YSU

YSU
Softball
INDIANAPOLIS -- After its record-breaking season and a second-place finish in 2003, the Youngstown State softball team has been picked to finish second in the Horizon League, according to a poll of the league's coaches.
The Penguins, who finished with 42 points and three first-place votes, trailed only Illinois-Chicago in the voting. UIC had 46 points.
Loyola (Ill.) was third with 41 points and one first-place vote, while Cleveland State was fourth with 29 points.
Wright State, the defending Horizon League tournament champion, received 21 votes to place fifth, while Detroit, Butler and UW-Green Bay rounded out the balloting with 19, 18 and eight points, respectively.
Youngstown State opens the season Feb. 28 with games against Eastern Kentucky and Kentucky at the University of Kentucky tournament.
LOCAL
MUC's Grant Brownon two winners
CLEVELAND -- Grant Brown of Mount Union College, a Boardman High graduate, was a member of winning and runner-up relay teams at the Ohio Athletic Conference Swim Championships last weekend at the Veale Natatorium at Case Western Reserve University.
Brown teamed with Mark Rogers, Jeremy Opacich and Eddis Singleton to win the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3 minutes, 16.17 seconds. The same foursome was runner-up in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:27.19.
Singleton, a senior, also won three individual titles -- 100 freestyle (47.19), the 100-yard backstroke (54.30) and the 50 freestyle (20.91).
In the women's meet, sophomore AnnMarie LaScola of Mount Union, from Wellsville High, placed third in the 50 freestyle (25.77).
The Mount Union men and women both placed fifth.
Kevin Gesacionon winning relays
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Kevin Gesacion, a junior swimmer for Westminster College from Boardman High, was a member of two winning relays at the Presidents' Athletic Conference Men's and Women's Swimming & amp; Diving Championships held at Grove City College.
Gesacion teamed with B.J. Sieg, Nate Horrell and Ryan Trunk to win the 200 freestyle relay in 1:27.04. Gesacion also joined Shaun McNamara, Andy Hudak and B.J. Sieg to win the 200 medley relay in 1:39.20.
Gesacion also took second place in the 50 freestyle in 22.30, and was ninth in the 100 freestyle (49.67) and 14th in the 100 butterfly (1:00.26).
Trunk, a freshman, also won the 50 freestyle (21.58), 100 freestyle (46.84) 200 freestyle (1:43.74) and was on the winning 400 medley relay (3:35.68), and was named PAC Men's Swimming Most Valuable Performer.
Westminster placed second with 716 points behind Grove City (799).
Dave Fritz of Grove City was named Men's Swimming Coach of the Year.
Westminster won the PAC women's meet for the second straight year with 798 points, while Rob Klamut, the Titans' coach, was named PAC Women's Coach of the Year.
Senior Peggy Whitbeck of Grove City was named PAC Women's Swimming Most Valuable Performer.
Bowling news
* YOUNGSTOWN -- Francis Zitnik was the eight-game leader with 1,999 after the opening rounds of the Youngstown Senior Masters Bowling Tournament.
In second place with 1,935 is Bill Bahny and Steve Harper Sr. is third with 1,926. Bruce Curall rolled 1,909; Chuck Fairchild 1,881; Mark Arnal 1,867; Tom Smith 1,834; Ted Bundy 1,831; Anthony Boggs 1,816 and Joe Hanna 1,815.
So far, Smith and Chuck Shipton have recorded 300 games.
Round three is Feb. 21 at Holiday Bowl at 1 p.m. The final round will be at Kay Lanes on Feb. 22 at 1.
* BOARDMAN -- The fifth Erv "Magic" Dodge Memorial Sweeper is Feb. 28 at Boardman Lanes beginning at noon.
The entry fee for the event, in memory of the former Youngstown Bowling Association official, is $40. Proceeds benefit the Erv Dodge scholarship at YSU.
McDonald approves coaches' contracts
McDONALD -- The board of education Monday hired the following coaches for spring sports; Wendell Niel, softball assistant, and Alan Stanley, baseball assistant. Also, Tom Baker, Dave Evinsky, Ken Suich and Matt Vukovich were approved as volunteer coaches in baseball.
The board also hired Michael Kantaras as girls track coach. One-year contracts were also approved for coaches and staff for 2004-05: Kellie Bundy, girls tennis; Fred Gault, athletic director; Jim Hall, assistant athletic director; Chris Rupe, boys cross country, and Dan Williams, football.
Bethany's Richardson named by PAC
BETHANY, W. Va. -- Bethany College senior Kelley Richardson, of Follansbee, W. Va., was named Presidents' Athletic Conference women's basketball player of the week.
The award was Richardson's third this season. She led the Bison (19-4) to two victories, extending their winning streak to a school-record 14 games. She scored a career-high 36 points against Washington & amp; Jefferson and added 16 rebounds. Richardson also had 17 points, five rebounds and five assists in a win against Waynesburg.
NATION
Panther retires
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina offensive guard Kevin Donnalley retired, ending his 13-season career with a Super Bowl appearance.
Donnalley went to high school in Raleigh and college at North Carolina.
Vindicator staff/wire reports