LOCAL

LOCAL
Fireworks forScrappers' opener
NILES -- The Mahoning Valley Scrappers opening night will feature a fireworks display by Phantom Fireworks Saturday.
Sunday the Scrappers will present the mascot Birdzerk and its youth glove giveaway to the first 1,200 kids age 14 and under.
Macali secondin golf tourney
CHARDON -- Christopher Macali of Warren shot a 73 to finish tied for second in the boys 16-19 division of the North Coast Junior Golf Tour at the Grandview Golf Course Thursday.
Carlie Eastman of Warren had an 87 to place third in the girls 12-15 division.
REGION
MUC receivesscholarship money
ALLIANCE -- Larry Kehres' selection as the American Football Coaches Association's Division III National Coach of the Year combined with Mount Union College's National Championship earned the College $30,000 in academic scholarships.
The AFCA awarded a $10,000 scholarship for the Coach of the Year selection and a $20,000 scholarship for winning the Division III Championship.
WPIAL title gamesat PNC next year
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates say all three PIAA District 7 high school championship baseball games -- and the City League championship -- will be played at PNC Park next year.
The Pirates came under fire earlier this year when they at first refused to let the high schools use the field, as was done at Three Rivers Stadium in the past.
Martin well off lead
CENTERVILLE -- Casey Martin, looking to make his first cut since winning a Supreme Court decision that would allow him to use a cart on the PGA Tour, was at even par through 11 holes Thursday in the rain-delayed first round of the Buy.com Dayton Open.
The 29-year-old Martin had three straight birdies and was 4-under through seven holes on the par-72, 7,139-yard course at The Golf Club at Yankee Trace.
Then came disaster on the par-4 8th.
Martin hit his tee shot to the right and it hit a mound and caromed out of bounds. He took a penalty stroke and returned to the tee, but topped a 3-wood and sent it into the water. He then teed it up for a third time and completed the hole in four strokes for a quadruple-bogey 8.
Central St. OKs planto restore football
WILBERFORCE -- A plan to restore football at Central State University, which won three national championships in the 1990s, was adopted by the board of trustees Thursday.
The board approved the resolution by a 6-to-0 vote.
In 1997, the NAIA suspended the football program at the historically black school for two years for allowing ineligible players to participate.
And the Ohio Legislature -- which agreed to continue funding the then-financially troubled school if certain conditions were met -- imposed its own two-year suspension on football.
Under the plan, Central State would have to raise at least $2 million in private funds to field a team. School officials said that if the funding comes through, a team could be playing in three to four years.
Central State won NAIA national championships in 1990, 1992 and 1995.
WORLD
Roddick in semis
NOTTINGHAM, England -- Andy Roddick moved into the semifinals of the Nottingham grass-court tournament with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Michel Kratochvil of Switzerland.
Roddick will next play Harel Levy of Israel, who upset second-seeded Wayne Ferreira of South Africa, 6-2, 6-4.
The other semifinal will match Greg Rusedski of Britain against Thomas Johansson of Sweden.
Davenport rallies
EASTBOURNE, England -- Lindsay Davenport rallied for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory over Sylvia Farina Elia of Italy to reach the semifinals at Eastbourne.
The top-seeded Davenport next plays fellow American Chandra Rubin, who beat Lisa Raymond 6-4, 6-4 in the grass court, pre-Wimbledon tournament.
Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand was beaten in the quarters by Elena Likhovtseva of Russia, 6-3, 6-1. Likhovtseva will play Magui Serna of Spain in the other semi.
Vindicator staff/wire reports