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OHSAA approves boys, girls lacrosse as sanctioned sports at board of directors June 2015 meeting

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The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Board of Directors unanimously approved adding boys and girls lacrosse as sanctioned sports Thursday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Board of Directors unanimously approved adding boys and girls lacrosse as sanctioned sports Thursday. 

Lacrosse will be a spring sport with the first OHSAA statewide tournament held in 2017. The board approved the recommendation during its regularly scheduled June meeting in Columbus.


“Lacrosse is definitely growing in our state at both the youth and high school levels,” said Dr. Dan Ross, OHSAA commissioner, “and it's exciting when schools want their sport to be part of our association and also exciting that more students will be able to complement their high school experience with another participation opportunity.


“It also should be pointed out that the both the boys and girls lacrosse associations have required their membership to adhere to OHSAA Bylaws and Sports Regulations for several years now, so the transition to the OHSAA should be smooth.”


Lacrosse will become the first sport in the OHSAA’s newly developed category called emerging sports, since lacrosse currently does not have the required 150 schools to become an OHSAA recognized sport per OHSAA bylaws. Currently organized by the Ohio High School Lacrosse Association and Ohio Schoolgirls Lacrosse Association, there were 122 boys schools and 118 girls schools that sponsored lacrosse in 2015, with an additional 18 boys club teams sponsored.


As an emerging sport, the OHSAA board of directors will conduct an annual assessment of lacrosse to review items such as growth and financial solvency to determine if it will continue as an emerging sport; be elevated to a recognized sport, or be suspended or discontinued as an emerging sport.


The OHSLA has been conducting a statewide tournament since 1988-89, and the OSLA has had a statewide tournament since 1999-00. While both the boys and girls currently have two tournament divisions, the OHSAA did not take action to determine how many tournament divisions there will be in lacrosse when OHSAA begins oversight in 2016-17.


For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact high school sports reporter Scott Patsko on Twitter (@ScottPatsko) by email (spatsko@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.


2015 NBA Finals: 11 stats and facts to prep you for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors series

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Cavaliers Playoff Stats Pack: From LeBron James' standing all-time in the NBA playoff record book to the Cavs' chances and other trends, here's a recap of facts and figures from recent Cavs coverage. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - From LeBron James' standing all-time in the NBA playoff record book to the Cavs' chances and other trends, here's a recap of facts and figures posted over the last few weeks as part of our Cavs Playoff Stats Pack.

1. LeBron the legend

LeBron James has a chance to eventually pass Michael Jordan to become the NBA's all-time leader for points scored in the playoffs. James now ranks sixth for points, fourth for assists and 17th for rebounds. Here's a top 50 NBA playoff all-time listing, both for total points and points per game.

2. Best in basketball

Since mid-January, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors have the best records in basketball. Jan. 15 is when Cleveland turned things around after a 19-20 start. Golden State was hot from the beginning. This link provides a breakdown of the stats for the Warriors and Cavs since mid-January, including numbers comparisons for LeBron James and Steph Curry, and Clay Thompson and Kyrie Irving.

3. Respect for David Blatt

David BlattCavaliers coach David Blatt. 
Cavs fans are starting to show their love for first-year coach David Blatt, picking him as Cleveland's best pro coach in a poll over the Indians' Terry Francona and the Browns' Mike Pettine. Blatt started out behind, but as the Cavs advanced through the playoffs, Blatt took over the lead in the voting. See the latest results and cast your vote here.

4. From 53 wins to the title

The Cavaliers won 53 games during the regular season, finishing strong (34-9) after a 19-20 start. But to go on to win a title after winning only 53 regular season games is rare. Twenty-eight of the last 40 NBA titles have been won by a team with the best or second-best record during the regular season. The Cavs had the seventh-best record for the entire season in 2014-15. Only twice during the last 40 years has the champion ranked lower in the regular season standings, the last such team being the 1993-94 Houston Rockets.

5. West is best

This season marked the 15th time out of the last 16 years that the Western Conference compiled a better overall regular season record than the Eastern Conference. But this has not always led to a championship. Eastern Conference teams Boston, Detroit and Miami have combined for five of the last 14 NBA titles.

6. Long championship droughts

Cleveland and Oakland have the longest championship droughts among cities with pro baseball, basketball and football teams. Cleveland's last title came from the Browns football team in 1964. Oakland's last title was delivered by the A's baseball team in 1989. If you want to count Oakland as a San Francisco-area team, fans there haven't had to wait nearly as long.

Here's the breakdown of titles, and the 26 cities that have won the 75 football, baseball and basketball championships since that Oakland World Series victory in 1989.

7. 20 trips to the finals

On to the Finals!  Cavs' 118-88 win completes sweep of Hawks, earns team second-ever NBA title seriesCleveland Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova holds the Eastern Conference Championship trophy after defeating the Atlanta Hawks to advance to the 2015 NBA Finals. 
This marks the 20th trip to the finals for Cleveland from its Cavs, Indians and Browns. Plus the former Cleveland Rams once played for the NFL championship. Here's a slideshow providing a trip down memory lane for these 21 trips to the NBA Finals, World Series or football title game.

8. Homecourt advantage?

One reason home teams win more often is that they tend to get more calls from the officials. We looked at the more than 400 playoff games over the last five years and found that the home team was sent to the line for 10,773 free throws versus just 9,593 for the visitors.

As for the players, we found they apparently aren't impacted by the crowd when they're taking their shots. Their shooting percentages at home and on the road were almost identical, both from the field and the foul line. Read more details at this link.

9. Bay Area vs. Northeast Ohio

Here's a quick comparison of the Bay Area/Oakland and Northeast Ohio/Cleveland, mostly on non-sports things, such as population, cost of living and iconic bridges.

10. If the Warriors or Cavs go down 3-1

Keep this in mind if the Warriors or Cavs go down 3-1 in the NBA Finals. Odds are against rallying to win the series from such a big deficit. But it has happened nine times in the playoffs, including this year by the Houston Rockets. Here's a rundown of the nine times NBA teams have rallied from 3-1 down to win.

11. After losing Game 1

And don't despair if the Cavs lose Game 1. They have recovered from that setback before, including this year against the Chicago Bulls. Here's the Cavs' history when down 1-0.

When Cavs win it all - fans must celebrate without a riot: "30 Seconds with Naymik" (video)

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Sports fans tend to do stupid things when they are excited or drunk – or both. Want to burn something? Burn some cash at any of the city's new pricey eateries. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hey, Cavs fans.

If you are really all in, then listen up.

