SPORTS C - Amazon Web Services · Buckeyes will fare ROB OLLER See OLLER Page C5 STATE COLLEGE, Pa....
2
Not too many years ago, high-school administrators went to great lengths to keep teams in the same city and dis- trict from playing one another. The thinking was that such rivalries might ultimately divide communities. But a new mindset has prevailed, with the games seen as exciting for the teams, students and community, and a financial bonanza for the schools. “This is what high-school sports is all about,” Dublin Coffman senior Miles McCollum said. “Playing another Dublin school definitely creates a buzz at the school, and it’s a huge motiva- ting factor among the players. The spirit that surrounds these games can carry over for several weeks at a time.” McCollum could have been speaking about Coffman’s season opener at Dublin Jerome, the schools’ first meet- ing, or tonight’s game at Dublin Scioto, their first meeting since 2007. HIGH-SCHOOL FOOTBALL KYLE ROBERTSON DISPATCH Dublin Coffman students create a shower of baby powder at the start of a game against Dublin Jerome last week, the schools’ first meeting. Neighborhood buzz Games between crosstown schools, once thought to be divisive for communities, are now seen as good for raising excitement, school spirit, and money By Steve Blackledge THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH See NEIGHBORHOOD Page C9 MIKE MUNDEN FOR THE DISPATCH Olentangy Liberty and Olentangy Orange met in their opener. 08-31-2012 PAGE C1 Roddick announces retirement on 30th birthday C6 Moving on C SPORTS FRIDAY AUGUST 31, 2012 See pages C9-12 Inside CLASSIFIED ADS Dispatch.com/hunter Online RUMBLINGS XTRA Ohio State’s offense will look radically different under Urban Meyer this season. That’s a given. But what about the defense? Superb for the last generation but nothing special last year, will it look much different when Ohio State opens its season on Saturday against Miami University? After all, long- time defensive coordinator Jim Heacock retired after he was not retained by Meyer. Luke Fickell, the co-coordinator before taking on head-coaching duties in 2011, is now the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Mike Vrabel re- turns for a second year, though in- stead of lineback- ers he’s now coaching the defensive line. Co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Everett Withers ful- filled a Fickellian role at North Carolina last year, taking over after Butch Davis was fired during an NCAA investigation of the program. And then there’s Kerry Coombs, the former Cincinnati Colerain High School coach and University of Cincinnati assistant whose irre- pressible energy and chirping has provided a jolt to the cornerbacks. So half the staff is new, and the OHIO STATE FOOTBALL Coaches blend in to help defense Newcomers, holdovers work to improve unit without big changes By Bill Rabinowitz THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH See DEFENSE Page C5 The final gasp of a frustrating chase of the International League playoffs ended last night for the Clippers with a gem of a game in Huntington Park and an inevitable disappointment in the standings. The two-time, defending IL champion Clippers defeated the Louisville Bats 2-0 but saw the Pawtucket Red Sox eliminate them from wild-card chase with a dou- bleheader sweep of the Gwinnett Braves in faraway Georgia. The math had weighed heavily against the Clippers since getting swept in a three-game home se- ries by Toledo last week. “We had opportunities there,” Clippers manager Mike Sarbaugh said. “We didn’t help ourselves out at all. We had a real tough go that last homestand. That was prob- ably our worst series of the year, and it didn’t come at a good time- .“But we haven’t quit. We’ve been playing hard. I’m happy with the effort our guys have given the last week.” The Clippers clicked nicely in topping the Bats for a third con- secutive game. David Huff (7-6) pitched 7 2 ⁄3 innings of the shutout in what probably was his final game in a Clippers uniform. “I’m glad I could go out on a good note,” Huff said. Reliever Frank Herrmann closed out the game — his biggest pitch came in the eighth with two on CLIPPERS 2 BATS 0 Clippers win, but postseason hopes end CHRIS RUSSELL DISPATCH Tim Fedroff of the Clippers is safe at third base as the Bats’ Didi Gre- gorius attempts to apply the tag. By Jim Massie THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH See CLIPPERS Page C8 Ohio State opens its 123rd sea- son on Saturday against Miami University, the first step in what should be an interesting three- month debut for coach Urban