Football

GlenOak 7, North Canton Hoover 6

Varsity Letters Player of the Game: GlenOak senior running back Anthony Smith. Smith carried the ball 36 times for 145 yards to help the Golden Eagles keep drives alive, run the clock and limit the number of possessions that Hoover’s high-powered offense received.

GlenOak improved to 5-2, 2-2 in the Federal League. Hoover fell to 5-2, 3-1 in the Federal League.

“He’s our guy,” GlenOak coach Scott Garcia said. “He’s the guy that we’ve been riding all year long. And we said, ‘If we’re going to have any success, we have to let Anthony carry the load.’ He did that for us tonight.”

The North Canton Hoover Vikings boys and girls cross country squads each won team championships Saturday at the 2007 Cloverleaf Colt Pack Invitational.

Hoover senior Adam Stackpole won the boys “Varsity Green” race with a time of 16:11.88. Walsh Jesuit senior Jonathan Shepherd placed second with a 16:28.02

Four Vikings placed between ninth and 12th: junior Zach Goulet, sophomore Sergi Cribben and Parker Queen, and senior Nick Stroemple.

Hoover sophomore Tyler Stackpole placed 14th and junior Andy Motz was 33rd.

Walsh Jesuit junior Chelsea Oswald won the girls “Varsity Green” race in a time of 18:31.69.

Hoover sophomore Erin Garfield placed second with a time of 19:27.69 Vikings sophomores Allison Peare and Sarah Tirrell were fifth and sixth, and freshman Megan Monte finished eighth.

Freshmen Sara Polatas (14th) and Stephanie Rosso (20th) rounded out the Vikings top seven with senior Suzie Semroc (90th).

**Note — There will be additional cross country items later this week regarding several schools, such as: Medina, Green, Jackson, Louisville, Hudson, Woodridge, Crestwood, St. Thomas Aquinas, CVCA and Waterloo. Stay tuned.

Here is a preseason look at Federal League football for the 2007 season. In this post, you will find players (that received all-star recognition in the league last season) to watch from each team and my predictions for the upcoming season.

*** Please note that the 2007 High School Football Preview Section will appear in the Wednesday Aug. 22, 2007 edition of the Akron Beacon Journal with complete analysis of every league, team and top players in the area. ***

CANTON MCKINLEY (12-2 overall, 7-0 in the Federal League last season; Federal League champions)

Top players: Senior DB-WR Brandon Mingo (first-team Federal), senior OL-DE Sean Whited (first-team), senior DL-OL Isaac Gatlin (second-team), junior DB-RB Derrick Gordon (honorable mention).

PERRY (9-2, 6-1)

Top players: Senior TB-DB Eric Magnacca (first-team Federal, second-team All-Ohio and first-team all-district in Division I), senior QB-OLB Matt Vick (first-team Federal), senior TE-DL David Baughman (second-team), senior OT-DE Doug Elliot (honorable mention).

NORTH CANTON HOOVER (7-3, 4-3)

Top players: Senior WR-DB Matt Wakulchik (first-team Federal, second-team All-Ohio and first-team all-district in Division I), senior LB Kevin Dahl (second-team), senior DL James Georgiades (second team), senior DE Greg Tischler (honorable mention).

JACKSON (5-5, 4-3)

Top player: Senior TB-DB Carlin Isles (first-team Federal).

LAKE (7-5, 3-4)

Top player: Senior FB-LB Matt Higginbotham (honorable mention all-Federal).

AUSTINTOWN FITCH (4-6, 2-5)

Top player: Senior RB-DB Nick Wiery (honorable mention all-Federal).

BOARDMAN (3-7, 1-6)

Top players: Senior HB-CB Tyler Amdendola (second-team Federal), senior FB-OLB Eric Polen (honorable mention).

GLENOAK (3-7, 1-6)

Top player: Senior RB-S Anthony Smith (honorable mention all-Federal).

Here is my predicted finish for the Federal League (which is the same as the Federal League coaches predictions at media day):

1. Canton McKinley

2. Perry

3. North Canton Hoover

4. Boardman

5. Lake

6. Austintown Fitch

7. Jackson

8. GlenOak

Here is an explanation for my predictions:

I think tradition and talent will again lift Canton McKinley to another Federal League championship under coach Brian Cross. The Bulldogs will be seeking their third consecutive league title after reaching the Division I state final four last season.

The “Pups” will have a solid defensive secondary with Mingo, Gordon and senior Tremaine O’Neal. Whited will lead a young offensive line. Inexperienced players will line up on both lines, and also at running back, quarterback, receiver and linebacker. McKinley must replace tailback Morgan Williams, linebackers Disi Alexander and George Tabron, kicker Zack Campbell, center Drew McIntyre and quarterback Dan Grimsley. Replacing that collection of graduated stars could prove to be too much, opening the door for Perry or Hoover.

Perry, which was runner-up last season in the league, returns a solid tailback and quarterback combination in Magnacca and Vick. Magnacca is powerful and fast, two attributes that will strike fear in any defense. The Panthers have 24 lettermen back from a season ago and are poised to challenge for the title under coach John “Spider” Miller.

Hoover’s defense should be excellent with Dahl, Georgiades, Tischler and senior Mitch Rose under the tutelage coach Don Hertler Jr. The Vikings offense could be explosive with Wakulchik catching passes from senior quarterback Jared Wackerly.

Boardman should rise up the Federal standings with 22 lettermen returning. Spartans coach D.J. Ogilvie is very high on Amendola, Polen and seniors Evan Klepec and Nick Tuminello.

Lake could surprise with seven starters back on offense and six back on defense. Higginbotham and senior Gene Onabiyi should lead under coach Jeff Durbin.

