Local Fare 4/3

Marietta College Baseball

The Etta Express dropped from 7th in the poll to #25, but that didn't deter the Pioneers as they notched victories last week over Ohio Wesleyan and Denison. Marietta gave early run support to starter Jason Baumler who returned to form following an extended rest due to a sore arm. Baumler impressed and along with a trio of Pioneers limited the Battling Bishops to 9 hits over 9 in the 8-4 victory.
Against Denison, Marietta rallied from 3 runs down in the 8th to secure a 5-4 win. Freshman Nate Eschbaugh picked up the win in relief of starter Joe Pitrone who worked 7 innings yielding 4 runs on 4 hits striking out 7. Marietta failed to get their weekend double header against Wilmington, as the rains postponed the games to Monday. Additionally the road game at Pitt Bradford was moved to a later date.
As of 4/1 the Pioneers stand at 12-4 and are yet to play an OAC game. This week could be looked back upon as being judgment week as the Monday league opener against Wilmington will be overshadowed by a long awaited match up with #1 ranked Wooster @ Wooster on Wednesday. As if things weren't difficult enough, the Pioneers will have to travel to preseason #1 Otterbein for a Saturday double header in Westerville. What a week for Etta Express baseball. Great moments come from great opportunity; this is the opportunity we are looking for.

Marietta College Softball

Following an impressive road sweep of Wooster on Tuesday, 11-0 and 8-0, the Lady Pioneers improved to 14-2 on the season and made their first appearance in the NFCA D3 Softball poll at number 16. Their first appearance in the poll this season, served as motivation for the Lady Pios as they continued on their hot streak notching a game one victory over Kenyon 3-2. The wheels didn't fall off the train, but the streak came to an end in game two as the Lady Pioneers fell 8-7.
In game one starter Kristen Quintana again dominated as the Pioneer ace improved to 10-1. Quintana made the 3 runs stand with her complete game, 9 strikeout performances. In the nightcap, the Pios struck for 3 in the first only to give up 5 in the bottom of the inning. Marietta would take the lead going into the sixth at 7-6, but a series of hits by Kenyon and one critical error put Kenyon ahead for good, dropping Marietta to 15-3 overall.
Marietta opened OAC play on Saturday afternoon with a sweep of Otterbein. The pitching duo of Kristen Quintana and Christina DeMoss posted back to back shutouts of the Lady Cardinals 5-0 and 3-0. In the opener the Lady Pios were paced offensively by Lyndsey Romick and Christina DeMoss who each notched 2 hits, and in the finale Emily McComb picked up 2 hits and 2 RBI to lead Marietta. In the two games the Lady Pioneers out slugged Otterbein 17 hits to 7, 5 of which came in the final 3 innings of game 2.
Just like the men's team, the Lady Pioneers are going to get their best test of the season as on Tuesday perennial league champion Muskingum comes calling. Although the lady muskies stand at 16-6, the match up is sure to be a league championship preview. Musky swept the Lady Pios last year and eliminated them from the OAC tournament. Following Tuesday’s match up the Lady Pios will host Mount Union on Wednesday before traveling to Ohio Northern on Good Friday.

Marietta High School Athletics

Marietta High baseball and softball each got off on the right foot on 3/25 posting victories over Logan 10-0 and 3-0. While the Logan baseball program has taken a bit of a downturn, the victory over Niki Kratzenberg and the Lady Chiefs could be pivotal in the overall league race. Going into the final frame Kratzenberg was on her way to a perfect game, and Marietta hurler Layne Carpenter was finishing off a no hitter. Marietta broke the game open following a critical error by the Logan short stop, and a defensive misalignment which allowed Kaylee Sutton to advance to second. Marietta would post the winning run when MHS pitcher Layne Carpenter stroked a double to left scoring Sutton and Felton.
Games with Zanesville were canceled on Wednesday as were tilts with Parkersburg and Lake Catholic on Saturday. Dates for reschedule have yet to be announced.

Women's Final Four Comes to Cleveland

By Andy Kuhn

While the vast majority of my articles pertain to men's athletics, I feel it would be remiss if I neglected to mention the upcoming NCAA Women's Final Four which will be played at "The Q" in Cleveland. While it is mandated that men's Final Fours are played in super sized arenas (i.e. the Alamo Dome, The Georgia Dome, and in 2009 Ford Field in Detroit), the Women's tournament is still played in homely venues more suited to watching basketball.

Unfortunately for Ohioans we have no super sized arena to host Superbowls or Final Fours, but thankfully Ohio can still compete for marquee events such as the women's final four, and in Cleveland they have just that. Sure I agree the Women's final four lacks the panache of the men's tournament I would say that the chance to see a national championship awarded is a significant event. It isn't everyday that we get the opportunity to see the hardware, Lord knows no Stanley Cups are coming to Columbus, and the Vince Lombardi trophy won't be gracing Cleveland anytime this century.

In case you are contemplating a trip to Cleveland, this may be as good a time as any. LSU and Rutgers have already secured spots and Tennessee and Carolina may likely be joining them. Each team seems not to have an advantage geographically, and this could really pay dividends for the weekend scalper looking to get in for face value. Tickets usually run for 95 per session, but on the street you may be able to get a great deal. While scalping is a risky game be advised that the final four is sold out and that is essentially the only way you can get tickets (provided you don't have good corporate connections in Cleveland).

