The Cloverleaf softball team is in Florida this week at the Disney Wide World of Sports complex. The Colts play six games against teams from New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin.
MACEDONIA, Ohio – Former Nordonia head football coach Al Huge is showing a lot of class.
Having been released from his position directing the Knights’ program, and with 60-some applicants clamoring to be the new head coach, Huge remains front and center.
That speaks volumes about the character of the man.
“We needed to move in a new direction,” Nordonia athletic director Rob Eckenrode said. “I have a great deal of respect for Al and everything he’s done here at Nordonia.”
Donning a sharp green and black sweatshirt, with NORDONIA KNIGHTS splashed across the chest, Huge was in the lobby, wishing Happy New Year and shaking hands last Friday when the Knights hosted Green in a key Suburban League boys basketball game.
Most ex-head coaches in Huge’s position would be hiding.
The defensive coordinator when Nordonia advanced to the Division II state championship football game in 2002, Huge gave it his all and it just didn’t work out.
Expected to be retained on the new coaching staff, he is moving on and there are no hard feelings – some disappointment, naturally – but he is teaching the students at Nordonia a greater lesson now than he might even realize.
In the meantime, Eckenrode’s search continues.
“We’re down to six candidates,” he said. “We started with 60 applicants. We’ve conducted first-round interviews already and the six are coming back for a second round. And the six are so good, I could see any one of them as our head coach.”
The Knights were 7-4 in Huge’s first season in 2008, but slipped to 2-8 in each of the next three years.
Touchdown Club of Greater Akron
Plenty of athletes and coaches from the Suburban League were recognized Monday at the 70th annual Touchdown Club of Greater Akron Fall Sports Banquet of Champions.
The awards dinner sought to honor 213 athletes representing 43 high schools in Summit, Portage and Medina counties.
From the Suburban League, 46 athletes, including four Athlete-of-the-Year honorees, and five Coach-of-the-Year winners were honored Jan. 9 at Guy’s Party Centre.
The SL had 16 soccer players, 15 football players, six volleyball players, five golfers and four cross country runners dotting the honor roll.
Athletes of the Year in their respective sports included: Copley's Nick Pupino (boys cross country), Highland's Jessica Porvasnick (girls golf), Revere's Colin Romisher (boys soccer) and Wadsworth’s Jack Snowball (football).
Coaches of the Year in their respective sports included: Copley's David Antal (boys soccer), Highland’s Mary Becker (girls golf), Green’s Sue Ciccolini (girls tennis), Wadsworth's Greg Dennison (football) and Wadsworth’s Paul Williford (girls soccer).
The Grizzlies had 11 athletes invited to the annual banquet, followed by Highland (9), Copley (7), Revere (7) and Tallmadge (6).
Grapplers
Wadsworth’s wrestling team, coming off a fourth-place showing at the Division I State Duals, appears destined to win its 20th straight Suburban League championship.
The Grizzlies are 4-0 in SL dual meets and travel to Nordonia on Jan. 19 but will wrestle Copley and Green. The following week, the Knights, also 4-0 in the SL as of this writing, are in Wadsworth for the Grizzlies’ Senior Night.
Copley topped host Woodridge and six other schools to win the Stammen Memorial Wrestling Tournament last Saturday. Five Indians won their individual weight class championships: Zach Walker (138), Matt Nedolast (145), Justin Hastings (160), Isaiah Wheeler (182) and Gabe Dorsey (195).
Super-sized
How big is the 8th annual Northeast Classic swimming meet this weekend?
Answer: So big that it doesn’t fit into one natatorium.
Boys and girls teams from Copley, Green, Nordonia, Revere and Wadsworth are among Northeast District teams competing in prelims at the University of Akron’s Ocasek Natatorium on Saturday morning.
The Ocasek prelims also include swimmers from the Northwest District.
Swimmers advancing to the finals will swim at C.T. Branin Natatorium that night.
The Canton prelims will include swimmers from Stark County, and the Southeast, Southwest and Central districts of Ohio.