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SALEM WAITS
CLEVELAND -- It appears Salem’s opponent in a Division III second-round playoff game scheduled for Friday will be determined off the field.
A hearing is set for Monday after a Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court judge granted defending state champion Cleveland Glenville a restraining order Friday and scheduled a first-round game against University School on Saturday.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association removed the Tarblooders from the playoffs late Thursday afternoon after an investigation into student participation.
But University School said it would not play Glenville and is preparing for Salem. Glenville’s players showed up for the rescheduled game at noon Saturday at the new Cleveland JFK football stadium, but the Preppers did not show up.
The court may decide on Monday who will be playing Salem.
LIBERTY OUSTED
LIBERTY -- Liberty beat Canton Central Catholic, 26-16, in the first round of the high school football playoffs Friday, but the Crusaders are moving on.
Liberty school officials said an ineligible players played in the game and the Leopards were disqualified from the Division V playoffs. The game was ruled a forfeit.
Canton Central (7-4) will play at second-ranked Perry (10-0) at 7 p.m. Friday.
Liberty is in the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Gray Tier and won at Crestview, 37-7, on Sept. 11.
YSU RALLIES
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown State football team scored 17 unanswered points in the final 17 minutes to beat North Dakota, 31-28, Saturday afternoon in front of 9,415 fans at Stambaugh Stadium.
The Penguins trailed 21-7 at halftime and 28-14 late in the third quarter to rally to its fifth straight win.
After a holding penalty negated a 10-yard touchdown pass with the Penguins losing 28-24, Beau Brungard connected on a 20-yard touchdown pass to Lynn Wyche-El on a fourth-and-19 play with 2:04 remaining.
“Adversity sometimes reveals the truth. You have to go through adversity, and you have to go through some tough times,” YSU coach Doug Phillips said. “It reveals who your guys are and what you can fight through.
Brungard was 19-of-29 passing for 268 yards and three touchdowns to Lynn Wyche-el along with 64 yardsrushing on 15 carries.
Youngstown State (7-2, 5-1 MVFC) will play at Murray State at 2 p.m. Saturday.
SHOWDOWN SET
ADA -- Mount Union won its fifth game in a row by pounding Ohio Northern, 58-14, in Ohio Athletic Conference play at Dial-Roberson Stadium on Saturday.
Mount Union improves to 6-2 overall and 5-1 in the OAC, heading into this Saturday’s showdown against first-place Baldwin Wallace. Kickoff will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at Kehres Stadium in Alliance.
Purple Raider quarterback Mikey Malong was 18-of-26 passing for 226 yards and four touchdowns, three to freshman Brayden Harris, and ran for two touchdowns
MOUNT WINS
ELYRIA -- The Mount Union women’s cross country team had seven of the top 15 finishers Saturday to claim its first Ohio Athletic Conference title since 2014.
The Purple Raiders scored 34 points, followed by runner-up Otterbein with 69.
Ohio Northern junior Kensi Black won the women’s race on the 6,000-meter course at Lorain County Community College in 21:53.1. There were 111 women’s runners.
Wilmington sophomore Channing Toy from Salem was 109th (30:41.7). She also plays softball.
Ohio Northern won the men’s team title with 39 points. Mount Union was second with 80.
Otterbein senior Mitch Green won the men’s 8,000-meter race in a personal-best 25:22.7. There were 166 men’s runners.
PAC AT CANFIELD
CANFIELD -- It was a repeat performance at the President’s Athletic Conference men’s cross country meet Saturday at Mill Creek MetroParks Farm.
Geneva College repeated as the men’s team champion with 40 points, while Washington & Jefferson senior Dominic Flitcraft repeated as the individual champion.
Flitcraft was first out of 106 runners, covering the 8,000-meter course in 25:46.97.
Saint Francis University topped the women’s meet with 49 points. Saint Francis is in the process of going from Division I to Division III.
Saint Francis junior Nina Connors paced the 133-runner women’s field in 22:00.02 on the 6,000-meter course.
BUCKEYES FALL
(AP) -- Miami dug deep to hold off North Carolina and keep its status as No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the third consecutive week. Ohio State wasn't as fortunate, dropping nine spots to No. 11 after losing to USC 30-18 in the biggest upset of the week.
Florida also took a big fall, landing at No. 25 after a 28-7 loss to Georgia.
The Trojans were one of four newcomers this week alongside Iowa, South Carolina and New Mexico. It's the first AP Top 25 appearance in program history for the Lobos.
Northwestern, SMU, Oklahoma State and Wisconsin are out after Week 9 losses.
And this poll could set the table for the initial College Football Playoff rankings coming out Tuesday night.
LAMAR OUT
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -- With Josh Allen at quarterback, anything seems possible for the Buffalo Bills -- including overcoming a sloppy first half.
“I mean, look, with Josh, we’re spoiled, right?” Bills coach Joe Brady said following a second half in which Allen oversaw three touchdown drives in a 36-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
“He literally is one of one. He’s incredible. And there’s a lot of football still ahead of him.”
In Baltimore, the Ravens face the prospect of finishing their season without Lamar Jackson.
What was supposed to be a marquee matchup of two of the NFL’s top quarterbacks ended on Baltimore’s first snap from scrimmage when Jackson hurt the right thumb on his throwing hand by jamming it on the arm of Buffalo pass rusher Greg Rousseau.
Coach Jesse Minter revealed Jackson will require surgery and be placed on injured reserve with a possibility of him missing the remainder of the season.
WNBA CHAMPS
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Joe Lacob spoke so fast at times, overcome by emotion and in awe of what he had just witnessed along with thousands of others. Golden State’s ecstatic owner was overjoyed by a rather improbable WNBA championship in the Bay Area.
Valkyries point guard Veronica Burton was so happy she could barely speak at all. She wiped tears from her eyes.
And Tiffany Hayes, well this fiery 14-year veteran now with her first career WNBA title, brought out her loud, outspoken self amid the madness of celebration: “This is just what happens when you invest in women’s sports. Valkyries, we here baby, we here, we here and we ain’t going nowhere! Invest in women’s sports, baby, let’s go!”
In just their second year of existence, Burton, Hayes and the Valkyries claimed the second seed out of the regular season and made a remarkable run through the playoffs to take down the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in a magnificent first Game 7 of WNBA Finals history Saturday night.
“Amazing, words can’t describe this, man,” said the 37-year-old Hayes, who came out of retirement to follow coach Natalie Nakase to the Valkyries.
Golden State became the first expansion franchise to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season a year ago. The Valkyries instantly captured the hearts and souls of fans from every walk of life, color and age group with a wholesome, welcoming approach in an arena that became one of the best home scenes anywhere, “Ballhalla.”
Golden State has sold out every game at Chase Center from Day 1.