BOYS BASKETBALL SECTIONAL TOURNAMENT

BOYS BASKETBALL

SECTIONAL TOURNAMENT

SEMIFINALS

DIVISON I

Alliance District

At Alliance H.S.

#9 Warren Howland vs. #8 Austintown Fitch,6

#3 North Canton Hoover vs. #11 Louisville, 7:30

Broadview Heights District

At Brecksville H.S.

#7 Midview vs. #4 Midpark, 6

#12 John Marshall vs. #11 Normandy, 7:30

Canton District

At Canton Memorial Civic Center

#10 Ellet vs. #8 Massillon Washington, 7:30

Copley District

Copley H.S.

#11 Wadsworth vs. #8 Cuyahoga Falls, 6

#4 Brunswick vs. #12 Cloverleaf, 7:30

Euclid District

At Euclid H.S.

#8 Riverside vs. #9 Willoughby South, 5:30

#1 Mentor vs. #12 Chardon, 7

Grafton District

At Midview H.S.

#10 North Ridgeville vs. #9 Strongsville, 7:30

Solon District

At Solon H.S.

#9 Kenston vs. #6 Maple Heights, 6

#7 Cleveland JFK vs. #11 Lincoln-West, 7:30

DIVISION II

Ashtabula District

At Lakeside H.S.

#12 Geneva vs. #4 John Hay, 6

#8 Collinwood vs. #7 Perry, 7:30

Boardman District

At Boardman H.S.

#2 Salem vs. #11 Cortland Lakeview, 6

Canton District

At Canton Memorial Fieldhouse

#9 Tuslaw vs. #1 Canton South, 6:15

#12 Fairless vs. #3 St. Vincent-St. Mary, 8

Stow District

At Stow H.S.

#7 Orange vs. #3 Akron East, 6

#1 Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy vs. #12 Revere, 7:30

Westlake District

At Westlake H.S.

#8 Padua vs. #10 Brookside, 6

#9 Bay vs. #7 Holy Name, 7;30

DIVISION III

Painesville District

At Harvey H.S.

#6 Kirtland vs. #5 Trinity, 6:15

#4 Columbia vs. #8 Hawken, 8

Salem District

At Salem H.S.

#7 Canton Central Catholic vs. #5 East Palestine, 5:30

#9 Columbiana vs. #8 Lisbon David Anderson, 7:30

Warren District

At Howland H.S.

#8 Cardinal vs. #6 Pymatuning Valley, 6

#12 Warren Champion vs. #3 Youngstown Ursuline, 7:30

Wooster District

At Wooster H.S.

#12 Jeromesville Hillsdale vs. #4 Elyria Catholic, 6

#5 Smithville vs. #9 Keystone, 7:30

DIVISION IV

Garfield Heights District

At Garfield Heights H.S.

#7 Rittman vs. #8 Kidron Central Christian, 5:30

#9 Lake Ridge Academy vs. #10 Open Door Christian, 7

STRUTHERS DISTRICT

At Struthers H.S.

#6 Leetonia vs. #5 Lake Center Christian, 6

#9 Berlin Center Western Reserve vs. #7 Heartland Christian, 7:30

WARREN DISTRICT

At Warren G. Harding H.S.

#6 Lordstown vs. #5 Mineral Ridge, 6

#13 Bloomfield vs. #1 Bristol, 7:30

DISTRICT TOURNAMENT

SEMIFINALS

DIVISION III

Barberton District

#6 Mogadore vs. #2 Waterloo, 6

#5 Rootstown vs. #1 Elyria Catholic, 7:45

HOCKEY

DISTRICT TOURNAMENT

Brooklyn District

At John M. Coyne Rec. Center

Semifinals

#4 Rocky River vs. #1 St. Ignatius, 7

Kent District

#5 Gilmour Academy vs. #2 University School, 7:30

Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden said at an appearance at the Cleveland Auto Show at the I-X Center that he looks forward to competing and expects to be the starting quarterback next year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Brandon Weeden, Cleveland Browns quarterback, said at an appearance at the Cleveland Auto Show at the I-X Center that he looks forward to competing and plans on being the starter next year.

Weeden said his interaction with the Browns new front office has been limited because of league policies, but looks forward to getting the new playbook and learning the new offense.

To reach this Plain Dealer videographer: dandersen@plaind.com

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

Speaking at the Cleveland Auto Show, Brandon Weeden says he's ready to do what it takes to be the Browns' starter in the fall. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden said this evening that he "absolutely" feels like he can beat out any competition that the team brings in this offseason.

"I expect to be the starter this season, absolutely," Weeden said, speaking before he made an appearance at the Cleveland Auto Show at the I-X Center.

Over the weekend at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Browns CEO Joe Banner said that the team is eager to see Weeden work with new head coach Rob Chudzinski and offensive coordinator Norv Turner.

"We're telling you that we see potential that we're going to try to work with it and see what it's going to develop into," Banner said. "Some of that is just going to come from how bad he wants it. So I think we'll know a lot more than we know now shortly."

As for whether or not he has the work ethic to take his game to the next level, Weeden said, "I worked may tail off last season."

Weeden said that because of restrictions under the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement, he has not seen the new playbook that coach Chudzinski and Turner will use. Weeden said he will be back in Cleveland on April 1 for the start of the Browns' offseason program.

Weeden, entering his second season after playing at Oklahoma State, is spending the offseason training in Oklahoma. He said he has not sat down with the Browns to discuss where he stands with team.

Check back soon for more on Weeden's interview at the Auto show.

Rory McIlroy, world's No. 1 player, already was 7-over par through eight holes of the second round.

View full size Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, watches his tee shot on the 10th hole during the first round of the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. AP  

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Rory McIlroy abruptly walked off the course today at the Honda Classic and left everyone wondering what was wrong with golf's No. 1 player.

McIlroy already was 7-over par through eight holes of the second round when he hit his second shot into the water on the par-5 18th at PGA National. He shook hands with Ernie Els and Mark Wilson and was headed to the parking lot before they even finished the hole.

"There's not really much I can say, guys," McIlroy told three reporters who followed him to his car. "I'm not in a good place mentally, you know?"

He said there was nothing wrong physically. When asked about his swing, the 23-year-old from Northern Ireland replied, "Yeah, I really don't know what's going on."

About an hour after he left, McIlroy released a statement that attributed his withdrawal to a sore wisdom tooth.

"I have been suffering with a sore wisdom tooth, which is due to come out in the near future," McIlroy said. "It began bothering me again last night, so I relieved it with Advil. It was very painful again this morning, and I was simply unable to concentrate. It was really bothering me and had begun to affect my playing partners."

McIlroy apologized to the tournament, saying he had every intention of defending his title at the Honda Classic.

If his golf wasn't shocking enough, the manner in which he left raised plenty of questions about the state of game -- and his head -- in the month leading to the Masters.

McIlroy, coming off a year in which he won a second major in record fashion, already set himself up for scrutiny when he left Titleist to sign an equipment deal with Nike that was said to be worth upward of $20 million a year.

Nike introduced him with blaring music and a laser show in Abu Dhabi, but it's been all downhill from there.

McIlroy missed the cut in the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship with rounds of 75-75. He took a four-week break, and then was eliminated in the opening round of the Match Play Championship to Shane Lowry in one of the most poorly played matches of the round.

McIlroy played 36 holes with Tiger Woods at The Medalist on Sunday and said Tuesday it was no time to panic.

"Even though my results haven't revealed it, I really felt like I was rounding a corner," McIlroy said. "This is one of my favorite tournaments of the year and I regret having to make the decision to withdraw, but it was one I had to make."

It looked more like McIlroy was sinking than rounding the corner, not difficult to do on a course with so many water hazards. And he found plenty of them.

