ANDOVER TOWNSHIP — For a couple teams that were looking for a shot of confidence entering Saturday’s All-Ashtabula County Meet, the Edgewood and Pymatuning Valley boys teams got just what the doctor ordered.

BOYS TEAM STANDINGS
Edgewood 1721⁄2, PV 113, Lakeside 88, Jefferson 83, Geneva 46, Conneaut 17, Grand Valley 41⁄2.

SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP — Both the Edgewood and Lakeside softball teams had been mired in slumps. While one team was able to pull itself out of the quagmire, the other simply spun its tires on Saturday at the Lakeside Tournament.

It took almost an entire extra game, but the Geneva Eagles remained the hottest softball team in the area Saturday.

Edgewood scored all its runs in the first three innings, then held on for dear life and earned a 6-5 non-conference victory Saturday at Perry.

SOFTBALL
LAKESIDE TOURNAMENT
FIRST ROUND
West Geauga 4, Lakeside 3
at Lakeside

MONDAY, MAY 12
Baseball
Division III
Sectional semifinals
n (8) LaBrae at (7) Grand Valley
n (4) PV at (9) Newton Falls (at Eastwood Field, Niles)
Regular season
n Jefferson at Conneaut
n Lakeside at Geneva
n West Geauga at Perry
Softball
Division I
Sectional semifinals
n Madison at Chardon
n Glenville at Riverside
Regular season
n Edgewood at Harvey
n Jefferson at Conneaut
n Perry at West Geauga
n Fairport at Grand Valley
Tennis
n GRA at Madison

With a victory from Alex Lillie and Joe Travis, Geneva finished second in the JV Doubles Tournament it hosted Saturday,

Kramer Getce scored the winning run and led the offense for the Indians with four hits as they rallied to a 5-4 victory Saturday in major division baseball action.

Go figure, a couple of weeks ago, several of my turkey hunting buds and I were discussing turkey behavior.

CLEVELAND — Rise up is the postseason motto at Quicken Loans Arena. Finally, during the Eastern Conference semifinals, the guy seated to LeBron James’ left, and the one seated to his right on the Cavaliers bench did so.

CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers’ return serve turned out to be rather fierce.

Did GlenOak High School graduate Kosta Koufos do anything wrong when he chose to leave Ohio State last month for the NBA draft?

Wanted: Broad shoulders in the backfield The courts will decide whether Cedric Benson was boating drunk and acting unlawfully belligerent after he got busted.

If you are C.C. Sabathia or his agent, you’ve got to be really steamed at Barry Zito right now.

I took it personally when Julio Franco announced his retirement a week and a half ago in Mexico.

CLEVELAND — With the help of another six-run rally, the Indians won in a “Laffer” on Saturday night.

Eight Indians players will use pink bats today to show support for breast cancer research.

n ON DECK — Toronto Blue Jays at Cleveland Indians.
n WHEN/WHERE — Today, 1:05 p.m., Progressive Field.
n TV/RADIO — STO; WFUN (AM-970).
n ON THE MOUND — Right-hander A.J. Burnett (3-3, 5.19) for Toronto; right-hander Fausto Carmona (3-1, 2.95) for Cleveland.
n TRIBE INJURIES — OF Shin-Soo Choo (left elbow), RHP Joe Borowski (right triceps), RHP Jake Westbrook (left side) on the DL.
n NOTEBOOK — What Fausto Carmona does not need is another walk in the park.

Tom Henson has always said given the options of athletic involvement, coaching is his first priority.

For the second straight year, Andrea Essig’s tennis season ended with a trip to the NCAA Division III national tournament. This time, Baldwin-Wallace fell to Albion (Mich.) College in the first round at DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind.

(through meets of May 3)

BOYS
TEAM STANDINGS
Riverside 1851⁄2, Edgewood 1501⁄4, Lakeside 113, PV 1092⁄3, Harvey 1041⁄2, Jefferson 801⁄2, Perry 711⁄4, Madison 583⁄4, Geneva 352⁄3, Conneaut 14, Grand Valley 51⁄2, SS. John and Paul 0.

