"Through 5 games Dion Waiters shooting is now at .341. Anybody getting concerned or are you all still happy with your 4th pick in the 1st round?" - JedLogic

View full sizeAP Photo/Seth PerlmanOne cleveland.com reader asks the question: is it too early to panic about Dion Waiters?

"Through 5 games Dion Waiters shooting is now at .341. Anybody getting concerned or are you all still happy with your 4th pick in the 1st round?"

Kent Sate's surprising 5-1 start comes after a stunning 4-1 finish to last season -- and it's a testimony to coach Darrell Hazell.

Paul Tople, Akron Beacon JournalGolden Flashes football coach Darrell Hazell has led his team to a 5-1 record this season.

KENT, Ohio — Five minutes into his interview with Darrell Hazell, Kent State Athletic Director Joel Nielsen was pretty sure he had found the man who should be the Flashes' next football coach.

Hazell was confident, prepared, excited about the job "but has this inner calm about him that I really liked," Nielsen said.

But there was one concern: Hazell had never been a head coach.

Yes, he had 26 years of college coaching experience, everywhere from Oberlin to Ohio, from West Point to Ohio State. But the Mid-American Conference has often been haunted by the hiring of assistant coaches from big-time programs who lacked the experience to be a head coach at the midmajor level.

Nielsen talked to Jim Tressel about Hazell, who was an assistant head coach and wide receivers coach for the Buckeyes from 2005 to '10.

"Coach Tressel told me that Darrell was ready," Nielsen said. "And he said that, not to worry, Darrell would be tough enough for the job. He said Darrell is one of the most mentally tough coaches that he'd ever worked with."

Kent State's last winning season was 6-5 in 2001. The Flashes were stuck in a 5-7 rut the previous three seasons. So this job required as much grit and perhaps wild optimism, as well as a knowledge of X's and O's and the ability to recruit.

"I could write a book about all the reasons people told me not to take the job," Hazell said. "But I looked at the school, at the conference, at the recruiting base, and why couldn't it happen at Kent? The school already has so many other successful [sports] programs."

So Hazell was hired before the 2011 season.

Fighting history

Consider that Kent State has had some excellent coaches. Hazell replaced Doug Martin, now the offensive coordinator at Boston College. The coach before Martin was Dean Pees, who is now the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens.

Now consider that Kent State takes a 5-1 record into Saturday's 3:30 p.m. home game against Western Michigan -- and that the last time the Flashes opened a season at 5-1 was in 1973.

That's right, 39 years ago, during the Don James era.

Now consider that Hazell had a 1-6 record in his first seven games as coach in 2011.

"Most of us were about ready to go off a bridge," Nielsen said. "But Darrell was as even-keel as ever."

Hazell said he knew he had to remain that way for the sake of his players: "For years, they had been trying so hard and working so hard, but they just couldn't find ways to win. As the season goes on, you don't want your players to lose heart."

Said Brian Winters, a senior left tackle: "Coach kept saying that you can really make your season in November. He said that's when other teams kind of lose it. He came from Ohio State, and we really sensed his plan would work."

A product of Hudson High, Winters has started every game in his four seasons with the Flashes. He is a pro prospect who is on the Senior Bowl watch list. He easily could have transferred to another school after Hazell was hired. Winters was a two-year starter with two years left, and it's common for players to leave when a new coach comes in.

"I really didn't think much about it," he said. "Coach seemed like he was bringing in a good staff."

Winters admitted that playing football at Kent State "wasn't something people [on campus] looked forward to because there wasn't much tradition."

He wondered if Hazell could change that, so he decided to stay.

"I think we only lost two to three players," Hazell said. "I wanted them to stay and be a part of what we are building. I don't think a coach should go in and just get rid of guys."

Turnaround begins

The Flashes had a bye week after the 1-6 start last season. Hazell changed some positions for players and added others to the lineup. But he stayed the same -- "tough-minded," as Nielsen said -- just as Tressel predicted he would while under stress.

And, suddenly, they began to win: 27-15 against Bowling Green; 24-21 against Central Michigan; 35-3 against Akron. They won four of their final five games.

In the end, they were 5-7, the same as the previous two years.

But it felt different.

Hazell said the schedule has helped. His first game as a head coach was a 48-7 loss at national champion Alabama. The Flashes also lost 37-0 to a Kansas State team ranked in the top 10 in most polls.

This season, there were no national powers on the schedule. The only loss was 47-14 at Kentucky. They are 5-1 overall, 3-0 in the MAC and coming off a 31-17 victory at Army. Most of the Flashes' top players were recruited by Martin and the previous coaching staff, so they also deserve some credit.

But Hazell has added lots of depth and brought in players such as local products Chris Humphrey and Anthony Melchiori.

At Solon, Humphrey played safety and quarterback and returned punts and kicks.

"I really had no Division I offers except Kent," he said. "I remember talking to coach Hazell and his assistants, and I loved their passion. I didn't care that Kent had been losing before. I thought that would change."

Humphrey came in last season with Hazell, and now the guy that none of the big schools wanted starts at receiver and has caught 11 passes. He is also a member of all Kent State's special teams.

Melchiori was a star receiver and punter at Aurora, and he's averaging 41 yards a punt as a freshman for Hazell.

Suddenly, the Flashes are 9-2 in their past 11 games. They drew 21,657 fans for their Sept. 29 victory against Ball State and expect at least that many for Saturday's game.

"Before, I didn't wear my Kent State football stuff around campus much," Winter said. "Now I do, and people are talking about the team."

Nielsen added that the Flashes had 50 players with at least a 3.0 grade-point average in the spring quarter.

"I know that's the most we've had in a while," he said. "It had been around 35. Darrell has changed the culture in so many ways.

"Did I expect to start this season at 5-1? Honestly, no. But I knew after what he did last season that Darrell was turning this thing around."

To reach Terry Pluto:

terrypluto2003@yahoo.com, 216-999-4674

Previous columns online:

cleveland.com/columns

Owen Marecic has dropped all four passes thrown his way this season, but that’s not his only job as fullback. Watch video

Owen Marecic hasn't had a chance to run with the ball after a catch because he hasn't made a catch. Lisa DeJong, The Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio — If you judged Owen Marecic only by his ability to catch the ball, this season would already be a spectacular failure.

Four times, Marecic has been targeted by quarterback Brandon Weeden. Four times, Marecic has dropped the pass.

Two came in last week's game against Cincinnati, and both earned hearty heckling from the fans at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

"It's not like they're tough catches to make," Marecic said. "So it's frustrating, but you want to keep all your focus on making the next one."

Marecic's job at fullback, however, isn't merely about making catches. His primary duty is to block for running back Trent Richardson, and if he's to be judged on that ability, the second-year player isn't playing too badly, according to those who see him.

"He's taking a rap for dropping passes, but you can't put that all on him," Richardson said. "I love running behind him. He's always opening holes up for us, always leading me through the hole. He's always making the right decisions on who the [middle linebacker] is, who the [strong-side linebacker] is, making the right contact and getting up underneath their pads. When we get through the holes, he's breaking long runs. I love having him in front of me, and I'm 100 percent behind him."

The Stanford graduate is a cerebral player who majored in human biology and one day hopes to be a doctor -- which is part of why offensive coordinator Brad Childress hasn't harped on his fullback for dropping passes this season.

"He's a very mindful kid," Childress said. "He's a great person, and he wants to do well so much that it doesn't do any good to stick his head in a vice and give him one more crack."

Marecic is, in fact, the first to admit that he merely needs to catch the ball. He acknowledged that making the catches creates another dimension in the Browns' offense and said part of the reason he kicks himself for the drops is because he has been so eager to make an impact play.

"I've never been more excited to catch the ball and to do something with the ball," Marecic said. "So it's kind of frustrating that I haven't had the results we all want."

So until the next pass comes his way, Marecic will continue blocking for Richardson -- and hoping that he doesn't drop the next one.

"At the end of the day, I'm pretty confident in my ability to do it," Marecic said. "But it's all talk. I have to go out and do it."

Fujita sits: Linebacker Scott Fujita continues to sit out practices with a neck/shoulder injury that's reported to be a threat to his career. He hasn't practiced since last week, and Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron said rookie James-Michael Johnson did a nice job filling in for the 11-year veteran -- but that the Browns miss Fujita's leadership.

"We lose significant leadership and experience on the field," Jauron said. "Scott can make all the calls, along with D'Qwell [Jackson], so when he's on the field, it gives D'Qwell a little breathing room because he doesn't have to handle everything. They can kind of share some of the issues, in terms of getting the front of the line, getting the stunts called, getting the defensive calls, getting the adjustments made on the defenses. We definitely lose a good deal there, in terms of just on-field comfort and experience."

Tiring Haden: Cornerback Joe Haden recorded seven tackles and an interception against the Bengals in his first game back after a four-game suspension, but Jauron blames himself for the mistakes Haden made late in the game. Cincinnati scored on 57-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Green with 5:21 remaining, and Jauron said he realized too late that Haden's legs were tiring by then.

"I wish I had noticed more, or anticipated more how much the game would take out of him," Jauron said. "Because, at the end of the game, I think he had lost his legs to some degree. He was struggling, and it made sense after the fact. But it was too bad they got that long one on him at the end because he had played really well."

'Bulletproof' running back Richardson expects to play Sunday with flak-jacket-type padding protecting his injured ribs, and Browns coach Pat Shurmur isn't worried about the high-tech material impeding Richardson's abilities. It's state-of-the-art, "space-age designed stuff," he said.

"He's wearing something that's bulletproof," Shurmur said. "He told me he thought he already was."

Who is this guy? Receiver Josh Gordon is beginning to make a name for himself on the field after catching three touchdown passes in the past two games, averaging 36.2 yards per catch on his five total receptions in those games.

But offensive coordinator Childress admitted that he didn't ask to select the rookie in the NFL's supplemental draft.

"I never saw a snap of him," Childress said. "I got off a cruise boat and somebody said, 'We signed Josh Gordon,' and I said, 'Who's Josh Gordon?' "

Said Gordon: "But now that I'm here, I definitely want to make a name for myself."

