CONTACT THE POLICE:  440.331.5530 EMERGENCY:  440.333.4911 Daytime: 10am-5pm (Apr-Oct)Daytime: 10am-4pm (Nov-Mar) Garfield Park’s history dates back to 1894 when the city of Cleveland purchased three farms to create Newburgh Park it benefitted from New Deal Era building projects such as roads and stone bridges in the 1930’s It was leased to Cleveland Metroparks in 1986 and became Garfield Park Reservation The old lake beds have been reclaimed by nature and are managed as green space for wildlife The rich deep woodlands support a host of songbirds throughout the year The Cleveland Browns hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for our 15th field project at Garfield Heights High School on March 15 The Cleveland Browns hosted a LEGENDS Clinic at Haslam Field on July 9 The Cleveland Browns hosted a LEGENDS Clinic at Lou Groza Field on July 8 The Cleveland Browns hosted a LEGENDS Clinic at Griffin Stadium on June 28 The Cleveland Browns hosted a LEGENDs Clinic at Olmsted Falls High School on June 25 The 2025 "A New Era Summit" at Huntington Bank Field on March 26 in association with Gatorade and University Hospitals at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 9 The Cleveland Browns hosted The Girls High School Flag Football Coaching Clinic on February 28 The Cleveland Browns hosted the 3rd Annual Girls High School Flag Football Season Kickoff Clinic presented by Gatorade and in partnership with Bridgestone on February 23 The Browns host The 2025 Greater Cleveland Football Coaches Association Coaches Clinic on February 22 2025 in the Moen Lake Club of Huntington Bank Field The Cleveland Browns hosted a USA Football Talent ID Camp on February 15 A Special Olympics Play Football Clinic at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 30 A HELMETS Reveal for Northcoast Youth Football at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 17 A year ago, Garfield Heights beat Hoban 52-43 in a Division I regional semifinal at the University of Akron OHSAA's expansion of divisions from four to seven place the two programs in Division III this year Return here throughout the evening for live updates on the game Marcus Johnson led the Bulldogs with 26 points DeVaughn Jackson had eight points and five rebounds Braylin Sullivan and Ari Jones contributed seven points apiece Sam Greer paced the Knights with 18 points James McCarthy scored eight points and John Johnson contributed four points and nine rebounds Garfield Heights maintains lead over Hoban in fourth quarter of OHSAA boys basketball regional finalGarfield Heights leads Hoban 56-45 with 40.9 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter Marcus Johnson has 26 points for the Bulldogs Garfield Heights leads Hoban 54-41 with 2:26 remaining in the fourth quarter after a Nasir Hines two-hand slam dunk and a Marcus Johnson layup Sam Greer makes a layup for Hoban and Garfield Heights is up 54-43 with under two minutes to go Garfield Heights leads Hoban 50-41 with 3:32 remaining in the fourth quarter Marcus Johnson has 22 points for Garfield Heights and Sam Greer has 14 points for Hoban Garfield Heights leads Hoban 41-34 through three quarters The Bulldogs outscore the Knights 16-8 in the quarter Marcus Johnson has 20 points for Garfield Heights Braylin Sullivan and Ari Jones each have seven points for the Bulldogs Kenny Scott and Sam Greer have 10 points apiece for Hoban Garfield Heights leads Hoban 39-28 with 2:53 to go in the third quarter Braylin Sullivan with a layup to give the Bulldogs an 11-point lead Garfield Heights is on a 14-2 run to open the third quarter Garfield Heights leads Hoban 33-26 with 5:44 to go in the third quarter The Bulldogs have scored the first eight points of the third quarter Ari Jones made two free throws and Braylin Sullivan made a 3-pointer with 5:47 on the clock Marcus Johnson with a bucket and Garfield Heights leads 35-26 with less than five minutes to go in the third quarter Hoban leads Garfield Heights 26-25 at halftime Kenny Scott has 12 points for Hoban and Sam Greer has 10 points Marcus Johnson has 16 points for Garfield Heights and Ari Jones has five points Garfield Heights leads Hoban 26-24 with 1:54 to go in the second quarter after a Marcus Johnson two-hand slam dunk Johnson has 16 points for Garfield Heights and Ari Jones has five points Sam Greer and Kenny Scott have 10 points for Hoban Hoban leads Garfield Heights 14-13 at the end of the first quarter Kenny Scott has eight points for Hoban and Sam Greer has six points Marcus Johnson has six points for Garfield Heights and Ari Jones has five points CANTON — The book on Louisville's 2024-25 boys high school basketball season looked to be closing For head coach Tom Siegfried this wasn't the ending he envisioned for his team's story 'Let's write another chapter,'" Siegfried said rallying to beat Garfield Heights 49-48 before 4,120 fans in a rocking Field House Brayden Gross scored 19 of his team-high 24 points in the first half grabbed 11 rebounds and assisted on the two biggest shots of the game for the Leopards (23-5) who felt like they had 4,000 of the 4,120 fans in the gym cheering them on "I can't describe this," said the 6-foot-7 Gross surrounded by a throng of Louisville supporters on the Field House floor "It's a top-5 moment of my life to be honest with you which hadn't been past a regional final before this season chipped away at its deficit before hitting a pair of 3-pointers that nearly blew the roof off the Field House Gross blocked a shot and started a fast break the other way He found fellow senior Beau Siegfried for a 3 with 3:23 left that cut Louisville's deficit to 48-46 and produced a molar-rattling roar from the Leopards fans who had a contested but quality look near the basket to potentially tie the score Gross whipped a pass to the opposite corner to a wide-open Avery Andrejcik who calmly knocked down a 3-pointer to give Louisville a 49-48 lead "When I made the shot before halftime it felt good," Andrejcik said of an earlier 3 a Walsh University recruit and the Northeast Inland District Player of the Year didn't think twice about passing to the senior Andrejcik a reserve who hadn't been getting a ton of minutes in recent games "I'd give my guy Avery the ball every time to take that 3," Gross said but I know he shoots the ball really well."  Andrecjik entered the game shooting 46.0 percent from 3-point range on the season Garfield Heights (24-3) seemed to take control in the third quarter a 6-3 Ohio State recruit and a wonderful all-around talent scored 14 of his game-high 25 points in the period to turn a two-point halftime deficit into a nine-point lead after three quarters When 6-10 Nasir Hines scored on a layup 30 seconds into the fourth quarter The Bulldogs pulled the ball out and tried to run clock getting outscored 12-2 overall in the fourth quarter A trapping 1-2-2 zone that Louisville installed this past week for this very situation came in handy with the Leopards forcing four turnovers in the fourth quarter against a Garfield Heights team that started thinking more than it was playing Not helping matters was Johnson taking a hard fall and hitting his head near the sideline with 6:51 left The junior guard had to leave the game briefly before reentering The elder Johnson said he did not regret pulling the ball out in the fourth quarter we knew they were scrambling a little bit," he said "Our thing was moving the ball and making them come out and play us and getting dunks and layups like we did against Padua like we did against Akron Hoban (in the regionals)."  