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Will the Browns stick with Johnny Manziel in light of his latest incident?: Hey Mary Kay!

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Will the Browns stick with Johnny Manziel? Is Josh McCown more than a bridge quarterback? Will Robert Turbin press Isaiah Crowell for reps?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hey Mary Kay!

Hey Mary Kay: Will the Browns stick by Johnny Manziel in light of this latest incident?

-- Jeff Stieritz, Columbus, Ohio

Hey Jeff: I think the Browns will look further into the incident and definitely have more of an in-depth conversation with Manziel about it. I also think that he'll be  disciplined by the Browns and possibly by the NFL if he's in the substance abuse program. For now, it seems the Browns plan to stick with him, but I believe they'll monitor the situation closely and try to determine if Manziel needs more help. I think they'll also talk to him about some of the allegations made by his girlfriend in the police report to make sure there are no serious issues that need to be addressed. If the Browns are comfortable with Manziel drinking alcohol, I think they'll ride it out. If they're not, they'll consider moving on. Coach Mike Pettine refused to address it right after the 26-23 OT loss to the Broncos, but we'll go back at it Monday. Bill Cowher thinks the Browns should cut him. I think he should go back to rehab.

Hey Mary Kay: Do you think the Browns would consider trading Barkevious Mingo? Do you think they could get anything for him?

 -- Nate Scavone, Lakewood, Ohio

Hey Nate: Mingo actually got a little more playing time against the Broncos and made the clutch interception in overtime that could've helped knocked off the Broncos had the offense not gone backwards in three plays when needing just 9 yards to kick a field goal. Whether or not it will be enough to keep him and his agent from thinking about greener pastures remains to be seen. The trade deadline is Nov. 3. With Scott Solomon on injured reserve with a knee injury, Mingo will get more reps in his role as the Sam, or coverage 'backer, after only four snaps in Baltimore.

Still, he won't be doing much of what he was drafted for: rushing the passer. He still feels that's his strongsuit, and I think he'd welcome the opportunity to do more of that --whether it's here or elsewhere.  The 2013 No. 6 overall pick has a tradeable contract, and the Browns might be able to get a second- or third-rounder for him. In the end, though, I doubt he'll ask and I doubt they'll deal him.

Hey Mary Kay: Do you think Josh McCown can be more than a bridge quarterback for the Browns?

-- Ben Jones, Macon, Ga.

Hey Ben: I do think that McCown can start for the Browns for the foreseeable future if he continues to play well. He's 36, but he plays much younger because he hasn't had the wear and tear on his body throughout his 13-year career. He's signed through 2017, and can probably play at a high level for the length of the contract. Especially with Manziel's struggles, it seems like McCown can become more than just a stopgap measure. However, McCown needs more weapons to excel. His only bona fide target in the end zone right now is Gary Barnidge, and that's just not going to cut. The Browns need to add some blue-chip receivers in the offseason.

Hey Mary Kay: Will running back Robert Turbin press Isaiah Crowell for playing time?

-- Scott B., Palm Desert, Ca.

Hey Scott: Turbin had some nice runs against the Broncos to set up the gametying field goal in regulation. However, he bobbled the ball on the pitchout on the Browns first play in overtime, which put the Browns in second and 13. It was a costly mistake and led to back-to-back sacks that killed the drive. But Duke Johnson was sidelined with a shoulder injury at the time. That's a tough situation for a new running back to be in. Turbin can be powerful and explosive once he learns the schemes and the tendencies of his blockers. He averaged only 2.7 yards against the Broncos, but will press Crowell for playing time once he gets acclimated.


Akron RubberDucks attendance remains high, city union agreements about to expire, Silver Lake church tries speed dating: Akron news roundup

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Akron RubberDucks attendance has remained high under owner Ken Babby, despite a drought of Eastern League Championships. Contracts with all four of Akron's public service unions are about to expire, at the same time.

AKRON, Ohio -- Attendance at Akron RubberDucks games fell slightly this year, from 5,157 per game in 2014 to 5,013 per game. But the numbers still reflect strong attendance since the team's name change just over a year ago, Crain's Business reports.

The AA baseball team has drawn over 300,000 fans each season since Ken Babby bought the team in 2013, including a franchise record 350,704 fans in 2014.

General Manager Jim Pfander told Crain's that poor weather this summer likely contributed to a slight dip in attendance figures. "The big reason was June. I think 27 of the 30 days it rained," Pfander said. "It seemed like every game we were home it rained. The weather put a damper on it."

Historic Akron union contract soon to expire: All four of the city's labor unions, covering police officers, firefighters, service workers and civil service workers, will begin renegotiate their bargaining agreements starting next month, the Beacon Journal reports.

The four unions signed a joint agreement -- one many labor experts said was unlikely to ever happen -- with Mayor Don Plusquellic in 2012  to avoid protracted negotiations with the city.

This time, Mayor Jeff Fusco is serving until a newly elected mayor takes office in January.

Akron school board reps come from affluent neighborhoods: Half of the candidates running for Akron school board -- including all three incumbents -- come from the West Akron area that feeds Firestone High School, the city's highest performing traditional public school, the Beacon Journal reports.

Silver Lake church tries speed dating: The Rev. Brad Jagger is rewriting the book on how to connect a church with its community.

The pastor at the Church in Silver Lake has instituted speed dating -- 10-minute conversations over a light lunch, to put members in touch with one another. The Akron Beacon Journal featured the LGBT-friendly, autism-inclusive ministry in a feature Monday.

Josh McCown Experience turns ugly and Johnny Manziel is blowing it: National Perspective

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The Cleveland Browns suffered another heartbreaking loss on Sunday, 26-23 in overtime, against the Denver Broncos.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns suffered another heartbreaking loss on Sunday, 26-23 in overtime, against the Denver Broncos. 

Like the last few close losses, the Browns had numerous chances, including a golden opportunity in the overtime period following a Barkevious Mingo interception in Denver territory. But Josh McCown and the offense couldn't capitalize, leading to some criticism for the reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Week.

He wasn't the only one in the crosshairs following the loss. Head coach Mike Pettine has received numerous questions about his decision to attempt a two-point conversion, bypassing an extra point attempt with around eight minutes in the fourth quarter. 

The Browns tested the undefeated Broncos, narrowly capping a season-altering win. But the result was familiar: A loss that drops the Browns to 2-4. 

Here is what they are saying nationally about the Browns following their most recent loss:

NFL.com's Around the League crew has 36 takeaways from the Week 6 loss, including one about McCown. 