Trailing 1-0 after three innings, Riverside came up with all its runs over the next three innings, including four in the sixth, to defeat archrival Madison on Friday in Premier Athletic Conference action.

Sometimes, heroes, or heroines, come from rather unlikely sources.

The first-doubles team of Chase Fleckenstein and Stewart Gruey fought to a 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 decision to wrap up a 3-1 non-conference victory for the SS. John and Paul tennis team against Wickliffe on Friday.

BASEBALL
PREMIER
Riverside 7, Madison 2
at Madison

SATURDAY, MAY 10
Baseball
n Edgewood at Perry (1)
n Hawken at Harvey (10)
n Heartland Christian at GRA (11)
Softball
n Edgewood vs. Warren JFK at Lakeside (9)
n West Geauga at Lakeside (9)
n Edgewood-Warren JFK winner vs. West Geauga-Lakeside winner (10:30)
n Edgewood-Warren JFK loser vs. West Geauga-Lakeside loser (10:30)
n Jefferson at Madison (11)
n Ledgemont at PV (DH, 11)
n Perry at Riverside (10)
n Geneva at Beaumont (11)
Track
n All-Ashtabula County Meet at PV (10)
Tennis
n Geneva JV Doubles Tournament (9)

Gia Saturday and Meagan Ellison combined on a no-hitter in the first game to lead the Kingsville Rockies to a 7-0 win over Rock Creek, then followed up with a 23-8 win over the Conneaut in major softball action Friday.

n ON DECK — Toronto Blue Jays at Cleveland Indians.
n WHEN/WHERE — Today, 7:05 p.m., Progressive Field.
n TV/RADIO — STO; WFUN (AM-970).
n ON THE MOUND — Right-hander Dustin McGowan (2-2, 2.95) for Toronto ;left-hander Aaron Laffey (0-2, 2.84) for Cleveland.
n TRIBE INJURIES — OF Shin-Soo Choo (left elbow), RHP Joe Borowski (right triceps), RHP Jake Westbrook (left side) on the DL.
n NOTEBOOK — Here’s hoping Aaron Laffey can build on his solid outing the last time he was on the bump.

CLEVELAND — Perhaps a sleeping giant finally awoke. For C.C. Sabathia, at least as far as Friday night was concerned, it wasn’t a moment too soon.

CLEVELAND — Eric Wedge is standing by his man.
Brighter days are on the horizon for Travis Hafner, the Cleveland manager attests.

INDEPENDENCE — Down 2-0 to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Cavaliers don’t have to look back too far to know things can change in a series quickly.

CELTICS vs. CAVALIERS
Game 3
n WHERE — Quicken Loans Arena.
n WHEN — Tonight, 8.
n TV — ABC.
n RADIO — WZOO, WTAM.

Support systems have always been important to Miranda Newsome. They were in her athletic career at Lakeside High School. They are the factor that helped her make her college choice.

The difference between a win and a loss in a close softball game might just be one team believing in itself instead of having doubts. That was very much the case for Geneva as it knocked off Edgewood, 1-0, on Thursday.

JEFFERSON — It’s been a decade since Jefferson won a Northeastern Conference softball championship, but Thursday’s 5-0 league triumph against visiting Harvey —coupled with Geneva’s 1-0 upset of conference-leading and six-time defending champion Edgewood — has put coach Paul Bodnar’s Falcons in position to do just that.

ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP — What Edgewood and Geneva couldn’t finish in seven innings took on the look of a major-league ballgame in the fact it went the full nine innings.

Johnathan Wilson scattered three hits in an 11-1 Jefferson win over Harvey in Northeastern Conference play at Cotton Field on Thursday.
With the win, the Falcons (17-1, 8-1) clinched at least a tie for the league championship. Jefferson leads Geneva by three games in the league standings with three games left to play.

Jacob Kerosky won a three-set battle at first singles to jumpstart a 3-2 Lakeside win over Chardon in Premier Athletic Conference play.