Injury report: Receiver Greg Little and offensive lineman Jason Pinkston didn't practice Thursday due to illness. Little was sent home after morning meetings, said a Browns spokesman. Fujita (neck/shoulder) and defensive back Dimitri Patterson (ankle) also didn't practice. Richardson (chest/ribs), receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (hamstring), receiver Travis Benjamin (hamstring), defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin (calf), defensive back Tayshaun Gipson (knee), safety Ray Ventrone (hand), safety T.J. Ward (hand) and long snapper Christian Yount (shoulder) were limited in practice. Quarterback Weeden (foot) and defensive lineman Frostee Rucker (shoulder, foot) both fully participated in practice.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jvalade@plaind.com, 216-999-4654

Micheal Eric and Kevin Jones are trying to get on the roster while getting very little time on the floor during games.

View full sizePDCavs rookie Kevin Jones.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Is it possible to be 6-8 or taller and invisible? It would seem so as far as undrafted Cavs rookies Kevin Jones and Micheal Eric are concerned.

Jones is a 6-8, 250-pound forward who played four seasons at West Virginia and led the Big East in scoring and rebounding last season. Eric, a 6-11, 240-pound center, is a native of Nigeria who played four seasons at Temple.

Each has played in just two of the Cavaliers' six preseason games. Jones has played a total of 18 minutes, Eric just seven minutes. Neither has scored, but Jones has five rebounds and a blocked shot, and Eric has one rebound and two turnovers.

Though fans and reporters have barely seen the pair, they are not invisible to the Cavaliers. In fact, it would appear the two, along with guard Jeremy Pargo, are battling for the last roster spot. The roster stands at 17 and must be trimmed to 15 by 6 p.m. on Oct. 29, the day before the season starts. Any or all of the three also could be candidates to be sent to the Cavs' NBA Development League affiliate in Canton.

View full sizePDCavs rookie Micheal Eric.

"Micheal has that size that you want," coach Byron Scott said. "You would hope that you could develop him into a pretty decent defender on the post. He's a pick-and-roll, shot-blocker, rebounder-type guy. Kevin is one of those young guys who is a lot like Andy [Varejao]. He just goes after everything. He has a very good idea of how to play the game, and he can make a shot from about 18 feet, too.

"That's why those guys are still around. That's why we're looking at them very carefully. No decisions have been made yet. There's no rush for us to do anything. I want to get as many looks as I can in practice and see how these guys are developing and see where they are when this is all said and done."

Scott has said that, because their game minutes are limited, Jones and Eric have to treat their practices like games, but that's easier said than done. It's like a medical student never stepping foot in a hospital or a pilot with no solo flights.

"It's hard because it's unpredictable," Jones said. "You never know what's going to happen. You've got a lot of guys in front of you, a lot of older, more experienced guys. But I still think I can play so I'm just going to go into every game thinking I might get in. That's how I've got to do it to keep myself prepared in case I do go in. I do treat practice like a game. I try to go as hard as I can, make the other guys better since I'm not playing. That's what I'm trying to do, just make everybody better."

Eric is taking a similar approach.

"It's an opportunity, and I'm trying to take advantage of an opportunity," he said. "Practice is my opportunity or whenever they put me into the game is my opportunity. Whenever I get a shot at it, I try to give it my best. If you have faith in something . . . I had faith I was going to make the NBA. I'm here now, and I have faith I'm going to make the team. I think I can. I just have to patiently wait and absorb the opportunity."

D-League draft: The Canton Charge will throw a draft night party for season ticketholders when the D-League 2012 draft is held via teleconference from the league's New York office at 7 p.m. Nov. 2. The party will be held at the team's official practice and training facility, the Edgewood Community Center. The Charge will choose 10th of the 16 teams in each of the eight rounds, except the fourth, because that pick was traded. The Charge also has an extra pick in the second and third rounds because of trades.

Charge season tickets are on sale starting at $5 per game and include an invitation to the draft party. Single-game tickets start at $10 and will go on sale Monday at 2 p.m. For information, visit CantonCharge.com or call 866-444-1944.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mschmitt@plaind.com, 216-999-4668

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

Max Scherzer caps a stupendous stretch for Detroit's rotation, and the Tigers win their second pennant in seven years by beating the Yankees, 8-1.

View full sizeDarron Cummings, Associated PressThe Tigers celebrate Thursday after sweeping the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees in Detroit.

DETROIT — Prince Fielder waved his arms franticly, gleefully calling off his teammates while the crowd at Comerica Park roared.

From the moment the big first baseman signed his massive contract in January, an entire city had been waiting for a chance to celebrate like this. After another dazzling effort by Detroit's starting pitchers and another soaring home run by Miguel Cabrera, Fielder caught the final out to send the Tigers to the World Series -- with a sweep of the New York Yankees, no less.

"There's still along way to go but this is an awesome feeling," Fielder said.

Max Scherzer capped a stupendous stretch for Detroit's rotation, and the Tigers won their second pennant in seven years by beating the Yankees 8-1 Thursday for a four-game sweep of the AL championship series.

Cabrera and Jhonny Peralta hit two-run homers in a four-run fourth inning against CC Sabathia, who was unable to prevent the Yankees from getting swept in a postseason series for the first time in 32 years.

"Yeah, we did it," Cabrera said. "It's an unbelievable feeling. ... Four more wins, guys. Four more wins."

Scherzer took a no-hit bid into the sixth against a starting lineup that was again without Alex Rodriguez, who flied out with two on in the sixth as a pinch hitter.

Austin Jackson added a solo shot in the seventh for Detroit, and Peralta hit another homer an inning later.

The game ended with Fielder, Detroit's $214 million acquisition, catching Jayson Nix's popup. The Tigers spilled onto the field for a celebration that began near second base and eventually moved closer to the third-base line.

General manager Dave Dombrowski hugged Jim Leyland -- who is in the final year of his contract -- while owner Mike Ilitch rubbed the 67-year-old manager's right shoulder.

"I've got a great bunch. We don't have one hot dog in the bunch," the pizza magnate said. "They're all great guys. ... The Tigers are something special.

"... The Tigers are something special."

View full sizePaul Sancya, Associated PressThe Tigers' Phil Coke gives himself a celebratory dousing in the locker room after Thursday's victory.

Detroit won its 11th American League pennant and first since 2006. The Tigers have five days off before the World Series starts Wednesday at defending champion St. Louis or 2010 winner San Francisco.

After scoring in just three of 39 innings during the series, New York headed home to face unpleasant questions about its future following a postseason of awful hitting, benched stars and veterans showing the wear and tear of age. Rodriguez, the $275 million third baseman, was out of the starting lineup for the third time in the playoffs. Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera could only watch following season-ending injuries.

The Yankees hit .188 in the postseason -- a record low for a team that played at least seven games -- and .157 in the LCS. New York went quietly in the ninth inning, with the Comerica crowd chanting "Sweep!" while the last three batters were retired in order.

Detroit outhit New York 16-2 in the finale and 46-22 in the series. The Tigers' starters are 4-1 with a 1.02 ERA in this postseason.

Without a World Series title since 1984, Detroit lost to Texas in last year's ALCS, lost slugger Victor Martinez to a season-ending knee injury in January and quickly replaced his offense by signing Fielder. The excitement of that bold acquisition subsided a bit when the Tigers struggled to a 26-32 start in the AL Central, but they overtook the Chicago White Sox in the final 10 days of the regular season and won the division with an 88-74 record, matching the Cardinals for the fewest wins among the 10 playoff teams.

"I just reminded everybody when we took our punches all year, 'You know what? Let's just wait till the end, and then if we have underachieved, I will be the first one to admit it,'" Leyland said. "So hopefully we've quieted some doubters now. The guys just stepped it up when we had to. We caught a couple breaks when the White Sox couldn't win a couple of games they needed to win."

In the postseason, Detroit's rotation has been impeccable. Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Anibal Sanchez and Doug Fister allowed only two earned runs against the Yankees. New York was shut out once and totaled six runs in the series.

"Unbelievable. It's why we're here right now because our pitching," Cabrera said. "Wow!"

Scherzer allowed a run and two hits in 5 2-3 innings in the finale, struck out 10 and walked two.

"I really had my changeup and my slider going," he said. "When I can combine that with my fastball, that's what makes me effective."

The Yankees, without a World Series title since 2009, lost Jeter to a broken ankle in the opening game, and the slumping Rodriguez was benched for Game 3. He was out of the starting lineup for Game 4 too, but A-Rod did have one last chance to turn his postseason around when Scherzer was lifted for left-hander Drew Smyly with two outs in the sixth and the Tigers up 6-1.

As Smyly finished warming up, Rodriguez popped out of the dugout to hit for Raul Ibanez, but with runners at the corners, he hit a routine fly to center field. He grounded out in the ninth, completing a 3 for 25 (.125) playoffs with no RBIs.

New York owes the 37-year-old Rodriguez $114 million over the next five years. His contract includes a provision that requires he approves trades, and he wants to stay.

"I love New York City and I love everything about being a Yankee," he said. "The highs are very high and the lows are extremely low."

The Yankees failed to win a game in a postseason series for only the fifth time. They hadn't been swept since a best-of-five ALCS against Kansas City in 1980. The last team to sweep four straight against them had been Cincinnati in the 1976 World Series.

Detroit also beat New York in the division series in 2006 and last year. The Tigers became the first team to win three straight postseason series against the Yankees, according to STATS LLC.

"They threw the ball really well," Rodriguez said. "They outplayed us in every facet of the game and they were the better team."

New York never led in this series -- the only other time that's happened to the Yankees was when they were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1963 World Series. The only other team to sweep an LCS without trailing at any point was the 1984 Tigers, who won three straight against Kansas City, STATS said.

After a rainout Wednesday, Game 4 started under a sunny sky, and Detroit immediately took the lead on series MVP Delmon Young's RBI single. Young became the first player with four game-winning RBIs in one postseason series, STATS said.

Avisail Garcia drove in an unearned run in the third with a single before the Tigers broke it open in the fourth. Cabrera, the first Triple Crown winner in 45 years, made it 4-0 with a towering drive to left field. Peralta drove in two more runs with his shot to the same part of the ballpark.

