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Beyond the rim

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  Cover girls

 

Cover girls

Twinsburg senior/George Mason recruit Char-dell Dunningan and Hathaway Brown senior/Princeton recruit Vanessa Smith, Arlington's Dani Hester and Africentric's Marley Hill have their photos on the cover of the state tournament program along with graduated Twinsburg players Malina Howard, Nicole Mabry, LaShawna Gatewood and Leah Fechko.

Play of the game

Stephanie Solano's second consecutive 3-pointer against Clyde to give Hathaway Brown the lead for good at 6-5 with 4:35 left in the first quarter.

By the numbers

1: Missed free-throw attempt by Hathaway Brown.

2: Missed 3-point attempts by Hathaway Brown.

12: Hathaway Brown personal fouls.

12: Clyde personal fouls.

16: Missed 3-point attempts by Clyde.

30: Hathaway Brown rebounds.

30: Clyde rebounds.

35: Consecutive postseason wins for Hathaway Brown.

62.5: HB's 3-point shooting percentage.

92.3: HB's free-throw shooting percentage.

Star of the game

Hathaway Brown's Nia Marshall with 14 points, nine rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot.

Slogan of the tournament

"Thi5 i5 it." Each Hathaway Brown player has it written on her left hand, signifying their desire to win their fifth straight team title.

Cheer of the day

"We still love you." -- Orrville cheering section after their team's 80-59 Division III semifinal loss to Anna.

Don't mess with the Michaelses

Clyde junior guard Breanne Michaels and her sister, sophomore forward Kelsey Michaels are former youth club wrestlers.

Biggest differential of the day

Clyde sold close to 1,100 tickets for its Division II semifinal game against Hathaway Brown, which sold 154 tickets.

Quote of the day

"I'd like to bottle that up and take it with me on Saturday." -- HB coach Paul Barlow's response about getting 28 points from guards Stephanie Solano, Beth Brzozowski and Lysette Roman.

-- Bob Fortuna


Western Michigan ousts Eastern Michigan

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Eastern Michigan men's basketball team can be maddening to play against. The Eagles like to operate at a deliberate pace. They sit back in a 2-3 zone and dare opponents to try to pierce it. Coach Rob Murphy's team has uniforms the color of seaweed and on many nights foes feel like they have spent...

J.R.-Sims-Brandon-Pokley.JPG View full size Eastern Michigan's J.R. Simis drives past Western Michigan's Brandon Pokley during the first half of the Broncos' 70-55 win in a Mid-American Conference Tournament quarterfinal Thursday in Cleveland.  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Eastern Michigan men's basketball team can be maddening to play against.

The Eagles like to operate at a deliberate pace. They sit back in a 2-3 zone and dare opponents to try to pierce it. Coach Rob Murphy's team has uniforms the color of seaweed and on many nights foes feel like they have spent 40 minutes attempting to swim through it.

The third-seeded Western Michigan Broncos know how their interstate rivals want to play. Thursday night in the Mid-American Conference Tournament quarterfinals the Broncos exhibited the requisite amount of patience, poise and execution to emerge with a 70-55 victory at The Q.

Junior center Shayne Whittington scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the Broncos built a double-digit, second-half lead they would not relinquish.

Western Michigan (20-11) advances to tonight's semifinal against defending conference champion Ohio (23-8).

"It's an oxymoron, but we talked about being patiently aggressive," said Broncos coach Steve Hawkins, whose squad shot 46.7 percent from the field and committed just 11 turnovers. "We wanted to try to manipulate their zone early and we needed to get the shot clock to move. Once we got it to move and started to get into their slide, we wanted to attack it more.

"You knock down shots and anything looks good."

Whittington and forward Darius Paul (14 points, seven rebounds) found each other repeatedly in the paint as they unlocked the Eagles' zone.

"These guys played offense hard, which is one thing we did not do in [a 50-49 overtime loss to Eastern Michigan on March 2]," Hawkins added.

The Eagles (16-18) were led by St. Vincent-St. Mary product Daylen Harrison, who scored 14 points. No other EMU player produced double figures scoring.

When the Eagles are playing well defensively, they don't need a big night on the offensive end. They suffocated Miami, 58-47, on Wednesday in their tournament opener.

But the Broncos gradually built momentum late in the first half on Thursday and got the pace a bit more to their liking. They didn't cause the scoreboard to overload, but created too much offense for the Eagles, who have lost all 11 games this season in which an opponent scored at least 70 points.

The Western Division rivals split their regular-season meetings with the home sides winning each game by slim margins. Little changed in the first half Thursday as they played in front of an intimate gathering in Cleveland.

The Broncos built a 36-32 halftime advantage as neither club led by more than six points.

The Eagles, the conference's top defensive team, packed in their 2-3 zone and tried to seal off the lane. They were unable, however, to contain Whittington, who scored 18 first-half points and grabbed three offensive rebounds. The 6-10 pride of Paw Paw, Mich., repeatedly hurt Eastern in the post and converted all six of his free throws.

As the half progressed, the Broncos began to pick up the pace and Eastern settled for quick shots. The Eagles were fortunate Harrison brought his jumper home with him. He converted four of his first five shots, including both 3-point attempts, to finish the half with a team-high 12 points.

The rest of his team was a combined 8-of-21 from the floor.

The Eagles' cold shooting continued early into the second half as Western began to widen its lead. A Whittington jumper made it 46-36, a tough mountain to climb for the conference's second-lowest scoring team. Eastern hit just 10-of-31 shots in the second half. After converting 5-of-8 3-point shots before intermission, the Eagles missed all seven second-half attempts

The Broncos never trailed the rest of the way en route to their semifinal showdown with the Bobcats. They lost their only meeting to Ohio, 61-59, at home on Jan. 12.

 

E. MICHIGAN (16-18) -- Bryant 4-9 0-0 8, Harrison 4-8 4-4 14, Riley 4-4 0-0 8, Sims 2-13 0-2 5, Thompson 3-10 1-3 7, Harper 0-1 0-0 0, Ross 2-6 0-0 6, Harris 1-2 1-2 3, Strickland 1-2 0-0 2, Balkema 1-2 0-0 2. Totals--22-57 6-11 55.

W. MICHIGAN (20-11) -- Hutcheson 1-6 4-6 6, Paul 5-8 4-6 14, Whittington 8-14 7-7 23, Pokley 3-5 3-4 11, Richie 0-1 0-0 0, Tava 1-1 2-2 4, Hoerdemann 0-1 0-0 0, Brown 3-9 4-4 12. Totals--21-45 24-29 70.

Halftime-- Halftime--W. Michigan 36-32. 3-Point Goals--E. Michigan 5-15 (Ross 2-2, Harrison 2-4, Sims 1-2, Harper 0-1, Bryant 0-1, Balkema 0-1, Thompson 0-4), W. Michigan 4-17 (Pokley 2-4, Brown 2-6, Richie 0-1, Whittington 0-1, Hoerdemann 0-1, Hutcheson 0-4). Fouled Out--None. Rebounds--E. Michigan 28 (Riley 10), W. Michigan 35 (Whittington 8). Assists--E. Michigan 11 (Sims 3), W. Michigan 14 (Hutcheson, Pokley 4). Total Fouls--E. Michigan 22, W. Michigan 16. A--3,361.



Redskins TE Fred Davis still a free-agent possibility in Berea: Cleveland Browns Insider

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Davis (6-4, 247), whom the Redskins hope to keep, is widely regarded as the best tight end left on the market.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns might not be done signing tight ends.

The team is serious about acquiring Washington's Fred Davis, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Gary Barnidge, a backup tight end and special-teams player for the Panthers the past four seasons, signed with the Browns on Thursday.

Davis (6-4, 247), whom the Redskins hope to keep, is widely regarded as the best tight end left on the market. There's baggage, but at the right price, he's probably worth it.

Davis, 27, suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 7 this past season and is still working his way back. Full recovery can take a year. He was suspended for four games in 2011 for failing drug tests, and faces a year-long suspension if he again tests positive. He also has a civil suit pending after a woman accused him of throwing juice on her at a bar in 2011.

Because of the issues, the Browns and Redskins are undoubtedly hoping to get him for a bargain.

In 2011, Davis posted career highs in receptions (59) and yards (796), and caught three TD passes. Last season, he caught 24 passes for 325 yards before suffering the Achilles injury.

Davis, who played high school football in Toledo, told WKRK FM/92.3 last week that it would be awesome to return to Ohio and play for the Browns if he didn't re-sign with the Redskins. He also said money wouldn't drive his decision.

"You want to end up somewhere where you know you could fit and feel comfortable," he said. "If you're talking about [$2 million or $3 million] difference with a team, I would rather go for happiness any day than some more money."

Interest in QB Campbell? The Browns expressed interest in Bears backup quarterback Jason Campbell, but it's not likely they will sign him, a source said. The Bears hope to keep Campbell (6-5, 230), a former first-round pick of the Redskins.

Reps at Geno Smith's pro day: The Browns sent high-ranking representatives to former West Virginia QB Geno Smith's pro day Thursday, according to CBS Sports. Browns CEO Joe Banner wouldn't identify who attended.

Smith, the top-rated QB in the draft, could go as high as No. 2 to the Jaguars. Banner said at the NFL Scouting Combine that quarterback is not the focus for the Browns at No. 6.

Smith said he will meet with at least a dozen teams, which he didn't identify, before the draft.

Done with big-money signings? Banner said Paul Kruger and Desmond Bryant were likely the two biggest names the Browns will acquire in free agency.

"If we're as lucky in getting what we want, they won't be the last moves we'll make, but they'll be the biggest we'll make," Banner said.

Still available: Three free-agent cornerbacks signed Thursday: Miami's Sean Smith (with the Chiefs), Pittsburgh's Keenan Lewis (Saints) and Baltimore's Cary Williams (Eagles). Still available are Brent Grimes (Falcons), Nnamdi Asomugha (Eagles), Antoine Cason (Chargers) and Aqib Talib (Patriots). ... One defensive back to keep an eye on is former All-Pro free safety Kerry Rhodes, 30, who played for Browns defensive coordinator Ray Horton in Arizona.

Cribbs update: Josh Cribbs said farewell to Browns fans on Instagram and Twitter and thought he would become a Cardinal on Thursday, but the two sides did not reach an agreement.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

USA men's soccer team to play friendly in Cleveland on May 29

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The match against Belgium will be played in FirstEnergy Stadium, home of the Browns.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland native Drew Carey might need someone else to reveal the actual retail prices of Shop-Vacs and Hawaiian islands vacation getaways on May 29.

"The Price is Right" host and soccer aficionado didn't hide his enthusiasm Thursday as it was announced FirstEnergy Stadium would host a U.S. men's soccer friendly against Belgium.

"Whoo!" Carey wrote on his Twitter account while linking a press release touting the match -- the first appearance by the national team in Cleveland since 2006.

The sentiment is no doubt shared by other area soccer enthusiasts who will see the Americans field a veteran squad in advance of three pivotal World Cup-qualifying matches in June. Fans not only might see the likes of Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan -- scheduled to return to Major League Soccer action later this month -- but one of Europe's emerging programs in Belgium.

The "Red Devils" are 19th in the latest FIFA World Rankings and first in Group A of UEFA qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. European club soccer fans will recognize a slew of names, including midfielder Marouane Fellaini (Everton), defender Vincent Kompany (Manchester City) and striker Eden Hazard (Chelsea).

"Belgium is definitely a team on the rise," U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said in a statement. "If you look at their roster, they have quality players from top to bottom who are on some of the biggest clubs in Europe. It's a big opportunity for us and a great way to start the summer as we prepare for the World Cup qualifiers."

The Americans are ranked 33rd and still smarting from a 2-1 loss to Honduras in their World Cup qualifying opener Feb. 6.

The exhibition in Cleveland likely will be their second to last tune-up before a busy summer featuring the World Cup qualifiers and Gold Cup competition.

"We are extremely excited that FirstEnergy Stadium was selected as the site for an event which will have a tremendous amount of national and international interest," Browns CEO Joe Banner said in a statement. "The opportunity to host a match like this will give soccer fans who make the trip to Cleveland a chance to see all of the great things that our city has to offer."

