It is hard to believe, but we are already halfway through the 2010 high school football season. While local experts have had their assumptions shaken on almost a weekly basis, here are my updated predictions based on the competition through the first half of the season.

1. Whitmer

The Panthers were picked to finish second at the start of the football season. Everyone knew the Panthers have the dynamic duo of future Buckeye Kenny Hayes and junior Chris Wormley at the defensive end spots, but what fans didn’t know was that Whitmer also has two great athletes at the running back spot. Sophomore Tré Sterritt and junior Jody Webb have run all over the competition. The Panthers still have St. Francis and Central left on the schedule, but the players look ready to repeat as league champions.

2. Central Catholic

The Irish were the preseason favorite to win the City League championship, and at the halfway mark, Central is well on its way to fulfilling that prediction. Led by running back Caleb Goings, the Irish have run at to a 5-0 record. Central still has St. Francis, Whitmer and St. Johns left on its schedule. Many are curious to see what happens when the Irish face what is perceived to be tougher competition on the remainder of its schedule. It will be tough for the Irish to run the gantlet through the three teams undefeated.

3. St. John’s Jesuit

The Titans would have been everyone’s favorite to win the final City League championship. Led by sophomore sensation Brogan Roback, the team looked like it had the most potent offense in the area. A blowout win versus St. Francis on Sept. 17 showed the St. John’s team was a contender.  But after a tough loss at Whitmer, the Titans have shown a few chinks in the armor. The Titans toughest remaining league game will be the season finale against Central, and that means the St. John’s-Central matchup could decide who wins the title.

4. St. Francis

The Knights are off to a 2-3 start, and the team still has many question marks surrounding it. No one is quite sure how good this St. Francis team can be. The Knights had a tough nonleague schedule and a disappointing loss to St. John’s. But the Titans’ loss at Whitmer gives everyone a second chance at a league title. If the Knights can pull off wins at Whitmer and against Central Catholic in back-to-back weeks, St. Francis could be standing atop the City League mountain at season’s end.

5. Clay

The Eagles have been the most surprising team this season. Picked to finish seventh, Clay players have shown they can beat solid teams. The Eagles have a penchant for winning the close game, and it is possible that Clay could have a few more tricks up its sleeve. The team’s Achilles heel has to be inconsistency.  If Clay can avoid another potential pitfall, the Eagles might be this season’s Cinderella story.

6. Rogers

If there has been one team that has been bitten by the injury bug, it has been the Rogers Rams. Rogers was expecting big things with Ohio State commitment DerJuan “Peewee” Gambrell under center this year, and Damond Powell and Glandoy Hill at the wide receiver spots. But after Gambrell’s injury in week one against Anthony Wayne, the Rams have struggled to throw the football.

7. Start

The Spartans are winless this season, but the team has been competitive in all of their games. Start has enough firepower to get back above the lower-tier teams in the league.

8. Bowsher

The Rebels have won just one game so far, but there have been some some signs of growth throughout this season. The Rebels are about a year away from competing at the top of this league once the non-TPS schools leave for a new league next season.

9. Waite

The Indians have won two games in a row, one of which was an upset win over rival Clay. Waite could be on an upswing, especially into next season.

10. Scott

The Bulldogs football program continues to have difficulty. Scott lost to Waite this season. This team will win against Woodward, and that may be its only City League victory.

11. Woodward

What can one say about the Polar Bears? Things were bad before, and they haven’t gotten much better.

Chris Schmidbauer is sports editor for Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Contact him at cschmidbauer@toledofreepress.com. He is also the co-host of the “Odd Couple Sports Show” on Fox Sports Radio 1230 WCWA and can be heard every weekday from 10 a.m. to noon. He can also be seen weekly on the “Friday Night Frenzy Tailgate Show” on NBC 24.

Tags: Bowsher, Central Catholic, Chris Schmidbauer, Clay, Prep football, Rogers, Scott, St. Francis, St. John's Jesuit, Start, The Cheap Seats, Waite, Whitmer, Woodward

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 30th, 2010 at 3:25 pm and is filed under Prep Sports, Sports, The Cheap Seats.
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Bowsher High School will soon open what it describes as the largest musical production in the history of Toledo Public Schools. Its highly anticipated presentation of Disney’s much beloved classic “Beauty and the Beast” is set to open on March 26.

The production features more than 40 players, with Caitlyn Varwig and Matt Schermbeck in the title roles. The show is being produced by the School’s Director of Vocal Music Karin Giffin.

“These kids have put in extremely long hours of rehearsal to make this show fantastic!,” Giffin said. “This is the biggest show I have ever put together and we are blessed to be the first Toledo Public School to perform a Disney show and of this magnitude.”

Disney’s Academy Award-winning animated classic hit the big screen in 1991 and was followed by the long running Broadway production in 1994, which closed in 2007.

“It’s always great to have a name show, but we’ve also been blessed with so much community support. The costumes alone for this production cost around $7,500, which we’ve have already covered through generous donations. I would say that this is a show not to be missed because it is family friendly, and the acting is just wonderful. I think the audience will be left speechless. We are just so fortunate to have this opportunity. We want to show the entire community what we have here at Bowsher and the work that TPS is doing,” said Scott McGorty, a senior at Bowsher.

“We’re expecting a large crowd, including Toledo Mayor Mike Bell.,” McGorty said. “Tickets have been selling well — I think we’ve already sold out something like 12 or 13 rows of seats.”

McGorty was so thrilled with the production he invited President Barack Obama, as well as First Lady Michelle, and while the Obamas won’t be able to attend, he did receive the following reply from the First Lady’s office.

“The First Lady sends her best wishes and hopes that you continue to work with those close to you to strengthen your community and our country.”

“Beauty and the Beast” runs through March 28. Showtime for Friday and Saturday evening is at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday matinees begin at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults. Seniors and children 12 and under are $10 at the door. E.L. Bowsher Senior High School is located at 2200 Arlington Avenue.

For more information, call (419) 671-2000.

Tags: Bowsher

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 at 9:26 am and is filed under Arts and Life, Star, Theater.
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