Archive for December, 2008
2008: A native son wins the big one, but the Browns and Indians crumble under the weight of lofty expectations
Certainly Les Miles would understand. Hey, no one who leaves the Buckeye State to play football for Michigan would be hurt to know a lot of college football fans in these parts weren’t pulling for him last January when his LSU Tigers were taking on Ohio State for the national football championship. Still, maybe it [...]
DeRosa joins Indians: Trade for versatile Cub should settle infield situation
CLEVELAND — After some debate and a trade, the Cleveland Indians have decided not to shift their infield. The club acquired versatile infielder Mark DeRosa to place third base on Wednesday, trading three minor leaguers to the Chicago Cubs. They dealt pitchers Jeff Stevens, Chris Archer and John Gaub for DeRosa, who played six different [...]
Browns focusing on Pioli: Pats’ VP thought to be on top of team’s most-wanted GM list
Browns owner Randy Lerner met Wednesday with the man he hopes can turn his franchise from dysfunctional to exemplary. Lerner was scheduled to interview Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli, but details of the discussion weren’t immediately available. Pioli is believed to be at the top of Lerner’s list to head the football [...]
College basketball: Diebler scores a career-high 27 to lift Ohio State past Iowa
COLUMBUS — Jon Diebler may be the streakiest shooter in college basketball. Fortunately for No. 24 Ohio State, in the Buckeyes’ Big Ten opener he was on a good streak instead of a bad one. Diebler scored a career-high 27 points and Evan Turner hit three late free throws to lead the Buckeyes past Iowa [...]
Fiesta Bowl just another test for Ohio State’s Pryor
When the talk turns to the potential of Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, people tend to reach for words to describe him. Freakishly athletic. Smart. Sprinter-fast. Gifted. Invariably, though, the best description comes down to two choice words: “young” and “Young.” The best comparison for the Buckeyes’ 19-year-old, 6-foot-6 freshman always ends up being Texas’ [...]
High school gymnastics preview: Olmsted Falls trio hoping to make most of final season by making it back to state meet
Annie Guido, Kalie Stallard and Callie Jedrzejek want to make this a senior season to remember. So how do the Olmsted Falls gymnasts do that? By making it back to the state meet. As sophomores, they finished sixth at state after barely missing a state berth as freshmen. They just missed again last year, finishing [...]
High school swimming and diving notebook: Former gymnast Srail says the water’s just fine
After 10 years as a private club gymnast, Morgan Srail knew her body could no longer take all the pounding. Still, she enjoyed the challenge and demands of her sport. She needed a comparable alternative. Srail found the perfect substitute: diving. The Avon Lake sophomore’s transition into her new sport has been smooth. She qualified [...]
Daly blues: PGA Tour suspends fan favorite for six months due to bad behavior both on and off the course
John Daly smashed one tee shot off the top of a beer can during a pro-am. At another tournament, he returned from a rain delay with Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden as his caddie. And his most memorable photo this year came in an orange jail suit, eyes half-closed. Daly said Wednesday that such [...]
Boys basketball: Admiral King claims Lorain County Holiday Classic title
LORAIN — The Lorain County Holiday Classic continued to live up to its billing in its new home at the Shot Palace in Lorain as two running and gunning teams staged a thriller in the championship game before Admiral King prevailed 62-55 over Vermilion. Although the host Admirals led 13-6 with two minutes to play [...]
Girls basketball: Host Comets win tournament title
AMHERST — If it seems like Amherst’s girls have gone down to the wire in just about all six of their victories, it’s because they have. It happened again Tuesday night as the once-beaten Comets pulled away late to defeat Dayton Meadowdale, 38-33, and win their holiday invitational tournament. In the consolation game, Midview routed [...]
Heat 104, Cavs 95: No presents for LeBron on his birthday
MIAMI — LeBron James keeps getting the same birthday present: A loss. Dwyane Wade had 21 points and 12 assists, Mario Chalmers added 21 points and eight assists, and the Miami Heat dropped King James’ pro record on birthdays to 0-3 with a 104-95 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night. On the day [...]
Browns: Lerner expected to move quickly in hiring GM, coach
Owner Randy Lerner is acting swiftly in his search for the next general manager and coach of the Browns. Lerner was scheduled to interview former Jets coach Eric Mangini either Tuesday night or today. He was also set to meet with Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli today. Neither interview is in Cleveland. [...]