After Andy Dirks doubled, Sabathia was pulled. He allowed five earned runs and 11 hits in 3 2-3 innings.

"It's embarrassing to me," Sabathia said.

When the fourth inning finally ended, the crowd at Comerica gave the Tigers a standing ovation, sensing that an even bigger celebration wasn't too far off.

Scherzer made sure of that. The right-hander was terrific down the stretch for the Tigers before his throwing shoulder acted up near the end of the regular season. He made it through 5 1-3 innings in the division series against Oakland without allowing an earned run, then kept the Yankees off the scoreboard until Eduardo Nunez tripled in the sixth for New York's first hit and scored on Nick Swisher's double.

"They're a good team with dominant pitching. Give those guys credit -- they pitched great," Sabathia said. "And we didn't match them. We pitched good, but not great. They pitched great."

Swisher, likely playing his last game with the Yankees, was 1 for 35 with runners in scoring position in his postseason career before that hit. He struck out with two on and two outs in the third.

About the only thing the Yankees had done well in this postseason was pitch, and Sabathia failed to keep that going. He didn't have much help from his defense. Teixeira, a four-time Gold Glove winner at first base, misplayed two grounders in the third -- one for an infield hit and one for an error.

New York's hitting was abysmal throughout the playoffs. Robinson Cano was at .075 (3 for 40) with no home runs, including a 29 at-bat hitless streak. Curtis Granderson was 3 for 30 with 16 strikeouts, Nick Swisher hit .167 (5 for 30) with two RBIs, Russell Martin hit .161 (5 for 31) with one RBI and Eric Chavez finished 0 for 16 with eight strikeouts.

"It wasn't one guy. It wasn't two guys," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "It was a bunch of guys."

Noah Trister, Associated Press

Seven games into his sophomore season, Miller isn't just at the heart of every Heisman Trophy conversation and leading an undefeated team into a Week 8 home game against Purdue. He could be on his way to fulfilling the quarterback promise that first arrived in Columbus with a do-it-all quarterback in 2008 and was never quite met.

OSU quarterback Braxton Miller, above, is "€œthe best athlete I'€™ve ever been on the field with," says tackle Jack Mewhort. "€œYou go in the film room and rewind it 20 times just to see it over and over." Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Terrelle Pryor was on his way out and Braxton Miller was on his way in, but for that April, they stood together in the spring of 2011 -- the quarterback who had been projected to bring Ohio State everything and the one who now might do it.

Seven games into his sophomore season, Miller isn't just at the heart of every Heisman Trophy conversation and leading an undefeated team into a Week 8 home game against Purdue. He could be on his way to fulfilling the quarterback promise that first arrived in Columbus with a do-it-all quarterback in 2008 and was never quite met.

Coach Urban Meyer loves Miller, and everyone else seems to as well.

"I've never seen anything like it," said left tackle Jack Mewhort. "I think he's the best athlete I've ever been on the field with. I know he is. The cuts he makes, the way he outruns guys, or stutter steps, or makes guys fall down when they try to tackle him, it's incredible to watch on film. You go in the film room and rewind it 20 times just to see it over and over. Some of the stuff he does is just crazy."

So Miller is the guy. He's also the guy who came after the guy.

In October 2008, when Pryor was an OSU freshman starter and Miller was a sophomore at Huber Heights Wayne High and was already verbally offered a scholarship by then-coach Jim Tressel, Miller's father, Kevin, told The Plain Dealer, "They're real similar."

Nobody thinks that anymore.

"They're very different. Braxton is Michael Vick. Terrelle is Vince Young," said fifth-year senior Jake Stoneburner, who was in the same recruiting class as Pryor and has caught 11 passes from Miller this year. "You could put Braxton at running back, and I think we'd still be 7-0. He's that good of an athlete with the ball in his hands. Plus, he's a great passer. You wouldn't want Terrelle at running back."

The topic of comparing the quarterbacks is difficult to broach. But what Miller has accomplished so far as the No. 34 recruit in the Class of 2011 harks back to the hope that came with that other quarterback, when Texas coach Mack Brown said before the Fiesta Bowl at the end of Pryor's freshman year, "I don't think there's any doubt Jim will win a national championship with Terrelle."

Substitute Meyer and Miller for Tressel and Pryor, and you will find a sentiment that's growing among Ohio State fans.

In some ways, it's hard to consider Pryor strictly as a player anymore and to eliminate the baggage he carried when he left Columbus before his senior season. Pryor has been banned from being around the program for five years after his role in the NCAA violations that brought down Tressel and will keep Miller and his teammates out of a bowl game this season.

That first spring, Miller enrolled early for his freshman season and Pryor was sidelined not because of NCAA issues, but off-season foot surgery that was required after he was injured in the Sugar Bowl at the end of his junior season. So while Miller shared snaps with three other quarterbacks, Pryor stood behind him at practice with a play sheet in hand, offering advice.

Asked this week if it did anything for him to have Pryor around, Miller said, "No, not really. He taught me some of the plays that I needed to know and things like that. Plays I was having trouble with, remembering the plays and how they lined up and things like that. That's pretty much about it."

Asked about watching Pryor while still in high school, Miller didn't say much, and when it comes to a comparison, he said there are no similarities.

"We're just two different guys," Miller said. "He's 6-6. I'm 6-2. All types of different things."

Miller seems as quiet as Pryor was bold, as humble as Pryor could be brash. But it's easy to forget how Pryor once captivated OSU fans and earned the weekly praise of his coach and teammates.

Yet Miller is still different.

"Terrelle is that big, long strider," Stoneburner said. "He wasn't going to make you miss, but if you had a bad angle, he was gone. I really thought Terrelle was getting a lot better at passing. Both of them are great quarterbacks, but the way Braxton is as a sophomore is pretty special.

"You would want Terrelle throwing the ball and on third down [because] if it breaks down, he can outrun people because of how fast and athletic he is. Braxton just makes guys miss. He's just an unbelievable athlete who can also throw it. It makes him a heck of a player."

Back then, Pryor was an athlete like no one at Ohio State had ever seen at quarterback. He set the Ohio State single-season record for offense in 2010 with 3,526 yards -- passing for 2,772 and running for 754. Miller is on pace for 3,742 total yards (2,179 passing and 1,563 rushing) in a 12-game season -- instead of 13 games -- due to the bowl ban. If and when he gets there, Miller will break Bobby Hoying's record of 3,290 yards since Pryor's 2010 season was wiped from the record book.

But Miller will also get there in Meyer's offense, which seems perfectly suited to him. Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Mike Farrell said Pryor would have done as well in a similar scheme.

"If Terrelle Pryor were to go into an Urban Meyer offense, I think he would have won a national championship, there's no doubt in my mind," Farrell said. "Braxton Miller is a little bit shorter and not quite as big and not quite the same athlete as Terrelle, but being a better passer and being in Urban Meyer's offense has led to more success."

Those are good points. Miller is averaging 312 yards of offense, compared with the 219 yards Pryor averaged as a sophomore. But while Miller is accounting for 68.9 percent of Ohio State's offense, Pryor made up 66.3 percent in 2009. There's just so much more overall offense to be had now.

But it's hard to imagine Pryor working as successfully in the open field offered by this spread, where Miller's cuts have proved even more problematic for defenses than Pryor's stiff-arms.

"Braxton is more of a shifty guy, and he's able to make guys miss one-on-one," said fifth-year senior cornerback Travis Howard, another member of Pryor's recruiting class. "I would say Terrelle is faster, but you wouldn't be able to tell the difference because of the way Braxton moves.

"They're both good quarterbacks, and they both can throw the ball. But I feel Braxton has a little stronger arm than Terrelle. But at the same time, when you get Braxton in space, it's just unbelievable trying to stop him."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479

Adam Wainwright throws seven innings of four-hit ball and St. Louis roughs up Tim Lincecum and the Giants in an 8-3 rout that gives the Cardinals a 3-1 lead in the NL Championship Series.

View full sizeZia Nizami, Belleville News-Democrat via MCTThe Cardinals' Matt Carpenter slides safely into home Thursday as Giants catcher Hector Sanchez reaches for the ball during the fifth inning of Game 4 in St. Louis.

ST. LOUIS — One more win and another bunch of wild-card Cardinals get their chance to repeat.

Adam Wainwright threw seven innings of four-hit ball and St. Louis roughed up Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants in an 8-3 rout Thursday night that gave the Cardinals a 3-1 lead in the NL Championship Series.

The defending World Series champions can wrap up their second straight pennant as a wild card with a victory at home tonight in Game 5. Lance Lynn faces Giants lefty Barry Zito, and a Cardinals win would set up a 2006 World Series rematch with Detroit.

Matt Holliday, Jon Jay and Yadier Molina had two RBIs apiece to lead a 12-hit outburst by a team that batted just .198 through the first three games against San Francisco.

"They had their backs against the wall against the Reds and won three in a row, so we've still got our work cut out for us and this series is by no means over," Holliday said.

Lincecum was a bust in his first postseason start since the World Series clincher over Texas in 2010, giving up four runs in 4 2-3 innings.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner with the quirky delivery earned a shot based on nearly spotless relief work earlier in the postseason but reverted to regular-season form, when he was 10-15 with a 5.18 ERA, worst among qualifying starters in the National League.

Wainwright was a glorified cheerleader while rehabbing from elbow reconstruction during the Cardinals' improbable title drive last fall after earning the wild card on the final day and then upsetting the favored Phillies, Brewers and Rangers to give manager Tony La Russa a chance to retire on top.

Under rookie manager Mike Matheny, the 88-win Cardinals were the final team to qualify this year, too. Once again, they've stepped up their game.

Wainwright bounced back from a poor outing in Game 5 of the NL division series against Washington, striking out five and walking none for his first postseason victory as a starter. The lone damage against him came on Hunter Pence's first homer and RBI of the postseason, a second-inning clout estimated at 451 feet that soared over the visitor's bullpen into the left-center bleachers to cut the Cardinals' lead to 2-1.