SOFTBALL
NORTHEASTERN
Geneva 1, Edgewood 0
at Geneva

FRIDAY, MAY 9
Baseball
n Lakeside at Chardon
n Riverside at Madison
n Cleveland Heritage Christian at GRA
n Geneva at Perry
n Jefferson at Canfield (DH)
Softball
n Chardon at Lakeside
n Madison at Riverside
Track
n Madison at Brush Invitational
Tennis
n South at Lakeside
n SJP at Wickliffe

Troy Colucci and Clay Fertig combined to on a no-hitter to lead the A’s past the Orioles, 5-1, Thursday in minor league boys action in Conneaut. Fertig scored two runs, Colucci drove in a pair.

NEW YORK — Throughout most of baseball history there have been far fewer Yankees killers than Yankee victims.

n ON DECK — Toronto Blue Jays at Cleveland Indians.
n WHEN/WHERE — Today, 7:05 p.m., Progressive Field.
n TV/RADIO — STO; WFUN (AM-970).
n ON THE MOUND — Right-hander Roy Halladay (3-4, 3.00) for Toronto; left-hander C.C. Sabathia (1-5, 7.51) for Cleveland.
n TRIBE INJURIES — OF Shin-Soo Choo (left elbow), RHP Joe Borowski (right triceps), RHP Jake Westbrook (left side) on the DL.
n NOTEBOOK — Tonight’s matchup features two guys who have won the American League Cy Young Award — Roy Halladay (2003) and C.C. Sabathia (2007).

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired outfielder Jason Michaels and cash from the Cleveland Indians on Thursday for a player to be named.

BOSTON — It is a simple basketball premise that even at the highest level is acutely true: You cannot win if you cannot score.

PAINESVILLE — Nothing was going to deter the Harvey boys track team from defending its Northeastern Conference championship. Neither illness, injury or other circumstances was going to prevent it.

PAINESVILLE — A sixth straight Northeastern Conference championship was on the mind of the Geneva girls track team Wednesday, but trying to raise the bar for future performances was also on the agenda at Jack Britt Memorial Stadium.

at Jack Britt Memorial Stadium
BOYS TEAM STANDINGS
Harvey 132, Edgewood 112, Jefferson 59, Geneva 38, Conneaut 12.
BOYS INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
n DISCUS — 1, Daniel James (H), 137-0; 2, Jake Buckey (G), 131-0; 3, Brent Smith (J), 124-3; 4, Ed Hall (E), 123-5; 5, Ian Jones (H), 116-0.
n HIGH JUMP — 1, Termaine McCabe (E), 6-0; 2, Tavez Jeter (H), 5-9; 3, Ryan Byler (J), 5-6; 4, tie) Chris Gurto ©, John Nichols (G), James Sayles (C), 5-2.
n LONG JUMP — 1, Termaine McCabe (E), 20-71⁄2; 2, Jonathan Landis (J), 19-81⁄2; 3, Chris Fields (H), 19-8; 4, Nick Distelrath (C), 19-01⁄2; 5, Lionel Jordan (H), 18-9.

(through Sunday)

INDIVIDUAL BATTING
(Minimum 25 at-bats)
PLAYER SCHOOL AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Christina Hutchison Lakeside .525 40 10 21 6 3 0 13 0
Erica Villa Lakeside .488 41 13 20 0 0 0 3 11
Brittany Stevenson Geneva .462 52 16 24 3 2 0 6 23
Amanda Tennant Pymatuning Valley .458 59 16 27 6 3 1 28 1
Miranda Newsome Lakeside .452 31 7 14 2 1 1 8 5
Jenn Tennant Pymatuning Valley .446 65 25 29 6 2 4 15 1
Amanda Walsh Riverside .444 36 5 16 1 1 0 1 2
Courtney Francis Jefferson .443 61 18 27 8 1 3 12 9

(through Monday)

