LOCAL

LOCAL
Football officialsearn assignments
YOUNGSTOWN -- Area football officials had postseason assignments in both high school and college games this season.
Seven area officials were assigned first round high school playoff games. They included Ken Swanson, Brian Meenachan, John Vicarel, Tom Karabin, John Patton, Don D'Alesio and Tony Montana.
Rob Luklan worked the Mid-American Championship game on Dec. 9, while Tom Krispinsky is scheduled to work the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 27 in San Diego. Jim Visingardi will work the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1 in Tampa.
Curbstone Coaches
BOARDMAN -- Canfield High football coach Mike Pavlansky and Lowellville football coach John Protopapa will be the featured speakers at the weekly noon luncheon of the Curbstone Coaches on Monday at Lockwood House.
The association will recess for two weeks over the holiday season.
Buckeyes on WKBN
YOUNGSTOWN -- Radio station WKBN-AM 570 will broadcast the Ohio State-Miami football game on Jan. 3. The Ohio State broadcasting crew will call the Fiesta Bowl.
WKBN also will air a three-hour preview on Jan. 2 from 4-7 p.m. called "Prelude to a Championship."
Phil Collucci'sgoals lead win
BOARDMAN -- Phil Collucci scored seven goals and added two assists to lead Mooney/Ursuline over Ft. LeBoeuf 10-6 in the high school ice hockey league at the Ice Zone Saturday.
Collucci has 30 goals this year for the winners (5-1-2, 4-0-1).
Eric Smith and Allen Neher each had a goal and an assist while Joe Maiorana scored a goal for M/U.
Ft. LeBoeuf was out-shot, 35-28.
Jingle Bell run
CANFIELD -- The Jingle Bell 5-K (3.1 mile) run will be held Dec. 31 at 1 p.m. at Canfield Fairgrounds.
Registration is $12 before Dec. 27 and $15 from Dec. 28-31. The children's race costs $2. A family rate of $35 is available.
Proceeds will benefit the Volunteer Services to Seniors and Interfaith Home Maintenance.
Soccer tournamentset in Struthers
STRUTHERS -- Tri-County Sports Complex will offer its first-ever holiday indoor soccer tournament over the Christmas holiday.
Teams of players age 8 through 14 will compete Dec. 26 and the following day girls varsity and junior varsity squads will compete.
On. Jan. 2 boys varsity and junior varsity teams will be in action and adult men and co-ed teams will play Jan. 3.
Call (330) 755-1661.
REGION
Pagac innocent of disorderly conduct
COLUMBUS -- Ohio State linebacker Fred Pagac Jr. has been found innocent on charges of persistent disorderly conduct.
Franklin County Municipal Judge Bruce Jenkins ruled earlier this month following a trial that Pagac did not cause a fight involving two women outside a campus-area bar that led to his arrest.
Pirates' new coach
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced today that they have named Frank Velasquez as the club's Strength & amp; Conditioning Coordinator. Velasquez, 29, spent the last three seasons as the Texas Rangers' Minor League Strength and Conditioning Coordinator and will replace Dr. Warren Sipp.
NATION
Grambling beatsAlabama A & amp;M
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Bruce Eugene threw for 413 yards and three touchdowns as Grambling State beat Alabama A & amp;M 31-19 on Saturday in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game.
Alabama A & amp;M (8-4) held Grambling (11-2) to just 33 yards rushing. But Eugene's passing, including TD passes to Tramon Douglas in the third and fourth quarters, and to Thyron Anderson in the fourth, made the difference.
Johnny Keith threw for 112 yards and a TD for Alabama A & amp;M, and Jeremiah Bonds ran for 85 yards and caught a TD pass for the Bulldogs.
The Tigers scored 31 points in the fourth quarter, including a 76-yard interception return by Chris Brown with just seconds left.
UCLA, Stanford meet for title
DALLAS -- Stanford needs to prove it's the best team in its conference to become the best team in the country.
When the Cardinal take on Pac-10 rival UCLA in today's NCAA College Cup soccer championship, it will be their third meeting of 2002: The Bruins beat the Cardinal 1-0 twice in the regular season.
Stanford (18-4-2) almost didn't get a third shot at the Bruins. Chad Marshall headed in a goal in double overtime to defeat Creighton 2-1 in Friday's semifinals.
UCLA (17-3-3) is coming off a 2-1 semifinal win over Maryland. Adolfo Gregorio scored on a penalty kick, and Matt Taylor scored the go-ahead goal to give the Bruins the win over the Terrapins.
Stadler, Irwin & amp; Sons surge to lead
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -- Craig Stadler and Hale Irwin took advantage of their sons' length off the tee to shoot rounds of 10-under 60 in a scramble format and share the lead Saturday at the Father-Son Challenge.
Raymond Floyd, who has won the tournament five times in seven years, was two strokes back playing with Raymond Jr.
Also at 62 were Dave and Ron Stockton, and Johnny and John Miller.
The 19-team field is for major championship winners and their sons.
WORLD
Calzaghe stops American Pudwill
NEWCASTLE, England -- Joe Calzaghe stopped American Tocker Pudwill 30 seconds into the second round Saturday to retain his WBO super middleweight title.
The Welshman improved his record to 35-0 with 28 knockouts in defending his title for the 12th time in just over five years. Pudwill dropped to 39-5.
Calzaghe knocked down Pudwill twice in the first round and again 30 seconds into the second. The referee then stopped the fight.
On the undercard, Britain's Ricky Hatton knocked out American Joe Hutchinson in the fourth round of their WBU light welterweight fight.
Germans dominate women's bobsled
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- German women swept the top three places in a World Cup bobsled race Saturday, with Sandra Prokoff recording her fourth straight victory.
Susi Erdmann was second and Cathleen Martini third.
Vindicator staff/wire reports