Akron native LeBron James won his first gold medal Sunday following the United States of America men’s basketball victory over Spain in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

USA defeated Spain 118-107 in the gold medal game and outscored opponents 106.2-78.4 in eight games.

James, a 2003 St. Vincent-St. Mary High School graduate, was a pivotal player on Team USA. He started all eight games in the Olympics and averaged 15.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in 24.8 minutes per game.

James led Team USA in total minutes played (198), minutes per game (24.8), steals (19) and blocked shots (eight). He was second in scoring (124 points) and second in assists (30). His 42 rebounds were third best.

Dwayne Wade led Team USA in scoring with 128 points (16.0 per game) and Chris Paul paced the Americans in assists with 33. Chris Bosh (49) and Dwight Howard (46) were the top two rebounders.

Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard joined James in the starting lineup in all eight games. Bryant was Team USA’s third leading scorer with 120 points (15.0 per game).

Team USA beat China, Angola, Greece, Germany, Australia, Argentina and Spain twice in the tournament.

James, a standout for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the National Basketball Association, won a bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Northwest held off a tough Orrville team 34-13 Friday night at Smilek Stadium. The Indians, behind the running of Dan Beers, scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull away on a hot muggy night.

Despite the 21-point win, the game was extremely close for most of the night with the weather playing a tremendous factor. Both teams lost plenty of players to heat cramping.

WHEN IT WAS OVER

The Red Riders controlled the pace and the tempo for the entire game Friday night until a costly fumble closed the door on any chance of an Orrville victory.

Northwest nursed a 14-13 lead with nine minutes left in the game. Northwest freshman punter Dan May, playing in his first high school game, pinned Orrville back on its own five-yard line.

On second down and 10, The Indians blitzed Besancon. While Northwest senior Tim Caillet, dragged Besancon down in the end zone, Besancon flipped the ball forward in an attempt to avoid the sack.

Northwest’s Jordan Berenyi scooped up the ball and ran two-yards for a touchdown. The score swung the momentum in the Indians direction. They never looked back.

PLAYERS OF THE GAME 

Joe Besancon
quarterback
Orrville

No kid stuck out more on the field Friday at Smilek Stadium than Joe Besancon. In my humble opinion he was clearly the best high school football player on the field.

Besancon will provide many exciting moments this season Red Riders as he is a proficient passer that makes plenty of things happen with his feet. He was seemingly at his best when the plays weren’t Friday night.

He scampered for 58 yards in the first half and completed 12-19 passes for 151 yards as he gave Northwest fits.

The 5-foot-11 junior was very impressive in the way that he would absorb hits and slither away from would be tacklers, although it wouldn’t hurt him to add a little more sliding into his repertoire.

Besancon played the game with moxie and it showed in how he carried his team. It also showed in how both coaches, and Northwest running back Danny Beers, raved about him after the game.

Northwest coach Vic Whiting said he was forced to use a spy in the second half in an attempt slow Besancon. Whiting got a little lucky too. Besancon’s leg’s were so cramped up during the second half his coach, Doug Davault, said he could barely move.

He still mustered 52 more yards on the ground, but was 8-17 for 70 yards through the air, mostly because the Red Riders were in a play-from-behind passing mode.

What is unfortunate is that Besancon’s spectacular play will be overshadowed by the costly fumble and a hard to swallow forward-pass penalty on the following drive. The mistake moved the Red Riders back 15 yards and effectively ended Orrville’s night. The junior was spectacular in every moment but those two.

Dan Beers
Running back
Northwest

The game couldn’t have played out better for Beers. Orrville managed the clock and kept the ball out of Northwest hands for most of the game and reasonably so. Despite limited touches Beers was still able to rush for 195 yards on 16 carries.

The Indians rode Beers on the first drive of the game, an 11-play drive that resulted in a touchdown. He was responsible for 23 yards on six carries during that drive.

Between then and the fourth quarter, Beers would carry the ball just five times for a total of 53 yards and a touchdown. In the second quarter he had two carries for 14 yards. Beers had just one carry in the third quarter, a three-yard run.

