Ohio High May 2007 by Eric Frantz

ix years ago while living in Lancaster I was writing an article about an upstart website gaining momentum. This new site allowed people to chat and check scores almost immediately after high school games. JJHuddle.com was a new fad and the Internet was in its infancy. Six years later I find myself writing for JJHuddle.com and its offspring Ohio High Magazine. Both are members of the Bucknuts Media Network. The fad not only lasted, it flourished, becoming part of the most complete and informative prep and Ohio State University athletic news network in the state. The Internet now moves at high-speed, as does sports information. I’m excited about becoming a part of Ohio High and JJHuddle.com and I’m excited about the future. The goal is not only to keep doing what we have been, but improving everything – magazines, content, message boards and website – along the way. The process, like any in sport, is going to take some time. Immediate additions include more news content on our homepage in the form of game stories, features, previews, etc. Come August, we plan to have a Friday Night Football Game of the Week in each region of the state. That game plan will carry over to basketball. We don’t want you to come to JJHuddle.com just to talk about sports, but also to read about them. As always, we will continue to be the leader in Ohio high school recruiting news, an entity bolstered recently by the addition of ScoutingOhio.com. A website that specializes in recruiting videos, ScoutingOhio.com is a visionary site in regards to quality and content. You will see more of this relationship as we transition in the upcoming months. The addition of ScoutingOhio.com is especially aesthetic for our Premium subscribers because ALL videos are free to them. Trust me, once you see one of these videos, you will want to see them all – especially the ones on the top players in the state. We have them all. Expect the JJHuddle.com site itself to receive a facelift before next school year too. The one constant through all this is Ohio High Magazine, an entity we are very proud of. Just like JJHuddle.com and Bucknuts, Ohio High Magazine is the leader in its field. The race isn’t even close. The first extensive statewide publication that covers both Ohio high school athletics and recruiting, Ohio High is arguably the top prep state-specific sports publication in the country. Its complete package is unrivaled. And the kicker is…this might be the best issue yet. We have inclusive coverage of every winter sport and present a Player of the Year in each. Some events covered include: - Upper Sandusky senior Jon Diebler scores 48 points and Dunbar overcomes that – and the crowd – to defend its Division II boys basketball state title. - Lakewood St. Edward wins its state record 11th straight D-I state wrestling title and 23rd overall. The Eagles also sent a record 14 wrestlers (one in every weight class) to Columbus and set an all-Divisions record for most team points with 229. - North College Hill wins third straight boys basketball title without O.J. Mayo and Bill Walker. - Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame makes its fourth straight trip to the D-I girls basketball championship game and wins third title. - Westerville Central senior Austin Staab ties a national record (47.10) and sets state and tournament records in defending his 100 butterfly title. - Beavercreek girls and Coldwater boys beat county rivals to win the inaugural state bowling tournaments. In addition to winter sports, we focus on football recruiting and unveil Duane Long’s initial Top 100 for the Class of 2008. Long’s list is always highly anticipated – and debated. This year should be no different. As you can see, we have set a lot of goals for the upcoming season – none of which is to disappoint our fans. The overriding goal is to gain more.

Editor in Chief Steve Helwagen Managing Editor Eric Frantz Recruiting Editor Duane Long Assistant Editors Matt Natali, Dave Biddle Staff Writers Gary Housteau, Kirk Larrabee, Glenn Forbes

Contributors Paul Boggs, Jeff Wuerth Photography Gary Housteau, Nick Falzerano, Brian Swartz, Jeff Brehm, Kim Ryan, Greg Beers, Stephanie Porter, Mike Ullery

Printing Miami Valley Sports Magazine (MVP) miamivalleysports.com

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Questions, comments or suggestions can be sent to jjhuddlestaff@yahoo.com. We encourage your feedback.

Ohio High Magazine is published bi-monthly, six times a year. Ohio High is an independent source of news and features relating to Ohio high school sports. Ohio High strives to report information based on fact, but assumes no responsability for any inaccuracies that may appear within the pages. Ohio High is not authorized, sponsored or sanctioned by any university, athletic conference or athletic governing body. Subscriptions are available for $29.95 and may be purchased online at jjhuddle.com. Single copy price is $6.95 each. c Copyright 2007, Ohio High Magazine and MVP Magazine, LLC. All rights reserved. COVER PHOTOS: Gary Housteau

Eric Frantz Managing Editor

Upcoming Issues

Going forward, here are general topics that will be covered in each edition of Ohio High magazine: * July (Due out June 15) – Football preview issue, spring sports recap. * September (Due out Aug. 15) – Top 100 senior prospect bios updated. * November (Due out Oct. 15) – Basketball preview issue, football playoff preview. * January (Due out Dec. 15) – Football playoff and fall sports recap, top 100 senior prospect bios updated. Check out JJHuddle.com every day for season previews and daily coverage of Ohio high school athletics. For subscription information on Ohio High, check the Internet at www.jjhuddle.com

Boys Basketball Man of the Year

Upper Sandusky’s Jon Diebler earns Ohio High award

Girls Basketball Woman of the Year

Basketball Coaches of the Year

Winter Sports Players of the Year

Boys State Basketball Recap

Girls State Basketball Recap

State Wrestling Recap

River View’s Kristin Daugherty seperates herself in stellar class

11 Photo by Jeff Brehm

Cincinnati coaches share inaugural Ohio High honor

Wrestling, Gymnastics, Bowling, Swimming and Hockey North College Hill three-peats; Dayton Dunbar repeats

Mount Notre Dame wins third title in four years; River View repeats

Photo by Gary Housteau

Lakewood St. Edward claims record 11th straight title, 23rd overall

Winter Sports Recap

Toledo St. John’s wins hockey title; inaugural bowling tourney held

52 Duane Long’s Top 100

A look at the top recruiting talent in the Class of 2008

69 Purple Pride

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Ohio football players migrating to Northwestern

47 Photo by Jeff Brehm

72 Cleveland Glenville’s Cordale Scott

WR/DB next in long line of talented Tarblooders Also...

26 51 74

Boys basketball recruiting update

Ohio High Cup standings

Football all-star game previews

52 Photo by Nick Falzerano

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Hot Shot

Upper Sandusky senior Jon Diebler set the Ohio high school career scoring record this year en route to leading the Rams to the D-II title game.

Photo by Gary Housteau

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STORY BY DAVE BIDDLE

o go along with all of his broken records, Upper Sandusky’s Jon Diebler suffered a broken nose late this season. And he just kept playing with the toughness and drive that made him one of the best players in the history of Ohio high school basketball. The 6-6 Diebler finished his prep career with 3,208 points – breaking Jay Burson’s record of 2,958 – and is the clear choice as Ohio High’s Man of the Year in boys basketball. The Ohio State signee averaged a state-best 41.2 points per game as a senior in 2006-07 and came up just short of a state championship as Upper Sandusky was edged 87-85 by Dayton Dunbar in the Division II title game. So while the season ended on a down note for Diebler, his excellent play is what fans will remember most about his senior year and his career. But Diebler is more than just a star on the court. He is a humble young man who hasn’t allowed all of the success to go to his head. And no one knows it better than his father and former head coach at Upper Sandusky. “His mother has done a fine job of raising him,” Keith Diebler said, laughing. “We basically have told our boys that the rise to the top might seem like a long road, but the fall to the bottom is much quicker. We tell all our kids to respect the game, respect their work ethic, respect their opponents and to always be humble. “In an age when people are signing balls and bringing out cell phones during a game, high school coaches are the last frontier to get kids to understand that it’s not about show, it’s about the work. Jon has really done a good job with that. And to this day, he calls Jay ‘Mr. Burson.’ He has too much respect to call him Jay. “And for Jon, the goal has always been winning and getting back to the state tournament. He stayed the course.” Diebler was a marked man all year with teams throwing all kinds of different defenses at him. It’s fair to say he saw a lot more than just your basic box-and-one. But he just kept putting up big night after big night. And despite his hard-nosed play, he managed to stay injury free for much of the year. But in the regional finals, Diebler suffered a broken nose towards the end of the game, just in time to possibly derail his state title hopes. Diebler played through the pain in Upper’s 8958 romp over Poland Seminary in the state semifinals and almost finished with a rare quadruple-double (24 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists and nine steals). In the state finals showdown with Dunbar, Diebler appeared to re-break his nose just before halftime. No foul was called on the play, despite blood pouring from Diebler’s face. He opened the second half with a mask on,

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but discarded it a few moments into the third quarter. Diebler almost willed his team to victory by scoring 48 points, but the athletic Dunbar team was too much in the end. “I don’t know if I’d call it a war,” Diebler said afterwards. “This was a great game that we just played in. Both teams left it out on the floor. It was very entertaining.” Diebler and older brother Jake Diebler led Upper Sandusky to the 2005 Division II state championship. The brothers originally decided to play college basketball together at Valparaiso University in Indiana, but Jon Diebler eventually rescinded on his verbal commitment to Valpo and decided to sign with Ohio State instead. “I always dreamed of being a Buckeye and once I knew I could play there, that’s where I wanted to go,” Diebler said. Diebler played a very interesting role in high school as a “point center” for lack of a better term. He jumped center, brought the ball up the court, usually guarded the biggest player on the opposing team (unless there was an outstanding guard that he decided to check instead) and never met a shot he didn’t like. He literally has range beyond the NBA three-point line – and that fit right into Upper’s NBA-style of play. Many wonder how this will translate to the major Division I level of college basketball at OSU. There have been many prolific scorers over the years that can’t get it done once they move to the college level. But those that have followed Diebler throughout his prep career have no doubt he will be a star in college. It might take a year or two to adjust, but Diebler will likely be a standout for the Buckeyes. Number one, his three-point shot will only get better playing for Thad Matta at Ohio State. Matta works hard on shooting with his players and Diebler will likely become an even better long-range shooter under Matta’s tutelage. Also, Diebler is more than just a scorer. Yes, he often brought the ball up the court in high school and hoisted the first semi-open shot he could find, but he’s also a very good passer and has the ability to take the ball to the basket off the dribble. In fact, many old-school basketball fans compare Diebler to a young Pete Maravich. They see a skinny, lanky player who can handle the ball, create his own shot and find his teammates with an array of no-look passes. Now, that might be taking it too far, but we’ve heard the comparison several times this season while speaking with “veteran” basketball fans who have had the pleasure of watching both the late Maravich and Diebler. Ohio State fans will have no problem if Diebler does turn out to be that good, but right now he’s just focused on

being a solid college player. “I just want to come in and help win games,” Diebler said. “Scoring wasn’t important to me in high school, I just wanted to do what we needed to win. I know it’s going to be an adjustment going from high school to college and I’m just going to come in, work hard and do what I need to do to help Ohio State win as much as we can. I really don’t have any personal goals for my first year, or any year really.” Diebler was asked what areas of his game he would like to improve before he begins college. “Everything,” he said. “I want to get better at everything. I want to get stronger, be a more consistent shooter, become a better defender, everything.” But keeping his ego in check is something he won’t have to work on. Forty-one points a game is an absolutely remarkable statistic in a state that plays very good basketball, but Diebler might be the only one not impressed. “The stats don’t matter to me -- the important thing is that we won this year,” he said. “My teammates stepped up big and it made my job a lot easier. “If you look at the times I scored a lot of points, the games have been closer. I’ll take 10 points just at long as we win by 31. That is fine with me.” Matta said during the season that he was pleased to land Diebler and tipped his cap to all that he accomplished on the high school level. “When you think of all the great basketball players from the state of Ohio over the years, that’s a huge honor,” Matta said in reference to Diebler’s scoring record. As for Burson -- the former OSU point guard who held the scoring record for 22 years out of New Concord John Glenn (1981-85) -- he sees a lot of himself in Diebler. Just a taller version by about a half-foot. “He’s a great kid from a great family,” Burson said. “He’s a basketball kid and that’s what I like. I’m a basketball junkie and that’s what he is.” And if someone was going to break the record of a former Buckeye, it was fitting it was done by a future Buckeye. “Mr. Burson was a great player and he didn’t have the three-point line and probably would have scored a ton more points if he had one,” Diebler said. “I have the most respect in the world for that man. He’s a nice person and I’m glad I got to meet him.” As for joining the Buckeyes, Diebler is eager. “They are a great team and very talented and I’m ready to go,” Diebler said. “I’m really good friends with all the recruits in my class (Kosta Koufos, Dallas Lauderdale, Eric Wallace and Evan Turner) and I’m excited about it, so it will be interesting.” — OH

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Paw Prints

Warsaw River View senior Kristin Daugherty led the Lady Bears to back-toback Division II state titles. She’s headed to the University of Dayton.

Photo by Gary Housteau

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STORY BY MATT NATALI

ew high school athletes have experienced the success that River View’s Kristin Daugherty has. After leading the Lady Bears to back-to-back Division II state championships, Daugherty was named Ohio High’s Woman of the Year in girls basketball. She averaged 20.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.0 steals per game at the guard/forward positions en route tp repeating as the Division II Ohio player of the year. Daugherty was also first team All-Ohio for the second straight year and earned a McDonald’s All-American nomination. Daugherty is the all-time leader in points and rebounds at River View averaging 18.9 points and 8.8 rebounds in her 100-game career. But Daugherty is quick to thank her teammates and the River View community for success of the team the support she has gotten. “It was a great place to play high school basketball. We have such a great community following and having everyone at the games cheering for us was so special because it was kind of like a big family,” Daugherty said. “Not a lot of schools have that, so that is one of the things that made playing at River View more unique and special. “The four years were quite an experience. We had our great times with the championships and we had our not-so-hot times. But looking back, it was all worth it.” One of the more unique experiences Daugherty went through in her high school career was playing for both her parents, Caroline and Bill Daugherty. “It was a really unique experience and I don’t think many kids in the state of Ohio get to experience that at all,” she said. “It was good to have them there telling me what I needed to do and to also (encourage me). I think with your parents being your coaches it might be a little harder to do that much better. But I think it made me a better player because they were able to push me so hard.” Head coach Caroline Daugherty shares the same sentiments now that Kristin’s high school career has passed. “It’s hard being a coach’s kid because you always feel like you want to try to succeed and want to please your parents,” Coach Daugherty said. “It’s not easy and your parents always seem to be tougher on you than the other kids. I was always tougher on

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(Kristin) and I always expected so much out of her but I think it made her tougher mentally and that was the advantage I felt like I had when my dad coached me.” Caroline Daugherty’s father, Dave Mast, coached River View to the 1982 state championship with her on the floor. And through Kristin’s high school career, Coach Daugherty made a conscious effort to separate the coach and mother roles. “It was a challenge on the court,” Caroline said. “I always felt like I needed to make an example of her and I never wanted to feel like I was showing favoritism to her. “I do think when we went home I was able to separate mom from coach. I was able not to bring it home. I know what it was like to live with a coach and it is not always easy.” Daugherty took the reins at River View her freshman season as the Lady Bears started four freshmen and a sophomore. River View lost in the first round of the sectionals that year, followed by a loss in the regional finals her sophomore season before winning backto-back state championships. “(Kristin) is a much more gifted athlete than I ever was,” said Caroline Daugherty, who play college basketball for Ohio University. “The fundamental part of (the game), she had no trouble with. She has really blossomed into a coach on the floor. She’ll be a great coach someday. She knows the game and is very good at making decisions on the floor. A lot of times it was like she was reading my mind.” With the success the Lady Bears have experienced with Daugherty and seniors

“(Kristin) is a much more gifted athlete than I ever was. The fundamental part (of the game), she had no trouble with. She has really blossomed into a coach on the floor. She’ll be a great coach someday.”

Warsaw River View coach Caroline Daugherty

Ashley Owen, Sami Dickerson and Brittany Bailey on the court, community enthusiasm for the River View program is at a fever pitch. “In our community, these girls are a big thing,” said Caroline Daugherty. “People love to come see them play and they were very excited about the tournament run that they had. After sitting back and thinking about it, it was quite an accomplishment for our girls. Everything just kind of fell into place for us and we feel very fortunate to be able to repeat and it was an exciting run.” But just as the excitement for the program has been elevated over the last couple of years, so have the expectations for the basketball team. With Kristin off to play college ball in the summer, the torch will naturally be passed to younger sister Kari. “The last few years I have definitely tried to do all the right things and be a role model through example to give (Kari) an idea of how I felt I was supposed to act. I know she’ll do a good job,” Kristin said. Coach Daugherty added, “Kari idolizes Kristin and she’s devastated that all four of the seniors are leaving. I told Kari that it is a new chapter in her life also. Now she has to be the one that steps up and leads.” Kristin, who scored 15 points in the Ohio vs. Kentucky all star game in early April, will play her college ball at the University of Dayton. “I really love the set-up there,” Kristin said. “They have a beautiful campus and the coaches and players are really nice. I get along with them really well. I hope to go in and put some minutes up and help the team as much as I can.” And it will be the first time in six years Daugherty will have played for coaches other than her parents. “It’ll take a while to get used to,” she laughed. “I was joking with my parents the other day saying I’m not sure what to call (UD coach Jim) Jabor in college. I don’t think I’ve called anyone coach before.” It will also be an adjustment for Caroline Daugherty, be it welcome change. “She has just been such a pleasure to coach but in the same breath I am looking forward to being ‘mom,’ ” she said. “I am looking forward to being able to go to Dayton and see her play. It is a new chapter in my life in terms just being able to sit back, relax and watch her play.” — OH

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B a s k e t b a l l C o a c h e s o f t h e Ye a r

Double Time

Photos by Gary Housteau

North College Hill’s Mahaffey and Mount Notre Dame’s Harlan named Ohio High Basketball Coaches of the Year

or the first time, Ohio High presents coach of the year awards in boys and girls basketball. This year, those honors go to North College Hill’s Jamie Mahaffey and Mount Notre Dame’s Dante Harlan.

NCH’s Mahaffey Completes Three-Peat Without Stars

North College Hill head basketball coach Jamie Mahaffey and his Trojans achieved what most considered to be the impossible this year. Following back-to-back Division III state championships behind controversial blue chip prospects O.J. Mayo and Bill Walker, most figured it was somebody else’s turn to win the state title in 2007 without Mayo (transfer) and Walker (ruled ineligible, then enrolled

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early at Kansas State) on the floor. But Mahaffey and the Trojans became a part of Ohio high school basketball history by three-peating as state champions in March. NCH joined Dayton Stivers (1928-30) and Columbus Wehrle (1988-90) as the only other schools to do so. “You really don’t realize what you (accomplished) when it first happens,” Mahaffey said. “I think coaches are just relaxed that the season is over with and it didn’t really hit me until a week or so later.” Preseason prognostications appeared to be accurate early in the season as NCH started the season with a dismal 1-4 record. Mahaffey said the turning point of the season came after that fourth loss against Cincinnati Woodward when he moved junior Damon Butler back to the point guard posi-

Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame coach Dante Harlan (above) and North College Hill’s Jamie Mahaffey (inset) led their teams to state titles.

tion. NCH won five straight games after the move and won nine of the remaining 12 regular season games. NCH entered the tournament 10-7 and unranked in the final AP poll before making the run in the tournament to the third straight state title. “I was focused on our kids and getting back (to Columbus) and it shows the dedication of our kids to our program,” said Mahaffey. “We never really got any attention on our program before because we had two future pros on our team – the focus was on them. With two future pros, anyone can win a championship. But we do have a good, structured program and good kids who work hard and always want to reach the ultimate goal, which is the state title. “And that is all I really work for is the kids and getting them the attention they deserve,” he said. NCH’s most recent championship was obviously earned under quite different circumstances than the previous two. And Mahaffey said he prefers how this year’s title was won but credits Mayo and Walker for building the foundation of success.

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“I liked this year’s situation,” Mahaffey said. “The first two years, everyone expected us to win but with this year no one expected us to do anything,” he said. “I didn’t change the schedule or anything and our kids learned from that. The reason I did that was I wanted them to be prepared by the time the tournament came. We played tough teams and our guys were prepared once the time came to accomplish their goal. “The biggest thing they learned (from Mayo and Walker) is work ethic and preparation. And they learned how to be champions. O.J. and Bill will be the first ones to show you that this is what you have to do to be a champion and they will be the first to tell you they couldn’t have done it without the other guys. And that is what they showed this year – composure. They showed they can win in any situation.” NCH didn’t necessarily have to work any harder to win the title this year – the Trojans always worked hard with or without Mayo and Walker, according to Mahaffey. The Trojans just had to work hard differently. “We worked the same but we had to focus on playing solid defense and executing on offense,” he said. “We were a smaller team but we were quick and we had to learn how to execute at the end to finish games. We worked just as hard – we just had to change some aspects of the game.” It seemed NCH was a team destined to do great things as the tournament progressed and it all culminated in the state semifinal game. Tied in overtime with Wheelersburg, Butler drained a three-point, one-handed floater from the right of the key as time expired to lift the Trojans to the title game. “The whole measure of the season was that God had put us on a journey,” Mahaffey said. “And when Damon hit that shot, we knew we were going to win the tournament. God put us on this journey and we weren’t going to waiver or lose our faith. When he hit that shot, he let us know he wanted us to finish that journey. “We never lost faith in God and we never lost faith in each other. Faith and commitment – that is what we based our season on. It was a rollercoaster season, but in the end, our goal was to get back to Columbus and we did that.” So, could NCH make history next year and become the first Ohio high school to win four straight titles? The Trojans lose guard Nate Glover (15.5 ppg), guard Dwayne Parks (6.0 ppg), forward Michael Green (3.5 ppg) and forward Josh Richardson to graduation this year. But leading scorer Butler (20.2 ppg) will return for his senior campaign as well as leading rebounder Alphonso McPherson.

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Photo by Gary Housteau

STORY BY MATT NATALI

Mount Notre Dame made its fourth straight D-I final and won its third title under Harlan who stepped in for former coach Scott Rogers (middle), now an assistant. Mahaffey is also excited about sophomores-to-be Barry Cobb and Angelo Pruitt. “We’ve got a good group coming back. It really is just about continuing within the system and the good thing about it is (success) can be done both ways. When you win with stars and then you win with guys that grew up in the neighborhood together you really get the younger guys believing in it,” Mahaffey said. And his players have shown they believe in Mahaffey earning NCH its third straight state championship against all odds.

Mount Notre Dame Repeats Under First-Year Coach Harlan

For Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame head basketball coach Dante Harlan, the first time was a charm. In his inaugural season at the helm of the MND program, the Cougars finished 23-4 and repeated as Division I state champions under the former Cougars assistant coach. The 2007 title marks the third state championship for MND in the last four years. “(It is) incredible. Just to be a part of the tradition and pride that has been built and

being a part of Mount Notre Dame and being a part of this family is wonderful. I couldn’t ask for anything better,” said Harlan. “It still hasn’t really hit me. I look at that trophy and it’s just incredible. It probably won’t hit me until all the dust settles and I am sitting at home reminiscing about the season. “We’ve had a great deal of support coming from the athletic office and (the school administration). And the kids that have been a part of this program have all been great young ladies that believe in the same philosophy we do, which is working hard and playing as hard as you can and hopefully good things happen. They’ve bought it that. It’s no secret what we’ve done. We prepare the same way every year and we’re going to keep preparing the same way with hard work, faith, family and one big heart,” he said. Coming into the season, there were some question marks surrounding the team following the loss of several key players to graduation that were instrumental in the 2005-06 championship and a new head coach calling the shots. “I know there were expectations on me from people who wanted to see me succeed and people who wanted to see me fail,” said Harlan. “Trying to come behind a coach that has done a lot of great things, the last thing you want to do is have a let down. “(Former head coach Scott Rogers) gave me the opportunity to take over for him and I didn’t want to let him down either. He built something great here and I just want to keep it going.” MND experienced some adversity at the beginning of the season starting off 6-4, which included back-to-back losses in early January. But Harlan points to the win over Notre Dame Prep (Mass.) in the Classic in the Country event in mid-January as the turning point of the season. “We had a rough go early in the year,” Harlan said. “We knew we were going to take some lumps early but we hoped we would mature and learn a little bit about ourselves at that time. We wanted to turn it around and make it a positive. This team learned some lessons the first part of the season and I looked at it as a blessing in disguise. “Notre Dame Prep, that team was phenomenal. They had great players at every position. But we controlled the game and lost lead but came back and won the game. That was the turning point. It was our first time losing the lead and coming back to win.” MND defeated Notre Dame Prep 67-62. “We always preach the same thing from the beginning to the end of the season and that is that we can go to state and win state. I don’t think (the girls) really believed it until then that they were good enough to get to

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B a s k e t b a l l C o a c h e s o f t h e Ye a r the final four.” Following the back-to-back losses in January, MND won 17 straight games on the way to the state title. For the previous state championships in 2004 and 2006 and the state runner-up finish in 2005, Harlan was an assistant coach under Rogers. Over the past two seasons, Rogers primed Harlan to take over the program as he prepared to take a step back from the lead role. Rogers remained with the program as an assistant. “(Rogers) started talking about it more and more the last few years,” Harlan said. “His original goal was to only coach for five years. He started handing me more responsibilities like scheduling and the offense. It was a maturation process. It was never a matter of me knowing the X’s and O’s of the game but rather knowing the ins and outs of the game, which he is great at. He sees the game two steps before it even happens.” Harlan and Rogers first met on the AAU circuit after Harlan moved from Michigan to Cincinnati and began coaching. Through a mutual acquaintance, they scheduled a scrimmage with each other. “We met and we decided to scrimmage,”

Harlan said. “My team was a couple years older than his team but his team came out and jumped all over my team and I wasn’t very happy. So I took a timeout and I went over to Scott and said, ‘Excuse me, coach. I am going outside with my team for a minute.’ “I took my team out in the hallway and closed the door and said a lot of nice, positive things about them. When I came in afterwards, my girls jumped all over his team. “He came up afterwards and said he respected that I wasn’t trying to disrespect my kids in front of other kids to make them look bad. From that point on, we each had an admiration for the way we handled our teams and we became friends after that.” Soon thereafter, Rogers was hired as head coach at MND. When Harlan learned of the hiring, he called Rogers to congratulate him. “(Rogers) told me he needed a freshman coach and help with varsity,” Harlan said. “I never wanted to coach high school and never wanted to deal with the politics of anything. It was fun for me working with the young ladies that weren’t superstars. Scott convinced me and history speaks for itself after that I guess.”

The friendship between Harlan and Rogers grew beyond the court. Harlan describes Rogers as big brother to him and Rogers is even Godfather to Harlan’s son. “Knowing Coach Rogers has truly been a blessing for me,” Harlan said. “He is a great family man with great values and great morals. He is one of those people where what you see is what you get. “When you think of someone being a Godfather to your child, you think of someone who has a certain level of values and standards he lives up to day in and day out and that’s true with him. He has just always been there for me.” With the torch passed successfully to Harlan and Rogers still behind the scenes mentoring, there appears to be no slowing down for the MND program – especially with the talent the Cougars have returning for next season. “It has been an honor to be a part of everything this year that we accomplished as a team,” Harlan said. “But I told our players to enjoy the moment but don’t dwell in the moment. We’re already focusing on what we’re going to do next year. Hopefully, Act Two is going to be fun as well.” — OH

W i n t e r S p o r t s P l a y e r s o f t h e Ye a r

STORIES BY OHIO HIGH STAFF

Bowling

Hockey

Wrestling

Gymnastics

Wrestling

Swimming Photo by Nick Falzaerno

Sponseller caps prep career with third state title

t was an amazing year for an amazing wrestler. After rolling to an undefeated record and capturing his third straight state championship, 160-pound senior Colt Sponseller capped off his final year as a high school wrestler by winning the national crown and Outstanding Wrestler award at this year’s NHSCA Senior Nationals. For his dominating performance this year, Sponseller has been named Ohio High’s Man of the Year in wrestling. Sponseller, a champion at 140 in 2005 and 152 in 2006, steamrolled into the 2007 state championships with a 45-0 record and a heavy favorite status at the 160-pound class. He didn’t disappoint, opening with a 22-7 technical fall decision over junior Kyle Raber of Wooster Triway, then following with a 24-9 technical fall over junior Greg Rhoads of Hillsboro, a 17-8 win over junior Keith Witt of Oak Harbor, and a 25-12 championship decision over senior Kyle Haddox of Canal Fulton Northwest. The win was a special one for Sponseller, who felt the added pressure of being a senior consecutive state champion. “I’ve been working the whole year for this, training my butt off to try to get to this Colt point,” Sponseller told the Wooster DailySponseller Record. “This year’s special. This is my senior year, we had a really good team and West I really wanted to finish undefeated.” Sponseller followed up his state champiHolmes onship performance with a tremendous showing at the Senior Nationals. His run included a win over four-time state champion Justin Zeerip of Hesperia (Mich.), who had not lost a match in four years for his high school, and a 15-6 finals win over nationally-ranked Paul Paddock of Warsaw (N.Y.). He posted wins over five state champions including a technical fall and two major decisions. “It feels really good,” Sponseller told the Daily-Record. “But I don’t think it’s hit me yet… But I’m not going to dwell on it, I’ve got to keep getting better.” That’s because next up for Sponseller is wrestling on a major college stage as he has accepted a scholarship to Ohio State University. Despite his high school success, Sponseller now must bring his game up a notch. “Wrestling in college is a different beast,” said West Holmes coach Jeff Woods. “It’s a lot more physical. Now he’s going to have to sharpen just the little things. You get into college and they don’t stop a lot of things; it’s more of a street brawl in some aspects.” Sponseller himself knows that there are some aspects of his game he will need to improve. “I definitely want to put on some size,” he said. “I’m kind of undersized for a 160-pounder right now. I’d like to add a little bit more bulk, adjust my style a little bit. It’s a whole new level.” His goals, however, remain the same as they were in high school. “My number one goal is to be a national champion and to help the team to win a national title,” Sponseller said. “I think that’s everybody’s goal.” Sponseller leaves a legacy as the best wrestler in West Holmes history and one of the best in the history of his region of the state. Sponseller, who is considering business and criminology as fields of study, left an impression on

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West Holmes senior Colt Sponseller completed an undefeated season with a D-II 160-pound state title. and off the mat that will be tough to match. “He doesn’t have any problems,” Woods said. “He’s a very well mannered kid. I can’t say enough about his parents; they’ve done a wonderful job with him. You never have to worry about where he’s at on a Friday night or anything like that. He’s pretty much a coach’s dream about worrying about where he is off the mat.” “Colt’s kind of a different leader than I’ve had in the past,” Woods added. “He doesn’t shout much; he doesn’t get real boisterous with the team. It’s more of the idea of ‘lead by example’ type of thing. Usually when somebody’s not working or something, he’ll grab him as a workout partner and make him work, so I guess you could say he leads by example more than anything.” Anything can happen during the leap from high school to college, but big things are expected for Sponseller. Just as it was no surprise that Sponseller finished 2006-07 undefeated with a state and national title, it wouldn’t surprise many to see similar success at Ohio State. “I’m pretty sure the stars are the limit,” Woods said. “He’s got the right mentality, the right work ethic. I don’t even want to set a goal for him, but I think he’s been under pressure for the last three years from every newspaper around and he’s handled everything great and handled schoolwork great. I think he’s on the right track to becoming an All-American and getting up there to be a national champ.”

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Gymnastics

Lenny wins four individual events at state meet

ue Lenny introduced gymnastics to her daughter Christina as a way for the 3-year old to release some energy. Fourteen years later, Christina Lenny has yet to loosen her grip on competitors. A senior at Brecksville-Broadview Heights, Lenny captured the state all-around individual gymnastics title at the 35th Annual Girls State Gymnastics Tournament hosted by Hilliard Darby High School. Lenny also won three of the four disciplines (vault, balance beam and floor exercise) en route to helping the Bees to their fourth straight state title and sixth in eight years. Broadview Heights' senior class finished its career undefeated in dual meets, invitationals and all state competitions (sectional, district and state). A week before winning the state title, Lenny became the first Broadview Heights gymnast to sweep all four events (parallel bars included) and the allaround at the district level. For her performance, Lenny has been tabbed as Ohio High’s Woman of the Year in gymnastics. “We’ve had a few state champions here before, but to win three individual titles and Christina the all-around is the best performance Lenny we’ve ever had,” BH head coach Joan Ganim said. “You don’t see a lot of girls that Brecksvilleare solid in all events, especially at the high Broadview Heights school level.” A four-time state qualifier, Lenny has never faired worse than fourth at state in the all-around (as a freshman). She was third as a sophomore and junior. Winning this season was her goal. “Throughout high school my goal has been to capture the all-around title,” Lenny said. “I’ve been working towards that and shooting for it all year and it finally paid off.” Lenny didn’t reach the top of the podium without some slips. Injuries in gymnastics are common and Lenny experienced her share. She’s fought through a broken ankle and last May had surgery for stress fractures in her shins. Three-months of rehab ended in August and that’s when the climb to get back into top-flight condition resumed. “I wouldn’t say I was 100 percent when the season began, but I was pretty close,” Lenny said. “This year has actually been one of my better years with injuries.” Lenny’s assault on the opposition remained steady throughout the season, but peaked with her dominating district effort. She expected to win, but five first-place finishes didn’t cross her mind. “It was surprising because there were a lot of other talented girls,” Lenny said. “I wasn’t really focusing on scores throughout the day, so when everything was finished it was exciting. It makes me feel special (to know I was the first BH gymnast to win all four events and the all-around at the district). I hope it inspires others.” While her district performance left big enough shoes to fill, Lenny’s effort at state added a couple shoe sizes. She said the back-to-back performances were probably the best of her career. “I did feel comfortable and in control, but I knew (the individual competition) was a new day,” Lenny said. “I knew I had the ability to hit all the routines but you never know what’s going to happen. Usually on day two I mess something up.” Lenny almost completed the sweep again, finishing third in the parallel bars. Next season Lenny will continue her career at Kent State. She also consid-

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W i n t e r S p o r t s P l a y e r s o f t h e Ye a r Christina Lenny won the all-around and three events at the state meet.

Photo by Kim Ryan

ered Ohio State before selecting the Golden Flashes. Lenny doesn’t plan on pursuing international competition. “After college, I’m planning to be done,” Lenny said. “I’m not sure how much my body will last after that.” Her accomplishments at Broadview Heights might stand forever. — Eric Frantz

Hockey

Hartman tallies 89 points during steller senior season

indlay hockey coach Dan St. Jean expected Jerrod Hartman to have an impressive senior campaign. He didn’t quite bank on Hartman having the year he did, though. It’s unlikely anyone did. En route to earning Northwest Hockey Conference Red Division MVP honors, Hartman almost broke the Findlay single-season scoring mark of 91 points. He fell just two points shy with an astounding 51 goals and 38 assists. For his efforts, Hartman has been tabbed the 2007 Ohio High’s Man of the Year in ice hockey. “I can’t say it was expected, but we knew he had the ability to generate goals and assists,” St. Jean said. “But 89 points … not many people can do

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W i n t e r S p o r t s P l a y e r s o f t h e Ye a r Submitted Photo

gram – Hartman has had his share of success. Making his way through developmental leagues, Hartman played for the AAA Victory Honda Midget Minors out of Plymouth, Michigan and also starred for the AAA Ann Arbor Wolverines. Two years ago, he made the move back to high school. “I just wanted to be closer to my friends and I didn’t like the politics of AAA hockey,” Hartman said. “These past two years have been the most fun I’ve had playing. This year in particular was a very good season and it was the result of good coaching and my teammates backing me up.” St. Jean expects Hartman to succeed at his next stop. “He’s spectacular to watch,” St. Jean said. “He’s got that explosion and flash about him. He’s got all the attributes to play at a higher level.” — Eric Frantz

Boys Bowling

E Jerrod Hartman scored 51 goals and had 38 assists this season. that around here.” Said Hartman: “I never knew how many points I had and what I was actually doing. It wasn’t until they started talking about the record that I knew I was close.” Were in not for two cancelled games, the Findlay scoring record would be Hartman’s. The current record of 91 points was set in 1988 by Ted Kramer, who played four years at Michigan and was drafted in the seventh round of the 1989 NHL Draft by the Los Angeles Kings. St. Jean says Hartman could have a simJerrod ilar future. Hartman “I have my own beliefs, but other coaches believe he has the potential to play Findlay NCAA Division I hockey as well,” St. Jean said. “He’s got tremendous speed, a very good shot and a quick release. He also has the ability to protect the puck and he’s hard to move off his feet. This year he just went out and got crazy scoring goals and assists.” After scoring 29 goals and dishing out 21 assists last season, Hartman led the Trojans to a 21-7 record this year. Now he’ll concentrate on playing junior hockey in either the North American Hockey League – for the Mahoning Valley Phantoms – or in the United States Hockey League – with the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets. Both organizations are top-level junior programs and the next step towards collegiate hockey. Ultimately, Hartman would like to end up at Bowling Green State University. Throughout his career – which started at age 6 in the Findlay youth pro-

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Kling overcomes health, transfer to win state title

van Kling needed a change of scenery. He found it – and a state bowling title – at Cincinnati LaSalle. A transfer from Cincinnati St. Xavier, Kling captured the inaugural individual title at the first annual Boys State Bowling Tournament at Tiki Lanes in Lancaster. The 737 series he rode to the title was also a LaSalle school record. As a result, Kling has been named the 2007 Ohio High’s Man of the Year in bowling. “Having known both he and his older brother for some time, we knew we were getting something really worthwhile,” LaSalle coach Father Paul Gebhardt said. “We were very happy to get him.” Kling was happy to come. Despite making the state tournament as a freshman and sophomore at St. X, Kling experienced a trying junior year. Diagnosed with sleep apnea he struggled with academics, athletics and maintaining a social life. Ultimately, he was ruled ineligible. “It was tough,” Kling said. “There were Evan times I had a terrible time just trying to stay Kling awake and focused at school. It wasn’t by choice, but I had to cut out bowling for the Cincinnati year.” LaSalle Thanks to the help of medical attention and a changed diet, Kling was able to combat his health issues. He resurfaced at LaSalle a changed person. “I just had to get out (of St. X),” Kling said. “It was a pretty big change coming to LaSalle, but going there was the obvious choice. I knew a lot of the kids on the bowling team already because we had gone to elementary school together and played in leagues and tournaments. It was really a good move.” Kling established himself as a state title contender from day one. At the season’s opening event – the State Kick-Off Tournament in Columbus – Kling placed second with a 719 series. He ended the year with a 209 average. “Evan has a very clean style,” Gebhardt said. “There’s not a lot of flash and flare to his game. His actions are simple and controlled. He also works very hard and has a great work ethic.” Kling’s effort at state helped propel the Lancers to a fifth-place finish. He – and teammate Mitch Vickers, who tied for sixth – were also the first LaSalle bowlers to place in the top 10 at state. Kling said he felt a state championship was within reach after rolling a 266 in his second game. “At that point, I knew I was pretty well off,” Kling said. “The third game I just

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W i n t e r S p o r t s P l a y e r s o f t h e Ye a r went for it.” Kling finished 53 pins ahead of the second-place bowler, Youngstown Boardman’s Steven Sullivan. Next year Kling plans on attending the University of Cincinnati and bowling for the Bearcats. His brother Andrew is currently a freshman at Illinois and competes for the Illini. “We knew (Evan) was capable of (winning a state title), it was just a matter of him doing it at the right time,” Gebhardt said. “He did it in a big way.” — Eric Frantz

Submitted Photo

Boys Swimming

Staab repeats as Ohio High’s top swimmer

n an easy choice, Westerville Central’s Austin Staab repeats as Ohio High’s Man of the Year in boys swimming. Staab, a senior, defended his state titles in the 100 free and 100 fly at the 2007 OHSAA swimming state championship meet. In fact, Staab tied the national record in the 100 fly with a 47.10, matching the time of Nate Dusing of Covington, Ky., in 1997. “I’m happy about it,” Staab said upon learning of the Ohio High award. “Ohio isn’t an easy state to swim in and win state championships and it’s definitely exciting winning awards like this.” Staab had the top college swimming programs in the country after him, but he decided in November to sign with Stanford University on a full-ride scholarship. “I was considering Stanford, Auburn, Arizona, Northwestern and Texas,” Staab said. “They are all excellent swimming programs and excellent academic institutions, but I just felt that Stanford was at the top of the list both athletically and academically. When I sat down and really looked at it, I felt Stanford offered the best education. “I’m not sure what I’m going to major in, but right now I’m looking at something in economics.” Staab is one of the most decorated swimmers in OHSAA history, but he knows it’s going to be different when he steps up to the college level. “It’s going to be a whole new level of competition for me,” Staab said. “It’s going to be much different and you have to just get mentally prepared for that. Here in Ohio, I’m the number one swimmer in the state. Austin “At Stanford, I’m going to be like the third Staab or fourth best on my team. It’s going to be quite an experiences and I’m sure I’m going Westerville to get my butt kicked some, but that’s also going to make me a lot better. I think it’s Central going to be a lot of fun, knowing that there is going to be a lot of hard work as well.” And hard work is one of the things Staab is known best for. “Two things have helped Austin become as good as he is,” Westerville Aquatic Club coach Jim Peterfish said. “One is he expects to win. Perhaps more importantly, however, is he prepares to win. He’s focused on being the best and that’s how he trains.” His athletic ability, coupled with his drive to reach the top, turned Staab into arguably the nation’s top swimming recruit last fall. “There’s no greater pure talent in the whole country than Austin,” said Stanford and former Olympic coach Skip Kenney. Unlike most swimmers who pick the sport up very early in life, Staab didn’t start to swim competitively until he was 13. “I started at the local pool the summer before my eighth grade year,” Staab said. “I did pretty good and I just kept with it. My sophomore year I started

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Austin Staab tied a national record in the 100-meter butterfly (47.10 seconds) en route to Ohio and state tournament records in the event. winning a lot of events and then I knew I might have something going here. Then my junior year I won state in the 100 fly and 100 free and this year was just amazing and I kept improving. I think I landed in the sport at the perfect time.” But 13 isn’t just picking up the sport late, it’s almost unheard of for a swimmer to pick the sport up that late and still excel at the high school and collegiate levels. “Yeah, I was able to hear an Olympic champion speak last summer and he was talking about how he picked the sport up real late, and he was 9,” Staab said with a laugh. “I know I kind of got lucky starting so late but still being able to do these things, but I didn’t want to question it. I just wanted to roll with it and not question how I got this far even though I started late.” Staab will move to California this summer and will begin taking classes. But he is going to miss a lot about high school swimming. “I’m going to miss the way the tournaments are set up in high school with sectionals, districts and then state. You have to do well enough each week to move up and each week you have to show what you can do. “In college, you just go to nationals if you qualify. There is no building up to it. You just go to the national meet and I think I am going to miss that building up to the state meet.” In addition to tying the national record in the 100 fly this year, Staab also became the first swimmer in Ohio to repeat as a state champ in the same events since 2001. In the 100 free, Staab’s time of 43.93 was just the second sub-44 second finish in OHSAA history. Following his career at Stanford, Staab would like nothing more than to become a member of the U.S. Olympic team.

