Jones said he regretted that his tweets took away from Sam's "draft moment."

MIAMI -- Miami Dolphins safety Don Jones was fined an undisclosed amount Sunday and will undergo educational training after sending a negative tweet about Michael Sam, the first openly gay player to be selected in the NFL draft.

Shortly after the St. Louis Rams took Sam in the seventh round Saturday, Jones tweeted "OMG" and "Horrible." The tweets were taken down a short time later.

Jones apologized for his comments Sunday and described them as inappropriate. The Dolphins said Jones has been excused from all team activities until he completes training related to his comments.

"We were disappointed to read Don's tweets," coach Joe Philbin said in a statement. "They were inappropriate and unacceptable, and we regret the negative impact these comments had on such an important weekend for the NFL. We met with Don today about respect, discrimination and judgment. These comments are not consistent with the values and standards of our program."

The Dolphins reacted swiftly to Jones' comments in the wake of the team's bullying scandal last year, which embarrassed the NFL and prompted a nationwide debate about workplace harassment.

Jones said he regretted that his tweets took away from Sam's "draft moment."

"I remember last year when I was drafted in the seventh round, and all of the emotions and happiness I felt when I received the call that gave me an opportunity to play for an NFL team, and I wish him all the best in his NFL career," Jones said in a statement. "I am committed to represent the values of the Miami Dolphins organization, and appreciate the opportunity I have been given to do so going forward."

Jones' agent, Chris Martin, could not be reached Sunday for comment.

"I stay in contact with all of the coaches, they check up on me from time-to-time and I am going to take an official visit to Ohio State during the season. That will give me the chance to go up there and see the campus and the coaches and everything, which I haven't done yet. ... When I take a visit there, they'll probably move up very high." Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio – When four-star quarterback Torrance Gibson released his first top 15 last week and Ohio State was No. 4 behind Tennessee, Auburn and LSU, he knew that would be a shock for Buckeye fans.

Because it was a shock to Ohio State's coaches.

“They hit me up on Twitter really quick saying, ‘Whoa, whoa – what’s that list about?’ " Gibson told Cleveland.com in a phone interview Sunday. "And I was like, ‘Relax, I haven’t taken a visit.’ The list is based on what I know about the school right now. The list can change. Ohio State could be No. 1. Only time will tell.”

That must have been a relief to hear considering Gibson's recruitment has become immeasurably important for Ohio State since four-star quarterback prospect Brandon Wimbush of Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter's Prep committed to Penn State.

Wimbush was one of two of the Buckeyes' top quarterback prospects, so his commitment leaves Gibson, Rivals.com's No. 2-rated dual-threat quarterback in the 2015 class, as the Buckeyes top target.

So being No. 4 and behind three elite SEC programs is uncomfortable for Ohio State.

But it seems like it will only be temporary.

"Ohio State has always been up there," the product of Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage said. "I stay in contact with all of the coaches, they check up on me from time-to-time and I am going to take an official visit to Ohio State during the season. That will give me the chance to go up there and see the campus and the coaches and everything, which I haven't done yet.

"It was nice to have their attention that quickly, though. That told me a lot about Ohio State and how they feel about me. When I take a visit there, they'll probably move up very high."

Gibson is most familiar with Tennessee, and he said that the job coach Butch Jones has done with recruiting since taking over the program last year is very attractive. The quarterback also really likes Auburn's offense.

But even though the top 15 list is fairly recent, LSU could already be on it's way down. Asked about why he likes the Tigers, Gibson said that he has actually lacked communication with LSU's coaching staff.

Is he still high on LSU right now?

"I'm not sure yet," he said. "Not really right now."

Behind Ohio State on Gibson's list is Clemson, Oklahoma, Miami (Fla.), Florida, N.C. State, Oregon, UCF, Virginia Tech, Alabama, Michigan and Nebraska. The quarterback said he's going to try and visit as many programs as possible, and he's currently in the midst of scheduling his summer.

That could also mean a trip to Columbus before his official visit, which would be big for the Buckeyes considering Gibson said he plans to reduce his list to in between seven and 10 programs in the next month.

"It was pretty tough (to narrow it down to 15) because they are all great schools with great educations and great coaching staffs," Gibson said. "I'm going to cut it down again soon, so it's going to be even more tough."

Though it seemed as if Ohio State was trending downward in Gibson's recruitment, the Buckeyes will have plenty of time to state their case to the quarterback. Gibson won't make his college decision until he takes all five of his official visits, and his ideal timeframe for a commitment is either November or December.

As one of the most watched prospects in the country, Gibson knows that it won't be easy. But he says he's ready to enter the most important phase of his recruitment.

“It is going to be pretty hectic because people are either going to love your or hate you depending on what school they root for," he said. "Once I start narrowing it down more, people are going to start hating me. But that’s how life is – not everyone can be happy. I just have to pick the right school for me." 

This week's high school football podcast focuses on Northeast Ohio running backs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — This week’s high school football podcast continues a position-by-position look at some of the best players in Northeast Ohio.

Northeast Ohio Media Group reporters Bill Landis and Mark Kern break down their top five running backs for the 2014 season, and speak with two of them: Valley Forge’s Richard Worship and Mentor’s Eddie Daugherty.

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

0:00-9:21: Bill Landis and Mark Kern break down their top five running backs for the 2014 season.

9:22-14:19: Interview with Valley Forge running back Richard Worship.

14:20-20:47: Interview with Mentor running back Eddie Daugherty.

20:48-21:47: Wrap-up.

What’s your take on next season’s running back crop? Did we leave someone off of our top five lists? Let us know in the comments section. Register here for an account if you don’t have one.

Next week’s podcast will take a look at some of the area’s best receivers. Which receivers would you like to hear from? 

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.

Solon sprinter Jelvon Butler found a unique way to ask fellow UCLA recruit Steele Wasik of St. Edward to her senior prom.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Not too many area seniors can keep up with Jelvon Butler on the track, so when it came time for the Solon sprinter to find a date for prom, she found an equally fleet escort in St. Edward standout Steele Wasik.

The friends met in October during a recruiting trip to UCLA and are headed to Butler's prom May 17 before each moves to the west coast to compete for the Bruins next year. 

"I saw her in the Cleveland airport wearing a Solon track jacket and I wondered where she was going," Wasik said of their first encounter. "Then when we got off the plane in LA and we were waiting for the same coach, I was like 'wow.'"

Butler said it was reassuring to see a familiar face on the long trip.

"It was very nice to have somebody from out here going with me," she said.

Both athletes helped lead their schools to Division I state track championships in 2013 and are in the midst of dominant seasons. Butler has four wins in the 100-meter dash, while Wasik is unbeaten in the 110 hurdles and the 300 hurdles.

However, it was Butler's unique way of asking Wasik to prom that surprised the Eagles captain. 

First, Butler asked Wasik's friends about some of his favorite items such as candy, socks and T-shirts. Then, she wrote scavenger hunt notes on the items and had random friends approach Wasik with them during last month's Medina Relays.

Each of the notes had a different word in bold letters, "will, you, go, to…" Finally, Butler had a friend approach Wasik while wearing a shirt that said "Prom" followed by Butler wearing a shirt asking "with me?"

"It was a little confusing at first because I didn't know the people who brought me the stuff," Wasik said. "I was very startled, and I had to long jump and coach (Mike) Young was yelling at me to focus. It was a mess at first, but it was cool and it made the meet a lot of fun."

Wasik ended up winning the long jump that day with a leap of 22 feet, 6(3/4) inches in the finals. He also won the 110 hurdles (14.39) and ran on the first-place distance medley relay (11:00.65). Butler went on to win the 100-meter dash (12.56) and participated in three first-place relays (4x100, 4x400 and sprint medley).

