YSU

YSU
Softball
INDIANAPOLIS -- Youngstown State junior Kelly Murphy was named the Horizon League's pitcher of the week.
Murphy picked up both of YSU's wins at the Eastern Kentucky tournament. The right-hander tossed a one-hit shutout over IUPUI with seven strikeouts, then threw five innings of scoreless relief to pick up a second victory over IUPUI, 2-1.
For the week, Murphy went 2-0 with an ERA of 0.00. She allowed four hits in 12 innings with seven strikeouts and opponents batted .105.
Track and field
GREENCASTLE, Ind. -- Youngstown State's women's team turned in a dominating performance to win by 62 points and capture its second indoor conference championship in as many years and its third straight title overall.
The Penguins also dominated the individual awards -- senior Jeanna Cunningham was track performer of the meet, freshman Carly Youlton was field performer of the meet, freshman Bethany Anderson was the field newcomer of the year, and coach Brian Gorby accepted the women's coach of the year award on behalf of the entire staff.
LOCAL
Fitch track
AUSTINTOWN -- Breanne Romeo and Nichele Scott, members of the Austintown Fitch indoor track team placed last weekend at the Mount Union Invitational.
Romeo took a fourth in the 55-meter dash in 7.3 seconds, while Scott was ninth in the same event in 8.0 seconds.
Romeo's time qualified her to compete in the Nike Invitational which later this month.
Phantoms win in OT
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Aaron Rhyner's 31st goal of the season with 2:37 remaining in overtime gave the Youngstown Phantoms a 4-3 win over the U.S. National Under-17 Team Sunday.
Rhyner also had three assists, while Rob Rassey added a goal and an assist for the Phantoms. Jeremy Smith and Anthony Canzoneri also scored.
The Phantoms (23-20-3) will travel to play the Soo Indians Friday and Saturday. Faceoff for both games is 7 p.m.
Youth hockey
*The Youngstown Jr. Phantoms bantam travel hockey team defeated the Brooklyn Sharks 6-0 in their semifinal playoff game.
Scoring goals for the Phantoms were Ryan Taylor and John Vanasdale with two each, and Don Super and Jay Young each with one.
Adam Hogan had three assists, with Hunter Thompson, Ryan Rinko, Taylor, Super, Vanasdale, and Young each getting one. Jared Pack had the shutout in goal.
The Phantoms will play Rocky River Sunday for the league championship.
*The Youngstown Phantoms peewee A major team defeated Parma 4-3 in a semifinal game.
Goal scorers were Ryan Demyen, Mike Gorgacz, Jake Sines and Cory Barnhouse. Assists came from Lucas Clarke, Jesse Depietro, Brian Styers, Preston Stauffer, and two from Scott McKee.
John O'Brien was the winning goaltender.
The Phantoms finished the regular season in second place behind Brooklyn, who they will face in the championship game Saturday.
REGION
New OSU coach
COLUMBUS -- Paul Haynes will join the Ohio State staff as defensive backs coach.
Haynes, a 35-year-old Columbus native, replaces Mel Tucker, who resigned recently to become an assistant coach with the Cleveland Browns.
Haynes has spent the past two years at Michigan State as defensive backs coach.
Browns add coaches
CLEVELAND -- Rip Scherer, who was offensive coordinator at Southern Mississippi the last two years, was hired to be quarterbacks coach for the Cleveland Browns.
Browns coach Romeo Crennel also added Bob Trott to his staff as a defensive assistant. Trott was most recently defensive coordinator at Louisiana-Monroe.
Carl Taseff dies
WESTON, Fla. -- Carl Taseff, who spent 12 years in the NFL as a defensive back and more than 20 as an assistant coach, is dead at 76. Taseff died Sunday of pneumonia.
A roommate of Don Shula's at John Carroll University in University Heights, he played from 1951-62 with Baltimore, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Buffalo.
He set an NFL record with the Colts in 1959 by returning a blocked field goal 99 yards for a touchdown.
From 1970-93, he was an assistant for Shula with the Miami Dolphins.
Muskingum coachBurson retires
NEW CONCORD -- Muskingum basketball coach Jim Burson, among the top 10 in Division III in career wins, announced Monday that he has coached his last game. He will take a sabbatical during the 2005-06 season and will then retire after 38 years as coach.
Burson, whose retirement will take effect on Aug. 31, 2006, has a record of 542-416.
NATION
Bears cut Terrell
CHICAGO -- Wide receiver David Terrell, the eighth pick in the 2001 draft, was released by the Chicago Bears as NFL teams prepared for the start of free agency Wednesday by paring veterans to get under the salary cap.
Terrell was joined on the temporary unemployment line 36-year-old linebacker Roman Phifer of New England, quarterback Rodney Peete of Carolina and San Diego defensive tackle Jason Fisk.
Vindicator staff/wire reports