YSU

YSU
Baseball
YOUNGSTOWN -- The YSU baseball team's three-game series scheduled to take place at Central Michigan has been moved to Cene Park in Struthers because of a poor weekend forecast for Mount Pleasant, Mich. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m., with a 1 p.m. game on Sunday.
Softball
YOUNGSTOWN -- The YSU softball team (9-9, 0-0) begins its quest for its first Horizon League championship when it opens league play against Butler (8-7, 0-0) Saturday at 11 p.m. in Indianapolis.
The series was scheduled to begin today, but was pushed back until Saturday because of the weather. The teams will play two games Saturday and one on Sunday.
LOCAL
Butch honored
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mike Butch Sr., a teacher, coach, administrator and official in the Youngstown School System for nearly 50 years, was honored recently with a "contribution to sports" award presented by the Mahoning Valley Coaches Association at Tuesday's Al Beach Classic All-Star game in Boardman.
Butch, who officiated high school basketball for 28 years and football for 30 years and still is active officiating high school track, is also the City Series commissioner and Steel Valley Conference commissioner of officials.
The East High and Youngstown State graduate still keeps the official scorebook for YSU basketball home games and is also the clock operator for YSU home football games.
Amateur Penguinswin Ice Zone tourney
BOARDMAN -- The Midget AA Amateur Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team went undefeated in the Lou Hayes Memorial Tournament last weekend at the Ice Zone.
The Pens beat the Youngstown Stars, Mercyhurst Prep School and the Reading Royals to advance to the championship game. The Stars lost to the Penguins 5-2 in the final game to finish as runners-up.
Sophomore Mark Tekach, a goalie from Canfield High, blanked Mercyhurst in a 6-0 win and stopped 18 shots in an earlier 3-2 win over the Stars. Tekach went 16-4 for the Penguins this season, winning his last nine games while giving up 1.52 goals per game.
Boardman graduatesearn POW honors
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- Two former Boardman High standouts, now at Westminster College, have earned Player of the Week honors for their respective sports from the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) South Division.
Senior infielder/outfielder Kevin Gesacion was named hitter of the week after going 7-for-10 in three games. He also score seven runs, stole two bases and had four RBIs.
Earning ECAC Softball Pitcher of the Week was sophomore Jennifer Pancake. She was 2-0 with an 0.47 ERA including a season opening 1-0 no-hitter against Eastern Connecticut State.
Grove City's Mooseselected to ECAC team
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Grove City College senior Abby Moose of New Wilmington, Pa., was named to the Eastern College Athletic Conference Southern Region All-Star team as a member of the second team.
The 5-foot-6 shooting guard led Grove City in scoring with a 17.8 point per game average and also led the team in steals (63) and 3-point goals (34).
Howland playersmake college choices
HOWLAND -- Senior football players Nick Lyon and Marcus Johnson have announced their choices to continue their athletic and academic careers in college.
Lyon, the 5-11, 200 pound fullback/linebacker, will enroll at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa., while Johnson, the 6-0, 170 pound defensive back, will attend Tiffin University.
FCA banquet
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Fellowship of Christian Athletes will host its annual FCA Spring Banquet at Mr. Anthony's on March 31 at 6:30 p.m.
The featured speaker will be Cleveland Glenville High football coach Ted Ginn Sr. and assistant Matt Chinchar. Ginn's son, Ted Jr., was a standout receiver with Ohio State last season.
The event will honor YSU swimmer Erin Carter with the Scotford Influence Award. Tickets cost $50. For details, call the FCA office at (330) 965-9217.
Lil' Phantoms Classic
BOARDMAN -- The Lil' Phantoms Classic continued Wednesday as the Blue Jackets defeated the Penguins 3-2.
Phillip Mohrean had two goals and Nicolina DePietro one for the winners. David Cooper and Jarod Vanasdale scored for the Penguins.
Ed Glass chosenfor OSFCA HOF
COLUMBUS -- Ed Glass, who coached Warren Harding to the 1974 Division I state championship, will be inducted into the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame on April 22 at the Schottenstein Center.
NATION
NHL cancels draft
NEW YORK -- The NHL canceled its draft Thursday, the latest casualty of the six-month lockout.
The annual event was scheduled for June 25-26 in Ottawa, but it was scrapped along with the entire 2004-05 season that was called off Feb. 16. The draft can't proceed without a collective bargaining agreement.
Bill Daly, the NHL's chief legal officer, apologized to fans, the city of Ottawa and "to everyone who already had put so much time and effort into creating a memorable weekend for the players and their families."
"The Ottawa area hotels had already gone far beyond their normal reservation policies in allowing us to hold 4,500 rooms for the draft event," Daly said. "They weren't prepared to extend that longer."
Staff/wire reports