THE NEW "ZIPS!"

A D1 FOOTBALL EARLY EXCLUSIVE!!!

Former Lake Catholic standout Randy Greenwood along with Willoughby South QB Patrick Nicely and Rebel lineman Josip Vidovic signed their Letters of Intent today to accept scholarship offers to the University of Akron. The three area athletes joined together at Willoughby South High School this afternoon in front of friends, family and the media for the usual photo op and interviews. The thing that made this day special were the young men themselves. A very nice group of kids on and off the football field. True gentlemen.


Dotting I's and crossing T's


Watch the videos


Randy Greenwood is just simply anxious to get back to football after sitting out his senior season with a leg unjury. The class act by Akron to stand true in their offer not only speaks volumes about head coach J.D. Brookhart, but opens up the door for Randy to realize his dream to play D-1 football and be a part of a special time in Zips' football. Akron will open up a new stadium with some fresh local talent and a renewed outlook on taking over the MAC.


Vidovic, Greenwood and Nicely

Patrick Nicely, coming off a great senior year realizes that he'll have to sit and learn early on, but also knows that's the process and it's for the best. This kid is ready to win! It's nice that he'll have one of his high school linemen there with him too along the way.


The players and their high school coaches


A very proud Greenwood family


Introducing new Akron WR Randy Greenwood!


D1 Football and northeast Ohio are proud of you guys!

This is a very nice day for northeast Ohio football as a whole as we get to have renewed hope that out young talent will once again bring forward the notion of this area being the "Cradle of High School Football" as they move on to their college careers. Gentlemen, D1 Football and ALL of you coaches, fans and the rest of northeast Ohio wish you all health and success in your promising young futures. Do right by mom and dad. Get it done in the classroom. THEN go lights out on the football field. Be proud of what you have accomplished becasue we are proud of each one of you.

RANDY GREENWOOD TO SIGN LOI TO AKRON!

Former Lake Catholic High School standout Randy Greenwood will sign his Letter of Intent to accept a scholarship at the University of Akron this week.



The 2008 season was pretty rough on Randy as a preseason leg injury prematurely ended his high school career. Through surgery and rigorous rehabilitation, RG is back up to speed and even playing basketball this season. There's no doubt in his level of conditioning and committment.



In 2007, Randy helped lead the Cougars to the D-III Region 9 Title and on into the State Semi-Finals where they would fall victim in the last minutes of the game to Licking Valley. No matter where he lined up on the field he was always a threat! Running back and defensive back were the norm, but throw in a little receiver, punter and quarterback and, well, he very much emulated his hero, "Superman" on the football field.



Talent runs very deep in the Greenwood family. Randy younger brothers are also very talented athletes at Fairport Harbor.

Now, Randy moves on from high school to take hold of his dream to play NCAA Division-I college football at the University of Akron. Coach Brookhart and the Zips have truly landed a class act on and off the football field.


Randy and several other prominant area high school players took part in several youth football camps to "give back" to the community. "He is never put out by helping out the younger kids when asked," says D1 Football Director of Football Operations Rusty Bliss, who's worked with Randy the past couple of years. "Randy well deserves this scholarship opportunity not only because of the type of athlete he is, but because of the type of young man he has become. He's gone through a year of hell and he's made his way back and now he's on the verge of taking the next big step towards his dream. He's a great role model for these younger players," said Bliss.



Randy will say goodbye to northeast Ohio high school football after graduation and become a piece in a bigger puzzle. The Zips have a new stadium and a new outlook for their future in the MAC. The team is geared up to win and the way that they stood by their committment to Randy after his leg injury shows nothing but class on the university's part. Coach Brookhart would love nothing better than to start building with local talent from northeast Ohio.


Look out Mid American Conference, Randy Greenwood is coming at you!

From those of us who have watched you up close grow over the years, we wish you nothing but the best in following your dream! Good luck RG.

It's On! 2009 Starts with a Bang!

D1 FOOTBALL TRAINING BEGINS FRIDAY JANUARY 30TH AT LOST NATION SPORTS PARK!

Those who will attend this 3 month event will be treated to some of the most comprehensive, personal "football specific" training in northeast Ohio.

