LOCAL

LOCAL
Rayen beats Ursuline in double overtime
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Rayen School girls basketball team defeated Ursuline, 55-51, in two overtimes Saturday.
Senior Taniesha Holland led the Tigers with 27 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and four steals. Sophomore Kenysha Tennant added 10 points, while senior Rilonda Neal had nine points and seven rebounds.
For the Irish, junior Tyra Grant had 18 points and 14 rebounds, and junior Vanessa Dickson had 16 points and eight rebounds.
Rayen trailed 12-11 after the first quarter, 25-22 at halftime and 34-30 after three quarters, but tied the score at 48-all after four quarters. Neither team scored in the first overtime.
Rayen improved to 4-1 with the victory, while Ursuline is 2-1.
Benefit for injured Weller will be Jan. 9
SHARON, Pa. -- An event to benefit area racer Jimmy Weller III, 19, who was seriously injured in a racing accident in October, will be held Jan. 9, at the Quaker Steak and Lube complex in Sharon, Pa.
Moneys raised at the event will go toward medical expenses incurred during Weller's treatment for head and neck injuries he sustained during an Oct. 13 USAC sprint car event at The Dirt Track at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Weller spent seven weeks at The Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., and recently returned home to Liberty, to continue his recovery and rehabilitation.
Organizers hope Weller will be well enough to make an appearance at the event which will be from 1-5 p.m. at Tully's Pub and Grille banquet hall.
Admission is $10 per person and includes the choice of select entr & eacute;e items. A children's menu also is available. A 50/50 drawing and a silent auction will feature various items donated by local speedways, NASCAR drivers and Quaker Steak and Lube, including two tickets and pre-race pit passes to the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge at Lowe's Motor Speedway May 21.
Jimmy Weller benefit T-shirts and stickers also will be on sale.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the door or by contacting Chad Wagner at (814) 374-5481 or Linda Barlow at (724) 741-6282.
Matt Folk ninthin national race
PORTLAND, Ore. -- The USATF National 10 K Cross Country Championships where held Dec. 4. The National Club Team Championships where held in the Open 10 K race. The Run-Insight Team from Ohio came in 12th with 355 points. Run-Insight Team's lead runner Matt Folk of Canfield was ninth overall in the race in 33:24:82 and third in the team competition. Matt Folk is the Road Runners Club of America National 5K Champion, Ohio Men's 10K Champion (course record holder) and Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier. Matt coaches at Youngstown State University and is a member of the Youngstown Road Runners Club. The other members of the Run-Insight Team were Fred Kieser, Bradley Hunt, John Hopple, Daniel Princic, Kevin Michalske, and Richard Bement.
Jr. Phantoms win 2-1
BOARDMAN -- The Jr. Phantoms peewee A major team beat Rocky River 2-1 Sunday night at the Ice Zone.
Scott McKee scored with assists from Adam Robertson and Evan Filip. Mike Gorgacz scored the game winner with an assist from Nick Carney. Goalie John O'Brien made nine saves.
Tuesday night's game ended in a 2-2 tie against North Olmsted. Evan Filip scored a pair of goals with two assists from Cory Barnhouse and an assist from Ryan Demyen. John O'Brien stopped 11 shots.
DeMonaco earnsPAC citation
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- Westminster College's Mark DeMonaco (New Castle) was named Presidents' Athletic Conference men's basketball player of the week.
Freshman Becky Giles was PAC women's swimmer-diver of the week.
REGION
Charges likelyin scuffle at game
TONTOGANY -- A scuffle between fans and players at a high school basketball game last weekend likely will result in charges against some of those involved, a sheriff's deputy said Tuesday.
No one was injured in the fight during the third quarter, which involved players from Otsego High School and fans from Woodmore High School who were behind Otsego's bench.
Two Otsego players were ejected from the game Friday, and at least two fans were escorted from the building.
Witnesses said punches were thrown.
NATION
Blue-Graygame canceled
MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- The Blue-Gray All-Star Classic has been called off for the second time in three years because officials couldn't find a corporate sponsor for the Christmas Day showcase for aspiring NFL players.
The Blue-Gray game was a Christmas tradition since 1978, featuring college seniors from teams that didn't qualify for bowl games.
Organizers had attempted to move the game from Christmas Day to Jan. 8 after the bowl games were completed.
Vindicator staff/wire reports