Garfield Heights settled for 3-point attempts and tough floaters After giving three fouls to help chew the clock down on Garfield Heights' final possession Louisville forced Marcus Johnson into a deep 3 attempt that was off at the buzzer Gross was a presence in the fourth quarter grabbing a number of big defensive rebounds "Brayden Gross was an absolute man-child tonight," Tom Siegfried said scored 10 points for Louisville while playing his usual strong floor game at the point The Leopards committed only six turnovers overall Senior Ashton Marshall took the lead in chasing Marcus Johnson who had numerous double teams thrown at him by the Leopards I think Ashton did a nice job," Tom Siegfried said Sonny Johnson felt like this was the year for his Bulldogs to win a state championship whose story includes one more chapter in Dayton on Friday and when they went down they didn't stop fighting," Johnson said Reach Josh at josh.weir@cantonrep.com  Louisville Leopards Athletics News & Video: Leopard Nation <<< Vs. Bishop Hartley | Boys Basketball Schedule | Vs. Cincinnati Aiken >>> The #3 ranked Louisville Leopards roared back to stun the #1 ranked Garfield Heights Bulldogs 49-48 in the DIII State Semifinals Sunday Evening at Canton Memorial Field House Louisville improves to 23-5 on the season and advances to the DIII State Championship game against #2 ranked Cincinnati Aiken on Friday March 21 at 1:00 PM at University of Dayton Arena.  View Game Recap | View Box Score Brayden Gross recorded a double-double finishing with game-highs of 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Leopards Gross dominated the paint in the first half All 10 of his first quarter points came from the field as Louisville held a 14-13 lead at the end of the opening quarter He added 9 more points in the second quarter as the Leopards doubled its advantage to 31-29 heading into the locker room Gross added a basket in each of the final two quarters This included a three-pointer early on in the third quarter to put Louisville ahead 34-31.  Garfield Heights stormed back with a 13-0 run in the third quarter Ohio State commit Marcus Johnson led the Bulldog rally scoring 14 of his game-high 25 points in the third quarter alone He buried a deadly step-back jumper from the free throw line and also hit a pair of three-pointers during the Garfield Heights run DeVaughn Jackson also drained his second three-pointer of the evening for the only other points by the Bulldogs in the third period The Leopards cut into the Bulldog lead when Tate Aljancic drove to the basket and scored while being fouled He converted the free throw attempt to get Louisville within 44-37 with 1:02 remaining in the third Garfield Heights milked the clock all the way down before Johnson swished a fadeaway from the free throw line in the final second to extend the Bulldogs’ lead to 46-37 heading into the final quarter the Buckeye bound Johnson would not score again Garfield Heights looked to pick up right where they left off at the start of the fourth quarter They patiently worked the ball around before going underneath to 6’8 senior center Nasir Hines for an easy two points Hines’ basket gave the Bulldogs their largest lead of the game at 48-37 Ashton Marshall kickstarted Louisville’s rally with a shifty take to the hoop to trim the Bulldog lead to single digits with 6:22 left in the game.Garfield Heights went into stall mode after that and milked a minute off the clock before Marshall forced a jump ball near the Bulldog bench to give possession back to the Leopards Louisville failed to score on the ensuing possession but Aljancic and Beau Siegfried trapped in the corner forcing an errant pass into the hands of Marshall The Leopards capitalized on that turnover when Gross spun past Hines in the lane to trim the deficit to 48-41 with 4:20 to play Marshall didn’t get the goal tend call on the play but buried both free throws to shrink the margin to 48-43 with 3:49 to go Gross rejected a Jackson drive to the basket and Marshall once again was there to give control back to the Leopards Marshall pushed the ball ahead to Avery Andrejcik who crossed the timeline Andrejcick then centered the ball back to Gross who kicked to Siegfried in the left corner The three went down and the decibel level inside Canton Memorial Field House shot up another level as Siegfried made it a one possession game Garfield Heights desperately attempted to run out the clock but both possessions ended in missed shots that Gross rebounded. Louisville worked the ball down the court quickly as the clock ticked under 100 seconds to play Gross passed to Siegfried who drove to the left corner and passed it back to Gross in the lane Gross had a good look at a game-tying layup kicked it out to Avery Andrejcik who was wide open in the right corner for a catch-and-shoot three-pointer The crowd was sent into pandemonium once more as Andrejcik capped off a 12-0 Leopard run with a go-ahead triple that put Louisville in front 49-48 with 1:31 left Both teams missed a pair of shots on their next possessions as the clock ticked under a minute to play The final missed shot in that sequence was pulled down simultaneously by Jackson and Siegfried Garfield Heights dribbled the clock under a half minute before taking a timeout Johnson took a deep jumper from the top of the arc that clanked off the back rim Gross secured the board and Louisville drained the clock down to 11.7 before a foul was called The Leopards were not in the bonus so they were forced to inbound the ball Louisville went for the knockout punch throwing to the opposite sideline but the pass went high over the head of Siegfried into media row giving the Bulldogs one more possession The Leopards had fouls to give and used three of them on Johnson This shrunk the clock down to 3.4 seconds left giving Garfield Heights one last shot.  but was only left with a logo three-point attempt to win the game The shot ricocheted off the left side of the backboard as the final buzzer sounded The field house erupted and the Louisville bench stormed the court to meet the active players who had fallen behind by 11 points in the fourth quarter Louisville’s defense held the top ranked team in the state scoreless over the final 7:32 to advance to Dayton Head Coach Tom Siegfried raised both arms in triumph The Program he built will be playing for a state title UP NEXT: The now #2 ranked Leopards will take on the now #1 ranked Cincinnati Aiken Falcons in the DIII State Championship on Friday March 21 at 1:00 PM at University of Dayton Arena COVER PHOTO BY Rick Everhart Photography You can also Submit an Article Louisville Leopards Athletics News & Video: Leopard Nation © 2025 Powered by  - Designed with the Hueman theme Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInGARFIELD HEIGHTS Ohio (WOIO) - A 16-year-old was shot over the weekend and Garfield Heights Police said they arrested the juvenile suspect involved According to a social media post from the Garfield Heights Police Department (GHPD) officers were called to Marymount Hospital at the Granger Road entrance around 5:20 p.m Officers found the 16-year-old victim on scene with a gunshot wound The Garfield Heights Fire Department took the victim to another hospital The post said GHPD got information about the suspect allegedly involved around 7:30 p.m Officers responded to the suspect’s home and arrested him The suspect is charged with attempted murder and was taken to the Juvenile Detention Center The victim is currently in stable condition CANTON — The Louisville High School boys basketball team's first trip to a state tournament ends in a dramatic win at Memorial Field House on Sunday night Here's how Louisville's first state semifinal unfolded through our live updates The final Garfield Heights shot is off the mark and Louisville holds on for a 49-48 victory over the Bulldogs Louisville is headed to the state championship game Louisville boys basketball reaction: OHSAA boys basketball: Louisville rallies past Garfield Heights for berth in state championship Louisville is up 49-48 with seven seconds left Garfield Heights has the ball and just called a timeout