Josh Gordon's expected suspension talkes away Johnny Manziel's top target, but not the excitement about Manziel himself.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If Josh Gordon is kicked out of the NFL for a year, all the false heroism fans confer on football players is gone. With it goes his chance to show his gaudy numbers in the Browns' record book, set in just one stunning season that seemed to come out of nowhere, were not a fluke. Gone also is some of the fan fervor that burst out in the draft night cheers saluting the pick of Johnny Manziel.

Next season was to be all about Johnny Football and Gordon, the flash who catches footballs at a record clip. Gordon enjoyed back-to-back 200-yard receiving games last season. It was the first time any player had done that since the 1920 meeting at the Hupmobile dealership in Canton that formed the NFL.

He had 1,646 yards in receptions in only 14 games. Give him a full season – the past one was preceded by a two-game suspension for substance abuse – and he'd have caught 1,881 yards worth of balls. Over a mile. With defensive backs cheating toward him and doubling him. With linebackers and safeties trying to discourage him with hits that would be cause for litigation on the street.

Gordon's likely suspension for marijuana use broke the hour glass, and the sand, as well as possibly the promise of Gordon's career, leaked out. The happiest day since Derek Anderson's fluke season in 2007 was altered far sooner than anyone expected.

The grotesque timing of The Plain Dealer headline "Heeeeeeere's Johnny" on Friday morning, followed by the Waldo-like inquiry of "Where's Josh?" on Friday afternoon, led to the usual OIC (Only In Cleveland) feelings of victimization. But Josh Gordon was always a calculated risk, a steal as long as he stayed clean. The clock was always running on temptation.

He no more disappointed Browns fans than a long list of substance abuse offenders have done on other teams. But the penalty is greater for a three-time loser on drugs than it is for malingerers (Randy Marsh at several stops, Peyton Hillis), divas (Kellen Winslow Jr., Braylon Edwards), and a quitter whose principal use was to gauge the amount of air in the heads of Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi when they acquired him (Davone Bess).

It is useless to rail against the entitlement, selfishness and irresponsibility of such players. The dependency issue is different, though. Policing and prosecuting marijuana use, because it is not a performance-enhancing drug, is a relic of the culture wars of the 1960s.

It is legal in Colorado and Washington state, which contributed the last two Super Bowl teams, not that that had anything to do with it. It can be prescribed for medicinal purposes. The focus on marijuana is ludicrous for a league that ignored head injuries for years, didn't exactly crack down on steroid abuse and doesn't test for human growth hormone.

Gordon was a frail reed to support high hopes. He was sent to his room twice at Baylor for smoking pot, once after falling asleep in his car at a Taco Bell drive-thru window, presumably while locked in mortal combat with the munchies. He moved on to Utah, never to play there, while Cheech-and Chonging another another substance abuse violation.

Then it was on to the NFL where former Browns general manager Tom Heckert bagged him in the second round of the supplemental draft. Gordon put at least one more notch on the hookah here. He said the first violation as a Brown was (wink, nudge) because he unwittingly drank codeine-laced cold medicine.

Gordon leaves Manziel without a top target. Even with a pot bust of his own at Clemson, Sammy Watkins would have come to the Browns with a clean slate. Twice burned, thrice shy? It's hard to pass up a guy who might have helped make the franchise quarterback presumptive flourish, but the offer of a first-round draft pick and a fourth next year from the Bills in exchange for the Browns' pick was one they couldn't refuse.

Maybe Johnny Football can give the fans back their lost hours of celebration. He is a unique blend of a fellow Heisman trophy winner in undersized Doug Flutie (only Manziel was up against a weekly meat-grinder in the SEC, not against the likes of Holy Cross, Temple, Rutgers, Syracuse and Army in 1985, Flutie's Heisman year), roguish Bobby Layne (Manziel bought $2,000 worth of drink for friends back in College Station, Texas, after he was picked) and Elvis Presley (Dallas owner Jerry Jones' comparison.)

Elvis-wise, "Burning Love" works for the city's feeling about Manziel. Football-wise, "Johnny B. Goode" is the preference.

Josh Tomlin turned in his second straight quality start since being recalled from Class AAA Columbus to earn the victory as the Indians beat the Rays, 6-5.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Indians rolled out their new four-headed, eight-armed closer for the first time Sunday. It batted .500, which is great for a hitter, but not so good for a pitcher working the late innings of a tight game.

Bryan Shaw and Scott Atchison were on the plus side. Mark Rzepczynski and Cody Allen were on the negative side, but it all worked in the end as the Indians beat the Rays, 6-5, at Tropicana Field to win their first series here since 2007.

The Indians have won seven of their last 10 games and three straight series.

The Rays, trailing 6-2, rallied for three runs in the eighth as Rzepczynski made a costly error and Allen couldn't find the strike zone. Shaw brought calm to the situation as he retired the Rays in order in the ninth for his second save of the season.

Atchison, meanwhile, did his thing in the seventh, recording two outs before making way for Rzpeczynski to deal with the Rays' lefties.

Manager Terry Francona on Saturday told Rzepczynski, Allen, Shaw and Atchison that they would replace deposed closer John Axford, until he was ready to reclaim his job.

"We all know John Axford is struggling a little bit," said Shaw. "We all know Ax is going to come back. Hopefully, the four of us can just hold his spot until he gets gets things in order."

Shaw, who received a great play from shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to retire David DeJesus to start the ninth, did not seem intimidated by the pressure of the ninth inning.

"I don't care when I pitch," he said. "It could be the sixth, seventh, 10th, 11t or first."

What he did care about was Cabrera's throw from the hole to get DeJesus. The play withstood a replay challenge from Rays manager Joe Maddon.

"It was a great play," said Shaw.

Rzepczynski walked Ben Zobrist to start the eighth. He struck out Matt Joyce, but Evan Longoria singled as Zobrist went to third. James Loney sent a double-play bouncer back to the mound, but Rzepczynski's throw to second was off the mark and Cabrera had to make a barehanded stop to keep it from going into the outfield.

Zobrist scored to make it 6-3 as Allen relieved.

"I just didn't take my time on the error, but it all started with that leadoff walk for me," said Rzepczynski. "Statistically, I've been pretty successful against Zobrist, but you can't walk the leadoff guy."

Allen, who has excelled as a set-up man, gave up an RBI single to Wil Myers, hit Desmond Jennings with a pitch to load the bases and gave up a sacrifice fly to Yunel Escobar to make it a 6-5 game.

He finally ended the inning by striking out pinch-hitter Ryan Hanigan.

Francona said if Allen had faced just one or two batters in the eighth, he may have come out for the ninth.

"You have to have a Plan A, B and maybe C," he said. 

Josh Tomlin's second quality start was lost in the bullpen turmoil. So was a showing by the offense, especially Nyjer Morgan.

The Trop has not treated the Indians kindly over the years. They are still only 9-17 inside the Rays' dome since 2008.

Francona's Boston teams struggled at The Trop as well.

"I think that's because they are not only a good team, but they play hard and they always play to win," said Francona. "Finding a way to beat them here feels great. I've sat in this chair too many times and been miserable."

Joyce gave the Rays a 1-0 lead with a ringing homer with two out in the first. Joyce would prove to be a tough out for Tomlin the rest of the afternoon.

The Indians came right back in the second to take a 3-1 lead. Two of the three runs came with two out courtesy of Michael's Bourn's double against former Tribe prospect Chris Archer.

Cabrera started the rally with a one-out walk. Yan Gomes moved him to third with a single to right to bring Morgan to the plate.

