Another former high school football star from the Tri-State is in the NFL.
Former Ironton punter Avery Book is in camp with the Cleveland Browns. Book worked out at Bowling GreenÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s pro day, catching the BrownsÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ attention.
Book averaged 43.6 yards per kick last season and dropped 21 of 64 punts inside the 20-yard line. He booted 20 punts of more than 50 yards.
Book started his college career at Glenville State, then went to Augustana before landing at Akron.
An academic All-American, Book joins Huntington HighÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Darnell Wright (Chicago), Spring ValleyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Doug Nester (Pittsburgh) and Wyatt Milum (Jacksonville), Cabell ModlandÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s J.J. Roberts (Tampa Bay) and Coal GroveÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Austen Pleasants (San Francisco) in the NFL.
TOUGH BREAK: Hurricane softball pitcher Kate Justice throws like a girl.
ThatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a compliment, even though I joked IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™d write something mean about her after she fractured my left arm with a 60-plus mph wild pitch during warmups Wednesday before the RedskinsÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ game with Cabell Midland.
Committed to Army West Point, Justice is a nice youngster and terrific player who felt worse about it than I did and was very apologetic. I warned her if she does it again, IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m charging the circle. I doubt Justice is worried. IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m sure she can outrun me, and knew I was kidding.
To my credit, I still covered the game and wrote the story with one hand.
AMAZING STATS OF THE WEEK: Ironton St. Joe baseballÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Landon Rowe stole his 100th career base. South Webster won its first Southern Ohio Conference baseball championship since 1981. Ironton softball junior Khamil Martin scored her 100th career run.
Lincoln County baseball won a program-record 15 games this season. Spring Valley baseballÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Garrett Wagoner smacked his 125th career hit, a program record. Coal Grove softballÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Abbie Deeds smashed her 100th career hit. South Point softballÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Kota Copley went 5 for 5 with a triple, a double, three singles and struck out 10 batters in a win over Green.
Symmes Valley softball had its 22-game winning streak broken in a 12-8 loss at Lawrence County. Fairland softball won two games in a row after losing the previous 19. Fairview stole 13 bases in as many attempts in a 21-2 victory over Chesapeake. Fairview beat Russell in baseball for the first time since 2005.
COACH SPEAK: Former Fairland track coach Mike Whitley was honored by the Ohio High School Athletic Association for serving 50 years as an official in the sport.
Longtime Poca boys basketball coach Allen Osborne is the new coach at St. Albans. Minford coach Josh Shoemaker resigned.
Recruiting roundup
SIGNINGS: South Point trackÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Emma Layne (Marshall). Fairland golfÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Jeremiah Fizer (Marietta). South Webster basketballÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Eli Roberts (Rio Grande). Belfry swimmer Kaylin Hatfield (Pikeville).
COMMITMENTS: Coal Grove basketballÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Owen Johnson (Alice Lloyd). South Charleston basketballÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Roman Kellum (WVU Tech).
OFFERS: Spring Valley girls basketballÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Brooklyn Ellis (St. Leo, Wheeling). Ironton footballÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Caleb Jacobs (Gardner-Webb) and Tyler Carmon (Muskingum), and wrestlingÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Nate Sloan (Otterbein). Lawrence County boys basketballÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Kaiden Harris (Kentucky Christian). Green basketballÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Abbie Knapp (Georgetown College).
TRANSFERS: Former Spring Valley basketball star Hallie Bailey from West Virginia State to St. Leo. Former Cabell Midland football player Zaky Roberts from Fairmont State to Rio Grande.
NOTES, QUOTES, ANECDOTES: Huntington High boys and girls track teams won Mountain State Athletic Conference championships. Coal Grove won its second consecutive Ohio Valley Conference softball title. Former Hurricane shortstop A.J. Meeks of Purdue was named to the All-Big Ten softball tournament team.