INDIVIDUAL BATTING

(Minimum 25 at-bats)
PLAYER SCHOOL AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Mick Mohner Harvey .561 57 13 32 5 1 0 22 3
Ryan Morford Jefferson .528 53 29 28 5 2 1 22 10
Chris Fields Harvey .500 52 13 26 9 1 2 13 6
Dustin Volanski Jefferson .500 54 16 27 9 1 3 28 1
Shawn Sprafka Madison .477 44 18 21 4 2 0 8 1
Mike Hanhauser Perry .474 57 24 27 4 1 0 12 14
Bryan Easton PV .473 55 21 26 4 0 1 19 2

With a chance to take control of its own destiny in the Premier Athletic Conference race, Lakeside fell a little short in a 6-2 loss to North on Wednesday.

Madison scored one run in each of the first four innings in dropping Chardon, 4-2, Wednesday in Premier Athletic Conference play.

SS. John and Paul didn’t quite get everything in at Garfield Park in Mentor.

BOYS TRACK
PREMIER
Chardon 107.5, Madison 29.5
at Blue Streak Memorial Stadium

THURSDAY, MAY 8
Baseball
n Jefferson at Harvey
n Edgewood at Geneva
Softball
n Edgewood at Geneva
n Jefferson at Harvey
n Conneaut at PV
n Riverside at Kenston
Tennis
n Conneaut at Jefferson
n Chardon at Lakeside
n Harvey at Edgewood
n Riverside at Madison
n Brush at Geneva

Connor McLaughlin broke a 3-3 tie with a walkoff home run as the North Kingsville Cubs slipped by the Conneaut Red Sox, 4-3, in major league play Wednesday.

NEW YORK — What did the New York Yankees expect? What would any sane person expect? Cliff Lee on the mound, so forget about mounting an offense. That has been the story of the Indians’ left-hander this season.

n ON DECK — Cleveland Indians at New York Yankees
n WHEN/WHERE — Today, 1:05 p.m., Yankee Stadium.
n TV/RADIO — STO; WFUN (AM-970).
n ON THE MOUND — Right-hander Paul Byrd (1-2, 3.74) for Cleveland; right-hander Mike Mussina (3-3, 4.73) for New York.
n TRIBE INJURIES — OF Shin-Soo Choo (left elbow), RHP Joe Borowski (right triceps), RHP Jake Westbrook (left side) on the DL.
n NOTEBOOK — Old friend Terry Pluto has done it... again. His latest, “Dealing: The Cleveland Indians’ New Ballgame — How a Smal-Market Team Reinvented Itself as a Major League Contender,” is available at bookstores everywhere. Originially published in 2006, it has been updated to include the 2007 season. Pluto’s 248-page soft-cover effort does what he does best — provide a behind-the-scenes look at the subject matter — this time, being our favorite baseball team. At $14.95, the update to include last season’s run to within one game of the World Series makes it a must-have for Wahoo backers everywhere.

CAVALIERS VS. CELTICS
Game 2
n WHERE — TD Banknorth Garden.
n WHEN — Tonight, 7.
n TV — FSN Ohio, WUAB, ESPN.
n RADIO — WFUN, WZOO, WTAM.

BOSTON — LeBron James says he won’t miss baskets like he did in the series opener between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics. Neither, James believes, will Paul Pierce or Ray Allen.

JEFFERSON — The beauty of high school athletics is its fluid nature... you never know what you are going to see.

JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP — The air has cleared in Jefferson.

Area tennis players hoping for a trip to Columbus and a spot in either the state Division I or Division II tennis tournaments will have to get the first portion of their tickets punched at next week’s sectional tournaments.

Kelly Wagner smacked three hits, including a double, and scored three runs as Grand Valley dropped Newbury, 14-3, in Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division play Tuesday.

Geneva got all the runs it really needed with a four-run rally in the first inning and did all its scoring in the first three innings Tuesday. Darius Rowan made it stand up with a three-hitter in an 8-1 victory in Northeastern Conference action against Conneaut.