As is the case of the men's finals, the names of the programs playing in the women's tournament are usually high profile. Despite a change in coaches just before the tournament (I cannot comment on the Pokey Chatman situation), LSU has punched its ticket to Cleveland. While last year's national player of the year Simone Augustus is no longer in the picture, LSU still has a bevy of talent namely Sylvia Fowles and Quianna Chaney. Fowles shredded favored UConn Monday night for 23 points and 15 boards, while Chaney had a solid night notching 8 points and 7 assists. The inside outside combo of Fowles and Chaney will square off against giant killer Rutgers in the first semifinal Sunday night.

Rutgers had a relatively easy test when it handled Arizona State 64-45. The Greensboro crowd was listless for most of the evening after seeing Rutgers shock top ranked Duke on Saturday 52-51. Greensboro coliseum was largely empty given the event, but the 6,800 fans in attendance were decidedly pro Sun Devil. Call it remorse from Duke fans, but Rutgers found itself energized by the partisan crowd and made quick work of the Pac-10 champions.

Tuesday night the final two tickets to Cleveland will be issued when Tennessee meets Ole Miss and North Carolina meets Purdue. No offense to Ole Miss or Purdue, but the Vols and Heels are on a different level. Carolina was last year’s number one for most of the season but eventually fell in the national semifinal to eventual champion Maryland. Tennessee experienced a bit of a down year, not advancing to a final four. Yeah, Pat Summit has taken the program to that level. However, this year the Vols are poised for a return to glory as they feature the nation’s most dynamic player in Candace Parker (you may remember her from when she won the McDonald’s All-American Slam Dunk Contest). In addition to Parker, Tennessee also has a player of local interest, Alexis Hornbuckle. The South Charleston graduate led the Eagles to back to back state titles in WV, and has taken her above average ball handling skills to Knoxville.

The Vols take on the Rebels from Ole Miss Tuesday at 7 in Dayton, and the arena will no doubt be pro-Volunteer. Look for the Vols to advance. Immediately following Sylvia Hatchell’s Tarheels will battle Purdue. The ACC champion Heels have already posted 33 wins, and getting 34 will no doubt be tough. However, with Camille Little and all-everything guard Ivory Latta the Heels will pressure Purdue to no end and will force tempo to their liking. Averaging well over 75 points per game this season, and just over 72 in the tournament, Purdue will have to bring their running shoes to keep up with Carolina. If the Heels can get the tempo to their liking, they should prevail. However, as is the case with seemingly every Big Ten team in basketball, if they can get you to play a grind it out game in the 50’s, they will have a chance. Purdue will try to do just that Tuesday.

Local Fare- 3/24

In an attempt to bring you comprehensive coverage of local athletics, The Register will now feature a column titled "Local Fare". In Local Fare I will highlight action from the previous week (adding valuable commentary of course) and will forecast the upcoming games of our local athletes. Highlighting the weekly games of the Marietta College Baseball and Softball teams, and also Marietta High School Spring Sports, it is my hope that you will turn to the Register when you need to know how when and where to find the game you want to see.

And so it begins...

Marietta College Baseball

The Etta' Express returned home from the Texas spring trip sporting a 7-3 record overall. No doubt a week of games in front of the home folks would be a welcomed respite. Marietta began the homestand on Tuesday with a double header sweep of the visiting Redhawks from LaRoche College by scores of 4-2 and 9-1. Marietta tagged LaRoche pitching for 18 hits and 13 runs in the twinbill and pitchers TJ Knowlton and Justin Merryman notched victories on the mound.

Marietta had little time to relish the sweep of LaRoche as on Wednesday 3/21 the Etta Express hosted the Yellow Jackets of Waynesburg. Marietta got on top 3-0 after two and never looked back leading by as many as 9 before winning by a comfortable 8 runs, 11-3 final. The tenth win of the season came due in large part to three hit efforts by Joe Litke, Cameron Cimino, and Don Pugilese. Marietta recieved a strong outing from freshman starter Joe Pitrone who tossed 6 innings yielding 9 hits and 3 runs.

On Saturday the toll of playing 4 games in 5 days set in, as Marietta's bats failed to make an appearance until the waning innings against the visiting Eagles of SUNY-Brockport. Brockport starter Jake Dennstedt stymied the home team by limiting them to 8 hits over 8 innings, and fanned 6 en route to his 3rd victory of the season.

The loss dropped the Etta' Express to 10-4 and ended the teams 4 game winning streak. Marietta will host out of conference rivals Ohio Wesleyan on Tuesday and Denison on thursday, before beginning conference play Saturday vs. Wilmington. This week will be a telling one for Brian Brewer's ball club as key games against regional opponents go a long way in determining seeding for the post season tournament.

