladich of Beachwood in Friday night’s Division III championship semifinal.

Ladich, wrestling in the 152-pound weight class at the state championships at Ohio State, defeated Nelsonville-York's Dakota Mays, 5-2. See video of that match above.

Gross and Dayton Christian's Jacob Danishek will meet in the 152-pound Division III state championship match on Saturday night, which begins at 5:45 p.m.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Competing in Division I for the first time since 1996, Walsh Jesuit is making sure everybody is aware the Warriors are back. With sophomore Alex Mackall (120) and senior Mike Kostandaras (138) both in Saturday's finals, and senior Nolan Whitely (138) still alive for third place, the Warriors have excelled at state with quality over quantity....

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Competing in Division I for the first time since 1996, Walsh Jesuit is making sure everybody is aware the Warriors are back.

With sophomore Alex Mackall (120) and senior Mike Kostandaras (138) both in Saturday's finals, and senior Nolan Whitely (138) still alive for third place, the Warriors have excelled at state with quality over quantity.

And taking time to enjoy the ride.

 "I don't put a lot of pressure on these guys. I tell them to take in the atmosphere. Before the match, laugh and joke and stay loose. Enjoy it or you'll wrestle stiff and tight," said Walsh Jesuit coach Adam Koballa, a two-time state champ at St Peter Chanel. "That's the best advice I can give them."

A photo slideshow and videos will be added to this post shortly. Be sure to check out our coverage of all divisions from Day 2 of the OHSAA state wrestling tournament.

The Warrior duo will join local wrestlers Noah Baughman (Wadsworth), Nick Kiussis (Brunswick) and Ben Darmstadt (Elyria) in the Division I finals Saturday.

Mackall, seventh last season at 106, is the lone Northeast Ohio survivor at 120. He beat Corey Shie of Cincinnati LaSalle, 17-9, in the semifinals. It was a reversal of the Top Gun finals earlier this season, when Mackall lost 11-6.

He faces Jake Newhouse of Massillon Perry in the finals Saturday. It's a rematch of the Mentor district final, which Mackall won, 4-3.

"This was a huge win for me," said Mackall. "I just wanted to push the action this time because I wasn't the last time I wrestled him. "

Kostandaras has had to claw his way to the finals. He won his opening match 3-2, then needed an overtime win to reach the semifinals. He got a 6-4 decision over Davis Sparks of Marysville to reach the final.

Kostandaras was sixth as a freshman and third as a sophomore before failing to escape districts last year. In the finals he will face Massillon Perry's Nick Steed, who he beat in the district semifinals, 3-2.

"You just have the mindset that a W is a W. Everybody is going to wrestle you tough," said Kostandaras. "It's the state tournament. Everybody will show up to win. I just try to do whatever it takes to get Ws."

Wadsworth's Baughman in 106 finals

Baughman, a sophomore, continued his assault on the 106-pound bracket. After scoring technical falls in the first two rounds, Baughman got a major decision (14-6) over Zack Donathan of Mason to reach the state final.

Baughman enters the final at 46-3, with just one loss to a 106-pounder this season. He'll face Massillon' Perry's Tommy Genetin, a senior who spent the past three seasons stuck behind state finalist teammates.

Baughman will try to become Wadsworth's 19^th state champion and 12^th since 2001.

Brunswick's Kiussis in 132 finals

Just a freshman, Kiussis might be new to varsity wrestling, but not to state tournaments. He beat Shie last season to win a junior high state title.

On Friday, he won a tense 1-0 decision against Hilliard's Bobby Smith, a senior and two-time state placer. In the finals he will wrestle Oregon Clay's Richie Screptock, another two-time state placer.

"Now he's in a high school state championship, so to do that in the course of a year is an awesome thing," said Brunswick coach Mike Koshar. "What we've been trying to get him to do the last month is to be a little more conservative. Knowing how to win one-point matches. That's been the different in his game of late."

The win over Smith was the second straight 1-0 win for Kiussis, who beat Massillon Perry's Jason Spencer in the quarterfinals.

Elyria's Darmstadt in 152 finals

A district runner-up last week, Darmstadt wasn't the Elyria wrestler most thought would reach the state final this weekend. That was Armando Torres (120), who lost in the semifinals and defaulted his first consolation match, failing to place a year after finishing runner-up.

But Darmstadt, just a sophomore, got his biggest win of the tournament in the semifinals, an 11-2 decision over Uniontown Lake's Andrew McNally.

In the finals, he'll face Massillon Perry's Casey Sparkman, who was fourth at 138 last year. Sparkman won an epic semifinal with Perrysburg's J.P. Newton. A takedown on the edge of the mat as time expired gave Sparkman a 3-1 decision of Newton, who was third at 152 last season.