Now, the 14-game winner is on the verge of his first World Series as an active player since striking out Brandon Inge as the stand-in closer for injured Jason Isringhausen in the 2006 clincher over the Tigers.

Just 12 pitches in, the Cardinals had two hits and the lead, and Lincecum got a visit from pitching coach Dave Righetti. Jay opened the first with a single, Matt Carpenter walked on four pitches and Holliday singled up the middle for the lead. Allen Craig tacked on a sacrifice fly.

"I've just been working on my swing and I felt more comfortable tonight," Holliday said. "I was able to get some pitches to hit and hit them hard and good results -- that always helps the confidence."

Lincecum escaped trouble in the second after issuing two more walks, one of them on five pitches to Wainwright. The Cardinals missed a chance to add on after Pete Kozma reached on third baseman Pablo Sandoval's fielding error to open the inning when he was thrown out trying to steal.

Lincecum had retired eight in a row before running into trouble in the fifth.

Carpenter doubled off the top of the wall in right-center with one out. He held up until Holliday's single fell in front of fast-charging center fielder Angel Pagan, but third base coach Jose Oquendo aggressively waved Carpenter home.

The relay from shortstop Brandon Crawford was in time, but short-hopped catcher Hector Sanchez and Carpenter scored on a headfirst slide to make it 3-1 and Holliday went to second on the play. Molina's two-out RBI single made it 4-1 and was the knockout blow for Lincecum.

Pence, who called himself "the goat" of Game 3 after stranding seven runners, hit the second-longest home run by an opposing player at 7-year-old Busch Stadium with a 451-foot drive that sailed over the visitor's bullpen into the bleachers in left-center.

Holliday's RBI single was the first by a Cardinals starter since Carlos Beltran's two-run homer in the fourth inning of Game 1. Holliday entered 2 for 12 in the NLCS with no RBIs.

Sandoval hit a two-run homer in the ninth.

R.B. Fallstrom, Associated Press

Saddled with a pay-to-participate fee of $855 per player, coach Dave Bors and the Beavers stand 6-2 after last week's upset of state-ranked Chardon.

View full sizebbsportsphotography.comRiverside football coach Dave Bors.

PAINESVILLE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Riverside football coach Dave Bors is doing the worst thing possible for opponents of pay to participate.

He's winning.

He's taking a horrendous landscape and building a monument to perseverance.

Other coaches are going to hate him for this. They're going to face voters who say, "Riverside can win without funding, why can't you?"

Saddled with a pay-to-participate fee of $855 per player, Bors and the Beavers stand 6-2 after last week's upset of state-ranked Chardon. They have won twice as many games as they did last year when the fee was a mere $250, and they have clinched their first winning season since 2007.

While everything else about the program is walking backward, Riverside somehow is charging ahead.

After the school district's most recent levy failure, Painesville Township schools decided all extracurricular activities would be entirely self-funded. Participation fees would pay the freight.

Bors, the athletic department and parents were left with some tough choices.

To reduce costs, seventh- and eighth-grade teams were combined and six coaches were let go. The freshman team was eliminated and a varsity coach was cut while the ninth-graders melded in with the junior varsity.

Riverside has six coaches for 70 players in grades nine through 12. Most Division I schools have at least eight, and many have a dozen or more. Coaches in all sports took 5.5 percent pay cuts off their coaching contracts.

Three levies have failed since September 2010 and there's a 3.9-mill levy on the November ballot. School district officials promise to reduce athletic fees if the levy passes.

Fundraisers helped defray some of this year's fees. Athletes were left to do the rest. Riverside's Gridiron Club underwrote a program that allowed players to take $10 off their fee for every $10 discount card they sold. The cards give buyers discounts to area businesses.

August practices were cut short to allow kids more time to sell the cards. Bors estimated the average player shelled out $500 after all the sales and fundraisers.

And they still won.

It helped, of course, that Riverside returned a solid core of players. Bors, in his third season, is another important link. He's among the best coaches in the area, though he has been under the radar much of his career. He was defensive assistant on some successful Chardon teams before taking over at West Geauga in 2007. He led the Wolverines to three winning seasons, including a 9-2 run to the playoffs in 2009.

Bors' best attribute is adaptability. He abandoned a pass-oriented attack before the 2009 season and West Geauga became one of the few Ohio teams running a true, triple-option offense. It befuddled opponents. He brought that offense with him to Riverside, but seeing that wasn't working, he switched to a shotgun spread attack with options this season.

Adaptability is a must at Riverside, where the rug was pulled from under Bors after he arrived. It's amazing there wasn't a freefall this fall. A mediocre schedule has helped. Chardon is the only team Riverside has beaten with a winning record. The Beavers play at Willoughby South (8-0) tonight.

The financial situation had one positive side effect. It contributed to an us-against-the-world mentality on the team, and that is fertile ground for a coach who can motivate, which is another Bors strength.

But the success is not sustainable. Bors knows that. He readily admits Riverside could be back in the dumper soon because of damage being done to the lower levels of the program, as well as the loss of athletes to the fees.

"The last thing I thought when I got to Riverside was that I would become Joe Fundraiser Guy," Bors said. "I never in a million years thought I would be in this position. You roll with it. This is where the economy is at and this is the state of public education."

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

On Twitter: @TimsTakePD

Weeden and his offensive linemen must find ways to combat defenders who can create chaos with deflections and batted balls, which have plagued the Browns in recent weeks.

Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden, left, has his pass knocked down by Bengals defensive tackle Domata Peko during last Sunday's game. Weeden has had five passes batted down in the past two games. Phil Masturzo, Akron Beacon Journal

BEREA, Ohio — As a former minor-league pitcher, Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden has plenty of experience with batted balls. Depending on his level of frustration, he had the option of drilling a hitter in the small of the back or the meaty portion of the leg.

That almost never happens in football. The last quarterback to intentionally plunk a defensive player was probably Paul Crewe against the prison guards in "The Longest Yard."

So Weeden and his offensive linemen must find other ways to combat defenders who can create chaos with deflections and batted balls, which have plagued the Browns in recent weeks. They have suffered five in the past two games and seven this season, which is tied for the NFL's most, according to ProFootballFocus.com.

"Make the ball round so I could curve it," Weeden said, smiling.

In the parlance of the game, quarterbacks are "throwing passes in windows."

Sailing them over the line without having them swatted back like volleyballs at the net requires a coordinated effort -- one that occasionally involves a level of nastiness most fans don't detect.

Or, as Browns coach Pat Shurmur put it, offensive linemen have: "little tools in your basket ... to make sure [a defender] doesn't jump, if you know what I'm saying."

Sometimes, it's tugging down on the jersey of a defensive lineman as he starts to reach for the ball. Sometimes, it's shoving a defender in the chest just as he jumps, in hopes of putting him on his back. On other instances, it's "cutting" a defender -- diving at his knees or feet.

As former Browns offensive tackle Doug Dieken observed, the last tactic doesn't win linemen many Pro Bowl votes.

"There have been a few personal fouls after the whistle for those," said Browns five-time Pro Bowler Joe Thomas. "[Defensive linemen] get pretty upset with that. You are definitely not making any friends."

It's a part of the game that often gets lost on spectators who are following the flight of the ball.

In the past two weeks, however, the underrated skill of blocking a pass and the techniques used to counter it have come into focus. The 6-3 Weeden had two balls batted against the New Yorks Giants and three against the Cincinnati Bengals. One deflection led to a first-quarter interception by the Bengals.

A season ago, the 6-1 Colt McCoy had 13 passes rejected at the line in 14 games.

Shurmur believes batted passes are a shared responsibility among linemen, the quarterback and coaches. It's making the right calls, throwing balls in proper lanes and finding ways to discourage defensive linemen from jumping or sticking up their hands.

While preparing for opponents, offensive line coaches will identify "jumpers," or players most likely to paw at passes. Houston's J.J. Watt (eight balls batted) and the Giants' Jason Pierre-Paul (four) are among the league's best at it. Defensive end Jaabal Sheard leads the Browns with two.

"Guys will pull you by the jersey, or sometimes cut you and try to scare you," Sheard said. "Holding is legal in the league as long as it's not out wide or noticeable. It's just part of the game, and you have to fight through it."

Defensive tackle Frostee Rucker said he has never been cut and, as with most of his ilk, takes a dim view of it.

"For the most part, a lot of guys are pretty stand-up about not being dirty and protecting the brotherhood we are in," Rucker said. "We are in a tight-knit fraternity."

Thomas said Browns offensive line coach Gary Warhop isn't a big proponent of cutting defenders. Warhop's philosophy isn't rooted in a respect for the "brotherhood" as much as it is in what might happen to his quarterback if the offensive lineman leaves his feet and whiffs on his block, Thomas said.

Eliminating jumpers is vital on quick throws such as slants, in which quarterbacks are putting little loft on the ball. Thomas said offensive linemen relish the chance to shove a leaping defender and cause him to tumble backward.

"You want the first thing that hits the ground to be the back of their head," Thomas said.

What's most frustrating to offensive linemen is that batted passes often come as the result of them doing their primary job -- keeping defenders away from the quarterback. The Browns have surrendered just 11 sacks, tying them for seventh fewest in the league.

Unable to reach the quarterback, some defenders leave their feet in hopes of deflecting the ball. That's when the offensive lineman is trying to deliver that one good shot, said Browns guard Jason Pinkston.

"If you do it right," he said. "They won't jump again."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: treed@plaind.com, 216-999-4370

HUDSON, Ohio — Talk about grinding one out. The only thing missing from Elyria's 26-16 victory on Hudson's new field turf Friday night was the mud, the muck and the mire. But the Pioneers wore their Northeast Ohio Conference River Division game with all the old-fashioned gusto of the good old days.

Elyria's Jumarr Lewis had 116 yards rushing in Elyria's victory on Friday night. - (Lisa DeJong, PD)

HUDSON, Ohio — Talk about grinding one out.

The only thing missing from Elyria's 26-16 victory on Hudson's new field turf Friday night was the mud, the muck and the mire. But the Pioneers wore their Northeast Ohio Conference River Division game with all the old-fashioned gusto of the good old days.