"This was the full Josh McCown Experience and it was mostly ugly. He randomly put together two touchdown drives full of contested catches, but the game was mostly filled with three-and-outs and off-target throws. The Browns were past midfield with under a minute left and he throws one of the worst picks of the year under pressure. He said he was trying to throw the ball out of bounds, but it didn't get there. The Browns were given the ball nearly in field goal range early in overtime, and the offense moved 18 yards backwards after McCown took two sacks."

CBS Sports hands out weekly grades and despite a loss against Denver, the Browns show some positives, according to the site.

"The Browns went full-Browns on Sunday, which you shouldn't ever do. Going 'full-Browns' means roping your fans into thinking you're going to win, only to lose in the most unimaginable way possible. The Browns could've won this late in regulation or OT, but instead, the Browns lost on the last play of the game for the 21st time since 1999. Grade: B-"

Travis Benjamin and Gary Barnidge have emerged as the Browns' biggest playmakers this season while Josh Gordon -- the guy who was expected to provide that offensive lift -- continues to serve his suspension. Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports provides an update on Gordon.

"From the gone-but-not-forgotten file, word is Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon is actually handling his one-year suspension for another failed drug test rather well.

Gordon is supposedly training hard and staying in pretty good shape, which was a concern for those close to him heading into his lost season. Gordon hasn't been a hard worker in the weight room over the years, and some were worried he might be even less motivated this year because he won't be playing any football.

That's apparently not the case, and there is hope Gordon has learned what he needs to do physically to play in the NFL. Sources say there's also hope Gordon is being smarter about the people with whom he's spending time. Those close to Gordon believe he's made poor decisions that have affected his career because of bad influences. It's early, but Gordon is showing physical and mental progress." 

Monday Morning Quarterback's Peter King has some criticism for Johnny Manziel after another off-the-field incident.

"I think you're blowing it, Johnny Manziel. I think I'm empathetic with anyone who has a substance-abuse problem. But Manziel spent 87 days in a treatment center in the off-season. I'm sure he has pressure in his life (self-imposed and from the outside), but day-drinking and driving 90 mph on the berm of an interstate highway and having an altercation with his girlfriend are not signs that he's in a good place with his recovery from whatever addiction he was battling in the off-season.

I've spent a total of maybe 40 minutes in my life with Manziel, so I can't say that I know him at all. But there's something about the way he plays football and his spirit that has me rooting very much for him--if not to show us he can play in the NFL, then at least to show us he can have a good life. Last week, speaking to Josh McCown, who is playing ahead of Manziel with the Browns right now, it didn't surprise me to hear McCown say, 'I legitimately like Johnny. There's something very likable about him--he's fun to be around. I think he's got a really good chance to be a good quarterback in this league.' Not if he's doing what he did last week."  

From SI.com's Don Banks:

"The most baffling call of the day had to be the decision by Browns head coach Mike Pettine to go for two points after Dansby's 35-yard interception return put Cleveland up 20-16 with 8:07 remaining in the game. I suppose he wanted to build a six-point lead and make any potential Denver point-after try that much more pressure-packed, but I'm just guessing here.

Josh McCown did not connect on his two-point pass attempt to Travis Benjamin and what ended up happening with the Browns up only four points was this: Denver took a 23-20 lead on Sanders's 75-yard touchdown with 7:53 left, but then Cleveland kicked a game-tying field goal to make it 23-23 with 1:30 remaining in regulation. That extra point that Pettine disdained could have been the difference in a 24-23 Browns win."

ESPN.com's Pat McManamon hands out game balls every week and this week Barnidge was the recipient.

"He had two touchdowns, giving him five in the past four games. Barnidge and Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome are the only Browns tight ends since the AFL-NFL merger to have TD receptions in four consecutive games." 

Barnidge is also receiving praise from Yahoo Sports, being named one of the "winners" from Week 6.

"The Cleveland Browns didn't win on Sunday, but don't blame Barnidge.

When players come out of nowhere to have a big season, they're usually still young or there's some good reason for the sudden uptick, like benefiting from a dramatic scheme change. However, Barnidge is that rare success story that truly came out of the blue.

Barnidge, the Browns' tight end, had played seven seasons in the NFL before this one. He turned 30 on Sept. 22, so he's no youngster. His career highs for a season before this year were 13 catches and 242 yards. He had three touchdowns in 92 games. And now he's tying team records set by Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome. 

Barnidge was a fast tight end with good size who was a fifth-round pick of the Panthers in 2008. He had an unremarkable career in the NFL until this season. At 30, he's making up for lost time."

Ohio State football: Urban Meyer says Torrance Gibson didn't earn the right to dress vs. Penn State

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"He's on the team," Meyer said. "You have to earn the right to dress, and he didn't do it last week." Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State freshman receiver Torrance Gibson was one of the most highly anticipated new additions to the Buckeyes' roster in 2015.

But he wasn't on the sideline for Ohio State's 38-10 win over Penn State on Saturday night after rumors swirled late last week that Gibson's standing with the team is in question. 

"He's on the team," Meyer said during his news conference Monday morning. "You have to earn the right to dress, and he didn't do it last week." 

Meyer said Gibson, a former five-star quarterback from Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage, is dealing with some academic issues and doesn't anticipate he'll be out for a long time. 

Rated the No. 6 athlete in the 2015 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Gibson was a highly-coveted quarterback during the recruiting process. 

Gibson committed to Ohio State despite the fact the Buckeyes have a ton of depth at quarterback and he even told Northeast Ohio Media Group before he signed that he was willing to redshirt. 

Gibson switched from quarterback to wide receiver early in training camp because he decided, along with Ohio State's coaching staff, that it was the quickest way to get onto the field. Gibson wanted to compete as a freshman. 

Meyer said last week that Gibson has been up and down, and now, combined with some off-the-field stuff, it looks like he's a candidate to redshirt this year. 

Urban Meyer does not name at starting quarterback for Saturday's game at Rutgers: 'I have an idea'

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Urban Meyer did not announced a starting quarterback for Saturday's game against Rutgers during his news conference on Monday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer did not announce a decision on Ohio State's quarterbacks during his news conference on Monday.

Meyer said he spent the weekend talking to recruits, and didn't have time to analyze the quarterback play. Meyer said he will speak with the quarterbacks on Monday before announcing who will start on Saturday against Rutgers.

But Meyer did say he thinks he knows who -- either J.T. Barrett or Cardale Jones -- will start for the Buckeyes.

"I think so," Meyer said. "I want to make sure I visit with everybody."

* Inside Ohio State's QB numbers

Jones was pulled in the third quarter of Saturday's win over Penn State in favor of Barrett. Barrett once again guided Ohio State to a perfect day in the red zone, going 6-for-6 with five touchdowns. Barrett threw two touchdowns and ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns in the win.

