Mineral Ridge record-holder earns Student Athlete of the Week
MINERAL RIDGE, Ohio (WKBN) – If you ask Mineral Ridge senior Dominic Pappagallo, there's always room for more improvement.
'If you think you're working hard, you can always work harder,' Pappagallo said.
He strives for more even as a four-time state qualifier in cross country while also placing top 10 three times, earning All-Ohio honors each time. To cap it all off, Pappagallo broke the school record with a 15:43 5K in his final race at the OHSAA State Meet.
'It was really satisfying because I knew it was always something there, but I didn't really know I could actually get it,' Pappagallo said. 'But when it happened, like it was so rewarding, it felt good.'
On top of being a cross country and track state qualifier, he is just as good in the classroom with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
'I've always put school first, so I'm always hard working with that. I'm also in my college classes right now,' Pappagallo said. 'So I have a pretty good group of friends where we constantly work hard in the classroom, and then I'm always getting out here to get my workouts in right after.'
The class president is also part of the band, the National Honor Society, the History Club and the Beta Club while also volunteering time with Angels for Animals.
'I just wanted to push myself in the classroom and out so I mean, my parents are teachers,' Pappagallo said. 'So they always motivated me to get good grades so I kind of just always stuck with it.'
Pappagallo's name will go down in history at Mineral Ridge with the conference two-mile record and as a two-time Trumbull Country champion in cross country, but there's so much more that goes into it for Pappagallo.
'I always motivate others to step out of their comfort zone and do more. The more you're involved in, the more you're having fun,' Pappagallo said. 'You've got to make the most of high school, so the more you put into it, the more you're going to get out.
Mineral Ridge senior Dominic Pappagallo is our Student Athlete of the Week
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New York Times
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an hour ago
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Future coordinators and head coaches. These guys knock it out of the park … And that starts with Pitch. He has done a good job setting the tone in that room.' Advertisement All of this allows for new ideas in the running game and beyond, built around the continuity of Brown and this personnel. 'Now, it's just different,' Pitcher said. 'We have a lot of guys on staff that have done parts of (building a running game) at different stops in their career and so it's kind of listening to them, really delving into it myself and trying to come up with something that really kind of complements who we are and what our engine is.' Ah, yes, the engine. Which brings us back to what Pitcher ponders more than any thought in his professional life: How to help thread the needle for Burrow. Playmaking versus poise versus punishment. Pocket management versus game management versus career management. There will be competition at both guard spots to pair with new techniques taught by offensive line coach Scott Peters. The Bengals' scheme must find ways to help the offensive line. That could come through a higher rate of pullers in protection, which produced many successful shot plays for the Bengals last season and higher efficiency metrics. It could mean a higher rate of play action to marry the run and pass. More than any lean in playcalling, though, helping Burrow take fewer hits will be about the team producing game situations that allow him to make fewer reckless decisions in the pocket. Playing with the lead and staying out of shootouts helps Burrow shift his mindset. 'If we are in defensive battles, then you come out, you don't turn the ball over, you get the ball out of your hands, you play the field position game,' Burrow said. 'If they are scoring, then you go out, try to make plays and run around and do all of those kinds of things. I go into every single game ready to adapt to whatever the game needs for me to try to win. I am never going in and playing every single game the same. The first drive will be the same, then pretty quickly you understand what kind of game it will be and adapt your game to that.' Advertisement That could mean the highlight plays and gaudy stats won't reach 2024 levels. That's the lens through which Burrow views his future. 'Stats are going to fluctuate year in and year out,' Burrow said. 'Maybe I have a better statistical year, and maybe I don't. I'm not really too worried about that. Try to come out and win games, do what I can to win games, be better as a quarterback and as a player. I think that's attainable.' Burrow's driven by making the highest-percentage play to win. If that means risking a sack because it's third down, he's compelled to do that. If that means scrambling more often to produce an off-script explosive play, he's done plenty of that. 'I think he's one of the most pocket-aware guys I've ever been around,' Pitcher said. 'Sometimes that conversation really has to be parsed out between innate awareness and ability to maneuver, manipulate the pocket, which he has all of those things as good or better than anyone I've ever been around.' Constantly playing from behind or creating plays to keep up in another shootout are reasons Burrow's pressure-to-sack percentage was high, and many games featured him enduring concerning amounts of hits. It's also what makes him special. 