LOCAL

LOCAL
Barbone secondat lifting meet
BERLIN CENTER -- Vince Barbone, a senior at Western Reserve High, competed in the Division 4-5-6 state weightlifting competition in Kenton, last weekend.
In the 165-pound weight class, Barbone finished second overall with a squat of 465 pounds, bench press of 280 and deadlift of 460 for a combined total of 1,205.
Boxers at Butler
BUTLER, Pa. -- Two boxer from the Steel Valley Boxing Club in Youngstown will be on an eight-bout professional card at the Days Inn March 23.
The main event will have Butler heavyweight Brian Minto in a 10-rounder with Akron's David Polk.
Minto (18-1, 11 knockouts) will be in action for the first time since suffering his first loss Dec. 30, a split decision to former world champion Tony Tubbs.
Polk (9-2) has won consecutive fights and as an amateur dealt Austintown heavyweight Chris Koval his only amateur loss in 11 fights.
Steel Valley Boxing Club fighters Zack Page and Rasheen Daniels, both from Warren, will be on the undercard.
Page (4-2, 2 KOs) is in a cruiserweight six-rounder with Akron's Deandrea McCole (4-10-3, 2 KOs). In February, Page won a six-round majority decision over McCole.
Daniels (1-3-1) will be the ring with Jason Bounousa (5-3, 1 KO) of Utica, N.Y.
Mann leads W & amp;Jbaseball win
WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Sophomore pitcher Sam Mann (Howland) hit two home runs and threw six innings to lead Washington & amp; Jefferson to a 4-1 baseball victory over John Carroll Tuesday.
Mann hit a solo homer in the sixth inning and a three-run shot in the eighth.
Mann allowed five hits and one run, striking out three.
Moose earnsall-region honors
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Grove City College senior Abby Moose (Mercer) was named to the D3hoops.com All-Great Lakes Region Third Team.
Moose led Grove City in scoring (17.8 ppg), (63) and 3-pointers (34).
Moose was named first team All-Presidents' Athletic Conference for the third straight season.
REGION
Todd Bell, 47, dies of apparent heart attack
COLUMBUS -- Todd Bell, an all-Big Ten player for Ohio State who went on to play for Chicago and Philadelphia in the NFL, died on Wednesday.
Bell had an apparent heart attack while driving in suburban Reynoldsburg and his vehicle crashed into a house, according to Ohio State and police. He was 47.
Bell was a four-year starter at defensive back for the Buckeyes from 1977 to 1980 and was an all-Big Ten selection as a junior and senior.
Browns, Steelerspreseason schedules
*CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns will open the 2005 preseason against Eli Manning and the New York Giants, the team announced Wednesday.
The Browns play the Giants between Aug. 11-15, then visit Detroit the weekend of Aug. 18-22. They will host Carolina between Aug. 25-29, then end the preseason at Chicago on Sept. 1 or 2.
The league will announce specific dates and times later.
*PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers open their exhibition schedule with consecutive home games, including a nationally televised Monday night game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Aug. 15.
The Steelers remain at home Aug. 20 to play the Miami Dolphins in a 7:30 p.m. game. They play another nationally televised game at Washington Aug. 26, then close the preseason the following weekend at Carolina.
The date of the Panthers' game will be announced later.
NATION
Norway's Sorlie winsIditarod sled race
NOME, Alaska -- Norway's Robert Sorlie traversed one of the slushiest trails ever, overcoming insomnia and a dwindling dog team to win his second Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in one of the closest races in years.
Waving a Norwegian flag, Sorlie crossed under the burled arch that serves as a finish line in Nome at 8:39 a.m., completing the 1,100-mile race across Alaska in nine days, 18 hours, 39 minutes and 31 seconds. It was his second victory in three tries in the grueling race.
Sorlie was still in the winner's circle when Ed Iten of Kotzebue crossed the line 34 minutes later. Seven minutes later, 2004 winner Mitch Seavey of Seward finished.
Raiders hire newdefensive assistant
ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders hired former Cleveland assistant Chuck Pagano on Wednesday to be a defensive assistant.
Pagano, who has coached 21 years at college and in the pros, spent the past four seasons as secondary coach with the Browns.
Pagano coached in college at Southern California, Miami, Boise State, East Carolina and UNLV.
Agassi, Roddick, Hewitt advance
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Andre Agassi rolled to a 6-4, 6-1 victory Wednesday over Guillermo Coria in the Pacific Life Open.
Andy Roddick defeated Fernando Gonzalez 6-4, 6-3 to move into the quarterfinals.
No. 2 Lleyton Hewitt, the tournament champion in 2001 and 2002, cruised through his match, beating Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-1, 6-0.
Vindicator staff/wire reports