Morgan swung and sent a slow roller down the third baseline as Cabrera charged home. Cabrera slid across the plate while the Rays were still waiting for the ball to roll foul. It never did as Gomes went to second and Morgan was on first with his first hit of the game.

After Mike Aviles popped out, Bourn doubled to right.

Joyce once again proved to be problematic for Tomlin in the fourth.  Zobrist doubled to start the inning, Joyce singled to right to make it a 3-2 game. Joyce came into the game hitting .444 (4-for-9) with a homer against Tomlin.

Tomlin pitched his way out of the jam, but not before complicating matters by making a wide throw to first on Longoria's bouncer to the third base side of the mound. Tomlin was charged with an error and the Rays had runners on first and second with no one out.

Loney followed with a bouncer to first that Carlos Santana bobbled, but still had time enough to start a 3-6-1 double play. Tomlin came off the mound to take Cabrera's throw at first for the second out.

Third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall threw out Myers to end the inning on a close play.

When asked what was working for him Sunday, Tomlin said, "My defense. They played great behind me."

The Indians finally started to pull away in the sixth. Gomes opened with a homer to left to end Archer's day. It was his fifth homer of the season and fourth leading off an inning. Then Morgan introduced the Rays to his short game.

He greeted reliever Brad Boxberger with a disputed bunt single. Morgan toppled into first base when he lost his balance.

"I got out over my skiis," said Morgan.

Umpire James Hoye called him out. Francona challenged the call and the MLB's replay gurus in New York ruled that Morgan was indeed safe.

Francona is 3-for-8 in challenges and two of them have involved Morgan being ruled safe at first base after initially being called out.

Morgan, from there, forced Boxberger into a balk and a wild pitch that put him at third base. Mike Aviles delivered him with a sacrifice fly for a 5-2 lead.

In the eighth, Morgan reached into his bag of tricks and produced the long ball.

He started the eighth with his first homer of the season, a drive to right field. When Morgan knew it would reach the seats, he flipped the bat and circled the bases doing a Jeffrey Leonard version of one-flap down home-run trot. After he crossed the plate, he formed a T with his hands, supposedly honoring his alter ego of Tony Plush.

It was Morgan's first homer since July 30, 2012 against Houston. Morgan played last season in Japan.

Tomlin (2-0, 2.13) allowed two runs on six hits in six innings. He struck out two and didn't walk a batter in 102 pitches.

Archer (2-2, 5.16) allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings. He walked four and struck out two on 100 pitches.

New Cavs General Manager David Griffin has the job of finding a coach who can juice up the offense and get the team to the playoffs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Three seasons ago, only three NBA teams averaged 100 points per game.

Two seasons ago, that number rose to 11 teams in the 100-point club.

This season, it was 17 teams scoring at least 100 points -- the Cavs under Mike Brown ranked 22nd at 98.2 points.

Yes, we have a trend racing in the direction of offense, and that's part of the reason that Brown was dismissed as the Cavs coach.

And that makes sense, given that David Griffin was promoted to the Cavaliers full-time general manager.

Since being named interim general manager in February, Griffin has often talked about "fit," as in how the players blend together. He also realized that NBA teams need to score, and they need to be entertaining.

The Cavs were none of those things.

As Griffin told me after his season-ending press conference, his goal as general manager is to "make the Cavaliers relevant again."

And he conceded that a team with the NBA's worst record over the last four seasons "is not relevant."

This picture is a year old. Only Owner Dan Gilbert is with the Cavs. General Manager Chris Grant and Coach Mike Brown have been fired.Thomas Ondrey / The Plain Dealer

Putting pieces together

Brown was a good fit with Chris Grant, the former general manager. They both preached the gospel of defense, defense and more defense.

The defense improved, rising from 30th in defensive field goal percentage to 12th.

While the Cavs raised their point total from 96.5 in 2012-13 to 98.2 last season, they dropped from an 18th ranking in scoring to 22nd.

The Cavs were not keeping up with the modern NBA.

If the accent on defense had led to a playoff berth, Brown would still be the coach -- even if Owner Dan Gilbert had decided to replace Grant with Griffin.

But the Cavs were 33-49, and missed the playoffs.

Even more disturbing to the Cavs front office and many of their fans was to watch previously struggling teams such as Charlotte, Washington and Toronto make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference this season. Atlanta also was in the postseason with a 38-44 mark.

Griffin wants to make major upgrades in the offense, and that may mean some players who would not win Brown's defensive seal of approval.

A job of the general manager is to make sure the players and the coach "fit together," as "fit" is one of Griffin's favorite words.

The changes expected to be made by Griffin would probably not blend with the style favored by Brown.

It makes more sense to change the coach now than open the season with Brown and a slow start would have led to speculation of the coach being fired.

The Suns run

It makes sense if Griffin is going to be the general manager, he picks the coach.

Griffin's main background is 17 seasons with the uptempo Phoenix Suns. That ended in 2010, when Griffin (assistant general manager) and Steve Kerr (team president) resigned in a dispute with ownership. That team had a 54-28 record and reached the 2010 Western Conference Finals.

The coach of that Suns team was Alvin Gentry, currently an assistant with the Clippers. He is expected to be a candidate to replace Brown. In two years coaching the Suns when Griffin was there, Phoenix averaged 117 and 109 points per game.

The same with Vinnie Del Negro, who worked for the Suns when Griffin was there. Del Negro coached the Bulls and Clippers. He was fired in 2013 after a 56-26 record, but losing in the first round of the playoffs.

As for Mike D'Antoni, it's doubtful he will be hired. Not at the age of 63 after six rocky seasons in New York and with the Lakers. Better candidates include Mark Jackson and Lionel Hollins.

When Griffin became interim general manager, he encouraged Brown to open the offense. The team was 17-16 (compared to 16-33) and averaged nearly five more points per game after Griffin was promoted.

But it appears that Gilbert once again decided that Brown wasn't the right fit for the Cavs. Remember that Gilbert hired Brown in 2005, then fired Brown after a 61-21 record and a loss in the second round of the 2010 playoffs.

Gilbert brought Brown back again last season, as the former Cavs coach was the top choice of Grant.

Now, Brown is gone again, with four years left on his contract.

Cleveland Cavaliers Coach Mike Brown and star Kyrie Irving had some tense moments -- but Irving is not the main reason that Brown was fired.John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer

About Kyrie Irving

One of the narratives that you'll hear is Kyrie Irving is behind all the moves.

Irving supposedly was not a big fan of Grant's, and Grant was fired in February.

And Irving supposedly didn't enjoy playing for Brown, and now Brown has been fired.

And Irving is eligible to sign up to a five-year contract extension in July, so these changes are designed to convince the All-Star guard to stay.

But would any of these moves have happened if the Cavs had finished 39-43 and made the playoffs?

The bottom line was the bottom line -- and the 33-49 record was not a sign of enough progress.

After LeBron James left in the summer of 2010, the Cavs were 66-164 in three years under Byron Scott.

One of Griffin's main jobs will be to see if Irving wants to return, and if he wants to buy into the Cavaliers. Griffin also preaches "fit" when it comes to players, and he has to determine if the Cavs can win with Irving and Dion Waiters in the same backcourt.

Yes, the Kyrie question hangs over the franchise this summer -- but there was far more behind these decisions by Gilbert than Irving.

Spencer Hawes is an excellent shooter and the type of veteran role player that David Griffin wants to bring to the Cavs.Thomas Ondrey / The Plain Dealer

Win now

You won't hear a lot of talk about "sustained success" from Griffin.

