The horse's performance in the Preakness three weeks ago has trainer Dale Romans confident.

View full sizeJulie Jacobson / Associated PressBelmont Stakes hopeful First Dude gallops around the track Friday during a workout with exercise rider Tammy Fox at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The 142nd running of the Belmont Stakes is today.

Richard Rosenblatt / Associated Press

NEW YORK -- First Dude seems to be building up for a breakthrough victory. Trainer Dale Romans is confident it could happen in today's $1 million Belmont Stakes.

"The Belmont will be this horse's race because he wants to go a mile and a half," Romans said, "and he'll love the track."

Romans' confidence soared after his 3-year-old bay colt set the pace in the Preakness nearly three weeks ago, then managed to duel with Lookin At Lucky in the stretch before settling for second. The trainer is eager to send out First Dude against 11 others in the 11/2-mile final leg of the Triple Crown.

"You're not going to skip a classic with a horse like this," Romans said. "He's a throwback kind of horse, a big rugged kind of horse, nothing bothers him, and I don't think three weeks is going to bother him."

First Dude may have just one victory in seven starts for owner Donald Dizney, but finished fifth in the Florida Derby, third in the Blue Grass and second in the Preakness in his three Grade 1 starts.

And now, without Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and Lookin At Lucky to deal with, First Dude is the second betting choice at 7-2 behind Derby runner-up Ice Box, who is 3-1 on the morning-line.

"We think with extra distance and a little more experience we can turn the tables on Ice Box," Romans said.

A win by First Dude would likely put the colt whose name refers to Todd Palin -- husband of former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin -- at the top of the 3-year-old division.

"You won't get any argument from me," Romans said.

To get his horse used to Belmont Park, the only race course in North America with a 1 1/2-mile dirt track, Romans sent First Dude to New York nearly two weeks ago. So far, so good.

"I wanted to make sure he trained over this surface, which is deeper and sandier," the trainer said. "And it also give him a chance to get used to the mile and a half oval."

With New York's leading rider Ramon Dominguez aboard, Romans figures he has the right jockey to get the job done.

"I think it's an advantage to us to have a rider that's been here and ridden over this racetrack a lot," Romans said.

Still looking for his first Triple Crown win, Romans says First Dude is the best chance he's had, especially if he gets the lead.

John Velazquez, who will be aboard 9-2 third choice Fly Down, agrees.

"If First Dude gets alone on the lead, he's going to be tough," Velazquez said. "If he is out there by himself, I hope the one-and-a-half-miles gets him. If it doesn't, I hope I get him."

Here's why Roman believes his horse fits the course: "He's a great big horse with a long loping stride, and I think the big, sweeping turns here will help him. He's strong and he's handled everything we've given him and bounced right back."

Romans is having quite a Triple Crown of his own. He finished third in the Derby with Paddy O'Prado before First Dude ran second in the Preakness.

"I hope it's a progression," he said.

The other dude in the race is Game on Dude. Unlike Romans, trainer Bob Baffert has a slew of Triple Crown race wins, including his most recent with Lookin At Lucky. He's got a Belmont win with Point Given in 2001, but knows Game on Dude -- at 10-1 -- will need an exceptional effort to pull off an upset.

"I am looking forward to seeing what he will do going a distance of ground," Baffert said. "That's the key to the Belmont, having a horse who can go that far."

Game on Dude won the Lone Star Derby on May 8 in his last start, and will be ridden by Martin Garcia -- who was aboard Lookin At Lucky in the Preakness.

Not only are the Derby and Preakness winners out of the Belmont, so is Sinatra.

The New York Racing Association said Thursday that Frank Sinatra's classic version of "New York, New York" is being replaced by "Empire State of Mind" as the music heard when the horses step onto the track before the Belmont.

The change is being made because Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind" has become a "quintessential 21st century theme song for New York City," NYRA marketing director Neema Ghazi said. "It's inspirational and resonates with those who aspire to achieve great things living in the world's greatest city"

"New York, New York" replaced "Sidewalks of New York" in 1997.

Alicia Keys' version of "Empire State of Mind" is to be performed by teenage recording artist Jasmine Villegas.

Jim Wyant wants students and teachers to remember Bill Sudeck every time they step into the new field house. He still is amazed at how Sudeck "Treated me like a great athlete, and I was far from that."

View full sizeCourtesy of Case Western ReserveThis is an artist rendering of the new Wyant Field House that will be constructed on the campus of Case Western Reserve University. Optical science pioneer and Case Western Reserve trustee James Wyant has made a $4 million commitment to name the new field house.

Wyant was a skinny freshman at Case (now Case Western Reserve) University, sitting in a booth at the Howard Johnson's restaurant. He was having a milkshake and talking to a few friends.

"What's your name?" asked a man, who identified himself as Sudeck, the school's track coach.

The 5-8, 140-pound Wyant stared at the man for a moment, confused. Then the freshman physics major introduced himself.

"You're thin and look like a runner," said Sudeck. "Cross country practice is tomorrow at 3, I expect to see you there."

Then Sudeck left.

Wyant remembers it as if Sudeck "came out of nowhere." Then he was gone. He thought the entire conversation was strange.