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W i n t e r S p o r t s P l a y e r s o f t h e Ye a r Kristen Keenan carried a state-best 199 average this winter en route to a third place finish at state.

Photo by Brian Swartz

“In 2008 it’s probably not going to happen because Michael Phelps is the world-record holder and Ian Crocker is also on the team,” he said. “But in 2012, Ian Crocker might retire and there could be an opportunity then. That would be amazing and I’m going to work hard to get there.” — Dave Biddle

Girls Bowling

Consistency carries Keenan to top of her game

risten Keenan won’t be confused with Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods, but according to Centerville bowling coach Greg Coulles, the Elk junior shares some similarities with the standouts “She has a very strong will to win and that’s evident,” Coulles said. “If your life depended on it and you needed someone to roll a strike right then and there she’d be it.” En route to leading the Elks to a third place finish at the inaugural state bowling tournament in Lancaster, Keenan placed third individually. Throughout the season, she carried a 199 average – the best in the state. As a result, Keenan has been named as Ohio High’s Woman of

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the Year in girls bowling. “Pressure,” Keenan said. “I handle pressure well and I like it. I think it’s the same in every sport. If your team is relying on you, then you want to step up.” For the most part, Keenan stepped up and over the competition this season. Competing in the toughest conference in the state – the Greater Western Ohio Conference – Keenan finished fourth at the GWOC meet and Kristen was named first team. She also placed Keenan second at the sectional and fourth at district. Consistency is another of Centerville Keenan’s strengths. “Bowling is an uphill and downhill sport and the key is to be uphill at the right time,” Coulles said. “That’s what Kristen was.” “I go out to win,” Keenan said. “Not just for me, but for my team.” Keenan was introduced to bowling by her grandmother who used to take her to the alley when she bowled. “When I was little I would go there and do my homework,” Keenan said. “When I was 8, I joined an adult/child league with my dad. At 11, I started bowling in Saturday leagues.” Nowadays, Keenan visits the lanes four times a week and bowls 10-15 games. Her high-game of 279 came a week after the state tournament at a youth event in Fairborn. Her previous high was 269. In middle school Keenan dropped basketball and softball. “I just started bowling more and bowling is a sport that doesn’t end when the season does,” Keenan said. “It goes year round.” Keenan’s dedication has led to a 29-pin jump in her average since starting high school. Averaging 170 as a freshman, Keenan nearly reached 200 this year. That’s a plateau she expects to pass soon. As for the future, Keenan wants to continue bowling in college. She’s considering Wright State and Morehead State. Keenan also credits the GWOC for preparing her. The conference yielded four of the top six teams at state, including champion Beavercreek and runner-up Fairborn. Fairborn won the title last year. “Once a week it seemed like there was at least one big match,” Keenan said. “When it comes down to it, I think we as a team and I perform better against better competition.” In other words, Keenan performs well under pressure. “With most bowlers you cross your fingers and hope they get a strike,” Coulles said. “When Kristen is up, she delivers.” — Eric Frantz

Girls Swimming

Beck wins fifth swimming title, headed for Ohio State

nita Beck left the competition wet this winter. A senior standout at Cincinnati Anderson, Beck captured her third straight 500 freestyle state title and added her second 200 free champiAnita Beck onship at the state swim meet. She was also a member of Anderson’s runner-up Anderson 400 free relay team. A four-year letterwinner and an Ohio State recruit, Beck is the 2007 Ohio High Woman of the Year in girls swimming. She also earned Fort Ancient Valley Conference Buckeye Division Swimmer of the Year honors. — OH

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Photos by Gary Housteau

Boys Basketball State Tournament

Jay Chadwell, Georgetown

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Josh Benson, Dayton Dunbar

Terry Martin, Cincinnati Moeller

Damon Butler, Cincinnati North College Hill

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STORY BY ERIC FRANTZ & MATT NATALI

he 85th Annual OHSAA State Boys Basketball Tournament took place March 22-24 at Ohio State’s Value City Arena and it featured a three-peat state champion, a repeat champ, a first-time champ and a team that claimed its third title in eight years. The following is a look at the 2007 state tournament:

GCL Festival: Moeller Upends Rival St. Xavier For D-I Title

Ten points. That’s what separated Cincinnati St. Xavier from being 3-0 against Cincinnati Moeller this year. Instead, the Bombers went 0-3 – the final loss in the Division I state championship March 24. Thanks to a basket by junior reserve Daniel Wulker and a free throw from senior standout Troy Tabler, the Crusaders created just enough cushion to survive St. X 43-40 before a crowd of 14,307. Moeller beat the Bombers 50-49 in December and 56-50 in the regular season finale. Both teams are members of the prestigious Greater Catholic League. Two years ago in the state semifinals, St. X dispatched Moeller, 43-41. Familiarity, it would seem, breeds contempt. “We’re so familiar with each other that it was hard to get anything going,” Moeller head coach Carl Kremer said. “It was a grind-it-out game and that was my fear. I didn’t want a game in the 40s.” Added Tabler: “We know each other so well and we know what the other is going to run. I think tonight it came down to the little things and few lucky bounces.” The last of which went to Tabler. Despite leading by seven (36-29) entering the fourth quarter, Moeller watched as St. X scored five unanswered points to climb within 36-34. The Crusaders finally posted their first points of the period when Quinn McDowell sank two free throws with 3:34 to go. Then things got interesting. St. X standout Walt Gibler was fouled on a rebound and Moeller was slapped with an ensuing technical foul. Gibler calmly sank all four freebies to knot the game 38-38. Gibler, who scored a game-high 21 points, drained two more free throws with 1:32 remaining to tie the game 40-40. “Walt is a big-time player for us,” St. X coach

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Boys Basketball State Tournament

Scott Martin said. “He’s a great competitor and he wants the basketball. He’s what makes us go and he gave us an opportunity to win.” On the ensuing possession, Wulker scored for Moeller to provide a 42-40 edge with 1:14 to go. Then Tabler took over. Held scoreless in the second half after scoring 10 points in the first, Tabler grabbed the rebound of an errant St. X three-pointer with five seconds left. He was in the right place at the right time. “I was a little nervous when he shot it,” said Tabler, a Wright State recruit. “After he let it go, I just went as fast as I could to get into position.” Tabler was fouled and hit one of two free throws. St. X grabbed the rebound and had another shot to tie it at the end but missed. Hysteria ensued for the Crusaders. “We had opportunities at the end,” Martin said. “We just weren’t able to capitalize.” Tabler scored a team-high 11 points for Moeller and added a team-high six rebounds. McDowell added nine points. Gibler was the only Bomber in double-digits. “Beating your biggest rival is always great,” Tabler said. “Throw in the fact that it’s for a state title and you can’t beat it.” A Rarity: The last time two member schools from the same conference met for the D-I title was in 1992 when Lakota West beat Lima Senior 88-86 in overtime. Both were members of the Greater Miami Conference. The last time two teams from the same con-

“Beating your biggest rival is always great. Throw in the fact that it’s for a state title and you can’t beat it.”

Cincinnati Moeller senior Troy Tabler

“Walt (Gibler) is a big-time player for us. He’s a great competitor and he wants the basketball. He’s what makes us go and he gave us an opportunity to win.” Cincinnati St. Xavier coach Scott Martin

ference met for the title regardless of division was 2004 when St. Henry beat Versailles 61-49 for the D-III championship. Both those schools are members of the Midwest Athletic Conference. GCL: Overall, nine Greater Catholic League teams have won 16 basketball state titles. Moeller joins Kettering Alter and Cincinnati Elder with three apiece, while Cincinnati Roger Bacon and Dayton Chaminade-Julienne have two each. Hamilton Badin, Cincinnati LaSalle and Cincinnati Purcell-Marian each have one. State Semifinal Results Cincinnati Moeller 67, Lakewood St. Edward 60: Moeller, which won the state championship in 1999 and another in 2003, had three players score in double digits led by Tabler with 21 points. McDowell had 19 points and Terry Martin had 13 for the Crusaders. Tabler hit a three-point shot with about two minutes left in the game to put Moeller up four points and that proved to be the straw that broke St. Edward’s back. St. Edward (25-1) had four players score in double digits with blue chip junior Delvon Roe dropping 14 and Matt Salay, Tom Pritchard and freshman Pe’Shon Howard each adding 11, respectively. Cincinnati St. Xavier 45, Canton GlenOak 34: Using the threesome of Pete Zestermann (68), Gibler (6-7) and Michael Budde (6-6), the Bombers out-dueled GlenOak center and Ohio State recruit Kosta Koufos (7-2). The trio combined for 20 points and 21 rebounds. The Bombers out rebounded GlenOak 36-17 and had more offensive rebounds (20) than the Eagles did total. That tally led to a 19-0 edge in second chance points. Brad Loesing was the only St. X player in double-figures with 11 points. Koufos was the only GlenOak (23-4) player to reach double-digits.

Diebler’s 48 Not Enough To Stop Dunbar Repeat In D-II

Those expecting a great game between Dayton Dunbar and Upper Sandusky in the Division II state final got more than they bargained for. Playing in front of a sellout crowd of 18,288, Dunbar outlasted Upper Sandusky 87-85 in a game people will be talking about for a long time. “The people that came and were supposed to

J J H U D D L E . C O M 19

Boys Basketball State Tournament Keith Diebler said. “It had to be entertaining.” “I believe you all enjoyed the game a little more than I did,” Dunbar coach Peter Pullen said. “It was a great game between two great teams that played hard and brought everything they had. I know it took everything out of us.” Admission should have been triple. Consider: * US senior Jon Diebler – Ohio’s Mr. Basketball, the state’s all-time leading scorer and an Ohio State recruit – scored 48 points to shatter the previous Division II title game record by 10. Diebler’s tally was also the third highest in state tournament history. Only Middletown’s Jerry Lucas (53 points in 1956) and Cleveland St. Joseph’s Clark Kellogg (51 in 1979) have scored more. Diebler finished the game 14-of-36 from the floor and 5-of-21 from three-point range. He also hit 15-of-19 free throws and had 10 rebounds, seven steals, five assists and three blocks. Joked Pullen: “That was probably just an average game for him. He’s unbelievable.” Diebler’s two-game tournament total of 72 points was also a D-II record. The previous mark of 64 was shared by LeBron James (Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, 2002) and Mike Phillips (Akron Manchester, 1974). * Diebler and teammate Kevin Brodman each set the D-II state record for three-pointers in a game with five apiece. The Rams set a D-II title game record with 13 threes. US shot 42, while Dunbar attempted one. * Dunbar out-rebounded US 63-23 and had three players (6-9 Aaron Pogue, 6-10 Josh Benson and 6-8 Anthony Oden) with double-digit boards. Said Diebler, “I thought we got out-rebounded 100-10.” * Dunbar, using its size advantage, outscored US 68-20 in the paint. Said Jon Diebler, “Dunbar played extremely well and we hung in there with them. I don’t think many people gave us a chance because of our lack of height, but we were right there fighting with them.” * Dunbar committed 29 turnovers and won. The Wolverines had 26 turnovers in their semifinal win over Columbus DeSales. Said Pullen, “Upper’s style makes those 29 turnovers easy because it’s a running game and they’re used to it. Twenty-nine turnovers in a fast-paced game like that – which we’re not really used to – I’ll take it. Especially since we won.” * Both teams took 74 shots. Dunbar, making its third straight state appearance, brought home back-to-back titles and its third overall, thanks in large to plays down the stretch. During most of the contest, both teams answered challenges. The Wolverines opened the game on a 12-0 run and were up 14-1 before US got on track. The Rams closed the quarter down 26-18 and

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took their first lead 29-28 on a Diebler free throw with 5:41 left to go before half. In the second quarter Diebler scored the Rams final 13 points, but a 9-2 run by Dunbar to close the stanza gave it a 45-39 lead at the break. The second half was back and forth. Dunbar built an 11-point lead two minutes into the third quarter, but by the end of it the game was knotted 66-66. Diebler opened the fourth quarter with backto-back 3s as the Rams went up 72-68. On a Diebler dunk with 5:01 to go, US led 78-72. Then Dunbar answered. Pogue, who was limited to 10 minutes of action due to foul trouble in the first three quarters, responded with a 6-0 run of his own to tie the game. Ultimately Dunbar closed on a 15-4 run after falling behind six. A Benson basket with 1:34 to go put the Wolverines in the lead for good. Diebler closed the scoring on a 3-pointer with less than a second to go. Brodman added 17 points for US, while sophomore Alex Falk added 14. In all, just four players scored for the Rams. Keith Rakestraw and Benson paced Dunbar with 16 points apiece. Daquan Walker added 15, while Pogue chipped in 10. Senior point guard Norris Cole II had another huge game with eight points, seven boards and seven assists. The contest was similar to the team’s 95-90 semifinal match-up in 2005. Only the winner was different. “We did some things well that hurt them and one of them was we didn’t quit,” Keith Diebler said. “We were like that fly that stays around. (We were) hoping that we could get the game into the last two minutes and make something happen. “We were successful, it just went their way.” Said Pullen, “When they throw the ball up (Dunbar) comes to play.”

“It was a great game between two great teams that played hard and brought everything they had. I know it took everything out of us.”

Dunbar coach Peter Pullen

“The people that came and were supposed to perform today did. It had to be entertaining.”

Upper Sandusky coach Kieth Diebler

Foul Trouble: Dunbar was able to remain in contention in the third quarter despite the limited play of Pogue. Called for his third foul with 5:52 left in the second quarter, Pogue was whistled for his fourth less than 90 seconds into the third. Pogue pleaded to return late in the period, but thanks to the play of Benson and Oden, Pullen was able to keep him out. “Aaron knows how to play without fouling,” Pullen said. “He probably could have went in the third and made it, but the last foul he got it seemed like they had to find him to give it to him because he didn’t have the ball and I don’t know where he was on the court but he came out with the foul. “I told him ‘Aaron I’m not going to put you in (in the third quarter) because they may find you up in the bleachers in the third row and call a foul on you.’” Pogue ended with 10 points and 11 boards in 17 minutes. Family Affair: The Diebler family entered the contest with some heavy hearts. Keith Diebler’s dad and Jon’s grandfather, William Diebler, passed away on a day before the state tournament began at Riverside Hospital in Columbus after a bout with cancer. William’s death occurred the same day Jon was named Mr. Basketball. “It was a surprise,” said an emotional Keith Diebler. “Tomorrow, we’ve got the funeral home and then Monday we have to bury him. It’s tough.” During the past few weeks, Jon has given his grandfather a piece of each net that the Rams cut down en route to the state tournament. After falling to Dunbar, both Diebler’s received a surprise gift from the Wolverines – a piece of the championship net. “Coach Pullen gave us a piece of the net to put in the casket along with the other ones,” Keith Diebler said. “A lot of this stuff goes beyond coaching and playing and I’ve got to compliment Dayton Dunbar. “They didn’t have to do that. That was just a class move.” Masked Man: Despite suffering a broken nose in the regional final, Jon Diebler decided against wearing a mask in the state semis. He tried to play without one against Dunbar too, but the physical play forced him to adjust. After making contact with Dunbar players two separate times in the first half, Diebler emerged from the locker room at halftime with a mask. Diebler didn’t like the contraption often switching back and forth between it and gauze shoved in his nose. “If you ask anyone else who’s had to wear one, they don’t like it too much,” Diebler said. “It just got to the point where (I thought) it’s already broken so if it happens again big-whoop. I might as well play without it.” Joked Pullen: “I think I like him better with the

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Boys Basketball State Tournament

Alex Falk, Upper Sandusky

Troy Tabler, Cincinnati Moeller

Dunbar’s Aaron Pogue (center) lifts the D-II state championship trophy with the help of his teammates.

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Alex Kellogg, Columbus DeSales

Kosta Koufos, Canton GlenOak

Walt Gibler, Cincinnati St. Xavier

Photos by Gary Housteau

J J H U D D L E . C O M 21

Nathan Hyde, Findlay Liberty-Benton

Ben Umbel, Poland Seminary

North College Hill (D-III) became just the third school in state history to win three straight state titles.

Ashen Ward, Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph

Pe’Shon Howard, Lakewood St. Edward

Boys Basketball State Tournament

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Photos by Gary Housteau

JJ Hu ddle’ s O h io Hi gh

Boys Basketball State Tournament mask. I didn’t like him too much without the mask. It seemed to bother him a little bit.” At the press conference, both Diebler and Falk had gauze in their nostrils. Some questioned the game’s physicality. “Coach (Pullen) doesn’t teach anything that’s going to put a player out or anything like that,” Keith Diebler said. “It was hard fought and physical. That’s just the way it ended up.” State Semifinals Results Dayton Dunbar 56, Columbus DeSales 43: The Wolverines clamped down on defense in the fourth quarter to outscore DeSales 15-6 in the final period. DeSales erased a 10-point third quarter deficit to pull within two early in the fourth. But a 5:36 scoring drought proved to be DeSales’ demise. Leading Dunbar was Cole with 24 points on 9of-16 shooting from the floor. University of Dayton recruit Benson added 13 points for Dunbar. DeSales (22-4) got 16 points and five rebounds from senior forward Elijah Allen and 10 points and six assists from senior guard Dane Johnson. Upper Sandusky 89, Poland Seminary 58: Held to just one point in the first quarter, Diebler exploded for 17 in the second and outscored Poland (14 points) by himself in the stanza. He finished the game with 24 points (17 below his average), 12 rebounds, nine steals and nine assists. As a team, US shot 13-of-32 from 3s and 30of-70 from the floor. The Rams also attempted 24 foul shots, making 16. Junior Ben Umbel led the Bulldogs (22-3) with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Lou Coppola finished with 11 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

learned work ethic, how to win as champions and how to prepare for games and a lot of credit should be given to these guys who persevered. “And O.J. and Bill are still part of it. They talk to these guys daily and their first thing was to go prove that they can do it,” he said. Junior point guard Damon Butler, who has started for NCH since his freshman season, paced the Trojans with 20 points. “Our goal all year, since conditioning, was to win another state. We knew we had talent and we knew we were going to come back to Columbus and win state,” Butler said. NCH (16-7) was down 29-24 at halftime and trailed by as much as nine points before the break. But the Trojans came out in the third quarter and outscored L-B 9-1, which set the record for least amount of points scored by a team in a quarter in a D-III championship game. “The third quarter has always been our weaker quarter all year and to hold that team to one point in the third quarter is pretty good,” Mahaffey said. “The first half we didn’t play our game. We didn’t take care of the ball, we rushed shots and we were out of sync. In the second half, we regrouped, stayed together as a family and we executed,” he said. L-B (26-1), which finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the AP poll, was led by senior forward Nathan Hyde with 26 points. “We had stretches during the ball game where we played uncharacteristic for ourselves,” said LB head coach Steve Williman. “Give (NCH) credit because they forced the tempo and forced us to get out of sync offensively. I thought that, especially in the third quarter, we were out of sync and we were not playing the way we needed to play to have success.” With the game going back-and-forth in the

With a 50-45 win over Findlay Liberty-Benton in the Division III state championship game, North College Hill became only the third high school in Ohio history to three-peat as state champions joining Dayton Stivers (1928-30) and Columbus Wehrle (1988-90). But this is not the same NCH team that won the previous two state titles. Following the departure of controversial blue chip prospects O.J. Mayo (transfer) and Bill Walker (ineligible, enrolled at Kansas State), most did not even consider NCH as a contender for a state championship. NCH dropped four of its first five games of the regular season and entering the postseason unranked at 10-7. “I think the past two years, people expected us to win. When you have two future pros on your team, they expect you to win it,” said NCH head coach Jamie Mahaffey. “This year’s team – they learned a lot from those two guys. They

“Our biggest thing all year was that

Hold The Mayo: North College Hill Wins Third Straight D-III Title Without Star

JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

failure was not an option because no one is going to give it to us, we are going to have to earn it.”

North College Hill coach Jamie Mahaffey

“Give (NCH) credit because they forced the tempo and forced us to get out of sync offensively.”

Liberty-Benton coach Steve Williman

final quarter, NCH got some key offensive rebounds off missed free throws and converted them into points to stretch the lead. The Trojans had a 28-16 advantage over L-B in rebounding for the game with 13 of NCH’s boards coming on the offensive end. “We got some key offensive rebounds and we were smart with the ball. We put it back out instead of forcing a shot. It showed our desire all year and passion and that is all we’ve been playing with. These kids showed that today,” Mahaffey said. NCH senior Nate Glover had nine rebounds with nine points and junior center Alfonso McPherson had 12 points and six boards. “Our biggest thing all year was that failure was not an option because no one is going to give it to us, we are going to have to earn it,” Mahaffey said. “We were out to prove something to ourselves. It is all about these kids going out and accomplishing a team goal they had set.” Mayo Backlash: North College Hill wasn’t the only one taking shots the day of the state championships. While the Trojans were playing L-B for the DIII state title, famous former player O.J. Mayo, who just finished his high school career with Huntington (W.Va.), was a topic for debate on ESPN’s A.M. GameDay broadcast. “He’s a borderline piece of garbage,” CBS Sportsline.com columnist Gregg Doyel said on air. “If people want to know why Gregg Doyel doesn’t like Tim Floyd, it’s because of kids like O.J. Mayo.” Doyel, speaking from his hotel room in San Antonio, wasn’t candid about his dislike for Floyd or his future player. “Tim Floyd will win at all costs,” Doyel said. “He’ll do whatever it takes to win.” In addition to saying that Floyd was going to turn USC into “the University of Cincinnati West,” Doyel said, “Floyd is known for bringing kids in like this. He gets kids on the fringe.” Doyel is close to the situation, having written a column in October on Mayo and his “relationship” with Rodney Guillory who was labeled an “agent’s representative” in 2000 by the NCAA. Guillory, who wants to become Mayo’s “marketing rep,” has a history with the NCAA. During the 2000-01 season the NCAA suspended Fresno State’s Tito Maddox and USC’s Jeff Trepagnier for nearly one-third season after determining that Guillory had purchased airfare for the players. The NCAA said that was a violation because Guillory was representing a sports agency. When asked of the situation, Guillory told Doyel: “I have a relationship with him, but I don’t have anything to do with him being eligible. As long as O.J. does the right things, he has nothing to worry about.” The saga continues.

J J H U D D L E . C O M 23

Boys Basketball State Tournament State Semifinals Results North College Hill 69, Wheelersburg 66 (OT): Draining a three-point, one-handed floater from the right of the key as time expired, Butler lifted the Trojans to their third straight D-III state title game with a 69-66 overtime win against Wheelersburg. Butler finished with 26 points, seven rebounds and five assists Named one of three D-III state players of the year, Wheelersburg’s Camden Miller scored 26 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. He scored 18 points in the second half and overtime as Wheelersburg (23-3) battled back from a 14point halftime deficit (29-15). Findlay Liberty-Benton 63, Cleveland VASJ 56: With four seniors on the floor and one freshman phenom, L-B advanced to its first state title game since 1995 with a 63-56 win over 2006 Division III state runner-up Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph. D-III co-player of the year Hyde led all scorers with 27 points while sinking 13-of-16 free throw attempts for L-B. Ashen Ward, who shared player of the year honors with Hyde and Miller, had 12 points for VASJ (18-8).

Georgetown Ends Perfect Season, Claims Division IV Championship

It doesn’t get any better than being perfect. And in Division IV, Georgetown was this season’s best basketball team finishing a perfect 280 with a 75-66 win over Canal Winchester World Harvest Prep in the state championship game in front of 12,723 fans at Value City Arena. “I thought our kids saved the best for last,” said Georgetown head coach Jerry Underwood. “Going through the tournament, we won some big games. But one of the things we were missing the last few games were our kids scoring a lot of points and depending on our defense to finish. But tonight, the state championship changes a lot of things.” Georgetown’s 75 points scored were the most the G-Men scored the entire postseason tournament. The G-Men had four players score in double digits with senior Jay Chadwell scoring 26 points, senior Isaiah Felder adding 19 and senior Cory Kidwell and freshman Jess Chadwell each contributing 11 points, respectively. With three seniors combining for 56 points, Underwood credits his team’s senior leadership for bringing home the championship despite flying under the radar most of the season having never been ranked in the AP poll. “I don’t know how bad we were supposed to get beat but I know we were supposed to get beat by reading the papers today. But we didn’t and it has a lot to do with (our seniors),” he said. Kidwell added, “This morning we were all excited about getting up and coming to play. I

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guess we were the underdogs in the paper but all year we took that role and we just came in here today and laid it all on the line.” Georgetown saw a 13-point lead in the second quarter dwindle down to six at halftime. Harvest Prep came out strong in the third quarter and took the lead early in the half. But Georgetown stuck to its game plan to win the game late in the fourth quarter. “That’s what we have done all year. Teams have made runs, teams have made jumps and teams have tried to get the edge,” Underwood said. “But (our players’) demeanor didn’t change. They held their composure and took the brunt in the run. “We usually like to take the first three minutes of the third quarter and push it out and finish teams off. But you’re in the state championship and that is not always going to happen. “We didn’t get over excited, we didn’t lose our cool, kept calm and that is what we have done all year,” he said. Despite Harvest Prep’s strong effort early in the third quarter, the Warriors only had a one point scoring edge for the period dropping 19 points to Georgetown’s 18. “We just picked up our intensity. I believe in the first half we were very passive and didn’t put any real pressure on the basketball,” Harvest Prep head coach Mike Thornton said. “We were allowing them what they wanted to do. The guys came in at halftime and realized they had just played one of their worst halves of basketball but were only down six. So, if we picked up the pace and the tempo, things would happen.” Harvest Prep (23-1) also had four players score in double digits with senior Bo McClure scoring 14 and senior Marquis Mathis adding 13 while junior guard Ray Nelson had 11 points and junior guard Dane Givner scoring 11 points.

“I don’t know how bad we were supposed to get beat but I know we were supposed to get beat by reading the papers today.”

Georgetown coach Jerry Underwood

“Hats off to Georgetown. They are a great team an undefeated for a reason.”

World Harvest Prep coach Mike Thornton

“Hats off to Georgetown. They are a great team an undefeated for a reason,” Thornton said. “Their kids play well, their coach coaches very well - it’s just a top notch, first class program. We got beat by a better team today but we’ll take this and learn from it to know exactly what needs to be done for next year.” Having never even won a district championship, Underwood summed up his G-Men’s perfect season, “It’s a dream come true and we couldn’t have ended it in a better way,” he said. Buzz-Cut: Georgetown’s players all sported shaven heads in the state tournament. According to freshman standout Chadwell, the cuts came on the eve of the semifinal game close to midnight. “(Thursday night) somebody said we should do it so we just all went through with it at the hotel,” he said. “I don’t know how it looks but it’s probably difficult to tell us apart on the floor.” State Semifinals Results Georgetown 41, Berlin Hiland 40: Georgetown trailed 14-7 after the first quarter but outscored Hiland 13-2 in the second quarter as the Hawks failed to score the last 7:21 of the period. Hiland (22-5) averaged nearly 80 points per game this season but Georgetown held the Hawks to their lowest scoring output of the season shooting just 26 percent from the floor. Chadwell and Kidwell both had 11 points for the G-Men and Georgetown’s all-time leading scorer Felder added 10. Ohio Northern recruit Joel Gause had 24 points for Hiland eclipsing the 1,000-point mark for his career. The state semifinal game marked the return for Hiland senior Dustin Kaufman after being in a coma following a car accident in February. Kaufman got in the game for eight minutes and had two rebounds. World Harvest Prep 55, Holgate 52 (2OT): Regulation wasn’t enough time to decide a winner between Holgate (17-9) and Harvest Prep in the state semifinal. Mathis decided one overtime wasn’t enough either. Rebounding Givner’s miss with less than three seconds to go, Mathis drained the tying shot as time expired to force a second overtime. The Warriors ultimately record a 55-52 win after 40 minutes before 13,526 at the Schott. Nelson led Harvest Prep with 15 points, while Givner added 10. All four of Mathis’s points came in the final 15 seconds of the first OT. Holgate (17-9) was paced by Baker’s 24 points, but missed his offense late as he fouled out with 3:12 to go in the second OT. Jared Clay chipped in 10 points, while Logan Brubaker had nine to go along with six rebounds and seven assists. — OH

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Boys Basketball State Tournament

JJ H u d d l e â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s O h i o H i g h

Joel Gause, Berlin Hiland

Joe Baker, Holgate

Camden Miller, Wheelersburg

Bo McClure, World Harvest Prep

Georgetown captured its first state championship in D-IV. Prior to this season the G-Men had not won a district title.

Photos by Gary Housteau

J J H U D D L E . C O M 25

Boys Basketball Recruiting Photo by Gary Housteau

Ohio’s top boys prospects move up and down after high school campaign

he 2006-07 boys basketball season came to a close with the state championships held in mid-March at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center. We have once again enlisted the help of Chris Johnson, the Ohio editor for HoopScoopOnline.com, to assist in ranking the state’s top boys basketball prospects in all four classes. The senior class was hit a bit before the school year as twotime defending Division III state champion North College Hill lost guard O.J. Mayo and forward Bill Walker, two of the nation’s top 10 senior prospects. Mayo transferred to his original home state of West Virginia to play at Parkersburg High. Walker was declared ineligible by the OHSAA for exhausting his varsity eligibility. He graduated early and enrolled at Kansas State at midseason. But even without that dynamic duo, the Ohio senior class had three players sign with powerhouse Ohio State. Dayton and Xavier also inked top-five Ohio seniors this year. The Class of 2008, with five possible top-50 national prospects, is also drawing rave reviews. “There are four potential McDonald’s All-Americans in that 2008 class with B.J. Mullens, Delvon Roe, William Buford and Yancy Gates,” Johnson said. “Ohio has never had four McDonald’s All-Americans. Right now, those four guys are national top-25 recruits. That is basically unheard of in Ohio. Kenny Frease, a Xavier recruit, is also a top-50 player nationally. “After that, the junior class kind of drops off. There is some decent depth, but there is some tremendous talent at the top of the class.” Johnson is not quite as bullish on the current sophomore class, which will graduate in 2009. “It is kind of a down year in Ohio with the ’09 class, especially compared to what we’ve seen in the last four or five years,” he said. “Plus, the 2010 class is loaded. There are just not a lot of high-major guys in the 2009 class.” Johnson said some names are already surfacing in the current freshman class, which will graduate in 2010. “Although it is early, the current freshman class has a chance to be a pretty good class,” Johnson said. “Obviously, it is headed by a potential national recruit in (Columbus Northland’s) Jared Sullinger.”

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High Riser

Lakewood St. Edward junior Delvon Roe is one of the state’s best underclassmen. Ranked fifth nationally in his class, Roe has narrowed his college choices to North Carolina and Michigan State.

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Boys Basketball Recruiting

STORY BY STEVE HELWAGEN game. * 2. Jon Diebler, 6-5, wing forward, Upper Sandusky (SH, 62nd; HS, 96th) – Diebler ended his career as Ohio’s all-time leading scorer with a total of 3,208 points in one year at Fostoria and his last three years at Upper Sandusky. As a senior, he averaged 41.2 points per game as well as over 12 rebounds a game. As a result, he earned Ohio’s Mr. Basketball award from the Associated Press. He also helped lead Upper Sandusky to the Division II state title game for the second time in

Photo by Gary Housteau

The spring and summer basketball circuits have changed somewhat this year. Once again, the city of Akron was set to host a major AAU event with the King James Shooting Stars Classic in late April. The summer camp circuit is changing with the end of the Nike All-American Camp in Indianapolis and the Reebok ABCD Camp in New Jersey. Instead, Akron will host the LeBron James Nike Skills Academy in July and Reebok was likely to host a camp as well in Philadelphia. Adidas used to sponsor a camp in Georgia. Instead, that shoe company will sponsor a major AAU event in Cincinnati in July. The early signing period in November caused a number of Ohio’s top boys basketball seniors to sign letters-of-intent for their respective colleges. We have updates on where the top players have signed. Plus, we have updated the rankings in each class and provide, where available, school lists for the unsigned seniors and top underclassmen. For some of the underclassmen, we have the AAU team these players are expected to play for this spring and summer. The players are ranked by class by Johnson. We also include the most recent national class rankings by ScoutHoops.com (SH) and HoopScoopOnline.com (HS).

Seniors (Class of 2007)

* 1. Kosta Koufos, 7-2, power forward, Canton GlenOak (SH, 10th nationally in senior class; HS, ninth) – Koufos wrapped up his high school career in a big way. He averaged 26 points and 15.5 rebounds a game to lead GlenOak to a 23-4 mark and a spot in the Division I state final four. Koufos was named the Associated Press Division I state player of the year and was the runner-up to fellow Ohio State signee Jon Diebler of Upper Sandusky for the Mr. Basketball award. Koufos played in the McDonald’s All-American Game in March and was set to play in the AllAmerican Jordan Brand Classic in late April. “Koufos will go down as one of the most talented players in Stark County history,” Johnson said. “That is saying a lot when you talk about people like Phil Hubbard, Nick Weatherspoon and all the people at Canton McKinley.” Born in Greece, Koufos shows a deft touch to three-point range and also handles his chores defensively inside the paint. He finalized his college choice last May, when he selected Ohio State over Maryland, Michigan, Louisville and nearby Akron. Koufos missed the final month of his junior season with a broken foot. Before the injury, he averaged 24.1 points, 11.1 rebounds and 4.2 blocked shots per game as a junior. He was a secondteam All-Ohio pick in Division I. As a sophomore, Koufos averaged 16.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per

JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

Kosta Koufos, Canton GlenOak

three years. He had 48 points in his team’s title game loss to Dayton Dunbar. “Diebler just had a monster senior season,” Johnson said. “He broke Jay Burson’s record and, more importantly for him, he almost single-handedly led his team to the state title game.” Diebler committed to Valparaiso in January 2005, but decommitted and ended up signing with Ohio State over Valpo, Michigan and N.C. State last November. He did everything he could as a junior, averaging 34.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 5.0 steals and 3.5 blocked shots per game. He was a first-team All-Ohio pick. He is in position to threaten the Ohio career scoring mark as a senior. In a Jan. 13, 2006, win over Tiffin Columbian, Diebler scored 77 points. He was 22 of 42 from the floor and 27 of 28 at the foul line. He also had 16 rebounds in that game.

