LOCAL

LOCAL
Schedules needed
Area high school athletic directors are urged to send their winter sports schedules to The Vindicator.
Schools still needed are Chaney, Canfield, Howland, Poland, Niles, Jackson-Milton, McDonald, Mineral Ridge, Sebring, South Range, Springfield, Western Reserve, Badger, Brookfield, Champion, Girard, Hubbard, LaBrae, Lakeview, Mathews, Newton Falls, Columbiana, Crestview, East Palestine, Leetonia, Lisbon, United, Campbell, West Branch, Southeast, Southington, Wellsville, Beaver Local, East Liverpool, Heartland Christian, Farrell, Greenville, Hickory, Laurel, Mercer, Mohawk, Neshannock, New Castle, Reynolds, Sharon, Sharpsville, West Middlesex and Wilmington.
Schedules can be e-mailed to sports@vindy.com or faxed to (330) 747-6712.
Julie Nemergutleads Edinboro
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- Julie Nemergut, a senior on the Edinboro University women's cross country team from South Range High, helped the Fighting Scots to win their third straight NCAA Division II East Regional championship Saturday.
Nemergut, who was seeking her second straight regional title, placed third over the 6-kilometer course in 21:49, behind winner Mindy Sawtelle of Indiana (Pa.) (21:01) and Edinbro's Rachael Lanzel (21:24).
Edinboro had 33 points to win while Nemergut and four teammates who scored points gained All-Region honors.
Last week, Nemergut won her second straight Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship to lead Edinboro to its eighth title in a row.
Edinboro also won the men's regional championship Saturday with 63 points.
Whole Man Ministries
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Whole Man Ministries, a non-profit organization, has established a basketball league and will sponsor a community "Stopping The Violence" basketball game.
The league will hold its first game, with a halftime talent show, Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. at the South Field House Sports Complex.
Special invited guests are Dr. Wendy Webb, superintendent of Youngstown Public Schools, members of the Youngstown Board of Education, Frankie "Mr. Lucky" Halfacre, Kathyrn Hawks-Haney, Walt "Phoenix" Halfacre, Jodi "Killa Joe" of 102 Jamz and Brother K of WGFT. There will be a halftime talent show performance by C.O.R.E.
For more information call R. Steve Davis (330) 402-5686 or Patricia A. Owens (877) 701-2024.
Dave Blaneyreaches plateau
FORT WORTH, Texas -- With his 24th-place finish last weekend at Atlanta, Dave Blaney eclipsed the $3 million mark for 2005 season earnings.
The NASCAR Nextel Cup driver, a native of Hartford, drives the No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet.
Walton loses decision
STATELINE, Nev. -- With two title fights on the Gary Shaw Productions-promoted seven bout card at Lake Tahoe Saturday night, the best fight was a heavyweight 10-rounder between Shane Cameron and James Walton.
Cameron (14-0, 12 KOs) from Auckland, New Zealand, won a majority decision over Walton (21-8-2, 11 KOs) who is managed by Youngstown's Pat Nelson.
The Cleveland-born Walton, who resides in Phoenix, started slow but picked up the pace of a hard-punching bout from the sixth round on.
All the late rounds belonged to Walton who was the aggressor against the normally hard-charging Cameron who only went the distance in one other fight.
Walton slugged with the undefeated fighter and at times out-boxed him as the three judges voted 95-95, 97-93 and 97-93.
"James fought a great fight and surely didn't do anything to lose it," said Nelson. "He was sluggish in the early going, but once he got going he was the best fighter in the ring tonight."
Both title fights ended early, with Rafael Marquez (35-3, 31 KOs) winning with a TKO in round four over the previously undefeated Silence Mabuza (18-1, 15 KOs).
The main event 12-rounder had Jeff Lacy defend his IBF super middleweight title and gain the IBO belt when he knocked out Scott Pemberton at 2:59 of the second round.
Lacy (21-0, 17 KOs) from St. Petersburg, Fla., who is trained by former Austintown resident Dan Birmingham, used a brutal punching attack to finish Pemberton who came off the floor twice.
Dials leads Ohio State
COLUMBUS -- Terence Dials scored 22 points and Ron Lewis, playing his first game for Ohio State, added 20 as the Buckeyes defeated Findlay 83-53 in an exhibition game Sunday.
J.J. Sullinger added 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Buckeyes, who had little trouble against the Division II Oilers. Ohio State built a 20-6 lead in the first eight minutes and the advantage grew to as many as 32 points in the second half.
Brent Schnipke and Dustin Pfeifer led Findlay with 13 points apiece. The Oilers shot only 37 percent from the field, including a 5-of-23 performance from 3-point range.
Vindicator staff/wire reports