A Look Back

Happy New Year everyone! With the holidays and winter sports season in Lorain County up and running, the Sports Krew has been a little busy lately so we've been slacking on the blog. We'll make the resolution to try to make a new post at least once a week. For today's post, I thought it would be fun to look back at the year that was.

2007 had to be one of most exciting years in sports we've had in Northeastern Ohio in quite a long time. In case you're still suffering from a hangover, consider what took place over the last 12 months or so:

• The Browns pulled off a draft day coup by getting both Joe Thomas and Brady Quinn, and thanks to a new-look offense won 10 games and narrowly missed the playoffs.

• The Indians won the Central Division title and came within one win of a trip to the World Series.

• The Cavaliers captured the Eastern Conference Championship and advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

• Ohio State played for the National Championship in both football and men's basketball (we won't mention what happened the other night in New Orleans!)

• Lorain County had three teams advance into the playoffs in High School Football after a year's absence. We saw teams like Vermilion and Keystone take huge strides, along with some much needed pride returning to Oberlin with the arrival of Dave McFarland.

I had the privilege to announce many exciting games in 2007. There was the 'was his foot on the line or not?' boys basketball tournament game between Wellington and Clearview, the Avon Lake-Avon shootout by the lakefront at Browns Stadium, and Oberlin College's redemption win against Allegheny that came down to a hail mary in the back of the end zone. Speaking of the Yeomen, special congratulations goes to R.V. Carroll for being named the Offensive Player of the Year in the North Coast Athletic Conference.

So what awaits us in the New Year? Will the Indians or Cavaliers make that one deal that will help put them over the top? Will C.C. Sabathia stay an Indian? Who will be the starting quarterback for the Browns when the season returns in September? All questions that will be answered here in 2008.

Locally, I am very much looking forward to this year's high school basketball tournaments. Lorain County has not put a boys team into the 'Sweet 16' since Open Door, Elyria Catholic and Avon all made it in 2003. There are several teams to keep an eye on, including Elyria, Admiral King, and Avon Lake in Division I, Vermilion and Avon in Division II, Wellington, Keystone, and Clearview in Division III, and Oberlin in Division IV. All of those teams could be in position to make a run come late February. On the girls side, Elyria's off to a fast start, as is Oberlin, Keystone, and Admiral King. We'll see how things shape up when the tournament draws for the girls come out a week from Sunday.

In the meantime, keep it tuned to the Lorain County Sports Network all this winter for our coverage of High School Basketball, Hockey, and Lorain County Community College Basketball. You never know when a memorable moment will come your way!