Meyer. The final record is unpredictable, but of course that doesn’t stop us from predicting it. To do so, we followed the lead of thousands of fans who consid- er Meyer’s hiring addition by sub- traction, an im- provement over what was there before. Just call our prediction system a kind of Monopoly meets mathe- matics, where the record moves forward and back — more like addition and subtraction — based on arithmetic and a roll of the dice. Our beginning number is six, the wins Ohio State finished with in the 2011 season. For example, we would add one win to last year’s total because the Buckeyes do not face a quality nonconference op- ponent on the road like they did last year in the University of Mia- mi. 7-5. But Ohio Stadium has a new, humongous HD scoreboard that will distract fans from cheering. That’s worth an extra loss some- where along the line. Subtract one. Back to 6-6. COMMENTARY Simple math reveals how Buckeyes will fare ROB OLLER See OLLER Page C5 STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Strips of sod cover a dirt pile where Penn State officials saw fit to tear down a bronze tribute to the school’s storied football past. They planted trees on the con- structed grassy knoll, as if the young branches and green leaves could bring new life to a place much in need of a fresh start. A man from Iowa stared at the small hill outside Beaver Stadium yesterday. “Joe Paterno was a coach- ing icon,” Rick Waters said. “I want- ed to see where his statue was.” On Saturday, Waters will watch his son Matt play receiver for Ohio Uni- versity against Penn State in a na- tionally televised game cloaked in the same curiosity that draws people to the site where the 7-foot, 900- pound statue of Paterno came down on July 22. This college town of 42,000 feels the nation’s eyes upon it, and the wrath of outsiders has caused weari- ness among folks accustomed to the tranquility of isolation in remote central Pennsylvania. “Overall, there’s a deep down feeling about the town,” said Dr. Andrew Stephenson, a Marion, Ohio, native and a biology professor at Penn State since 1978. “We’ve had the air let out of our tires.” Penn State is in the shadow of Mount Nittany, but for 10 months it has had nowhere to hide from in- tense national scrutiny and criticism because of the Jerry Sandusky child- molestation case. Weariness, wariness remain at Penn State TODD JONES DISPATCH Flowers, messages and mementos surround the gravestone of Penn State’s Joe Paterno just outside State College. By Todd Jones THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH See PENN STATE Page C2 OHIO STATE VS. MIAMI Noon Saturday TV: Big Ten Network Radio: WBNS-AM/FM (1460/97.1)
Transcript of SPORTS C - Amazon Web Services · Buckeyes will fare ROB OLLER See OLLER Page C5 STATE COLLEGE, Pa....
Not too many years ago, high-schooladministrators went to great lengths tokeep teams in the same city and dis-trict from playing one another.
The thinking was that such rivalriesmight ultimately divide communities.But a new mindset has prevailed, withthe games seen as exciting for theteams, students and community, and afinancial bonanza for the schools.
“This is what high-school sports is
all about,” Dublin Coffman seniorMiles McCollum said. “Playing anotherDublin school definitely creates a buzzat the school, and it’s a huge motiva-ting factor among the players. Thespirit that surrounds these games cancarry over for several weeks at a time.”
McCollum could have been speakingabout Coffman’s season opener atDublin Jerome, the schools’ first meet-ing, or tonight’s game at Dublin Scioto,their first meeting since 2007.
HIGH-SCHOOL FOOTBALL
KYLE ROBERTSON DISPATCH
Dublin Coffman students create a shower of baby powder at the start of a game against Dublin Jerome last week, the schools’ first meeting.
Neighborhood buzz Games between crosstown schools, once thought to bedivisive for communities, are now seen as good forraising excitement, school spirit, and money
By Steve BlackledgeTHE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
See NEIGHBORHOOD Page C9MIKE MUNDEN FOR THE DISPATCH
OlentangyLiberty andOlentangyOrange met intheir opener.
08-31-2012 PAGE C1
Roddick announces retirement on 30th birthday �C6
Moving on
CSPORTS�
FRIDAYAUGUST 31, 2012
See pages C9-12
Inside
CLASSIFIED ADSDispatch.com/hunter
Online
RUMBLINGS XTRA
Ohio State’s offense will lookradically different under UrbanMeyer this season. That’s a given.
But what about the defense?Superb for the last generation butnothing special last year, will it lookmuch different when Ohio Stateopens its season on Saturdayagainst Miami University?