View full sizeChuck Crow / PDThe bust of Bill Sudeck is on display in the John T. Vaughan Athletic Hall of Fame in the Veale Convocation Center on CWRU's campus. He was not a runner, and had absolutely no intention of wasting time on cross country.

The academics at Case seemed demanding enough for a freshman from Lyons, a small town of about 500 in western Ohio. Wyant's father died in 1948 when he was 5, and he was raised by his mother.

Given all that, why run at least six miles at practice after school?

But the next day, he was summoned to a phone at his dorm.

"Where were you?" asked Sudeck. "You missed practice. I'll see you tomorrow."

To this day, Wyant isn't sure exactly why Sudeck recruited him so hard -- he was not much of an athlete. Nor did Wyant know why he went to practice, but he did. Four years later, he was captain of the cross country team. He also ran track for Sudeck in the spring, the mile and half-mile.

"I was never that great of a runner," he said. "But he was there for me all four years. He knew nothing about me when we first met, but he seemed to believe in me."

That's why Wyant is making a $4 million donation to CWRU to build a field house that can be used by both athletes and students. There will be weights, equipment, a health/wellness center. Wyant had already donated $250,000 in 2008 for a track, which is named after Sudeck.

Wyant is now the dean of optical science at the University of Arizona. Under his leadership, Arizona has been one of the nation's leaders in the optics industry. The 1965 CWRU graduate has won tons of awards and honors, but he has zero interest in discussing them or what he has accomplished.

While the new field house will be named after him, Wyant wants students and teachers to remember Sudeck every time they step into the new field house. He still is amazed at how Sudeck "Treated me like a great athlete, and I was far from that."

Sudeck coached at CWRU for 46 years until his death from cancer in 2000. He coached cross country, track and basketball. He was ideal for non-scholarship Division III because he wanted to win, but was truly committed to his athletes -- because he treated them as students first.

"Coach Sudeck saw sports as a good way to blow off steam from all the tests and papers and pressure that students feel at Case," said Wyant. "He understood that we had labs and other things for class, and he adjusted his practices. He was just there for you."

Wyant said one of the things that Sudeck said is, "Never kick a sick dog." He meant to never pile on someone when they were down.

"If he had a temper, I never saw it," recalled Wyant. "He was such a patient person."

While Wyant gained the virtues of listening, of mentoring and instilling confidence in his students from Sudeck -- he picked up something else.

"Finish what you start," he said. "As a [distance] runner you learn that. You can't run 80 or 90 percent of the race, you need to finish it. You find you can finish it if you work hard enough, and that applies to life."

Wyant was in town Friday night for a CWRU board meeting, where he also will be installed as a new trustee.

"I remember running in the snow on the old cinder track," said Wyant. "I hoped that one day I'd make enough money to come back and help the athletic department."

That day was Friday, and it's a day that truly does honor the memory of a very special coach.

To reach Terry Pluto: terrypluto2003@yahoo.com, 216-999-4674

Columbus, Ohio - The state track meet was delayed by rain at 10:05 a.m. with six Division III races complete. Athletes in the girls 1,600-meter run were on the track when lightning was sighted, necessitating the delay. No estimated time for a restart has been given. Events complete were the 100 hurdles, 100 dash and 4x200 relay, both boys...

Columbus, Ohio - The state track meet was delayed by rain at 10:05 a.m. with six Division III races complete. Athletes in the girls 1,600-meter run were on the track when lightning was sighted, necessitating the delay. No estimated time for a restart has been given.

Events complete were the 100 hurdles, 100 dash and 4x200 relay, both boys and girls, in Division III. Trinity's girls 4x200 team of senior Carley Walters and juniors Chelsea Nehez, Jessica Glazer and Claire Lucas finished fifth in the state.

Columbus, Ohio - The state baseball tournament has been delayed by rain and it appears the four championship games are in jeopardy of not being played at all today. The Division IV final between Fort Loramie (29-3) and Newark Catholic (15-19), scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., was never started and officials have not given an approximate starting time.

Columbus, Ohio - The state baseball tournament has been delayed by rain and it appears the four championship games are in jeopardy of not being played at all today.

The Division IV final between Fort Loramie (29-3) and Newark Catholic (15-19), scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., was never started and officials have not given an approximate starting time.

St. Edward (27-3) and Cincinnati Elder (28-4) are scheduled to play for the Division I state championship at 4 p.m. and Walsh Jesuit (30-1) is scheduled to play Plain City Jonathan Alder (33-0) for the Division II title at 7 p.m.

Officials suggested keeping an eye on the Ohio High School Athletic Association website, www.ohsaa.org, for updates. Check cleveland.com/hssports for updates as well.

Columbus, Ohio - The state track meet resumed at 11:05 a.m. following a lightning delay and currently is running one hour behind schedule. The meet was stopped at 10:05 a.m. in the middle of the Division III races and Division II field events.

Columbus, Ohio - The state track meet resumed at 11:05 a.m. following a lightning delay and currently is running one hour behind schedule.

The meet was stopped at 10:05 a.m. in the middle of the Division III races and Division II field events.