McIlroy, who opened with a 70, hit two poor chips that led to double bogey on No. 11, and a wild tee shot to the right led to a bogey on the 13th. His round really unraveled on the par-4 16th, when he hit his tee shot to the right and into the water, took a penalty drop, and then came up short of the green and into the water again. He made a 6-foot putt for a triple bogey.

He three-putted from 40 feet, running his first putt about 10 feet by the hole, for a bogey to go 7 over. And then came the approach that found water for the third time of his short day on the 18th.

McIlroy is scheduled to play next week in the Cadillac Championship at Doral, which has no cut, and then the Houston Open. But on the first day of March, he has completed only four rounds of competition.

It was the second straight year one of golf's biggest stars failed to finish a tournament on the Florida swing. Woods withdrew after 11 holes on the final round at Doral last year because of tightness in his Achilles tendon, raising questions about the seriousness of his recurring leg injuries. He won Bay Hill two weeks later.

The Miami Heat breaks it down in their version of the viral "Harlem Shake" video.

View full size King LeBron James and the Miami Heat shake it up with their version of the "Harlem Shake." Youtube.com  

CLEVELAND, Ohio - One of the perks of being on a 12-game winning streak is that you get to have some fun. And the Miami Heat did just that, on Thursday releasing their version of the web meme of 2013 so far, the Harlem Shake video.

The players bought in, obviously, and James stars as, yes, a king.

Other key characters to watch for include Chris "Birdman" Anderson as a birdman; Mario Chalmers as Super Mario; Ray Allen as the Phantom; Chris Bosh as the boom box guy; Dwyane Wade as a bear; and Cleveland State's own Norris Cole as the guy in the pajama pants.

James Tweeted on Thursday night to let fans know it was coming: "Just after 7 p.m. Thursday, LeBron James posted on his Twitter, "Got something for y'all at 7:15. Stay tuned."

The video is already well over 2 million views on Youtube.

Enjoy. Or not.

In honor Adidas' new, some say hideous college basketball uniforms, we present the Top 10 worst uniforms worn by local teams from the past 3 decades.

Six teams will sport 'unconventional' uniforms designed by Adidas in the NCAA Tournament later this month. Adidas

 Adidas unveiled new alternate uniforms for six  college basketball teams this week that were called both "stupid-looking" and "preposterous" by USA Today.

The designs feature both animal print shorts and sleeves.

In honor of Adidas' assault on the eyes, we present the Top 10 worst uniforms worn by local teams from the past 3 decades. Check out the photo gallery and then come back here to tell us what you think and about the ones we may have missed.

Akron is a trendy darkhorse pick to make a substantial March run. If the NCAA in its fiendish way matched the Zips against Ohio State in an opening game, who would win?

View full size Guard Alex Abreu says he thinks the Akron Zips are good enough to compete for the national title. But they may have to get past Ohio State first, and that would be an intriguing matchup in March Madness 2013, writes Bill Livingston. AP  

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Ohio State vs. Akron would be the wildest March hare since, well, Ohio State vs. Cincinnati way back in, oh, 2012.

After a half-century of trying to rematch the Buckeyes and Bearcats in their first NCAA Tournament meeting since back-to-back championship games in 1961-62, the long-awaited Sweet 16 contest last year was a letdown.

Cincinnati, despite the presence of a player named Cashmere (Wright), was a team that had trouble scoring points, one that had to lay some serious ugly on the game to have a chance to win.

Ohio State, with Jared Sullinger in his second and final season, had the higher skill set. After an internal debate between, as Sullinger called them, "the cool guys and the blue-collar guys," Ohio State blew a 12-point lead, then regrouped to win, 81-66.

This year, the drama over team identity is gone with Sullinger, who left for the NBA. The Buckeyes are the blue-collar guys. Maybe they tried to be the cool guys once, in a debacle at Wisconsin, but they only win against a good team if they are ready to go to work on defense.

Akron is a good team, with a much higher skill component than OSU. The Buckeyes have no counterparts to such 3-point threats as Reggie McAdams, who filled it up from the arc in a rout of Ohio University at Akron; or Jake Kretzer, who did the same thing in an overtime Zips' victory this week down by the Hocking River.

Ohio State would possess more mental toughness than Akron, though, just by playing in the Big Ten meat-grinder. Five Big Ten teams are in the nation's top 16 (Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin); another is moving up (Illinois); and yet another just nailed a prized pelt to its wall (Minnesota, which took down Indiana this week).

If the Buckeyes and Zips meet in the NCAAs, OSU's defense will disrupt Akron. It will start with Aaron Craft, the best defensive player in college basketball.

Akron point guard Alex Abreu speaks openly of winning a national championship, but first he would have to at least perform respectably in a matchup with Craft.

"It might sound crazy, but I don't think we have anything to envy from anybody in the country. We're full at every position. We're big. We're strong. We have guard play. We have shooters. There is nothing we really lack, other than confidence," Abreu said after the first victory over Ohio.

Craft would make him earn his swagger. The hustling, physical 6-2 Craft plays defense with his hands as much as his quick feet. "I foul on every play," ESPN's Dan Dakich recounted Craft as telling him. "They can't call them all."

It was a joke, but it was also a commentary on the physical style of Big Ten defense. Tom Izzo, the Michigan State coach, makes his team scrimmage in football pads for a reason.

That bumping and banging component will test 7-footer Zeke Marshall, the top defensive force in the MAC with his shot-blocking and shot altering, as he has not been tested before. I make 6-8, 260-pound Evan Ravenel, the Buckeyes backup center, the hammer here. OSU's 6-11 starter, Amir Williams, is simply not a hard-hat player.

The Buckeyes also need their lone shooter and scorer, Deshaun Thomas, to rediscover his 3-point shot. A power forward with the range of a shooting guard, Thomas is a matchup nightmare for most college teams. Akron would have no answer for him unless Thomas is simply off.

As for the Zips' 3-point complement to Demetrius Treadwell and Marshall in an inside-out game, Ohio State believes in long, rangy perimeter defenders. Thomas, Lenzelle Smith Jr. and Sam Thompson can "close out" like swift-moving eclipses. Thompson spiked away a Northwestern triple on the arc Thursday night. The Zips are athletic, too, but not crazy, skywalking athletic.

For all the intriguing matchups, it might come down simply to what Abreu said about the Zips' confidence. Ohio State has been on the bright, spotlit stage many times before. Akron has not proven itself by winning an NCAA Tournament game.

I think the Zips might actually win a series against Ohio State more easily than a one-and-done NCAA format game. The Zips clearly have more weapons. The Buckeyes have more self-belief.

Ohio State, 69-65.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

Who should the Browns take with the No. 6 pick in the draft? The combine and a big trade have shaken things up at the top. Chris Fedor unveils his new choice for the Browns in Mock Draft 2.0.

The NFL Scouting Combine is in the books. and the first big trade of the offseason has been agreed upon. Both sent shock waves through the NFL and shook up the top half of the draft. Free agency and upcoming Pro Days for prospects will also lead to some changes. There is still a lot to be determined before April 25^th but it's becoming clear that pass-rushers and offensive lineman will be in demand in the first round. 

1. Kansas City Chiefs – Luke Joeckel, Offensive Tackle, Texas A&M

West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith was set to occupy this position until Kansas City upgraded its quarterback spot. According to numerous reports they have done just that. Acquiring former 49ers signal caller Alex Smith allows the Chiefs to focus on other areas. With offensive lineman Branden Albert set to hit free agency, KC turns its attention to the best player in the draft to protect its newest investment.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Barkevious Mingo, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, LSU

The Jaguars finished dead last in the NFL in sacks last season, and they were the only team to hire a defensive-minded head coach this offseason. It's clear the Jags feel they need to upgrade that side of the ball. The only real question is what pass-rusher will they take? Mingo didn't have the production that teams would like in a Top-10 draft pick, but his freakish athleticism, speed and burst can't be taught. With some coaching and a little bit of time in the weight room, Barkevious Mingo can be a quarterback's worst nightmare.