As a sophomore, he helped lead Upper Sandusky (27-0) to the Division II state title, scoring 32 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in the title game win over Wooster Triway. Diebler was a second-team All-Ohio pick, averaging 25.9 points and six rebounds a game. * 3. Chris Wright, 6-7, power forward, Trotwood-Madison (SH, 50th; HS, 75th) – Wright earned first-team All-Ohio honors in Division I, averaging 19.6 points per game as a senior. His team posted a 19-1 regular season with a loss to vaunted Oak Hill (Va.) Academy. Wright was selected to play in the All-American Jordan Brand Classic in New York City in late April. “He had an outstanding senior season,” Johnson said. “He is one of the most spectacular athletes in Ohio.” As a junior, Wright earned third-team All-Ohio honors, averaging 17.0 points per game and leading Trotwood-Madison to the Division I state final four. Wright, who averaged 15 points per game as a sophomore, signed with Dayton. * 4. Dante Jackson, 6-5, wing forward, Greenfield McClain – Jackson again earned firstteam All-Ohio honors in Division II after averaging 26.2 points per game as a senior. “It was tough to separate Diebler, Wright and Jackson for the two through four spots,” Johnson admitted. “You could make a case they should all be No. 2. Jackson led his team to a 20-0 regular season. They lost a heartbreaker to Chillicothe in double overtime in their district final.” Following his senior year, Jackson had 27 points in the Ohio-Kentucky all-star game. He made a three-point shot with four seconds left in overtime to lead Ohio to a 105-104 win. As a junior, Jackson earned first-team All-Ohio honors as he averaged 28.7 points per game. As a sophomore, Jackson averaged 25 points, 11.7 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game. He had 39 points in his team’s regional semifinal loss that season. Jackson, also a state champion in track, had offers from Michigan, Kansas State, Xavier and Dayton before verbaling to Xavier last summer. * 5. Dallas Lauderdale, 6-9, center, Solon (SH, 80th; HS, 76th) – Lauderdale ended the suspense last June, when he verbaled to Ohio State over Louisville, North Carolina, Notre Dame and Syracuse. As a senior, Lauderdale averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds a game. He averaged 21.0 points and earned first-team All-Ohio honors in Division I as a junior. He averaged 17.5 points, 13 rebounds and 4.8 blocks per game as a sophomore. * 6. William Thomas, 6-5, point guard, East Cleveland Shaw – Thomas could go the prep school route. He was also hearing from Kent State, Cleveland State, Ohio U., Rutgers and West

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Boys Basketball Recruiting

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* 17. Troy Tabler, 6-4, shooting guard, Cincinnati Moeller – Tabler is the son of former Cleveland Indians player Pat Tabler. He averaged 14 points per game as a senior, earning secondteam All-Ohio honors in Division I. Tabler was one of the heroes of Moeller’s Division I state championship team this year. He averaged 13.8 ppg as a junior. He signed with Wright State. * 18. D’Aundray Brown, 6-2, shooting guard, Youngstown Ursuline – Brown signed with Cleveland State. He averaged 22.3 points per game and earned first-team All-Ohio honors in Photo by Steve Helwagen

and missed the rest of the year,” Johnson said. * 7. Aaron Pogue, 6-8, center, Dayton Dunbar – Pogue helped lead Dayton Dunbar to a second consecutive Division II state title. He averaged 14.5 points per game as a senior after averaging 15.0 points as a junior. “Pogue’s destination more than likely is the junior college ranks,” Johnson said. “I think he would have some good offers if his academic situation was better.” * 8. Chris Wyse, 6-4, shooting guard, Toledo Scott – Wyse averaged a robust 26.7 points per game and earned second-team All-Ohio honors in Division I as a senior. “Wyse will probably attend a prep school next year,” Johnson said. * 9. Nick Winbush, 6-6, wing forward, Shaker Heights – Winbush has signed with Miami (Ohio). He averaged 19.8 points per game and earned third-team All-Ohio honors in Division I. * 10. Ronnie Steward, 5-10, point guard, Columbus Eastmoor – Steward signed with Akron. He averaged 20.3 points per game and earned first-team All-Ohio honors in Division II. * 11. James Davis, 6-3, shooting guard, Columbus Linden McKinley – Davis signed with Toledo. * 12. Joe Jakubowski, 6-2, point guard, Toledo St. John’s – As a senior, Jakubowski averaged 12 points per game. As a junior, he averaged 10.4 points per game in leading St. John’s to the Division I state final four. He signed with Rice. * 13. Brett McKnight, 6-5, power forward, Lancaster – Signed with Akron. McKnight averaged 26.6 points per game and earned first-team All-Ohio honors in Division I. * 14. Mike Porrini, 6-1, point guard, Massillon Washington – Signed with Western Carolina. Porrini averaged 19.9 points per game and earned third-team All-Ohio honors in Division I. * 15. Alex Kellogg, 6-7, power forward, Columbus DeSales – Kellogg is the son of former OSU and NBA star (and current CBS commentator) Clark Kellogg. He averaged 18.5 points per game and earned second-team All-Ohio honors in Division II as DeSales reached the state final four for the second straight year. As a junior, Kellogg averaged 15.8 points per game in helping lead DeSales to the Division II state final four as a junior. He lists Butler, Oakland and a number of MAC schools, including Miami (Ohio). * 16. Camden Miller, 6-8, wing forward, Wheelersburg – He averaged 19.0 points per game as a senior and 18.0 points per game as a junior. He was a first-team All-Ohio pick in Division III as a senior. He helped lead Wheelersburg to the Division III state final four as a junior. He signed with Western Carolina, led by former Ohio U. coach Billy Hunter.

B.J. Mullens, Canal Winchester

Division III as a senior. * 19 Bobby Austin, 6-3, guard, Cincinnati LaSalle – Austin, who averaged 16.5 points and 5.4 rebounds a game as a senior, is considering several MAC schools. * 20. Daitwaun Eppinger, 6-6, power forward, Garfield Heights – Eppinger averaged 19.1 points per game and earned second-team All-Ohio honors in Division I as a senior. * Also Notable: Joe Latas, 6-11, center, Bedford Chanel (Cleveland State signee); Billy Allen, 6-5, guard, Hamilton (Albany signee); Christian Siakam, 6-6, power forward, Cincinnati Harmony; Chris Wyse, 6-4, shooting guard, Toledo Scott; Greg Preer, 6-4, shooting guard, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary; Norris Cole, 6-0, point guard, Dayton Dunbar (Walsh signee); Elijah Allen, 6-4, wing forward, Columbus DeSales; Terry Martin, 6-6, power forward, Cincinnati Moeller; Antoine Wilhite, 6-7,

power forward, Lockland; Jason Wehri, 6-8, power forward, Ottoville (Findlay signee); Kelsey Williams, 6-6, power forward, Sandusky; Julian Wilkison, 60, point guard, Cincinnati Anderson (Rollins signee); Nate Hyde, 6-2, shooting guard, Findlay Liberty Benton (Findlay signee); Brian Scott, 5-6, point guard, Dayton Chaminade-Julienne (Tiffin signee); Robert Goldsberry, 6-0, point guard, Tipp City Tippecanoe (Canisius signee); Cory Thomasson, 6-6, power forward, Newark (Ashland signee).

Juniors (Class of 2008)

* 1. B.J. Mullens, 7-0, center, Canal Winchester (SH, seventh nationally in junior class; HS, 25th) – Mullens vaults from fourth to first in the 2008 class rankings after a huge junior season. He averaged 26.4 points, 14.1 rebounds and 4.4 blocked shots a game. His scoring average was second only to Diebler’s among all Division II players. But, remarkably, he did not make the eight-man All-Ohio first team. He was instead a second-team pick. “In my opinion, Mullens is the best center in the country in the ’08 class,” Johnson said. “He has shown vast improvement under the tutelage of (CWHS coach) Kent Riggs. He has tremendous offensive skills. He has the total package. “With continued improvement, he could be a surefire NBA lottery pick.” Mullens played his first two varsity seasons at Canal Winchester World Harvest Prep before transferring to nearby Canal Winchester. He averaged 17.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 6.0 blocked shots per game as a sophomore. He was already offered and committed to Ohio State in September 2004 -- before he averaged 11.3 points per game in his varsity debut season as a freshman. Mullens will play AAU ball for the Ohio Basketball Club. * 2. Delvon Roe, 6-8, power forward, Lakewood St. Edward (SH, fifth nationally in junior class; HS, fourth) – As a junior, Roe averaged 22.0 points and eight rebounds a game in earning Division I All-Ohio honors. He helped guide the Eagles to a 25-1 mark and a berth in the state final four. Roe had 14 points in his team’s state semifinal loss to Cincinnati Moeller. As of press time, Roe was set to decide between North Carolina and Michigan State. “He is a great athlete,” Johnson said. “He is a tremendous defender. He may be the best defender in the state. He handles the ball well for a 6-8 guy. The only question is whether he wants to be a three at the next level if he will work on his outside shooting.” Roe averaged 19.3 points per game as a sophomore, earning first-team all-district honors in Division I. He averaged 17 points as a freshman and

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Boys Basketball Recruiting

JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

ond-team All-Ohio pick in Division I. “He is the most underrated player in the state in my opinion,” said HoopScoop’s Chris Johnson, who is no relation to Brookhaven’s Chris Johnson. “He stayed under the radar with the emergence of Columbus Northland as a new power.” Johnson will play AAU ball with All-Ohio Red. * 7. Kyle Rudolph, 6-6, power forward, Cincinnati Elder – Rudolph averaged 17.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in earning Special Mention All-Ohio honors in Division I. He repeated as the GCL South player of the year. Photo by Gary Housteau

Roe will play for the King of the Court AAU team. * 3. William Buford, 6-5, wing forward, Toledo Libbey (SH, 12th; HS, 21st) – Buford verbaled to Ohio State in the fall, picking the Buckeyes over Michigan, Arizona, Louisville and Michigan State. He then had an amazing junior year, averaging 28.4 points and 10 rebounds a game for Libbey. “Observers in Toledo rank Buford as one of the great all-timers up there with Dennis Hopson, Jimmy Jackson and Kelvin Ransey,” Johnson said. “With Buford leading the way next year, Libbey should be one of the favorites in Division I along with Lakewood St. Edward.” As a sophomore, Buford averaged 22.7 points per game and was a first-team all-district pick in Division I. Buford showed well at the ABCD Camp and then helped the D-One Greyhounds team win the 16-and-under AAU national title. He will play again this spring with the D-One squad. * 4. Yancy Gates, 6-8, power forward, Cincinnati Withrow (SH, 28th; HS, 14th) – Gates averaged 19.4 points and eight rebounds a game in earning second-team All-Ohio honors in Division I as a junior. “Gates led Withrow to the regional final, where they lost a tight game to Cincinnati St. Xavier,” Johnson said. “He has a great build as a 240pound kid. He is a prototypical power forward, although he has a tendency to float outside at times.” Gates transferred to Withrow after averaging 20.3 points per game as a sophomore at Cincinnati Hughes. That was up from 13.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per game as a freshman. Gates verbaled to Cincinnati on April 16, choosing the Bearcats over Florida, Georgetown, Indiana, Xavier, Michigan, Ohio State and West Virginia. Gates will play AAU ball for the Ohio Basketball Club. * 5. Kenny Frease, 7-0, center, Massillon Perry (SH, 32nd; HS, 79th) – Frease averaged 15 points and 11 rebounds in an injury-plagued junior year. Still, he was a third-team All-Ohio pick in Division I. “He had an up-and-down year with a broken wrist and then he took a blow to the eye,” Johnson said. “He broke two bones over his eye and missed three weeks.” Frease verbaled to Xavier after receiving overtures from the likes of Kentucky, Notre Dame and Michigan. He averaged 18.6 points per game and earned third-team All-Ohio honors in Division I as a sophomore. He will play AAU ball for King of the Court. * 6. Chris Johnson, 6-5, wing forward, Columbus Brookhaven – Johnson averaged 24.4 points, 13.2 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game as a junior at Brookhaven. He was a sec-

Tom Pritchard, Lakewood St. Edward

In March, Rudolph issued a verbal commitment to play college football as a tight end at Notre Dame. “He will probably play ball next year at Elder, but he will not play any AAU ball this spring or summer,” Johnson said. As a junior, Rudolph averaged 15.5 points and 7.9 rebounds. * 8. Josh Benson, 6-9, power forward, Dayton Dunbar – Benson has already verbaled to hometown Dayton. He averaged 10.1 points per game in leading Dunbar to a 24-4 mark and a second straight Division I state title. Benson had 16 points and 10 rebounds in Dunbar’s 87-85 title game win over Upper Sandusky. He will play AAU ball with Dayton Metro. * 9. Devon Moore, 6-3, point guard, Columbus Northland (HS, 81st) – Moore averaged 16.5 points per game as a junior. Moore,

who will play AAU ball with Ohio Basketball Club, is looking at various Big Ten and MAC schools. * 10. Walt Gibler, 6-6, power forward, Cincinnati St. Xavier – Gibler averaged 15.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as St. X went 21-6 and advanced to the Division I state title game. He had 21 points in St. X’s title game loss to rival Cincinnati Moeller. Gibler averaged 14.9 points and 6.9 rebounds as a sophomore. Gibler, who will play AAU ball for the D-One Greyhounds, is hearing from Miami (Ohio), Notre Dame and Bowling Green. * 11. Tom Pritchard, 6-8, power forward, Lakewood St. Edward – Pritchard averaged 13.0 points per game in helping the Eagles advance to the Division I state final four. He will play AAU ball for King of the Court. * 12. Damian Eargle, 6-8, power forward, Warren Harding – A number of MAC schools as well as Xavier are in on Eargle. He will play AAU ball for King of the Court. * 13. Anthony Hitchens, 5-9, point guard, Chillicothe – Hitchens averaged 18.5 points per game and earned second-team All-Ohio honors in Division II as a junior. He averaged 17.4 ppg as a sophomore. He is getting looks from Western Kentucky as well as a host of MAC schools. He will play for the Queen City Prophets. * 14. Robert Wilson, 6-5, wing forward, Garfield Heights – Wilson transferred in from Cleveland Rhodes. He will play for King of the Court. * 15. Courtney Davis, 6-3, shooting guard, Cincinnati Taft – Davis transferred in from North College Hill. He will play AAU ball for the D-One Greyhounds. * Also Notable: Rayshawn Goins, 6-5, wing forward, Cleveland Rhodes; Anthony Oden, 6-8, center/power forward, Dayton Dunbar; Lee Tabb, 6-8, power forward, Toledo Rogers; Troy Long, 5-11, shooting guard, Cincinnati Woodward; Andrew Spradlin, 6-4, shooting guard, Wheelersburg; Damon Butler, 5-10, point guard, North College Hill; Johnie Davis, 6-1, shooting guard, Canton Timken; Anthony McBride, 6-0, point guard, Cincinnati Withrow; Chris Crockett, 5-9, point guard, Columbus Academy; Ashen Ward, 6-3, shooting guard, Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph; Zac Taylor, 6-8, power forward, Oregon Clay; Brandon Baker, 6-6, wing forward, Cincinnati Milford; Chris Grimes, 6-5, power forward, Cincinnati Woodward; Greg Avery, 6-3, shooting guard, Newark; Julius Wells, 6-5, wing forward, Toledo Libbey; Alex Sullivan, 5-9, point guard, Painesville Riverside; Scott Thomas, 6-6, wing forward, Delaware Buckeye Valley; Kyle Smith, 6-10, center, Norwalk; Chris Henderson, 6-7, power forward, Warren Harding; Travis Kelce, 6-5, wing forward, Cleveland Heights; Logan Aronholt, 6-4, wing forward, Zanesville; Robbie Taylor, 5-10, point

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Boys Basketball Recruiting S o p h o m o r e s ( C l a s s o f 2 0 0 9)

JJ Hu d d l e ’ s O h io H i g h

Princeton; Mike Taylor, 6-2, shooting guard, Toledo St. John’s; Jared Porrini, 6-3, shooting guard, Massillon Washington; Aaron Robinson, 61, point guard, Trotwood-Madison; Zack Brown, 6-3, shooting guard, Mason; Ryan Siggins, 6-4, shooting guard, Kettering Alter; Brian Wozniak, 65, wing forward, Cincinnati Loveland; Robert Johnson, 6-4, wing forward, Bedford; Dane Kopp, 6-8, center, Newark; Tiondre Johnson, 6-5, wing forward, Peninsula Woodridge; Matt Kavanaugh, 6-9, center, Centerville; Allen Roberts, 6-2, shooting guard, Middletown; Luke Kraus, 5-11, point Photo by Gary Housteau

* 1. Danny McElroy, 6-7, power forward, Cincinnati LaSalle (HS, 46th nationally in sophomore class) – McElroy ended the suspense early and committed to new Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin in mid-October. As a sophomore, he averaged 10.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He averaged 8.0 points and 4.7 rebounds as a freshman. He will play AAU ball for the Queen City Prophets. * 2. Desmar Jackson, 6-4, shooting guard, Warren JFK (HS, 63rd) – Jackson is a two-sport star in football and basketball. He earned Special Mention All-Ohio honors in Division III after averaging 20.2 points per game as a sophomore. Jackson will play AAU ball with King of the Court. “He is the most gifted athlete in the sophomore class,” Johnson said. “There is not much separating him from McElroy. Right now, Jackson is the only guy from Ohio that Ohio State is showing interest in. He is also an outstanding football player and will have to make a decision in that regard at some point.” * 3. Reggie Keely, 6-6, power forward, Bedford – Keely left Solon at midseason and transferred to nearby Bedford. He ended up earning second-team all-district honors after averaging 16.3 points per game. He will play AAU ball for the D-One Greyhounds. “He transferred at midseason,” Johnson said. “He gives Bedford one of the top young teams in Ohio.” * 4. Robert Capobianco, 6-7, power forward, Loveland – Capobianco averaged 19.5 points and 11.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Loveland. He will play AAU ball with Indiana Elite. * 5. Mario Hines, 6-8, power forward, Garfield Heights (HS, 80th) – Hines plays AAU ball for the Ohio Basketball Club. * 6. Bill Edwards, 6-5, forward, Middletown (HS, 56th) – Edwards averaged 13.0 points per game as a sophomore. Edwards, who plays AAU ball for the Nike Ohio Force, averaged 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game as a freshman. * 7. Randal Holt, 5-11, point guard, Bedford – Holt was a second-team all-district pick after averaging 20.4 points per game as a sophomore. * 8. Carl Jones, 5-7, point guard, Garfield Heights – Jones was a third-team all-district pick after averaging 18.7 points per game as a sophomore. * 9. Darren Goodson, 6-4, wing forward, Cincinnati Aiken * 10. Garrick Sherman, 6-9, center, Kenton * Also Notable: Orlando Williams, 6-2, point guard, Cincinnati Princeton; Shawn Joplin, 6-1, combo guard, Sylvania Southview; Drew McGee, 6-8, power forward, North Ridgeville; Chris Freeman, 6-8, center, Trotwood-Madison; Stephon Johnson, 6-5, power forward, Cincinnati

Nick Kellogg, Columbus DeSales

guard, Findlay; Cortez Howell, 5-11, point guard, Cincinnati Aiken; Jack Smith, 6-4, wing forward, Cincinnati Hughes.

F r e s h m e n ( C l a ss o f 2 0 1 0 )

* 1. Jared Sullinger, 6-7, power forward, Columbus Northland (HS, 17th nationally in freshman class) – Sullinger plays for his father, coach Satch Sullinger, at Northland. He is also the younger brother of J.J. Sullinger, who was a co-captain on Ohio State’s 2006 Big Ten championship team. Jared Sullinger is making quite a name for himself in his own right. In his first season of varsity competition, Sullinger earned Honorable Mention All-Ohio honors in Division I. He averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds in leading Northland to a 24-1 mark and its first district title since 1985.

“Jared Sullinger is the next great player from Ohio,” Johnson said. “He probably ranks among the top 20 freshmen in the country nationally right now. If he grows any more, look out.” Sullinger is already receiving letters from the likes of Ohio State, Wisconsin and Kentucky and he was a fixture at OSU home games this past season. “If and when Ohio State offers, they are probably the one to beat,” Johnson said. Sullinger will play AAU ball for All-Ohio Red’s 15-and-under team. * 2. Pe’shon Howard, 6-2, point guard, Lakewood St. Edward (HS, 60th) – Howard was a key reserve on St. Ed’s Division I state final four team. Howard had 11 points in his team’s state semifinal loss to Cincinnati Moeller. He will play AAU ball for King of the Court. “Howard should be the starting point guard at St. Ed’s next year,” Johnson said. “With Roe and Pritchard coming back, they are probably set up as the team to beat next year.” * 3. Allen Payne, 6-5, wing forward, Cincinnati Winton Woods – Payne averaged 11.0 points per game as a freshman at Winton Woods. “Payne is already drawing comparisons to former Cincinnati area star Damon Flint,” Johnson said. * 4. Jordan Hicks, 6-3, shooting guard, West Chester Lakota West * 5. Juwan Staten, 5-9, point guard, Dayton Colonel White (HS, 79th) * 6. Nick Kellogg, 6-3, wing forward, Columbus DeSales (HS, 43rd) – Kellogg, the younger son of Clark Kellogg, averaged 10.0 points per game for DeSales’ state final four team. * 7. Cameron Wright, 6-3, shooting guard, Cleveland Benedictine * 8. Kenny Knight, 6-5, wing forward, Cincinnati Northwest * 9. Adrian Payne, 6-7, center, Dayton Jefferson * 10. Storm Sanders, 5-10, point guard, Canton GlenOak * Also Notable: Cody Smith, 5-11, point guard, Lima Shawnee; Kevin Gray, 5-10, point guard, Reynoldsburg; Courtney Avery, 5-11, point guard, Lexington; Aaron Craft, 5-11, shooting guard, Findlay Liberty Benton; J.D. Weatherspoon, 6-5, wing forward, Columbus Northland; Ralph Hill, 64, wing forward, Westerville North; Greg Gainey, 6-4, wing forward, Trotwood-Madison; Liam Walsh, 6-6, power forward, West Geauga; Ricardo Johnson, 6-3, shooting guard, Cincinnati Taft. — OH For more updates on Ohio’s top prospects and those nationally, check out Chris Johnson’s work at hoopscooponline.com

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Photos by Gary Housteau

Girls Basketball State Tournament

Jantel Lavender, Cleveland Central Catholic

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Kendall Hackney, Cin. Mount Notre Dame

Kristin Daugherty, Warsaw River View

Shiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;niece Cox, Columbus Africentric

JJ H u dd leâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s O h io High

STORY BY ERIC FRANTZ & MATT NATALI

he 32nd Annual OHSAA State Girls Basketball Tournament took place March 15-17 at Ohio State’s Value City Arena. It featured two repeat state champions and two first-time state champions who were making their state tournament debuts. The following is a look at the 2007 state tournament:

Mount Notre Dame Claims Third D-I Title In Four Years

Death, taxes and Mount Notre Dame basketball. For the third time in four years, Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame claimed the Division I girls basketball state championship with a resounding 63-43 win over Stow Munroe-Falls before a crowd of 3,576. MND shot the lights out and clamped down on Stow’s offense to pull out the win under firstyear head coach Dante Harlan. “Mentally, the girls were just focused,” Harlan said. “They were not going to let anything stand in the way of them no matter what team it is. They wouldn’t let anyone stop them from winning the title. They set a goal for themselves and they wanted to prove something to everyone and prove something to themselves after the kids we lost last year. “They knew they were in for a dogfight and they came out mentally ready to fight for 32 minutes for what they felt was their’s,” he said. The Cougars (23-4) were led by sophomore forward Kendall Hackney with 21 points on 8-of10 shooting and 14 rebounds. Sophomore forward Tia McBride had 19 points and nine rebounds while sophomore guard Gabby Smith added nine points and four rebounds. As a team, MND shot 48 percent from the floor on 24-of-50 shooting. In the final minute of the game, Smith and sophomore guard Ashley Fowler came off the court and met Harlan with an embrace. “I told them to appreciate and remember the experiences they’ve had the first two years of high school and being able to say they were state champions both years,” said Harlan. “I told them to understand that next year is not promised to them because you could never make it back here again so understand it, appreciate it and don’t take it for granted. “I want them to know it is not just going to happen because they have two more years and

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Girls Basketball State Tournament

I want them to keep the same focus and determination and fire to get back here next year,” he said. Stow (24-4) got 17 points and seven rebounds from senior Bowling Green recruit Liana Jennings, who battled an injured back after a physical semifinal game with Pickerington North. The Lady Bulldogs also got 13 points from junior guard Emilee Ritchie and 10 points from senior guard Cate Cianchetti. “Mount Notre Dame did a really good job shooting the ball today and I thought they did a really good job defensively in the first half,” said Stow head coach Bob Podges. “I thought we’d shoot the ball better tonight and we didn’t shoot the ball well at all tonight. We shot the ball really well throughout the tournament.” Stow shot 27.5 percent on 14-of-51 shooting. “They have a really good program, they do a great job over there and that is obvious with their record the last four years,” he said. Jennings had 19 points and 11 rebounds in the state semifinal game. “We told (our players) Stow was going to come ready to play. Liana Jennings – God bless that young lady - she is tremendous,” Harlan said. MND led 28-12 at halftime. “(The girls) knew even at halftime that the game wasn’t over. They knew (Jennings) was

“Mentally, the girls were just focused. They were not going to let anything stand in the way of them no matter what team it is. They wouldn’t let anyone stop them from winning the title.” Mount Notre Dame Coach Dante Harlan

“They have a really good program, they do a great job over there and that is obvious with their record the last four years.” Stow-Munroe Falls Coach Bob Podges

going to keep fighting. So, it’s just awesome,” said Harlan. For the previous six seasons, Harlan was an assistant coach for MND under now assistant Scott Rogers. Previous to this season, Rogers relinquished his duties to Harlan and took a seat on the bench. In the final seconds of the game, Harlan and Rogers shared a hug and a few tears. “I just wanted to make sure we upheld the standards and excellence that (Rogers) set forth from day one and I wanted to make sure I brought the same intensity and passion that he brought,” said Harlan. “He just told me that he is proud of me. He said that he knew it was tough because he’s been there. He said he was proud of me and it doesn’t get any better than that. “I never wanted to let him down. I just wanted to make sure I didn’t and try to duplicate what he’s done. He is like a big brother to me and to hear your big brother tell you that is worth it.” And for as proud Rogers is of Harlan, the new Cougars head coach is just as proud of his team. “It is kind of like we told the girls. We are so proud of them. All year long they put up with me and we had some ups and downs but we hung in there together,” he said. With the torch now passed, Rogers is pleased to see the program he established in good hands. “I know he was so concerned about not letting me down and, truly, the tradition of a program is built on everybody involved and not anyone specifically,” Rogers said. “You always have a dream and that’s what we did. He stepped in, and I know he felt the pressure, but I knew he would do extremely well. “And the girls – they responded. I adjusted, Dante adjusted and the kids adjusted and to Dante’s credit, he zeroed in on a couple of things and the kids really just started to execute,” he said. Senior Salute: In her fourth trip to the state tournament with MND, the coaching staff honored senior guard Melissa Hersey by starting her in the championship game. Hersey had two points, one rebound and six assists in 23 minutes of play. She will play college basketball for Ohio Dominican. State Semifinals Results: Mount Notre Dame 56, Findlay 41: In a tight,

J J H U D D L E . C O M 33

Girls Basketball State Tournament

Mylan Woods, Hathaway Brown

Megan Askew, Pickerington North

Ashar Harris, Columbus Africentric

Tia McBride, Cin. Mount Notre Dame

Carlee Roethlisberger, Findlay

Liana Jennings, Stow-Munroe Falls

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Warsaw River View became the 11th school to repeat as girls basketball champions when they won the Division II title.

Photos by Gary Housteau

JJ Hu ddleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; s O h io High

Girls Basketball State Tournament three quarters, MND put the defensive pressure on Findlay in the fourth quarter outscoring the Lady Trojans 19-3 in the final period. MND was led by McBride with 19 points and nine rebounds and Smith with 11 points and nine rebounds. Findlay’s (21-5) marquee player, senior forward Carlee Roethlisberger, finished with 13 points and six rebounds but was held to only one point in the fourth quarter. Stow 50, Pickerington North 43: In the third quarter, Stow built a 13-point edge before North (22-4) mounted a charge. The Panthers – coming off emotional wins over Pickerington Central and No. 1 ranked Dublin Scioto in the regional’s – climbed to within four (40-36). Consecutive baskets by Jennings pushed the lead back to eight and after a bucket by North’s Megan Askew, Ritchie drove the nail home with another 3-pointer from the top of the key. The basket put Stow up 47-38 with 2:32 left.

Warsaw River View Wins Second Straight D-II Title

It is even sweeter the second time around. With a convincing 45-26 win over Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown in the Division II state title game, Warsaw River View claimed its second straight state championship and fourth in school history. River View relied on offense in the state semifinal game to advance but it was the Lady Bear defense that dominated Hathaway Brown holding the Blazers to the fewest points scored in a D-II championship game in OHSAA tournament history. The score was tied 3-3 midway through the first quarter but River View went on a 9-0 run, sparked by a Sami Dickerson 3-pointer, and the Lady Bears went into the locker room at the half up 21-8. River View (26-1) forced 16 Hathaway Brown turnovers and scored 16 points off those takeaways. “I watched the kids warm up before the game and Hathaway (Brown) looked very loose and with kids like that we wanted to jump on them right away and not let them feel they were going to be in the ball game,” said River View head coach Caroline Daugherty. “I just thought the kids came out ready to play today. We missed some early shots that we don’t normally miss so I think we could have widened the gap a little bit in the first half. But our defense stepped up and was the difference in the ball game,” she said. Kristin Daugherty got off to somewhat of a slow start to the game but settled in to lead all scorers with 19 points and nine rebounds to finish up her career for the Lady Bears in her 100th game started. “I think any player whose team did (well) the year before feels pressure to get back to where

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we were last year,” she said. “It was fun and you can’t replace how much hard work and dedication we put into this team and the whole program and I am really excited to get another (championship).” Her sophomore sister Kari, who was a critical component of River View’s state championship last season as a freshman, had 16 points and seven rebounds. “(Kari) is an awesome player,” Kristin said. “We play one-on-one in the summer all the time and I think that just makes us that much better. She’s definitely going to be a great player when she is an upperclassman.” Coach Daugherty added, “I think Kari was real relaxed in the first half and I think calmed her sister’s nerves a little bit. But in the fourth quarter, Kristin stepped up for us when it really mattered. The seniors really stepped up for us. Hathaway Brown (22-5), which was unranked in the final AP poll, was led by freshman Mylan Woods with nine points and six rebounds while junior forward Angela Groves had seven points and four rebounds. Senior guard Julie Lozon had five points and one board for the Blazers. “I think there was an intimidation factor going into the game since we knew they had three (championships) and had been in this situation before. But we were ready for it. We just didn’t capitalize,” she said. Hathaway Brown was a dismal 27 percent from the field on 10-of-37 shooting. “I thought we came out and were pretty focused,” said Hathaway Brown head coach Paul Barlow. “I thought defensively we played pretty well in the first half; we just didn’t knock down any shots. Our shooting percentage from the game wasn’t nearly what it needed to be. We missed some easy shots early on and we got some

“I think any player whose team did (well) the year before feels pressure to get back to where we were last year.” Warsaw River View senior Kristin Daugherty

“I think there was an intimidation factor going into the game since we knew they had three (championships) and had been in this situation before.” Hathaway Brown senior Julie Lozon

easy looks at the basket and just didn’t convert on them. “They played very good defense. We needed to get more shots up and that is a credit to their defense,” he said. Coming into the tournament, River View was ranked No. 2 in the final AP poll finishing the regular season 19-1 with its lone loss coming against Columbus Africentric in the Classic in the Country tournament in mid-January. “To be honest with you, it kind of ticked us off a little bit,” coach Daugherty said. “I thought we deserved the number one ranking but in the same breath, no number one team in Division II has ever won (a state championship).” This year marks the 25th anniversary of the 1982 River View state championship, of which coach Daugherty was a member. Her father, Dave Mast, coached that team and Daugherty is thankful for having the opportunity for her and her husband Bill to have coached their daughters to two state championships. “I thought it was a pretty neat thing for my daughters to experience as well,” she said. “Our whole family lives basketball. It is been a part of my entire life. I try to separate it with the girls but it is hard. I’ve tried my darndest to keep them as just my daughters and I think of the whole team as my kids. I am so close with these girls and I think we have a little different relationship than most coaches and players have.” Kristin said, “It’s really special. I don’t think any other kids in Ohio get to experience this. Just to be able to have (my parents) be there through the whole experience. It just makes it that much more special.” Four for Four: Thanks to its second straight championship, River View moved into fourth place overall for most state titles in history. The Bears, with four titles (1977, 1982 and 2006-07), trail only Pickerington, Delphos St. John’s and South Euclid Regina. River View also became the 11th school in history to defend its title. The last school to do so was Berlin Hiland last year in D-IV. In D-I Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame also repeated, becoming the 12th team to do so. Disabled List: River View freshman guard Cortnie Kelso, who saw limited time in the state semifinal game, was hospitalized the morning of the championship game complaining of stomach pains. Kelso underwent emergency surgery for appendicitis at Columbus Children’s Medical Center and recovered fine. River View assistant coach Beth Porteus accepted Kelso’s individual medal. Said coach Daugherty, “She’ll get a ring just like everyone else.” Expectations: Before the season began, not many in the state would have expected Hathaway Brown to be in the district final, let alone the state championship. Next year is a dif-

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Girls Basketball State Tournament

Photos by Gary Housteau

Courtney Schimmoeller, Ottoville

Hayley Kruse, New Knoxville

Justine Raterman, Versailles

Jeanne Bockey, Delphos St. John’s

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Cleveland Central Catholic, led by Ms. Basketball Jantel Lavender (with trophy), captured the school’s first state title in D-III.

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Girls Basketball State Tournament “Obviously at the beginning of the year if you would have polled people few would have expected us to get to the regionals and no one would have thought we could make the state except for maybe the people in our gym,” H-B head coach Paul Barlow said. “We’re excited about what we bring back.” The Blazers return five of their top six players including four starters and their top two scorers: junior Angela Groves and freshman Mylan Woods. Both were second team All-Ohio. H-B also brings back sophomores Kirsten Holmes and Lauren Ryan and freshman Alexis Dobbs. In all, the Blazers graduate two seniors. “For us to come here is huge. We made history today,” Woods said. “No one would have ever thought we’d be here and now people know we can do it. “We’ll be back.” State Semifinal Results River View 57, Columbus Eastmoor Academy 43: Kristin Daugherty exploded for 30 points and eight rebounds to lead the Lady Bears past Eastmoor Academy 57-41. Kari Daugherty scored 12 points and had seven boards. Eastmoor’s (19-5) Ayana Dunning, who is considered by many the top center prospect in the nation’s class of 2008, had 15 points and eight rebounds while being double and tripleteamed by River View. Hathaway Brown 47, Sandusky Perkins 39: Combining for 25 of their team’s 28 second half points, Woods and fellow freshman Alexis Dobbs led H-B to the Division II state title game with a 47-39 win over Sandusky Perkins (21-4). Woods, a starter, ended the game with a teamhigh 15 points and five rebounds. Dobbs, coming off the bench, scored all 14 of her points in the second half. She also added six boards and four assists. Led by Cierra Bravard, a 6-4 junior who earned D-II state co-player of the year honors, Perkins trailed just 19-18 at the half and trailed by one (34-33) with 4:15 to go. Bravard entered the game averaging 23.5 points. She ended with 19 points and eight rebounds.

Buckeye next season. “As well as they played defensively on (Jantel) today, nobody can stop her,” CCC head coach Brian Arth said. “She’s incredible. She’s our goto.” “You know Cleveland and Cincinnati and other cities make up Ohio and I feel like my teammates are the cities that make me,” Lavender said. “I feel like we deserve everything we’ve gotten.” Delphos St. John’s, making its 10th state tournament appearance, failed in its bid to tie Pickerington for the most state titles in history (six). Instead the Blue Jays moved to 5-1 in state finals. “We had our chances,” DSJ head coach Dan Grothouse said. “We executed to the point where we got some good looks, the ball just didn’t fall down.” Lavender had no problem getting the ball to fall. The 6-4 post scored the first five points of the game and hit her first four shots as CCC built a 13-9 lead with 1:58 to go in the first quarter. DSJ responded with an 11-2 run and held the Ironmen scoreless the first four minutes of the second quarter to edge ahead 20-17. The Blue Jays led 24-21 at half. In the third quarter CCC outscored DSJ 17-9 and out rebounded them 13-5 to swing momentum. Senior Candyce Flynn also discovered her shot. Draining a 3-pointer from the right baseline with her team down two, Flynn’s score put CCC ahead for good, 32-30. She also added two free throws and a shot at the buzzer as the Ironmen led 38-33 after three quarters. Flynn ended the game with 11 points and five assists. “Candyce is our second option,” Arth said. “We give her the green light whenever she’s

After receiving Ohio’s Ms. Basketball award earlier in the week, Cleveland Central Catholic’s Jantel Lavender added a state championship on March 17. Leading CCC to its first title in school history in any sport, Lavender scored 23 points, grabbed nine rebounds, blocked six shots and hit four free throws in the final 16 seconds as the Ironmen staved off Delphos St. John’s, 51-45, in the Division III state final before a crowd of 4,624. Lavender’s high school career ended where her college one starts. Lavender will be a

Clev. Central Catholic senior Jantel Lavender

Lavender Powers CCC To Division III Championship

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“Cleveland and Cincinnati and other cities make up Ohio and I feel like my teammates are the cities that make me. I feel like we deserve everything we’ve gotten.”

“We executed to the point where we got some good looks, the ball just didn’t fall down.” Delphos St. John’s Coach Dan Grothouse

feeling it.” Said Grothouse, “That (3-pointer) was a big shot.” Another Flynn bucket with 3:36 to play gave CCC its largest lead, 44-37, and led to a DSJ timeout. The Blue Jays scored five straight after stoppage to pull within 44-42 with 2:18 left, but got no closer. DSJ had several opportunities in the closing seconds to make plays and failed. CCC went 7-for-8 at the free throw line in the final 49 seconds. “We had several turnovers and opportunities and we just couldn’t get the basket to go down,” Grothouse said. “These guys played their hearts out and that’s what makes it so emotional and tough. We did have opportunities there that in the past we’ve converted.” The Ironmen converted their first trip to Columbus into gold. “It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Lavender said. “This was our goal at the beginning of the year and since we were freshman.” Said Flynn, “I’m in awe.” Deee-Fense: Lavender, who averaged 21 points this season and scored 37 in two state tournament games, doesn’t mind playing a little defense either. In her two state games and a regional final win over South Euclid Regina, Lavender registered 18 blocks. Overcoming Adversity: Not only did CCC overcome Versailles and Delphos St. John’s to win its first title, the Ironmen also squashed some adversity along the way. Led by first-year coach Arth, who came from Perry High in Lake County, CCC overhauled its roster this season – and not by choice. When former coach Melvin Burke left for Lutheran East, five players followed. Another went elsewhere and three seniors graduated. “We’ve had a lot of pressure all year,” Arth said. “This was basically a new team but people expected us to do things. We had two starters back (Jantel Lavender and Candyce Flynn) and added a lot of players from the junior varsity. Last year they were a totally different team.” The return of Lavender and Flynn, the team’s second leading scorer, were key. So was believing in each other. “We expected things from each other,” Arth said. “As a coach, I expected them to get (to state) and I told them to believe in me and I’ll get you there.” Expect CCC to have another face-lift next year. The Ironmen graduate seven seniors. State Semifinals Results CCC 51, Versailles 39: Lavender’s first points of the second half didn’t come until 4:29 remained in the game. They did however come at the right time. Putting CCC ahead for good 36-34 leading the Ironmen to a 51-39 win over

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Girls Basketball State Tournament Versailles in the D-III state semifinal. Lavender had 14 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks. Justine Raterman led Versailles (23-4) with 13 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Delphos St. John’s 55, Albany Alexander 24: Thanks to the stout defense and extraordinary rebounding by DSJ, Alexander (24-3) scored the fewest points a team has ever scored in the D-III state semifinals falling to 55-24. The Lady Blue Jays out-rebounded Alexander 45-19, which was the difference in the game. Junior guard Brittany Pohlman paced DSJ with 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting and eight rebounds. Bockey added 11 points and had six rebounds. Alexander got 10 points and five rebounds from senior forward Amy Smith while none of her teammates scored more than five points.

