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!

ARCHBISHOP HOBAN (20-4, 13-1 North Coast League)
Seniors Rachel Tecca, Nikki D’Amico and Brittany Brown return to lead the Knights, the defending NCL champions and a program that has made the Division II regional tournament three out of the past four seasons under coach Tracy Miller. Tecca, a 6-foot-1 forward and University of Akron recruit, averaged around 20 points and 10 rebounds last season. D’Amico, a guard, and Brown, a forward, also will play integral parts along with junior point guard Taneka Lewis, junior forward Krissy Sokol and sophomore guard Grace Foote.

CLOVERLEAF (8-13, 5-9 Suburban League)
• Coach John Carmigiano expects the Colts to be much improved this season with three returning starters and a transfer. Senior starters Brittani Pekar (10.7 points, 7.2 rebounds), Candace Andel (10.1 points) and Kayla Henry are back, and 6-foot-3 junior center Brooke Forsythe, formerly of Brunswick, is another pivotal player. Sophomore guard Sarah Schleich and senior forward Caitie Coughlin also return.

COPLEY (13-7, 10-4 Suburban League)
• The senior tandem of Beth Mantkowski and Brittany Powell will guide the Indians this season. Mantkowski, a 6-foot-2 center, averaged about 16 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks last season and has committed to Ashland University. Powell, a 5-foot-7 guard and Gannon University recruit, averaged about 14 points and five rebounds. Sophomore 6-foot guard Taylor Reif will also be a key contributor after averaging 9.6 points and 4.2 rebounds last season.

CUYAHOGA VALLEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (15-6, 9-3 PAC-7)
• The Royals will look to improve upon last season’s second-place finish in the PAC-7. Seniors Jeanette Pettigrew, Alyssa Presley, Melissa Knepper, Jessica Glenn and Victoria Risenhoover and junior Turea Moore provide an experienced foundation for CVCA coach Bill Stalnaker to work with. Defending PAC-7 champion Manchester (18-5, 12-0) will still be a formidable opponent with senior guard Lexis Staubs returning.

FIELD (18-5, 11-3 Portage Trail Conference Metro Division)
• Senior Traci Vandegrift returns to lead the Falcons. Vandegrift, a 6-foot center and Albany recruit for volleyball, gives Field a presence in the lane with her skill set and athleticism. Juniors Lauren Feciuch, Arielle Kenyon and Tabitha Murray are also back for coach Jeff Kidd, along with sophomores Hanna Mueller and Emily Ulrich. Field is seeking to dethrone defending PTC Metro champion Southeast, which posted a 20-0 regular-season record last season, but lost several players to graduation. Southeast does return senior Mya Levels, a 6-foot-2 forward and UNC-Wilmington recruit who averaged nearly 19 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks last season.

FIRESTONE (10-10, 8-4 City Series)
• The Falcons will look to challenge for the City title with senior guards Danielle Thomas, Jaysha Russell and Dominique Echols playing prominent roles for coach Audley McGill. Thomas averaged about six points and seven rebounds last season. Russell did not play for Firestone last season, but she contributed around 15 points per game for the Falcons as a sophomore.

GREEN (20-4, 11-3 Suburban League)
• Sophomore Logan Pastor and junior Deanna Wheeler return to lead the Bulldogs under the guidance of coach Tony Whitmer. Pastor and Wheeler, 5-foot-10 and 5-foot-8, respectively, each averaged around 10 points last season. Juniors Selana Reale and Kelsey Corle will also be counted on for production, along with senior Tiffany Henley and freshman Lydia Corle.

HUDSON (12-10, 5-5 Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division)
• The Explorers are hoping to emerge in the NOC this season with seniors Jennifer Lawson and Hannah Jones leading the attack under coach Dennis Lawler. Lawson, a 6-foot-1 forward, averaged 12.1 points and 9.9 rebounds last season. Jones, a 6-foot-4 center and Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne recruit, posted 6.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. That duo will be accompanied by sophomore guard Jessica Monsman, senior guard Emily Griffiths and junior Lindley Hill.