After all, long-time defensivecoordinator JimHeacock retiredafter he was notretained by Meyer.Luke Fickell, theco-coordinatorbefore taking onhead-coachingduties in 2011, isnow the defensivecoordinator andlinebackers coach.Mike Vrabel re-turns for a secondyear, though in-stead of lineback-ers he’s now coaching the defensiveline.
Co-defensive coordinator andsafeties coach Everett Withers ful-filled a Fickellian role at NorthCarolina last year, taking over afterButch Davis was fired during anNCAA investigation of the program.
And then there’s Kerry Coombs,the former Cincinnati ColerainHigh School coach and Universityof Cincinnati assistant whose irre-pressible energy and chirping hasprovided a jolt to the cornerbacks.
So half the staff is new, and the
OHIO STATE FOOTBALL
Coachesblend into helpdefense Newcomers, holdoverswork to improve unitwithout big changes By Bill RabinowitzTHE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
See DEFENSE Page C5
The final gasp of a frustratingchase of the International Leagueplayoffs ended last night for theClippers with a gem of a game inHuntington Park and an inevitabledisappointment in the standings.
The two-time, defending ILchampion Clippers defeated theLouisville Bats 2-0 but saw thePawtucket Red Sox eliminate themfrom wild-card chase with a dou-bleheader sweep of the GwinnettBraves in faraway Georgia.
The math had weighed heavilyagainst the Clippers since gettingswept in a three-game home se-ries by Toledo last week.
“We had opportunities there,”Clippers manager Mike Sarbaugh
said. “We didn’t help ourselves outat all. We had a real tough go thatlast homestand. That was prob-ably our worst series of the year,and it didn’t come at a good time-.“But we haven’t quit. We’ve beenplaying hard. I’m happy with theeffort our guys have given the lastweek.”
The Clippers clicked nicely intopping the Bats for a third con-secutive game. David Huff (7-6)pitched 7 2⁄3 innings of the shutoutin what probably was his finalgame in a Clippers uniform.
“I’m glad I could go out on agood note,” Huff said.
Reliever Frank Herrmann closedout the game — his biggest pitchcame in the eighth with two on
CLIPPERS 2 BATS 0
Clippers win, but postseason hopes end
CHRIS RUSSELL DISPATCH Tim Fedroff of the Clippers is safe at third base as the Bats’ Didi Gre-gorius attempts to apply the tag.
By Jim MassieTHE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
See CLIPPERS Page C8
Ohio State opens its 123rd sea-son on Saturday against MiamiUniversity, the first step in whatshould be an interesting three-month debut for coach UrbanMeyer.
The final recordis unpredictable,but of course thatdoesn’t stop usfrom predictingit. To do so, wefollowed the leadof thousands offans who consid-er Meyer’s hiringaddition by sub-traction, an im-provement overwhat was therebefore.
Just call our prediction system akind of Monopoly meets mathe-matics, where the record movesforward and back — more likeaddition and subtraction — basedon arithmetic and a roll of the dice.
Our beginning number is six, thewins Ohio State finished with inthe 2011 season. For example, wewould add one win to last year’stotal because the Buckeyes do notface a quality nonconference op-ponent on the road like they didlast year in the University of Mia-mi.
7-5.But Ohio Stadium has a new,
humongous HD scoreboard thatwill distract fans from cheering.That’s worth an extra loss some-where along the line. Subtract one.
Back to 6-6.
COMMENTARY
Simple mathreveals howBuckeyeswill fare
ROBOLLER
See OLLER Page C5
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Strips ofsod cover a dirt pile where PennState officials saw fit to tear down abronze tribute to the school’s storiedfootball past.
They planted trees on the con-structed grassy knoll, as if the youngbranches and green leaves couldbring new life to a place much inneed of a fresh start.
A man from Iowa stared at thesmall hill outside Beaver Stadiumyesterday. “Joe Paterno was a coach-ing icon,” Rick Waters said. “I want-ed to see where his statue was.”
On Saturday, Waters will watch hisson Matt play receiver for Ohio Uni-versity against Penn State in a na-tionally televised game cloaked inthe same curiosity that draws people
to the site where the 7-foot, 900-pound statue of Paterno came downon July 22.
This college town of 42,000 feelsthe nation’s eyes upon it, and thewrath of outsiders has caused weari-ness among folks accustomed to thetranquility of isolation in remotecentral Pennsylvania.
