The St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish defeated Chardon 34-13 Friday night in a Division III regional quarterfinal to start the quest for their third straight state championship.
The St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish defeated Chardon 34-13 Friday night in a Division III regional quarterfinal to start the quest for their third straight state championship.
Aurora football rallies for a 42-24 win over Kenston in Division III, Region 7 playoffs.
Aurora football rallies for a 42-24 win over Kenston in Division III, Region 7 playoffs.
See every score statewide for the OHSAA football playoffs.
See every score statewide for the OHSAA football playoffs.
David Blatt puts the ball in LeBron James' hands to get the Cleveland Cavaliers a much-needed 110-101 win over the Denver Nuggets.
DENVER, Colo. – It's always better late than never. The Cavaliers picked up their first win of this three-game road swing with a 110-101 victory over the Denver Nuggets to finish 1-2 on the trip.
Randy Foye had a game-high of 28 points off the bench for Denver (1-4), which has dropped four straight.
It's not the results the Cavaliers were hoping for when they embarked on this western journey, but ending on a winning note is something they won't hesitate to take back to Northeast Ohio.
Cleveland (2-3) scored a quarter-high for the season with 38 points in the opening period. In only 8 1/2 minutes the Cavaliers eclipsed their assist total of six from Wednesday's game in Utah. They finished with 25 tonight, including 11 from LeBron James.
The offense moved ever so freely with James handling much of the point guard duties. He made sure the ball zipped swiftly from east to west, and that led to easy scoring opportunities.
Irving played off the ball for much of the game and showed a determined effort to make the extra pass. He registered his first assist a minute and a half into the contest. Going into halftime, he had more assists than field goal attempts (4-3).
He ended the game with 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting to pair with six assists.
Anderson Varejao provided 15 points and seven rebounds for Cleveland. Kevin Love went for 19 points and eight boards. Shawn Marion had his best outing as a member of the Cavaliers with 10 points and six rebounds in his second start of the season.
What does this mean?
It means they can play team basketball after all. It also probably means that James may need to be the one initiating the offense the bulk of the time. He made a conscious effort to maintain a balanced attack.
He wasn't too passive and he was aggressive enough to keep the defense off guard. Dion Waiters benefited from James' services by having his best game of the young season with 17 points off the bench.
Coach David Blatt made an adjustment: He put the ball in James' hands.
Player of the Game
James struggled offensively early on but he kept the offense on task with his playmaking ability. His started to dominate on that end in the second half, but it was his all-around play that got the Cavaliers on track.
He flirted with a triple-double, producing a team-high 22 points, seven rebounds and the game-high 11 assists in 40 minutes.
Highlight of the game
In the third quarter Irving drove past his defender and two bigs were waiting for him at the rim. He jumped in the air and contorted his body to reverse on the other side. He released a high-arcing shot that kissed the top of the backboard before falling in.
Who finished?
Blatt used a lineup of Irving, Waiters, James, Marion and Love to close the game out.
What's next
The Cavaliers return from this road trip to take on emerging superstar Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans at Quicken Loans Arena on Monday.
LeBron James leads Cleveland Cavaliers in scoring and assists in win
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James played the dual role of leading scorer and facilitator in the Cavaliers' 110-101 victory in Denver over the Nuggets.
Serving as point forward -- if not in name then certainly in look -- James scored 22 points and dished out 11 assists in a game Cleveland wanted before returning home after two losses out West.
He added seven rebounds in 40 minutes.
It was a rocky road trip, no doubt, with James playing passively on purpose Tuesday night in Portland and his 31-point effort falling short in a last-second loss to Utah Wednesday night. He either clashed with Kyrie Irving or he didn't.
On Friday night, the Cavaliers had a collective chemistry and energy that simply wasn't seen earlier in the week. Here is an instant, quarter-by-quarter briefing on James' performance against the Nuggets.
1st Quarter
Stats: 2 pts, 3 rbs, 6 ast, 0-1 FG, 2-2 FT
Highlight: James tosses a perfect lob from midcourt to Tristan Thompson for an alley-oop with 3:11 left.
Briefing: So the Cavaliers had six assists for the game Wednesday night? James equaled that number ... by himself... in the first quarter. He was moving the ball all over the place. He was also quite active defensively, leading his team to an 18-point advantage and noticeably better body language.
2nd Quarter
Stats: 6 pts, 1 rb, 2 ast, 2-7 FG, 1-2 FT
Highlight: In a span of 10 seconds, James finished off a driving layup and then knocked down a three-pointer with 1:34 to go. The three was set up by a Joe Harris steal.
Briefing: After getting his teammates involved with the offense in the first quarter, James clearly sought to find his own rhythm. Only, it didn't really happen until that 10-second spurt. He forced some tough shots. Still, with eight points, eight assists, and four rebounds through two quarters, a triple-double is possible.
3rd Quarter
Stats: 6 pts, 1 rb, 3 ast, 2-4 FG, 2-2 FT
Highlight: Zooming down the left side, James was body checked on his way to the hoop. After contact, he threw a chest shot off the glass that went in and also made the ensuing free throw with 3:16 to go.
Briefing: Has James lost a step or at least some bounce in his step, as some have suggested? There was competing evidence in this quarter. On the one hand, Randy Foye blew right past him to the hoop. But then there was the chest shot mentioned above, and on the next possession James floated through the air for a reverse layup that seemed to kiss the top of the backboard.
