LOCAL

LOCAL
Poland's Diboselects Wofford
POLAND -- Gaby Dibo, a much-honored defensive tackle for the Poland High football team last season, has made a verbal commitment to attend Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., on a full football scholarship, announced Poland coach Paul Hulea.
Dibo (6-1, 280), who is expected to play noseman for Wofford, made first-team All-Ohio, All-Inland District and All-Metro Athletic Conference this past season as a senior.
He also was the MAC Defensive Player of the Year as a senior and made the All-MAC first team his junior year.
Crestview createspowerlifting team
COLUMBIANA -- Crestview Schools is sponsoring a co-ed powerlifting team of middle school and high school pupils that will compete February through April.
Superintendent John Dilling said the Crestview school board hired Paul Cusick as coach of the team, contingent on pupil interest.
Dilling said although many pupils are using the new weight training facility at the high school, school officials are uncertain how many pupils will participate since the powerlifting schedule will overlap basketball and baseball seasons. He said team members will begin workouts immediately.
Titan team No. 1in scoring, assists
NEW WILMINGTON -- The Westminster College women's soccer team, coached by Tom Keller of Boardman, ranked No. 1 in the nation in points and assists per game this season.
The Titans (15-5) scored 209 points for 10.45 per game and had 55 assists for 2.75 an outing. Their 15 wins tied a school record, equaling the 1998 squad that went 15-3.
In addition, Westminster ranked No. 4 in saves per game with 4.2 and 84 overall and No. 8 in goals allowed per game with 3.85.
The Titans were ranked No. 8 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Adidas NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region rankings.
Westminster senior Ashley Pyle ranked No. 5 in the nation in goals per game with 1.47 (25 goals in 17 games). She also was No. 6 in points per game with 3.47 on 59 overall.
Junior Tammy Newell (Hubbard) was No. 12 nationally in assists per game with 0.80 (16 assists in 20 games).
REGION
Cabrera recoversfrom gunshot wound
CLEVELAND -- Indians utilityman Jolbert Cabrera was shot in the backside during an attempted carjacking in Colombia, but he is expected to report on time for spring training.
Oscar Suarez, Cabrera's agent, said the 29-year-old was shot by an armed man on Dec. 21 in Bogota, Colombia, and had surgery to have the bullet removed from his right buttocks.
Lemieux is back
PITTSBURGH -- Mario Lemieux, who has missed Pittsburgh's past 24 games while recovering from a hip injury, will return to the lineup today against the St. Louis Blues.
"It feels pretty good," Lemieux said after practice Friday. "I'm pretty anxious to get back in there."
The Penguins were 9-13-2 in Lemieux's absence.
Penguins' Stevenshasn't returned
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh winger Kevin Stevens did not rejoin the Penguins for practice Friday, one day after leaving the team before a game in Buffalo.
"The information I have is he got on a flight [Thursday] night at 6:50 on his way back to talk to his wife about his future," Penguins general manager Craig Patrick said.
In December 2000, Stevens was ordered to complete an 18-month court-supervised drug program in a plea deal following his arrest at a motel near St. Louis, along with two other men and a woman described by police as a prostitute.
Malone seniorreaches 1,000
CANTON -- Wes Dudgeon, a senior forward on the Malone College men's basketball team, scored his 1,000th career point in the Pioneers' 71-60 loss to Walsh University on Thursday.
He led the Pioneers with 12 points, giving him 1,008 for the season, and he also grabbed 10 rebounds.
NATION
Cook fires 62
HONOLULU -- John Cook had a magic number in mind Friday, but only briefly. He settled for an 8-under-par 62 to match his career-low round in 23 years on the PGA Tour and take a four-stroke lead in the Sony Open.
With half of the field still on the course in breezy, balmy conditions, Cook was at 12-under 128 to tie the 36-hole record at Waialae Country Club. It was last matched a year ago by Brad Faxon, who went on to win by four strokes.
Chris Riley was at 132 after another bogey-free round, this one a 67. Fred Funk and K.J. Choi each had 65 and were another stroke back.
Grossman staying
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Quarterback Rex Grossman handed new Florida coach Ron Zook his first big triumph Friday when he announced he would return to the Gators for his junior season.
Vindicator staff/wire reports