He's got seven total touchdowns the last two weeks.

Jones is 30-for-43 with 375 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions the last two weeks.

* The case for playing both quarterbacks

Meyer admitted that the running game moved better with Barrett at quarterback against Penn State, but wouldn't go as far as to say that's enough to give Barrett the starting job.

Things worked well with Jones playing between the 20s, and Barrett working in the red zone against Maryland. Barrett was good in the red zone again against Penn State, but things didn't move as smoothly between the 20s with Jones, who finished 9-for-15 for 84 yards and was sacked twice.

Meyer said he felt like the two-quarterback system didn't work as seamless against Penn State as it did against Maryland, and that will factor into whatever decision he makes.

Barrett has had chances to maybe take the job from Jones before, but didn't perform well in extended time during a 20-13 win over Northern Illinois.

With back-to-back strong games, Barrett said after the Penn State game that he felt like he was getting back to the way he played last year.

Asked if Barrett was getting back to his old self:

"Anybody who watched the game the last two weeks, I think we're doing a good job of calling things that he's good at," Meyer said. "I'm seeing the same thing."

Where 2014-2015 ranks among longest winning streaks in Ohio State Buckeyes football history

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Longest winning streaks in Ohio State Buckeyes football history include two of Urban Meyer's teams in the top three. See complete list.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Ohio State Buckeyes are closing in on the longest winning streak in school history, a record set with 24 wins in a row over the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

Ohio State extended its current winning streak to 20 in a row with a victory over Penn State on Saturday.

The current streak stands as the third-longest winning streak in school history, behind only the 2012-13 streak and a run of 22-straight victories for the Woody Hayes-led Buckeyes of 1967-69.

The Buckeyes last lost on Sept. 6., 2014, to Virginia Tech. OSU closed out the 2014 season with 13 straight wins and are 7-0 in 2015.

If the winning continues, Ohio State will take a 23-game win streak into the Michigan State game on Nov. 21. It was Michigan State which ended OSU's school record winning streak in 2013.

Urban Meyer started his OSU coaching career with 24 straight wins, then went 1-3 for a stretch at the end of 2013 and beginning of 2014, before beginning the current streak.

Here are the 15 Ohio State winning streaks of at least 10 games. Below the list, game-by-game details can be found about the five longest streaks.

  • Streak - Season - Ended
  • 24 - 2012-13 (Michigan State in Big Ten title game, 34-24)
  • 22 - 1967-69 (at Michigan, 24-12)
  • 20 - 2014-15 (current)
  • 19 - 2005-06 (vs. Florida, 41-14)
  • 19 - 2002-03 (at Wisconsin, 17-10)
  • 17 - 1915-17 (tied Auburn, 0-0)
  • 14 - 1899-00 (Ohio Medical, 11-6)
  • 13 - 1957-58 (tied at Wisconsin, 7-7)
  • 12 - 1944-45 (Purdue, 35-13)
  • 11 - 1995 (at Michigan, 31-23)
  • 11 - 1979 (vs. USC, 17-16)
  • 11 - 1975 (vs. UCLA, 23-10)
  • 11 - 1954-55 (at Stanford, 6-0)
  • 10 - 2010 (Illinois, 28-21)
  • 10 - 1996 (Michigan, 13-9)
  • 10 - 1934-35 (Notre Dame, 18-13)
Buckeye Numbers is a feature from cleveland.com focusing on stats involving Ohio State football.

Details of longest streaks

  • 2012-2013
  • 2005-2006
  • 2002-2003
  • 1967-1969
  • 2014-2015

2012-2013 - 23-game streak
Combined scored: 982-476; average score: 43-21

Miami (OH) 56-10
Central Florida 31-16
California 35-28
Alabama-Birmingham 29-15
at (20) Michigan State 17-16
(21) Nebraska 63-38
at Indiana 52-49
Purdue 29-22
at Penn State 35-23
Illinois 52-22
at Wisconsin 21-14
(20) Michigan 26-21
Buffalo 40-20
San Diego State 42-7
at California 52-34
Florida A&M 76-0
(23) Wisconsin 31-24
at (16) Northwestern 40-30
Iowa 34-24
Penn State 63-14
at Purdue 56-0
at Illinois 60-35
Indiana 42-14

2005-2006 -19-game streak
Combined scored: 704-240, average score: 37-13

(16) Michigan State 35-24
at Indiana 41-10
at Minnesota 45-31
Illinois 40-2
(25) Northwestern 48-7
at (17) Michigan 25-21
(5) Notre Dame (Fiesta) 34-20
Northern Illinois 35-12
at (2) Texas 24-7
Cincinnati 37-7
(24) Penn State 28-6
at (13) Iowa 38-17
Bowling Green State 35-7
at Michigan State 38-7
Indiana 44-3
Minnesota 44-0
at Illinois 17-10
at Northwestern 54-10
(2) Michigan 42-39

2002-2003 - 19-game streak
Combined scored: 542-260, average score: 29-14

Texas Tech 45-21
Kent State 51-17
(10) Washington State 25-7
at Cincinnati 23-19
Indiana 45-17
at Northwestern 27-16
San Jose State 50-7
at Wisconsin 19-14
(18) Penn State 13-7
(23) Minnesota 34-3
at Purdue 10-6
at Illinois 23-16
(12) Michigan 14-9
(1) Miami (FL) (Fiesta) 31-24
(17) Washington 28-9
San Diego State 16-13
(24) North Carolina State 44-38
Bowling Green State 24-17
Northwestern 20-0

1967-1969 - 22-game streak
Combined scored: 777-265, average score: 35-12

at Michigan State 21-7
Wisconsin 17-15
Iowa 21-10
at Michigan 24-14
Southern Methodist 35-14
Oregon 21-6
(1) Purdue 13-0
Northwestern 45-21
at Illinois 31-24
(16) Michigan State 25-20
at Wisconsin 43-8
at Iowa 33-27
(4) Michigan 50-14
USC (Rose) 27-16
Texas Christian 62-0
at Washington 41-14
(19) Michigan State 54-21
at Minnesota 34-7
Illinois 41-0
at Northwestern 35-6
Wisconsin 62-7
(10) Purdue 42-14

2014-2015 - 20-game streak
Combined scored: 876-392, average score: 44-20

Kent State 66-0
Cincinnati 50-28
Maryland 52-24
Rutgers 56-17
Penn State 31-24
Illinois 55-14
Michigan State 49-37
Minnesota 31-24
Indiana 42-27
Michigan 42-28
Wisconsin 59-0
Alabama 42-35
Oregon 42-20
Virginia Tech 42-24
Hawaii 38-0
Northern Illinois 20-13
Western Michigan 38-12
Indiana 34-27
Maryland 49-28
Penn State 38-10
Rutgers Oct. 24
Minnesota Nov. 7
Illinois Nov. 14
Michigan State Nov. 21
Michigan Nov. 28

Sources: cleveland.com/datacentral, Ohio State University and Sports Reference LLC.