Defense Propels Columbus Africentric To D-IV Title Win Over New Knoxville

New Knoxville hangs its hat on playing tough defense. In the Division IV state championship, the Lady Rangers met another team with similar headgear. Columbus Africentric slapped a historic defensive effort on the Lady Rangers en route to a 4427 win in the Division IV state championship before a crowd of 3,734. New Knoxville’s 27 points set a record for the lowest output by a team in a D-IV final and the teams’ combined tally of 71 set a divisional record for fewest total points in a title game. The previous record of 72 was set by Frankfort Adena and Rocky River Lutheran West in 1976 – the first year of the OHSAA girls tournament. “Playing a team like (Africentric) you have to come to play and you have to put the ball in the hole,” New Knoxville coach Tim Hegemier said. “We shot 27.3 percent. That’s not good enough.” Said Africentric coach Will McKinney: “The game plan was to come in and apply pressure and keep pressure.” Although the No. 1 ranked Nubians entered averaging 75.8 points per game – the highest scoring average of any team in the state tournament – little was made of their defense until the title game. On the season, Africentric held opponents to 37.6 points per game, which translates into an average winning margin of 38.2. Defensively the Lady Rangers held their own. Offense was a different story. Hitting just 3-of-17 first half shots (17.6 percent) and committing eight turnovers, New Knoxville trailed 17-7 at halftime. The Lady Rangers lone bucket of the second quarter was a 3-pointer by Casey Horstman with 33 seconds left. “I really think the (2-3) zone worked,” Hegemier said. “If I can hold Columbus

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Africentric to 17 points in the first half with zone, than it did its job. We just had to score on offense and seven points is not enough.” Unlike the state semifinal win over Ottoville, the Nubians kept the pressure on in the second half. “Today we knew we had to keep our foot on them and just keep on going,” Africentric sophomore Ashar Harris said. “There was no stopping.” In the third quarter Africentric outscored New Knoxville 15-5 to build a 32-12 edge. Heading into the fourth quarter the Lady Rangers were 4of-23 and had 16 turnovers. New Knoxville outscored the Nubians 15-12 in the final eight minutes but the damage was done. “Their pressure defense gave us a little bit of trouble,” Hegemier said. “We were starting a lot of our offensive sets at mid-court and that’s not what you want to see. You want to start at the top of the key.” For the game, New Knoxville hit 9-of-33 shots (27.3 percent) and committed 20 turnovers. Haley Kruse led the Lady Rangers with 11 points, while Brooke Niemeyer added eight. Harris scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead Africentric which shot 44.2-percent (19-of-43) and had 17 turnovers. Shi’niece Cox and Tyesha Moss added eight points apiece. With the win, Africentric becomes the fourth Columbus City League school to win a state title and the first since Brookhaven did it in 1996. In just four short years (the school was opened in 2003) the Nubians have state hardware. “It’s exciting and it’s something to be proud of,” McKinney said. “Going through the teams we had to go through, we know we definitely earned it. “We played Berlin Hiland, Toledo Waite,

“Today we knew we had to keep our foot on them and just keep on going,. There was no stopping.”

Columbus Africentric sophomore Ashar Harris “Playing a team like (Africentric) you have to come to play and you have to put the ball in the hole. We shot 27.3 percent. That’s not good enough.” New Knoxville Coach Tim Hegemier

Mentor, Mifflin, River View and not to mention Eastmoor twice. When you play against that caliber of teams throughout the year, it’s satisfying to actually get to this point and win everything.” Said Hegemier, “We can play a lot better than we did today. I just think we got wrapped up in the moment and never got rolling.” Small Ball: Columbus Africentric became the first Central Ohio school to win a state title in the state’s small school division since Newark Catholic in 1984. The Nubians are no stranger to making history, though. In just its fourth year of existence, Africentric has already achieved some lofty marks. Last year the Nubians became the first CCL school from the South Division to win the city league in 13 years. Two Timers: State tournament participants Mount Notre Dame, New Knoxville and Albany Alexander all made the state volleyball tournament in November as well. Ironically all three repeated the results. Mount Notre Dame captured the D-I title, while New Knoxville finished second in D-IV. Alexander lost in the semifinals. “I know making two state finals is a great accomplishment,” said New Knoxville’s tearyeyed Nicole Wright. “I know there are some girls out there who never have this opportunity. I’m glad I got to do it my senior year.” State Semifinals Results Columbus Africentric 42, Ottoville 39: After trailing Africentric by as much as 16, Ottoville clawed its way back to tie the Lady Nubians late in the fourth quarter only to fall 42-39 on a Chynna Bozeman three-pointer in the final seconds. Trailing 30-18 at halftime, Ottoville (21-5) outscored Africentric 13-4 in the third quarter to pull within three points and held Africentric to only 12 second half points. Trailing 36-39 with nine seconds left in the game and following an injury timeout, Ottoville in-bounded the ball to sophomore Tricia Honigford and she drained a 3-pointer from the corner to tie the game. Africentric marched down the court and Bozeman hit a 3-pointer with 1.6 seconds remaining to put the Lady Nubians ahead for good. New Knoxville 31, Bedford Chanel 30: Kruse is by no means an intimidating figure. Listed a generous 5-4 on the roster, she played a lot larger in the D-IV state semifinals. Hitting the game-winning shot with 22 seconds left, Kruse helped lift New Knoxville into its first girls basketball state final with a 31-30 win over Bedford St. Peter. New Knoxville didn’t have any players in double-figures and was led by Niemeyer’s seven points. Nicole Wright, Niemeyer and Meredith Fledderjohann each added six. — OH

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State Wrestling Tournament

Impromptu win by Cincinnati Moeller’s Becker among top stories at 70th annual state wrestling meet

eavyweight wrestlers don’t often get the limelight. At the 70th annual state wrestling meet, Cincinnati Moeller bigman Frank Becker basked in it. Surviving the Division I heavyweight field, which respected wrestling guru Brian Brakeman said was the meet’s best since 1975, Becker captured not only the top spot on the podium but also the admiration of many in attendance at Ohio State’s Value City Arena on March 3. “I’ve never been asked to pose for so many pictures in my life,” Becker said. “What a feeling.” Becker won hearts and his match by capitalizing on what the state wrestling meet is all about – endurance, patience and seizing opportunity. For Becker that opportunity came in overtime. Wrestling defending state champion and undefeated Brendan Barlow of Westerville Central in the finals, Becker scored the decisive points on a takedown with 34 seconds left in the extra period. The score came seconds after Barlow looked like he was going to win with a takedown of his own. One fan from the stands told Becker the victory was “one of the greatest comebacks I’ve ever seen.” For Becker, his return trip to Columbus defined the notion of redemption. Listed as one of the wrestlers who could win a state title at heavyweight, Becker was not the favorite. Also in the field were Barlow, Reynoldsburg’s Andy Hartshorn (2006 runner-up), Hilliard Darby’s Antonio Jeremiah (state placer) and Lakewood St. Edward’s Ben Kuhar (2005 runner-up). Becker, who finished seventh last year after dropping bouts to Jeremiah and Hartshorn, almost Cincinnati Moeller’s Frank didn’t make it out of the quarter-

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finals. Down 8-0 to Jeremiah in the third period, Becker miraculously pulled out the win with a pin. In the semis, Becker beat Hartshorn 3-2. “I came in here treating each match like it was the last of my career,” Becker said. “All season long, my coach has given me magic numbers and (after districts) it was four (wins needed for a state title). Once we got here though we made each magic number one. That made me think, because here you have to win one at a time.” The match ironically was the last of Becker’s career. He’ll pursue football next year at the University of Cincinnati where he’ll see action along the offensive or defensive lines. “At first I went in and tried to take a shot (on Barlow) but my Photo by Greg Beers feet slipped and it wasn’t there so I backed off,” Becker said. “Then he took a shot. I figured if I was patient it would pay off and once I felt his hand go off my leg it was ‘Oh baby, here it comes!’ ” Becker’s victory was a fitting end for a state wrestling meet filled with heroics, history and heartbreak. Other big stories at the state wrestling meet included:

Becker celebrates his win in the Division I 275-pound final.

St. Edward Wins 23rd Title, Record 11th Straight In D-I

Lakewood St. Edward has come to Columbus before and left with an ample haul of hardware. This season, the Eagles brought home a couple carloads of history, too. Capping arguably the best season in the storied program’s lengthy and legendary past, St. Ed broke its own state record of consecutive titles with its 11th Division I championship in a row. The previous record of 10 was set by St. Ed from 19781987. Only one other program in state history (Maple Heights)

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STORY BY ERIC FRANTZ

State Wrestling Tournament

Photos by Greg Beers

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State Wrestling Tournament has at least 10 titles combined. The Eagles, who have 23 titles overall, also qualified a state-record 14 wrestlers to Columbus and had four individual champions (Collin Palmer, 130; Sean Nemec 169, Brian Roddy 171; and Chris Honeycutt 189). St. Ed’s team total of 229 points was also a new divisional and overall state record. The Eagles tied the previous mark of 210 (set by them last season) before the finals began. In addition, head coach Greg Urbas surpassed his mentor and former St. Ed coach Howard Ferguson with a state-best 12 total titles. Ferguson, who arrived at St. Ed in 1976, won 11.

Graham Wins Seventh Straight Division II Title; Ninth Overall

Graham shattered its own previous divisional record of 191.5 points set in 2003 with 208 en route to its seventh straight Division II title. The Falcons had 193 points before finals. Graham’s nine overall state titles also breaks a third place-tie with Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit for the most in state history. Graham trails only St. Ed and Maple Heights. Individually, the Falcons qualified a program best seven wrestlers to finals and watched three come away with wins. Sophomore David Taylor won his second state title at 103, while seniors Coby Boyd (145) and Cordell Longstreath (119) claimed their first. Graham had 11 state placers.

Troy Christian Outlasts Marion Pleasant In D-III

The season-long battle between Troy Christian and Marion Pleasant finally came to a head. Troy Christian, on the strength of three state titlists and two runners-up, edged Pleasant 154-151.5 for the Division III team title. The state championship is TC’s first. The Eagles trailed 143.5-141 heading into finals. TC and Pleasant were 1-2 in every D-III state poll this year and the Eagles earned the spot in the final rankings. Head-tohead, TC beat Pleasant at the Brecksville Invitational, and lost to the Spartans in the state dual finals. Those capturing state titles for the Eagles were junior Ben Sergent (112), senior Casey Thome (135) and sophomore Zach Toal (140).

claimed his third state title with a 9-4 win over junior Jesse Dong of Westerville North at 145. Ohio State-bound Colt Sponseller of West Holmes improved to 490 and won the D-II 160 title with a 25-12 decision over Canal Fulton Northwest senior Kyle Haddox. Sponseller previously claimed titles in 2005 (140) and 2006 (152).

Not So Fast

Cameron Wade of Bedford St. Peter Chanel was trying to become the third heavyweight in state history to win three titles. Sullivan Black River senior Jesse Campbell was trying to beat Wade for the third time in his career. Campbell won out. Handing Wade his first loss of the season, Campbell won the duo’s D-III heavyweight match 2-1 in overtime. Wade was called for stalling in the extra period. Campbell’s last win over Wade was in the district final last year. Since then Wade had gone 2-0 against Campbell, including a victory in last year’s state final and this year’s district.

Déjà vu All Over Again

St. Edward senior Sean Nemec and Wadsworth senior Derek Foore made state history by becoming the first duo to face each other three times in a state final. Unfortunately for Foore, the match went the same way the other two did – a victory for Nemec. Nemec won the D-I 160 bout 5-3. The duo’s other meetings were at 135 in 2005 (Nemec won 12-2) and 145 last season (3-0). Nemec also finished second as a freshman at 130.

Surprising Result

Photo by Nick Falzerano

Whenever someone with the last name Jordan loses at the state meet it’s big news. The feat doesn’t happen very often, but Saturday it did. Going for his third straight title in D-II, Graham junior Ben Jordan was upset by Bellevue senior Jeffrey Pelton. Pelton, who has two second place finishes to his credit, beat Jordan 2-1 in the 135 final. Jordan is the son of Jim Jordan – a four-time champion and Ohio Congressman. Jordan’s uncle is Graham coach Jeff Jordan – also a four-time winner.

Fab Frosh

Three-Peats

There were multiple wrestlers who captured their third state titles. In D-I, Austintown-Fitch junior Tony Jameson won for the third time with an 8-4 victory over Brunswick junior Richie Spicel. Spicel was the 2005 state champion at 130 and entered the mach 44-0. Solon senior Kevin Hardy

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Bellevue senior Jeffrey Pelton reacts after beating Graham’s Ben Jordan for the D-II 135-pound final.

Monroeville freshman Logan Stieber definitely lived up to his billing as the country’s No. 2 ranked 103-pounder. Stieber won all four of his D-III state bouts in convincing fashion to become the school’s first state champ. After winning his first three matches via pins (0:39, 0:22 and 1:45), Stieber recorded a tech fall (20-5) against Massillon Tuslaw’s Justin Hall in the final. He finished the season 43-1.

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State Wrestling Tournament

Photos by Nick Falzerano

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State Wrestling Tournament Falk Falls

Bluffton senior Josh Falk lost to only one wrestler this year. Unfortunately it was the opponent Falk faced in the 140 final – Troy Christian sophomore Zach Toal. Toal, who finished sixth last year, won the championship with a 4-2 overtime win. Toal held a 2-1 lead before being called for stalling with two seconds left in the match. He then won on a reversal. In their earlier meetings Toal won both by one-point. Falk wraps up an outstanding career with a championship (135 in 2005), two runners-up and a fifth place.

Long Time Coming

Applecreek Waynedale junior David Stiltner beat Cincinnati Maderia junior Kevin Cloran 3-1 in overtime to win the D-III 145 title. It was Waynedale’s first state champ since 1983.

Brothers Grim

Tuslaw brothers Justin Hall (103) and Jase Hall (119) both wrestled in state finals Saturday, but nether brought home a title. Justin Hall, a freshman, lost to Monroeville’s talented freshman Logan Stieber, while Jase Hull, a senior, lost to Sandusky St. Mary Central Catholic senior Pat Harrington.

Speaking of Which

Harrington tied the state single-season record for wins when he registered No. 63 against Hall. Harrington, who is now a two-time state champ, finished the year 63-0. Harrington’s teammate Troy Opfer was looking for his 64th win but fell, 3-1, to Troy Photo by Greg Beers Christian’s Ben Sergent in the D-III 112 final. As a result, Opfer finishes the season 63-1 and tied for Harrington atop the record book.

junior Daniel Kolodzik and Casstown Miami East junior Ryan Gambill returned to the top of the podium after a year absence. Kolodzik, who is the only wrestler at MVS, captured the D-III 125 title with a win over Troy Christian’s Zac Hancock. Kolodzik won the 103 championship as a freshman and finished fourth at 119 last year. Gambill took the D-III 130 title with a win over Marion Pleasant freshman Josh Demas. Gambill became his school’s first state champion when he won the 112 title in 2005. Last year he finished seventh at 119.

Moving Up

Bumping up a weight class didn’t stop Genoa Area senior Nick Purdue from winning another state title. Purdue, who won at 171 a year ago, captured the D-III 189 title with a win over Attica Seneca East senior Alex Hughes. Purdue was third as a sophomore at 160.

Buckeye Bound

Ohio State recruit John Weakley of Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy defended his D-II 189 title by outdueling Sandusky Perkins junior Matt Fisher 14-5. Weakley overcame a bout of mono early in the season to accumulate a 38-1 record and his second straight title.

Got It

Pemberville Eastwood junior Eric Cubberly won the D-II 152 title with a 7-3 win over Wintersville Indian Creek senior James Myers. Cubberly, who was third last year and eighth in 2005, improved to 51-1. The loss was Myers first of the season. Myers was runner-up last year at 140.

Unbeatens

It wasn’t a good day to be undefeated heading into the finals. Of the 12 wrestlers with unblemished records, six lost. In addition to Harrington, Squire and Sponseller, St. Ed senior Chris Honeycutt also completed an undefeated run with a pin (1:29) of Liberty Twp. Lakota East senior Daniel Canfield in the D-I 189 final. Honeycutt finished 39-0. In D-II, Ravenna senior Matt Reedy beat Graham’s Joe Newland in the 140 final to improve to 51-0. Galion’s Matt Clum beat Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary senior Jamey Srock in the 215 title bout to finish 45-0.

Opening Suspense

The D-I 103 final between nationally-ranked St. Ed freshman Jamie Clark and Massillon Perry sophomore Sam White went four extra periods. White was finally able to secure the win with an escape. The match was tied 2-2 after regulation.

Third time not the charm

Lakota West junior Ryan Fields failed in his attempt to capture an elusive state title. Instead he had to settle for runner-up for the third straight season. Fields was defeated in the DI 119 final by Wadsworth freshman Brad Squire who capped an unbeaten season (34-0). Fields was second last year at 112 and second at 103 in 2005.

Back on Top

Miami Valley School (Dayton)

44 J J H U D D L E . C O M

Numbers Game

The attendance at the finals was 15,685. The three-day, five session total was 69,746.

Lakewood St. Edward senior Brian Roddy celebrates after beating defending champion Dustin Kilgore of Berea in the D-I 171-pound final. Kilgore beat Roddy to win the title last year.

Mark It Down

The 2008 state wrestling meet will be held Feb. 28March 1 at Value City Arena. — OH

JJ H u ddle ’s O h io Hi gh

State Wrestling Tournament

Photos by Nick Falzerano

JJ Hu d d l e â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s O h i o H i g h

J J H U D D L E . C O M 45

STORY BY OHIO HIGH STAFF

Winter Sports Recap

ere are roundups of several of the state championships contested in the winter season by the OHSAA.

Photo by Jeff Brehm

information on him.” But the Bruins also showed they could score in a hurry. Only 23 seconds after his team fell behind 2-0, Padua senior Chris Coyle got an assist from Evan Phenney’s older brother, Justin, and slapped the puck home Parma Padua Franciscan Claims Hockey Title Defending state hockey champion Parma Padua Franciscan was from directly in front of the goal. Both teams would score one more time in the stanza. Hauenstein went able to fend off one challenger bent on earning respect for its disfirst, snaring a deflected shot by Dan Johnson and stuffing it past trict, but not two. Phenney. Then Zack Stryffeler answered for the Bruins on a The Bruins (28-10-1), from the traditional hockey powerpower play with just under a minute remaining that house Northeast District, held off a late rally by Central made it 3-2. District representative Upper Arlington to win the The Titans dominated the middle period, scorstate semifinal 3-2. But in the state champiing on two of their five shots against Phenney onship game Sun., Mar. 11 at Nationwide and allowing only four Padua shots on Arena in Columbus, it was Padua that fell goal. The first point came just 28 secbehind early and then saw its comeback onds in, when Heldt flipped in a wrist bid fall short in a 6-4 loss to Toledo St. shot from the left side. Then Johnson John’s Jesuit. scored on an assist from Tad Huber The victory by the Titans (29-7-3) at the 5:02 mark. marks the first time in the 30-year “We tried some different things history of the state hockey tourand it didn’t seem that anything nament that a team from the at any one time really clicked Toledo area has brought home for us,” Hauser said. “We the crown. That was a fact not were trying different line comlost on either squad. binations to see if we could “It’s kind of a relief,” SJ bust loose and pretty much senior captain Andrew Heldt all the different things we said. “People have been tried either backfired on us stopping me all week at the or couldn’t ignite us.” rink, saying ‘Bring this one Hauser pulled Phenney, back for Toledo.’ who finished with 11 saves “It’s nice the state trophy on 16 attempts, and junior is coming back to St. Anonio Bucca fared a little John’s. We don’t exactly better, allowing only one get a lot of respect there goal while tallying 12 but I think we will now, for saves. And it didn’t hurt a while.” that the Padua offense, fac“I’ve never looked upon ing a 6-2 deficit after the hockey in Toledo as Hauenstein notched his third being a weak sister,” said goal early in the final stanza, Bruins coach Doug Hauser, finally came to life. whose club split with SJ dur“As a Padua hockey player, ing the regular season. “I’ve you’re taught from day one to always highly respected the always sell yourself out, always hockey teams that have come keep going on the ice,” senior out of Toledo and we know we Chris Seidenwand said. “It doesn’t have to play well to beat them.” matter how many goals you’re down For all but a few minutes of by; it’s how you finish the game.” Sunday’s title match, the Titans looked Stryffeller started the Bruins’ rally with like the better team. St. John’s, which a powerful shot at the 2:31 mark, just 18 had fallen behind Huntington Valley seconds after Hauenstein’s score. And Toledo St. John’s captured the first University School 3-2 in the first period of when a scuffle in front of the SJ goal left the their semifinal contest before going on to win 5high school hockey title in Titans shorthanded, Padua’s Mike Stokar made 3, wasted little time finding the back of the Bruins’ Toledo-area history. the most of a pretty pass from Joe Sposit to pull his net against Padua freshman goalie Evan Phenney. team to within 6-4 with 8:20 to go. First to score for the Titans was junior Cameron “You’re never feeling great when you’re two goals down but I Hauenstein, who ended a personal scoring slump in a big way. felt a little bit of a momentum change, and I thought for a two- or threeHe flipped the puck past the 5-6 Phenney from the right side on a power minute span that if we could get that next one we’d be right back in it,” play 4:55 into the first period. And just 34 seconds later, SJ sophomore Hauser said. “All year, we’ve been a dangerous team when we’re behind. Raymond Morris scored from the same side on an assist by senior Shane We always like to weather the storm. Hetrick. “But I’ve got to give St. John’s credit. A lot of teams will start playing real “We knew what we needed to do early to set the tone of the game and I defensive (in that situation), but they regrouped very well.” think the goals early kind of shook their goalie up a little bit and kind of put Marzec, who finished with 27 saves, did not allow any more of the them on their heels,” Titans coach Mike Hayes said. “Our JV team had Bruins’ 15 shots in the period to get through, even after Bucca was pulled played against Phenney, and our JV coaches gave us some pretty good

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J J H U D D L E . C O M 47

Winter Sports Recap

Photos by Jeff Brehm

in the waning moments, and soon the ice was littered with SJ sticks and Four girls scored more than 600 in finishing among the top nine in the helmets as the Titans celebrated a state championship. individual standings. Centerville’s Kristen Keenan was third with 647, folThe Bruins finished with a 31-29 edge in shots on goal. Both teams lowed by Alicia Simpson of Troy, 639; Kayla Barker of McDonald, 613; scored on two of their seven power plays and both tallied seven penalDanielle Conley of Westerville South, 605; Brandi Fulton of Fairborn ties for 14 minutes. and Casey Reese of Massillon Washington – who tied for sev“All credit goes out to St. John’s. They played a great enth at 604 – and Sara Loney of Niles McKinley, 601. game,” Hauser said. “They knew our team pretty well, — Jeff Brehm and I think they had a game plan in mind and they implemented it pretty well.” Coldwater Outduels Rival St. “We are familiar with them,” Hayes said. Henry For Bowling Crown “Because we played them twice this year and Don’t expect to see any high school football because when I got back to the room last night, or basketball coaches calling up their local the coaches sat down and broke the film down rivals and suggesting they should have their from those two games. teams start practicing together. But after the “We saw some things that we thought we first-ever OHSAA state boys bowling tournaneeded to be aware of and we saw some ment at Tiki Lanes in Lancaster, some bowling things we thought maybe we could take advancoaches might want consider it. tage of. We felt that if it was our forwards against MAC rivals Coldwater and St. That’s because neighboring schools and their defensemen down low, we would win a lot of friendly rivals took home the runner-up and chamHenry finished 1-2 in the those battles. pionship trophies in both the boys and girls competiboys bowling tourney. “Our forwards got a step on them quite a bit in their tion. end and winning the battles down low. That’s how we The Beavercreek and Fairborn girls, two Greater were getting the pucks in the net.” Western Ohio Conference (GWOC) schools just a few miles — Jeff Brehm apart, dueled in a five-game finals won by the Beavers. In the boys championship Mar. 3, longtime Mercer County and Midwest Beavercreek Claims First Athletic Conference foes Coldwater and St. Henry, who often practice sideOHSAA Girls Bowling Title by-side at Dayton’s Pla-More Lanes, battled for four games before the It was billed as the inaugural Ohio High School Athletic Association girls Coldwater came out on top 201-151, 231-225, 170-200, 222-202. state bowling tournament Mar. 2 at Tiki Lanes in Lancaster. What it turned “When we compete, the team that gets off to a fast start usually wins, out to be was a demonstration of the bowling prowess of the Greater and that’s what happened today,” Coldwater junior Tyler James said. “We Western Ohio Conference. started out 2-0, came out and really got on them as hard as we could. First Fairborn senior Amber Fulton won the individual title, edging “The game we lost was when we didn’t get started real quick. They saw Beavercreek sophomore Emily Figer 675-658. Then, four GWOC teams it and took advantage.” — the Fairborn, Beavercreek, Centerville and Troy — joined Cincinnati “We knew it would be a close all the way through,” Cavaliers senior McAuley as five squads from the Southwest District among the eight to Jared Brockman said. “We all knew it was going to be tough, that it was advanced to the team championship round. anyone’s match.” Three GWOC clubs reached the semifinals where Centerville fell to It was exactly the showdown both teams had hoped it would be. Beavercreek and Fairborn, down 2-1 early to Westerville South, rallied to St. Henry went 11-1 in the regular season, their only loss at the hands of advance to the title match against its old rival. That contest also took five 13-0 Coldwater. They went on to finish second in the sectional and district stanzas before the Beavers (11-2) got revenge on the only team to hand tournaments to — you guessed it — the Cavaliers. them a regular-season defeat in the previous two seasons, beating “We wanted this one bad,” said St. Henry junior Eric Stout. “We bowl Fairborn (11-2) 206-175 in the deciding round. together almost every day. We push each other to get better and we know Fulton, Figer and the coaches smiled when asked about the friendly each other pretty well and we kid around in practice all the time.” rivalry between the adjoining school districts. “Sometimes too much,” teased Redskins coach Jim Stout. “They like to “The schools are only about five miles from each other,” Beavercreek joke around sometimes. They have a good time together.” coach Dave Hartsock explained, noting they won two of the three GWOC “But we never beat them by a large margin,” Coldwater coach Rick division titles (the other went to Troy). Hartings added. “It always comes down to one or two games or a couple “And they’ve all bowled together and come up together all the way,” of spares. added Fairborn coach Jack Gregory. “It’s a strong bowling district. And the Championship day was no different, as members of both teams could parents really support the kids,” Hartsock said. often be found chatting and cheering for each other until the championship “My team definitely wanted to go against Fairborn for the title,” Figer match, when things got serious - until the end, when almost everyone said, noting her team’s losses to the Hawks in the last two years. But it exchanged hugs. looked at one point as though the Beavers might regret getting their wish. Coldwater had had an easier path to the finals. The Cavaliers, seeded Down 2-0 in the best-of-five final, Fairborn rallied with to take the third fourth of their eight teams to advance to the championship round, opened game 205-200 and then tossed five strikes in the fourth stanza to force a with a 225-172, 227-169, 193-190 win over Youngstown Liberty and then fifth. defeated Austintown-Fitch 201-180, 143-188, 247-195, 167-155. That’s when Beavercreek got hot again. With her team down 77-76 in No. 3 seed St. Henry had a tougher time, starting with a first-game loss the fourth frame, Figer got the winning rally started with a strike. Junior to sixth-seeded Hamilton before rallying to win 212-252, 234-166, 174-170, Anna Bowling followed with another, sophomore Elizabeth Bowling picked 215-192. The Redskins got off to a better start against No. 2 Kettering up a difficult spare and then senior Micki Sumner and sophomore Kathryn Fairmont on the way to a 224-194, 213-170, 179-215, 230-203 victory and Cox both cleared all the pins again to give the Beavers a decisive lead. a berth in the finals against the old rivals. Centerville wound up in third place and Westerville South was fourth, fol“They beat us by 15 in the sectional and by 45 last week,” St. Henry lowed in order by McAuley, Troy, Fremont Ross and Garrettsville Garfield. coach Jim Stout said. “I guess this proves they’re just a little bit better than

48 J J H U D D L E . C O M

JJ H u ddle’ s O h io Hi gh

Winter Sports Recap us this year. Broadview Heights) 37.775; Vault – Christina Lenny (Sr., Brecksville“We bowled some of our best games today after we got down 2-0. Broadview Heights) 9.700; Uneven Parallel Bars – Kayla Kmiecik (Jr., Coldwater never gave us a break, never gave us an opening. They kept Rocky River Magnificat) 9.375; Balance Beam – Christina Lenny (Sr., making their spares and striking right with us.” Brecksville-Broadview Heights) 9.400; Floor Exercise – Christina “(The Redskins) are an awesome team,” Hartings said. Lenny (Sr., Brecksville-Broadview Heights) 9.525 “They’ve got two state titles. I reminded our guys about — Staff Reports that and then reminded that we’ve won some titles, too.” Powerhouses Win Again Unlike the girls competition, in which both indiAt State Swim Meet vidual winners led their teams to the finals both The 31st annual OHSAA girls state swimming of the top boys were done by mid-afternoon. and diving tournaments and 80th annual boys Runner-up Steve Sullivan, a senior from state swimming and diving tournaments took Youngstown Boardman, rolled a 685 in the place Feb. 22-24 C.T. Branin Natatorium in three games of the morning qualifier but it wasCanton. n’t enough to boost the Spartans into the Girls Division I: Upper Arlington won its championship field. third consecutive state championship and fourth Cincinnati LaSalle senior Evan Kling got to in five years when it had 330 points. Cincinnati Beavercreek, one of three bowl a little longer. His morning score of 737 Ursuline Academy was runner-up for the fifth helped the Lancers look down the top seed in the GWOC teams in the semis, straight year with 202.5 points. quarterfinals but they were upset by No. 8 seed UA was led by sophomore Darcy Fishback, who won the girls state Fitch 234-223, 210-200, 173-149 in their opening defended her championship the 100 butterfly and was bowling title. best-of-five games showdown. on the winning 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams. Both clearly were more disappointed in their teams’ fates Golden Bears junior Jenna Hillier defended her championship than excited about their individual honors. in the 50 freestyle (she swam for Dublin Jerome in 2006) and was on “I and the other two seniors have been working hard to keep everybody the winning 200 medley relay, and junior Abby Johnston, who set a state together and get us this far,” Sullivan said. “We’ve all held each other record in the district tournament, regained the one-meter diving champitogether through the tough times and had a 17-0 season in which we finonship she won as a freshman. ished second in four tournaments and won one ... and then we came here The other highlight was the performance of Cincinnati Anderson senior and tried so hard ... and we just hit the wall.” Anita Beck, who won her third straight 500 freestyle and second consecuKling got his start in the sport when his parents signed him up for a tive 200 freestyle. league. Girls Division II: Gates Mills Hawken won its eighth straight Division II “My first experience with Evan was when he was in the sixth or seventh championship, captured its 11th state title in 12 years and raised its all-time grade, when he came to a training camp we had,” recalled his coach, Paul lead in girls state swimming & diving championships to 17 when it had 358 Gebhardt. “He and his older brother were pretty bent on becoming high points. For the sixth straight year, Cincinnati Indian Hill was the runner-up school bowlers even then.” with 145. Hawken was led by junior Brittany Strumbel, who defended her “Normally, anything over a 200 average works for me,” said Kling, who championship in the 200 freestyle, won the 500 freestyle and swam on the tossed scores of 254, 266 and 217. “But after that first game, I got excited winning 200 and 400 freestyle relays. The 200 freestyle relay team set a about how it was going. tournament record (1:37.63). The Hawk’s other championship came in the “I had a good second game, too. I started out with eight in a row, then I 200 medlay relay. got kind of nervous and pulled it. But after I finished that game, I thought, Other highlights of the tournament saw Indian Hill senior Amanda Smith ‘Well, I’ve got two pretty good games here. I might as well try for a third set state and tournament records in winning the 100 butterfly (55.65); and see where that gets me.” Indian Hill junior Margaret Fish win the 200 individual medley and the 100 — Jeff Brehm backstroke; Milford Center Fairbanks freshman Margo Geer, who set a state record in the 50 freestyle at the district Brecksville-Broadview Heights tournament, set a tournament record in winning the 50 freestyle (23.60) Vaults To Gymnastics Title and also capture the 100 freestyle, and Millbury Lake senior Brittany The 35th annual girls state gymnastics championship, held Mar. 2-3 at TenEyck defend her championship in one-meter diving. Hilliard Darby High School, saw Brecksville-Broadview Heights win its Boys Division I: Cincinnati St. Xavier won its 16th state championship fourth consecutive championship, its sixth in eight years and its seventh since 1990, ninth in a row and increased its lead in all-time state swimming overall when it had 146.575 points. & diving championships to 29 when it had 250 points. The Bees won its other titles in 1994, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2006. Columbus St. Charles was runner-up for the second straight year with Brecksville-Broadview Heights senior Christina Lenny won the all around 177 points. It was also the 14th state championship for Head Coach Jim title with 37.775 points. She also was the individual champion in the vault, Brower, giving him the all-time lead in Ohio state championships for a head balance beam and floor exercise. coach in any sport. Leading the Bombers were senior David Mosko and Rocky River Magnificat was runner-up with 140.575 points with junior junior Jim Barbiere. Mosko defended his championship in the 500 freestyle Kayla Kmiecik defended her title in the uneven parallel bars. with a state and tournament record (4:20.56) and won the 200 freestyle, TEAM SCORES: 1. Brecksville-Broadview Heights 146.575; 2. Rocky Barbiere defended his title in the 100 backstroke and both were on the River Magnificat 140.575 ; 3. Columbus St. Francis DeSales 140.375; 4. winning 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams. Grove City 137.500; 5. Chardon 136.350; 6. Olmsted Falls 132.475; 7. Another standout of the tournament was Westerville Central senior Napoleon 132.400; 8. Wadsworth 132.150; 9. Liberty Center Lakota East Austin Staab. He defended his championship in the 100 butterfly, where he 132.125; 10. Miamisburg 131.525; 11. Perrysburg 131.150; 12. Dublin tied a national record (47.10) and set Ohio state and tournament records, Coffman 129.825 and also took his second straight 100 freestyle crown. Individual Champions: All Around – Christina Lenny (Sr., Brecksville— Staff Reports

JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

J J H U D D L E . C O M 49

Upper Arlington closes gap on Kettering Alter

Ohio High Cup

STORY BY STEVE HELWAGEN

Golden Bears use strong winter finishes to climb into title contention

or the fourth year in a row, Ohio High will present the Ohio High Cup to the school that scores the most points in Ohio High School Athletic Association-sanctioned state championship events. This competition is patterned after the Directors’ Cup standings for colleges and universities. In the Ohio High Cup competition, schools accumulate points by finishing in the top four at OHSAAsanctioned state championships. Schools that win a state title are awarded five points. Runner-up teams receive three points, third-place teams get two points and fourth-place teams get one point. In sports where state semifinal teams tie for third, they each receive 1-1/2 points. Versailles captured the first Ohio High Cup in 2003-04. In 2004-05, Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit claimed the cup. This past year, Cincinnati St. Xavier won the Ohio High Cup competition. In this issue, we tabulate the standings after the winter sports season. That season saw points awarded for finishes in boys and girls basketball, boys and girls swimming, wrestling, gymnastics, hockey and boys and girls bowling. Through the winter season, Kettering Alter holds a narrow half-point lead over Upper Arlington. Alter has 14 points to UA’s 13-1/2. Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit is third at 13. Upper Arlington was the biggest mover during the winter season, amassing 8-1/2 points over the winter with a Division I girls swimming championship and top-four finishes in boys swimming and hockey. Also making a big move in the winter was Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, which vaulted from six points to 11 (and fourth place overall) with five points for the Division II girls state basketball title. We will return with the final tabulations in the July issue following the conclusion of the spring sports season. — OH

JJ Hu d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

Ohio High Cup Standings

The Leaders...

1 4 - - K e t t e r i n g A l t e r (girls Division II cross country runner-up, D-III football runner-up, boys D-II soccer runner-up, D-II volleyball champions). 1 3 - 1 / 2 - - U p p e r A r l i n g t o n (boys D-I golf champions, girls D-I swimming champions, boys swimming third, hockey semifinalist). 1 3 - - C u y a h o g a F a l l s W a l s h J e s u i t (boys D-II soccer champions, girls D-I soccer champions, D-II volleyball runner-up). 1 1 - - C i n c i n n a t i M o u n t N o t r e D a m e (field hockey semifinalist, D-I volleyball champions, girls D-I basketball champions) 8 - - C i n c i n n a t i M o e l l e r (boys D-I basketball champions, D-I wrestling runner-up), C i n c i n n a t i S t . X a v i e r (boys swimming champions, boys D-I basketball runner-up), S t o w M u n r o e F a l l s (boys D-I soccer champions, girls D-I basketball runner-up), S t . H e n r y (D-V football champions, boys bowling runner-up), T o l e d o S t . J o h n ’ s J e s u i t (boys D-I cross country runner-up, hockey champions). 7 - 1 / 2 - - F i n d l a y L i b e r t y B e n t o n (girls D-III cross country third, D-V football semifinalist, boys D-III golf fourth, boys D-III basketball runner-up), H u n t i n g V a l l e y U n i v e r s i t y S c h o o l (boys D-II golf champions, boys swimming fourth, hockey semifinalist), L a k e w o o d S t . E d w a r d (boys D-I golf fourth, boys D-I basketball semifinalist, D-I wrestling champions). 7 - - G a h a n n a C o l u m b u s A c a d e m y (field hockey champions, boys D-III golf third). 6 - 1 / 2 - - N o r w a l k S t . P a u l (D-VI football semifinalist, D-IV volleyball champions). 6 - - B e x l e y (boys D-II golf third, boys D-II soccer semifinalist, girls D-II soccer semifinalist), M i n s t e r (girls D-III cross country runner-up, boys D-III golf runner-up), N e w K n o x v i l l e (D-IV volleyball runner-up, girls DIV basketball runner-up). Also in the mix...

