The Ohio High School Athletic Association will be adding a seventh tournament division in football beginning in 2013, Commissioner Daniel B. Ross has announced. The addition of a seventh division was approved by the OHSAA’s Board of Directors by a 6-3 vote during its regularly scheduled meeting last week.
The plan will place the top 10 percent of schools based on enrollment in Division I, with the remaining 644 schools divided evenly among the next six divisions.
This will leave 72 schools in Division I with the other six divisions averaging approximately 108 schools.
Each of the seven divisions will continue to qualify 32 teams to the tournament. Currently, the six OHSAA football divisions are comprised of an average of 120 schools per division.
The plan for adopting an additional division was in response to a concern by some OHSAA member schools about the enrollment disparity that exists in Division I, where the current range is 494 males at the lower end of the division to 1,164 at the top. Based on current enrollment data, the lower end of Division I would increase to 600 males.
Boardman High School will remain a Division I school with the revised plan.
Committee meetings were held to address the issue and the recommendation to add a seventh division came from the committee.
“Adding a seventh division not only helps address the enrollment disparity in Division I, but it also will create 32 more tournament opportunities for student-athletes, their schools and their communities, many of which have never or rarely experienced the playoffs,” Ross said.
“The committee members believe that this is an issue unique to football, especially since not all schools qualify for the OHSAA football tournament.”
A separate committee, comprised of OHSAA Board and staff members, school administrators and officers of the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association, will be formed to finalize the details of this plan. Among the details to be determined: adjustments to the Harbin Computer Ratings with the addition of another division; regional breakdowns and assignments for Division I, and dates in which specific divisions will play their tournament contests, including logistics of an additional state tournament contest.
Approval of an “athletic count” formula, which is included within a competitive balance proposal that OHSAA member school principals will vote on during the annual referendum process that will occur between May 1 and 15, would also be factored in before placing schools into their respective tournament divisions.
The next two-year cycle for reassigning schools to tournament divisions begins in the fall of 2013. Based on current enrollment figures, a sample of the football tournament divisional enrollment ranges when adding a seventh division would be (again, keeping in mind that this will change before the 2013 season): Division I – 600 to 1,164; Division II – 410 to 599; Division III – 288 to 409; Division IV – 216 to 287; Division V – 159 to 215; Division VI – 114 to 158, and Division VII – 30 to 111.
The current football tournament divisional enrollment ranges, which run through 2012, are: Division I – 494 to 1,164; Division II – 327 to 493; Division III – 243 to 326; Division IV – 172 to 242; Division V – 120 to 171, and Division VI – 30 to 119.
This is the first time the OHSAA has expanded the number of football tournament divisions since 1994, when a sixth division was added. Five years later, the number of tournament qualifiers in each division expanded from 16 to 32. When the tournament first began in 1972, there were three football tournament divisions, and expansion to five divisions occurred in 1980.

The Multiple Sclerosis Services Agency located in Canfield, is hosting their annual golf outing on Mon., May 21, at Salem Hills Golf and Country Club. The site is located on State Route 45 about 1/4 mile south of State Route 165. This fundraiser hopes to raise money and awareness of the services and programs provided at No Charge to those suffering from MS. These programs include an Adaptive Aquatics Program at two local YMCA’s, Support Group Meetings, Free Equipment Loan Program administered through Canfield Medical Supply, MS Clinic at St. Elizabeth Health Center, Educational Programs and Workshops, MS Newsletter, and Counseling/Referrals. A new program that is hoped to be implemented is a Therapeutic Riding Program at a local horse training facility.
The nonprofit organization provides assistance to MS patients in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana Counties. The nonprofit agency was formed in 1981. All money raised by the Multiple Sclerosis Services Agency stays right here in the Mahoning Valley. The agency is funded through local support and receives no money from Federal, State or outside sources.
We are seeking the support of the local business community. We are looking for sponsors, players and volunteers to make this Golf Outing a success. The cost is $75 per player or $300 for a foursome. This includes 18 holes, golf cart, lunch, dinner, beverages and prizes.
Many celebrities have been invited to participate in this event. As soon as acknowledgements are made, their names will be posted. Actors, professional athletes, coaches, racing legends and golf professionals have been personally invited for this event.
Sponsorship packages are available by caling Joseph Chevraux at 330-533-6772 or can be emailed at MSSAOH@gmail.com.
The agency wishes to thank Butch Ross and Salem Hills Golf & Country Club for allowing us to have our event at their beautiful country club and golf course.
The Multiple Sclerosis Services Agency is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit and donations are tax deductible under the tax laws.

The Youngstown State football program will hold its third annual Women’s Football Coaching Clinic on Friday, March 30, at Stambaugh Stadium. The cost to attend the clinic is $25 and all proceeds will be donated to the ALS Association Fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The clinic will run from 6-9 p.m. on the YSU campus.
Registration will be from 5-6 p.m. and Hors D’oeuvres will be provided before the Coaching Clinic begins in the DeBartolo Stadium Club. The YSU Football Staff will present on the fundamentals of coaching and part of the clinic will be an up-close look at the WATTS.
The three-hour clinic is a great opportunity for female football fans to learn the concepts of every position on the field. The members of the YSU coaching staff will provide insight into what fans will see on gameday and learn about pregame preparation and game planning. The coaches will involve the participants into all drills for even more hands-on training.
All participants will receive a gift bag and raffle prizes from local merchants will be awarded throughout the event.
Contact Director of Football Operations Dan Kopp at dmkopp@ysu.edu or call the football office at (330) 941-3478 for more information. Parking for the event will be in the F-7 Lot north of the stadium.