It resumed with the girls 1,600 meters. Gilmour senior Bekka Simko placed second, 5.12 seconds behind Casstown Miami East senior Julie Accurso (4:57.50). Hawken freshman Alexandra Markovich was eighth.

Gilmour is third in the girls team race with 18 points, behind Versailles (22.5) and Steubenville Central Catholic (20).

Berkshire sophomore Matt Pelletier placed fifth in the boys 1,600.

Weather forecasters are predicting another storm to hit Columbus between 2-3 p.m.

With Danny Ferry out, LeBron is more kingly in Cleveland than ever, if such a thing is possible.

Columbus -- St. Edward and Walsh Jesuit will have to wait until Sunday in their attempts to win state baseball championships. OHSAA officials said they will try to conduct the Division IV and Division III games today and postpone the Division I and II games to tomorrow.

Columbus -- St. Edward and Walsh Jesuit will have to wait until Sunday in their attempts to win state baseball championships.

OHSAA officials said they will try to conduct the Division IV and Division III games today and postpone the Division I and II games to tomorrow.

St. Edward (27-3) is now scheduled to play Cincinnati Elder (28-4) for the Division I title at 3 p.m. and Walsh Jesuit (30-1) will play Plain City Jonathan Alder (33-0) at 6 p.m.

The postponement caused another headache for Walsh Jesuit, which is scheduled to hold its commencement at 10 a.m. Sunday at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron.

The team returned to Cuyahoga Falls today shortly after hearing the schedule change. The freshmen, sophomores and juniors on the team will wait for the seniors to receive their diplomas and the team will return to Columbus to play the game.

-- Tim Rogers

Columbus, Ohio - Gilmour Academy's Rebekka Simko won the only state championship among area athletes in competition Saturday at the Division III track meet. The Lancers senior also had a pair of runner-up finishes. Simko, a two-time champ in the 400-meter dash, won the 1600 and finished second in the 800. She was also on Gilmour's runner-up 4x400 team.

Columbus, Ohio - Gilmour Academy's Rebekka Simko won the only state championship among area athletes in competition Saturday at the Division III track meet. The Lancers senior also had a pair of runner-up finishes.

Simko, a two-time champ in the 400-meter dash, won the 1600 and finished second in the 800. She was also on Gilmour's runner-up 4x400 team.

In the team race, Gilmour finished second with 36 points. Versailles won the team title with 47.5.

COLUMBUS -- It rained, but not on Collinwood's parade. The Railroaders won the Division II girls state track championship, 77-71, over runner-up Columbus Bishop Hartley.

Collinwood Coach Lou Slapnik with his team's eight trophies before Saturday.



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(Lonnie Timmons III, The Plain Dealer)

COLUMBUS -- It rained, but not on Collinwood's parade.

The Railroaders won the Division II girls state track championship, 77-71, over runner-up Columbus Bishop Hartley.

It was Collinwood's ninth girls track state title and its first in Division II. The other eight were in Division I. Collinwood dropped to Division II this year.

It also was the final title for retiring coach Lou Slapnik.

Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy was third with 57 points, followed by St. Vincent-St. Mary (26), Warrensville Heights (18), and Lake Catholic (17).

Woodridge was the Division II boys runner-up. Pemberville Eastwood won with 39 points, Woodridge had 32 and Buchtel tied Dayton Dunbar with 30.

With rain falling and a line of thunderstorms approaching, the state track meet was halted for a second time today just as the Division II meet ended and Division I athletes were warming up.

Indians first base coach Sandy Alomar says Sizemore's chances of recovering from mircrofracture surgery are good. Alomar underwent the procedure twice.

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerIndians coach Sandy Alomar Jr. is proof that Grady Sizemore's microfracture surgery need not end his big-league career.CHICAGO, Ill. -- This is a daily review of the Indians' 2010 season. They play the White Sox tonight in the second game of a three-game series at U.S. Cellular Field.

The dimensions at U.S. Cellular are 330 feet down the left field line, 400 to center field, 372 in right center and 335 down the right field line.

 Game 54: Center fielder Grady Sizemore had microfracture surgery on his left knee Friday. He'll be recovering for the next six to nine months.

Sandy Alomar Jr. says if the surgery takes, Sizemore should be fine. Alomar had microfracture surgery on his left knee twice while playing for the Indians.

He had it the first time before the 1995 season. Dr. Richard Steadman, who operated on Sizemore in Vail, Colo., operated on Alomar.

"The doctors said I'd be out six months," said Alomar. "I made it back in three months. I had a divot in my bone. At that time no one in baseball knew what it was. I had to have surgery because I couldn't squat down to catch."

Alomar, an All-Star catcher for the Indians, had the procedure done again in 1999.

"If you get that thing done, you should be OK," said Alomar, referring to Sizemore. "I played all the way from 1995 until 2007 and I was catching. The guy Steadman is pretty good. He operated on Carlos Beltran, too, and he's just about ready to come back for the Mets."

Microfracture surgery makes tiny fractures in the joint, causing it to bleed and create a scab. That scar replaces loose or damaged cartilage that's been removed through surgery or injury.