5 -- Anna (D-III volleyball champions), Beavercreek (girls bowling champions), BrecksvilleBroadview Heights (gymnastics champions), Cincinnati LaSalle (boys D-I cross country champions), Cincinnati St. Ursula Academy (girls D-I cross country champions), Centerville (boys D-I golf third, girls D-I swimming fourth, girls bowling third), Cincinnati North College Hill (boys D-III basketball champions), Cleveland Central Catholic (girls D-III basketball champions), Coldwater (boys bowling champions), Columbus Africentric (girls D-IV basketball champions), Dayton Dunbar (boys D-II basketball champions), Gates Mills Gilmour Academy (girls D-III cross country champions), Gates Mills Hawken (girls D-I swimming champions), Georgetown (boys D-IV basketball champions), Hilliard Davidson (D-I football champions), Johnstown-Monroe (boys D-III golf champions), Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas (boys D-III cross country champions), Maria Stein Marion Local (D-VI football champions), Parma Heights Holy Name (girls D-II champions), Peninsula Woodridge (boys D-II cross country champions), Piqua (D-II football champions), Salem (girls D-II cross country champions), St. Paris Graham (D-II wrestling champions), Steubenville (D-III football champions), Troy Christian (D-III wrestling champions), Warsaw River View (girls D-II basketball champions), West Chester Lakota West (girls golf champions), Worthington Christian (boys D-III soccer champions), Youngstown Mooney (D-IV football champions),

J J H U D D L E . C O M 51

Duane Long’s Top 100 Football Recruits for 2008

Class of 2008 deep and talented; OL, LB, TE, WR and QB strongest positions

Most of the elite recruits are great players and great athletes. Those are the players that receive all the early offers and the attention from every major school in the college football pantheon. The other question I receive from those who do not understand why the local star is not in Ohio High or he is not getting the recruiters beating down the door is based on statistics. Statistics could not matter less.

52 J J H U D D L E . C O M

Photo by Gary Housteau

have been asked a myriad of questions over the years about recruiting. What do I look for in a player at a certain position? Why are the broad jump and the vertical jump important to a football recruit? And so on. But overwhelmingly the No. 1 question I have been asked is: Why is this great high school player not in the Ohio High top 100 and why isn’t he getting any scholarship offers? The answer is very simple. Recruiting is about projection and development – it is about what these players are going to be in three years. The all-state and all-league teams, which get thrown at me by everyone who has this question, reflect the type of football players they are right now. The college coaches that make decisions about which players receive scholarships and which do not are concerned about the players that will develop into great college players and not the ones that are great high school players. And that means athletes.

Mike Adams, Dublin Coffman

I point out two examples: Former Ohio State wide receiver Roy Hall caught a grand total of nine passes as a junior before he ever stepped on a football field as a senior and he had offers from Ohio State, Michigan and Florida State. On the other side of this is Jason Bainum from Williamsburg, who held the career rushing record for the state of Ohio with 8,216 rushing yards up until a few years ago. To my knowledge, he never received a Division I-A scholarship offer. I bring all this up for the first time after all these years because I have heard this question more this past year than I have any other year.

Speaking of development, the Class of 2008 is showing like none before it. I have never had as hard of a time trying to squeeze so many players into a top 100. Just when I thought I had the class down, a new film would show up and I would be back to shuffling again. I thought this was going to be a very narrow class in the fact that the talent was so focused on a few positions. At first, it was offensive line and linebacker, then the tight ends started to emerge and now we are seeing a fine receiver class and I think the best quarterback class in years. One thing I have been willing to overlook in the past when it comes to quarterbacks is height. I like a quarterback’s height as much as anyone, but I just don’t see it as essential – or lets say my idea of tall enough is different than many of those making decisions about whether to offer a quarterback. That question is not there this year. Salvador Battles from the newly opened Youngstown East is the only quarterback that is not the required 6-3 – and Battles may be a running back or defensive back at the next level anyway. Dominique Britt of Trotwood-Madison was a super athlete playing quarterback but has become a quarterback who happens to be a great athlete. Quarterbacks from some off the beaten path places have showed up on the recruiting radar as well. I am really impressed with Ada’s Zac Dysert. He has size, a fine arm and is a good athlete. But there is no one elite player at the quarterback position this year. I am more impressed with how the receivers have developed than at any other position and several of the top players had never even played football before. For instance, DeVier Posey of Cincinnati LaSalle is a unique athlete. Last year was his first playing football and it is hard to find fault in his game. Ohio State extended an offer Posey’s way and he accepted in March. Middletown’s Phillip Barnett falls into this mold as well. Considering how these players performed last year with no football experience, the upside to these players is tremendous. The tight ends continue to be a strength in the Class of 2008 as well. One tight end in particular that cannot be ignored is Columbus St. Francis DeSales’ Justin Thompson. He lacks the ideal size but is otherwise

JJ H u dd le’s O h io High

STORY BY DUANE LONG as athletic and as fast as any of the more wellknown tight ends. I will go so far as to say if he is 6-4 or better I might put him at the top of the tight end class. DeVoe Torrence of Massillon Washington gives the state an elite running back again this year. He is very intriguing as a back even after playing so many positions. The offensive line is the ‘Cadillac’ position in the class. Mike Adams of Dublin Coffman is the best offensive lineman I have seen in Ohio since Orlando Pace. By the time his senior year is over, Adams may be better. I know that may be sacrilegious to say, but he is that good. Any other year Clayton Northmont’s Zebrie Sanders would be the talk of Ohio but the presence of Adams keeps that from happening. So would Youngstown Ursuline’s Harold Coates. He has the potential to be a real special talent. This is an offensive class, and outside of the linebackers the Class of 2008, it is not a deep one by position. Shawntel “Shaq” Rowell from Cleveland Glenville is one that stands out. For the longest time he was the No. 1 player in the class, but he let his weight knock him off that lofty position. He has since begun to lose weight but he still needs to work on it even though he is close to his old form. At 300 pounds, Rowell belongs in the conversation about the best defensive tackles to have played in Ohio. The other elite defensive player is Youngstown Cardinal Mooney safety Dan McCarthy. He reminds me so much of former Buckeye Steve Bellisari. He plays the same positions – safety and quarterback – and is even left-handed. The difference between McCarthy and Bellasari is this McCarthy is ready to play safety. There are some other defensive backs that I really like, as well. A hard-nosed group of versatile safeties have been a pleasant surprise as well as a couple of underrated, hard-nosed cornerbacks in Lamonte Lattimore of Cincinnati Winton Woods and Hamilton’s Kenny Veal. Kickers usually do not make the top 100 but this year the state has produced two players that are so good they are worthy of early offers in Westerville Central’s Ben Buchanan and Massillon Washington’s Steve Schott. When most schools try to get kickers to walk-on, it speaks volumes about what kind of talent these young men bring to the table when they earn early offers. Buchanan committed to Ohio State in early March. One of the more intriguing prospects has a name that college sports fans are already familiar with: Oden. Dayton Dunbar’s Anthony Oden is the brother of Ohio State center Greg Oden. He is getting recruited for both football and basketball and if he gets his academics in order he will be heavily recruited as a defensive tackle or offensive tackle. He has expressed an interest in playing both sports in college. With the first top 100 for the class of 2008, there are always players that emerge once the season gets underway. The way this class has exploded so far, I have never been more excited about what the next high school football season is going to bring. Here we go with the bios of the top 114 prospects in Ohio’s Class of 2008, followed by a list of more players to watch.

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Duane Long’s Top 100 Football Recruits for 2008

Mike Adams 6-8, 305, OL; Dublin Coffman

The word franchise gets tossed around a lot when it comes to athletes. All it takes is one glimpse of Mike Adams to see he is one player that fits the tag. My associate Steve Helwagen saw a tape of Adams and said, “We looked at about five plays. That was all it took. We saw he was the real deal.” When GH Steve throws in his two cents, that speaks volumes. About five plays are all you need to see of Adams. He has a body that is perfect for a left tackle. He is a massive kid but you are not going to find a better conditioned big athlete. He has a V-shaped body at better than 300 pounds. He has the long arms and is long bodied, something that stands out to me with the great left tackles I have seen. He is already an advanced pass blocker. He sits down and moves his feet, none of this reaching stuff that so many young offensive lineman do. He gets out of his stance and finds his man quickly. So much of what he does are things I do not expect out of a player this young. I was already convinced that he was the number one prospect in this class when I saw the Coffman playoff game versus Gahanna Lincoln. G-L came into the game with an outstanding senior defensive lineman in John Hughes, a Michigan State commitment. Adams stoned him. Hughes is an explosive and determined player. Adams dominated the match-up to such a degree that Hughes stopped trying to rush the passer. I don’t know if it was his decision or the coaching staffs to quit on the futile attempt to rush the passer and try to knock down passes at the line of scrimmage but it sent the message home loud and clear. Getting by Mike Adams was futile. Adams helped Coffman post a 9-4 record and advance to a Division I regional final as a junior. This is a national top-100 player and a top-10 national lineman. He is the best offensive lineman in Ohio since Orlando Pace. Adams gave the Buckeyes a verbal in March.

DeVoe Torrence 6-2, 215, LB/RB; Massillon Washington

Every year there are several names that end up at the top of this list that could have been No. 1. Last year it was Ben Martin, but I also considered Eugene Clifford. Never have I had a tougher time, or thought about it longer, than I did this year with Adams and DeVoe Torrence. GH We talk about players being the best player on the field. DeVoe Torrence was that in every game despite the presence of his older brother Devon, an Ohio State recruit. Devon took it to another level. Torrence was the best player on the field at every position he played. He was always the best linebacker but also played running back and wide receiver. He even played a little quarterback. I don’t see Torrence as a wide receiver in college but there is a lot to like about him as a running back. He rushed for nearly 1,000 yards despite splitting time

between running back, wide receiver and quarterback. Despite splitting positions, DeVoe Torrence is the best back in Ohio. There is no question he is the best linebacker. He had over 130 tackles and six sacks as a junior, leading Canton South to an 8-4 mark and a Division III playoff berth. He has been clocked at 4.5 second in the 40-yard dash. He stands 8-10 yards off the ball and still makes plays in the backfield. He has such instincts and has that motor that is so important to defensive players. He plays the middle in high school but is too good a football player to be a middle linebacker in college. I would put him on the weak side and let him make plays. Torrence got it over with making a surprise verbal to Ohio State in March.

Cordale Scott

Kyle Rudolph

6-3, 197, ATH; Cleveland Glenville

All Ted Ginn, Sr. needs to do to promote Scott is get the first half of the GlenvilleWarren Harding game out to colleges. Scott dominated the contest. He had a touchdown catch, two interceptions (one for a TD) and had a hit that forced the receiver to drop the ball. A quarter-and-a-half GH is closer to the time frame it took for Scott to do this. He is an impact player on both sides of the ball. The two interceptions show a player that did not simply use his athleticism. He read the play and broke on the ball both times. On the first he was in a better position to make the play. On the second it was pure Scott. He reads the deep out and gets there before the receiver. Scott first came on the radar as a receiver. Right now I would recruit him as a safety. He has great hands and the size advantage as a receiver but has run a 4.46-second 40-yard dash and has the frame of a player that is going to get a lot bigger. I say safety but I list him as an athlete. That is because what I really think when I see Scott is the size, the athleticism and the aggressiveness. A few years ago Ohio State had a player with a very similar build name Tim Cheatwood. He came in as a receiver, moved to safety then to linebacker. By the time he earned playing time he was a defensive end. Javon Kearse had an almost identical body and came out of high school as a receiver. Gaines Adams is going to be the first or second defensive end taken in the 2007 draft. He was this size and came to college as a receiver. I think Scott is highly likely to follow the same path. I see him as a safety and possibly a linebacker, but I am not going to be surprised to see him wind up as a defensive end.

6-7, 220, TE; Cincinnati Elder

One question I get asked all the time by fans is why college coaching staffs are always asking for more tape. Many think it is a stalling tactic and in some cases that may be true but for the most part it is about wanting to get as good an assessment on a player as possible. Case in point is Ohio State’s Anthony Gonzalez. I had him rated down my list a bit.

Sub

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Duane Long’s Top 100 Football Recruits for 2008 Ted Ginn Sr. told me I had him too low. Another Clevelander whose opinion I respect told me the same thing. I had seen two games and he did not really leap out at me as an elite player. Now he is looking at an NFL career. The same thing almost happened with Kyle Rudolph. What I saw from him early on had me scratching my head about the top twenty programs that offered him so early. Late in my evaluation process I saw more of Rudolph and could not have been more impressed. He has a complete game. He makes the classic tight end plays with the short stuff over the middle, the button hooks and quick outs but he also can go down the field like a big receiver. He creates the classic miss matches that everyone is looking for in a tight end. He is too fast and athletic for a linebacker to cover and is just too big for a safety. He has great hands and I can see why he is such a good basketball player. He is an explosive leaper. What completes his game is the blocking. I think the top tight ends in this class are all excellent athletes and receivers but Rudolph is such a great blocker. As a junior, Rudolph caught 32 passes for 400 yards and seven touchdowns. Rudolph recently gave Notre Dame a verbal. He also had offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Miami (Fla.), Virginia and Boston College.

Brandon Moore 6-6, 230, TE; Trotwood-Madison

I remember the first play I ever saw of Moore. He was running a wheel route up the sidelines. The quarterback threw the ball. I thought there was no way a player the size of Moore had a shot at the catch. He went up over the linebacker covering him and made the play on the ball at its highest point. It was not luck. It was not really a great catch but NF for the fact that this was a sophomore tight end making it, and he made it look simple. I only needed to see a few more plays by Moore to see that this was a special talent. I only hoped to see a better tight end prospect than former Youngstown Ursuline tight end Louis Irizarry. I have now seen that player. Moore is bigger but just as athletic. In fact, he is so athletic that he played wide receiver this past season under new Trotwood offensive coordinator Jeremy Beckham. I have spoken to people that think that was a waste. I could not disagree more. Brandon Moore is going to have to learn more about running pass routes to be effective as a college player. He is not your basic inline blocking tight end who will catch a pass on occasion. This is the kind of talent that you can build a passing attack around. He is going to be asked to run routes that most tight ends will never be asked to run. Moore can be one of those players that only spends three years in the college ranks before going on to the NFL. He is also a very good track athlete, throwing the shot over 50 feet and the discus over 140 feet. The wrapper on the package is a 4.28 GPA in honors classes and a 22 ACT.

Dan McCarthy 6-1, 190, S;

Youngstown Cardinal Mooney

I had not seen McCarthy since his sophomore year when I was told about offers from Ohio State and Notre Dame about midseason. Surprised was a better word than shocked. Not that he was offered but that he was offered this early by two of the Midwest’s Big Four. I think about dominating players

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when I think about early offers. I saw McCarthy for the first time as a junior a few weeks later. I can see why these powers came in with offers. He went from a possible Big Four player to a bonafide national level player. He was really something. He is bigger and can he ever move. He reads the game well and attacks with abandon. He runs like a back and hits like a linebacker. McCarthy helped lead Mooney to a 14-0 record and the Division IV state championship. In the state title game win, McCarthy rushed for 161 yards and a touchdown on offense and recovered a fumble on defense. As a junior, he rushed for 1,921 yards and 21 touchdowns, while also throwing for 780 yards and eight touchdowns. McCarthy doubles as the free safety and averaged eight tackles per game to go with two interceptions. Fans like to get a comparison out of me with a player they are more familiar with. I could not come up with a name until I saw him on offense. He is a left handed quarterback on offense. Watching him play there is what gave me a name. He bears a great resemblance to former Buckeye quarterback Steve Bellisari, who would have been an NFL safety if he had been able to make the move. Unlike Bellisari, McCarthy sees himself as a safety at the next level. Because his brother is at Notre Dame and his Catholic school background everyone assumes he will accept the Notre Dame offer but there is a lot of buzz that this McCarthy may choose to make his own mark and that Ohio State is the school to beat. Wherever he chooses to go, that school will be getting one of the nations top safety prospects.

Nathan Williams 6-4, 235, DE/LB; WCH Miami Trace

This is the best player in Ohio that nobody knows about. I know that Williams was an invitee to Ohio State games as a sophomore. I had not seen him until right before his junior year. The first thing that jumped out at me was the fact that he was always listed as a defensive end, but Sub he plays middle linebacker in high school. The next thing that occurred to me was why anyone would move this dominating middle linebacker to defensive end. He may grow into a defensive end but I can’t believe anyone would move him before giving him a shot first at showing he can be at middle linebacker. He reminds me of a combination of recent top Ohio linebackers, Matt Wilhelm and Ross Homan, both Buckeyes. He reminds me of Wilhelm because he is a big kid that everyone thinks is a foregone conclusion he will play defensive end. He reminds me of Homan in the fact that he plays small school football but he is one of the rare ones that rises so far above his level of competition that you have to discount it. He is not a big fish in a small pond. He is Moby Dick in a goldfish bowl. Like Homan he needs to be taken off the field to make the game fair. He has had two straight 100-plus-tackle seasons. As a sophomore, he had 12 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. As a junior, Williams had 149 tackles (67 solos), 23 tackles-forloss and five sacks. I don’t know if I have ever seen a Mike linebacker with double digit sacks. He rushed for over 1,000 yards as a fullback as a sophomore and averaged better than 10 yards a carry this past year. It is defense where he really stands out. He has run 4.67 in the 40 at 235-240. He reads the game so well. When he finds the runner he brings it. No drag down tackles here. Williams is a knock down tackler. Fans might not know much about him but college coaches do. Ohio State and Notre Dame are both in hot pursuit with the Buckeyes holding the edge. This is an athlete that should be on someone’s national top-100 list.

DeVier Posey

Brandon Beachum

6-3, 180, WR; Cincinnati LaSalle

Posey quietly went about being one of the most athletic and dynamic players in the state last year. He is as athletic as any player in the state. He returns kickoffs. Only the best of the best at this size are elusive enough to return kicks. He has the ability to change direction and GH stop and start like a much smaller player. He is special after the catch. He runs like a back once he has the ball in his hands, which is something LaSalle head coach Tom Grippa tried to do every way he could. Grippa used him on reverses and lined him up at quarterback. Something that really impressed me about Posey was how he works the middle of the field. He is utterly fearless. Time and time again he ran slants and posts knowing what awaited him and I never saw any hesitation. The best plays I saw from him were those where he ended up in the middle of the field then made great open field runs after the catch. Posey has an impressive frame. Just looking at him you would guess 200 pounds. That he is this good after his first year of football speaks volumes about his upside. Posey had 1,371 all-purpose yards (750 receiving) as a junior. He caught 33 passes and scored nine TDs. Those are good numbers when you consider that La Salle lost its starting quarterback for the year before the season started. Ohio State, Virginia, Michigan State, California, Indiana, Northwestern, Cincinnati, and Ohio have offered. He took a visit to Ohio State in the middle of March and committed to the Buckeyes soon after.

6-1, 220, LB/RB;

Youngstown Cardinal Mooney

Watch the 2006 Division IV state championship game to understand what all the fuss is about with Beachum. You want impact players? Players that make things happen whenever they are on the field? That is Beachum. He plays both ways. On offense, he rushed for 61 yards and GH scored a touchdown. He had a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, a sack and an interception on defense. It seemed like every time there was a big play No. 3 was involved. He had 12 offers at last count. Most of the offers are as a linebacker but some are as an athlete because he is that good a running back. He is a big back who shows good instincts and has excellent vision. What makes him a possible running back is he has a good burst and quick feet. That is what usually kills the chances for a back this size to stay there. Size will say a lot about where he ends up in college. I think he is a bit better as a linebacker. He reads very well, runs well and strikes hard. He is a solid tackler. I think he is getting excellent coaching under P.J. Fecko. When I watch Mooney the one thing that stands out is how well organized and sharp the team is. Beachum is already a full qualifier.

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Jamhir Williams 6-2½, 230, LB; Trotwood-Madison

Williams is just now starting to be a name that fans are familiar with. In Ohio the recruiting trail is what is known as the “3-C highway”, Cleveland to Columbus to Cincinnati. Williams was at Lima. That is off the beaten path. A standout on the combine circuit, his tapes did not GH appear until after his sophomore year. Williams is just as impressive on the football field as he is in drills. As a sophomore he registered double-digit sacks as a stand-up defensive end and then moved to a true linebacker spot as a junior. He was on his way to a 150-tackle year when a high ankle sprain took about half his junior year away. He went to the national junior combine after the injury healed and picked up where he left off. Williams is outstanding at the line of scrimmage, but size might dictate that he stay at linebacker. He has all the tools to make the transition. Williams has shown that he has the crucial ability to find the ball and the burst to do something about it once he finds it. He has the top end speed to get to the ball carrier anywhere on the field and the motor to stay in every play until the whistle blows. Ohio State, Michigan, Florida State, Michigan State, Iowa and West Virginia are all showing early interest. Williams went to two Michigan games last fall and has Ohio State, Michigan and Florida State at the top of his list. He is already fully qualified. I think he is a strong side linebacker but he could easily grow into a middle linebacker.

Nos. 11-112...

11. ***** Shawntel Rowell (6-4, 330, DT; Cleveland Glenville) The word that came out of out of Texas at the national junior combine, which is held the same weekend as the national all-star game, is this is going to be a great year for offensive linemen nationally. And a good number of them were at the combine. Shawntel Rowell was there as well and was a nightmare for any OL he came up against. What makes it more impressive is Rowell did not play much defense for GH Glenville this past year, if any. He let his weight get out of hand (reportedly 370 at one point), and Ted Ginn Sr. is not going to have someone that big on his defense. The fact is that even when he was closer to 400 pounds than 300 he was still the most athletic big man out there every time he stepped on the football field. I think this all comes down to his weight. If he is in shape (320 or less), Rowell is a defensive tackle, a five-star national player and top five in this instate class. With his weight up, he is a three star player. Most of Rowell’s experience has been on the offensive side of the ball, but his future is up to him. From the look of things he has taken his conditioning seriously. He has no offers right now but that will surely change as word gets around that the football version of “Shaq” is back. 12. ***** Zebrie Sanders (6-6, 265, OL; Clayton Northmont) Any other year, Sanders would be the first name out of

JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

Duane Long’s Top 100 Football Recruits for 2008 anyone’s mouth who follows recruiting in Ohio when asked about the best offensive lineman in the state. Adams has been soaking up all that talk, but Sanders is at least an allregion lineman and should be a name on the national scene. With schools like USC and Florida showing interest that national exposure could come to fruition. Sanders has the body you look for in a tackle. He is long and lean with the wingspan of a jumbo jet. The Clayton Northmont system is going to give any offensive lineman a leg-up going into college GH because the ball is in the air so much. Sanders does a good job of pass blocking, getting out of his stance and getting into his pass pro quickly. He also has great feet, moves like a player 80 pounds lighter and has a great body to add weight. Sanders will be in the 310-320 pound range by the time he is finished growing and needs to work on his intensity. Linemen, in particular offensive lineman, come along slower than skill position players. Sanders has a tremendous upside and is a high character kid. He is benching 300 pounds which is a bit of a surprise. These long arms kids have a tough time in the weight room. That tells me he is working hard in there. The list of interested schools is a long one. In addition to USC and Florida, Miami (Fla.), Florida, Notre Dame, Michigan, Wisconsin and Louisville have been in contact. He has been to Ohio State twice. 13. ***** Jake Stoneburner (6-5, 215, TE/WR; Dublin Coffman) The only problem with Stoneburner is where to play him. He reminds me a lot of a player from the class of 2006, Lakewood St. Edward’s Kyle Hubbard. Both players are tremendously athletic kids for their size. They both have great hands and are strong leapers. They both catch the ball with their hands. The downside is also the same. Where do you project that at? Schools were all over the place with Hubbard. Some thought big wide receiver. Most thought tight end. Stoneburner made the decision easier because he ran a 4.53 GH 40 at the national junior combine. I would imagine he will be brought in and given a look first as a wide receiver with no worry about whether he grows into a tight end. He has shown the ability to get down the field and make catches. What I really like about him is his ability to make something happen after the catch. He isn’t just looking to get as much yardage as he can until he gets tackled. He is looking to take it to the house. He is used to deadly effect on wide receiver screens because he is so elusive. At the same time, Stoneburner uses his size to great effect. He seems to understand that he is bigger than the defensive backs out there. He breaks a lot of tackles, has superb ball skills and attacks the ball at its highest point. As a junior, Stoneburner hauled in 63 passes for 948 yards and eight touchdowns. As a sophomore, he caught 31 passes for 538 yards and five touchdowns. Stoneburner committed to Ohio State in March. He also had offers from Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Iowa, Clemson, West Virginia, Maryland and Nebraska. 14. ***** Justin Staples (6-3, 220, LB; Lakewood St. Edward) I had more people telling me about Staples than any player on the loaded Lakewood St. Edward roster. Once I got film it did not take long to find him. He lived up to all the hype I had thrown at me. There is no fudging on the size. He is legitimately 6-3. If I were building a high school linebacker prospect he would look like Staples. He is long and lean. He could end up being big enough to be a middle linebacker and maybe even move back to defensive

end (where he played as a sophomore). Right now I see a very athletic outside linebacker who brings plenty of speed. He needs to work on his reads but that is not a concern. He was playing linebacker for the first time as a junior so he’s raw but the physical tools are something to get excited about. I saw him early in the year and then again late. There is no question he became a better GH player. Staples is strong enough to play at the line of scrimmage but athletic enough to be used in coverage, and not just against tight ends and backs – the coaching staff has enough confidence to let him play against wide receivers as well. Considering the level of competition St. Edward played against that is a real testament to what kind of talent Staples is. He says Ohio State and Michigan are his top two schools. He has been to Ohio State for the Minnesota game. He also lists Florida State, Notre Dame, Virginia and Georgia Tech. 15. **** Nic DiLillo (6-5, 220, TE; Mansfield Madison) I recently watched DiLillo’s junior tape and I was impressed with him as a receiver. He catches anything he can reach. He has a long lean body, perfect for packing on the right kind of weight, and he is already bigger than last year. Not just heavier but he looks taller. I see him blossoming as an athlete. He is the one of the four tight ends we are talking about that is most football ready to play. He is right at home working the middle of the field like a classic tight end and he runs the routes that you need a GH tight end to run. DiLillo plays physical and seems to relish that part of the game. He knows what to do with the ball after the catch and gets north and south quickly. As a junior, he had 46 catches for 580 yards and four touchdowns. DiLillo ended the suspense in early April, verbaling to Clemson over offers from Pittsburgh and Syracuse. 16. **** Isaiah Pead (5-11, 175, ATH; Eastmoor Academy) If they kept a statistic for most ankles broken by an offensive player Pead would certainly be a threat to break the season and career records. The very first play on his film he makes nine defensive players miss. Yes, I said nine. He is a human highlight film with pretty good size. He has a good frame and can add weight. Even if he doesn’t, he shows the hands and athleticism to move out to wide receiver. Pead plays safety on defense and I think with work, he has the GH feet and hips to play corner. In the end if I were making the decision I would leave him at running back. He is so elusive. He reminds me of former Chaminade-Julienne and current Michigan State star Javon Ringer in the fact that in tight spaces he still manages to create space to avoid tacklers. And like Ringer, once cornered that does not mean the play is over. He spins and uses a stiff arm to avoid being tackled and breaks a lot of tackles. In 10 regular season games, Pead ran for 1,696 yards and 19 TDs on 158 carries (10.7 yards-per-carry). He scored 26 TDs overall in the regular season. Pead was the Ohio D-IV Co-Player of the Year. He has a 4.4 40-yard dash time and made the state finals in the 200- and 400-meters as a both a freshman and a sophomore. Pead has a strong argument for being the top skill player in the class.

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Duane Long’s Top 100 Football Recruits for 2008 17. **** Johnny Adams (5-11, 170, CB/WR; Akron Buchtel) In the open field, Adams is something to see. A fan asked me once about recruiting just for special teams. I said that doesn’t happen. But when you see a kick returner of the caliber of Adams you rethink that. He put up some amazing numbers and could make a highlight reel just of kick returns (both kickoffs and punts). Most see Adams as a college cornerback. If a cornerback touches the ball 20 times in a season, he is likely going to be an All-American. As a wide receiver, Ted Ginn Jr. could GH touch the ball that many times in two games. I say the same thing about Adams. You have to want him to touch the ball as much as possible. I don’t know if Adams has Ginn’s pure speed but there is no doubt he is right there with him in elusiveness. The kid is a big play machine. He only had 11 receptions last year but scored four times. He had six interceptions (taking two back for TDs) and added three return TDs (two on punts and one kickoff return). An offer from Ohio State would likely end his recruitment. 18. **** Kevin Koger (6-4, 235, ATH; Toledo Whitmer) The northwest of the state has always been highly regarded as a basketball region but the way things are going these days I am going to have to cultivate more contacts in the area. Dane Sanzenbacher earned an offer from Ohio State last year and Koger is the next in line to receive offers from two of the Big Four as Michigan came in with an offer right before Ohio State. I first glimpsed at Koger in a film from Massillon. He is a very athletic big kid. He moves well and is a tenacious blocker. He needs work on his technique but he has the tools to be a fine blocker. Whether that is at tight end or on the offensive line remains to be seen. That he could end up on the defensive line is not out of the realm of possibilities. Whitmer head coach Joe Palka is seeing him every day in practice and thinks tight end. There is never such a thing as too many big athletes. As a junior, Koger had 21 catches for 358 yards during the regular season. Koger competes in the long jump, where he has a 22foot jump to his credit, and runs the 200-meter and 400meter sprint relays. Coach Palka thinks he is can carry 265 pounds easy. I think he can get even bigger and in the end he will be an offensive lineman. I love his frame, his feet and his tenacity. Ohio State and Michigan were the schools he wanted offers from so it is likely he will choose from one of those schools. Koger’s father is originally from Detroit. 19. **** Taylor Hill (6-2, 215, DE/LB; Youngstown Cardinal Mooney) For the last couple of years there has been an endless supply of names coming out of Cardinal Mooney. It is no different this year. The upside is players get to be part of something special – a state championship-caliber program. The downside is it is crowded in the spotlight. Sometimes players get pushed out. Taylor Hill is a prime example. This is a big time football player. He makes plays all over the field, runs great and has the motor that is so important to defensive players. He is explosive. I have seen Hill punch linemen in front of him and GH send them reeling and he also has the ability to run down plays from behind, which he seems to make look routine. Hill has long arms and a good frame. I think he would be best as a 3-4 outside linebacker/defensive end or at linebacker in a 4-3. He has the instincts, the speed and the motor to make the transition.

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Hill plays smart football. One of the best plays I saw out of him was staying on the quarterback until he forced a pitch then having the speed to get over to the back and make a tackle for loss. In the end, the one thing stands out about Hill the most is his uncanny ability to avoid blockers. I don’t recall a play where he did not have a blocker in front of him. He runs through or around every single obstacle. Many of my associates went to see Mooney and came away talking about Hill. If he were just a little bigger, where he would surely be a defensive end, I would have him in the top ten. 20. **** Michael Zordich (6-1, 210, LB; Youngstown Cardinal Mooney) I was watching a Cardinal Mooney tape of star safety Dan McCarthy who was making a great run around the left side. A defender was trying to angle him to the sidelines and all of a sudden he got bent in half by a block. Before I could find the remote and rewind to see who made the block there came another. When I got the remote and reviewed both plays I saw it was the same blocker – Michael Zordich. Zordich plays fullback in addition to linebacker and is a throwback to the days when fullbacks were more than another offensive lineman in the backfield. He runs the belly plays GH and can catch the ball out of the backfield. He knows what to do with it after he catches it. Brian Leonard is getting a lot of press this year coming out of Rutgers and could end up being chosen on the first day of the NFL draft. Zordich could be the same kind of player. I will never understand why the fullback position has morphed into the waste that it is these days. That is why Zordich will be a linebacker. He is too talented to be wasted like that. He is a good middle linebacker with top notch instincts, and he runs well enough to take advantage of those good instincts. Zordich was a one-man wrecking crew in his team’s Division IV state championship game win over Plain City Jonathan Alder. He had two touchdown runs on offense and had 10 tackles and two fumbles forced on defense. Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State are all showing interest. His father played at Penn State and later in the NFL. 21. **** Dominique Britt (6-5, 190, QB; Trotwood-Madison) Last year at this time I was looking at film of Britt and thinking what a great athlete. Now I am looking at him and saying what a great quarterback he is becoming. There was never any question in my mind that Britt would be a D-I football player. The first time I saw him I thought he would come in as an athlete, maybe get a shot at playing quarterback but eventually take all that athletic ability to wide receiver. He has come along so much that I think his odds of being a quarterback in college are improving. He credits the improvement in his quarterback skills to offensive coordinaNF tor Jeremy Beckham who doubled as the quarterback coach. Britt completed 165-of-301 passes for 2,889 yards and 21 TDs. He added 1,039 rushing yards on 139 carries. He has really good arm strength and on one play he is running to his left and lays a ball out 50 yards throwing against his body. He has an odd motion but that is a work in progress. He is coming along. Britt was invited up to practice at Ohio State with teammate Brandon Moore and really enjoyed himself. He could still end up moving to wide receiver but I am calling him a quarterback. He is a pass first play maker that could develop into one of the countries most sought after quarterbacks. If he takes another step up in his quarterback skills from his junior year to his senior year like he did from his sophomore year to his junior year, he will have his pick of schools. He

will surely hit Kent State and Ohio State for camps. Others will be added based on interest. 22. **** Elliott Mealer (6-6, 280, OL; Wauseon) This is a really outstanding year for offensive linemen. In any other year, this high school tight end would be the number one offensive lineman in Ohio. He has tight end hands but has an offensive lineman’s body. On one play down near the goal line he does a quick out. The ball is thrown away from him but he manages to stretch out and make the catch, keep his feet and get into the end zone. It was a great play but I don’t think anyone sees him doing any more of that beyond the high school level. Mealer is a great blocker. Wauseon head coach Mark Emans uses him a lot as a lead blocker and runs behind him when he pulls him like a guard from the backside of the formation. Whether it is pulling or inline blocking he is devastating. GH Pancakes are the order of the day. He has outstanding feet and is lean for a 280-pound player. He will likely be over 300 pounds by the time he leaves high school. He has as good a frame as Adams and Sanders. Mealer is likely to need to work on his pass blocking since Wauseon does not throw the ball much and he was not kept in to block when they did. I see a tackle. He has the wingspan you want in a tackle and great feet. He plays end on defense and is a three-year starter on the basketball team. He will camp at Ohio State and Michigan. Most of the Big Ten is paying attention as is Boston College and Notre Dame. I think he leaves the camp season as one of the hottest prospects in Ohio. 23. **** Will Fleming (6-4, 205, ATH; Akron Hoban) Talk about an introduction. On Fleming’s tape, the very first play is a pass. The quarterback throws the ball with enough air under it to get it over the defender, who is actually in good position. The receiver leaps to make a great catch. He is coming down with the ball and there is a flash of gold. Suddenly the receiver is horizontal in the air. The tape goes on to show play after play of Fleming coming up from his safety position and making hit after hit. He is like a heat seeking missile. He is a good enough receiver to be a scholarship level player at that position but where he really GH stands out is on defense. He shows his 4.6 40-yard dash speed on the tape by running down a ball carrier that has broken through the line of scrimmage. The angle is negligible. He just runs him down. With his body I think he is likely to move at least to linebacker, and like Stewart, he could add enough weigh to that long lean body to eventually find himself at defensive end. He has the speed and ball skills to stay at safety but I just don’t think his body is going to allow that. The way he plays the game I think he would be happier closer to the line of scrimmage where there is more hitting. Fleming really brings it. This kid is not going to stay the best kept secret in Ohio for long. 24. **** Salvador Battles (5-11, 205, ATH; Youngstown East) The first time I saw Salvador Battles, it only took me a few plays to see that he was a great athlete playing quarterback. Battles had a strong arm and it allowed his staff to maximize the talent on the field with underrated running back Gary Thornton. Battles always had a big arm, arguably the strongest in the class, but he was not an accurate passer and seemed to want to run first. He has matured as a passer to the extent that I think he gets tried first as a quarterback. He is staying in there and showing patience waiting

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Duane Long’s Top 100 Football Recruits for 2008 on receivers to come open, is showing touch on his passes and is showing a comfort level with the position. He is still a work in progress but one that with some patience could earn long term benefits. Everyone is looking for quarterbacks who can make plays with their feet and there is no question Battles can do that. If he is not a fit at quarterback, he is certainly a fit at running back. He has a great body for a back, powerfully built but GH not so much that he has lost his speed and agility. He is explosive to the hole and runs with the power of a much bigger back. He has vision and good speed. He is a back that can take it outside as well as he takes it between the tackles. There is an argument that he is the top back in the class. 25 (tie). **** Kenny Stafford (6-3, 175, WR; Columbus DeSales) I have had ties before but never a three way tie. I just cannot decide between these three outstanding receivers. Each brings something different enough that it comes down to picking what you like. Bakari Bussey is big, strong and very athletic. Roy Roundtree, though they all have hands, has the best hands and is so difficult to corral after the catch. Stafford is big and the fastest of the lot. You were not going to see the ball in the air a lot under former DeSales head coach Bob Jacoby, but what weapons he had a receiver with Stafford and tight end Justin Thompson. Thompson is likely the fastest tight end in an outstanding class. Stafford is likely the fastest GH receiver in this impressive class of receivers. On one play he is downfield throwing a block for one of the DeSales backs that has legitimate 4.4 speed. Stafford actually pulls ahead of him at one point. He shows hands, making catches on badly thrown balls and diving to make other catches. Bussey is a fine blocker. Stafford is even better. Long runs are the result of receivers blocking. No team had more long runs than DeSales. I am always happy to see receivers who block, but what stands out about Stafford is when he catches a ball in stride and explodes by every player on the field. I don’t have a 40-yard dash time on him but his football speed is special. Stafford has some outstanding genetics. He is the nephew of former Buckeye great Cris Carter. 25 (tie). **** Bakari Bussey (6-3, 190, WR; West Chest Lakota West) Everyone is looking for big receivers. Here is a prototype. Bussey is big and he plays the big receivers game. He knows he is the biggest guy on the field away from the line of scrimmage and he is physical with defensive backs. Get him one on one and throw the ball up. He has the leaping ability to go up and make a play, the hands and the strength to take the ball from any defender and the balance to keep his feet and make a play after the catch. He works the middle of the field like a big receiver needs to. Lakota West head coach Larry Cox has found an effective way to use him running quick outs. He knows Bussey is going to make the catch, turn and then GH make cornerbacks try to tackle him. It is a chore. On the first play on his video he catches an out, stiff arms the corner and takes it to the house. On another he drops his shoulder on the corner and gains an extra five yards. I did not see a play where he was stopped in his tracks. Coach Cox says he has the biggest hands he has ever

