Welcome and thank you for visiting Northwest Ohio Prep Sports, a joint venture between The Crescent News’s sports department and Dix Communications Internet.  Thoughout the year our sports writers will be giving their unique insight on Northwestern Ohio’s prep-level sports in a way that goes above and beyond what you will find in our printed papers while encouraging user input and participation.  Here is some information on the people that make this site possible.

Tim McDonough

I’m Tim McDonough and I’ve been working at The Crescent-News for the past 17 years. I’ve been covering Defiance High School football since 2001 and this is my blog. I’m looking forward to blogging and having fun writing about the Bulldogs. Feel free to comment on any of my posts and ask me any questions you might have, and I’ll do my best to answer them.

When I’m not covering Defiance High School football, you can find me in gyms all over the Defiance six-county area in the winter covering boys basketball. In the spring, I’m at the diamond at DHS covering the baseball Bulldogs. I also cover Defiance native and NASCAR driver Sam Hornish Jr. when he drives close to home, as well as putting my two-cents in on former Defiance High School pitching standouts Chad Billingsley of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Jon Niese of the New York Mets.

My life isn’t all sports though. I also spend time with my family which includes sons Chris (away at college) and Ryan and my daughter Samantha. Occasionally, I also make my way to Columbus to watch the Buckeyes and hang out with Chris, as well as hanging out with other family and friends. I tell my friends, it’s a pretty good gig if you can get it.

Chuck Martinez-Brandon

Thanks for visiting the C-N football blogs! If you don’t know I’m Chuck Martinez-Brandon and I’m running the area high school football blog for the paper. For me, the only way to describe high school football is with one word … PASSION!

I’ve been involved in high school football from about every aspect and during the few years of my life I wasn’t involved there was a definite void. Like everyone I played in the backyard until I was able to join an orgainzed team in fifth grade as a member of the VFW Bears. Two years and one “Super Bowl” trophy later it was on to being a Bulldog. I played junior high and high school football for Defiance and was all-league as a junior and senior and a captain my senior season. After high school I spent the next two grid seasons as a Bluffton College Beaver … yeah I’m old enough that it was still a college not a university.

After graduation from college I joined the Crescent-News staff where during my 16 years here I’ve covered everything from scrimmages to the state championships and from little league to colleges and pros. Being in the press box definitely gives you a different view of the sport and a glimpse of what the game is about in the locker room. From the pressbox the best part of the sport is the players and coaches you meet and their stories that you get to tell.

But for me the pressbox isn’t close enough.

I got my first coaching gig with the Optimist Raiders in Defiance Little League football where one of my best players was some guy named Chad Billingsley, maybe you’ve heard of him. From there I’ve coached at Defiance Junior High and Ayersville Junior High and now I’m a varsity assistant with the Ayersville Pilots.

One thing I’ve learned is that every football team is a family but without the understanding of your family at home the hours it takes to be involved in the sport it just wouldn’t be possible

At home, my wife Tonja and I have been married for 12 years and we have a daughter Jaylin who’s 11. I also have a step-daughter Jerell who’s 16 along with as many animals that we can fit on our three acres.

Kevin Eis

What’s up?

My name is Kevin Eis and I have been a writer for The Crescent-News sports department for four years now. After spending half of my life in the world of music, I decided that a change of pace and direction was in order for the next leg of my personal journey. Writing had been an interest and a part of my life since I was a child, so I saw it as a natural fit when it became known to me that The C-N was looking for a sports writer.

Well, as fate would have it, I was hired and soon found myself on the fields and in the gyms of just about every city, town, village and countryside in northwest Ohio (and beyond) covering a wide variety of events in several different sports. As a writer, it has been a great experience for me to work with such a talented and knowledgeable crew which consistently makes our department one of the best in the state of Ohio. And as a person, some of the coaches, athletes and supporters I have met over the years has been a bonus, to say the least. While it is always exciting to cover a big game, feature writing is my favorite because it is a chance to go beyond points, numbers and stats while telling more of what a team or individual is really about.

When not writing for The C-N, I am usually wrapped up in a personal writing project of my own with the headphones on and the music pumping (you’re only as old as you feel). I also enjoy talking sports with my family, friends and co-workers while explaining (or defending) my profound Crystal Ball techniques, or lack thereof.