Twinsburg first-year football coach Joe Schiavone looks forward to taking over the Tigers. He said he has only asked for one thing.

“I told our offensive players I want them to be more efficient,” said Schiavone, who has been the Tigers’ defensive coordinator for several years after serving in the same role for Cleveland Benedictine.

The Tigers open the season Friday night against Aurora at Tiger Stadium. Both teams made the playoffs last season – the Tigers (10-2) in Division I and the Greenmen (8-3) in Division II.

Aurora senior wide receiver Anthony Melchiori has reportedly made a verbal commitment to play football at Kent State, according to ScoutingOhio.com. He is 5 feet 11 and 185 pounds.

- Hudson outside linebacker Ben Gedeon has reportedly been offered by Michigan, according to ScoutingOhio.com.

Gedeon, who will be a junior this upcoming season, is 6 feet 2 and 220 pounds, according to the website. It is his first offer.

- Orrville defensive back Stewart Turner is receiving plenty of attention from Mid-American Conference programs these days.

Turner, who is 6 feet and 170 pounds, already has an offer from Ball State, which Varsity Letters reported earlier in the week.

Orrville coach Doug Davault said Turner is “very explosive” as a player. Davault said Toledo and Western Michigan are “both real interested.”

- Orrville linebacker Mason Monheim plans to attend Ohio State’s camp this weekend, according to Orrville coach Doug Davault.

Davault indicated it will be Monheim’s last camp this summer. Monheim (6-1, 215) has offers that include Illinois, Miami (Ohio), Kent State, Toledo, Akron, Western Michigan, Bowling Green, Ball State, Eastern Michigan, Buffalo and Ohio, according to ScoutingOhio.com.

- Aurora guard Troy Watson has reportedly made a verbal commitment to play football at Ohio University, according to ScoutingOhio.com.

Watson, 6 feet 6 and 285 pounds, also had offers from Toledo, Akron, Miami (Ohio), Kent State, Bowling Green, Ball State and Eastern Michigan, according to the website. He will be a senior this season.

- Medina free safety Benny Cunningham has reportedly been offered by Akron, according to ScoutingOhio.com. Cunningham, who is 6 feet 2 and 190 pounds, will be a senior this season.

Lake junior tight end Dylan Seibel has reportedly been offered by Toledo, according to ScoutingOhio.com. It is the first offer for Seibel, who is 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds.

Aurora junior guard Troy Watson has reportedly been offered by Miami of Ohio, according to ScoutingOhio.com. Watson, who is 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds, also has offers from Toledo and Akron.

Marlington junior tackle Zach Higgins has reportedly added an offer from Bowling Green, according to ScoutingOhio.com. Higgins, who is 6-foot-5 and 295 pounds, also has offers from Ball State, Akron, Ohio, Toledo and Miami of Ohio.

Aurora junior guard Troy Watson has been offered by the University of Akron football program, according to ScoutingOhio.com. Watson, who is 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds, also has an offer from Toledo.

Aurora junior guard Troy Watson has reportedly been offered by Toledo , according to ScoutingOhio.com.

Watson, who is 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds, is part of a strong offensive line class for 2012. Toledo is his first offer.

Williams is 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds.

Friday’s Games (all take place at 7:30 p.m.)

Division II, Region V

Kent Roosevelt at Tallmadge

Warren Howland at Copley

Aurora at Ashland

Division II, Region VII

Columbus St. Charles at Lake

Division IV, Region XIII

Perry at Manchester

Garrettsville at Chagrin Falls

Division IV, Region XIIII

Triway at Orrville

Division VI, Region XXI

Dalton at Bucyrus Wynford

New Washington Buckeye Central at Mogadore

Saturday’s Games (all take place at 7 p.m.)

Division I, Region II

Medina at Canton McKinley

Massillon at Toledo Whitmer

Twinsburg at Sylvania Southview

Division III, Region IX

St. Vincent-St. Mary at Hubbard

Youngstown Cardinal Mooney at Field

Poland Seminary at Buchtel

Division III, Region XI

Minerva at Marlington

Division V, Region XVII

Norwayne at Crestview

Division V, Region XVIII

Hillsdale at Collins Western Reserve

OhioVarsity.com announced its Class of 2011 Preseason Top 150 high school football players in the state of Ohio.

Doran Grant is ranked No. 1 and Steve Miller is ranked No. 5 on the list that has several area players on it.

The local players on the list are:

1. Doran Grant, DB, St. Vincent-St. Mary

5. Steve Miller, DE, Canton McKinley

22. Devin Smith, WR, Massillon Washington

29. Tommy Brown, OL, Firestone

44. Max Pirman, LB, Orrville

57. Mark Murphy, DB-RB, St. Vincent-St. Mary

60. Justin Olack, WR, Massillon Washington

63. Connor Cook, QB, Walsh Jesuit

78. Evan Shimensky, QB, Kent Roosevelt

80. Rakim Reed, TE, Canton Timken

104. Aaron Macer, DB, Twinsburg

107. Johnny Lowdermilk, LB-QB, Carrollton

108. Terrence Pegram, DB, Aurora

129. Kevin Brewton, TE, Garfield

132. Drew Kaser, K/P, Walsh Jesuit

The staff of OhioVarsity.com, along with support from other Rivals.com network sites and recruiting analysts, evaluated hundreds of Ohio’s top prospects before finalizing the preseason rankings. Included in the evaluation process was a review of each prospect’s highlight film, personal observations and camps and combines and recommendations from high school and college coaches. Rivals.com is owned by Yahoo!

The rankings will be revised midway through the 2010 season.

Hey everyone! This is my column that’s running in the Akron Beacon Journal Friday, but it’s posted on Ohio.com now, as you can see. Thanks to everyone who submitted votes for their favorite high school nicknames. If there are other crazy nicknames from out of state, post them so we can all get some laughs. Thanks again!

Question: when is it better to have one instead of two?

According to Twinsburg coach Mark Solis, it is when his Tigers play on just one side of the ball. At least that is his hope as the Tigers travel to Aurora to face last year’s Division III state champions. Last year, the Tigers defeated the Greenmen in Twinsburg, 27-6, which made Aurora 1-2 at the time before they ran the table and took the state title.

“They have several players that go both ways and we don’t have any,” Solis says.

Aurora, which moved up to Division II this season, has destroyed Avon (42-14) and Crestwood (44-19).