TOLEDO — Toledo St. John’s head basketball coach Ed Heintschel has been suspended by the Ohio High School Athletic Association and will not coach the upcoming postseason tournament.
According to the Toledo Blade, Heintschel violated OHSAA recruiting rules by speaking to a a parent of an eighth grader at a basketball game about St. John’s academics. The eighth grader had attended several summer basketball camps.
Assistant coach Mike Schoen will coach St. John’s during the tournament.
Lima Senior won the Three Rivers Athletic Conference at 14-0, while St. John’s was second at 12-2. Lima Senior defeated St. John’s twice, 67-66 at Toledo and 52-44 in Lima.
Mattingly adopts no facial hair policy with Marlins
JUPITER, Fla. — For the first time in his major league career, Don Mattingly’s team has a policy of no facial hair.
And as the Miami Marlins’ new manager, he’s the one enforcing the rule.
The Marlins allowed players to have beards the past two years, but that changed under an organizational policy adopted after Mattingly was hired.
“Initially not too many guys were happy about it,” said reliever Mike Dunn, who shaved off his goatee before reporting to spring training. “You can fight it, or you don’t. Obviously I shaved, so it’s OK.”
Mattingly said he didn’t care whether players were allowed to have beards, goatees or mustaches, but supported the new rule.
“Guys will whine,” Mattingly said Sunday. “Some guys like it, some guys won’t. As long as we’re consistent, I think it’s not that big of a deal.”
But it’s new for Mattingly. The Dodgers allowed facial hair when Mattingly was their manager for five seasons, and he wore a mustache when he was an All-Star first baseman for the Yankees.
In 1991 he was benched for refusing to cut his hair, and says his complaint was that the rule was not being enforced equitably among everyone on the Yankees.
“It wasn’t really that complicated,” he said.
Many Marlins sported facial hair last season. Among the players who have had to give up their beard is 23-year-old ace Jose Fernandez, who shaved after he reported to camp.
“I’m afraid I’m going to look 16,” he said with a smile. “But it’s not a big deal. Whatever the rules are, we’re going to follow them.”
The Marlins haven’t had a winning season since 2009.
Lima Senior sectional tickets
LIMA — Tickets for Lima Senior’s boys basketball sectional tournament game against the Freemont Ross-Toledo Start winner at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday at Toledo Central Catholic will be sold as follows at the athletic office (enter the eastside (stadium side) of the high school):
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday: Season ticket holders (limit 1 for 1), players/parents, coaches (in season), cheerleaders/parents, Lima Senior athletic department personnel, pep band members.
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday: General public, limit 2
Wednesday lunch periods: Lima Senior students (limit of 1)
3 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Lima City School employees with school ID (limit 1)
Tickets will be sold first come, first served with none being held. A percentage of advance sales will go to the school.
Columbus Grove district tickets
Tickets for Columbus Grove’s girls basketball district semifinal game Thursday against Coldwater at Elida are available at the Columbus Grove office this week. Game time is 6:15 p.m. at the Elida Fieldhouse.
Kalida’s Basinger picks St. Francis
KALIDA — Kalida’s Cathy Basinger recently signed a letter of intent to continue her soccer career and education at the University of St. Francis in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Brewers’ Braun moving back to LF
PHOENIX — Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun is on deck to shift back to left field.
Brewers manager Craig Counsell said Sunday that Braun will switch this spring from right field to his former position.
Braun spent two seasons in right field after moving over from left. The slugger was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2007 as a third baseman.
Counsell said the shift will benefit both the 2011 NL MVP and the team.
