Lake Erie College will recognize former Storm baseball All-American Ryan Rua, of Amherst, on Thursday night, Dec. 1, at halftime of the men’s basketball Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener against Wayne State.

After a spectacular three-year career which saw Rua set school records and become one of the top players in the region, Rua was drafted in the 17^th round of June’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Texas Rangers.

He became the first Storm player to be drafted.

“Ryan obviously was a special player for us and now is a tremendous example and ambassador for our program,” said Storm manager Brian McGee. “When he came into the program, we thought he could be a special player. He became even more than the player we thought or dreamed he could be. We are very proud of how hard he has worked to accomplish what he has accomplished and what he will continue to do in the future.”

At two different levels in the Rangers’ minor league system this summer, Rua batted .303 with four home runs and 37 RBI in 52 games. He also stole 10 bases without being caught.

At Lake Erie, Rua holds 15 career or single-season records. In his final season, prior to which he was named one of the top prospects in Division II, he hit .400 with five home runs, 44 RBI and 19 stolen bases and was a first-team All-GLIAC and NABC All-Midwest Region selection as well as a Daktronics Division II Honorable Mention All-American.

In his three-year career, Rua had a .374 average with 27 home runs and 131 RBIs. He banged out 276 hits and scored 117 runs while swiping 33 bases.

“The statistics speak for themselves,” McGee added. “But Ryan is more than the numbers. He works extremely hard to better himself and he is very cognizant of where he came from. He has been back here on campus regularly through the fall working out with the team, helping out at our fall prospects camp and it really means a lot to our players.”

McGee and other LEC dignitaries will take part in a special presentation at halftime with Rua and his family.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Lorain County Community College extended its winning streak to four straight with a 71-68 win over Wooster's junior varsity.

The Commodores were led by Jacob Pope with 23 and Anthony Burns added 18 which included 6 3-pointers.

Head coach Michael Cruz was pleased with the victory but knows his team has a ways to go.

“We are playing better and learning how to win but we still need to play a complete 40 minute game," Cruz said. "Our ultimate success this season will be determined by how we play defense and rebound and while we are improving we still have a ways to go”

The Commodores next home game is this Friday at 7 p.m. against Schoolcraft Community College.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

COLUMBUS — One day during his brief haiatus from coaching, Urban Meyer admitted something to his wife, Shelley, while the couple were taking a walk.

“I don’t think I can do this,” Meyer said of being away from football coaching.
Starting today, he won’t have to. At least for the next six years.

Meyer ended his self-imposed break from coaching on Monday by agreeing to a six-year contract to become the 24th head football coach in Ohio State history.

“There’s a right time for certain leaders,” OSU athletic director Gene Smith said. “This is the right time for Urban Meyer to lead this football team ... He gets it.”

A 47-year old native of Ashtabula, and former assistant on coach Earle Bruce’s OSU staff in the 1980s, Meyer succeeds interim coach Luke Fickell, whose team finished the regular season at 6-6 with a 40-34 loss at Michigan last Saturday.

Fickell will remain on Meyer’s staff as an assistant coach, though Meyer did not divulge if he would be defensive coordinator or a postion coach.

“ESPN has been an exceptional experience,” said Meyer, who spent his off-year from coaching as an analyst for the station.

“If it wasn’t for the coaching position at The Ohio State University, I would not have coached this coming year.”

Meyer will be paid a base salary of $4 million. Additionally, he will receive supplemental compensation bonuses based on milestones, academic accomplishments for the football team and retention payments of $450,000, $750,000 and $1.2 million if Meyer is still employed as head coach on Jan. 31 of years 2014, 2016 and 2018.

Meyer stepped away from his coaching position with the Florida Gators last December, citing health concerns and a desire to spend more time with his family.
As he stood at the dais in front of a jam-packed room that included the likes of former OSU linebacker Chris Spielman and Bruce, Meyer clenched in his hand a pink piece of paper — a contract drawn up by one of his daughters.

Meyer said it was a contract “my kids made me sign,” presumably to keep the balance between work and family that he went in search of when he left Florida last December.