 "It's flip a coin, but once you come back you should be solid," said Alomar. "Once it becomes calcified, you should be all right."

Lineups

Indians (20-33): CF Trevor Crowe (S), RF Shin-Soo Choo (L) LF Austin Kearns (R), 1B Russell Branyan, 3B Jhonny Peralta (R), DH Travis Hafner (L), 2B Luis Valbuena (L), C Lou Marson (R), SS Jason Donald (R) and RHP Mitch Talbot (6-4, 3.78). 

White Sox (23-31): LF Juan Pierre (L), SS Alexei Ramirez (R), CF Alex Rios (R), 1B Paul Konerko (R), DH Andruw Jones (R), RF Carlos Quentin (R), C Ramon Castro (R), 2B Gordon Beckham (R), 3B Jayson Nix (R) and RHP Jake Peavy (4-4, 6.23).

Umpires: H Lance Barksdale, 1B Ed Rapuano, 2B Tom Hallion, 3B Ron Kulpa.

 Quote of the day: "A manager has his cards dealt to him and he must play them," Miller Huggins, former Yankees manager, from Baseball's Greatest Quotations by Paul Dickson.

 Next: RHP Jake Westbrook (3-3, 4.36) vs. LHP Mark Buehrle (3-6, 4.84).

Phil Mickelson is 2-under today and tied for 10th, five shots out of the lead.

Jay LaPrete / Associated PressRickie Fowler has maintained his lead at the Memorial by making six straight pars to start his round.DUBLIN, Ohio - Rain is ruining plans at the Memorial Tournament today, where the start of play was delayed for four hours and another weather delay began just after 4 p.m. Play is scheduled to resume at 5:15.

The lead group is only through six holes at this point, with second-round leader Rickie Fowler holding on to the top spot by making six pars to start his round, staying at 13-under par. His original three-shot lead is down to two shots, though, with Justin Rose and Tim Petrovic, the other players in Fowler's group, both at 11-under par.

Tiger Woods, who started the day at 3-under, 10 shots out of the lead, is 1-under on the day through 12 holes, making birdies on his last two holes after double bogeying No. 10. So he's at 4-under, nine shots out of the lead.

Phil Mickelson is 2-under through seven holes and is 8-under for the tournament and tied for 10th. He's made three birdies and one bogey.

Ricky Barnes is 7-under today through 12 holes, with five birdies and an eagle. He has moved to 10-under and into a tie for fourth. 

State track recap, Day 2 Division III

Gilmour Academy's Rebekka Simko, left, tries to catch Miami Valley School's Elaina Cromer in the 4x400-meter relay at the Division III state track meet in Columbus. Gilmour finished second.



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(John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer)

State track recap, Day 2

Division III

What happened:

Gilmour Academy fell just shy of winning its second consecutive girls team championship and fifth in sixth years. Versailles won with 47.5 points. Gilmour had 36. North Robinson Colonel Crawford won the boys title with 41 points. Trinity, 21st with 10 points, was the highest area boys finisher.

The star:

Gilmour senior Rebekka Simko won the 800-meter run, was second in the 1,600 and was part of the runner-up 4x400 team. She also was on the winning 4x800 team on Friday.

Notable:

Gilmour has finished first or second in the state each of the past six years.

  Columbus, Ohio - A day most athletes could only dream of left Bekka Simko feeling a little ho-hum.

Gilmour Academy’s Bart Merkel is helped up from the infield, exhausted after his 3,200 run at the Division III state track meet in Columbus. He finished fifth, and said his fast finish ended up costing him in the stretch.



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(John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer )

Columbus, Ohio - A day most athletes could only dream of left Bekka Simko feeling a little ho-hum.

Simko earned three more trips to the podium -- though she made just one -- to help Gilmour Academy to a runner-up finish in the girls team standings at the Division III state track meet Saturday at Jesse Owens Stadium.

"It's kind of mixed emotions," said Simko, who started the day with one state title under her belt, having run Friday on the winning 4x800 relay team.

"I'm really happy. It went really well, but my goal coming in was to win all four, and we wanted to win the team title. But I'm happy."

With Simko doing a lot of the work, the Lancers finished second with 36 points to Versailles' 47.5 points.

Trinity's boys, led by Nick Gliha's runner-up finish in the 3,200, was the top area boys team. The Trojans were tied for 21st with 10 points.

Gilmour was looking to defend its state title despite not having sprint star Candace Longino-Thomas, whose postseason was cut short by an injury. A healthy Thomas would likely have made the Lancers runaway winners. Her teammates performed admirably nonetheless.

"I'm so proud of the girls," Simko said. "They have really stepped it up."

Simko, who won 11 state titles in her four years, started her day by finishing second in the 1,600.

She dropped three seconds off her regional time despite hot, muggy conditions, but Casstown Miami East senior Juli Accurso was just a little better. Accurso went out fast and never seemed to slow. She finished in 4:57.50, more than five seconds ahead of Simko.

"I wasn't mentally ready," Simko said. "[Accurso] took off, and I didn't react well. She is an awesome runner."

Simko bounced back nicely in the 800. She dropped nearly four seconds off her regional time and won by a second over Cedarville's Katie Bunker.