4th Quarter
Stats: 6 pts, 2 rbs, 0 ast, 4-6 FG, 0-0 FT
Highlight: Closing things out, James scores the Cavaliers' last four points on two layups with less than a minute left.
Briefing: The bid for a triple-double falls short, but the road trip ends well for James and the Cavaliers.
Totals: 22 pts, 7 rbs, 11 ast, 8-18 FG, 5-6 FT, 40 min
Dion Waiters is starting to accept his role as the team's sixth man, a role LeBron James loves him in.
DENVER, Colo. – It didn't take long, but it appears Dion Waiters is starting to embrace his role as the sixth man of this Cavaliers team.
He had his best outing of the young season with 17 points on six-of-14 shooting in 24 minutes of play off the bench in a much-needed 110-101 win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.
The 6-4 guard came up with a key steal that he converted into breakaway dunk that put the Cavaliers up eight with 3:43 left in the game.
He let out a yell on his way down. That sealed the game. The Nuggets and the crowd had nothing left in order to make a significant run.
LeBron James says that's the Dion they need.
"For the best of the team, that should be Dion's role," James said. "Dion comes off the bench and brings us that scoring mentality but more than that, he brings us another defender off the bench, which we need. Someone that's tough, someone that can guard one through three. It's a new role, but it's a good role for him."
Waiters made his request known before training camp opened that he preferred to be in the starting lineup. Head coach David Blatt started Waiters all of preseason and the first three games of the season before placing him in a reserve role.
It may not be ideal, but now Waiters is warming up to the role for the betterment of the team.
"I got to do whatever I got to do for the better of the team," Waiters said. "If it's starting, if it's coming off the bench, if it's the water boy, I got to do it. Whatever is best for the team."
Waiters has had a different coach in each of his three seasons. Due to that instability, establishing a role hasn't been easy for him and it's why Blatt made sure he went out of his way to praise the efforts of his scoring guard tonight.
"I thought he had a terrific game today, and I told him so in the locker room," Blatt said. "Because he came in and did exactly what we needed him to do from the bench: score the ball, he played hard and right."
Everything fell into place for the Cavaliers. On Wednesday, six assists were all they could come up with in a heartbreaking loss to the Utah Jazz. Isolations dominated the offensive end.
A total of 25 assists equating to 40 field goals is what the Nuggets endured, a totally different outcome from what the Cavaliers accomplished in Utah.
One of the main reasons for the crisp ball movement was none other than James getting the call to initiate the offense. James said Blatt told him he was going to handle the ball more with Matthew Dellavedova out with an MCL sprain.
James had that ball zipping from side to side. The next thing you knew, he was flirting with a triple-double by providing a team-high 22 points, seven rebounds and a game-high 11 assists.
Out of those three major statistics, it was the assists that did the damage.
"When the ball is moving, it's just the karma of the game, guys make shots," James said. "...That's just the good karma of the game. You move the ball early, you get guys feeling the ball, touching the ball and everyone feels comfortable. It resulted in us having seven guys in double figures and that's huge for our team."
Cleveland looked like a team.
Kyrie Irving made a conscious effort to make the extra pass. You could tell he was trying to set guys up, a sign he's buying in and trying to make the proper adjustments.
Blatt used his bench more than he has in the previous four games and in doing so; Mike Miller was able to knock down his first three of the season. That's only going to help get him in a nice rhythm moving forward.
When Nuggets forward Darrell Arthur shoved Waiters in midair in the second quarter, an extremely dangerous play he was ejected for, the team rushed to his aide. He was visibly shaken up and at one point, was restrained by Irving from heading Arthur's way.
Waiters landed awkwardly on his back, a back he's been experiencing soreness in the last couple of weeks. Even though the play was dirty, Waiters says he doesn't want to see Arthur suspended.
"Nah, I don't want anybody to get suspended," he said. "He probably got a family. He needs his money to take care of his kids. The play is over, we won. I really don't care about nothing else."
Cleveland showed that they are capable of turning this thing around. Sacrificing is all we've been hearing out of this team but we had yet to see it until now. James has repeatedly said that this is a process.
Part of the process was getting guys to adapt to change. Irving took 11 shots and distributed six assists and Waiters accepted his reserve responsibilities. This three-game trip didn't start off so hot, but now they can leave feeling good about the ending.
Seven Cavaliers scored in double figures as part of a 110-101 victory over the Nuggets on Friday night in Denver, Colo.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers defeated the Nuggets, 110-101, Friday night at Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo. Here is a capsule look after a dvr review of the combination of Fox Sports Ohio and ESPN telecasts:
Back in business
The Cavs (2-3) snapped a two-game losing streak and finished a stretch of four consecutive road games at 2-2.
Cavs reserve guard Dion Waiters told Fox Sports Ohio reporter Allie Clifton that he and his teammates treated Friday night's game as a must-win, frustrated as they were coming off the defeats Tuesday in Portland (101-82) and Wednesday in Utah (102-100).
Losing to the Trail Blazers is one thing; losing to the Jazz is another matter entirely. This version of the Cavs should be able to handle the Jazz with relative ease, but awful first-half defense and a stagnate offense laid the foundation for a clunker. The Jazz scored 59 points in the first half and the Cavs finished with a paltry six assists on 30 baskets.
The Cavs improved in almost every area against the Nuggets. They can feel good about how they played the majority of the game, even if the victory came against a weak defensive team that lost its fourth straight to slip to 1-4.