Northeast Ohio has a tough day at the semis

Just five of the 14 local wrestlers in the semifinals advanced to Saturday's finals. St. Edward junior L.J. Bentley lost an 8-6 decision to returning state champ Jose Rodriguez of Massillon Perry. At 160, Hudson's Michael Coleman also lost a tense match, 6-4 to A.J. Kowal of Cincinnati Princeton.

Brecksville-Broadview Heights' Josh Murphy was looking forward to his semifinal with Cincinnati Colerain's TeGray Scales, who had beat him twice this season.  But with the match tied at 1 late in the third period, Scales wrapped up Murphy and threw him to the mat, scoring the winning points in the final seconds.

Among the day's bigger upsets was two-time state runner-up Austin Assad (120) losing an 8-7 decision to Newhouse in the quarterfinals. Assad remains alive for third place.

Among the missing

Saturday will be the first time since 1977 that St. Edward will not have a wrestler in a state final. The Eagles' first individual champion came in 1978. Before this year, 1990 was the only time since then they failed to have a champion.

The Eagles are also certain miss out on a team trophy for just the fourth time in the 37 years. They've won 16 of the last 17 Division I team titles.

Massillon Perry leads the team race with 163 points. Marysville is second (60.5), followed by Moeller and Oregon Clay (57), who are tied for third. Brecksville-Broadview Heights, third last year, is sixth.

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.

HILLIARD, Ohio – In senior Michaela Romito’s send-off meet, Brecksville-Broadview Heights’ gymnastics team sent her away in style. The Bees won their 11th straight team state championship, posting a score of 144.625 on Friday at Hilliard Bradley. The state title is Brecksville's 14th overall. 

HILLIARD, Ohio – In senior Michaela Romito’s send-off meet, Brecksville-Broadview Heights’ gymnastics team sent her away in style. The Bees won their 11th straight team state championship, posting a score of 144.625 on Friday at Hilliard Bradley.

The state title is Brecksville's 14th overall. 

The four other teams representing the Northeast District performed exceptionally, with Mentor second (141.475), followed by Hudson in third (141.025), Strongsville in fourth (140.450) and Magnificat in sixth (139.200). All teams but Mentor were also state qualifiers a year ago.

This post will be updated with a slideshow and videos.

Romito, who shed tears after her impressive 9.500 vault routine, was held out of meets in late January due to illness. She was hospitalized for E. coli in her lungs and kidneys, and pneumonia. Her first meet back was last Saturday at the district meet.

“That was the first time I had done that layout (since my illness),” Romito said of her vault routine. “They were very much tears of joy.”

A Crohn’s Disease fighter, Romito competed on floor (9.075) and bars (9.025), as well as vault, but did not compete on the beam. She was penciled in for just vault and bars but decided this week to give floor a go.

“I felt like I needed to go (on floor) for my team,” Romito said.

It was Romito’s second floor routine since she became sick. Because she did not compete in sectionals, she is not eligible for the state individual competition Saturday, but she will go on to compete for Kent State on a scholarship.

Sophomore Alecia Farina, who won the all-around at district with a 38.325 score, led the Bees with high marks in all events. 

After getting warmed up on the beam (9.400), Farina scored a 9.575 on floor, but limped off after her routine.

Though she said she had a stinger from her floor routine, she gave vault a go and scored a 9.775, her highest mark on the day. On her second go-around on the event, though, she tweaked the ankle again. She was able to finish her day, scoring a 9.625 on bars. 

Mind over matter? “Definitely,” Farina said.

Brecksville has overcome a lot this year between Romito’s illness, in which she lost 12 pounds and had a 105.2 fever over four days, Madison Trout tearing her ACL a week after Romito became ill, and losing its first meet in 10 years.

They managed to continue their dynasty despite it all.

It was a special meet, too, with coach Joan Ganim and Brecksville’s first state champion team (1994) in the stands for its 20th reunion.

“I got a little emotional,” Ganim said. “It brought tears to my eyes. Some came from Tucson (Arizona) and Alabama.” 

Meanwhile, Mentor's Melissa Brozier (9.300), Madeline Marshall (9.225) and Vanessa Cobb (9.100) had impressive floor routines to help push the Cardinals into second place.

Hudson’s Mackenzie Miller impressed on floor (9.075) and vault (9.175).

Nicole Pratt led Strongsville with a 9.025 on beam and a 9.175 score on floor, which she shared with teammate Hayley Klosowski. 

Magnificat’s Julia Corrao had marks above 9.000 in two events – floor (9.325) and vault (9.200).

Individual competition begins Saturday at noon, where the top 16 in each event will be competing.