First, the general manager wants "some success" for a franchise that has had the NBA's worst record over the last four seasons. He will look to add veterans who can shoot, along with veterans with some size.

In his press conference after the season, Griffin stressed how it was a mistake to "look to the draft for saviors."

Obviously, he wants talent from the draft.

But Griffin feels the need to add "bigger, tougher, smarter" players. He wants better shooters.

His one significant move with the Cavs was trading for Spencer Hawes, a 7-footer who is an excellent passer and outside shooter.

In 30 minutes a game with the Cavs, Hawes averaged 13.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and shot .448 on 3-pointers. By scoring on the perimeter, he attracted defensive attention and helped open the middle of the lane for Irving and Waiters to drive to the rim.

To convince Gilbert to allow him to run the team, Griffin had to present a dramatic plan to immediately upgrade the talent.

Now he gets his chance to do just that, along with a new coach to help speed up the process.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam revealed Monday that the club has told him, "you're the backup. Brian Hoyer is the starter.''

CANTON, Ohio -- First it was the homeless man, now it's the priest. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam can't escape Johnny Manziel-mania, but he's determined to quell it just the same.

Shortly before Haslam stood up to address 500 Browns fans at the Pro Football Hall of Fame's luncheon club here Monday, Father Joe Zamary began his invocation with a lengthy prayer for the success of Manziel -- much to the delight of the crowd.

"Father, I'm not sure I ever heard a prayer like that before,'' Haslam said with a laugh. "I'm not sure what Brian Hoyer thought of it.''

But Hoyer would love what the Browns told Manziel on Friday when he came to town to meet the staff and conduct his introductory press conference: that Hoyer is still starter and Manziel will have to beat him out fair and square.

"Mike Pettine said it very well ‘Johnny, right now you’re our backup quarterback and you need to act like such,''' Haslam said. "We were very frank with him on Friday that that’s the expectation. ‘You’re the backup quarterback. This is a hard-working blue collar town. This isn’t Hollywood. We want you to come in here, work hard and work as hard as anybody on the team.'

"He’s not the starter. Brian Hoyer is our starting quarterback. Johnny is the backup. They’ll compete. If Johnny wins the job, fine. If not, Brian will be the quarterback. That’s the way it is and that’s the way it’s been expressed to him. I think you’ll see Johnny perform that way. Johnny wants to win games.''

Haslam praised Hoyer, who's ahead of schedule in his recovery from a torn ACL and hopes to be full-go by minicamp next month.

“Brian Hoyer is what you want in a football player and what you want at quarterback,” Haslam said. “He’s tough. He loves football.

“We’ve had very honest conversations with Brian. It’s his job. It’s his job to lose. I think you’ll see him compete and compete hard.”

Haslam, who re-iterated the story of how the homeless man looked up from the ground a couple of weeks ago and told him to draft Manziel, acknowledged the Johnny Football phenomenon and all that comes with it -- but is confident Manziel will buckle down.

"Everybody has their detractors, but there’s not one person who didn’t say he’s ultra-competitive,'' Haslam said. "At the end of the day, Johnny cares about winning. There is a Johnny Football aura out there and there’s nothing wrong with that. But I think you’ll find a guy that’s really a hard-working serious guy that doesn’t want to be a three-year in the league flash and out who makes a lot of money on endorsements. He’s a football player. He likes football. He’s highly competitive, and I think you’ll see a guy that’s going to come in here and go to work and go to work hard.

          “You saw the Duke game. They were down 38-10 and came back to win 51-48. You saw a guy exhorting his teammates on the sideline, getting on the linemen, a guy that wants to win football games.''

Haslam noted that Manziel comes to town with something to prove after sitting through 21 agonizing picks on Thursday. Manziel was in play for the Browns at No. 4, but they opted to trade down four spots and back up one to draft Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert and pick up an 2015 first- and fourth-rounder from Buffalo.

“He was a little upset he went 22,'' Haslam said. "He was a little upset he was the second quarterback picked. I think he comes in with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder and wants to show the people he’s about winning games and not about all the other ‘stuff,’ if you will.”

Coach Mike Pettine, speaking to reporters at the Browns Foundation Golf outing Monday at Barrington Golf Club, was pleased with how Manziel handled his welcome to Cleveland on Friday.

"He certainly said the right things,'' Pettine said. "You can tell he’s been prepared and does a real nice job with the media. It’s time to go to work now. I think if you ask him, he’s ready to come in, immerse himself in playbook, get out there, concentrate more on being a great quarterback for the Cleveland Browns and and being a great teammate than all the other stuff outside of it.''

Haslam revealed the club has also talked opening about managing the fans' expectations heading into the season and quelling Manziel-mania.

"If Brian has a bad game in game one or two is everybody going to be yelling Johnny?'' said Haslam. "That's why you want a football coach that thinks long-term and is tough and is going to do the right thing for the team and I think that's the kind of guy coach Pettine is.''

In regard to the Browns not playing in prime time, Haslam said, "Hopefully Johnny being a good quarterback will help us do that but as a team we've got to get better and you can't complain when you're 4-12.''

Haslam also outlined some of the reasons the Browns are excited about their new rookie quarterback.

"We're excited because this is a guy that accounted for 93 touchdowns the last two years running and passing,'' he said. "He did it -- I've got to be careful saying this in Big 10 territory -- but he did it in a fairly tough league and when you ring up 500 yards on Alabama two years in a row, you can clearly play football, so we're excited about Johnny, but we're excited about the other guys we picked too. We think they can come in and play, and play at important positions and help change the tone and culture of our team and I know coach Pettine and Ray Farmer feel that way very strongly.''

Haslam repeatedly said "the Browns will run the ball a lot and throw when necessary'' which means the starting quarterback -- whoever it is -- won't have to strap the team on his back and carry it to victory.

He also apologized for the losing, saying the performance has not been "worthy of the fan base we have.''

He also said he expects as many as four of the six draft picks to start in 2014.

Question is, will one of them Johnny Manziel?

A long list of candidates for the Cavs coaching vacancy, from likely to longshots.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Within minutes of Monday's announcement that the Cavaliers had fired coach Mike Brown, there was a list of possible successors. Some of them were logical, given new general manager David Griffin's long association with the Phoenix Suns, and some of them were pure conjecture.

Here's an early look at some possibilities, though Griffin has not been consulted in compiling this list.

MORE LIKELY

Alvin Gentry -- A players' coach who had a 145-116 record with the Suns, including a 54-28 mark in 2009-10.

Vinny Del Negro -- Was an assistant general manager during Griffin's time with the Suns.

LESS LIKELY

Mike D'Antoni -- His high-powered offense is too much of a radical departure after all the emphasis placed on defense this season.

Steve Kerr -- Probably too far along in his negotiations to become head coach of the New York Knicks.

VETERANS

Mike Fratello -- Former Cavs coach last coached in Memphis at the start of the 2006-07 season.

George Karl -- Another former Cavs coach who was the coach of the year in Denver in 2012-13.

Jeff Van Gundy -- Popular ESPN broadcaster whose name comes up for most openings. He interviewed with Cavs in 2003.

Stan Van Gundy -- Reportedly a leading candidate in Golden State.

LONGSHOTS

Chauncey Billups -- Cavs owner Dan Gilbert loves Billups, and with Jason Kidd having success in his first season as a coach after retiring as a point guard, there could be some consideration for Billups, who hasn't yet retired.

John Calipari -- Kentucky coach insists he's going to remain in college ranks, but his name always comes up in large part because of his friendship with LeBron James.

Tom Izzo -- Gilbert wooed him but he couldn't be convinced to leave Michigan State in the summer of 2010. Not sure anything has changed.