Fantastic first
The Cavs lived off a first quarter in which they outscored the Nuggets, 38-20. On defense, they moved their feet and got into the shooters. Their front court was physical with Denver's bigs. On offense, they passed as well as in any quarter this season. They relied on spacing, cutting and side-to-side ball movement. They didn't lapse into repeated isolations.
The Cavs' determination to be unselfish was evident immediately. With 10:23 left, Kevin Love threw a bullet pass to a cutting Kyrie Irving, who made a touch pass to Anderson Varejao, who sank a layup and was fouled. Varejao completed the three-point play for a 6-2 lead.
Fox Sports Ohio analyst Austin Carr said: "It's a beautiful game when you play the game that way.''
That Irving notched the assist was noteworthy. At Utah, Irving scored a game-high 34 points but notched zero assists in 45 minutes -- the second zero-assist game of his career. Irving had not assisted on a basket since midway through the second quarter against Portland.
On Friday, the Cavs matched their assist total against Utah with 5:05 left in the first, when LeBron James found Shawn Marion for a fastbreak lay-in to give Cleveland a 19-7 lead. The Nuggets called timeout.
The Cavs ended the quarter with 10 assists on 13 baskets -- and left several assists on the floor because of missed open jumpers. They finished the game with 25 assists on 40 baskets. (They entered the night ranked last in the NBA with 16.0 assists per game.)
Bobbing and weaving
The Cavs hardly dominated in the remaining three quarters, as evidenced by the final score. They missed numerous opportunities to run away from the Nuggets, who kept climbing back just enough to make matters interesting. The Nuggets actually pulled within six and possessed the ball late in the fourth quarter.
A better opponent might have punished the Cavs for their uneven performance in the final 36 minutes. But a better opponent wasn't on the schedule Friday, so the Cavs were able to hold. Cleveland's talent advantage over Denver was such that, even when the Nuggets went on runs to create hope, it never felt as though the Cavs were in serious trouble.
Spreading the wealth
Against the Jazz, six Cavs scored points. Against the Nuggets, seven Cavs scored in double figures. James led with 22 points, followed by Love (19), Waiters (17), Varejao (15), Irving (12), Tristan Thompson (12) and Marion (10).
It is a good sign for the Cavs when the Big Three amasses "just'' 53 points and a victory still results.
James struggled with his outside shot but compensated with assorted power moves to the basket. They included layups on back-to-back possessions with less than one minute remaining in the fourth that answered Denver field goals.
Even though James led the Cavs in scoring, his game was not necessarily about points. He finished with 11 assists, seven rebounds, one steal, one block and three turnovers in 40 minutes.
James was relentless at both ends in the first quarter. When he wasn't knocking away a Nuggets attempt at an alley-oop, he was flipping a halfcourt pass to Thompson for a slam. James led by example when it came to sharing the ball and pushing the pace, and his teammates fully bought in.
Love missed 10 of his 16 shots from the floor, including all five from 3-point range, but went 7-of-8 from the line and grabbed eight rebounds. On this particular night, the Cavs needed Love to wear the hard hat and grind on the low block; he certainly gave max effort.
The Nuggets, as expected, got physical with Love at both ends. Love was fouled multiple times but didn't hear a whistle, including one blatant toss to the floor by former Cav Alonzo Gee (six points in 22 minutes).
Waiters, in his second straight game off the bench, shot 6-of-14 in 24 minutes. One of the baskets was the play of the game; two others came at an important time in the fourth quarter.
In the final seconds of the first quarter, Waiters drove to the hoop and was decked upon release by Denver's Darrell Arthur, who made no effort to stop ball. As Waiters crashed to the floor, the shot somehow went in. The officials reviewed the play and ejected Arthur for a flagrant-2.
ESPN analyst Mark Jackson said: "That's a cheap shot and a dirty play. Good call by the referees, taking a look at it and recognizing: You do that on the playground, there's no more game. You're not playing anymore. So it can't be acceptable here.''
Carr said: "That's a bush-league play there.''
Waiters slowly returned to his feet, wincing and grabbing his lower back, but remained in the game. The Cavs were glad he did, because they needed his microburst in the fourth.
With 3:47 remaining, the Nuggets had the ball and trailed, 98-92. Waiters and James played good defense out top, forcing a bad pass that Waiters intercepted and turned into a slam. After the Nuggets failed to score on their next possession, Waiters pulled up and drilled a jumper from the top of the key in front of pesky Randy Foye. The Nuggets called timeout.
Varejao was incredibly efficient in his 28 minutes, going 6-of-7 from the floor and 3-of-5 from the line and grabbing seven rebounds. He posted the game's best +/- (16).
Varejao helped the Cavs set the tone, scoring six of their first eight points.
Irving played his most complete game of the young season, and in the process looked like a completely different player. He was a supremely talented individual seamlessly operating within a team framework.
The Irving who scored 34 against Utah was not nearly as fun to watch as the Irving who scored 12 (on 5-of-11 shooting) against Denver. The latter sought to facilitate teammates regularly, hustled defensively and maintained a high energy level. He could have scored much more than 12 but chose not to do so, and he seemed to be enjoying himself.
Irving made numerous quality passes en route to six assists, a total that could have been in double-digits if not for open misses or mishandles. His wraparound bounce pass to Varejao for a lay-in in the third quarter was terrific, the type of play that only someone of Irving's ball-handling ability and creativity makes. Earlier in the third, Irving sank two 3-pointers in a two-minutes span.