Marietta College Lady Pioneers Softball

It seems Jeanne Arbuckle's squad has taken a liking to the facilities that host the Rebel Games down in Orlando. For the second straight year, the Lady Pioneers reeled off 9 wins in ten tries, equaling the best start in school history. Following their defeats of Carthage (WI) and Rowan (NJ) on 3/16, the Lady Pios returned to the friendly confines of Marietta Field only to find the NCAC favorite Denison Big Red looking to spoil their home opener. Unfortunately for Denison, someone forgot to tell Marietta's Senior Ace Kristen Quintana. Behind Quintana's 11 K's in game one and Christina DeMoss's 4 in game two the Big Red were sent packing with 3-0 and 8-6 losses.

Marietta got all the runs it needed in game one in the bottom of the first when Jenny Carroll (Sr.) scored after Denison pitcher Rachel Thomas walked Christina DeMoss with the bases loaded. Quintana would make the one run stand as she notched her 3rd shutout of the season and 19th in her career (one shy of team record).
Game two would feature a bit more fireworks as Marietta would jump out to an 8-0 lead, eventually holding on for the 8-6 victory. DeMoss was nearly flawless through 4 but ran into trouble in the fifth yielding 2 runs after a crucial error. The sixth inning featured Denison posting 4 more runs, 2 via a two out double off the reliever Quintana, but the rally was a too little too late.

After consecutive rainouts, the Lady Pios returned to action on Sunday hosting a triangular with Rio Grande and Bethany. The day would start roughly as the Lady Pioneers would drop game one to Rio by a count of 6-5. The Redwomen would jump out early on starter DeMoss posting 4 runs on 3 hits and aided by one Marietta error. The 4 runs would stand up as Marietta failed post a rally until the 5th when they were already trailing 6-0. Rio Grande starter Miranda Laws went the distance giving up 5 runs on 9 hits over 7.

Game two would be redeeming as the Pioneers would savage the finale over Bethany 1-0. Quintana would again dominate scattering 4 hits over 7 innings and striking out 11. The shutout was her 4th of the season, and helped notch the Pios 12 win on only 2 losses.

The Lady Pios will become road warriors next week traveling for out of conference games with Wooster and Kenyon. Sandwiching the two roadies is a home date with the same Bethany Bison on Wednesday and also the OAC opener at Otterbein on Saturday.

Marietta High School Sports
Baseball-@Logan 3/25
@Morgan 3/26
@Zanesville 3/27
vs. Mentor Lake Catholic @PHS 3/31

Softball- @Logan 3/25
@Morgan 3/26
@Zanesville 3/27
@ Trimble 3/30
vs. Mentor Lake Catholic @PHS 3/31

Track- Tri-Meet vs. Meadowbrook and John Glenn (Home) 3/27
@Meadowbrook Early Bird Invite 3/31

New addition to the blogsphere

Beginning with today's home game vs. Laroche
I will provide an inning by inning blog of Marietta College baseball games.
Should you not be able to get to the ballpark feel free to check out my updates at
ettaexpress.blogspot.com
you will get comprehensive coverage of the games and maybe some social commentary. We will see where it goes.

Home opener today vs. Laroche (PA)
2pm First Pitch
2x 7 inning games

Etta’ Express Faces Uphill Battle in Title Defense

By Andy Kuhn

As much as Brian Brewer loved winning the National Title last year, I am sure he laments the idea of being seen as the reigning National Champion. Given the amount of roster turnover that occurs at D3 programs year in and year out, the idea of this year’s team having to defend a title isn't something Coach Brewer would consent to. Unfortunately for the Etta Express’ the target didn’t graduate. Despite the defection of all but 6 varsity lettermen, the Pioneers will return home on Tuesday as the #7 ranked, defending National Champions. (Man it felt good to say that!)

Despite the departures of several key seniors and the likely defections due to grades or transfer, Marietta managed a successful spring trip notching 7 wins in 10 games. As is customary in these parts, expectations aren’t that you rebuild, you must reload. Early success in Georgia and Texas indicate that the Pios have done just that.

Bolstered by the outings of key returnees Jason Baumler (2-1 1.93 era) and Justin Merryman (1-0 2.89 era), the new pitching staff has begun to silence the critics who sang of the program’s demise following the departure of draftees Mike Eisenberg and Mike Demark. As is customary, Marietta’s hopes for capturing the OAC title hinge on the coaching staff’s ability to develop young pitching. While veterans Baumler and Merryman have combined to start 6 of the teams 10 games, Marietta has already worked on developing some much needed depth in the form of righties Joe Pitrone (Fr.), Tyler Penwell (Fr.), Nate Eschbaugh (Fr.) and sophomore Tim Knowlton. In their respective debuts each impressed as collectively the three yielded only 14 earned runs in 35.4 innings of work, the most notable success of the early spring.

While concerns regarding the pitching staff’s effectiveness were most certainly present in the off-season, it was widely recognized that the strength of this squad would be it’s defense. If the pitching staff would falter, you couldn’t attribute it bad defensive play. Boasting the return of All-OAC middle infielders Ryan Eschbaugh, Ryan Belanger and junior Dom Winters at the hot corner, Marietta will continue its tradition of sterling defensive play.

