YSU

YSU
Soccer
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State's defense kept the game scoreless until a goal late in the second half gave Loyola a 1-0 win Thursday at Stambaugh Stadium.
YSU (0-13, 0-2 Horizon League) played strong defense against Loyola (4-5-1, 1-1) throughout the game. Goalkeeper Jessica Yarter stopped all four of the Ramblers' shots in the first half and three of four in the second.
Jenna Fink and Kara Vezza each took two shots on goal and forward Sade Tate attempted a shot on goal. YSU was outshoot 20-8 for the contest.
Loyola finally broke through with a goal by midfielder Heather Lau at 78:13. The score game off a header from 5 yards out with an assist from defender Jamie Wasielewski on a free kick.
The Penguins play host to Butler Saturday at 1 p.m.
LOCAL
Prep roundup
HARTVILLE -- Jim Pipino shot 80 leading Warren JFK High to second place with 332 points in the Division III district golf tournament Thursday at Seven Hills golf course.
Gilmour Academy won the team title with 330 points. The top two teams and two individuals, not on a qualifying team advanced to next week's state tournament at Lockbourne.
Nick Moody and Scott Difford of the Eagles carded 83s, Nick Basciano finished with 86 and Matt Nuzzi had 91.
Josh Rybak of Jackson-Milton qualified for individual competition with 77.
Badger (369) and Southington (378) placed seventh and ninth, respectively.
*SOLON -- Stephanie Gula of Howland won a pair of singles matches as she advanced to the Division I girls sectional tournament quarterfinals Thursday at Solon Community Park.
The only area player to advance in either or doubles, Gula defeated Nicole Barth of Twinsburg, 6-0, 6-1 and Ashley Bonamer of Brecksville, 6-1, 6-1.
Gula will go against Meggy Giovanardi of Shaker Heights Saturday.
REGION
Griffey would have quit if he wasn't elite
CINCINNATI -- Ken Griffey Jr. would have retired this year if a hamstring injury had left him less than elite.
The Cincinnati Reds' outfielder said Thursday that he wasn't sure he'd be able to play baseball at a high level after his major hamstring surgery in August 2004. Griffey tore his right hamstring from the bone and had it reattached with three screws -- an uncommon operation for an athlete.
The 35-year-old Griffey proved he's still one of the best when he's healthy, batting .301 with 35 homers and 92 RBIs this season. His return from four years of serious injuries earned him the NL's comeback player of the year award Thursday in an online vote sponsored by baseball.
Giambi won the AL's award for his comeback from problems including an inflamed knee, a respiratory infection, an intestinal parasite and a benign pituitary tumor.
NATION/WORLD
Golf roundup
*AUBURN, Calif. -- Cristie Kerr had consecutive eagles in a career-best 9-under 62 to take a four-stroke lead in the first round of the Longs Drugs Challenge.
Kerr also had seven birdies and two bogeys on The Ridge Golf Club course. She played an eight-hole stretch in 9 under, highlighted by her eagles on Nos. 15 and 16.
After opening the round with bogeys on Nos. 10 and 11, Kerr parred the 12th and began her scoring run with birdies on Nos. 13 and 14. She hit a 6-iron to 6 feet to up her eagle on the par-5 15th, holed out from 139 yards with an 8-iron for another eagle on the par-4 16th and added birdies on Nos. 17, 1, 2, 5 and 7.
The 27-year-old Kerr won the 2002 tournament at Twelve Bridges Golf Club for the first of her six LPGA Tour victories. She two victories this year -- the Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill in May and the Wendy's Championship for Children in August -- and also played on the winning Solheim Cup team after topping the U.S. standings.
Hall of Famer Beth Daniel, Becky Iverson and Marilyn Lovander opened with 66s, and Lindsey Wright also was 5 under through 17 holes when play was suspended because of darkness. Annika Sorenstam, the 1997 champion at Twelve Bridges, shot a 68 in her first appearance in the tournament since 2001.
*TENERIFE, Canary Islands -- Argentina's Andres Romero and Sweden's Johan Skold shot 5-under 66s to share the first-round lead in the Abama Open de Canarias.
Skold three-putted the 18th green for his only bogey of the round. The 24-year-old Romero won the Morson International Pro-Am Challenge on the Challenge Tour in August and is 10th on the developmental circuit's money list.
English left-hander Stuart Little was two strokes back along with Scotland's Marc Warren and David Patrick and South Africa's Titch Moore.
Vindicator staff/wire reports