Who is most to blame for the Cleveland Browns' loss against the Denver Broncos (Video)

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Bud Shaw, Dan Labbe, Chris Fedor and Michael Reghi debate who was most to blame for the Cleveland Browns' loss against the Denver Broncos on Sunday. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There was plenty of blame to go around following the Cleveland Browns' loss against the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Head coach Mike Pettine was questioned about his decision to go for a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter. Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo was also a target following a pitch play that led to negative yardage in OT. Even reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Week Josh McCown was receiving blame because of his costly turnovers. 

During Monday's Browns show, Bud Shaw, Dan Labbe, Michael Reghi and I debated who was most to blame for the Week 6 loss. 

Watch the video above. We'll have more videos coming today at cleveland.com/browns.

You can share your thoughts on the question in the comments section or vote on the poll. 

Ballots from cleveland.com for Ohio Associated Press state football polls

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The Associated Press releases its latest top 10 high school football polls for all seven divisions Monday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Associated Press releases its latest top 10 high school football polls for all seven divisions Monday night. Listed below are the ballots submitted by cleveland.com staff members.

Scott Patsko’s cleveland.com ballot for Division I: 1. Lakewood St. Edward, 2. Cincinnati Colerain, 3. Huber Heights Wayne, 4. Cincinnati St. Xavier, 5. Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller, 6. Mason, 7. Cincinnati Elder, 8. Hilliard Darby, 9. Hilliard Davison, 10. Westerville Central.


Tim Bielik’s Division II ballot: 1. Cincinnati La Salle, 2. Grafton Midview, 3. Perrysburg, 4. Cincinnati Turpin, 5. Avon, 6. Kings Mills Kings, 7. Mayfield, 8. Worthington Kilbourne, 9. Lima Senior, 10. Pataskala Licking Heights.


Joe Noga’s Division III ballot: 1. Cleveland Benedictine, 2. Akron Archbishop Hoban, 3. Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, 4. Poland Seminary, 5. Wapakoneta, 6. Medina Buckeye, 7. Jackson, 8. Toledo Central Catholic, 9. Clyde, 10. Zanesville.


Matt Goul’s Division IV ballot: 1. Middletown Bishop Fenwick, 2. Steubenville, 3. St. Clairsville, 4. Perry, 5. Cincinnati Indian Hill, 6. Kettering Archbishop Alter, 7. Johnstown-Monroe, 8. Cincinnati Wyoming, 9. Woodridge, 10. Hamilton Badin.


Nathaniel Cline’s Division V ballot: 1. Coldwater, 2. Wheelersburg, 3. Chillicothe Zane Trace, 4. Columbiana Crestview, 5. Millbury Lake, 6. Brookville, 7. Milan Edison, 8. Swanton, 9. Cadiz Harrison Central, 10. Doylestown Chippewa.


Robert Rozboril’s Division VI ballot: 1. Lucasville Valley, 2. Maria Stein Marion Local, 3. Defiance Tinora, 4. Cincinnati Country Day, 5. Mechanicsburg, 6. Spencerville, 7. Columbia; 8. Paint Valley, 9. Ayersville, 10. Cuyahoga Heights


Rozboril’s Division VII ballot: 1. Danville, 2. Lucas, 3. Mogadore, 4. Caldwell, 5. Warren John F. Kennedy, 6. Norwalk St. Paul, 7. Trimble, 8. Miami Valley Christian Academy, 9. McComb, 10. Minister.


For more high school sports news, like NEOvarsity on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.


Katie McCarthy of Hathaway Brown is fans' choice for cleveland.com girls golf Player of the Year

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See who fans picked as the favorite to win cleveland.com's Girls Golfer of the Year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- More than 1,400 votes were cast in the 2015 cleveland.com readers' choice poll for girls golf Player of the Year, and Hathaway Brown senior Katie McCarthy is the fans' top pick.

McCarthy garnered more than 330 votes to finish ahead of Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin senior Reva Morris (255) and Hawken senior Isabelle Joseph (244).


The poll is just for fun and will not have an impact on who is chosen as the player of the year by the cleveland.com staff after the state tournament ends.





Write in candidates included Medina's Alyssa Drehs and Walsh Jesuit's Shelby Lewis.


McCarthy shot an 81 at last week's Division I district tournament at The Legends of Massillon and failed to qualify for this week's state tournament in Columbus. Her Hathaway Brown team finished ninth overall. .


Check back next week for results from the Division I state golf tournament at Ohio State's Gray Course. Cleveland.com Girls Golfer of the Year and All-Stars will be announced the following week.


For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact high school sports reporter Joe Noga on Twitter (@JoeNogaCLE), by email (jnoga@cleveland.comor log in and leave a message in the comments section below.


Trevor Merril of Walsh Jesuit is fans' choice for cleveland.com boys golf Player of the Year

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See who fans picked as the favorite for cleveland.com's Boys Golfer of the Year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- More than 1,100 votes were cast in the 2015 cleveland.com readers' choice poll for boys golf Player of the Year, and Walsh Jesuit senior Trevor Merril is the fans' top pick.

Merril garnered more than 300 votes to finish ahead of St. Edward senior Danny Zahn (214). Jules Blakely of Westlake was third with more than 170 votes.


The poll is just for fun and will not have an impact on who is chosen as the player of the year by the cleveland.com staff after the state tournament ends.


Write in candidates included Merril's Walsh Jesuit teammate Zak Supelak, Zach Mandry of Solon and Josh Hunter of University School.





Merril shot a 76 at last week's Division I district tournament at Pine Hills and will make a return trip to the state tournament on Saturday with his Walsh Jesuit teammates.


Check back next week for results from the Division I state golf tournament at Ohio State's Scarlet Course. Cleveland.com Boys Golfer of the Year and All-Stars will be announced the following week.


For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact high school sports reporter Joe Noga on Twitter (@JoeNogaCLE), by email (jnoga@cleveland.comor log in and leave a message in the comments section below.


Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love shows flashes in loss to Toronto Raptors

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It was only a small sample size, but Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love demonstrated in his debut that he's not too far behind his teammates in readiness for the new season..

TORONTO - It was only a small sample size, but Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love demonstrated in his debut that he's not far away from being ready for the upcoming season.

In fact, he might be more ready than most.

On Sunday night against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre, Love did a little bit of everything in his first game since April 26. But most importantly what happened was a hit, a hit he needed on that surgically repaired left shoulder.