In a tuneup for its big fourth-round match Division I State Team Tournament match at Shaker Heights, Geneva polished off another goal by defeating Conneaut, 5-0, to wrap up a fourth straight Northeastern Conference title.

SOFTBALL
NORTHEASTERN
Jefferson 5, Edgewood 0
at JAGS Complex

WEDNESDAY, MAY 7
Baseball
n North at Lakeside
n South at Riverside
n Ledgemont at SJP
n Chardon at Madison
Softball
n Lakeside at North
n Riverside at South
n Ledgemont at SJP
n Geneva at Richmond Hts.
n Chardon at Madison
Track
n NEC Meet at Harvey (4)
n North at Lakeside
n Chardon at Madison
Tennis
n Mentor at Lakeside
n Geneva at Shaker Heights (state team tournament)
n SJP at Riverside
n Madison at Lake Catholic

The Ashtabula Yankees tallied a six-run fourth in beating Jefferson, 12-11, Tuesday in Junior League play at Cederquist Park.

NEW YORK — It was nostalgia night Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.

NEW YORK — Victor Martinez was pulled from the Cleveland Indians’ lineup Tuesday night because of a stiff neck.

n ON DECK — Cleveland Indians at New York Yankees
n WHEN/WHERE — Today, 7:05 p.m., Progressive Field.
n TV/RADIO — STO; WFUN (AM-970).
n ON THE MOUND — Left-hander Cliff Lee (5-0, 0.96) for Cleveland; right-hander Chien-Ming Wang (6-0, 3.00) for New York.
n TRIBE INJURIES — OF Shin-Soo Choo (left elbow), RHP Joe Borowski (right triceps), RHP Jake Westbrook (left side) on the DL.
n NOTEBOOK — A battle of unbeatens is on tap tonight as Scott Francis lookalike Cliff Lee tangles matches up with Chien-Ming Wang.

BOSTON — The game couldn’t have been uglier, but it also maybe couldn’t have been more winnable for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP — Coaches, especially at the high school level, plead, prod and beg their players to take ownership... to sell out, to give their hearts to the program.

ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP —The combined hitting of Tom Dunham and the solid pitching performance of Andrew Showalter shattered the 13-game winning streak of the Jefferson Falcons on Monday as the Edgewood Warriors downed the Falcons, 7-3, in Northeastern Conference action at Higgins Field.

Geneva’s Darius Rowan had quite a week last week, throwing his first no-hitter at the high school level in an 11-0 non-conference victory on Thursday at Grand Valley.

Stephen Robison doubled three times and drove in a pair of runs to lead SS. John and Paul to an 8-4 non-conference victory at Grand River Academy. Jake Phelps scored three runs, had two hits and walked twice for the Heralds.

The softball race in the Premier Athletic Conference remained tightly packed, with Lakeside, North and South remaining tied with one loss each after victories Monday.

When Lakeside goes back to Brush next week for the Division I sectionals, the Dragons will be hoping for the same success on those courts as they had Monday when they beat the Arcs, 4-1.

SOFTBALL
NORTHEASTERN
Edgewood 6, Jefferson 0
at Edgewood

TUESDAY, MAY 6
Baseball
n Edgewood at Jefferson (4, WFUN)
n Conneaut at Geneva
n Kenston at Perry
Softball
n Edgewood at Jefferson
n Conneaut at Geneva
n Badger at PV
n Perry at Kenston
n Grand Valley at Newbury
Track
n Aurora, West Geauga at Perry
n SJP at Laurel
Tennis
n Conneaut at Geneva
n North at Lakeside
n South at Riverside
n Madison at Chardon
n Jefferson at Edgewood

Taylor Diemer and Amy Pitcher engaged in quite a pitching duel Monday in major division softball action, with Diemer and her Ashtabula Red Sox teammates prevailing over Pitcher’s Geneva Eagles, 1-0, in eight innings.

INDEPENDENCE — It was less than a week ago when Wally’s world was somewhere between a heave-ho wave and the bottom of a fan’s beer in the nose-bleed seats at Quicken Loans Arena.