Simko then didn't take her spot on the podium, opting instead to prepare for the 4x400 with her teammates.

"I just wanted to get ready for my next race," she said. "I was so tired after the mile and the eight. I didn't want to just be standing around here [in the awards area]. I felt so bad about that."

The Lancers were looking for their fourth consecutive state title in the 4x400 to match the feat they turned Friday in the 4x800. The foursome of seniors Kathryn Drew, Grace Brennan and Simko, and freshman Alexis Anton, ran a season-best 3:59.85, but finished four-tenths of a second behind Dayton Miami Valley.

"The 4x4 is kind of our thing," Simko said. "It's our pride and joy. It's a little disappointing."

Trinity's Gliha also fell short of defending a state title. He finished second, nine seconds back of Springfield Emmanuel Christian Academy, who was runner-up to Gliha a year ago.

Gliha wanted to win, but was far from moping about his finish.

"I'm actually ecstatic about this race," he said. "This year, there was a lot of competition. I fell for a little bit of a trap and ran the [first] mile in like 4:53."

Gilmour senior Bart Merkel finished 11th in the event a year ago, but had the fastest regional time among the 16 runners. He finished fifth, after what he said was too fast of a start.

"I didn't think people would take it out so hard, and I ran a really fast first lap," he said. "At that point, I knew I was going to die at some time, I just didn't know when."

Cornerstone Christian junior Courtney Reese placed fourth in the 400. Her finals time of 58.84 was just a hair off her prelim time, which had her seeded third. A similar time in the finals would have moved her up one spot.

"I've been improving year by year," said Reese, her school's first state-placer. "Last year, I didn't even make it to the finals. [Friday], I actually broke my PR, so today I didn't exactly race my best race. Next year, I'll definitely come in here aiming for first."

Trinity's girls team of senior Carley Walters and juniors Chelsea Nehez, Jessica Glazer and Claire Lucas finished fifth in the 4x200. The Trojans finished in 1:45.8, one one-hundredth of a second slower than their qualifying time, which was only the seventh-fastest.

Todd Stumpf is a freelance writer in Rittman.

Columbus, Ohio -- The state track meet has resumed following the second storm delay of the day. The meet is running one hour behind schedule. It restarted at 5:30 p.m. with the beginning of the Division I track finals.

Olmsted Falls senior Matt Stenger clears 15 feet, 4 inches in the Division I pole vault in Columbus. He placed sixth.



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(John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer )

Columbus, Ohio -- The state track meet has resumed following the second storm delay of the day.

The meet is running one hour behind schedule. It restarted at 5:30 p.m. with the beginning of the Division I track finals.

Five Division I field events have been completed.

The area swept the 4x200 relay, with Glenville's boys and Buchtel's girls victorious.

Medina junior Taylor Burke won her second high jump title, clearing 5-11 and breaking her own Division I Jesse Owens Stadium record.

Brecksville junior Beckie Famurewa placed third in the discus. Twinsburg's Brittani Reid was fourth and Aurora's Jessica Baker was tied for fifth.

Sophomore Christian Nogueras of Lorain Southview placed third in the boys long jump at 22-9 3/4. Massillon junior Devin Smith won on the final jump, landing in the pit at 23-4- 1/4.

Canfield senior Dustin Brode rewrote the shot put record book, winning with a 71-7 1/2, the longest throw in Ohio high school history. He won by nearly nine feet. Solon's A.J. Hicks was fifth (56-8 1/4).

In the pole vault, Olmsted Falls' Matt Stenger placed sixth and Amherst's Matt Zvosec was seventh.

State track recap, Day 2 Division II

Collinwood's Erin Busbee makes her kick in the Division II long jump competition. Busbee won the event. She also placed second in the 100 meters, third in the 200 and fourth in the high jump.



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(John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer)

State track recap, Day 2

Division II

What happened:

Collinwood's girls won their ninth state track title and first in Division II. The Railroaders put up 77 points to hold off favored Columbus Bishop Hartley with 71. It was the most points by a runner-up in the history of the tournament. Collinwood senior Amber Smith won the 300-meter hurdles, senior Erin Busbee won the long jump and the 4x200 relay team knocked off Hartley. Among boys, Pemberville Eastwood used the points scored by two athletes to hold off Woodridge, 38-32.

The stars:

* Smith, a Michigan recruit, started her day by finishing fourth in the long jump (5 points). She was second in the 100 hurdles (8), won the 300 hurdles (10) and anchored the winning 4x200 (10), helping her team earn 33 points.

* Busbee, another Michigan recruit, won the long jump (10 points), was second in the 100 (8), third in the 200 (6) and fourth in the high jump (5) on Friday, contributing 29 points.

* Buchtel sophomore Nathaniel Harris won the 100 and 200, then anchored the 4x200 relay to another win.

Notable:

Collinwood girls coach Lou Slapnik is going out in style, guiding his team to its ninth state title since 1997. The first eight were in Division I. Slapnik is retiring after 17 years.

Columbus -- Halfway through the final race of Saturday's Division II girls track meet, a train whistle sounded in the distance at Ohio State's Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The Collinwood girls were too busy finishing second in their 4x400 relay to listen, but retiring Railroaders coach Lou Slapnik heard it and understood the meaning. His Lady Railroaders -- who...