Contact high school sports reporter Lexi Pluym by email (apluym@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@LexiPluym). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

The Monsters, in their fourth shootout in the last six games, lose at Hamilton, 3-2.

HAMILTON, Ontario --

-

The Monsters, despite yet another shootout conversion by Colin Smith, fell to Hamilton, 3-2, Friday night at FirstOntario Centre.

The Monsters (23-25-0-6) have alternated victories and defeats in their last seven games -- all decided by one goal. They are 2-2 in shootouts in that span.

In the second round of the shootout, Hamilton's Gabriel Dumont beat goalie Calvin Pickard. Smith answered by beating goalie Robert Mayer to improve to a scintillating 8-for-11 in shootouts this season.

Hamilton's fourth shooter, Patrick Holland, was successful. After each team missed, the Monsters needed Andrew Agozzino to convert to extend the shootout. It did not happen.

The score was tied, 1-1, after one period.

The Monsters created trouble for themselves with two penalties in the first six minutes, but they killed both.

At 8:13, Smith won a puck battle in the corner and threw it to winger Michael Schumacher near the cage. Schumacher's tip-in gave him goals in two straight games and points in four straight.

The Bulldogs answered at 17:31, Sven Andrighetto using a snapper to score from a tight angle for his 13th.

The Monsters played reasonably well in the second period but had nothing to show for it on the scoreboard. Hamilton pulled ahead, 2-1, at 16:08 when defenseman Greg Pateryn's shot from the blue line worked its way through traffic and past Pickard, who likely was screened.

Lake Erie defenseman Stefan Elliott tied the score, 2-2, midway through the third period. Hamilton skaters gave Elliott time and space at the top of the circle, and Elliott capitalized with a top-shelf blast past Mayer.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Six local qualifiers will advance to the Division III wrestling finals on Saturday for a chance to earn a state title. The wrestlers are Black River senior Sebastian Vidika (106), Beachwood seniors Sam Gross (132) and Ryan Harris (170), Rootstown seniors Zack Ladich (152) and Travis Linton (182) and for the first time in his career,...

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Six local qualifiers will advance to the Division III wrestling finals on Saturday for a chance to earn a state title.

The wrestlers are Black River senior Sebastian Vidika (106), Beachwood seniors Sam Gross (132) and Ryan Harris (170), Rootstown seniors Zack Ladich (152) and Travis Linton (182) and for the first time in his career, Manchester senior Jacob Hanzel (285).

“It’s been a great journey,” Hanzel said. “I’ve been training with previous state champ Nick Cooper and it’s just a great feeling I’m here. I’ve got one more match.”

Vidika (106) advances to the state finals after winning by a 6-2 decision against Johnsontown Northridge junior Jake Adkins. He will know face Jake Adkins, last year’s state eighth place finisher, with a 42-1 record.

Gross (132) and Harris (170) will look to capture their second title each after their performance in the semifinals on Friday.

Gross won by a 7-3 decision against Covington sophomore Ryan Ford and Harris won by a tech fall against Covington junior Ben Miller, 23-8.

Gross will face Dayton Christian senior Lyle Plummer (43-5) who will be making his first state appearance.

Harris is a three-time place finisher with a record of 45-3. Gross, who is a 2012 state champion, will be looking for his second title after falling shy of his goal last season finishing third.

Seniors Zack Ladich (152) and Travis Linton (182) will represent Rootstown in the state finals on Saturday. Ladich won by a 5-0 decision against Nelsonville-York junior Dakota Mays and Linton pinned Delta junior Ryan Patchin.

This is Ladich’s first opportunity to compete for a championship and has never been a state top eight finisher. He will face Dayton Christian senior Jacob Danishek who is a three-time state champion and is undefeated through 42 matches this year.

Jamestown Greenview senior Armani Robinson will challenge Linton for his title. He comes in the finals as a two-time state finisher with a record of 50-2. His teammate, Linton, is a defending state champion with a 47-2 record. Linton won last year in the 170-pound weight class and was a third-place finisher in 2012.

Jacob Hanzel (285) will make his first appearance to the state finals winning by a 4-3 decision against Dayton Christian senior Nate Jackson in the semifinals. His opponent will be senior Corey Durbin of Fremont St. Joseph Central Catholic who has lost only match after 40 matches. Hanzel enters the finals with a record of 35-3.

Berkshire senior T.J. Malkus (126) fell shy of reaching the finals after falling in a 2-1 decision against Ashland Mapleton senior Zack Durbin. Malkus faced Durbin who came in undefeated after 51 matches this year. Durbin is also a two-time place finisher. Malkus will compete in the consolation semifinals on Saturday at 10 a.m. for a shot at third place.