Irving and James, contrary to speculation, appeared entirely comfortable playing together.
Thompson and Marion combined to shoot 8-of-12.
Finally: The Cavs' willingness to defend helped create much-needed quick scores. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Cavs scored a season-high 39 points in transition. They had been averaging 17.8 in transition.
If the Indians traded Francisco Lindor, is Jose Ramirez ready to be their everyday shortstop?
PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Do you have questions for Paul Hoynes, Indians beat writer for Northeast Ohio Media Group? If so ask them right here at Hey, Hoynsie!
Hey, Hoynsie: Jose Ramirez has shown he can succeed at the major league level as a fulltime shortstop, and Erik Gonzalez has earned the status of a quality shortstop prospect by producing in the minor leagues.
Meanwhile, Francisco Lindor is putting up slightly underwhelming numbers at AAA (.273/.307/.695) and in the Arizona Fall League (.256/.297/.683) with a concerning K/BB ratio from his time in both leagues.
Do you think it could make sense to trade him this offseason? Lindor's current value as a top ten prospect would allow him to be the feature piece in a big-time trade to make an impact of the Indians next season, push the team into the playoffs, and get the fan base excited. The team would still have long-term options at shortstop, and wouldn't have to risk Lindor failing to live up to the lofty expectations of the fan base. – Gavin Potter, Shaker Heights.
Hey, Gavin: If you are convinced Ramirez is ready to be your everyday shortstop and the trade you're going to make will put you in the postseason, maybe you do that. Still, if you're making any part of that trade because you fear Lindor won't live up to expectations, you're in the wrong business.
Personally, I'd have a hard time trading Lindor. He just turned 21 and handled himself well at Class AAA Columbus this year. I'd hate to give trade him before you really knew what kind of player he was going to be.
Hey, Hoynsie: How much does MLB experience and reputation factor in as bias in postseason awards? Felix Hernandez has pitched at a high level for a much longer time than Tribe right-hander Corey Kluber. Are voters capable of just looking at 2014 stats alone?
Kluber did not really burst on the MLB scene until 2013 - but that should not technically hurt him for awards in 2014. – Tim Corbett, Ladera Ranch, Calif.
Hey, Tim: The Cy Young award isn't based on meritorious service. It's about who pitched best in the year in question. I can't say that all members of the Baseball Writers Association of America who cast votes for the Cy Young, MVP, Manager of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards vote that way, but I think the majority do.
Hey, Hoynsie: Any chance the Tribe jumps in on the bidding for Yoan Moncada, the Cuban third baseman who is scheduled to audition for teams this week? Third base just seems like such a weak position in the whole system. I think he would look awfully good in the Tribe's system. – Chris Zanon, Miami.
Hey, Chris: The Indians will be at his showcase. They've already seen Moncada, 19, in international tournaments in Amsterdam and Taiwan so they have a good idea of his ability, but as usual it will come down to what team spends the most money.
Moncada will need time to develop in the minors, so that could hold his price down, but nothing is for certain.
The Angels just signed Roberto Baldoquin, a 20-year-old Cuban infielder, for $8 million. It exceeded their international bonus pool of $2.4 million so the final price tag for Baldoquin will be between $13 million and $14 million because of tax penalties.
Hey, Hoynsie: Let's say Nick Swisher would prefer the life of a TV personality to that of a ballplayer. Are there buyout options in his contract? Are the Indians stuck with the last two years of his contract ($30 million)? – Mike Brown, Cleveland.
Hey, Mike: Swisher's deal is guaranteed. Normally, it's the player who has the escape clauses in his contract, not the team. If the team had an out, why would the player sign the contract?
Hey, Hoynsie: I find the timing of the Terry Francona extension intriguing. Is there any chance this was done with the foresight of making a push to lure a bat, or two, to the club? – Joe Cepec, Dublin.
Hey, Joe: The extension had been in the works since August.
I don't think it was an accident that it was announced just as teams could start bidding on free agents. Unfortunately, I don't think the Indians will be able to use Francona's persona and winning record as a manager to attract free agents this winter because I don't think they're going to do a whole lot.
Hey, Hoynsie: With Texas' struggles in 2014 and Washington getting a breakout year from Anthony Rendon, can you see either Adrian Beltre (for Michael Bourn, Lonnie Chisenhall and a prospect) or Ryan Zimmerman, being an option to the Indians' poor fielding and lack of right-handed power problems in 2015? – Rick Furmage, Ashtabula.
Hey, Rick: Beltre is 35 and could be a free agent after 2015. He'll make $18 million in 2015 with a chance to vest a $16 million club option for 2016. Zimmerman played only 61 games this year with hamstring, thumb and shoulder problems. The Nationals have talked about moving him to first base because he has chronic pain in his right shoulder.
Zimmerman will also make $14 million a year from 2015 through 2019 with an $18 million club option for 2020.
As much as I like Beltre and Zimmerman, I can't see either of those trades happening.
Ohio State travels to Michigan State on Saturday at 8 p.m. Get set for kickoff with stats and links to our game picks. Watch video
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Ohio State Buckeyes hit the road on Saturday night for a primetime matchup with Michigan State.
GAME INFORMATION
Who: No. 14 Ohio State Buckeyes (7-1, 4-0 Big Ten) at No. 8 Michigan State Spartans (7-1, 4-0)
When: 8 p.m.
Where: Spartan Stadium
TV: ABC
Twitter: Follow Ari Wasserman, Bill Landis and Doug Lesmerises
Live chat: Join the cleveland.com conversation at 6 p.m.