Collinwood senior Erin Busbee hits the sand during the Division II long jump in Columbus. Busbee won, helping the Railroaders win the team crown as well.



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(John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer)

Columbus -- Halfway through the final race of Saturday's Division II girls track meet, a train whistle sounded in the distance at Ohio State's Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

The Collinwood girls were too busy finishing second in their 4x400 relay to listen, but retiring Railroaders coach Lou Slapnik heard it and understood the meaning. His Lady Railroaders -- who dropped to Division II this season -- were wrapping up their ninth state title in 17 years and the retiring coach could finally let himself celebrate a bit.

"That is awesome" shouted Slapnik, getting some hugs from a small party of Collinwood friends.

Yeah, it was.

Using six girls in nine events, Collinwood put up 77 points to hold off Columbus Bishop Hartley with 71, the most points ever in boys or girls divisions for a runner-up. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy was third with 57 points.

On the boys side, Pemberville Eastwood had the edge with 38 points as Woodridge was second with 32 points and Buchtel, paced by two sprint wins from sophomore Nathaniel Harris, took third with 30.

Collinwood started its day with a win by senior Erin Busbee in the long jump at 19-3 3/4. There was a bit of disappointment as senior and fellow Michigan recruit Amber Smith settled for fourth, expecting to snare second.

"You have to take each event separately," said Smith. "If I had let that get to me, I wouldn't have got second in the 100 [hurdles]. You can't have any regrets. It worked for us."

Defending 100 hurdles champ JeRica Sanders from Lake Catholic edged Smith in her signature event.

But in two stirring efforts, Smith broke her own Division II record in the 300 hurdles (42.83) and anchored another Division II record in the 4x200 (1:39.76), with teammates Brittini Brown, Amirah Harbour and Jasmine Lett. It tied the mark Hartley set in Friday's qualifying.

Hartley senior Chesna Sykes won the 100 (Busbee second) and 200 (Busbee third), with junior Aisha Cavin winning the 400. The Hawks won the 4x100 and 4x400, Collinwood second in both. But they got hurt early when junior Chelsea Scott was disqualified in the 100 hurdles on a false start.

"We needed a break because they came down with a little more than us," said Slapnik. "Everyone had given Bishop Hartley the title a month ago.

"The first [title in 1997] is the best and more memorable, but this is 1A. I've had more talented teams that dominated. But I've never had a team that stepped up like this. They knew all week what they needed to do."

The Lady Railroaders had the title locked up going into the final event as long they did not finish worse than sixth. While Hartley won it in a division record 3:49.94, breaking last year's Warrensville Heights' mark, the Lady Railroaders had the enjoyment of securing the title with a safe second-place finish.

"We talked it over during the week," said Harbour, a stalwart on all three relays and an Akron recruit. "We had the same ideas and just relaxed. We came in as a team and we're leaving as a team."

Pemberville Eastwood benefited from wins by senior Justin Welch in the shot put and discus, with senior Cody Seifert finishing second in the 100 and third in the 200.

Woodridge's lone win came Friday in the 4x800. Its best efforts after that were third places by senior Justin Fawley in the high jump and junior Vibushan Sivakumar in the 800.

Senior Marty Coolidge from Elyria Catholic won the 3,200 in a stadium record 9:03.11, with Bay junior Michael Brajdic second in 9:08.41.

On the girls side, CVCA junior Christina Blair won the 1,600 in 5:00.25 and finished third in the 3,200. Senior Sarah Rasnick was second in the pole vault, junior Irene Frangos fourth in the 3,200 and the Royals were fourth in three relays.

Browns Hall of Famer Jim Brown refuses to open a Pandora's box in speaking out against his dismissal as an executive advisor.

Joshua Gunter / The Plain DealerWith Mike Holmgren's new regime in firm control in Berea, Jim Brown is no longer an official part of the team's front office. But he won't publicly complain about the move.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jim Brown is taking the high road in his dismissal as the Browns' executive advisor.

Sources have said that the Browns Hall of Famer was fired by new President Mike Holmgren in a meeting months ago and that owner Randy Lerner did not intercede. Brown's six-figure salary has been removed from the franchise's rolls, the sources said.

Since the parting, Brown participated in the Browns' draft -- at the league's request -- by announcing second-round selection T.J. Ward in New York, and also accepted an invitation to speak to the team's draft class.

The club's position has been that nothing much has changed with Brown's role, except he no longer holds a title. Brown would not confirm any details of what happened.

"The only quote I can give you that concerns the Browns is that Mrs. [Norma] Lerner, she told me once the greatest compliment that I ever had concerning the Browns. She said, 'I appreciate so much the fact that you look out for my son [Randy].'

"As things occur and politics occur, that quote demonstrates my attitude towards the Browns. I'm 74 years old and when I ride around in my car and go back to the league and I go and speak to the rookies, I think of that particular compliment from a mother.