The Americans are expected to train in the area for a couple of days and might hold a practice open to the public. It marks the third time the national team has played in Cleveland dating to 1994.

The May 29 contest will be televised on ESPN2.

Tickets go on sale to the public on Tuesday at 10 a.m. through ussoccer.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Browns season ticket holders will have a chance to purchase them this weekend, Saturday at 10 a.m. through Sunday at 11:59 p.m. Tickets also are available at all Ticketmaster centers throughout metro Cleveland as well as the FirstEnergy Stadium ticket office.

The Americans likely will return to Ohio on Sept. 10 to face Mexico in a World Cup qualifier in Columbus, but USA Soccer is not confirming the location for that match.

Akron blocks Kent out, 62-59, in MAC semifinal

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Akron gets 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocked shots from Zeke Marshall.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Akron used the inside dominance of 7-0 senior Zeke Marshall and 6-7 Demetrius Treadwell to survive their MAC semifinal against Kent State, 62-59, on Friday as the Golden Flashes could not find their perimeter shooting eye down the stretch.

A back-and-forth game showed what made the Zips (25-6) so strong this season, as its inside play overcame 17 turnovers. Kent, which had played well recently, had its season-long gremlin show its face. Leading, 57-54, with 3:49 to play, Kent looked as it did in so many close losses in its 20-13 season.

With that three-point lead in hand, Kent forward Chris Evans drove hard to the hoop, attacking Marshall -- who had four fouls but also seven blocked shots. Evans got the shot off, and Marshall went for the block.

"I did tip it, yes," Marshall said. The ball curled around the rim and out with the rebound to Akron. It was the beginning of the end for Kent.

"That sums up the night," said Evans, Kent's leading scorer who was just 1-of-11 shooting on a night the Flashes shot 35.7 percent. It was the closest look Kent would have at the rim for the remainder of a game that was tied four times and changed leads eight times.

• Final Golden Flashes-Zips boxscore

"We were attacking the rim all night," Evans said. "You have nights like this. Unfortunately, it had to be this night."

The Zips got hoops from Marshall and Treadwell to regain the lead, then enough free throws at the end to advance to Saturday's final.

"I thought we took better shots than them when it mattered," Akron coach Keith Dambrot said. "We did more right things than they did."

Marshall and Treadwell each had double doubles, led by Marshall's 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks. Treadwell's 14 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals spoke to his overall play. This was the second game Akron played without the services of point guard Alex Abreu, since his trafficking (marijuana) arrest a week ago.

"I've never seen anything like what our guys did," Dambrot said of the winning effort. "We were emotionally ruptured last week."

A day after Abreu's arrest, Akron lost to Kent on senior night. But this is the one that mattered, and Akron got it.

"It ranks pretty high," Marshall said of his play, "and that's what makes it special. Coach said, when you do things the right way, the basketball gods will be good to you."

Marshall and Treadwell were a combined 13-for-23 from the field, including a Marshall 3-pointer. The Zips also won the rebounding battle, 36-35. About the only thing Akron struggled at was free-throw shooting, going 13 of 29 at the line.

Those misses after a Treadwell basket with 1:26 to play and the Zips up by a point led to four Kent possessions to tie or take the lead. But with Evans fouled out, Randal Holt couldn't get one of two 3-point attempts to drop until a layup with two seconds to play for Kent's final points of the night.

Holt ended with 19 points.

As much as Zips believed the basketball gods looked kindly upon them, Kent felt they looked the other way.

"I feel so bad his last two [3-point attempts] didn't go in," Kent coach Rob Senderoff said. "He really wanted this game. For him, I felt he deserved those shots to go in."

cleveland.com's Glenn Moore talks about Brett Myers' spring and his time in Goodyear: Podcast

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Can Brett Myers make the transition back to the starting rotation? Which young infielders made a big impression this week? cleveland.com's Glenn Moore answered those questions and more during a Friday evening chat about the Tribe, live from Goodyear, Arizona.



IMG_0102.JPG


cleveland.com's Glenn Moore talked Tribe Friday night in Goodyear.





 






Can Brett Myers make the transition back to the starting rotation? Which young infielders made a big impression this week?

cleveland.com's Glenn Moore answered those questions and more during a Friday evening chat about the Tribe, live from Goodyear, Arizona.


Among other topics discussed:


• Indians' loss to the Brewers.

• Will Dice-K start the season at Triple-A?

From now until the end of the week, follow along with G-Mo (@GlennMooreCLE) on Twitter.

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right.

Follow our coverage on Twitter

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OHSAA girls state basketball: Tournament Insider

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Star gazing There was a celebrity in the crowd during Friday's Twinsburg/Olentangy Orange semifinal game, though he might not think so. Brian Agler, head coach of the Women's National Basketball League Seattle Storm, was sitting in the stands watching his daughter play. Indiana recruit Taylor Agler is a 5-7 senior starter for Orange. Agler coached the Columbus Quest in...

Star gazing

There was a celebrity in the crowd during Friday's Twinsburg/Olentangy Orange semifinal game, though he might not think so. Brian Agler, head coach of the Women's National Basketball League Seattle Storm, was sitting in the stands watching his daughter play. Indiana recruit Taylor Agler is a 5-7 senior starter for Orange. Agler coached the Columbus Quest in the defunct American Basketball League from 1996 to 1998, winning two league titles.

Three's not the charm

Olentangy Orange third-year coach Mary Ann Grimes is still looking for her first state crown. Grimes, a former assistant coach at Eastern Kentucky and ex-head coach at Akron, took runner-up honors at the 1980 and 1985 final four. Her West Lafayette Ridgewood team lost to Delphos St. John's, 62-41, in the 1980 Class AA title game while her Dresden Tri-Valley squad was on the short end of a 58-55 decision to Pickerington in the 1985 Class AAA championship game.

Quote of the day

"I just had to play more careful. I know the first two fouls were pretty dumb fouls on me." -- Twinsburg's Ashley Morrissette on her early foul trouble.

Classy reunion

Division I state tournament competitors Ashley Morrissette (Twinsburg), Tierra Ford (Toledo Notre Dame), Kathryn Westbeld and Makayla Waterman (both of Kettering Fairmont) were teammates the AAU club team Sports City U, ranked in the top five nationally.

By the numbers

4: Number of chances Reedsville Eastern had in the last minute to beat Berlin Hiland.

6: Total points scored by Ottoville and Fort Loramie first quarter of the Division IV semifinal game.

8: Consecutive points by Twinsburg for 27-15 lead early in the second quarter.

9: Trips to the state championship game for Berlin Hiland.

43: Consecutive wins for Twinsburg.

73: Consecutive wins over Ohio teams for Twinsburg.

233: Wins for Twinsburg head coach Julie Solis.

244: Wins for Kettering Fairmont head coach Tim Cogan.

486: Wins for Berlin Hiland head coach Dave Schlabach.

-- Bob Fortuna

Northeast Ohio high school sports schedule for Saturday, March 16, 2013.

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Tournament schedules Girls basketball

Tournament schedules

Girls basketball

State tournament

At Jerome Schottenstein Center

Note: Away team listed first

Division I

Championship

Today

Twinsburg vs. Kettering Fairmont, 8:30

Division II

Championship

Today

West Holmes vs. Hathaway Brown, 2

Division III

Championship

Today

Anna vs. Columbus Africentric, 10:45 a.m.

Division IV

Championship

Today

Berlin Hiland vs. Fort Loramie, 5:15

Boys basketball

Regional finals

Division I

REGION 1

At University of Toledo

Toledo Rogers vs. Brecksville- Broadview Heights, 3

REGION 2

At Cleveland State University

Shaker Heights vs. Mentor, 7

REGION 3

At Columbus Fairground Coliseum

Columbus Northland vs. Gahanna Lincoln, 7

Division II

REGION 5

At Canton Memorial Civic Center

Warrensville Heights vs. St. Vincent-St. Mary, 3

REGION 6

At Bowling Green State University

Lima Bath vs. Bishop Watterson, 3

REGION 7

At Ohio University

New Philadelphia vs. Vincent Warren, 3

REGION 8

At Kettering Fairmont H.S.

Dayton Dunbar vs. Kettering Archbishop Alter, 3

Division III

REGION 9

At Canton Memorial Fieldhouse

LaBrae vs. Beachwood, 7

REGION 10

At Bowling Green State University

Bloom-Carroll vs. Ottawa-Glandorf, 7:30

REGION 11

At Ohio University

Oak Hill vs. Ironton, 7

REGION 12

At Kettering Fairmont H.S.

Versailles vs. Roger Bacon, 7

 


Northeast Ohio high school sports scoreboard for Friday, March 15, 2013.

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Girls basketball State semifinals

Girls basketball

State semifinals

Division I

TWINSBURG 73, OLENTANGY ORANGE 63

OLENTANGY ORANGE (26-3)-- Agler 8-15 1-1 19, Myers 3-6 2-2 10, Joseph 1-7 1-2 3, Walker 9-15 2-3 20, Sagerer 4-9 0-0 9, Werling 0-0 2-2 2. Totals--25-53 8-10 63.

TWINSBURG (29-0) -- Morrissette 5-14 9-10 20, Dunnigan 6-7 2-4 14, Durdan 1-5 1-2 5, Thompson-Smith 8-11 3-6 19, Reid 7-9 1-2 15. Totals--27-47 17-24 73.

Halftime--Twinsburg 41-29. 3-point goals--Olentangy Orange 5-20 (Agler 2-8, Myers 2-4, Joseph 0-5, Walker 0-2, Sagerer 1-1), Twinsburg 2-7 (Morrissette 1-4, Durdan 1-2, Thompson-Smith 0-1). Fouled out--None. Rebounds-- Olentangy Orange 28 (Sagerer 8), Twinsburg 26 (Morrissette 7). Assists-- Olentangy Orange 11 (Agler 5), Twinsburg 12 (Thompson-Smith 5). Team fouls-- Olentangy Orange 15, Twinsburg 13.

Toledo Notre Dame11 8 4 8--31

Kettering Fairmont12 4 9 12--37

Division IV

Berlin Hiland10 7 18 19--54

Reedsville East.13 6 18 14--51

Ft. Loramie2 13 10 14 10--49

Ottoville4 14 13 18 3--42

Boys basketball

Regional finals

Division I

REGION 4

Cincinnati Walnut Hills 50, Cincinnati La Salle 46

Division IV

REGION 13

Villa Angela-St. Joseph23 24 22 17--86

Youngstown Christian14 4 7 25--50

VASJ (22-4): Bragg 3-2-8, Dean III 0-1-1, Flannigan 9-4-22, Forte 1-0-3, Gibson Jr. 7-2-16, Johnson 0-2-2, Pardon 2-0-4, Parker 5-2-12, Stauffer 0-1-1, Texidor Jr. 4-2-11, Williams 3-7-0-1-615

Young. Christian (16-9): Bell 1-0-2, D 2-0-6, DuBose 2-0-4, J 3-2-11, K 1-0-2, Kimbrough 1-0-3, P 1-0-2, Staples 0-1-1, Williams 3-7-0-1-6 15

REGION 14

Leipsic 63, Toledo Ottawa Hills 54

REGION 15

Fairfield Christian 59, South Webster 55

REGION 16

Troy Christian 51, Delphos St. John's 49

 

Brett Myers' struggles don't trouble Terry Francona: Cleveland Indians Insider

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Terry Francona says he's not worried about right-hander Brett Myers' struggles in the Cactus League. Watch video

myers-windup-2013-spring-cc.jpg View full size Brett Myers allowed four runs and seven hits in four innings of work in Friday's loss to the Brewers in Maryvale, Ariz.  

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Asked when he would start to worry if Brett Myers keeps pitching the way he did Friday against Milwaukee at Maryvale Ballpark, manager Terry Francona said, "I don't know ... July?"

Myers allowed four runs on seven hits in four innings as the Indians lost to the Brewers, 4-3. It took Myers an estimated 77 pitches to get through his day's work. The Indians gave him a 2-0 lead in the first, but it was gone by the second.

"I thought he fought his command a little bit," said Francona. "It was hot out there (89 degrees for the first pitch).

"He never gives in. He threw strikes with all his pitches. I think you can see when he pitches why he always has the ability to pitch deep into the game once he gets (his arm) built up."