"[On] the first play, actually," Love said after registering six points, four rebounds and two assists in 13 minutes. "So that was a good thing and a bad thing. It's been tested a number of times in practice. I keep working on my strength. I'm sure there will be a few scares here and there, but that's kind of the mentality, just getting over the hump."

That moment, the realization that the once-separated shoulder is going to be fine was vital. It allows for him to play worry-free basketball. That's what he did in his limited time during an 87-81 loss to fall to 0-6 in preseason.

Love was agile, full of energy and wasn't hesitant with his attack moves. He called for the ball in the post and knocked down his first two shots on face-up, step-back jumpers over Luis Scola, who was off balance from Love's quick moves.

The three-time All-Star showboated a little with one beautiful pass he flipped behind his back effortlessly to Mo Williams, who nailed a left corner 3-pointer.

"I did not realize that's what he added to his repertoire, but they were successful," an amused Cavs coach David Blatt said. "So, who knows, maybe he's deepening his game."

Love also showed off with his patented two-handed outlet pass that went to Matthew Dellavedova near halfcourt, who lobbed to Timofey Mozgov for an alley-oop slam.

"My body felt better than it has in a long time," he said. "It's a good first step."

Love did, however, clank his last five shots. That's where rust was a factor, but his conditioning was impressive.

"I can tell you that physically, he's in good of shape as he's ever been," Blatt said. "And you can see it on him too. You can see it on his body; you can see it on the way he moves. He really, really worked hard."

Love will start tonight's exhibition finale against the Dallas Mavericks at The Q. It will give the team more information on what he's capable of early on. It will also give fans another glimpse of his longer-than-usual curly hair and black headband.

It's a new look, but he's got the same game. It can only get better from here out.

"My body feels great and I work with a lot of great people here and I owe that to them," he said. "Hopefully I will continue to do that."

Should the Cleveland Browns cut Johnny Manziel? (Video)

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The conversation about Johnny Manziel's future with the Cleveland Browns has been brought up numerous times. It was touched on again over the weekend by former NFL head coach and now CBS Analyst Bill Cowher. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The conversation about Johnny Manziel's future with the Cleveland Browns has been brought up numerous times. It was touched on again over the weekend by former NFL head coach and now CBS Analyst Bill Cowher.

It all stems from Manziel's latest off-the-field incident, which took place in Avon last week. The 2014 first-round pick had been questioned by police after one witness observed him driving 90 mph on the berm on Interstate 90 before erratically crossing several lanes to exit. Another witness watched him struggle to keep his girlfriend, Colleen Crowley, from exiting the moving vehicle.

Browns head coach Mike Pettine classified the latest incident as "disturbing" when asked about it during Monday's press conference. 

Bud Shaw, Dan Labbe, Michael Reghi and I talked about whether it's time ot cut ties with Manziel during our Browns show. 

You can watch the video above.

College Football Playoff mock committee First Four: SEC rises with Ohio State-LSU pairing

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Utah-TCU and Ohio State-LSU are our pairings this week as Clemson dropped out of the playoff picture.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The SEC is back ... in our mock playoff.

The idea that the league that established itself as the best in college football for the last decade could miss the four-team College Football Playoff has been suggested since the start of the season, based on the idea that the conference contenders could feed on each other.

After Alabama's early loss to Ole Miss, that's what happened the previous two weeks, as our voters, without an SEC team in our mock committee First Four, were intrigued by the rising Tide, yet they weren't close to the playoff in a sea on undefeated teams.

But a league with plenty of respected teams also offers opportunity, and that's reflected this week. Last Saturday featured two top 10 matchups in the SEC - Alabama vs Texas A&M and Florida vs. LSU.

Alabama, No. 10 according to our committee last week, knocked No. 5 Texas A&M from the undefeated ranks and out of a potential playoff spot. The undefeated showdown between LSU and Florida, who were tied at No. 6 in our voting last week, led a rise in the rankings.

LSU's win pushed the Tigers into our playoff pairings for the first time this year. In our playoff picture that began after the second week of the season, LSU is the third SEC team to make an appearance.

Alabama was No. 2 after two games, then Ole Miss held the No. 2 spot for the next two weeks. Here's how our playoff looks now.

No. 1 Utah vs. No. 4 TCU in the Orange Bowl

-- This would be a great matchup for Dallas in the Cotton Bowl, but one of the parameters is not giving the lower seed a homefield advantage. In the end, the committee can do what it wants, but for now continue to operate under the assumption that TCU would not play in Dallas as a No. 3 or No. 4 seed. The Utes earned five of 13 first-place votes and also had seven second-place votes and one fourth. TCU got one first-place vote.

No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 LSU in the Cotton Bowl

-- A rematch of the National Championship from the 2007 season, won by Les Miles and the Tigers. Urban Meyer was 3-3 against the Tigers during his time at Florida. Ohio State got six first-place votes, four second-place votes and one each for third, fourth and fifth.

Nothing is assured for the SEC, though. Memphis threw an interesting wrench into that conference picture by beating Ole Miss, the team that had vanquished Alabama.

"Speaking of transitive properties, that Ole Miss lost to Memphis really stings the SEC,' wrote Mike Griffith of MLive.com.

"If ever there was a year for a party-crasher from the Gang of Five, this is it," David Jones of PennLive.com wrote of Memphis. "Paxton Lynch and Memphis actually have the ability to pull this off if two things happen: Ole Miss must not collapse and at least beat Texas A&M and LSU at home. And Memphis must beat undefeated Temple and Houston on the road.

"If, say, Bama wins the West and Ole Miss finishes second and Memphis runs the table, how can they possibly keep the Tigers out, given the comparative results?"

Memphis is one of four undefeated teams from outside the Power 5 conferences, while 10 remain inside those top conferences. LSU is the only one left from the SEC, and if the Tigers continue that, they should be the No. 1 seed by playoff time. If LSU loses, then the SEC will have a lot to sort out, and the playoff committee will have a lot to sort out about the SEC

"The one-loss teams continue to fascinate me," wrote Kevin Scarbinsky of AL.com. "Is anyone playing better than Stanford right now? Unless it's Alabama. Has anyone notched two more emphatic road victories in October than the Crimson Tide at Georgia and Texas A&M?

"We've still got two more weeks left this month, but November is shaping up to give one us massive showdown after another: Baylor-TCU, Michigan State-Ohio State, LSU-Alabama, Florida State-Clemson, Notre Dame-Stanford.

"Thank goodness they'll get the chance to separate themselves down the stretch because it's impossible for us to do it with any conviction or authority right now."