INDEPENDENCE — Everything clicked for one night in Washington D.C.
The offense flowed. The defense locked down. The Cavaliers looked like a team poised for a run to the NBA Finals when they closed out the Wizards last Friday in Game 6 of the first round.

CLEVELAND — Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro emphasized Monday that one roster move won’t cure all of his team’s ills.
But it’s a start.

n ON DECK — Cleveland Indians at New York Yankees
n WHEN/WHERE — Today, 7:05 p.m., Progressive Field.
n TV/RADIO — Ch. 3; WFUN (AM-970).
n ON THE MOUND — Right-hander Fausto Carmona (3-1, 2.60) for Cleveland; left-hander Andy Pettitte (3-3, 3.93) for New York.
n TRIBE INJURIES — OF Shin-Soo Choo (left elbow), RHP Joe Borowski (right triceps), RHP Jake Westbrook (left side) on the DL.
n NOTEBOOK — Well, it can’t get much worse — offensively — right?

n SCHEDULE — Today, 7:05 p.m.; Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.; Thursday, 1:05 p.m.
n TV/RADIO — SportsTime Ohio (Wednesday and Thursday), WKYC-TV, Ch. 3 (today); WFUN all three games, WMMS (today), WTAM (Wednesday and Thursday).

JEFFERSON — Katie McMellen’s most excellent senior year improved exponentially Sunday night.

JEFFERSON — As the Ashtabula County Women’s Scholar-Athlete Association has developed a tradition as an institution, some of the connections to its past are beginning to roll back around.

Raymond Holmes knows what it takes to be successful, both in the classroom and in the athletic arena.

Though it would not be officially finished, the 2008 Northeastern Conferenc title chase could very well be decided today at Edgewood.

MONDAY, MAY 5
Baseball
n Jefferson at Edgewood
n Geneva at Conneaut
n Lakeside at Madison
n Riverside at North
n SJP at GRA
n Perry at Kenston
Softball
n Jefferson at Edgewood
n Geneva at Conneaut
n PV at Harvey
n Madison at Lakeside
n North at Riverside
n Kenston at Perry
n Newbury at Grand Valley
Tennis
n Harvey at SJP
n Riverside at GRA

If you’re looking for a worthy cause to support, enjoy bowling and are just looking for a way to have some fun, the folks at Lake Shore Lanes have the answer.

CLEVELAND — Sunday was Kids Fun Day at Progressive Field, the time children are invited to run the bases after a home game.

CLEVELAND — Aaron Laffey tried not to devote too much mental energy to determining who would water the plants at his apartment in Buffalo.

n ON DECK — Cleveland Indians at New York Yankees
n WHEN/WHERE — Tuesday, 7:05 p.m., Progressive Field.
n TV/RADIO — Ch. 3; WFUN (AM-970).
n ON THE MOUND — Right-hander Fausto Carmona (3-1, 2.60) for Cleveland; left-hander Andy Pettitte (3-3, 3.93) for New York.
n TRIBE INJURIES — OF Shin-Soo Choo (left elbow), RHP Joe Borowski (right triceps), RHP Jake Westbrook (left side) on the DL.
n NOTEBOOK — Mr. Derek Shelton, (lack of) hitting coach, Mr. Mark Shapiro would like to see you in his office. Please bring your playbook.

COLUMBUS — You’d think after the conclusion of their fine recruiting season was topped off by landing the biggest prize of all in Pennsylvania quarterback Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel and his right-hand man, offensive coordinator Jim Bollman, would be the happiest coaches in the whole USA.

One week and a day ago, John Cooper walked out of his house to pick up his morning paper and check his mail.

Led by the fleet feet of sprinter Brandon Barrett and fine performances from its distance runners and field-events performers, the Pymatuning Valley boys track team finished second Saturday at the Lakeview Invitational.

Will a girl from SS. John and Paul High School make a breakthrough this year? Will the candidate from Edgewood High School pull off a three-peat?