'That's why you just try to entrust that guy, talk about all those factors, and then he's the one that has to go make the play in the moment,' Pitcher said. Pitcher and Taylor want to flip the percentages on when that urgency exists. 'Our goal as a team is to put ourselves in more situations where maybe that risk tolerance, he can dial that back a little bit because we're ahead, we're running the ball a little better, where we're doing things better on the other side of the ball,' Pitcher said. You won't hear complaints from the quarterback, that's for sure. He's known for his toughness, but with six years in the league comes wisdom. Advertisement 'As you get older, you realize those hits add up a little bit,' Burrow said. 'I'd love to take less. We'll see how the games play out. The end of the day, you win and lose with your quarterback play. I am going to take that to heart and be better this year.' Continuity fuels all this. The trial-and-error portion of the program is largely behind this offensive unit. They look crisp. They look as you'd expect considering the circumstances. They're now in a situation exponentially more conducive to threading the needle than this time last year. 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Forbes
4 hours ago
- Forbes
Once A Strength, Cleveland Guardians Now Lack Middle Infield Depth
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Consider the number of Cleveland Indians/Cleveland Guardians prospects that are now playing elsewhere in Major League Baseball, or are out of professional baseball altogether. Each of the middle infielders noted below was part of the Indians/Guardians Top 30 prospects, from 2020 until today. In those a short years, the following young prospects are gone from the Cleveland organization: MIAMI, FLORIDA - JUNE 04: Tyler Freeman #2 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates with teammates after ... More scoring a run against the Miami Marlins in the fifth inning of the game at loanDepot park on June 04, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by) Tyler Freeman-drafted by the Indians, and traded to the Colorado Rockies in 2025 Jose Tena-signed as an international free agent by the Indians in 2017, and traded to the Washington Nationals in 2024. Ernie Clement-drafted by the Indians in 2017, selected off waivers by the Athletics in 2022, and signed by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2023 Carson Tucker-out of baseball (a 2020 Cleveland Indians 1st round draft pick) Owen Miller-drafted by the San Diego Padres, traded to Cleveland, and then traded by Cleveland to the Milwaukee Brewers. Now in the Rockies organization. Richie Palacios-drafted by the Indians in 2018, and traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. Traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2024. The list does not include Amed Rosario, and Andres Gimenez, both traded to Cleveland from the New York Mets in 2021. Both are gone from the organization. Rosario was traded by Cleveland to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023. After being granted free agency, Rosario signed with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2024. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024, granted free agency, and then signed with the Washington Nationals in 2025. Gimenez was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in December 2024. EASTLAKE, OHIO - JULY 31, 2024: Travis Bazzana #37 of the Lake County Captains celebrates hitting a ... More grand slam home run during the fifth inning against the Beloit Sky Carp at Classic Auto Group Park on July 31, 2024 in Eastlake, Ohio. This is the continuation of the July 30 game which was suspended due to inclement weather. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) The Guardians have young middle infielders in development, but many are still a year, or more away from graduation to the big leagues. Those players include: -Travis Bazzana-2024 1st overall draft pick, now dealing with an oblique injury -Angel Genao-a terrific defensive player, Genao in still at Double-A Akron -Welbyn Francisca-a good hitter, with little power, Francisca is still in Class-A -Juan Brito-a solid hitter with some power, Brito is currently injured at Triple-A Columbus -Gabriel Rodriguez-a young prospect in Rookie Ball. Bryan Rocchio began this season as the Guardians starting shortstop. He didn't hit well, had some defensive hiccups at shortstop, and was optioned to Triple-A Columbus. Rocchio likely remains a candidate to return to the parent club at some point this season. GOODYEAR, AZ - FEBRUARY 22: Juan Brito #74 of the Cleveland Guardians poses for a photo during the ... More Cleveland Guardians Photo Day at Goodyear Ballpark on Thursday, February 22, 2024 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/MLB Photos via Getty Images) There is little question Cleveland misses the defense of Andres Gimenez, who is now playing solid second base, but not hitting well at Toronto. It seems likely Bazzana is the second baseman of the future. If he hits. If he plays solid defense. A superb defender, Gabriel Arias has claimed the shortstop role, supplanting Rocchio. For now. How much will Arias hit? Can the Guardians continue to handle his inconsistency on offense? Brito may win a role with the Guardians in the future. But with Bazzana likely at second, where does Brito play? Genao might be as good, or better than Arias at shortstop. Will he hit? Lots of Cleveland middle infielders have walked out the door. Now, the team has to determine which players in their organization fit in their immediate, and long-range future. Middle infielders, once a deep strength of the Guardians, have now been reduced in number. Time will tell how the Guardians manage their infield in the coming months and years.