"The one thing you learn about life is that you don't try to hurt people, you don't try to defend yourself, you don't try to do anything but be helpful. So I stand by who I am, what I am and what I do. I will never open up any Pandora's box because I have too much respect for the Lerner family and the Cleveland Browns and the way I've been treated. I've been treated like a champion."

As executive advisor, Brown had office space in Browns headquarters, sat in on team meetings through the week and before and after games and watched games in the owner's suite, often sitting next to Lerner.

He said he would be available to the Browns if he were called, but he has no idea what the future holds. He does not expect to attend games -- home and away -- as he did for the last several years.

Brown said he would continue to be involved in his Amer-I-Can Program, which mentors life management skills to youth in inner cities and prisons. Brown also said he will be taking an active role in seeking improvements in pension and health care benefits for retired NFL players.

Happy New Year: At the end of last year, coach Eric Mangini was asked if he planned on making any New Year's resolutions. He said he hadn't thought about it, but then joked, "No bus rides to Hartford."

The joke was a reference to the media frenzy created when Mangini had his rookie class of 2009 take a 10-hour bus ride to work his annual charity football clinic in his hometown of Hartford, Conn.

Well, the football clinic was held this weekend and no Browns rookies were scheduled to attend.

Brownie bits: Rookie QB Colt McCoy is getting married on July 17 to Rachel Glandorf ... Browns quarterbacks have thrown approximately 350 passes in OTA workouts in the off-season and have recorded only four interceptions.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Not a bad year for the Magnificat girls. After winning the state cross country title last fall, and the coaches' state indoor meet in March, the Blue Streaks capped the school year with a runner-up finish in the Division I state track and field meet Saturday in Jesse Owens Stadium.

Magnificat's Mary Whitmore hands the baton to 4x800 relay anchor Madeline Chambers during the Division I state finals Friday at Columbus. Chambers was able to get the lead for a while in the last lap but was overcome by North Canton Hoovers' Allison Peare. Saturday, Magnificat completed a second-place finish in the team competition.



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(John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Not a bad year for the Magnificat girls.

After winning the state cross country title last fall, and the coaches' state indoor meet in March, the Blue Streaks capped the school year with a runner-up finish in the Division I state track and field meet Saturday in Jesse Owens Stadium.

Reynoldsburg dominated the girls meet with 56 points and won its second consecutive title. Led by 1,600-meter champion Madeline Chambers, Magnificat had 35 points. Chambers, a Georgetown recruit, also was fifth in the 800 and ran on Friday's runner-up 4x800 relay.

Blue Streaks sophomore Rachel Hlatky was third in the 200 and eighth in the 100. Twins Clare and Abby Fisher placed fifth and seventh in the 3,200.

"Maddie did a great job doubling in the 1,600 and the 800. Rachel doubling in the 100 and the 200 wasn't a surprise, but we were happy she did it," Magnificat coach Anjanette Arabian Whitman said. "To top this all off with a second-place finish in the outdoor meet is great. The girls feel so accomplished; it's wonderful."

Midpark and Medina tied for third with 31 points.

Midpark junior Kaila Barber had a hand in all the Meteors' points. She came back from a bad fall in Friday's prelims and won the 300 hurdles and the long jump. She also was third in the 100 and ran anchor on the Meteors' fifth-place 4x400.

Barber fell in Friday's 300 prelims, but she had such a big lead she was able to get up, finish fourth, and grab the last qualifying spot for the finals. She ran the finals in lane 8 and led the entire race despite hitting the first hurdle.

She said she lay awake Friday night trying not to think about falling in the hurdles. "I tried not to think about it, because if I think about it more, I'd just psych myself out," she said.

In the long jump, she won on her last jump, flying 19-81/4 over the sand. Until then, she was fourth at 17-10.

"It was win or go home, do or die," she said.

Barber said thoughts of her twin, Jade, were not far off. Jade injured her hamstring at the district and did not advance.

"She gave me a hug after I won the long jump, Kaila Barber said.

Medina was led by high jump winner Taylor Burke, who broke her own stadium record with a career-best 5-11, and runners-up Alex Wasik in the pole vault and Anna Boyert in the 1,600.

Burke had just one miss before clinching the title at 5-11, then trying to clear 6-0. She was the goalie on Medina's state championship soccer team last fall, and is the starting point guard on the basketball teams. She has made an oral commitment to play soccer and high jump at Florida.

"Winning soccer meant a lot to me because it was a big group of girls and here I'm kinda by myself," she said. "This also feels awesome."

Buchtel senior Kachay Hullum, who will run for Ohio State next year, was the 400 champion and came from behind on the anchor leg of the 4x200 to win. She also was sixth in the 200, accounting for all of the seventh-place Griffins' 23 points.

"This means a lot to win my senior year here, to win a state championship on my home track," she said.

Highland sophomore Natalie Zidd won a wild 800. She and defending champion Taneisha Cordell of New Albany were matching strides when Cordell fell on the apex of the final turn, tumbling into the infield. She did not finish, and Zidd did not know that until being told long after the race.

"I heard something hit the [inside rail], but I didn't see it," she said.

