Leading off today: The 2007 state Class AA football trophy may reside in their school, but don't tell the folks at West Genesee that they're defending state champions. NYSSWA editor/publisher Neil Kerr reported in The Post-Standard this morning that it's a whole new ball game for the Wildcats.

   New coach Joe Corley faces a big challenge tomorrow when practice opens for the majority of New York schools. Thirty-one seniors from the 2007 squad, on which Corley coached the offensive line for Steve Bush (now with the Miami Dolphins staff), are gone following that 11-2 season that ended with a 42-21 win over Monroe-Woodbury in the NYSPHSAA finals at the Carrier Dome. (Related link: '07 championship recaps)

   "We've got a number of kids returning, but the players who were backups last fall will need to step up this season if we're going to be successful," Corley told the paper.

   Senior Jim Marls replaces Tim Moran at quarterback. Top returning include all-state receiver Joe Fazio, running backs Ryan McConnell and Jeremy Jones, and two-way linemen Nick Pedrotti and Stefan Cavedine.

   A curious deal: A recent news release made its way across my desk the other day, and I hope I'm not the only observer uncomfortable with what's going on in Phoenix.

   It seems azcentral.com, the Web site of The Arizona Republic has entered a partnership with the Arizona Interscholastic Association that gives the site exclusive access to every score and schedule for all Arizona high school teams (more than 250 of them) in 21 sports.

   The site will also host schedules, standings and playoff seeding points information for the schools as well as updated post-season tournament brackets.

Also available online Partial list of football scrimmages

   That's undoubtedly a nice deal for the AIA, which I assume is going to pocket some cash or at the very least be given other financial considerations. But it's a lousy deal for the newspaper organization, even in this era of blurred lines between the journalism and financial sides of news operations.

   Does anyone genuinely believe that the newspaper staff's reporting on issues related to the high schools organization won't be affected? The Arizona Republic is probably the most important media outlet in the state; if they suddenly become timid reporting unflattering news about the AIA, then who will do it?

   News organizations need to keep a respectable distance from entities they cover. I don't have have a problem with a paper or TV station throwing sponsorship money at basketball tournaments and such, but getting involved in a 24/7 relationship for a year or more tests credibility at a time when people are less enamored than ever with mainstream media.

   Extra points: LeRoyFootball.com webmaster Ed Henry reports that a new and improved version of "The Run" is now available on the site. That was Mike Hart's epic 64-yard scamper over, under, around and through the LeRoy defense during the 2002 state football semifinals. It will go down in history as one of the finest efforts ever. . . . We must be getting close to the start of the school year, because Syracuse.com blogger Phil Blackwell filed his first piece in two months over the weekend. Section 3 should feel spoiled to have Phil and The Post-Standard's Neil Kerr and gang cranking out so much material 10 months a year.

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