While you were enjoying the team's romp through the playoffs, your city was on edge as tension over police shootings tested the mettle of the city, its leaders and residents. And they came through in the clutch, helping the city avoid the fate of Baltimore.

As the Cavs are poised to deliver the city's first championship in a half century, it's your turn.

Celebrate peacefully. Keep cool. And have fun.

I'm embarrassed to say that sports fans tend to do stupid things when they are excited or drunk - or both. History is littered with examples.

Los Angeles Lakers fans seem to go nuts every time they win a trophy. In 2010, their celebration ended with dozens of injuries and arrests. No worries this year. L.A. fans have nothing to celebrate. Ha!

Montreal hockey fans proved in 1993 that they have been hit in the head one too many time by a puck. After their team grabbed the Stanley Cup, fans grabbed free stuff from local stores, if you know what I mean.

Detroit Tigers fans celebrated the city's World Series title in 1984 by burning trash and cars. (What else is there in Detroit?)

Ohio State University fans clashed with Columbus police after the Buckeyes won the national football championship this year. Fans should leave couch-burning to the professionals -- college fraternities.

Even cricket games have been known to inspire tomfoolery.

My point is this: There's a fine line between sports celebrations and riots. The latter can only harm the city and its people. And sports riots make you look even more superficial. Nailing a last-minute jumper is meaningless next to the police shooting of a 12-year-old boy. As hard as it is to believe right now - basketball is still just a game.

Cleveland is on a roll. So, don't blow it.

If you see a Mini Cooper parked outside Quicken Loans Arena, leave it and other tiny cars alone. You don't need to flip them. Save your beer muscles for a chest bump with your buddies.  

Want some cheap goods? Don't loot. Go to Goodwill.

Want to burn something? Burn some cash at any of the city's new pricey eateries.

The last thing Cleveland needs right now is a cloud over its championship moment. Let 1974's 10-cent beer night stand as our only example of sports fans gone wild.

Like an exciting basketball game that goes to overtime, this commentary runs well past 30 seconds.

Johnny Manziel bottle-throwing more than a non-story: Mary Kay Cabot on the Browns

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Mary Kay Cabot talks Browns with Dan Labbe and Chris Fedor including Johnny Manziel's bottle throwing incident and more. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns continued OTAs this week in Berea. Johnny Manziel was back in the news when he threw a water bottle at a fan who had been heckling him for a substantial amount of time. Mike Pettine called it a non-story during his availability on Tuesday.

Mary Kay Cabot talked Browns with Chris Fedor and me today as part of Sports Insider. She discussed:

  • How has Manziel looked during OTAs?
  • How has the offense looked during OTAs?
  • When will Tashaun Gipson come back?

Watch the video above to see the full interview with Mary Kay Cabot.

Aurora baseball falls to Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller 6-1 in OHSAA Division I state semifinal: Instant game story

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Aurora gave up five unearned runs and was unable to sustain anything on the bases.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – In a repeat of the 2013 state semifinal, Aurora lost to Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller 6-1 in an OHSAA Division I state semifinal on Thursday at Huntington Park in Columbus.

Through two innings, both Aurora starting pitcher AJ Kimes and Moeller starting pitcher Nick Bennett held the other's lineup hitless. 


Aurora struck first in the third inning, when Evan Fromwiller was walked, stole second and scored on a bloop single from Jonathan Blue. The Greenmen were unable to keep Moeller at bay after hat, giving up two runs on one hit in the bottom of the third inning. 


Mitchell Meece got the run going with a two-out double before Jordan Ramey's RBI double in the next at-bat scored Meece and tied the game. A wild pitch moved Ramey to third, who alter scored. 


In the fifth, Moeller added three more runs, after a sacrifice bunt resulted in some indecision and ultimately a throwing error from Kimes to first base, which scored two runs. A sacrifice fly later scored Moeller's Nolan Baker, making the score 5-1. 


Kimes was pulled in favor of Carter Semancik, who got a seven-out save in last week's regional final against Massillon Jackon. All five runs were unearned. 


Moeller extended its lead to 6-1 when Mitchell Meece's sacrifice fly scored Kult Butz, who was in scoring position after a leadoff double and wild pitch moved him to third. 


Check back shortly for a full game recap.


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


Contact high school sports producer Cameron Moon by email (cmoon@cleveland.com) or on Twitter (@MoonCameron20). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Browns' Mike Pettine predicts Cavs in 6: 'Our guys will be beyond fired up to see a parade here in Cleveland."

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Browns coach Mike Pettine and Joe Haden talk about how the Browns are All In with the Cavs in the NBA playoffs. Finals-mania has caught on in Berea.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns coach Mike Pettine predicts the Cavs will beat Golden State in six games and Joe Haden has them winning the championship in seven.

Regardless of how long it takes, the Browns are All In with the Cavs and caught up in the excitement of the NBA finals.

"I think I (accurately) predicted the first series,'' said Pettine. "Cavs in six? I'll go six games."

Pettine has watched the synergy between the his players and the Cavs. During any given game, he can spot several of his players courtside or close, including Joe Haden and Johnny Manziel, who's close to LeBron James.  

"It's great to see because, as you guys know, watching the game the other night I was so distracted by Joe Haden behind the bench,'' Pettine said.  "It looked like he was wearing a gold steering wheel. I think it actually turned out to be a Browns helmet. It's just great to see. Our guys, how do you not feed off that energy? It's a tremendous thing for the city. I can tell you that our guys will be beyond fired up to see a parade here in Cleveland."

Haden, a huge Cavs fan and good friend of Kyrie Irvin and Tristan Thompson, hopes the Browns can deliver the same kind of playoff euphoria soon.

"It's the same city and you see the reaction that the city gives the Cavs, and just the way that they're out there playing is so much fun and just energy and love of the game,'' he said. "I was in there when they won the Eastern Conference and I'm trying to walk out of there and all you heard is, 'Joe, this is you all next. This is you all next. This is what the browns (want?).'

"I'm trying, I'm trying, we're going to get there. Just having the city like that and seeing your boys coming together and being able to do this, it's something special. You can see it from afar. It's not going to make us better, but it's going to definitely give us motivation to get where they are.''

Haden, who's second annual charity softball game is Saturday night at Classic Park in Eastlake, Ohio, is so all in that  he thought about  heading out to Oakland for tonight's game.

"I'm out,'' he said. "I was thinking about it, but that's a long flight,'' he said "I'm definitely going to be at games 3 and 4.''

Haden would prefer a sweep, but predicts it going down to the wire.

