A 12-0 run in the first quarter paced the Irish on Friday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The boys basketball game of the year didn't exactly live up to the billing, as St. Vincent-St. Mary held a comfortable lead for most of the afternoon in a 89-76 road win over Villa Angela-St. Joseph on Sunday.

Junior Henry Baddley led the way with 29 points as St. Vincent-St. Mary (20-0) stayed perfect with the nonconference win over Villa Angela-St. Joseph (15-3).

The highly anticipated game pitted the top two teams (No. 1 St. Vincent-St. Mary, No. 2 Villa Angela-St. Joseph) in the cleveland.com Top 25 against each other. Both teams are also ranked within the top 10 nationally in the MaxPreps Top 25.

"This was one of those epic games you'll remember five or 10 years from now," said St. Vincent-St. Mary coach Dru Joyce. "It was big, and these guys were just warriors."

A fast start to the game had the Irish leading by as many as 17 points in the first half. Eventually, St. Vincent-St. Mary hit halftime with a 41-27 lead, which was partially fueled by 13 points from Baddley.

What it means

Barring a shock of epic proportions, St. Vincent-St. Mary will finish the regular season undefeated. The Irish should not have trouble with their next two opponents (North Canton Hoover and Canton McKinley), and the perfect regular season would be the first since the school did it in 2002-03.

"We just want to continue to better and to get to that ultimate destination for this group, this year to win a state championship," Joyce said.

Sunday's win will quiet any talk that the Irish struggle against teams with good interior players. Playing what is likely the best frontcourt in Northeast Ohio, the Irish led by double-digits for nearly the entire afternoon. The defense of Baddley and Jibri Blount help adjust for size.

The Vikings might have played their worst game of the year, as they couldn't slow down the Irish early and never were able to bring the score too close. With part of the reason being several missed layups, the Vikings shouldn't fret too much about the loss.

Play of the game

With Villa Angela-St. Joseph trailing by 10 points in the third quarter, Baddley was fouled by Jeff Grudzinski on the fast break. It was called an intentional foul, Baddley hit both free throws and then had a dunk on the next possession to make the score 52-38.

It began a trend, as the Vikings couldn't ever get the score closer than eight points.

Crucial run

St. Vincent-St. Mary matched the intensity of the crowd early on, as a 12-0 run in the first quarter helped the team jump out to a 16-5 lead. During the stretch, back-to-back 3-pointers by Baddley and Josh Williams gave the team a lot of momentum.

Who stood out for St. Vincent-St. Mary

Baddley: One game after scoring 28 points against Walsh Jesuit, Baddley did himself one better with 29 points. It's not all offense, though. His defense is the reason why the Irish can beat bigger teams.

Josh Williams: Despite dealing with an ankle injury, Williams finished with 18 points. The Irish don't turn the ball over too often, and that all starts with Williams.

John Williams: The younger Williams came off the bench to score 10 points. The reserve unit for the Irish is the team's secret weapon.

Who stood out for Villa Angela-St. Joseph

Carlton Bragg: Although he really didn't get things going until the second half, Bragg finished with a team-high 23 points. It wasn't his best night but still an impressive performance.

Brian Parker: In his final regular season home game, Parker finished with 17 points. When the Vikings battled back, he was the one fueling the team's "can't quit" attitude.

St. Vincent-St. Mary sound bites

Baddley on the big early lead: "It wasn't a surprise. Usually we get up on teams, stay up on them and do what we do on defense."

Blount on his defense: "I try to get my body on them first. As Coach Dru says, 'Body negates length.' We were trying to play defense before they caught it."

Joyce on the fast start: "If you get down in an environment like this, I don't even want to think about what it would be like to try and climb out of that hole."

Joyce on dealing with the size: "We knew their length was going to give us issues. We tried different things and were looking at certain players we could sag off of. We wanted to face guard a little bit more. The guys did what we wanted."

Villa Angela-St. Joseph sound bites

Villa Angela-St. Joseph coach Babe Kwasniak on falling behind: "Offensively, this is as good a group as I've ever coached, and we had 27 points in the first half. A lot of that was due to the fact we weren't stopping them."

Kwasniak on the loss: "They played the way they play. I just wish we could have given them a little better game."

What's next

St. Vincent-St. Mary hosts North Canton Hoover on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

Villa Angela-St. Joseph travels to Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

Follow our new high school sports Twitter account @NEOvarsity and tag your high school sports Tweets and score updates with the #NEOvarsity hashtag.

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.

St. Vincent-St. Mary controlled the pace of its game against Villa Angela-St. Joseph right away on Sunday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — It didn't take St. Vincent-St. Mary's boys basketball team long to make host Villa Angela-St. Joseph look uncomfortable.

The Irish, ranked No. 1 in the cleveland.com Top 25, relied on their guard play and their pace to beat the No. 2 Vikings, 89-76.

St. Vincent-St. Mary (20-0) raced out to a 12-5 lead and kept control of the game most of the way with its offensive tempo.

"It was a big part of our gameplan," St. Vincent-St. Mary guard Josh Williams said. "It was just to play at the speed we were comfortable at and not let them rush us or slow us down. Playing at the tempo that we're used to and that we've been playing at all year was a big part of our gameplan today."

The Irish were effective in transition most of the night led by the combo of Williams and Henry Baddley, who had a game-high 29 points.

Their outside shooting forced Villa Angela-St. Joseph's bigs to move out of the paint, creating driving lanes to the basket.

"If you get down in an environment like this, I don't even want to think about how it would've been to try and climb out of that hole," St. Vincent-St. Mary coach Dru Joyce said.

On defense, Jibri Blount's presence and physicality along with the Irish's pace made the Vikings (17-3) uncomfortable around the basket. Carlton Bragg and Dererk Pardon struggled early to convert some close shots.

"Just like playing on big guys all year, what I try to do is get my body on them first," Blount said. "Like Coach Dru said, a body negates length."

Villa Angela-St. Joseph coach Babe Kwasniak felt comfortable with the pace of the game but added that his team's inefficiency around the basket was a problem.

"They're very similar to us in that they're hard to catch up on if they get a lead because they're so proficient from the free-throw line," Kwasniak said. "I think the pace was okay for us. We definitely don't want to slow it down. It's not the way we play."

After the Irish took a 24-12 lead to end the first quarter, the Vikings did not get the lead back into single digits until the fourth quarter.

Every time Villa Angela-St. Joseph tried to make a run, St. Vincent-St. Mary always had an answer because of how effective it was at establishing the pace and making big shots for the whole game.

The Cavaliers are turning into the wrestling version of The Nasty Boys with the addition of Kendrick Perkins.

NEW YORK - It's going to get much worse for opposing teams. You can unequivocally take it to the bank.

On Sunday in blowout fashion the New York Knicks got a taste of it, but not the whole enchilada, which is good because they couldn't make it past the appetizers.

The physicality, the toughness, the grit and the intimidation factor will all increase dramatically once Kendrick Perkins, along with his mean glare and wide frame, throws on a Cavalier uniform.

As if Cleveland needed more nastiness.

When they acquired J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and Timofey Mozgov the team's nasty salary cap had reached its limit. The addition of Perkins will put them in luxury tax nasty, but it's a hefty, vile price they're willing to pay.

Evidently the Cavaliers are of the mindset that if they inflict as much pain as humanly possible, the opposition will be too worn down for a basketball game. Well, they'll be equipped with the appropriate personnel to carry out the mission.

Perkins will be in Cleveland on Monday undergoing his physical. If all goes as planned he could suit-up on Tuesday against the Detroit Pistons. The players can't wait for their newest bruiser to arrive.

Judging by his Twitter account, he's equally eager and excited to get on the court and lay a pounding. Protector is his specialty, whether that's a caretaker of the paint with hard fouls or defending his teammates in altercations. He's game for it all.

"It gives us another solider who you know is going to come in and throw a punch, not just verbally," Tristan Thompson told Northeast Ohio Media Group. "If someone hits LeBron [James] or any of us, you know Big Perk is going to be there to reinforce and settle the other team down. That's a guy we're going to welcome with open arms and we're excited to get him here."

Mozgov knows Perkins all too well.

On Jan. 25 when the Cavaliers took down the Oklahoma City Thunder, the two had a couple of heated moments that stemmed from rough play. All throughout the game, they pushed and shoved each other for position.

No one backed down. They drove one another crazy because they're two of the same.

"You got no friends on the court," Mozgov said to NEOMG. "Even if it's your best friend off the court, you still have to fight with him on the court. It's nothing super personal or something. It's just a game. Now Perk is a part of the team and I just got to do the same thing I did to him, just to other people."