Kevin Ollie -- Former Cavs player won NCAA title in his second season as head coach at UConn and has been mentioned as possible candidate for numerous NBA jobs.

OTHERS

Adrian Griffin -- Bulls assistant coach called a top candidate for Cavs by USA Today.

Lionel Hollins -- Former Memphis coach is not a fan of analytics, whereas Griffin is.

Mark Jackson -- Won 51 games with the Warriors this season and his players tried to save his job -- to no avail.

Cody Allen, Marc Rzepczynski, Scott Atchison and Bryan Shaw will try to keep the Indians' bullpen together until John Axford is ready to close again.

TORONTO, Ont. – The four relievers who have replaced closer John Axford in the Indians’ bullpen believe he’ll be back soon.

“We’re all confident he can do it,” said Cody Allen. “He’s got over 100 saves (115) in his career for a reason. He’s been used a lot and we’re confident after some rest and side work, we’ll get him back to where he needs to be.”

More important, said Allen, “we’ll be back to being a better pen.”

Axford was removed from the closer’s job on Saturday. Manager Terry Francona said he will mix and match with Allen, Scott Atchison, Marc Rzepczynski and Bryan Shaw as his new closers.

“Ax is going to be fine,” said Rzepczynski. “He’ll get back to where he needs to be and he’ll be right back in there.”

As for how Francona uses his four closers, Rzepczynski said, “I think the four of us, we’re just going to go out and do our job regardless of what inning it is – the sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth, it doesn’t really matter. For me, I look at the lefties and when they’re hitting because that’s usually my job to go out and get them.”

In Sunday’s 6-5 win over the Rays, Atchison, Rzepczynski, Allen and Shaw appeared in the game in that order. Rzepczynski and Allen struggled in the eighth, but Shaw retired the side in order in the ninth.

“We want Ax at the end of the pen,” said Atchison. “He’s the guy they brought here to close. We want to make sure we get him right.

“If he needs a week or so to get himself righted, I think we have plenty of people to get us through until he’s ready to go again. I’m glad the manager thinks I’m one of the guys who can do it, but this is about getting Ax going again.”

Shaw’s save was his second of the season and fifth in his career.

“Ax is going to be back and be John Axford soon,” said Shaw. “Hopefully, the four of us can pick him up while he’s getting his stuff back in order.”

Mom’s remembered: Sunday was Mother’s Day with players using pink bats and wearing pink gear to honor their mothers, wives and daughters and to increase awareness of breast cancer.

“My mom (Roberta) passed away because of breast cancer,” said Francona, who wore a pink ribbon attached to the Indians’ pullover he wears during games. “So personally, it gives me something to think about when I put it on.

“Regardless of that, anytime MLB or whoever wants to try to do something to help other people, I think it’s awesome. I think stuff like that in our game gets overlooked too much.”

Yan Gomes broke one pink bat and homered with another during Sunday’s victory over the Rays.

“My mom will get the broken one and my wife will get the other one,” said Gomes. “Or I should say the mother of my child.”

Jenna Gomes just gave birth to daughter Brooklyn Mae.

Second baseman Mike Aviles wore a pink elbow guard and swung a pink bat.

“I’ve got nothing but women in my life,” said Aviles, referring to his wife and three daughters. “I’ve got a great mom, mother-in-law, grandmas. This is just my way to show everybody that I love them and I’m thinking of them on this day.

“They’re big parts of my life. It’s one of the days you look forward to. You get to wear all the pink all day. It’s like, “Hey, mom, I hope you’re watching the game.’”

The slump: At the All-Star break last year, Carlos Santana was hitting .275 (84-for-305) with 11 homers and 43 RBI.

After 38 games this season, the Indians’ cleanup hitter is hitting .148 (19-for-123) with four homers and 11 RBI.

The Indians have 57 games left before the All-Star break. Santana has played

in 37 of their first 38 games, averaging .51351351 hits and 3.5 at bats per game.

Providing he plays in the next 57 games, Santana would have to hit .355 (70-for-197) to enter the break hitting .274 (89-for-325).

Minor matters: Columbus first baseman Jesus Aguilar left Sunday’s game after a Syracuse baserunner collided with him during a play at the bag. Aguilar missed Monday’s game with two bruised ribs, but is expected to play Tuesday.

Finally: Still no word on whether George Kottaras will accept his outright assignment to Columbus after clearing waivers. Kottaras is the first player in team history to homer in his first two at-bats as an Indian . . .Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera on retiring David DeJesus on a long throw from the hole to start the ninth inning Sunday, “If the ball is in my glove, I think I have a chance to throw anybody out.” The play withstood a challenge from manager Joe Maddon.

As the playoffs are starting this week, here is a look at the Week 4 of coaches poll.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On Monday, the fourth state coaches poll came out, and it features five teams from the Northeast Ohio area.

With the 2014 softball state playoffs slated to start this week, this is the final regular season poll before the week started.

Here is a look at the rankings by division.

Division I

1. Lebanon 10 106

2. North Canton Hoover 1 88

3. Marysville 0 77

4. Brecksville-Broadview Heights 0 73

5.Gahanna Lincoln 0 62

6. Delaware Hayes 0 42

7. Oregon Clay 0 39

8. Centerville 0 31

9. Walsh Jesuit 0 24

10. Holland Springfield 0 21

Division II

1. Licking Valley 5 95

2. Keystone 4 94

3. Greenville 0 76

4. Kenton Ridge 1 73

5. Lima Bath 0 57

6. Milan Edison 1 46

7. Jonathon Alder 0 39

8. Granville 0 38

9. Hebron Lakewood 0 29

10. Tallmadge 0 27

Division III

1. Bloom Carroll 6 78

2. Wheelersburg 1 69

3. Archbold 1 56

4. Fairview Sherwood 0 44

5. Kirtland 0 41

6. North Union 0 37

7. Youngstown Ursuline 0 26

8. West Jefferson 0 19

8. Bexley 0 19

10. New London 0 14.

Division IV:

1. Strasburg Franklin 7 97

2. Minister 2 88

3. New Reigel 1 76

4. Leesburg Fairfield 0 58

5. Covington 0 55

6. Portsmouth Notre Dame 0 43

7. Vienna Matthews 0 42

8. Windham 0 21

9. Convoy Crestview 0 18

10. Tuscarawas Catholic 0 11

Jim Tressel should not have been a candidate to become the new President of Youngstown State University... because he should have already been employed as Head Coach of the Cleveland Browns.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jim Tressel should not have been a candidate to become the new President of Youngstown State University.  Not because he wasn't qualified, because he is, but because he should have already  been employed as Head Coach of the Cleveland Browns.

Nothing against Chud, who I liked, or Mike Pettine, who appears to be a solid hire, but the fact that Tressel wasn't even interviewed during the Browns two recent "exhaustive" coaching searches, is an indication of how ineptly they were conducted by Banner and Lombardi.

If given the opportunity, I get the impression Banbardi would have also passed on interviewing that other successful and studious former Ohio State coach - Paul Brown.  One of the reasons often given for the Tressel snub was his age.  Buffalo fans are already missing that 2015 draft pick Ray Farmer stole like they're missing the Super Bowls berths they landed under old man Marv Levy.  Think Dolphin fans would take the later years Don Shula over what they've got now?  How old was Tom Coughlin when he won his second Super Bowl with the Giants?

Imagine the media and marketing spark of both "The Vest" and "Johnny Football" in brown and orange.

Tressel's critics underestimated his fitness to coach the Browns, just as they had underestimated his ability to succeed as coach at YSU, and later at OSU.  It's  no surprise many of these same critics are saying, with mouths still full with crow, Tressel is unfit to be YSU President.  Tressel has always been underestimated and has always not just won, but delivered championship performances.  I expect more of the same in his new role at YSU.   Cleveland's loss is Youngstown's gain.