Previous playoff matchups from our committee

Oct. 13: No. 1 Utah vs. No. 4 Clemson, No. 2 Ohio State vs. No 3 TCU

Oct. 6: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Clemson, No. 2 Utah vs. No. 3 TCU

Sept. 29: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Michigan State, No. 2 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 UCLA

Sept. 22: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 TCU, No. 2 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Michigan State

Sept. 15: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 TCU, No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Michigan State

First Four

1. Utah (120)

2. Ohio State (117)

3. LSU (87)

4. TCU (86)

First four out

5. Baylor (81)

6. Clemson (73)

7. Michigan State (54)

8. Alabama (46)

Next four out

9. Florida State (26)

10. Stanford (6)

10. Notre Dame (6)

12. Iowa (5)

About the First Four: Each week during the college football season, our committee of 13 national experts will rank the teams competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Until the real College Football Playoff selection committee begins its rankings on Nov. 3, our committee will provide a look at how that committee might be thinking. They'll then continue to offer an alternative perspective to the real committee. Voters submit a top 10, with 10 points awarded for a No. 1 vote, down to one point for a No. 10 vote.

Our voters: Brent Axe, Syracuse.com; Nick Baumgardner, MLive.com; Ken Goe, OregonLive.com; Mike Griffith, MLive.com; Ron Higgins, NOLA.com; David Jones, PennLive.com; Jim Kleinpeter, NOLA.com; Bill Landis, Cleveland.com; Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland.com; Dan Malone, MassLive.com; Keith Sargeant, NJ.com; Kevin Scarbinsky, AL.com; Brad Wilson, LehighValleyLive.com. 

Cleveland Browns: how close to close are they? -- Bud Shaw's Spinoffs

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The Cleveland Browns say they're close after an agonizing loss to the Denver Broncos in overtime. They might be right. But just so they know, we've heard it all before -- Bud Shaw's Spinoffs

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The head coach watched his defense return an interception for touchdown and collect multiple turnovers.

After the narrow loss to a good team, Mike Pettine called the day "a kick in the gut," an "opportunity that we let go."

Said Donte Whitner, "We have to do the small things. That is going to help us win these games."

That wasn't Sunday following the Browns 26-23 overtime loss to Denver.

It was last year following the Browns 25-24 loss to Indianapolis.

When the Browns swear they're close - as Pettine, Karlos Dansby and Tramon Williams predictably claimed they were after the Broncos game - they might actually be correct.

But until they prove it, they should know this sounds like a continuous loop of hollow chatter that dates back too many regimes to name.

* It was Josh Cribbs who famously said, "We almost always almost win."

But it could've been anybody from the Butch Davis Browns to the present.

Davis had a playoff appearance to validate progress. Romeo Crennel had a 10-6 record.

Pettine has lost nine of his last 11.

* TMZ quotes Eric Metcalf on Johnny Manziel.

"I don't think he should be with the Browns," Metcalf said. "It's all bad publicity.

"He doesn't really help the football team right now and every time you hear his name it's negative. At this point they should move on."

Let's be fair here.

A recent story claimed three unnamed Browns players wanted Manziel as the starting quarterback.

Players have vouched for him.

Pettine said Monday Manziel gets a A-plus for how he's conducted himself in Berea. Even if he's grading on a curve, he didn't have to say that.

That recent story about players wanting Manziel to start - whether it was verifiable or even plausible -- appeared in the same publication as Metcalf's take.

Clearly, it hasn't been all negative every time Manziel's name comes up.

As for bad publicity, the bad publicity the Browns need to change most immediately comes from losing seasons and firing coaches.

* Bengals offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth wasn't too happy that he appeared naked in a NFL Network locker room shot.

Seems the cameraman doing an interview with Adam Jones didn't notice disrobed teammates in the background. Whitworth was one of them.

Whitworth, whose main concern was that his daughter might get teased at school, believes the open locker room policy in the NFL should change.

"There's no other situation in America where you have to do that," he said of changing in front of TV cameras and male and female members of the media.

Except in every other pro sport.

* There's a brief cooling off period after games where the locker room is closed. Media on deadline need access to players, some of whom would rather bolt than answer questions.

There are also off-limits rooms where players can take their clothes and change if they so want.

And other cutting-edge solutions.

Like robes.

And towels.

* Julian Edelman scored a touchdown and fired the football at the Colts logo behind the endzone.

Tom Brady was seen watching the celebration and shaking his head.

Some believe Brady was showing his disapproval since the Patriots like to keep everything in-house, including, possibly, a collective desire to exact revenge on the Colts for starting the Deflategate saga.

Or maybe Brady simply didn't think Edelman hit the logo squarely enough.

* "The last thing you want to do is poke the bear," John Elway told Peter King on the topic of Brady and the revenge factor. "The bear got poked and this is what happened."

Elway's take on Deflategate is that  air pressure in NFL footballs isn't a big deal and that if some QBs like the ball softer, no big deal.

"If that's what makes him play better, fine," said Elway.

Roger Goodell is now believed to be investigating Elway's Super Bowl wins.

* Bill Belichick was asked about the Colts fake punt Sunday night and had a detailed explanation.

"I think the play was a version of the swinging gate play," Belichick told reporters. "I don't know exactly how it was supposed to work. That's something you'd have to ask them about. They brought the gunner in to snap the ball so he would've been an eligible receiver, so we had to cover him.

"I think basically you want to try to, on punt formations . . . it's just a numbers game. You want to have enough guys to match to the smaller numbers, and as many guys as you can to match to the larger number where they were over-shifted."

I get everything Belichick said except "that's something you'd have to ask them about."

The Colts didn't seem to have a clue.

* The fake punt play obviously benefitted the Patriots at a point in the game where their lead was only 27-21.

No. 2 beneficiary: Pete Carroll, who no longer has to hear that not giving Marshawn Lynch the ball at the goal line in the Super Bowl was the worst play ever.

* Colts coach Chuck Pagano said he didn't regret the botched trick play.

Make that future ex-coach Chuck Pagano.


* On one extreme, Pagano says he didn't regret an obviously regrettable play.

On the other we have Damontre Moore.

After the Giants' defensive end drew an obvious roughing the passer penalty on Philadelphia's Sam Bradford Monday, he told reporters, "Honestly, I think it was just part of me just having poor football IQ."

* You got the sense the Colts were trying to be the Patriots with that fake punt call.

And - surprise, surprise - weren't nearly as well coached.

* Brian Hoyer threw for 293 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Jacksonville. He has eight TDs and two interceptions this season.

It was Hoyer's first start since replacing Ryan Mallett against the Colts a week earlier.

Texans' head coach Bill O'Brien says Hoyer is his quarterback.

For at least the next 10 minutes.