 NEW YORK CITY---25-year-old Mike Mannozzi, 90 Erskine Ave., won gold last weekend at the famed 105th running of the Millrose Games in New York City, stalking Dan Serriani for seven laps and then surging on the eighth and final lap to win the Susan Rudin Men’s 1-Mile Race Walk.
Mannozzi has dumped Serianni in three straight races, and the victory at the Millrose Games was as close as it cold be, by a scant two one-hundredths of a second.
At the end of the race, Serriani, the favorite, could hardly shake Mannozzi’s hand, an indication of a growing rivalry among the two.
Serianni led for the first seven laps of the race at the Millrose Games, but couldn’t enjoy his lead as Mannozzi stayed close on his tail, about three feet behind, for most of the race.
Midway through the eighth and final lap, Mannozzi took an elbow from Serriani as he attempted a pass. But Mannozzi kept his stride and made another charge down the final stretch.
Just at the tape, Mannozzi’s outstretched right hand crossed the finished line first to give him the victory.
In late December, in a 3K race in Rochester, New York, which is Serriani’s home turf, Mannozzi beat Seriani by almost a half-minute.
Last week’s appearance at the Millrose Games was Mannozzi’s third. In 2010, he was disqualified and last year took fifth place.
His winning time this year was 6:19.40, a half-minute better than his 2011 showing.
The win gave Mannozzi his second national championship. In 2010, he claimed the NAIA national race-walking title.
This year’s win at the Millrose Games capped the closest race of any event in the meet.
The Armory reported Mannozzi’s stunning victory this way---
“And here’s another one to remember. The night’s closest race around the 200-meter oval, billed as ‘the world’s fastest, was not Lagat over Lalang, Centrowitz over Batty, or Simpson over Rowbury.
“It was Michael Mannozzi over Dan Serianni in the Susan Rudin men’s one-mile racewalk, 6:19:40 to 6:19.42, and a panel of world-class racewalking judges assured it was all legal.”
Mannozzi and Serianni will tangle again on Feb. 25 in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the U.S. Track and Field 3K national championships.
Mannozzi, who has Olympic hopes, will compete in the 20K World Cup Trial set for Apr. 1 in Eugene, Oregon. A top-5 finish there would qualify the local athlete to compete later this year in the World Cup that will be held in Russia.
In the national championships, and the trials, Mannozzi will leave the starting blocks as he does virtually every race, in the role of an underdog.
If he keeps on winning, that role will change.

Boardman High School freshman Brooke Bailey broke the school record in the 500 freestyle in the final meet of the regular season against Massillon Washington last week.
Bailey posted the record winning time of 5:24.37 eclipsing the old mark of 5:24.81 set by Megan Palmer in 2008.
Bailey also won the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:03.08 in the win over Massillon Washington by the score of 136-43.
The Spartan boys also won their meet against Massillon by the score of 104-66. Boardman teams combined for 22 first places out of the 25 events. Winners included all six relays.
Emily Bodamer, Jordyn Markovitch, Jessica Hilk, and Gaby DeAscentis swam a winning time of 2:01.89 in the 200 medley relay. In the same event for the boys Tyler Calpin, Nick Barone, Alec Santamas, and Alex Downie posted a winning time of 1:52.77.
In the victorious 200 free relays the girls were Amanda Moss, Brooke Bailey, Sarah Gonda, and Colleen Manning. The boys were Alex Downie, Kyle McEvey, Nick Barone, and Ryan Bailey.
The winning 400 relay members for the girls were Jordyn Markovich, Brooke Bailey, Amanda Moss, and Colleen Manning. The boys were Ryan Bailey, David Zaitzew, Tommy Mihalopoulos, and Alec Santamas.
Other individual winners were as follows: Colleen Manning 200 IM and 100 breaststroke; Jordyn Markovitch, 100 and 50 freestyle; Lily Testa, diving; Emily Bodamer, 100 butterfly; Jessica Hilk, 100 backstroke; Ryan Bailey, 200 freestyle and the 100 freestyle; Alex Downie, 50 freestyle; Alec Santamas, 100 butterfly; and David Zaitzew, 500 freestyle.
On Jan. 28, the Spartan swimmers hosted Massillon Jackson and Uniontown Lake in a double dual meet competition.
Jackson won the meet against both Spartan teams while the Spartans won both sides of the meet against Lake.
Both Alex Downie and Ryan Bailey posted double individual victories in the meet. Downie won the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly while Bailey posted wins in the 100 backstroke and the 100 freestyle.
Other individual winners for Boardman were as follows: Jordyn Markovitch in the 200 freestyle, Alec Santamas in the 100 butterfly, Brooke Bailey in the 500 freestyle, and Jessica Hilk in the 100 backstroke. Boardman swimmers won the two medley relays. Gaby DeAscentis, Brooke Bailey, Emily Bodamer, and Colleen Manning won the girls medley in a time of 1:57.08. Alex Downie, Ryan Bailey, Alec Santamas, and Nick Barone finished in a first place time of 1:45.84 in the medley.
“Brooke Bailey swam an excellent race in the 500 freestyle. She negative split her last 100 which sealed the record setting time. Brooke is very competitive in practice and the meets. She has a very bright future in swimming,” SPartan swim coach Terry O’Halloran said.
The head coach noted “Our freshman swimmers have really made a lot of progress this season. Tyler Calpin, David Zaitzew, Tommy Mihalopoulos, Sarah Gonda, Amanda Moss, and Julia Lewis are all working hard and dropping their times. All of our swimmers are looking forward to the sectional meets this coming weekend.
“Our boys will be swimming at Akron University this Friday morning and the girls will be there Saturday afternoon. District qualifiers will move on to Cleveland State University on Feb. 17. State qualifiers will be in Canton Feb. 24 and 25.