LOCAL

LOCAL
Mountaineer says noto Tyson-Lewis bout
CHESTER, W.Va. -- After careful consideration of factors involved in holding the Mike Tyson-Lennox Lewis heavyweight championship fight at Mountaineer Race Track and Gaming Resort, Ted Arneault, president and CEO, said he won't submit an application to the West Virginia Athletic Commission to have Tyson licensed in West Virginia.
Arneault said that Mountaineer's involvement with many area charities, including a May 16 fund-raiser for the Lighthouse, a domestic violence safehouse in Hancock County, caused him to rethink the value of having the controversial fight.
Koval advancesin Golden Gloves
WILKINSBURG, Pa. -- Heavyweight boxer Chris Koval, a freshman at Youngstown State, stopped Ryan Colbert in the first round Friday night in the first round of the Pittsburgh Golden Gloves at the Hosannah House in the Wilkensburg (Pa.) Community Center.
Koval, a Fitch High graduate, floored Colbert -- who was knocked down earlier -- with a right hook to the body and an uppercut to the jaw. The referee stopped the fight at the 1:22 mark.
"I was tentative coming in tonight," said Koval, who improved to 6-1. "Then I relaxed and the rest was easy."
Koval advanced to the finals on April 9 in Pittsburgh. Junior welterweight Derick Sallazals was scheduled to fight Friday, but the bout was rescheduled for next week.
Boxing Ministryto hold banquet
AUSTINTOWN -- The Boxing Ministry of Austintown, an outreach program for amateur and professional boxers and their fans, will hold a celebrity banquet on April 6 from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Old North Church in Canfield.
Guests include Larry Holmes and Kelly Pavlik. Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased at the Ice House and Trax Lounge in Austintown until March 30.
Gymnastics Centerteam wins trophy
COLUMBUS -- Alyssa Italiano of Canfield had the top score on bars with a 9.575 and finished on floor with 9.325 taking second to win the all-around title with a 36.750 in the 12-and-under age bracket held at the Arnold Classic.
Rachel Mariotti, 12, of Boardman placed second on bars with 9.0, fourth on vault (8.850) to finish fourth, with an all-around of 35.025.
Competing in the 14-and-over age bracket were Samantha Christoff of Canfield, who walked away with first place on bars with 9.375, and Katie Morris taking first on floor with 9.150. Christoff placed fifth in the all-around with 33.725.
Ashlee Frazzini of Boardman, who competes in Level 9 (12-and-under), placed first on vault with 9.15 and finished second on bars with 8.925, taking second for the all-around. Megan Christie, competing in the 14-and-over age bracket, placed fifth on vault with 8.625.
Ross Watsonheaded to Mount
ALLIANCE -- Ross Watson of Austintown Fitch High will be joining his brother, Stan Watson, at Mount Union College and on the Purple Raiders' football team next school year.
Ross was a senior wide receiver and defensive back for Fitch last season and set single-game and single-season records for most interceptions.
Stan, meanwhile, was a junior eligibility-wise and a linebacker for Mount Union last season and a key factor in the team's fifth NCAA Division III national championship in six years, and sixth such title overall.
Ross (6-1, 175) made the All-Northeast Ohio first team in 2001 while also gaining first-team All-Steel Valley Conference honors for the third year. He won three letters.
Stan was a red-shirt in his first year at Mount Union and is planning to graduate in May of 2003.
Driver steps down
WEST MIDDLESEX, Pa. -- Jimmy Hawley has stepped down from the Dr. John and Debbie Crawford-owned sprint car.
Hawley completed his fourth year running Crawfords. He amassed 62 wins and five track championships over that span. He finished 2001 with six straight wins at Mercer Raceway Park. The highlight was in 1999 when Hawley reeled off a career-high 21 wins and won an unprecedented three track championships at Lernerville Speedway, Mercer Raceway Park and Tri-City Speedway.
Horse show
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- The Westminster College equestrian team will host its spring intercollegiate horse show March 24 at 9 a.m. at Little Neshannock Stables.
Approximately 16 colleges and universities will be at the show competing in hunt seat style of riding.
Jumping events will be held at the morning session, flat classes in the afternoon.
REGION
Penguins, Ducks swap defensemen
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh and Anaheim swapped minor league defensemen Friday, with Mark Moore going to the Mighty Ducks for Bert Robertsson.
Robertsson, 27, has split this season between Milwaukee and Cincinnati of the AHL.
The Penguins assigned the 6-foot-3, 205-pound native of Sweden to their Wilkes-Barre/Scranton AHL affiliate.
Vindicator staff/wire reports