It will be hard to ignore Breast Cancer Awareness Month while attending a North Royalton football game in the next few weeks. Safeties James Holodnak and Scott Brooks, cornerbacks Nick Bonacci and Bob Barnes, defensive lineman Sean Gilligan and offensive lineman Anthony Myers have decided to wear pink gloves.
Several Browns and Bengals players wore pink gloves, towels and shoes during their game last weekend to promote breast cancer awareness, and now several North Royalton high school players will do the same.
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(John Kuntz / PD)
It will be hard to ignore Breast Cancer Awareness Month while attending a North Royalton football game in the next few weeks.
Safeties James Holodnak and Scott Brooks, cornerbacks Nick Bonacci and Bob Barnes, defensive lineman Sean Gilligan and offensive lineman Anthony Myers have decided to wear pink gloves.
Holodnak suggested the idea.
"My mom [Maureen] had breast cancer and is now in remission," said Holodnak.
"Everyone knows someone or has been affected by someone who has or had breast cancer. I wouldn't be surprised if all our guys are wearing [the pink gloves] before the month is over."
Remembering a friend: St. Ignatius' football players have stickers on the back of their helmets with senior Adam Grodzik's initials on it. Grodzik, a lacrosse player, recently lost his life in an automobile accident.
"Adam was well-liked by everyone and was a close friend to a number of our players," said Wildcats coach Chuck Kyle.
The football team honored Dan Murphy the same way last season when the sophomore crew team member died in an ATV accident.
"I hope this doesn't become a yearly thing," said Kyle.
Getting a grip: Elyria lost three of six fumbles, including two in the red zone, during a 20-17 loss to Parma in Week 5 but cleaned it up during last Friday's 35-3 victory over Cuyahoga Falls.
"The players had a great attitude the entire week and we had one of our best practices on [Sept. 29]," said Elyria coach Steve Hamilton. "We came out against Falls and didn't have one turnover.
"And I mean the ball never touched the ground once."
Working overtime: Normandy's win over neighborhood rival Valley Forge last week was the first this season for the Invaders, who like everyone in the school district is battling money problems, which has brought about a play-to-participate policy.
"We've lost some players due to pay-to-play and we've had our share of injuries, but that's part of the game," said Normandy coach Harry Caruthers. "What's made it tougher on all of us is the fact that a lot of our players are working at jobs for 4-5 hours after practice, then going home to do homework.
"It's hard on everyone."
Scoring drought's over: Solon's 48-14 victory over Mayfield made up for some lost time.
The Comets were blanked, 6-0 and 27-0, in 2006 and '08, at Mayfield Municipal Stadium. The last time they scored on the Wildcats' turf prior to Sept. 30 was a 30-0 rout in 2004.
Record-setting Bengal: Frank Hanis, a 1973 Benedictine graduate, witnessed his 325th straight Bengals football game last week.
The streak began when Hanis attended the Bengals' 48-0 victory over West Tech on Sept. 5, 1981. Saturday's game set a school record for Hanis, who surpassed the mark of 324 consecutive games set by Theodore Girard from 1973 to 2003, but it might be a game he'd like to forget.
Benedictine was shut out by unbeaten St. Edward, 45-0.
Nemec nears milestone: John Nemec wants to make sure the spotlight is focused on the right part of the stage.
"The focal point of this game is the kids, the community and the big game that the community looks forward to every year," the veteran Kent Roosevelt coach said about tonight's annual tug-of-war with neighboring Ravenna. We cannot lose sight of that and we can't let the focus be on anything but that. It's the kids' arena. The rest of us are just window dressing."
This from a man who has an opportunity to record his 200th career victory when Roosevelt and Ravenna get together for the 89th time.
Nemec, 64, is in his 30th year as a head football coach. He spent four years at Wapakoneta and the rest at Roosevelt. His teams have a combined mark of 199-95-3, 166-84-1 at Roosevelt.
Don't be misled. Nemec is proud of his record. Yet, he is reluctant to talk about it.
"How do I feel about winning 200?" he asked rhetorically. "I don't know. But I can tell you that I'd rather have 200 wins when I wake up on Saturday than 199."
So, how does he feel about having won 199?
"It's better than having won 198."
Walton among the few: Hawken's Cliff Walton last week joined an elite list of coaches who have won 200 games at one school. The Hawks' 60-0 victory over Richmond Heights improved Walton's record at Hawken to 200-108-1 in 30 seasons. His career record is 216-112-2, including two seasons at Lutheran East, which is his alma mater.
Other coaches from Greater Cleveland and Akron who have 200 victories at one school are: Jim France (328 at Manchester), Augie Bossu (275, Benedictine), Chuck Kyle (275, St. Ignatius), Bill Gutbrod (267, St. Joseph), Gerry Rardin (224, Walsh Jesuit) and John Cistone (207, St. Vincent-St. Mary).
Like France, Walton coaches in a stadium that bears his name, and prior to tonight's 7 p.m. home game against Independence, a ceremony will be held in his honor.
Rotating quarterbacks: Brush rotated three quarterbacks during its Sept. 30 Northeast Ohio Conference Lake Division loss to Parma.
Pocket passer Mark Ciarlillo and versatile Pharaoh Brown took snaps under center and Isiah Wilson was also thrown into the mix.
"We've been trying to get our running game going," said Arcs coach Rob Atwood, "and Isiah's one of those quarterbacks whose strong point is his ability to run."
-- Bob Fortuna, Tim Rogers, Tim Warsinskey