LOCAL

LOCAL
Phantoms splitfour games
CHICAGO -- The Youngstown Phantoms dropped a 4-3 decision to the Minnesota Blizzard in the final game of the North American Hockey League's Windy City Showcase Sunday.
Aaron Rhyner had all three goals for the Phantoms (17-14-7, 41 points).
Youngstown went 2-2 at the weekend tournament and moved into third place in the NAHL North.
Against Minnesota, the Phantoms led 2-0 after the first period as Rhyner scored just 1:27 into the contest and then again at the 11:38 mark on a power play goal.
Minnesota (10-19-6, 26 points) tied the score on second-period goals by Sean Fish and Joey Nigro. Matt Hall gave the Blizzard its first lead of the night when he beat Phantoms' goaltender Tyler Sims at 3:35 of the third period.
Rhyner tied the score with another power play goal at the 8:14 mark, but Minnesota got the game winner from Jake Nelson with 2:18 remaining.
Rhyner, a 19-year-old left wing from Anchorage, Alaska, became the second Youngstown player this season to record a hat trick. Rob Rassey, who had two assists Sunday, scored three goals against Toledo Jan. 3.
Rhyner and Rassey are tied for the club lead with 14 goals each.
The Phantoms travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., Wednesday, to play the USA 17-and-Under National Team. Youngstown's next home games will be Jan. 30-31 when its plays host to the Springfield Junior Blues at The Ice Zone. Both of those games will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling (330) 965-7500 or visiting The Ice Zone at 360 McClurg Rd.
Thiel's Brown isPAC wrestler of week
GREENVILLE, Pa. -- Thiel College sophomore Kyle Brown (Meadville) was selected Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) wrestler of the week by the conference office Monday afternoon.
Brown, also a member of the Tomcat football squad, was 4-0 on the week. He recorded a fall in 4 minutes, 29 seconds, in Thiel's 35-12 victory over Washington & amp; Jefferson and went 3-0 at the Case Western Reserve University Quad.
Brown has a 9-5 record this season at 285 pounds.
REGION
Kent QB jailed
KENT -- Record-setting Kent State quarterback Joshua Cribbs is in jail on charges of trafficking in marijuana and domestic violence, the university's athletic director confirmed Monday.
According to a Kent police report, Cribbs was arrested at his home at 9:53 a.m. Saturday and charged with trafficking in marijuana, a fifth degree felony, and domestic violence, a first degree misdemeanor. He is being held without bond.
Cribbs, 20, a native of Upper Marlboro, Md., will be arraigned in Kent Municipal Court on Tuesday.
The 6-foot, 195-pound junior set school records for both season and career total offense last fall.
Kent State athletic director Laing Kennedy said Monday that Cribbs, a team captain, had been suspended from the football squad but will maintain his scholarship pending the resolution of the charges.
"Right now it's a very difficult time for Joshua and his wife, Maria," Kennedy said. "As an athletic department and university, we are supporting them as they seek appropriate counsel to work their way through this."
Cribbs is considered one of the top players in the Mid-American Conference. In 2003 he completed 49 percent of his passes (178 of 364) for 2,424 yards and 14 touchdowns with nine interceptions. He also ran for 701 yards on 264 carries, scoring 14 of Kent State's 22 rushing touchdowns. Cribbs also caught a 29-yard touchdown pass to finish as the team's top scorer with 90 points.
NATION
Bryant losesMcDonald's deal
OAK BROOK, Ill. -- Kobe Bryant lost his sponsorship deal with McDonald's, costing the NBA star another endorsement while his sexual assault case proceeds in Colorado.
The fast-food company said its three-year agreement with the Los Angeles Lakers guard expired Dec. 31 and was not renewed.
Ferrero of Italy, the maker of Nutella chocolate spread, earlier chose to not renew Bryant's endorsement contract.
Bryant's once-wholesome image has been damaged since a 19-year-old woman accused him last year of sexual assault. Bryant contends the sex was consensual.
WORLD
IOC signs agreement
PARIS -- The IOC and UNESCO signed an agreement aimed at unifying the global fight against doping.
IOC president Jacques Rogge was at the U.N. group's headquarters for the opening session of a weeklong meeting to review the preliminary draft of the International Convention against Doping.
The United Nation's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization wants to enable national governments to implement the new World Anti-Doping Code, which sets out standard rules and penalties across all sports and all countries.
While sports organizations are required to enact the code before this August's Athens Olympics, governments have until the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy, to sign up.
Olympic champ out
ZAGREB, Croatia -- Olympic champion Janica Kostelic plans to have surgery this week for her thyroid imbalance and will not ski this season.
She will be operated on in her hometown of Zagreb.
Vindicator staff/wire reports