LOCAL

LOCAL
Mooney celebration
YOUNGSTOWN -- Cardinal Mooney High will hold a celebration for its state championship football team Friday at 1:45 p.m. in the school gym.
All parents, friends and alumni are invited to attend.
Players suspendedafter fight
AKRON -- Two rival high school girls basketball teams have been suspended for two games because of an on-court fight involving several players from both squads and some fans rushed the playing floor.
Referees called the game between Firestone and Kenmore in the third quarter last Thursday after they were unable to stop the fight, which started when two players exchanged elbows and escalated into punches.
Police did not make any arrests, and there were no charges filed.
Both teams will miss two City League games, officials announced Wednesday.
One Kenmore player, who was caught on videotape throwing a punch from behind at a Firestone girl, was suspended for the rest of the season. Two players from Firestone and one from Kenmore were suspended for two games beyond the team suspension.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association said Firestone was awarded the win because it was leading 25-11 when the game was stopped.
REGION
Cavs' Traylor outwith broken finger
CLEVELAND -- Cavaliers forward Robert Traylor will miss three to four weeks after breaking his left pinkie against the New Jersey Nets.
Traylor, a reserve averaging 5.1 points and 4.0 rebounds, was placed on the injured list. Cleveland activated Scott Williams for Wednesday night's game at Chicago. Williams is averaging 2.2 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10 games.
Traylor has been a nice addition for the Cavaliers, who signed him as a free agent this summer. The six-year veteran has been used to fill at forward and to back up center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Traylor had four points and four rebounds in 13 minutes Tuesday night when the Cavaliers won their eighth straight home game.
Cleveland leads the Central Division and has the best record in the Eastern Conference after 15 games for the first time since 1989.
NATION
Pollack winsLombardi Award
HOUSTON -- Georgia defensive end David Pollack won the Lombardi Award as the nation's top college lineman Wednesday night, one year after being a runner-up for the honor.
Pollack edged out Shaun Cody of Southern Cal, Erasmus James of Wisconsin and Derrick Johnson of Texas for the 40-pound granite trophy. He finished behind Oklahoma's Tommie Harris in 2003, yet another player who won the award on his second try.
Pollack had 48 tackles, including 91/2 sacks and 141/2 tackles for a loss, for No. 8 Georgia this season. He will lead the Bulldogs (9-2) against No. 16 Wisconsin (9-2) in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1.
Louisville places six on C-USA team
IRVING, Texas -- Quarterback Stefan LeFors and receiver J.R. Russell were among six players from league champion Louisville named to the All-Conference USA team, as selected by coaches and media members.
LeFors is the national leader in pass efficiency and Russell leads C-USA with 67 receptions. Cardinals linebacker Robert McCune (105 tackles) and defensive end Marcus Jones (81/2 sacks) were also first-team picks, along with offensive lineman Travis Leffew and defensive back Kerry Rhodes.
Running back DeAngelo Williams, who set Memphis rushing records with 1,828 yards and 21 touchdowns, was among four Tigers named to the C-USA first team. UAB also had four selections, including receiver Roddy White, who had a league record 1,339 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns, and defensive end Larry McSwain, conference sack leader at 13.
Southern Mississippi's John Eubanks was a first-team pick as a defensive back and a kick returner, the first player with dual first-team honors since UAB's Rodregis Brooks. Golden Eagles linebacker Michael Boley (117 tackles) was a first-team pick for the second straight year.
TCU offensive lineman Anthony Alabi was first-team for the second straight year.
McBride named coach at Weber St.
OGDEN, Utah -- Former Utah coach Ron McBride is taking over as the coach Weber State.
The 65-year-old McBride was introduced as coach of the Wildcats on Wednesday after two seasons as an assistant at Kentucky.
WORLD
Clijsters not on listto play in Melbourne
MELBOURNE, Australia -- Australian Open officials are assuming that an injured left wrist will keep former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters from playing in the first Grand Slam of next year.
But they haven't spoken directly with the Belgian player, a tournament spokesman said Thursday.
Clijsters' name was not on the WTA entry list for the Jan. 17-30 tournament at Melbourne Park when it was released this week.
Vindicator staff/wire reports