For a team that has won 16 out of its last 18 games, the help that's on its way almost seems unfair. It's incredible what General Manager David Griffin has been able to accomplish with an already loaded roster.

Cleveland has a three or four-year championship window and Griffin is doing his best to put the team in a position to be the last team standing.

"I think when Perk gets here, it will give us a different dynamic," Kevin Love said. "A little bit of an edge and more of an interior presence even with the guys that we have. It's going to be fun to see what we're going to be capable of doing down the stretch."

They are going to be scary, just like Perkins.

Teams are on notice: Do not mess with the Cavaliers because they will hurt you in a multitude of ways. The Cavaliers could turn out to be the wrestling version of "The Nasty Boys."

The league should be afraid. Be very afraid. It's going to get uglier.

"I'm ready for that big fella to get out here," Thompson said. "He's an M.F. to play against, but you love him on your team. I'm glad that he's on our side now."

Cleveland State falls 1 1/2 games behind Valparaiso after losing to UW Milwaukee, 66-60.

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin -- Cleveland State's run at the Horizon League title took a hit here Sunday as the Vikings fell to UW Milwaukee, 66-60.

The loss drops the Vikings 1 1/2 games behind HL leader Valparaiso. CSU is 11-4 in the conference (17-12 overall) with one game remaining, on Friday against Valpo at the Wolstein Center. Valparaiso (12-2) faces Detroit on Wednesday.

After rallying to win at Green Bay on Friday, the Vikings fell victim to a Milwaukee rally Sunday.

CSU held a 55-51 lead with just over six minutes remaining, but the Panthers scored the next 11 points and closed on a 14-5 run to earn the win.

Anton Grady led CSU with 24 points and had 10 rebounds for his eighth double-double in HL games. Trey Lewis also had a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds and made five 3-pointers to establish a CSU record with 84 on the season. Charlie Lee added 14 points for the Vikings.

J.J. Panoske had 19 points to lead Milwaukee.

There are no Ohio natives among the OSU veterans, and the Buckeyes may be missing that while searching for leadership. Watch video

ANN ARBOR, Michigan -- What would a leader born and raised in Ohio, who loathes Michigan on reflex after a lifetime of maize hatred, have told his teammates before Sunday's tipoff?

Don't ever underestimate the Wolverines. Don't let the five-game losing streak fool you. Don't worry about their record and their depleted roster, because nothing between these schools is ever taken for granted.

See the M. And beat it.

Maybe something. Maybe something that would have prevented a 64-57 loss to Michigan (14-13, 7-8 Big Ten) in which Ohio State (19-8, 8-6) vanished into a 20-point hole just over 13 minutes into the game. 

The Buckeyes don't have that leader. They don't have that Ohio.

As Ohio State heads down the homestretch of a season of shortfall, you wonder if the Buckeyes are Ohio enough to get this right. If things start to get away from a team now on a two-game losing streak, will the Buckeyes want to get it back not just for themselves, but for the fans and the tradition and the scarlet and gray?

If they didn't grow up dreaming of being Buckeyes, how hard will they fight if their postseason hopes begin to shatter?

That starts with a senior class of four seniors who have played for four seasons - two from Michigan, one from Georgia and one from Chicago. Amir Williams, Trey McDonald, Shannon Scott and Sam Thompson could have as few as six games remaining in their college basketball careers. Yet they couldn't get their team up for this one.

When I asked how much of Sunday's loss was on the seniors, Thompson, the ony senior sent to speak with reporters, said "All of it."

"We're the leaders of this team. We're the guys who have had weeks off in the Big Ten. We're the guys who have been on the road for four years now, we're the guys who know what it takes to win on the road," Thomspon said. "It's our job to have us ready to play and we didn't."    

It wasn't close. And why?

Thompson and coach Thad Matta said the week of practice was great, and Thompson said the pregame warmup was one of the best of the year. Freshman D'Angelo Russell said the message all week was to not take lightly a Michigan team that lost three early-entry players to the NBA from last year's team and its two best players from this roster - Caris LaVert and Derrick Walton - to season-ending injury.

And then it happened.

Michigan. Taken lightly.

Thompson called that reality surprising. Matta said he was shocked.

Again. Michigan. Taken lightly.

This isn't football. Michigan coach John Beilein repeated that after the game in answer to another question. Too often, reporters push the football rival angle on this game when in actuality, the Buckeyes have rivals at Michigan State and Indiana and other schools just as much as in Ann Arbor.

But lightly? If this roster had more than three Ohio players, maybe that wouldn't have happened. Sophomore Marc Loving, freshman Jae'Sean Tate and redshirting big man David Bell are the only Ohio natives. When Loving and Tate played Sunday, the Buckeyes put just as many Michigan natives on the court with Williams and McDonald.

Matta figured this would be a game when the Buckeyes, rested and healthy, would be ready to seize their place in the conference race against a team that isn't Rutgers or Maryland or Nebraska or some new team they have to be told to get ready for.

Matta was still waiting for that minutes into the game, at 7-0, at 9-2, at 17-7, at 23-9.

"I was telling myself, 'Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic, we'll get through that,'" Matta said. "Finally, I panicked." 

Slow starts aren't new to this team, but the search for why it happened this time led nowhere. So let's go back to 2011, to the recruiting class that brought in these seniors.

You take talent from anywhere. Win, and it doesn't matter where players like D' Angelo Russell, or Greg Oden and Mike Conley, or Evan Turner in basketball, or Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott and Raekwon McMillan in football, hail from.

But lose? Struggle? Question yourself?

At times like that, it can't hurt to have players fighting for something more. Ask the football Buckeyes what Ohio veterans like Michael Bennett, Joshua Perry, Devin Smith, Tyvis Powell, Taylor Decker, Darryl Baldwin, Braxton Miller and Cardale Jones mean to the cause.

Urban Meyer always talks about making the great state of Ohio proud. Would that rallying cry make sense for this basketball team?

In the last 10 years, Matta has recruited 38 high school players to Columbus. Fifteen of them were from Ohio. In only two of those years were there no Ohio State natives. One was 2012, with the one-man class of Italian shooter Amedeo Della Valle. The other was 2011, with the four seniors in question and LaQuinton Ross, the Mississippi native by way of New Jersey who left for the pros after last season.

The roster composition falls at Matta's feet. The misses on some recruits from Ohio has been detailed here before. The five-man class for 2015 includes just one in-state player in Dayton point guard A.J. Harris.

But fans know where this senior class has fallen short. And it's on these seniors to figure this out for March.

Big men Williams and McDonald never fully developed and have left a hole in the center of the roster since Jared Sullinger left. Scott's progress was blunted by Aaron Craft's presence, but with Craft gone, Scott hasn't seized his chance as a senior. And Thompson is Ohio State's best defender, but he never developed as a shooter or go-to scorer the way that he could have.

Michigan players said Sunday that playing the Buckeyes gave them a little edge, that team leaders made a point of tiring of losing and wanting it to end against Ohio State. 

Ohio State couldn't match that message. Maybe the Buckeyes didn't have the guys to deliver it.

"It's Michigan," Thompson said. "They get up to play us just like we get up to play them."

Except the Buckeyes didn't get up for anything. Michigan fans chanted "Beat Ohio" in the waning minutes, a football reference from Brady Hoke that surely annoyed some OSU fans.

Sure, the players wanted to win. Win for themselves. But did they want to win to prevent that chant? Or would you need more kids from Ohio to feel that?

Zach McAllister is out of options and is in a great position to make the Indians as a starter or reliever. In September, McAllister showed he could pitch out of the bullpen in pressure situations.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. - In life you either hold the hammer or it's held over you. This spring Zach McAllister holds the hammer.

As long as McAllister stays healthy and pitches well, he should break camp with the Indians when they open the season on April 6 in Houston. The reason is twofold:

No.1, McAllister is out of options. If the Indians try to send him to the minors, they could lose him on waivers.

No. 2, McAllister, a starter by trade, showed he could pitch out of the bullpen in September when the Indians were trying to make the postseason as a wild card for the second straight year.

"I think he's really excited to know he's going to be on the ballclub," said manager Terry Francona. "From where I sit, as long as he throws the ball like he did in September, regardless of what his role is, he's going to help us win. "

The Indians rotation is not only crowded, but talented. When the calendar hits late March and the roster is headed toward 25 players, there are going to be some unhappy pitchers headed to the minors.

"It's going to make for some tough conversations," said Francona. "But if we're sending people to Triple-A that can help us in the big leagues, it means we're getting better."