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seen. Body-wise Bussey reminds me of former Buckeye David Boston and current Buckeye Brian Robiskie. Bengal fans will remember his father Dexter Bussey. Bussey caught 21 balls for 358 yards (17 yards-percatch) and four TDs. He has been hearing from schools as far away as Oklahoma State. If he runs well this summer he will have his pick of schools. 25 (tie). **** Roy Roundtree (6-2, 170, WR; Trotwood-Madison) Roundtree is a long lean receiver with all the attributes to be a Big Ten player. He shows outstanding hands, uses his hands to catch the ball (not his body), shows excellent concentration and adjusts to the ball extremely well. He does a great job of checking his stride so he can run through catches for more yardage. Trotwood head coach Maurice Douglas calls him “TG3”, meaning he is the next Ted Ginn, but who Roundtree reminds me of is Cincinnati Bengal receiver Chad Johnson in body and style. He plays more of a big receivers game with the ability to go over the top of defenders. Ginn uses speed to create separation. Like Johnson, Roundtree is more of a north-south runner after the catch. He is not looking to make any sideline to sideline runs like Ginn where he gives up 10 yards before gaining 50. Roundtree, who had 43 catches for 726 yards and seven TDs in the regular season, is just a brutally effective receiver who is a threat to take it to the house on every touch. Get the ball and get up field as quickly as possible. He is surprisingly strong. He breaks tackles and uses a stiff arm. In general he is not as easy to get off his feet as you would think a receiver his size would be. He is mostly a split end but he lines up in the slot and shows no hesitation about running over the middle. This will be his second year under Trotwood offensive coordinator Jeremy Beckham. It should be interesting to watch him take it to another level. If he runs well at camps and combines this spring and over the summer, Roundtree will have an argument to be the No. 1 receiver in the class. 28. *** Justin Thompson (6-2½, 225, TE; Columbus DeSales) If this kid was 6-5, we would be talking about who was the best tight end in Ohio – Rudolph or Thompson. I know that is a big statement but all you need to do is see the tape. He is explosive off the line of scrimmage and shows great hand-eye coordination (catching balls thrown all over the place). Thompson has the ability to dig passes out of the ground and reach behind to make catches. DeSales was a run first team under former coach Bob Jacoby so a good arm was not high on the list of attributes for a DeSales quarterback. When Thompson gets the ball is when the fun starts. Thompson is like a good open field wide receiver after the catch. He is cutting and looking for blocks, not just running until he gets tackled like most tight ends. He is elusive enough and fast enough that DeSales used him on tight end around plays. They split him out as a wide receiver at times. Where he did so much damage was little quick passes over the line of scrimmage. On several he split the safeties and outran them for scores. He is a load to bring down. Thompson caught 21 balls for 500 yards and nine TDs. He has a 4.6 40-yard dash time and I have no doubts about that number. He was running away from much smaller players regularly on his highlight tape. Thompson carries a 3.2 GPA. 29. *** Joe Pachuta (6-7, 285, OL; New Concord John Glenn) Ohio is just chock full of outstanding athletes in the small school ranks. Joe Pachuta is one of the best. He is all of his listed 6-7 and carries his 285 pounds very well. He is built a lot like current Ohio State left tackle Alex Boone as a high school player. Pachuta moves very well and John Glenn head coach John Kelley has him getting into the second level to make blocks and he handles it well. Overall, he is very raw but players this size that are this athletic are rare. He needs to

be as big as he is to carry that nasty streak. He has the attitude of a defensive lineman. On one play last year he is riding his man so far they end up out of bounds where someone on the opposing sidelines grabs Pachuta to make sure he does not finish the block out of bounds. I love that kind of nasty and tenacity. He finishes every block and does a great job in pass protection with his outstanding reach and the fact that he just will not quit. Once he learns technique he is going to be a hard man to beat. He plays tackle and guard for Kelley but mostly at tackle. I think he could be a left tackle but that nasty he brings to the table would better serve him at right tackle. I think he could be a camp star. 30. *** Darius Reeves (5-11, 185, CB; Gahanna Lincoln) One of the most gifted athletes in the Class of 2008. Reeves is a tremendously skilled runner. I would say Isaiah Pead is the only runner in this class with skills to match Reeves. Both have the same problem. Are they going to be big enough to be backs at the next level? Reeves can stop and cut on a dime then get back to top speed before anyone knows which direction he went. On some runs Reeves looks like he is running obstacle courses, which is a credit to his vision and elusiveness. Reeves has explosive speed. That is one thing that will make him a good corner where recovery speed is crucial. Reeves does play corner in high school and is quite a good one. Something that really stands out about him as a corner is his tenacity. He stays with it, digging and scratching when others would have given up. He is a good leaper and with solid size, listed at 6-1 but looking more like 5-11, he can match-up with big receivers. Another plus for him is he is a willing and solid tackler. Reeves has excellent genes – his father was a safety for Michigan under Bo Schembechler. As good as he is as a cornerback if he were a little bigger I am sure the schools recruiting him, Michigan, Michigan State, West Virginia, LSU, Boston College and all the MAC schools would be looking at him as a running back. As a junior, he had 1,700 yards and 16 TDs. Like Pead, I would look at him as a receiver. Reeves is such a tremendously gifted athlete with the ball in his hands I would want him on offense. 31. *** Zac Dysert (6-4, 190, QB; Ada) Ada is not the acronym for something. It is a place here in Ohio. Recruiters will need to find it. Every year there are players that I see in the top 100 that I peg as players that could move the most by signing day of their senior year. Dysert tops that list. About the only question I can see with Dysert is the level of competition. He has all the tools. He is 6-4 which seems to be the minimum requirement for most of the big schools, and he may be closer to 6-5. He has a really good arm. I saw him make every throw that you would want – he can throw the long ball and the deep out with velocity. I was very impressed with his coolness. We talk about a quarterback being a field general. This kid looks the part. There is a Peyton Manning-quality about him. He is mechanically very sound, setting his feet and delivering the ball over the top. His numbers last year were spectacular. He completed 293-of-448 passes for a 65-percent completion percentage, 3,835 yards and 31 TDs. Dysert also ran for eight TDs. He is a good enough athlete that he also plays defense. One thing he is going to have to work on is avoiding collisions. No coach is going to happy about his quarterback taking on tacklers like Dysert does when he runs. If he gets to camps and combines I think Dysert will be one of the most talked about recruits in Ohio next summer. 32. *** D.J. Woods (6-0, 175, WR; Strongsville) I first heard about Woods last year from Strongsville coach Russ Jacques. Jacques was not ready to put pressure on a kid as young as Woods who was starting his

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Duane Long’s Top 100 Football Recruits for 2008 junior year at the time. He mentioned that he had a receiver that he thought was going to be special. He just wanted to let him grow into the role. Last summer Woods took that step with a breakout performance at the Cleveland combine. There were any number of top receivers at that combine but Woods was the one everyone came away talking about. He impressed everyone present with his combination of speed, hands and route running. You don’t see that GH very often. You will see a receiver with two of those attributes sometimes but you don’t often find a player with all three. He is an explosive leaper. He is right around 6-0 and well put together. I have quite a bit of film of him and I have yet to see him shy away from contact. Woods is also an excellent kick returner, both punts and kickoffs. On the season he averaged 28.6 yards on his punt returns and took three back for scores. He returned two kickoffs for TDs. At receiver, Woods had 35 catches (25.4 yards per catch) and eight TDs. Defensively, he had 48 tackles playing cornerback. He has recently returned from a combine in Florida where he ran a set of three 40-yard dashes. He got off to a bad start with a 4.43. It was a bad start when you consider he followed up with a 4.35, then finished with a 4.37. Woods has been a guest of Notre Dame and has been to Michigan. 33. *** Michael Shaw (5-11, 185, ATH; Trotwood-Madison) Shaw rose to the occasion in the Division III state championship game, when he almost led Kettering Alter to an upset win over the mighty Big Red of Steubenville. On one play he took a swing pass and outran the entire defense. He had another run on a pitch out that left him looking like he was hemmed in but he weaved his way into the end zone, breaking a couple of tackles along the way. Shaw was an impact player then entire game. This is a kid with an entirely different level of speed. He can run with Brandon Saine. He ran the 100meters in 10.6 seconds at a track GH meet last year and will be the fastest football player in Ohio next season. He has some skills as a running back and is well put together despite not having ideal running back size, but his success has more to do with him being the best athlete on the field than it does with having top drawer runner skills. I think he would be better off outside or at corner to take better advantage of that extra gear he has. He does not play defense but he does not shy away from contact. I think he has the feet and hips to make the transition. Shaw has made the decision to transfer to Trotwood Madison. I am sure no matter where he lines up offensive coordinator Jeremy Beckham will find a way to get him the ball. He is a game changer. 34. *** Justin Brown (6-4, 230, DE; Youngstown Ursuline) Early on, Brown was looking like he was going to be one of the better defensive ends in Ohio. He is still playing as a defensive end but he has a game better suited to play defensive tackle. I think he has the frame to add the weight to be a defensive tackle and seems more at home in the trenches than he does as an edge rusher. When I first saw his junior year tape, it was apparent he was at his best at the point of attack. He is an excellent and tenacious blocker as a tight end, but I don’t think he gets SP recruited as a tight end. His receiving skills are not what schools are looking for, but I could see him recruited as an offensive lineman. He moves really well. He is as adept at moving people as an

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offensive player as he is at not being moved as a defensive player. He will fill out to 280 pounds or so by the time he is ready to step on the football field. We are seeing more defensive coordinators using the 3-4 and other schemes that ask for three down linemen. That may be where Brown fits in best. 35. *** Jordan Bright (6-6, 225, DE; Cincinnati Wyoming) Nobody is higher on my list of players to keep an eye on than Bright. The first word that comes to my mind when I think about Bright is rangy. He looks taller than his listed 6-6, has the wingspan of a small airplane and can run. I don’t have a 40yard dash time but his game speed is excellent. He uses those long arms well, getting his hands up and knocking down passes regularly. I think we are not hearing so much about him because everyone will want to get him in camp and see how he is going to handle a move down. He plays a stand up defensive end in a five-man front. I don't know how he is going to make the transition to playing with his hand in the dirt. His frame says he is going to add some weight. Bright uses his hands very well to keep blockers off his body. He bears an uncanny resemblance to Jason Taylor in build and game. If he has a good summer this is my pick for the fastest rising prospect in Ohio for next year. 36. *** Evan Klepac (6-4, 245, DE; Youngstown Boardman) Klepac is not only one of the most impressive defensive ends I have seen this year, but he is one of the most impressive players I have seen in this class. Klepac is big. I try to get fans to understand that weight is not a good indicator of size. This kid has a big frame and long arms. I do not have any weight room totals on him, but there are several plays where he blows up blockers and pulls down runners with one hand. He plays the weak side in high school but I see a strong side defensive end in Klepac. He is an excellent pass rusher but he excels versus the run, too. You want a defensive end this size and one that is this strong to be lined up on the strong side where most teams run. He is so strong at the point of attack and has such a great body I could see someone taking Klepac and moving him to defensive tackle. Last season Klepac missed half the season with an undisclosed injury. That is the only reason I can see why he is just now appearing on my radar screen. If he goes to camp and shows he has put the injury behind him, this could be one of the fastest rising prospects in the state come this summer. 37. *** Bruce Parker (6-3, 230, DE/OLB; Sandusky) Parker is the best edge player in the class of 2008. There are other players in the class that are going to have better measurables but none of them play the position better. When I say edge player, I mean as a pass rusher and as a run defender. So many players at this age are headed to the quarterback on every play. Parker takes care of his run responsibilities too. He is going to check down and not let runners get wide of him. He is a savvy player. He rushes inside as well as outside and uses a rip move, something so few high school players capable of. He is a thinking man’s football player. Parker has the motor that I want to see in a defensive player and has the ability to chase plays all over the field and plays to the whistle. He is so quick off the snap that he beats many tackles before they get into their pass pro and he has outstanding closing speed. That leads me to believe that he could get a look as a linebacker. In my opinion his best position would be as a stand-up defensive end in a 4-3. He is an ideal fit for that position. Parker had 13 sacks and 65 tackles last season. 38. *** Phillip Barnett (6-2, 180, WR; Middletown) I regularly mention that I think a player is going to be someone to watch. If I was to make a separate list for them the name at the top of this year’s list would be Barnett. He has been a basketball player all through his high school career and came out for football for the first time as junior. He is so raw, but being such a tremendous athlete, he is getting attention

from the mid-majors on the hardwood as a point guard. Barnett’s athleticism and hands were put on display the first play that I saw from him. He makes a leaping twisting catch of a pass thrown a little too high. The next play I see Middletown’s underrated senior quarterback from last year, Skyler Jones, gun one right at Barnett’s face. There was a bit too much on the ball and Barnett had little time to react but he made the catch look easy. He has a reported 4.56 40-yard dash time. I think once he decides to concentrate on football he will get that down. It is a good time but I think he has a great time in him. I have seen it many times when a basketball player gives up the sport to concentrate on football. He has not decided what he is going to do yet. He has been to Ohio State for the Indiana game and has tremendous upside. 39. *** Jake Current (6-3, 270, OL; Troy) It is easy for an offensive lineman to get overlooked in this class and that is the only reason Current is not a name that is being passed around a lot. This is a two-time winner of the best lineman award at the Ohio State camp. Keep in mind that this is a junior we are talking about so one of the awards he earned as a sophomore. When you add in the number of players that attend those camps it makes it all the more impressive. Current is a high school tackle that projects as a guard in college. I think he has the potential to be one of the better offensive linemen in the Midwest. He just needs a little more publicity. He is equally adept at going straight ahead and at pulling and he can really run. He is technically sounder than any lineman in Ohio, staying low and firing out when going straight ahead and getting good leverage on his blocks. Where he really stands out is when he pulls. He has the ability to get out in front of a back like no lineman in Ohio. He is not asked to pass block a lot but handles it well when Troy throws the ball. He has such great feet and athleticism. He has been to Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa and Duke. If there is a Big Ten school that is not recruiting him, I am not aware of it. Boston College and Georgia Tech are both showing early interest. He will camp at Ohio State again and at Michigan. 40. *** Tito Toles (6-0, 180, SS/RB; Youngstown East) A well done tape gets your attention right off the bat. The first few plays should have me wanting to watch the entire thing. I can’t remember a tape from anyone this year where the first play caught my attention more. Toles is lined up on the weak side of the formation right at the line of scrimmage like a defensive end. At the snap he is off like a shot and blows up the back that comes to pick him up, then grabs the quarterback with one hand and reaches around to strip him with the other. The next play he reads the quarterbacks eyes and steps in front of a pass for an interception. GH On offense, he has a go ‘til you hit something reckless running style, but I don’t see him as an offensive player. He has a defensive player’s mind-set. I don’t have a 40-yard dash time on Toles but his football speed is excellent. This is one of the best tacklers in Ohio and a hard hitter. The word that comes to mind when I watch Toles play football is dynamic. An expression we see used a lot these days is, he brings it. Toles is the epitome of that expression. 41. *** Steve Yoak (6-2, 210, LB; Akron Hoban) This is a name that is not yet familiar to Ohio high school football recruiting fans but he will be. Yoak was coming off a fine camp season last summer where he ran a 4.47-second 40-yard time at Akron and impressed someone whose opinion I have a lot of respect for at the Ohio State camp. He ran under 4.6 seconds in the 40-yard dash at another camp. Everything was set for him to have a breakout season, but then Yoak broke his leg in the second game of the year. He had a great first game with 173 total yards, 126 rushing and

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Duane Long’s Top 100 Football Recruits for 2008 46 receiving. He is playing running back in high school but projects as a linebacker at the next level. He has a body to add 30 more pounds with no impact on his speed and athleticism. Yoak is hearing from Akron, Boston College, Cincinnati, Colorado, Duke, Florida State, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern and Notre Dame. He has a shuttle run of 4.3 seconds. He had 1,688 yards and 21 GH TDs on 332 carries as a sophomore. He looks to have the injury behind him. I think he could be one of the camp stars and will only need to show in a couple of games next year that he really has completely healed, then the offers will start coming in and he will move up this list. 42. *** Jerel Worthy (6-3, 285, DT; Huber Heights Wayne) One of those players I saw late in the process who shook up my list is Worthy. He is a real force in the middle of the line and does a good job of playing with his pads low and balanced. Moving Worthy is a real chore. He takes on blockers very well and gets off of them consistently. He has the build of a nose tackle but has the game of a threetechnique tackle. Worthy is tough at the point of attack and could play the nose but I think he is at his best attacking. He comes off the ball like a shot and shows good speed once through the line of scrimmage. On GH one sack, Worthy was on the quarterback so fast that even though the passer had made it into his drop he could do nothing but make sure he did not fumble the ball. Worthy impressed me later with his football smarts diagnosing a screen pass early enough to make the tackle in the backfield. Most high school lineman are not going to recognize that play until the ball is gone. Worthy has a serious motor and if he were a little bigger he would be another twenty spots higher on this list. 43. *** Walt Stewart (6-5, 210, DE; Ashville Teays Valley) I remember seeing the first couple of plays Stewart made on the tape I received from Teays Valley coach Steve Evans and Stewart flashed through the screen from out of nowhere. I wanted to know where he came from. As I was hitting the rewind button, it occurred to me that Evans has him playing safety. Yes, this kid is that athletic that at 6-5 and in the 205-210 pound range he can play safety. He was a camp star last year at Ohio State. He plays safety now and will be at least a linebacker, but I think he grows into a defensive end. He has the body to end up in the 255-pound range once he is eating like an athlete should and lifting in a college program. Both his sacks on the year are on the tape. The lineman in front of him did not have a chance. Neither did the quarterback. He has a 4.7 40-yard dash and with that body he will carry that speed as he moves down. I spoke to both Coach Evans and his former coach at Franklin Heights Eric Gillespie. Both spoke of Stewart in glowing terms as far as work ethic and attitude. The current coach you can expect that from but the former coach saying the same thing resonates with me. This is not an immediate impact player. He will need time to add strength and size and find his way to his college position. Stewart has a 4.47-second shuttle time and registered 81 tackles last season. He’s one of the players that has the biggest upside in the Class of 2008. 44. *** T.J. White (6-3, 240, ATH; Troy) White is one of the better football players in Ohio and is as good a blocker at tight end as you will ever see. He has great feet and uses leverage well. If he were a little bigger he would

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be right up there with the other tight ends in this class but at his size I have to rate him as an offensive lineman, despite the fact that he shows good hands when the ball is thrown his way. Where I think he is at his best is as a defensive tackle. He is going to get a good deal bigger and I suspect he will be able to carry 280 pounds or so with little impact on his impressive athleticism and 4.82 40-yard dash. He shows the ability to get off blocks and to find the ball. He shows the LW motor that is such a key to top defensive players and is able to chase plays down the line. He’s also strong enough to make plays that come right at him. I am sure he will see offers as a tight end but I think he will see a more impressive collection of offers as a defensive tackle. With his blocking ability, I am sure someone will offer as an offensive lineman. 45. *** Tim Kamczyc (6-5, 190, QB; Strongsville) As is often the case where you see a good receiver you see a good quarterback, and vice versa. I was watching outstanding receiver D.J. Woods when one play caught my eye. It was a ball that was in the air for 65 yards. I went back to my notes and sure enough Strongsville head coach Russ Jacques had mentioned his quarterback to me. Kamczyc can make all the throws. He can get it downfield (several other throws of 50 yards or better) and he can throw the deep out with velocity. He also throws really well on the run, going both left and right. One throw GH that kept me rewinding the tape was a skinny post. It was a 40-yard frozen rope thrown so accurately that the defensive back was forced to interfere to keep from giving up a touchdown. Kamczyc is nifty in the pocket and shows really good pocket presence. One thing I absolutely loved about him is he looks like your classic pocket passer but he is a threat to run. He is agile in avoiding the rush and once it breaks down he can hurt a defense with his feet. The great thing about it is he makes good decisions on when to run and when to hang in there and take a shot to deliver the ball. Kamczyc is going to be better prepared coming out of Strongsville’s diversified attack. One play he is operating out of the I-formation. The next he is a five-wide. Level of competition is not a question. Iowa has hit Ohio hard in recent years, snatching up quarterbacks and is showing a lot of interest in this underrated signal caller. 46. *** Bill Dugan (6-5, 280, G; Poland Seminary) Dugan plays both guard and tackle for Poland and I think he will be a college guard. He has fine feet and experience at tackle will give him a better feel for pass protection than most high school guards. Poland is a little off the beaten path for recruiters but that should change this year. Dugan has a great looking body and could add another 20-30 pounds with no impact on his athleticism. I was very much impressed with his technique. So often at the high school level the D-I caliber linemen just use their superior size and athleticism to push around their opponents. Dugan gets his hips down, and his face into his man and drives. He runs very well and could SP be an ideal pick for a team that likes to pull their guards a lot. He is athletic enough to get into the second level and make blocks. He does not have the publicity of some of the other linemen in this class but he does not have to take a backseat to any of them. His level of competition should not be a question. In that part of the state, there are no Fridays off. His team did not throw the ball much but he looks solid in

pass protection. The only reason I can think that Dugan is not seeing offers come his way is that recruiters did not know about him. I just found out about him recently myself. 47. *** Gary Thornton (5-9, 200, RB; Youngstown East) Long time readers know I am not a fan of small backs. Lets be clear from the start –Thornton is not a small back. Thornton is a short back with thick legs and a thick lower body. He might be the strongest football player in the state pound for pound, with a 350 pound bench press and squat in excess of 500. He has the quickest feet of any back in the state and his ability to change direction is remarkable. I sometimes give players nicknames. I am going to call Thornton “Freeze Frame.” As I watch his tape there are so many moments where he leaves defenders frozen as they try to change direction with him. He is such a natural runner. – explosive to the GH hole and fearless. He is as good, if not better, between the tackles as he is going wide. Getting him off his feet with that low center of gravity and his strength is a chore. Thornton is such a tough kid that he is getting some attention from schools as a linebacker. We are seeing Brian Westbrook with the Philadelphia Eagles and Maurice JonesDrew with the Jacksonville Jaguars have some success at the highest level. Thornton is the same kind of back. In addition, this is one of the classiest and most likable young men I have come in contact over the years. He will be the first one in the weightroom and the film room, and the last to leave. Whether he is a starter or never leaves the bench, you can bet Thornton will be the first to congratulate a teammate for a good play and the first to console someone that made a bad one. 48. *** James Howard (6-0, 170, WR; Warren JFK) All the fuss at JFK is about super sophomore Desmar Jackson. The accolades are deserved. Jackson is a special athlete but Howard is not getting the attention he deserves. This is an outstanding receiver in his own right. He is not a big receiver but nobody is going to call him small. I think that height is legitimate. Howard is a slot receiver in the JFK offense and really knows how to play the position. He shows great hands, knows what to do with the ball after the catch and is elusive, but what I love about Howard is he is always making GH yardage. He is not going to give ground. Howard is a smart football player. He always seems to do the smart thing. He is more comfortable working the underneath routes but he shows no hesitation in going over the middle. There is a Marvin Harrison-quality to his game. With Jackson on the other side of the field there is not going to be a shortage of coaches in the stands at JFK games so Howard will have the opportunity to show his skills this fall. If he runs well this summer they will not be there just to see Jackson. 49. *** Nate Gaynard (6-1, 220, LB; Niles McKinley) If you follow high school football in Ohio you may have heard of Gaynard. What may surprise you is that I have him listed as a linebacker even though he has been a record breaking back for Niles McKinley. If fullback was still a skill position, Gaynard would be a much sought after player at that position. He has not been a regular defensive player but has been a dominant offensive player so that is where all the talk is about him. He is a good enough runner that he would likely get offers as a back but he has a real shot at being a Big Ten player as a linebacker. He looks so much like current Ohio State linebacker Ross Homan that it is uncanny. He even has the same build. Homan was a

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Duane Long’s Top 100 Football Recruits for 2008 good high school back but he was not as good as Gaynard, and Gaynard has played against a higher level of competition. If he goes to camps as a linebacker I think he could be one of the surprises of summer. He has good size, is very physical, and I think he will surprise with his speed. 50. *** B.J. Machen (6-1, 210, LB; Hilliard Darby) Machen is one of the best kept secrets in Ohio for the Class of 2008. Most of the top prospects in this linebackers class are best on the outside, but Machen is one that is an inside player. He is physical, handles traffic really well and does a great job of getting off blocks without slowing down. Don’t let the weight fool you. He is a big 6-1 and has a great frame. I just don’t see him as a safety. I think he is going to be a college-sized linebacker by the time he is ready to step on a football field at the next level. He shows outstanding speed, so if he does not fill out he could step back into the secondary. I just don’t see it. This is a sideline to sideline defender with a serious motor. Machen is a tough minded kid. He had a bad shoulder but never took a series off. He is doing cleans with 245 pounds for five reps. He has the work ethic, is a team leader and has the grades. 51. *** Demicus Brown (6-5, 315, OL; Hamilton) I was a little surprised to see the film of Brown and see him lined up on defense at his size. That was before the ball was snapped. Brown comes off the ball doing his best Dan ‘Big Daddy’ Wilkinson impression. Hamilton head coach Jim Place told me he could run but I was more than a little surprised to see him run like this. Big kids that can move like this one are a high value target in recruiting. He was a very disruptive force as a defensive tackle. He also plays right tackle and that is where he is likely to end up playing his college ball. But if any college coach saw this film, they have to be very intrigued by the prospect of at least giving him a look on defense. From the way he plays, Brown would probably be very excited about the possibility of playing on defense. He is athletic enough to play basketball for the Big Blue, one of the legendary programs in Ohio. Place says he is a hard worker with a great attitude. He needs to work on his grades but he should be a qualifier. Place said, “He has unlimited potential,” and I would agree. Brown is one I will be watching closely as we get into the combine and camp part of the evaluation process. 52. *** Troy Gilmer (6-1, 200, ATH; Huber Heights Wayne) I love big backs and Gilmer is one of the better ones in the state of Ohio in this class. He has not received as much publicity as some of the others in this class mainly because did not play running back exclusively last year. Gilmer played some at quarterback and had some reps at receiver as well. That shows what kind of athlete Gilmer is. He rushed for 390 yards on 66 carries and caught 15 balls for 241 yards and totaled nine touchdowns. Gilmer camped at Ohio State last year and has a reported 4.5 40. If he runs that kind of time again at camps this year, he is going to start seeing the offers come in. At 6-1, 200 pounds with a 4.5 40, it puts him in the category of GH athlete. He could be used at any number of positions with numbers like that. Gilmer’s receiving numbers show he could be a wide receiver and those measurables are ideal for a safety. His film shows he could be a big time back, as well, if he concentrated on being a back since he is a powerful, determined runner yet shows some elusiveness for a big kid – enough that he was used on punt returns. When this kid gets to do just one thing he could be a great player. 53. *** Juandez Brown (6-3, 190, QB; Cincinnati Withrow) Withrow head coach Doc Gamble set this tape up perfectly. In the first few plays it is plain as day that Brown may have the

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best arm of any of the quarterbacks in this class. Brown can really cut it loose. He can make all the throws that define a next level arm. Brown throws the deep out with velocity and he is very accurate throwing balls where a coach wants to see the ball thrown. Brown throws out to outside not allowing the defender to make a break on the ball. On come back routes, he throws low only giving his receiver a shot at the ball. Brown is a fine athlete but is a throw-first quarterback. Even when he has opportunities to run he shows patience, waiting on a receiver to come open and delivering the ball. When Brown does run, he is very effective. He had some time under center last year, enough to put together a nice video package on him, but he was only a part time starter last year. He handled himself very well for a part time starter with his decision making. Brown has some good receivers to throw to next year, so I am very much looking forward to next season. Brown’s best is in front of him. He is one player I suspect will make a big leap up the rankings by seasons end. This could be one of the breakout stars in Ohio. 54. *** Lamonte Lattimore (5-11, 190, CB; Cincinnati Winton Woods) Winton Woods head coach Tory Everhart calls Lattimore one of the best he has ever had. Lattimore plays the slot on offense but he does a little of everything and does it all well. He runs the ball, catches the ball and blocks. On defense, Lattimore is a corner and this is where he will play his college ball. He is fearless in run support and a great open field tackler. He is as good a tackler as any defensive back in Ohio. He also shows great leaping ability going up with bigger receivers and making plays on the ball. The one thing that stands out more than anything with Lattimore is speed. Coach Everhart put a number of plays on his film where he runs down ball carriers from behind with no angle. Bottom line is Lattimore is a tough, physical kid with football smarts and speed. 55. *** Jake Stoller (6-4, 250, DT; Hunting Valley University School) This is a small academic school in Cleveland that is putting out good football prospects on a regular basis. For the third straight year, University School has put a player in the Ohio High top 100. This is a kid with great size. Stoller is a big, wide body that is athletic enough to be a high school defensive end. He will most likely move down to tackle to play his college ball. He runs so well chasing plays all over the field. There is probably not another lineman in Ohio making more tackles down the field than Jake Stoller. There is no such thing as too many big kids that can run. University School’s level of competition is going to be the only question mark so it will be important for him to get to camps this summer. Coming from this school, academics will not be a problem. Previous players from University School put a strong emphasis on academics when choosing a school. 56. *** Kenny Veal (5-11, 175, CB; Hamilton) Veal is one of the toughest kids in this class. Pound for pound, he is right up there with Lamonte Lattimore from Winton Woods. There is one play in particular from his tape in which takes on the blocker, beats him, hits the quarterback who pitched the ball, then got up and made a tackle for loss on the runner. He really gets after it. Veal is a cornerback that has a linebacker’s game. Everyone wants tough run defenders these days on a cornerback and Veal is as tough as nails and an excellent tackler. On offense last year, he had 706 yards on 121 carries but he will be a defensive player in college. He has a defensive players mind-set. If he runs well this summer his stock will soar. 57. *** Trey Fairchild (6-0, 185, WR; Dublin Coffman) Fairchild is one of the names to watch going into the combine and camp circuit. He has both explosive speed and top end speed. After recording a 4.36 40 at the Rivals elite combine in Ft.

Lauderdale, people were left wondering who the 6-0, 185 pound speedster was. He also added an impressive 9-1 broad jump and an outstanding 36-inch vertical. Fairchild carries those numbers over to the football field. He looks like he is running while everyone else on the field is walking. He is late to the radar because he played his natural receiver position for the first time last season. Fairchild was GH at was a quarterback and still plays there occasionally. In his first season last year at slot receiver, Fairchild reeled in 45 catches for 725 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 229 yards on 21 carries and three touchdowns on the ground. On special teams, Fairchild took a pair of kicks back for touchdowns. Fairchild is outstanding after the catch but he does not just count on his speed. He can cut on a dime and does not go down easily. He is tough, competitive and has great feet. I would not be surprised to see him get a shot at cornerback but I would want this kind of explosiveness on offense. Fairchild has early offers from Syracuse, Duke and Ball State. 58. *** Chip Robinson (6-7, 340, OL; Middletown) The one characteristic that stands out about Robinson is just how big he is. In football, bigger players at a young age are not uncommon anymore and Robinson is one that is so big it gets your attention. At one time, Robinson was even bigger but is working hard on getting his weight down even more. I don’t know if he will ever get below about 320, though. He is moving so much better now that he has lost some weight but he is never going to raise any eyebrows with his 40 time – but I have come to the point where I don’t put much stock in 40 times with offensive linemen. Robinson comes off the ball better than most kids this size, and he packs a punch. His first three steps are impressive. Middletown head coach Ron Johnson was a former college coach. That shows in the play of his twin towers at offensive tackle. Robinson and fellow D-I prospect and teammate at the other tackle, Blaec Walker, are showing better technique than most high school offensive linemen. Robinson is a high school tackle but before he can move inside to guard he has to have good footwork, and he has the reach. Last season, Robinson went one-on-one with Ohio State recruit Solomon Thomas a good percentage of the night and not only held his own but he won the battle. Robinson already has an offer from Illinois and good camp showings could see his stock soar. 59. *** Josh Newman (6-2, 215, LB; Clayton Northmont) Some high school linebackers can really put up amazing tackle numbers. What separates Josh Newman from the pack is he makes the tackles at the line of scrimmage in addition to having a great frame and a 4.64 40. Newman looks like he can add another 20-25 pounds with little impact on his speed and agility. He is so smooth he looks like he is not even trying hard. He reads the game so well that I don’t know if he is doing that much film study or he is that instinctive; but Newman seems to be moving toward the hole before the snap a good deal of the time. It is probably a good deal of both. When an opposing lineman does get to Newman, he sheds the block quickly and does so without losing speed. Newman is good in pass coverage, so he can be a three down linebacker. He has a 4.47 shuttle, 8-10 broad jump and 3.0 GPA. This kid is one of the best kept secrets in Ohio. This is one to keep an eye on. 60. *** Blaec Walker (6-4, 290, OL; Middletown) Walker plays tackle on the left side of the massive Middletown offensive line. He has an offer from Illinois like his line mate Chip Robinson. Walker has the wingspan of a 747 airplane yet is very good in small spaces. He has also learned to use his weight and leverage well. Despite the left tackle reach, I think his college position will be guard. Walker is also an excellent student. Middletown head coach Ron Johnson calls him, “the complete student-athlete package.”

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Duane Long’s Top 100 Football Recruits for 2008 He needs to dedicate himself in the weight room and get his intensity level up. Long-limbed kids always have a tough time in the weight room when they are young and most college coaches could not care less about strength as they know they can make any player stronger. Walker is a raw prospect with a lot of upside. A program like Illinois that is looking to rebuild its talent base is making a wise decision in coming in early on a raw prospect like Walker. He is also wrestler, which always helps lineman. There is no sport where leverage is more important than wrestling, especially with heavyweights. Walker will learn more about leverage in one month of wrestling practice than he would a year of football practice.

safety spot. Unlike last year’s class when a rock couldn’t be thrown without hitting a top defensive back, this is not such a strong class. But Woods is one that stands out. He runs very well and hits like a linebacker. He is so sound in his tackling with low, hard tackles and wraps up – just like a coach wants to see. Woods looks bigger than his listed 6-1, 175 pounds. He has a long lean body with very long arms but probably won’t fill out into a linebacker. In fact, he could possibly play corner in a zone scheme that looks for physical corners. The northwest part of the state has not been a traditional recruiting ground but players like D.J. Brown are going to change that.

61. *** Adam Bice (6-5½, 255, OL/DT; Dresden Tri-Valley) College recruiters need to find Tri-Valley on the map. Adam Bice is one of the more athletic big athletes that can be found in Ohio in 2008. He is a defensive end on defense and shows a lot of the things looked for in a defensive end – tenacity, the ability to keep blockers off his body, relentlessness in pursuit, the wingspan to go with his listed 6-5½, but I think he outgrows the position. He shows the toughness to be a defensive tackle and the frame to get a lot bigger. He plays center on offense and plays it well but I see a player with all the tools to move outside to tackle. Outside of the great frame the one thing that stands out to me is the relentlessness. He chases plays from sideline to sideline as well as down the field on defense and he stays with blocks until his man is down or until the whistle blows. Level of competition is going to be a question so he has to get to camps.

65. *** Isaac Washington (6-2, 240, LB/DE; Trotwood-Madison) There are some things I always look for in a middle linebacker. I want a big body because a lot of large bodies are going to be thrown at him. He has to have no help like a 3-4 inside linebacker – with no help beside him he can’t miss. He has to have that knack for finding the ball carrier and he needs to take on blockers to get to the ball carrier. I want to see a player that has the ability to get off blocks. And finally, he has to be a sure tackler. A big hitter is nice but sure tackler is a must. I see all those things in Isaac Washington. Washington is a very smart and sound football player. He blitzes great and his speed is extra on a blitz. If a blitzer times it right, he is going to get there anyway. I see so many players going for the big hits up high in the chest, and too often missing. Washington gets down into the runners legs making sure the play is over. He could be a possible defensive end. Washington is a big kid and could outgrow linebacker but he could probably stand to take off about 10 pounds by the time the camp and combine season arrives. College coaches looking at Washington as a middle linebacker will help him get more offers. Washington is just a good football player.

62. *** Mike Spooner (6-1, 220, LB; Lakewood St. Edward) Spooner had a breakout season last year. If not for the misfortune of another player, we may not have seen him until this year. Senior captain Ken Lamedola broke his foot before the season started and that thrust Spooner into the starting lineup sooner than expected. And he was ready for it. His teammate at inside linebacker was Jeff Lucas, a D-I recruit in his own right, but Spooner was the better player. In fact, a long time St. Ed watcher whose opinion I respect, GH thinks Spooner was the best defender on an outstanding defense that boasted the likes of Ohio State recruit Nate Oliver, Iowa signee Diauntae Morrow and top ten 2008 prospect Justin Staples. Early last season, I had the opportunity to see St. Edward and Spooner definitely got my attention. He is a tough inside linebacker with top drawer instincts and football smarts. He is pretty athletic and plays faster than he will run on any track. I am looking forward to seeing his shuttle time. That will tell us a lot about where this outstanding linebacker ends up. 63. *** Phillip Manley (6-4, 305, OL; Hamilton) Hamilton coach Jim Place said, “(Manley) has dominated games inside.” And never have truer words been spoken. This kid is a real powerhouse. We use the expression ‘road grader’ and Manley is the epitome of the expression. He locks defenders up, keeps his feet moving and moves them. Manley is athletic enough that he played right tackle at times and he moves well enough to be a really good pulling guard. His time at tackle has made Manley a better pass blocker since he is a wide body that is not carrying extra weight. He is also very young for his class. Manley is solid in the classroom and Place could not be more impressed with his work ethic in the weightroom and in the classroom. This is a raw kid and a young one with an impressive upside. 64. *** D.J. Brown (6-1, 175, DB; Fremont Ross) Brown is like a heat seeking missile coming up from his

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66. *** Jarod Emerson (6-6, 275, OL; Youngstown Cardinal Mooney) On a team full of stars, sometimes players get overlooked – especially linemen. Emerson played on the same line with Kent State recruit Ishmaa’ily Kitchen and Miami (Ohio) recruit Mike Madsen last year, not to mention the array of stars at the skill positions. Emerson is a guard that could get a look at tackle. He has a long body and pretty long arms, both of which are important in a tackle. He has great feet and comes off the ball well. He can get a little high sometimes but he consistently wins one-on-one battles. Emerson has tenacity to spare. He plays to the whistle, and once he wins GH a battle, he is on to the next target. He is in great shape and there is no question he will carry 300 pounds relatively easy. Emerson is flying under the radar right now but every school in the country is going to be in to Mooney with its galaxy of Big Four stars, so it is just a matter of time before that changes. College coaches also like his toughness after breaking his hand two days before the state championship game and still playing the entire game. He also excels in the classroom carrying a 3.75 GPA. 67. *** Douglas Rippy (6-2, 215, OLB/DE; Columbus Linden-McKinley) This is the best year for Columbus City League talent in a few years and Douglas Rippy is one of the reasons why. He played linebacker and defensive end last year, where he broke the school record with 148 tackle and had nine sacks to go 22 tackles for loss. On offense Rippy played tight end, running back and wide receiver. He is getting a lot of interest from some major schools. Boston College has been showing a good deal of interest for some time while Ohio State recently came in and invited Rippy to spring practices. Other Big Ten teams have also been in contact including Michigan State, Illinois and Indiana. Duke has also been in contact.

