AREA

AREA
Maplewoodloses, 53-42
WARREN -- The Kirtland High basketball team put three players in double figures as it eliminated Maplewood 53-42 in a Division IV district semifinal game Tuesday at Warren Harding High gymnasium.
Ahead 21-18, Kirtland started to pull away from the Rockets (16-7) in the third quarter, then outscored Maplewood 19-13 in the final period.
Jake Abbott was the only Maplewood player to scored in double figures with 12 points. Dan McConnell added nine.
Mike Eastman led Kirtland with 17 points. Andy Balazs and Ron Terow each had 11.
In the other district semifinal, Windham topped Mogadore, 67-55.
McDonald hirescoaches
McDONALD -- The McDonald board of education has hired several coaches under supplemental contracts: Dan Williams, boys head football; Chris Rupe, boys head cross country; Mike Kantaras, girls head track; Bill Koppel, assistant boys track; Alan Stanley, assistant boys baseball; Ken Walls, assistant girls baseball; Jamie Fortune, girls junior high; and Randy Riccitelli, boys junior high track.
Appointed to coaching positions as volunteers were: Tom Baker, assistant boys baseball; Lee Evans, Dave Evinsky and Matt Vukovic, assistant boys baseball; Shay Roseman, assistant softball; Tony Vitullo, assistant softball coach; John Fields and Travis Presco, assistant girls junior high track; and Ryan Witkoski, assistant boys junior high track.
Thunder winsvolleyball event
AKRON -- Thunder Volleyball Club's Team Thunder 14's won the gold bracket division at the University of Akron Junior Olympic Tournament this past weekend.
Team members are Michelle Basista, Amanda Biblis, Jessie Dillion, Chelsea Guerrier, Megan Ramsey, Taylor Toothman and Liza Wood. The team was coached by Dana Fellows.
Golf Exposet March 12
GIRARD -- Creekside Golf Dome will hold its third annual Golf Expo on March 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission is free and area golfers are invited to come in and try the latest in golf equipment from the Hogan and Top Flite companies.
Banyon Tree Rehabilitation will have trainers on hand and will conduct a clinic.
An Iron Skills challenge will be conducted with donations to benefit the youth of the First Tee of Mahoning Valley. For further information, call (330) 545-5000.
REGION
Browns add assistant line coach
CLEVELAND -- Jeff Uhlenhake, who played at Ohio State and for 10 years in the NFL, was named an assistant offensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday.
Uhlenhake spent last season at the University of Cincinnati. He was drafted by Miami in 1989 and played five seasons with the Dolphins. Uhlenhake also played for the New Orleans Saints and Washington Redskins.
In Cleveland, he will be reunited with Jeff Davidson, a college teammate at OSU who was recently named the Browns offensive line coach.
Foote signs five-year pact
PITTSBURGH -- Linebacker Larry Foote agreed to a five-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday.
Foote, a restricted free agent, started all 16 games in 2004 and both playoff games after replacing injured starter Kendrell Bell. The inside linebacker had 78 tackles and three sacks last season.
Foote, who joined the Steelers in 2002 as a fourth-round draft pick, was the first of the team's restricted free agents to re-sign. The team also has made qualifying offers to running back Verron Haynes, safety Chris Hope, defensive end Brett Keisel, wide receiver Lee Mays and kicker Jeff Reed.
Niners terminate Whiting's contract
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers terminated defensive end Brandon Whiting's contract Tuesday after he failed a physical, cutting ties with the oft-injured defensive end acquired last year in the Terrell Owens trade.
Whiting was sent to San Francisco by the Philadelphia Eagles last March in exchange for Owens, who missed his chance to become a free agent because of a paperwork mix-up.
Whiting played just five games for the 49ers after getting a late start on training camp because of a back injury. He tore a knee ligament in late October and missed the rest of the season.
NASCAR suspends crew chief
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Busch series crew chief Todd Lohse was suspended Tuesday for four races.
It was the most severe of several penalties imposed by NASCAR for violations at California Speedway.
Lohse, crew chief for Shane Hmiel, was suspended and fined $10,000 for unapproved hinged air deflector modifications on the car during inspection last weekend.
The team has appealed to the National Stock Car Racing Commission, and Lohse is allowed to participate in the Busch race in Mexico City this weekend.
Also penalized were Nextel Cup crew chiefs Tim Weiss ($10,000), Larry Hyder ($5,000) and Billy Poindexter ($6,000).
Other Busch Series crew chiefs penalized were Tommy Perkins ($2,500) and John Vermillion ($500).
Staff/wire reports