Zidd lost the lead in the final 20 meters to Hoover's Allison Peare, but Zidd passed her inside, as they traded elbows in the last five meters.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: twarsinskey@plaind.com, 216-999-4661

State track recap, Day 2 Division I

Midpark junior Kaila Barber hugs teamate Valerie Shymske during the Division I state track meet in Columbus. Barber won individual titles in the 300-meter hurdles and long jump.



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(John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer)

State track recap, Day 2

Division I

What happened:

Magnificat's girls were second and Midpark and Medina tied for third as Reynoldsburg won for the second year in a row. Warren Harding won its first boys title since 1967, Trotwood Madison was second and Glenville finished third. The Plain Dealer's seven-county coverage area won 12 boys and girls events combined.

The stars:

Midpark junior Kaila Barber won the long jump and 300-meter hurdles, was third in the 100 and on the fifth-place 4x400. Buchtel senior Kachay Hullum was the 400 champion and ran anchor on the winning 4x200 and placed sixth in the 200. Wadsworth senior Jake Hiltner won the 800 and was on Friday's winning 4x800. Medina junior Taylor Burke broke her own stadium record and won the girls high jump. Glenville's Shane Wynn and Quincy Downing, and St. Edward's Seth Cunningham each collected four boys medals.

Notable:

The Berea City School District produced two stirring hurdles champs. Barber fell in the 300 prelims Friday and almost didn't advance to the finals. Berea sophomore Donovan Robertson was in contention to win the 110 hurdles final, fell and did not finish, but he came back and won the 300 hurdles.

According to multiple league sources, the Cavs are testing the trade value for point guard Mo Williams, among other players.

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerWill the off-season changes around the Cavaliers include an effort to trade point guard Mo Williams? Indications are the front office are dabbling with other teams to determine his trade value.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- One message has become quite clear since the Cavaliers' season ended just three weeks ago. Team owner Dan Gilbert is not interested in status quo.

He's fired the coach, accepted the resignation of the general manager and there are no signs of stopping.

Gilbert has qualified these moves by saying he will not be afraid to take risks. Or as he said Friday: "The unknown is just that."

With that in mind, league sources have indicated the Cavs have begun to consider taking some risks with their roster. That may even include seeing if a trade makes sense for one of the most popular players on the team.

According to multiple league sources, the Cavs are testing the trade value for point guard Mo Williams, among other players. It is part of what appears to be an effort to tweak the entire backcourt, as Delonte West is also on the trade block.

These talks are being piloted, sources said, by new general manager Chris Grant. However, the decision to determine Williams' value could mostly be the result of the two weeks of in-depth conversations led by Gilbert on the state of the team. The products of those talks resulted in the firing of Mike Brown and Danny Ferry's decision not to seek another contract.

It is not assured that the Cavs will make a deal. This is the time of year when teams amp up trade discussions prior to the draft. Last year, the Cavs traded for Shaquille O'Neal the day before the draft but started the discussions for that deal in the first week of June.

Williams has been the best scoring guard LeBron James has played with in his career. Because he can play both off the ball and with the ball effectively, he has proven to be an excellent fit with James, who usually has the ball in his hands.

This season, Williams increased his assists and did not complain when his shots went down as O'Neal and Antawn Jamison joined the team. He is well liked within the locker room as well. In 150 regular-season games, Williams has averaged 16.9 points and shot 45 percent from the field.

In other words, he's been a valuable player.

But in 25 playoff games, Williams' scoring and shooting percentages have dropped even as his minutes have gone up. He has not performed well under the postseason pressure and at times has gotten down on himself.

This seems to be what might be concerning the Cavs as they evaluate their team. After winning 127 games over two seasons but coming up short of even making the Finals, they are reassessing what they really have.

"One thing we've learned is how different the postseason is from the regular season," Gilbert said.

Williams' defense is another issue. While he's generally improved defensively over the last two years, the Cavs have matchup disadvantages with top teams in the East. Williams was limited in what he could do defensively against Derrick Rose of the Bulls in the first round and Rajon Rondo in the second round.

Had the Cavs advanced, Jameer Nelson of the Magic might have been an issue in the conference finals.

Over the last two playoff years, Williams has often been removed from guarding the opposing point guard in favor of players Brown felt were better matchups.

Nonetheless, he is a former All-Star and getting fair return value might be a challenge or just impossible. That is what the team seems to be determining at the moment.

Williams has three years and $26 million left on his contract and that will make it harder to move him. However, in an uncommon circumstance, his deal actually reduces in annual salary after the 2010-11 season. Also, Williams has opt out clauses after each of the next two seasons.

As for West, the motives for a trade may be different. Just as it is hard to believe the Cavs might want to trade Williams, just a year ago West seemed like he was going to be a core player for the foreseeable future. Especially because West had a history of increasing his level of play in the postseason and is a strong defensive player.

West's level of play fell off this past season as he battled both legal and emotional problems that contributed to losing his starting job. But that might not be the central reason the Cavs would look to trade West -- it is because of his contract.

Scheduled to make $4.6 million next season, West is only guaranteed $500,000 if he's waived by Aug. 5. That means a team could save a significant amount of money by trading for and then releasing West. Savings like that is hard to get in the summer, and West's style of contract makes him one of the Cavs' biggest trade assets.