Lutheran West junior Tim Mecklenburg (126) will advance to the consolation semifinals after winning by a 2-0 decision against Versailles senior Matt Mangen.

Lutheran West senior Jake DeLorge (152) will also advance after winning by a 5-4 decision against Cincinnati Deer Park Austin Siemon.

The season ended for Hawken junior Louis DeMarco (113) after falling in the consolation quarterfinals. DeMarco lost in a 8-0 major decision to Troy Christian freshman Michael Sergent. The junior ended his season at 41-6.

Manchester sophomore Joey Bowen (106) saw his season end at 41-8 after falling by a 4-2 decision to Tuslaw junior Shane Johnston in the consolation quarterfinals.

The season also ended for Elyria Catholic freshman Stan Bleich (113) after falling by a decision to Sandusky St. Mary Central Catholic junior Alex Smith, 10-8. Rootstown sophomore Jason Sadler (132) lost a 12-6 decision to Otsego junior Trent Soto.

Independence junior Jacob Spino (138) ended his season after being pinned in 1:31 by Bradley Wardell of Apple Creek Waynedale.

The season also ended for Wickliffe junior David Monturi, who fell in a 18-3 tech fall to Dayton Christian sophomore Nick Vestal; Beachwood senior Anthony Walden lost a 7-3 decision to West Jefferson senior Ricky Ratcliff; Elyria Catholic senior Jerot Schill fell by an 8-6 decision to Van Buren junior Chance Sonnenberg; Sonneberg later defeated Manchester junior Drew Braisel (160) in the quarterfinals by a 4-2 decision, Braisel ended his season at 39-13; Hawken senior Alex Strotter (220) lost in the consolation quarterfinals to Coldwater senior Justin Post by a 11-7 decision ending his season at 38-6; Waterloo freshman Will Bolanz, who fell in a 16-1 tech fall to Defiance Tinora senior Devin Bouza; and Independence junior Paul Deely, who was defeated in a 6-0 decision to Sugarcreek senior Ben Sexton.

The six wrestlers qualify to compete for the Division III finals on Saturday at the Value City Arena at Ohio State University beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Dayton Christian wrestling team climbed into first place with the 104.5 points followed by Delta with 98 and Mechanicsburg with 50.

Check back later for video interviews.

KENT, Ohio -- The Lake Catholic hockey team earned a thrilling victory against University School, 5-4, in triple overtime to win the Kent District final on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014.   The puck seemed to travel in slow-motion as it trickled over the goal-line after finding its way past Preppers' goalie Alec Silver. Alex Piazza got credit for the...

KENT, Ohio -- The Lake Catholic hockey team earned a thrilling victory against University School, 5-4, in triple overtime to win the Kent District final on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014.  

The puck seemed to travel in slow-motion as it trickled over the goal-line after finding its way past Preppers' goalie Alec Silver. Alex Piazza got credit for the game-winning score. 

Lake Catholic began the third period down by two and scored three times in the frame, with Jake Denner scoring the go-ahead goal with only 1:51 left in regulation off of pass by Kyle Horvath. 

That lead held until the Preppers' Kyle Keane tied it at 4-4 with only 23 seconds left in the third period, ultimately sending the game to overtime. 

Neither team scored in the first OT, nor the second.  

Both teams came out of the gate showing a lot of intensity on both sides of the puck. 

The Preppers got on the board first with 3:35 left in the opening frame. Evan Krueger scored off of assists from Ryan Gorbett and Kyle Keane. Cougars goalie Charlie Denner deflected a shot just prior to the score but US benefitted from their willingness to crash the net on the play. 

Lake Catholic answered right back with a power play goal netted by Luke Turk. The score came only 24 seconds after Krueger's goal. Piazza and Mac Macgruder provided assists. 

The Cougars did well to keep US from getting many inside looks at the net for the most part but when the Preppers did get to the net, they capitalized. 

About six minutes into the second period, Ben Heller collected a rebound right in front of the Lake Catholic goal and hooked it in for the Preppers' second goal of the game. Henry Frontini and Clarke Jones assisted on the score. 

US wasted no time extending its lead to two goals in the third period. Only 32 seconds in, Heller took a pass from Drew Megerian and deposited his second goal of the game. 

The Cougars' comeback bid began a little less than six minutes into the third when Lake Catholic got one score back. Zach Gaszo took control of the puck, following a blown offensive play by US, and took it all the way down to the other end of the ice where he buried an unassisted goal with 9:13 left in the frame. 

Mac Magruder found Luke Turk with a pass and Turk smacked in the game-tying goal from about 20 feet away with 4:40 left in regulation.