Myers pitched strictly in relief last year, making 70 appearances with Houston and the White Sox. He signed a one-year, $7 million deal on Jan. 4 with the Indians to be one of their top three starters. He's made 249 starts in the bigs and as recently as 2011 made 33 starts and pitched 216 innings for the Astros.

In his last two starts this spring, Myers has allowed seven runs, six earned, on 14 hits and six walks in 7 2/3 innings.

"I don't put any concerns on [spring] numbers," said Francona. "I think he's going to be a good pitcher for us."

Tough gig: It used to be that hitting .400 would take you a long way in baseball. The Indians seem to be changing that way of thinking.

On Monday, they released outfielder Ben Francisco, who was hitting .400 (8-for-20). Francisco had an out clause in his contract and he exercised it because he saw little chance of making the big-league club. The Yankees signed him within hours.

On Friday, Mike McDade was optioned to Class AAA Columbus after hitting .400 (12-for-30) with two doubles, one homer and 10 RBI. First base is suddenly a stacked position for the Indians with Nick Swisher and Mark Reynolds, but at least the switch-hitting McDade is only a phone call away.

"He made a really good impression," said Francona. "He came from Toronto and there were so many different scouting reports [from several organizations] on him. I mean they were all over the map on him.

"Seeing him in person, he can hit and he can hit from both sides and he can play first. One report said 'I like his bat, but you have to pinch run for him.' I don't see that. He's not going to steal any bases, but his not a base clogger."

McDade is 6-1 and 250 pounds. Francona says he'll have to watch his weight, but baseball isn't as fixated on that as it once was. "If you can play, you don't necessarily have to look the part," he said.

Infielder Nate Spears was re-assigned to minor-league camp along with McDade.

Skipper, it's me: Francona has asked all his players participating in the World Baseball Classic to stay in touch with him while they're away.

"A couple of days ago I got a call from Carlos Santana," said Francona. "He was just sitting in his hotel room. I thought that was pretty cool."

Santana is playing for the Dominican Republic, which advanced to the semifinals in San Francisco with Thursday's victory over Team USA.

Testing, testing: Yan Gomes left Friday's game with a tight right hamstring after doubling in the fourth inning.

"It's just a cramp, it wasn't a pull," said Francona.

Finally: Closer Chris Perez (right shoulder) will throw about 10 pitches off the mound Saturday. ... Daisuke Matsuzaka, who left his last appearance Monday with a cramp in his right calf, will throw a minor-league game on Saturday.

On Twitter: @hoynsie

NFL free agency 2013 roundup: What teams the players will be with next season

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Dozens of free agents have made their decisions where to play next season.


(Updated at 8:17 p.m.)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The NFL free agency signing period began on Tuesday.

Things are moving fast. Signings include (with the player's former team in parentheses):

CLEVELAND BROWNS

LB Paul Kruger (Baltimore)

DT Desmond Bryant (Oakland)

LB Quentin Groves (Arizona)

TE Gary Barnidge (Carolina)

Re-sign RB Chris Ogbonnaya

BALTIMORE RAVENS

DL Chris Canty (New York Giants)

DE Marcus Spears (Dallas)

Re-sign S James Ihedigbo

Re-sign RB Damien Berry

Re-sign LS Morgan Cox

Re-sign G Ramon Harewood

Re-sign DB Chris Johnson

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Re-sign DE Wallace Gilberry

Re-sign DE Robert Geathers

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

QB Bruce Gradkowski (Cincinnati)

Re-sign WR Plaxico Burress

Re-sign LB Larry Foote

Re-sign LS Greg Warren

ARIZONA CARDINALS

OLB Lorenzo Alexander (Washington)

S Yeremiah Bell (New York Jets)

QB Drew Stanton (Indianapolis)

RB Rashard Mendenhall (Pittsburgh)

ILB Jasper Brinkley (Minnesota)

CB Antoine Carson (San Diego)

DE Matt Shaughnessy (Oakland)

Re-sign S Rashad Johnson

ATLANTA FALCONS

RB Steven Jackson (St. Louis)

Re-sign OT Sam Baker

BUFFALO BILLS

LB Manny Lawson (Cincinnati)

CAROLINA PANTHERS

CB Drayton Florence (Detroit)

Re-signed QB Derek Anderson
                        
CHICAGO BEARS

TE Martellus Bennett (New York Giants)

OT Jermon Bushrod (New Orleans)

Re-sign S Nick Collins

Re-sign CB Zack Bowman

DALLAS COWBOYS

---------------------

DENVER BRONCOS

WR Wes Welker (New England)

G Louis Vasquez (San Diego)

LB Stewart Bradley (Arizona)

DT Terrance Knighton (Jacksonville)

CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Philadelphia)

DT Kevin Vickerson (Denver)

DETROIT LIONS

DL Jason Jones (Seattle)

S Glover Quin (Houston)

RB Reggie Bush (Miami)

Re-sign S Amari Spievy

Re-sign CB Chris Houston

Re-sign WR Kassim Osgood

Re-sign LS Don Muhlback

Re-sign OLB DeAndre Levy

Re-sign S Louis Delmas

GREEN BAY PACKERS

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HOUSTON TEXANS

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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

OT Gosder Cherilus (Detroit)

G Donald Thomas (New England)

CB Greg Toler (Arizona)

LB Erik Walden (Green Bay)

LB Lawrence Sidbury (Atlanta)

S Laron Landry (New York Jets)

DL Ricky Jean-Francois (San Francisco)

Re-sign CB Darius Butler

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

LB Geno Hayes (Chicago)

CB Alan Ball (Houston)

DT Roy Miller (Tampa Bay)

RB Justin Forsett (Houston)

Re-sign DB Antwuan Molden

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

WR Donnie Avery (Indianapolis)

CB Dunta Robinson (Atlanta)

TE Anthony Fasano (Miami)

QB Chase Daniel (New Orleans)

DE Mike DeVito (New York Jets)

CB Sean Smith (Miami)

OL Geoff Schwartz (Minnesota)

MIAMI DOLPHINS

WR Mike Wallace (Pittsburgh)

LB Dannell Ellerbe (Baltimore)

OLB Phillip Wheeler (Oakland)

TE Dustin Keller (New York Jets)

WR Brandon Gibson (St. Louis)

Re-sign S Chris Clemons

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

WR Greg Jennings (Green Bay)

QB Matt Cassel (Kansas City)

Re-sign C Joe Berger

Re-sign WR Jerome Simpson

Re-sign OT Phil Loadholt

Re-sign S Jamarca Sanford

Re-sign LB Erin Henderson
 
Re-sign FB Jerome Felton

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

WR Danny Amendola, St. Louis

RB Leon Washington (Seattle)

WR Donald Jones (Buffalo)

Re-sign CB Kyle Arrington

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

CB Keenan Lewis (Pittsburgh)

Re-sign LS Justin Drescher

NEW YORK GIANTS

S Ryan Mundy (Pittsburgh)

DT Cullen Jenkins (Philadelphia)

CB Aaron Ross (Jacksonville)

K Josh Brown (Cincinnati)

Re-sign LB Keith Rivers

Re-sign RB Ryan Torain

NEW YORK JETS

RB Mike Goodson (Oakland)

NT Antonio Garay (San Diego)

OL Willie Colon (Pittsburgh)

QB David Garrard

Re-sign RB Lex Hilliard

OAKLAND RAIDERS

LB Kaluka Maiava (Cleveland)

LB Nick Roach (Chicago)

DT Pat Sims (Cincinnati)

DE Jason Hunter (Denver)

Re-sign CB Philip Adams

Re-sign DB Coy Francies

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

CB Cary Williams (Baltimore)

S Kenny Phillips (New York Giants)

LB Connor Barwin (Houston)

CB Bradley Fletcher (St. Louis)

NT Isaac Sopoaga (San Francisco)

FB/TE James Casey (Houston)

S Patrick Chung (New England)

LB Jason Phillips (Carolina)

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

CB Derek Cox (Jacksonville)

RB Danny Woodhead (New England)

OT King Dunlap (Philadelphia)

G Chad Rinehart (Buffalo)

TE John Phillips (Dallas)

Re-sign K Nick Novak

Re-sign WR Richard Goodman

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers

LB Dan Skuta (Cincinnati)

DL Glenn Dorsey (Kansas City)

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

DE Cliff Avril (Detroit)

DE Michael Bennett (Tampa Bay)

ST. LOUIS RAMS

Tight end Jared Cook (Tennessee)

Re-sign DL Jeremelle Cudjo

Re-sign DE William Hayes

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

S Dashon Goldson (San Francisco)

OLB Jonathan Casillas (New Orleans)

WR Kevin Ogletree (Dallas)

TENNESSEE TITANS

G Andy Levitre (Buffalo)

RB Shonn Greene (New York Jets)

DL Sammie Lee Hill (Detroit)

TE Delanie Walker (San Francisco)

LB Moise Fokou (Indianapolis)

Re-sign RB Darius Reynaud

Re-sign FB Quinn Johnson

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

OT Jeremy Trueblood (Tampa Bay)

Re-sign LB Bryan Kahl

Re-sign P Sav Rocca

Re-sign DL Kedrick Gholston


Villa Angela-St. Joseph boys cruise to Division IV regional title

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Canton -- After the Villa Angela-St. Joseph boys basketball team eliminated Windham in the Division IV regional semifinals with ridiculous ease earlier this week, basketball fans wondered if Youngstown Christian would provide a greater challenge in the finals. The Vikings answered without blinking an eye as they rolled to the school's 12th regional championship with a 86-50 laugher on...

Canton -- After the Villa Angela-St. Joseph boys basketball team eliminated Windham in the Division IV regional semifinals with ridiculous ease earlier this week, basketball fans wondered if Youngstown Christian would provide a greater challenge in the finals.

The Vikings answered without blinking an eye as they rolled to the school's 12th regional championship with a 86-50 laugher on Friday in front of about 1,500 fans.

Next stop, Value City Arena and the state semifinals on Friday at 10:45 a.m. against Troy Christian (26-2).

With Duane Gibson and Demonte Flannigan making plays, and providing points and senior leadership, the Vikings (23-4) wasted no time in establishing their dominance.

In fact, it took about eight seconds. After Carlton Bragg tapped the opening jump ball to Gibson, the Evansville recruit took a few dribbles and lofted an alley-oop pass to a high-flying Flannigan, circling in from the right flank. The 6-7 Flannigan threw down a highlight reel slam-dunk that shook the rim and the temporary stanchion.

It probably shook Youngstown Christian too. While the Eagles (16-9) fought back to pull within one point a few minutes later, the tone was set. VASJ, which will seek a fifth state championship but its first since 1995, closed the quarter with a 16-8 spurt that gave it a 23-14 lead.

It was time for VASJ fans to book those Columbus hotel rooms. Those that hadn't done so months ago, that is.

"We've been talking about it all year," said Gibson, who finished with 16 points, eight assists, six rebounds and six steals. "We finally accomplished one of our biggest goals. We knew this was our last chance and we didn't want to go out losers. We wanted to make it to Columbus and finish off our senior year."

VASJ outscored its two regional opponents, 179-106.

"The first play set the tone," said Flannigan, a Cleveland State recruit, who finished with 22 points and four rebounds. "We've never been to Columbus. Never got out of the district, so even getting to the regionals means a lot. We don't want to stop here. We don't want anyone to beat us. This has been our dream since we were freshmen."

Sophomore guard Brian Parker had 12 points and Bragg, a 6-9 sophomore, finished with 10 points and three boards.

VASJ coach Babe Kwasniak set himself up for a possible double play. He was on three VASJ state championship teams as a player and now has a chance to win one as a coach.

"All the guys I won it with are right next to me," he said of assistant coaches Dale Thomas, Gary Wilson and Mike Graves. "And the guy I won it for is right next to me too and that makes it special. And, I never got to play with my brother, T.J., but having him on the bench makes it special too."

The man usually seated at Kwasniak's right is his father, Tedd, who won two state titles as the Vikings' head coach.

The family now has an opportunity to add to that legacy.

