Colerain (Cincinnati, Ohio) football coach Tom Bolden likes to say his team is jumping around and getting after it during practice these early days of August. If that’s any indication of the upcoming season, the Cardinals should make opponents very nervous when the real competition begins at the end of this month.
“It was great to get started again – to put last year's non-playoff year behind and really get focused toward this year," Bolden told the Cincinnati Enquirer last week.
Tyler Williams, Colerain
Photo by Wayne Litmer
Colerain will scrimmage Harrison this week before hosting Archbishop Moeller in a night scrimmage Aug. 20. The Cardinals open the season Aug. 28 against Northmont at 8:15 p.m. at the University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium.
During the first day of practice, Bolden said senior Tyler Williams is the likely quarterback for the Cardinals this season. Williams, who is 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds, seems to be an ideal candidate to run the triple-option offense. He is very quick and elusive to defenders.
Williams, who has scholarship offers from Cincinnati and others, rushed for 893 yards and eight touchdowns as a running back last season.
2. Trice commits to Michigan State: Wayne senior guard Travis Trice verbally committed to the Michigan State basketball program last week, according to the Dayton Daily News. Trice was a first-team all-Greater Western Ohio Conference selection last season. Trice averaged 21.2 points, 4.4 assists, 3.8 steals and 3.3 rebounds last season for the Warriors. Trice scored a season-high 38 points against Beavercreek Feb. 19.
3. St. Xavier close to naming a quarterback: St. Xavier coach Steve Specht said his team is close to naming a quarterback this preseason, but nothing was official going into the past weekend. Seniors Max James and Nick Albers were among several candidates this summer. Specht said the big question at the moment for the Bombers is at wide receiver. St. X, which is garnering national ratings this preseason, also returns top linebackers Sean Duggan and Steven Daniels – both of whom have several significant scholarship offers.
4. Ward qualifies for U.S. Amateur: Lakota West senior golfer Korey Ward qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship in Dupont, Wash., Aug. 23-29. Ward, who has won two consecutive high school state titles, is not eligible to play high school competition until after the tournament. Ward will compete at The Chambers Bay course, which at 7,754 yards, is the longest course in USGA history.
5. Everhart wins excellence award: Former Winton Woods (Cincinnati, Ohio) football coach Troy Everhart recently won the Paul Brown Excellence in Coaching Award. The award is given annually by the Cincinnati Bengals to an outstanding high school coach in the region. It includes a $5,000 donation by the Bengals to the Winton Woods athletic department. Winton Woods won the Division II state title last season. Everhart resigned this summer and Andre Parker has been named the interim coach at the school.
This week
Sycamore Invitational, 8 a.m. Tuesday: The inaugural girls golf tournament begins early Tuesday morning at Walden Ponds Golf Club in Indian Springs. Mason, Lakota West, St. Ursula, Ursuline and Sycamore will be competing. Mason has won the past two Division I state titles and is trying to become the first Ohio girls golf team to win three consecutive. Seniors Emily Wright (Wake Forest commit) and Erin Michel (Penn State) are among the leaders for the Comets.
Princeton Invitational, 8 a.m. Tuesday: This boys golf tournament is expected to bring several Cincinnati-area teams to the Sharon Woods Golf Course. Mason, Lakota West, Lakota East, Turpin, Fairfield, Sycamore, Colerain, La Salle and Middletown Christian are among the teams expected for this tournament in the first full week of the season.
Archbishop Moeller at Winton Woods football scrimmage, 7 p.m. Friday: A strong test awaits both teams as scrimmages begin later this week. Winton Woods is the reigning Division II state champion, but lost several skilled players to graduation. New quarterback Thomas Owens will lead the offense. Senior linebacker Antonio Poole is one of the state’s most-recruited linebackers and will lead the defense. Moeller is led by senior defensive end Jesse Hayes, who is considering the University of Cincinnati, Nebraska, Florida State and Wisconsin, along with senior linebacker Kendall Walker. Moeller defeated Winton Woods in the 2009 season opener.
Recruiting news
Bishop Watterson senior defensive tackle Hunter Maynard (6-2, 284) verbally committed to Ball State, according to ScoutingOhio.com. Maynard also reportedly had an offer from Central Florida. … Colerain senior fullback Trayion Durham (6-2, 230) is being heavily recruited by Wisconsin and is No. 1 on their scouting board at his position, according to Bolden. Durham has offers from Cincinnati, Kentucky, North Carolina State, Louisville, Boston College, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Colorado. … Purcell Marian senior center Tyrone Patel (6-3, 305) has added an offer from Ohio Dominican, according to ScoutingOhio.com.
Random thoughts
St. Xavier is expected to wear No. 78 on their helmets this season in memory of the late offensive lineman Matt James. There is also expected to a uniform patch. … Former Lakota West women’s basketball standout Amber Gray has transferred from Tennessee to Xavier. … There will be eight televised football games on a regional cable network this fall starting with a doubleheader Aug. 26 at Mason. … Senior Mario Jansen and juniors Ben Gramke and Tyler Trame are among the quarterback candidates for Elder.