With a temperature in the upper 80’s, that valuable rest time couldn’t have been more important. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, and plenty of players on both sides crippled by cramping, Beers was ready to kick his running into high gear.

It was just five carries in the fourth quarter…

First carry: Six yards.
Second carry: 18 yards
Third carry: 37 yards
Fourth carry: three yards
Fifth carry: 55-yard touchdown run

On the final 55-yard scamper it didn’t even look like Beers had been touched at all. Heading into the final quarter he had 76 yards rushing. An 119-yard fourth quarter gave him 195 for the game.

Not a bad way to start the season for Mr. Beers.

Buchtel head coach Ricky Powers has seen it all in his days as a former all-state running back at Buchtel, an all-Big Ten performer at Michigan and a former NFL player.

But in the Griffins’ 45-29 loss at Massillon Friday, Powers said he witnessed something he had never seen in person. His senior quarterback and starting defensive back Tahj Dent returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown. The third-quarter score cut Massillon’s lead to 17-15.

Powers said the play was incredible because it actually covered about 108 yards because Dent intercepted the pass deep in the corner of the endzone. But the ruling is that it can only be recorded as a 100-yard touchdown return.

“It was something amazing to watch,” Powers said. “Massillon’s quarterback was trying to throw a pass in the corner of the endzone and Tahj just made a great play.

“From there, the rest of our kids instinctively started finding people to block and Tahj made some great cuts and made it to the endzone. He is a talented kid and this needs to go down in the record books,” Powers added.

After Dent scored, Powers wanted to take him out to give him a rest. But he said Dent didn’t want to come off the field. Dent later scored two more touchdowns- a 35-yard run and an 8-yard run.

Meanwhile, Powers, in his second season after posting an 2-8 last season, is pleased with the effort his team gave, especially playing at such a challenging venue as Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

“The kids didn’t quit and that’s the beauty of this team,” Powers said. “We’ll have our growing pains but they are starting to buy into what we’re trying to do.”

* MORGAN’S MVP: Revere junior running back John Battaglia earned the game ball. He’s about 5-9, 175 pounds but he runs much bigger. Against Firestone, Battaglia rushed for 179 yards and two touchdowns on 39 carries. That’s right…39 carries!!!!

I decided to look at the boxscores that we received and printed in Saturday morning’s paper (there were 28 boxscores, 56 teams in the edition I received at home) and wanted to see how Battaglia’s individual rushing carries stacked up with some of the team’s total rushes. Well, if I counted correctly, Battaglia outrushed 39 other teams. He tied with St. Thomas Aquinas and Walsh Jesuit.

* OTHER MVP CANDIDATES: I have to say that the entire Revere defense earned special consideration. This group, led by Dan Steinkerchner, Dave Flegal, Donald Day, Claudio Manera, Tim Bihun and Mike Monte, never let Firestone put together any type of sustainable drives and didn’t give up the big plays. Also, Revere coach Terry Cistone raved about the way fullback Andrew Anacki sacrificed his body blocking for Battaglia.

* GREAT SPORTSMANSHIP: I though it was very classy on the part of one of Revere’s assistant coaches to praise Firestone even after the Falcons struggled. While inside the Minutemen’s lockeroom long after the game, the assistant coach told me that Firestone is still a solid team and will come around. “Don’t be fooled. They are going to win games,” he said.

