LOCAL

LOCAL
Niles soccerbanquet Nov. 18
NILES -- For the first time in school history, the Niles McKinley High boys soccer team advanced to the district final in tournament play.
Team members were: Don Eckerote, Kyle Barker, Eric Faith, Brett Gatta, Matt Schimley, Carem Roberts, Kevin Bradway, Brad McFadden, Jesse Patterson, Nathan Mang, Brandon Rappach, Tommy Clay, Nathan Wilson, Justin Hefner and Mike Green. Coaches were Rob Merlo, Brian Stiles and Ralph Stiles.
The team's banquet is Nov. 18 at 5 p.m. at Mollica's Banquet Center.
Patton namedplayer of week
CLEVELAND -- Case Western Reserve University sophomore J.D. Patton, a Columbiana native, was named the University Athletic Association Athlete of the Week.
Patton tied a school record with three interceptions in CWRU's 35-12 victory over Hiram last Saturday.
Patton only needs one more interception to tie the season record of eight shared by Tom Olsavsky and John Polivka.
MUC players makeacademic team
ALLIANCE -- Mount Union College had five members of its football team earn Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors.
Senior running back Chuck Moore earned first team Academic All-OAC for the third straight year. Senior wide receiver Jason Richards was also a first team pick.
Defensively seniors Todd Braden and Safety Alex Grinch were first team choices, while junior end Matt Campbell was honorable mention.
John Carroll's John Clark, a Ursuline High graduate, also made the honorable mention list.
JFK girls soccercoach earns honor
WARREN -- Bill Roberts, girls soccer coach at Warren JFK has been selected Ohio Soccer Coach of the Year.
He will receive the honor Dec. 9 in Columbus.
Farrell graduateDavis selected
GREENVILLE, Pa. -- Thiel College freshman Kennard Davis of Farrell was named Presidents' Athletic Conference defensive player of the week.
Davis had seven tackles, four solo and two pass interceptions, returning one 85 yards for a touchdown, as the Tomcats topped Kenyon 50-35.
He is the conference leader with nine interceptions and is tied for second in the NCAA.
Davis is second on the team in tackles (67) and pass breakups (13).
REGION
Buckeyes winin exhibition
COLUMBUS -- Brian Brown scored 17 points and Brent Darby had 14 as Ohio State cruised to an 82-60 exhibition victory over the One World All-Stars on Wednesday night.
Ohio State opens its season Nov. 18 against Winthrop.
OHIO
Coach struck
CROOKSVILLE, Ohio -- As fans rushed the field to celebrate a high school team's playoff victory, the coach wound up with a black eye.
Crooksville head coach Dough Clifford said a parent confronted him after last Friday's 35-21 win at Chesapeake.
"There was another adult involved in the confrontation I didn't see coming, who hit me from behind," Clifford told Columbus television station WBNS on Wednesday.
The Crooksville Exempted Village School District called a special meeting Tuesday to discuss what action might be taken against the parent, whose identity was not released.
NATION
More free agents
NEW YORK -- San Francisco first baseman Andres Galarraga and Chicago Cubs pitcher Kevin Tapani were among the 12 players who filed for free agency Wednesday.
Of the 161 players potentially eligible, 138 filed in the first three days of the 15-day filing period.
Also among those filing were Chicago White Sox pitcher Cal Eldred, David Bell and Pat Borders of the Seattle Mariners, and Russ Springer of the World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks.
Dale Carterreinstated by NFL
DENVER -- Cornerback Dale Carter, suspended by the NFL for more than a year for violating the league's substance abuse policy, has been reinstated by the league.
WORLD
Dutch captainrips into U.S.
MADRID, Spain -- The captain of Belgium's Fed Cup team accused the United States of using the Sept. 11 attacks as an excuse to skip the tournament.
Ivo Van Aken, whose team is favored in this showcase team event for women, insisted the Americans did not want to play on clay.
Vindicator staff/wire reports