3. Oakland Raiders – Geno Smith, Quarterback, West Virginia

The only team happier than the 49ers and Chiefs after what transpired this past week is the Oakland Raiders. Kansas City's acquisition of Alex Smith gives Oakland the chance to draft its franchise quarterback. Although the Raiders need help along their defensive line and a disruptor on the interior like Florida's Sharrif Floyd would be awfully tempting, the fact that the Raiders don't have a second-round pick this year makes it more imperative to leave the draft with the best quarterback in the class and wait on defensive tackle, which is one of the deepest positions this year.

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Dion Jordan, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker

Perhaps I'm getting too caught up in a Duck reunion with new head coach Chip Kelly taking one of his favorite former players, but Jordan makes a ton of sense. Philly has decided to make the switch on defense to the 3-4, and one look at the Eagles' personnel and it can be seen that they don't currently have what it takes to run it. Jordan's speed, athleticism and versatility would be an enormous boost when it comes to putting pressure on the quarterback, especially in a division with Robert Griffin III, Eli Manning and Tony Romo.

5. Detroit Lions – Eric Fisher, Offensive Tackle, Central Michigan

It's amazing to think that just two seasons ago the Lions were a playoff team, because their roster doesn't look like it. The secondary is putrid and Alabama's Dee Milliner will be given heavy consideration at this spot. The defensive end position will also need to be addressed, as Kyle Vanden Bosch was let go this offseason and Cliff Avril is a free agent once again. But it's all about Matthew Stafford for Detroit. The Lions will only go as far as he can take them. With left tackle Jeff Backus being 35 years old and right tackle Gosder Cherilus being an unrestricted free agent, offensive line becomes the biggest priority once again for the Lions.

6. Cleveland Browns – Jarvis Jones, Outside Linebacker, Georgia

The Browns have made the decision to transition to a "hybrid" 3-4 defense that attacks more. If they are going to do that effectively, they need to upgrade their linebackers. With Mingo and Jordan off the board, it comes down to Ansah or Jones. Taking Jarvis Jones in the Top 10 is a huge risk because of his spinal stenosis. Not to mention, he doesn't have ideal size for the position, but the former Bulldog has the speed, explosiveness and powerful hands to give opposing coaches headaches like he did in Athens for the past two seasons.

7. Arizona Cardinals – Lane Johnson, Offensive Tackle, Oklahoma

Despite the belief out there, quarterback is not the biggest issue in the desert. The offensive line is and it has been for years. The Cards would be heartbroken if both Luke Joeckel and Eric Fisher are off the board by the time they have to turn in their card. However, Johnson isn't a bad option himself. Even though he is the third-best offensive tackle in the draft, the former quarterback turned offensive lineman is incredibly athletic, he has excellent feet and his best football is still in front of him.

8. Buffalo Bills – Ezekial "Ziggy" Ansah, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, BYU

The Bills have a new defensive coordinator who wants to be aggressive. He has one outstanding pass-rusher in Mario Williams who can allow him to play his attacking style of defense. Ansah would give him another. Ziggy started gaining momentum at the Senior Bowl. He dominated the game. Then at the combine he displayed his unique gifts for everyone to see. At 6-6 and 270 pounds, Ansah possesses rare athleticism and speed for a player his size. The former basketball reject and track athlete just picked up football three years ago, so he's incredibly raw. But his freakish physical traits and versatility will allow defensive coordinators to unleash his incredible potential in a number of different ways.

9. New York Jets - Cordarrelle Patterson, Wide Receiver, Tennessee

There are lots of positions in play for the New York Jets with this pick. They need a pass-rushing force in a bad way, but those will be in demand early. In a game of pass-rushing musical chairs, the Jets could be left without a seat when the music stops. However, they also need to fix their abysmal offense. The best way to help out a quarterback is by giving him weapons. Enter Tennessee wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. The former JUCO transfer has only one year of major-college experience, which could be a concern, but he is a big play waiting to happen and has the most upside of any receiver in this year's draft.

10. Tennessee Titans – Sharrif Floyd, Defensive Tackle, Florida

Floyd should go much higher than this and by the time the draft rolls around he may. However many of the teams drafting in the Top 10 have already addressed the defensive tackle position. The Titans need some help there and while Alabama road-grading offensive guard Chance Warmack will get heavy consideration to help out young quarterback Jake Locker, Tennessee gave up nearly 30 points per game last season. That won't work in the NFL. Having a dominant force to push the pocket like Floyd would help out every level of the Titans defense.

11. San Diego – Chance Warmack, Offensive Guard, Alabama

The best way to help out a struggling quarterback is by providing him some help. Even though Philip Rivers' receivers also let him down at times last year, the biggest problem in San Diego was the offensive line. With Joeckel, Fisher and Johnson off the board, the Chargers turn their attention to the interior. Warmack didn't stand out at the combine but that's because he does his best butt-kicking on the football field. The powerful road-grader will not only help Rivers feel more comfortable but he will open up holes for running back Ryan Mathews who had nowhere to run in 2012.

12. Miami - Dee Milliner, Cornerback, Alabama

Cornerback Sean Smith is set to hit free agency and could cash in large this offseason. That means the 'Fins will need to find a backup plan in case Smith leaves Miami. Dee Milliner is worthy of a Top 10 pick and is one of the five best players in the draft. He is tough, physical and battle tested coming out of Alabama. He also answered the question about his speed at the combine as well. He would be a steal for the Dolphins and as good a replacement for Smith as they could ask for.

13. Tampa Bay - Xavier Rhodes, Cornerback, Florida State

Tampa Bay spent a number of draft picks reinventing their defense last season but the makeover is still not done. The Bucs still have one of the worst sets of cornerbacks in the league. In a division with the Saints, Falcons and Panthers, it makes it nearly impossible to compete. Rhodes is exactly the kind of player for Greg Schiano's defense. He's tall, long and physical. With questions about his speed being answered in Indy, Rhodes solidified his standing as the second best cornerback in the draft.

14. Carolina Panthers - Star Lotuleilei, Defensive Tackle, Utah

Last year's Defensive Rookie of the Year, Luke Kuechly, gives the Panthers one cornerstone on the defensive side of the ball to build around. Now Carolina needs to give him a little bit of help. The Panthers have lacked a presence on the interior of their defensive line for the last few years and adding a talent like Star Lotuleilei would change that. His medical needs to check out as a heart condition forced him to miss the combine but Star has a good combination of strength and quickness and can't be blocked one-on-one.

15. New Orleans Saints – Bjoern Werner, Defensive End, Florida State

The New Orleans Saints have one of the best offenses in the NFL but when they won their Super Bowl, it was an opportunistic defense that helped along the way. The "Germinator" is still learning the game but still shows good instincts. The ACC Defensive Player of the Year doesn't have great athleticism like some of the other pass-rushers in this year's draft but is one of the few ready to help a defense immediately.