AL Cy Young award winner Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer and Gavin Floyd will be the first four starters if Floyd proves his battered right elbow is healthy. The fifth spot is unclaimed with McAllister, Danny Salazar, Josh Tomlin, T.J. House and Bruce Chen trying to win it.

McAllister, always among the hardest working pitchers on the team, came to spring training prepared and aware of his situation. He showed off his conditioning last week finishing second to Nick Hagadone in a last-man-standing series of sprints among the 30 pitchers in camp.

Before you ask, yes, he'd like to start.

"I'm here to compete whether it's in the bullpen or as a starter," said McAllister. "Eventually it will all play itself out. I'm not here to really worry about what will happen. I'm here to take care of business and be ready for whatever my role is."

Last year McAllister not only had one option left, but he suffered a lower back injury in May. After a stay on the disabled list, he was activated and optioned to Class AAA Columbus. The move started a season filled with so many transactions that McAllister had to be excused if he looked out the window every morning to make sure where he was.

He went 7-1 with a 2.09 ERA in 11 starts at Columbus, while making four trips to Cleveland for sporadic starts. When the Indians finally added him to the roster on Aug. 31, he at least knew where he'd be for the next month.

It turned out to be a September to remember for the 6-6 right-hander. In eight appearances, including seven relief appearances, McAllister went 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA. He struck out 20, walked two and allowed six earned runs in 19 innings.

McAllister, whose velocity increased as a reliever, average 96.28 mph on his fastball in September.

"It was always something I thought I could do if I had to do it," McAllister said, referring to pitching out of the bullpen. "There was never a question of that. "

Here's what Francona had to say about some of the other candidates:

House (5-3, 3.35): "He's left-handed. He showed he could pitch in the AL. He showed up this spring in much better shape than he has in the past. You can tell he knows he's fighting for a job."

Salazar (6-8, 4.25): "He's much farther along than he was at this time last year. He's healthy and he knows he's competing for a spot."

Tomlin (6-9, 4.76): "He's added muscle. He's another year removed from Tommy John surgery. I'm excited about watching him pitch this spring.

"He's going to help us. We can't make our roster out today, but he's in a good position to be successful."

The Indians signed Chen to a minor league deal last week. He'll compete for a spot in the rotation. If that doesn't work, the Indians will look at him as a reliever.

The Cleveland Cavaliers handled the New York Knicks like it was a scrimmage, winning 101-83 at The Garden.

NEW YORK -- The way the Cleveland Cavaliers have been playing, to take a game off and play down to the lowly New York Knicks would have been counterproductive.

But that didn't come close to happening, as the Cavaliers demolished the undermanned Knicks, 101-83, Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden to continue their midseason surge.

LeBron James ended with 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Kyrie Irving had 18 points, and Kevin Love captured his 29^th double-double of the season with 16 points and 16 boards.

No Cavalier starter played more than 29 minutes.

New York (10-45) simply didn't have enough talent to make the game competitive. With the Knicks' best player, Carmelo Anthony, sidelined for the year and having shipped out what few other quality players they had, there simply wasn't the personnel to manufacture points.

Quarter scoring for the Knicks went 17, 21, 17 and 28 when both benches were emptied. That's not getting it done against a team who is averaging 99.1 points an outing.

And on the defensive end, the Knicks were overmatched dearly.

Cleveland (35-22) toyed with the Knicks. The Cavs kept their focus and their foot never let off the gas pedal until it no longer mattered, a sign this team has matured.

"That's the reason we've been successful over the last several of weeks," coach David Blatt said. "We've played the game properly and if you don't do that, you can get in trouble against anyone."

The Cavaliers used their time during the game to polish their dunking skills. J.R. Smith wowed the crowd with a windmill dunk and an alley-oop reverse jam, while James soared through the air for a couple of tomahawk slams.

A series of careless turnovers and nonexistent defense by the Knicks aided those crowd-pleasing rim-rockers. And the Garden crowd was clearly appreciating what its saw, cheering many of the Cavaliers' more spectacular moves.

Other times, they were just mute.

"It's funny you say that because there was one point where we were out there talking on defense and that was all that we heard," Love said. "You try not to think about that during the game but when all you hear is your voices and you're in The Mecca of Basketball, it was a little bit crazy. I was a little taken aback by that."

Coming into the game, Blatt was a little apprehensive about the early 1 p.m. start.

"It's different," he said. "When you win, it's great because then you got the rest of the day to sit back and watch the other guys suffer and have fun. ... It's interesting. Something different."

Cleveland is 16-2 in its last 18, entering the day outscoring its counterparts during the surge by 12.2 points per game -- adding to it by game's end.

Of all the historic performances "The World's Most Famous Arena" has hosted in its time, to witness 41 Knicks games this season has to be unbearable.

Good news for the home team?

Apparently the Cavaliers were holding Lou Amundson back earlier this year. The Knicks' starting power forward finished with 10 points, six rebounds and three steals.

What this means

Cleveland moved a half-game back of the Chicago Bulls for the third spot in the Eastern Conference standings. No momentum is lost on this three-game road trip to start the post-All Star schedule. The final matchup with the Knicks is April 5 at Quicken Loans Arena.

LeBron moved up

James passed Philadelphia 76ers great Allen Iverson for 22^nd on the all-time scoring list with a layup early in the second quarter.

They're back

Smith and Iman Shumpert returned to The Garden for the first time since being dealt to Cleveland by New York on Jan. 5. They scored 17 and four points,  respectively. Shumpert added five rebounds and dished out seven assists.

Who's on deck?

The Cavaliers will visit The Motor City on Tuesday for their third meeting of the season with the Detroit Pistons (22-33), who are a game back of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference standings.

The season series is tied at one apiece with both teams winning on the other's court. The Cavaliers will see new Pistons guard Reggie Jackson and old forward Tayshaun Prince, acquired at the trade deadline. The Cavaliers are expected to welcome new backup big man Kendrick Perkins as well.

Mentor is the No. 7 seed in the Solon district.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – A live and interactive video show about the boys basketball season is coming to your computer screen, tablet or phone today at 3 p.m.

Every week, we'll be hosting a live show on Monday to break down last week's action, take a closer look at the Top 25 and look ahead to the games on the horizon this week. An archive of the show will be online Monday night.

No. 17 Mentor coach Bob Krizancic will be joining the show as a guest today. He'll discuss his team's season so far and how he thinks it looks headed into the postseason.

Live streaming video by Ustream

We want viewers to be part of the show too. Anytime before the show or during the show we invite you to post your questions for Krizancic, as well as show hosts/reporters David Cassilo, Tim Bielik and Mark Kern in the comments section below.

We hope you watch the show today and participate in some of the segments. We’ve made it easy. All you need is a free cleveland.com account to comment. Get your account here (it only takes a couple of minutes and you’ll have the ability to comment on all stories forever).

See you later today on the show.

A look at the OHSAA girls basketball sectional/district tournaments across the state.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Get set for the girls basketball playoffs with links below to 64 statewide, division-by-division sectional/district brackets for the 2015 OHSAA tournament.

Cleveland State must rely on others to help its Horizon League chances.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Those screams of help are coming from the Cleveland State Vikings, as their Horizon League title chances now rely on the aid of others, specifically the Detroit Titans. Sunday's 66-60 road setback at Milwaukee took care of that.

The Vikings (17-12, 11-4), are now two losses behind league-leading Valparaiso (25-4, 12-2) in Horizon League with one conference game left, Friday vs. Valpo at 10 p.m. in the Wolstein Center. The Crusaders, however, have a game before that, Wednesday at Detroit.

If the Titans, who recently upset CSU, can do the same to Valparaiso, then Friday's game will be for a share of first place, with tiebreakers deciding the No. 1 seed to host the HL Tournament.

But if Valparaiso beats Detroit, the Vikings will be out of the title chase but still playing for a top seed in the HL Tournament. CSU currently holds the tiebreaker over Green Bay (21-7, 10-4) thanks to a season sweep, and split with Oakland (15-14, 10-4). Those two teams still have one game with each other to play.

Akron Zips (17-10, 8-6): Nobody saw a three-game losing streak coming for the Zips, but trouble comes double now as starting freshman point guard Noah Robotham suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Saturday's 57-52 overtime loss to the Miami RedHawks and is lost for the season.

It's familiar territory for the Zips. Two years ago it was the loss of point guard Alex Abreu (to drug charges) in the last weeks of the regular season that spoiled what was a dream season. The 2013 Zips regrouped, won the MAC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, but they were humbled by VCU in the first round.

