subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Tue, Nov 10 2009 

Resources

print this story   Print this story
  Post to del.icio.us

Photos


MIKE BELL was one of the best players on one of the best teams in Pymatuning Valley history — the 10-0 squad of 1985.
File / Star Beacon


Published November 29, 2008 12:47 am - MENTOR -- Mike Bell is accustomed to being in a situation where great expectations constantly surround him.

Bell rang true at PV
Former Laker great has gone on to success as coach at Lake Catholic

KARL PEARSON
Star Beacon

MENTOR -- Mike Bell is accustomed to being in a situation where great expectations constantly surround him.

As the head football coach at Lake Catholic, Bell’s Cougars are almost always counted upon to achieve great things, not just on the Division III, Region 9 level, but often on a statewide basis. In his seven seasons as the head coach, after three highly successful seasons as the defensive coordinator, including one state championship unit, Bell knows what it’s like to have big things expected of his team.

But, in spite of all the things his teams have accomplished during his tenure and a Division III state championship they claimed in 2001 while he was the defensive coordinator, the Cougars have never achieved something under Bell’s tutelage that he was a part of as a high school player at Pymatuning Valley High School. For, as an offensive lineman for Ken Parise’s first team as Laker head coach, Bell helped PV produce the school’s only 10-0 football season in 1985.

“It’s kind of nice to be able to say I was part of an undefeated team,” Bell said. “It’s something no one can ever take away from us.”

He has chosen not to share that accomplishment with his Lake Catholic players.

“They have their own great accomplishments and great traditions here,” Bell said. “I don’t think they need to hear about mine.”

That has not diminished the sense of pride he shares in the achievements of he and his Laker teammates. In fact, there is at least a part of Bell that feels that team did something only those who have gone undefeated can truly appreciate. Lake Catholic has recorded four undefeated seasons since it began playing football in 1970, but none during Bell’s time with the Cougars.

“Going 10-0 is more difficult than going to state,” Bell said. “Maintaining that level of intensity for 10 games is so difficult.

“There’s nothing that lessens the pride and joy of that season. It’s fact, not fiction. I think everybody remembers that season. When we got together in 2005 for the reunion they had for that team, I hadn’t seen a lot of those guys in years. Just to see them again was so special. It brought all the memories back.”

Much has happened on the gridiron for Bell since that glorious season. For his achievement during his high school career and in the years since, Bell is Pymatuning Valley’s 2008 inductee into the Ashtabula County Football Hall of Fame, which will take place Dec. 8 at the Ashtabula County Touchdown Club’s annual awards banquet.

“This certainly is an honor,” Bell said. “There are a lot of great people that are already in that group. I’m honored to be one of them.”

At 40, he will be the second-youngest member of the Hall of Fame, trailing only fellow 2008 inductee Mick Shoaf of Grand Valley, with whom he spent time as an

assistant coach at Maple Heights. He will also be joining his old teammate, tight end John Bleshoy, in the Hall of Fame. Bleshoy, who now resides in the Atlanta, Ga. area, was inducted last year.

They may not have realized it at the time, but a couple of his old high school coaches have come to realize Bell had the complete makeup to be a head football coach. Brian Cross was PV’s head coach for Bell’s first three high school seasons, while current Conneaut coach Ken Parise headed up the Lakers during that special 1985 football season.



print this story    email this story   






autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide

PREMIUM JOBS

REGISTERED NURSE - FULL TIME
Nursing

You can have it all.
Life balance. Competitive
salary. Bar-setting benefits.
 
...>MORE

THERAPIST
Part time Therapists to work with psychologist in area nursing homes. Call 1(330)524-3070...>MORE

CASHIER
Mature Male or Female for service station. Cashier weekends & evenings. Corner of State Rd. & S. Ridge E. No phone calls...>MORE

CHEMICAL OPERATORS

Solid computer exp/Physically fit
Excellent wage/benefts
Interviewing/testing now!
INFINITY RESOURC
...>MORE

Budget Analyst
Ashtabula County
Board of Commissioners

Ashtabula County is seeking qualified applicants for the positi
...>MORE

House for Rent Geneva
2-3BR eat-in kitchen, laundry room, att. garage, large lot, close to school & shopping $585/mo+1st+sec. (440)466-9589...>MORE

FACTORY
Assembly & Press Operators
For Girard, PA.
Plastics Manufacturer
15 openings. (814)833-6722
...>MORE

NURSES
We are looking for
STNA’s and LPN’s.
All shifts are available.
Call (440)951-8899
or apply onlin
...>MORE

STNA's
The Ashtabula County Nursing & Rehabilitation Center is now accepting applications for the following positions.
Pl
...>MORE

Positions Available
Openings with the Ashtabula County Board of
Developmental Disabilities
for the following positions:

...>MORE

See all ads

PREMIUM AUTOS

2000 Toyota Avalon
V6, 4dr, LX, loaded, leather, sunroof 119,000 5800 obo. (440)2241273...>MORE

TIRES!!
Tires: 6 new 8 R 19.5 tires on GM Rims $75 ea. Also over 150 good used tires 13, 14, 15 & 16 $15 and up. 998-0462/ 319-0...>MORE