Alliance pushed across a run in the home half of the seventh for a 5-4 win to complete a doubleheader sweep of Pymatuning Valley on Saturday.

BASEBALL
NON-CONFERENCE
Alliance 6, PV 0
at Alliance

Ohio hunters killed 10,374 wild turkeys in the first seven days of the spring hunting season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Last year, 9,114 birds were harvested during the season’s first week.

DANIEL KRAUS / Star Beacon
Wes and Brittany Cleveland wait for a break in the weather at the Kingsville Area Little League opening-day ceremonies on Saturday.

If the Cavaliers learned a lesson from losing the fifth game of their first-round playoff series against Washington, they learned it well.

CLEVELAND — Time after time, the Indians’ starting pitchers deny that there is any extra pressure placed on them when they don’t get offensive support. However, it’s a bit much to ask them to carry the team when the offense isn’t scoring.

CLEVELAND — Cliff Lee has turned the page on 2007. Now, he just wishes everyone else would.

n ON DECK — Kansas City Royals at Cleveland Indians
n WHEN/WHERE — Today, 1:05 p.m., Progressive Field.
n TV/RADIO — Ch. 3; WFUN (AM-970).
n ON THE MOUND — Right-hander Gil Meche (1-4,7.22) for Kansas City; left-hander Aaron Laffey (0-1, 6.35) for Cleveland.
n TRIBE INJURIES — OF Shin-Soo Choo (left elbow), RHP Joe Borowski (right triceps), RHP Jake Westbrook (left side) on the DL.
n NOTEBOOK — Aaron Laffey makes his second start of the 2008 campaign today for the Wahoos.

Here they go again. The Cincinnati Reds extended their amazing run of controversy and ineptitude last week when general manager Wayne Krivsky was fired after two years and two months on the job, just 21 games into the 2008 season.

ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY...

May 4

Boston-Atlanta aside, the first round of the playoffs are a wrap, and the second round began Saturday with a series in each conference.
Here’s one view on the biggest surprises, disappointments and stars of the first round:

Depending on your age, you can relate to certain duos, comprehending how unbalanced one is without the other.

Liz Wilson hasn’t been gracing area ballfields and basketball and volleyball courts forever... it just seems that way.

“If she was 25, she’d have a NASCAR team sponsoring her.” So says Steve Green of Massillon-based Steve Green Legacy Racing of Geneva’s Cora Arkkelin.

The Premier Athletic Conference has picked up a seventh member, but the entry area fans might have expected was not that school.

BOYS TRACK
LAKESIDE INVITATIONAL
Lakeside 161, Kent Roosevelt 146,
Gilmour Academy 127
at Lakeside Stadium

SATURDAY, MAY 3
Baseball
n Berkshire at Edgewood (9, DH)
n Perry at Harvey (11)
n Geneva at Riverside (11)
n SJP at Ledgemont (10)
n GRA at PV (10)
Softball
n Lakeside, Berkshire at Edgewood (9, Berkshire-Edgewood, 10:30 Berkshire-Lakeside, noon Edgewood-Lakeside))
n SJP at Ledgemont (10)
n PV at Newbury (11, DH)
n Perry at Beaumont (11)
Track
n PV, Geneva, Jefferson at Lakeview Inv. (9:30)
n Madison at Mentor Invitational

WASHINGTON — LeBron James had the last word.

CLEVELAND — Indians hitting coach Derek Shelton didn’t mind getting a break when Cleveland’s scheduled game against the Kansas City Royals on Friday night was postponed by rain.

CLEVELAND — If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
And, if necessary, again and again.

n ON DECK — Kansas City Royals at Cleveland Indians
n WHEN/WHERE — Today, 7:05 p.m., Progressive Field.
n TV/RADIO — STO; WFUN (AM-970).
n ON THE MOUND — Right-hander Luke Hochevar (1-1, 5.91) for Kansas City; left-hander C.C. Sabathia (1-4, 7.88) for Cleveland.
n TRIBE INJURIES — OF Shin-Soo Choo (left elbow), RHP Joe Borowski (right triceps), RHP Jake Westbrook (left side) on the DL.
n NOTEBOOK — The C.C. Express appears to be back on track.