Latest line: Michigan State -3.5
Series record: This is the 43rd meeting between the Buckeyes and Spartans, Ohio State leads the all-time series 28-14
TOO CLOSE TO CALL?
• Much has been said this week about just how evenly matched Ohio State and Michigan State are. How similar are they? ESPN took the time to break it down. Here's how the Buckeyes and Spartans stack up in a couple key stat categories:
Points per game: Ohio State 45.6; Michigan State 45.4
Opponent points per game: Ohio State 19.9; Michigan State 20.2
Yards per play: Ohio State 6.6; Michigan State 6.7
Opponent yards per play: Ohio State 4.5; Michigan State 4.7
Rush yards per game: Ohio State 259.2; Michigan State 254.9
Pass yards per game: Ohio State 245.9; Michigan State 260.4
Opponent rush yards per play: Ohio State 3.4; Michigan State 3.3
Opponent pass yards per game: Ohio State 181.4; Michigan State 184
Sacks: Ohio State 24; Michigan State 28
3rd down conversions: Ohio State 48.5; Michigan State 47.4
Penalty yards per game: Ohio State 50.6; Michigan State 54.2
Turnover margin: Ohio State +8; Michigan State +12
OHIO STATE, BIG TEN SHOW PLAYBACK
• The Ohio State, Big Ten football show returned this week. For the first time this season, we devoted the entire show to a complete breakdown of Ohio State vs. Michigan State. Usually we try to mix in some more Big Ten, national stuff, or try to talk about the Buckeyes in the context of something more interesting than beating Kent State by 66 points. Ohio State vs. Michigan State deserved a thorough breakdown, and we looked at it from all angles on this week's show.
PICKS, OUTRAGEOUS PREDICTIONS
• Doug, Ari, Bill and Livy split 2-2 on their picks for Ohio State vs. Michigan State. Find out who picked the Buckeyes, and who thinks the Spartans will win. Also, check out Doug, Ari and Bill's outrageous predictions, including some gambles for Ohio State on fourth down and some interceptions for Michigan State QB Connor Cook.
OHIO STATE STAT LEADERS
• Passing: J.T. Barrett 134-207, 1856 yards, 23 TD, 7 INT
• Rushing: Ezekiel Elliott 126 carries, 709 yards, 5 TD
• Receiving: Michael Thomas 28 receptions, 447 yards, 6 TD
• Tackles: Joshua Perry 70
• Sacks: Joey Bosa 10
• Interceptions: Tyvis Powell, Doran Grant, Von Bell, Darron Lee 2
MICHIGAN STATE STAT LEADERS
• Passing: Connor Cook 120-198, 1868 yards, 17 TD, 5 INT
• Rushing: Jeremy Langford 160 carries, 871 yards, 10 TD
• Receiving: Tony Lippett 42 receptions, 889 yards, 9 TD
• Tackles: Kurtis Drummond 39
• Sacks: Shilique Calhoun, Ed Davis 6
• Interceptions: Trae Waynes, RJ Williamson, Drummond 2
BIG TEN SCHEDULE
• Penn State at Indiana, Noon (BTN)
• Iowa at Minnesota, Noon (ESPN2)
• No. 25 Wisconsin at Purdue (ESPNU)
• Michigan at Northwestern (ESPN2)
Bye: Illinois, Rutgers, Maryland, Nebraska
Continually check back with this post for live updates and a chat room from OHSAA boys soccer state finals Saturday with Bay and St. Ignatius.
Continually check back with this post for live updates and a chat room from OHSAA boys soccer state finals Saturday with Bay and St. Ignatius.
Get caught up on everything that happened in OHSAA football playoff openers Friday, plus content all week leading up to all regional quarterfinals.
Get caught up on everything that happened in OHSAA football playoff openers Friday, plus content all week leading up to all regional quarterfinals.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 25-0 lead on Saturday.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 25-0 lead on Saturday.
Columbia gave up two punt returns for touchdowns in its playoff loss at Huron.
Columbia gave up two punt returns for touchdowns in its playoff loss at Huron.
Canton GlenOak upset Berea-Midpark 28-14 to win the Division I Region 1 opener, the Titans' first playoff game in program history.
Canton GlenOak upset Berea-Midpark 28-14 to win the Division I Region 1 opener, the Titans' first playoff game in program history.
No. 4 Mentor's offense was just too much for No. 13 Lorain.
No. 4 Mentor's offense was just too much for No. 13 Lorain.
See every statewide score for all OHSAA football playoff games from Saturday night.
See every statewide score for all OHSAA football playoff games from Saturday night.
The No. 14 Ohio State Buckeyes got the signature win they were looking for on Saturday night against No. 8 Michigan State.
EAST LANSING, Mich. — After the buildup all season to the the only game on Ohio State's schedule that mattered, questions loomed as to whether or not the Buckeyes could finally win the big game under Urban Meyer.
Consider those questions answered.
No. 14 Ohio State avenged a loss in last year's Big Ten championship game with a 49-37 win over No. 8 Michigan State on Saturday night in Spartan Stadium.
The Buckeyes (8-1, 5-0 Big Ten) took control of the Big Ten East Division with the win.
Perhaps the biggest wildcard coming into Saturday was how Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett would perform on the biggest stage of his young career. Barrett has put up gaudy numbers at times this season, but struggled in big atmospheres against Virginia Tech and Penn State.
