LOCAL

LOCAL
Co-champions
YOUNGSTOWN -- Two basketball teams representing St. Christine's Parish -- the Gold and the Purple squads -- were co-champions of the Catholic Church League's sixth grade girls division.
On the Gold team were Tricia Bettura, Kayleigh Drummond, Theresa Hana, Allison Herschel, Rachel Maleske and Courtney Schiffauer. The coaches were Joe Bettura and Bob Schiffauer.
On the Purple team were Katy Collins, Danielle DeSantis, Carly Donofrio, Reonee Dunn, Bryanne Halfhill, Adele Koury, Katlyne Marks, Kate Popovec and Alli Testa.
Coaches were Bernie Carpenter, Gene Donofrio and Dave D'Apolito.
First aid seminar
AUSTINTOWN -- Humility of Mary Health Partners' sports medicine program will sponsor pupil activity/sports first aid seminars from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Jan. 21 and Feb. 18 at the Competitive Edge Center for Athletic Excellence in the Wedgewood Plaza.
For more details call the Communithy Health Education Department at St. Elizabeth Health Center (1-887-700-4647).
Bell to speakbefore HOF club
NILES -- Major League Baseball umpire Wally Bell will be the guest speaker when the Mahoning Valley Chapter of the National Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame meets Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at Vernon's Cafe & amp; Banquet Center, 720 Youngstown-Warren Road.
Tickets cost $15. For reservations, call Steve Telego at (330) 544-3057 by Jan. 15.
Four tabbedfor karate honors
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Four Youngstown-area men will be inducted into the Karate Hall of Fame in Atlantic City, N.J., on Jan. 19.
Joseph Bonacci of Youngstown, an 8th Degree Black Belt; Max Ciscell of Sharpsville, a 7th Degree Black Belt; Ron Latone of Austintown, a 5th Degree Black Belt; and Micheal Albenze, formerly of Austintown and a 5th Degree Black Belt, will be honored.
Riley commitsto Louisville
YOUNGSTOWN -- Ursuline High School's Jimmy Riley is the first player from the 2001 football team to verbally announce his college choice.
To continue his education and athletic career, the 6-2, 190 senior wide receiver has committed to the University of Louisville, high school coach Jim Vivo announced. Vivo noted that the Cardinals plan to use Riley at wide receiver.
NATION
Baseball moves
* Billy Wagner agreed to a $27 million, three-year contract with the Houston Astros that makes him among the highest-paid relievers in baseball.
* The Los Angeles Dodgers won the rights to 28-year-old Kazuhisa Ishii when their bid of $11,264,055 was accepted by the Yakult Swallows, the left-handed pitcher's team in Japan's Central League.
* The St. Louis Cardinals turned to Japan to fill a vacancy in the outfield, agreeing to a three-year contract with So Taguchi worth about $3 million.
* Pitcher John Wasdin reached an agreement with the Yomiuri Giants after spending three seasons with the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles and Colorado Rockies. The 29-year-old right-hander became a free agent last month after being traded from the Rockies to Philadelphia.
WORLD
Woods six back
PARAPARAUMU BEACH, New Zealand -- Tiger Woods opened the New Zealand Open with a 1-under-par 70 to fall six strokes behind Australia's Scott Gardiner.
Australia's James McLean, the 1998 NCAA champion for the University of Minnesota, shot a 65, and New Zealand's Steve Alker and Australia's Brett Rumford followed at 66. New Zealand's Michael Campbell, the 2000 winner, topped a group at 67.
Tennis roundup
* Jennifer Capriati struggled with her serve and a sore leg at the Adidas International and lost her opening match 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-4 to fellow American Alexandra Stevenson.
No. 4 seed Serena Williams beat No. 6 Amelie Mauresmo 6-4, 7-6 (6) to reach the semifinals.
Third-seeded Kim Clijsters rallied to beat Italy's Silvia Farina Elia 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-1. That set up a quarterfinal between Clijsters and fellow Belgian Justine Henin, who eliminated Conchita Martinez 6-0, 6-3.
* Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic negotiated three rain delays before beating Mikhael Youzhny and reaching the quarterfinals of the Heineken Open at Stanley Street.
Second-seeded Ivanisevic beat his 19-year-old Russian opponent 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Fifth-seeded Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic, Jerome Golmard of France and David Nalbandian of Argentina also advanced to the last eight.
* A new injury has put Mary Pierce's comeback on hold and threatened her chances of playing in the Australian Open.
Hampered by an ankle injury, Pierce was beaten 7-5, 6-4 by Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues in the second round of the Tasmanian International.
Earlier, defending champion and top-seeded Rita Grande of Italy beat Barbara Schwartz of Austria 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, eighth-seeded Nicole Pratt of Australia won 6-1, 6-3 over Jennifer Hopkins of the United States, and fifth-seeded American Meilen Tu beat France's Stephanie Foretz 7-5, 6-0.
Vindicator staff/wire reports