This three-game skid points directly at Robotham as it began with a woeful performance at Eastern Michigan, where he quite likely played the entire game with the flu.

Robotham then sat out against Toledo, also with the flu, and came off the bench against Miami. Suddenly that steady presence provided by the likely MAC Freshman of the Year just was not there.

"We've been disjointed,'' Dambrot said after a near two-hour closed door post game with his team following the Miami loss. "We've had our head cut off. We're playing like a young team right now, young and dumb, which is tough because we have beaten a lot of good teams."

The 2015 Zips have two weeks to regroup with three of their final four on the road, starting with Buffalo on Tuesday night, a home game Friday vs. Ohio University, then at Miami and at Kent State.

The plus for Akron, if the Zips learned their lesson, is the double-post lineup of 6-11 Pat Forsythe and 6-10 Isaiah Johnson that Dambrot unveiled vs. Miami can be dominating, if their teammates drastically cut down on 3-pointers and throw the ball into the post. That duo combined for 20 rebounds, but only 12 points, despite their effectiveness.

The Zips built an 11-point lead on Miami in the first half, going inside to Forsythe, but went away from that philosophy and trailed by one at halftime. In the second half, Akron built an eight-point lead exclusively working the ball inside to Johnson, went away from it, and ultimately lost.

Johnson and Forsythe combined for only three shot attempts the final 17 minutes of regulation and overtime, while their teammates went a miserable 7-for-32 on 3-pointers.

Kent State (19-8, 10-4): The Golden Flashes got a welcome boost with the return of 6-7, 235-pound forward Jimmy Hall last week after missing five games with mononucleosis. The rust showed, as Hall fouled out in just 17 minutes Saturday at Ohio University.

Still, he will be needed down the stretch as KSU battles to remain first in the MAC East. After a Tuesday game at surging Miami (11-16, 6-8), which has won three straight, the Flashes end the season against three of the four teams that have already defeated them this season; Buffalo (17-9, 8-6), Bowling Green (17-8, 9-5) and Akron.

On the Horizon: While Valparaiso is getting Top 25 votes as the top team in the league, an RPI of 65, with a Strength of Schedule at 292 just is not good enough for the Crusaders to survive as a NCAA Tournament team without winning the HL Tournament.

And with no Top 50 games on its schedule, Valpo is not strong enough to lift another team from the league into at-large consideration. Valpo's two best wins, according to the computers, are over Murray State and Green Bay, and neither is a Top 50 RPI team.

Toledo's J.D. Weatherspoon and the Toledo Rockets are starting to rise above the pack in the MAC.Jeff Harwell/Akron Zips photo 

MAC Attack: Three teams entered the week tied for first place -- Toledo (18-9, 10-4), Central Michigan (20-5, 10-4) and Kent State (19-8, 10-4). And despite their regular-season struggles it appears the Rockets have to best chance to finish as MAC champs, as originally expected. Home games with Northern Illinois and Ball State precede final road games at CMU and Eastern Michigan.

CMU plays three of its final four on the road (NIU, EMU, Western Michigan). But the Chippewas already hold a win over UT, and a Rocket sweep at home likely locks up a top-four seed in the MAC Tournament via tiebreakers.

Kent plays two of its final four on the road, but also faces three teams it has already lost to. Considering three of KSU's four opponents -- Buffalo, Bowling Green and Akron -- are all fighting for a top-four seed as well, the Flashes may need to win three of four to feel safe, much less win the title.

Around the state: As it stands right now, count Ohio State, Cincinnati, Xavier, Dayton and a MAC team (Toledo) in the NCAA Tournament field, with Cleveland State certainly viable, for a total of six teams from Ohio. At the same time, OSU, Cincinnati and Xavier don't have much room for error down the stretch.

OSU, UC and Xavier must finish the regular season clean in league play and advance at least to the quarterfinals (OSU) and semifinals (UC, Xavier) of their conference tournaments to be safe.

Dayton's body of work overall in the Atlantic 10 gives the Flyers more breathing room, but they must be careful as well.

Top four in the state: Dayton (20-6, 10-4), Xavier (18-10, 8-7), Ohio State (19-8, 8-6), Kent State (19-8, 10-4). On the radar -- Toledo and Cincinnati.

At some point Ohio State has to stop living off its residence in the Big Ten and deliver a meaningful victory away from home, in the Big Ten Tournament. The Toledo Rockets are making a late-season charge and likely won't lose more than one game the rest of the season.

Finally, it seems like everyone is waiting on the shoe to drop for Kent State, instead of realizing the Golden Flashes laced them up long ago.

"We did meet. We did talk. And he is the person I thought he was and the person I believe him to be. I believe our relationship is stronger now."

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- For a while, Detroit Cass Tech coach Thomas Wilcher didn't know how he felt about Urban Meyer and Ohio State. 

Because the day after Cass Tech running back Mike Weber signed with Ohio State in early February, Buckeyes running back coach Stan Drayton, the four-star running back's leading recruiter, left for the NFL's Chicago Bears. 

In the immediate aftermath of Drayton's departure, Wilcher said publicly that Weber felt deceived. It was an uncomfortable situation for everyone on both sides. 

But Wilcher told Northeast Ohio Media Group at the Ohio State-Michigan basketball game on Sunday that he's since talked to Meyer, gotten an explanation and that now things look entirely different. 

"(Meyer) said he didn't know about (Drayton) leaving, that it was a last minute thing," Wilcher said. "The most important thing about my 'misleading' part was that I didn't really understand the process of recruiting behind Ohio State. I truly do now.

"I understand the ambition Urban Meyer has, I understand the integrity of Urban Meyer and I understand that he's about the welfare of the child and the wholeness of what the athletes need at the university. He instilled in me that no child will be left behind in his program. 

"We did meet. We did talk. And he is the person I thought he was and the person I believe him to be. I believe our relationship is stronger now." 

Wilcher took a visit to Woody Hayes Athletic Center last week and said the Buckeyes' presence in his school is something he expects to remain strong. 

Meyer has signed three Cass Tech players in the last two recruiting classes, and Ohio State is heavily pursuing more, including four-star 2016 wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones. 

Akron freshman guard Noah Robotham is lost for the season to a knee injury.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Akron Zips announced Monday that freshman guard Noah Robotham will be lost for the remainder of the season with a torn right ACL, suffered during Saturday's loss to Miami.

Robotham, who had missed the previous game with the flu, suffered the injury with just over a minute remaining. He split two foul shots after the injury, then came out of the game.

An MRI confirmed the ACL tear.

"Obviously this is a tremendous loss for our program, but more importantly, I feel for Noah and his family," Akron coach Keith Dambrot said in a release. "Noah's calming effect on our team has been noticeable and will be hard to replace. He is one of the best freshmen we have ever had at Akron. With that said, we believe we can still win at a high level."

Robotham, considered one of the leading candidates to be MAC Freshman of the Year, had missed just the one game this season, making 25 starts. He averaged 9.9 points, 3.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game while playing an average of 30.6 minutes per game.

The Zips play at Buffalo on Tuesday. Another freshman, Antino Jackson, who started the last two games for the Zips,  will replace Robotham. Jackson is averaging 9.5 points, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 rebounds per game in his two starts.

This marks the second time in the last three seasons Akron has ended the season without its starting point guard. In 2013 Alex Abreu (marijuana arrest) missed the last game of the regular season. But the Zips regrouped to win the MAC Tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament without him.

Indians pitchers take fielding practice directed by bench coach Brad Mills. Watch video

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- It happens every spring.

Big league pitchers take infield practice day after day. They take comebackers to the mound. They throw to second base to start 1-6-3 imaginary double plays. They cover first base on infield grounders and field bunts and throw to third.

They'll even charge home on squeeze bunts and flip the ball to the catcher.

Everything looks perfect until the first regular season game when a pitcher attempts a pickoff throw at second base and the ball sails into center field.

Inevitably fans in the stands immediately think one thought, "What were these guys doing in spring training?"

Well, here's proof that Indians pitchers actually did go through fielding drills in spring training. When the season opens April 6 in Houston remember that.

Coach Larry Brown has taken UCLA and Kansas to the NCAA Tournament, and to NCAA sanctions, he may well be doing the same thing again at SMU.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Southern Methodist University basketball coach Larry Brown has never had a nickname, perhaps because so many would fit. Some might call him "Suitcase" for all the professional and college jobs he has had in his career. Others might call him "The Cat" because it seems Brown has nine lives.

Just as SMU is poised to make its first NCAA Tournament trip since 1993, the NCAA is once again camping out on the notorious campus. SMU got "The Death Penalty", banning the football program from practice or play, in 1986.

