Top Player: Marqueal Smith

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Jack Dawson

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By Tom Williams

At many schools, report cards are sent out after nine weeks. In keeping with that tradition, here’s one observer’s views on the first nine weeks of the 2009 season.

Simply the best:

Only one big school team merits an A+ — Ursuline (9-0). (No matter what divisions the Ohio High School Athletic Association assigns them, Mooney and Ursuline are big schools when it comes to football.)

With four consecutive state championship appearances, Mooney is the standard for Mahoning Valley high school football teams.

Last Friday, it was Ursuline 10, Mooney 7.

Dan Reardon and his staff have assembled a powerhouse that should cruise to the Division V state championship game on Thanksgiving weekend. In fact, Ursuline is so strong that the Irish could give the state’s best Div. II and III teams a run for their money.

Among the big schools, Mooney (7-2), Poland (7-2), Howland (6-3) and Liberty (8-1) deserve an A-.

Mooney’s other loss was to Div. I powerhouse Mentor in the season opener. The Cardinals’ schedule features several teams that are unimpressive this year but have been strong recently. The Cardinals’ Week 8 rout of Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary shows that Mooney again is a Region 13 team no one wants to face.

After a 1-3 start, Howland has rebounded with five consecutive wins, including last Friday’s 10-6 thriller over then-unbeaten Liberty.

Despite the three losses, the Tigers will play in Week 11 and could earn a share of the first All-American Conference Red Tier crown if Poland defeats Canfield (7-2) on Friday.

The one disappointment for Mark Brungard’s Bulldogs was Week 7’s 10-7 loss to Howland. Poland gets extra credit for scheduling Steubenville (9-0), the Region 13 team that could end Mooney’s string of regional championships. Poland didn’t win, but showed guts in accepting the challenge.

Canfield, because it can win a title and earn a Div. II playoff spot, gets a B+ as does Hubbard (7-2).

Among the smaller schools, McDonald (9-0), the Inter Tri-County League Tier Two champions, leads the pack with a solid A.

Crestview (8-1) and LaBrae (8-1) deserve an A- while South Range (7-2) gets a B+. The other Div. VI Region 21 playoff hopefuls (Western Reserve, Leetonia, Columbiana and Youngstown Christian) get Bs.

At 8-1 but needing prayers answered to make the postseason, Girard gets an incomplete. A beefed-up non-league schedule in 2009 would improve this grade.

With the honor roll out of the way, let’s move on to special awards:

Games we don’t need to see:

UUrsuline pummeling Cleveland East Tech, a Div. II team so weak that it probably would struggle against our Region 21 playoff contenders. There is no excuse for this mismatch.

UChaney vs. Boardman or Warren Harding or Canfield or Poland. The Cowboys’ glory days are a memory and getting pummeled makes no sense if you are trying to inspire players for a comeback. There are plenty of ITCL and AAC White teams to play instead of these consistently strong programs.

Coaches of the year:

UFor big schools, Reardon. Enough said. Runner-up: Poland’s Mark Brungard. Honorable mention: Mooney’s P.J. Fecko, Howland’s Dick Angle and Liberty’s Jeff Whittaker.

UFor small schools, McDonald’s Dan Williams is the top choice. Last offseason, Williams had to fight to keep his job. Look’s like the school board made the right call.

Runner-up: Crestview’s Paul Cusick, who snapped a nine-game losing streak to South Range to put the Rebels in position to win a share of the ITCL1 crown. Honorable mention: Bill Bohren, LaBrae, and Brian Marrow, Youngstown Christian. After opening the season to Region 21 rivals McDonald and Springfield, Marrow’s Eagles rebounded for seven straight wins and at least a share of the East Suburban Conference title. They’ll win it outright and probably earn a playoff spot if the Eagles defeat Pymatuning Valley on Saturday. Considering that Youngstown Christian has only had football for five seasons, that’s remarkable.

Most inspired comeback (player):

Leetonia’s Josh Selway, who has battled cancer in the past 14 months. Despite chemotherapy treatments last fall and winter, he’s rushed for 1,186 yards and scored 14 touchdowns to lead the Bears to the playoffs.

Best comeback (team):

Howland.

Players few want to face:

On offense, Liberty running back Fitzgerald Toussaint (1,372 yards, 22 TDs). On defense, Ursuline defensive end Jamel Turner.

Fall athletes I wish you could spend 10 minutes with:

UTurner. I wish I could speak with such poise and confidence. Plus, he says he plays three varsity sports as a classroom challenge to keep his grades up.

UMarqueal Smith, Youngstown Christian. He played two seasons at Wilson and one at Chaney. Nobody has earned a great senior season like Smith.

UJack Dawson, South Range. He’s not the most quotable student athlete in the Valley, but he excels in the classroom and on the field.

UAmy Scullion, Salem. Hubbard coach Chuck Montgomery calls her the “LeBron James of volleyball.” If she’s not Ohio’s best player, she’s on the short list of contenders. And she’s quick to spread credit to teammates.

XTom Williams is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write him at williams@vindy.com.