16. St. Louis Rams – Jonathan Cooper, Offensive Guard, North Carolina

The St. Louis Rams made the decision to stand by former first overall pick Sam Bradford. The success of the franchise rests on his right arm. If the Rams want to continue their ascent up the standings they will need to protect Bradford from defenses like Arizona, San Francisco and Seattle. Cooper is a four-year starter that brings rare athleticism and feet to the position. He's not in the same category as Chance Warmack but the gap isn't that wide and Cooper could also play center if needed.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers – Damontre Moore, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, Texas A&M

"Damonster" was one of the most disappointing players at the combine. After doing just 12 reps on the bench press, he injured himself running the Forty Yard Dash. Moore doesn't have special athleticism, strength or explosiveness but he has a non-stop motor and finds ways to get to the quarterback. He will never be a player that leads his team in sacks but on a team like the Steelers he won't have to.

18. Dallas Cowboys – Sheldon Richardson, Defensive Tackle, Missouri

The Dallas Cowboys underwent a defensive coaching change this offseason saying goodbye to the overrated Rob Ryan. Monte Kiffin coming in means the Cowboys will be using a new defensive scheme. The switch to the 4-3 means one of the things they will need to find is a penetrating defensive tackle. That's exactly what Richardson is. He is quick and athletic for a player his size and after playing just one season at Missouri Richardson bring a ton of upside.

19. New York Giants – Cornelius "Tank" Carradine, Defensive End, Florida State

It's tough to look at the Giants roster and see a glaring weakness. It just isn't there. New York is one of the teams with the luxury of taking a chance on a player like Carradine. He is still recovering from a knee injury so he comes with some risk but the Giants have always been able to see the big picture. With Carradine comes a unique opportunity to nab one of the most gifted pass-rushers in college football pre-injury and an insurance policy in case Osi Umenyiora gets away in free agency.

20. Chicago Bears - Alec Ogletree, Inside Linebacker, Georgia

The off-the-field issues are a big concern with Ogletree and could even push him out of the first round all together. However his talent on the field speaks for itself. With Brian Urlacher being a 34-year-old free agent that has dealt with numerous injuries recently, the Bears need to find his replacement in a hurry. The former safety has good size for the position, is incredibly athletic and flies to the football.

21. Cincinnati Bengals- Kenny Vaccaro, Safety, Texas

Cincinnati looks like a typical AFC North defense with a lot of promise. The Bengals biggest weakness on that side of the ball lies in the back-end at safety. Vaccaro is the kind of player that NFL teams are looking for. The former Longhorn can play wide receivers in the slot, he can help out in coverage with tight ends and he has shown the ability to come up in the box and support the run. Vaccaro would bring an explosive element to the back-end of the Bengals defense that is currently missing.

22. St. Louis Rams – Tavon Austin, Wide Receiver, West Virginia

The Rams need to find a playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. The former Mountaineer made plays all over the field during his time in Morgantown. He was a weapon in the passing game, he lined up in the backfield and he made numerous game-changing plays on special teams. After lighting up the combine, Austin's stock is on the rise. Putting the diminutive human joystick on the turf in St. Louis would give the Rams the offensive weapon they have been looking for and would cause defensive coordinators to stock up on Excedrin.

23. Minnesota Vikings – Keenan Allen, Wide Receiver, California

The Minnesota Vikings have put their franchise in the hands of quarterback Christian Ponder. If the former Seminole is going to reach his potential he will need some weapons. Wide receiver is the pick here; it's just a matter of which one. The former safety recruit was hampered by terrible quarterback play while at Cal but has the size, strength and hands that teams look for in a future No. 1 receiver and brings enormous potential to a dormant passing game.

24. Indianapolis Colts – Menelik Watson, Offensive Tackle, Florida State

The Colts could consider a number of different options here. The pass-rush and the secondary both need to be upgraded. Having a defensive minded head coach like Chuck Pagano may steer Indy to that side of the ball. However, after seeing the final few games of the season it became clear that offensive line needs to be a priority to protect quarterback Andrew Luck. D.J. Fluker is more polished but Watson's upside is a blind-side protector and will only get better as he learns the game.

25. Seattle Seahawks – DeAndre Hopkins, Wide Receiver, Clemson

It's amazing to think about the success that Russell Wilson and the Seahawks offense was able to have this past year, especially given who he was throwing the ball to. The way for Seattle to take its offense to the next level is by adding a reliable, explosive pass-catcher to the mix. Hopkins was a bit overshadowed by Clemson teammate Sammy Watkins but he may be the most polished wide receiver in the class and is ready to help out right away.

26. Green Bay Packers – Arthur Brown, Outside Linebacker, Kansas State

It's hard to peg what the Packers will do with this pick. Alabama running back Eddie Lacy could be a possibility and would take the Packers offense to another level. Offense isn't the problem in Green Bay though. The defense is. Green Bay needs to get faster and younger on the defensive side of the ball. Brown doesn't have great size but still plays physical.

27. Houston Texans – Manti Te'o, Inside Linebacker, Notre Dame

The Texans defense has the look of one of the top defenses in the game. They have a disruptor like J.J. Watt leading the charge and a shutdown corner like Jonathan Joseph taking away one side of the field. However, linebacker Brian Cushing can't seem to stay healthy and Houston needs a smart, reliable player like Te'o in the middle of its defense. The Heisman Trophy runner-up is not a great prospect and didn't perform very well at the combine. What he does bring is smarts, intelligence and instincts that will allow him to have a long, productive NFL career.

28. Denver Broncos – Desmond Trufant, Cornerback, Washington

Champ Bailey is still productive but his best years are behind him. It's time for the Broncos to add some young blood to that position. Trufant has been on the rise since the end of the season. The former Washington Husky has outstanding instincts and awareness to go with great speed which makes it tough for the opponent to beat him one-on-one.

29. New England Patriots – Johnthan Banks, Cornerback, Mississippi State

Last year the New England Patriots picked up cornerback Aqib Talib. It was a tremendous trade and the Pats were a different defense with him in the lineup. Talib comes with some baggage though and it would be hard for any team to trust him long-term. While the Patriots may still end up re-signing him, Talib is a free agent and it would be nice to have an insurance policy in case he bolts or he gets in trouble off the field yet again.

30. Atlanta Falcons – Eddie Lacy, Running Back, Alabama

There are rumblings that tight end Tony Gonzalez could hold off retirement for another year. That would make it less of a necessity for the Falcons to use this pick on a tight end. With running back Michael Turner being released, Atlanta will need to explore upgrading the position. Lacy is big, strong and powerful but also has nimble feet for a back his size. He looks like a true workhorse at the next level who can impose his will on a defense and would give the Falcons a nice complement to their potent passing attack.

31. San Francisco 49ers – Jonathan Cyprien, Safety, Florida International

Thanks to their latest trade with the Kansas City Chiefs, the NFC Champs are loaded with draft picks this year. San Fran could go a number of different ways. Safety Dashon Goldson will more than likely get the franchise tag this offseason but adding a player like Cyprien to develop behind him would allow San Fran to look at the big picture and be prepared in case the Pro Bowl safety bolts the bay area in the future.

32. Baltimore Ravens - Kevin Minter, Inside Linebacker, LSU

It won't be easy, but the Baltimore Ravens need to replace linebacker Ray Lewis. Minter is a bit undersized for the position but he is tough, reliable and incredibly instinctive. The quarterback of the Ravens defense would make an excellent replacement for Lewis and could start in Baltimore from day one.

More NFL Draft from Chris Fedor

• Draft Insider: Glenn Moore and Chris Fedor recap NFL Combine and draft possibilities for Browns

• Top 10 performances at the NFL Combine: West Virginia wide receiver Tavon Austin leads the pack

• 2013 NFL Draft Big Board: West Virginia QB Geno Smith belongs in top 10

• 2013 NFL Mock Draft 1.0: Browns should take LSU outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo at No. 6

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Perry's hot start Thursday on the first day of the Division II state wrestling tournament carried over to Friday's morning session. The Pirates went 4-1 in their quarterfinal matches and moved into third place with 41.5 points, trailing St. Paris Graham (66) and Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (50). Joining CVCA and Perry in the top five...