"It sounds crazy, but I keep going with Cavs in 7,'' he said. "We're going to go out there and win game 7.''
 
Haden says Cavs buzz is rampant in the Browns locker room, where many of the players are friends with Cavs players.

"You just bring it up whenever,'' said Haden. "You just have a conversation just going. Hopefully Kyrie's healthy, that's my thing. God, we need him with both legs.''

Browns rookie running back Duke Johnson was in Miami when LeBron James was winning championships for the Heat. Now, they're here together.

"It's weird,'' said Johnson. "I think when I got drafted someone mentioned a statement about Cleveland taking away all of Miami's best players. So I'm glad I'm out here. Looking forward to the games.''

Just like the rest of the Browns, who are All In.

Tickets sold out for Cleveland Cavaliers' watch party at The Q for Game 1 of NBA Finals

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A limited amount of tickets may become available at The Q's box office tonight at 7 p.m. for walkup sales.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland Cavaliers' watch party at The Q for Game 1 of the NBA Finals has sold out, a team official said Thursday afternoon.

Just like Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals when the Cavaliers were in Atlanta, the team may release a limited number of tickets at The Q's box office tonight starting at 7 p.m. for walk-up sales. For the Finals, tickets are $5 each.

There are several other options for fans wanting to go out to watch the game, which tips off at 9 p.m. on ABC.

More than 45 local bars and restaurants are serving as part of the Cavaliers' watch party presented by Bud Light. See a full list of the locations across the region.

What Tiger Woods said after first round of 2015 Memorial Tournament

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Tiger Woods' comments after shooting an opening-round 73 at The Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, on Thursday.

DUBLIN, Ohio -- Tiger Woods continues to struggle and show promise as his 1-over par 73 showed Thursday in the first round of the 2015 Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club.

Here is the transcript of his session with media following the round in what will be the first of five tournaments in eight weeks for Woods:

Q. Do you want to start off talking about the round? You got off to kind of a rough start but then battled back?

TW: Yeah, I didn't play very good today at all. I didn't have much with my game. I need to work on it here a little bit. But I fought hard, I fought hard to get back. And to get it back on a golf course like that, it was pretty good work.

Q. Must be killing you a little bit on the inside. ... What do you do?

TW: It's the pattern we work on, we're trying to change it. It's kind of what you have to go through. And unfortunately, I can hit it either way, because of this move we're working on. But it's so much more flush, and so much more solid and a lot easier on my body, I seem to do it right.

Q. What are you muttering to yourself as you walk off 18?

TW: I just grinded. I just grinded, that's all I did. I didn't really have much. I was just trying to stay committed to what we're working on, to what we're doing. I hit it awful, yeah. So what? I was going to go through this phase and stick with it, keep sticking with it. And some of the shots I hit were really, really good, but then I also had some really bad shots, too. And we need to work on that, too and omit the bad ones.

Q. Do you have difficulty bringing it from practice to the tournament now? You looked pretty smooth yesterday. Obviously it's a pro-am and it doesn't count, yet it's such a difference, especially your driver?

TW: Well, as I said, it's a little bit different move we're working on since the Players. And I just need to -- obviously this is nice to get out here and play and test it and see what it's like, and also to fight like I did and get myself back in the tournament. But I need to do a little bit of work and keep progressing. And I'll try and get it to peak at the right time.

Q. Do you get first tee jitters?

TW: Oh, I always get nervous. That's great. And the day I don't feel nervous on the first tee is the day I quit. That means I don't care anymore. I want to feel that juice on the first day.

Tiger WoodsTiger Woods reacts after hitting a shot on the 11th hole during the first round of the Memorial golf tournament Thursday. 

Q. As you go forward, have you considered playing a little bit more competitively?

TW: I am. Look at my schedule.

Q. What will be coming?

TW: A lot more. There will be a lot more coming up.

Q. Do you feel that's a part of the inconsistency?

TW: There's no doubt about it. But obviously I wasn't in a lot of these events. And on top of that I had my Foundation event in Vegas. Just the way the schedule worked out.

So now I'm able to start playing a little bit more. I've got a full schedule coming up, which will be great.

Q. How different is the swing we saw at Hero to now? You seem like you're more over it?

TW: No, it's different. It's just different.

Q. In what way?

TW: I'm moving off it, yes, but it's just differently.

Q. It looks different.

TW: That's the whole idea.

Q. Tiger, in the past you were really good at making changes in the round when you made a bad swing. Can you still make that assessment out there and make the changes or are you still working through this?

TW: I'm staying committed to what we're working on. And I've gone through phases like this, rounds like this before in the past where, yeah, it's easy to revert back and go ahead and hit some old pattern, but it doesn't do you any good going forward. And I've done it, sometimes it's taken me about a year and then it kicked in and I did pretty good after that. And subsequent years went down the road, I did the same thing.

Got to suck it up. If you believe in it, do it. And eventually it will start turning, and when it turns, I've had periods where I've played good for four or five years, where I've won close to 20 tournaments in that stretch.

Q. How do you feel physically and what's the biggest positive you take out of today?

TW: Physically I feel good. Mentally I feel beat up. That grind is so hard. To turn that round around like I did today, I mean I bogeyed 17, doubled 18. I rip it off 1. And I shoot 3-under par (on the other holes), and that was hard.

Q. What happened on 18?

TW: Same thing. I can hit it either way. I've got to fix it. I'm going with it. As I said, I'm committed to it. And unfortunately it's part of the process.

Q. What's the balance between your excitement and frustration right now?

TW: I'm excited about the fact that, one, I stuck with it, I was committed to it and I turned that round around when it was as bad as it was. Frustrated with the fact that I didn't hit it like I did either yesterday or warming up this morning. And definitely need to go fix that.


Local lacrosse coaches react positively but express some concerns after OHSAA announces sport's sanctioning (poll)

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The reception by local lacrosse coaches after the announcement that OHSAA will sanction the sport has been one of mostly excitement mixed with a few concerns.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Local lacrosse programs are ecstatic in the wake of today's 8-0 vote by the Ohio Athletic Association's board of directors to sanction the sport for boys and girls, effective for the 2016-17 season. 

The reception by local coaches has been one of mostly excitement mixed with a few concerns. 


"I'm excited for it and I think the majority of people are too," said Hudson coach David Blue. "You think back to when these conversations first started in the late 90's and it's been a long time coming." 


Coaches such as Blue and Solon's Donald Gries both said they feel the decision is ultimately a good thing for the sport because of all the exposure that will come but they fear OHSAA may decide to change the divisional structure of the sport from the two-division model it currently employs. 


