LOCAL

LOCAL
Runners honored
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Greater Youngstown Track Officials Association recently chose four seniors as the organization's cross country runners of the year.
Salem's Aiman Scullion and Deirdre Clary were selected as the Columbiana County runners of the year. Scullion finished 11th at the state meet as the Quakers won their second straight boys state title. Clary was 16th, helping the Quakers to their first girls state title.
In Mahoning County, Ursuline's Tiffani Miller and Mooney's Colin Durina were named runners of the year.
The four athletes will be honored at the GYTOA's June banquet.
Lordstown tourney
LORDSTOWN -- The Southington High boys will battle Mineral Ridge December 26 at 6 p.m. in the Lordstown holiday basketball tournament.
McDonald will face Lordstown at 7:30 p.m.
A consolation game is set for Dec. 29 at 6 p.m. and the championship game will follow at 7:30.
Curbstone Coaches
BOARDMAN -- Vindicator sports editor Rob Todor will be the guest speaker for the Curbstone Coaches' noon luncheon at the Lockwood House. All luncheons are open to the public. For details, visit www.curbstonecoaches.org.
City bowling
YOUNGSTOWN -- Entries for the Youngstown Bowling Association's 74th annual city tournament are available at area establishments.
The event, open to all YBA members, runs from Jan. 20-29 at Bell-Wick (team) and Camelot (singles-doubles).
Cost is $17 per event and all-events optional for $2.
Divisions are upper and lower for team (1000-up, 999-under), doubles (400-up, 399-under) and singles (200-up, 199-under).
Date for close of entries is Jan. 13.
SteelHounds
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Miller Lite Hounds Happy Hour will be broadcast live Monday from Harley Davidson Buell of Youngstown, 4478 Boardman-Canfield Rd.
SteelHounds players and coach J.F. Laforest will be interviewed on WBBW-AM (1240) from 7-8 p.m.
Game sweaters worn at the Nov. 25 will be available for purchase. Harley Davidson is also sponsoring a team action poster during the SteelHounds game Friday against Amarillo. All fans in attendance will receive the special giveaway poster.
For more information, contact the SteelHounds at 330-747-PUCK.
REGION
Nash activated
COLUMBUS -- The Columbus Blue Jackets activated forward Rick Nash off injured reserve before their game against Nashville Saturday.
Nash, 21, the No. 1 pick in the 2002 draft, has missed the last 17 games after spraining his left knee in a loss to Calgary in November. He sprained his right ankle in training camp and has played in just three games this season.
NATION
NCAA volleyball
SAN ANTONIO -- Washington swept top-seeded Nebraska on Saturday to win its first NCAA women's volleyball championship.
It was the sixth sweep in six tournament matches for the Huskies (32-1) and their 28th in 32 overall this season. Christal Morrison was chosen as the tournament MVP after leading Washington with 15 kills and nine digs.
Nebraska (33-2) swept five opponents in the tournament before meeting Washington.
NAIA football
SAVANNAH, Tenn. -- Tyler Emmert ended a memorable career with another memorable weekend, leading Carroll College (Mont.) to its fourth straight NAIA football championship, 27-10 over St. Francis (Ind.) on Saturday.
Emmert completed 20 of 36 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns as the top-ranked Fighting Saints (14-0) rolled to a 17-3 halftime lead and held off the second-ranked Cougars (13-1) for the second straight year in the NAIA title game.
Emmert was selected the offensive most valuable player in the championship game for the third straight year. That honor came a day after he claimed NAIA Player of the Year honors for the second time in three seasons and two days after he was selected the first team quarterback on The Associated Press Little All-America team.
Agent: Artest wants to remain a Pacer
INDIANAPOLIS -- Ron Artest doesn't want to be traded by the Indiana Pacers after all, his agent says.
Artest said last weekend that his past in Indiana haunts him, and he is interested in being traded to the New York Knicks or Cleveland Cavaliers.
But Mark Stevens, Artest's agent, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Artest holds out hope he can remain with the Pacers.
Teammate Stephen Jackson said Artest called him Friday night, and hopes his teammate will return.
"He wants to play basketball, that's all he wants to do," Jackson said before the Pacers played the New York Knicks. "He wants to play basketball, he wants to win."
WORLD
Ruiz loses WBA heavyweight title
BERLIN -- John Ruiz lost the WBA heavyweight title Saturday night, dropping a disputed split decision to Russian 7-footer Nikolay Valuev.
Valuev, who becomes the tallest and heaviest (323 pounds) champion of all-time, won 116-113 and 116-114 on two judges' cards, with a third judge scoring the fight 114-114. The crowd of 10,000 booed the decision.
Ruiz, who weighed 85 pounds less than Valuev at 238, appeared to have the fight in hand, using a jab-and-grab tactic to slip in a few punches and then tie up Valuev.
Valuev began throwing combinations in the seventh round, adding to a left jab that landed from the opening round. In the ninth, Valuev even danced a bit.
Valuev landed the only punch that did damage in the final round, hitting Ruiz on the chin with a straight left that wobbled the champion. Ruiz clinched his way to the end of the fight.
Ruiz's record fell to 42-6-1, while Valuev improved to 43-0 with one no-decision.
In an earlier bout, Laila Ali stopped Sweden's Asa Sandell in the fifth round of a non-title bout with her father, former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, watching.
European soccer
LONDON -- Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney scored in each half Saturday and Manchester United beat host Aston Villa 2-0 to move within six points of Premier League leader Chelsea.
Michael Owen scored three goals, powering Newcastle to a 4-2 victory at West Ham. Owen scored twice in the first half and during second-half injury time. Alan Shearer also scored for Newcastle.
Chelsea has 43 points in 16 games. United has 37 in 17 games, followed by Liverpool (31), Tottenham (30), Bolton (30), Wigan (28) and Arsenal (26). Chelsea plays Sunday at Arsenal.
Vindicator staff/wire reports