Ohio State Buckeyes rout Nebraska in Big Ten Tournament

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Ohio State Buckeyes Deshaun Thomas and Sam Thompson score 19 each as the Buckeyes advance to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals vs. Michigan State. Watch video

CHICAGO -- Two Buckeyes led Ohio State with 19 points each in Friday's 71-50 win over Nebraska in a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal. The No. 2 seed Buckeyes (24-7) will face No. 3 Michigan State in a semifinal at 4 p.m. Saturday (WOIO Ch. 19).

They arrived at those point totals in very, very different ways.

Sam Thompson's career-high 19 was a celebration, as the Chicago native played in the United Center for the first time. He'd been on track to play at the home of the Bulls for the city's high school title as a senior, but the game moved that year to Chicago State.

Deshaun Thomas' run-of-the-mill 19 was a lesson, coming only after coach Thad Matta yanked Thomas from the lineup less than four minutes in because of defensive lapses and a brief Thomas retort when Matta angrily addressed him in the huddle.

The Big Ten's leading scorer on the bench for more than three minutes while the Buckeyes were trailing by nine in their first postseason game? That's pretty serious business.

Matta said he'd tried to instill the message the night before and again Friday morning of "if you're not ready to go, you're going to get embarrassed." And then he saw his team getting embarrassed.

"Our body language wasn't good. Guys were complaining and you know, we're not good enough to play like that," Matta said.

He was every bit as demonstrably angry as he was at Evan Ravenel during the Northwestern game a couple weeks ago, but that was on the sideline and easily captured on TV. This was during a timeout, but the points were made as forcefully.

"That's part of Coach Matta being a competitor," Thomas said. "He wants to win and I want to win."

So Thomas had to sit and wait, saying in his younger days he "probably would have flipped," in response to the benching. This time, he just watched, and Matta gave him credit for being ready when it was time get back in.

"That's DT," teammate Lenzelle Smith Jr. said. "Sometimes his mind wanders, and that's a red flag when he comes out. He and coach got into it for a little bit. DT drifts off but he doesn't mean any harm. He slowly came back after sitting on the bench, and he recognized you can't just do what you want to do here. You've got to play defense.

"If you miss a shot, it's OK. I grabbed him and said, 'I'm going to give you the ball.' I told him that if I have a wide-open layup, I will dribble around five guys just to get you the ball. And that got him to laugh a little bit. If he's feeling good, we're feeling good. And I just want to win."

Once that was taken care of, and Aaron Craft and Shannon Scott started attacking on defense, grabbing two steals each but upsetting far more possessions, the Buckeyes were rolling. A 12-0 run gave them a 18-15 edge, and the lead was into the 20s by the middle of the second half, as the Buckeyes made 77 percent of their shots in the second half.

Then they could enjoy Thompson's excitement.

He played high school basketball at Whitney Young High School, with Marcus Jordan, Michael Jordan's son, and Thompson watched plenty of games here as a kid. The Buckeyes joked that they made a Chicago homecoming tour before the game, because they could all see how much this meant to him. Thompson made 8 of his 9 shots, including 3 of 4 3-pointers, and didn't turn the ball over in 28 minutes of action.

"I'd always looked forward to playing here," Thompson said. "It was big time. I've been coming here since I was 3 or 4 years old with my father. I felt good. I don't know what it was, but I think I had a step about me and I was feeling really good and I was able to make some plays."

The Buckeyes have a habit of starting slowly in this tournament. They got past Michigan on Evan Turner's nearly halfcourt heave in 2010, and Northwestern took the Buckeyes to overtime in 2011. But then they regroup. They've played in four straight Big Ten championships.

But if any of them aren't ready against the Spartans, well, Matta will bring them to the bench.

Video: The Ohio State Buckeyes routed Nebraska 71-50 in the Big Ten quarterfinals. Sam Thompson and Deshaun Thomas each scored 19. The Plain Dealer's Doug Lesmerises reports from the United Center.

Demetrius Treadwell drives Akron Zips into MAC Tournament title game: Bill Livingston

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With Demetrius Treadwell refusing to let the Zips lose, Akron advances into the MAC Tournament title game against Ohio.

bill-treadwell.jpg View full size Akron's Demetrius Treadwell grabs a rebound in front of Kent's Mark Henniger.  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The game began, and Demetrius "Tree" Treadwell made a jump shot, missed a runner when he was fouled, missed a free throw (this was going to become something of a depressing theme), missed another one, got the rebound of that and made a steal, flinging himself after the ball into a row of photographers.

If they had the time, they could have taken a close-up of the maddest man in March.

Akron defeated Kent State, 62-59, Friday night at The Q, reaching its seventh straight Mid-American Conference Tournament final.

A new reason for the victory was Nick Harney, who played point guard in place of suspended Alex Abreu and in relief of the offensive cipher that was Carmelo Betancourt.

An old reason was that 7-0 Zeke Marshall had one of those moments in the second half much as he had in late February at Ohio, when he just takes over the game with blocked and altered and way off-line shots. At the other end, he dunked whatever he did not jump-hook into the basket.

But the foundation of this Akron victory was Treadwell. He is coach Keith Dambrot's choice for Most Valuable Player of the MAC, though D.J. Cooper of Ohio won the honor. On the Akron team, Treadwell is the measuring stick for how much can be given, how much can be withstood, and how much can be overcome. Treadwell finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Dambrot said his team was "ruptured emotionally" after Abreu's suspension following his arrest on drug trafficking and possession charges. The way to get the emotion back was to unleash Treadwell on whomever had the misfortune to be in his way.

The 6-7 junior from Euclid played 35 minutes. His 2-of-9 free-throw shooting kept Kent in the game.

"He missed some because he was so tired, and he missed some because he stinks at the foul line," Dambrot said with a smile.

But Treadwell's basket that put Akron ahead to stay, 58-57, with 86 seconds left started taking Kent out of it.

"He just took over offensively," said Dambrot. "It comes down to making plays. Winners win."

There would be a flurry of near-misses and almosts and would've-could'ves by the Golden Flashes after that, as the ball kicked off and crawled off and rolled off the rim. But Akron would not give up the lead that Treadwell gave them.

On the go-ahead basket, the game stopped being played in the air, and this whole business of stretching the floor and 3-point barrages took a seat.

This was a basket decided by bumping, bulling and backing in, a basket in which might made right, not height, not highlight, not starlight, not space flight.

"Without our point guard, that's our bread and butter. We really don't have anybody who can improvise and make plays with the dribble like that. So we've got to go down low," said Treadwell.

"At the other end, he guarded [Kent's Chris] Evans, and he made an unbelievable steal," Dambrot said.

That was when Treadwell, chasing Evans, whom he helped hound into 1-of-11 shooting, knocked away a handoff to Evans near midcourt in the last minute. "They run that play a lot. I couldn't let Chris Evans get the ball. I knew he was going to try to create something. They got lazy on the pass," said Treadwell.

No, you don't want to do that! Because laziness is the flaw an effort player like Treadwell will exploit ruthlessly. Akron got no points out of the steal, but by this stage, the Zips were going to stake their championship hopes on what happened without the ball.

"He dented the rim at the free-throw line, and a lot of guys, that would have affected their whole game," said Dambrot. "But he just went on to the next thing, then the next thing and the next thing."

A lot of attention Friday went to other Zips. But the player your eyes go to most often at Akron is Treadwell. Because the next thing is the biggest thing to him and his team. Because it will take everything Ohio has in the tournament final to deny Treadwell.

Because he will give absolutely everything he has.

D.J. Cooper's 21 points lead Ohio University to 74-63 win over Western Michigan in Mid-American Conference semifinals

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D.J. Cooper had 21 points and 10 assists to lead Ohio University to a 74-63 victory over Western Michigan in the Mid-American Conference semifinals on Friday night at The Q. Defending conference tournament champion OU will play Akron for the title on Saturday in a rematch of last year's title game, won by OU, 64-63.

Gallery preview

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- D.J. Cooper was the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year and he showed why in Ohio University's 74-63 victory over Western Michigan in the conference semifinals before 10,324 fans on Friday night at The Q.

Cooper finished with 21 points and 10 assists and seemingly hit every big shot the defending tournament champion Bobcats needed to advance to Saturday's final against the top-seeded Akron Zips (25-6) who defeated Kent State in the semifinals, 62-59. It's a rematch of last season's championship game, which was won by Ohio, 64-63. It's also the third time in four years Ohio (24-8) advanced to the final. It's the seventh straight year two Eastern Division teams will meet for the conference title.

Nate Hutcheson had 16 points and Darius Paul added 14 for Western Michigan, which finished its season 20-12.

The Bobcats pulled out to a 19-point lead in the first half, 34-15, on a 3-pointer by Nick Kellogg, son of former Ohio State star Clark Kellogg, with 5:17 left. After the score was tied at 8-8, the Broncos went scoreless for almost four minutes while the Bobcats went on an 11-0 run.

It was an uphill battle the rest of the way for Western Michigan as OU built a 41-24 lead at halftime.

Cooper had nine points and eight assists in the first half as OU shot 63.6 percent overall, including 77.8 percent from 3-point range (7 of 9). But the Bobcats played defense, too, holding the Broncos to 39 percent shooting overall and just 20 percent from 3-point range (2 of 10).

But as has been their habit this season, the Bobcats suffered a lull at the start of the second half. A big lull. The Broncos opened on a 22-7 run as the Bobcats hit just 3 of its first 13 shots. A layup by Shayne Whittington cut OU's lead to 48-46 with 10:21 left.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by Cooper and Walter Offutt restored the Bobcats confidence, and a three-point play by Cooper with 4:32 left reinforced their lead to 61-52.



With plenty of returning stars, MAC should be strong again next season: MAC Men's Tournament Insider

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Although Buffalo just fired its coach, the Bulls essentially will have five starters back next year and will start as one of the favorites in the Mid-American Conference.

mmac-mcrea.jpg View full size Buffalo's Javon McCrea will be one of the favorites to be named MAC Player of the Year next season.  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A lot of familiar faces will return next season around the Mid-American Conference, which bodes well for an improved league overall which entered MAC Tournament play with a conference RPI of 18 among 32 conferences in the country.

Akron, Buffalo, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Toledo in particular should be very strong. Yet Buffalo is an early front-runner considering it will have MAC Player of the Year favorite Javon McCrea and junior point guard Jarod Oldham, who missed this season with a wrist injury, will return. That effectively gives the Bulls, who finished 14-20, their entire starting five back for next season.

Note most of those teams are in the MAC West, where fast-improving Central Michigan also resides, indicating for the first time in many years there could be a shift in the legue's basketball hoops power from the East to the West.

Akron, with the possible return of Quincy Diggs (suspension) and Alex Abreu (suspension) added to the likes of Demetrius Treadwell, Nick Harney and Jake Kretzer, should also be a strong challenger for an unprecedented third straight MAC regular-season title.

Ohio University will be completely revamped, as will Kent State, with the Bobcats losing four seniors and the Golden Flashes losing their top two scorers.

Not hot enough: The expected announcement never came, but two of the three hottest coaches down the stretch in the MAC this season, Billy Taylor at Ball State and Reggie Witherspoon at Buffalo, were both fired after their MAC Tournament losses. Louis Orr at Bowling Green, whom many believed to be on the hot seat, was retained.

Ball State finished 15-15, but won seven of its last eight regular-season games to move up from a possible 11th seed in the tournament to a No. 5 seed. Taylor's Cardinals then lost to Buffalo in their first game in Cleveland.

Buffalo, which twice played for a MAC Tournament title during Witherspoon's 14-year tenure (2005, 2009), had an injury plagued season but was still considered one of the toughest teams in the MAC. Their season included an 81-67 victory over Akron to snap the Zips' 19-game winning streak. The Bulls then won their first two MAC Tournament games, over Central Michigan and Ball State, before falling to Kent State, 70-68, in the quarterfinals.

Witherspoon took over a program in scandal. After four years of recovery, in his final 10 season at UB he was 173-140. That 10-year stretch included four straight seasons of 18 or more wins -- second only to Akron's Keith Dambrot, prior to this season. Cause and effect: The MAC got exactly what it programmed for as the second year of the new tournament format had the top four seeds all playing each other in the MAC semifinals in The Q. This is the second year that the top two seeds get byes into the semifinals, and the next two teams get byes into the quarterfinals.

The result, with a doubleheader featuring No. 1 seed Akron playing No. 4 Kent, followed by No. 2 Ohio vs. No. 3 Western Michigan, was the eighth-largest crowd in MAC Tournament history at 10,324.

