It has been reported that 2007 Canton McKinley graduate Zack Campbell has joined the University of Akron football team as a preferred walk-on kicker.

Campbell adds depth to the position and might make an immediate impact as the competition for the starting job progresses throughout the Zips preseason camp.

I talked to Kirk Herbstreit, an ESPN college football analyst and former Ohio State University quarterback, today on the phone. Several top high school football teams from around the country, including Canton McKinley, will compete in the Burger King Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge III.

Canton McKinley will play Union High School from Tulsa, Okla., in its second regular-season game at 7:45 p.m. Sept. 1 at Fawcett Stadium in Canton. Union won Oklahoma class 6-A state titles in 2002, 2004 and 2005. Three other games are scheduled to be played at Fawcett Stadium on Sept. 1. Here is the entire Ohio vs. USA schedule.

Bob Black has returned to the football coaching staff at Firestone High School as an assistant to head coach Tim Flossie.

Black was an assistant at Wadsworth for the past four seasons after being the head football coach and a teacher at Firestone for several years. During his stint at Wadsworth, he remained a health and physical education teacher, and an assistant athletic director at Firestone.

The football season starts in a month, so it's everybody's favorite time for predictions. Ohio High magazine predicted the 2007 state championship matchups and the winners. Two local schools, Massillon Washington and Tallmadge, were picked to advance to the state finals in their respective divisions. Here are Ohio High magazine's predictions:

Division I finals: St. Xavier over Massillon Washington
Division II: Trotwood-Madison over Tallmadge
Division III: Dayton Chaminade-Julienne over Mentor Lake Catholic
Division IV: Youngstown Cardinal Mooney over Kettering Alter
Division V: Lima Central Catholic over Maria Stein Marion Local
Division VI: Norwalk St. Paul over Lehman Catholic

The Norton wrestling team held a dedication ceremony for its new wrestling facility Monday night. Look for a story about the ceremony to appear in the Beacon Journal on Wednesday.

I spoke to Drew Leonard at the event. Leonard, who will be a senior, placed sixth in the 135-pound weight class at the Division II state tounament last season. He also won sectional and district titles this past season.

The football season is approaching, so I compiled a list of high school seniors from the Beacon Journal's five-county coverage area who are listed as prospects on www.scout.com. There are several area players who are not on this list who will surely play in college. Nonetheless, this should give you some names to look for this season.

Here are the players, the positions they are being recruited at and their high schools (click on the player's name for more information from scout.com and make sure to scroll down the player's bio page to see which colleges have made offers):

I met new North football coach Ken Johnson Monday afternoon. Look for a feature story about Johnson to appear in the Beacon Journal sometime this week.

Johnson, who replaced Tom O'Neil, said he's averaging about 42 to 45 players at summer conditioning workouts. Johnson said that is an increase from the past few years.

The Beacon Journal's Tom Gaffney reported this news item:

Archbishop Hoban is looking for a new baseball coach and St. Vincent-St. Mary
is looking for a new softball coach. Ted Guscoff has left the Knights position, citing family obligations and
travel.

The 70^th annual Good Park Junior Golf Tournament has been completed. Here are the champions of the 36-hole tournament and their scores listed by division:

Note: At J.E. Good Park Golf Course in Akron. Par: 71.

On Thursday, the first 18 holes of the 36-hole Good Park Junior Golf Tournament were played. The second and final round will be held Friday at J.E. Good Park Golf Course in Akron. Here are the division leaders after day one:

Note: par 71 

On Wednesday, 22 players qualified for the championship flight, which will compete in a 36-hole tournament Thursday and Friday.

Here are the players who made the cut and their scores for 18 holes (par 71):

I arrived at the 70th annual Good Park Junior at 11 a.m. Wednesday and Larry Zimmerman, tournament manager and Good Park general manager, told me I was about five hours early.

That's because early-morning thunderstorms in Akron delayed the start of the tournament by at least a couple hours.

July has arrived and that means some of the best young golfers from the area will get their chance to shine in local tournaments.

Some of the top young golfers in the country will compete in the 32nd annual Westfield Junior PGA Championship, which will run Wednesday through Saturday.

Devon Torrence, a recent graduate of Canton South High School, is planning to juggle two sports at the next level.

Torrence, a center-fielder, was  drafted by the Houston Astros in the 16th round (501st overall pick) of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft in early June. Torrence is also committed to play football at Ohio State University. 

I have been researching professional athletes who were born and/or went to high school in the Beacon Journal's five-county coverage area (Summit, Stark, Portage, Medina and Wayne). Below is a list of baseball players who made it to the majors.

 I couldn't find all the high schools, so please let me know if you have any additional information about the players listed. Also, please notify me if you know of any players who have been left off the list.  Finally, I must thank Beacon Journal baseball historians Bill Lilley and Larry Pantages for helping me compile the list.

Stow baseball coach Brian Banfield has resigned and will take the assistant principal job at his alma mater Poland Seminary High School.

We received a fax from Barberton High School's athletic office that said the school is looking for a new head baseball coach for the 2008 season, meaning Magics coach Jon Hance will not be returning next season.

I spoke to Hance and he confirmed that he will step down after eight seasons as head coach to spend more time with his family.