It has been penalized several times since, including 2011, and has now received another Notice of Allegations from the NCAA, presumably with issues surrounding Brown's basketball program.

None of this will immediately impact SMU's current NCAA Tournament chances, as the school does not have to respond to the NCAA until 90 days after its January 16, 2015 notification. But there appears to be enough smoke to cure a hog.

Just before the notification, transfer guard Justin Martin left the team to turn professional after playing 10 games. Three days after the notification, assistant coach Ulric Maligi took an indefinite leave of absence. And three days after that, sophomore guard Keith Frazier became academically ineligible after 17 games.

Through it all, Brown and his team have risen in the national polls, and after the past weekend stand 22-5, 13-2, first in the American Athletic Conference with both of the conference losses coming at the hands of the Cincinnati Bearcats.

None of this is new territory for Brown, who has had 13 head coaching jobs since 1972, including stops at UCLA (1979-81) and Kansas (1983-88). Both were sanctioned harshly by the NCAA for violations during Brown's tenure.

UCLA had its 1979-80 NCAA Final Four appearance vacated due to playing ineligible players. At Kansas, the NCAA hit Brown's Jayhawks with a 1989 NCAA Tournament ban for recruiting sanctions. This came on the heels of KU's 1988 NCAA Tournament Championship.

SMU's immediate future may well include an extended 2015 NCAA Tournament run. After that, the NCAA will have the last word.

The wild cards: Conference play can be tricky, as teams that look strong in non-conference can be neutralized somewhat by familiarity. Consider Evansville, from the Missouri Valley Conference. The Aces, 19-9, 9-7, began league play at 10-2, with a pair of home losses to Green Bay and Murray State.

This is a team matchup nightmare that often plays five guards at a time extended minutes, including Northeast Ohio product Duane Gibson. The Aces have only one post player of note. In conference play they have obviously struggled, including a pair of 20-point losses to powerhouse Wichita State.

However, the Aces are 1-0 against equally strong Northern Iowa, with a game against the Panthers this week. Another upset over UNI, plus a strong run in the conference tournament, could lift Evansville into the NCAA Tournament conversation.

Also, don't sleep on the Purdue Boilermakers (18-9, 10-4). They should be solidly in the NCAA Tournament field, and seeded between 7-10 on the grid. But Sunday's upcoming game at Ohio State could be huge for both teams.

OSU may need a win to solidify its NCAA status, while a road win for the Boilermakers could significantly improve their seed. Purdue already has a quality conference road win at Indiana, while OSU has no quality Big Ten road wins whatsoever, and has no chance to get one as three of its final four are at home with the road game at Penn State.

Lose any of the the four, including the finale against probable league champion Wisconsin, and the Buckeyes could fall into a dangerous pool of 'bubble' teams that will be nit-picked to the end, without a strong Big Ten Tournament run. In that bubble company, the inability to win any notable Big Ten games on the road becomes a huge red flag.

Xavier center Matt Stainbrook (40) and the Musketeers have two big games this week to help lock down a 2015 NCAA Tournament berth. AP Photo 

Coming to Cleveland: It has quietly gone relatively unnoticed, nationally, but the Murray State Racers are on a roll. After starting the season 2-4, they have ripped off 22 straight wins, including 14-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Only one player on the team is taller than 6-7, but the Racers clearly know how to put the ball in the hoop. They average 79.5 points a game, 13th in the nation; 15.8 assists, 18th in the nation; 48.8 percent field goal shooting, 9th in the nation. And defense is there too, averaging 36.8 rebounds, 66th in the nation and 7.8 steals, 34th in the nation.

One thing the Racers have is NCAA experience with 15 appearances. They last played in the NCAA in 2010 and 2012, but have never advanced beyond the second round. So that is a hurdle to cross.

Murray State has nine players averaging better than 11 minutes a game and four averaging better than 11 points a game. Add in MSU's NCAA Tournament experience and this could possibly be a Cinderella team that could make it to Cleveland if it lands in the 2015 Midwest Regional, and if it can get past that second round hurdle.

Inside the Top 25: Note the 'also getting votes' list has dwindled significantly. And fewer teams in the Top 25 are suffering losses, particularly at the top. In short, look for the bulk of the Sweet 16 teams in the 2015 NCAA Tournament to to come from this list. 

Key games this week:

Monday - 8 p.m. Fox 1, Xavier at St. John's: Musketeers need to keep flirting with .500 in league play and take a step above.

Tuesday - Texas at West Virginia, 7 p.m., ESPN2: Winner probably locks up NCAA bid, loser still has work to do.

Wednesday - Fresno State at Wyoming, 9:30 p.m., CBS Sports Net: Few believe the Cowboys are for real. Must keep winning.

Thursday - SMU at Memphis, 9 p.m., ESPN2: SMU coach Larry Brown has a Final Four dark horse.

Saturday - Villanova at Xavier, 2 p.m., Fox: If Musketeers win at St. John's, a win here likely locks NCAA bid.

Poll vote: Here's my ballot for this week's AP Top 25 poll.

1. Kentucky
2. Virginia
3. Gonzaga
4. Duke
5. Wisconsin

6. Villanova
7. Arizona
8. Notre Dame
9. Northern Iowa
10. Kansas

11. Utah
12. Wichita State
13. Iowa State
14. Louisville
15. Maryland

16. Oklahoma
17. North Carolina
18. Arkansas
19. Baylor
20. SMU

21. West Virginia
22. VCU
23. Michigan State
24. Murray State
25. Valparaiso

Shawn Marion is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his troublesome left hip in Cleveland on Monday.

CLEVELAND - Shawn Marion has been plagued with a troublesome left hip flexor for months and the Cavaliers are hoping that an MRI on Monday will reveal the severity.

The small forward arrived in Cleveland this afternoon for the MRI while the team headed to Detroit for Tuesday's game against the Pistons.

Due to his ailment, Marion has not played in the last two games and he also missed two games during the January West Coast trip because of the injury.

In the past few months Marion has downplayed the magnitude of his ailing hip and even chalked it up to age, being that he's 36 years old. But it has apparently reached the point to where he needs to thoroughly examine the problem.

The results from the MRI have not been released.

In 50 appearances this season, the 16-year NBA veteran is averaging 4.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 20.0 minutes per game.

Tony Wolters played 94 games at Class AA Akron last season. He hit .249 (85-for-341) with one homer and 34 RBI. He appeared in 66 games at catcher, 10 at second base and eight at shortstop. Watch video

GOODYEAR, Ariz. --  The Indians moved Tony Wolters from the middle infield to catcher in spring training of 2013. He has taken to the move well.

"The biggest compliment came from Dave Wallace," said manager Terry Francona. "He said if you didn't know he made the conversion to catcher you'd never know it."

Wallace managed Wolters at Class AA Akron last year.

"You're talking about someone with an interesting skill set," said Francona. "He's a left-handed hitter who can catch and play short and second."

Sandy Alomar, the Indians catching coach, has worked with Wolters for the last two spring trainings.

"He was a little antsy last year," said Alomar. "He asked a lot of questions. Now he understands the craft. He's doing a tremendous job.

"And the guys who have worked with him in the minors have done a great job. I think he's going to be a good catcher if he continues on this path. He works hard, that's the main thing, and he listens."

Wolters, 22, was the Indians third round pick in 2010 out of Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista, Calif.

Last year he threw out 47 percent (25-for-53) of the baserunners who challenged him.

"That's a tremendous percentage," said Francona.

Wolters injured his knee in a home plate collision with Akron, but returned to play in the Arizona Fall League where he hit .255 (14-for-55) with eight RBI in 15 games.

A first-time NFL offensive coordinator, uncertainty at quarterback and new receiver-friendly rules should motivate the Browns to take a wideout. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio - There's never been a better time for young wide receivers to enter the NFL.

There's also never been a better time for a young general manager to embrace the potential of the position and the prospects available in the NFL Draft.

The Browns' Ray Farmer has a need for a top-end wideout, two first-round picks to fill it and several good options awaiting him on April 30. The franchise's second-year GM shouldn't over think this one.

Assuming the Browns don't trade up for a quarterback - a risky move in my estimation - they should have the chance to select one of the following: Alabama's Amari Cooper, West Virginia's Kevin White, Louisville's DeVante Parker, Arizona State's Jaelen Strong.

All four receivers, who ran sub-4.5 40s at the NFL scouting combine, would upgrade the team. If the 6-foot-3, 215-pound White is still on the board, Farmer should not think twice about turning in the card. (The Browns own the Nos. 12 and 19 picks).