“Overall, there’s a deep downfeeling about the town,” said Dr.Andrew Stephenson, a Marion, Ohio,native and a biology professor atPenn State since 1978. “We’ve hadthe air let out of our tires.”
Penn State is in the shadow ofMount Nittany, but for 10 months ithas had nowhere to hide from in-tense national scrutiny and criticismbecause of the Jerry Sandusky child-molestation case.
Weariness, wariness remain at Penn State
TODD JONES DISPATCH
Flowers, messages and mementos surround the gravestoneof Penn State’s Joe Paterno just outside State College.
By Todd JonesTHE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
See PENN STATE Page C2
OHIO STATE VS. MIAMI
Noon SaturdayTV: Big Ten
NetworkRadio:
WBNS-AM/FM(1460/97.1)
08-31-2012 PAGE C2
GAMEPLAN
DON’T MISS THISBOISE STATE AT MICHIGAN STATEFor the past few years, Boise State has quietedits critics by temporarily leaving college football’swasteland and beating quality BCS teams intheir territory. Tonight it’s Michigan State’s turn tostand up. ESPN has the call at 8 p.m.
C2 � SportsTHE COLUMBUS DISPATCH FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 BREAKING NEWS: DISPATCH.COM
“I’ve always felt like, to have a successful team, you gotta have afew bad citizens on the team. I mean, that’s how Ohio State usedto win all the time; they would have two or three guys that werecriminals.”Allen Pinkett, former Notre Dame running back and current radio analyst, whowas pulled from the season opener for his comments
OVERHEARD
SPORTS EDITORRay Stein ..............614-461-5236
Sports department .614-461-5234Fax........................614-461-8798E-mail [email protected]
Photos [email protected]
� Schools and coaches can report game results to [email protected] or by fax at 614-461-8798, or by calling614-461-5234 after 6 p.m.
� Amateur listings, holes-in-oneand other submissions (such as college scholarship announce-ments, meetings, coachingvacancies) must be emailed [email protected] or faxed to614-461-8798.
HOW TO REACH US
CYCLINGHamilton says Armstrong gave himPED before 1999 Tour de France
Tyler Hamilton said that LanceArmstrong gave him an illegal bloodbooster at his house before the 1999Tour de France and the two team-mates compared notes on using per-formance-enhancing drugs as far backas 1998.
Hamilton makes the allegations inhis book The Secret Race. Inside theHidden World of the Tour de France,Doping, Cover-ups and Winning at AllCosts, set to be published on Wednes-day. Armstrong agent Bill Stapletondid not immediately respond to arequest for comment
Hamilton and Armstrong rode to-gether on the U.S. Postal Service team.
Armstrong has long denied dopingbut last week chose not to fight drugcharges made by the U.S. Anti-DopingAgency. USADA has erased 14 years ofArmstrong’s competitive results, in-cluding his seven Tour de France ti-tles.
While visiting Armstrong’s homeshortly before the 1999 Tour, Hamiltonsaid he asked him if he had any of theblood booster EPO and Armstrongpointed to the refrigerator.
Hamilton described a doping planput in place by the team for the 1999
Tour, with Armstrong’s knowledge,that included a motorcyclist ridingbehind racers with a thermos full ofEPO. It was to be dispensed to ridersin the team camper after race stages.
HOCKEYNHL, union labor negotiations put on hold for a day
The NHL’s collective bargainingtalks were put on hold until today.
Donald Fehr, the executive directorof the NHL Players’ Association, hadoriginally said he was “optimistic” theunion would present a counterpropos-al yesterday. Fehr could extend acounteroffer today at the NHL’s NewYork office.
The current agreement expires onSept. 15, when the league has said itwill lock out the players if a new dealis not in place. � The Edmonton Oilers signed for-
ward Jordan Eberle to a six-year,$36 million contract extension.
Eberle, a 2008 first-round draft pick,still has a year to go on his entry-levelcontract. He had 34 goals and 42 as-sists in 78 games last season.
SOCCERFormer player sues DC United,former coach over concussion
A former D.C. United defender hasfiled a $12 million lawsuit against theteam and former coach ThomasSoehn, saying they rushed him backonto the field after the concussion
that ultimately ended his career. Bryan Namoff alleges that he suf-
fered permanent brain damage from ahit he sustained during a game inSeptember 2009. He says team doctorsdid not evaluate him after the concus-sion or perform neurological tests,and that Soehn decided to play him ina game three days later. That turnedout to be the last game of Namoff’scareer.
