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BEAVER TOWNSHIP — As the dean of local sports broadcasters, Dana Balash appreciates the opportunity to cover sports at every level of play.
Currently in his 37th year with WFMJ Broadcasting, Inc. – he began at the former WFMJ, 1390 AM radio – he is now in his 31st year of bringing sports news and highlights to his viewing audience, the last 21 as sports director.
“It is a great time of the year right now for area sports fans,” Balash told the Curbstone Coaches during Monday’s weekly meeting at Avion Banquet Center. “The high school football playoffs are underway, YSU is entering the final month of their regular season and the start of the Penguins’ men’s and women’s basketball seasons are less than 10 days away.”
Under Balash’s leadership, the station’s award-winning scholastic football Overtime Report achieved a milestone this past Friday.
“It was definitely a milestone for our high school football coverage, currently in its 28th season,” he added. “This Friday will be our 400th Overtime Report, having debuted in time for the 1994 season. This year we surpassed 200 games covered in week No. 10 of the regular season and hopefully we’ll have five more weeks of high school football to cover.
“We’ve covered more than 6,300 games since we first started and that isn’t possible without the backing of our management team at WFMJ-TV and the sponsors who realize the importance of local sports.”
The fall remains busy for Balash as he continues to not only cover, but host YSU’s football coaches show.
“This year we also surpassed our 200th YSU GameDay football show, a program we have hosted the past 17 years,” Balash stated. “Again, this isn’t possible without the support of station management and our great relationship with YSU’s athletic department.”
Balash remains appreciative of players who break or set records and the coaches who achieve milestones in their coaching careers.
“It has been a great year of milestones for area coaches,” he noted. “Bill Bohren, the oldest coach in any sport in the country, got his 300th victory this year and deservedly so. As a kid, I remember when Bill was coaching at Boardman High School so to now see and cover him the last 30-plus years has been a real honor. Bill is football in the Mahoning Valley and one of the area’s all-time greats in any sport.
“I would be remiss if I didn’t congratulate Hubbard’s Brian Hoffman, who became the school’s winningest football coach and Brookfield Warriors head coach Randy Clark for surpassing 100 wins.”
Balash also feels a 16-team high school playoff field is too much.
“Increasing the OHSAA playoff field to 16 is too many in my opinion,” Balash said.
“We all know the reason why it is 16 but I wish the OHSAA would have come out and just said they lost money due to COVID-19 so we are going with 16 teams for one year to try and recoup some of the lost revenue. Then, we will evaluate and see where we are.
“They want young kids to experience the playoffs but when you lose 50-0, how is that a positive experience? I think Warren JFK has the players to get back to the state title game, Ursuline has the best overall quarterback in the area in Brady Shannon but I don’t know where their defense is at this point.
“Could this be the year South Range gets Kirtland? Also, I think Garrettsville Garfield is a sleeper in Division V but it would be a shame if that regional champion doesn’t get to the championship game.
“There are some great local playoff games as well. Ursuline and Salem can put 100 points on the board but can Hubbard contain Canfield quarterback Broc Lowery? Can Poland’s defense slow down West Branch and does Brookfield have an answer for LaBrae? Those are things we will soon find out.”
Balash sees positive things ahead for YSU’s football and basketball teams.
“The YSU football team will be better next season,” he added. “Coach [Doug] Phillips will have that first, full year under his belt and I think you will see improvements next fall. Even bigger improvements in 2023.
“Their basketball teams are glad to have fans back. I think the men’s team was disrespected once again by the Horizon League because they are opening conference play on the road for the seventh straight season. No other conference team has had to do that.
“The women’s team could be better than last year. I believe with the caliber of players they have coming in they are much better than their projected seventh-place pre-season finish.”
Next Monday, Brad Smith, YSU men’s and women’s swimming coach will serve as guest speaker.
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