Sunday, September 24, 2000
Dave Schutte Column
Aiken football team headed in right direction
By Dave Schutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Aiken senior Alexis Smith was tired of listening to daily criticism of the losing football team.
“I know at least 25 seniors who should be playing, and they're the ones doing all the talking,” Smith said. “I shut them up by telling them that we could be much better if they were man enough to play.”
Davis is one of only six seniors on an Aiken team dominated by 13 freshmen who coach Mike Irvin predicts will be the group that restores respectability to the program in four years.
“These freshmen remind me of the group who are now seniors at Western Hills where I was an assistant,” Irvin said. “If these kids stick together, we'll be all right.”
Western Hills is 4-1, losing only to Elder.
At 2-3 following Friday's 15-14 victory over Mount Healthy, the Falcons have a chance to post a winning or .500 record, the first in more than 10 years.
“The seniors go out every day and work hard,” Smith said. “We never think about losing. All we want to do is have some fun and win some football games.”
A 5-foot-11, 170-pound all-purpose player, Davis never comes off the field. He serves as a tailback, receiver, kick returner, linebacker and defensive back.
“Alexis doesn't always do the right things, but he never misses practice and is a de cent athlete,” Irvin said. “He's capable of doing a lot of things and tries to give a little more.”
Going into the 2000 season, Aiken had won a combined four games the last three years.
“We're slowly getting the kids turned around,” Irvin said. “They're now starting to believe they can win.”
Aiken has games remaining against Western Hills, Taft, Woodward, Walnut Hills and Napolean.
RESPECTED OFFICIAL: When football official Bill Smith walked on the field Friday at LaSalle Stadium, former Moeller coach Gerry Faust couldn't believe it.
“You should have retired when I did,” Faust yelled from the grandstand area.
Moments later, Faust was hugging Smith, one of Ohio's most respected football, basketball and baseball officials, who's in his 45th year working high school games.
A 1952 graduate of St.Xavier High and 1956 graduate of Xavier University, Smith began officiating football in '55 and started basketball three years later.
“Back when I started, we paid $1 to join the officials association,” Smith said. “There were no training classes like today. The older guys taught us.”
In 1958, Smith, a resident of Deer Park, was hired as a professor of accounting at Xavier, where he teaches four classes each semester.
During the summer, Smith serves as director of the Operation Youth Program at XU, a week-long seminar for high school students concentrating on “democracy in action.”
“We've won 37 Freedom Foundation Awards during the 50 years the program has been in existance,” he said.
Smith has no idea when he'll retire.
“In 45 years, I've only missed one assignment (basketball at Campbell County) because the battery was dead in my car,” Smith said. “I'll continue as long as it remains fun and I can physically do it.”
RECORD BREAKER: Todd Breiner, a 5-10, 160-pound senior wide receiver, continues to rewrite the Mason record books.
Last week against Anderson, Breiner established single-game records for receptions (10) and yardage (205).
COACHES WANTED: Amelia has an opening for freshmen girls basketball and swimming coaches. Call Mike Rapp at 753-5120, ext.18.
STATS-R-US: The Enquirer will accept football statistics today and Monday.
Coaches should fax (768-8550) or e-mail (sports@enquirer.com or (dschutte@Enquirer.com) information on the sheets sent to each school's athletic director.
Coaches should also include a Top 10 Poll (Division I or Divisions II-VI).
PLEASE CALL: Boys golf coaches should call Jim Benken's voice mail today at 272-4618 to report averages and vote in the Division I or Divisions II-III polls.
• Girls golf coaches: Call Tony Kountz from 1-5p.m. today at 455-8359 to report averages and vote in the Top-10 poll.
• Tennis coaches: Call Russ King between noon and 4p.m. today at 683-9050 to report records and vote in the Top-10 poll.
• Volleyball coaches: Report statistics to Amanda Brant before 5p.m. today at 474-9007. To vote in the poll, call Chet Cox at 561-7677.
• Cross country coaches: Call Mike Jacobs (731-7768) with times and top-10 votes from noon to 3p.m., or e-mail
(marnez18pt@aol.com) before 6p.m. today.
• Girls and boys soccer coaches: Report statistics and top-10 votes to league representatives from noon to 5p.m. today.
Sports Stories
Cincinnati scores
Northern Kentucky scores
Ohio scores
Kentucky scores
Indiana scores
Next week's games
Prep Football Notebook
 Dave Schutte Column
Aiken 15, Mt. Healthy 14
Anderson 41, Northwest 7
Bethel-Tate 21, Western Brown 6
Campbell County 47, Newport 14
CHCA 37, New Miami 0
Colerain 54, Milford 0
Conner 21, Owensboro 6
Dayton 26, Raceland 12
Edgewood 53, West Carrollton 22
Elder 40, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard 16
Fairfield 21, Sycamore 7
Goshen 24, Kings 19
Hamilton 21, Lakota East 10
Hamilton Badin 25, Roger Bacon 7
Harrison 48, Amelia 0
Highlands 63, Lex. Paul Dunbar 25
Holmes 35, Woodford County 12
James.Greenview 36, Cin. Country Day 26
Lakota West 14, Oak Hills 3
Lebanon 28, Wilmington 18
Lex. Tates Creek 21, Dixie Heights 14
Lexington Henry Clay 38, Simon Kenton 26
Little Miami 18, Norwood 13
Loveland 34, Ross 27
Madeira 21, Deer Park 12
Madison Central 36, Scott 7
McNicholas 28, Chaminade-Julienne 27
Miamisburg 41, Talawanda 22
Moeller 33, La Salle 20
New Richmond 58, Clermont NE 7
NewCath game suspended
North College Hill 21, Landmark Christian 0
Princeton 49, Middletown 28
Purcell Marian 20, Kettering Alter 13
Reading 49, Finneytown 34
Ryle 3, Lexington Bryan Station 0
St. Xavier 45, Indianapolis Tech 0
Summit Country Day 59, Lockland 0
Turpin 7 Glen Este 0
Walnut Hills 35, Taft 0
Western Hills 49, Hughes 15
Williamsburg 28, Hillsboro 9
Winton Woods 20, Mason 17
Withrow 19, Woodward 0
Wyoming 21, Mariemont 13
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