LOCAL

LOCAL
Boxing
TAMPA, Fla. -- Youngstown's Darnell Boone used a blistering attack through six rounds to gain a unanimous decision over southpaw Willie Lee (14-4) of St. Petersburg, Fla., on Friday.
"[Co-manager] Tank [DiCioccio] and I both urged Darnell to take the fight to Lee from the opening bell and he did just that, fighting a letter perfect fight of being aggressive from the opening bell" said Boone's trainer, Jack Loew.
Boone (8-3-1) gave himself an edge when he dropped Lee with a right uppercut for an eight-count during the second round. Boone took over the fight in the fifth round with a volley of punches that closed Lee's left eye and left the other eye swollen and partially closed.
One judge voted 60-52, giving Darnell a sweep. The other two voted 58-55 and 58-54 for a unanimous verdict.
"A big win, a really big win for Darnell," Loew said. "He just improves with every fight and the way he is fighting now, it doesn't matter where it is at. I am very happy with his performance tonight."
Added Boone, "Tank and Jack told me to keep busy. I did and I never let up on Lee. He had a weird style, but I broke through it."
In the main event, a 12-rounder for the vacant NABA lightweight title, Edner Cherry stopped Marco Angel Perez at 1:02 of the first round.
Curbstone Coachesnames inductees
YOUNGSTOWN -- The 2006 Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame banquet is scheduled for May 7 when 14 new members will be enshrined during ceremonies at Mr. Anthony's Banquet Center.
The 2006 class is Fred Albrecht (basketball), Joseph Briganti, Sr. (golf), Ron Calcagni (football), Jim Campbell (sports media award), Nick Granitto (baseball), Charlie Harris (softball), David Hodge (track and field), Bobby Jones (football), Marcus Marek (football), Brian Marrow (football), Gregg "Rusty" Rosenberger (boxing), Patricia Ann Schuley (bowling), Ray Travaglini (contribution to sports) and Ronald Vagnozzi (bowling). The guest speaker will be Dave Wannstedt, football coach at the University of Pittsburgh.
Tickets are $40 each and can be obtained by calling (330)-549-3412, or by visiting the organization's website at www.curbstonecoaches.org.
Because of the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, Curbstone Coaches will not meet Monday.
Chaney fundraising
YOUNGSTOWN -- Chaney High School will hold a fundraising meeting for alumni, boosters and friend of the athletic department at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the school's new cafeteria.
The fundraising efforts will focus on supplying new equipment for the high school's new weight room and new gymnasium. Many of the funds will come through a brick campaign, Chaney athletic director Jim Mullally said.
"We want to get the best equipment for the kids of Youngstown," he said.
Mullally is also exploring getting a replica of the Heisman Trophy, in honor of Frank Sinkwich, who won the Heisman as a running back for the University of Georgia in 1942.
"That's a Youngstown thing, not just a Chaney thing," Mullally said.
Marrow plansboot camp
YOUNGSTOWN -- Ray Marrow, a South High graduate and quarterback of last year's Ohio Red Bulls semipro team, will hold an athletic boot camp/leadership program starting Feb. 11 at the Buckeye Elks Youth Center on North Avenue.
The camp for youth ages 7-17 will be every Saturday through April 29. Camp fee is $50 a month. For details, contact Marrow at (330) 519-3091.
Vince Marrow, Ray's brother who was scheduled to be one of the camp aides, recently got called to be tight ends coach for the Berlin Thunder of the NFL Europe League.
Photo contest
SALEM -- Doug Richards of Salem was named one of six finalists in the Canon & amp; Pro Football Hall of Fame Amateur Photo Challenge for his photo of his son, Matthew.
The winner, which will be announced Tuesday, will earn an opportunity to have their photo displayed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and a trip for four to Super Bowl XL in Detroit. The winner will also win a trip for four to the 2006 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Celebration in June 2006.
Richards' photo was taken during one of his son's football games. Matthew plays halfback for United and the photograph shows Mathew being tackled and him stretching the ball out for a first down.
The judging panel included some of the world's top sports photographers, including Peter Reed Miller from Sports Illustrated; Craig Melvin from US Presswire; John Reid III, the Cleveland Browns Team Photographer; Mark Duncan from the Associated Press, and Tony Tomsic, a freelance sports photographer who has shot every Super Bowl.
REGION
OSU's Whitnerheaded to draft
COLUMBUS -- Ohio State strong safety Donte Whitner announced Saturday that he'll surrender his final year of eligibility to make himself available for the NFL draft.
Whitner becomes the third Buckeye underclassman from this year's team to make the jump to the pros. Cornerback Ashton Youboty and wide receiver Santonio Holmes had already said they were leaving Ohio State early.
Whitner, a junior from Cleveland, was third on the Ohio State team in tackles with 73. He also had nine tackles for minus yardage, including four sacks. He intercepted two passes and had 26 return yards, and broke up six passes for the 10-2 Buckeyes, who shared the Big Ten title with Penn State. The loss of Whitner and Youboty, along with those graduating, means Ohio State must replace all of its starting linebackers and secondary next season.
"I thank coach [Jim] Tressel and all those involved within the football program for creating such a terrific environment to succeed both academically and athletically," Whitner said in a release issued by his agent. "I now look forward to the challenge of playing against the premier players in the NFL."
Top recruitenrolls at OSU
COLUMBUS -- Ashlee Trebilcock, one of the nation's top recruits a year ago, has enrolled at Ohio State after transferring from UCLA.
"It's always great to add a quality player to your roster like Ashlee," Ohio State coach Jim Foster said. "She certainly has made our practices better already."
The 5-foot-9 Boise, Idaho, native spent her high school career in California. She played in four games for UCLA this season, averaging 3 points in 17 minutes per game.
She will be eligible to begin playing for Ohio State in games in mid-December of the 2006-2007 season.
A Parade Magazine Scholastic All-American a year ago, Trebilcock led Hart High School to four consecutive league titles and four appearances in the state finals. She scored 2,383 points in her career.
Vindicator staff/wire reports