Several months from now, high school football teams from across Ohio will square off in state champi- onship games. It takes a lot of talent, hard work, and sometimes, a little luck to get there. Getting there is the goal of every team this time of year. Of course, some know they have a better chance than others of making a championship run, but they all want to be the last team standing. With that thought in mind, we are proud to bring you another season of Forecast Magazine, highlight- ing local high school athletes. Inside, you’ll find in-depth analysis, a host of features and schedules you can use all season long. Once again, you’ll hear the games on AM 930 WEOL and www.weol.com. Plus, look for the inside scoop on the Ohio State University Buckeyes and the Cleveland Browns. And remember…your home for OSU football and basketball is AM 930 WEOL! We are proud to cover and support our local teams and appreciate the assistance of high school athletic directors, coaches and staffs who help us with our outstanding broadcast schedule. And we thank our terrific sponsors who make the games and this magazine possible. Friday night lights? You bet! Craig R. Adams Operations Manager/News Director WEOL AM 930 Fall 2016 Forecast Magazine 1 Medina County High School Football Preview.........pg. 3 WEOL FORECAST MAGAZINE Ohio State Football Preview......................................pg. 10 FALL 2016 PREVIEW A Publication of AM930 WEOL Cleveland Browns Preview........................................pg. 15 Volume 3 FOOTBALL SCHEDULES Station Manager Tim Alcorn Tri-C Medina County Match-Ups...............................pg. 5 Editor Area High Schools........................................................pg. 6 Matt Douglass Ohio State Buckeyes ..................................................pg. 11 Feature Editors Brad Bournival Ohio Colleges..............................................................pg. 12 Rob Polinsky Cleveland Browns ......................................................pg. 15 ABOUT THE COVER In his senior season Trevor Thome helped lead the Buckeye Bucks to their third consecutive Patriot Athletic Conference Stars Division title and a perfect 10-0 regular season record. While it was always a “Team first” mentality for the downhill running back, Thome amassed 978 rushing yards, 444 receiving yards and set school record with 29 touchdowns and 176 points. Along with being named the Medina Gazette MVP, the York Township native was named Division III All-Ohio Second- Team. In the 2016-2017 season, Thome will look to carry the ball with the same gusto at NCAA D-III Mount Union. 2 Fall 2016 Forecast Magazine 2016 Medina County high school football preview Ron Schwane Highland Hornets take the field. By: Brad Bournival time career leader and a Everyone knows Black River leaned on heavily as Beal con- As camp breaks for the 2016 three-time Patriot Athletic goes as its line goes and tinues to reshape Brunswick’s high school football season, Conference champion (2010, guard/linebacker Curtis look. Medina County coaches will 2011, 2013). Roupe (6-2, 250) is returning. Gillespie led the Blue Devils learn quickly what they have But 4-6 doesn’t cut it in Sul- In 2015, he made 76 tackles in rushing when the then- in their teams. livan Township. That said, he and helped the Pirates rush junior rushed for 751 yards From Black River, which has a ton of talent back and is for 233.0 yards a game. and three touchdowns, while started out 2015 with three looking to climb the moun- Brunswick Martin, also a senior, had 700 wins in its first four games, tain once again. The 2015 campaign wasn’t combined yards from scrim- but fell to the wayside, to Junior fullback/linebacker nice to a Blue Devils team mage. Wadsworth, who has replaced Jacob Campbell (6-foot, 190) returning no starters. It led to Smerekovsky was one off longstanding coach Greg is back and looking to a 3-7 season, but Brunswick the county lead in pass Dennison with Justin Todd, improve on a 785-yard, 13- picked up some needed expe- breakups with 10. The senior there are storylines every- touchdown season from a rience. will be relied on to help in the where. year ago. He’s not the only Coach Luke Beal is back secondary in a Greater Cleve- Last year, Buckeye and one with a resume as 6-2, 250- and looking to return his land Conference league Highland reached the play- pound senior starter Mike squad to the playoffs after a known for passing. offs, but lost in the first Hazlett is back at quarter- one-year hiatus. round. back. Fullback/linebacker Alex Buckeye Here’s a look at the seven Last season, the Pirates put Gillespie (6-0, 230), Running The Bucks came close to area schools: a little bit of air under the ball back/defensive back Jake winning their first playoff