Blue pointed out that sports like hockey, which have similar numbers to lacrosse, are single-division sports under OHSAA. The board of directors did not take action regarding how many divisions there will be when teams take the field for the first time under OHSAA oversight in the spring of 2017. 


"We have been doing two divisions based on school sizes for a long time," Blue said. "Having that split between Division I and Division II is a plus." 


Gries said the range of skill level between the two divisions is tremendous, which he feels supports the idea of keeping them separate and recalls a time when there were three boys divisions in Ohio. 


Read Scott Patsko's story about the decision for more information and quotes from OHSAA officials. 




Lacrosse does not have the 150 schools required to become a "recognized" sport under OHSAA bylaws and therefore will join as an "emerging" sport. This means the sport will be treated like all recognized sports with the major exception of having to undergo an annual assessment by the board of the directors for OHSAA regarding the growth and financial stability of boys and girls lacrosse. 


The Ohio High School Lacrosse Association has 122 school-sponsored boys teams while the Ohio Schoolgirls Lacrosse Association has 118 girls teams. There are also 18 boys club teams. 


"When the 150 number was out there, we were thinking, just last year, it would be three or four more years at least before it actually happened," Gries said. 


The sanctioning will change the sport from an "emerging" sport to a "recognized" one in the association's eyes. 


Boys and girls bowling were the last sports to be adopted as "emerging" or "recognized" sports by the OHSAA in the 2006-07 season. The addition of lacrosse brings the totals to 13 for boys and 13 for girls.  


“The members of the subcommittee did an outstanding job studying lacrosse in Ohio and researching the sport both statewide and nationally,” said OHSAA President Dan Ross, via a press release. “It also should be pointed out that the both the boys and girls lacrosse associations have required their membership to adhere to OHSAA Bylaws and Sports Regulations for several years now, so the transition to the OHSAA should be smooth.”


Ross expressed appreciation to Paul Balcerzak, commissioner of the OHSLA and OSLA, for his efforts regarding the institution of OHSAA regulations over the last several years in anticipation of the potential sanctioning. 


"There are a number of schools that treat lacrosse the same as any other sport but there are others that say until it gets OHSAA sanctioning, we're not going to do that," Gries said. "This definitely gives it more credibility now." 




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Contact high school sports reporter Robert Rozboril by email (rrozboril@cleveland.com), on Twitter (@rrozboril) or on Facebook (facebook.com/rrozboril). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.


What Jordan Spieth said after his 68 at first round of 2015 Memorial Tournament

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Jordan Spieth was pleased with his first-round 68 at the 2015 Memorial Tournament, but lamented a late bogey.

DUBLIN, Ohio -- Jordan Spieth opened The Memorial Tournament with a first-round 68 on Thursday. Here is what the reigning Masters champion had to say following his round:

JORDAN SPIETH: It was a really solid round of golf. The first four holes I missed the first four fairways and greens. I had really, really good upanddowns to kind of save that round and get it going. I knew I'd start to get my chances.

I struck the ball really well Tuesday and yesterday. It just wasn't quite finding the fairways, was just off. Whatever it was, it was two yards from carrying the bunker, I knew they'd come, and just stayed patient. We did a good job of that.

Through 15 holes, to be at 5under, and I hit a great drive on 7 and the wind flipped and I didn't back off. I hit the wrong club. It was a perfect high 3wood right in the middle of the green.

And I backed off on 5, the par 5, and let the green  let the wind kind of settle and figure out what shot I wanted to play.

And for whatever reason, on 7  Michael pulled me off on 5. And for whatever reason, he didn't pull me off on 7, and it's on both of us. Because if it's downwind off the left the entire hole when Bill hit, and I stood over it and we started feeling it come in off the left, which is where it was supposed to be, so it just confused us.

Q. What did you hit there?

JORDAN SPIETH: I hit a hybrid, and that wasn't enough to reach the front of the green. And I ended up shortsiding myself, and it ended up this far off the first cut and it buried down. And I hit it in the bunker, and it was sitting on kind of clay in the bunker, wherever it had been raked. And then I just hit a bad bunker shot. So just kind of compounding bad breaks, which led to six shots on that hole, where really it should be four, and it's four from that shot on the fairway more than half the time.

So kind of a tough finish to swallow after such a great round of golf. But still in a good position after day one.

This course, you just need to stay patient throughout the days. If I were to shoot 4under the next three rounds, I guarantee you I'd win the tournament. I'm pleased with the way I played, just looking to try to continue it.

Q. You talked yesterday like it was playing long, did it feel like that?

JORDAN SPIETH: No, not really. The fairways firmed up a little bit. They're still soft compared to what they can be. If it stays like this, they'll certainly firm up. The greens are soft but not extremely soft. They're just medium, I guess. And they're really quick.

I mean, it's great. I love putting on greens like this. We don't see it but a couple times a year. You've got to use imagination. The course is in unbelievable shape. It's as good a shape as any this year.

Q. Playing with Justin. You guys obviously 

JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, great pairing. I played a lot of golf with Justin. Able to feed off him. We play well together.

And the same with Bill. Bill plays really fast. Sometimes you've got to watch if you're talking to your caddie or whatever, because you turn around and the ball is in the air. But that's good. He's easy to play with. And nice to play with a couple top players in the world.

Jordan Spieth wins 2015 Masters Golf TournamentJordan Spieth wears his green jacket after winning the Masters golf tournament Sunday, April 12, 2015, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) 

Q. This golf course can cause you to make mistakes, not many by you today, five birdies and just one bogey. Are you satisfied with that number?

JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, I am. Obviously took 15 holes with a couple of the easier holes coming in on that front side being 5under and playing the last three 1over is tough. But at the beginning of the day if you told me 4under, I would have taken that.

Q. They don't really cut the greens here, they more or less shave them, because Mr. Nicklaus wants them really, really fast, and they are. You seem to like to play on fast greens, why is that?

JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, the only greens that we play faster than these is Augusta, the Masters. I enjoy trying to see more lines, kind of use more of an imagination on the greens and around the greens. I feel like it's an advantage of mine. I just feel comfortable, I don't really know why. I feel comfortable playing more break on shorter putts when you have to instead of trying to just hit them straight and hammer them.

Q. Historically the winners here at Memorial have had a lot of starts here. This is your 4th start if you don't count The Presidents Cup. Do you feel like you've got a grasp of this golf course now?

JORDAN SPIETH: Now, yeah, a little bit. I'm starting to realize where to stay patient and where to really try and take advantage.