The general manager took serious heat a year ago for not selecting a receiver in a deep draft where you could have swung Brownie the Elf and hit a good one. The Giants' Odell Beckham, Buccaneers' Mike Evans and Panthers' Kelvin Benjamin all topped 1,000 receiving yards. The Bills' Sammy Watkins, Cardinals' John Brown and Dolphins' Jarvis Landry registered at least 690 yards.

The Steelers' Martavis Bryant caught eight touchdowns - or, just four fewer than the Browns, who finished dead last in the category with 12.

Farmer deserves credit for adding the diminutive duo of Andrew Hawkins (free agent) and Taylor Gabriel (undrafted free agent) along with Miles Austin a year ago. The three receivers contributed to a corps that overachieved through the season's first 11 weeks as the Browns enjoyed a surprising 7-4 start.

Part of what made the unheralded unit so successful is gone, however. Veteran offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who resigned in January, did a masterful job with his schemes - a fact his former Redskins receivers predicted would happen last August. His replacement, John DeFilippo, is a first-time NFL coordinator. Receivers coach Joker Phillips has never coached in the NFL.

A year ago, the Browns knew oft-suspended Josh Gordon would be back late in the 2014 season. After his latest violation, Gordon is out for the entire 2015 season and probably will never play another game for the franchise.

The Browns relied heavily on their running game in Mike Pettine's first season and figure to do the same again this year as they try to decide on a quarterback. But the crackdown on down-field restraining fouls, implemented last year, offers another incentive to improve the Browns receivers' pool. The number of illegal-contact penalties spiked from 54 in 2013 to 145 in 2014. The total of defensive-holding calls climbed from 254 to 371.

Contrary to popular belief among Browns fans, they weren't all called on Buster Skrine.

The point here is it's a great time for rookie wideouts, who aren't accustomed to press coverage in college, to join the league. Bigger, physical receivers such as White, Strong and Dorial Green-Beckham, the 6-foot-5 Oklahoma receiver rife with character concerns, should thrive in the new NFL.

If the Browns don't draft or acquire a big-name quarterback they must surround whoever plays the position with talent. Don't forget oft-injured tight end Jordan Cameron is probably gone to free agency and there's no guarantee the Browns can add one as good as the USC product.

It says here the Browns use at least one first-round pick to address their defensive front seven. That leaves the other for wide receiver.

Since becoming Browns general manager, Farmer never has spoken glowingly about the importance of top-level receivers. If Bill O'Reilly were an NFL analyst he might accuse Farmer of waging a War on Wideouts.

Gordon, perhaps, strengthened the general manager's argument with his indifferent performance in five games last season.

But Pettine has said the Browns were primed to draft Watkins had the Bills not been willing to part with a 2015 first rounder to trade up. At last week's combine, Farmer added that his anti-receiver rhetoric could be a "smokescreen." We'll find out in 10 weeks.

The Browns and their first-year coordinator need a high-end receiver to spark the offense. The draft supplies a good selection. The NFL and its wideout-friendly rules provide a perfect environment for them to succeed.

It all makes too much sense.    

Vote in the poll to let us know who you think should be the 2015 Gymnast of the Year?

CLEVELAND, Ohio – We're nearing the end of the season for gymnastics as districts are almost upon us. That means it's time to start the discussion for 2015 Gymnast of the Year.

The winner won't be chosen until the end of the postseason, but readers are encouraged to share their thoughts on this year's contenders to date. Last year it was Brecksville junior Alecia Farina, who won her second consecutive individual state title. It'll be tough to unseat Farina, who this season became the only gymnast in Ohio high school history to record a perfect score.

Vote for your choice. Please remember this poll is just for fun and does not determine who will win either award. That will be determined by cleveland.com after the postseason. Also, the players listed in the polls below represent just a sampling of those worthy of consideration. Please leave names of additional players you think should be considered in the comments section. 

We want to hear from you. Whether it’s asking us questions in the comments or commenting as you check out all the high school sports content, please take advantage of the comments section and let us know your takes on local teams, players and conference predictions. 

Sign up here for a free account. It's a fast process and you'll be able to comment on all stories forever.

Keep checking back at cleveland.com for the latest results in these polls. Also, as the gymnastics teams in the area get set for districts and the state tournament, make sure to come back here for all of the playoff coverage for Northeast Ohio.

Follow our new high school sports Twitter account @NEOvarsity and tag your high school sports Tweets and score updates with the #NEOvarsity hashtag.

Contact high school sports producer Cameron Moon by email (cmoon@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@MoonCameron20). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

While injuries to some key players remain a concern, virtually all the Tribe players showed up in excellent condition.

GOODYEAR, Arizona -- If you're young and paid to play baseball, you should be happy.

That's especially true when the month is February and the temperature in Northeast Ohio is low enough to give a penguin frostbite.

And guess where you are?

In Goodyear, Arizona, where the Indians welcomed all their players to spring training Monday.

As I write this, the temperature is 66. It has rained a bit. But no complaints here.

"This feels like opening day," said Michael Brantley. "You put on your pants again and your uniform top. You see the guys. There's a sense of excitement and you get those little jitters."

Brantley was the Tribe's All-Star left fielder, batting .327 with 20 homers, 97 RBI, finishing third in the Most Valuable Player voting.

Manager Terry Francona talked about how Brantley is "polite, consistent and respectful. He's a really good player who wants to get better."

Francona was gushing about his team. He finished meeting with 31 different players the last few days. His sense was that his young players are thinking, "We can do that."

Then Francona added, "They are embracing it."

He means playing well enough for the Tribe to make the playoffs. They were 85-78 last season, missing the postseason by three games.

ESPN and some other national media outlets believe the Indians can indeed win the Central Division, despite their quiet winter and question marks hanging over key veterans Jason Kipnis, Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn and Brandon Moss.

EARLY ARRIVALS

Francona raved about how three young players have been in Goodyear since early January -- Jose Ramirez, Danny Salazar and Roberto Perez.

"They left their families in the Dominican early," he said.

Last spring, Salazar was a slow starter. His arm had "general soreness." He was 1-4 with a 5.53 ERA in his first eight starts, then sent to the minors.

He was 5-4 with a 3.50 ERA in his final 12 starts after returning to the Tribe.

"I'm down about four percent on my body fat," Salazar told me. "I got here (Goodyear) on my birthday (January 11)."

What the 25-year-old Salazar didn't say was the Tribe challenged him to get into better shape -- and not just his arm. They also wanted him to know that he has to earn a spot in the rotation.

Francona is thrilled with how Salazar is responding.

Expected to be the starting shortstop, Ramirez gained some extra weight over the winter. The Indians asked him to join the January arrivals in Goodyear, and the 22-year-old did that.

"When you are in an organized atmosphere, you'll work out better," said Francona. "We told Jose that his next step is to take charge in the infield."

Ramirez took over as the starting shortstop after Asdubal Cabrera was traded. He batted .283 and made only four errors in 58 games, bringing some desperately needed defense to the position.

Also in camp is Francisco Lindor, the Tribe's top prospect and considered even a better shortstop than Ramirez. He talked about spending the off-season with Barry Larkin, the Hall of Fame shortstop.

"Focus," said Lindor. "He kept telling me Focus... Focus... Focus on everything I do. Keep thinking about getting better."

Lindor will play this entire season at the age of 21. His combined stats of .276 (.724 OPS) with 11 homers and 62 RBI between Class AA and AAA don't seem impressive. But consider that he did that at 20, younger than many players picked in the June 2014 amateur draft.

TIME FOR GOOD NEWS

Francona is thrilled with how veteran Brandon Moss is recovering from hip surgery.

"He's doing well," said the manager. "I mean, really well."

Francona praised Michael Bourn for working in the off-season with a University of Houston track coach to improve his speed and strengthen his cranky hamstrings.

"It's rare to see a nine-year veteran go at it that hard in the winter," said Francona.

Nick Swisher has lost at least 10 pounds. He appears to be making a steady recovery from surgery on both knees last summer. He is hitting and throwing, doing some running in a straight line.

Jason Kipnis lost at least 10 pounds. He also has been in Goodyear for about a month.

"He (Kipnis) has come back determined to put last year in the rear view mirror," said Francona. "The best way to do that is to show up ready to go."

Kipnis injured a finger during the winter when he was putting a weight back in a rack. He had surgery. But he is expected to be healthy, and his weight loss and leaner body shape is noticeable.

Kipnis had oblique and hamstring injuries last season. An All-Star in 2013, he slumped to .240 with only six homers last season.

"When Kip is healthy, he is a force" said Francona. "He is one of the better players in the game."