In addition to much needed experience in the infield, the Marietta outfield returns All-OAC performer Tony Piconke and sophomore Don Pugliese. Manning the corner outfield spots and the occasional play in centerfield, each player hopes to provide much needed middle of the order power. With Merryman patrolling center when not on the mound, Marietta features a core of outfielders that few teams nationally can rival.

Unfortunately, despite the depth that resides in the infield and outfield the Pioneers at a loss for experience behind the plate. Bidding to replace defensive standout Lee Guerrera are several underclassmen most notably freshmen Danny Jones and Chris Beatty. While in Texas and Georgia, Jones managed 7 starts behind the dish, while Beatty and Roth divvied up the other three. On paper this position appears to be the one most up for grabs at season’s start, and given the success of Pioneer catchers in recent years appears to be the largest shoes to fill. When combined with the youth on the mound, this dilemma involving the battery could be the team’s undoing.

Overall, Marietta has a fine ball club this season, but in case you have forgotten if it were not for some late heroics in last year’s regional tournament we would be talking about how Marietta can defeat defending National Champion Otterbein. Already ranked #1 in the preseason, Coach Powell’s team boasts two of the best D3 prospects in the country in the form of juniors Dan Remenowsky and Doug Stevens. Factor in the return of 31 lettermen from last years 34 win squad and it is easy to see why so many see Otterbein as the nation’s best. If Marietta is to retain its title, developing pitching depth and finding consistent play behind the plate will be essential. Coach Brewer has a tall task in front of him but no doubt the baseball factory that is Marietta College will be churning out victories come late May.

***Be sure to catch the Pioneers this season at DSS, and as always you can catch virtually every ballgame courtesy of WMOA AM 1490.

Thursday 3/15: March Madness Diary

Shouldn't this day be deemed a major holiday? If you are working right now, no doubt you are either a.) gonna take a long lunch to watch a game, or b.) are the 80,000 person in line for March Madness on demand on CBS. I am guessing both.

I am anxiously awaiting the start of the Maryland Davidson game. While so many predicted Maryland to make some noise, I think Maryland will really struggle in this one. Gary Williams will soak through his suit, and DYI Maryland is the only school in D1A that employs a defibrillator operator for basketball gamedays? Not really, but Gary permanently looks like someone just kicked his dog.
Davidson is a good team, lots of foreign players, experience. Remember Maryland is still pretty young. This will be the early game of the day IMO.

Game time rolls around. Got my diet pepsi, just had a sandwich, and a granola bar. Blogger ready.........
Tipoff! And so it begins.

12:32- Davidson is chucking threes from everywhere, they are rested. They can keep this up all day.

12:40- Texas Tech-BC replaces the Davidson game so I am switching over to Louisville.

12:44- Holy Cow, Louisville is playing at home. They are lightyears faster than Stanford, and their pressure d is giving the Cardinal fits. Could this be a sign of things to come for the Pac 10?
Thank God for Picture in Picture. Louisville has been minimized because they are sleepwalking. Stanford should not be getting out rebounded by Louisville. IF the Lopez twins don't show up soon, it is good night. Que the Louisville final four talk.

12:55- I picked Texas Tech to beat BC because I liked the disciplined style of play against team headband from Massachusetts. BC is very talented, but they don't play with their heads in the game. If they are making garbage shots they are in good shape. As i type, Rice nails the 8 foot tear drop, but anyway. Look for Sean Marshall or Jared Dudley to be saddled with 3 fouls by half.

Update
Louisville 23-10 over Stanford
Davidson 32-27 over Maryland
BC 29-28 over Texas Tech

12:55- Stanford is down 15 already. How many players can Louisville get into double digit scoring by half, my guess is 4.
TV Timeout
Tiger Woods 07 commercial count at 3 thus far.
As I type, I think this looks too much like a Bill Simmons article. But then again, how do you copyright a day log of watching basketball and drinking Diet Pepsi?

1:01- BC goes Zone, obviously cannot handle the Texas Tech motion O. BC sees a zone as a means to rest. Now Tech has scored in consecutive trips in the zone. Al Skinner is clueless in many respects. You would think BC is athletic enough to play man against Tech. But no.

1:02- Yes, Jared Dudley just picked up his 3rd foul. I knew it. Calling Sean Marshall to the bench.
Update-Louisville is now up 20 on Stanford. Oh you deceptive Pac 10.
John Oates, yes you have hit 3 threes, but your man has owned you on the other hand. A little bit of both goes a long way.

1:04- CBS gave up on Stanford too.......back to Davidson Maryland. Yes!
Davidson and Maryland tied at 41 with 2 mins left to half.
41-39 BC leads Texas Tech at half.

1:11- Sloppy end to the half, Maryland leads Davidson 44-43. Kevin Harlan is the best announcer for this game, if upset alert goes on, Kevin does a great job of over-hyping. He is great.

1:30-Games are about to come back from halftime. Spent the half making some changes to the blog. Put a picture, not sure if that was a good thing. I will check the counter.
Tech and BC back at it. BC still playing without any defensive energy 43 up.
Foul trouble will ultimately decide this game.
Tech is not getting layups, they are shooting jumpers. BC is getting shots down low, but if their bigs are all on the bench this could be problematic. I should know by the 8 minute mark who should win this game. Stay tuned.