KENMORE (22-3, 13-0 City Series)
• Senior 5-foot-8 point guard Andola Dortch returns to lead the Cardinals, the defending City Series champions under coach Yontami Jones. Dortch, a University of Toledo recruit, uses her skill and quickness to be a prolific scorer. She will be joined by senior forward Scharlawn Hubbard, junior forward Courtney Palmer, junior guard Shanequa Williams and sophomore guard Markayla Powers. Kenmore reached the Division I Regional semifinal last season.

LAKE (15-7, 5-5 Federal League)
• Senior Lauren Myers returns to give the Blue Streaks an effective shooter from long range. Myers, a 5-foot-10 guard and Wheeling Jesuit recruit, averaged 14.6 points last season. Seniors Jordan Jenkins, Dana Brown, Cindy Netti, Kelly Vigars and Jessica Saporito are also back for coach Thom Grubb. Jenkins is a Tiffin University recruit.

LOUISVILLE (18-4, 13-1 Northeastern Buckeye Conference)
• Juniors Jessica Lairson and Erin Thornton will be key players for the Leopards under first-year coach Garee McCully. Lairson averaged 11.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.4 steals last season. Sophomore Desi Givens and freshman Brianna Libertore should also be vital players for Louisville, which shared the NBC title with rival Northwest last season.

MOGADORE (13-7, 10-4 Portage Trail Conference County Division)
• The Wildcats will rely heavily on the production of junior guards Jordan Poth and Amanda Sidwell and sophomore center Presley Destro. That scoring trio should make coach George Tompkins happy and give opponents’ defenses trouble all season.

NORTH CANTON HOOVER (20-3, 10-0 Federal League)
• Senior Jessica Carpenter returns to lead the Vikings, who must reload after the graduation of frontline standouts Brittany Orban (Northwestern) and Kyle Baumgartner (University of Akron). Carpenter, a 5-foot-8 guard and Baldwin Wallace signee, averaged 11.1 points for the Federal League champions last season. Coach Paul Wackerly will also have the luxury of having seniors Leah Gibson and Eleni Bourlas back with juniors Allison Peare and Alyssa Chovan. Senior guard Erica Iafelice is expected to return this season after a back injury.

NORTHWEST (21-3, 13-1 Northeastern Buckeye Conference)
• Junior 6-foot forward Dakota Harkins is expected to be the Indians’ top player under the tutelage of coach John Martin. Seniors Rachel Miller, Candace Gemma and Erika Stach will be counted on for leadership and production. Sophomore Jessica Wormald also returns for Northwest, which shared the NBC title with rival Louisville last season. Martin is also counting on a few other sophomores and freshmen to emerge on the varsity team as the season progresses to soften the loss of junior Tabatha McKinney, who transferred to Canton South.

RAVENNA (14-8, 10-4 Portage Trail Conference Metro Division)
• Junior guard Lauren Tilden returns to lead the Ravens and is one of the most dangerous 3-point shooters in the area. Junior forwards Chanel Berry, Kayla Plaso and Dannielle Boyce will figure prominently for Ravenna, along with senior forward Lauren Flarida. Coach Rod Chlysta said the rotation is in flux due to depth and competition, and that freshmen could emerge into larger roles as the season progresses.

ST. VINCENT-ST. MARY (9-11)
• The Fighting Irish will be led by three seniors; Jessica Bridenthal, Jill Brownfield and Amanda Olszewski. Bridenthal, a 6-foot-1 forward-center, averaged 10.5 points and 5.9 rebounds last season and has committed to Ashland University. Sophomore Maria Arnone also returns for coach Joe Jakubick, a former University of Akron player.

STOW (12-11, 5-5 Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division)
• The Bulldogs return three starters — senior forward Kelsey MacWherter, senior guard Dana Cummins and sophomore guard Sarah Parsons — under coach Bob Podges. MacWherter and Cummins each averaged nearly 10 points last season. Junior forward Sonya Istocka should also be a major contributor for Stow.

TWINSBURG (20-2, 10-0 Northeast Ohio Conference Lake Division)
• Senior Rachel Peelman, a 5-foot-8 forward, is a solid defender, and 5-foot-3 senior Katie Whittington is a steady point guard for the Tigers. That tandem will lead the Tigers, along with Lauren Macer, for coach Mike Kelley. Malina Howard and LaShawna Gatewood are two highly touted freshmen that should figure into Twinsburg’s plans.

