AREA

AREA
Warren boxersare winners
NILES -- Three boxers trained by P.C. Torres of the Warren Boxing Club emerged as winners in a recent card at Eastwood Expo Center.
In the main event, Dan Ross, 140 pounds, improved to 5-0 as he won a split decision over Brayton Richardson from Cleveland
Jamelle Vann from Warren won a 112-pound Junior Olympic three-round bout with a unanimous decision over Orlanda Popa from the Youngstown Revere Boxing Academy.
Mark Givens of Warren Boxing Club won a three-round 132-pound Junior Olympic bout with a unanimous decision over DeVonte Williams from Columbus.
Brandon Dilley from Warren lost a unanimous decision to Nathaniel Rardon from Akron in a 65-pound Junior Olympic fight.
NATION
ESPN's Irvin arrested
PLANO, Texas -- Former Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin was charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia after police searched his vehicle during a traffic stop, Plano police said Sunday.
Irvin, an ESPN analyst and semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for speeding in Irving after being pulled over Friday afternoon for speeding in Plano, the Plano Police Department said. Police spokesman Mike Johnson said he didn't know what kind of paraphernalia was found.
Irvin paid a fine on the speeding ticket and posted bond on the drug paraphernalia possession charge. He was released about an hour after he was pulled over.
"We are reviewing the facts of the situation and have no comment at this time," ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz said.
Irvin, a member of three Super Bowl championship teams with the Cowboys, retired in July 2000.
In 1996, Irvin pleaded no contest to felony cocaine possession in exchange for four years of deferred probation, a $10,000 fine and dismissal of misdemeanor marijuana possession charges.
Irvin holds Cowboys records for catches (750), receiving yards (11,904) and 100-yard games (47), including a team-record seven in a row in 1991.
Thrashers win
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Ilya Kovalchuk had two goals and two assists, and Marian Hossa scored the go-ahead goal in the third period to lead the Atlanta Thrashers past the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 on Sunday.
Marc Savard and Jean-Pierre Vigier also had goals for the Thrashers, who have taken both meetings with the Hurricanes in the RBC Center.
Maryland breezes
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Chris McCray scored 20 points and No. 23 Maryland opened the second half with a 16-0 run to breeze past Nicholls State 88-56.
Two days after returning from Hawaii, where they played three games in less than 48 hours at the Maui Invitational, the Terrapins (4-1) endured a sluggish first half before pulling away.
Ekene Ibekwe scored nine points and James Gist had two baskets in the decisive 16-point run that gave Maryland a 55-30 lead. Nik Caner-Medley scored 16 points, Ibekwe finished with 15 and D.J. Strawberry had 12 points and a career-high 12 assists.
Arizona sprintspast Virginia
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Chris Rodgers matched his season high with 20 points, scoring 15 in the second half while No. 9 Arizona ran away from Virginia for an 81-51 victory.
Hassan Adams and Mustafa Shakur scored 14 each. Adams, who also had nine rebounds, had 12 points during a 29-1 run that began late in the first half and blew open a tight game.
The Wildcats went into their home opener in a two-game skid, losing to Connecticut and Michigan State in the Maui Invitational after an opening win over Kansas. They also were intent on avenging a 78-60 loss at Virginia last season, their worst offensive effort since scoring 60 in a loss at Michigan State on Dec. 15, 2001.
Michigan Statedefeats IPFW
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Paul Davis had 30 points and 14 rebounds to lead No. 12 Michigan State past Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne 84-73.
Maurice Ager added 20 points for the sluggish Spartans (3-2), who returned home after playing the equivalent of four-and-a-half games in five days in Hawaii.
They trailed for the first 17 minutes, then built a 22-point lead before the Mastodons closed the game with an 11-0 run.
IPFW (1-3) scored the first eight points before Davis took over and scored 14 points in the opening 16 minutes. Ager dominated the second half with 16 points in 16 minutes, when the Spartans shot 61.5 percent in a 48-point second period.
WORLD
Olympicflame ignited
ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece -- The curse of the Winter Olympics struck again, with heavy clouds over the birthplace of the ancient games frustrating efforts Sunday to light the flame for Turin using the sun's rays.
Bad weather also disrupted the ceremony for the Sydney 2000 Summer Games, as well as the past two Winter Olympics -- in Salt Lake City in 2002 and Nagano in 1998.
Vindicator staff/wire reports