LOCAL

LOCAL
Phantoms fall
BOARDMAN -- The Youngstown Phantoms dropped a 4-2 decision to the Toledo Ice Diggers in the opening game of a two-game series beginning Friday at The Ice Zone.
The score was tied 2-2 after two periods, but the visiting Ice Diggers won the game on third-period goals by Mitch Sabo and Tim Snyder.
Book tracesStruthers football
STRUTHERS -- A history of Struthers High School football, called "This is Wildcat Country," is now available.
Edited by Gene Janecko, the 600-page book traces an 88-year history (1916-2003).
For details, call (330) 755-1944 or (330) 792-0611.
TAC-MAC basketballchamps decided
HOWLAND -- The Trumbull Athletic Conference-Metro Athletic Conference basketball tournaments were held this week.
Howland won the 7th grade boys and girls events, while Alliance took the 8th and 9th boys tournaments.
The girls 8th grade champs are from Canfield, and Salem won the crown in 9th grade girls.
Junior Phantomsfall to Rovers
NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- The Irish Rovers defeated the Youngstown Junior Phantoms for the championship of the Shillelagh Tournament.
The Phantoms defeated the Rovers and Vernon Hills, Ill., and tied Kirkwood, Mo., to reach the finals.
Christopher Shannon scored a hat trick, while Matt Lacko, Arthur Morris, Bryce Allen and Brian Swansiger scored.
Rock tennis coachreaches milestone
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Slippery Rock University tennis coach Matt Meredith recorded his 100th career win earlier this month.
Meredith reached the milestone when The Rock rolled to a 6-3 win at Otterbein College in Westerville.
A native of DuBois and a 1982 SRU graduate, Meredith currently owns a 102-120 career record. He has compiled a 77-38 record in six seasons as head coach of The Rock women's team and has a 25-82 mark as men's coach.
Rock soccer teamhonored by NSCAA
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Slippery Rock University's nationally recognized women's soccer program recently received a pair of prestigious honors at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America convention in Charlotte, N.C.
The Rock was presented a NSCAA "Team Ethics Award of Merit" in recognition of its sportsmanship and also earned an NSCAA/Adidas "Team Academic Award" for performance in the classroom.
SRU was recognized as a "Bronze Award" winner in the Team Ethics competition. Teams in that category received between six and 10 yellow cards ("cautions") during the 2003 season but did not have a single red card ("sendoffs").
The Academic Award is for having a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
REGION
Pirates' boardloses members
PITTSBURGH -- Race car owner Chip Ganassi and North Carolina businessman William B. Allen have left the Pittsburgh Pirates' board of directors.
Unlike Ganassi, Allen had voting rights on the board. A new limited partner, Robert Nutting, a newspaper executive in Wheeling, W.Va., replaces Allen on the board.
The Pirates' ownership group has had as many as 27 partners since the McClatchy group first bought the team, and there have regularly been directors.
Despite leaving, Allen remains an investor in the team. Ganassi sold his share.
IBF founder's prisonsentence upheld
PHILADELPHIA -- The 22-month prison sentence for International Boxing Federation founder Robert W. Lee was upheld by a federal appeals court on Friday.
Lee, 70, was convicted in 2000 on criminal charges including filing false tax returns, after prosecutors accused him of manipulating the IBF's ranking system to favor fighters whose promoters paid him bribes.
NATION
Saban's contractgets final approval
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Nick Saban's new seven-year, $18.45 million contract received final approval from the LSU governing board Friday, making him the highest paid coach in college football.
The contract guarantees Saban at least $2.3 million this year and grows by about $100,000 annually. The coach can earn an extra $400,000 each year based on postseason game appearances and team graduation rates.
Rodman could getNBA tryout
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Dennis Rodman was released by the Long Beach Jam of the American Basketball Association on Friday to allow the 42-year-old rebounding star the opportunity to try out for NBA teams.
WORLD
Third-seed upsetin ATP event
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- French teenager Richard Gasquet upset third-seeded Nicolas Massu of Chile 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 Friday and advanced to the semifinals of the ATP Buenos Aires event.
The 17-year-old Gasquet will face top-seeded Guillermo Coria of Argentina, who defeated countryman Juan Monaco 7-6 (8), 3-6, 6-1.
Vindicator staff/wire reports