Pounding the ball behind its steadfast offensive line, Elyria relied on the one-two running combination of juniors Jordan Connell and Jumarr Lewis to lock up the win. Carrying 22 times in the second half for 117 yards, Connell scored three times on runs of 1, 1 and 12 yards as Elyria overcame a 10-6 halftime deficit. Connell inished with 135 yards on 29 carries.

Lewis was just as valuable as he totaled 116 yards on 19 carries.

"The offensive line made the plays," said Lewis, who was solid as a lead blocker. "We just followed them."

Credit has to go to center Cody Schneider, tackles Kyle Maassen and Jordan Stovall, and guards Darius Bradford and Adolph Barr for their work up front. It may not have been pretty, but Elyria kept picking up first downs (20) and rushing yards (246) to keep the Hudson defense on the field.

"We thought we could run on them and our defense backed us up," said Schneider. "I think this was our best game we played all year. We were coming off the ball."

So was the Elyria defense, which came up with six sacks. Led by senior Ohio State recruit Tracy Sprinkle and junior middle linebacker Connor Kamczyc, the defense made the Explorers earn all 143 rushing yards.

"We knew we had to have the effort," said Sprinkle, who came up with his 15th sack of the season. "Big players have to make big plays."

The Pioneers (7-2, 3-1) opened the second half with a 10-play, 51-yard drive as Connell supplied 32 yards on nine carries. His 1-yard score put his club in front to stay, 12-10. He added a second 1-yard TD with four seconds left in the quarter and capped his night with a 12-yard run with 1:37 to play.

"It kind of reminded me of the old days, running between the tackles," said Elyria coach Kevin Fell, whose club was ranked No. 14 in The Plain Dealer Top 25. "We kept the clock running and we haven't done that for a few years."

The Explorers (7-2, 3-1), ranked No. 8 in The Plain Dealer Top 25, got 62 yards rushing from senior Ben Gedeon and 48 from sophomore quarterback Mitch Guadajni, who scored on a 17-yard run in the final minute.

Guadajni passed for 123 yards and one touchdown, but had two passes picked off in the first half.

"They established the run and we couldn't get the football back," said Hudson coach Ron Wright. "Their big old guys up front wore us down. We had opportunities like we always do, but you've got to make those plays."

Plenty of playoff computers points were at stake as Hudson was seventh in Division I, Region 2, and Elyria was 11th in that region. The top eight clubs make the postseason.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jmaxse@plaind.com, 216-999-5168

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — Usually when you talk about Willoughby South football it's Kareem this and Kareem that. And rightly so.

Willoughby South running back Kareem Hunt scored four more touchdowns on Friday night, bringing his season total to 38. - (Tim Harrison, PD file)

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — Usually when you talk about Willoughby South football it's Kareem this and Kareem that.

And rightly so.

After Friday's 271-yard, four-touchdown effort in a 40-14 pasting of Painesville Riverside, Kareem Hunt, perhaps the leading candidate for Ohio's Mr. Football award, has run for 2,314 yards and 38 touchdowns.

But how about a little love for the defense? The unbeaten Rebels are allowing 17 points per game, but most of those have come late, long after the starters are relaxing on the bench. In fact, the Rebels, ranked No. 5 in the Plain Dealer Top 25, have pitched a shutout in 11 consecutive quarters when the starters are on the field.

"The defense is playing extremely hard and with the right mentality," South coach Matt Duffy said. "They're exciting to watch on that side of the ball right now."

This game was over at halftime, and South's defense was a big part of it. The halftime score was 33-0, but that's only part of the story. Riverside, coming off a huge upset of Chardon last week, gained only 19 yards in the first two quarters and was in negative yardage until the final seconds of the half.

"Defensively we set the tone in the first half," Duffy said. "It was a team effort. We don't really have any standouts, we just have 11 guys playing solid football."

Riverside's defense came up with the first big play of the game, stopping Hunt on fourth and goal from the 1 on the game's opening possession -- the first time a team had stopped the Rebels from that close all season.

But the momentum quickly switched back around as South senior Ben Robinson broke through on second down and tackled Riverside's Marcus Jones in the end zone for a safety and a 2-0 lead.

"That was a big play because they had just stopped us," Robinson said. "I was playing end and their tackle blocked down, so I was unblocked. The play was right there in front of me."

The Beavers also stopped South on its next possession, intercepting a pass on first down. But Riverside netted minus-4 yards on its three plays. Hunt broke through two plays later on a 45-yard TD run to make it 9-0.

"The first two possessions we had a goal-line stand and then picked them off," Riverside coach Dave Bors said. "But you can't sustain against a team like South. We fought hard. I was extremely proud of our kids. But where they're at and where we're at is two different levels."

Hunt scored on runs covering 45, 3, 3 and 47 yards. It wasn't a real flashy performance for the senior, as he needed 38 carries to accumulate his yards. It was more workmanlike than past games.

"That's the style we're going to play," Duffy said. "When you've got a guy like we do back there you give him the rock and let the guys up front go to work."

South also got a 27-yard scoring pass from Casey Klicman to Anthony Federico and a 41-yard field goal from Aiden Simenc to win its 28th consecutive game in the Premier Athletic Conference.

Joe Magill is a freelance writer in Auburn Township.

MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, Ohio — This is not your father's high school football. Brecksville quarterback Tom Tupa and Midpark's Doug Verbofsky went into Friday night's Southwestern Conference game at Finnie Stadium ranked one-two in passing yardage in Northeast Ohio, combining for 5,500 yards.

Brecksville-Broadview Heights quarterback Tom Tupa. - (PD file)

MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, Ohio — This is not your father's high school football.

Brecksville quarterback Tom Tupa and Midpark's Doug Verbofsky went into Friday night's Southwestern Conference game at Finnie Stadium ranked one-two in passing yardage in Northeast Ohio, combining for 5,500 yards.

That's almost four miles, and probably more than the combined total for most conferences in a season 30 years ago.

Tupa came out on top in the duel, and the Bees won the game, 30-26. Midpark had an opportunity to win late, but the Meteors ran out of downs with 3:35 left and Brecksville ran out the clock.

"It was a really fun game," said Tupa, who completed 30 of 47 passes for 393 yards and two touchdowns. "We knew it was going to be a shootout and come down to the end. Our defense made a big stop for us. They came through in the clutch."

Midpark drove to the Brecksville 31 in their bid for the go-ahead score, but a holding penalty, a 17-yard loss on a razzle-dazzle that fizzled and a sack ended the threat.

Brecksville improved to 5-4 overall and 4-1 in the SWC, hanging on to a share of first place. Midpark slipped to 5-4 and 2-4.

Verbofsky completed 20 of 36 passes for 240 yards and four touchdowns. Neither quarterback threw an interception, and all that offense came in a steady, game-long rain.

"Our athletes who are making the catches and making the throws and the blocks and the runs, that's pretty special to be able to do it in this kind of weather," Brecksville coach Jason Black said. "We do throw the ball, and you have to be able to do that in these conditions."

Tupa moved the Bees to the Midpark 4 on the opening series of the game, but three consecutive incomplete passes gave the ball to the Meteors. It took Verbofsky just three plays to get his team into the end zone. A 79-yard pass to Branson Repasy, who broke two tackles after a short throw, set up a 5-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Owens.

Verbofsky passed to Sage Koncek for the two-point conversion, setting the stage for a game that would be filled with two-point successes and failures after touchdowns.

Ryan Mulhorn did a lot of the work on Brecksville's next drive, scoring on a 4-yard run. Midpark held on to an 8-6 lead after the center snap was bobbled on the kick attempt. Mulhorn finished with 109 yards rushing on 27 carries.

The Meteors increased their lead with another long drive late in the second quarter. Verbofsky capped the 82-yard drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Koncek. But they had to settle for a 14-6 lead when a two-point run attempt was stopped cold.

The 3:15 that was left was more than enough time for Brecksville. Tupa completed 7 of 8 passes, including a 25-yard touchdown to a wide-open Tyler Tarnowski, with 1:04 left to cut the deficit to 14-12. Again, Brecksville missed on the conversion when a Tupa pass was deflected at the line.

Tarnowski led the Bees with 148 yards receiving on seven catches.

Brecksville led, 27-20, after the third quarter, getting a 1-yard touchdown run from Mulhorn and a 21-yard pass from Tupa to Paul Karthan. Karthan added a 24-yard field goal in the fourth quarter for the Bees' final score.

"They were a little stronger and a little more physical," Midpark coach Dave McFarland said. "But from where we were (before this season) and where we are, we're not a pushover and I'm really proud of our football team. They gave us everything they've got."

Bob Migra is a freelance writer in Westlake.

See a photo gallery from the game here. AKRON, Ohio — It took nearly 45 minutes for a team to find the end zone, but Jake Fisher powered his way in on a 1-yard quarterback sneak late in the fourth quarter to lift Ellet to a crucial 7-0 win over Akron Garfield at InfoCision Stadium on Friday.

Garfield's Garland Brandon blocks Ellet's Jacob Isenhart's punt during the third quarter Friday at InfoCision Stadium in Akron. - (Lonnie Timmons III, PD)

See a photo gallery from the game here.

AKRON, Ohio — It took nearly 45 minutes for a team to find the end zone, but Jake Fisher powered his way in on a 1-yard quarterback sneak late in the fourth quarter to lift Ellet to a crucial 7-0 win over Akron Garfield at InfoCision Stadium on Friday.

The win, which was Ellet's seventh straight, keeps the Orangemen's playoff hopes alive. They entered the game in ninth place in the Division II, Region 5 standings, trailing Copley for the eighth and final spot.

Ellet (7-2, 5-0 Akron City Series) hasn't made the playoffs since 1991, and that appearance was the school's only visit to the postseason.

"It comes down to we have to win out to have a shot," Ellet head coach Joe Yost said. "You have no idea how it's all going to come down, so you sort of sit by the phone hoping someone will give you a call [to say you are in the playoffs]. There's so many possibilities.

"All we can do is play the best ball we can play."

The win, which ensured Ellet at least a share of the league title, was also a milestone for Yost, who got his 200th career victory.

