Lorain County Football Preview ......................pg. 5 WEOL FORECAST MAGAZINE FALL 2018 PREVIEW Paying it Forward ...........................................pg. 14 A Publication of AM930 WEOL Volume 20 Issue 1 1948 in Cleveland Sports ......................................pg. 17 Station Manager Memories from Ely Stadium ..........................pg. 20 Tim Alcorn Ohio State Football Preview...........................pg. 22 Editor Matt Douglass Cleveland Browns Preview .............................pg. 27 Assistant Editors FOOTBALL SCHEDULES Craig Adams Tim Alcorn Tom Hutchison CLEVELAND CLINIC GRIDIRON CLASH.........pg. 7 Bruce VanDyke AREA HIGH SCHOOLS .....................................pg. 9 Cover Design BozCorn Productions BUCKEYES......................................................pg. 23 Publisher BROWNS .........................................................pg. 28 Source3Media About the Cover: Lorain’s Justin Sturgill became the 52nd recipient of the Lorain County Golden Helmet Award last season. The Titans’ quarterback helped lead Lorain to a 8-3 record and a play- off berth in 2017 by completing 104 of 175 passes for a total of 1,424 yards and 22 touch- downs. On the ground, he carried the ball for another 293 yards and crossed the goal line three times. Sturgeill is the first Golden Helmet winner for Lorain since 1987 when tail- back Dennis Washington earned the honor. Sturgill will continue his academic and ath- letic career at Mont Union as a member of the Purple Raiders this season. Photo by David Richard | Chronicle Telegram Fall 2018 Forecast Magazine 1 Welcome to another edition of FORECAST! Yes, it’s time for another season of outstanding high school football on AM 930 WEOL, www.weol.com and the WEOL mobile app. Whether it’s a single game on Thursday, three games on Friday, or multiple games on Saturday, you can count on us for wall to wall, in-depth team coverage of high school football. Once again this year, AM 930 WEOL will be your home for The Ohio State University Buckeyes, a team that for the first time in recent years won’t feature a quarterback named J.T. Barrett. We hope FORECAST will help you enjoy the 2018 seasons of OSU and your favorite high school teams. Look for our feature on the 2018 edition of the Cleveland Browns; a new season, a new front office and yet another new starting quarter- back. We thank our great sponsors who make our broadcasts and this magazine possible. And as always, we appreciate the assistance and sup- port of high school athletic directors, coaches and staff. See you under the lights! Craig R. Adams Operations Manager/News Director WEOL AM 930 2 Fall 2018 Forecast Magazine 4 Fall 2018 Forecast Magazine 2018 Lorain County High School Football Preview By: Tim Alcorn receiver in Seth Sanders and High School football is unique. Isiah Johnson will play key roles Unlike all the other high school this year, as will returning line- sports, the beginning of the high man Daniel Bucknavich. Defen- school football season has a spe- sively, Zac Gill will add a veteran cial distinction because it’s so presence to a team that will be highly anticipated. That first young on that side of the foot- game of the season is a cause for ball. celebration. Football season is At North Ridgeville, the here! We feel the same way at Rangers will look to build off a AM930 WEOL. We are ready to strong second half of the season kick off the ’18 campaign! Let’s last year. Coming back from that look at the Lorain County teams 3-7 squad are defensive veterans and find out why this years’ sea- Cael Bright and Tyler Richmond son is one to be excited about. at linebacker and Patrick Cassel- Lorain fans are excited about berry in the line, while on the football season for several offense, the Rangers will rely on reasons. Dave McFarland has Matt Steinmetz at quarterback established a winning program, and Cade Riley at running back, and the Titans come off another with center Jacob Mozny playoff season, so success is now Steve Manheim anchoring the guys up front. the norm in Lorain. While the Amherst’s Khennedy Scagliozzo shakes a tackle against North Avon Lake had a respectable Titans need to replace 2017 Olmsted. 