“Health-wise, I feel great,” Meyer said, noting a health scare in 2009 that gave him time to reflect. “I feel fantastic now.”

He said he was “checked out” by doctors and also talked with his family over the Thanksgiving weekend — and promised to not go “to that place” of overexertion he ventured while coaching the Gators.

“I don’t want to be one of those guys that’s sleeping in the office, saying, ‘I missed this, I missed that,’” Meyer said. “I was proud I had balance for quite a while. I lost that near the end.”

Meyer cut his coaching teeth on Bruce’s staff as a graduate assistant from starting in 1986.

He spent two years (2001-02) at Bowling Green and two years (2003-2004) bringing the Utah football program to prominance, including a berth in the 2004 Fiesta Bowl — Utah’s first BCS bid.

He then took the Florida position where he led the Gators to the 2006 and 2008 BCS national championship games — including a 41-14 win over Ohio State in the first of the two title bouts.

“Other than those 60 minutes in Glendale,” said Meyer, where the 2006 BCS national title game was held, “I’ve always followed the Buckeyes.”

Meyer brings with him to Columbus a 104-23 (.819) career record. His teams are 7-1 in bowl games, with the lone loss coming to Michigan.

In announcing Meyer, Smith said the search committee sought “an outstanding coach and an outstanding recruiter.”

Meyer, whom Smith said was the only candidate who was interviewed and offered the job, suggested more.

“Our objective is simple,” he said. “To make the state of Ohio proud, recruit student-athletes who will win in the classroom and on the field.

“My goal right now is to put together a fantastic recruiting class and ... I think Ohio State deserves the best group of assistants in America.”

Smith said recruiting and forming his staff will be Meyer’s primary duties for the coming months. Meyer will not be part of the coaching and game-planning for any bowl game Ohio State might accept.

There are possible sanctions looming from the NCAA in the aftermath of the memorabilia-for-tattoos scandal that removed former coach Jim Tressel and helped create the opening Meyer filled on Monday.

Meyer said he researched the possible bowl ban and other items, but trusts Smith and OSU president Gordon Gee that no further sanctions would be forthcoming.

Meyer admitted he had “second, third, fourth and fifth” thoughts about jumping back into the coaching fray. He said his wife and three children also had second thoughts.
But as the introductory conference, which lasted 45 minutes, wore on, he glanced over to his wife and other family members and smiled.

“This is my home state,” he said. “And it’s great to be back home.”

courtesy of John Kampf

Clearview's James Washington was tabbed as an Honorable Mention in the Ohio Athletic Conference postseason awards.

Washington led Muskingum with 738 yards and four touchdowns. His 738 receiving yards rank second all-time for a single season at Muskingum. The standout receiver ranked fifth in the OAC in receiving yards and eighth in receptions.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

AVON — Zane Zeman and Joel Yeagley aren’t the most vocal kids you’ll know, but they sure know how to get the job done on the field and on the mat.

On Wednesday, Zeman signed his National Letter of Intent to wrestle at the University of Minnesota, while Yeagley signed with Mercyhurst College.

Zeman, who has a career record of 119-16, said he didn’t think this day would come.

“When I was little my major dream was to become a four-time state champion in high school,” Zeman said. “It didn’t happen, but I’m determine to win this year. I never really thought about college, I just thought about high school.

“I love wrestling and I could never see myself doing anything else.”

Zeman said a big influence early on was his father, Kent, who also wrestled at Avon and went on to wrestle at Kent State.

“I remember going to Elyria High School during practices for little kids and that’s kind of where I started learning from him,” Zeman said.

Zeman said he went through a lot to get to where he is, but he’s know he’s a better athlete because of it.

“Freshman year was hell for me because I had to cut 20 pounds,” Zeman said. “The next year was better, because I made it to state, but I didn’t place but it motivated me last year when I finished second at state. I’ve improved every year, so I feel I will do better this year.”

Zeman said his decision came down to Minnesota and The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, but he couldn’t pass up wrestling in a major conference.

“I really wanted to go to both, but in the end it was going to the Big Ten that really pulled me in,” Zeman said. “The Big Ten Network is something I thought about and I felt they will get the most out of me at Minnesota.”