On Saturday night, he put on arguably his most complete performance of the year.
Barrett finished 16-for-26 for 300 yards and three touchdowns. He ran 14 times for 86 yards and two touchdowns.
He helped seal the game with a 55-yard fourth-quarter run that led to Ezekiel Elliott's touchdown that made it 49-31 Buckeyes with 7:12 left in the game. It put a punctuation on a night in which the Buckeyes racked up 568 yards of total offense against the No. 5 defense in the country.
Barrett and Elliott did the bulk of the work. Elliott had 23 carries for 154 yards and two touchdowns.
Michigan State (7-2, 4-1) finished with 520 yards of total offense. Spartans quarterback Connor Cook was 25-for-45 for 358 yards and two touchdowns. The Buckeyes broke up eight passes.
Michigan State opened the scoring with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Cook to Keith Mumphrey, capping a drive in which the Spartans marched 70 yards on five plays.
It looked like the Spartans would be able to drive the ball all game, and they moved it well. But the Buckeyes were better.
Ohio State answered Michigan State's first score with a 5-yard run from Barrett to cap a four-play, 71-yard drive that took just 53 seconds.
After getting a stop, the Buckeyes gave the momentum back on a botched punt return that hit off the leg of Jeff Greene and was recovered by Michigan State. The Spartans turned into points with Jeremy Langford's 33-yard touchdown run.
That's when Barrett kicked it into gear. He completed a 43-yard pass to Devin Smith on third-and-23 on a beautifully thrown ball down the right sideline. The Buckeyes tied the game at 14 later in the drive on a 1-yard fourth-down carry from Barrett early in the second quarter.
The Spartans missed an opportunity to take a two-score lead when a holding call negated a touchdown. They then missed a 39-yard field goal attempt.
Ohio State scored twice in the final 3:30 of the first half to take a 28-21 lead at the break.
When it was over
Ohio State stopped Michigan State on a fourth-down try on the last play of the third quarter. The Buckeyes then went 64 yards on six plays and took a 42-24 lead on a 7-yard pass from Barrett to Dontre Wilson with 12:07 left in the fourth quarter.
What it means
Ohio State has a stranglehold on the Big Ten's East Division, and must take care of business against Minnesota, Indiana and Michigan to earn a second straight trip to Indianapolis for the Big Ten championship game.
The Buckeyes must wait to see how their fate plays out in terms of the College Football Playoff. Ohio State needs to win, and needs help, but a small hope of making the playoff is still there.
The hold that changed the game
Michigan State recovered a fumbled kick return by Wilson with 4:30 left in the second quarter and seemed set to take a two-score lead before the half. The Spartans had a touchdown run wiped off by a holding call against center Jack Allen. Spartans kicker Michael Geiger missed a 39-yard field goal two plays later.
On the first play after the missed kick, Barrett hit Michael Thomas with a 79-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 21. After a 26-yard punt return from Jalin Marshall, Barrett connected with Devin Smith for a 44-yard score to go up 28-21 before the half.
The Buckeyes went six plays, 145 yards and scored two touchdowns, flipping the game after the Spartans' blown opportunity to take a big lead.
Smith's big night
Devin Smith was Barrett's favorite target. He had game-high six catches and 129 receiving yards, and one touchdown.
Grant limits Lippett
Ohio State cornerback Doran Grant was on Michigan State leading receiver Tony Lippett for most of the game. Lippett finished with five catches for 64 yards.
Barrett the go-to man on short yardage
Ohio State has heard questions about what its go-to play would be in short yardage situations. On Saturday it was a QB draw with Barrett.
He did it three times in the first half, including a 1-yard run to tie the game at 14 early in the second quarter.
Spartans pick on Conley
Gareon Conley started at corner for Eli Apple, whom Urban Meyer said was dealing with a hamstring injury this week. Conley was beat for a 44-yard completion on Michigan State's first drive of the game. Then got beat on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Keith Mumphrey.
He then failed to contain the edge on a 17-yard run by Jeremy Langford on the Spartans' second possession. Conley was replaced by Apple later in that drive.
What's next
Ohio State plays its final road game of the 2014 season next Saturday at Minnesota. Kickoff is TBA.
Barrett has proven he's one of the most exciting freshmen in the country, and for the first time, his performance doesn't have a "but it was against a terrible team" attached to it.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – All J.T. Barrett had on his resume coming into the weekend was big numbers against bad opponents.
The two times Ohio State played teams with competent defenses? Barrett had ugly games in a home loss at night to Virginia Tech and a sloppy double-overtime win at Penn State.
So before Ohio State's game at Michigan State on Saturday night there wasn't a lot of reason to be optimistic about the Buckeyes' chances behind a freshman quarterback on the road against a legitimate top-10 team.
Everything is different now.
Now Barrett has something that matters, something tangible – a huge performance against a quality opponent, as he accounted for total five touchdowns in Ohio State's 49-37 win at Michigan State.
Barrett has proven he's one of the most exciting freshmen in the country, and for the first time, his performance doesn't have a "but it was against a terrible team" attached to it.
Following are observations from Barrett's performance.
• Perhaps the most impressive play Barrett made was after Michigan State brought the game back within 11 midway through the fourth quarter. With Ohio State needing to put a drive together to run the clock, Barrett had an explosive 55-yard run to set up another Buckeyes touchdown. He put the game away on the road, just like he did in overtime at Penn State.
• If there was any concern about Barrett's knee, he put it to rest early in the game. Really, he ran with more power than he has all season, and Meyer didn't hesitate to run him on short-yardage situations, including near the goal line.
