COLUMBUS – The investigation into St. John Central’s alleged transgressions has been ongoing since the football season.

The Ohio High School High Athletic Association, however, appears to be nearing a conclusion and then issuing a ruling.

Speaking to The Times Leader during the OHSAA’s Media Advisory Committee meeting, Commissioner Dr. Daniel Ross, who had been off work on medical leave, said that a conclusion could be coming within a month.

“We’re hoping to have some kind of resolution soon, but part of the (delay) has been because I was out of the office,” Ross said.

The investigation was launched shortly after St. John Central’s administration self-reported the use of an ineligible player. The OHSAA ordered that the Irish forfeit their four football victories and then continued to look into the matter and discovered other possible wrongdoings.

As the investigation has continued, it seems as if the other wrongdoings could be quite significant, but the OHSAA still wouldn’t expound on the nature of the alleged violations.

“It’s a live issue, but we just haven’t been able to get to it,” Ross said. “There are several issues that are on the table.”

Ross, who plans to make a trip to Steubenville to meet with the diocese in the coming weeks, said that the school has been very cooperative with the OHSAA.

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Ross, who just completed his first full week back on the job since his return from medical leave, spent part of his speech to media outlets from around the Buckeye State talking about sportsmanship and the recent issue in Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association recently banned students from chanting during sporting events because of sportsmanship issues.

Ohio student sections can relax because the OHSAA doesn’t plan to implement any such measure.

“I understand what (Wisconsin) was trying to do, but it’s not something I think we would do,” Ross said. “I am not being critical of anyone else, but I think there are better ways.”

The OHSAA has long had a sportsmanship piece and continues to expand on it with the more than 800 member schools.

“We want kids to be at games supporting their school, friends and community,” Ross said. “We’re encouraging that. We’re continuing to work with the schools to help them do more positive things.”

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As it is everywhere – at every level of sports – concussions continue to be a major topic of discussion at the state level.

Ross said he believes football is safer now than it’s ever been.

“You still can’t control everything,” Ross said.

One thing that concussion studies have shown is that continual collisions over the years has led to many of the issues that kids and, now, adults are facing.

Ross thinks youth tackle football should be booted.

“It needs to go,” Ross said. “Midget, or youth tackle football, is an issue. I think kids playing more flag football until they get to junior high will help.”

With many parents becoming leery of allowing their children to play football, Ross thinks sports like soccer, lacrosse and even rugby may grow in Ohio.

“Families are going to have to make decisions,” Ross said. “Football is at the crux of this.”

The OHSAA has taken steps to help measures by limiting the number of contact days during summer practices. Ross said that was met with no resistance from neither the member schools, nor the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association.

“The coaches took to our new rules and ran with it,” Ross said. “I didn’t receive one letter, call or email about it.”

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Because of ongoing construction at the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, the OHSAA is keeping the state football championship games in Columbus at The Ohio State University.

“We intended to go back to Stark County in 2016, but the construction isn’t going to be close to being done, so we went back to Ohio State and the Columbus Convention Bureau asking if we could have another year. They graciously granted that to us.”

The OHSAA plans to take the state finals back to Stark County for 2017 and 2018 and is expected to be in Columbus in 2019 and 2020.

All seven games will be played at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon won’t be utilized.

“We’re using how we handled the games at the ‘Shoe the last two years as a model for bringing crowds in and out of one stadium,” Ross said.

SETH’S SCOOPS

• THE OHSAA announced the regional track sites for this spring. After two years at Muskingum University, the Division II meet is moving to Athens High School. In Division III, Newcomerstown will host the entire Eastern District and the top four finishers in each event will qualify to Navarre Fairless, which is often times the most challenging regional in the state.

• BUCKEYE LOCAL graduate Chet Pobolish, who is an assistant coach at Southeastern Louisiana, has been re-assigned on the staff. Formerly, he served as the offensive coordinator. He’s now the assistant head coach, special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach.

• BARNESVILLE graduate Jay Sawvel has been elevated to defensive coordinator. He received a significant pay raise at the University of Minnesota in his new role.