The Kenmore Cardinals are 4-2 this season following their latest win over North 21-0.

in his second year as head coach of the Cardinals, Ed Peltz has been able to turn the program around. Numbers for the football team are up. The number of wins is up as Kenmore becomes a power once again in the City Series.

On his 'Local Loop' program heard on 1590 WAKR, Friday morning, Jeff Brewer talked with Peltz about the recent success of the Cardinal Football Program.

Cleveland Browns Middle Linebacker D"Qwell Jackson is showing the rest of the National Football League that he is back.

Jackson was named earlier this week as the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for September.

“It was very special, but I’ve got to take it in stride. A lot of people told me congratulations. I worked extremely hard and it’s the first step, we were able to get a win and it came at a good time,”said Jackson.

Besides being healthy for the first time in two years, Jackson says playing in the 4-3 defense is a big help.

“It’s been nothing but great things so far", said Jackson. "We have a great group of talent in front of me, great team and a great coaching staff. We have been able to get some victories and at the end of the day it’s all about getting victories. I have been here for quite a spell now and I am more ready for wins than personal accolades.”

Jackson knew early on that he would be able to be a contributor to the Browns defense this season. “It’s been all day to day. Every day you try to get better and every day you get a different feel", said Jackson. "I think it was some time in training camp where my legs felt great, my body felt great. That is one thing that I focused on in the offseason, just making sure I was healthy, putting the right things into my body to allow me to play fast throughout the course of a season.”

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CLEVELAND HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AND NORTHEAST OHIO, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES, IN NORTH CENTRAL OHIO: ASHLAND, ERIE, HURON, LORAIN AND RICHLAND. IN NORTHEAST OHIO, CUYAHOGA, GEAUGA, LAKE, MEDINA, PORTAGE, SUMMIT AND WAYNE.

* FROM NOON TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.

* SHOWERS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE NEAR LAKE ERIE. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS LIKELY.

* THE GROUND IS WET FROM RECENT RAINS. ANY HEAVY RAIN COULD PRODUCE FLOODING. FLOOD PRONE AREAS AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS WOULD BE THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON CURRENT FORECASTS. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP. STAY TUNED TO WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES.

Lots of changes took place in the off-season for the Green Bulldogs. The biggest change was in the coaching staff.

Ton Stacy left as head coach of the Bulldogs and was replaced by Ed Cybac.

The Bulldogs this season have a record of 4-1 overall. They are 2-0 in the Suburban League and in a four-way tie for first place.

Cybac says his players have 'bought in' to his program.

Tonight, it's a big challenge for the Bulldogs as they face the Wadsworth Grizzlies at Green Memorial Stadium. Wadsworth is 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the Suburban League.

Cybac says improvements in defense and on special teams have helped the Bulldogs this season.

You'll be able to hear tonight's Green-Wadsworth game on 1590 WAKR beginning at 7 o'clock.

The Kenmore High School continues the resurgence in their high school football program with a convincing 21-0 win over the North Vikings Thursday night at InfoCision Stadium.

Kenmore improves their record to 4-2 overall, 2-1 in the City Series.  North remains winless on the season at 0-6 and 0-2 in the City Series. 

The Cardinals got on the scoreboard in the first quarter. Using their ground attack featuring Justin Jones and Willie Johnson, Kenmore took the ball from their 45 yard line to the North 25.  On the next play, Kenmore quarterback DeSean Ballinger completed a 19-yard pass to Sophomore Wide Receiver Chris Richardson to get the ball to the North 6.  On the next play, Jones took the ball up the middle and into the end zone for a touchdown.  On the try for extra point, Kenmore faked a kick by Deon’tae Moore and gave the ball to Tavares Parmer who ran it in for two points.  Kenmore had an 8-0 lead. 

Kenmore scored their next two touchdowns off North turnovers. 

The Cardinals recovered a North fumble at the Vikings 44.  In six plays, Kenmore got into the end zone.  Johnson scored on a three-yard run off tackle.  Moore’s try for extra point was no good and the Cardinals had a 14-0 lead less than one minute into the second quarter.  The Cardinals would have gotten into the end zone quicker, but were slowed by two false start penalties.  Those penalties and others in the game got under the skin of Kenmore Head Coach Ed Peltz.  ‘We got a little sloppy.  Mental mistakes.  Luckily, we have a longer week to fix those’. 

In the second quarter, Kenmore’s defense forced a second Viking turnover.  Following a North interception by Jashawn Williams at their 13, the Vikings offense took over.  Their possession lasted one play. 

On a quarterback sweep, North’s Caleb Kennedy lost the ball following a hard hit by Kenmore linebacker Deon’tae Moore.  Moore jumped on the loose football at the North 13.  Three plays later, Ballinger hit Ben Gulley on an 8-yard crossing route for Kenmore’s third touchdown.  Moore kicked the extra point giving Kenmore a 21-0 lead.