Avon wrestling coach Mark Porter said everyone at Avon High School should be proud of Zeman.

“I’m extremely proud because this is the first time we had someone sign with a Division I program, and for it to be Minnesota, a Big Ten perennial power, is a huge honor for Zane and our wrestling program,” Porter said.

Porter said he felt Zeman would go on to bigger things.

“We knew he was special, but this is a verification of that,” Porter said. “He was rock solid in pressure situations as a freshman. He wrestled some really big matches and he was calmest person on the mat.”

Yeagley said he didn’t make a decision for awhile before Mercyhurst came into the picture.

“Mercyhurst came up later in the recruiting process, and once I went there I really liked and decided to go there,” Yeagley said. “It’s a really nice campus and I felt comfortable there. They have a really good baseball program and I liked the coach (Joe Spano) the first time I met him.”

Yeagley added that he’s ready to go out and help the Eagles improve from last season.

“I really looking forward to this season, because we won our first conference title last year,” Yeagley said. “To sign now I can go out and play more relaxed and have fun.”

Yeagley said his parents and his coach were big influences, and helped him throughout the recruiting process.

“I’ve always had a close relationship with Coach (Frank) DeSmit,” Yeagley said. “I can go to him to talk about anything. All the players have been really close and it’s just a good atmosphere.”

DeSmit said Yeagley is the total package when it comes to being a great baseball player.

“As a coach you see a lot guys who are good kids and behave well, but it’s rare when that kid is the best player on the team,” DeSmit said. “It takes a special type of athlete to stay humble and stay focus and not get wrapped up about what people tell you.”

DeSmit said he feels that Yeagley made the right choice.

“Joel and his family were realistic throughout the recruiting process of what they wanted,” DeSmit said. “The good thing is Joel found a school he was comfortable with and wants to go to and that’s the best thing.”

courtesy of Anthony Rios

Clearview's Anthony Hitchens recovered a fumble in Iowa's 31-21 win over Purdue on Saturday.

Hitchens has played in six games and has recorded 22 tackles and now has a fumble recovery in his red-shirt freshman season.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

AMHERST — If there’s one word to describe Amherst senior Jen Sutton, it would be confident.

In fifth grade Sutton told coach Bill Matthews she was going to pitch for him one day. She also told her parents that she wanted to go to college and play Division I softball.

After years of hard work and dedication, Sutton reached all of her goals.

After verbally committing to South Dakota State University last year, Sutton officially signed her National Letter of Intent on Tuesday to play for the Jackrabbits next year on a full-athletic scholarship.

Sutton was noticed in a tournament in Chicago while playing summer ball for the Lasers Scarlett team two summers ago. There Sutton met then-head coach Joanna Lane. Sutton said she felt really good about what Lane told her and decided later to verbally commit during her sophomore year.

Things got a little complicated when Lane stepped down as coach after last season. Sutton said she didn’t know at first what was going to happen when new coach took over, but Aggabao told Sutton she still wanted her.

Sutton said she was still happy with her decision after talking to Aggabao.

“The new coach is younger and is nice,” Sutton said. “She’s very easy to relate to and that’s what I like about her.”

Playing Division I softball was something Sutton always wanted, according to her parents Mike and Kay Sutton.

Mike said his daughter was so dedicated that he decided to build their own batting cage, which he jokingly called the ‘Torture Chamber.’ From there Sutton spent hours practicing when she wasn’t playing in games, when she finally made the Comets’ varsity team as a freshman.

Sutton hit the ground running, going 14-1 on the mound, while batting .280. She was voted first team all-district and honorable mention for All-Ohio. She followed that up 12-7 with 190 strikeouts as a sophomore. Last season, she went 15-5 with 168 strikeouts and was first team all-district and second team All-Ohio.

Sutton said she is eager to get her senior season underway and added she can’t wait to play at the next level.

“I’m excited to prove myself and earn my spot on the field,” Sutton said. “I’m going to work my hardest, and hopefully I can contribute as a freshman.”

Sutton’s father Mike said all the practices, games and traveling paid off.

“I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” Mike Sutton said. “We got to travel the entire country every weekend all summer long.