Louisville is up 49-48 with :29 seconds left to play in the game Garfield Heights has possession and just called a timeout Avery Andrejcik hit the big 3 pointer from the corner to give the Leopards the advantage Beau Siegfried just hit a big 3 from the corner with 3:23 to play as Louisville has cut the Garfield Heights advantage to just two points Garfield Heights is up 48-41 with 4:17 left to play Garfield Heights leads in fourth quarterGarfield Heights holds a 48-39 lead over Louisville with 5:31 to play in the game Marcus Johnson took a hard fall near the sideline and and was out of the game for about a minute and a half Johnson is coming back in after the Bulldog timeout Marcus Johnson helps Garfield Heights take the lead after three quartersJohnson scored 15 points in the third quarter to help the Bulldogs take a 46-37 lead over Louisville going into the fourth quarter Brayden Gross has 22 points for Louisville Garfield Heights presses its advantageLouisville calls a timeout after Garfield Heights builds a 41-34 lead with 3:44 to go in the third quarter Leopards have been outscored 12-5 by the Bulldogs in the period so far Johnson has scored 9 points in the third quarter to give Garfield Heights a 38-34 lead over Louisville with four minutes to play in the third quarter Louisville and Garfield Heights have begun the second half Louisville holds a 31-29 lead over Garfield Heights after two quarters Brayden Gross has 19 points for the Leopards Beau Siegfried also has 7 points for Louisville Marcus Johnson has a team-high 11 points for the Bulldogs Louisville holds narrow lead in second quarterLouisville is up 23-22 with three minutes to play in the first half Brayden Gross has 17 points for Louisville Gross was just called for his second foul with 6:35 left in the second quarter He has scored 12 points so far for Louisville Louisville leads Garfield Heights 14-13 after the first quarter Brayden Gross has scored 10 points for the Leopards and has been a factor on both ends Braylin Sullivan has 4 points for Garfield Heights Louisville holds a 10-6 lead over Garfield Heights with 3:53 left in the first period of play Beau Siegfried has 4 points for the Leopards This game is sold out and we have a capacity crowd Louisville and Garfield Heights set to begin playWe are just moments away from Louisville and Garfield Heights tipping off here at the Memorial Civic Center in this Division III state semifinal game I'll have updates for you throughout the evening as the Leopards attempt to reach the state tournament for the first time in program history the 14 state semifinal games are played across the state before the finalists head to Dayton for the seven title games in two days Ohio (WOIO) - A man is in custody for allegedly shooting a woman Thursday evening Garfield Heights Police Chief Mark Kaye said officers came into contact with the female victim in a vehicle at Oakpark Blvd and Turney Road at 9:27 p.m Officers immediately rendered first aid until EMS transported her to a local hospital Chief Kaye said she is in stable condition The relationship between the victim and suspect has not been disclosed at this time Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInMAPLE HEIGHTS Ohio (WOIO) - A male was shot on Maple Park Drive in Maple Heights Monday afternoon he was later found with a group of males in Garfield Heights Maple Heights officers responded to Maple Park Drive for a report of shots fired and a male with a gun walking around they found evidence of a disturbance and gunfire The male with the gun left the area in a white vehicle While Maple Heights Officers were investigating the Maple Park Drive scene the Garfield Heights Police Department was alerted that several males were in the area of York Blvd Garfield Heights Police arrived on scene on York Blvd He was taken to MetroHealth Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries The other males who were with the male who was shot were taken into custody for questioning a male in a white vehicle matching the description of the male with a gun returned to the apartment complex and was taken into custody for questioning Other vehicles in the area of Maple Park Drive were hit with gunfire Anyone with information related to this case is urged to contact the Maple Heights Detective Bureau: (216) 587-9624 or Detectives@mhpd-ohio.com or report@mhpd-ohio.com Junior Marcus Johnson of Garfield Heights High School was named 2025 Ohio Mr Basketball on Thursday by the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association Marcus Johnson gives his family the first father-son Mr won the award as a player at Garfield Heights in 1998 Johnson was presented with the award this weekend at the University of Dayton Arena during the OHSAA state boys basketball championships a stage his team nearly reached before a 49-48 loss Sunday to Louisville in the Division III state semifinals has been an All-Ohio first-team selection since his freshman year Johnson won this season’s award with 110 points from the statewide panel John’s junior Cam Elwer was the runner-up with 48 points and Olentangy Orange senior Devin Brown whose team played Saturday night for the Division I state championship Other finalists included Steubenville senior Aiden Davis Brunswick junior Trey Drexler and Kettering Archbishop Alter senior RJ Greer Basketball award was first given by the Associated Press in 1988 It has been voted on by the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association since 2017 Marcus Johnson knew at a young age that expectations would be high for him Basketball in 1998 at Garfield Heights and went on to a college career at Ohio University and Cleveland State His older brother and cousin also earned Division I college scholarships while he played up a grade level or two on the AAU circuits Johnson developed a consistent shooting touch with his left hand and an ambidextrous style to use his right when necessary His family and many others around Garfield Heights anticipated his high school arrival which began with an All-Ohio caliber performance as a ninth grader Johnson repeated on the All-Ohio first team as a sophomore and now is the state’s Mr following the OHSAA’s announcement Thursday after a vote by the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association Marcus receives Ohio’s top individual award for a high school boys basketball player as a junior He earned it after being selected as a finalist last season among a senior-laden cast that included Ohio State recruit and winner Collin White and Lutheran East’s Jesse McCulloch Johnson again received the Northeast Lakes District nod this year before a statewide vote John’s Cam Elwer finished as the runner-up from the Northwest District while Olentangy Orange’s Devin Brown placed third from the Central District The Greater Cleveland area in Cuyahoga County has not produced a Mr when Cleveland South’s Chet Mason shared the award with Medina’s Tony Stockman “That’s a prestigious family,” the elder Johnson said to be the best player in your entire state and be recognized there is not a bigger accomplishment that you can have individually.” Marcus Johnson averaged 29.