LOCAL

LOCAL
SteelHounds
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown SteelHounds, in conjunction with FOX 17/62 and 27 First News, announced that the Jan. 13 game at The Chevrolet Centre has been designated "27 First News - Community Heroes Night".
The game, which begins at 7:05 p.m., will pit Youngstown against the Wichita Thunder.
"Community Heroes Night" will honor those local people, from all walks of life whether they be police officers, fire fighters, doctors, nurses, military, teachers or just the people next door, that make or have made a difference in the lives of those around them.
Nominations for the "Community Heroes" can be submitted to the SteelHounds by mail at 229 E. Front Street, Youngstown 44503, Attn: Community Heroes, or via fax at (330) 747.3902 or via the web at www.steelhounds.com or www.wkbn.com.
McDonald coaches
McDONALD -- The McDonald school board Monday named Anthony Puntel as girls softball coach and Mike Kantaras girls track coach for the 2006 season.
Sean Kearney to playin Navy's bowl game
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Sean Kearney of New Castle, a graduate of Farrell High, is a junior offensive tackle for the U.S. Naval Academy football team (7-4) that will play Colorado State (6-5) Thursday in the Poinsettia Bowl.
The game in San Diego will start at 10:30 p.m. and will be televised by ESPN2.
Kearney ranks No. 3 on the Navy Depth chart at left offensive tackle. He wears No. 77.
REGION
Akron introduces Rhoades as A.D.
AKRON -- Mack Rhoades, a top official with the athletic department at UTEP, was introduced Tuesday as the new athletic director at Akron.
Rhoades, 40, had worked at UTEP for seven years, most recently as executive senior associate AD. The Tucson, Ariz., native previously worked in the athletic department at Marquette from 1996-97 and as a sports marketing assistant at Yale in 1995.
Luis Proenza, president of the Mid-American Conference school, introduced Rhoades at the Rhodes Arena on campus and alluded to the Mack/MAC and Rhoades/Rhodes connections. "With a name like Mack Rhoades, this must be a perfect fit," Proenza said.
Rhoades said he was attracted by the recent success of Akron's teams. The Zips men's soccer team advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals this fall, and the football team will play in its first bowl game -- the Motor City Bowl in Detroit against Memphis -- on Monday.
"That's part of what made this such an attractive job," Rhoades said. "There's been a resurgence. There's been a new renaissance here. The facilities are in place, (with) winning sports programs."
Rhoades succeeds Mike Thomas, who was Akron's AD for five years and left to become AD at Cincinnati.
NATION
Allen hired as football coach at Missouri St.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Former Kansas coach Terry Allen was hired Tuesday as football coach at Missouri State, which finished 4-6 last season.
Allen, most recently an Iowa State assistant, will replace Randy Ball, who was fired in November. Before going to Kansas in 1996, Allen was a big winner at Northern Iowa, which is in the Gateway Conference along with Missouri State in Division I-AA.
Allen has won seven Gateway championships and had been considered the favorite for the job since first interviewing Thursday. The Missouri State Board of Governors met Tuesday in special session to approve the hiring.
Allen's Northern Iowa teams were 75-26 from 1989-96. At Kansas, he went 20-33 and was fired before the end of the 2001 season. Allen has been associate head coach at Iowa State since the 2002 season. He also coaches the tight ends. Ball and all his assistants were fired after this season. He was 34-42 record in seven years at Missouri State.
WORLD
Rahman and Toneyscuffle at resort
MEXICO CITY -- WBC heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman and James Toney scuffled in a hotel hallway before a cocktail party at a Cancun resort.
Several people had to separate them, and neither boxer was hurt, WBC executive secretary Mauricio Sulaiman said.
The confrontation happened Monday at the Le Meridien Cancun Resort & amp; Spa, where the WBC was holding an awards ceremony. While Toney was being interviewed by the Mexican network Television Azteca, Rahman walked by. After they made eye contact, they exchanged words and started punching each other, the WBC said in a statement. Last month, Rahman was voted WBC champ after titleholder Vitali Klitschko retired with a knee injury. Rahman held the title briefly in 2001. The WBC ordered Rahman to meet Toney, and their promoters had until Tuesday to agree on a fight date.
Vindicator staff/wire reports