WADSWORTH (17-6, 12-2 Suburban League)
• Senior Lindsay Tenyak, a 5-foot-9 senior guard, will step into a more prominent role this season for the Grizzlies. Tenyak helped Wadsworth win the Suburban League title last season by averaging about eight points and 4.5 rebounds. Coach Andrew Booth is also counting on senior Kate Macko, sophomores Robyn Rotterschmidt and Taylor Woods, juniors Kristen O’Brien and Sam Gearhart and freshman Christy Cingel. Cloverleaf, Copley, Green and Tallmadge will attempt to dethrone Wadsworth in the Suburban League.

WALSH JESUIT (19-5)
• The Warriors will be led by senior Amy Gardner, a 5-foot-10 senior guard and University at Buffalo recruit. Gardner averaged 13.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.2 steals last season. Claire Lysaght and Kendra Simmons are senior tri-captains with Gardner. Coach Pete Zaccari is also relying on junior Nneka Offodile, freshman Rachel Theriot and juniors Cheryl Yu and Sarah Sureck to produce on the court.

— Michael Beaven

When it comes to track, it’s always about who ran the fastest, jumped the highest or threw the shot or the discus the farthest. But sometimes there are stories, GREAT, INSPRATIONAL STORIES, that don’t have to do with who won.

For instance, I remember watching the local news in the fall, I think it was, and there was an amazing story about a young lady (she may have been from the Youngstown area), who was competing in the state high school cross country meet and was almost near the finish line. Then came a gruesome sight. She broke her leg on the course and fell to the ground.

But this young lady had the courage and fortitude to crawl and limp her way to the finish line, despite being in obvious pain.

It was a story of incredible self-will. This young lady needed medical help, but she didn’t want it. She was withering with pain but she wanted to finish that race, and if you watched the video, you couldn’t help but get a little emotional, knowing she was in a world of pain. But watching her will her way to that finish line, regardless of the pain she was experiencing, was breathtaking and moving.

The yound lady gave a great television interview a few days later and it was great to see she was doing well and was in good spirts. I think she even joked that all she was thinking about, when she went down, was that she wasn’t going to be able to dance at her sister’s wedding later that night.

I witnessed another incredible story, but it didn’t involve injury. A few years ago I was covering a regional track meet at Ravenna and the Copley girls were favored in this particular relay event. As the race began, Copley was right there, as expected. But during one of the exchanges, the baton was dropped and the team was out of the race.

The young lady who dropped the baton was devasted. I mean, I had never seen an athlete more distraught. What I found out later was that the young lady was only a sophomore and there were two seniors on that relay team. The sophomore felt she had blown it for the seniors because it was their last chance to make it to state.

She was on the infield of the track, as the race was still going, slumped over an emotional ball.

She just shuddered and shook as she cried.

Then, former Copley standout Carrie Dyer, who was a senior and on that relay team, ran to the young runner to comfort her.

Then the rest of the realy team followed.

To me, that was one of the most inspirational stories I had ever witnessed.

The sophomore was heartbroken. But she was heartbroken because she cared about her teammates and wanted to perform at her best so that it would help the seniors.

It didn’t happen. But when it didn’t happen, the seniors weren’t mad, bitter or upset. They showed support for their younger teammate because they loved her. And in the end, winning didn’t matter.

So, with that, I’m asking readers to post any inspirational stories you witnessed, in track or any other sport, that didn’t involve someone winning.

A story where someone overcame odds to get where they are. Or a story about teammates helping one another.

Those are the most compelling stories.

Only two area high school football teams won regional titles and remain alive after Week 3 of the state playoffs.

Brunswick defeated North Canton Hoover 24-17 on Saturday to win a Division I regional title. The Blue Devils (13-0) will advance to play Mentor (10-2) in a state semifinal Nov. 24. Hoover ended its season with a record of 10-3. Click here for a Brunswick vs. Hoover game story.

Louisville (11-2) defeated previously unbeated and top-seeded Columbus St. Francis DeSales 25-20 on Friday night. The Leopards will advance to play Cincinnati Anderson (11-2) in a Division II state semifinal Nov. 23. Click here for a Louisville vs. DeSales game story.