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game with 4.7 assists and 2.2 steals Garfield Heights (24-3) made it back to the regional finals and broke through to the Division III state semifinals where the Bulldogs went down to the wire with Louisville before a 49-48 loss Sunday at the Canton Memorial Field House Johnson scored 25 points through the first three quarters but he missed part of the fourth quarter after a hard fall in front of the scorer’s table while trying to corral a loose ball which prompted Louisville coach Tom Siegfried to approach Sonny Johnson after the sold-out crowd departed the Field House “Best player I ever coached against,” Siegfried told him He has bigger stuff than what’s going on right here.” Johnson garnered national attention by making the ESPN Top 60 for the Class of 2026 Crumble of Lutheran East were destined for it as both are rated four stars by most recruiting services and played together on a fifth-grade AAU team that won national tournaments in Orlando and Las Vegas It's one of Johnson’s first and best basketball memories More came this season with the Bulldogs winning their third straight Lake Erie League title Johnson broke his dad’s single-game scoring record at Garfield Heights with 55 points in a win against Maple Heights they sought to exceed the Division I regional final runs of the previous two seasons With the OHSAA’s new seven-division format Garfield Heights found itself in a new division with more schools of similar size which had been contending at the same levels Basketball took Sunday’s setback in stride “A lot of people didn’t think we would make it even as far as the Final Four,” he said “I feel like we proved a lot of people wrong Even with four starters graduated from last year’s regional final team in Division I Johnson looked to set up his teammates before taking his shot It’s something that stuck with opposing coaches Griffith after the Bulldogs ended their state-title defense in 2024 and stopped them again this season in the regional finals Johnson scored 26 points with five rebounds four assists and five steals in a 58-45 win earlier this month “He has an uncanny ability to create his own shot That approach has led Garfield Heights to a 72-9 record in Johnson’s three years as its leading scorer His father admits he is already better than he ever was “He went a lot further than I ever did,” Sonny Johnson said Sonny played for his father at Garfield Heights Pastor Johnson never missed his son’s games He didn’t get to see what his grandson has become but his spirit remains with them as they head to Dayton this weekend to celebrate another Mr Serena and Mia also will be in attendance to share the moment I want to go down there to play in the championship That other way could be redemption next season or it could be graduating early to begin his college basketball career at Ohio State and his father said they are considering having Marcus take summer classes and reach his requirements to do that They plan to make a decision later this spring Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 25 years for our community If you would like to contribute to this service Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press Please include "for website" on the memo line The #4 ranked Louisville Leopards (22-5) will take on the #1 ranked Garfield Heights Bulldogs (23-2) in the Division III State Semifinals on Sunday Game time is set for 6:00 PM from Canton Memorial Fieldhouse Canton Memorial Field House will be hosting four games next weekend Cleveland Glenville will take on Hawken on Saturday at 1:00 PM Then a triple header on Sunday will begin with the top team in the state in Cleveland St Ignatius taking on Olentangy Orange at Noon Local Massillon Perry will challenge North Royalton at 3:00 PM Then local Louisville will take on Division III top ranked Garfield Heights in primetime at 6:00 PM The winner of the Louisville/Garfield Heights game will take on Cincinnati Aiken/Trotwood-Madison/Sandusky in the Division III state championship on Friday The Division III State Championship game will begin at 1:00 PM from the University of Dayton Arena .   . . Tags: Olmsted Falls in triple overtime — in a rematch of last year’s Division I regional semifinals in Akron See how the Bulldogs (23-2) got there this time and hear from Johnson with senior guard D.J Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on X (@mgoul), Threads (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com) Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Goul, cleveland.comCANTON Ohio — Down nine to start the fourth quarter and quickly down 11 Louisville’s chances didn’t fade Sunday night in the OHSAA Division III boys basketball state semifinals Instead, the Leopards did not give up another point and closed the game on a 12-0 run to knock off Garfield Heights with a 49-48 victory at the Canton Memorial Field House in front of a sold-out crowd filled mostly with Louisville fans Avery Andrejcik gave Louisville (23-4) the lead with his corner 3-pointer with about 1:30 left on a pass from Brayden Gross While Andrejcik finished with six points on two 3s Gross led the Leopards with 24 points and 12 rebounds Beau Siegfried added 10 points and two assists Marcus Johnson led Garfield Heights with 25 points but took a hard fall with 6:51 left in the fourth quarter They finished 1-of-8 from the floor in the fourth See how it happened and hear from Gross and coach Tom Siegfried in the above video Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on X (@mgoul), Threads (@mgoul), Bluesky (@mgoul.bsky.social) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com) Ohio (WOIO) - The Garfield Heights Police Department is mourning the passing of one of their four-legged members.. Faithful Companion Pet Cremation Services donated a remembrance package for Bolo which includes an imprint of his paws for the department to remember him by Faithful Companion did the same for Rolo when he passed away in Oct "We would like to thank Faithful Companion Pet Cremation Services - Ohio for putting together this remembrance package pictured below Their compassion is truly amazing and we thank them again for helping us a guinea pig who appeared to have been left outside in the elements without food or water in Aug “Our Dispatchers and Officers have created such a bond with her that we just did not want her to leave,” GHPD stated (before they realized Bolo is a boy) Bolo kept the dispatchers company and brought comfort amid their difficult duties who was also rescued and then donated to the department Members of the department enjoyed celebrating special events and holidays with Bolo and Rolo Here are some of the memories they shared in the year they got to spend together: MEDINA — Senior starters Kenny Scott, James McCarthy and Kamran Ensley played their final high school basketball game Friday night for Archbishop Hoban Junior Sam Greer likely did with plans to enroll early at a college in January 2026 to continue his football career Hoban (21-6) led 14-13 at the end of the first quarter and 26-25 at halftime Garfield Heights (24-2) rallied and led 41-34 at the end of the third quarter and 54-41 with 2:26 remaining in the fourth quarter after a two-hand slam dunk by senior Nasir Hines and a layup by Johnson Greer started on the state title team with then-seniors William Scott Jr., Andrew Griffith and Logan Vowles and then-junior Jonas Nichols McCarthy and Ensley dressed varsity back then when the only reserves to appear in both state tournament games were junior Joey Hardman and seniors Lamar Sperling and Colin Coyne "It is like the end of an era," Hoban 32nd-year coach T.K. Griffith said "Those guys practiced with that team and they dressed with that team They gave us such great preparation and belief in themselves to get here." Hoban will graduate six seniors off this year's team — Scott "I am going to miss all of these seniors," Griffith said Greer a 6-foot-7 center led Hoban with 18 points "Freshman year, he came out of nowhere," Griffith said. "Without him, we don't win a state championship That was a team where all of the guys contributed he was coming off that football injury and was up and down I think what people don't understand is the stress of all the stuff that he has to do being thrust into the adult world with this NIL stuff and [college] football The pressure of being recruited and dealing with coaches — he is on the phone with an adult for probably two hours every night I have never coached a kid