Tyler Crowl of Lake works for yardage against Green on Friday

RUSHING

Kyle Snyder, Walsh Jesuit, 13-249, 2 TD
Danny Beers, Northwest, 17-188, 2 TD
Erick Howard, North Canton Hoover, 22-185, 3 TD
Devin Richardson, Ellet, 26-181, 2 TD
John Battaglia, Revere, 39-179, 2 TD
Caleb Laps, Perry, 9-163, 1 TD
Bobby Brown, North, 5-152, 2 TD
Armand Dehaney, Walsh Jesuit, 6-133, 2 TD
Thad Nofsinger, Waynedale, 15-126, 3 TD
Tyler Crowl, Lake, 22-119, 3 TD
John Pettigrew, CVCA, 17-118, 1 TD
Davon Roberson, Ellet, 13-113, 1 TD
Donte Covington, North, 6-112, 1 TD
Justin James, Green 22-111, 1 TD
Brenton Semplak, Garrettsville, 14-107, 1 TD
Joe Besancon, Orrville, 16-102
Quinton Howard, Marlington, 15-102, 2 TD
Ryan Christiansen, Lake 104
Mark Guarnieri, Norton, 11-100, 1 TD
Davon Coman, North, 6-100, 2 TD

PASSING

Mike Smith, West Branch, 8-13, 253, 2 TD
Joe Besancon, Orrville, 22-38, 225, 1 TD
Kyle Snyder, Barberton, 8-21, 207, 1 INT, 2 TD
Dom McClain, Copley, 11-23, 205, 1 INT

RECEIVING

Chad Butcher, West Branch, 4-139-1 TD
Kwame Harvey, Copley, 3-107
Sam MIller, Orrville, 8-92
Cory Stryker, Waynedale, 5-90
Jeff Walker, Coventry, 6-87
Jase Uyselt, West Branch, 2-80,1 TD

Local Scoreboard
Alliance 39, Crestwood 26
Ashland 51, Willard 12
Brunswick 51, Mansfield 35
Chagrin Falls 27, Woodridge 21
Chippewa 12, Norton 7
Cloverleaf 10, Buckeye 6
Crestview 29, Northwestern 0
Dalton 42, Garaway 26
East 38, Carrollton 14
Ellet 33, Springfield 7
Field 28, Waterloo 0
Garfield Heights Trinity 19, Coventry 7
Garrettsville 21, Middlefield Cardinal 0
Highland 40, Rocky River 15
Hillsdale 43, Mapleton 28
Jackson 12, Norton 7
Jackson-Milton 30, Windham 8
Kent Roosevelt 35, Kenston 0
Lake 39, Green 30
Manchester 14, Smithville 7
Marlington 25, St. Thomas Aquinas 20
Massillon 45, Buchtel 29
Minerva 47, United Local 0
Mogadore 27, Mineral Ridge 7
New Philadelphia 28, Canton Central Catholic 7
Nordonia 28, Tallmadge 7
North 68, Rootstown 3
North Canton Hoover 41, Washington (DC) Dunbar 22
Northwest 34, Orrville 13
Norwayne 26, Wellington 7
Perry 48, Barberton 14
Revere 24, Firestone 0
Stow 31, Kenmore 0
Triway 14, West Holmes 7
Wadsworth 35, Wooster 19
Walsh Jesuit 48, Newark Licking Valley 14
Warren JFK 27, CVCA 7
Waynedale 55, Tusky Valley 7
West Branch 48, Southeast 6
 