If you haven't made plans to join us and you're still interested, contact us at ufc@d1football.net or just simply show up for the Open House on Friday the 30th.


AREA COLLEGE PROSPECTS!!! GET US YOUR VIDEO!

Send us your highlight and game films on DVD and we'll get them posted online on our SCOREBOARD page. Send us photos too and when you see your "D1 Trading Card" photo on the scoreboard, click on it and the world will see your video!



Players/Parents wishing to order SCOUT PACKS make sure you include at least three photos and as many stats as possible. Also contact your school counselor for a copy of your transcripts so we can include those too.

D1 Football Skills Training featuring "QB1"

D1 Football brings you off-season football skills training that helps you keep your edge in the off-season. When spring and summer workouts begin YOU'LL BE READY!

OPEN TO ALL AREA FOOTBALL PLAYERS, high school, middle school and even college players home from school....DON'T LOSE YOUR EDGE THIS OFF-SEASON!

Guys, lift at school with your teammate! Nothing is more important to a contender than the true TEAM concept. AFTER THAT...

Join us at Lost Nation Sports Park Friday evenings from 4-6pm for D1 Football and Skills Training. Stay in shape during the off-season. Work on your speed. Work on skills by position, take part skill challenges. This year we will feature "QB1", the areas most complete quarterback skill training session. All aspects of becoming the complete quarterback will be covered.



In addition to quarterbacks, all positions will be covered by our staff that includes former college and professional players along with area high school coaches!



The cost is $200 for 16 sessions or $20.00 per visit. In addition to the training you'll also receive:
- T-shirt
- Your secure online athletic profile
- Your athletic assessment via a combine to be held in March
- Initial recruiting consultation
- Additional gear provided by some of our sponsors.

D1 Football Training will help keep you conditioned and in shape both physically and mentally during the off-season. If you are interested in either please e-mail us at ufc@d1football.net or call 216-214-3390. We have already received an overwhelming number of calls so don't miss out on this tremendous opportunity to help take your game to the next level.

What to bring with you:
-Turf shoes, tennis shoes, cross trainers, etc. NO CLEATS!
-If you have a standard size football you want to bring, the more the better.
-A football attitude



Feel free to call or e-mail with any questions and stay updated at www.d1football.net and check the SCOREBOARD for updates on area high school football all year round.

Now's the Time!!

College coaches are going through the influx of film and transcripts they've received from now until after the bowl season ends and you should already have your "packages" in the mail. Don't fret if you haven't, you still have time. We can help you.

The SCOUT PACK from D1 Football has drawn great reviews from college coaches who know what they're looking for and they get a great preview of the student-athlete from the information provided in the SCOUT PACK. Dozens of coaches have seen it already this year and they truly appreciate the concept.

Your SCOUT PACK includes:
1. YOUR cover letter
2. YOUR athletic profile
3. A copy of YOUR highlight and game DVD
4. YOUR transcripts (if provided)
5. Letters of recommendation
6. Any relevant news articles
...bound together to use as a mailer or to take on college visits as YOUR athletic resume.

E-mail us at ufc@d1football.net or go to D1 Football for details.

PRICES:

If you order before January 1st
1 SCOUT PACK (6 packages) - $100.00
2 SCOUT PACKS (12 packages) - $150.00

We will put the package together for you, ship it to the college(s) of your choice and even provide a follow-up letter. We want you to get the most out of your athletic experience.

"The SCOUT PACK can be used as a mailer or as the centerpiece of your college visit!"

IT'S OFFICIAL - MADDEN WINS!

The 2008 Northeast Ohio High School Player of the Year goes to Kirtland quarterback Ben Madden, who all season long provided outstanding leadership on and off the field and directed the Hornets to the Division 5 regional title game.

Before the season started, you could see Madden's leadership really start to come out. Especially after the Hornets thought that star player Rossi Santo would start the season injured. "Niner" as he's known to his friends and teammates, did his part to work the rest of the offense into the Tiger LaVerde's gameplan and held his own again on defense at linebacker too. Coincidentally he was named Defensive MVP for Lake County for 2008.



