The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 40

The Beacon Journal Page CIO, Sunday, April 5, 1998 Eight years off doesn't dim wrestler's fire Everett won a high school state title in 1989. Last year, at age 27, he began competing for Ashland Ohio State is counting on quarterback Joe Germaine to do more than just hand the ball off this fall. Germaine, the hero of the Buckeyes' win In the 1997 Rose Bowl, is seen by some as leading Ohio State to Its first national championship in three decades. The fifth-year senior has been designated as 'The Man' to run the Buckeyes by Coach John Cooper. Germaine, who split quarterbacking duties with Stanley Jackson the past two seasons, is confident he'll have better rhythm playing every down this season.

ww3r 1 A v-y Mwt4 mTiTr---- 1 PHIL MASTURZOBeacon Journal season tournament, narrowly missing a chance at All-America status. Altogether, Everett compiled an impressive 26-16 record. Many of his victories came against some of the best 150-pounders in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate AthleUc Conference. "I was satisfied with the way I wresUed," said Everett one of six Ashland athletes to qualify for the national tournament "I could have competed better, but it was about what I expected." Of course, the expectations will be higher next seasoa The Eagles, with four All-America candidates returning including Everett are expected to challenge champion North Dakota State for the team titie. Kowatch expects Everett to assume a more significant role as a team leader next year, too.

"Allen brings a special kind of maturity into the wrestling room," Kowatch said. "He knew he was going to have to prove himself to his teammates when he came here. "In doing so, he gained everyone's respect. "He is not a loud leader. The biggest thing I wanted him to do was bring his incredible work ethic because we have an extremely young team.

"I think he helped all our wrestlers this season," Kowatch added. "He had something to do with us having six qualify for the nationals." With wrestling season over, Everett is once again concentrating on life outside the lines. He is a parent father, student and farmer. He even takes time to referee local wrestling tournaments at local high schools in the Wayne and Ashland county areas. "There are days when he works all day on the farm," Kowatch said, "then goes to classes in the afternoon.

"That kind of dedication not his age separates him from most everyone else." BY RALPH PAULK BeacOH Journal stqff irriler In 1989, Allen Everett won an individual title to become the Ohio state wrestling champion. The former Northwestern High all-stater earned a special place in high school wrestling history. No way, he figured, could he top that accomplishment There were some college scholarship offers that came his way, but Everett chose to get on with life in Wayne County. He worked at several jobs and began to raise a family with his wife, Angie. But for eight years, there was an uncontrollable, competitive urge tempting Everett.

He had walked away from wrestling, but the sport had touched his soul. After a meeting last spring with Ashland University coach Ray Ko-watch, Everett hinted at an interest in returning to the mat. Kowatch, who coached Everett at Northwestern, wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Everett was somewhat apprehensive, too. "I was cautiously optimistic," Kowatch said.

"Even though he won over 120 matches for me in high school, I wasn't sure how his 10-year layoff would affect him. "He had a fair amount of ring rust. He had an awful lot of down time, and I was concerned. But I knew he would be working out with some good people, so he couldn't help but get better." At 27, Everett was in top-flight condition. Still, there were doubts that he could hang with the younger and stronger wrestlers in the Ashland program.

"I really felt that I could come back and have some success wrestling," Everett said. "I was mentally prepared to compete." Everett proved himself able to become both mentally and physically sharp. And he performed magnificently in advancing to the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships held last month at Southern Colorado. Everett went 1-2 in the post OSU is IbsLiaMm. (keavily) on QB Germaine is Buckeyes' No.

1, but there's not much behind him just Garcia and two redshirt freshmen 'It was tough coming in and out of games last season. I think I'll have better rhythm when I'm playing every down." By Ralph Paulk Beacon Jounml stufl irriler Columbus: Joe Germaine knows he entered spring practice last week as Ohio State's No. 1 quarterback. He won't have to worry about being platooned with another quarterback Pluto Mint-condition Franklin is one thing, but Continued from Page Cl of the political talk is about who the president is with this week." So it won't take much for Franklin to be a little different, a little better than what you normally hear. Perfect match Franklin came to Cleveland in 1967.

Until that point, his career had been a series of jobs across the country, including a Louisiana radio station in a swamp. "I'd get there in the morning and kill the snakes before I went on the air," he said. Franklin was hired and fired, hired and fired. Name a city, and Franklin probably was fired there. Most jobs didn't even last two years.

Then something happened in Cleveland. It was the perfect match of a passionate, opinionated talk-show host and a group of rust-belt fans who were rabid about their teams. Franklin became The Voice of Sports. He was part vaudeville, part preacher, part historian. When the Indians made a trade or the Browns fired a coach, you had to turn on the radio that night for Franklin's opinion.

This was before ESPN, before the Internet and before the proliferation of talk radio. There was just Franklin, calling Ted Stepien an idiot across 38 states and half of Canada. Heck, current sports talkers such as Mike Trivisonno and Geoff Sinde-lar started as callers to the Franklin show. For 20 years, no other sports talk host mattered. Dead or alive Franklin left town in 1987 for New York, and later, San Francisco.

