COLUMBUS (AP) — What’s brewing today with the 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes ...
n BUCKEYES BUZZ — It would be easy to look at Saturday’s narrow 26-14 win over Ohio and say that the Buckeyes were hurt by the foot injury that sidelined star TB Chris “Beanie” Wells. After all, he averaged 21 carries for 124 yards a game last season.
A closer look may shoot that theory down.
Dan “Boom” Herron (12 carries, 50 yards), Maurice Wells (9 for 48) and Brandon Saine (5 for 15) combined for 113 yards on 26 carries, not too far off Wells’ numbers.
Coach Jim Tressel declined to use Wells’ absence as an excuse, although he did say that the Buckeyes missed him.
“You love to have all your guys,” Tressel said. “You like to have the guys in the huddle that can have that presence and create that energy. But sometimes you don’t and you’ve got to be just as good (as) when you don’t. But, of course, we would have loved to have him.”
Ohio State said after the game that Wells would not be permitted to speak with reporters. So his status — for Saturday’s game at USC, and beyond — is still in doubt.
n TROUBLING NUMBERS — Many people believe Ohio State has one of the deepest and most talented receiving corps in the country. Maybe so. But if that’s the case, why was it that the Buckeyes never seemed to get any separation in the secondary, even which QB Todd Boeckman was given time by the line?
Only one receiver — tight end Jake Ballard — had a reception that gained more than 12 yards. Ballard’s went for 25 yards.
Boeckman couldn’t find anyone open deep. And when he did complete a pass to a receiver, the receiver never picked up many yards after the catch.
It’s hard to extrapolate what things will be like against USC’s superior athletes in the secondary when Ohio State gained just 110 yards off 28 passes and 16 completions.
n QUOTABLE — Boeckman, on the Buckeyes’ sloppy play: “We need to learn from our mistakes right now if we’re going to do well in the (Los Angeles Memorial) Coliseum.”
Sports
Related Photos
Discussion
Buckeye Periscope:
- Sports
-
-
Scholastic Schedule:
SATURDAY, FEB. 4
Boys Basketball
n Conneaut at NDCL
n Lincoln-West at Grand River Academy (5) -
Lakers make it four in a row
Amid a sea of pink and a blaze of red all over the court defensively, the Pymatuning Valley Lakers accomplished something many thought they couldn’t at the beginning of the season: Win the Northeastern Athletic Conference championship.
-
Scholastic Schedule:
FRIDAY, FEB. 3
Boys Basketball
n Jefferson at Lakeview
n US at Geneva
n Lakeside at Riverside
n PV at Badger
n Mathews at Grand Valley
n Madison at North
n Andrews at Edgewood
n Perry at Chagrin Falls
n Lake Ridge Academy at Grand River Academy -
An appreciation for the past
In 1958, a mere 54 years ago, the Grand Valley High School and Ashtabula County boys basketball career scoring record belonged to Jim Dodd. The ACBF hall of famer scored 1,377 points in his career as a leading post player for the Mustangs.
-
ALL-TIME ASHTABULA COUNTY BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING LEADERS:
- RK. PLAYER SCHOOL YEARS POINTS
- 1. A.J. HENSON GRAND VALLEY ’09-'12 1,531
- 2. Matt Zappitelli Conneaut ’85-’88 1,454
- 3. Steve Savel Pymatuning Valley ’05-’08 1,440
- 4. Jim Dodd Grand Valley ’55-’58 1,377
- 5. Adam Schumann Edgewood ’99-’02 1,341
- 6. Frank Zeman Deming ’52-’54 1,338
- 7. Sean Freeman Pymatuning Valley ’87-’90 1,301
- 8. Corey Shontz Pymatuning Valley ’05-’08 1,292
- 9. Fred Scruggs Harbor ’86-’89 1,248
- 10. Randy Linsted Pymatuning Valley ’73-’76 1,223
- 11. Emilio Parks Lakeside ’08-’10 1,221
- 12. Jemal Harris Harbor ’90-’93 1,214
- 13. Chuck Naso Jefferson ’54-’56 1,210
-
Geneva doesn’t miss a beat
A team that knocks down half of its shots and takes care of the basketball is awfully difficult to beat. For a half, that’s exactly the kind of team Geneva was in downing Premier Athletic Conference rival Lakeside, 50-32, Wednesday night at Lakeside Gymnasium.
-
Abbie answers call
When the game is on the line — no pun intended — it’s nice to have the ball in the hands of the area’s leading free-throw shooter.
-
Maplewood too much for GV
The Maplewood girls basketball team has been a traditional power in northern Trumbull County while Grand Valley has struggled in recent seasons.
-
Scholastic Statistics:
GIRLS BASKETBALL
PREMIER
Geneva 50, Lakeside 32
at Lakeside Gymnasium -
Area High School Boys Basketball Statistical Leaders:
INDIVIDUAL
POINTS PER GAME
1. Harry Story Lakeside 26.1
2. Cody Blizzard Lakeside 22.4
3. A.J. Henson Grand Valley 19.7
4. Tim Cross PV 17.7
5. Stephon Ortiz Madison 17.2
5. Quintin Ratliff PV 17.2
7. Mitchell Lake Grand Valley 16.3 - More Sports Headlines
-