That's the good. But for the first two days of the MAC Tournament, second-round games on Wednesday and quarterfinals on Thursday, there were only 2,147 and 3,361 fans on hand, with the few people there complaining there was no "tournament atmosphere" as there was little or no chance for any tournament upsets. I see you: Wally Szczerbiak, the MAC Player of the Year in 1999 with Miami, is a college basketball announcer for CBS. The former Cavalier has kept an eye on his former league, and sees some Sweet 16 possibilities for the conference.

"You look at Akron this year and I think they have those (Sweet 16) capabilities," he said. "We'll see if they get in. You look at what OU did last year, and they got a lot of guys back from that team. And now Akron this year. Credit the league for being good enough with teams like that which can play on that level if they get the (NCAA) opportunity." Feeling good: The phone rang and the voice on the other end was strong and familiar. Former Miami coach Charlie Coles is not in Cleveland for the MAC Tournament for the first time since the event moved here in 2000. Coles said his health is relatively good. "I'm comfortable, no pain." But he said he is having no withdrawal issues not sitting on the bench for the first time in three decades.

"None whatsoever," he said. "I tell you, it's tough coaching at a mid-major program these days. I still love the game. And I miss the kids. But I tell you some of the players these days just can't keep from getting in their own way."

Chris Fedor's Top 25 NFL Free Agents for 2013: Where they have signed

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A ranking and commentary on the players who were the top unrestricted free agents when the free agency signing period began on Tuesday. Where they've signed and their contract terms.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There were a lot of big name players available in the free agency signing period that began on Tuesday, even some future Hall of Famers. But those players are on the downside of their careers, and you don't see many of them on this list of the top 25 unrestricted free agents. Leaving all-time greats off the list doesn't mean they aren't talented, but the key with free agency is finding players who are ready to break out. This list also excluded players who received the franchise tag or were restricted free agents. Just keep in mind that winning the off-season Super Bowl doesn't always lead to success. The best teams in the NFL tend to build their core through the NFL Draft.

The list is updated with the teams the players have signed with, and the reported contract terms. A few players remain unsigned. 

1. Cliff Avril, Defensive End, Detroit Lions (signed with Seattle; two years/$15 million)

There are legitimate questions about whether Avril is an upper-echelon pass-rusher. He played on the turf in Detroit next to Ndamukong Suh, who garnered a lot of the attention. Avril's not elite but he's really, really good. The 26-year-old former college linebacker has averaged approximately eight sacks per season over the last five years and will be entering his prime as the upcoming season begins.

2. Aqib Talib, Cornerback, New England Patriots

Talib is a knucklehead. He comes with a lot of baggage. Giving him a big contract is an enormous risk. All that aside, he is the best cornerback on the market in a passing league. The Tampa Bay secondary looked awful without him and he changed the complexion of New England's defense when he was healthy. The bottom line is he makes defenses better.

3. Andy Levitre, Guard, Buffalo Bills (signed with Tennessee; six years/$46.8 million)

Levitre can play all over the line and has never missed a start since coming into the NFL. He has allowed just 12 sacks in four years and has been the most consistent player along the Buffalo Bills line during that span. Any team looking for a boost on the interior of the offensive line should make their first call to Levitre's agent. He's as rock-solid as it gets.

4. Mike Wallace, Wide Receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers (signed with Miami; five years/$60 million)

Wallace's speed makes him one of the most dangerous receivers in the league. Steelers' fans got frustrated with his attitude and some of his untimely drops, but he is a game-changing wide receiver. A blur on the football field, Wallace got off to a slow start this past season and never really turned things around. Pittsburgh seems to favor the more versatile Antonio Brown, but their loss will be some team's gain this off-season.

5. Michael Bennett, Defensive End, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (signed with Seattle; one year/$5 million)

Bennett is one of the most underrated defensive players in the NFL. He was a key cog in the resurgent run defense of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He can rush the passer as well, which is evidenced in his nine sacks this past year. The Bucs thought he was expendable and decided against using the franchise tag on him. The former undrafted free agent is versatile and productive and is just now coming into his own.

6. Dashon Goldson, Safety, San Francisco 49ers (signed with Tampa Bay; five years/$41.25 million)

Dashon Goldson Dashon Goldson is one of the most physical and intimidating safeties in the NFL  

At 28 years old, Goldson is a bit of a risk because he was surrounded by great talent in San Francisco. However, he is one of the most physical and intimidating safeties in the game. Goldson doesn't have great cover skills but he has shown some good ball-hawking skills with nine interceptions in the last two seasons. The former Pro Bowler is an anchor in the back-end of a defense.

7. Andre Smith, Offensive Tackle, Cincinnati Bengals

Smith's career in the NFL got off to a rocky start. His past consists of a hold-out, weight issues and a foot injury. He put all those things aside this past season and turned into one of the best right tackles in the game. Smith started every game last year and finally played like a former first round pick. Any team that pays him this off-season will be putting a lot of faith in a player that comes with a ton of baggage, but they could be rewarded handsomely.

8. Jake Long, Offensive Tackle, Miami Dolphins

There was one time when Jake Long was mentioned among the best offensive tackles in the NFL. Injuries have led to his play tailing off a bit recently but he is still a good player and the best left tackle available in free agency. Long is still just 27years old, and the former first overall pick is as good as any left tackle when healthy.

9. Dannell Ellerbe, Inside Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens (signed with Miami; five years/$35 million)

Overshadowed by some other marquee players on the Ravens defense, Ellerbe was integral in Baltimore's success. The former undrafted free agent is just 26 years old and was second on the Ravens in tackles. He outplayed Ray Lewis in 2012 and should get a lot of attention this off-season.

10. Wes Welker, Wide Receiver, New England Patriots (signed with Denver; two years/$12 million)

Did Tom Brady make him look better than he actually is? Of course Brady did. But Welker deserves a ton of credit as well. He is the best slot receiver in the NFL, he's nearly uncoverable and he moves the chains constantly. Every NFL team would love to get their hands on this Patriots jitterbug. The only reason he isn't higher on this list is because Welker is 32 years old and has dealt with injuries recently.

11. Sean Smith, Cornerback, Miami Dolphins (signed with Kansas City; three years/$18 million)

Smith is big, long and tough. The former second-round pick has good man-to-man coverage skills. It would be nice if he was a little more consistent but Smith has the size to match-up with some of the bigger, more physical receivers in the NFL.

12. Glover Quin, Safety, Houston Texans (signed with Detroit; five years/$23.5 million)

The attention in Houston usually goes to J.J. Watt, Jonathan Joseph, Kareem Jackson or Brian Cushing but Quin's contributions were invaluable. The former cornerback has good coverage skills and is not afraid to come up to the line of scrimmage and play the run as well. Guys with his skill set and versatility are not easy to find, especially at 27 years of age.

13. Sebastian Vollmer, Offensive Tackle, New England Patriots

The 6-8, 320-pound offensive tackle has dealt with injuries recently but he was a huge piece of the Patriots offensive line that made Tom Brady look so comfortable. Left tackles like him aren't easy to find and he makes the quarterback's job easier.

14. Steven Jackson, Running Back, St. Louis Rams (signed with Atlanta; three years/$12 million)

Steven Jackson Steven Jackson is one of the most consistent and reliable running backs in the NFL. Now he joins a contender, the Atlanta Falcons.  


He's already 29 years old and has racked up a ton of carries
in his NFL career. He's also a monster that has five straight seasons of over
1,000 yards rushing despite playing behind an awful offensive line. The former
first round pick is strong, nimble and runs with a purpose. I think he has
enough left in the tank to be a huge addition to a playoff contender. He's one
of the most reliable backs in the game.

15. Keenan Lewis, Cornerback, Pittsburgh Steelers (signed with New Orleans; five years/$26.3 million)

Lewis was the best cornerback on the Pittsburgh Steelers last year despite sharing the field with Ike Taylor. At 26 years old, Lewis is coming off his best season in the NFL where he led the league in pass break-ups. He also allowed just three touchdowns. QBs didn't have much success throwing in his direction last season and will only get better with more experience.

16. Jared Cook, Tight End, Tennessee Titans (signed with St. Louis; five years/$35.1 million)

Cook is loaded with talent and his combination of size, speed and athleticism make him a match-up nightmare. But he has never put it all together. I blame that more on poor quarterback play. In the right system, with the right signal caller, Cook can be one of the most dynamic pass-catching tight ends in the NFL.

17. Greg Jennings, Wide Receiver, Green Bay Packers (signed with Minnesota; five years/$47.5 million)

Greg Jennings' production has declined lately as the injuries have piled up. At 29 years old, you have to wonder if his best days are already behind him. However, Jennings is still a very good route runner and one of the most reliable receivers in the NFL when he's on the field. He's missed games the last two seasons but has the ability to be a true No. 1 receiver when healthy.

18. Paul Kruger, Outside Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens (signed with Cleveland; five years/$40 million)

Kruger is much lower on this list than people would expect. The former second-round pick is coming off a tremendous season that was capped by an outstanding playoff run. I have my concerns. He's not an elite pass-rusher and never will be. Kruger was aided immensely by his supporting cast. He had just 1.5 sacks in the games when Terrell Suggs was not playing opposite him. Kruger is the riskiest player in free agency and any team that pays him $10 million dollars per year will be incredibly disappointed. He's a No. 2, not a No.1.

19. Phil Loadholt, Offensive Tackle, Minnesota Vikings (re-signed with Minnesota; four years/$25 million)

The Vikings had one of the best running games in the NFL last season. Having Adrian Peterson certainly helped with that. So does having a player like Loadholt paving the way. The former second-round pick has started all 63 games that he has played in and is an absolute mauler in the running game.

20. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Cornerback, Philadelphia Eagles (signed with Denver; one year/$5 million)

DRC is talented and athletic but never lived up to expectations in Philadelphia, nor did anyone else on that team, really. Rodgers-Cromartie is allergic to tackling, but his skill set is tough to find at corner. Not to mention, he's a former Pro-Bowler that is only 26 years old.

21. Brent Grimes, Cornerback, Atlanta Falcons

Brent Grimes If Brent Grimes didn't tear his Achilles early in 2012, he would have been one of the most sought-after players in free agency.   


Grimes is coming off a torn Achilles tendon which cost him
all but one game in 2012. No one really knows how he will respond to the
injury. Will he still have the same speed and athleticism that made him an
All-Pro and one of the top corners in the NFC? He will be 30 years old in July
so that will have to be considered as well, but had he not been injured, Grimes
would be the most sought after cornerback this off-season. He's a true No. 1
corner that gives quarterbacks and receivers headaches.

22. Phillip Wheeler, Outside Linebacker, Oakland Raiders (signed with Miami; five years/$26 million)

Wheeler is coming off what was easily the best season of his NFL career. He was one of the few bright spots on a really bad Raiders defense. He can pressure the quarterback, hold his own in the running game and cover as well. There aren't too many guys with that skill set available at his position this off-season.

23. Phil Dawson, Kicker, Cleveland Browns

Kickers are people too. Even at 38 years old, Dawson is automatic. The only time he misses is either due to a block, or the center snaps the ball into the guard on the kick. Automatic inside 60 yards, Dawson would be an enormous boost to a playoff contender.

24. Greg Toler, Cornerback, Arizona Cardinals (signed with Indianapolis; three years/$15 million)

I admit that I am higher on Toler than most people are. Toler is a year removed from a torn ACL and the injuries in his career have been extremely frustrating. However, there is a ton of untapped potential with him and in the right situation he could turn into a solid No. 2. Toler is tough; he's physical and he can cover. He's also just 28 years old. The relative unknown could be a diamond in the rough this off-season.

25. Louis Delmas, Safety, Detroit Lions (re-signed with Detroit; two years/$9.465 million)

Delmas is another player that just can't seem to stay on the field. Because of his injury history, he is a big risk. At 25 years of age he has the potential to be one of the strongest,  hardest-hitting safeties in the game.


Saturday, March 16 television sports listings for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio

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Highlights include Mid-American Conference women's (Akron vs. Central Michigan) and men's (Akron vs. Ohio University) basketball tournament championship games.


CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV sports listings

AUTO RACING

9 a.m. Food City 500 practice, Speed Channel

10:30 a.m. 12 Hours of Sebring, start of race, Speed Channel

Noon Food City 500 Happy Hour Series, Speed Channel

1 p.m. 12 Hours of Sebring, Speed Channel

2 p.m. Jeff Foxworthys Grit Chips 300, ESPN2

10:30 p.m. 12 Hours of Sebring, end of race (tape), Speed Channel

1:30 a.m. (Sun.) Gatornationals qualifying (tape), ESPN2

1:30 a.m. (Sun.) Australian Grand Prix, NBCSN

BASEBALL

1 p.m. WBC, MLBN

4 p.m. Chicago Cubs vs. Kansas City, WGN

BOXING

10:15 p.m. Jessie Vargas vs. Wale Omotoso;

Timothy Bradley Jr. vs. Ruslan Provodnikov, HBO

BULL RIDING

Midnight Table Mountain Casino Invitational, CBSSN

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

11 a.m. Tennessee vs. Florida, ESPNU

GOLF

9 a.m. Avantha Masters (tape), Golf Channel

1 p.m. Tampa Bay Classic, Golf Channel

3 p.m. Tampa Bay Classic, WKYC

4 p.m. Founders Cup, Golf Channel

7:30 p.m. Toshiba Classic (tape), Golf Channel

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL

7 p.m. SVSM vs. Warrensville Hts. (tape), TWCS

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL

10:30 a.m. Ohio D-III final, Africentric Early vs. Anna, STO

2 p.m. Ohio D-II final, Hathaway Brown vs. West Holmes, TWCS

5 p.m. Ohio D-IV final, Berlin Hiland vs. Fort Loramie, STO

8:30 p.m. Ohio D-I final, Twinsburg vs. Kettering Fairmont, STO

MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL

11:30 a.m. C-USA final, Southern Miss vs. Memphis, WOIO

11:30 a.m. America East final, Albany vs. Vermont, ESPN2

1 p.m. SEC semi, Alabama vs. Florida, WEWS

1 p.m. ACC semi, North Carolina State vs. Miami (Fla.), ESPN

1:30 p.m. A-10 semi, Butler vs. Saint Louis, CBSSN

1:40 p.m. Big Ten semi, Wisconsin vs. Indiana, WOIO; FM/92.3

3 p.m. SEC semi, Vanderbilt vs. Mississippi, WEWS

3 p.m. ACC semi, Maryland vs. North Carolina, ESPN

4 p.m. A-10 semi, Massachusetts vs. Virginia Commonwealth, CBSSN

4 p.m. Big Ten semi, OHIO STATE BUCKEYES vs. Michigan State, WOIO, FM/92.3

4:30 p.m. SWAC final, Prairie View A&M vs. Southern, ESPN2

5 p.m. MEAC tourney, North Carolina A&T vs. Morgan State, ESPNU

5:30 p.m. Big 12 final, Kansas State vs. Kansas, ESPN

6 p.m. MWC final, UNLV vs. New Mexico, WOIO, FM/92.3

6:30 p.m. MAC final, AKRON ZIPS vs. Ohio University, ESPN2

8:30 p.m. Big East final, Syracuse vs. Louisville, ESPN

8:30 p.m. Southland final, Northwestern State vs. Stephen F. Austin, ESPN2

9 p.m. Big Sky final, Weber State vs. Montana, ESPNU; FM/92.3

10:30 p.m. Big West final, UC Irvine vs. Pacific, ESPN2

11 p.m. WAC tourney, Texas Arlington vs. New Mexico State, ESPNU

11 p.m. Pac-12 final, Oregon vs. UCLA, ESPN

MENS COLLEGE LACROSSE

1 p.m. Johns Hopkins vs. Syracuse, ESPNU

MOTORSPORTS

7:30 p.m. Supercross, Speed Channel

NBA

8:30 p.m. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS at San Antonio, FSO; AM/1100

NBA DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE

11 p.m. CANTON CHARGE vs. Erie (tape), TWCS

NHL

7 p.m. Montreal at New Jersey, NHLN

10 p.m. Detroit at Vancouver, NHLN

SOCCER

8:30 a.m. Premier League, Man City at Everton, ESPN2

12:30 p.m. MLS, D.C. United at New York, WKYC

3 p.m. MLS, Chicago at Kansas City, NBCSN

5:30 p.m. MLS, San Jose at COLUMBUS CREW, FSO

8 p.m. MLS, Portland at Seattle, NBCSN

TENNIS

8:30 p.m. BNP Paribas Tennis Channel, mens doubles final, Tennis Channel

WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL

1 p.m. MAC final, AKRON ZIPS vs. Central Michigan, STO

3 p.m. WAC tourney, Idaho vs. Seattle, ESPNU

6 p.m. Patriot League final, Holy Cross at Navy, CBSSN

7 p.m. A-10 final, Saint Joseph's vs. Fordham, ESPNU

8 p.m. C-USA final, UCF vs. Tulsa, CBSSN

10 p.m. MWC final, Fresno State vs. San Diego State, CBSSN

WOMENS COLLEGE GYMNASTICS

4 p.m. Iowa State at Michigan, BTN

8 p.m. Minnesota, Iowa at Nebraska, BTN 


Chasing the playoffs, Dallas Mavericks top Cleveland Cavaliers, 96-86

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The Mavericks still are fighting for a playoff spot, while the Cavaliers are fighting just for improvement late in the season.

DALLAS -- It is late in the season, and truth be told, there is little left for the Cavaliers at this point. They are without their injured All-Star point guard, and the playoffs are not in sight.

They are playing, now, for next year. For chemistry to develop among these young players, to learn lessons of how to improve their defense and how to close out games.

In Dallas, the Mavericks are fighting and clawing, trying to squeak their way into the postseason, growing out shaggy beards until they reach .500 after a miserable start to the season.

It's understandable, then, that when it mattered most Friday night, when the third quarter came and the final buzzer drew near, the Mavericks were the team scrapping hardest. And in the end, it was the hungry Mavericks who topped the Cavaliers, 96-86, at American Airlines Center.

It happened despite an 11-point lead by the Cavaliers in the first quarter, a start so hot that rookie Tyler Zeller nearly had a double double at halftime. And it happened even with Mavericks superstar Dirk Nowitzki failing to find his shooting touch all game.

The Cavaliers' old habit of sluggish third quarters was paired with an even worse fourth quarter, this time, and led to a thorough stomping.

The Mavericks hit 70 percent of their field goals in the third, compared to the Cavaliers' 44 percent.

In the fourth, the difference was just as pronounced, as Dallas hit 57 percent and the Cavaliers sank 36.8 percent -- coupled with six turnovers in that period.

"A good defensive effort led to easy offense, and that won the game," Mavericks forward Nowitzki said.

The Mavericks have won five of their past six games as they surge toward a winning record, now standing at 31-34. They have not missed the playoffs in 12 seasons, and they are fearful of this year breaking their streak.

The Mavericks' hot streak coupled with the Cavaliers' youth and inexperience yielded Dallas' 17-4 run midway through the third quarter. That stretch allowed Dallas to finally take the lead with 5:27 left in the quarter when Darren Collison flew in for a layup.

"It just seemed like we lost that energy we had in the first quarter and the first half," Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said. "You've got to give them a lot of credit -- they started to put a little more pressure on us, we got antsy with the ball."

That showed in six Cavaliers turnovers the fourth quarter that included such miscues as Alonzo Gee palming the ball and Zeller getting called for traveling.

"It's kind of stupid turnovers that add up," Zeller said. "Little things that you just can't afford to do and you've got to get better at."

Said Dion Waiters, "I wouldn't say it was a sense of panic, but at the same time, it was because we couldn't make a shot."

The Mavericks outscored the Cavaliers, 29-18, in the fourth quarter. That included a 13-2 start that featured seven points from Rodrigue Beaubois, and a Brandon Wright dunk and layup.

Beaubois led the Mavericks with 18 points -- nine in the fourth quarter -- as four other Dallas players scored in double-digits.

Waiters led the Cavaliers with 21 points, while Zeller finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Nowitzki shot just 6-for-17 for the Mavericks, netting 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Wayne Ellington was a late scratch with a sprained left ankle, an injury he suffered in the Cavaliers' last game against Washington.

Northeast Ohio high school scoreboard for Saturday, March 16, 2013

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Girls basketball State finals

Girls basketball

State finals

DIVISION I

KETTERING FAIRMONT 52, TWINSBURG 48

Kettering Fairmont (27-1) -- Shafer 0-2 1-2 1, Welch 1-2 2-4 4, Waterman 7-12 10-11 24, Skipper 2-6 4-4 10, Westbeld 6-12 1-2 13. Totals -- 16-34 18-23 52.

Twinsburg (29-1) -- Morrissette 9-17 5-5 27; Dunnigan 1-2 0-0 2, Durdan 1-7 0-0 2, Thompson-Smith 3-6 3-3 9, Reid 4-4 0-1 8, Howard 0-2 0-0 0. Totals -- 18-38 8-9 48.

Halftime -- Twinsburg 24-22. 3-point goals -- KF 2-7 (Shafer 0-1, Skipper 2-5, Westbeld 0-1); T 4-9 (Morrissette 4-6, Durdan 0-2, Thompson-Smith 0-1). Rebounds -- KF 21 (Westbeld 12); T 21 (Reid 7). Assists -- KF 8 (Welch 4); T 2 (Morrissette, Dunnigan 1). Total fouls -- KF 11; T 17.

DIVISION II

HATHAWAY BROWN 56, WEST HOLMES 44

West Holmes (28-2) -- Molnar 3-6 0-0 6; Strother 4-7 1-2 10, Vess 1-5 2-2 4, Snyder 4-10 0-0 8, Morrison 5-11 0-0 13, Macaulay 1-2 1-2 3, Wright 0-4 0-0 0 Totals--18-45 4-6 44

Hathaway Brown (22-6) -- Smith 3-8 5-9 11, Solano 4-6 1-4 9, Brzozowski 1-6 5-6 8, Poland 4-5 0-0 8, Marshall 4-10 9-15 17, Roman 1-3 0-0 3. Totals--17-38 2-34 56.

Halftime -- HB 28-18. 3-point goals -- WH 4-12 (Strother 1-2, Morrison 3-7, Wright 0-3); HB 2-11 (Solano 0-2, Brzozowski 1-5, Poland 0-1, Roman 1-3). Rebound -- WH 27 (Snyder 6); HB 30 (Marshall 18). Assists -- WH 9 (Wright 3); HB 7 (Smith, Solano 2). Total fouls -- WH 23; HB 10.

DIVISION III

ANNA 67, AFRICENTRIC 49

Anna (26-4) -- Huber 1-7 13-18 15, Blankenship 1-3 0-1 2, Billing 6-7 5-7 17, C. Bensman 7-16 7-7 21, Noffsinger 3-8 2-2 8, A. Bensman 2-3 0-1 4, C. Bensman 0-1 0-0 0. Totals -- 20-45 27-36 67.

Africentric (22-6) -- Jones 1-7 1-3 3, Seward 4-11 2-2 10, Parks 0-7 1-2 1, Harley 5-13 0-0 10, Hill 9-22 1-4 19, Johnson 0-2 2-2 2, Johnson 0-2 2-2 2, Stith 1-4 0-0 2, Gilliam 0-1 0-0 0, Franks 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 21-70 7-13 49.

Halftime -- Anna 23-20. 3-point goals -- Anna 0-2 (Bensman 0-1, Noffsinger 0-1); Afr 0-10 (Seward 0-2, Parks 0-2, Harley 0-2, Johnson 0-2, Stith 0-1, Gilliam 0-1). Rebounds -- Anna 47 (Huber 9); Afr 36 (Hill 13). Assists -- Anna 13 (Huber 6); Afr 5 (Hill 2). Total fouls -- Anna 15; Afr 26.

DIVISION IV

FORT LORAMIE 57, BERLIN HILAND 42

Fort Loramie (27-3) -- Westerheide 1-4 2-2 4, Rose 5-13 8-8 19, Boerger 2-7 0-2 5, Meyer 4-6 2-2 10; Ordean 4-5 1-1 9, Imwalle 2-4 0-0 4, Holdheide 1-1 0-0 2, Brandewie 1-1 2-2 4. Totals -- 20-42 15-17 57.