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Gladiators did what no other team has been able to do in 2008, defeating the Philadelphia Soul, 67-55, in front of 13,721 fans at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday night.

BEREA — As the longshots and dreamers tried out behind him at rookie minicamp Friday, Phil Savage thought back to his New Year’s Eve nightmare.

BEREA — Is there a saying about what happens in Cleveland?

CONNEAUT —When a boy is young and he’s working with his father in the yard trimming the trees, the cautionary word to all is don’t go near the chainsaw.

CONNEAUT — The long and winding road back into action finally came to an end for Zak Blair on Thursday night.

CONNEAUT — Jefferson softball coach Paul Bodnar doesn’t want his hitters watching good pitches go by. The Falcons got the hint Thursday in dropping Conneaut, 10-3, in Northeastern Conference action at Skippon Park.

Meagan Brookes blasted a three-run homer over the fence in left-center as Geneva dropped Kenston, 10-3, Thursday in non-conference play.

Geneva baseball coach Justin Cafaro said pitcher Darius Rowan has shown instances of what he can do on the mound at various points of the season, but the Eagle senior really pulled it all together Thursday in throwing a no-hitter for an 11-0 non-conference victory over Grand Valley in a game that lasted just six innings.

Conneaut continued its recent run of success on the tennis courts Thursday with a 4-1 victory over Northeastern Conference rival Edgewood.

SOFTBALL
NORTHEASTERN
Jefferson 10, Conneaut 3
at Skippon Park

A new entry had arrived on the scene in area track circles.

FRIDAY, MAY 2
Baseball
n South at Lakeside
n Chardon at Riverside
n Badger at PV
n North at Madison
Softball
n Lakeside at South
n Riverside at Chardon
n Badger at PV
n Madison at North
n Grand Valley at Cornerstone Christian
Track
n Madison, SJP at Lakeside Inv.
n Perry at Harvey Inv.
Tennis
n Chardon at Lakeside

East Ashtabula Club (4-1) downed Willoughby Hills Warriors, 7-1, Thursday night at Cederquist Park.

CLEVELAND — From what seemed like the pit of despair — at least to the home fans — the Indians pulled out a dramatic 3-2, 11-inning victory on Thursday to take the rubber game of their series with Seattle.

CLEVELAND — Travis Hafner knows what he’s been working on to break out of his slump.
But, if he told you, he’d have to kill you.
“It’s top secret,” Cleveland’s designated hitter said.

n ON DECK — Kansas City Royals at Cleveland Indians
n WHEN/WHERE — Today, 7:05 p.m., Progressive Field.
n TV/RADIO — STO; WFUN (AM-970).
n ON THE MOUND — Right-hander Luke Hochevar (1-1, 5.91) for Kansas City; left-hander C.C. Sabathia (1-4, 7.88) for Cleveland.
n TRIBE INJURIES — OF Shin-Soo Choo (left elbow), RHP Joe Borowski (right triceps), RHP Jake Westbrook (left side) on the DL.
n NOTEBOOK — The C.C. Express appears to be back on track.

n SCHEDULE — Today, 7:05 p.m.; Saturday, 7:05 p.m.;
Sunday, 1:05 p.m.
n TV/RADIO — SportsTime Ohio (today and Saturday), Ch. 3 (Sunday); WFUN, WTAM (Saturday and Sunday), WMMS.

CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers lost Game 5 of their playoff series against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night because they abandoned their offense.
Heck with abandon.

INDEPENDENCE — Frustration and disappointment belonged to the Cavaliers Wednesday night after the game that got away.

INDEPENDENCE — Everyone knew LeBron James could win a playoff series virtually by himself. He proved as much several times before already in the postseason.

n Are you happy with the trades and the way the draft worked out for the Browns?

n Does the slow start of the Indians mean changes should be made and, if so, what?

n How far can the Cavaliers go in the playoffs?