6-4 campaign in ‘17 but will look Golden Helmet winner in quar- to take it up a notch with terback Justin Sturgill, they have what’s in store for Elyria. The be formidable. On defense, returnees on offense like 1,000 a bevy of skill players returning, Pioneers will not only have new Elyria will rely on veteran line- yard rusher Konner Riggs, quar- including playmakers such as turf, but an entire new stadium men Joe Emerson and Lewis terback Jack Mikolich, wide running backs Daylin Dower and and athletic complex for 2018! Aguilar, as well as returnees receivers Cole Schraff and Luke Savon Chavis and wide receiver As the Chronicle-Telegram’s Tim Mike Knapp, Sinquae Grant, Fedders, and lineman Ryan Tyshawn Lighty, a group that Gebhardt recalls in this edition Noah France, and Ty Allgood. Beckman, as well as defensive helped an offense score over 40 of Forecast, Ely Stadium had In the SWC, Avon has had a veterans Nick Marsh, Noah points per game last year. Defen- some incredible moments, but it beautiful complex, winning foot- sively, the Titans will be led by was time for a change and the ball, and community pride for outstanding linebacker Cairo new complex is remarkable. quite some time. Coming off an Smith. The entire city of Lorain Head coach Sean Arno is hoping incredible 2017 in which the is also excited about the new the new digs will provide some Eagles went through an home turf at George Daniel stimulus for winning football unbeaten regular season and Field, donated by the Cleveland too. Elyria comes off a 1-9 sea- advanced all the way to the state Browns. It looks incredible, and son, but with returnees such as semifinal round, Mike Elder’s will be a true sense of pride for offensive linemen Nate Bryant, team will reload for another the district and the entire com- Chris King, and Nick Arno; and great campaign in 2018. With munity. Aaron Frost, Iziah Thomas, and outstanding quarterback Ryan Speaking of community pride, Adaveon Drummer in the back- Maloy returning, the high octane it doesn’t get any bigger than field, the Elyria offense should offense should pick up right where it left off last November. Also offensively the Eagles bring Elyria Catholic new coach back running backs Nick Brian Fox. Perusek and Mark Steinmetz, receivers Tommy Purcell and Welsh, and Matt Sanders. The Jake Parker, and linemen Matt Shoremen could be primed for a Schuler and Jack Roesch. Stein- memorable season. It was a metz and Roesch will play defen- turnaround campaign at sively as well, and will be joined Amherst last fall, as first year on that side of the ball by head coach Mike Passarello led returnee Ryan Jones in the sec- the Comets to a 6-4 finish, their ondary. The first winning campaign in a Midview Middies have had while. their share of success the past Amherst features the out- few seasons and look to keep standing Khennedy Scagliozzo at things rolling in 2018. Coming running back, one of the best in off a playoff year in ’17, head the area. Joe Tomaro will play a coach DJ Shaw did lose a multi- key role at wide receiver and tude of key players from that Jared Prete anchors the line at Judd Smerglia senior laden team. A couple of center. Defensively, the Comets three year starters at wide Fireland’s Blake Ruffner runs past a Buckeye defender. See FOOTBALL, 6 Fall 2018 Forecast Magazine 5 FOOTBALL From 5 have terrific some veteran line- backers in Aidan Johnson, Chris- tian Velez, and Nathan Soto. Elsewhere in the SWC, Olmsted Falls comes off another great year which resulted in a deep postseason run. The Bulldogs will be formidable as always. North Olmsted finally moves into their sparkling new facility and will finally play true home games. Westlake, Berea-Midpark, and Lakewood round out the conference. The Vermilion Sailors put together a solid 5-5 year in 2017, but the shocking passing of their first year head coach Matt Kobal shortly after the season con- cluded stunned the team and the community. Brett Colahan, David Richard who had been the Sailors Offen- Lorain’s Daylin Dower catches the ball in the endzone. sive Coordinator, was named head coach in January. While ers very well. Vermilion has a sive back Jonah Pfeil, and Bay Conference. Coach Colahan understands the strong returning cast, which receiver and defensive lineman At Elyria Catholic, the Pan- circumstances are difficult, the includes two-way standouts Luke Pena. The Sailors will face thers welcome new head coach silver lining is that he was on the quarterback and defensive back rugged competition every week Sailor staff and knows the play- Seth Hurd, receiver and defen- in a very competitive Sandusky See FOOTBALL, 7 6 Fall 2018 Forecast Magazine FOOTBALL From 6 Brian Fox. Fox brings an exten- sive resume to the job, most recently as an assistant at Hei- delberg University. EC slipped to 3-7 last year, so some work is in order. The good news is the Pan- thers have some talented ath- letes back including quarterback Cam Engrish, all-around skill player Gavan Hrobat, and line- man Jack Decker offensively; and David Griffin, Leighton Ban- joff, and Griffin Davies on the defensive side. EC competes in the tough Great Lakes Confer- ence so the likes of bigger schools such as Bay, Rocky River, Holy Name and Parma as well as Normandy and Valley Forge pro- vide some stiff competition.