St. Vincent St. Mary's Ryan Skonieczny, pictured at left on Thursday, won his quarterfinal Friday at the Division II state wrestling tournament in Columbus and will face Padua's Kyle Kaminski in the semifinals Friday night. - (Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Perry's hot start Thursday on the first day of the Division II state wrestling tournament carried over to Friday's morning session. The Pirates went 4-1 in their quarterfinal matches and moved into third place with 41.5 points, trailing St. Paris Graham (66) and Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (50).

Joining CVCA and Perry in the top five is St. Vincent St. Mary, which is fourth with 37.5 points.

Senior Evan Nichols (195 pounds) suffered Perry's only quarterfinal defeat. He was leading Sandusky's Isaiah Margheim, 5-4, when he dropped Margheim on his head. Nichols was called for an illegal move and when Margheim couldn't continue the match, Nichols was disqualified.

Though Nichols came back to win his consolation round match and still could finish as high as third place, he said it was tough seeing his dream of winning a state title slip away because of the injury.

"You have one dream throughout high school, at least I did," Nichols said. "You wake up and you want to be a state champ. I have a picture of the state tournament right next to my bed. I wake up, I look at it. It's hard to swallow."

Seven Northeast Ohio schools have at least one wrestler in tonight's semifinals. Perry leads area schools with four representatives, while CVCA and SVSM both have three. In all, 14 area wrestlers reached the semifinals, including CVCA's three-time state champion Nathan Tomasello (120).

Two semifinals will be all-Northeast Ohio affairs. CVCA's Josh Decatur will face SVSM's Mike Rix at 126 pounds and Padua's Kyle Kaminski and SVSM's Ryan Skonieczny will meet at 138 pounds.

Teddy Cahill is a freelance writer in Cleveland Heights.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - When the dust settled Friday morning following the Division III state wrestling championship quarterfinals and the second round of the consolation bracket, seven area wrestlers advanced to tonight's semifinals while seven others were eliminated with consolation losses. Beachwood's Sammy Gross (120 pounds) and Ryan Harris (160) led the way for the area semifinalists. They were joined...

Beachwood's Sammy Gross, pictured in back on Thursday, is among seven local wrestlers who won quarterfinal bouts Friday morning at the Division III state wrestling tournament in Columbus, advancing to the evening's semifinals. - (Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

COLUMBUS, Ohio - When the dust settled Friday morning following the Division III state wrestling championship quarterfinals and the second round of the consolation bracket, seven area wrestlers advanced to tonight's semifinals while seven others were eliminated with consolation losses.

Beachwood's Sammy Gross (120 pounds) and Ryan Harris (160) led the way for the area semifinalists. They were joined by Keystone's Jacob Worthington (182), Rootstown's Travis Linton (170) and Jake Moore (220), Black River's Sebastian Vidika (106) and Waterloo's J.J. Diven (138). They'll each wrestle tonight for a chance to finish in the top two in their respective weight classes.

Also clinching their respective spots on the podium -- the top eight wrestlers in each class get a medal -- from the area are Black River's Mike Hozan (120), Clearview's Matt Hollingsworth (132), Kirtland's Evan Brettrager (195), Hawken's Seth King (152) and Manchester's Joey Bowen (106).

Garrettsville Garfield senior 182-pounder Kevin Stock, last year's runner-up and a two-time state placer, was eliminated following an 0-2 performance Friday morning.

Dan Gilles is a freelance writer in Elyria.

Second-year pro Irving and rookie Waiters could form great backcourt with experience of playing together. Cavs' January trade with Memphis brought them a first-round pick, but more with Wayne Ellington and Marreese Speights. More Cavs story links.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers face a difficult challenge tonight, whether point guard Kyrie Irving plays or not.

The Cavs, who have won 11 of their last 18 games, host the Los Angeles Clippers. L.A.'s best team has a 42-18 record, fourth-best in the NBA.

Plain Dealer reporter Jodie Valade writes that Irving remains questionable for tonight's game with a sore knee, and his status may not be known until almost game-time. Irving has missed the Cavs' last two games, but they won them anyway, defeating the Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors.

Other Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Cavaliers coverage includes Terry Pluto's column that the Cavs are not only playing better, but they're becoming fun to watch;a report that forward Kevin Jones has been brought back to the Cavs after one game with the team's NBA Development League affiliate, the Canton Charge; and, from around the NBA, video of LeBron James and the Miami Heat doing the Harlem Shake, which has already had over two million views on YouTube.

The Cavaliers have one of the most dynamic young backcourts in the league with all-star point guard Kyrie Irving, last season's Rookie of the Year, and with rookie Dion Waiters.

It often takes some time for such talents to learn best how to work together and play off of each other, a process that takes time even when the subjects cooperate and have the best intentions, as Irving and Waiters apparently do.

Five writers for Cavs: The Blog give their opinions on five Cavaliers topics. The first is:

Discuss the Kyrie/Dion on-court chemistry and how the Cavs should build an offense around these two.

Tom Pestak's opinion on the matter:

It’s lacking, but I don’t think it’s a talent/skill set issue, and thus, it is correctable. Kyrie is a generational wunderkind on offense, so I’m not going to put the onus on him to change his stripes, he just needs to be more willing to move without the ball after he gives it up. Dion is going to have to start playing like Gerald Wallace, though (minus the injuries). He should be in attack mode at all times. When Kyrie is vaporizing opponent ligaments, Dion needs to be curling around behind him filling the now-open space or crashing towards the hoop for a weakside bucket. Dion has shown a lot of growth already, especially in his half-court approach – I have confidence that with solid coaching, they will be devastating together.

Cavaliers story links

Some thought the highlight of the Cavs' January trade with the Memphis Grizzlies was the acquisition of a first-round draft pick, but the play of guard Wayne Ellington and forward-center Marreese Speights has made it much more than that. (By Marla Ridenour, Akron Beacon Journal)

Video: Cavs coach Byron Scott talks with the media following Friday's shootaround, in preparation for tonight's game against the Clippers. (nba.com/cavaliers)

A preview of tonight's Los Angeles Clippers at Cleveland Cavaliers game. (nba.com/cavaliers)

Video -- an interview with forward Luke Walton. ..... And, commentary on how guard Shaun Livingston is helping Dion Waiters. (By Brendan Bowers, Stepien Rules)

The Clippers, who visit the Cavaliers tonight, likely haven't forgot that they lost to the Cavs, 108-101, on Nov. 5 in Los Angeles. Cleveland, of course, had center Anderson Varejao and point guard Kyrie Irving for that game. Varejao is out for the season due to a blood clot that followed leg surgery. Irving (sore knee) is questionable for tonight's game. (By Bob Finnan, News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal)

Video: Luke Walton talks with the media after Friday's shootaround. (nba.com/cavaliers)

A ranking of NBA rookies has Dion Waiters moving toward the top. (By Ryan Jones, WaitingForNextYear)

A young Cavaliers team is showing some growth. (Medina County Gazette/Associated Press)

The Cavaliers' salary commitments to their players, and some options the team has. (By Sam Vecenie, Fear The Sword)

COLUMBUS, Ohio - St. Edward can't shake the chase pack at the Division I state wrestling tournament in Value City Arena. Heading into Friday night's crucial semifinals, the Eagles led with 57 points, followed by Cincinnati Moeller (51), Massillon Perry (50.5) and Brecksville-Broadview Heights (46.5).

Solon senior Brandon Thompson, pictured in front on Thursday, is in good position to win his third state wrestling title after advancing to Friday night's Division I semifinals at 120 pounds. - (Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

COLUMBUS, Ohio - St. Edward can't shake the chase pack at the Division I state wrestling tournament in Value City Arena.

