If you're not used to newspaper lingo, you probably don't understand what that headline means atop this blog entry. It signifies the end of a story, and I thought it would be appropriate for my last blog entry, which you could call a going-away blog.

Tuesday night's Lorain County Holiday Classic was my last day at The Morning Journal. Next week, I will begin work with a newspaper in Southeast Pennsylvania, an hour north of Baltimore and less than two hours west of Philadelphia.

Covering the Classic was an appropriate going away for me because high school basketball is my ultimate passion between high school sports I covered at the Journal. It's weird because I played football and was only a camera guy for basketball at Oberlin, but anyone who knows me knows that's just one of the quirks that comes with me. I don't want to make this a soggy going-away commentary, so I will get into some house-cleaning opinions, but first I want to give you some final rankings from me as the boys high school basketball season begins to approach its midway point.

Yeah, it's almost here. Admiral King is 7-0, and that's where I will start:

1. Admiral King: They aren't as good as their 7-0 record, but they are head and shoulders above the competition. I don't think that will change. What's funny is this team could be better next year when comparing what they will have back (Malcolm Barnett, Anton Harris and Gary Donald) compared to other area teams. But, look at who else is here: four-year starter Chris Kimbro and three-year starter Adrian Casey, both Lorain County Mr. Basketball frontrunners. Then, role players are stepping up like Marquan Anderson with established guards Bryant Parker and Vincent Lee. This team just doesn't have a hole. Height is a weakness, but what the Admirals possess in the post is not. This team will win the Division I Midview District.

2. Vermilion: The Sailors just suffered a loss to Admiral King in the Lorain County Holiday Classic championship game, but that doesn't change their standing. Yes, they lost a West Shore Conference game to Bay, but Admiral King is the barometer. North Ridgeville, the favorite in the WSC, didn't look as good against AK like Vermilion did, pushing its lead to 10 points in the first half and just playing with a swagger and heart. Vermilion may not win the WSC, but it will beat Ridgeville at least once and make things interesting. The Sailors will also repeat in Division II as district champions in Westlake.

3. Southview: The Saints have disappointed me with losses to Warrensville and North Royalton, but North Royalton is solid. The foursome of Josh Biber, Montrell Elliott, Quincy Ezell and Quinton Ezell has gotten a lot of attention from the Journal over the years. Hype could be a good word. But, these guys have talent and it is their time. They will win 15 games and that bodes well around here.

4. North Ridgeville: Tough losses to Admiral King and Valley Forge push them behind Southview in my eyes. They have the area's best bigman in 6-foot-11 Drew McGhee and the area's best Scottie Pippen impersonator in 6-5 Keene Cockburn. The key for Ridgeville will be the use of sophomore point guard Danny Montgomery. If he gets more reigns in the Rangers' offense, the Rangers will be better off.

5. Edison: This team was overlooked at the beginning of the season. I admit it, and I want to give them some respect before I step out. They have size to go with their talent, too.

6. Perkins: I joked with someone about Sandusky at the Classic. The Blue Streaks have lost a lot of kids to Perkins, including what would have been their best basketball player in Shon Alexander. Instead, he's Perkins' best player.

7. Keystone: I was ready to put Clearview up here, but Keystone's impressive wins -- including one over Clearview -- has to push them up. Matt Herb has been playing since he was a freshman. He's undersized, but the Wildcats have solid players on the perimeter to make it work in the Patriot Athletic Conference Stars Division. We may have found a favorite for that division title.

8. Clearview: The Clippers will be better than Keystone by the end of the season, but you have to respect what the Wildcats did this week, beating Clearview by one at the Avon Holiday Tournament. Clearview, though, is poised for a strong run with James Washington as a senior in the post and a slew of juniors around him. Don't look ahead to next year. This is their year.

9. Amherst: John Srnis is just a perfect fit as coach at Amherst. Many coaches have had trouble with parents at that school. Please treat him well because he deserves it. Srnis has always been a great basketball mind and he seems to have found a comfort level with the Comets that he didn't have at Elyria. He will turn Amherst into a force in the Southwestern Conference. He will be the Macgyver of coaches in the area!

10. Avon Lake: The Shoremen have height, but some disappointing losses early have set them back.

tie, Norwalk: Hat's off to Steve Gray. He lost one of the area's biggest and best players in Kyle Smith, but the Truckers still have a solid team in place.

tie, New London: Tom Howell has quietly done a solid job since taking over for Dale Marschall after the program went through a "hey day," if you will, with Marschall's son Erik, now at Bowling Green. With Western Reserve down, New London has reason to believe it can retake the Firelands Conference title.

OK, I cheated a little with a three-way tie for 10th, but I felt like mentioning those teams. As for some predictions, here's a few. Chris Kimbro will be Mr. Basketball for Lorain County. Coaches can nominate only one player from their schools, and Mr. Basketball has traditionally been a guard's award. Kimbro initiates with the ball so much that it's hard to ignore him. Southview's Josh Biber and North Ridgeville's Drew McGhee will also get consideration, and I have to believe McGhee has an inside track because he has a scholarship to Miami of Ohio lined up.

As for the Journal Player of the Year, I'll go with Adrian Casey, Kimbro's teammate at Admiral King. Casey lost out to McGhee last season, Admiral King is easily the best team in the area, and Casey's double-double production has not only remained steady, but it's getting better.

Speaking of player of the year awards, I want to lobby for Miss Softball later this spring. Typically, these Lorain County awards for top senior are not split between two players, but this year it has to be a must. There's no way Elyria's Tess Sito and Keystone's Kara Dill can be separated. They're both unbelievable as pitchers, hitters and fielders. They play in the area's most productive sport, and I can't think of a season in a sport where two players were that much better than anyone else. Heck, Sito played baseball when she was younger. If the committee has to, give her Mr. Baseball and Dill Miss Softball.

It's the only fair thing to do, and if you know me, I'm all about that.