Josh Tomlin told me about how his arm feels so much stronger than a year ago. He is now 2 1/2 years away from elbow reconstruction surgery.

Brantley has called Lonnie Chisenhall "Cross Fit" for how he has reshaped his body. Ryan Raburn has dropped 12 percent of his body fat and appears to be making a strong comeback from knee surgery.

It's spring training and there is plenty of time for things to go wrong. But so far, all is well.

Even Francona has lost 20 pounds. But he also got carried away, taking part running the bases in Sunday's bunting drills. Afterwards, he said he was "really sore."

At the age of 55 and with 19 different knee surgeries -- that's right, 19 -- he realizes that you don't want to get carried away too far in spring training ... even in a camp where so much has been going so right.

Check out every state qualifying swimmer/diver and which events he or she is competing in during the 2015 OHSAA championships this week.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are Northeast Ohio boys and girls swimming and diving qualifiers for this week's Ohio High School Athletic Association state swimming and diving championship meet at C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton.

The state meet kicks off Wednesday at C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton with girls and boys Division II diving competitions and wraps up Saturday evening with the Division I swimming finals.

More than 130 swimmers and divers from Northeast Ohio qualified this year in Division I, while 110 local competitors reached states in Division II.

NORTHEAST OHIO SWIMMING/DIVING STATE QUALIFIERS 2015

BOYS DIVISION I

Jason Alexander, Hudson (200 MR)
D.J. Arslanian, Strongsville (butterfly, 100 free, 200 MR, 200 FR)
Rayon Artis, St. Ignatius (200 MR, 50 free)
Mason Beck, St. Edward (breaststroke)
Dane Bozsavi, Solon (200 MR, 200 FR, 400 FR)
Ben Brooks, Avon (200 IM, breaststroke)
Jake Brumbaugh, Wadsworth (200 MR, 200 FR)
Cole Clampffer, Hudson (200 free, 200 FR, backstroke, 400 FR)
Alex Claus, St. Ignatius (diving)
Adam Dallariva, Mentor (diving)
Nick Deuch, Brecksville (200 MR)
Garrett Demeyer, Solon (200 FR)
Tyler Doerrer, Green (200 free, 500 free, 200 FR, 400 FR)
Jacob Doney, Green (200 FR)
Keegan Goeke, Hudson (200 MR, 200 FR)
Max Gufstason, Shaker Heights (500 free)
Christopher Guo, Solon (200 MR, 200 IM, breaststroke, 400 FR)
John Hessler, St. Ignatius (200 MR)
Carter Hickman, Green (200 FR, 400 FR)
Mason Hicks, Wadsworth (200 MR, 200 FR)
Marcus Hong, St. Ignatius (200 MR, butterfly)
Tom Imhoff, Walsh Jesuit (200 MR)
Anthony Immormino, Solon (200 FR, 50 free, 100 free, 400 FR)
Ryan Johnson, Hudson (200 FR, breaststroke, 400 FR)
Mark Krusinski, Brecksville (200 free, butterfly, 200 FR, 400 FR)
Mike Lynch, Brecksville (200 MR, 50 free, 200 FR, 400 FR)
David Madej, Brecksville (200 MR, 100 free, backstroke, 400 FR)
Jack McNulty, Solon (200 MR, 400 FR)
Matthew Martin, Brecksville (200 MR, butterfly, 200 FR, 400 FR)
Conor Milroy, Mayfield (200 free, 500 free)
Luke Miller, Green (400 FR)
Brendon Mulcahey, Hudson (50 free, 100 free, 200 FR, 400 FR)
Cian O'Haimhirgin, St. Ignatius (200 FR)
Carter Ostrowski, Strongsville (butterfly, 200 MR)
Ross Palazzo, Hudson (200 MR, 200 IM, breaststroke, 400 FR)
Joseph Pavlak, Wadsworth (200 MR, 50 free, 200 FR)
NIck Pennza, Walsh Jesuit (400 FR)
Mike Pichette, Strongsville (butterfly, backstroke, 200 MR)
Grant Pinchot, Solon (200 MR, butterfly, backstroke, 200 FR)
Dominic Poletta, Green (butterfly, 100 free, 200 FR, 400 FR)
Andrew Rebholz, Strongsville (200 FR)
Michael Reilman, Walsh Jesuit (200 MR, 200 free, backstroke, 400 FR)
Matt Remen, Walsh Jesuit (200 MR)
Jarod Riedel, Nordonia (50 free)
Anthony Savena, Brecksville (200 FR)
Dalton Shevlin, Solon (diving)
Dimitri Simcox, St. Ignatius (200 MR, 100 free, 200 FR)
Jared Stergar, Eastlake North (200 IM, breaststroke)
Antony Styrt, Solon (diving)
Jamie Supnik, Strongsville (200 FR, 200 free)
Chris Ubert, St. Ignatius (200 FR)
Allen Vanhouten, Lakewood (diving)
Kenny Whitlock, Strongsville (200 MR, 200 FR)
Will Wiley, Hudson (200 MR)
Adam Wilson, Walsh Jesuit (400 FR)
Tim Wintering, Walsh Jesuit (200 MR, butterfly, 400 FR)
Josh Zembas, Wadsworth (200 MR, 200 FR)

GIRLS DIVISION I

Laura Banks, Rocky River (200 MR)
Stephanie Boyd, Hudson (200 FR, 400 FR, 100 free)
Anna Brandt, Rocky River (200 MR, 400 FR)
Alana Cartwright, Magnificat (200 MR)
Isabella Ciferno, Mayfield (400 FR)
Anna Coronel, Brecksville (200 MR, 400 FR, 100 free, backstroke)
Paige Coughlin, Brecksville (200 MR, 400 FR)
Maria Coy, Mentor (200 IM)
Kristin Dagley, Hudson (200 MR, backstroke)
Brooke Delventhal, Strongsville (200 MR, 200 FR, 50 free, 100 free)
Lauren Devorace, Rocky River (200 MR, 400 FR, 200 free, 500 free)
Johanna DeWolf, Green (200 MR)
Mikayla Dostall, Brunswick (200 MR, backstroke)
Nikki Eyssen, Brunswick (200 MR)
Carmen Ferrante, Mayfield (400 FR)
Felice Ferrante, Mayfield (400 FR)
Emma Flynn, Rocky River (400 FR, 200 IM)
Kailey Francetic, Walsh Jesuit (diving)
Kyleah Gaydos, Solon (200 FR)
Samantha Geyer, Walsh Jesuit (200 MR, 400 FR)
Julia Grady, Strongsville (200 FR, 400 FR)
Hanna Gresser, Walsh Jesuit (200 MR, 400 FR, 200 IM, breaststroke)
Megan Gross, Solon (200 FR)
Natalie Gundling, Hudson (200 FR, 400 FR, 200 free, 500 free)
Carly Hart, Walsh Jesuit (200 MR, 400 FR, 200 IM, breaststroke)
Maggie Hass, Hudson (backstroke)
Alison Imhoff, Mayfield (400 FR)
Haley Jenkins, Green (200 MR)
Jessica Jin, Solon (200 FR, 50 free)
Anna Jones, Solon (200 FR)
Shaunna Jones, Strongsville (400 FR)
Emma Kaczmar, Walsh Jesuit (200 MR)
Halle Kotchman, Brecksville (200 FR)
Rachel Kotchman, Brecksville (200 MR, 400 FR, 50 free)
Olivia Kreft, Solon (diving)
Amy Lane, Copley (200 MR, 200 FR)
Cristina Lee, Copley (200 MR, 200 FR)
Ryleigh MacAlla, Rocky River (diving)
Karley Mattson, Strongsville (200 MR, 400 FR, breaststroke)
Ashley Mennenga, Highland (backstroke)
Grace Monroe, Magnificat (200 FR)
Madison Myers, Copley (200 MR, 200 FR, 200 IM, butterfly)
Julia Newbould, Strongsville (200 MR, 200 FR, 400 FR, butterfly)
Julia Oppedisano, Strongsville (diving)
Gaby Palazzo, Hudson (200 MR, 400 FR, 200 free, butterfly)
Cassandra Pasadyn, Brunswick (200 MR, backstroke)
Megan Peepers, Avon Lake (diving)
Megan Pederson, Strongsville (200 MR, butterfly)
Elise Pichola, Rocky River (200 MR, 400 FR)
Julia Pophal, Magnificat (200 MR, 200 FR)
Madison Posk, Twinsburg (diving)
Kathryn Presley, Magnificat (200 MR)
Brenda Prifti, Copley (200 MR, 200 FR)
Ismary Puentes, North Olmsted (50 free)
Kelly Reis, Lakewood (50 free, backstroke)
Bryanna Renuart, Walsh Jesuit (400 FR)
Natalie Rohweder, Green (200 MR)
Nicole Rzepka, Solon (diving)
Gina Saxon, Hudson (200 MR, breaststroke)
Maddy Schimpf, Brecksville (200 FR)
Erika Shane, Cuyahoga Falls (diving)
Rachel Stark, Avon (100 free)
Serena Stout, Strongsville (200 FR)
Samantha Tarbuck, Brecksville (200 MR, 200 FR)
Macy Trattner, Hudson (200 MR, 200 FR)
Jenna Vance, Brunswick (200 MR)
Abby Villenauve, Hudson (diving)
Caitlin Weigel, Hudson (200 FR, 400 FR, 50 free, 100 free)
Jubilee Winar, Brecksville (200 FR, 400 FR, 200 IM, breaststroke)
Sarah Wolanske, Hudson (500 free)
Emerson Zahab, Green (200 MR)
Rachel Zarlinski, Magnificat (200 FR)
Taryn Zwissler, Magnificat (200 MR, 200 FR, backstroke)