Berlin Hiland (26-4) -- Yoder 2-3 0-0 5, Schlabach 2-7 0-0 5, Hochstetler 9-25 2-3 23, Beachy 0-3 1-2 1,Goings 0-4 0-2 0, Schrock 1-5 0-0 2, Nickol 1-2 0-0 2, Goings 2-3 0-2 4. Totals -- 17-52 3-9 42.

Halftime -- Fort Loramie 22-19. 3-point goals -- FL 2-7 (Rose 1-2, Boerger 1-2, Imwalle 0-2, Benanzer 0-1); BH 5-17 (Yoder 1-1, Schlabach 1-3, Hochstetler 3-9, Beachy 0-2, Schrock 0-1, Nickol 0-1). Rebounds -- FL 32 (Meyer 11); BH 30 (Hochstetler, Goings 6). Assists -- FL 11 (Rose 5); BH 11 (Rose 5). Total fouls -- FL 9; BH 14.

Boys basketball

Regional finals

DIVISION I

Region 1

Overtime

Rogers15 15 18 4 11--63

Brecksville8 15 20 9 9--61

Rogers (20-7): Dailey 2-0-4, Gilmer 2-1-5, Kynard 7-2-20, Owens 4-4-14, Pratt 6-6-18, Williams 1-0-2

Brecksville (23-4): Balhorn 1-0-2, Chrzanowski 9-4-23, Csuhran 5-2-16, Ti.Tupa 2-0-6, To.Tupa 3-0-9, Ty.Tupa 2-0-5

 

Region 2

Shaker Heights12 9 15 20--56

Mentor20 18 20 18--76

Shaker Heights (20-7): Ahmad 4-5-13, Blackwell 2-2-6, Hurley 5-1-11, Leach 4-5-15, Mays 1-0-2, Pope 1-0-3, Roy 2-2-6

Mentor (23-5): Berger 1-0-3, Foreman 4-5-14, Fritts 2-5-9, Gallagher 2-1-6, Krizancic 6-0-17, McClure 4-0-10, Nelson 0-4-4, Potter 4-3-13

Region 3

Cols. Northland 62, Gahanna Lincoln 53

 

DIVISION II

Region 5

Warrensville10 17 5 16--48

SVSM16 8 14 19--57

Warrensville Heights (17-10): Brown 0-2-2, Franklin 3-2-8, Goodwin 10-0-24, Hall 2-0-5, Howze 2-3-7, McGhee 1-0-2

St. Vincent-St. Mary (18-9): Bickley 0-4-5, Hargrove 2-1-5, Hudson 3-1-7, Junius 1-1-3, King 5-1-11, Wells 8-4-20, Woodridge 2-2-7

Region 6

Cols. Watterson 57, Lima Bath 47

Region 7

Vincent Warren 49, New Philadelphia 47

Region 8

Kettering Alter 60, Day. Dunbar 59

 

DIVISION III

Region 9

LaBrae17 10 18 14--59

Beachwood0 4 6 20--30

LaBrae: Aldridge 4-5-14, Brown 7-1-15, Clevenger 0-1-1, Hall 1-0-2, Hyland 1-1-3, Jenkins 0-1-1, Middleton 2-0-4, Richards 1-0-2, Richardson 7-1-15, Shiamone 1-0-2

Beachwood (23-4): Davis 2-5-9, Gottfried 1-0-2, Richardson 1-3-5, Stevens 2-8-12, Tramer 1-0-2

Region 10

Ottawa-Glandorf 60, Bloom-Carroll 56 (OT)

Region 11

Ironton 66, Oak Hill 49

Region 12

Versailles 56, St. Bernard Roger Bacon 53

 

 

Indoor track

OATCCC INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP

At Stile Field House, U. of Akron

BOYS

Division I

How they finished: 1. St. Edward 72; 2. Mason 38; 3. Solon 37; 4. Wyane 321/2; 5. Cleveland John F. Kennedy) 31; 6. Granville 29; 7. Austintown-Fitch 27; 8. Westerville North 25; 9. Glenville 23; 10. St. Ignatius 20; 11. Cleveland Heights 16; 12. (tie) Lancaster, Lexington 15; 14. (tie) Hudson, Midpark 14; 16. Medina 13; 17. Pickerington North; 18; 18. (tie) Mentor, New Albany 11; 20. Olentangy Orange. Area schools: 25. Twinsburg 8; 30. (tie) Wadsworth 5; 40. (tie) Eucld 3; 48 (tie) Mayfield 2; 52. (tie) Strongsville, Avon Lake 1.

4x200: 1. Cleveland Heights (Jones, Gibson, Hudson, McShepard) 1:28.96; 2. Austintown-Fitch 1:29.58; 3. Solon (Hicks, Crenshaw, Crenshaw, Bolden) 1:29.61; 4. Glenville (Smith, Hickman, Jackson, Riggs) 1:29.63; 5. St. Edward (Crawford, Schenkelberg, Clark, Young) 1:29.77. 60 hurdles: 1. Wasik (St. Edward) 7.97; 2. Maiden (Mason) 8.08; 3. Ortz (Aust-Fitch) 8.13; 4. Rogerson (Granville) 8.23; 5. Frye (New Albany) 8.38. 60: 1. Crenshaw (Solon) 6.82; 2. Crawford (St. Edward) 6.93; 3. Johnson (Syl. Southview) 6.95; 4. Chanatry (Mason) 6.97; 5. Young (St. Edward) 6.98. 4x800: 1. Solon (Hansen, Riordan, Zimmers, Blank) 7:58.01; 2. St. Ignatius (Miller, Arquillo, Politowicz, Bartram) 8:01.94; 3. Westerville North 9:02.60; 4. Twinsburg (Crichlow, King, Schank, Scanlon) 8:03.40; 5. Mason 8:03.76. 1600: 1. Dumford (Wester. North) 4:10.35; 2. Hadley (Boardman) 4:12.80; 3. Mau (Hudson) 4:18.02; 4. Hoffman (Arch. Moeller) 4:18.33; 5. Hall (St. Xavier) 4:22.19. 400: 1. Smith (John F. Kennedy) 48.48; 2. Riggs (Glenville) 49.63; 3. Antonio (Hudson) 49.67; 4. Trent (Pickerington) 49.71; 5. Switzer (Lexington) 49.96. 800: 1. Sparks (Lancaster) 1:53.91; 2. Seitzer (Renoldsburg) 1:54.32; 3. Navratil (St. Edward 1:56.49; 4. Winkler (Wadsworth) 1:57 04; 5. Justus (Syl. Southview) 1:57.64. 200: 1. Lenfest (Granville) 21.75; 2. Young (St. Edward) 21.79; 3. Crawford (St. Edward) 22.13; 4. Hytchye (LaSalle) 22.19; 5. Crenshaw (Solon) 22.19. 3200: 1. Clark (Mason) 9:35.60; 2. Ford (Westerville North) 9:35.61; 3. Knapik (Hill Davidson) 9:37.71; 4. Molnar (Lexington) 9:38.78; 5. Mandel (Dublin Jerome) 9:42.05. 4x400: 1. Granville 3:24.13; 2. Glenville (Robinson, Overton, Riggs, Jackson) 3:24.44; 3. Mason 3:24.71; 4. St. Ignatius (Norris, Jeffries, M. McVey, T. McVey) 3:25.38; 5. Wayne 3;26.93. High jump: 1. Fridley (Logan) 6-8; 2. Harris (Pick. North) 6-8; 3. Frye (New Albany) 6-7; 4. Wasik (St. Edward) 6-6; 5. Ortz (Aust.-Fitch) 6-4. Pole vault: 1. Owens (Midpark 15-6; 2. Moushey (Westerville Central) 15-6; 3. (tie) Schrader (Olentangy), Richardson (Olentangy), Hutchinson (Medina) 14-6. Long jump: Smith (John F. Kennedy) 22-61/4; 2. Latimer (Wayne) 22-31/2; 3. Henderson (Lexington) 21-111/4; 4. Hicks (Solon) 21-43/4; 5. Baty (Thomas Worth.) 20-113/4. Shot put: 1. Maurins (Mentor) 60-91/2; 2. Zedella (St. Edward) 60-41/4; 3. Kavalic (St. Ignatius) 55-71/4; 4. Hierholzer (Medina) 54.111/2; 5. Daniels (Canton McKInley) 54-101/2. Weight throw: 1. Zedella (St. Edward) 76-7; 2. Price (Aust-Fitch) 69-10; 3. Peterson (Wayne) 69-2; 4. Dexter (Lancaster) 68-5; 5. Wilks (Marlington) 66-5. Triple jump: 1. Latimer (Wayne) 44-6; 2. Smith (John F. Kennedy) 43-101/2; 3. Pavliga (Carroll) 42-4; 4. Parker (Olentangy Orange) 41-11; 5. Baty (Thomas Worthingon) 41-81/2.

Division II/III

How they finished: 1. Eastwood 36; 2. Warren JFK 33; 3. Dunbar 23; 4. Maplewood 22; 5. (tie) Sherwood Fariveiw, Waverly 20. 7. (tie) Liberty-Benton, Orange, St. Vincent-St. Mary 19; 10. St. Thomas Aquinas 18; 11. (tie) Benedictine, Lakewood-Hebron, Harvest Prepatory School 17; 14. Tri-Village 16; 18. (tie) Cuyahoga Valley Christian Acadmey, Independence, Colonel Crawford, Covington 12. Area schools: 23. (tie) Crestwood, Holy Name; 27. (tie) Rootstown, Cleveland Central Catholic 9; 35. (tie) Chagrin Falls 7; 50. (tie) Gilmour Academy, Trinity 3; 64. Woodridge 1.

4x200: 1. Dunbar 1:30.50; 2. Norwayne 1:31.96; 3. Benedictine (Clark, Bottoms, Glanton, Woodson) 1:32.35; 4. Eastwood 1:32.80; 5. Holy Name (Smiley, Smith, Davis, Husain) 1:33.84. 60 hurdles: 1. Zallow (JFK) 8.06; 2. Martin (Colonel Crawford) 8.15; 3. Wislon (Stivers) 8.21; 4. Moore (Seneca East) 8.22; 5. Moore (Bishop Hartley) 8.29. 60: 1. Campbell (SVSM) 6.89; 2. Carter (Orange) 6.94; 3. Zallow (JFK) 6.96; 4. Tobin (Sher. Fairview) 7.0; 5. Zallow (JFK) 7.04. 4x800: 1. Maplewood 8:10.13; 2. Perkins 8:13.50; 3. CVCA (Bockoven, LeBay, Schwarz, Adams) 8:15.77; 4. Shawnee Springfield 8:18.79; 5. Unioto 8:19.40. 1600: 1. Glines (St. Thomas Aquinas) 4:21.53; 2. Murphy (Tri-Village) 4:26.05; 3. Iacofano (SVSM) 4:30.53; 4. Avers (Otsego) 4:31.43; 5. Richter (Unioto) 4:31.89. 400: 1. Tobin (Sher. Fairview) 49.03; 2. White (Covington) 49.54; 3. Bottoms (Benedictine) 50.12; 4. Helms (Liberty) 50.29; 5. Lavender (Steubenville) 50.31. 800: 1. Hartman (Maplewood) 1:57.22; 2. Murphy (Tri-Village) 1:57.97; 3. Clay (Rossford) 1:57.98; 4. Mack (Lakewood-Hebron) 12:59.06; 5. Fickert (Covington) 2:00.32. 200: 1. Johnson (Harvest Prep) 22.21; 2. Zallow (JFK) 22.43; 3. Husain (Holy Name) 22.47; 4. Tobin (Sher. Fairview) 22.62; 5. Yousey (Harvest Prep) 22.65. 3200: 1. Polman (Independence) 9:29.23; 2. Glines (St. Thomas Aquinas) 9:39.40; 3. Nichols (South Range) 9:43.28; 4. Hemmelgarn (St. Henry) 9:45.14; 5. Boyer (East Liverpool) 9:48.48. 4x400: 1. Lakewood-Hebron 3:31.32; 2. Cleveland Central Catholic (Brown, Flynn, King, Stoner) 3:32.32; 3. Eastwood 3:32.47; 4. Benedictine (Glanton, Bottoms, Williams, Clark) 3:32.89; 5. Dunbar 3:32.91. High jump: 1. Stair (Triway) 6-6; 2. (tie) Mankovecky (Bish. Watterson), Conte (Chagrin Falls) 6-4; 4. Miller (Liberty Benton) 6-4. Pole vault: 1. Cornwell (Liberty Benton) 14-9; 2. Gregg (Seneca East) 14-6; 3. Fox (Cambridge) 14-6; 4. Crouse (Licking Valley) 14-3; 5. Majoy (Huron) 14-3. Long jump: 1. Carter (Orange) 23-11/4; 2. Coleman (Lima Central) 23-01/4; 3. Snowden (Eastwood) 21-91/2; 4. Robinson (Licking Valley) 21-41/2; 5. Hoodlebrink (Eastwood) 20-91/2. Shot put: 1. Dyke (Waverly) 61-11/2; 2. Levering (River Valley) 58-01/2; 3. Mawhirter (Perkins) 57-101/2; 4. Paliscak (Rootstown) 57-71/4; 5. Demaline (Liberty Center) 55-41/2. Weight throw: 1. Dyke (Waverly) 70-9; 2. Monroe (Crestwood 67-9; 3. Lydum (Defiance) 64-7; 4. Bryer (Genoa) 61-1; 5. Jury (Colonel Crawford) 59-10. Triple jump: 1. McKinney (Chaminade Julienne) 43-11/4; 2. Snowden (Eastwood) 42-101/2; 3. Scott (Dunbar) 41-01/2; 4. Snowdon (Eastwood) 41-01/4; 5. Goble (McClain) 40-9.