State Scoreboard
Ada 28, Dola Hardin Northern 0¶
Albany Alexander 48, Reedsville Eastern 14¶
Amherst Steele 52, Elyria 34¶
Anna 28, Sidney Lehman 21¶
Antwerp 21, Edon 13¶
Arlington 21, Mt. Blanchard Riverdale 6¶
Avon Lake 38, Maple Hts. 26¶
Bainbridge Paint Valley 41, Cols. West 32¶
Baltimore Liberty Union 28, Bloom-Carroll 0¶
Bascom Hopewell-Loudon 42, Bloomdale Elmwood 7¶
Batavia Amelia 26, Batavia 23, OT¶
Beavercreek 49, Riverside Stebbins 6¶
Bellbrook 28, Miamisburg 0¶
Bellevue 27, Sandusky Perkins 16¶
Belmont Union Local 53, Byesville Meadowbrook 13¶
Berlin Center Western Reserve 28, Vienna Mathews 26¶
Bluffton 21, Cory-Rawson 10¶
Bowerston Conotton Valley 48, Sebring McKinley 34¶
Brookville 55, Day. Belmont 0¶
Bryan 13, Van Wert 10¶
Bucyrus Wynford 49, Caledonia River Valley 12¶
Burton Berkshire 40, Andover Pymatuning Valley 7¶
Cadiz Harrison Cent. 18, Uhrichsville Claymont 15¶
Camden Preble Shawnee 53, New Paris National Trail 21¶
Canfield 42, Chardon 13¶
Cardington-Lincoln 27, Howard E. Knox 7¶
Carey 27, Upper Sandusky 0¶
Carlisle 69, Arcanum 0¶
Center Grove, Ind. 41, Day. Carroll 0¶
Centerburg 28, DeGraff Riverside 7¶
Chesapeake 30, Oak Hill 29¶
Chillicothe Zane Trace 26, Ironton Rock Hill 7¶
Cin. Colerain 13, Cin. St. Xavier 8¶
Cin. Country Day 39, Batavia Clermont NE 20¶
Cin. Hills Christian Academy 21, Cin. Wyoming 13¶
Cin. Indian Hill 44, Hamilton Ross 7¶
Cin. N. College Hill 42, Reading 9¶
Cin. NW 31, Cin. Finneytown 0¶
Cin. Oak Hills 49, Harrison 28¶
Cin. Sycamore 35, Cin. Glen Este 6¶
Cin. Walnut Hills 10, Cin. Purcell Marian 7¶
Cin. Winton Woods 26, Cin. La Salle 20¶
Clarksville Clinton-Massie 49, Blanchester 0¶
Cle. Benedictine 35, Chardon NDCL 14¶
Cle. Cent. Cath. 37, Newbury 6¶
Cle. Hts. 28, Cols. Northland 19¶
Clyde 34, Pemberville Eastwood 17¶
Cols. Africentric 37, Cedarville 7¶
Cols. Brookhaven 14, Chillicothe 7¶
Cols. DeSales 28, Lima Shawnee 0¶
Cols. Eastmoor 40, Cols. East 14¶
Cols. Hartley 63, Cols. Centennial 6¶
Cols. Marion-Franklin 27, Trotwood-Madison 25¶
Cols. St. Charles 26, Cols. Walnut Ridge 20¶
Cols. Whetstone 41, Cols. Briggs 6¶
Columbiana Crestview 20, Woodsfield Monroe Cent. 19, OT¶
Cortland Lakeview 34, Painesville Harvey 20¶
Coshocton 49, Johnstown Northridge 0¶
Crestline 14, Galion Northmor 7¶
Crooksville 21, Sugar Grove Berne Union 14¶
Day. Christian 38, Ridgeway Ridgemont 16¶
Day. Dunbar 14, Franklin 7¶
Day. Northridge 33, Tipp City Bethel 13¶
Day. Oakwood 43, Versailles 21¶
Delaware Hayes 17, Delaware Buckeye Valley 14¶
Delphos Jefferson 74, Lima Perry 6¶
Dresden Tri-Valley 50, Warsaw River View 26¶
Dublin Coffman 10, Powell Olentangy Liberty 7¶
Eastlake N. 18, Lyndhurst Brush 12, OT¶
Eaton 21, Oxford Talawanda 7¶
Edgerton 46, W. Unity Hilltop 18¶
Fostoria 21, Ottawa-Glandorf 7¶
Fostoria St. Wendelin 41, Arcadia 10¶
Frankfort Adena 29, Greenfield McClain 27, 2OT¶
Fredericktown 7, Sparta Highland 6¶
Fremont Ross 52, Perrysburg 25¶
Ft. Recovery 48, Ansonia 6¶
Gahanna Cols. Academy 48, Cols. Linden McKinley 0¶
Galion 50, Mt. Gilead 13¶
Geneva 42, Wickliffe 7¶
Genoa Area 55, Sycamore Mohawk 0¶
Germantown Valley View 45, Day. Marshall 6¶
Gibsonburg 25, Tol. Ottawa Hills 3¶
Gnadenhutten Indian Valley 15, Newcomerstown 7¶
Granville 35, Johnstown-Monroe 23¶
Greenville 26, Vandalia Butler 21¶
Greenwich S. Cent. 42, New Washington Buckeye Cent. 12¶
Hamilton 30, Springfield 6¶
Hamilton New Miami 50, Southeastern 27¶
Hamler Patrick Henry 34, Leipsic 14¶
Hannibal River 35, Beverly Ft. Frye 0¶
