The readership is back from summer travel, and in full throat on the eve of the 2024 high school sports season…football…bowling…and expanded divisions. As always, we welcome your thoughts and contribution to the site, as we share some of the best since our last post.
It’s a welcome sight, of course…the number of people who are back from summer vacations and into the swing of high school sports, anticipating another exciting championship journey in football and volleyball, and with reader opinion on expansion to seven divisions for everything but Backgammon.
Here’s some of the best we’ve received since our last post in July.
Starting with…
“I’m really tired of reading about MAC football and Marion Local. Seems to me if you’re read in all 88 counties you’d spend some time paying attention to something bigger than farm country football.” … Tony Ash
(Ed. Note: What a wonderful letter start to the fall season, Tony, and I’ll make these three points to you, with apologies for editing. The MAC’s record, without question, is more impressive than any of the bigger schools you allude to in your area, including Ignatius, Mentor, and Massillon. Overall, nine of the ten MAC football programs are either current, or past state champions…43 times, I believe. So, to which urban big school conference do you want to compare? Second, they’ve gone head-to-head with Cuyahoga and Lake County schools over the years in Division VI and VII, and the only northeast team to beat them is Kirtland, another relatively small school. Overall, Marion Local, alone, is 14 for 17 in title game competition and has beaten the supposed best from southeast Ohio, northwest Ohio, northeast Ohio, and central Ohio. Three, I bet you don’t think about country when you buy a gallon of milk. You just enjoy it.)
“Your recent teams of intrigue column was made up entirely of former state championship teams. I question whether you’re missing the point of what’s intriguing to the rest of us.” … Tim Murphy
(Ed. Note: Tim, historically the media has always been intrigued by teams that have won, and what it takes to be a winner on a consistent basis. Outside of that, I think it would be hard to sell ‘intrigue’ to the average sports reader.)
On the question of how seven divisions benefits kids through increased opportunity, we received this:
“It remains to be seen if seven divisions in all sports gives us more ‘champions’, or just more trophies.” … Blake Motyca
On our recent coverage of PBA events at the Kremer Roofing Tournament in Minster, and the Bowlerstore.com Classic, in Coldwater:
“I always enjoy the coverage you give to bowling, but the comparison between the bowling tour and the PGA was eye-opening. Thanks for sharing.” … Tom Killilea
“There are no bowling alleys that I know of that look like Augusta National and Muirfield. If you want to make big money, you have to spend big money to attract it.” … Jim Miller
Westerville’s Zeke Bayt, winner of the 2024 Coldwater Classic. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
“First-time reader, and loved the story you did on Bermuda bowler David Maycock. I thought of him last week when the hurricane hit the island and wondered if he was there driving his cab.” … Bruce Lytle
(Ed. Note: Actually, I know he was going home for a day after Coldwater, but I think he was stateside again, somewhere out West, when the storm came. I know this, he now reads this site every day. He’ll appreciate your thinking of him.)
“While I read your site sometimes, I think you miss a wonderful opportunity to cover more local kids in other school activities besides sports (as your home page states). I really don’t want to read about professional bowling.” … Pat Robinette
(Ed. Note: Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play? But to your surprise one of the most enthusiastic audiences we have locally is that for high school bowling, something we do for kids who don’t, and never will, play football and basketball. In some cases bowling is their only competitive outlet, and we cover the PBA guys because those kids want to see the opportunity beyond high school, just like any school sport or activity. Many of them attend the tournaments, in person. I’ll also add that Press Pros is the only media outlet that I know of that does cover high school bowling. There’s plenty of room at the inn…for other outlets to write about the things you don’t find on Press Pros. And thanks for your concern.)
And on Coldwater PBA winner, Westerville’s Zeke Bayt:
“There are a handful in our bowling community putting in the work and are talented enough to actually have a shot. Zeke, is definitely in that category. Great win!” … Fred Santopadre (via Facebook)
“Great guy, great win. Congrats, Zeke.” … Chase Benda
Finally, with OSU fall baseball less than a month away, response to the recent column about Ohio State’s Nick Giamarusti:
“That was a great read, and I hope there are more who chose to stay and be a Buckeye for something more than NIL money. Will be following them in the fall.” … Don Motz
“Way to go, Nick. But I wonder how guys like that really feel about college teammates who are that mercenary to leave? Interesting quote from Giamarusti (‘I’m excited for them in the SEC’).” … Eric (Dublin)
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