BOYS DIVISION II

Benjamin Agan, Chagrin Falls (200 MR, 400 FR, 500 free)
Bagatur Askaryan, Beachwood (50 free)
Zach Ashbrook, Bay (diving)
David Bates, Hawken (200 MR, 400 FR, 200 free, 500 free)
Kingsley Bowen, University (200 MR, 400 FR, butterfly, backstroke)
Scott Bowman, University (400 FR, butterfly, backstroke)
Luke Binder, University, (diving)
Cameron Coen, Tallmadge (200 MR)
Isaac Cooper, Kenston, (diving)
Michael Crookshanks, Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin (200 free, 500 free)
Sam Darwish, University (200 FR, 500 free)
Dominic DiSalvo, Tallmadge (200 MR)
Matthew Engles, University (breaststroke)
Sami Fares, Hawken (200 MR, breaststroke)
Keagan Giordano, Padua (200 MR)
Peter Girouard, Chagrin Falls (200 MR, 200 FR, breaststroke)
Jared Graham, Tallmadge (200 MR)
Ryan Gleske, West Geauga (breaststroke)
Zach Halawa, University (200 FR)
Zeb Hart, Hawken (200 MR)
Nolan Honsaker, Aurora (diving)
Zachary Hostoffer, Gilmour (100 free)
Mike Jeromin, Kenston (200 FR, 400 FR)
Konrad Katterle, Rocky River (200 FR, 400 FR)
Eric Kanner, Rocky River (200 FR, 400 FR, 50 free, 100 free)
Max Koch, Kenston (200 FR, 400 FR)
Michael Kondratiev, University (200 FR, 400 FR, 200 free)
Trevor Lake, Bay (200 FR, 400 FR, 50 free, 100 free)
William Lane, Chagrin Falls (400 FR)
Matt Laneve, Padua (200 MR)
Colin MacMillan, Bay (200 FR, 400 FR, 50 free, butterfly)
Kyle MacMillan, Bay (200 FR, 400 FR)
Kevin McCaffrey, Elyria Catholic (200 IM, breaststroke)
David Motch, University (200 MR, 200 FR)
Andrew Moysaenko, Padua (200 MR)
Nicholai Moysaenko, Padua (200 MR, breaststroke)
Peter Nachtwey, Chagrin Falls, (diving)
Tom Pacak, Benedictine (200 free, 500 free)
Roee Perry, University (200 MR, 200 IM, breaststroke)
Stephen Pioro, Hawken (200 MR, 200 FR, 400 FR, 50 free)
Will Price, Elyria Catholic, (diving)
Matt Puckace, Hawken (200 FR, 400 FR, 200 free, butterfly)
Jason Quinn, Chagrin Falls (200 MR, 200 FR, 200 IM, 500 free)
Matthew Rakovec, Hawken (400 FR, 200 IM, 500 free)
Justyn Rhine, Tallmadge (200 MR)
Josh Roselli, Hawken (200 FR, 200 IM)
Josh Shahidian, Kenston (200 FR, 400 FR)
Colin Southerington, Bay (200 FR, 400 FR)
Sam Stankivicz, Rocky River (200 FR, 400 FR, butterfly, breaststroke)
Ben Stapulionis, Chagrin Falls (200 MR, 400 FR)
Max Steffey, University (200 MR, butterfly, 500 free)
Charlie Stewart-Bates, University (400 FR, 200 free, 500 free)
Tyler Thompson, Chagrin Falls (200 FR)
Brad Toth, Kenston (200 FR, 400 FR)
Jake Vehar, Rocky River (200 FR, 400 FR, 50 free, 100 free)
Jack Verbrugge, Chagrin Falls (200 FR, 400 FR)
Daniel Weiss, Hawken (200 FR)

GIRLS DIVISION II

Julia Armitage, Hathaway Brown (200 MR, 200 FR, 200 IM, 500 free)
Abby Beauchesne, Bay (200 MR, 200 FR, backstroke)
Abby Blinka, Hoban (breaststroke)
Kristin Boni, West Geauga (breaststroke)
Emma Borrow, Hathaway Brown (backstroke)
Nell Bruckner, Hathaway Brown (400 FR)
Emma Bryan, Hathaway Brown (diving)
Maggie Cha, Hathaway Brown (200 MR, 200 FR, 50 free, 100 free)
Spencer Crawford, Hawken (200 FR, 400 FR, butterfly, 100 free)
Kate Dannemiller, Bay (200 MR, 200 FR)
Claire Doerr, Hawken (200 MR, 400 FR, 200 free, 500 free)
Kiley Eble, Gilmour (200 MR, 400 FR, butterfly, backstroke)
Iman Eulinberg, Hathaway Brown (200 MR, 200 FR, 50 free, 500 free)
Abby Forsythe, Hawken (500 free)
Kathleen Freund, Orange (400 FR)
Allie Fullmer, Chagrin Falls (200 FR, 400 FR)
Victoria Glunt, Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin (50 free, butterfly,
Kamryn Goodrick, West Geauga (diving)
Madison Gotlieb, Orange (200 FR, 400 FR)
Pearson Gottschalk, Chagrin Falls (200 FR)
Izzy Greene, Gilmour (200 FR)
Jenna Hadbavny, Chagrin Falls (200 FR, 400 FR)
Crile Hart, Hawken (200 MR, 200 FR, 200 IM, breaststroke)
Lauren Heller, Hawken (200 MR, 200 FR, 200 free, 100 free)
KeLynn Ingwer, Gilmour (200 FR)
Maggie Jones, Lake Catholic (200 MR, 400 FR)
Elizabeth Jordan, Orange (200 FR, 400 FR)
Natalie Klug, Chagrin Falls (200 FR, 400 FR)
Abby Koerwitz, Gilmour (200 FR, 400 FR, 200 free, 500 free)
Jenna Krolikowski, Lake Catholic (200 MR, 400 FR)
Payton Lake, Bay (200 FR)
Caroline McCormick, Gilmour (200 MR, 400 FR, 100 free, backstroke)
Jacqueline Melaragno, Bay (200 MR)
Emma Meyer, Gilmour (200 MR, 400 FR, butterfly)
Rose Mlakar, Bay (200 MR, 200 FR, breaststroke)
Mary Motch, Hathaway Brown (200 MR, 200 FR, 50 free, 100 free)
Catherine Mullen, Hathaway Brown (400 FR, 200 free)
Molly Paine, Hathaway Brown (400 FR, 500 free, backstroke)
Maureen Rakovec, Hawken (400 FR, 200 free, 500 free)
Ashley Rega, Independence (50 free)
Gwenyth Resch, Gilmour (200 MR, breaststroke)
Jordan Ritchie, Orange (200 FR)
Tricia Roscoe, Laurel (diving)
Peyton Rudman, Gilmour (200 FR)
Izzy Schlachter, Orange (diving)
Abby Staley, Chagrin Falls (400 FR)
Heather Svitavsky, Hawken (200 MR, 200 FR, 200 IM, 100 free)
Summer Svitavsky, Hawken (200 free, 400 FR, 500 free)
Lilija Taraska, Lake Catholic (200 MR, 400 FR)
Silvija Taraska, Lake Catholic (200 MR, 400 FR, 50 free, 100 free)
Erin Xu, Hathaway Brown (400 FR, 200 free)
Talia Zaverdinos, Orange (200 FR, 400 FR)
Brooke Zedar, Gilmour (diving)