Heading into Friday night's crucial semifinals, the Eagles led with 57 points, followed by Cincinnati Moeller (51), Massillon Perry (50.5) and Brecksville-Broadview Heights (46.5).

The tournament resumes with semifinals tonight at 6:30.

St. Edward has a key advantage with six wrestlers in semifinal matches, where the most team points can be earned.

Brecksville, Moeller and Perry are guaranteed seven place-winners, but have fewer semifinalists. Moeller has five while Perry and Brecksville both have three.

St. Edward wrestlers were 6-1 in the quarterfinals.

Brecksville was able to get four of six wrestlers through second-round consolation bracket matches Friday afternoon, clinching a top-eight finish for each. Three St. Edward wrestlers lost in the same round.

Brunswick, Madison, Maple Heights and Riverside each have two semifinalists.

The lone head-to-head semifinal matchup among the top four teams pits St. Edward three-time state champ Dean Heil against Moeller's Andrew Mendel at 132 pounds.

Also reaching the semis were two-time champs Domenic Abounader of St. Edward and Brandon Thompson and Anthony Collica of Solon.

Hudson's Michael Coleman pulled off one of the quarterfinals' biggest wins, a 4-2 overtime triumph against Detuan Smith of Colerain.

On today's episode of Sports Insider, The Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw joined cleveland.com's Glenn Moore to talk about Chris Perez's injury and his timetable for a return. Watch video

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Springfield girls bowling team got a harsh reminder about the importance of putting together three strong games at the state tournament Friday at Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl. Making their first state appearance, the Spartans were seventh after game one of the qualifying round but couldn't sustain the start and ended up 14th (2,857) of 16...

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Springfield girls bowling team got a harsh reminder about the importance of putting together three strong games at the state tournament Friday at Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl.

Making their first state appearance, the Spartans were seventh after game one of the qualifying round but couldn't sustain the start and ended up 14th (2,857) of 16 teams. The top eight advanced to the championship round.

"We were in seventh after the first round, but we were a little bit below our average in the baker games and struggled just a little bit," coach Matt Graves said. "We hung tough and we were excited to be here."

Sophomore Chelsea Crihfield, who placed 26th (528) individually, is excited about what the future could hold for the program for which she's about to become a leader. Of Springfield's five state competitors, three were sophomores and two were seniors.

"I think it was more about having the experience for everybody else," Crihfield said. "I've been bowling my whole life so this was nothing new for me. I had a lot of fun and I think it's something everyone should experience. It's going to be fun [next season].

Sophomore Savannah Nestor turned in Springfield's second-best score with a 472 that left her 59th. Seniors Lisa Stout (60th, 470) and Jordan Bever (66th, 453) and sophomore Amanda Smith (62nd, 464) also competed. Senior Jenna Eiseman also was on the team but didn't compete at state.

"They might be a little disappointed with how they finished, but to be in the top 16 in the state, they should be proud of that," Graves said.

"It was really exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time," said Bever, who didn't bowl as a freshman. "We tried to just go out and act like it was a regular match. We practiced quite a bit and tried to support each other. We tried to keep everybody's spirits up.

"We started out with three or four wins my sophomore year and the last two years we've gone undefeated in our league and only lost two matches each year, so we've progressed and grown quite a bit."

Also competing from the area were Garfield juniors Anna Brigham and Olivia Doraski and Stow junior Julie Nolte. Brigham finished 20th (544) as the top 15 were named all-Ohio. Coldwater's Erika Hartings (648) won the individual title.

Nolte placed 68th (450) and Doraski was 72nd (441).

Jarrod Ulrey is a freelance writer based in Columbus.

Curry scored 54 during his Golden State Warriors' 109-105 loss in New York on Wednesday night. Curry, like James, was born in Akron. His birth was during the one season his father, Dell, played for the Cavaliers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Golden State guard Stephen Curry scored 54 points on Wednesday night, though his Warriors lost to the New York Knicks, 109-105.

Curry's effort, highlighted by 11-of-13 shooting on 3-point tries, earned more recognition than an "ordinary" 50-point outburst. That's because he achieved it at New York's Madison Square Garden. There have now been 24 games by players scoring at least 50 points on the famed court.

NBA fans know that former Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, now with the Miami Heat, was born in Akron. Few know that Stephen Curry's birthplace is also Akron. He was born there on March 14, 1988. His father, Dell Curry -- considered one of the NBA's all-time best pure shooters -- played for the Cavaliers in the 1987-88 season.

Stephen Curry became the first player to score at least 50 points at the Garden since James tallied 52 while playing with the Cavaliers during their 107-102 win over the host Knicks on Feb. 4, 2009, as shown on a detailed Basketball-Reference.com box score.

Newsday's website features a slideshow, with photos and details, of every 50-point individual scoring game in Madison Square Garden history, including James' 52-point epic and Curry's game on Wednesday night.

James scored 50 points in the Cavaliers' 119-105 win over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 5, 2008, as featured on the Newsday slideshow and the Basketball-Reference.com box score.

Wilt Chamberlain leads with six games of at least 50 points at Madison Square Garden, including the all-time high of 73 when he carried the San Francisco Warriors to a 127-111 win over the Knicks on Nov. 16, 1962. (Newsday slideshow and Basketball-Reference.com box score)

Chamberlain's exploits at MSG are no surprise. During the 1961-62 season, he averaged a record 50.4 points in a record 48.5 minutes per game for the Philadelphia Warriors in the team's final season before its move to San Francisco. The remarkable season included Chamberlain's 100-point game during the Warriors' 169-147 win over the Knicks on March 2, 1962 in Hershey, Pa. (Basketball-Reference.com box score)

Video: Highlights from Stephen Curry's 54-point game for the Golden State Warriors during their 109-105 loss to the Knicks at New York's Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night:

Fishing-tackle artisans around the area are constantly creating new and different lures and tackle to help anglers catch more bass, walleye and even muskies.

A Lov Plug (left) from e-specialtybaits.com of Lakewood and a 38 SQ from C-Flash Crankbaits of Fremont, Ind. give each other the eye as the shallow-running fishing plugs float in the water. D'Arcy Egan, The Plain Dealer  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Fishermen always dream of tinkering around in the basement and creating a magic lure that big bass, monster muskies or lunker walleye can't resist.

Northern Ohio has been a hotbed of lure making since Cleveland inventor Al Foss patented the Foss Pork Rind Minnow in 1915, and for a good reason. There are plenty of proving grounds around here where you can test them. Lake Erie and the many lakes, ponds, streams and rivers in the region have spawned an army of anglers - and fishing-tackle artisans.

Tournament angler Kevin McQuoid has a walleye fishing resort, Mac's Twin Bay on Minnesota's fabled Mille Lacs. After winning a FLW Walleye Tour event last spring in Port Clinton, tempting trophy fish by trolling rigs featuring custom-painted spinners, McQuoid let the cat out of the bag. The popular pro said there are so many custom blade painters along Ohio's Lake Erie shoreline that he fills his tackle box with a wide variety of their artwork whenever he visits.

Walleye can be finicky, he said, whether they're swimming in Mille Lacs or Lake Erie.

Darrell Woods of Hi Tech Custom Painted Baits in Sandusky is one of the best at creating walleye-attracting spinners, said Bob Hanko of Cranberry Creek Marina in Huron. "There are certain blade colors he's developed that are smokin' hot, and fishermen have to come to us to get them. The custom blades are good for business."

