YSU

YSU
Women's basketballset for home opener
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown State women's basketball team will play its home opener tonight at Beeghly Center against Niagara at 7 p.m. in Beeghly Center.
The Penguins won their season opener last Friday by beating Bowling Green 70-64 when sophomore Jessica Olmstead hit a 3-point goal in the final minute to wrap up the road win.
Besides Olmstead, the Penguins are led by senior Maggie Johnston, sophomore Jen Perugini, junior Jessica Forsythe and sophomore Barb Fabianova.
The Penguins are 6-0 against Niagara overall, but the two teams last met in the 1991 season when YSU won twice -- 92-57 and 88-71.
LOCAL
Salem's Votaw makes first team
PORTSMOUTH -- Shawnee State sophomore goalkeeper Jessica Votaw, a Salem native, has been named to the first-team of the American Mideast Conference South Division soccer team.
Kenston hockey routs Canfield
CANFIELD -- The Canfield High hockey team lost to Kenston 9-4 at the Arctic Freeze Ice Arena.
Foreign exchange student Phillip Tolf of Germany led Canfield with a goal and assist. Steve Kline also had a goal and assist for the Cardinals.
Michael Vrable and Pat Anderson each scored an assisted goal.
Mount's Gill earns academic honors
ALLIANCE -- Mount Union College soccer standout junior forward Scott Gill has earned Verizon Academic Second-Team All-American status as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Gill, a First-Team Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference selection in 2002, is a business administration major with a 3.93 grade point average.
Mount places 17 on OAC football
ALLIANCE -- Mount Union College had 17 players earn Football All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors.
Senior outside linebacker Stan Watson, an Austintown native, was selected on the first-team defensive squad.
Others seniors chosen on the defensive unit were end Matt Campbell, cornerback Chris Kern and safety Dustin Blake.
Offensive first team picks included seniors Dan Pugh (running back), Josh Liddell (tight end) and Justin Costin (safety), and juniors Brent Miller (line), Larry Kinnard (line) and Randell Knapp (wideout).
Second team selections were senior corners Matt Sotcan and Jeff Knoblauch, and juniors Antoine Diller (defensive tackle) ,Bob Bradley (offensive line) and sophomore Chad Teague (kicker).
Senior defensive end Chris Carter, defensive end and junior safety Matt Caponi were named honorable mention.
Blaney to signat shop Saturday
HARTFORD -- Dave Blaney, driver of the No. 77 Jasper Engines & amp; Transmissions Fords on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit, will sign autographs Saturday at the DB Racing shop.
Items on sale include Dave Blaney T-shirts, hats, jackets, and sweatshirts; die cast cars, old uniforms, Sharon Speedway merchandise and Dale Blaney T-shirts.
"After a long season I'm looking forward to going home to Hartford and taking some time to greet and thank the fans who were so supportive of me this year," Blaney, co-owner of Sharon Speedway, said.
Sale hours are noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Blaney will sign autographs from noon to 2 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday with a limit of three items per person.
Geneva's Carterplaces 45th in race
BEAVER FALLS, Pa. -- Rebekah Carter of Geneva College placed 45th in 19 minutes, 29 seconds in the NAIA national cross country meet at Parkside, Wisconsin. A field of 255 runners competed.
Prime Time title
CANTON -- Prime Time Sports defeated Canton Giant Eagle 26-23 to win the championship of the Canton 4-on-4 Go Deep Flag Football League.
In the title game, Joe Malys connected with Charles Mister for a 45-yard scoring aerial with a minute remaining for the winning points. Mister, the MVP of the tournament, caught a 40-yard touchdown from Malys with less than two minutes to go as Prime Time beat the Cleveland Sharks 16-13 in the semi-finals.
Steve Finoski, Jay Walker and Lance Thorton also played for Prime Time.
Game change
CANFIELD -- The Ursuline at Canfield boys basketball game has been moved from Friday to Saturday evening.
The JV game begins at 6 p.m. and the varsity game follows.
Poland's Russell selects IUP
INDIANA. Pa. -- Poland High School senior Stephanie Russell will play softball Indiana Univ. of Pennsylvania.
Russell, a catcher, hit .297 with a .385 slugging percentage.
She is a two-time all-league pick and competed in the state championship game as a sophomore.
Poland grad Sarah Knill pitches at IUP.
Staff/wire reports