A look at the high school sports scene on Tuesday, May 13.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Here’s what to expect on Tuesday from the Northeast Ohio Media Group’s high school sports staff:

Baseball

Reporter Stephanie Kuzydym has a breakdown of the Division III sectional and district tournament for baseball. Also, make sure to check out the brackets posted on cleveland.com.

Kuzydym will also look at the top teams in the state, and she'll be joined by reporter Lexi Pluym for a live video chat at 8 p.m.

Boys basketball

The latest boys basketball notebook includes a look at how Collinwood, Glenville and Martin Luther King Jr. high schools are dealing with the possibility of closing.

Softball

Reporters David Cassilo and Mark Kern have a preview of the softball postseason in all four divisions. Included is a bracket for each district.

Later, Kern will look at Cuyahoga Heights' Meredith Chopka, who is a candidate for Player of the Year.

Boys tennis

Reporter Nathaniel Cline takes a look at the sectional boys tennis tournament, and what you need to know about the players and teams.

Also, the latest Net Post podcast will be out which includes Orange's Austin Smedira and Copley's Andrew Ong and Gavin Aten.

Monday's coverage from the high school sports staff:

A rewind of last week's action in the world of softball

A profile of Mayfield pitcher John Schreiber that looks at his family

See all local brackets for the softball sectional and district tournament

Scouting the Division II baseball sectional and district tournament

A look back at the most recent week of baseball in Northeast Ohio

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

Brecksville-Broadview Heights projects as the top local team in Division I.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here is a preview for Division I baseball sectional/district  tournaments involving local teams. Weather permitting, sectionals will be held May 10-17 with districts taking place May 18-24.

Division I

Click here to see brackets for all sites with local teams

Contenders

Barberton - Ranked in the Top 10 of the coaches poll for part of the season, Barberton boasts a lineup that can do damage no matter who is hitting. The Magics are one of only two teams to beat Brecksville-Broadview Heights this season, as they knocked off the Bees, 6-4, on April 9.

Brecksville-Broadview Heights - If any team in Northeast Ohio is going to win a state title this year, it might just be the Bees. Alexis Mack and Nicole Best are just two of the talented hitters in this extremely deep lineup. The Bees have challenged themselves with a very difficult schedule and only have two losses to show for it.

Medina - The class of the Northeast Ohio Conference this season is Medina. Despite a lot of turnover from last year's team, the Bees are poised to make a deep run in the postseason. While there are plenty of strong hitters on this team, keep an eye on Morgan Rittenhouse, who has hit very well lately.

Walsh Jesuit - A perennial contender, Walsh Jesuit is once again among the elite teams in Northeast Ohio. Lilli Piper has been on a tear at the plate this season, as she has hit well above .600. Meanwhile, few pitchers have had as dominant a season as Taylor Rahach. 

Westlake - As part of the Southwestern Conference, Westlake will be tested before it begins its postseason run. With Katie Lew pitching, Westlake will have a chance in every single game. The question will be, can Westlake score enough runs to make things easier on Lew? If it can, this team can make a deep run.

Players to watch

Carly Bachna, Elyria - The Pioneers went to the state title game last season, and if they are going to get back there, Bachna will need to do a lot of damage on offense. She's perhaps the top returning hitter from last year's squad.

Katie Lew, Westlake - Despite being only a sophomore, Lew's performance as a pitcher has made her a leader on Westlake. She's always a threat for a no-hitter and most recently threw one on May 1 against Avon Lake.

Alexis Mack, Brecksville-Broadview Heights - Few players can reliably get on base like Mack. Through the first 22 games of the season, she had a .662 batting average with 39 runs scored. She's the catalyst for the Bees.

Lilli Piper, Walsh Jesuit - The best hitter at the plate for Walsh Jesuit this season has been Piper. Through May 3, she had seven home runs and was sporting a .631 batting average. She's one of the toughest outs in Northeast Ohio.

Taylor Rahach, Walsh Jesuit - From start to finish, Rahach might be the most dominant pitcher Northeast Ohio has had to offer this season. As of May 3, she had a 1.04 ERA and 140 strikeouts for the season.

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

A look at some of the top teams and players in the Division IV softball playoffs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here is a preview for Division III baseball sectional/district  tournaments involving local teams. Weather permitting, sectionals will be held May 13-19 with districts taking place May 20-26.

Division IV

Click here to see brackets for all sites with local teams

Contenders

Columbia:  Last season, Columbia played in the Division III state championship, falling to Bloom-Carrol, 3-2. While this is a different team, there is still a lot of talent on this team. Senior Shelby Friedel is a very talented player that has the ability to hit the ball out of the park at any time. Amanda Sedlock can dominate a game both with her hitting and pitching, and will be counted upon to make the big plays for her team. Coach Ken Lugo has been in many big games in his career, and you can count on Columbia being ready for these big games.

Cuyahoga Heights: The Redskins are a tremendous team that have the balanced needed to make a deep run in the postseason. Pitcher Meredith Chopka is as good of pitcher as there is in the area, but the offense is also tremendous. Jenna Stegmaier and Dana Denner do a tremendous job of leading the Redskins offense. This is an experienced team that has played together in big games, and that experience should go a long way in how far this team goes.

Mogadore:The Wildcats are a team that has kind of went under the radar the entire season, but has enough talent to pull a surprise or two in the playoffs. Brinkley Harvey has the ability to hit the ball out of the park, as evidenced by her opening game two-run home run to help her team win the game. There are some talented teams in Mogadore's path in the playoffs, but they have a chance as long as the offense can get some big hits.

Players to watch:

Meredith Chopka, Cuyahgoa Heights: Chopka has been dominate as a pitcher this entire season, and is a threat to throw a no-hitter every single outing. She has a 9-3 record on the season, while also sporting a 1.08 ERA. She has the ability to strike out a lot of batters, but also does a great job of allowing her defense to make the plays behind her.

Amanda Sedlock, Columbia: Sedlock is a talented player that can influence a game in many different ways. At times this season, she has shown she dominate a game as a pitcher, while also showing the ability to make some terrific plays at the plate. While this is a different team from last year's, Columbia still has a chance to be very good this season. If Columbia is going to make a deep run this season, Sedlock will play a big role in this game.

Contact high school sports reporter Mark Kern by email mkern@cleveland.com or Twitter (@Markkern11). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

A look at some of the top teams and contenders in Division II of the softball state tournament.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here is a preview for Division II softball sectional/district  tournaments involving local teams. Weather permitting, sectionals will be held May 12-18 with districts taking place May 19-25.

Division II

Click here to see brackets for all sites with local teams

Contenders

Hathaway Brown: -- The Blazers have been terrific all season, and boast one of the top players in the area in Logan Paul. Paul can dominate both as a pitcher, while also using her terrific speed to turn get an extra base. Maggie Philbin is a terrific player that complements Paul very well, entering the playoffs with a .352 batting average.

Keystone: -- The Wildcats have been at the top of the rankings of the coaches poll all season long, and have the type of team capable of winning the state tournament. Anytime freshman Lauren Shaw is in the pitcher's circle, the Wildcats have a great chance of getting a win. However, it is not just pitching staff that makes this team such a threats as there are a plethora of hitters that are capable of getting the big hit. This is one of the most complete teams in the state, and if Keystone is playing its best softball, the Wildcats could get the state title.