that big and that competitive and that good inside Scott "Those are my guys," Scott said of his teammates I think we had a pretty good season if you ask me McCarthy scored eight points and 6-3 sophomore John Johnson contributed four points and nine rebounds "I love the way we prepared and I love the way we competed," Griffith said "I thought our kids gave us all the effort that they could possibly give us There was a stretch where they got three 50-50s in a row; loose balls We were 0 for 13 or 14 from [beyond] the [3-point] arc but we needed to make a couple of 3s to beat this team but I think you are so fatigued from guarding them and from the intensity that you put into the general game plan of trying to compete against that kind of athleticism that your shots either don't drop because you are fatigued or maybe they don't drop because of their pressure and obviously their best player is really special." A year ago, Garfield Heights beat Hoban 52-43 in a Division I regional semifinal at the University of Akron OHSAA's expansion of divisions from four to seven placed the two programs in Division III this year "He is unbelievable," Griffith said of Johnson "He has an uncanny ability to create his own shot but also to be patient and involve other teammates Not a lot of high school players who are good have a nice tempo to their game Even though he does shoot a volume of shots Senior DeVaughn Jackson had eight points and five rebounds and seniors Braylin Sullivan and Ari Jones contributed seven points apiece Garfield Heights took control with a 10-0 run to open the third quarter and led 35-26 with less than five minutes to go Sullivan made a 3-pointer and Johnson added a layup "We chose to come to Medina because if we got here I thought the kids deserved a state championship atmosphere, and I think we got a state championship atmosphere," said Griffith a player on Hoban’s 1989 Division III state championship team I didn't want to go all the way to Toledo [for regional games] and have them play in front 50 of our fans and a thousand of the other team's fans The last game [Tuesday against Olmsted Falls] and this game were unbelievable high school basketball environments They got to experience something special." Garfield Heights had its own fans and about 50 Medina students cheering them on after Bulldogs coach Sonny Johnson invited them to the game after the Bees season ended with a loss to Canton McKinley on March 1 "They were out of it and they wanted us to win," coach Johnson said with a smile "I am working on getting them to the next game Nasir Hines was a presence and Marcus Johnson is Mr Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com Ohio (WOIO) - Garfield Heights residents voted down traffic cameras on I-480 the cameras would have beend used to enforce traffic violations on I-480 According to a city of Garfield Heights Facebook post a total of 18,356 vehicles were observed traveling more than 75 MPH in just six days on I-480 When I am driving on 480 sometimes these people go 70 80 miles per hour and you have someone stopped real fast in front of you well you know what happens,” said resident Shirley Rozmarynowski As Election Day approaches for Northeast Ohio there is information you need to know to make your vote count Cuyahoga and Lake County residents are able to get a free ride to their polling place on Election Day an anti-gerrymandering measure on the 2024 ballot has received a lot of voter criticism over the way it is presented when voting Businessman Bernie Moreno will take on 17-year incumbent Sherrod Brown Incumbent JD Tomlinson is being challenged by Republican Tony Cillo 19 News profiles candidates Bruce Zuchowski and Jon Barber plus looks at the controversies surrounding this race Garfield Heights residents will be voting on whether or not to allow traffic cameras solely on I-480 Here's why it matters to anyone who travels there Here is what to know about the local school levies that may appear on your ballot At least half of the money collected from traffic camera violations Click here for the latest election results. Marcus Johnson took home more hardware on Thursday Gatorade named the junior guard from Garfield Heights its state player of the year The sports drink organization is in its 40th year of honoring top high school athletes across the country New York Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns and Duke’s Cooper Flagg Johnson is an Ohio State commit and averaged 29.7 points with 5.7 rebounds per game He also averaged 4.7 assists and 2.2 steals propelling Garfield Heights (24-3) to the OHSAA Division III state semifinals Gatorade selected Johnson after the completion of the regular season and included the following press release Thursday: In its 40th year of honoring the nation’s most elite high school athletes Gatorade today announced Marcus Johnson of Garfield Heights High School is the 2024-25 Gatorade Ohio Boys Basketball Player of the Year Johnson is the first Gatorade Ohio Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Garfield Heights High School Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their success on the court The award distinguishes Johnson as Ohio’s best high school boys basketball player and he joins an impressive group of alumni that spans CEOs coaches and star athletes such as Karl-Anthony Towns (2012-13 & 2013-14 180-pound junior guard had led the Bulldogs to a 22-2 record and a berth in the Division III state semifinals The state’s returning Gatorade Player of the Year 3.2 assists and 1.9 steals through 24 games 22 recruit in the Class of 2026 by ESPN.com Johnson is a member of a bible study group and has volunteered locally as a peer tutor “Marcus is a truly special player,” said Sonny Johnson head coach of Garfield Heights High School “He’s the kind of teammate you can always rely on—someone who lifts those around him and makes everyone better He embodies unselfishness yet has the rare ability to take over a game when it matters most.” Johnson has maintained a 3.52 GPA in the classroom He will begin his senior year of high school this fall The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states across 12 different high school sports – football and boys and girls track & field – and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the state winners in each sport Two-time winner Johnson joins recent Gatorade Ohio Boys Basketball Players of the Year George Washington III (2022-23 Woodward Career Technical High School) and Chris Livingston (2020-21 among the state’s list of former award winners As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $5.6 million in grants to winners across more than 2,000 organizations the Garfield Heights Police Department announced its new tool for vehicle pursuits officers arrested a person known for pursuits with police “The Grappler system is another tool for us to do just that (apprehend these criminals while minimizing risks to the public],” the Facebook post said “Combined with other intervention techniques such as stop sticks our Officers have several options to try and safely end pursuits While no pursuit intervention tool or technique works 100% of the time Below is a video of officers testing the Grappler system: the Garfield Heights Police Department shared on Facebook the success of the new grappler police bumper police officers arrested a man who had fled from police multiple times previously The man was later charged with two felonies: fleeing and obstruction of official business The supply is not limited and it’s available all year round to eligible participants,” Garfield Heights Police said in the post Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCLEVELAND Ohio (WOIO) - Nearly 60 years after a 16-year-old girl was strangled and stabbed to death in her bedroom in Garfield Heights police say the unsolved murder remains a top priority and “is still aggressively being investigated.” The Garfield Heights Police Department gave an update on the decades-old cold case killing of Beverly Jarosz on Monday The teenager was killed in her Thornton Avenue home on December 28 “The brutality of Beverly’s murder still weighs heavy on our hearts and we will never give up on seeking justice,” the department said in a post on social media According to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office several possible suspects were identified in the murder but no one has ever been charged Garfield Heights police said there have been some recent new developments in the case following advanced DNA testing on key pieces of evidence The department said the testing resulted in newly discovered DNA “We have been in frequent communication with Beverly’s sister as new developments occur,” the department said “It is our goal to give her and her family If you have any information on the unsolved murder of Beverly Jarosz, please contact Garfield Heights Police Detective Menary at (216) 475-5686 or mmenary@garfieldhts.org .