 

GIRLS

Division I

How they finished: 1. Solon 601/2; 2. Chardon 33; 3. Sycamore 29; 4. Gahanna Lincoln 25; 4. Big Walnut 25; 6. Cuyahoga Falls 211/2; 7. Reynoldsburg 21; 8. Austintown-Fitch 20; 9. (tie) Beaumont, Amherst 18; 11. (tie) Perrysburg, Southview) 16; 13. (tie) Chllicothe, Wayne 14; 15. Dublin Coffman 13; 16. Pickerington Central 121/2; 17. (tie) Mason, Olentangy, Hilliard Davidson 12; 20. (tie) Shaker Heights, Avon Lake, Massillon Perry 11. Area schools: 23 (tie) Green 10; 31 (tie) Nordonia, West Geauga 8; 35. (tie) Brunswick 6; 39. (tie) Hoban 39; 43. (tie) Twinsburg, Bay 3; 52. (tie) Medina, Buchtel 2; 56. (tie) Strongsville 11/2; 58. St. Joseph Academy 1.

4x200: 1. Pickerington Central 1:42.05; 2. Beaumont (Johnson, Cannata, Zippert, Baechle) 1:43.88; 3. Gahanna Lincoln 1:44.12; 4. Solon (McCoy, Kandakai, Jones, Butler) 1:44.39; 5. Austintown-Fitch 1:44.91. 60 hurdles: 1. Powell (Winchester) 8.67; 2. Richardson (West Geauga) 8.75; 3. Bauman (Olentangy 8.94; 4. Daniels (Gahanna Lincoln) 9.14; 5. Bower (Austintown-Fitch) 9.25. 60: 1. Gause (Reynold) 7.64; 2. Ferrante (Chardon) 7.67; 3. Johnson (Beaumont) 7.71; 4. Heath (Lakota East) 7.74; 5. Osborne (Chillicothe) 7.84. 4x800: 1. Perrysburg 9:32.45; 2. Sylvania Northview 9:33.81; 3. Solon (Sandridge, J. Haiss, Wise, T. Haiss) 9:39.43; 4. Westerville North 9:40.24; 5. Hilliard Davidson 9:41.26. 1600: 1. Haiss (Solon) 5:13.49; 2. Wallace (Reynold) 5:14.52; 3. Clody (Perrysburg) 5:16.69; 4. Sandlin (Ga. Lincoln) 5:16.78; 5. Studebaker (Centerville) 5:17.58. 400: 1. Winters (New Albany) 55.38; 2. Ferrante (Chardon) 55.97; 3. Duber (Homestead Falls) 58.03; 4. McDonald (Nordonia) 58.14; 5. Robb (Watkins Memorial) 58.50. 800: 1. Haiss (Solon) 2:13.89; 2. Hoover (Hilliard Davidson) 2:13.99; 3. Weber (Dublin Coffman) 2:14.08; 4. Genetin (Mass. Perry) 2:16.07; 5. Jennings (Centerville) 2:17.76. 200: 1. Osborne (Chillicothe) 24.73; 2. Ferrante (Chardon) 24.98; 3. Butler (Solon) 25.0; 4. Hannan (Dublin Coffman) 25.09; 5. Johnson (Beaumont) 25.20. 3200: 1. Heffernan (St. Ursula) 10:45; Siler (Sycamore) 11:09.33; 3. Murphy (Mason) 11:20.84; 4. Vince (Amherst) 11:25.11; 5. Menyhert (Sycamore) 11:25.46. 4x400: 1. Sycamore 3:58.29; 2. Gahanna Lincoln 4:01.77; 3. Solon (Butler, Jones, Wright, Haiss) 4:03.57; 4. Massillon Perry 4:04.15; 5. Brunswick 4:05.53. High jump: 1. Kasper (Amherst) 5-5; 2. Sares (Syl. Southview) 5-4; 3. Ginter (Olentangy) 5-4; 4. Pannell (Hoban) 5-2; 5. Monachino (Twinsburg) 5-2. Pole vault: 1. Estes (Green) 11-6; 2. Waibel (Cuyahoga Falls) 11-3; 3. (tie) Horrigan (Bowling Green), Rozsa (Cuyahoga Falls) 11-3; 5. Tatonetti (Chardon) 10-9. Long jump: 1. Small (Big Walnut) 18-8; 2. Reynolds (Shaker Heights) 17-5; 3. Porter (Cleveland Heights) 17-1; 4. Ferrante (Chardon) 16-93/4; 5. Harris (Sycamore) 16-63/4. Shot put: 1. Daniels (Olentangy) 44-111/2; 2. Bohan (Avon Lake) 40-11/2; 3. Gray (Solon) 39-71/2; 4. Freshkorn (Hmailton) 38-51/2; 5. Antill (Tri-Valley) 37-103/4. Weight throw: 1. Figueroa (Aust.-Fitch) 56-0; 2. King (Cuyahoga Falls) 54-3; 3. Avery (Wayne) 46-11; 4. Mansperger (Ashland) 46-6; 5. Helenthal (Ashland) 45.11. Triple jump: 1. Small (Big Walnut) 37-3; 2. Sares (Syl. Southview) 35-2; 3. Obi (Sonon) 34-93/4; 4. Thomas (Big Walnut) 34-51/2; 5. Williams (Wayne) 33-2

 

Division II/III

How they finished: 1. Chaminade Julienne 31; 2. Liberty-Benton 241/3; 3. Cuyahoga Valley Christian 24; 4. Granville 22; 5. Girard 21; 6. McComb 20; 7. Coldwater 19; 8. (tie) St. Thomas Aquinas, River Valley-Caledonia 17; 10. (tie) Beachwood, St. Vincent-St. Mary 16; 12. Stivers School for the Arts 14; 13. (tie) Crestwood, Ursuline, Covington, Toledo Christian 13; 17. Lake Catholic 12; 18. (tie) St. Clarisville, Labrae, John Glenn, 11. Area schools: 22. Keystone 101/2; 24. (tie) Vermilion 10; 30. (tie) Hawken, Gilmour Academy 9; 51. (tie) Lake Ridge Academy, Rootstown, Harvey 4; 59. Perry 31/2; 63. (tie) Woodridge 21/2.

4x200: 1. Granville 1:46.80; 2. Girard 1:47.11; 3. Beachwood (Pounds, Kahn, Perryman, Devaughn) 1:48.91; 4. Stivers School for the Arts 1:49.70; 5. Harvey (Rice, Kelley, Jones, Daniel) 1:50.10. 60 hurdles: 1. Gregory (John Glenn); 2. Siefring (Covington); 3. Gunther (Labrae); 4. Rice (John F. Kennedy); 5. Quillen (Keyston). 60: 1. Butler (Liberty Benton) 7.76; 2. Mitchell (Chaminade Julienne) 7.93; 3. Young (CVCA) 7.94; 4. Owens (Gilmour Academy) 7.96; 5. Bush (Canton South) 7.98. 4x800: 1. St. Vincent-St. Mary (Mendiola, Haas, Iacofano, Rossetti) 9:38.05; 2. Crestwood (Chiller, Midgley, Roberts, Soltis) 9:58.30; 3. St. Thomas Aquinas 10:00.34; 4. River Valley-Caledonia 10:00.89; 5. Gilmour Academy (Markel, Dolohanty, Whetstone, Markel) 10:03.70. 1600: 1. Vogel (West Liberty) 5:14.76; 2. Butler (Licking Valley) 5:18.35; 3. Markovich (Hawken) 5:19.73; 4. Castle (St. Clairsville) 5:20.13; 5. Kanney (Coldwater) 5:23.38. 400: 1. Powell (Ursuline) 59.31; 2. Bull (Lake Catholic) 59.64; 3. Wright (Loudonville) 59.80; 4. Watts (Gallia) 59.84; 5. Gregory (Lake Ridge Academy) 1:00.04. 800: 1. Lightfoot (Minerva) 2:16.44; 2. McKinney (Eaton) 2:16.75; 3. Pusateri (St. Thomas Aquinas) 2:19.75; 4. Welsh (St. Thomas Qauinas) 2:24.14; 5. Lukac (Liberty) 2:24.19. 200: Young (CVCA) 25.83; 2. Ayers (Bath) 26.01; 3. Bush (Canton South) 26.16; 4. Gunther (Labrae) 26.23; 5. Reynolds (Gibsonburg) 26.45. 3200: 1. Seas (Coldwater) 11:10.57; 2. Fowler (Fredericktown) 11:12.66; 3. Campbell (River Valley) 11:14.68; 4. Kanney (Coldwater) 11:14.70; 5. Wentworth (Garaway) 11:36.84. 4x400: 1. Girard 4:07.86; 2. Beachwood (Richardson, Hopson-Boyd, Devaughn, Perryman) 4:09.10; 3. St. Vincent-St. Mary (Mendiola, Iacofano, Haas, Rossetti) 4:12.73; 4. Granville 4:13.06; 5. Archbold 4:13.70. High jump: 1. Bartlome (Vermilion) 5-4; 2. Eberts (Sheridan) 5-3; 3. Wenning (Celina) 5-3; 4. Loeffler (Bloom-Carroll) 5-2; 5. Owings (Vinton County) 5-2. Pole vault: 1. Simmons (Fairless) 11-3; 2. Fisher (Stivers) 11-0; 3. Jarrett (Orrville) 10-6; 4. Schreck (Crestline) 10-0; 5. Ruffener (Wynford) 10-0. Long jump: 1. Mitchell (Chaminade Julienne) 17-101/2; 2. Young (CVCA) 17-43/4; 3. Holston (River Valley) 17-11/4; 4. Siefring (Covington) 16-103/4; 5. Keaton (Woodmore) 16-101/4; 6. Strable (Celina) 16-71/4. Shot put: 1. Leppelmeier (McComb) 45-3; 2. Svonavec (Garfield) 42-61/2; 3. Robinson (St. Clairsville) 42-33/4; 4. Grinnell (Sher. Fairview) 41-63/4; 5. Hallisy (Lake Catholic) 39-11/2. Weight throw: 1. Leppelmeier (McComb) 53-7; 2. Wall (Waverly) 48-6; 3. Streaker (Liberty Benton) 45-8; 4. Moffett (Hillsdale) 45-6; 5. Devincentis (Liberty Benton) 45-4. Triple jump: 1. Mitchell (Chaminade Julienne) 35-91/2; 2. Valigosky (Tol. Chr.) 33-53/4; 3. Firsdon (Eastwood) 32-3; 4. Westmeyer (Tol. Chr. 32-0; 5. Brown (Rootstown) 31-91/4.

 

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