"Tonight was about the kids," he said. "They played a great game, they hung in there, kept their composure, got an opportunity in the fourth quarter, and the kids took advantage of it."

The game was a defensive slugfest as both teams struggled to maintain any momentum. In the first half, they combined for eight punts, 151 yards of total offense, and just six first downs.

Ellet had the better opportunities in the first half, reaching the Garfield red zone twice, but coming up empty both times. Ellet's first drive of the night reached the Garfield 20-yard line, but an Orangemen fumble ended the threat.

Ellet's final possession of the opening half again stalled at the Garfield 13, forcing the Orangemen to attempt a 30-yard field goal into a strong wind. The kick fell short and the teams went into the locker room locked in a scoreless tie.

"It was tough for both offenses, but when we got a break, we took advantage of it," Yost said. "That's what you gotta do to win the big one."

Ellet was led offensively by running back Jacob Ivery, who carried 25 times for 88 tough yards. Matt Geer added 31 yards on seven carries, and Fisher had eight carries for 27 yards and the game's only score.

Garfield's offense struggled to move the ball consistently, due in part to Ellet's defense and in part to self-inflicted mistakes. Early in the third quarter, junior Garland Brandon blocked an Ellet punt, setting the Rams up with good field position in Ellet territory. Two plays later, however, the Rams were back on their own side of the 50 and facing a second-and-33 situation following back-to-back penalties: a false start and an unsportsmanlike conduct call.

Garfield (4-5, 3-2) was led offensively by Darrion Powers, who rushed 12 times for 51 yards.

Bill Mayville is a freelancer writer in Parma Heights.

The defending champion Cardinals might have thrown away a chance to clinch a second straight World Series trip.

View full sizeNhat V. Meyer, San Jose Mercury News via MCTThe Giants' Gregor Blanco, right, and Marco Scutaro (19) can celebrate after Friday's win in St. Louis sends the NLCS back to San Francisco for Game 6.

ST. LOUIS — The San Francisco Giants waited quite a while for this kind of performance from Barry Zito.

The soft-tossing lefty was at his best Friday night, pitching San Francisco back into the National League Championship Series with a 5-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals that narrowed its deficit to 3-2.

"This is definitely it for me," Zito said. "Coming here, especially doing it in a Giants uniform. A lot of people were saying stuff about A's days. And for me, the most important thing is doing everything for San Francisco right now."

The Giants' win in Game 5 sent the series to San Francisco. Game 6 will begin Sunday in the twilight at AT&T Park, with Ryan Vogelsong pitching against the Cardinals' Chris Carpenter.

Zito looked like the same guy who won the 2002 AL Cy Young award with the Athletics. He retired 11 batters in a row in one stretch while scattering six hits with six strikeouts in 7 2-3 innings.

Giants catcher Buster Posey twice tapped Zito on the chest when he was pulled in the eighth. It was Zito's first postseason win since 2006, shortly before he left the A's and signed a $126 million, seven-year contract with San Francisco.

Zito was left off the postseason roster when the Giants won the 2010 World Series because he had pitched so ineffectively. He started Game 4 of the division series against the Reds earlier in this year's playoffs and lasted only 2 2-3 innings.

"I couldn't be happier for him," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He had it all going. HE put on quite a show."

The defending champion Cardinals might have thrown away a chance to clinch a second straight World Series trip. Pitcher Lance Lynn's toss on a possible forceout deflected off the second-base bag, paving the way for the Giants' four-run fourth.

"I don't mind him being aggressive if he's got the play," manager Mike Matheny said. "(Shortstop Pete) Kozma was in the right place, he just made a low throw.

"And to do it over again, I'm sure he'd like to take the easy out at first base," he said.

Pablo Sandoval homered for the second straight night and Zito made an extremely rare offensive contribution with a perfectly executed bunt for an RBI single.

Giants defenders made several nice plays behind Zito, including a juggling catch in right by Hunter Pence and a spectacular sliding stop by second baseman Marco Scutaro to rob pinch hitter Shane Robinson on consecutive at-bats.

Once again this postseason, the Giants benefited from a big error.

Needing three straight wins at Cincinnati to avoid elimination in the division series, San Francisco began its comeback on a bobble by third baseman Scott Rolen in the 10th inning that gave the Giants the go-ahead run in Game 3.

The Giants improved to 4-2 on the road this postseason and have won Zito's last 13 starts, with the last setback on Aug. 2. They're averaging more than six runs a game during the streak, although the lefty didn't need much help in this one.

Lynn, an 18-game winner his first year in the rotation, failed to make it out of the fourth for the second time in the series.

The Cardinals are seeking consecutive pennants for the first time since 1967-68, and trying to advance for the second year in a row as a wild-card entry. One more win would set up a rematch of the 2006 World Series against the Tigers, which the Cardinals took in five games.

Lynn struck out five of the first 10 batters, sailing through the first three innings with no balls hit out of the infield. His undoing was a wild throw off the second-base bag attempting to get a forceout on a comebacker that paved the way for San Francisco's four-run fourth.

The Giants had runners on first and second with one out when Lynn gloved a tapper by Pence, wheeled and waited a bit while Kozma hustled to second. But Lynn threw a low dart off the bag with the ball bounding into shallow right field and Marco Scutaro scoring without a play from second.

Eighth-place hitter Brandon Crawford singled up the middle with the bases loaded on a full count with two outs as Lynn just missed with a kick save for two more runs. Zito, who has just 30 career hits in 310 at-bats in the regular season with no extra-base hits and nine RBIs, laid down a perfect bunt for a fourth run.

Lynn has allowed four runs both of his NLCS starts, although all four were unearned in Game 5.

Zito's only trouble came in the second when Yadier Molina and David Freese, both swinging on the first pitch, opened the inning with a single and double. Lynn, a career .056 hitter including the postseason, hit into a bases-loaded double play to end the threat.

Lynn was 3 for 50 with 1 RBI, 10 sacrifices and 36 strikeouts during the regular season, going hitless his last 42 at-bats.

R.B. Fallstrom, Associated Press

MASSILLON, Ohio -- Sometimes when you have a big game looming, you tend to look ahead -- especially when its a rival. Not so for Massillon (8-1), which plays McKinley next week.

MASSILLON, Ohio -- Sometimes when you have a big game looming, you tend to look ahead -- especially when its a rival.

Not so for Massillon (8-1), which plays McKinley next week.

On a night that was expected to be an aerial show put on by Saint Vincent-St. Mary's Clayton Uecker as the Irish chased a playoff spot, the Tigers claimed the game the old-fashioned way.

They won all three phases -- offense, defense and special teams -- in a 44-23 win.

If there was a turning point, it came in the third quarter. Down, 17-13, at half, the Tigers scored on three of their next four possessions and didn't let up.

"We came out focused, we came out ready to play," said Michigan recruit Gareon Conley (two receptions, 61 yards). "At half, all the captains got together and we said this game was for the seniors, and we came out with a lot of attitude."

For a moment, it appeared the Irish had reclaimed the momentum, as Paris Campbell returned a kickoff 92 yards for a score to tie the game at 23 with 5:18 left in the third quarter.

On the Tigers' next series, Marcus Whitfield fumbled and SVSM recovered, putting the Irish in great field position at the Massillon 31. But on a third-and-nine, Kentrell Taylor picked off a Uecker pass at the 7 and returned it 93 yards for a score. Uecker finished 8-of-21 for 43 yards.

" Big players make big plays," said Massillon coach Jason Hall. "We had pressure on the quarterback, and [Taylor] sat right on him, and I think even more impressive is he ran over two or three players before he took off."

Another factor in the Tigers' big win, was their ability to control the clock. Ryan Moore was the key. After rushing for just 29 yards in the first half, he exploded in the second and ended with 176 and two touchdowns.

His second score of the night, a 2-yard run with 1:38 left in the fourth, sealed the win.

"He's a physical player, and that's what we expect of him," Hall said.

Massillon drew first blood, when Kyle Kempt (14-of-22, 216 yards) found Zach Volver for a 36-yard score. But a missed PAT by Andrew David seemed to ignite SVSM heading into the second quarter.

The Irish scored on their next three possessions, first a 27-yard field goal by Dylan Labbem; then, two minutes later, a 9-yard run by Newman Williams; followed by a Mike Pruiett 2-yard run with 5:20 left in the first half.

After that, it was all Tigers. Marcus Whitfield busted loose for a 58-yard score on a Kempt pass, and on five of it next eight possessions, it put points on the board.

"We have to play four quarters," said SVSM coach Dan Boarman. "We imploded there in the second half. We didn't do a good job of protecting the passer, and they made some big plays. I feel bad for the kids."

SVSM is now 7-2 and plays Ursuline Friday.

Matt Pawlikowski is a freelance writer in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Below is a look at some of the top Week 9 football performers from Friday night. Vote for your favorite in our online poll below on this webpage.

Avon running back Ross Douglas is one of eight area players up for the Week 9 Game Balls contest. - (Allison Carey, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Below is a look at some of the top Week 9 football performers from Friday night.

Vote for your favorite in our online poll below on this webpage.

Each week, voting is open until Wednesday at noon.

The winner receives a Game Balls T-shirt.

See who won every Thursday in The Locker Room.

The players in this week's contest:

Jordan Connell, Elyria

Ross Douglas, Avon

Nick Evans, Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin

Cornelius Gamble, Cleveland Heights

Dominick Orsini, Archbishop Hoban

Logan Paul, Westlake

Joe Simonis, Highland

Tommy Tupa, Brecksville

Highlights include lots of college football, including Purdue at Ohio State.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV sports listings

AUTO RACING 

NASCAR: Sprint Cup, Hollywood Casino 400 practice, 11 a.m., ESPN2; Happy Hour Series, 1:30, Speed Channel 

Nationwide Series, Kansas Lottery 300 qualifying, noon, Speed Channel; race, 3:30, ESPN 

BOXING 

Champion Hassan NDam (27-0-0) vs. Peter Quillin (27-0-0), for WBO middleweight title; champion Randall Bailey (43-7-0) vs. Devon Alexander (23-1-0), for IBF welterweight world title; champion Paul Malignaggi (31-4-0) vs. Pablo Cesar Cano (25-1-1), for WBA welterweight title; champion Danny Garcia (24-0-0) vs. Erik Morales (52-8-0), for WBC/WBA super lightweight title, 8, Showtime 

COLLEGE FOOTBALL 

Noon Auburn at Vanderbilt, WUAB 

Noon Purdue at OHIO STATE, WEWS; AM/850 radio 

Noon Minnesota at Wisconsin, ESPNU 

Noon LSU at Texas A&M, ESPN 

Noon Virginia Tech at Clemson, ESPN2 

FX Texas Tech at TCU or Iowa St. at Oklahoma St. 