Davidson Maryland back on-I am officially torn. BC-TT and this are great games to watch. Who gets picture in picture priority? Davidson it is.

1:35- Del Curry's son cannot be stopped
18 at half
5 more in the first 2 minutes
Austin Carr-esque performance thus far.
Ibekwe just picked up his 3rd foul. Ekene is Maryland's best defender, this is a important stat. (Ibekwe gone at 17:50)
Davidson up 8
Gary Williams just had another heart attack, his tenth this month. The guy is immortal.

1:45- Tech isn't going to stop Dudley inside, nor will they beat BC if they don't rebound the ball. However, I don't see either team pulling away here.
*Update* Louisville stretching the lead to 30, Trent Johnson should be ashamed of himself. Stanford at 18-12 received a gift. You telling me Drexel couldn't have done that?
Sean Marshall just hit back to back triples, could be the turning point. Tech has missed its last 3 shots, BC is making good.

2:00-Davidson is hitting the wall. Maryland has turned up the defensive effort, getting steals, and really exploiting Davidson down low. Good passing bigs getting Vasquez and Mike Jones open looks. Not good for the wildcats.
side note:When I went to the NCAA's back in the late 90's, I sat next to the Davidson head coach. Great guy, knowledgeable as you would expect, and really cared about his kids. Forgive me for wanting to see Davidson get a W.

2:05-Maryland is always good for some first round drama. The year they won it all, it took a Drew Nicholas three at the buzzer to stave off a first round upset.
Stephen Curry hasn't scored since the 18:44 mark, they are inside of 7 mins now. Hopefully he was sandbaggin. Maryland is up 6, Davidson needs a good possession.
As Harlan talks about Curry being spent, he drills a three. Cuts the lead to three.
Maryland turnover, Davidson is back in it.

BC is getting Dudley touches, starting to pull away from Tech. Up 7 with under 2 to play. I am devoting my time to the davidson game now.

2:15-Davidson is missing from deep, Maryland is getting easy buckets inside. Ibekwe gets an offensive rebound, Davidson is hanging on by a thread. Thankfully Maryland keeps throwing the ball away. Wildcats down 5 under 4 min mark. Horrible shots, but Maryland cannot put them away. Curry gets another deuce, he has 28 on the game.
Much needed team timeout for Davidson, time to recharge for the final run.

Bobby Knight has his waders on, ready to hit the fishing hole. BC up 7 with under 40 secs. BC has 10 blocks on the day. Imagine if their best shot blocker wasn't kicked off the team earlier this year.
***Stanford making a run, they have cut it to 25***

BC wins 84-75

Maryland just put the nail in it as well. Strawberry for three 75-68. Still hoping Davidson can cover the 7.5 spread.
Ibekwe just fouled out for Maryland, but too little too late.
75-70 Maryland with 1 minute left.

48 seconds left, Maryland up 7
Looks like it is over, only thing left is the spread.
That will wrap up my morning session blog.
The middle session will not be conducted as I desire to get some bdubs for this one.
Everyone enjoy the games. GO DUKE

Dante Dazzles but Cavs Secure SEOAL Grudge Match

By Andy Kuhn

If you went to the Convo in Athens last Saturday you might agree with me, otherwise this may sound a little excessive. I will stand by my statement nonetheless.

The Chillicothe-Greenfield McClain Game was the finest game I have seen played in SE Ohio in the last 15 years.

I kid you not; the quality of play on the floor in Athens showed me just how many light years away we are from competing for state championships here in Washington County. Want proof? Here are some quotes from several viewers:

“Wow! That by far, has to be the best basketball game I have watched in ages.”
“I'll comment on this classic later on. Wow, that's all I can say for now.”
“Holy Cow, what does a heart attack feel like?”
“The best game I've seen in a long long while.”

I don’t know how I could possibly put in writing the significance of the this game for SouthEast Ohio. It essentially gave us a glimpse of the future and showed the rest of us what it will take to bring hardware home from Columbus. I will do my best to illustrate.
Greenfield McClain, located in Highland County 60 miles East of Dayton, featured the single greatest player in SE district history. His name is Dante Jackson, and if you haven’t heard of him, trust me you will.

The Xavier signee seemingly grew up before the eyes of the Convocation Center crowd. Since his 8th grade year, we all knew of his supposed greatness. By his freshman year we had bore witness to the remarkable talent, and after the game on Saturday we all could help fill in stories of his legend. Oddly enough the Cavaliers from Chillicothe had designs on a final act in Dante’s career. In what I could only describe as an Instant Classic, the 19-4 SEOAL Champion Chillicothe Cavaliers dispatched the top ranked and undefeated Tigers by a score of 67-60 in double overtime.

While the headline will read of a top seed going down, the details most certainly will carry the day. The details surrounding the performance of Dante Jackson will surely last long after the story of this season is written.

It didn’t have the makings of a great one as Jackson started off a bit slow. Dante led Greenfield into the locker room trailing 22-19, and had only a few chances to really wow the Athens crowd. Dante’s 9 points led all scorers, but the patience exhibited by McClain led you to believe the second half would produce a bit more fireworks, and did it ever.

