Wadsworth senior Logan Ware has signed to continue both his academic and swimming careers at the University of Pennsylvania.

Ware is a two-year state qualifier. He finished 18th in the 200 freestyle and 12th in the 100 freestyle as a sophomore, and 16th in the 50 freestyle and 10th in the 100 freestyle as a junior.

Archbishop Hoban High School has named Jim Diestel varsity baseball coach at after he served as the freshman coach last season, said Hoban’s Mary Anne DeCenzo, the Director of Publications, Publicity and Marketing.

Diestel is a Kent Roosevelt graduate and he played baseball and soccer for the Rough Riders. He attended Hiram College and played baseball, and also has softball coaching experience.

Coventry senior Jeff Walker has made an oral commitment to continue his academic and football careers at Kent State University.

Walker, 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, was a three-year varsity starter for the Comets after missing his freshman season due to injury. His primary position is wide receiver and he also played free safety and quarterback. KSU recruited him to play receiver in the Mid-American Conference.

Massillon Washington High School senior Justin ''J.T.'' Turner has been selected to play in the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, Tigers Athletic Director Tim Ridgley recently announced.

The game is set for Jan. 3 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Tonight’s Northwest Local School District Board of Education Meeting will accept the resignation of women’s basketball coach John Martin and his two assistants Tiffany Cocklin and David Sladky.

No need to fear though, Indian fans. Martin, Cocklin and Sladky will immediately be rehired at the same meeting. Confused yet?

The Barberton High School boys basketball team started the 2008-2009 season with two victories this past weekend at the 38th annual Kiser Tipoff Classic at Grove City High School in Pennsylvania.

The Magics defeated Erie Strong Vincent 62-39 on Friday night and then beat Pittsburgh Peabody 71-51 to win the Classic title on Saturday night.

Tallmadge senior third baseman Paul Pakan has committed to play baseball at George Washington University next season.

Pakan, who carries a 4.05 grade-point average and scored a 30 on the ACT, hit .471 last season for Tallmadge (25-4). He hit eight home runs and had 34 RBI.

Firestone senior Breanna McCann signed a national letter of intent to continue her academic and swimming careers at West Virginia University.

McCann earned all-American honors in 2008 after finishing tied for second in the 200 individual medley at the Division I state meet in a time of 2:06.12. She won a district title in the 200 IM last season.

Perfect Game, a national amateur baseball scouting service, has included two Walsh Jesuit baseball players in its Top 385 national rankings for the Class of 2010.

Walsh coach Chris Kaczmar said juniors Tyler Skulina and Johnny Fasola are ranked No. 25 and No. 284, respectively. The two helped Walsh win the 2008 Division II state title.

A week after high school football put its latest season to bed, perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the offseason has been announced.

Thom McDaniels, the highly regarded area coach who led Canton Mckinley to a 1997 Division I State championship, has submitted his resignation as the head football coach at Jackson High School, according to a press release issued by the high school.

Akron Beacon Journal sports writers David Lee Morgan Jr. and Michael Beaven wrap up the Northeast Ohio high school football season.

Come back next week to see David, Michael and Jonas Fortune start Prep Talk, a weekly look at high school sports in the area.

ARCHBISHOP HOBAN (20-4, 13-1 North Coast League)
Seniors Rachel Tecca, Nikki D'Amico and Brittany Brown return to lead the Knights, the defending NCL champions and a program that has made the Division II regional tournament three out of the past four seasons under coach Tracy Miller. Tecca, a 6-foot-1 forward and University of Akron recruit, averaged around 20 points and 10 rebounds last season. D'Amico, a guard, and Brown, a forward, also will play integral parts along with junior point guard Taneka Lewis, junior forward Krissy Sokol and sophomore guard Grace Foote.

CLOVERLEAF (8-13, 5-9 Suburban League)
• Coach John Carmigiano expects the Colts to be much improved this season with three returning starters and a transfer. Senior starters Brittani Pekar (10.7 points, 7.2 rebounds), Candace Andel (10.1 points) and Kayla Henry are back, and 6-foot-3 junior center Brooke Forsythe, formerly of Brunswick, is another pivotal player. Sophomore guard Sarah Schleich and senior forward Caitie Coughlin also return.