The first couple of times I played it, I was maybe a little too cautious and I had some opportunities to fire at some pins and maybe backed off of those. And today I took advantage of that when I had the chances. And you know sometimes when you do that, you make a mistake or two, and you've just got to get up and down. If you stay below the hole, I think you're going to do okay.

Q. Well played out there. A little slow start, but then you got things going?

JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, it wasn't an ideal start. It's not easy to start on No. 10. It's a brutal hole. Great upanddowns the first four holes until I finally hit a wedge in there tight on 14. And a good upandown out of the bunker on 15 for birdie. I was pleased with the closing of that.

For Ryan to shoot 2under on the back nine is a great score. There's not a lot of chances. Most of the chances are on the front. Yeah, very pleased with the round.

Q. What's the key to play well on this golf course?

JORDAN SPIETH: You've got to stay very patient. Driving the ball is key. The fairways aren't the narrowest and they're soft right now, so they're playing pretty wide. But you really need to be in the fairway to get to any of these hole locations with the speed of the greens. Driving the ball is key and obviously leaving the ball below the hole.

These are the fastest greens, other than  they're probably about the same as Augusta National. With that being said, with this thick rough, you just can't put yourself above the hole or you don't have much of a chance.

Q. How much do you look back on the success and fun you had during The Presidents Cup here?

JORDAN SPIETH: A little bit. It was so different, you know, it rained so much. The course was playing completely different, longer and softer. So I more look at years past in this event. I've seen these greens firm and fast. And we understand with good weather that's what Jack is going to do with them and you really have to watch them.

Mike Breen ready to call record-setting 10th NBA Finals

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ESPN and ABC play-by-play announcer Mike Breen talks about the experience of broadcasting the NBA Finals.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Mike Breen is about to make history. The longtime play-by-play man will call his 10th NBA Finals beginning Thursday night, surpassing both Marv Albert and Dick Stockton.

"To me, it's been like sending the monkey to the moon," Breen said during a phone interview. "If I can do it, anybody can do it."

During his time as the voice ofTthe Finals, Breen has had the opportunity to call two Game 7s -- in 2010 when the Lakers beat the Celtics and again in 2013 when the Heat beat the Spurs.

"As a play-by-play guy, it's what you live for," Breen said. "The adrenaline is flowing. There really is nothing like it, especially a Game 7 of The Finals."

So what is it like when the ball goes up in the air at the broadcast table? 

"Well, the table's pretty crowded when you have a third analyst. You also have a statistician (Dave Fried)," Breen said. "You have a stage manager that's giving you the promos you have to read and countdowns to when we're coming back from break. Obviously, you have the producer and director talking to you in your ear, so it's a little chaotic."

Breen credits continuity, not just at the table but also in the production truck, with why they are continuously able to pull off quality broadcasts. 

"The comfort level with working with the same people, whether it's the producer, Tim Corrigan, or the director, Jimmy Moore -- those guys do such a fantastic job," Breen said. "You just have this comfort level that everybody's going to do their job, and you don't have to worry about anything else but what you're focused on, and that's what makes this crew so much fun."

Breen will work alongside former NBA head coach Jeff Van Gundy and former coach and player Mark Jackson. The trio has been working together for years and reunited this season after Jackson was fired as head coach of the Golden State Warriors. Van Gundy and Jackson have developed a reputation for sometimes straying from the action on the floor in their conversations.

"They know when it's the right time to have some fun and maybe extend a dialogue that's not necessarily relevant to the actual game that's going on," Breen said. "The main thing is, they have such a respect for the games and the importance of a particular game, whether it's a playoff game or even a regular season, too, when it's time to buckle down and just concentrate on the game, they do that."

"The thing I always say is every game I do with them two things happen," Breen said. "I learn something, and I laugh at something. And for a play-by-play guy it doesn't get any better than that."

Triple Crown jinx lurking at Belmont Park on Saturday

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An unlucky 13 of the three-year-olds with a shot win the Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown since Affirmed pulled it off in 1978 have failed.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - An unlucky 13 of the three-year-olds with a shot to win the Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown since Affirmed pulled it off in 1978 have failed. Injury, bad strategy or just missing by a nose are the usual culprits.

"Some have come close, like Silver Charm in 1997 and Real Quiet in 1998," said Bob "Railbird" Roberts, the former horse racing expert for The Plain Dealer. "It was rumored a firecracker thrown in the tunnel to the race track might have scared Pleasant Colony (in 1981), a horse whose great finishing kick fell short in the Belmont."

Roberts noted horses with past experience on the Belmont track seem to have a big advantage.

"It's also tough to beat the newcomers, who got a rest before the Belmont," he said. "Of the last 15 Belmont winners, 13 didn't race in the Preakness Stakes. American Pharoah jockey Victor Espinoza lost in the Belmont with California Chrome, and has just two wins in 60 starts at Belmont Park."

The three Triple Crown races are contested over a five-week stretch and there have been 11 Triple Crown winners. ThistleDown Racino trainer Tony Rini, who rode in the Kentucky Derby twice in the 1970s, said it's a grueling schedule for three-year-olds still considered growing colts.

"The Triple Crown races are really tough on a horse," said Rini. "Most come out of the first two legs (Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes) really beat up.

"Thoroughbred horses are more fragile these days, as well, a reason why they're raced considerably less than 40 or 50 years ago. The really good horses are pointed to certain races and trained up to them. Years ago, we'd race horses every 10 days, or so, and they could stand up to the grind."

Some want racing officials to spread out the Triple Crown races and give the young colts more time to recuperate after a major stakes races.

"People want to maintain history and tradition," said Rini. "Horses have won the Triple Crown in the past, and most think it wouldn't be fair to give today's horses more time."

California Chrome missed a Triple Crown bid when the big colt ran out of gas in last year's Belmont Stakes. Funny Cide upset Empire Maker in the Derby and Preakness in 2003, but couldn't do it again in the Belmont when favored Empire Maker finally won. I'll Have Another didn't have that much of a chance for a Triple Crown in 2012. He was scratched and retired before the race with a leg injury.

Many experts thought jockey Edgar Prado and Birdstone simply outsmarted rider Steward Elliott and Smarty Jones, an overwhelming Triple Crown favorite in 2004. Elliott was criticized for trying to sprint away from the field too early, making his move in the backstretch. Unfortunately, Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Baily continued to press Smarty Jones with Eddington. Birdstone moved up to beat a fading Smarty Jones in the stretch.

The most shocking loss in a Triple Crown effort, said Rini, was Big Brown in 2008.

"Big Brown seemed a cinch after impressive wins in the Derby and Preakness," said Rini. "I didn't think he could lose in the Belmont, that's for sure. He was a big, beautiful horse and seemed built for distance."