After giving way to a host of minor players in the first half, Jackson took it upon himself to propel the Tigers to the next round. He nearly did. At the end of regulation the score stood at 43 a piece, but lost in the excitement was the fact Dante was sitting on 30 points. Every Greenfield bucket, save one three point basket with 59.3 seconds to play, was scored by Dante Jackson. Off balance 18 foot jumpers, slashing floaters, high arching threes from the top of the key and from the corner. It was like a heavy weight bout, only it seemed that Chillicothe’s balance was countered by a singular Jackson.

He scored 21 of the 24 McClain second half points. I hope you see the significance in that. At that level, this is unheard of. I don’t care how many points Diebler scores against MAC teams in NW Ohio, Dante is getting my vote for Ohio Mr. Basketball.
After exchanging buckets for more than 12 minutes of play, McClain had a chance to shoot for the win. Surely we would see Dante take the last shot? It was not to be. In what I can only call an ill-fated attempt, McClain turned the ball over as time expired and overtime would be needed.

In typical fashion Dante wouldn’t miss a beat as he would notch 10 of his teams 17 points in the overtimes (the other 7 coming in the final 49 seconds of OT number 2). The charge call that ultimately led to his fouling out with one minute to play in the second OT signaled a victory for Chilly and closed a remarkable career. It was a shame that the game didn’t get the photo finish we all craved, but by that point we were all too emotionally spent to complain. It was quite a game.

While I could write for days on the remarkable ability of Jackson, the real story is the emergence of the SEOAL as a basketball power. Recent additions to the league have forced the old guard to take notice. In the aforementioned game, Chillicothe was able to utilize its superior depth and athleticism to tune out Dante’s performance and guarantee its long awaited rematch with Zanesville.

Chillicothe was led by all everything guard, Anthony Hitchens. Hitchens stands only 5’8” or 5’9” but his ability to score the basketball from the perimeter and via the dribble put virtually every major College coach in attendance on notice. Hitchens carried the Cavaliers down the stretch netting 24 points, including 7 in the second OT. His ability to create also opened up the middle of the paint for 6’6” junior center Ray Chambers and Miami Ohio Football signee, Senior Chris Givens.

Traditional power Zanesville punched its ticket to regionals with a decisive 49-39 earlier in the week, and much of the Zanesville staff was keeping a watchful eye on this ball game. On the previous Thursday, Zanesville dispatched St.Clairsville with relative ease, leading from start to finish and never letting the lead fall below 6 points. Despite seeing its most reliable offensive threat Logan Aronhalt held to six points (11 below his average), Zanesville got production from Seniors Dakota Matz (14 points, led all scorers) and 13 from Cedric Harris.

While playing in the eastern district, Zanesville took shots from Dover, St. Clairsville, and New Philadelphia but each failed to shake the Blue Devils. A tight 41-36 victory over Dover in round 2 signaled the wake up call for Zanesville, who despite notching a 20-2 record began to slump a bit after an overtime defeat to Chillicothe in the SEOAL night of Champions in Jackson.

And here we stand, a rematch slated on the grandest of stages. Chillicothe and Zanesville will stage part 2 of the series that produced a 68-64 overtime thriller in the season finale. This match guarantees one regional final participant, and for the first time in a long time guarantees an SEOAL team will be playing in the elite 8.
If you desire to see the elite in SE Ohio basketball be sure to get to the Convo early on Thursday. Although tip-off for the Chilly Zanesville game starts at 8, Tusky Valley and Columbus DeSales will be playing at 6:15 on the same night. Parking will be scarce, and seats will be at even more of a premium. However, if you are lucky enough to attend, you are likely to see a game you will talk about for years.

No George Mason’s To be Found This Time Around

By Andy Kuhn

Geographically speaking, I cannot remember a time when I could realistically watch tournament games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at three different venues. This appears to be a once in a lifetime chance for the ultimate college basketball fan. I plan on taking full advantage by going to a couple venues and catching games (provided I can deny my urge to drive 5.5 hours to Buffalo and watch Duke lose in the first round to VCU).
Putting all feelings of ill will and rancor that I may possess for my own team, I will lay out a pickers guide for the ultimate College basketball fan. Get your pen and pencils ready, here goes the Gambler's picks-sure-to-go-wrong.

Midwest Region:
If you would have asked me at the beginning of the season which team I liked to go all the way, I would have responded without hesitation: Florida. The reigning champ has all the things you could want in a team looking for a repeat. In the post they have SEC first-teamers Joakim Noah and Al Horford, and on the perimeter Florida boasts the backcourt duo of Torian Green and Lee Humphrey. Having returned all 5 starters from a team that failed to beat a team by less than double digits in last years tournament, Florida would be a reliable pick for a return trip to the Final Four.
Couple the experience of the Gators with being paired in the bracket with the likes of:
-depleted Big Ten also ran, Wisconsin
-the defensively challenged Ducks from Oregon
-and the helter skelter Terrapins from Maryland
Florida, if proven to have turned the corner after a successful SEC tournament, should beat Maryland in the Sweet Sixteen, and then handle either Oregon or a world beater in the Elite 8. Pick Florida

West Region:
Coming into the tournament there is little doubt that Kansas is the hottest team in the region. Having just won the Big 12 tournament in dramatic fashion (overtime win vs. Texas), the Jayhawks appear to be clicking on all cylinders. There is no doubt that KU is very talented, but the first round upset bug has seemed to follow Bill Self since he left Illinois. This is the first number one seed for KU since 2003, a season which ended in New Orleans following a last second loss to Syracuse in the National championship game.