* Washington head coach Jay Gruden defended the poor play of quarterback Kirk Cousins in a 34-20 loss to the Jets.

"Yeah I don't know, " Gruden said. "I'll have to look at the film. Like I said - also, it was little windy. But, and also, [there was] a lot of pressure on him."

That pretty much covers it.

Without mentioning Cousins dog threw up pages of the game plan.

* More fallout from the book, "Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen" written by former escort Katina Powell:

Former Louisville recruits confirm they attended parties from 2010-2014 that included strippers paid for by former graduate assistant Andre McGee, who is also accused of paying for a recruit to have sex with an escort in another room.

Powell says she asked McGee if head coach Rick Pitino knew of the escort service and stripper parties, and says McGee told here, "He's Rick. He knows about everything."

Pitino denies any knowledge.

Said Powell, "Four years, a boatload of recruits, a boatload of dancers, loud music, alcohol, security, cameras, basketball players who came in [to the dorm] at will ... "

When you put it that way...

* The city of Canton, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is reportedly interested in playing host to the NFL draft in either 2019 or 2020.

At which time the Browns will be close to turning things around.

Getting to know the St. Louis Rams: Cleveland Browns next opponent

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Here's everything you need to know about the St. Louis Rams.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Sunday is an important game in the grand scheme of things for the Browns and Rams. St. Louis is coming off their bye week at 2-3, outscored 113-84 this season. A loss by the Browns would drop them to 2-4 heading into a matchup against Arizona.

Here's what you need to know about the Rams:

QUARTERBACK

The Rams acquired Nick Foles in the off-season and he's been underwhelming. He's thrown for over 200 yards just one time and more than one touchdown just once. He's coming off a game against Green Bay in which he threw four of his five interceptions. The Rams have the 31st ranked passing offense in the league.

The Edge: Browns

Josh McCown has had a better season but is coming off his worst game as a Brown.

RUNNING BACK

Todd Gurley has taken the featured running back spot and, well, run with it. After returning in Week 3 against Pittsburgh and carrying six times for nine yards, he ran for 146 and 159 yards in Weeks 4 and 5 respectively. The only thing the 10th overall pick in the 2015 draft hasn't done is score a touchdown. Benny Cunningham has been used as a receiving target out of the backfield and is the team's fourth-leading receiver. Tre Mason has been a spectator since Gurley took over, but head coach Jeff Fisher will need the second-year back to play some role to keep Gurley fresh. Their second-leading rusher is wide receiver Tavon Austin.

The Edge: Rams

The Browns don't have an offensive weapon like Gurley anywhere on their roster.

WIDE RECEIVER

Kenny Britt leads the team in receiving yards while Austin leads in touchdown catches. As mentioned above, Austin is used as a runner, too. Stedman Bailey is third on the team in receiving yards and is a big-play target at just under 18 yards per catch.

The Edge: Even

Travis Benjamin is having the best season at wide receiver of anyone on both teams. The Rams' two and three are better. The rest are too close to call.

TIGHT ENDS

Jared CookJared Cook is the Rams top tight end, but could be on the trading block. 

The Rams spent big money on Jared Cook in 2013 and he's second on the team in receiving yards and possibly on the trading block, depending who you ask. Lance Kendricks is listed as the second tight end. He's hauled in seven passes and a touchdown and is dealing with a thumb injury. Cory Harkey has been targeted just twice.

The Edge: Browns

It's still all about Gary Barnidge and his ability as one of the Browns' most consistent playmakers.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Guard Roger Saffold is done for the season. Veteran Garrett Reynolds is starting in his place. The left side is young with second-year Greg Robinson at tackle and rookie Jamon Brown at guard. Another rookie starts at right tackle in Rob Havenstein with fourth-year center Tim Barnes in the middle. The Rams have allowed nine sacks.

The Edge: Browns

With the Rams shuffling their line due to Saffold's injury, the Browns get the nod.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Robert QuinnRobert Quinn is a disruptive force on the defensive line. 

Second-year tackle Aaron Donald is second on the team with 3.5 sacks. He's joined in the middle by Michael Brockers. Robert Quinn has been nothing but disruptive from his end position, leading the team with four sacks and forcing three fumbles. Veteran end Chris Long left the game against the Packers with a knee injury, but it wasn't as bad as first thought and he could return this week. Nick Fairley, signed on a one-year deal, has struggled to find his fit on the line

The Edge: Rams

The front four, even banged up, can cause all sorts of problems for an opposing offense.

LINEBACKERS

The Rams lost Alec Ogletree, their leading tackler, to surgery to repair a fractured fibula. They're hoping to have him back this season. In his place, they shuffled Akeem Ayers over to Ogletree's side. James Laurinaitis mans the middle and is the Rams' all-time leading tackler. They also brought back Jo-Lonn Dunbar, one of the team's final cuts coming into the season.

The Edge: Rams

The Browns linebackers, even after registering three picks against Denver, still haven't played well enough to get the edge on this group.

SECONDARY

Janoris JenkinsJanoris Jenkins has two interceptions this season. 

The Rams feature Trumaine Johnson and Janoris Jenkins on the outside, each with two interceptions on the season.

Third-year safety T.J. McDonald had some thinking Pro Bowl coming into this season. Rodney McLeod is back at free safety after the Rams put the second-round tender on him. He recorded two interceptions and two forced fumbles a year ago. Marcus Roberson and LaMarcus Joyner are both second-year corners with Joyner receiving most of the playing time at nickel.

The Edge: Rams

St. Louis has a secondary that can make plays and the Browns secondary needs to get healthy and start forcing some turnovers.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker Greg Zuerlein has converted seven of his 10 kicks. All three misses have come from over 50 yards, his one make from that distance a 52-yard kick. Johnny Hekker is averaging 47 yards per punt. Austin handles punt return duties and has taken one kick to the house. Cunningham is the team's leading kickoff return man.

The Edge: Browns

Travis Coons still hasn't missed, Andy Lee has a crazy big leg and, as good as Austin is returning punts, Travis Benjamin is better.

COACHING

Jeff Fisher has been unable to get the Rams anywhere near where he had the Tennessee Titans, a team he won 13 games with three times and appeared in a Super Bowl. Fisher is 164-150-1 for his career. Frank Cignetti took over as offensive coordinator after three seasons coaching quarterbacks. Gregg Williams reunited with Fisher as defensive coordinator in 2014.

The Edge: Rams

The jury's out on Fisher's tenure, but Mike Pettine, as I've written in this space before, still has much to prove.

