AREA

AREA
Smith winsPittsburgh bout
PITTSBURGH -- Boardman boxer Kiez Smith overcame a slow start to win a unanimous three-round decision over Lou Luccrielly on Saturday.
Smith improved to 3-1 and is trained by Canfield resident John Hobart at the Youngstown Buckeye Elks.
After an even first round that had the two combatants slugging it out, Smith (152 pounds) settled down by working good shots to the head and body and using an aggressive attack.
"I felt better with each round," Smith said. "I was stronger and punching a lot better in the last two rounds."
Hobart said, "Though he has a lot to learn, Kiez is improving with each fight. His hands are quicker and his ring work is much better."
PAC honorsTitans' McKee
NEW WILMINGTON -- Gabe McKee, a junior strong safety for the Washington & amp; Jefferson College football team from Hubbard High, has been named Presidents' Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
McKee was recognized for recording a career-high 12 tackles, including nine solo stops, with one interception in W & amp;J's 45-20 win over Westminster last Saturday in New Wilmington. W & amp;J is 5-1, 1-1 in the PAC.
REGION
Pens recallgoalie Fleury
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled minor-league goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to replace Jocelyn Thibault, who was placed on injured reserve Sunday with a badly bruised knee.
The move gives the Penguins three No. 1 overall draft picks on their roster -- Mario Lemieux (1984), rookie phenom Sidney Crosby (2005) and Fleury, the Penguins' top pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Thibault was scheduled to start in Saturday night's home opener, a 7-6 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins, but was scratched after taking a Rico Fata slap shot off his knee during the morning skate. Medical tests were negative and Thibault is believed to have only a severe bruise.
Sebastien Caron started against the Bruins and played in Friday's 3-2 shootout loss against the Carolina Hurricanes. Thibault started the season opener in New Jersey, a 5-1 loss.
Fleury, 20, is 2-0 this season for the Penguins' American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with a 1.00 goals-against average.
Andy Chiodo, who was called up from Wilkes-Barre to back up Caron on an emergency basis on Saturday, was sent back down to the minor-league team on Sunday.
Fleury went 4-14-2 with a 3.64 goals-against average with Pittsburgh in 2003-04, splitting time between the Penguins -- the NHL's worst team that season -- and his junior team in Canada. He was 26-19-4 with a 2.52 goals-against average at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season.
Fleury had an impressive training camp, but was sent to the minors because the Penguins said they wanted him to play regularly instead of sporadically behind Thibault, whom the Penguins acquired for a fourth-round draft pick before the season.
The Penguins next play at the Buffalo Sabres tonight. The starting goaltender for that game hasn't been named.
NATION
Red Sox facemany questions
BOSTON -- General manager Theo Epstein needs a new contract, manager Terry Francona needs a physical and both need players to take the Boston Red Sox where they went in 2004. The work toward winning another World Series already has started.
The "first round of internal planning" for free agency began before the season's sudden ending Saturday when Boston was swept out of the playoffs by the Chicago White Sox, Epstein said.
And he and his staff planned to "get right back after it Monday morning."
But where to start? Shaggy-skulled Johnny Damon is their best player eligible for free agency. So are first baseman Kevin Millar, who had a subpar season, third baseman Bill Mueller, who was solid during the regular season, but 0-for-11 in the AL division series, and Tony Graffanino, an upgrade at second base but a major reason Chicago won Game 2 as a result of his damaging error. There's a decent possibility all four won't return.
Mike Timlin and Mike Myers, their best relievers, also can become free agents.
There's even an outside chance Epstein won't be back. He's at the end of the three-year contract that made him the youngest general manager in baseball.
"That's an issue that's coming up and something we're going to have to deal with," he said. "We'll take care of these things quickly and move forward."
WORLD
Bolivia wins
Bolivia held five-time World Cup champion Brazil to a 1-1 tie in a qualifier Sunday, rallying on Jose Alfredo Castillo's goal four minutes into the second half.
Juninho gave Brazil the lead in the 24th minute at La Paz. Brazil already had qualified for next year's tournament, and Bolivia had been eliminated.
Australia is preparing for next month's home-and-home playoff against the fifth-place team from South America -- Uruguay, Colombia or Chile -- for a World Cup berth.