Rini said horsemen were stunned when jockey Kent Desormeaux pulled up Big Brown in the stretch. There had been problems with cracked front hooves heading into the Belmont, which limited training, but for a jockey to pull up a horse in the stretch was very unusual.

No physical problems were found. Weeks later, a photo surfaced that purported to show a dislodged horseshoe. Two months later, Big Brown won the $1 million Haskell Invitational Handicap at Monmouth Park and went on to win the Eclipse Award in 2008.

Rini has praise for American Pharoah and firmly believes fans will see a Triple Crown champion on Saturday at Belmont Park.

"I saw American Pharoah run in a prep race for the Arkansas Derby and he looked magnificent," said Rini, a member of the Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame. "He won the Arkansas Derby with ridiculous ease. The way this horse moves, and has blossomed from race to race, makes me think he's invincible.

"American Pharoah wasn't beat up as a two-year-old, and he's matured the last two months. This horse has shown that he can come from behind, do it on the lead and on a sloppy track. If they let him have a soft early lead with a slow pace, he's a sure winner."

Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals' lineups for Thursday's game at 8:10 p.m.

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Thursday night's game between the Indians and Royals could be low scoring. The opposition is hitting .215 against Tribe starter Trevor Bauer and .166 against Kansas City start Chris Young.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Here are the starting lineups for Thursday's game between the Indians and Royals at Kauffman Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET.

INDIANS

2B Jason Kipnis.

1B Carlos Santana.

DH Michael Brantley.

RF Brandon Moss.

LF David Murphy.

3B Lonnie Chisenhall.

SS Mike Aviles.

CF Michael Bourn.

C Roberto Perez.

RHP Trevor Bauer, 4-2, 2.87 ERA.

ROYALS

SS Alcides Escobar.

3B Mike Moustakas.

CF Lorenzo Cain.

1B Eric Hosmer.

DJ Kendrys Morales.

LF Alex Gordon.

RF Alex Rios.

C Salvador Perez.

2B Omar Infante.

RHP Chris Young, 4-1, 1.55.

UMPIRES

H David Rackley.

1B Clint Fagan.

2B Hunter Wendlestedt, crew chief.

3B Bob Davidson.

Nick Hagadone's hard work and Kyle Crockett's road back to the big leagues: Zack Meisel's musings

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Here are five thoughts on some members of Francona's beloved bullpen.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The "Tito Shuffle" was on display in Kansas City on Tuesday evening.

Indians manager Terry Francona turned to three different relievers to record the three outs of the eighth inning. Nick Hagadone, Bryan Shaw and Marc Rzepczynski each answered the call.

Here are five thoughts on some members of Francona's beloved bullpen.

1. Hard work: During spring training, Francona referred to Hagadone as the hardest worker on the team. He won the club's endurance test for pitchers. For Hagadone, that work ethic developed more than a decade ago, when he aimed to be the starting quarterback at Sumner High School in Washington. He ended up starting during his senior year of high school.

"That's what got me started with working out and realizing that hard work does pay off," Hagadone said. "I was nowhere close to being a good football player at the beginning, but I worked myself into that. That convinced me that that's what it takes, the willingness to put in hard work."

2. Pays off: Hagadone has progressed into one of Francona's most trusted relievers, though it has taken time to reach that point. He split time between Triple-A and the big leagues in each of his first four major league seasons. This year, he sports a 3.79 ERA in 24 appearances, having allowed eight earned runs on 20 hits in 19 innings, with seven walks and 19 strikeouts. Left-handed batters are hitting .211 with a .592 OPS against him. Righties are batting .308 with an .874 OPS against him. Francona hasn't limited his role to that of a specialist, though. He has faced 44 righties and 41 lefties.

3. Crockpot: What happened to Kyle Crockett? The reliever who posted a 1.80 ERA in 43 appearances for the Tribe last year logged three scoreless outings this season before being optioned to Triple-A Columbus. There, he has scuffled. Crockett allowed three earned runs in 48 1/3 innings in his minor league career prior to his current stint. In 17 appearances with Columbus this season, he has surrendered 13 runs on 24 hits over 16 1/3 frames.

4. Crockpot, II: Crockett had a three-game stretch in late April in which he yielded nine runs on 11 hits over 2 2/3 innings. Since, he has limited the opposition to three runs on 11 hits in 11 innings. Francona said last month -- shortly after Crockett had compiled the unsightly numbers -- that he wouldn't be surprised to see the southpaw back with the big league club before long. The Indians have been pleased with the 23-year-old's progress since his early-season struggles.

5. Crockpot, III: What has helped Crockett reverse course? A fine-tuning of his mechanics. Crockett reached the majors less than a year after being selected in the fourth round of the amateur draft. This is his first bump in the professional road.

"[He has been] focusing on staying behind the ball, getting good extension, and locating down in the zone," said Carter Hawkins, Indians director of player development. "When he's done that, he's had a lot of success, and we feel like he's close to being the pitcher we've seen in the past and know he'll be in the future."

Johnny Manziel and Joe Haden among Cleveland Browns players attending Fan Fest Saturday

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Johnny Manziel, Joe Haden and Terrance West are among the current Browns players who will mingle with fans at the club's Fan Fest at the Cleveland Convention Center on Saturday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns fans can meet and mingle with some of their favorite players, including Johnny Manziel and Joe Haden, at the team's Fan Fest Saturday at the Cleveland Convention Center.

Manziel will be signing autographs from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Haden will be available for photos from 11-11:30 a.m. (See below for full schedule of events).

The Fan Fest, which runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., will feature more than 40 current and former Browns players, including Hall of Famers Jim Brown and Paul Warfield. Coach Mike Pettine and general manager Ray Farmer will also hold a football summit from 11 a.m. to noon, during which they'll answer fans' questions.

Other current Browns players scheduled to appear are:  Johnson Bademosi, Travis Benjamin, Joel Bitonio, Kevin Cone, Taylor Gabriel, Andrew Hawkins,  John Hughes, Chris Kirksey, Spencer Lanning, Craig Robertson, Phil Taylor, Terrance West,  Donte Whitner, Billy Winn and the 2015 Browns rookie class.

 Browns alumni on the slate are: Brian Brennan (1984-91), Hanford Dixon (1981-89), Bob Golic (1982-88), Jim Houston (1960-72), Reggie Langhorne (1985-91), Kevin Mack (1985-93), Sam Palumbo (1955-56), Frank Stams (1992-95), Sam Tidmore (1962-63),  Dave Wohlabaugh (1999-2002), Jamel White (2000-03) and Steve Zahursky (1990-2000).