Heath 62, Zanesville Maysville 19¶
Hilliard Davidson 35, Westerville S. 0¶
Hillsboro 28, Mt. Orab Western Brown 14¶
Holland Springfield 58, Oak Harbor 14¶
Huron 20, Vermilion 6¶
Jeromesville Hillsdale 43, Ashland Mapleton 28¶
Kansas Lakota 27, Northwood 22¶
Kettering Alter 39, Kettering Fairmont 7¶
LaGrange Keystone 37, Monroeville 7¶
Lawrenceburg, Ind. 55, N. Bend Taylor 14¶
Lebanon 39, Cin. Western Hills 13¶
Lewis Center Olentangy Orange 21, Marion Elgin 20¶
Lexington 42, Mt. Vernon 7¶
Lima Bath 42, Lafayette Allen E. 0¶
Lima Sr. 14, Celina 10¶
Lisbon Beaver 29, E. Liverpool 22¶
Lockland 22, Bethel-Tate 21¶
Logan 35, Lancaster 10¶
Lorain Admiral King 30, Tol. Start 21¶
Lorain Clearview 37, Castalia Margaretta 14¶
Lorain Southview 14, Sandusky 12¶
Loudonville 31, Ontario 14¶
Loveland 6, Cin. Turpin 2¶
Lucasville Valley 38, Chillicothe Huntington 0¶
Malvern 49, Lowellville 13¶
Maria Stein Marion Local 64, Elida 0¶
Marysville 41, Marion Harding 0¶
McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley 56, Lakeside Danbury 6¶
Mechanicsburg 20, W. Jefferson 14, OT¶
Mentor 34, Youngs. Mooney 20¶
Middletown Fenwick 32, Cin. Mariemont 3¶
Milford 19, Cin. Hughes 0¶
Milton-Union 35, Casstown Miami E. 28¶
Minford 42, Cheshire River Valley 6¶
Minster 19, Ft. Loramie 6¶
Morrow Little Miami 27, Goshen 0¶
N. Baltimore 26, Holgate 14¶
New Bremen 32, Covington 10¶
New Concord John Glenn 27, Barnesville 21¶
New London 38, N. Robinson Col. Crawford 32, OT¶
New Middletown Spring. 24, Struthers 7¶
New Richmond 28, Cin. Deer Park 0¶
Norwood 14, Cin. McNicholas 13¶
Oberlin 36, Ashtabula Sts. John and Paul 14¶
Oberlin Firelands 39, Sheffield Brookside 13¶
Orwell Grand Valley 27, Jefferson Area 26, OT¶
Pandora-Gilboa 27, Columbus Grove 6¶
Parma Padua 26, Chesterland W. Geauga 19¶
Pataskala Licking Hts. 27, Philo 0¶
Paulding 56, Haviland Wayne Trace 14¶
Perry 30, Painesville Riverside 6¶
Plain City Jonathan Alder 14, Monroe 7¶
Plymouth 26, Lucas 9¶
Pomeroy Meigs 18, Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant 7¶
Port Clinton 27, Elmore Woodmore 26¶
Portsmouth 28, S. Point 15¶
Rayland Buckeye 21, Martins Ferry 14¶
Richwood N. Union 47, McConnelsville Morgan 7¶
Rockford Parkway 33, Convoy Crestview 14¶
S. Charleston SE 10, Spring. NW 6¶
Shelby 26, Mansfield Madison 6¶
Southington Chalker 34, Conneaut 6¶
Spencerville 28, Lewistown Indian Lake 21¶
Spring. Cath. Cent. 12, Spring. Shawnee 0¶
Spring. Greenon 33, Jamestown Greeneview 6¶
Spring. Kenton Ridge 42, Spring. NE 28¶
St. Bernard Roger Bacon 21, Cin. Mt. Healthy 20¶
St. Clairsville 28, Richmond Edison 0¶
St. Marys Memorial 36, Piqua 32¶
Sunbury Big Walnut 31, Westerville Cent. 2¶
Thompson Ledgemont 30, Fairport Harbor Harding 26¶
Thornville Sheridan 49, Bellaire 14¶
Tiffin Columbian 28, Tol. Whitmer 20¶
Tipp City Tippecanoe 48, St. Paris Graham 14¶
Tol. Libbey 35, Tol. Christian 7¶
Tol. St. John’s 47, Findlay 34¶
Trenton Edgewood 31, Cin. Withrow 21¶
Troy 17, Day. Chaminade-Julienne 14¶
Troy Christian 27, Bradford 0¶
Urbana 27, London 25¶
Utica 35, Cols. Grandview Hts. 21¶
Warren Champion 20, Ashtabula Edgewood 17¶
Waterford 41, Crown City S. Gallia 20¶
Waynesfield-Goshen 40, Vanlue 21¶
Waynesville 14, Lees Creek E. Clinton 0¶
Wellsville 60, Strasburg-Franklin 3¶
Wheelersburg 23, Ironton 22¶
Willoughby S. 29, Cols. Watterson 23¶
Wilmington 21, W. Carrollton 7¶
Xenia 13, Fairfield 10¶
Youngs. Ursuline 48, Cle. East 6¶
Zanesville W. Muskingum 18, Hebron Lakewood 7¶¶