Now he's back, 11 years removed from the town and the teams. "I've done two shows already," he said. "I keep getting old ladies calling up and saying, 'Oh, Pete, I'm so glad that you're still Then some other guys have asked me how come I'm not dead yet." Franklin's last radio gig ended in September, when he quit after 1 six years of afternoon drive on KNBR, San Francisco's highly rated station. He could have continued as his ratings were high, but said he was tired of the daily grind. He retired to San Diego.

Or so he thought. Then WTAM called with an offer to talk to his old friends in Cleveland, the fans he still considers the best in the country. "I loved San Francisco as a city, but their sports fans are wimps," he said. "They'd rather go to a restaurant or a museum than a ballgame." But Franklin isn't moving back to Northeast Ohio. "I'm basically sitting back and counting the seagulls," he said.

"But when they set it up so I could do the show from a studio in San Diego, I figured why not do it?" Will it work? There are many reasons why not. San Diego doesn't exactly place Franklin at the nerve center of i Northeast Ohio sports. He also is 11 years removed from the market, meaning a generation of fans have grown up without Franklin being the last word on sports. He can make mistakes. He can misread the pulse of the fans.

He can embarrass himself, tarnishing the memory many of us have of him. "I can keep in touch," he insisted. "I know everyone in sports. I can pick up the phone and get information. I can read the newspapers.

I can watch TV." Maybe it will work, or maybe it won't. "It will work," Franklin said. "Because sports talk is entertainment, and I know how to entertain." That always was Franklin's secret, his ability to pace a show. He always knew when to schmooze, when to call someone a moroa "I love Cleveland and the fans because they care so much about their teams," he said. "That is why it just broke my heart to see the Browns leave.

Now, they are going to rape the new owners by charging an outrageous price for the franchise and stick it to them when it comes to draft choices. No fans in the history of sports have been screwed as much as Browns fans." Franklin says this with anger in his voice. He still cares, too. "We all go through periods in our life when we're either considered too young or too old to do a job," he said. "Age doesn't have much to do with it.

Mike Wallace is something like 80 years old and he's still great" Franklin paused. "Am I as good as I used to be?" he asked. "I don't know. Probably not. "But so what? Compared to most of the garbage on the air, I ain't bad, either." JOE GERMAINE Ohio Slate quarterback as he was the past two seasons with Stanley Jackson.

There will Keeping Staying In touch Compiled by staff writer Ralph Paulk Up With The shoulder, wondering when Coach John CooDer will Almost everyone predicts his strong right arm can potentially lead the Buckeyes to their first national title since 1968. After leading the Buckeyes to a Rose Bowl victory following the 1996 season, the Ohio State faithful openly ridiculed Cooper for making Germaine split time with Jackson. That will not be an issue this season. "We won't worry about who will be No. 1," Cooper said.

"We're anxious to see what Mark Garcia and our two young quarterbacks can do." In reality, Germaine has no competition for the starting job. That may be good for the Arizona native, but not so for the program. Unless Germaine is injured or the Buckeyes are routing the opposition, he is likely to get 90 to 95 percent of all the snaps from scrimmage next season. Garcia, a senior and the preseason No. 2, has a strong arm, but is ill-prepared to run the Buckeyes' complex offense.

In fact, Garcia may have trouble holding onto the No. 2 position. Already, he is being bumped and pressured by two redshirt freshmen, Californians David Priestly and Austin Moherman. Cooper, who doesn't have a sophomore or junior quarterback on the roster, hasn't given Garcia reason to think he'll get much playing time. On Thursday, the first day of spring drills, he said one of his primary objectives is to find a backup quarterback.

However, none of his reserve quarterbacks have much experience. Garcia completed just 9-of-23 passes last season. Priestly threw one pass, and that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. So, if both Garcia and Germaine go down, the Buckeyes will be left with two untested redshirt freshmen running an offense that may have to lean almost exclusively on the pass because of its offensive line's run-blocking shortcomings. If Cooper has any regrets, it's that he doesn't have a more experienced quarterback to relieve Germaine.

"Ideally, you would like to have a quarterback in each class," Cooper said. "But our redshirt freshman have been in the program for two years, so they should know what to do. "We would like to come out of spring practice knowing what they can do. We're definitely going to give Garcia, Priestly and Moherman a longer look." Cooper and offensive coordinator, Mike Jacobs, need not look any farther than Germaine to find the key to the Buckeyes' success. He could also be one of the reasons for their failures, partly because of his inability to escape pressure.

The Seminoles exposed and exploited Germaine's unwillingness to leave the pocket. He was banged up and bruised, but kept firing the ball downfield, trying to rescue the Buckeyes as he did against Arizona State in the 1997 Rose Bowl. Germaine, a former major-league pitching prospect, has the toughness to survive the beatings. At times, he was slapped silly last season. Yet, his touch and long-ball accuracy were uncanny, giving Cooper reason to believe the 6-foot-2 redhead can carry Ohio State to the Big Ten title.

cast the hook. BUCKEYES Of course, he knew that the moment the Buckeyes trotted off the field inside the Louisiana Superdome after getting hammered by Florida State, 31-13, in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day. "We've got to put (the Sugar Bowl) behind us," said Germaine, who was sacked four times by the Seminoles. "I think we'll be a different team and a better team next season. "I'm looking forward to next season.

