Looking for a good high school event to take in over the next week? Here’s a few suggestions:


January 17, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

Looking for a good high school event to take in over the next week? Here’s a few suggestions:

1.

Poland at Canfield basketball

Granted, these schools could schedule a fencing match and they’d fill up a gymnasium, but Friday night’s boys game at the Cardinals’ home is one of those must-see events that don’t come around too often. The Bulldogs are 11-0 and averaging an area-best 88 points per game. Canfield is 10-1 (the only misstep a one-point loss to Boardman in early December) are allowing just 41.5 points per game (also the best mark in the area). The winner finishes the first half of the Metro Athletic Conference schedule unbeaten and with a one-game edge on its biggest rival. The loser begins plotting its revenge for the rematch Feb. 8 at Poland.

2.

Top Gun wrestling

If you want a preview of the state tournament six weeks early you couldn’t do much better than this meat grinder at Alliance. Fitch High’s Tony Jameson goes for an unprecedented fourth Top Gun title and he’ll have — perhaps — a tougher field to get it against than he’ll face in Columbus.

3.

Holiday hoops in North Canton

The Pizza Oven — no kidding — Tournament, hosted by Hoover High School, features a couple pretty good matchups that will give local teams a real good idea of where they stand a month from the start of the tournaments. Sunday Ursuline faces Fairless (9-3), from southern Stark County. Fairless won a Division II district title last year and was two points from challenging Poland for the regional crown. Then on Monday, Campbell Memorial takes on Division IV power Malvern, which is 12-0 and averaging 75 points per game. The Hornets are ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press poll, but the web site maxpreps.com has them No. 25 in the state, regardless of division.

4.

Holiday hoops in Berlin

Without question the best in-season girls basketball tournament in the state is at Hiland High School. Twenty games are scheduled starting Saturday and finishing up Monday night. Three area teams will play on the final day: Salem (vs. 15-0 Lima Bath) at 1:30 p.m., Canfield (vs. 11-2 West Holmes) at 5, and Boardman (vs. 14-2 Lexington, Ky., Catholic) at 6:45.

5.

5. Chevy Centre hoops

Two nice matchups a little closer to home Tuesday night marks the return of prep basketball to the downtown arena. Canfield will play Struthers at 6 p.m., followed by Poland and Campbell Memorial at 7:45 p.m.