Northwest was the only other area team that survived the first two rounds of the postseason and played for a regional title this weekend. The Indians lost to Newark Licking Valley 21-17 and finished their season with a record of 12-1. Click here for a Northwest vs. Newark Licking Valley game story.

Who do you think has the best chance to win a state title. Will it be Brunswick, Louisville or neither one?

As much as I respect Brunswick, I think Louisville has a better chance to win a state title. Louisville already knocked off DeSales and appears to have an easier path in Division II than Brunswick has in Division I. If the Blue Devils can eliminate a powerful Mentor team, they will likely face Cincinnati St. Xavier, which is one of the top-ranked high school football programs in the country, in a state championship game.

GAVIN JACKSON/Akron Beacon Journal

Brunswick senior quarterback Sean Bedevelsky avoids a North Canton Hoover defender during the Blue Devils’ 24-17 victory over North Canton Hoover in a Division I regional final Saturday night.

High School Football Playoff Schedule

Note: These are probable playoff matchups according to www.joeeitel.com and the matchups have changed several times on Saturday, which means they might be different on the website on Sunday. Official OHSAA playoff pairings will be released Monday.

Friday’s Games
(All games 7:30 p.m., unless noted)

Division II, Region 5
Firestone (7-3) at Tallmadge (9-1)

Division II, Region 7
Lake (7-3) at Louisville (8-2)

Division III, Region 9
Field (9-1) at Walsh Jesuit (8-1)
Cortland Lakeview (8-2) at Aurora (9-1)
Ravenna (8-2) at Mentor Lake Catholic (6-3)

Divison III, Region 11
Poland Seminary (7-3) at Northwest (10-0)
New Concord John Glenn (8-2) at West Branch (8-2)
Canton South (6-4) at Dover (7-3)

Divison V, Region 17
Northwestern (9-1) at Waynedale (8-2)

Saturday’s Games
(All games 7 p.m., unless noted)

Division I, Region 2
GlenOak (6-4) at Brunswick (10-0)
Toledo St. John’s Jesuit (6-4) at North Canton Hoover (8-2)
Perrysburg (8-2) at Nordonia (9-1)
Wadsworth (9-1) at Toledo Whitmer (8-2)

Division IV, Region 13
CVCA (9-1) at Stuebenville (10-0)
Tusky Valley (8-2) at Canton Central Catholic (9-1)
Lake Co. Perry (9-1) at St. Vincent-St. Mary (8-2)

Division VI, Region 21
Columbiana (7-3) at Mogadore (9-1)

The Northwest girls soccer team defeated Alliance 2-0 Wednesday to improve to 7-0 overall and 3-0 in the Northeastern Buckeye Conference.

Freshman forward Kathy Demaree and senior forward Megan Green each scored goals for the Indians.

“We’re playing real well as a team, we are passing well and moving without the ball the well,” Northwest coach Scott Green said. “We are getting a number of good looks at the goal and our forwards are finishing.”

Senior forward Ana Saeger, senior center-midfielder Rachel Loepp and sophomore sweeper Katy Kellar have also been key players to Northwest’s attack.

Northwest 42, Firestone 21

Varsity Letters Player of the Game: Northwest senior wide receiver/defensive back Teddy Robb.

Robb had two touchdown receptions and two interceptions to lead the Indians over the Falcons.

“This was one of my better games,” said Robb, a second-team all-district selection in Division III last season.

Robb opened Northwest’s scoring with a 68-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Jim Shiplett. Robb also jump started a 21-point third quarter with an 8-yard touchdown catch from Shiplett.

“Teddy is an outstanding talent,” Northwest coach Vic Whiting said. “He’s got a lot more football to play both this year and in the future.”

Robb has received interest from some Mid-American Conference and Big Ten colleges, but he said he hasn’t narrowed down his choices yet.

KEN LOVE/Akron Beacon Journal

Northwest senior wide receiver/defensive back Teddy Robb helps gang tackle Firestone senior running back Darshawn Thomas during the Indians’ 42-21 victory over the Falcons Friday night.

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