Noon Penn at Yale, NBCSN 

1 p.m. CWRU at OBERLIN, AM/1320 radio

1 p.m. LAKE ERIE vs. Findlay, AM/970 radio

3 p.m. Stanford at California, WJW Ch.¤8 

3:30 p.m. N.C. State at Maryland, ESPNU 

3:30 p.m. Michigan State at Michigan, BTN  

3:30 p.m. Nebraska at Northwestern, WEWS 

3:30 p.m. South Carolina at Florida, WOIO 

3:30 p.m. Texas Tech at TCU, ESPN2 

3:30 p.m. Indiana at Navy, CBSSN 

3:30 p.m. Rice at Tulsa, Fox Sports Ohio 

3:30 p.m. BYU at Notre Dame, WKYC Ch.¤3 

3:30 p.m. UNLV at Boise State, NBCSN 

7 p.m. WALSH vs. Tiffin (tape), SportsTime Ohio  

7 p.m. North Carolina at Duke, ESPNU 

7 p.m. Alabama at Tennessee, ESPN 

7 p.m. Kansas State at West Virginia, WJW Ch.¤8 

7 p.m. Marshall at Southern Miss, CBSSN 

7:45 p.m. Middle Tennessee State at Mississippi State, ESPN2 

8 p.m. Penn State at Iowa, BTN  

8:07 p.m. Florida State at Miami (Fla.), WEWS  

9:30 p.m. *-Kansas at Oklahoma, Fox Sports Ohio  

10:30 p.m. San Diego State at Nevada, CBSSN  

10:30 p.m. South Carolina State at Florida A&M (tape), ESPNU 

11 p.m. JOHN CARROLL vs. Ohio Northern (tape), SportsTime Ohio 

*-Joined in progess 

EXTREME SPORTS 

Dew Tour: Toyota City Championships, 1:30, WKYC Ch.¤3; 11 (tape), NBCSN 

GOLF

PGA Tour: 2, The McGladrey Classic, third round, Golf Channel 

Web.com Tour: 5 (tape), Jacksonville Open, third round, Golf Channel 

LPGA: 7:30 (tape), HanaBank Championship, second round, Golf Channel 

European PGA Tour: 1:30 a.m. (Sunday), Perth International, final round, Golf Channel 

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL  

2 p.m. St. Ignatius at Cincinnati St. Xavier, TWCS-311 

5 p.m. St. Edward at Cincinnati Moeller (tape), TWCS-311 

HOCKEY  

8 p.m. AHL, LAKE ERIE MONSTERS at Oklahoma City, AM/1420 radio

MOTORSPORTS 

10 Monster Energy Cup, Speed Channel 

4 a.m. (Sunday) MotoGP World Championship, Malaysian Grand Prix, 4 a.m. (Sunday), Speed Channel 

SOCCER

Premier League: 7:30 a.m. Chelsea at Tottenham, ESPN2 

MLS: 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia at Houston, NBCSN 

MLS: 7:30 p.m. COLUMBUS CREW at DC United, Fox Sports Ohio  

Byner is remembered for his production and emotion, and also for a miscue that mattered only because his superb play had kept the Browns in a famous game.

Earnest Byner thanks Browns fans for their support after Cleveland's 26-10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 17, 1995 at Cleveland Stadium. It was the Browns' final home game before then-owner Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore.
Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A countdown of the top 100 players in Cleveland
Browns history. Players must have spent at least four seasons with the
Browns. The ranking is based only on players' careers with the Browns.

No. 65, Earnest Byner, running back, 1984-88, 1994-95

Earnest Byner was a 10th-round pick out of East Carolina by the Browns in the 1984 draft. Eight months later, he had established himself as their best running back.

Byner played with such a will that he overcame any deficiencies that NFL scouts might have been wary of, any shortcomings that led to 279 players being drafted ahead of him.

In Byner's second season, 1985, he rushed for 1,002 yards and his backfield running mate, Kevin Mack, compiled 1,104 yards. Only six times in NFL history have two players on the same team rushed for at least 1,000 yards in the same season.

In two stays with Cleveland, Byner ran for 3,364 yards and 27 touchdowns and caught 276 passes for 2,630 yards and 10 TDs.

Those numbers don't do justice to Byner's contributions to the Browns in terms of both production and intangibles. Nor do they include his overall performance in the postseason which, arguably, is the best of any running back in team history.

Byner, who was also a fine blocker, missed much of the 1986 season with an ankle injury. He was still sidelined for the Browns' 23-20 double overtime playoff win over the New York Jets. He returned the next week, more for his ability to inspire than for his physical readiness to play. Byner touched the football once, for a four-yard reception, in the 23-20 overtime loss to the Broncos at Cleveland Stadium -- the AFC Championship Game famous for "The Drive" led by Denver quarterback John Elway that forced the overtime.

In six other playoff games for the Browns, Byner rushed for 480 yards and four touchdowns in 82 carries (5.9 yards per carry) and caught 21 passes for 221 yards (10.5 yards per catch) and two touchdowns.

The Browns have played in 31 postseason games since joining the NFL in 1950. Byner has the top two single-game rushing yardage performances.

In a 1985 season divisional playoff game at Miami, Byner rushed for a Cleveland postseason record 161 yards in 16 carries. His touchdown romps of 21 and 66 yards gave the youthful Browns a 21-3 lead in the third quarter, but the Dolphins rallied for a 24-21 victory.

Byner ran 23 times for 122 yards and a touchdown, and caught four passes for 36 yards and another score as the Browns defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 38-21, in a 1987 season divisional playoff game at Cleveland.

Eight days later in the AFC Championship Game at Denver, Byner and quarterback Bernie Kosar keyed a thrilling rally as the Browns caught the Broncos at 31-31 after trailing, 28-10. Denver regained the lead at 38-31, but Byner and Kosar sparked the Browns again. They advanced to a second-and-five play at the Broncos' 8. Byner rambled through a hole to his left and seemed headed for the game-tying touchdown. Denver cornerback Jeremiah Castille, though, stripped the football from Byner near the 1, and the Broncos recovered at their 3 with 1:05 left in the game. Denver won, 38-33.

Byner had caught seven passes for 120 yards and a touchdown, and gained 67 yards in 15 carries, with another score. His miscue, though, meant that the game would always be referred to simply as "The Fumble."

An injury-riddled Cleveland team qualified for a wild card playoff game at home in 1988. Byner ran for 57 yards on just nine carries in the Browns' 24-23 loss to the Houston Oilers. The relentless competitor lost his cool after the Browns, trailing 14-9, moved to the Houston 25 early in the third quarter. Byner was flagged for 15-yard unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on consecutive plays, the 30 lost yards costing the Browns a chance for a key score.

Some felt that the fumble in Denver, followed almost a year later by the Houston game, created an environment that it would be best for both Byner and the team that he leave the Browns. And, almost immediately after the loss to the Oilers, Marty Schottenheimer -- unable to resolve differences with owner Art Modell -- was out as the Browns' coach. Byner had been one of his favorite players.

The circumstances may have helped persuade the Browns to make a trade that would become one of the worst in team history, sending Byner to the Washington Redskins for running back Mike Oliphant on the day of the 1989 draft. Byner was 26. Oliphant was just eight months younger, even though he had played just one NFL season, during which he got the football a combined 37 times on rushes, receptions and returns.

General manager Ernie Accorsi, who had deftly built the Browns into a contender, and other decision-makers explained that the primary reason they made the Byner-for-Oliphant trade was to give the Browns more speed in the backfield.

The deal backfired to embarrassing proportions for the Browns. It wasn't Oliphant's fault the move was made, nor that he couldn't stay healthy. He totaled 23 touches for the Browns in 1989, and had none with them over the next two years: missing all of the 1990 season with a hamstring injury and playing briefly in four games in 1991, again hampered by hamstring problems. He never again played in the NFL.

Byner played five years for Washington. In the middle three seasons (1990-92), he averaged 1,088 yards rushing and made two Pro Bowls. And, he got a championship. The Redskins won the 1991 season Super Bowl, 37-24 over the Buffalo Bills, with Byner catching a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mark Rypien.

The Browns brought Byner back, signing him as a free agent prior to a 1994 season that would begin three days after his 32nd birthday. Playing in a backup role, he helped the Browns make the playoffs as a wild card, then totaled 73 rushing yards and 30 receiving yards in the Browns' 20-13 home win over the New England Patriots (the last playoff win in Browns' history) and their 29-9 loss to the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

The Browns were considered among the AFC favorites heading into the 1995 campaign. It all fell apart, of course, when it was revealed at midseason that Modell would move the team to Baltimore following the season. The final game at Cleveland Stadium was played on Dec. 17. Fittingly, the emotional Byner stood out during the game that was unlike any other, from an emotional standpoint, in Cleveland history. Byner's 121 rushing yards and 36 receiving yards led the Browns to a 26-10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Byner played two seasons in Baltimore with the Ravens before retiring. He presently is the running backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

(The Browns' all-time top 100 players so far)

Video: Most of the national telecast of the Browns' 24-21 playoff loss to the Dolphins in Miami on Jan. 4, 1986. Browns' running back Earnest Byner (44) rushed for 161 yards, including touchdowns of 21 and 66 yards, in 16 carries:

Often referred to as HGH, the hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland, a pea-sized structure at the base of the brain, and helps bone, muscle and organs grow.

What is human growth hormone?