Black River as Hazlett threw for 677 yards Martin (6-1 185) and running game in school history, but With 173 career wins, Al and six touchdowns in the back/defensive back Nolan lost 35-28 in triple overtime to Young is Medina County’s all- wing-T offense. Smerekovsky (5-9, 170) will be See PREVIEW, page 4 Fall 2016 Forecast Magazine 3 He has a weapon in senior PREVIEW wide receiver/cornerback From page 3 Nick Soika (5-11, 175), who had 34 receptions for 429 West Geauga. yards last year. Junior middle This season is a different linebacker Cory Stallings (5-9, animal as Gazette MVP Trevor 175), who took over as a Thome and Gazette Senior starter in week four should Athlete of the Year Nate Poli- help defensively. He made 62 dori have graduated from a tackles and had eight tackles team that ran the table in the for loss as a sophomore. regular season to win the PAC Junior guard/defensive end Stars Division. Deric Tober (6-2, 215) brings Two-way senior lineman athleticism and is a hard- Hunter Gray (6-1, 240) is back nosed defensive end, return- and needs to be the glue for ing 24 tackles and a sack from an offense missing most of its last season. key starters from 2015. Highland Senior linebacker Dustin Mike Gibbons was sup- McCoullough (5-9, 195) posed to struggle with the returns and his 79 tackles will shadow of Tom Lombardo last be key to stopping the run- season. happy Stars Division. The first-year coach The biggest question comes answered all questions by in how fast junior quarterback leading the Hornets to a 6-5 Adam Fauver can learn the season and Division III, offense and step into the Region 4 playoff appearance. shoes of Polidori, who was Defense will be the name of key in the Bucks offense last the game this season for year. Highland with some big Cloverleaf names back. The Portage Trail Confer- Senior defensive back Chris ence was supposed to bring Burnside (5-10, 195) was sec- the re-emergence of the Colts, ond on the squad with 75 but they struggled to a 1-9 tackles and had five sacks last mark under first-year coach season, while his senior coun- Photo provided Justin Vorhies. terpart Chris Petrilla (5-11, Wadsworth defense. But it’s a year later and 185) was third on the team Vorhies is ready to turn the with 70 tackles. Two-way linemen Joey Dylan Fultz (510, 175) returns page. D’Amico (5-10, 280) is back as a corner/slot receiver. and looking to improve on an Fultz had over 1,000 yards All-Suburban League cam- of total offense last season paign when he was a sopho- and scored eight touchdowns. more. Wadsworth Medina The question becomes how The Bees showed tremen- will the Grizzlies replace 2014 dous improvement last year first-team All-Ohio back Dan with a 4-6 campaign that Weinerman and adapt to Todd included a 31-14 win over as their coach? GCC playoff representative Junior Joey Baughman (6-0, Elyria. 185) should slide over from All-Ohio running back his spot as an All-Gazette Jimmy Daw (6-4, 215) is back honorable mention corner- as a senior and has the eye of back and take over at quarter- Division I college programs. back for the graduated Con- He rushed for 1,078 yards and nor Montgomery. was second in the county with Senior wide receiver/defen- 18 touchdowns. sive back Craig Palidar (6-0, Three-year starting senior 185) brings back 65 tackles Nick Pankow (6-0, 190) will from last season and if senior see time at safety and wide linebacker Alex Jones (6-1, receiver this season after an 190) can come back from Photo provided honorable mention All- injury, defense shouldn’t be a Buckeyes Hunter Gray Gazette campaign. Junior concern for the Grizzlies. 4 Fall 2016 Forecast Magazine Fall 2016 Forecast Magazine 5 Black River Pirates Columbia Raiders Highland Hornets 8/26 Western Reserve...................Away 8/26 Independence ......................Away 8/26 Brunswick ...........................Away 9/2 Northwestern .......................Away 9/2 Wellington .........................Home 9/2 Ashland ...............................Home 9/9 McDonald ...........................Home 9/9 Northwestern .......................Away 9/9 North Royalton ...................Home 9/16 Brooklyn ...............................Away 9/16 Brookside ............................Home 9/16 Revere..................................Home 9/23 Columbia ...........................Home 9/23 Black River ..........................Away 9/23 St. Charles ...........................Home 9/30 Keystone ............................Home 9/30 Lutheran West.....................Home 9/30 Aurora ...................................Away 10/7 Buckeye.................................Away 10/7 Clearview ............................Away 10/7 Copley................................Home 10/14 Brookside..............................Away 10/14 Brooklyn