Players will be available for autographs and photos, and fans can attend multiple panel discussions. They'll also have a chance to meet Swagger, ride a zip line and purchase team merchandise.

Tickets are available now at Clevelandbrowns.com or at the Cleveland Convention Center throughout the day. Tickets are $15 for the general public and $10 for 2015 season ticket members.  Admission is $5 for children 3-13 and free for those two and under.
 
2015 Cleveland Browns Fan Fest programming:
 
Panel Discussions:

11 a.m.-noon -- Football Summit with Head Coach Mike Pettine and General Manager Ray Farmer, hosted by Nathan Zegura
 
Noon-1 p.m. -- 30th Anniversary of the Dawg Pound with CB Hanford Dixon, DT Bob Golic and RB Kevin Mack, hosted by Jim Donovan
 
1-2 p.m.  --Broadcast Roundtable with Jim Donovan, Doug Dieken, Matt Wilhelm and Nathan Zegura
 
3:30-4:30 p.m.  -- Cleveland Browns 1964 Championship with Pro Football Hall of Famers RB Jim Brown and WR Paul Warfield and DE/LB Jim Houston, hosted by Jim Donovan
 
Autographs: 

10:30-11:30 a.m. -- Joel Bitonio, Spencer Lanning, Alumni Steve Zahursky
 
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. -- Johnson Bademosi, Phil Taylor, Craig Robertson
 
12:30-1:30 p.m. -- Kevin Cone, Taylor Gabriel, Chris Kirksey
 
1:30-2:30 p.m. -- Terrance West, Billy Winn, Alumni RB Jamel White
 
2-3 p.m. 2015 Browns rookie class
 
2:30-3:30 p.m. Manziel, Alumni Brian Brennan and Reggie Langhorne

3:30-4:30 p.m. Alumni Frank Stams and Sam Tidmore

 Photographs:

10:30-11:30 a.m. --  Travis Benjamin, Alumni Dave Wohlabaugh

11-11:30 a.m.  -- Joe Haden

11:30 a.m.-noon -- John Hughes, Alumni Sam Palumbo

12:30-1:30 p.m. -- Andrew Hawkins

3-3:30 p.m. --  Stams

 Football Field Activities:

10:30-11:30 a.m. -- HELMETS Program Kickoff, presented by Browns and UnitedHealthcare

11:30 a.m.-noon -- Browns PLAY60 Zone -- Open to public

Noon-1 p.m. -- Future Stars Football Clinic (sold out)

1-1:30 p.m. -- Browns PLAY60 Zone -- Open to public

1:30-2:30 p.m. -- Donte Whitner Football Clinic with League Park Chargers

2:30-3 pm. -- Browns PLAY60 Zone -- Open to public

3-4 p.m. -- Cleveland Police Athletic League (registration closed)
 
*Players and times are subject to change.


Dennis Manoloff on the NBA Finals and the Indians turnaround: Podcast

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Dennis Manoloff talks all things Cleveland sports in his latest podcast.

DMan Podcast: June 6, 2015

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- How will the Cavaliers bounce back from Game 1? Can the Indians get back in the A.L. Central race?

The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff talked all things Cleveland sports in his weekly podcast on Friday.

Among the other topics discussed:

- Can the Cavaliers win this series if Kyrie Irving is out for an extended period?

- Is the Indians turnaround for real?

- What can the Cavaliers build off of from Thursday night?

You can download the MP3 or listen with the player above.

Want more DMan? Check out his Game Report from Game 3 of Cavs-Celtics.

Be sure to follow DMan on Twitter.

Gilmour, Berkshire girls win Division III medals on first day of OHSAA state track meet 2015 (photos, videos)

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The Lancers were third and the Badgers were sixth in the girls 4x800 relay.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Gilmour’s girls 4x800-meter relay team was among the first to receive medals Friday after a third-place finish at the Division III OHSAA state track meet in Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. 

The Lancers finished in 9:22.23, and were joined on the podium by Berkshire (sixth, 9:34.87) after the first event of the two-day meet.


A photo gallery and videos will be added to this post. Also, watch for a separate post about Friday's Division III field event finals.


The 4x800 relays were the only track finals run in Division III. Other events were qualifying heats for Saturday’s finals.


“I couldn’t be more happy with (third),” said Gilmour senior Caitlin Whetstone, who was anchor in the 4x800. “It’s my fourth time coming down here and my fourth time running 4x800 and that’s the highest we’ve placed, that’s the best time we’ve run in my time here. It’s a big accomplishment. I’m so proud of the girls.”


Whetstone was joined on the 4x800 relay by Izzy Greene, Hannah Markel and Sydney Hlifka.


Gilmour’s 4x400 relay qualified for Saturday’s finals with the seventh best time of the preliminaries (4:03.29). Also, Lancers freshman Lucia Cannata advanced to 100 finals with the ninth and final qualifying spot (12.67). She was one spot and .05 away from reaching the 200 finals.


In boys events, Berkshire’s Kyle Storm won his qualifying heat of the 400 with the fastest preliminary time (49.64), and Lutheran West’s Nick Knudsen won his heat (49.74) of the 400 to set up a Northeast Ohio showdown in Saturday’s final.


Knudsen also anchored the Longhorns’ 4x400 relay, which reached the finals with a second-place finish (3:28.99) in its preliminary heat.


Boys records set


Chad Zallow of Warren John F. Kennedy set the Division III state meet record in the 110 hurdles preliminaries (13.62). Zallow, defending state champ in the event, already owns the state record for Division III (13.50).


Who stood out


Knudsen: The Lutheran West senior will run in two finals Saturday. To assure the Longhorns of a spot in the 4x400 finals, Knudsen went from fourth to second on the anchor leg of their preliminary heat.


“I tried to push myself at the end (of the 4x400)” said Knudsen. “I thought about running my race, but I think we needed a top two spot to qualify for sure because our time our times, we weren’t quite sure about.”


Knudsen is joined on the 4x400 relay by Hunter Ross, Eric Madachik and Steven Weber.


Storm: The Berkshire senior missed last season’s state meet due to a hamstring injury. But he had the best seed time of his preliminary heat Friday, then went out and ran his second-best time ever.


“I saw (my seed time) and just knew I’d have to get the finals because it would be a disappointment this point,” said Storm. “But you have to have tunnel vision. You can’t expect to make it. You have to have the attitude that you’ve got to earn this.”