He said he has constant headachesalong with memory, sleep and visionproblems. � FIFA secretary general Jerome
Valcke said he is satisfied with stadi-um construction in Brazil ahead ofnext year’s Confederation Cup and the2014 World Cup.
Valcke finished a three-day trip toinspect the host cities and discusspreparations with organizers.
GOLFBourdy shoots 63, leads by twoat rainy European Masters
Gregory Bourdy of France shot an8-under-par 63 to lead by two strokesafter the rain-swept first round of theEuropean Masters in Crans-sur-Sierre,Switzerland.
Fredrik Andersson Hed of Swedenand Oliver Fisher of England shot 65sto trail by two shots.
Paul Lawrie, who will play in theRyder Cup next month, shot a 69.
— From wire reports
SPORTS WIRE
ColumbusCrewTickets: 614-447-2739thecrew.com
Saturday....Montreal ..........7:30 p.m.Wednesdayat New England .....8 p.m.Sept. 15 ....at New York ..........7 p.m.Sept. 19 ....Chivas USA.......7:30 p.m.Sept. 22 ....at Chicago........8:30 p.m.
ClevelandIndiansTickets: 216-420-4487clevelandindians.com
Today ........Texas ............... 7:05 p.m.Saturday ...Texas ............... 7:05 p.m.Sunday......Texas ............... 1:05 p.m.Monday .....at Detroit ......... 1:05 p.m.Tuesday.....at Detroit ......... 7:05 p.m.
Ohio StateFootballTickets: 614-292-2624ohiostatebuckeyes.com
Saturday ......Miami ......................NoonSept. 8 .........Central Florida..........NoonSept. 15 .......California .................NoonSept. 22 .......Ala.-Birmingham........ TBASept. 29 .......at Michigan State ...... TBA
CincinnatiRedsTickets: 513-381-7337cincinnatireds.com
Today .........at Houston .......... 8:05 p.m.Saturday.....at Houston .......... 7:05 p.m.Sunday .......at Houston .......... 2:05 p.m.Monday ......Philadelphia......... 1:10 p.m.Tuesday ......Philadelphia......... 7:10 p.m.
FIVE GAMES OUT
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FSN alt: Time Warner Ch. 24, WOW Ch. 18, Insight Ch. 36. *—Tape delay. The Dispatch is notresponsible for changes, pre-emptions or interruptions of programming.
ON THE AIR
“They really feel likethere’s a stigma attached toPenn State,” said Jed Dona-hue, an Upper Arlingtonnative who lives in nearbyLewistown, Pa.
Donahue has heard thepain of fans as host of PennState’s pregame show on the16 radio stations making upthe Pennsylvania SportsNetwork, which he foundedin 1996.“Everybody here hasbattle fatigue from the wholeSandusky scandal,” he said.
Weariness stems from therelentless bad news sinceSandusky, a former PennState assistant coach, wasarrested on Nov. 5. Withindays, Paterno was fired after46 seasons as coach, anduniversity president GrahamSpanier resigned.
Two months later, Paternodied of lung cancer at age85.
Sandusky was convicted inJune of sexually abusing 10children over 15 years. Morebombshells exploded in Julywith the release of theschool-sponsored Freeh
Report, which the NCAAused to levy major sanctionsagainst the football program.
“There’s a tremendousmixture of feelings in all ofour citizens,” said Dr. JackSelzer, a Cincinnati nativewho has been an Englishprofessor at Penn State since1978 and serves as Barrydirector of the Paterno Fel-lows Program.
Emotions are raw andopinions strong. Peoplespeak of sadness, disbelief,anger and shock. They lookto a fresh start on Saturday,when Bill O’Brien will be thefirst Penn State coach otherthan Paterno to begin aseason since 1966. But thereis uneasiness, too.
“There’s kind of a ‘what’snext’ mentality with thisstory,” Donahue said. “Whatroad are we traveling next?Where is this going? Howlong is this going to last?”
Sandusky awaits sentenc-ing on 45 criminal counts.Spanier might be indicted.Suspended Penn Stateathletic director Tim Curleyand former senior vice presi-dent Gary Schultz await trialon perjury charges. Theuniversity remains under
investigation by the U.S.Department of Education.
“We hope the worst isover,” said John Cocolin,co-owner and general man-ager of Hotel State College &Co., a landmark on CollegeAvenue across from campus.
