LOCAL

LOCAL
Sharon, Sharpsvillein playoff games
The Sharon and Sharpsville high school football teams will play PIAA second-round playoff game this weekend.
In Class AA, Sharon (9-3) faces Bishop McCort (10-2) on Saturday at Altoona's Mansion Park Stadium. Kickoff is 1 p.m.
In Class A, Sharpsville (11-1) plays Bishop Carroll (11-1) on Friday at Sharon's Tiger Stadium. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
DiNardo winsbowling event
YOUNGSTOWN -- Lou DiNardo laid down 3,328 pins to pick up the top spot at the conclusion of the 15th annual Youngstown Masters Bowling Tournament.
DiNardo wins a paid entry into the A.B.C. to be held in Reno in January.
Rob Vukovich Jr. finished second with 3,302 followed by Jim Dodge (3,113), Bruce Boyd (3,081) and Rich Skelton III (2,976). Rounding out the top 10 were: Bob Lucente Sr., Jim Wolcott, Dan Guerrieri, Matt Mariano and Chuck Shipton.
Seven 300 games were rolled during the Masters, including two by Boyd and one apiece by DiNardo, Wolcott, Skelton, Ron Jones and Rich Thompson Jr.
The top set of 846 was thrown by Shipton, followed by Wolcott's 844, Dodge's 814 and DiNardo's 813.
The Masters was contested at Bell-Wick, A-Plus, Wedgewood and Boardman Lanes.
Bowl-A-Thonset for Dec. 8
BOARDMAN -- The Fellowship of Christian Athletes has announced two beneficiaries for its Bowl-A-Thon on Dec. 8 at the Boardman Lanes.
Funds raised from the event will go to the family of Vincent Halloran, a Lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department who died during the terrorist attack on Sept. 11 and to Jim Furgon, a Boardman High School freshman recovering from a brain tumor.
For details on the event, call (330) 726-6585 or (330) 629-2216.
Krisher is 8thfor Hot Rods
LORDSTOWN -- Ron Krisher of Lordstown finished eighth in the Pro Stock division of the National Hot Rod Association's final point standings for the 2001 season.
Krisher accumulated 1,182 points. Warren Johnson won the division with 1,538. Krisher's Pro Stock win of the season was May 27 in the Advance Auto Parts Nationals in Topeka, Kan.
This was Krisher's sixth year as a Pro Stock racer on the NHRA national circuit. Krisher finished fourth in 2000.
Poland falls
BOARDMAN -- Glenn Ireland scored an empty net goal with 44 seconds remaining to cap North Canton Hoover's 6-4 victory over Poland on Saturday at the Ice Zone.
Brett Pitzulo and Robbie Wyand each scored for Poland (2-3). Hoover (3-0) was led by Ireland's three goals, while Brandon Palsa scored twice.
Mount Union gearsfor playoff game
ALLIANCE -- The Mount Union College football team will host Augustana in a second-round playoff game Saturday at Mount Union Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon.
Augustana (10-1) advanced with a 54-14 victory over Defiance last Saturday. Mount Union (10-0) had a bye.
REGION
OSU menwin opener
COLUMBUS -- Brian Brown scored seven of his 15 points during a 15-2 run to end the first half as Ohio State opened its season Sunday with a 78-54 victory over Winthrop.
Boban Savovic added 14 points, Sean Connolly and Brent Darby each had 11 and Will Dudley scored 10 for the Buckeyes, who made 53 percent of their shots from the field.
Ohio State, coming off a 20-11 season and a third-place finish in the Big Ten, returns every starter except for center Ken Johnson, the school's career leader in blocked shots.
The Buckeyes ran their record to 44-6 in Nationwide Arena's three years.
OSU womentrounce Ohio
COLUMBUS -- Courtney Coleman scored 21 points and Tomeka Brown had six points in a 10-2 second-half run Sunday as Ohio State beat Ohio 85-60 in the season opener for both teams.
DiDi Reynolds added 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Buckeyes, coming off a 22-11 season capped by winning the Women's National Invitation Tournament.
Ohio, 9-20 a year ago, trailed 45-43 after Andrea Gay's three-point play with 18:14 remaining. Brown, who finished with 13 points, countered on a pair of Brown free throws. She then stole the ball from Candace Bates and hit a layup off an assist from Reynolds.
NATION
Hardaway criticalof Heat coach
MIAMI -- Tim Hardaway, joining other former Miami Heat teammates in criticizing Pat Riley, predicts that his former coach will never win another NBA title because players no longer want to play for him.
Anthony Mason, Jamal Mashburn, Voshon Lenard and Ricky Davis previously complained about Riley.
"I don't see Riley winning a championship again," said Hardaway, who will return to Miami on Friday with the Dallas Mavericks. "Everyone who has left is bitter because of Pat Riley. He doesn't let the players be themselves."