It was tough coming in and out of games last season. I think I'll have better rhythm when I'm playing every down." Indeed, Germaine, whom Cooper often referred to as his No. 1A quarterback the past two seasons, will engineer the offense on his own. If the Buckeyes throw the ball as often as many expect, there's a chance that Germaine will shatter every existing school passing record. He is capable.

He is driven. He is, too, as Cooper puts it, "The Man." Germaine, a fifth-year senior, will be the man on the spot. NCAA Division I softball poll. Laura Jewett, Lake The junior pitcherfirst baseman figures to play a key role at Radford University, which has gotten off to a disappointing 9-21 start. Jewett has a 2-8 record, but has a respectable 3.48 ERA.

So far, her problem has been a lack of run support. Jewett, who is also batting .200 for the season, has registered the team's only two saves. Linda Rist, West Holmes The Baldwin-Wallace sophomore pitcher went six strong innings, giving up six hits and three runs in improving to 4-2 this season in the second game of double-header against Ohio Northern. The 7-4 win helped raise the Lady Yellow Jackets' record to 7-7 overall and 1-3 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Amy Paumier, Marlington The Ohio State third baseman has worked herself into the starting lineup by playing solid defense.

Even though she had an error in a 5-3 loss to Minnesota earlier this week, Paumier, a freshman, had five assists and was l-for-3 at the plate, scoring a run and singling in another. TRACK AND FIELD Kelly Krupa, Hudson The University of Cincinnati weight specialist had a tough workout in the season-opening meet at the Wake Forest Invitational. Krupa competed in three events shot put discus and javelin. She placed third in the discus with a throw of 121-4. She was 18th in the javelin (85-3) and 22nd in the shot put (35-4V0.

Mike Seymour, Stow The Cincinnati Bearcats distance runner ran a season-best 31:22.17 in the 10,000 meters at the Wake Forest Invitational. Seymour, a four-time high school state meet qualifier, finished second in one of the stronger fields of the outdoor seasons. So far, Seymour's times put him in solid position to qualify for the national championships in June. Compiled by Ralph Paulk MEN'S BASKETBALL Devon Downing, GlenOak The Alfred University senior was curiously missing from the All-President's Athletic Conference first team. Even though he led the conference in scoring (22.9 points), the best he could get was a second-team mention.

Instead of being bitter, Downing is looking to get even. "It bothers me to a certain point," he said. "I'm just going to use it as motivation to get better this summer." Said Alfred coach Jay Murphy: "Look at his numbers. They are as high or higher than they were last year. We moved him to point guard from small forward, and he continued to score." Kevin Finefrock, Canton Central Catholic Finefrock, a native of Massillon, helped lead Rider University into the National Invitation Tournament.

The 5-foot-9 junior guard, who twice earned All-Ohio honors at Canton Central Catholic, helped lead the Broncs to an 18-10 record. He started all 27 games for Rider and scored a career-high 32 points against Siena. He led the team in free-throw shooting (84.2 percent), was second in assists (71) and the third leading scorer (9.7 points). GOLF Ryan Armour, Walsh Jesuit The Ohio State senior fired a tournament-best 68 in the final round of the Furman Invitational to win top medalist honors with a total of 209. Armour, who was 7 under for the tournament helped Ohio State to a second-place finish behind Virginia Commonwealth.

SOFTBALL Jenna Barber, Tallmadge Barber, a senior second baseman for Ashland University, is hitting .333 this season. Most everyone expected her to find her way on base, but hardly anyone figured she would increase her power. Already, Barber has three home runs this season in helping the Eagles climb up the Baseball AerosKickoff Luncheon is April 9 The Akron Aeros, in conjunction with the Summit Sports Luncheon Club and radio station WAKR (1590-AM), will host the 1998 Kckoff Luncheon at Tangier Restaurant on Thursday beginning at 11:45 a.m. The luncheon's keynote speaker will Aeros owner Mike Agganis. Also in attendance will be new Aeros manager Joel Skinner, Aeros players and team mascot Orbit Tickets are $8 and can be reserved by contacting Andy Pfaff of the Summit Sports Luncheon Club at 330-896-0810.

Gene Harris at the Summit County Red Cross at 330-535-6131. POWERLIfTING Akronite captures World Masters title Dick Giller won the World Powerlifting Association World Championship middleweight title at the annual meet March 28-30 at the Florence Civic Center in Florence, S.C. Giller, who is 70 years old and weighs 160 pounds, lifted 325 pounds in the squat, benchpressed 300 pounds and deadlifted 450 pounds for a total of 1,075 pounds. Golf GenCorp to sponsor Summit Golf Outing GenCorp is the tide sponsor for the sixth annual Summit County Golf Outing to be held July 27 at Glenmoor Country Club. All proceeds from the event will benefit the local disaster relief chapter of Summit County Red Cross, used to aid area citizens in crisis situations.

Included in the $250 entry fee are lunch, practice range and locker room privileges, cart, golf, refreshments and dinner. For registration information contact.