Trinity boys 4x200 relay: The team of John Caja, Jarrett Kelly, Brett Dawson and Kevin Wodzisz qualified for Saturday’s finals in 1:31.13, the third-best qualifying time. The same group also competed in the 4x100 Friday, but finished 12th.


Gilmour girls relays: Three Lancers – Green, Hlifka and Whetstone - ran both the 4x800 and 4x400 relays on Friday. Kelly Davis also ran the 4x400.


Rootstown boys 4x400 relay: The Rovers grabbed the last qualifying spot for Saturday’s finals, finishing fifth in their heat in 3:30.40.


Also in finals Saturday


Distance event finals are Saturday, and include some Northeast Ohio runners: Gilmour’s Markel in the girls 1600 and 3200; Oberlin’s Simon Perales in the boys 1600; Gilmour’s Hlifka and Berkshire’s Christin Dornback in the girls 800; Gilmour’s Brandon Phillips in the boys 800.


Sound bites


Knudsen on his 400 time: “I knew I had to come out in the first 200 (meters) quickly. I was just trying to get the top spot in my heat so I could get either (lane) four or five.”


Storm on his first trip to state: “It’s awesome being down here. It’s a great senior year to finally make it down to states.”


Whetstone on the long break between her relays: “We hang out in our tent. WE have little towels we soak in ice and water. Try to keep cool, keep in the shade and just lay down and put our legs up.”


For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact high school sports reporter Scott Patsko on Twitter (@ScottPatsko) by email (spatsko@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Live updates, photos from Cuyahoga Heights vs. North Lewisburg Triad in 5:30 p.m. OHSAA softball state semifinal Friday

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Live post and updates from the Cuyahoga Heights and North Lewisburg Triad Division IV state semifinal game.

AKRON, Ohio – Get live updates and pictures from the OHSAA softball state semifinal between Cuyahoga Heights and North Lewisburg Triad at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

Northeast Ohio Media Group reporter Mark Kern will be providing updates in this post live from Akron’s Firestone Stadium. Look for the updates in the comments section below.


Cuyahoga Heights (28-3) plays Lewisburg Triad (25-3) in a Division IV semifinal. The winner advances to the state championship game Saturday at 7 p.m.


This post also serves as a chat room for fans in the comments section, which is a great place for fans to post their take and interact with other softball fans. Sign up here to get a free cleveland.com account, which will enable you to post comments. Don’t worry, it’s an easy process that takes well under five minutes.


Have a question for Kern? Post it in the comments and look for his reply.


In the meantime, check out a scouting report for the semifinal, as well as printable and interactive brackets for all four divisions.


Look for a similar live post Saturday at 7 p.m. if Cuyahoga Heights advances to the Division IV state championship.


Top prospects showing power in Lynchburg: Cleveland Indians Class A Report

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The power surge that started in Lake County last season is now flowing through the Cleveland Indians high Class A affiliate in Lynchburg, Va.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - There is a power surge in the Indians' farm system. It began last year in Lake County and is working its way through Class A Lynchburg, where Bradley Zimmer, Nellie Rodriguez, Clint Frazier and Luigi Rodriguez are putting up big numbers.

Lynchburg hit 25 home runs in May, which was more than any other Carolina League team had for the entire season on June 1. Lynchburg batters didn't hit a home run in May until the seventh game, then hit 25 homers over the last 24 games.

The Hillcats also slammed 63 doubles and 10 triples, and averaged five runs in May.

Through Thursday, outfielder Zimmer's nine homers, 43 runs scored, .315 batting average and .936 OPS led the Carolina League, and his 22 steals ranked second.

First baseman Nellie Rodriguez led the league with 37 RBI and had six homers and 15 doubles.

Outfielder Frazier continues to heat up following a slow start. He's hitting .400 in his last seven games and has six homers and 11 doubles.

As they did last year in Lake County, Nellie Rodriguez and Frazier continue to strike out plenty with 56 and 54, respectively. But they're also drawing a fair number of walks. Rodriguez has 25 walks and Frazier 21.

Outfielder Luigi Rodriquez could be having a breakout year in his second season at high Class A. He has eight homers in 46 games after hitting six homers in 99 games last year. The 22-year-old leadoff hitter from the Dominican Republic is hitting .280 with eight doubles, three triples and 12 stolen bases.

Frazier and Nellie Rodriguez bat right-handed. Luigi Rodriguez and Zimmer are lefties.

Last year at Lake County, current Lynchburg players Nellie Rodriguez, Frazier, catcher Eric Haase and infielder Paul Hendrix helped the Captains slam 119 home runs, which led the Midwest League and established a franchise record. Nellie Rodriguez hit 22, which tied for the league lead and was third all-time for the Captains.

All-Star Captains: Lake County Captains second baseman Claudio Bautista and pitcher Justus Sheffield have been selected to play in the 51st Midwest League All-Star Classic on June 23 in Peoria, Illinois.

Bautista, 21, from the Dominican Republic, is sixth in the Midwest League in hitting at .317 and ranks fifth in hits (59) and total bases (87). He was on a six-game hitting streak going into Friday's game and was coming off a four-hit, three-run game that included a homer on Thursday.

Sheffield, 19, is 4-1 with a 4.34 ERA in 10 starts. He is tied for seventh in the league with 54 strikeouts and has allowed just 12 walks. He was the Indians first-round pick (31st overall) in the 2014 draft.

Captains Manager Shaun Larkin will manage the East and be joined by pitching coach Steve Karsay, hitting coach Larry Day and trainer Matthew Beauregard.

Diocese of Cleveland priest asks "Can we pray for our Cavs?"

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Should prayer be used to support the Cavs in the NBA Finals?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Around Northeast Ohio, people are cheering and hoping for the Cleveland Cavaliers to best the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.   

Although the fans are #AllIn, a Cleveland-area priest recently brought up an interesting question: Is it okay to pray for the Cavs?

The Rev. Damian Ference, a priest of the Diocese of Cleveland, posted a reflection on the topic on the Diocese of Cleveland website Thursday morning. Ference notes that supporting the Cavs can come in many forms, but wondered if prayer should be reserved for different topics.

You can read the full post here, but ultimately Ference concludes that although God "doesn't care who wins the NBA Championship," prayer should ultimately be a conversation with God. He then suggests several ways people can pray for the Cavs, such as praying that the players and coaches use their "God-given gifts to glorify their Creator" and that both teams will remain safe in their travels.

Ference ends the post with a "Go Cavs" and an "Amen."

Do you think that prayer should be used to support sports teams, or that it should be saved for different issues? Let us know in the comments below.
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