My observations from Archbishop Hoban’s 27-26 overtime win against Garfield in the season-opener for both teams:

* MORGAN’S MVP: No question, my pick is 5-foot-9, 175-pound Garfield junior running back Tyson Gulley. He rushed for a game-high 225 yards on 25 carries. Gulley rushed for over 130 yards- just in the first quarter, with touchdown runs of 60 and 58 yards.

What I like about Gulley is the explosiveness he has once he hits the line of scrimmage. His quickness allows him to get to the hole, then, his speed and ability to change directions and cutback without losing much speed is the key to his impressive running style.

* OTHER MVP CONTENDERS: There were several, including Garfield freshman running back and defensive back Toneo Gulley, Tyson’s little brother. Playing in his first varsity game, Toneo (5-7, 170) was impressive. He showed flashes of speed and quickness equal to his brother.

But what impressed me the most was his skills defensively. He registered eight tackles but he deflected several passes intended for Hoban senior receiver/tight end Chris Sarkis, that could have been big plays.

On two occasions, Sarkis was open and waiting to catch both passes on stride. But at the last moment, Toneo’s speed enabled him to make up ground and get to the ball to knock it away. For a freshman, playing in a pretty overwhelming atmosphere for a youngster, he handled himself like a veteran.

For Hoban, there were two MVP contenders, in my opinion. The first was junior punter Paul Kramer. His play actually changed the entire complexity of the game and allowed the Knights to get back in the game.

For instance, Hoban had the ball to start the third quarter, after trailing 14-3 at halftime. The Knights opened the second half with an impressive drive, with nice runs from Laymon Carter III, who finished with 94 yards, and Dominic Williams, who had 74 yards.

However, Hoban’s drive stalled and the Knights had to punt. Kramer’s kicked was downed at Garfield’s 2-yard-line by Chris Bernardo, who played a tremendous game on special teams. A few plays later, Hoban registered a safety to cut the lead to 14-5.

The Knights got the ball on Garfield’s free kick and quickly scored cutting the lead to 14-12.

Then, in the fourth quarter, Kramer had another quality punt that was downed by Bernardo at Garfield’s 5-yard line. The Rams couldn’t move the ball and had to punt, and once again, Hoban scored and took the lead for the first time at 20-14 with 7:29 left in the game.

When Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel was the head coach at Youngstown State, he never failed to emphasis the importance of special teams. In fact, he always contended, and still does, that the punt is the most important play in football, because of the potential for some many things- good or bad- that can happen.

Hoban coach Ralph Orsini saw the punt work in his team’s favor.
“”We went into the game thinking that special teams would be a key for us because we have two pretty good kickers,” Orsini said. “”He was referring to Kramer, of course, and also junior kicker Zack Christensen, who booted a 30-yard field goal and also had several deep kickoffs, helping the kickoff coverage limit Garfield’s big returns.

Hoban’s other MVP contender was senior quarterback Josh Masters. He couldn’t establish a passing game in the first half, so he got things going with his running ability. Masters finished with two touchdown runs and converted on two rushing two-point conversions.

And finally, a special mention goes to Garfield junior offensive lineman Kenny Blevins. This young man is 6-0, 300 pounds and playing under hot and humid conditions, he played the entire game, both ways. His jersey was soaked after the game and although he was disappointed in the loss, he left it all on the field and that’s all you can ask from the young man.

Even longtime Hoban team physician Joseph Congeni took notice of Blevins’ performance. “”That young man played a heck of a game, especially given the conditions,” Congeni said.

* QUESTIONABLE CALL SHOULDN’T BE QUESTIONED: Garfield coach Bob Sax opted to try to pass for a two-point conversion and win in overtime instead of running the ball. Some Garfield fans, as they left the stadium, thought the Rams should have run the ball as well.

But looking back, Sax’s call made sense. First off, Tyson Gulley left the field a few plays before his little brother Toneo scored the game-tying touchdown in OT. Tyson left because of severe cramps.

Second, with the way Rams quarterback Darius Martin was playing- rolling out and making plays happen out of the pocket- Sax’s idea was to let Martin do the same, thinking that Hoban would be expecting one of the Gully’s to get the ball.

But Hoban defensive back Rahsheed Moore just did what good players do, he came up with a big play, stepping in front of Garfield wide receiver James Barnett at the goal line to intercept the two-point conversion ending the game.

* NICE TURNOUT: The Hoban-Garfield game always draws a health crowd because the game is on Thursday and everyone is ready to watch the first game of the season, especially players from area teams who don’t open the season until the following day.

The players who are spectators crack me up because they wear their jerseys. That’s not what cracks me up. It’s the fact that they roll up their sleeves really high so they can let their biceps breath. I understand, after all that offseason weightlifting, they have to get those puppies some air.

