AREA

AREA
Canfield openswith two wins
ASHTABULA -- The Canfield 11-12 all-star softball team opened the Little League state tournament with two wins.
Chrissy Porter pitched a one-hitter with eight strikeouts as Canfield defeated Bucyrus 16-0 in four innings.
Jill Halfhill went 4-for-4, Kelly Sklenar went 3-for-3 while Porter, Kelcie Herberger, Katie Griswold and Bianca Biondillo each had two hits.
Kalie Luklan drove in two runs.
Herberger pitched a four-hitter with five strikeouts as Canfield beat Englewood 17-2 in four innings.
Halfhill went 4-for-4 and is a perfect 8-for-8 in the tournament.
Sklenar had three hits and four RBIs while Herberger, Biondillo, Luklan, Kelly Fening and Alexis Wyatt each had two hits.
Alannah Kutan, Kelly Kollat and Collen Griffin each had two RBIs.
Kokrak setsCandella record
VIENNA -- Jason Kokrak, an All-State golf standout from Warren JFK, set a tournament record in winning the 2003 Doc Candella Memorial Tournament at Candywood Golf Club.
Kokrak shot a 7-under-par 137 total for 36 holes to win the top spot that includes a season membership to Candywood.
Dick Marlowe finished runner-up with a 142, while Chris Chieffo, Bob Veverka and Jeff Campbell all tied for third at 146.
The Class B Division winner was Ray Tesner Jr., with a 145 total, while Mark Mariani was second with 149 and Dave Kaercher third with a 154.
Pizza Splashset Aug. 8
WARREN -- The 19th Annual Warren Pizza Splash 5K (3-mile) Race will be held on Aug. 8 at 7 p.m.
The run, a part of the Mahoning Valley Race Series, is being held in conjunction with the Warren Italian American Heritage Festival at courthouse square, and is being sponsored by Advanced Eye Care of Warren.
The top three overall finishers will be awarded prize money. Awards also will go to the top three finishers in various age groups for both men and women.
Registration fee is $12 if received by Aug. 4, and $15 afterward. Shirts will go to the first 250 registrants.
Registration also will be held race day at 5:45 p.m. at the gazebo in Warren's Courthouse Square.
More information may be obtained by e-mailing race director Ted Rupe at ted.rupe@neomin.org. Entry forms may be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Pizza Splash, c/o Ted Rupe, 2533 Davis Peck Road, Cortland, Ohio 44410.
Rayen's Wilsonpicks BGSU
YOUNGSTOWN -- Erica Wilson, a recent graduate of The Rayen School, will run track at Bowling Green State University.
Wilson won the MVP in the field events at the City Series meet three times. She holds the record in the high jump at the Poland Invitational.
Sharon Speedwaysets foot race
HARTFORD -- Sharon Speedway's regulars will come to the starting line during the first race of Saturday night's show without one very important element -- their cars.
Instead, drivers will be using their legs to compete in a foot race, the first event on the schedule during Lincoln Electric night.
The drivers in Sharon's four divisions -- Sunburst Environmental Sprints, Gibson-Governor Insurance Modifieds, Coy Brothers Trucking E-mods and City Disposal Services Pure Stocks -- will nominate five of their fellow racers to compete in a relay race.
Drivers in the City Disposal Services Pure Stocks division will sign autographs in front of the billboard wall from 5-6 p.m.
The Kids Crew will meet from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Children in kindergarten through fourth grade can sign up for the Kids Crew club that meets at the speedway five times during the season.
Gates open at 4 p.m., with hot laps beginning at 6:30 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m.
Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 12-15. Admission is free for children 11 and younger.
NATION
Crouch quitsNFL again
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Eric Crouch quit the NFL for the second time in 11 months.
The 2001 Heisman Trophy winner from Nebraska left the Green Bay Packers on the eve of full-squad workouts.
He had hoped to win a job as one of Brett Favre's backups, but coach Mike Sherman said he had little chance at beating out the three QBs ahead of him in that race.
Staff/wire reports