Baseball is one of the ultimate team sports. Anyone who knows the game or has played it can you tell you that baseball is all about “picking up your teammate.”

It is a bit unfair then to single out one player when production from everybody is critical. However,  in this case, Coventry should thank junior starting pitcher Jake Mazak for his superb outing in the Comets home playoff victory over Norton 5-3 Tuesday.

It’s hard to imagine how far the Portage Lakes Career Center has come since the 1970s. Now in its 35th year, the PLCC has grown in many ways, through changing technologies and economic climates.

Founders of the area vocational school took on a major responsibility in August of 1974, when Coventry, Green and Manchester residents approved a levy that would fund the building of a school to provide technical training to area students. The early days of the school, which was originally called Portage Lakes Joint Vocational School, are looked upon with fond memories by all who helped to build it, literally, from the ground up.

As spring kicks into full gear, Coventry softball launches into its second half of its season with hopes of sustaining the consistency that witnessed a 4-0 start.
So far the season has, in a lot of ways, been start and go - a tale of two halves. After starting out white hot by winning the first four games, the Comets have gone cold winning two of its last seven.

The Friends of the Portage Lakes Library will sponsor its Spring 2012 Book Sale Saturday, April 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Library, 4261 Manchester Road, New Franklin.  Proceeds benefit library programs. 

The Dragon Dream Team, Ohio’s first and only all breast cancer survivor dragon boat team, is having its third annual Breast of Friends fundraiser on Saturday, April 14.  The event, Black White and Pink All Over, is going to be held at St. Joseph’s Family Center, 610 West Exchange Street, Akron.  The evening will include over 250 silent and live auction items including sports packages, vacation getaways and a "Design Your Own Dragon Boat Adventure Party."

Women who look like 2007 Coventry High School graduate Ashley Kaltwasser are sometimes seen as effortlessly beautiful – it's a misperception that could not be farther from reality.

Kaltwasser, 23, who won the overall award in the Amateur Bikini category in this year's Annual Arnold (as in Schwarzenegger) Sports
Festival in Columbus worked out for a solid year to be ready for the competition. She bested 200 competitors from the U.S. and Europe.

At 6-foot-6, senior David Barrio is easily the tallest player on the floor for the Comets. Twelve months ago, Barrio had no idea where Coventry was. A native of Madrid, Spain, Barrio was living near the center of a city of 6 million, not far from Calle Gran Via, the city's busiest street, lined by towering office buildings and restaurants.

It's election day in Summit and Stark County. Check the Summit County Board of Elections and  the Stark County Elections Board if you don't know your precinct.

Check The Suburbanite for a recap of local issues.

Portage Lakes Career Students of the Month Sterling Perry and Jasmine Jaynes

In Coventry there is a walk.

It is the kind of walk every athlete dreams of taking. This walk signifies greatness and immense accomplishment. Those fortunate enough to walk this walk have also talked the talk.

During the past week, two senior wrestlers (120-pounder Jesse Gunter and 152-pounder Brandon Rang) got their chance to experience the walk of a lifetime with a cowboy hat.

And the beat goes on for Coventry wrestling.

After finishing third in the Portage Trail Conference off the strength of a 24-7 record overall and 5-2 PTC record, Coventry wrestling captured their fourth straight sectional tournament title on Feb. 18.

The Portage Lakes Joint Vocational School District Board of Education approved donations from the GPD Associates for district Public Relations Program for $250, Martin Public Seating for district public Relations Program for $300, and Sandra Hansel for Plant/Landscape/Turf management Student Activity Fund for $100.

Gary Zoldesy has been chosen to be the new member of the Coventry Township Board of Trustees.

There has been a vacant seat on the three-member board since the Jan. 11 death of trustee Brenda Patterson.

Trustee Tom Seese and Fiscal Officer Joni Murgatroyd asked residents to support Issue 4 on the Mar. 6 primary ballot, a renewal levy that will not raise taxes. A road levy that included a tax increase failed in November.

The Portage Lakes Career Center may begin offering a course starting Feb. 27 to prepare individuals for the oil and gas industry.

Registration for kindergartners for the 2012-13 school year is set for 4-7 p.m. March 6 at Turkeyfoot Elementary cafeteria, 530 W. Turkeyfoot Lake Road, 44319.

It was 54 years ago that the Coventry High Comets soared athletically as they never had soared before, or since.

It was in the 1957-58 school year that the Comets made it a clean sweep, winning the Metro League championship in every sport the league recognized at the time – football, baseball, boys track and boys basketball.

Summit County Probate Judge Todd McKenney will choose an applicant to fill the vacant position on the Coventry Township Board of Trustees.

A position became vacant after the death of Trustee Brenda Patterson Jan 11.
Had Patterson selected at least three people to a committee to represent her on her petition to run for trustee, the decision to fill her position would have fallen on that committee, rather than remaining trustees.