The Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors recently approved a memorandum of understanding with Ohio State University to extend the contract for the Jerome Schottenstein Center to host the wrestling, girls basketball and boys basketball state tournaments through 2015.
Other key board decisions were:
• Unanimous approval of a motion to continue to support the work of the OHSAA’s Competitive Balance Committee, which meets again Jan. 31. The motion was in response to a letter from an Ohio public school superintendent that requested the Board of Directors immediately create a referendum item to go to the membership this spring that would place public and nonpublic schools in separate tournaments.
• Approval for the OHSAA to conduct an annual OHSAA-sponsored cross country invitational at National Trail Raceway (site of the state championships) in August before the start of the regular season. Participation in the event would not count toward a team’s allotted total of 16 regular-season meets. Junior high teams would probably be permitted to compete in the event. Details will be released as soon they are final.
Dowdy enrolls at UC
DeShawn Dowdy is enrolled at the University of Cincinnati, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Dowdy, who recently graduated from North High School, was a standout football player for the Vikings.
Dowdy, 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds, is one of nine members of the Bearcats’ 2012 football recruiting class who have already enrolled and are taking part in offseason conditioning and will be available for spring practice, according to the Enquirer.
He earned All-Beacon Journal honors this past season after making 65 tackles (32 tackles for loss) and 16 sacks. He also had five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Mills commits to UA
Canton McKinley senior offensive tackle Kevin Mills has given an oral commitment to play football on scholarship at the University of Akron, according to ScoutingOhio.com.
Mills, 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, also reportedly had offers from Ball State, Miami (Ohio) and Toledo.
Fela nabs honor
Copley junior Elizabeth Fela participated in the Queen of Diamonds Showcase North this month.
Fela received two Cage Game MVPs at the showcase and was selected to the first-team All-QDSN by a panel of five college coaches.
The showcase had over 2,400 applications, 322 player invitations and 18 girls named to the first team.
Fela was a first-team All-Suburban League selection in 2011 and an honorable mention All-Suburban League in 2010.
The Indians made a Division I regional appearance in 2011 after winning sectional and district titles.
During the summer, Fela plays for the Ohio Ice Black, based at the Spano Dome in Springfield Township.
Michael Beaven can be reached at 330-996-3829 or mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the high school blog at www.ohiomm.com/blogs/varsity_letters/. Also follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MBeavenABJ. and ABJ Sports on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sports.abj.