A few make lures from scratch. Tom Mayher of Cleveland is famous for his Tom's Walleye Lure, a unique weight-forward spinner he pioneered decades ago. There were once dozens of people making the in-line, weighted spinner rigs for Lake Erie walleye fishing. Mayher's walleye rig is one of the rare ones that has stood the test of time.

Bob Bragg of Woods of the World Custom Fishing Rods in Garfield Heights combines space-age graphite rod blanks with colorful thread wraps and exotic wood handles to create one of a kind fishing rods. D'Arcy Egan, The Plain Dealer

Crankbaits, or diving plugs, are the most difficult to create. Major lure makers spend a lot of money programming computers to create expensive molds that produce plastic lures. The small lure makers usually rely on balsa wood. It can be carved into just the right shape, outfitted with hooks and a plastic lip to make it dive and painted to match the mood of its creator, or a color fish seem to think matches a meal they've eaten.

Make one mistake and a balsa lure will look like a dead shad floating in a mud puddle. If done right, hang on after casting one of the premier balsa baits.

"I make 10 styles of balsa plugs, and the most popular are the ones with chrome or silver foil on the body," said Richard Manley of Lakewood, who owns e-specialtybaits.com. "Balsa is the best material because it has a different buoyancy than plastic. I feature flat-sided lures because of their different action. We ship them all over the country now."

Bass pro Greg Mangus is from Fremont, Ind., but his C-Flash Baits are popular among Ohio bass anglers. They'll be featured March 16 at the annual Spring Tackle Show at the Rodmaker's Shop in Strongsville, whose owner Ray Halter watched Mangus haul in a trophy bass on one of his lures last year while fishing Wingfoot Lake, east of Akron.

"It was the biggest largemouth bass I'd ever caught," said Mangus. "Before I released it, I estimated it was over 7 pounds. Ray said it topped 8 pounds."

Mangus's lures challenge a bass angler's budget. The small plugs cost $22 to $25. The average fisherman may find that too expensive, said Mangus, but in the last five years his lures have won more than 50 big bass pots, and more than 100 tournaments. They're costly because of the tedius process needed to turn a block of balsa into a finished lure.

Greg Robertson of RiversEdge Floats in Madison has been creating colorful floats for steelhead trout and many other types of fishing for almost a decade. D'Arcy Egan, The Plain Dealer

Greg Robertson relies on balsa to create colorful floats for fishermen at RiversEdge Floats in Madison. Steelhead trout fishermen favor them, as do crappie and bass anglers.

"I started out making them for myself," said Robertson. "Now they're in tackle shops from Cleveland to Western New York. I build them with a carbon fiber stem and balsa, and in enough colors to keep everyone happy."

The world class steelhead trout in Northeast Ohio has kicked off local fly fishing revolution, and prompted fly tying experts to offer their wares at local fishing shops. Don Richards created the swinging streamer fly (left) that he calls a reverse-tied tube snake. Eric Lindstrom's big, burly black-headed fly is called the muskie assassin. Both fly tiers work at the Backpackers Shop in Sheffield. D'Arcy Egan, The Plain Dealer  

Northeastern Ohio has become a world class destination for steelhead trout during the cold weather months. The flies used to catch big trout continuously change and evolve, and many custom fly tiers are now showcased at area fly tackle shops. Don Richards and Eric Lindstrom sell fly tackle at the Backpackers Shop in Sheffield, and both tie gaudy flies on the side. While Richards sticks to steelhead patterns, including the new tube flies, Lindstrom has broadened his horizons, creating large flies for catching muskies.

"It's cool to create a fly and have someone tie it on and catch a trophy trout or muskie with it," said Lindstrom. "That makes us both pretty happy."

Bowling State tournament

Bowling

State tournament

At Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl

Boys, 8:30 a.m.

Gymnastics

State tournament

At Hilliard Bradley H.S.

Individual competition, noon

Wrestling

State tournament

At Ohio State University, 10 a.m. (finals at 5:45)

Hockey

District finals

BROOKLYN DISTRICT

At John M. Coyne Recreation Center

#3 Holy Name vs. #4 Rocky River, 3

Winner advances to state tournament, March 8-9, at Nationwide Arena in Columbus.

Girls basketball

District finals

Note: Away team listed first.

Division I

AKRON DISTRICT

At Ellet H.S.

#2 Hudson vs. #1 Twinsburg, 1

Winner advances to the Canton Regional

BEDFORD DISTRICT

At Bedford H.S.

#1 Solon vs. #2 Kenston, 1

Winner advances to the Canton Regional

ELYRIA DISTRICT

At Elyria Catholic H.S.

#1 Magnificat vs. #4 Elyria, 2:30

Winner advances to the Norwalk Regional

MEDINA DISTRICT

At Medina H.S.

#1 Wadsworth vs. #4 Highland, 3

Winner advances to the Norwalk Regional

PARMA DISTRICT

At Valley Forge H.S.

#2 Medina vs. #5 North Royalton, 3

Winner advances to the Canton Regional

PERRY DISTRICT

At Perry H.S.

#2 Euclid vs. #1 Mentor, 1

Winner advances to the Canton Regional

Division II

ANDOVER DISTRICT

At Pymatuning Valley H.S.

#2 Chagrin Falls vs. #4 Cortland Lakeview, 2

Winner advances to the Barberton Regional

ELYRIA DISTRICT

At Elyria H.S.

#3 Holy Name vs. #5 Vermilion, 1

Winner advances to the Barberton Regional

MACEDONIA DISTRICT

At Nordonia H.S.

#2 St. Vincent-St. Mary vs. #1 Hathaway Brown, 2:30

Winner advances to the Barberton Regional

UNIONTOWN DISTRICT

At Uniontown Lake H.S.

#2 Manchester vs. #3 Norton, 1:30

Winner advances to the Ontario Regional

Division III

CLEVELAND DISTRICT

At St. Joseph Academy H.S.

#1 Gilmour Academy vs. #3 Beachwood, 1

Winner advances to the Cuyahoga Falls Regional

Division IV

CRESTON DISTRICT

At Norwayne H.S.

#1 Lake Ridge Academy vs. #4 Mapleton, 2

Winner advances to the Massillon Regional

Boys basketball

Sectional finals

Note: Away team listed first.

Division I

ALLIANCE DISTRICT

At Alliance H.S.

#9 Warren Howland vs. #2 Green,6

#3 North Canton Hoover vs. #12 Kent Roosevelt, 7:30

BROADVIEW HEIGHTS DISTRICT

At Brecksville-Broadview Heights H.S.

#8 Parma vs. #2 North Royalton, 6

#5 Berea vs. #3 Lakewood, 7:30

CANTON DISTRICT

At Canton Memorial Civic Center

#8 Massillon Washington vs. #2 Massillon Perry, 1

COPLEY DISTRICT

At Copley H.S.

#10 Highland vs. #3 Hudson, 6

#9 Stow-Munroe Falls vs. #2 Twinsburg, 7:30

GRAFTON DISTRICT

At Midview H.S.

#10 North Ridgeville vs. #2 Elyria, 6

#11 North Olmsted vs. #3 Westlake, 7:30

SOLON DISTRICT

At Solon H.S.

#8 John Adams vs. #3 Shaker Heights, 1

#5 Bedford vs. #2 Garfield Heights, 2:30

Division II

CANTON DISTRICT

At Canton Memorial Fieldhouse

#5 Marlington vs. #4 Norton, 6:15

#6 Alliance vs. #2 Archbishop Hoban, 8

STOW DISTRICT

At Stow-Munroe Falls H.S.

#1 Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy vs. Akron North, 1

#3 Akron East vs. #6 Streetsboro, 2:30

WESTLAKE DISTRICT

At Westlake H.S.

#2 Benedictine vs. #11 Max Hayes, 6

#5 Vermilion vs. #3 Rocky River, 7:30

Division III

PAINESVILLE DISTRICT

At Harvey H.S.