1996 Ford F250 XLT
4x4, 5.8L, 50,000 miles. Asking $6000. (440)466-6778...>MORE

Truck for Sale
1985 Ford F150 4x4, Runs good, looks good, $1,500. 440-593-1721...>MORE

Mercury
‘03 Sable LS, FLA. car, 69K, leather, $7200. 992-3427 5p-9p...>MORE

1999 Chevrolet Conversion Van
106k, nice shape $4500 obo. (440)951-9705...>MORE

2000 Dodge Dakota
6cyl. 5spd manual transmission, high mileage, runs good $1200. (440)466-5067 after 7pm. ...>MORE

See all ads

PREMIUM HOMES

Mobile Home for Sale
1967 Globemaster 14x70
decent condition $1,000, new furnace
440-466-7885
...>MORE

APPRAISALS - INSPECTIONS
INDEPENDENT Real Estate
Appraisals -Home Inspections-Bankrupt-Divorce - 466-9236
...>MORE

Kingsville Home for Sale
3-4BR/2ba Home for Sale;
2.25 ac., 2.5 car gar., 2bay carport,
shed, $85,000; Will consider land contract....>MORE

Mobile Home for Sale
Nice 2BR N.Kings park, $4750 obo or RTO. 440-593-4512...>MORE

FALL CLEARANCE SALE!!!
4 used Mobile Homes
Financing avail. (440)466-8555
...>MORE

FALL CLEARANCE SALE!!!
4 used Mobile Homes
Financing avail. (440)466-8555
...>MORE

House for Rent
Saybrook 2 & 3BR mobiles $550 & $440+sec. dep. 998-1190...>MORE

OWNER FINANCING
Ashtabula 2BR, 1BA, C/A, vinyl siding, new roof, carpet, plumbing & paint $30,000. 10% down & $324.05/mo. 5312 Madison A...>MORE

MOBILE HOMES FOR SALE
Oakwood MHP East Side Ash. 2BR/1BA & 1BR/1BA Rent to Own available. Newer Homes. Call Stacy 440-812-2404...>MORE

Mobile Home for Sale
Must sell 2BR 1BA mobile home located in nice park $6000 obo.
FMI Call (440)998-4762
...>MORE

See all ads

PREMIUM EXTRAS

WANTED:
3BR House for Land Contract or Rent to Own for $600/mo.
Need 2 car attached garage with one or more acres. (440)813
...>MORE

MACHINERY & TOOLS
SAFES- Large & small, Forklifts, extra forks, Pallet Jacks, air compressors, (1-20HP), complete torch sets, welding gass...>MORE

Misc for Sale
(1) P215-75R-14 tire; (4) P175-80R-13 tires, like new.; Compound bow (Bear Whitetail Hunter); 3 womens bikes & 1 mens bi...>MORE

Childcare
Loving Childcare in my Jefferson home, (near Rt.11)
Call Roxanne Prine 440-576-8114
...>MORE

Cemetery Lots
Greenlawn 3 spaces SOM section 2 $500 each. 1 burial vault $700 each. 1 - 28x16 granite base installed $280. Please cal...>MORE

"WE NEED LAND!"
Paying top prices for farms or acreage in OH, W. Virginia and PA. Call Bruner Land Co. at (740) 685-8138....>MORE

BUYING JUNK VEHICLES
WE PAY SCRAP OR BETTER
Budget Auto Parts,
6015 Woodman Ave. 992-1111
...>MORE

Wanted To Buy!
Immediate Cash for unwanted items.
Call for details 440-319-4274
...>MORE

FIREWOOD
Seasoned firewood, cut & split. $50 a pick up load. No deliveries. Details (440)344-7664/ 645-7215...>MORE

See all ads

PREMIUM RENTALS

CONNEAUT APT. FOR RENT
2BRs, Mill St. $400-$450/mo SD Special 994-9185...>MORE

Geneva House
Geneva 2BR/1BA $450 +utils & dep No pets 440-415-0626...>MORE

Geneva on the Lake Apartment
GOTL near to Twp Park 1 & 2 BR, util. pd, sec. no pets. 466-3332...>MORE

Geneva Apartments for Rent
Geneva . 2BR duplex up $425. Geneva 1BR $325. 474-4348...>MORE

Jefferson Duplex for Rent
2BR/1ba ranch duplex, appls incl.
Jeff. 576-9401 or (440)812-5245
...>MORE

PLEASANT VIEW ESTATES, CONNEAUT
1BR suite Maple Ave, Conn, nicely decor, priv patio, quiet area near hospital, on site laundry, spacious parking, stove/...>MORE

House for Rent
Small 2BR eastside $500/mo.
Swr/trash inc. No pets. 997-4025
...>MORE

Unfurnished Apartments
Two bdrm 1st flr apt. $525/mo incl ALL UTILITIES,
quiet park setting - NO DOGS. 440-466-7885.
...>MORE

GOTL Apartments for Rent
GOTL Furnished 3BR
Spectacular Lake View;
Also 2BR avail. Exceptionally clean. A must see. Util. incl. 440-4
...>MORE

Kingsville Apartment
1BR up Kings; newly remod. VERY NICE! No pets. Deck/cable/ AC/gas/elec/wtr/ trsh/stove/refrig all incl. $500+sec 440-224...>MORE

See all ads



 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index