Standing in the way of Kansas’s run to Atlanta is the defending National Runner-Up, UCLA. Winning the Pac-10 title must carry more weight than I thought as the Bruins have essentially been given a cakewalk to the Final Four in terms of travel. Playing opening round games in Sacramento and the regional in San Jose. UCLA will have traveled less then 500 miles for each trip, and should they be headed to Atlanta no doubt they will be the most rested of the Final Four participants. If I were a betting man I would put my money on UCLA.



East Region:
The NCAA made for great drama when they put Carolina, Georgetown, Washington State, and Texas in the same region. The committee having done so, two of the more notable names in the college game will likely meet in the sweet sixteen. North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough and Texas’s Kevin Durant). This will likely be the most intriguing of the match-ups as Durant will likely compete with Greg Oden for the right to be the Boston Celtics first pick.
The enigma of this bracket is Washington State. Having been awarded a three seed, one would expect the Cougars to breeze into the sweet sixteen. However, upon examination the Cougars could likely be the highest seed eliminated in the opening round. Oral Roberts, champions of the Mid-Continent Conference boasts nice resume that includes a victory at Phog Allen Fieldhouse over Kansas back in December. Led by senior Caleb Green (20.9 ppg 9.3 rpg), the golden eagles from Tulsa pose the most significant threat to a bracket that will likely feature the two favorites in the elite 8. Aside from the likely upsets in the early rounds Carolina and Georgetown will prevail. In this battle take Carolina.

West Region:
Finally the prediction you have all been waiting for. After bashing the Buckeyes a couple times this year in previous articles, I have become witness to what looks like a National title contender. Despite the Big Ten being mediocre for most of the season the Bucks seemed to have turned the corner in recent weeks. After posting nice wins over Wisconsin and Purdue, and having benefited from being placed in a region with the fewest contenders, I am ready to hang my hat on the Buckeyes. If the Bucks can survive a sweet sixteen rematch with Tennessee they will face their toughest test of the season; an elite 8 appearance against the Aggies from Texas A&M in San Antonio.
Aside from having to play the regional finals in San Antonio, the Buckeyes have been given a pass by the committee. No team in the region features a big man that can handle Oden down low. Combine that with the fact that OSU received a gift in getting the Memphis Tigers as a 2 seed, I see the Buckeyes advancing to Atlanta for a rematch with the Heels.

Now that I have revealed the final four participants, it is up to you to enjoy the frenzy that is March madness. Whether it be at home, or on your office computer via March Madness On demand via CBS Sportsline, you likely won’t be disappointed. The tournament keeps getting bigger and bigger, and each year some team comes from out of the wood work to surprise us all. While I don’t see a George Mason in the field, there are certainly teams capable. Your guess is as good as mine when it comes to the Cinderellas. I guess that is what makes the tournament so appealing, my mother can whip me in the office pool (which she has done for the past 3 years). Enjoy the tournament

DeSalvo Back to Form: Yankee Camp Buzzing

By Andy Kuhn

At this time last year it was the opinion of virtually all Yankee brass that an April 15^th layover day would be the first start of Matt DeSalvo’s major league career. That start never took place, and Matt DeSalvo never made it to the Bronx. The tale of DeSalvo has puzzled many Yankee fans, and has left the same fans scratching their heads at his sudden reemergence.

Following an abysmal year at AAA Columbus and AA Trenton (6-10 6.40 ERA, deflating K/BB ratio), DeSalvo found himself deactivated from the 60 man roster and placed on waivers, the MLB equivalent of the scrap heap. The 6’0” 165 pound right hander apparently did exactly what draft analysts expected when they passed on him; dominated hitters at lower A levels but eventually would give way to his small frame and below average fastball. Apparently someone forgot to tell DeSalvo he was on the brink of bagging groceries.

In one of the more surprising stories of the spring, DeSalvo has again emerged as a candidate for the Yankees active roster. After his successful 2 inning stint vs. Pittsburgh, Matt has found himself in a battle for a roster spot. Lack of productivity by prized Yankee prospect Phillip Hughes and injuries to Bobby Abreu and Humberto Sanchez may be just the ticket for Matt to open up on the active roster.

In a recent interview with MLB.com Yankees beat reporter Bryan Hoch, Yankees backup catcher Wil Nieves was quoted as saying,

"He had great stuff last year, but you could see that the command wasn't right. This spring, it's a different story. He's throwing strikes and going after hitters. It's all coming together. People will know his name before long."

DeSalvo has admitted that his turbulent season last year was likely a result of mechanical flaw, trouble with his back, and most notably a failed relationship. Insiders at Yankee camp have noticed a change in DeSalvo this season. Manager Joe Torre was quoted as saying,

“Your mind rules your body and, I think, last year, he fought it so much that he lost everything. Now, he's in such a positive frame of mind that his stuff is so good, we just have to keep him there.”