The alumni reform groupPenn Staters For ResponsibleStewardship has expressedanger at the university ad-ministration for not fightingthe NCAA’s acceptance ofthe investigation into theSandusky scandal by formerFBI director Louis Freeh.
On Wednesday, Penn Statefaculty leaders accused theNCAA and Freeh of unfairlypunishing the entire uni-versity community “on afoundation of scant evi-dence.” The statement wassigned by 29 past leaders ofthe faculty senate.
And then there is anothersentiment, summed up onthe cover of State Collegemagazine in a headlinereading: “The Days Ahead.Looking Forward in Un-certain Times.”
“Everybody just wants tomove on,” said Dana Green-lee, a sophomore studentfrom Downingtown, Pa.
She was among the 44,000students who returned totown and began classes onMonday, and she’ll attend afootball pep rally tonight atBeaver Stadium.
Residents and studentshave embraced O’Brien, butthey have not quite let go ofthe past, long defined by thecoach in rolled-up khakisand black shoes. Shops nearcampus sell life-size card-board cutouts of Paterno.They still serve “PeachyPaterno” ice cream at theBerkey Creamery on cam-pus.
Just outside town, inSpring Creek PresbyterianCemetery, is Paterno’s sim-ple gray headstone. Yester-day, there were flowers,footballs and othermementos.
Someone placed a card onthe stone that read “Seektruth from facts.”
Less than 3 miles from thegravesite is the house whereSandusky lived.
A few hundred yards downthe street from his home is ayellow road sign reading:“Watch Children.”
[email protected]@Todd_Jones
PENN STATEFROM PAGE C1
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. —Friends have the same ques-tions for Michael Zordichwhenever he returns hometo Youngstown.
His hometown knows himas a football player at PennState, so everyone assumesthat he has answers aboutthe Jerry Sandusky childsexual-abuse scandal thathas torn away at the pro-gram for 10 months.
“They’re all like, ‘What’sgoing on?’” Zordich said.“And you’re like, ‘Man, Idon’t know. You know just asmuch as I do.’
“It’s crazy. We’re trying todeal with it. We were just asshocked about all this hap-pening as the rest of theworld. This hit us on thehead out of nowhere, andour world was turned upsidedown.”
Zordich, who will start atfullback on Saturday in theNittany Lions’ season open-er against Ohio University,has taken on a leadershiprole since the Sanduskyscandal led to Joe Paterno’sfiring as coach in Novemberand to severe NCAA sanc-tions last month.
Within 30 minutes of theannouncement of thosepenalties, Zordich and hisfellow seniors gathered
younger teammates in aplayers-only meeting todiscuss how the NCAA hadgranted the players the op-tion of transferring to anoth-er school at any time with-out sitting out a season.
“I told the guys, ‘Look, thisis tough, we know what thismeans to the team. But we’restaying,’” Zordich said. “Wemade a commitment to eachother.”
Two days later, he stood infront of more than 30 team-mates and told the mediaabout that commitmentand, along with senior line-backer Michael Mauti,vowed to restore Penn State
to greatness.Zordich has deep ties to
Penn State. Both his parentsare alums. His father,Michael, played for Paterno,who died in January of lungcancer, as an All-Americasafety from 1982 to ’85. Hismother, Cynthia, was acheerleader.
“It was tough for them atfirst with the way everythinghappened with Joe,” Zordichsaid. “That guy meant awhole lot to our family andplayed a huge role in ourlives.”
New coach Bill O’Brien,however, quickly won overZordich and his family with
his pragmatic approach andfocus on the future.
Zordich is taking graduateclasses after earning hisdegree in recreation, parksand tourism managementthis month, and he is proudof standing tall in the recenthectic months.
“I don’t think I’ll realizethe impact of this seasonand what my decision tostay means until I’m older,”Zordich said. “It’s going tobe something that I’ll be realproud of to look back on.We’re involved in movingthis place forward.”
[email protected]@Todd_Jones
Ohioan won’t bail on Penn State Zordich amongteam leaders thatcommitted to stay
NABIL K. MARK CENTRE DAILY TIMES
Penn State seniors Michael Zordich, left, and Michael Mauti, shown at Beaver Stadium thismonth, represented teammates in July in saying they would stay and rebuild the program.
By Todd JonesTHE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