Some are recruiting him as an athlete but most will be looking at him as a defensive end or a linebacker. He is carrying a 3.2 GPA, but has not taken the test. I suspect that interest will turn into offers once Rippy has a test score he can send to their respective admissions offices. 68. *** Darius Ashley (5-9, 190, TB; Cincinnati St. Xavier) Every year there seems to be a back in Ohio that has everything but size. Tyrell Sutton was that player a couple of years ago, last year it was Jordan Mabin and this year it is Darius Ashley. Ashley has quick feet and is explosive. He also has outstanding vision finding the holes and hitting them quickly. Ashley is pretty tough between the tackles and does not go down as easy as so many backs his size. He can carry potential tacklers. Ashley also shows that he can be effective catching the ball out of the backfield. In the right offense he can be a highly effective back. He is working on getting his 40 time under 4.4 but he has exceptional football speed. As a sophomore, Ashley rushed for 1,634 yards on 254 carries and 26 GH touchdowns in the perfect 15-0, state championship season. He also had 14 catches for 192 yards and 2 TDs. Last year in his junior campaign, Ashley had 1,450 yards rushing on 273 carries with 17 TDs in a 10-2 Bomber effort. Like Sutton and Mabin before him, if he is three inches taller and 20 pounds heavier he is at least a four-star player. Ashley already boasts scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Virginia and several of the Mid-American Conference programs. Cornerback or receiver could be his ticket to more and better offers. This is one of the most skilled players in Ohio. 69. ***Joshua Smith (6-2, 170, ATH; Cincinnati Withrow) This defensive back class has really come around. Maybe it was the distraction of last year’s class, but at first blush, I did not think that this would be a good class. So many of the players that made early impressions – few that they were – are now not at the top of the class. Joshua Smith is one of those that just came to my notice. This is one fine football player. The versatility of the safeties is a feature that seems to be unique about this class and Smith is no exception. He shows the instincts, the ball skills and the range to be a free safety and he is some kind of hitter. He is a very physical kid making sacks and plays behind the line of scrimmage like a linebacker. Speaking of linebacker – that could be in Smith’s future. He is such a long lean kid that he could add a good deal of weight and make someone a fine weak side linebacker. 70. *** Ben Buchanan (6-0, 197, K; Westerville Central) I don’t know if I have ever had a kicker in my top 100. But Buchanan is a unique kicker. He has a leg that has to be seen to believe. He has a 54-yard field goal to credit, which is the longest field goal for a junior off grass in Ohio high school history. The kick would have been good from 60 at least. Buchanan has kicked 60 yards in camps and has successfully kicked 65 yards in practice. He was the best punter at that elite camp run by Dan Stultz, the former Ohio State kicker, which brought in kickers from all over the Midwest. Buchanan’s goal is to be a complete kicker. He fully expects to be the place kicker as well as the punter for Ohio State as he made his commitment to the Buckeyes in early March. His offer list was as GH impressive as any player in the state. That is especially impressive when considering how many kickers are initially walk-ons. This kid is just a fine athlete. He is also a starting receiver for Westerville Central and a talented baseball player.

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Duane Long’s Top 100 Football Recruits for 2008 71. *** Jason Albertini (6-3, 200, QB; Vandalia Butler) Albertini is one of the early quarterbacks to step up in this class. He has filled out, looks taller and is obviously stronger. Albertini is a technically sound quarterback with a picture perfect motion. He might want to work on getting rid of it quicker but that is just nit picking. He also shows great feet getting his feet under him and throwing over the top. Albertini also shows coolness under pressure and seems supremely confident back there. He moves well enough not only to get himself out of trouble but to make plays with his feet. Albertini shows good arm strength with the ability to throw the deep out and he has great touch on his long ball. He throws great on the run and his junior year performance is all the more impressive because he is in a pro-style offense. He was 99-of-215 passing for 1,264 yards with seven touchdowns, eight interceptions and three touchdowns on the ground. The spread offenses are all the rage in Ohio High school football. This is a player I will be watching when the camp circuit starts up. 72. *** Brandon Williams (5-10, 175, CB; Lakewood St. Edward) A few years ago, Williams would have been 20 spots higher on this list. But with the big, freaky athletes we are seeing coming into the college ranks these days at wide receiver, most schools are looking for big freaky players to cover them. Williams has exceptional speed and the feet and hips to change direction quickly – a crucial skill for a cornerback. He has good instincts and will come up and play the run despite his stature. He is an excellent returner, both kickoff and punts. He is an explosive and electric player. Lakewood St. Edward has had a run of super athletes recently but GH Williams cracked the starting lineup as a sophomore regardless. He intercepted four passes last year and also played wide receiver. I think he would be smart to ask to workout at wide receiver in camps over the summer. Someone might get the idea to move him over and give him a shot at receiver down the road. He is hearing from the Big Ten with Ohio State and Michigan at the top of the list. Virginia, Syracuse and most of the MAC schools are also in the mix. 73. *** Jamil Sims (6-4, 255, DT; Marion Harding) Sims is a really good high school end that could be a great college tackle. His ability to play end at his size speaks volumes about what kind of athlete he is. He reports a 5.2 40 time, but he plays faster than that. And for a guy his size with a 4.89 shuttle is pretty impressive. Sims does a great job of getting off blocks. He actually plays defensive end quite well having the wingspan of a defensive end. But he is just too big for the position. He has a great body for a defensive tackle and could carry 300 pounds easily. The most important thing for the big boys is the motor and Sims has that. For so many, playing hard every down is what separates the good linemen from the great ones. Sims has been flying under the radar until now but getting to camps could make him one of the players that everybody talks about this summer. 74. *** Dawawn Whitner (6-2, 245, DT; Cleveland Glenville) The theme for this year seems to be “if he were only a little bigger.” No player in the class exemplifies that theme more than Dawawn Whitner. Whitner comes off the snap like he is shot out of a cannon. He has the motor that makes or breaks all great linemen, going full bore until the whistle shedding blockers with ease. He has that same nasty disposition that helped make his

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older brother, former Buckeye Donte Whitner, become a first round draft choice. Donte was so aggressive that his natural cornerback skills took a backseat and forced him to safety. There is so much to like about Whitner’s game but the one thing that stands out is the speed. A 4.75 40 has been reported and it would not surprise me if that time is accurate based on what he does on the field. GH His closing speed is something to see. Glenville head coach Ted Ginn, Sr. uses him in a zone blitz, dropping him back like a spy. There are plays where he runs quarterbacks down from that position. If Whitner had size, he would be a sure top-40 player in this class. 75. *** Nate Wilburn-Ogletree (6-2, 180, WR; Clayton Northmont) Wilburn-Ogletree caught 44 balls for 708 yards and seven touchdowns in eight games last year as the primary target for Northmont’s outstanding senior quarterback and Miami (Ohio) recruit Clay Belton. Wilburn-Ogletree was the receiver Belton looked for to get him out of jams and to make the big plays for Northmont. He is a sure-handed receiver and a big target. I like to see a receiver that will not hesitate to go over the middle, especially the big receivers NF where the other big people are. Wilburn-Ogletree does not hesitate. He is hearing from Michigan, Wisconsin, Eastern Michigan and Connecticut and went to junior day at Cincinnati and liked what they had to say. He might decide to camp this summer but I would not be surprised to see him take up the Bearcats on an offer if one should come before then. Wilburn-Ogletree has a 4.53 40 and a 4.33 shuttle to go with a 33-inch vertical and an 8-10 vertical. 76. *** Luther Nicholas (6-0, 200, RB; Columbus Independence) It does this old Columbus City League grad’s heart good to see a nice group of talent coming out in this year’s class. Nicholas is seeing the spotlight on Isaiah Pead from Eastmoor but he does not need to take a back seat to anyone. He rushed for 1,918 yards on 304 carries scored 14 touchdowns last year. Some are going to question the level of competition in the Columbus City League but Nicholas ran for better than 100 yards on the Hilliard Davidson defense which stuffed everyone on its way to their first state championship last year. He also had a100 yard rushing effort against another Ohio Capital Conference defense in Upper Arlington. Nicholas has a 4.5 40 and if he shows that time at camp this summer he will really boost his stock as his measurables line will get the attention of college coaches. With his measurables line, he could play running back, wide receiver, safety or even grow into a linebacker. That kind of versatility is something highly valued in this era of limited scholarships. 77. *** Travis Kelce (6-5, 230, QB/ATH; Cleveland Heights) New Cleveland Heights coach Jeff Rotsky could not be more excited about the upside for Travis Kelce. He thinks he will be the most heavily recruited quarterback in Ohio come season’s end. Kelce is a physical specimen and a great athlete. Rotsky thinks he will end up at about 245 pounds and at that size all it does is expand his possibilities. He is a quarterback now but at 6-5, 245 pounds coupled with his athleticism schools will start thinking about tight end should he not pan out as a quarterback He is being recruited as a basketball player, too, and has

not decided which sport he will play in college. The list of schools looking at him for basketball includes Florida, Wisconsin and just about all the MAC schools. Kelce has been down to Ohio State for a couple of games as a guest of the Buckeyes. North Carolina, Syracuse, Pitt and Indiana are showing interest in football. Kelce just moved into the starting lineup for the first time as a junior so he is very raw but has all the tools that every major school looks for in a quarterback prospect. Rotsky has done some impressive work preparing athletes for the next level and this is one player I will be tracking closely. If he develops like Rotsky thinks he will, Kelce will completely shake up this top 100. 78. *** David Fleming (5-11, 200, DB; Centerville) Fleming is one of the best athletes in Ohio. He was forced into service as a quarterback for Centerville head coach Ron Ullery and showed what kind of athlete and competitor he is. Fleming broke his hand last year but only missed one game while playing five others with a soft cast. I was impressed with his command of the offense. For someone that is not a natural quarterback, he sure carried himself like one. He had 606 yards rushing and NF eight touchdowns in nine games. He added 567 yard passing completing 23-of-45 attempts with eight more touchdowns and only three interceptions. The TD-INT ratio shows this is a heady guy. Fleming is a hard-nosed, smart football player with athleticism, good speed (4.55 40) and has good size. 79. *** Marvin Stewart (6-1, 205, QB/ATH; Columbus Beechcroft) When I first looked at Marvin Stewart’s film, I saw an athlete. I always watch films several times and I really took my time and watched him the second time. I was far more impressed with him as a quarterback the second time around. On the front end of the tape, he is making a lot of athletic plays with the ball and doing whatever he can to get the ball to someone. But on the back side of the tape when he sat down on his throws and delivered the ball, he showed me that he could be an athletic quarterback. Stewart has some bad habits that he needs to break like tossing the ball instead of throwing it as well as throwing off his back foot when he really wants to get rid of it in a hurry. But he has a good up when he sets up and throws it. I am very partial to athletic quarterbacks and Stewart is one of the best athletes at quarterback in the state this year. He can definitely pull it down and hurt a defense but his passing skills are what will keep him at quarterback. As a junior, Stewart completed 79 of 150 passes for 1,259 yards in the regular season. Stewart is not a player that will come in and play right away, but in time he could be an excellent quarterback and he is athletic enough to move elsewhere if he is not. 80. *** Matt Mihalik (6-7, 270, OT; Gates Mills Gilmour Academy) This is likely a player that not many are aware of. Mihalik is coming out of a small, elite academic school in Cleveland and he committed very early in his junior year when Virginia made him an offer. He has heard from the likes of Ohio State and West Virginia since but has not wavered in his commitment. He is a highly athletic kid and has the feet and frame everyone is looking for in a tackle prospect. Mihalik is a three-sport kid also playing basketball and baseball. There is a lot of controversy about whether that is a help or a hindrance in the development of an athlete. He is going to need a lot of work in the weight room as he is an awfully lean kid. And the level of competition is going to be questioned despite the fact that Gilmour played and beat some larger schools last year. But in time and with hard work this could be one of the real steals in the class of 2008. Great job by Al Groh and the Virginia staff.

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Duane Long’s Top 100 Football Recruits for 2008 81. ** Brad Bednar (6-5, 230, OL; Mentor) This is a player I expect to see getting a lot of attention once he starts hitting the combines in spring and the camps this summer. Bednar has quietly played at a high level against quality competition. His weight is down now but he is going to fill out nicely. I expect a 280-pound player in the next couple of years. Bednar moves very well and has better technique than most high school players. Since he is playing against good defensive ends and is SP lighter than most at his position, I think has played a role in his more advanced technique. The fact that in practice every day he was going against scholarship level players has helped him greatly as well. I suspect that by his second year of college he is going to be in the mix wherever he ends up playing his college ball. Bednar is one of the real sleepers in the class of 2008. 82. ** Brandon Williams (6-1, 185, WR; Cincinnati Withrow) What a turnaround with this program under head coach Doc Gamble. Every year now, we are seeing top 100 players out of Withrow with receivers coming out in abundance. This year, the program’s top receiver is Brandon Williams. He could be the best of them. Williams has good size – every bit the 6-1 he is listed at – and has a solid build. I think he can add 10-15 pounds with no impact on his speed and athleticism. He has great hands and, more importantly, the competitiveness to make those hands all the more valuable because he will not give up on a pass. I have seen Williams go into the dirt to pull badly thrown balls, go up and sacrifice his body to make a play on a high ball and tiptoe the sidelines. If he runs well this summer, this ranking is way too low for Williams. 83. ** Antoine Rucker (6-0, 170, CB/WR; Warren G. Harding) Antoine Rucker is lightning in a bottle. He comes off the line like a shot out of a cannon. He is quick in and out of his cuts. Once he makes a catch, he gets to another gear quicker than anyone on the field. Rucker shows a fearlessness in going over the middle and going up to make a play on the ball in the air. He is a real explosive leaper. SP He shows good instincts as a cornerback and has great feet and hips. I like what I see of him as an offensive player but he is tall and long-armed to go with those good feet and great hips, so I think the odds are good Rucker ends up on defense in college. He is a very aggressive player on the ball on either side of the line. 84. ** Nate Shuler (6-1, 208, ATH; New Middletown Springfield) I get asked all the time which player is the fastest, which is the biggest and which is the strongest.The one question I get asked the most, though, is who the hardest hitter is. For the class of 2008, Nate Shuler would get my vote. I don’t know if I can come up with 10 great hits for anyone in the class but for Shuler I would have to pick 10. He brings it like nobody else. Shuler is also a very good high school quarterback but he is going to make his mark as a defensive player. Exactly which position on defense has yet to be determined. He could be a strong safety or he could grow into an outside linebacker at the next level. Shuler really needs to get to camps since there is still a very real bias towards these small school players. Springfield Local is a Division V school.

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85. ** Andrew Strauss (6-1, 190, S; West Chester Lakota West) While this is not a deep defensive back class, especially compared to last year’s benchmark class, there are a few very versatile safety prospects. Andrew Strauss is one of them. He is best playing as a free safety but shows the toughness to play up in the box and has the size. He looks every bit of 6-1 and is a lean 190 pounds. Lakota West head coach Larry Cox thinks he could grow into a speed linebacker with a 4.62 40 time. And he plays at that speed. He runs down backs and receivers and he gets back to make plays on balls. He is a sure tackler and a very smart football player. In boxing the term “busy” is used in reference to a fighter that is very active. I would use the term with Strauss, who always seems to be around the ball. He has excellent ball skills and is good leaper. Strauss has a very impressive 4.06 shuttle time. 86. ** Dominique Chandler (6-2, 210, ATH; Columbus Franklin Heights) Talk about a diamond in the rough. No player epitomizes that expression more than Dominique Chandler. Chandler is just now really starting to play sports. He has been a good running back and last year was his first year on defense. As a running back he is a slasher with good size. He prefers running back, and I think he could possibly be a safety but I think he is going to be a linebacker at the next level by the time he is ready to step on the football field. He really started to come on as the year went along last year. He runs a 4.5 40 and ran 50.5 in the 400-meter event in his first year running track last year. He has a 280-pound bench press and a 400-pound squat. Chandler is the kind of player that is going to go to camps and combines and raise a lot of eyebrows with his speed to size ratio and earn some offers. He is so raw and has his best football in front of him. He has been an all-around athlete. He was a wrestler as a sophomore but played basketball as a freshman and as a junior. Once he starts to focus on one sport, we will see the best come out of him. 87. ** Eric Stoyanoff (5-11, 195, RB; Strongsville) Weight loss has had a great impact on this runner’s future. Stoyanoff was in the 210-pound range and not as explosive as he had been as a sophomore where he ran for over 1,700 yards. By the end of the season, he was back down to 195 and running in the 4.5 40 range. When he was down at 195, he still ran with the power of back that was in the 220 range. There was never any question about his running skills. He has good vision and is a decisive runner. He is going to find the hole quickly and not mess around back there. A back GH needs to do learn that and most don’t until college. Stoyanoff reads plays down field and sees where the daylight is after the initial hole. He is a very tough physical runner. In two varsity seasons, Stoyanoff has collected over 3,200 yards on over 400 carries without putting the ball on the ground once. Of those 3,200 yards, 1,500 have come after the initial hit. He has also scored 24 TDs. I could see Stoyanoff becoming a fullback in time. He is already a very good blocker. He is hearing from a who’s who of college football right now including Ohio State, Notre Dame and Iowa with mail coming from Miami (Fla.), North Carolina and Boston College. 88. ** Andrew Phalen (6-5, 270, OL; West Chester Lakota West) There were two things that immediately got my attention when I first saw Phalen. This is a really big kid that played at about 250 last year, is up to about 270 now and still looks like

he needs a sandwich. The other characteristic is he has that nasty streak that I like to see in an offensive lineman. Phalen is going to hit anyone who is in reach. Standing around the pile with Andrew Phalen around is just asking to get hit. He played both tackle spots and some at right guard but projects as a guard in college. Phalen is raw but he has a great frame and the right mindset. A lot of schools have taken notice. He was a bowl practice invitee to Ohio State and he attended junior days at Michigan and Cincinnati and was invited to Tennessee, Illinois and Pitt. 89. ** Eric Magnacca (5-10, 172, WR; Massillon Perry) It boils down to one thing with Eric Magnacca: speed. This kid has another level of speed with a 4.3 40 that is explosive speed. He does not need to get cranked up hitting top speed in a couple of steps. Because of his size the thinking is he will be a cornerback at the next level but his coach, John Miller, thinks he will be an offensive player. I do too. He is a high school running back but he shows really good hands catching balls out of the backfield and could make a good college receiver. Magnacca (5-10, 187, 4.3 40) tallied 1,332s yard on 197 carries (6.6 ypc) and had 15 TDs for the Panthers while averaging 10 yards per catch out of the backfield and 24.5 yard per return on kickoffs. Those are the numbers that are going to be most important to his college options. Magnacca is getting mail from Ohio State, Florida State, Penn State, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Akron and Ball State. He attended several junior days and was an invitee to the Ohio State-Michigan and Florida State-Florida games last season. 90. ** Doug Reynolds (6-2, 190, S/QB; Colerain) I first noticed Doug Reynolds in the Kirk Herbstreit Challenge last season and was not used to a Colerain quarterback being this effective as a passer. Though he did not throw a lot, he showed a good arm and was effective when he threw the ball. Reynolds is such a fine athlete that he is going to be a safety at the next level. He has excellent size for a safety. But there are some that disagree GH with me and they think he has what it takes to be a quarterback in college. With a summer to prepare in camps and combines, and another football season to hone his skills, he could very well end up as a college quarterback. 91. ** Marc Stevens (6-6, 295, OL; Lexington) Buckeye legend Woody Hayes was a firm believer in big players. He said he could do a lot of things to make them better but he could not make them bigger. Hayes would have loved Marc Stevens. It seems we are seeing more big kids that are not carrying excess weight every year and Stevens is one of those kids. There is not going to be any dieting in the future of this 300pound kid. I see a raw prospect that will only get better as he gets in the weightroom. He plays hard all the time and he works hard. Stevens plays both guard and tackle at the high school level but I see a guard in college. He has an offer from Akron and was a bowl game practice invitee to Ohio State. He was in attendance for the Ohio State-Bowling Green game by invitation while has shown some interest as well. Georgia Tech, West Virginia, Louisville and Vanderbilt are asking about him and has been down to Louisville for a game and to Vanderbilt for a junior day. 92. ** Chris Crockett (5-10, 185, RB; Columbus Academy) Crockett is one of the best all-around athletes in the state

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Duane Long’s Top 100 Football Recruits for 2008 of Ohio. He has started on the football field since his freshman season and last year as a junior he racked up over 2900 yards rushing averaging an eye popping 10 yards a carry with 37 touchdowns. Crockett had 60 tackles and three interceptions as a defensive back. On the hardwood, he averaged over 20 points a game in basketball and had a 44 point effort in a game late in the season. While he prefers basketball, Crockett is getting more attention for football with Notre Dame, Penn State and Iowa showing solid early interest. If he runs well this spring and summer, the interest level is going to pick up even more. This is a back with great vision and very quick feet. If he were a little bigger Crockett would be another twenty spots higher in this ranking. If he plays football in college his size might dictate a move to cornerback. 93. ** Nathan Cope (5-11, 185, S/RB; Warren Howland) Cope is a good high school running back with quick feet and an explosive reckless, physical style of running. But I think he will end up being a fine safety at the college level. He has some impressive measurables with a 4.56 40 at the Penn State camp last May. He had a 4.21 shuttle at that same camp, and added a 33-inch vertical. On the season, Cope had 93 carries for 536 yards. He showed he can be effective catching the SP ball out of the backfield with 10 catches last year scoring six times. On defense, he had ten passes defended and racked up three interceptions. Cope showed good coverage skills and was aggressive at coming up and playing the run and he is an excellent tackler. I think when he is focused on playing just one position he will become that much better a player. 94. ** Tyler Amendola (5-11, 185, RB; Youngstown Boardman) If only he was a little bigger. If Amendola were just a little bigger, we would see the top schools in the region coming after him. He is not small necessarily, but he does not have the size most are looking for in a back. Amendola has one of the more impressive films I have seen this year. Some of his runs look like he is doing a slalom course in skiing. Amendola can change direction at speed and explodes into holes with reckless abandon. He is like a boxer in his ability to avoid contact SP in small spaces. His football speed cannot be questioned. This is a very athletic kid and he would do himself a service by camping this summer wherever he can and getting in the defensive backfield group or with the receivers. Football is first and foremost about speed and this kid can really run. 95. ** Jeremy Ebert (6-0, 170, ATH; Hilliard Darby) I like this Ohio quarterback class. There are several underrated players that could help themselves with good summers throwing the ball. There are also a number of high school quarterbacks that will set themselves up with good summers showing as athletes and Jeremy Ebert is one of them. He could end up being a good defensive back but I like him as an offensive player. He is very elusive with the ball in his hands and can get to top speed in just a couple of steps. There are several throws on his film where he puts the ball 60 yards down the field. He passed for more than

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1100 yards and seven touchdowns, and rushed for better than 1000 yards and seven more touchdowns. Hillard Darby head coach Paul Jenne reports a 4.4 40. At least one major conference school sees him as a quarterback. He was invited to a couple of Ohio State games. Northwestern, Indiana and Miami (Ohio) are also showing interest. 96. ** Justin Hemm (6-0, 180, ATH; Piqua) I had a number of opportunities to watch Piqua last year. It was a star-studded lineup. RB Brandon Saine and WR Phil Collier gave defenses fits. And while everyone was keying on them Hemm was left with room to run and he took advantage of it. He was the starting quarterback but I am not sure if he has the arm to be a college quarterback. However, he has the athleticism to be a college player either at wide receiver or in the defensive backfield. GH With an athletic quarterback, moving to defensive back naturally comes to mind. But this kid is wicked quick and highly elusive and I would want him to have the ball in his hands as much as possible. If Hemm goes to camps and drills as a receiver or defensive back I think he will be the next player coming out of the Piqua program that will be having a press conference on national signing day. 97. ** Duran Robinson (6-2, 195, SS/LB; Fremont Ross) Robinson is a high school linebacker but the jury is still out on whether he will be a linebacker or a safety at the next level. We are seeing the evolution of the strong safety position as more college and pro teams want a safety that is big enough to play at the line of scrimmage but has good enough cover skills. Robinson shows he is a route jumper/route squeezer by stepping in and making interceptions and knocking down passes. He just seems so comfortable in zone. He runs great, is highly athletic and is a great blitzer. Robinson is a running back on offense but will be a defensive player in college. He is another reason for college recruiters to get up to northwest Ohio a bit more. 98. ** Craig Brooks (6-2, 215, DE/LB; Girard) “Relentless” is the one word that best describes Craig Brooks. Brooks has a motor that just won’t quit. I wonder how many tackles he has made in his career simply because he would not give up on a play. He plays defensive end in high school he has more of a linebacker size. However, he is a big 6-2, 215 pounds and I thought he would be bigger just looking at him out there on the field. Brooks has long arms, does a really good job of getting off blocks and has an uncanny ability to beat double teams. How well he runs this summer is going to say a lot about who is going to come in on him. If he shows linebacker speed there will be a completely different offer list for Craig Brooks. 99. ** Jordan Graham (6-1, 250, DL/OL; Canfield) Graham is an explosive, athletic, disruptive force that the the major college programs will not come in on because he lacks size. He is an excellent offensive lineman that comes off the ball with a punch always knocking back his assigned target. He has more pancake blocks pound-for-pound than anyone. Now that I have built him up as an offensive lineman I

will say that I think he is a defensive player at the next level. He is off the ball with such quickness that he is often by the offensive linemen before they know the ball is snapped. He is very disruptive but it is not simply a matter of disrupting the play – Graham can run. He regularly runs down backs once he is in the backfield. A couple of inches taller and I think Graham would be getting Big Ten offers.

100. ** Keith Herring (5-11, 200, TB; Massillon Washington) The past couple of seasons, Herring has had so much talent around him. Last year, he had top ten athlete and Illinois recruit Brian Gamble in front of him to share carries with and top ten junior to be Justin Turner behind him. He just never got enough carries and to really step into the spotlight. Herring rushed for 546 yards and seven touchdowns despite the crowded backfield, however. He has the best speed of the talented trio of backs at Massillon last year with a sub 4.4 40. He is a well put together kid. He is effective between the tackles and in space and he is a brutally efficient runner. There is no wasted movement as he gets in the hole and out of the hole. Once he sees daylight, he has the speed to take it the distance. I suspect Herring’s speed and solid size are going to boost his stock this summer at camp but having the chance at more carries next fall is what is going to fill his mailbox with offers. 101. ** Andrew Radakovich (6-5, 275, OL; Steubenville) Steubenville quarterback Zack Collaros was one of the most effective football players in Ohio high school football history. No skill player is going to have the career he had without some help up front like he had from Radakovich. Radakovich shows really good feet and good form along with some tenacity but what is not on there is the size. “Upside” is one of the words you always hear when recruiting is the GH subject and there is plenty of upside here. In the Steubenville system, he will have had excellent coaching and he has some experience as a pass blocker. He is likely going to need to show that new body after growing some in the offseason and what he can do with on the field next season before the offers start coming in. But come next January, Radakovich is a name that I think everyone will be hearing and he will be much higher on this list. 102. ** Steve Schott (6-1, 165, K; Massillon Washington) I have never had a top-100 kicker – not that I can remember at least – but this year I have two. Both have been so good it is hard to ignore. Steve Schott is 23-of-34 on field goals in his first three years and he is 133-of-140 on PATs accounting for 202 total points – 44 from the state record with a year to go. Last year, he was 3-for-3 on field goals over 40 yards with his longest in a game being 47 yards. His longest in practice is 60 yards and I GH know that is practice, but kickers just don’t often get opportunities to try kicks from that distance. It shows he has the leg to get it there.

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Duane Long’s Top 100 Football Recruits for 2008 Schott has been contacted by over 50 Division I colleges so far including UCLA, Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame, Texas, Florida, Virginia, Boston College, LSU, Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern, Duke, Wisconsin, Hawaii and Washington State. Schott has a 4.8 40 and when the kicker is the last line of defense, it is nice to have someone back there that at least has a shot ay making the tackle.

He looks like an athlete with his V-shaped body at 265 pounds and recently ran a 4.8 shuttle. He is a late bloomer just breaking into the starting lineup as a junior. Scott is athletic enough to get spot duty as a defensive end. He impressed at his first combine this year at the National High School All-Star Combine in Cleveland. He was an invitee to two Ohio State games last year and is a cousin of former Buckeye defensive end Jay Richardson.

103. ** Marquis Powell (6-5, 185, WR; Hamilton) This is one of the real diamonds in the rough for the class of 2008. Last season was Powell’s first as a football player and he only played the first six weeks as a result of an injury, so he does not have a years worth of development under his belt. Powell showed hands and a feel for the game. So many basketball player first kids that come over to play football show good hands and he is one of them. He naturally catches the ball with his hands not his body. Hamilton head coach Jim Place says he is back, committed to football and running very well. He is an outstanding blocker and plays physical in general. He takes on defenders after the catch and never seems to go down on first contact. Powell has a very tight end style of game. In fact, I think he likely makes his mark as a tight end in the future. He has the frame to grow into one.

107. ** Sean McCarthy (6-3, 265, OL; Toledo St. Francis DeSales) McCarthy is one of the more effective offensive linemen in Ohio, and one of the most versatile. He played all over the offensive line for DeSales but mostly played right tackle. I think he will be a guard at the next level. McCarthy has good feet and once he locks a defender up that defender is out of the play. He shows good athleticism as long time head coach Dick Cromwell has no qualms about sending him out to make second level blocks. He was in attendance at two Ohio State games by invitation of the Buckeye staff, including the Michigan game. He was not a camp attendee at any of the big camps last year due to other commitments but will camp this year. Size is going to be a factor. McCarthy needs to add weight. He has the frame and it is always my thinking that it is better to have a player that needs to add weight than it is one who needs to lose weight.

104. ** Joe Madsen (6-4, 270, OL; Chardon) What a powerhouse Madsen is. He has impressive weightroom numbers with a 365-pound bench press, a 405-pound parallel squat and a 275-pound power clean but I really did not need to see those numbers to come to that conclusion. Hall of Fame basketball player Bill Russell said basketball was a contact sport, while football was a collision sport. Joe Madsen brings that point home. Madsen is like a human bowling pin knocking defensive players all over the field. I saw him score two pancake blocks on one play. On another, he shows the nasty streak I want to see in a lineman knocking defenders down that get right back up. He is quick enough to get into the second level to make blocks. He does not look the part but has a 4.9 40. Madsen is also a very disruptive at defensive tackle. He has a non-stop motor collecting five sacks and 16 tackles for loss. Chardon head coach Bob Francis drops him back in zone coverage. This is not a body-beautiful athlete but he is one good looking football player. Madsen is likely a guard at the next level.

108. ** Zach Brown (6-2, 285, OG; Canal Winchester) I think everyone is taking a wait-and-see attitude with Zach Brown. It all depends on how well Zack Brown comes back from a season-ending knee injury. Brown was showing well at camps and combines before the injury and he is a tough, physical kid that is going to get looks at defensive tackle as well as guard. I think he is a little better on defense right now but his size may push him to the offensive side of the ball. The injury may force him to prove he has fully recovered with a few solid games next season before he sees the offers come rolling in. He is still hearing from a who’s who of college football, though, with Notre Dame, Iowa, Purdue, Wisconsin, Duke, Florida State, Boston College, Connecticut and Akron leading the way.

105. ** Matt Greiser (6-5, 305, OL; Columbus Watterson) Greiser is a big-framed kid that is just now coming into his own. He stepped into the starting lineup for the first time as a junior. I have seen him up close and the size is legitimate. He is a high school tackle but I think he projects as a guard at the next level. The camp and combine circuit could be a revelation for him. If Greiser does well there, I am sure that there are going to be plenty of eyes on him early next season. Since Greiser is just now getting into the starting lineup says he is still raw but he played well enough to catch my eye. Michigan and Michigan State have taken notice and he has been to games at Michigan and attended Ohio State camp last summer. Someone that has a good situation on the offensive line could do themselves a favor taking a late bloomer like Greiser and letting him mature a bit. 106. ** Nick Scott (6-5, 265, OL; Bedford) Feet and frame are the bedrock things that when evaluating offensive linemen. Ideally, a player will have a big frame to add weight on and they need to be agile. Every college coach in America knows they can make anybody bigger and stronger but they want a frame to hang the weight on and the feet to carry it well. Nick Scott gets high marks in both categories.

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109. **** Harold Coates (6-3, 315, OL; Youngstown Ursuline) Talk about coming out of nowhere. I had never heard the name Harold Coates until January. He was nowhere on the radar. Linemen come along slowly and Harold Coates is the proof. He is playing left tackle in high school and has the feet to play tackle but his height seems to dictate a move to guard. He has the wingspan of a much taller player. No lineman in Ohio comes off the ball quite like Coates. He really brings it. His punch is something to see as he takes his man out of the play right away in most instances simply by blowing them back off the snap. Coates has good technique and really stays with it. He plays the game with the kind of nasty that is often the difference between a really good lineman and a really great one. He is just now coming into his own, so his upside is exciting. He has his weight under control and this is a GH 290 pound kid that is supposed to weigh 290 pounds. Ursuline is loaded with talent so this under the radar player will not stay under the radar for long. The position Coates ends up in college is going to depend on the needs of the schools he chooses. It is not often that I find myself not being able to project a lineman as an inside player or a tackle but Coates has tools that make him a potential player anywhere along the offensive line. Grades are going to be the issue here. With his academics

in order, Coates is a top 20 player and he would have a who’s who of college football powerhouses on his offer list. 110. *** Chaz King (6-1, 205, LB; Cincinnati Winton Woods) If you are a coach reading this, write the name down. If you are a fan and go to high school games, write the name down. I have been talking about this linebacker class for some time and the names for long-time subscribers are now etched in your memory. This is another one to add to that list. Chaz King is the best linebacker nobody has been talking about. He hits like a player 50 pounds heavier. He can run and he has a nose for the ball that is second to none. King does not have to take a back seat to any linebacker in this class and is a lot like Dewey Elliott of Hamilton from last year. He is athletic enough to be an outside linebacker and physical enough to play inside but I think he end up in the inside player. He is one of those kids that will add plenty of weight in time. It is up to King whether he is a college player or not. He needs to get his nose in the books and is still has a shot at making it. King is 50 or 60 spots higher if he were a sure qualifier. 111. **** Anthony Oden (6-8, 280, ATH; Dayton Dunbar) The Ohio High top 100 is about the best college prospects not the best high school players. They are not one in the same. Most great college prospects are great high school players but in recruiting, the focus of this list, is about what players are going to be and not what they are now. Part of being a great college prospect is about grades so we do consider that element. That is why Anthony Oden is at this spot in the top 100. If he had his academics in order, he would be a top-30 player at the very least. Oden is an exceptionally NF big athlete. At 6-8, 280 pounds he is so athletic that he plays tight end on offense. He looks like former Steelers tight end Eric Green. He is that big and that athletic. What position he plays in college will be determined later. I know one high school coach that thinks he could be a defensive end but I think he will be a defensive tackle or move over and be an offensive tackle. Anthony is the younger brother of Ohio State superstar basketball center Greg Oden. 112. **** Darren Youngberg (6-2, 190, S; Clayton Northmont) I remember Northmont head coach Lance Schneider telling me right after Kurt Coleman committed to Ohio State that he had another that would be the same kind of athlete. After seeing Coleman’s video, I wrote that off as a coach that just loves his kids. Coleman is the real deal and now that I have seen Youngberg, it is obvious that coach was not just being the biggest fan of all his kids. Youngberg is special. Mooney’s Dan McCarthy is the only defensive GH back in the class that is better than Youngberg. They are both about the same size and offer versatility because they are both comfortable at the line of scrimmage yet have top drawer cover skills so they can play either strong safety or free safety. Youngberg has such range. On one play last year, he was up close to the line of scrimmage facing a tight formation with only one wide receiver. The offense used play-action to draw everyone up that much more. Youngberg saw it and had the speed to get back and knock the ball down. When the ball is in the air he attacks it like it is being thrown to him. Youngberg is probably going to have to go the prep school route but this is one of the best athletes in the state of Ohio. I have to have him in the top 100. If he were sure to play college football next year he would be in the top 25. — OH

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Duane Long’s Others to Watch

Others To Watch Quarterbacks

Colton Catani Zach Domicone Ryan Hughes Marc Kanetsky Matt Krumpak Jordan Miller Mickey Mohner Dave Nehlan Russ Oltorik Shane Porter Ryan Radcliff Cody Reardon Patrick Ryan Bart Tanski

6-2/180 6-1/185 6-2/200 6-0/180 6-1/190 6-3/215 6-3/190 6-1/185 6-1/185 6-1/190 6-1.5/200 6-2/200 6-2/170 6-2/200

Running Backs

Sir Abernathy James Cravens Stephen Curtis Larry Dawson Dominic Goodwin Anthony Hitchens Chevis Jackson Drew Jones William Lowe Ishmael Pope Travis Smith Les Tabor Damon Taylor Sam Valiquette Jeff White Dorian West Paris Wicks

5-9/180 6-0/220 5-9/180 6-1/190 5-8/180 5-10/170 6-0/200 5-10/180 5-10/165 5-10/205 5-10/190 5-10/220 5-10/170 5-10/210 5-9/185 5-9/205 5-9/175

Wide Receivers

Jordan Bell Brandon Boyd Kendal Coleman Andy Cruse Jeff Davis Steve Davis Torrieal Gibson Corey Gilbert Josh McCloud Isaiah Mincy Anthony Mullen Nick Olthaus Matt Rinehart Teddy Robb Anthony Steplight Clay Swigert Matt Wakulchik Tyler Walker Ray West

Tight End

Christian Hanna Josh Lott Tom Klempin Kyle Corbin

Liberty Twp. Lakota East Beavercreek Carroll Bloom-Carroll Hubbard McDonald New Philadelphia Painesville Harvey Brookfield Cincinnati Moeller Portsmouth Sherwood Fairview New Richmond Cleveland St. Ignatius Mentor

5-11/180 6-4/200 6-0/185 6-4/205 6-1/175 5-10/175 5-9/140 6-1/180 6-0/170 6-1/160 6-2/180 6-1/170 5-11/160 6-1/175 5-10/170 6-0/170 6-1/175 6-1/175 5-7/170

Barberton Springfield South Hillsboro Cincinnati Turpin Springfield North Steubenville Cleveland Glenville Sandusky West Carrollton Cincinnati Withrow Niles McKinley Cincinnati Elder Dover Canal Fulton Nʼthwest Garfield Heights Louisville North Canton Hoover Hamilton Springfield South

6-3/237 6-2/240 6-7/190 6-2/190

Shaker Heights Warren Howland Pickerington Central Tippecanoe

6-4/290 6-5/280 6-4/275 6-3/270 6-4/310 6-3/280 6-6/280 6-6/290 6-7/265 6-4/290

6-5/270 6-4/230 6-7/285

Youngstown East Toledo Whitmer Cincinnati Turpin

Photo by Nick Falzerano

Cincinnati Withrow Centerville Huber Heights Wayne Akron North Lakewood St. Edward Chillicothe Cincinnati Finneytown Wadsworth Cleveland Glenville Cincinnati Withrow East Cleveland Shaw Niles McKinley Fairfield Youngstown Struthers Alliance Cincinnati Princeton Akron Ellet

Offensive Linemen

Isaac Anderson Jay Campbell Nate Carman Vince Carter Reggie Comeaux David Dick Tim German Tim Goodman Kurt Hanenkrath Chad Hounshell

Maurice Harris Kevin Kroger Aaron Van Kullken

Upper Sandusky New Albany Wellsville Clayton Northmont Massillon Washington Chaminade-Julienne Newark Licking Valley Copley Ayersville Mentor Lake Catholic

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Gabe Patten Eric Sluszka Grady Spidell

6-4/240 6-4/290 6-4/305

Defensive Linemen

Chandler Burden John Hiles Jake Hochendoner Corey Holt Zack Leimberger Aaron Lowe Chad Maynard Dan McClendon Matt Rose Matt Snovak Josh Spillman Blake Steward Steven Thomas Steve Yoder