St. Vincent-St. Mary: -- The Irish have been up-and-down this season, but pitcher Lexi Handley has a chance to throw a no-hitter anytime she is pitching. The key to this team will be whether or not it gets the hitting needed to make a deep run into the playoffs. Nicole Paolucci has the ability to hit the ball out of park, and will be counted upon to help the team score enough runs to make a deep run.

Tallmadge: -- Like the Wildcats, the Blue Devils have been in the Top 10 of the coaches  for most of the season, and have an offense capable of putting up a lot of runs. Sierra Bennett is a hitter capable of having a huge game from the plate, while the top of the order can put a lot of pressure on the opposing pitcher. With Kristen Lightel dominating the game in the circle, Tallmadge is a tough team to beat.

Players to watch

Lexi Handley, St. Vincent-St. Mary: Handley is a terrific athlete that showed during the basketball season that she is an athlete to look out for in the future, and she has been terrific during this softball season. She is imposing as a pitcher, and has the speed on her pitches to make things very difficult for her opponents. Her ability to pitch should have her team within striking distance the entire way.

Logan Paul, Hathaway Brown:  Very few players in softball can dominate a game in as many different ways as Logan Paul can for the Blazers. As a batter this season, Paul is batting a tremendous .658 with four triples. As great as she has been on offense, she has been more dominating as a pitcher. In 73 innings this season, she has given up only three runs, which equals a 0.29 ERA. Paul is the type of player that can will her team deep in the playoffs.

Lauren Shaw, Keystone: Despite being only a freshman, Shaw is a terrific player that has the ability to dominate a game with her pitching. In a two game stretch earlier in the season, she threw a perfect game followed by a no-hitter. Shaw does a great of mixing up her pitches, never allowing the batters to feel comfortable at the plate. She has done a terrific job of keeping her composure if a runner or two gets on. Keystone is a very talented team, but Shaw could be the piece that takes this team to a state championship.

Contact high school sports reporter Mark Kern by email mkern@cleveland.com or Twitter (@Markkern11). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Long, cold winter doesn't hinder best college baseball season in Greater Cleveland history.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Despite a winter that bled deep into spring, Greater Cleveland has blossomed into a college baseball town. Baldwin Wallace, Case Western Reserve, John Carroll and Lake Erie College received NCAA baseball regional tournament bids announced late Sunday night and early Monday morning, making this the area's most successful season in decades.

The postseason berth is JCU's first in 30 years, BW's first in 23 years, and Lake Erie's first ever.

No. 21-ranked Case has been a team to watch all spring, and is gunning for the Division III national championship. The Spartans embark on their third regional tournament in four years after narrowly missing a regional title and berth in the College World Series last season.

“Once you've made it (to the regional) your first or second time, you can say winning a national championship is your goal,'' CWRU coach Matt Englander said. “But until you've experienced a little success, it's hard to imagine it, and coming out of last year, it's incredibly tangible right now.''

View full sizeCase Western Reserve third baseman Andrew Gronski's .456 batting average ranks second in NCAA Division III.Richard Kruszynski / Case Western Reserve

Case (30-10) is the No. 2 seed at a deep Marietta Mideast regional and opens Wednesday against No. 7 Thomas More College. John Carroll heads to Marietta as the No. 6 seed and faces No. 3 Salisbury. The winner plays the CWRU-Thomas More winner Thursday in a double-elimination format. JCU and Case split two nonleague games.

Case features some big hitters and big arms. Senior left-hander John Fortunato (7-2, 2.04 ERA) is the staff ace. Left-handed reliever Ray Kelly (6-1, 2.63 ERA) leads a bullpen that has helped Case go 22-0 in games it led after six innings. Right-handed reliever Rob Winemiller (1-0, 4.00 ERA) is among the top pro prospects in Division III after converting from catcher to pitcher last summer.

CWRU is 12th in the nation in hitting (.342), led by junior third baseman Andrew Gronkoski (.456, 6 home runs, 41 RBI), whose batting average ranks second in Division III. Also pounding the baseball are shortstop Andrew Frey (.374, 54 RBI), and second baseman Kerrigan Cain (.383, 37 RBI).

John Carroll received an automatic regional berth upon rallying to win its first Ohio Athletic Conference title Sunday against Baldwin Wallace in what was regarded as the toughest conference tournament in the nation. BW came from behind in the ninth inning to beat John Carroll in the first game, 11-9, forcing a second game in the double-elimination tournament. JCU overcame a 2-0 deficit to win, 6-3. John Carroll also knocked off Marietta in the tournament.

The OAC is the only league sending four teams to the regionals, including Marietta, the No. 1 seed and Mideast host.

“Truth be told, what we just went through (at the OAC tournament) was almost like a mini-regional. There was not a clear-cut frontrunner and the schedule we played with the OAC was inside top six of country,'' JCU coach Marc Thibault said.

JCU is led by a pair of all-conference position players, catcher Chet Lauer (.413, 43 runs) and first baseman Jimmy Spagna (.379, 47 RBI, 20 doubles), as well as sophomore pitchers Aaron Lipaglia (8-3, 3.81) and Brandon Maddern (6-2, 3.17). Second baseman Bobby Sabatino. (.338, 35 runs) earlier had a 19-game hitting streak.

View full sizeBaldwin Wallace pitcher Cory Waite is 6-2 with a 2.63 ERA heading into the NCAA regional tournament.Baldwin Wallace University

Baldwin Wallace (25-18) is seeded fourth at the Mid-Atlantic regional in Dallas, Pa., and opens Wednesday against host Misercordia College (29-13-1). The Yellow Jackets are young and headed into unfamiliar territory, but coach Brian Harrison did not sound worried Monday.

“Our strength of schedule was 13th toughest in all of Division III,'' BW coach Brian Harrison said. “It's not like we have to raise our game. We just have to go out and play up to our capability.''

Winners of the eight double-elimination regional tournaments around the nation advance to the World Series in Appleton, Wisconsin (May 23-27).

In Division II, Lake Erie College (31-10) is the No. 5 seed at Midwest regional in Evansville, Ind. The Storm drew league rival and No. 3 seed Grand Valley State (37-11) on Thursday. GV beat Lake Erie twice at the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament last week, including the championship. LEC is 3-2 against Grand Valley this season.

Lake Erie transitioned to Division II from Division III in 2009 and is in its fourth year of postseason eligibility. The Storm notched its first 30-win season and reached its first conference final despite a roster with just one all-GLIAC player, freshman first baseman Lucas Raley, at a school that shares its home field with a Harvey High School.

“What we've been able to accomplish in the grand scheme of things in a short amount of time is pretty remarkable,'' coach Brian McGee said. “Their chemistry is unbelievable.''

Raley (.360, 9 homers, 38 RBI) is the GLIAC Freshman of the Year. His brother Brad (4-3, 3.77 ERA), had been the No. 1 starter, but has had some arm issues of late and likely will be No. 2 at the regional behind Brian Kilway (4-3, 4.35 ERA).

McGee gathered the team late Sunday night for the tournament announcement, and players leaped up on desks when they saw Lake Erie in the field. One player received an inadvertent bloody nose.

“It was in the moment. It was awesome,'' McGee said.

See the 2014 boys tennis sectional brackets for Northeast Ohio.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The 2014 boys tennis regular season in the history books and singles and doubles teams will prepare for their opportunity at winning a state championship. This week the first round of action will begin with sectionals.

Qualifiers will advance to their respective district tournaments to earn a bid to the state tournament May 30-31 at Ohio State University. 