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Goul, cleveland.comMEDINA Ohio — Garfield Heights is back in the OHSAA boys basketball state semifinals for the first time since 2016 Only this time it is in the new Division III part of Ohio’s new seven-division tournament format The Bulldogs’ 58-45 win Friday night against Archbishop Hoban at Medina High School came after two straight seasons that ended in the Division I regional finals at Kent State and Toledo Junior guard Marcus Johnson scored 26 points with four assists Senior center Nasir Hines came up with seven blocks on defense while scoring eight points and grabbing seven rebounds Jackson also had eight points and senior Ari Jones took turns defending Hoban junior forward Sam Greer the Knights’ 6-foot-8 standout who scored 18 points with nine rebounds Senior Kenny Scott scored 15 points for the Knights (21-6) Garfield Heights (24-2) advances to the state semifinals next week on Saturday against an opponent at a site to be determined later this weekend by the OHSAA See how the Bulldogs got there in the video above and hear from Marcus Johnson Ohio — It's one of the greatest murder mysteries in Northeast Ohio 16-year-old Beverly Jarosz was strangled and stabbed 40 times in her bedroom 60 years ago RELATED: UNSOLVED with Homa Bash: The search for Beverly Jarosz's killer Detectives say they are getting closer to possibly solving the case thanks to new interviews and advancements in DNA testing Bartos and other loved ones held an anniversary mass for her late sister Carol was just 12 years old when the brutal murder happened "I was basically a little girl just starting to figure out who I was She just seemed like she was very sophisticated and she was beautiful," Carol said Carol told News 5 that Saturday’s mass was not just for her sister but for everyone who has helped her through the years "It's surprising that so many people do still remember her name," said Carol and I still get people giving me tips and contacting me and telling me how much they remember her and how they wish this would be solved." “I was about six years old when this happened," said John Ferrato Ferrato grew up in Garfield Heights but only got involved in the search for Beverly's killer four years ago Ferrato and Scarlett Vinson became intrigued by the case The two belong to a Facebook group dedicated to keeping Beverly's memory alive “The minute I saw her face and I saw that beautiful school photo of her 'I'm going to devote every waking moment I have to her,'" said Vinson The two have looked at this case from every angle and have put out a two-part documentary on YouTube called ”Beverly Jarosz-60 years. Faith and Forgiveness." The duo believe they know who killed Beverly Ferrato says he has gone to the Garfield Heights Police Department and told the police what he believes is the truth and it's been missing ever since," said Ferrato they took it because maybe his name was in it That's the most logical thing you think of right off the bat The two believe the killer was stalking Beverly saying he was always there and stalked her at her final resting place News 5 requested an interview with Garfield Heights police on Friday to ask them about the documentary's theory surrounding the identity of the killer they did tell News 5 that they are aggressively investigating the case and hope to bring closure to Beverly’s family and the community The department has performed Advanced M-Vac DNA testing on key pieces of evidence which has resulted in newly discovered DNA Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Menary at (216) 475-5686 or mmenary@garfieldhts.org About 40 high school juniors and seniors from Garfield Heights City Schools spent the day at CrossCrountry Mortgage Campus to participate in the Cleveland Huddle Pathway hosted by the Browns This was the second consecutive year the Browns held Cleveland Huddle Pathway as part of their Black History Month programming The event serves an opportunity to inspire future changemakers on a wide array of careers available in the sports industry outside of being a professional athlete and current challenges in the industry By providing a pathway to create an interest in a specific career path it can serve as a motivator for high school students and encourage them to attend school regularly the students from Garfield Heights City Schools were selected to attend the event as a reward for being leaders in their schools and showing a commitment to improved and good school attendance Attendance Network is a statewide movement and learning network designed to dramatically improve attendance for Ohio students The Network currently partners with 161 Ohio school districts to positively impact 494,971 students through attendance support and interventions "It's a huge opportunity for students to see what life after high school could possibly look like and the opportunities that they could get involved in," Dean of Culture at Garfield Heights City Schools Kenny Gamble said "What was extremely powerful for me as a high school administrator to see our students see a panel of Black and African Americans that look just like them because our school is 90 percent African American Following a tour of CrossCountry Mortgage Campus in which they heard from Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Larry Jackson and Director of Dining Services LaVelle Cisco moderated by News 5 Cleveland sports reporter Camryn Justice The panel included Browns staff members across different areas of the organization including Elisha Guidry (Scouting Assistant Youth Football) and Justin Peck (Account Executive Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry opened the panel discussion welcoming the students to CrossCountry Mortgage Campus and shared a piece of his journey throughout his career He also added some piece of advice to the students find something that you love and just get really good at it What you do is less important than how you do it," Berry said Like get comfortable with risk-taking – both in your lives and careers – and realize that not every risk is going to work out Because you are going to have a number of uncomfortable situations in your lives and in your careers but those are the things that help you grow keep your failures really close to your successes," Berry continued "Success at times can make us arrogant or maybe too prideful But that humility that you have with your failures that is what makes you teachable and that is what allows you to grow." Students also asked questions to the individuals on the panel and were able to gain insight about each individual's journey through high school and college students learned how each job function within the organization coexists to how important