#9 Lutheran West vs. #2 Gilmour Academy, 6:15

#4 Columbia vs. #6 Kirtland, 8

WOOSTER DISTRICT

At Wooster H.S.

#5 Smithville vs. #3 Waynedale, 6

#1 Norwayne vs. #8 Chippewa, 7:30

Division IV

STRUTHERS DISTRICT

#9 Berlin Center Western Reserve vs. #1 Wellsville, 6

#5 Lake Center Christian vs. #3 Lowellville, 7:30

WARREN DISTRICT

At Warren G. Harding H.S.

#1 Bristol vs. Jackson-Milton, 6

#3 McDonald vs. #7 Warren JFK, 7:30

The Indians used two three-run homers to beat Chicago and end a three-game Cactus League losing streak.

View full size Indians outfielder Matt Carson, in camp as a minor-league invitee, ripped his third homer of the Cactus League season in the fourth inning Friday against the White Sox. The blast drove in Nate Spears (65) and Ben Francisco (far left). Mark Duncan, Associated Press  

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Mike McDade hit a long three-run homer high off the batter's eye in center field Friday to lead the Indians to a 9-7 victory over the White Sox at Goodyear Ballpark.

McDade's first homer of the season put the Indians back in front, 8-7, in the sixth inning after Marcus Semien's three-run homer off David Huff in the top of the sixth gave the White Sox a 7-5 lead.

Lefty Scott Kazmir, trying to make the Indians' rotation, turned in his second impressive outing. He pitched scoreless ball in the fourth and fifth innings, hitting 90 mph to 92 mph, while striking out three.

Ezequiel Carrera gave the Indians a 9-7 lead in the seventh when he walked, stole second and scored from second when the White Sox botched a pickoff attempt.

Justin Masterson started and allowed four runs on six hits in 2 2/3 innings. Dayan Viciedo and Brent Morel homered off Masterson in the second for a 3-0 lead. Viciedo hit his homer out of the ballpark as it cleared the left field fence and landed in a patch of desert beyond the concourse.

Hector Gimenez's two-out single in the third gave Chicago a 4-0 lead and knocked Masterson out of the game.

The Indians scored four times in the fourth to tie the score. Matt Carson drove in three of the runs with his third homer of the spring. Carson is in camp on a minor-league deal.

Carlos Santana's RBI grounder in the fifth scored Lou Marson from third and gave the Indians a 5-4 lead.

Closer Chris Perez might miss the start of the season with a right shoulder injury.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- All-Star closer Chris Perez has been shut down for three to four weeks with a sore right shoulder that could keep him from starting the season on April 2 against Toronto.

The injury scratched Perez from pitching in the World Baseball Classic. Perez and Vinnie Pestano were scheduled to join Team USA on Sunday. If Perez cannot open the season, Pestano is expected to replace him as closer.

"He felt it in his last outing," said GM Chris Antonetti. "We weren't sure what to make of it. He was examined by Lonnie Soloff (head athletic trainer) and our medical staff and this morning we were able to come up with a prognosis."

Perez, who has not pitched since Tuesday, will be shut down for the next seven to 10 days with strained subscapularis in his right shoulder. He is not expected to pitch in Cactus League games for the next "three to four weeks" which means he might not be ready for opening day.

Perez told reporters as he drove out of the parking lot at the Goodyear training facility, "I'm not saying nothing."

Later he Tweeted, "This to shall pass". . .Small hurdle at an in-opportune time. I feel better now than I did last year with the oblique..Still plenty of time."

Perez injured his oblique muscle last spring in his first bullpen session, but still managed to make the opening day roster.

The first indication of Perez's injury came Friday morning when he was scratched from facing the White Sox. Manager Terry Francona said the Indians were "working through some things' with Perez and would have more to say Saturday.

Antonetti says he thinks Perez could be ready for the season, but added "we'll have to see."

Perez started his workouts earlier than normal to get ready for the WBC. Antonetti did not think that led to the injury.

"Chris came into camp in great shape," said Antonetti. "He was preparing for the WBC by starting his conditioning and throwing earlier. I don't think that was a factor."

Antonetti said Pestano will still be allowed to participate in the WBC.

Asked who his new closer will be, Antonetti said, "I'm still hopeful it's Chris. We have a few weeks to work through this. He was going to be away from camp anyway for a few weeks anyway, and guys were going to get an opportunity to pitch. That now will happen just for a different set of circumstances for Chris."

"This to shall pass"... Small hurdle at an in-opportune time.I feel better now than I did last year with the oblique..Still plenty of time

— Chris Perez (@ChrisPerez54) March 1, 2013

Another injury: Reliever Frank Herrmann injured his right elbow Monday against Oakland and has been shut down. The Indians are currently gathering more information about the injury before deciding on treatment.

Chris Evans scores 21 points for the Golden Flashes, including a 5-of-9 effort from 3-point range.

OXFORD, Ohio -- Chris Evans scored 21 points and Randal Holt added 19 to lead Kent State to a 78-58 men's basketball victory over Miami (Ohio) on Saturday.

Devareaux Manley finished with 12 points for the Golden Flashes (17-12, 7-7 Mid-American Conference), who won their third in a row. Kris Brewer had eight points and nine assists.

"This was a big win for us," said Holt. "The most important thing is it keeps our winning streak alive and keeps us playing better basketball going into the [MAC] tournament.

"On a personal level, it was a big win for me because I've had a lot of frustrating games here. It means a lot to get a win here in my senior season."

Kent State went into halftime with a 37-33 lead and opened the second half strong. The Golden Flashes took a 50-38 lead with 14:10 left on a 3-pointer by Evans, who was 5-of-9 from beyond the arc.

"It's great to get a win in March and on the road," Kent State coach Rob Senderoff said. "I'm proud of the way we played defense in the second half. Obviously, we weren't as good defensively in the first half."

Miami trimmed the deficit to six points on Geovonie McKnight's jumper with 11:57 remaining. But the RedHawks pulled no closer, as Kent State scored the next seven points to push its advantage to 13 points.

Will Felder scored 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting for Miami (8-19, 3-11), which has lost seven straight games.

KENT ST. (17-12) --Evans 7-12 5-5 21, Henniger 1-2 4-5 6, Brewer 2-7 3-4 8, Holt 7-11 0-0 19, Goodson 2-5 0-0 5, Pope 0-3 0-0 0, Thomas 1-1 1-2 3, Manley 4-5 0-0 12, Tabb 1-2 2-2 4. Totals 25-48 15-18 78.

MIAMI (OHIO) (8-19) --Felder 7-10 4-4 18, Legarza 1-2 2-2 4, McKnight 2-5 1-2 5, Rollins 1-5 1-4 3, Roberts 2-7 2-3 6, Sewell 1-4 0-0 3, Johnson 1-4 0-0 3, Sullivan 0-2 0-0 0, Harris 5-6 4-6 16. Totals 20-45 14-21 58.

Halftime--Kent St. 37-33. 3-Point Goals--Kent St. 13-26 (Holt 5-9, Manley 4-5, Evans 2-4, Goodson 1-3, Brewer 1-4, Pope 0-1), Miami (Ohio) 4-8 (Harris 2-3, Johnson 1-1, Sewell 1-2, Sullivan 0-1, Roberts 0-1). Fouled Out--None. Rebounds--Kent St. 30 (Evans 6), Miami (Ohio) 24 (Legarza, Rollins 6). Assists--Kent St. 14 (Brewer 9), Miami (Ohio) 9 (Rollins 3). Total Fouls--Kent St. 22, Miami (Ohio) 15. A--2,125.