North’s deepest penetration of the game took place just before halftime.  North took the ball from their 25 to the Kenmore 8 yard line. With two second remaining in the second quarter, Kennedy’s pass to Shannon Johnson fell incomplete.

As the rains increased in the third and fourth quarters, both offenses put the passing offenses away and concentrated on the run game. 

“Our sloppy play has nothing to do with the weather”, said Peltz.  “I don’t want to make excuses.  We know what we are capable of doing and we have to play to that potential.

Kenmore plays at St. Thomas Aquinas next Friday night. North’s next opponent is the Buchtel Griffins next Saturday.

The Cleveland Indians have picked up manager Manny Acta's contract option for 2013.

Acta kept the Indians in contention for much of this season before injuries overwhelmed the young club, which finished second in the AL Central. Cleveland went 80-82, an 11-game improvement over last season.

Acta was signed through 2012, and the Indians rewarded him by exercising the option for 2013. He's 149-175 in two seasons withCleveland.

Acta's staff already has undergone radical change for next season. On Wednesday, bench coach Tim Tolman disclosed he hasParkinson's disease and will not be back, and pitching coach Tim Belcher stepped down to spend more time with his family.

The Indians had 36 come-from-behind victories in 2011 and seven walk-off home runs, the most since 1995.

At a season ending news conference on Thursday at Progressive Field, Acta told the media 'this is the place that I want to be'.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

The Cleveland Indians today announced TIM BELCHER has stepped down as Major League Pitching Coach. Belcher will again assume a position similar to the Special Assistant to Baseball Operations role he served in for 8 seasons from 2002-09 before becoming Manny Acta’s Pitching Coach in 2010.

Statement from Tim Belcher regarding today’s decision:

After much reflection and deliberation, I have decided not to return as the Major League Pitching Coach for the 2012 season.

When I accepted the position two years ago, I understood and embraced the challenges of the role. Over the last two years I was fully committed to the responsibilities of the job and enjoyed it.

However, as I began to look forward to 2012, I felt that I would not be able to balance the changing needs of my family and the demands of the job. As a result, I have decided that it would be best for me to step away from coaching at this time.

I want to thank the Indians for the opportunity to work with a good young pitching staff the past two years. I am excited about the future of the team and I welcome the opportunity to continue working for the club in another capacity going forward.

Cleveland outfielder Grady Sizemore is expected to travel to Vail, Colorado, for a consultation this coming week on his injured right knee.

Sizemore played only 71 games this season after appearing in 33 in 2010. He opened this season on the DL as he recovered from surgery on his left knee in May of 2010.

Then, Sizemore hurt his right knee and sustained a hernia on the same play while sliding into a base this May. Sizemore also underwent abdominal surgery July 21st.

Sizemore finished the 2011 season with a .224 batting average with 10 home runs and 32 runs batted in.

Sizemore has a club option for $9 million for the 2012 season.

Indians broadcaster Jim Rosenhaus believes the health of Sizemore will go a long way in determining the direction both sides takes.

Cleveland Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson has been named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for September, the NFL announced today.

In his first three games back after missing the previous 26 contests due to injury, Jackson amassed 30 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one pass defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery as the Browns posted a 2-1 record during the month. His 30 tackles are tied for fourth in the NFL, while his 2.5 sacks rank second among all AFC linebackers and is tied for fourth in the conference. The Browns defense has allowed just five touchdowns this season, which is tied for fourth in the league.

This is the first AFC award of Jackson’s six-year career. He is the first Brown to be selected as either AFC Defensive or Offensive Player of the Month since the award was established in 1986.

The standings in the Suburban League will get very interesting this week.

Wadsworth, Green, Tallmadge and Copley all have 2-0 records.

Revere, Highland, Cloverleaf and Nordonia are 0-2.

On Friday night, Wadsworth will travel to Green to take on the Bulldogs in a game involving two undefeated teams in the Suburban League.

Wadsworth is led by senior tailback Jack Snowball, who has rushed for 948 yards, in 109 carries, and has scored 12 touchdowns. Quarterback Jon Kuss is second on the team in rushing with 302 on the ground in 55 carries. Kuss has scored three touchdowns.

Wadsworth head coach Greg Dennison says if you think the Grizzlies are just a 'three yards and a cloud of dust' team, you would be wrong. Dennison says they have different types of running plays, plus quarterback Jon Kuss has the ability to put the ball in the air to a number of talented wide receivers.

You'll be able to hear Friday night's game between the Wadsworth Grizzlies and the Green Bulldogs on 1590 WAKR beginning at 7 pm.