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Rebels playing for MVAC title
COLUMBIANA -- Crestview will travel to Garrettsville Garfield in a state-ranked battle Friday with the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Gray Tier title on the line.
Crestview (8-0) climbs to second in the Division VI state poll, while Garfield (7-1) is ranked 17th in Division V.
Garfield has never lost a league game since joining the MVAC in 2021. The G-Men have won 32 consecutive league games.
The G-Men have rolled off seven straight wins after a season-opening 51-43 double-overtime loss at Ashtabula Edgewood.
Crestview has won 12 of its last 13 league games, losing 23-22 to Garfield last season.
It will be a high-powered matchup as Garfield averages 44.4 points a game and Crestview 39.4 points a game.
Also in Division VI, Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference leader United (7-1) is ranked 13th and Columbiana (4-3) is 15th.
West Branch (7-1) is 13th in Division IV and East Palestine (7-1) is 14th in Division VII.
See page B2 for the complete state poll.
NIL could be coming to Ohio high schools soon
COLUMBUS -- A lawsuit filed Thursday in Franklin County could force an emergency statewide vote on whether Ohio high school athletes can profit from their name, image and likeness, a move that could end Ohio's status as one of just six states still banning such compensation.
The suit targets the Ohio High School Athletic Association and could trigger a referendum among the organization's member schools to consider a bylaw allowing student-athletes to be paid for endorsements, appearances and social media promotions.
OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute said the organization anticipated possible legal action and is prepared to proceed with a vote earlier than planned. "We were hoping this would wait for the referendum voting period in May," Ute said, "but as we told our schools this fall, the vote may have to come sooner due to a lawsuit."
The OHSAA Board of Directors had already approved NIL language to appear on the May ballot. However, under OHSAA bylaws, legal challenges can prompt an emergency referendum vote before that time.
If approved, the bylaw would permit high school athletes to sign NIL agreements while maintaining amateur eligibility under OHSAA rules.
Member schools previously rejected a similar NIL proposal in 2022 by a 538-254 margin.
Guardians re-sign Hedges
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Catcher Austin Hedges re-signed with the Cleveland Guardians, agreeing Wednesday to a one-year contract worth $4 million.
Hedges, who had been eligible for free agency, gets the same base salary he had this season. He can earn $500,000 in performance bonuses for starts as a catcher: $125,000 each for 70, 75, 80 and 85.
Even though Hedges is the backup catcher, he has emerged as a key clubhouse leader on a squad that has won the AL Central three of the last four seasons.
Hedges said on Wednesday that both sides began to discuss a new deal toward the end of the regular season
"I told them this is where I want to be for years moving forward. I want to finish my career in Cleveland, whatever that means. If that means a year, if that means I can grind another 10 years out, then great," he said. "I love the group coming back. I think we're right in position to go win the division again. And it's also that the group has now been a part of two deep playoff runs. A lot of young guys this past year got to witness what it's like to make the playoffs and to be in there."
Cleveland first acquired Hedges in 2020 from San Diego. He spent 2023 with Pittsburgh and Texas before returning to the Guardians in 2024.
The 33-year old was tied for fourth among AL catchers in defensive runs saved with nine. His 95 defensive runs saved since 2017 are the most in the majors among catchers.
He hit .161 with five homers and 10 RBIs in 180 plate appearances over 68 games, including 54 starts at catcher.
Hedges also made three pitching appearances in the ninth inning of losses, raising his career mound games to eight over the past three seasons.