Down the stretch you could see him emerge even more as the team made their final push toward the playoffs and a perfect 10-0 regular season, a first for Kirtland High School. In the opening playoff game against South Range, Ben "rushed" for 262 yards and 5 touchdowns and threw for 112 more plus another score leading the team to a 63-7 victory in round one. The following week against Columbiana Crestview he threw for 4 more touchdowns and the team passed yet another landmark for the school and reached the regional title game where they faced off against Youngstown Ursuline.


"The Best Protection a Quarterback Can Have"



Through the first 12 games (10 plus playoffs so far), Ben has possessed a quarterback rating of 210.06 (NCAA). He's completed 56% of his passes for 1576 yards and 24 touchdowns with only 2 interceptions. He has also rushed for 722 yards and 14 touchdowns. Ben has 2298 yards of total offense accounting for nearly half of the Hornet total. The kid is also a standout linebacker who carries his leadership ability to the defensive side of the ball as well being among the leaders in tackles and recording 3 interceptions.

It's not hard to find quality, real quality players in Division 5, but too many times we are force-fed a majority of Division 1 standouts that fail to encompass the TOTAL PLAYER. This is not a knock on them, but when you put it all into perspective and match the individual accomplishments with the team's and just what that player does for his team, teammates and the school as well as the people and coaches around him, you get to see the little things that compliment the stats and Ben "Niner" Madden has all of those. His peers saw it this way as did fans and coaches alike. It tightened up a bit among the top three as we headed into the playoffs, but with the focus on them, they separated from the pack and we ended up here on Monday morning November 10th.

VOTING* RESULTS:

Madden: 31%
Kellen Pagel - Strongsville: 26%
Tim Wetzel - Mayfield: 15%
Andrew Holland - St. Ignatius: 15%
John Pettigrew - Cuyahoga Valley Christian: 7%
Mike Hanhauser - Perry: 6%
*1244 total votes received in all from online polls, e-mail votes, gameday surveys on-site of other players, fans and 37 area coaches. NO MEDIA VOTES.



Congratulations to Ben and his teammates on a tremendous regular season and a great run at Region 17! You guys made history for your school and your community.

THE AWARD

Previous winners:
2007 (Inaugural Season) - Randy Greenwood, Lake Catholic High School

Kirtland Signal Caller Ben Madden

Signal caller to say the very least. What doesn't Ben Madden do? Quarterback, linebacker, kicker and team leader to name just a handful.

Ben has led the Fighting Hornets of Kirtland to the D-5 Regional semi-finals in round two of the playoffs with great leadership. A season that began with team superstar Rossi Santo out for the first game with 3 fractured vertebrae, Madden and his teammates stepped up big time to start what would become a record setting season for the Hornets. 10-0 perfect regular season and a 63-7 win in round one over South Range, the team that beat the Hornets last year in round one. Ben had a 208.8 QB rating at the regular season's end with 18 TD passes to only 2 interceptions. He also ran for 9 touchdowns!! Consider his passing stats - 1324 yards - were short changed because he was out of the offense by halftime of a majority of the Hornets' games this season, he could have easily recorded even bigger numbers. He also was atop team tacklers on defense plus he recorded 3 interceptions and handled some of the kicking duties with 2 field goals and 11 PATs. As far as post-season goes so far this season, NOBODY IN OHIO HAS HAS COME CLOSE TO BEN MADDEN'S STATS.

Together with a healthy Rossi Santo, the powerful O and D lines anchored by the Chappel brothers and a hard hitting defense led by Madden and fellow line backer Neil Perko, the Kirtland Hornets very well could be on the verge of something VERY SPECIAL this season. The team just needs to remain seriously focused and up to the task as they know the bar gets raised with each playoff game.


WR/DB Dominic Samf, Madden
and RB/FS Rossi Santo

All around, "Niner", as he's known to his friends and teammates, is a great leader on and off the football field. Also a very talented athlete on the gridiron as well.


"Niner" let's fly during a mid-season
route of Richmond Heights



Ben Madden - Kirtland
"Wicked Sick Numbers!!"
6 of 11 passing 112 yds, 1 TD
15 carries 262 yards 5 TDS vs. South Range in round one