“Some people thought we were crazy, but we’ve been to Colorado, Texas, Michigan, Tennessee, Georgia and Chicago, and we got to spend time as a family, so it was worth it.”

Sutton’s mother Kay said she is very proud of what she has accomplished.

“She decided at a very young age that this is what she wanted,” Kay Sutton said. “She told us when she was in 5th grade that she wanted to go to college and play softball and she wanted to play Division I. She set her mind to it and she gave up a lot.

“She missed a lot of dances, she missed a lot of social events in order to practice. She’s a very well-rounded girl, though, very outgoing, very personal.”

Kay said she was a little uneasy knowing her daughter was going to be so far away (roughly 930 miles), but feels a lot better after a recent trip to the school.

“It was a little scary until we visited the campus and met the people there,” Kay said. “It’s a wonderful place.”

Sutton said she’s not too worried about the distance.

“I don’t think it’s going to be a problem for me,” Sutton said. “I’m excited about it, I think it will be good.”

Matthews said what makes Sutton such a great player is her versatility. Not only is Sutton a pitcher, but she can also play every infield position.

“By the time she was in eighth grade I knew she had the potential to play at any level,” Matthews said. “Once you get to that point, it’s just a matter of being seen by somebody, and that’s where summer ball comes in. She was able to play for the Lasers and get that recognition, playing all over the country.”

courtesy of Anthony Rios

Westlake graduate Kalpana Beach scored 10 points in her Ohio State debut, and Samantha Prahalis and Tayler Hill paced the Buckeyes with 17 points apiece to lead them to a 78-51 season-opening win over Tennessee State on Sunday at Value City Arena.

Ohio State, the youngest team in the Big Ten this season, got big contributions from a couple freshmen, with 10 points apiece coming from Beach and Raven Ferguson off the bench. Sophomore Ashley Adams added 10 points and six blocked shots.

The Buckeyes, who won their 17th straight season opener, are back in action this Friday, Nov. 18 when they play host to Temple at VCA.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

AVON — When Caleb Schillace was two years old, his mom Jaci let him throw a ball around the house.

She put on a baseball glove and let her son throw to her as much as he wanted to, as long as he didn’t break anything.

Luckily for mom, she never had to worry about that as Caleb hit her glove, throw after throw.

Caleb’s dead-on accuracy at such a young age followed him as he got older, and on Monday afternoon, the right-hander was rewarded as he signed his National Letter of Intent to play baseball at the University of Toledo.

The signing was held at the TRAQ Performance Insitute in Avon as Schillace, along with Twinsburg’s Scott Effross (Indiana University), Walsh Jesuit’s Michael Marsinek (Eastern Michigan), St. Edward’s Tommy Mirabelli (University of Kansas) and Strongville’s Forrest Perron (University of Cincinnati) were accompanied by family, coaches and teammates.

Other schools Schillace looked at were the University of Cincinnati, Cornell and Youngstown State, but UT was the better fit.

“It’s a great feeling,” Schillace said of getting the opportunity to play at the next level. “I fell in love with everything at (UT). My sister went there so I’ve gotten to see the campus before.”

With still a few months left — and another spring season at Keystone — Schillace is excited to have already commited to a college.

“A lot of pressure is released,” he said. “It’s nice to get off my shoulders and have my senior year not worrying (about where I’m going to play).”

His mom agrees.

“It’s exciting, it was quite a process,” Jaci said. “I like their program and its approach to academics.”

The future Rocket will study exercise science in addition to playing for coach Cory Mee, who led UT to a fourth place finish last year in the Mid-American Conference West Division.

For the past couple of years, Schillace has been under the direction of Neall French, who is the head coach for the T3 Pelicans. He couldn’t be happier for Caleb and the four other signees.

“It’s awesome,” French said. “These guys come with goals to play at the next level and it’s great to see them rewarded. It’s extremely gratifying.”

French knows a little something about the sport as well, having spent time with the New York Yankees before being slowed by injuries.

The former professional baseball player and Bay Village native is looking forward to following Schillace and the others at the college level.

“(Caleb’s) a great kid,” French said. “He’s mature beyond his years and his greatest years are ahead of him.”

