LOCAL

LOCAL
Howland honorsDavis as MVP
HOWLAND -- Tony Davis was presented with the Most Valuable Player at the Howland High football banquet at Leo's Restaurant.
Davis, the Division II State and Trumbull County Player of the Year, also was presented with the Howland coaches outstanding offensive back award.
He set numerous Howland High football records during the past season and will attend Penn State next year.
Coach Dick Angle and his staff awarded 40 varsity letters to the Metro Athletic Conference champions.
The coaches gave special awards to offensive lineman Dustin Rose and receiver Josh Settlemier.
The defensive awards went to: Brandon Alexander, back; Brad Samsa, lineman; and Mike Zambelli, linebacker.
Other awards went to Mike Tominey, special teams; Jeff Cook, most improved tackle; Brett Davis, coaches award; Ryan Mowery, iron man; and Mike Tricomi, scout player of the year.
The Eddie Cray Memorial Scholastic award went to Cody Chappell, kicker, who has a 4.0 grade point average.
Mount Union tickets available
ALLIANCE -- Tickets for Mount Union's Division III national semifinal football playoff game against Bridgewater on Saturday may be secured by calling (330) 821-6759.
Postponementsrescheduled
The Southeast-Akron Springfield wrestling match, postponed last Saturday, has been rescheduled for Jan. 10 at Springfield, starting at noon.
The Carrollton-Alliance basketball game will be made up Jan. 3 at Alliance High School, with the junior varsity game tipping off at 6 p.m.
REGION
Jackets reassignAaron Johnson
COLUMBUS -- The Columbus Blue Jackets assigned defenseman Aaron Johnson to Syracuse of the AHL on Tuesday.
Johnson was called up from Syracuse on Dec. 2 and made his NHL debut that night against Anaheim.
He earned his first NHL point with an assist against Nashville on Thursday night.
Johnson, 20, was selected by Columbus in the third round of the 2001 draft.
In 20 games for Syracuse, Johnson has two goals, six assists and 25 penalty minutes.
NATION
Falcons fire Reeves
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Atlanta Falcons fired Dan Reeves today, dismissing the sixth-winningest coach in NFL history with three games left in a disappointing season.
Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will take over as head coach for the rest of the season.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank said he told Reeves on Tuesday he would be fired at the end of the season, but asked him to coach the final three games. Reeves asked to be let go immediately.
"We have made significant commitments to our fans and the community, and significant changes throughout other areas of the club," Blank said. "Now is the right time to set the course for our future in the coaching area, as well."
The 59-year-old Reeves is in his 23rd consecutive season as an NFL head coach, by far the longest tenure in the league. He had one year left on his contract.
Patriots re-sign Larry Centers
FOXBORO, Mass. -- The New England Patriots re-signed fullback Larry Centers almost two months after the team released him following a knee injury.
In order to make room for Centers, the Patriots released wide receiver J.J. Stokes, who signed with New England three weeks ago from Jacksonville.
Bryant judgerejects request
DENVER -- The judge in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case rejected a prosecution request to seal all court filings regarding evidence.
Instead, Judge Terry Ruckriegle said, attorneys in the case can file motions about Bryant and his accuser that leave sensitive details to be filed separately under seal.
NASCAR ponderspoints change
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NASCAR is considering a radical change to its point system that would create a 10-race championship chase between the top 10 drivers in the standings.
The plan would lock in the top 10 drivers after the 26th race of the 2004 season. They would then compete over the final 10 races -- with their standings possibly being reset to zero -- for the Nextel Cup championship.
Former Braves testify
ATLANTA -- Former Atlanta Braves John Rocker and Mark Lemke testified Tuesday against a real estate investor accused of bilking them out of more than half a million dollars.
Jason Woodward was charged with four counts of theft by deception and one count of deposit account fraud. Fulton County Judge Antone Allison turned Woodward's case over to the grand jury and put him in custody on a $125,000 bond.
Woodward allegedly pocketed more than $2 million from the scam. Rocker lost $175,000 and Lemke $408,000.
Vindicator staff/wire reports