The Beacon Journal’s ‘‘Power Poll’’ ranks teams based on expectations for the 2008 season within their OHSAA division relative to other area teams. It is not a predictor of head-to-head strength. Here are the first rankings with division and 2007 record.
1. Walsh Jesuit (III, 9-2)
Quarterback Kyle Snyder and running backs Cameron Ontko and Armand Dehaney give the Warriors plenty of offensive firepower. Big Ten recruits Pat McShane (Indiana) and Brian Smith (Northwestern) will anchor the lines. If the Warriors’ defense holds up, this could be a big season on Wyoga Lake Road.
2. Louisville (II, 12-3)
Quarterback Neal Seaman and receiver-defensive back Brandon Mathie are back for a Leopards team that was the 2007 Division II state runner-up.
3. Northwest (III, 12-1)
The Division III poll champion has some holes to fill, but lineman Nate Klatt (Michigan State) and running back Danny Beers head an impressive list of returnees.
4. St. Vincent-St. Mary (IV, 9-3)
Coach Dan Boarman’s second Irish team, which will be led by receiver Todd Culver and linebacker Harvie Tuck IV, is primed for another season to remember for the Green Street faithful.
5. Massillon (I, 4-6)
Jason Hall is seeking to make an impressive debut as the Tigers’ head coach, just as he did in 2007 with an inexperienced Nordonia team. Running back J.T. Turner and linebacker Matt Rose are the leaders
6. Highland (III, 6-4)
The Hornets’ fans have been waiting for this senior class to arrive, and that time is now. Back Chris Snook and linebacker Tyler Houska anchor strong offensive and defensive units.
7. Nordonia (I, 10-2)
The Knights, one of the surprise teams in the area last season, will sneak up on no one this season. Tailback John Hamilton and linebacker Luke Batton are potent offensive and defensive leaders.
8. Aurora (III, 9-2)
Lineman Adam Bellamy, an Ohio State recruit, and defensive back-wide receiver Dee Brizzolara will lead the Greenmen’s quest for a fourth consecutive appearance in the state playoffs.
9. Wadsworth (I, 9-2)
Dru Jones, the leading all-time rusher in Medina County history, is gone, but the Grizzlies have a deep and talented junior class ready to fill the void.
10. Brunswick (I, 13-1)
Ricky Manco, who takes over at quarterback for Beacon Journal player of the year Sean Bedevelsky, leads a solid Blue Devils team looking for a seventh consecutive trip to the state playoffs.
11. Tallmadge (II, 10-2)
The Blue Devils’ attempt to win another Suburban League championship will rest on a core of seniors led by tailback Tyler Fortner and linebacker Nick Thompson.
12. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (IV, 9-2)
Running back John Pettigrew, who just missed rushing for 2,000 yards in 2007, returns for a Royals team trying for a fourth consecutive trip to the state playoffs.
13. Firestone (II, 7-4)
Coach Tim Flossie has quickly rebuilt the Falcons and has them poised to follow up the first playoff season in school history with another one.
14. Archbishop Hoban (II, 3-7)
The Knights’ defense will be strong, and quarterback Josh Masters and tight end Brian Slack are back to lead a potentially strong offense.
15. Garfield (I, 7-3)
The Rams will contend for honors in the City Series behind a core group of seniors led by running back-safety Tyson Gulley.
16. Ravenna (III, 8-3)
The Ravens, who will be led by running back Blayre Davis, will be seeking their second consecutive appearance in the state playoffs.
17. GlenOak (I, 6-5)
The Golden Eagles, who qualified for the state playoffs for the fourth time in school history last season, return eight starters on defense, led by lineman Aaron Williams.
18. Waynedale (V, 9-3)
Optimism is high among the Golden Bears’ faithful that tailback Thad Nofsinger and his teammates will have a long run in the state playoffs.
19. Mogadore (VI, 10-2)
The Wildcats always seem to face heavy graduation losses and then find able replacements. A 22nd appearance in the state playoffs is likely.
20. Orrville (IV, 6-4)
The Red Riders, who missed the state playoffs by one spot in 2007, have plenty of offensive talent back, led by quarterback Joe Besancon and running back Josh Graber.
Others to watch: Alliance, Buckeye, Canton Central Catholic, Canton McKinley, Canton South, Cloverleaf, Ellet, Garrettsville, Green, Hudson, Jackson, Kent Roosevelt, Lake, Manchester, North Canton Hoover, Northwestern, Norwayne, Perry, Revere, Stow, Streetsboro, Tuslaw, Twinsburg.

American swimmer Mark Gangloff won his second career gold medal Sunday following the 400-meter medley relay in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Gangloff, a 2000 Firestone High School graduate and former Stow resident, swam in a 400-meter medley relay prelim and thus was eligible for the medal even though he did not swim in the final. He placed eighth in the 100-meter breast stroke earlier in the 2008 Olympics.

Gangloff won a gold medal in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece as a member of the 400-meter medley relay and placed fourth in the 100-meter breast stroke.

Gangloff graduated from Auburn University in 2005 and resides in Charlotte, N.C.

American swimmer Michael Phelps was the biggest story in Beijing after winning a record eight gold medals in one Olympics. Phelps, who has 14 career gold medals, set seven world records and surpassed American swimmer Mark Spitz record of seven gold medals in a single Olympics.