Here’s a look at the division sectional tournaments coming up: 

DIVISION I

Harvard

Where: 25^th St. N.W. & Harvard Ave. N.W. Canton, OH

Schools: Austintown Fitch, Barberton, Boardman, Canfield, Canton McKinley, Canton Timken, Coventry, Ellet, Garfield (Akron), GlenOak, Green, Hoover, Jackson, Kenmore, Lake, Louisville, Massillon Perry, Washington, Marietta – Southeast, North Philadelphia-East

Start time: May 13, 9 a.m.

Brackets: Singles bracket, doubles bracket

What’s next: Top four singles and doubles teams qualify for district tournament at Oberlin College beginning next week.

Medina

Where: 777 E Union Street Medina, OH

Schools: Brecksville-Broadview Heights, Brunswick, Cloverleaf, Copley, Cuyahoga Falls, Firestone, Highland, Hudson, Medina, Nordonia, North (Akron), Norton, Revere, Roosevelt, Stow-Munroe Falls, Tallmadge, Twinsburg, Wadsworth, Walsh Jesuit, Wooster

Start time: May 13, 8 a.m.

Brackets: Singles bracket, doubles bracket

What’s next: Top four singles and doubles teams qualify for district tournament at Oberlin College beginning next week.

Oberlin

Where: Oberlin College’sDon Hunsinger Tennis Courts Woodland Street Oberlin, OH

Schools: Amherst, Avon, Avon Lake, Berea-Midpark, Elyria, John Marshall, Lakewood, Midview, Normandy, North Olmsted, North Ridgeville, North Royalton, Olmsted Falls, Parma, Rhodes, St. Edward, St. Ignatius, Strongsville, Valley Forge, Westlake

Start time: May 13, 9 a.m.

Brackets: Singles bracket, doubles bracket

What’s next: Top four singles and doubles teams qualify for district tournament at Oberlin College beginning next week.

Solon

Where: 3500 Portz Parkway Solon, OH

Schools: Aurora, Brush, Chardon, Cleveland Heights, Eastlake North, Euclid, Garfield Heights, Harvey, Howland, Kenston, Lakeside, Madison, Mayfield, Mentor, Ravenna, Riverside, Shaker Heights, Solon, Willoughby South, Warren Harding, West Geauga

Start time: May 14, 8 a.m.

Brackets: Singles bracket, doubles bracket

What’s next: Top four singles and doubles teams qualify for district tournament at Oberlin College beginning next week.

DIVISION II

Boardman

Where: 1223 W Western Reserve Rd, Youngstown, OH

Schools: Cardinal Mooney, Crestwood, East Palestine, Field, John F. Kennedy (Warren), Lakeview, Lordstown, Niles McKinley, Poland Seminary, Salem, Struthers, United, Ursuline, West Branch

Start time: May 14, 8:15 a.m.

Brackets: Singles top bracket, singles bottom bracket, doubles top bracket, doubles bottom bracket

What’s next: Top four singles and doubles teams qualify for district tournament at Harvard Park in Canton.

Brush

Where: 4875 Glenyn Lyndhurst, OH

Schools: Chagrin Falls, Conneaut, Edgewood, Geneva, Gilmour Academy, Hawken, Jefferson Area, Kirtland, Lake Catholic, Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, Perry, University, Wickliffe

Start time: May 14, 9 a.m.

Brackets: Singles bracket, doubles bracket

What’s next: Top four singles and doubles teams qualify for district tournament at Harvard Park in Canton.

College of Wooster

Where: 1189 Beall Avenue Wooster, OH

Schools: Alliance, Archbishop Hoban, Canton Central Catholic, Canton South, Central Christian, Chippewa, Manchester, Marlington, Norwayne, Orrville, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Triway

Start time: May 13, 9 a.m.

Brackets: Singles bracket, doubles bracket

What’s next: Top four singles and doubles teams qualify for district tournament at Harvard Park in Canton.

Rocky River

Where: Tri-City Park Delmar Drive Rocky River, OH

Schools: Bay, Beachwood, Cuyahoga Valley Christian, Fairview, Keystone Academy, Lake Ridge, Martin Luther King, Oberlin, Orange, Padua, Rocky River, Vermilion, Woodridge

Start time: May 15, 9 a.m.

Brackets: Singles bracket, doubles bracket

What’s next: Top four singles and doubles teams qualify for district tournament at Harvard Park in Canton.

"I'm not nervous, I am excited," Jones said. "When recruiting first started for me and everything and I was on the verge of getting my first offers it would get kind of nervous, but now that I am older I am starting to get used to it. I am just going to stay focused and perform as best as I can."

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sheriron Jones never thought his recruitment would expand past programs from the Pac-12, but the dual-threat quarterback of Moreno Valley (Calif.) Rancho Verde could be on the verge seeing his recruitment explode.

Jones recently picked up scholarship offer No. 7 from Florida, and he's expecting big company at his high school on Thursday.

Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman is coming to watch him throw, and if Herman likes what he sees, a Buckeyes offer could follow.

Jones recruitment has officially gone national.

"I never thought it would be like this," Jones told Cleveland.com in a phone interview Monday evening. "It's incredible that a big-time program like Ohio State is coming all the way here to watch me workout. I'm really excited."

After missing on four-star quarterback Brandon Wimbush when he committed to Penn State last week, Ohio State has opened its scope on 2015 quarterback prospects. Names like Jones will continue to pop up.

Ohio State is still holding out hope to land four-star quarterback Torrance Gibson of Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage, but Gibson won't announce until after he takes all five official visits in the fall.

But the Buckeyes may take two quarterbacks in 2015, and a prospect like Jones could be exactly what they're looking for to jumpstart a class that currently only has two oral commitments.

Rated by Rivals.com a four-star prospect and the No. 9 dual-threat quarterback in the class, Jones first has to prove he's worthy of an Ohio State offer by performing well in front of Herman.

"I'm not nervous, I am excited," Jones said. "When recruiting first started for me and everything and I was on the verge of getting my first offers it would get kind of nervous, but now that I am older I am starting to get used to it. I am just going to stay focused and perform as best as I can." 

Along with Florida, Jones has offers from Akron, Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Indiana and Nebraska, and he anticipates that list could be growing. Jones also has drawn interest from Florida State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Texas A&M, UCLA, USC and others. 

But right now Jones said he's focused on only the schools who have offered him, and he's trying his best to schedule a plan during the summer to visit as many as possible. 

He hopes to have one more place to add to his list. 

"If Ohio State offers, I'll have to make plans to get out to Ohio State," he said. "But I just have to focus on performing well and then we'll go from there." 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In 2002, Dana White became the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championships. Fast forward 12 years, and the sport has never been more popular. While many fans are hoping for a Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather fight in boxing, White has made the UFC popular because the matches announced are decided by him. With champions such as...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In 2002, Dana White became the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championships. Fast forward 12 years, and the sport has never been more popular.

While many fans are hoping for a Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather fight in boxing, White has made the UFC popular because the matches announced are decided by him.

With champions such as Renan Barao, Cain Velasquez and Jon Jones, the UFC fans can expect to see those fighters competing  against the other best fighters in the world.

The city of Cleveland has some local stars in the sport as Jessica Eye is ranked sixth in the women's bantamweight, while Stipe Miocic is ranked seventh in the heavyweight class.

Miocic will be in action on May 31 as he goes up against Fabio Maldonado at TUF Finale in Brazil. He was originally scheduled to take on Junior Dos Santos, but Dos Santos was forced to withdraw from the fight after an injury during training camp.

The heavyweight class is in an interesting situation as the champion Velasquez is just getting back from an injury, and has completely dominated the class as of late. For Miocic, he has an opportunity to get into title talks as long as he is able to go out there and keep winning.

Have you wanted an opportunity to ask Dana White a question? Here is your chance. Leave your questions in the comments section.