LOCAL

LOCAL
Miller is judge
CHICAGO -- Tom Miller of Mineral Ridge was a judge last Saturday as Lamont Brewster of Los Angeles defeated Andrew Bolota of Poland for the WBO heavyweight championship.
It was Miller's 24th title bout. He is an international amateur and professional boxing judge.
Youngstown YMCAto be inducted
DENVER -- The Youngstown YMCA will be inducted into the YMCA Volleyball Hall of Fame Saturday.
The Youngstown YMCA was selected as an institution that had fostered historic advances in the sport.
The YMCA of Youngstown will be inducted for its accomplishments and the enthusiasm it has engendered since the creation of the sport in 1895.
Its recreational "Noon Class" and coed leagues have involved thousands of people and, under Jeep McDonald, the Y developed an expanded competitive team, hosting during the 1960s one of the finest tournaments in the Midwest and winning the 1986 National Championships.
Also inducted was Dennis Patton, who learned volleyball at the Meadville, Pa., YMCA and played and coached from 1955-1980. During the 1970s he organized the Meadville YMCA Tournament that drew teams and thousands of spectators from all parts of the USA and Canada. During the late 1970s and 1980s he organized, directed and played in a unique competitive men's league of 42 players and to this day has volunteered his time promoting and coaching volleyball at the junior and senior high school level. He has been the recipient of many previous honors.
Boone loses fight
SPOKANE, Wash. -- Taking a fight on short notice isn't always the best avenue for a fighter on the rise and Youngstown middleweight Darnell Boone found that out Tuesday night when he lost an eight-round decision to Walter Wright in Boone's first national television appearance.
The fight, at the Northern Quest Casino, was on the undercard of the Teddy Reid-Rodney Jones 12-rounder for the NABF light middleweight championship.
Boone who came in at 155 pounds to 151 for Wright, is managed by Jack Loew and Jim "Tank" DiCioccio of the Southside Boxing Club.
He took the bout late last week and in the first round Boone came out very fast and easily took the round, but even though he had good starts in every round he began to tire in the later rounds.
Two judges voted 77-74 for Wright and the third voted 80-72 for him.
"Darnell went eight strong rounds and showed plenty of punching power, but conditioning cost him tonight as he won early in each round and tired later," said Loew.
Wright, from Seattle went to 6-1 and Boone fell to 5-1-1.
Mercer Raceway
MERCER, Pa. -- Mercer Raceway Park will be the site of "American Thunder Weekend" Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday's racing will include the Luxaire Heating & amp; Cooling Sprint Cars, Campbell-Peterson Trail & amp; Turf Modifieds, Tire Express Stock Cars, and the Maurer's Trading Post Strictly Stocks, plus the return of the "Yellow Fever Bush" school bus races.
The rescheduled kids bike will be held at intermission for those 12 and under.
The return of the American Tractor Pullers Association (ATPA) Grand American "Spring Nationals" World Championship Pulling Event will highlight Sunday's action.
Adult admission prices are $10 Saturday and $15 Sunday, with discounts for children and special packages available.
REGION
Buckeyes win
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Jason Zoeller doubled in the tie-breaking run and Paul Farinacci later added a three-run homer to lead Ohio State past Michigan 7-3 in 13 innings Wednesday in the opening round of the Big Ten tournament.
With the score tied at 3 after each team scored a run in the 12th, Zoeller's double down the left-field line brought home pinch-runner Jacob Howell. Howell was running for Steve Caravati, who led off the inning with a single.
Farinacci later hit his second home run of the year to left.
Ohio State (36-17), which has won 18 of its last 21 games, advances to play either second-seeded Purdue or top-seeded Illinois in the second round today.
NATION
NHL labor
CHICAGO -- Small groups of negotiators from the NHL and the players' association met for 6 1/2 hours Wednesday, just days after reporting progress in full bargaining sessions.
Both sides declined comment after the meeting, as talks are ongoing this week.
Vindicator staff/wire reports