relationships are in the business of sport "I loved their stories and how relatable they are to our generation and to some of the students that were in this room today," Garfield Heights senior Travis Page-Harris said and I'm gonna use that in my life and hopefully apply it to a lot more people that I meet." The "Cleveland Huddle Pathway" is one of the different avenues that is a part of the Browns' Cleveland Huddle campaign the Cleveland Huddle campaign seamlessly integrates into the team's #BeTheSolution platform as part of Browns Give Back accompanied by programming aimed to foster unity and support within Northeast Ohio The Browns continued their efforts to champion Black-owned restaurants closing the day by providing lunch from Sweet Pork Wilsons The Cleveland Huddle program gives Browns fans coaches and players a chance to further support the restaurants the team highlights during the month they have helped make a positive impact for 15 different businesses in Cleveland coaches and support staff wore shirts with the Browns Give Back logo featured coaches and support staff wore shirts with the Stay in the Game coaches and support staff wore shirts featuring the phrase 'Sanction Girls Flag' and University Hospitals also created a Care Closet at Arbor Elementary School Collinwood Athletic Complex project marks the 16th field dedicated by the Browns Browns continue their efforts to help sanction girls flag football in Ohio About 300 athletes participated in combine-style testing and position-specific drills Browns and NEOMED packed reading kits and read to students Over 400 participants attended the clinic at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus Northeast Ohio Flag Football and the Browns helping grow high school girls flag football Ohio — Garfield Heights residents will vote on a charter amendment next month allowing the city to install photo enforcement cameras along Interstate 480 Garfield Heights Mayor Matt Burke said the charter amendment was proposed in response to complaints from residents about speeding and a spike in crashes on the highway "I'm not looking to hide a guy in the bushes," Burke said "It's all about making sure they (drivers) slow down because it is pretty treacherous out there." Burke said a six-day traffic study along the stretch of I-480 through Garfield Heights found 18,356 vehicles speeding over 75 mph "I think we live in a day and age where there’s people that are going over the speed limit and not paying attention to what they’re doing," Burke said Burke said 50% of any funds collected from speed camera citations would go towards safety services Burke said the rest of the money would go towards operational costs not everyone supports using speed cameras to enforce traffic laws Tom Patton (R-District 17) said it can take weeks or months for drivers to receive citations and significant amounts of revenue end up in the hands of private companies operating the cameras which requires tickets to be issued within 72 hours of capturing a driver on camera READ MORE: Ohio proposal would regulate speed cameras Burke said some details of the photo enforcement program have yet to be determined including where the cameras would be placed along I-480 and how much photo enforcement tickets would cost drivers The Bulldogs (16-2, 8-1), who are third in this week’s cleveland.com boys basketball Top 25 Jackson scored 12 points with six rebounds Watch the highlights above and hear from Johnson Jones and Garfield Heights coach Sonny Johnson Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on X (@mgoul), Threads (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com) Mac Stephens talks to his players Saturday after Cleveland Heights' win at Euclid Garfield Heights is hiring Stephens as its next football coach.(Matt Goul .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Goul, cleveland.comGARFIELD HEIGHTS Ohio — The hallway outside of Sonny Johnson’s office at Garfield Heights High School has a poster that lists at least 25 former players who went on to play Division I college basketball Mac Stephens could rival that when he gets his office at the school Garfield Heights announced Wednesday morning it is hiring Stephens as its next football coach, pending school board approval Monday next week. The move comes a day after Stephens resigned from Cleveland Heights where he spent the last 10 years as its head coach and consistently sent players on to college three of his top players are headed to Power Four schools “I’m just looking forward to a new challenge,” Stephens said “a greater challenge to see if we can bring the football program in line with some of the things that Sonny’s doing with the basketball program.” While Garfield Heights’ boys basketball program is coming off back-to-back runs to the Division I regional finals its football program has enjoyed only one winning year in the last five seasons The Bulldogs finished 3-7 this fall under Robert Andrews They played all 10 of their games on the road a result of a makeover already well underway with the football program which is set to have a new turf stadium ready with Stephens’ arrival Mac sees the type of success that Sonny’s been able to have on the basketball floor and that same level of success can be had on the football field with the right person,” Garfield Heights athletic director Michael Cruz said A former boys basketball coach at Cleveland Heights Cruz got to know Stephens during his time there He said he occasionally asked Stephens for his advice upon taking over as Garfield Heights’ athletic director last year That alone made Stephens his top candidate “and I think some of my staff will be coming with me I’ll be talking to some people that are currently in the Garfield Heights system to gauge their interest.” Cleveland Heights is coming off a 6-5 season which fell short of expectations for Stephens and his players Many of them returned from a 10-2 team that won the Greater Cleveland Conference and reached the OHSAA Division I regional semifinals in 2023 injuries to Missouri recruit Marquise Davis West Virginia-bound defensive end Brandon Caesar and Minnesota recruit Jay’Quan Stubbs hindered the Tigers’ ability to reach that level for a second straight year Stephens’ Cleveland Heights teams played Garfield Heights in the Lake Erie League The Tigers won four straight LEL titles under Stephens until departing for the GCC He now returns to a familiar setting with league rivals but I think there’s some things in place at Garfield Heights that will allow me to take things to even a higher level beyond just the football aspect,” Stephens said “I’m passionate about seeing these kids do better academically and socially.” Stephens is a 1986 graduate of Firestone in Akron He played college football at the University of Minnesota which coincidentally recruited former Garfield Heights standout Donald Willis to play linebacker where he spent two years with the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings He returned to Northeast Ohio as Lutheran East’s head coach in 2003 and spent 11 years as an assistant with stints at Euclid Joseph and Glenville before taking the Cleveland Heights job a defensive back for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League Stephens is the city director of recreation in Euclid and owns Coach Mac’s Speed Cruz said Stephens is joining Garfield Heights as football coach only so he plans to maintain his jobs and responsibilities in Euclid “The Garfield Heights school district has had some challenge but I think we can instill our blueprint,” Stephens said We’re going to stress some of the same things get this offseason weight training program and speed training program in place His arrival comes ahead of a football season in 2025 that was once expected to be a big one in Garfield Heights which saw a strong 2026 