Wednesday, March 16, 2005
The senior guard landed a spot on the Division IV all-state team.
STAFF/WIRE REPORTS
COLUMBUS -- McDonald senior James Beedle, a 5-foot-11 guard who led the Blue Devils to the Inter-County League title, earned Associated Press Division IV first team All-Ohio honors, announced Tuesday.
Beedle averaged 21.3 points per game for McDonald, which fell to Sebring in the district final.
Wellsville senior Bill McNichol, Southern senior Josh Diaz and Sebring senior Joe James earned third team honors. Wellsville coach David Thompson was named co-coach of the year in Div. IV. Thompson led the Tigers to an 18-2 regular season record after going 7-14 last year.
Sebring senior Dan Scarpitti was special mention. Honorable mention honors went to Josh Congrove (Wellsville), Matt Weymer (Mathews), Jake Abbott (Maplewood), Mario Nero (Lowellville), Dave Ferrando (Western Reserve), Mark Macali (McDonald) and Matt Ferguson (Sebring).
In Div. III, Brookfield senior Sam King made the third team, while Ursuline's Jerome Jones, LaBrae's Jason Frederick and East Palestine's Brett Young were special mention. Making the honorable mention list were Mooney's Jaron Howell, Badger's Norm Yanucci, LaBrae's Todd Rowan, Springfield's Zach DeJane, Newton Falls' Eric Medallis and Mineral Ridge's Vance Keirsey.
Other selections
Sophomore O.J. Mayo -- tabbed as "The Next LeBron" almost before the real LeBron was out of high school -- was named player of the year in Div. III.
Mayo, a 6-foot-6 sophomore, has led Cincinnati North College Hill to consecutive AP poll titles and to this week's state tournament at Value City Arena.
In Division IV, the players of the year also are headed for the final four: Columbus Africentric's Donald Suel, Kurtis Brown of Continental and Sam Liggins of Cleveland Heights Lutheran East.
Mayo averages 28.9 points a game for one of the state's highest-scoring teams. Joining Mayo on the first team are: Nate Davis, Bellaire (6-3, jr., 27.0); David Lighty, Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph (6-5, jr., 24.5); Jordan Petraitis, Akron Manchester (6-3, sr., 23.6); Joe Guiler, Johnstown-Monroe (6-9, jr., 11.2); Brett Beucler, Sardinia Eastern Brown (6-1, sr., 23.0); Dan Borcherdt, Archbold (6-0, sr., 22.6); Erik Marschall, New London (6-7, sr., 18.3); and Richard Semrau, Rocky River Lutheran West (6-9, jr., 22.3).
Coach of year
Roger Zornes, who has guided Ironton to a perfect season including a trip to the state's final four, shared coach of the year honors with West Jefferson's Ray Miller and Rootstown's Mike Fuline. West Jeff's 15-4 record under Miller was its best since 1970 and its first season over .500 since 1982. In his second year at Rootstown, Fuline led the way to a 17-3 mark.
Suel is a 6-3 senior who put together 22.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 2.4 assists after transferring in from Eastmoor Academy.
Brown, a 6-1 senior point guard, notched 20.4 points, 7.4 assists and 5.9 rebounds a game for Continental.
A 5-8 senior guard, Liggins contributed 21.4 points to Lutheran East's state-bound season.
Joining those three on the first team were: Matt Poole, South Charleston Southeastern (6-6, sr., 27.5); Scott Moyer, Zanesville Rosecrans (6-2, sr., 16.0); Steve Luckhardt, Shadyside (5-10, sr., 18.8); Nick Aldridge, South Webster (6-7, jr., 27.0); Jake Fanning, Lakeside Danbury (5-10, sr., 24.4); Daniel Zacour, Kidron Central Christian (6-4, sr., 22.8); and Beedle.
Joining Thompson as coaches of the year are Africentric's Mike Thornton (whose team won the AP regular-season poll crown), and Todd Rock of Zanesville Rosecrans (an 18-2 regular-season record after losing two of the first three games).