And with the MAC tournament moving from VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe to All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, French will get to see more of Schillace.

French, along with pitching coach and former Seattle Mariner Clint Nageotte, have helped mold Schillace into the player he is today, which is something Jaci is thankful for.

“Without the coaches I would be lost,” she said. “Caleb has been very blessed to have great coaches ... They’ve been positive role models.”

The two have helped Schillace develop an arsenal of pitches, including a curveball and a changeup. His best pitch — his fastball — has been clocked in the 90-91 mph range.

Jaci said she has no intention of playing catch with her son anymore.

courtesy of Paul Barney

Avon graduate Dan Smith earned All-Region honors with a 21st place finish, leading Ohio Northern at the 2011 NCAA Division III Great Lakes Men’s Cross Country Regional Championships at Oberlin on Saturday.

The Polar Bears finished 10th out of 35 teams with 280 points and end their season with a 103-33 record.

Smith finished the 8,000-meter course in 25:43, earning him All-Region honors with a top-35 finish in the 243-man field.

No. 4-ranked Calvin (Mich.) won the team title with 38 points, No. 22 Wabash (Ind.) was second with 100 points, No.35 Manchester (Ind.) was third with 197 points and Ohio Wesleyan was fourth with 201 points.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

In a game that featured 13 lead changes and seven ties, Oberlin's Morgan Jones and Aaron Gibbs helped lead Ohio Dominican’s men’s basketball team to one of its biggest wins in school history, taking down Division I Southern Illinois of the Missouri Valley Conference, 64-63, on Saturday night.

The victory is ODU’s first over a current D-I program, dating back to the 1984-85 season. The Panthers had been 0-8 against D-I teams.

Jones led Ohio Dominican with 15 points, hitting 6 of 12 from the field, and had a game-high five steals.

Gibbs also had eight rebounds and a pair of blocks in the win.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

The game featured 82 points and 843 yards of total offense. With its win, Baldwin-Wallace improved to 8-2 overall and finishes second during the OAC regular season with a 7-2 record.

The victory returns the Cuyahoga Gold Bowl Trophy to B-W and Berea for the first time since 2008 and gives the Yellow Jackets a 24-23-4 all-time series lead and a 12-11 advantage in the Cuyahoga Gold Bowl Trophy series.

Tied at 14, B-W regained the lead at 21-14 as Midview graduate Josiah Holt scored on a 5-yard run to cap a 6-play and 53-yard drive in 3:20.

Avon’s Ryan O’Rourke ran 9 times for 67 yards and completed 6 of 9 passes for 87 yards.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Avon Lake's Alex Dillon made it official today, signing his letter of intent to continue his baseball career at the University Northwestern Ohio, a Division II NAIA school in Lima.

Dillon is a baseball and hockey standout at Avon Lake High School.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Huron's Samantha Wechter is making it official on Friday at Huron High School.

Wechter will signing her letter of intent to continue her volleyball career at Seton Hill University, a Division II school in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

Wechter was part of the state championship Tigers that won a state title in 2009.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Perkins senior Jordan Fraley will be making it official on Wednesday at Perkins High School.

Fraley is committing to continue her basketball career at Tiffin University.

“It’s definitely really exciting, and nerve wrecking too,” Fraley said. “This is a big commitment. I love playing basketball so it’s great that I get to go out and do it for four more years. This year, I can focus on making my team better and focusing on the team as a whole.”

She made the All-Northwest District Second Team last year as a junior and helped lead the Pirates to a 17-win season. Fraley averaged 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3.0 steals per game last season.

As a sophomore, she averaged 12.2 points per game and shot 47 percent from the field. She was first-team All Sandusky Bay Conference, second-team northwest district and honorable mention All-Ohio.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Amherst graduate Deme Morales has played in 12 matches and 26 sets for Wisconsin, in just her freshman year.

She finished with seven kills and 10 digs against Furman (Aug. 27). She had her first service ace vs. Duke and had her first block against Western Carolina.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Monroeville’s Logan Stieber was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week for the first time in his career. A redshirt-freshman, Stieber went 4-0 at the Eastern Michigan Open en route to the 133-pound title.