Fitch, Jackson and GlenOak will each have new coaches. The Falcons will be guided by Phil Annarella, the Polar Bears have Thom McDaniels in charge and the Golden Eagles hired GlenOak alumnus Scott Garcia. Annarella and McDaniels are experienced leaders, and Garcia is entering his first season as a head coach.

Isles gives Jackson a game-breaking running back with tremendous speed. Add in McDaniels success as coach at Canton McKinley and Warren Harding, and the Polar Bears could challenge the top three teams in the league — McKinley, Perry and Hoover.

Let me know what do you think of these predictions?

The football season is approaching, so I compiled a list of high school seniors from the Beacon Journal’s five-county coverage area who are listed as prospects on www.scout.com. There are several area players who are not on this list who will surely play in college. Nonetheless, this should give you some names to look for this season.

Here are the players, the positions they are being recruited at and their high schools (click on the player’s name for more information from scout.com and make sure to scroll down the player’s bio page to see which colleges have made offers):

DeVoe Torrence/running back/transfered from Canton South to Massillon Washington/committed to Ohio State University

Johnny Adams/wide receiver/Buchtel

Steve Yoak/linebacker/Archbishop Hoban

Will Fleming/safety/Archbishop Hoban

Eric Magnacca/safety/Perry

Whitney Mercilous/defensive end/Garfield

Larry Dawson/running back/North

K.J. Herring/runnning back/Massillon Washington

Jeff White/running back/Alliance

Carlin Isles/running back/Jackson

Kameron Alexander/running back/Buchtel

Dominic Surace/fullback/Twinsburg

Jordan Bell/wide receiver/Barberton

Chris Edwards/wide receiver/Wadsworth

Teddy Robb/wide receiver/Northwest

Justin Ray/offensive line/St. Thomas Aquinas

Reggie Comeaux/offensive line/Massillon Washington

Grady Spidell/offensive line/Buchtel

Kevin Dahl/linebacker/North Canton Hoover

David Whipple/safety/Canton South

Matthew Vick/safety/Perry

Steve Schott/kicker/Massillon Washington

Steve Yoak

Posted by Michael Beaven for the Beacon Journal

The Federal League held its track and field championships Friday night at Austintown Fitch and the Isles siblings from Jackson showed their sprinting ability is among the best in the area.

Carlin Isles, a junior, won the 100 meters in 11.07 seconds, the 200 in 22.36 and the 400 in 49.12. He also placed second in the long jump (21-feet-5.25-inches). Tambra Isles won the 100 (12.77) and the 200 (25.96).

Boardman won the boys title and GlenOak won the girls crown.

The GlenOak girls received individual first places from freshman Emily Mazzaferri (800) and senior Dejaa Shearer (300 hurdles). Mazzaferri was also the anchor for the 1,600 relay and the 3,200 relay. Jessica Dunkle, Jasmyn Hawkin and Stephanie Noussias were on the 1,600 relay and Jillian Black, Noussias and Stacie Clagg were on the 3,200 relay.

Perry was second on the boys side, with Josh Tormasi (1,600) and Andrew Klecan (pole vault) taking titles. The Panthers 3,200 relay, comprised of Corwin Swint, J.D. Horton, Tormasi and Tyler Griffin.

Canton McKinley and GlenOak rounded out the top four boys teams.

McKinley’s Andy Moore (300 hurdles) and Monterea Williams (long jump) won titles. The Bulldogs had three winning sprint relay units; the 400 (Tremaine O’Neal, Williams, Derick Graham, Alaun Morrow), the 800 (O’Neal, Moore, Graham, Morrow) and the 1,600 (Pierre Cheek, Moore, Morrow, Dermaine Hinton).

The Jackson girls were second, with Courtney Armsey (100 hurdles), Emily Pritt (1,600) and Hallie Busta (3,200) winning titles.

North Canton Hoover and Boardman were third and fourth respectively in the girls meet.

Posted by Michael Beaven for the Beacon Journal

The Green baseball team has rebounded after a dismal start to win a Division I sectional championship and advance to a Canton district semifinal matchup with Jackson 2 p.m. Tuesday at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium.

Green defeated GlenOak 12-1 Tuesday and then beat Perry 9-5 Wednesday. The Bulldogs began the season 1-7 and now are 12-9 after winning 11 of 13 games.

The Bulldogs have won three consecutive district championships.

Green seniors Tim Bleil, Scott Foster, Jason Malloy and J.T. Warmus have been key contributors for coach Jon Wallace, along with junior Cole Morozek.

Jackson advanced after defeating North Canton Hoover 9-5 Wednesday. Senior Britt Williams hit two home runs for the Polar Bears (20-3) and senior Cody Irwin also homered.

The Polar Bears, coached by Kevin Miller, are the top-seed in the district.

Posted by Michael Beaven for the Beacon Journal

North Canton Hoover senior N’Gai Evans has made an oral commitment to attend Wright State University on a basketball scholarship.

Evans, a 6-foot-2 guard, was a third-team All-Ohio selection in Division I after averaging 17.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for the Vikings (18-4) this past season. Evans shot 50.2 percent from the field and was a first-team all-district and first-team All-Beacon Journal pick.

Evans a two-year starter, recently played in the Ohio/Kentucky All-Star game after Hoover was defeated by Perry in a district semifinal game. He was recruited by Wright State as a point guard and plans on majoring in business according to Hoover coach Randy Montgomery.

“(Wright State coach) Brad Brownell and his staff did a great job of recruiting N’Gai,” Montgomery said. “They really did their homework and found a diamond in the rough.”

Wright State won the Horizon League Tournament Championship this past season when they defeated Butler and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Montgomery said Evans is expected to play as a freshman, especially with the departure of Wright State star guard DaShaun Wood who was a senior. Canton McKinley alumnus Todd Brown also plays for the Raiders.