Often referred to as HGH, the hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland, a pea-sized structure at the base of the brain, and helps bone, muscle and organs grow. The hormone is essential for children to grow normally. If a child doesn't make enough of it and doesn't get treatment, he or she will be extremely short. With treatment, the child can grow normally and reach a normal adult height. The amount produced by the body normally declines in middle age, which has led some people to wonder if it could reverse the aging process and might be a hormonal fountain of youth.

Is there a synthetic version?

Yes. It's manufactured in labs by a number of drug companies. It is considered to be similar or identical to the real thing and is available only by prescription.

Does it have FDA approval?

Yes, to treat children and adults who have a true deficiency of the hormone -- a rare disorder -- not the typical decline that comes with aging. In children with the deficiency, it increases height, its main effect. It can also increase muscle mass and lean body mass. In adults with the deficiency, it increases muscle mass, improves well-being and increases fat-free mass.

Is it FDA approved for the treatment of any other disorders?

Yes, most of them are growth disorders. But it's also used to treat short bowel syndrome and to stop or slow muscle wasting in people with HIV or AIDS. In addition, it has approval for use in certain groups of extremely short children who do not a deficiency of HGH.

How is it administered?

It must be injected.

Is HGH used for non-FDA-approved purposes?

Yes, investigations have found that athletes use it illegally despite repeated research that shows it does little to improve performance. Most research has found it has little or no effect on muscle strength and power. Studies have also found that it's commonly used by male weightlifters. Swimmers, cyclists and other competitive jocks are known to use HGH, too. And top athletes have begun testing positive for it.

In 2011, Mike Jacobs, a Colorado Rockies minor leaguer, became the first North American professional athlete, according to ESPN, to test positive for human growth hormone. The first baseman was suspended for 50 games.

Earlier this year, weightlifter Pat Mendes became the first American in a current Olympic sport to be disciplined for a positive HGH test. He was suspended for two years.

In 2010, Mark McGuire, who broke baseball's home run record in 1998, acknowledged using the hormone in addition to steroids.

It's been banned by the International Olympic Committee, the National Football League, the National Collegiate Athletic Association and other sports organizations.

Even so, it's use has spread to Hollywood, where stars claim it improves sex drive and makes them look and feel younger.

Sylvester Stallone and Nick Nolte are among the actors who've acknowledged using HGH.

Is synthetic growth hormone detectable?

Yes, synthetic HGH can be detected in the body through blood samples.

What are the side effects of high doses and long-term use in people who aren't deficient in HGH?

Side effects include fluid retention, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, high blood pressure, diabetes and abnormal bone growth that may cause physical deformity.

Can you buy it over the counter?

Products that claim to contain HGH or HGH boosters are sold online and in some stores, but the Federal Trade Commission, the nation's consumer protection agency, says a close look suggests that they may be nothing more than hype. "FTC staff has seen no reliable evidence to support the claim that these 'wannabe' products have the same effect as prescription HGH," its website says. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the website continues, "says it is unaware of any reliable evidence to support anti-aging claims for over-the-counter pills and sprays that supposedly contain HGH. The agency has not approved any such products for anti-aging or any other purpose."

What else should people know about HGH?

"This is a really important treatment that is necessary for certain groups of patients," says Leona Cuttler, division chief of pediatric endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital. "Although it may be used in incorrectly or maybe even abused by certain people trying to enhance athletic performance we can't lose sight of the fact that it is an essential treatment for certain groups of patients who have clear cut disorders and meet FDA criteria for its use."

The charges filed in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh, however, do not identify the people who received the drugs from Dr. Richard Rydze, 62. The filing accuses Rydze of dispensing the steroids from September 2007 through March 2011.

The former doctor for the Pittsburgh Steelers was arrested and charged with illegally distributing steroids, human growth hormone and painkillers. Associated Press file photo

CLEVELAND, Ohio — A former Pittsburgh Steelers team doctor was arrested Friday and accused in a 185-count indictment of illegally distributing anabolic steroids, human growth hormone and painkillers.

The charges filed in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh, however, do not identify the people who received the drugs from Dr. Richard Rydze, 62.

The filing accuses Rydze of dispensing the steroids from September 2007 through March 2011.(Read the full indictment in the document viewer below).

Rydze served with the Steelers for about 22 years, ending in the summer of 2007, according to ESPN.com. In a 2009 interview, Rydze told ESPN that he prescribed human growth hormone to help patients heal from tendon and ligament injuries. He denied giving it to players.

"It was never done in athletes," he told ESPN. "It was never with any Steelers."

But the indictment charges Rydze with writing the prescriptions for unauthorized uses such as bodybuilding and boosting athletic performance.

"Doctors have a tremendous power in prescribing medication, and the vast majority use that power to dispense medicine to help sick people, said U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach in Cleveland. "This doctor is accused of using his prescription pad like a personal ATM, doling out steroids, painkillers and other medicine for his own gain. "

Cleveland FBI works the Pittsburgh case

Dr. Richard Rydze ESPN.com

Dettelbach's office and federal agents in Cleveland worked the case because of Rydze's connections in Pittsburgh. He was a prominent physician who gave physicals to agents in the Pittsburgh FBI office, according to published reports.

Rydze is being held without bond, pending a hearing Monday. The Associated Press reported that Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol Skutnik told a federal magistrate judge in Pittsburgh that she will seek continued detention because Rydze has continued to prescribe drugs "10 to 15 times" in recent weeks, despite losing his federal license to do so in July.

Rydze's attorney sought his release, citing his ties to the community, the wire service reported. Michael Novara declined to comment late Friday afternoon.

The indictment accuses Rydze of committing health care fraud by diagnosing more than 90 patients with pituitary dwarfism, a condition in which patients do not reach 5 feet tall. Human growth hormone and other drugs often are prescribed to those patients to promote growth.

But the indictment says all of Rydze's patients stood more than 5 feet tall, and at least 40 of them were taller than 5 feet 9 inches, according to the indictment. One of the patients diagnosed with pituitary dwarfism was a 61-year-old former karate competitor and body builder who had no physical characteristics consistent with dwarfism, the indictment said.

The former karate competitor stood 5 feet 11 inches tall but received testosterone and the drug Anastrozole, which some athletes and body builders use to prevent water retention.

Federal prosecutors also charged that from February 2005 through October 2011, Rydze obtained more than 21,000 Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen, commonly known as Vicodin ES, by calling in more than 200 prescriptions to Pittsburgh-area pharmacies. Authorities said he did it by obtaining a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration registration number that belonged to another doctor, who did not offer Rydze consent.

The time period involving the 200 prescriptions coincides with Rydze's tenure with the Steelers.

Spokesmen for the team and the NFL declined to comment.

Indictment claims sexual motives in some cases

The indictment also suggests Rydze had other motives for prescribing some drugs. It says he called in prescriptions to Pittsburgh-area pharmacies from about January 2010 through January 2012 at the request of a woman who is identified in the charges only as "KK."

He put some of the prescriptions in the name of the woman's relative who had insurance, "despite knowing that the prescriptions were not intended for use by that relative," the indictment said.

The indictment offered a series of text messages sent between Rydze and the woman on March 8, 2011, moments after Rydze authorized prescriptions for the woman.

"OMG, what do I owe you?" the woman wrote.

Rydze responded by saying he wanted to have sex with the woman.

"Omg me too," the woman wrote back.

The allegations filed Friday are not the first time that Rydze has attracted the government's attention for his use of growth hormone.

Rydze questioned in 2007 Florida case 

In 2007, narcotics investigators questioned him about a purchase of $150,000 worth of testosterone and growth hormone from Signature Pharmacy of Orlando, Fla., according to the Times Union of Albany, N.Y. The paper reported that Rydze paid for the items with a credit card. ESPN reported the retail value of the purchase approached $1 million.

A few months after the interview with narcotics officers, Rydze left the Steelers.

On Friday, the Associated Press reported that Steelers president Dan Rooney issued a statement after Rydze was linked to the purchase of testosterone. The statement, the AP reported, said: "There is no evidence that Dr. Rydze prescribed or provided any hormone treatments to any of our players. Dr. Rydze has assured me that this has never happened and will never happen."

In March 2011, FBI agents from Cleveland searched Rydzes medical offices in Pittsburgh and seized documents, according to interviews and several published reports.

Rydze told investigators in 2007 that he gave human growth hormone to elderly patients, ESPN reported.

"Because I was associated with the Steelers, the assumption was that I was giving everyone on the Steelers growth hormone or steroids," Rydze told ESPN. "You say a team doctor for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and you are saying he is buying growth hormone from a pharmacy in Florida what the hell else are you going to think?"

"That whole thing got way overblown," Rydze told ESPN. "I was doing some kind of little bit of research back then and using growth hormone to help heal people with tendon injuries. That seems to be, in my estimation looking at that hormone, the only role it really plays in helping people. It does seem to make you heal better, quicker. "

ESPN, however, reported that federal law says there are only a handful of conditions that doctors may prescribe the drug include short bowel syndrome and adults with growth hormone deficiency.

"I know it has caused me a lot of grief, simply because I believe in it and I know what it does," Rydze told ESPN. "And to deny people the effect to heal better that is the art of medicine, to make people heal."

Charges claim doctor falsely diagnosed to prescribe steroids

The indictment said Rydze and another Pittsburgh man, James Hatzimbes, 42, would schedule steroid clinics on Saturdays.

The charges allege Rydze would often falsely diagnose clients as having a hormonal imbalance or pituitary deficiency and then prescribe steroids and human growth hormone.

They charged clients $75 per visit and would split the amount equally, according to the charges. The indictment called the men's work a conspiracy and said it lasted from about September 2007 through March 2011.

Many of the clients were athletes who were seeking hormone replacement therapy and anabolic steroids to help improve performance, the indictment said.

The charges say a pharmacy that handled Rydze's prescriptions paid him $301,407 in commissions between August 2007 and January 2011; it gave Rydzes business, Optimal Health Center LLC, $146,465.

Rydze also is accused of writing prescriptions for Oxycodone, Oxycontin, Oxymorphone and Opana in the names of a Pittsburgh man's relatives, who had health insurance. Prosecutors said scheme lasted from March 2007 through January 2012. The man, William Zipf, was charged with Rydze with health care fraud.