6-5/250 6-3/255 6-2/230 6-3/265 6-2/215 6-0/285 6-3/290 6-3/280 6-2/230 6-2/250 6-1/240 6-0/250 6-2/230 6-5/255

Linebackers

Centerville’s James Cravens (top) and Cincinnati Moeller’s Russ Oltorik are two offensive players who are garnering attention for thier skills. Photo by Gary Housteau

W. Chester Lakota West Westerville North Akron North

DaʼJouir Cornnielies Fred Craig Kevin Dahl Alex Gideon Steven Greer Steve Hangehold Miles Harp Dustin Harrison Luke Kelly J.J. Laseak Mike Latessa Grant Lewis Emmett Lydon Damien Macintosh Mike Niam Ray Parry Eric Polen Nick Schneider Jared Suvak Dean Walker Trevante Wallace Tyler Wilson Kirk Wetherell

5-11/218 6-1/205 6-0/220 6-2/220 6-2/210 6-2/205 5-10/215 6-0/230 6-4/220 6-2/210 6-1/190 6-1/200 6-2/225 6-3/205 6-2/220 6-1/225 6-3/210 6-3/220 6-1/230 6-1/190 6-2/220 5-10/215 6-2/195

Cornerbacks

Patrick Bourne D.J. Brown Mark Carrocce Darrian Cordell Cole Hanlin Berchard Hines Brandon Mingo Ravelle Sadler Ryan Smoot Isaiah Thompson Cameron West Mike Willey

Safeties

Jimmy Ferguson Matt Foor Steve Gardiner Dominique Sams

Athletes

Ryan Clark Pat Fening T.J. Viscuso

Specialists

Danny Milligan

Cincinnati LaSalle Columbus DeSales Poland Seminary Trotwood-Madison W. Chester Lakota West Clayton Northmont Lancaster Col. Walnut Ridge Canton GlenOak Youngstown Boardman Franklin Heights Cincinnati Withrow East Cleveland Shaw Massillon Washington Middletown Cincinnati St. Xavier North Canton Hoover Hudson Solon Cincinnati Elder W. Chester Lakota West Huber Heights Wayne Cincinnati Turpin Mentor Cincinnati Sycamore Westerville North Cleveland St. Ignatius Hamilton Hudson Maumee Youngstown Boardman Cincinnati St. Xavier Sunbury Big Walnut Cincinnati LaSalle Columbus Brookhaven W. Milton Milton-Union Marietta

6-0/190 5-11/177 5-11/180 5-11/175 5-8/170 5-10/175 5-8/150 5-10/175 5-8/176 5-10/165 5-11/175 6-0/170

Hamilton W. Chester Lakota West Canfield Beechcroft Copley Cleveland Glenville Canton McKinley Cincinnati Colerain Columbus Africentric Col. Bishop Hartley Dresden Tri-Valley Miamisburg

6-2/195 5-10/200 6-1/205 6-2/210

Barberton W. Chester Lakota West Dublin Coffman Trotwood-Madison

5-11/185 5-11/180 5-11/170

Columbus DeSales Canfield Uniontown Lake

5-11/180

Cincinnati St. Xavier

JJ H u ddle’ s O h io Hi gh

Northwestern Recruits

STORY BY GARY HOUSTEAU

ining top football talent in the state of Ohio isn’t easy to do if you’re a school other than Ohio State. But there are some schools who manage to do a pretty good at getting some of the state’s top players that the Buckeyes don’t seem to have an interest in. Northwestern seems to be one of them. Recent gridiron standouts from Ohio like Jeff Backes, Barry Cofield, Adam Kadela and Tyrell Sutton are a few of the players that have matriculated to Northwestern after being snubbed, for whatever reason, by their homestate university. Both Backes and Sutton, in 2000 and 2004, respectively, were Mr. Football award winners in Ohio in their senior year. And back in February on national signing day, the Wildcats inked three more top-rated prospects from Ohio that the Buckeyes obviously couldn’t find any room for in their 15member recruiting class. David Arnold from Copley, Jordan Mabin from Macedonia Nordonia and Vincent Brown from Lisbon David Anderson all picked Northwestern to be the place for each of them to continue their

JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

respective football careers. All three of these young men couldn’t be more excited about their future with the Wildcat program. Arnold took official visits to Syracuse, Indiana and Northwestern and camped at Michigan and Ohio State before he eventually committed to Northwestern. "I had other Big Ten offers from Indiana and Illinois and, basically, I had my mind set on playing in the Big Ten," said Arnold who’s father, David Arnold, was an All-Big Ten defensive back at the University of Michigan. "I finally decided that Northwestern was the place I wanted to be after I took a visit there. It’s 10 minutes from downtown Chicago. Evanston is a beautiful campus. There’s small classes. And that degree is amazing. So all of that pretty much had me won over and, again, it’s Big Ten football. So I figured that was my best option." The tragic passing of head coach Randy Walker was never a factor in the recruitment of Arnold to Northwestern. "Actually, I didn’t even get recruited by him. I never got a chance to speak with him or anything," Arnold said. "Coach Fitz (Pat Fitzgerald) recruited me and everything

Photo by Gary Housteau

Northwestern recruit Jordan Mabin (left) poses with current Northwestern running back Tyrell Sutton during Sutton’s senior season two years ago.

worked out because we have a great incoming freshman class. Me, Jordan, Mike Bolden and Cameron Joplin from Ann Arbor, that’s where I’m from Ann Arbor, we’re all pretty good friends and it’s just going to get better once we get on campus and start working together. Bolden is a cornerback out of Evanston, right where Northwestern is, and his dad went to Michigan along with my dad so it’s kind of funny how things work out." Tyrell Sutton from nearby Archbishop Hoban in Akron was never really a factor in Arnold’s recruitment, either. "I didn’t actually talk to him until I took a visit there and he wasn’t really a big part of my recruitment," Arnold said. "But it’s a great opportunity to get to play with him being that I played with Delone (Carter from Copley), that’s two Mr. Football’s both from the same area (both actually played at Hoban on the same team at one time), so that’s pretty cool to me, too." It’s just a good fit overall for Arnold at Northwestern. "It was always my dream to play Division I football so I’m just really excited about that really, basically achieving that goal," he said.

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Northwestern Recruits

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Photo by Gary Housteau

"So I’m just looking forward to moving on and growing as a person and as a football player and Northwestern gives me that opportunity. It wasn’t an easy decision but I believe it’s the best decision and that’s why I picked it." The education part of getting a football scholarship there is certainly bonus for Arnold. "I just got a $200,000 scholarship to one of the best schools in the country by being able to play football and that’s very important," he said. "I want to get a minor in business and I want to try to avoid as many math classes as possible. But I’m not really sure what I want to major in yet. Preferably, something in the sports area but I’m not really sure about a major right now." After his track career at Copley comes to end, Arnold will shift his complete focus to football. "I need to get in the weight room to get in top physical condition to play against these guys and learn more about the coverages," he said. "At Copley, we only, basically, ran Cover-3 and I just had to worry about a deep 3rd, so I just need to learn more about the game." Northwestern recruited Arnold to play free safety for the Wildcats. "Wherever they need me the quickest is where I’m going to play," Arnold said. "I don’t have a problem with safety but I like receiver too and I wouldn’t mind playing on the offensive side of the ball. But wherever they need me and wherever I fit in is okay with me." At 6-1 and 190 pounds, Arnold, who also stars on the track team at Copley, has played wide receiver and last year at running back on offense, in addition to playing in the defensive backfield for the Indians. "I believe I’m a good DB, just flying to the ball, getting interceptions and making tackles," he said. "But I also believe I have great hands and I can catch the ball and I can go up and jump and get the ball if I need to. And my speed is pretty good too. So I wouldn’t mind playing receiver also. Either way is fine with me. I’ve always played way." Arnold will play in the North-South game this summer before he goes to Northwestern. "The North-South game is on June 16 and I’ll be in Columbus from June 10-16 for that," he said. "I’ll probably get in summer school and if I’m in summer school I’ll be leaving right after the North-South game. I believe classes start on June 18." If things go well for Arnold at Northwestern he’ll be back in Columbus during the 2007 season. He has the Ohio State game already circled on his calendar. "I’m already looking at that," said Arnold with a chuckle. "Sept. 22 is against OSU, a week after my birthday. I’ll be 18. I’m a youngster."

Copley senior David Arnold is heading to Northwestern to play free safety. He holds no grudges against Ohio State or Michigan, for that matter, for not being pursued by either school. "It would have been nice but I’m not bothered by it," Arnold said. "I believe I made a great decision, especially on the academic side, you can’t go wrong with that. So that’s the number on priority, to get that degree and get a good job. So I don’t have any regrets or anything like that. I’m happy." Mabin is happy about his decision to go to Northwestern also. And by getting a player with Mabin’s abilities, the feeling has to be mutual from the Wildcats point of view. Arguably one of the most dynamic threeway talents to ever be produced from the Buckeye state, Mabin had 6,700 career rushing yards, including 2,354 yards and 28 rushing touchdowns in his senior year alone, and 81 career rushing TDs. His complete list of career numbers is extremely impressive to say the least. In addition to rushing for more than 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons at Nordonia, Mabin scored 92 career touchdowns with five of those coming on receptions and three each from kickoff and punt returns. His 11 career interceptions on defense was a school record. The list goes on and on. And despite all of the gaudy statistics he produced throughout his career on the offensive side of the ball, Mabin was recruited to Northwestern to play cornerback on the defensive side of the ball. "It was my decision for most of the schools that were recruiting me," said Mabin, who had surgery in late March on his shoulder that he injured in week two. He partially tore his rotator cuff and played the balance of the season with it.

"I know, with my body type and the wear and tear and everything like that, I thought I would be more suitable for the defensive side of the ball. That’s not saying that, if that doesn’t work out I definitely would be willing, if they needed to put me at running back or somewhere on offense, to jump in there if they needed a spot filled. But I thought defense would fit me a little better at the college level." He certainly thinks he’s going to miss playing on offense. "I think I will miss it since I’ve been doing it for so long," said Mabin, who never missed playing in a game, even with the shoulder injury, during his four years with the Knights. "Hopefully I can play some special teams so I can get the ball in my hands that way. That would be great, too. But, like I said, if they are willing and if they need me I would definitely jump in there and wouldn’t blink an eye. But I wanted to play defensive back." Like Mabin, Sutton, who was very durable in high school also, was a very prolific running back and finished his prep career as the state’s all-time rushing leader. Mabin is now sixth on the all-time list in Ohio. "I remember when I was a sophomore I was in a photo shoot with him and he was just a great guy then. That was the first time that I actually met him," Mabin said. "So it’s just great knowing that he went to Northwestern and he’s from around here as well." But unfortunately both players were considered to be too small to get an offer from some of the "big-time" programs. "A lot of other schools overlooked him, too," said Mabin who’s listed at 5-11 and 175 pounds on Northwestern University’s official athletic website. "And knowing that he’s had success and has prospered at Northwestern, that definitely gives me a lot of encouragement and makes me want to strive to do better. And hopefully I’ll have the same results that he got." And like Arnold, Mabin holds no grudges against some of the schools that passed on him. "I know those schools were looking for someone that fit their prototype and I guess that wasn’t me," said Mabin who also has a couple of big game dates highlighted on his calendar. "They were just doing what they had to do and I don’t hold any grudges. But I know that will just give me a little extra motivation when we play them." Northwestern was the right choice for Mabin in the end. He picked the Wildcats over Pittsburgh. "Someone once told me when you find the college you’re going to pick, you’ll know it.

JJ H u ddle’ s O h io Hi gh

Northwestern Recruits

JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

to play again? I was thinking about Northwestern. I was thinking about a lot of things." But his focus immediately turned to rehabilitation. "I went to a great surgeon. A world-renown surgeon, luckily, out of Pittsburgh UPMC and the rehab went well," Browne said. "Things are fine now. My knee is normal now, it really is. I’m just truly blessed and I’m really lucky to get back everything I had." With a healthy Browne in the lineup at the Mike linebacker position, Lisbon won their first two games and were on their way to winning their third game when Browne was injured. "I got hurt in the first quarter, I was running down on a kickoff and I blew my knee out. So after that I was done for the season," Browne said. "I tore my ACL and I tore my LCL and I tore my hamstring as well. It was not good." His early verbal commitment to Northwestern was like a godsend. "How lucky I was. I can’t even describe it," said Browne, who committed to Northwestern in July. "I feel extremely blessed to have committed then and have the coaching staff stand by me through the whole thing. Everything was great." Just as Browne was starting to really reel in some big offers last summer, he pulled the trigger and committed the Wildcat program. "I went there on a visit and I really liked the campus," Browne said. "The coaches had great attitudes and they didn’t sugarcoat anything. They were completely up front with me the entire recruiting process. And I liked the idea of getting such a great education and playing Big Ten football as well. That’s why I chose Northwestern." Browne unfortunately never got to meet Photo by Stephanie Porter

"And I visited a lot of schools through the whole process and before I visited Northwestern I didn’t feel like I belonged to any school. So when my dad said, ‘Hey, let’s go visit Northwestern,’ I didn’t really know much about them at the time and it was five hours away but I said alright. And the first time I got there I just fell in love with the place." According to Mabin, there were so many positives about Northwestern. "With Coach Fitz and the young coaching staff, you could just tell they’re headed in the right direction," he said. "And of course it’s in the Big Ten so that’s another plus. I just knew once I got there and when I came back on my official visit I had so much fun so I knew it was home. My home away from home." Mabin never met Coach Walker, either. "I never got to talk to him. The week we were going to go up to Northwestern is the week he passed away," Mabin said. "I think my dad talked to him once or twice but I never got to talk to him. It was just a sad time, I know, for the whole Northwestern community." His goals under Coach Fitzgerald are fairly simple once he gets to Northwestern after playing in the Big 33 Football Classic in the summer. "I know I just have to go there and compete," said Mabin, who will most likely get his first shot at earning playing time for Northwestern at cornerback and returning kicks and punts. "I’m not going to expect them to give me anything. I don’t want to think that I’m going to come in and get a starting job right away because that’s definitely not what it’s going to be like. I definitely know it’s going to be a lot of hard work and I’m up for that hard work. I’m ready and I’m willing to put in the work because I’ve been working hard for four years." Browne has been working hard just to get back to the level he was physically before he suffered a season-ending injury to his right injury in week three of the regular season. Coming from a Division V program that was not exactly known for churning out Division I prospects Browne’s recruiting stock rose as fast and as steady as anyone’s in Ohio a year ago. And once Akron offered Browne and he attended a few camps and combines, all of the big boys began to take notice of him. Eventually Browne decided to end the recruiting process so he could concentrate on his senior year and he verbally committed to Northwestern. Browne was on top of the world. Until he sustained the injury, that is. "It was horrible. It was tough," Browne said. "So many things ran through my head. Why did this happen to me? Am I going to be able

Vincent Browne committed to Northwestern in July and is working to recover from a knee injury.

Coach Walker either. "He’s actually the one who signed my scholarship offer," Browne said, "but sadly I never actually met Coach Walker." At 6-5 and 240 pounds, Browne will likely play either defensive end or outside linebacker during his career with the Wildcats. "They recruited me as a defensive athlete," Browne said. "With them tinkering around with the 3-4 I can play the Buck linebacker which is sort of a defensive end/outside linebacker hybrid or I can play a true defensive end. It all depends on how I move and how big I get and things like that." He’s looking forward to making the very most of his opportunities once he gets there. "I cannot wait. I’m ecstatic," Browne said. "I haven’t played football in so long it’s killing me. I can’t even wait to get out there and play football again. I can’t stand it. I’m just about ecstatic about the upcoming season." The knee injury is clearly behind him now. "I’m more concerned about jumping in there and earning playing time. My knee won’t even be a factor by then," Browne said. "Right now I’m able to do everything I was once able to do. I’m almost back to where my old strength levels were. Right now I’m just working on getting my strength back and getting ready to play." He's obviously very anxious to become a Wildcat. "I think about it every day and I can’t wait to go," Browne said. "I’m ready to go now." Mabin feels the same way. "I can’t wait to get to Northwestern now. I’m not nervous and I’m just definitely excited and I’m feeling comfortable about the whole experience," Mabin said. "I just can’t wait to get started." Arnold is expecting good things to happen for him and his new teammates from Northeast Ohio at Northwestern in the future. "I believe we’re only going to get better," Arnold said. "Finishing off the season last year with that win against Illinois, I was happy about that. Our goal is to get to the Rose Bowl or get to a bowl game period. We have a little saying ‘2054’ and that’s how many miles it is to Pasadena from Evanston." Two other Ohioans, Ben Burkett, an offensive tackle from Toledo St. John’s, and Brian Peters, a safety from Pickerington Central -the team that knocked Mabin’s Knights out in the state semifinals with a 7-3 victory -- will try to assist their fellow members of Northwestern’s 2007 recruiting class in helping to get the Wildcats back to Pasadena at some point during their careers in Evanston. "It’s great to be a Wildcat," Browne said. "I’m sure it’ll be fun getting to know all of the guys." — OH

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Cordale Scott Photos by Gary Housteau

t Glenville High School, just down the corner from E. 113th St. and St. Clair Ave. in Cleveland, earning a football scholarship offer to Ohio State means everything. Just ask Cordale Scott, a stellar two-way Tarblooder from the Class of 2008 who, himself, was offered a scholarship to become a Buckeye near the end of February. "It means that you’re one of the key guys coming out of Glenville and you’re one of the best players at Glenville," said Scott, who was a standout at both wide receiver and safety last season. "You know Ohio State wants the best players from Glenville. So when they pick you that’s a big thing." This all started when Troy Smith earned the first Ohio State scholarship in 2002. Since then offers to "O-State" have been doled out to Donte Whitner and Dareus Hiley (2003); Ted Ginn Jr. and Curtis Terry (2004); Jamario O’Neal and Freddie Lenix (2005); Robert Rose, Ray Small and Bryant Browning (2006); and, most recently, Jermale Hines (2007). Although Scott feels fortunate to be the next in line from Glenville to receive a scholarship offer, he doesn’t consider himself to be lucky in any way. "I don’t think it has anything to do with luck," Scott said. "I think it has more to do with hard work and paying attention from when those guys were here. Watching guys like Robert Rose and Ray Small and coming up as a little kid watching Ted (Ginn Jr.) and just seeing what they all went through when they were here. So I just did the same things they did and that’s why I’m where I’m at." Having big-time talent certainly helps but Scott, more than anything else, feels very blessed and elated just to be where he’s at right now. "I’m just very happy because all of the hard work that I’ve done is paying off," he said. "It’s just an honor knowing that I can continue to follow in all of their (previous players) footsteps and in a couple more years, around this time, maybe I can be getting ready for the NFL draft like Ted. There’s just a lot of things that run through your head when you get an offer from Ohio State." So what exactly is the correlation between a Glenville player getting an offer from Ohio State and actually committing? "I feel obligated to be a Buckeye because, with the pipeline and everything, everybody wants you to go to Ohio State and you want to go to Ohio State, but you still have to look at the other schools and see what they have to offer," Scott said. "So it’s more about comparing things now and taking things one day at a time while you ask God to guide you through everything." Scott’s slow approach gives rise to the notion that Glenville players tend to wait to commit so that some of the other talented players at their school

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Cordale Scott also excels for Glenville’s track team, running the 200 and 400. get a look from some of the other schools that are doing the recruiting. "Yeah, it helps to put other kids like Donnie Fletcher and William Lowe out on the map because other schools want me,” Scott said. “Other schools can be looking at them, too, while they’re looking at me. Since you’ve had success, you want your brother to have success. You want him to get as many offers as you get. I wish everybody that went to Glenville could get an offer from Ohio State, but that can’t happen." So Scott is obviously in no hurry to commit to Ohio State or any other university for that matter. "I just have to stay focused on what’s directly ahead of me for now," he said. "I can’t get too far ahead of myself. I still have one more high school year of football and I want to stay focused on that. I don’t want to rush into anything. I want to be ready when I do commit to whatever school that I decide to go to. If it is Ohio State, then I want to be ready to go there. I want to know what I’m getting myself into so I can prepare myself for any obstacles that could come my way." But Scott, rated as the state’s No. 3 overall prospect by Ohio High, certainly can feel very secure about his future going into his senior season. "It definitely feels good but I try not to think about it too much," Scott said. "I’m still a junior in high school, but after the football season I’ll dwell on it more and more. Right now, however, I just try to stay focused more on my team, with me being a captain, and I don’t try to think about all of the offers that I have, as much." In all likelihood, Scott won’t even consider making any kind of an official commitment until after his senior season. He’s taken a few official visits. "I have a very good relationship with Ohio State and they know how I feel

JJ H u ddle’ s O h io Hi gh

Cordale Scott

STORY BY GARY HOUSTEAU about them," he said. "I have a good relationship with (receivers coach Darrell) Hazell, I call him every week so we keep in contact. I’m learning more about them like they’re learning more about me." Even a few of the other recruits that Scott ran into while he was at Ohio State’s pro day on March 10 couldn’t convince him to commit to Ohio State now. "Of course, they tried," Scott said. "They don’t try to sway you too hard but they just say that Ohio State is where you’re supposed to be." It seemed like "everybody" got in the act with regards to recruiting when he Scott was at Ohio State on pro day. "Even Ray (Small) and Rob (Rose) told me (about committing) a lot," Scott said. "And Coach Ginn tells me every day." It was exciting in general for Scott to be a part of the whole pro day experience at Ohio State. "It was great. All of the coaches welcomed me with open arms," Scott said. "I really enjoyed myself, meeting with all of the coaches and meeting other recruits such as Mike Adams and some of the other guys." In addition to Scott and Adams, many of Ohio State’s target recruits, like Mike Brewster and Andrew Sweat, were at the WHAC that day, adding to the excitement of it all. "You don’t come across that every day, seeing athletes like yourself, top-notch athletes, so it was exciting," Scott said. "But now it seems like I see athletes like that every day in track. I just saw Mike Adams at a track meet yesterday (March 31)." Scott actually arrived at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center later in the morning than the other recruits so he missed out on watching the team workout that was held before the pro day workout got underway. "I talked with Coach Hazell for a little bit, I talked to Coach Tressel, I talked to Coach Haynes and I talked to Coach Johnson," Scott said. "I had a host that showed me around and then I talked to some of the other recruits that were there. The rest of the day I spent with Ray and Rob." Coach Hazell sort of broke down the 2008 recruiting class for Scott when he met with him. "He told me who the receivers were that they liked," Scott said. "He said they liked DeVier Posey, me and Jake Stoneburner. And he said there was this guy in Texas that they liked." Scott rode down to the pro day event that day from Cleveland with Ted Ginn Sr. and Ted Ginn Jr. When it was all said and done at the end of the day, Scott, who’s been to Ohio State many times, didn’t experience anything new, good or bad, that would change the way that he’s already thinking about OSU. "It just gave Ohio State a big boost among the other schools on my list," Scott said. "But I’m still weighing my options on several other schools." Wisconsin, Iowa, Marshall, Florida and even USC are a few of the other schools that Scott still has interest in. And whatever school that he ends up at, Scott, although he claims to have no real preference, will likely end up playing on the offensive side of the ball. "I’m a football player and I just want to get on the field," Scott said. "I’ll play anywhere from safety to receiver, whatever position gets me on the field quicker." That being said, Scott, admittedly hopes that he’ll be making plays at the next level as a wide receiver.

JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

"Wide receiver is my first love," said Scott, who was recently measured at 6-3 and 197 pounds and was clocked at 4.46 seconds in the 40-yard dash during a combine at the Cleveland Browns facility in Berea. "I feel that with my size and my speed, I can bring more to my team as a playmaker on the field as a receiver." In reality, Scott, who plays aggressively at safety, thinks that he can play on either side of the ball. "I just like playing football so it really doesn’t matter," he said. "Receiver is just my first love. My uncle, Arthur Scott, played receiver when he was in high school and that’s who I look up to, so that’s why I want to play receiver. And at safety, if you’re thirsty for the ball it’s easy to react to the ball when the ball is in the air. It’s just like receiver but it’s on defense." And he likes to play physical when he’s playing on both sides of the ball. "As far as the contact part of playing on defense is concerned, coming from Glenville if you can’t hit then you ain’t going to be on the field," Scott said. "And as a receiver I like delivering the blows to the cornerback. I’m a big, physical guy. I like to play aggressive. I like to be physical." He’ll have one last chance to showcase his overall skills this summer when he, once again, goes for a ride on the Ginn Foundation bus tour. Before he does that, Scott will try to help his school’s track team win their fifth-consecutive state title. "I’m anchoring the 4x200 relay now and it’s going well," said Scott, who recently ran a 22.1second split during the indoor track season. "I’m getting a lot of experience in track. This year for the outdoor season I’ll run the 4x200, the open 200, 4x400 and the open 400." Eventually, Scott will have to announce where he intends to hone his skills on the college level. Ohio State fans would like to know that answer sooner rather than later. "Be patient. Just be patient," said Scott, who has already been to Ohio Stadium on multiple occasions to watch the Buckeyes play. "Ohio State is a great place. I just love the fans, the atmosphere and how I feel when I’m down there. I feel like I’m at home when I’m there." It reminds him of Glenville. "I just feel comfortable there," Scott said. "It’s like a bigger Glenville. I feel very comfortable there." — OH

Cordale Scott is considering Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa, Florida and USC.

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For the second year in a row, Ohio’s top two high school football allstar games will be conducted simultaneously. The scheduling conflict first came about last year, when the Big 33 Football Classic moved its game up one month from July to the third Saturday in June. But that is when the Ohio North-South Classic has always conducted its game. The Big 33, based in Hershey, Pa., moved its game up a month so it could continue to feature signees who are headed to top Division I schools. In recent years, many of those signees have opted to enroll at their college choice for summer school. Once signees enroll in those summer sessions, which usually begin in late June, they become ineligible for all-star game competition. As a result, Ohio’s top players – who used to be able to play in both games – are “drafted” by coaches onto one of the three all-star teams. The North and South squads will go head to head in the North-South Classic at Columbus Crew Stadium, while the Ohio all-stars will play a Pennsylvania squad at Hersheypark Stadium. This marks the 15th straight year Ohio will participate in the Big 33. A year ago, this experiment with a “watered down” Ohio team ended up with a 61-42 Pennsylvania win in the Big 33 game. Organizers of the Big 33 game threatened a year ago to end their association with Ohio if the state’s coaching association failed to agree to send its top players to Hershey each year. Big 33 organizers even discussed switching the Pennsylvania opponent to a Maryland all-star team before receiving assurances that Ohio would send a representative team. And, yet, when the teams for this year’s all-star games were selected, just three of the state’s top 20 prospects according to Ohio High were selected for the Ohio Big 33 team. Seven top-20 prospects will be on the North side in the North-South game, while four top-20 players will be on the South team. (Six top-20 players will not play in either game.) It remains unclear what the future will hold for the format of these two all-star games. The Ohio North-South Classic has never drawn 10,000 people in the six years since it moved from Stark County to Columbus Crew Stadium. Last year’s game drew 5,910. The Big 33 Football Classic typically draws between 15,000 and 20,000 fans and is regionally televised between the two states. Last year’s game drew a crowd of 14,043 to Hersheypark Stadium. Moreover, the Big 33 and its sponsors have raised over $400,000 for scholarships for Ohio students.

Choosing Sides

Here are details on both of these all-star games: * The Ohio North-South Classic – It will be contested 7 p.m. June 16 at Columbus Crew Stadium. The game, sponsored by Grange Insurance, has been contested there every year since 2001. Columbiana head coach Bob Spaite will coach the North team. Some of his key players include Copley defensive back David Arnold (Northwestern signee), Cleveland Glenville offensive lineman LeBron Daniel (Iowa), Warren Harding running back Daniel “Boom” Herron (Ohio State), Cleveland Glenville linebacker Jermale Hines (Ohio State), Lakewood St. Edward defensive back Nate Oliver (Ohio State), Toledo Central Catholic wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher (Ohio State), Canton South defensive back Devon Torrence (Ohio State) and Cuyahoga Falls

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Photo by Steve Helwagen

All-Star Game Round-Up

Ohio State recruits Nate Oliver (left) and Daniel “Boom” Herron will play in the North-South game.

Walsh Jesuit offensive lineman Nick Schepis (Boston College). Wapakoneta’s Kevin Fell will coach the South squad. Notable players include Chillicothe wide receiver Chris Givens (Miami, Ohio), Hilliard Darby defensive lineman Antonio Jeremiah (Michigan State), Cincinnati Moeller linebacker Greg Jones (Michigan State), Westerville South defensive back Rocco Pentello (Ohio State), Piqua running back Brandon Saine (Ohio State), South Point quarterback Chris Smith (Marshall). Last year, the North squad prevailed 34-13 to widen its lead in the alltime series to 36-22-3. Television details for this year’s North-South Classic had not been resolved. Fox Sports Net televised the game on a tape-delayed basis last year and would have to do the same this year with Cincinnati Reds live coverage slated for June 16. * Big 33 Football Classic – The Big 33 game, in its 50th year, is set for 7 p.m., June 17, at Hersheypark Stadium. It is sponsored by PNC Bank. Dover head coach Dan Ifft will coach the Ohio team. He will bring with him his standout pitch-and-catch tandem of quarterback Perci Garner and wide receiver Dan Ifft (Ball State signee). Other key members of the Ohio team include Cincinnati Colerain defensive back Eugene Clifford (Ohio State), Steubenville quarterback Zach Collaros (Cincinnati), Westerville South wide receiver B.J. Cunningham (Michigan State), Massillon Washington safety Andrew Dailey (Penn State), Massillon Washington running back Brian Gamble (Illinois), Macedonia Nordonia defensive back Jordan Mabin (Northwestern), Cleveland Glenville wide receiver Kyle Jefferson (Wisconsin), Cleveland Glenville defensive back Otis Merrill (Wisconsin) and Cincinnati Anderson offensive lineman Mark Wetterer (Louisville). The Pennsylvania all-stars won last year’s game 61-42 to tie the series at 7-7 since it resumed in 1993. This year’s game will be televised nationally by the NFL Network and regionally by the Comcast Network. Last year’s game was televised in Ohio by the Ohio News Network. As of press time, it was unclear whether ONN will carry the game this year. — OH

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All-Star Game Round-Up

STORY BY STEVE HELWAGEN

June 16, 2007 7 p.m. Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus, Ohio North

Youngstown Ursuline. Paul Hershey, WR, Fremont Ross; Dan Herron, RB, Warren G. Harding (Ohio State); Jermale Hines, LB, Cleveland Glenville (Ohio State); Dan Noble, TE, Elyria; Marcus O'Hara, OL, Hubbard (Ohio); Nate Oliver, RB, Lakewood St. Edward (Ohio State); Justin Powell, DE, Youngstown Boardman; Ryan Ottney, QB, Fremont Ross; David Rach, LB, North Lima South Range; Dane Sanzenbacher, WR, Toledo Central Catholic (Ohio State); Nathan Sharp, OL, Beloit West Branch; William Sheeler, DB, Canton McKinley; Nick Schepis, OL, Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (Boston College); Devon Torrence, DB, Canton South (Ohio State); B.J. Taylor, OL, Shelby; Eric Thomas, DT, Cleveland Glenville (Indiana); Alan Vanderlink, DB, Mantua Crestwood (Kent State); Jaa'Rome Williams, LB, Elyria; Morgan Williams, RB, Canton McKinley (Toledo).

South

QB, Middletown (Wake Forest); Jordan Jarrell, RB, Pickerington Central; Alex Kaufman, LB, West Chester Lakota West (Miami, Ohio); Sam Kershaw, LB, West Jefferson; Travis Lester, OL, Circleville. Trey Masciarelli, WR, Bellaire; Tamawi McGhee, WR, Steubenville (Toledo); John Nicolozakes, OL, Cambridge; Rocco Pentello, DB, Westerville South (Ohio State); Brian Peters, DB, Pickerington Central (Northwestern); Andy Puthoff, FB, St. Henry (Ball State); Tyler Replogle, LB, Centerville (Indiana); Ryan Randolph, WR, Olentangy; B.J. Reed, TE, Wapakoneta (Ashland); Brandon Saine, RB, Piqua (Ohio State); Chris Smith, QB, South Point (Marshall); Taylor Smith, DL, Danville; Tyler Smith, OL, Danville; Kendall Stinson, DB, Newark; Wes Shroder, OL, Cincinnati St. Xavier; Solomon Thomas, DE, West Chester Lakota West (Ohio State); Kasey Wendal, DB, Galloway Westland.

Head coach: Bob Spaite (Columbiana). Assistant coaches: Chris Dales (Ayersville), Derek Kidwell (Fremont Ross), Matt Jordan (Riverside), Ron Kuceyeski (Alliance), Chris Solis (Shelby). Players (colleges in parentheses): David Arnold, DB, Copley (Northwestern); Charles Baab, QB, Alliance (Colgate); Sean Baker, WR, Canfield, (Ball State); Michael Busch, K, Findlay Liberty-Benton; Nate Bowers, OL, Sherwood Fairview; Ben Burkett, OL, Toledo St. John's (Northwestern); LeBron Daniel, OL, Cleveland Glenville (Iowa); Dan Dario, LB, Akron Hoban; Ryan Dugan, DB, Mentor; Chris Ferdinando, DL, Painesville Riverside; Sam Fikaris, DT, Mayfield; Austin Fritz, DE, Ayersville; Jordan Frank, DE, Avon Lake; Brandon James, WR, Mentor; Maurice Jones, DB,

Head coach: Kevin Fell (Wapakoneta). Assistant coaches: Shawn Buescher (West Jefferson), Larry Cox (West Chester Lakota West), Chad Granstaff (Danville), Heath Hinton (Wellston), Brett McLean (St. Clairsville). Players (colleges in parentheses): Steve Bray, OL, Cincinnati Turpin; Barrett Brooks, OL, Galloway Westland; Kendrick Bruton, TE, Miamisburg (Miami, Ohio); Aaron Bates, K/P, New Concord John Glenn (Michigan State); Phil Collier, DB, Piqua; Josh Copeland, DB, Fairborn (Buffalo); Ben Davis, OL, Piqua; Calvin Dixon, DL, Cincinnati Colerain; Chris Givens, WR, Chillicothe (Miami, Ohio); Charlie Hatcher, DL, Hamilton (Duke); Antonio Jeremiah, DL, Hilliard Darby (Michigan State); Greg Jones, LB, Cincinnati Moeller (Michigan State); Skylar Jones,

JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

June 16, 2007 7 p.m. Hersheypark Stadium Hershey, Pennsylvania Ohio

Dover (Ball State); Kyle Jefferson, WR, Cleveland Glenville (Wisconsin). Kevin Koncelik, OL, Cleveland St. Ignatius (Miami, Ohio); Kevin Kowalski, OL/DL, Macedonia Nordonia (Toledo); Caleb Lipsey, OL/DL, Cincinnati Sycamore; Chris Littleton, OL, Harrison; Jordan Mabin, RB/DB, Macedonia Nordonia (Northwestern); Matt Merletti, RB, Cleveland St. Ignatius (North Carolina); Otis Merrill, DB, Cleveland Glenville (Wisconsin); Julian Miller, TE/LB, Columbus Beechcroft (West Virginia); Diauntae Morrow, DB, Lakewood St. Edward (Iowa); C.J. Peake, DB, TrotwoodMadison (Louisville); Chris Rucker, WR/DB, Warren Harding (Michigan State); Jon Saelinger, DB, Cincinnati St. Xavier (Penn); Jeremy Shrieves, OL, Huber Heights Wayne (Eastern Michigan); Nick Spadafore, K/P, Gahanna Lincoln; J.B. Strahler, TE/LB, Hilliard Davidson; George Tabron, LB, Canton McKinley (Ball State); Mark Wetterer, OL, Cincinnati Anderson (Louisville); Anthony Wright, ATH, Maple Heights (Air Force).

Pennsylvania

Robinson, DB, Northeast Catholic (Temple); Jeff Battipaglia, OL, St. Josephʼs Prep; Gary Bardzak, OL, Pottsville (Connecticut); John Fieger, OL, Upper Perkiomen (Pittsburgh). Gino Gradkowski, OL, Seton Lasalle (West Virginia); Chris Jacobson, OL, Keystone Oaks (Pittsburgh); Wayne Jones, OL, Bishop McCort; Steve Wisniewski, OL, Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Penn State); Andrew Devlin, DL, Mt. Lebanon; Larry Gooden, DL, McKeesport; Rob Gronkowski, DL, Woodland Hills (Arizona); Corey Medina, DL, Kennett; Dane Conwell, LB, Upper St. Clair; Devan Johnson, LB, Woodland Hills; Charles Marck, LB, Pennsbury (Connecticut); Travis Wolff, LB, Shaler; Chris Drager, TE, Thomas Jefferson (Virginia Tech); Nathan Stupar, TE, State College (Penn State); Toney Clemons, ATH, Kensington Valley (Michigan); Lamont Smith, ATH, Pittsburgh Central Catholic; Tom Kondash, K/P, State College.

Head coach: Dan Ifft (Dover). Assistant coaches: Brian White (Hilliard Davidson), Steve Specht (Cincinnati St. Xavier), Ron Lewis (Rocky River), Bob Mihalik (Aurora), Justin Buttermore (Tri-Valley). Players (colleges in parentheses): Disi Alexander, WR/LB, Canton McKinley (Toledo); Frank Becker, DL, Cincinnati Moeller (Cincinnati); Eugene Clifford, S, Cincinnati Colerain (Ohio State); Zach Collaros, QB/DB, Steubenville (Cincinnati); Zak Crum, OL, Westerville South (Toledo); B.J. Cunningham, WR, Westerville South (Michigan State); Andrew Dailey, S/LB, Massillon Washington (Penn State); Bruce Davis, LB, Cleveland Glenville (Iowa); Brady DeMell, OL/DL, Mentor; Frank Edmonds, RB, Lakewood St. Edward (Ball State); Debo Elias, FB/DL, Lakewood St. Edward; Brian Gamble, RB/DB, Massillon Washington (Illinois); Perci Garner, QB, Dover (Mount Union); Dan Ifft, WR,

Head coach: Tom Loughram (South Park). Assistant coaches: George Smith (McKeesport Area), Patrick Monroe (Duquesne), Bob Wolfrum (Wyomissing), Danny Algeo (Cardinal OʼHara), Tim Moncman (Liberty). Players (colleges in parentheses): Dan Persa, QB, Liberty (Northwestern); Chris Whitney, QB, St. Josephʼs Prep; Henry Hynoski, RB, Southern Columbia (Pittsburgh); Max Suter, RB, Greensburg Central Catholic (Syracuse); Tim Cortazzo, WR, Penn Trafford; Derek Moye, WR, Rochester (Penn State); Marcus Payton, WR, Ridley; Josh Smith, WR, Wilson; Drew Astorino, DB, General McLane; Dom DeCicco, DB, Thomas Jefferson (Pittsburgh); Dom Joseph, DB, Roman Catholic; Kamryn Keys, DB, McKeesport; Rontez Miles, DB, Woodland Hills; Daryl

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Standard Mail, US Postage Paid, Permit #7 Bellbrook, OH 45305