Moherman Keeping Positive Outlook

The last several weeks haven’t been easy for Ohio State quarterback Austin Moherman.

“It’s been a tough situation,” said Moherman, a sophomore who played at Capistrano Valley High.

Moherman completed 20 of 41 passes for 214 yards in the first two games, but lost the starting job to another sophomore, Steve Bellisari.

Bellisari passed for 159 yards and two touchdowns when he took over for Moherman against UCLA.

“After that, I was on the shelf for a while,” Moherman said. “I haven’t been given a whole lot of leeway since then. The other guy had a great game against UCLA, but I didn’t play poorly.”

Bellisari, however, has been inconsistent since taking over the No. 1 spot, and went through a two-game stretch where he completed 17 of 47 passes with three interceptions. He especially struggled in OSU’s 23-10 loss to Penn State.

Moherman, meanwhile, completed five of 10 passes for 49 yards in four series during Ohio State’s victory over Minnesota, and was four of four for 77 yards in the victory at Iowa.

But Bellisari has continued playing considerably more than Moherman in each game.

“Other than the first two games, there hasn’t been a whole lot to evaluate me on,” Moherman said. “But I’ve been hoping I’ll get a shot at helping this team.”

But time is running out for that this season. The Buckeyes end the regular season Saturday at Michigan. Ohio State will have to beat the Wolverines for a winning record and meet the minimum requirement to play in a bowl game.

Ohio State fell to 6-5, 3-4 in the Big Ten, with a 46-20 loss to Illinois Saturday. Bellisari completed only nine of 24 passes with one interception for 133 yards. Moherman was three for five for 35 yards.

“I’m still working as hard as I can in practice every day,” Moherman said. “I’m doing the same things now that I did in preseason camp. I just try to execute the offense to the best of my ability.”

With two years of eligibility remaining, Moherman said he isn’t considering transferring.

Moherman said he plans to have a meeting with his position coach Tim Salem, after the season.

“But we always have meetings like that after spring practice and after the regular season,” Moherman said. “Things aren’t picture-perfect right now, but that’s life. Hopefully, it will get better.”

MILLS TO NATIONALS

Cal State Dominguez Hills cross-country runner Donna Mills (Newport Harbor High, Orange Coast) finished third in the NCAA Division II West Regional a week ago with a time of 22 minutes 17 seconds and qualified for the Nationals Saturday in Joplin, Mo.

Teammate Araceli Martinez (Estancia High, Orange Coast) finished fourth, only a second behind Mills, but failed to qualify for the nationals.

The Toros’ Mara Caples (El Dorado High, Orange Coast) finished 31st in 23:46.

Martinez had won the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. conference championship the week before at UC Riverside with a time of 21:57.80. Mills was fourth in that race.

In men’s soccer, junior midfielder Chis Fernandez of Sonora High was named to the CCAA all-conference second team for the second year in a row.

In women’s soccer, sophomore goalkeeper Heather Williams of Canyon High was named to the CCAA third team. She has an 0.76 goals-against average and nine shutouts for the Toro women’s soccer team that is ranked 14th nationally.