The lessons of life have obviously been difficult on Matt, but his commitment to his craft and a few tests of maturation have appeared to stave off his near fall from professional baseball. Continued development and the work ethic that he has become notorious for will no doubt keep DeSalvo within striking distance of the dream. Being a first hand witness to the fire and determination that reside within him, it is the opinion of this writer that Wil Nieves is correct, “People Will know his name before long”.

Road to Columbus Full of Speed Bumps

By Andy Kuhn

Given how our area hasn’t produced a Boys or Girls basketball state championship in my lifetime, you would think that I would be brought up not to expect one? Call me crazy but sometimes I wonder why fans don’t expect more from our local teams come March? We have had too many good teams to often, and the great teams have come so close only to fall. Surely one of our teams will get it done at some point? It is a matter of when and how at this point. It is this cockeyed optimism that I am pinning my hopes on our remaining three, Waterford Girls and Boys, and the Fort Frye Boys.
Incase you’ve forgotten our area has its fair share of qualifiers over recent years. Although we have failed to bring home the coveted hardware, our area has been quite successful in Ohio’s small school divisions since OHSAA AAA-A breakdowns in 1986. Beginning in 1993 with Belpre’s formidable one-two punch of Kent Garrett and Aaron Hall, Southeast Ohio has put one team in Columbus seemingly every four years, and has had a sweet sixteen team every other year.

Final Four Appearances:
93 Belpre Boys Lost in State Final to Campbell Memorial
97 Warren Girls lost to Elida in State Finals
99 Fort Frye Boys lost to Bedford Chanel in State Semis
01 Belpre Boys lost to Miami East in State Semis
01 Eastern Boys lost in State Semis to Tipp City Bethel

That being said Washington County and surrounding schools have had more than
their fair share of chances for championships. While our bigger schools are at a huge disadvantage in every way, and our small schools are at a disadvantage as well, at times our division 3 and 4 schools are perfectly capable. Which brings us to the present, as of Monday March 5th, the field of Washington County schools has dwindled to only a few remaining stalwarts. Ironically enough, it is just as I predicted (see my article from 3 weeks ago).
Tuesday night the Fort Frye Boys will likely see their tournament run end at the hands of the oft maligned Sugarcreek Garaway Pirates. The thorn in the side of seemingly every Eastern District team for the past decade, Sugarcreek is currently the 4th ranked team in D3 and has advanced to the Final Four 3 times since 2000, including a 2003 overtime finals loss.
Since their season finale loss to also ranked Malvern, Garaway has pummeled opponents by an average of 24 points per game (ppg). While Fort Frye pulled a mild upset last year beating previously undefeated Bellaire, the Pirates present a different challenge altogether. Last season the key was stopping Nate Davis, this year the key must be stopping a balanced Garaway attack that features three players averaging more than 12 ppg. As if playing in New Philly (essentially Garaway’s backyard) wasn’t enough, the Pirates are suiting up in the New Philly digs for the 5th time this season. Familiarity may have a part in the contest as it seems the backcourt trio of Chase Stingel, Tyler Gerber, and Brenden Troyer have become more than comfortable shooting in the Quakers gym, hitting more than 10 threes in each contest. IF Fort Frye hopes to advance to play another day, limiting the backcourt triumvirate must be achieved.
Thankfully for Washington County basketball fans, Waterford should be playing until this weekend. Facing off at the Convo vs. Portsmouth Clay, the Wildcats are poised for yet another victory as the Panthers have mustered little success offensively shooting just over 26% in their last five contests. Portsmouth Clay, 3rd place finishers in the small school division of the SOC have put together a string of wins after eking out an 11-9 regular season record. Clay boasted a 10-4 in conference record, but when paired with common opponents, convincing losses to South Gallia and Trimble hint at a Wildcat victory.
Obvious keys to the game are as follows, get the ball to DJ Cunningham, who at 6’8” towers over the tallest Clay defender standing at 6’3” (more like 6’1”). Waterford will have a sizeable advantage in the paint, and provided the bigs stay out of foul trouble Waterford can muscle their way to a victory. IF Clay is able to establish tempo, the Wildcats could be in for a long night as the smaller quicker Panthers will pressure Waterford for the duration trying to force turnovers in the backcourt, hoping to get easy buckets. If Clay comes out in the full court press early, this game will be a barnburner. If you aren’t going to New Philly, do travel to Athens for this one.
Finally, I have little to report in regards to the Lady Wildcats game vs. Columbus Africentric. We all remember the game from last year, and couple that with the fact Waterford isn’t as experienced or as talented as last year’s squad. Waterford has largely overachieved, but this match-up again appears to be too much to ask. The Nubians have played 4 tournament games, and have yet to be challenged. Example: 97-15, 82-35, 71-22, 60-30. Those are the respective scores of Africentric’s tournament games. Yikes 97-15 against Gahanna Christian. Someone call off the dogs for goodness sake. Sorry I cannot write more, but I am hitting my word limit. I promise you however, IF Waterford pulls off the upset of a lifetime, I will write a full page special on the Lady Cats.