Stieber, the fourth-ranked wrestler in the nation, scored bonus points in each of his matches, including a pair of pins in a total time of 2:43. Additionally, he posted a 15-2 major decision against Purdue’s Cashe Quiroga in the final. The Eastern Michigan Open served as Stieber’s first collegiate match since injuring his hand a season ago.

This past summer, Stieber was the runner-up (60kg, 132 pounds) at the 2011 FILA Junior World Championships in Bucharest, Romania.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

The second-ranked University of Mount Union football team scored a late fourth quarter touchdown to rally and defeat Baldwin-Wallace College, 25-20 on Saturday in an Ohio Athletic Conference game at Mount Union Stadium.

The Purple Raiders clinched their 20th straight OAC title, won their 61st straight regular season game and improved to 9-0 overall and 8-0 in the OAC. B-W is now 7-2 overall and 6-2 in the OAC and ends its regular season next Saturday when it hosts cross-town rival John Carroll University in the Annual Battle for the Cuyahoga Gold Bowl Trophy on Tressel Field at The George Finnie Stadium at 1:30 p.m.

Elyria’s Tyler Almeida connected on a 26-yard field goal and a 25-yarder as time expired in the second quarter to give the Purple Raiders a 6-0 lead at halftime.

Down 19-0, Midview’s Josiah Holt returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown with 4:19 left in the third quarter. The touchdown was the third career kick return score for Holt.

B-W continued to cut into the lead when junior quarterback Andrew Dziak scored on a three-yard touchdown run at 14:53 of the fourth quarter. Mohler tacked on the extra point to cut the lead to 19-14.

B-W took its first lead of the game when Dziak scored his second touchdown of the game on an one-yard dash with 5:53 left in the game. The two point conversion by Avon’s Ryan O’Rourke gave the Yellow Jackets a 20-19 advantage. The lead by the Yellow Jackets marked the first time the Purple Raiders trailed in a game since September 10, 2009 when Capital University lead the Purple Raiders 21-14 early in the fourth quarter.

The Purple Raiders won the game when Denton caught his second touchdown pass of the game on a 29-yard pass play from Piloto on a fourth down and 11-yards to go play with 2:14 remaining.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Freshman running back Rod Smith rushed for a career-high 172 yards and a school-record three touchdowns and Admiral King graduate Cameron Bryant contributed nine tackles on defense as Lake Erie College picked up its first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football victory in record fashion with a 52-42 road win in a shootout over Tiffin University on Saturday at Frost-Kalnow Stadium.

The 52 points scored were the most in the Storm’s (2-8, 1-8 GLIAC) four-year varsity history, as were the five total rushing touchdowns. The win snapped an eight-game losing streak for Lake Erie.

Smith and senior quarterback Sean Bedevelsky (Brunswick) each ran for two touchdowns in the first half as the Storm ran out to a 34-21 lead. The duo were part of Lake Erie’s season-high 270-yard rushing day.

Defensively for the Storm, Gus Armbruster (North Royalton) had a game-high 11 tackles, while Bryant had nine.

Vermilion graduate Mike Virgin had 11 tackles to lead Tiffin.

The Storm closes out the season next week at home on Seniors Day and Veterans Appreciation Day against Ashland University. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Jack Britt Memorial Stadium.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Huron’s Taylor Slauterback had 10 kills, helping lead the Malone University volleyball team to a NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) East Region Championship on Saturday afternoon at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University after posting victories over Robert Wesleyan (NY) College and Geneva (PA) College.

The Pioneers, seeded first among the six-team tournament field, opened the day with a 25-21, 25-19, 25-20 semifinal-round triumph over second-seeded Roberts Wesleyan. Malone then came out on top of a back-and-forth championship game with third-seeded Geneva, pulling out the win in five sets by scores of 15-25, 25-19, 25-16, 23-25, and 15-8.

By securing the NCCAA East Region Title, Malone earned an automatic bid to the 2011 NCCAA National Tournament which is slated to be held December 1-3 in Kissimmee, Florida. The Pioneers, now 25-9 overall, captured their only other East Region Championship in 2000.

swalker@MorningJournal.com