class come up through middle school They included several standouts who transferred to other schools such as four-star cornerback Elbert “Rock” Hill IV at Archbishop Hoban and defensive end Tyrell O’Neal at Benedictine Garfield Heights’ current juniors also produced an undefeated season as a freshman team “They’ve always had some great athletes in that system,” Stephens said “It’s just developing those athletes and keeping them in the school district that is going to be the challenge It’s the very same challenge we had at Cleveland Heights when I first started.” “I have absolutely no doubt that once Mac and his staff have the opportunity to get established that the exodus we’ve seen of talent in our city is going to come to a halt.” Ohio (WOIO) - Garfield Heights Police are on the scene investigating a fatal shooting early Friday morning According to a release from Garfield Heights Police officers responded to reports of shots fire around 2:45 a.m in the area of Turney Road and McCracken Road Officers discovered a man with a gunshot wound lying in the apron of a business in the area The man was transported to Marymount Hospital where he was pronounced dead Police said the identity of the man in being withheld pending family notification Turney Road between Thornton Avenue and McCracken Road reopened around 7:30 a.m after being closed for hours while police conducted their investigation Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is also on the scene of the shooting Friday morning Garfield Heights Police said the incident is ongoing and remains under investigation Be sure to check back with 19 News for updates Ohio (WOIO) - Garfield Heights residents will be voting on whether or not to allow traffic cameras solely on I-480 the cameras will be used to enforce traffic violations on I-480 those cameras would not be in use outside of I-480 19 News will be live bringing you the latest headlines all Election Day Coverage will be available TV and online as results come in 1/322024 Elite Christmas Classic: Garfield Heights vs. Richmond Heights, December 28, 2024.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Goul, cleveland.comGARFIELD HEIGHTS Ohio — Down five points entering the fourth quarter Marcus Johnson did not let his team’s deficit last for long quickly drove to the hoop for one basket and then came back with a tying 3-pointer Saturday night against Richmond Heights in the NEO Youth Elite Christmas Classic scored 22 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter His effort led the Bulldogs to a 74-65 win against the defending OHSAA Division IV boys basketball champions in front of a packed crowd at Garfield Heights High School “He’s beyond special,” his father and coach Sonny Johnson said that’s why Ohio State’s coaching staff was here and he’s got a gear that he can go to That’s what makes him one of the best players in the country.” Ohio State coaches came to see both Johnson and Richmond Heights senior guard Dorian Jones but he could not play because of a bout with pneumonia the Spartans (3-3) still built several early leads behind their 3-point shooting They hit 10 of their 14 3-pointers in the first half as the Texas-Rio Grande Valley commit tried to do his part and make up for Jones’ absence UTEP commit and point guard De’Erick Barber Jr. added 12 points and five assists in trying to hand the Bulldogs (7-0) — ranked No. 2 in the cleveland.com Top 25 — their first loss Marcus Johnson just would not let that happen against the eighth-ranked Spartans I feel like the same result is going to happen.” with Richmond committed only three errors on unforced miscues but Emory and Winters also took turns with the basketball in a five-guard lineup I thought we did a good job just being patient,” Rogers said of his team and we answered back a little bit too erratic Johnson and Barber traded baskets early in the fourth quarter Garfield retook its final lead with a 3-pointer from D.J “He’s the best guard in the state,” Jackson said Johnson also pulled down nine rebounds and dished out four assists He found Jackson on one of his 3-pointers for 11 points and Ari Jones twice As Johnson knocked down the last of his free throws (he hit all eight of his attempts in the fourth quarter) his uncle and Warrensville Heights coach Demetrius “Mechie” Johnson Sr began to let them know what comes next: a date with No 6 Warrensville Heights on the road Thursday 1/28Garfield Heights Marcus Johnson, Ohio Mr. Basketball.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Goul, cleveland.comGARFIELD HEIGHTS Ohio — Marcus Johnson knew at a young age that expectations would be high for him while he played up a grade-level or two on the AAU circuits He earned it after being selected as a finalist last season among a senior-laden cast that included Ohio State recruit and winner Collin White and Lutheran East’s Jesse McCulloch It’s one of Johnson’s first and best basketball memories More came this season with the Bulldogs winning their third straight Lake Erie League title Griffith after the Bulldogs ended the Knights’ state-title defense in 2024 and stopped them again this season in the regional finals Johnson scored 26 points with five rebounds, four assists and five steals in a 58-45 win earlier this month .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Goul, cleveland.comWARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS Ohio — Garfield Heights’ gauntlet into the new year which began last week with home boys basketball victories against Cleveland Heights and Richmond Heights led to a trip Thursday night that not only threatened the Bulldogs’ undefeated start but came with family bragging rights Garfield Heights coach Sonny Johnson can enjoy both with his team’s 59-45 win at Warrensville Heights snapping a six-game winning streak for younger brother Demetrius “Mechie” Johnson Sr The Bulldogs (8-0), who are No. 2 in the cleveland.com Top 25 took the lead early in the second quarter with an eight-point run by junior guard Marcus Johnson The Ohio State commit and son of the Garfield Heights coach finished with 24 points and four steals Ari Jones added 14 points and eight rebounds while 6-foot-10 Nasir Hines pulled down 10 rebounds and blocked five shots which got 13 points from senior guard Noah Chambers Sophomore Jaylen Billingslea added nine points with three 3-pointers off the bench The hosts knocked down seven shots from downtown but could not cut deep enough into their deficit in the second half See how it unfolded in the video above and hear from Marcus Johnson OH — A suspect has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a man outside the Dunkin' Donuts on Turney Road earlier this month RELATED: 1 dead after shooting at Garfield Heights Dunkin' Donuts the suspect—who police have not released the name of—was arrested in the Columbus area and is awaiting extradition back to Northeast Ohio The suspect's specific charges are unknown at this time was with a group at the Turney Pit Stop gas station They were ordering food and drinks after leaving a neighborhood bar Surveillance video obtained by News 5 from the gas station shows an argument between Ervin Jr Ervin and a woman who identified herself as a bartender walked back to the car after receiving their order back away as the man in the white shirt pulls out a gun from his bag and chases him across Turney Road You can hear several gunshots fired at Ervin as he tripped and fell on a curb in front of Dunkin' Donuts The unknown man and the two women get in the car and drive away His family told News 5 they were glad police made an arrest before they said their goodbye at a Celebration of Life service on Saturday Ervin's family urged the shooter to turn himself in RELATED: 'Turn yourself in. You see what you done to my family.' RELATED: What are the odds? Twins born on same birthday as parents