• Barrett threw the most impressive pass he's made in his time as Ohio State's quarterback on a third-and-23 in the second quarter. He lofted up a fade toward the sideline to Devin Smith – it looked like a desperation pass – but the ball dropped right into the wide receiver's arms. Smith was the only person who had a chance to make a play on the ball, and it could not have been placed in a more perfect spot.
The play came at a critical time, too. Ohio State was trailing 14-7 at that point, and were all but stopped. Barrett moved the chains with that gem of a pass, then capped the drive with his second touchdown run of the game to tie it up.
• Barrett and Smith were far from done connecting on perfect plays. Late in the first half and the score tied at 21, Smith broke behind the Michigan State defense and ran like a track star. Barrett placed the ball perfectly – Smith never had to break stride – and the receiver caught it easily for a 44-yard touchdown. Typically on Barrett's deep balls this year, the receiver has had to hold up a little bit and wait for it. Not this time. Bull's-eye.
• On Ohio State's second possession it drove down to the Michigan State 5 and Barrett had Smith wide open in the back of the end zone. Barrett, however, sailed the ball 5 yards over Smith's head instead of connecting for what would have been an easy touchdown. Sometimes Barrett's accuracy fails him in crucial situations. The Buckeyes scored on the next play on a 5-yard run from the quarterback, but Barrett can't afford to miss throws like that.
• With less than six minutes remaining in the third quarter, Dontre Wilson broke free on a slant. Barrett was really late to recognize Wilson was open, but when he finally threw the ball the receiver was completely free after Michigan State's defensive back tripped. Wilson, who had already fumbled two kickoffs, losing one, dropped what would have been an easy 39-yard touchdown connection. Barrett's pass was perfect despite waiting so long.
The duo made up for it. Two plays later on third down, Barrett and Wilson connected on a 16-yard out pass to extend the drive. The drive was capped by a 2-yard touchdown by running back Ezekiel Elliott.
• Barrett's stats got a little padding late in the second half when he connected with Michael Thomas on a 79-yard touchdown. It was a simple slant route, and Thomas broke a tackle and exploded to the end zone. Barrett made the throw, but Thomas did all the work in a crucial score that tied the game at 21.
No. 14 Ohio State defeated No. 8 Michigan State in East Lansing, the Buckeyes' best win since the No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown with Michigan eight years ago.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Welcome to Ohio State football.
In game 35 of the Urban Meyer Era, with the Buckeyes' first regular-season win over a top-10 team since Ohio State's 2006 victory in the 1-2 showdown with Michigan, Ohio State reintroduced itself to a skeptical college football world Saturday night.
Yes, Ohio State is in the thick of the College Football Playoff race. Yes, Ohio State is on top of the Big Ten's East Division and headed to the Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis unless two losses crop up in the season's final three games.
But even more than at any point during Ohio State's 24-game winning streak from the perfect 2012 season into the perfect regular season of 2013, the Buckeyes have some proof. Proof that may affect perception. Proof that may go beyond just a one-year playoff debate.
A 49-37 win over No. 8 Michigan State on Saturday was evidence. Let's see how the forensics team on the playoff committee analyzes it. At the very least, the Buckeyes exacted their revenge for the Big Ten Championship loss to the Spartans last year that ended that 24-game winning streak. And on a day filled with six matchups of ranked teams, they demanded attention.
No. 14 Ohio State (8-1, 5-0 Big Ten) won't leap into the top five. No one thinks the Buckeyes are the best team in the nation - the week two Virginia Tech loss assured that. But this is something to point to, a smoking gun, even if the Buckeyes tried to shoot themselves in the foot with it a few times.
Ohio State saw a punt bounce off the foot of a Buckeye to set up a one-play, 33-yard Spartan touchdown drive; lost a fumble on a kickoff; fumbled another kickoff the Buckeyes recovered; and dropped an interception and missed a fumble recovery on an MSU drive that led to a field goal.
Yet the Buckeyes won. And the Big Ten was a winner, too, Saturday, with a high-octane battle between two offenses that could move the ball, and two quarterbacks - Ohio State freshman J.T. Barrett and Michigan State junior Connor Cook - who could make some throws. The Buckeyes and Spartans combined for 49 first-half points, more than Northwestern-Michigan and Indiana-Penn State scored in their two games combined. They managed 39.
This was a cut above.
This week, Meyer had said this matchup of the conference elite was the whole point of college football.
"This is why we train, for moments like this," Meyer said.
But there was another part of that conversation after Wednesday's practice, when Meyer made it clear he didn't want an entire season in a mediocre conference to come down to one difficult road game against the only ranked team on the schedule.
"We don't want to apologize for all the wins we've had," Meyer said. "This is a big game. I don't want to make it more than what it is."
OK. That ... may be hard to do.
Saturday night was what the Buckeyes are and want to be. They made up for the mistakes with big plays, like the 79-yard slant that Michael Thomas broke for a score; and the perfect 44-yard deep ball from Barrett to Devin Smith that saw Smith briefly shushing the Spartan Stadium crowd.
All that came in less than three minutes in the second quarter, right after Michigan State had missed a 38-yard field goal that would have given the Spartans a 10-point lead. The offensive wave gave Ohio State a 28-21 lead at halftime, and the Buckeyes never trailed again.