MEMORY LANE

December 24, 1950: Browns win first NFL Championship

Fresh off dominating the AAFC with four straight titles, the Browns won their first NFL title against the then-L.A. Rams, 30-28, in a back-and-forth affair. Lou Groza kicked a 16-yard field goal for the go-ahead points. Quarterback Otto Graham threw for 298 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for another 99 yards. Dante Lavelli caught 11 passes for 128 yards and two scores. The Rams and Browns would meet in championship games again in 1951 and 1955, with the Rams winning in '51 and the Browns again in '55.

One other note: The Rams were the Cleveland Rams from 1937 until 1945, winning the NFL title in 1945.


Semifinals begin in contest to crown best high school football student section in Northeast Ohio (photos, polls)

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Trinity, Stow, Buckeye and Archbishop Hoban are competing in the semifinals of cleveland.com contest to decide Northeast Ohio's best high school football student section.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The semifinals are off and running in cleveland.com's contest to decide which school has the best high school football student section in Northeast Ohio.

There are four semifinalists competing in a bracketed tournament with seedings, based on where each student section finished after more than 84,000 votes in the first round earlier this month.


Here is a look at how voting is going in the semifinals after polls opened Tuesday morning at 6 a.m. (Click the links to access the polls and photo galleries).



Voting in each semifinal matchup is open until Monday, Oct. 26 at noon. Votes are permitted once per hour and do not carry over from previous weeks. 


The final two student sections will square off in the championship round beginning Oct. 26.


For more high school sports news, like NEOvarsity on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Candidates announced for non-football fall sports Team of the Week contest for Oct. 20, 2015 (poll)

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Vote in the poll to let us know who you think deserves to be named Fall Sports Team of the Week for Oct. 20, 2015.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Who would you vote as your Northeast Ohio high school non-football sports Team of the Week?

Every week, we will give you an opportunity to respond and share who should be the Team of the Week winner. As a result of similar schools winning the same titles, we've combined the cross country nominations. This week's nominees are as follows:


1. Kenston's boys cross country team, ranked 19th in the State in Division I, won the Western Reserve Conference Championship with a score of 22 points. Team placed 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th & 8th overall - each runner earning 1st Team all WRC honors.


2. Holy Name's volleyball team won the Great Lakes Conference after defeating Parma, 3-0. The team finished 12-0 in the conference.


3. Medina's boys golf team won the Division I boys district golf tournament at Pine Hills. (recap).


4. Olmsted Falls' boys soccer team set a school record its 13th win and 10th shutout in the 1-0 win against Avon.


5. Bay's girls soccer team (12-2-2) won the Great Lakes Conference championship game after defeating Rocky River, 4-1


6. The Avon Lake girls soccer team completed an undefeated Southwestern Conference season (7-0-2) after tying with North Olmsted, 0-0.


7. Magnificat's girls cross country team used second- and third-place finishes by Bina Frost and Lindsay Bush to place first as a team for Divisions I and II in the Sim Earich Invitational.


8. Chardon's girls cross country team won the Western Reserve Conference.


9. Aurora's boys and girls cross country teams won the Suburban League American Division.


10. Hudson's boys and girls cross country teams won the Suburban League National Division.


11. Avon's boys and girls cross country teams won the Southwestern Conference.


12. Walsh Jesuit's girls cross country team won the North Coast League Blue Division.


13. Cloverleaf's girls cross country team won the Portage Trail Metro Division.


14. Black River's boys and girls cross country teams won the Patriot Athletic Conference.


15. CVCA's girls cross country team won the Principals Athletic Conference.


16. Cleveland Heights' boys and girls cross country team won the Lake Erie League title.


17. Solon's boys and girls cross country teams won the Greater Cleveland Conference.


18. Hawken's girls cross country team won the Chargin Valley Conference Valley Division.


19. Western Reserve Academy's boys cross country team won the Division III Sim Earich Invitational.


20. St. Ignatius' boys cross country team won the Division I Sim Earich Invitational.


21. Mogadore's boys cross country team won the Portage Trail Metro Division.


22. Crestwood's boys and girls cross country teams won the Portage Trail County Division.


23. Lake Catholic's boys cross country team won the North Coast League Blue Division.


24. Orange's boys cross country team won the Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division title.


25. Wickliffe's boys cross country team won the Chagrin Valley Conference Metro Division title.


Our high school sports staff will go through the nominations and decide which ones to include in the poll to decide who wins the Team of the Week. Look for the Team of the Week poll every Tuesday morning. Voting is open until Thursday at 9 a.m.


Did we miss one? Let us know by adding an answer into the poll or leaving a message in the comments section below.


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. 


For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on TwitterContact Nathaniel Cline on Twitter (@nathanielcline), by email (ncline@cleveland.comor log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

OHSAA sectional/district brackets for boys and girls soccer, volleyball and field hockey (printable, interactive)

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See OHSAA brackets in all boys and girls soccer, volleyball and field hockey postseason tournaments involving local teams.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Playoffs have arrived in several team sports and cleveland.com has you covered with printable and interactive brackets for all local OHSAA sectional/district tournaments in boys and girls soccer, volleyball and field hockey.

The playoffs began Monday. Brackets will be updated daily throughout the postseason. The brackets show when and where all local teams are playing. They also are interactive, linking to box scores and team pages. 


Regional brackets will be added after district tournament play, followed by state final four brackets.



For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter


Ohio State football: 7 things to know about Rutgers before Buckeyes travel to New Jersey

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Ohio State plays at Rutgers on Saturday at 8 p.m.

Nigel Warrior, a top-five safety in '16, sets official visit to Ohio State for Michigan State: Ohio State football recruiting

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Warrior will officially visit Ohio State on Nov. 21 when the Buckeyes host Michigan State, which could be a matchup between two 10-0 teams hoping to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State has taken two very good players out of Suwanee (Ga.) Peachtree Ridge that are both in the NFL Right now: Defensive tackle Cameron Heyward and cornerback Bradley Roby. 

So of course Ohio State is back in that high school trying to add another elite talent. 

That talent is four-star safety Nigel Warrior, who is rated in the 247Sports composite rankings the No. 4 safety in the 2016 recruiting class

The son of former NFL player and Tennessee Volunteer Dale Carter, Warrior has racked up roughly 30 offers, but he's most considering Ohio State, LSU, Oregon, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. 

Ohio State is going to get its chance to leave its mark, even though it seems like it would be an uphill battle to get the 5-foot-11, 188-pound prospect out of the South. 

Warrior will officially visit Ohio State on Nov. 21 when the Buckeyes host Michigan State, which could be a matchup between two 10-0 teams hoping to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff. 

BuckeyeGrove.com's Marc Givler first reported Warrior's intentions to take the official visit to Columbus. 

Below is a recent video interview with Warrior from Scout.com. 

 

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