Boys basketball: Comets can’t keep up in DiFranco Memorial title game
EATON TWP. — Following a North Royalton turnover with 3:40 remaining in the third quarter an errant Amherst pass went right to Comets coach John Srnis, who was standing on the sideline. Out of frustration Srnis grabbed the ball with both hands and gave it a hard bounce onto the court. And that pretty much [...]
Boys basketball: Saints get consolation at Bob DiFranco Memorial tournament
EATON TWP. — Midview came out fired up Tuesday night, charging out to a big lead, but eventually Southview had too much speed and quick feet for the Middies. The result was a 73-57 victory for the Saints in the consolation game of the ninth annual Bob DiFranco Memorial tournament at Ed Kubuski Gym. The [...]
Boys basketball: Elyria edged in Classic consolation game
LORAIN — Elyria coach Brett Larrick pondered the question following his team’s tough 62-61 loss to Sandusky in the Lorain County Holiday Classic consolation game Tuesday night at Admiral King. “We don’t know what a fire is,” Larrick said when asked if he fired his team up at halftime after a lethargic first half for [...]
High school roundup: Westlake boys knock off Firelands
HENRIETTA TWP. — Westlake’s Alex Pandrangi’s scored a game-high 15 points as the Demons beat Firelands 54-44 in non-conference action on Tuesday night. Scott Bishop added 11 points for the Demons (4-3), who outscored Firelands 20-3 in the third quarter after leading by just a point at halftime. Nick Simonovich topped the Falcons (4-1) with [...]
Quarry developer seeks annexation
SOUTH AMHERST — The developer on the $500 million quarry project in western Lorain County has filed paperwork to annex 442 acres of land in Amherst Township into the village of South Amherst. California-based Industrial Realty Group is planning to build an upscale residential and recreation development on nearly 1,000 acres of former quarry land [...]
Bank robbery suspect nabbed by authorities
CLEVELAND — A Cleveland man who FBI agents believe robbed 11 banks in Ohio and western Pennsylvania, including one each in Amherst and Sheffield, was arrested Monday morning. Kenneth Gibson, 33, was pulled over 20 minutes after allegedly robbing a 12th bank — National City Bank on Lorain Road in Cleveland. He will be charged [...]
Elyria library to ask for levies
ELYRIA — Keeping up with the growing demand for services and an anticipated decrease in state funding is forcing the Elyria Public Library System to ask voters to pass a 1.9-mill replacement levy this May. The levy will replace a current 1-mill operating levy slated to expire on Dec. 31, 2009. The new levy would [...]
Amherst apologizes, settles ashes-removal suit for $60,000
AMHERST — The city has settled a lawsuit over the cremated remains of a woman that were moved from a city cemetery in 2002 without her family’s knowledge. In exchange for the family of Roberta Yates dropping the lawsuit against the city, the family received $60,000 and a letter of apology from Mayor David Taylor. [...]
Former chaplain gets life for rape
LORAIN — A former chaplain at Lorain Catholic High School has been sentenced to life in prison for raping an 8-year-old boy. Joseph N. Williams, of Akron, will serve life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to Ryan Miday, spokesman for the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office. The 64-year-old raped the boy in 1992 [...]
Deputies investigate rape allegation
LAGRANGE — Sheriff’s deputies are investigating the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl Saturday. The teenage boy accused of the crime may face charges, along with the victim’s mother. Deputies were called by the alleged victim’s father after she called her dad to report the assault. The girl told her father she’d fallen asleep on [...]
Nursing home worker accused of stealing $183,000
LORAIN — A woman who worked as a business office manager for a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center for nearly 10 years has been indicted in the theft of more than $183,000 since late 2005. Michelle Norman, 36, of Elyria, was indicted earlier this month on one count of theft in connection with the loss [...]
Police repeatedly Taser man
LORAIN — A 28-year-old man was Tasered twice Sunday by Lorain police officers after they approached him for walking in the middle of the road, according to a police report. Officers first encountered Benjamin Stewart of Lorain when Officer Mark Pultrone responded to a complaint that a suspicious male was walking in the middle of [...]
Lorain`s City Cafe closes
LORAIN — The City Cafe in the Lorain City Building has closed after 10 months. George and Loulou Elias of Westlake opened the cafe in February after beating out six others for the lease. The Eliases also own a Subway in Cleveland and Georgio’s Pizza in Lorain. Loulou Elias blamed the closure on poor management [...]