Barrett was on point as a thrower, a runner and leader two weeks after passing for just 74 yards at Penn State in a game forced to double overtime before the Buckeyes prevailed. After his pass nestled onto Smith's fingers, Barrett looked to the OSU sideline and took four large strides, strutting his way down the field.
Overtime wouldn't be needed.
Meyer had said he wanted the Buckeyes to appreciate what went into those first 31 wins and not take any of them for granted. None of those wins, even the two over their Michigan rival, was quite like this, not when the previously highest-ranked opponent vanquished by Meyer in Columbus was No. 16 Northwestern last season.
On the road, as underdogs, with speed, with opportunities, with enough to overcome their own errors, the Buckeyes laid out everything they had in East Lansing. Two years ago, in a 17-16 win over the Spartans in Meyer's fifth game, the Buckeyes believed they found a turning point.
This may put them on a different road.
The date you're looking for now is Nov. 21, 2015. That's the next time these two teams meet and the first time the Spartans will visit Columbus since the offensive struggles of the Spartans' 10-7 win during the Buckeyes' chaotic 2011 season.
That's the week before the Michigan game next year, and it will be the last home game for Ohio State and Senior Day for Buckeyes like current juniors Joshua Perry and Taylor Decker.
And it will be a moment unto itself - Ohio State vs. Michigan State. The Spartans are a program worthy of respect. For the Buckeyes right now, the chance to beat an opponent of that quality is invaluable.
Next time, it will be the Spartans looking for revenge.
On a night when the Ohio State redshirt freshman had to be good, he was superb, running for two touchdowns and throwing for three.
EAST LANSING, Michigan – The flags cracked in the wind Saturday night, and sleet rattled down in short bursts of icy shrapnel before the kickoff. The spectators wore the kind of gear you would choose for watching a cross-country skier startle a snow rabbit.
The Big Ten season built to a prime-time, televised climax that was as surprising as it was emphatic as Ohio State shocked favored Michigan State, 49-37.
The last time Ohio State played Michigan State, the weather was even more frightful, but the game was played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where it was warm and toasty. Silent Ohio State fans watched as the Buckeyes' national championship and Big Ten title hopes melted like snowflakes striking the dome's huge glass windows.
As the Spartans had done in December, their object was to deconstruct Ohio State's quarterback, J.T. Barrett, the way they had taken the pass away from Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game. Then they took the legs away of the quarterback at that time, Braxton Miller, on fourth-and-2 late in the game. That was all the Buckeyes had left to gain and all they seemingly could depend on.
Barrett, a redshirt freshman, had not played well in the loss against Virginia Tech and the near-loss at Penn State, at least not until he got into double overtime and started beating the Nittany Lions, fooling the television cameramen, and defying the odds on the read-option.
On a cold night when he had to be good, Barrett was superb, as the Buckeyes took the inside track to the Big Ten's East Division championship.
In the first half, despite a costly turnover on a punt, despite trailing for most of the half and sometimes appearing to be in danger of falling two touchdowns behind and thus completely off the lead lap, Ohio State still held a 28-21 lead.
Barrett had two short touchdown runs, the second on fourth-and-goal at the Spartans' 1. That was on a shotgun snap and an inside run, his head down and his legs driving, similar to his game-winner at Penn State.
Barrett was supposed to be slowed by a sprained knee ligament. Although he rushed for only 10 yards net in the half because of tackles for losses, he was as undiscouraged by the supposed infirmity as he had been in the ghostly setting of the late going at the Penn State whiteout.
In a way, Barrett was just saving himself with all those short gains for later. He raced 55 yards midway through the fourth quarter for the big play on a drive that effectively finished the Spartans.
Everyone knows how good Connor Cook is, but the Spartans' senior quarterback was second-best in this one.
For Barrett's part, he played with poise beyond his years and a touch that belied his earlier shaky games. When the calculator stopped humming, Barrett had run for two touchdowns and thrown for three. He ran for 86 yards and passed for 300.
From the start, he made the Spartans pay for their tight man-to-man coverage, hitting Michael Thomas on an inside break that turned into a 79-yard touchdown after Thomas wriggled out of Darian Hicks' tackle.
Barrett-to-Devin Smith in the opening half was sort of Joe Germaine to David Boston, OSU's great passing combination of the 1990s. Sort of, I said.
The Buckeyes have had a surprisingly strong stable of wide receivers post-Woody Hayes, including Cris Carter, Chris Sanders, Joey Galloway, Michael Jenkins, Ted Ginn Jr, and Santonio Holmes. Smith has never belonged in that class.
But he did for a time Saturday night.
It was electric stuff, first on a completion for 43 yards on a seemingly unreachable third-and-23, the ball thrown to where the only defender was the sideline, for Smith with his body walled off the Spartans. The ball came down from where flurries had spun in the lights moments earlier, into Smith's arms.
Later, in the final two minutes of the half, on a play that looked more like a silver streak than a pattern, Smith simply raced past everyone and took a perfect 44-yard strike in the end zone.
The first possession of the second half has not been Barrett's strong suit, as a pick-six at Penn State showed. But he picked up where he left off in the first two quarters converting one third down with his legs and another with a 16-yard throw to a sliding Dontre Wilson. The second one came after Wilson had dropped a perfect ball from the Spartans' 39 at their 2-yard line. Ezekiel Elliott scored, and OSU led, 35-24.
Soon, Barrett added his third TD pass, a 7-yarder to Wilson.
At the start of the fourth quarter, it began to snow. For the Buckeyes, it felt like Christmas come early.
