Local Sports Digest

LOCAL
Schedules needed
The Vindicator seeks fall sports schedules from the following schools:
Youngstown Christian, Ursuline, Warren Harding, Boardman, Fitch, Canfield, Campbell, Niles, Struthers, Jackson Milton, Lowellville, McDonald, Sebring, South Range, Springfield, Western Reserve, Brookfield, Champion, Hubbard, LaBrae, Lakeview, Newton Falls, Columbiana, East Palestine, Leetonia, Lisbon, Southern, United, Badger, Mathews, Southington, Beaver Local, East Liverpool, Wellsville, Southeast, Farrell, Grove City, Hickory, Kennedy Christian, Laurel, Mercer, Mohawk, New Castle, Neshannock, Reynolds, Sharon, Sharpsville, Shenango, Slippery Rock, Union, Wilmington and West Middlesex.
Athletic Directors should e-mail schedules to sports@vindy.com or fax (330) 747-6712.
Hitmen find home
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Mahoning Valley Hitmen, an indoor football team, will play its home games at the Thunderplex in Vienna.
The Hitmen are members of the Eastern Indoor Football League and will begin playing in January 2007.
Soap Box Derby
YOUNGSTOWN -- Forty five area youngsters will be trying to earn a qualifying spot for the All-American Soap Box Derby championship during the local race on 5th Ave. June 24 at 9 a.m.
The Greater Youngstown Soap Box Derby will dedicated the event to Gary Thompson, the 1966 local champion.
Forty years ago, at 14 years old, Thompson raced down E. Midlothian Blvd. in a sleek metallic blue racer defeating 79 other boys to become the Youngstown champion.
Thompson, now of Berlin Center, will be on hand during the festivities on race day and is expected to take a run down the 5th Ave. track in an adult car, renewing the experience that he enjoyed 40 years ago.
Prep track
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Boardman junior Breanne Romeo finished 30th out of 35 runners in the 400-meter dash with a time of 58.47 at this weekend's Nike Outdoor High School Track and Field Championships.
Boardman freshman Lauren Agnew ran the mile in 5:18.07 to finish 17th out of 30 freshmen.
Ursuline reunion
YOUNGSTOWN -- The 1956 Ursuline High football team is planning a 50th reunion for Sept. 15-16.
Members of the last undefeated Irish team that went 10-0 and won the City Series championship will gather for a dinner on Friday and attend the Steubenville game on Saturday.
To make reservations, contact Joe Balmer (330) 856-2365 or Tony Calucchia (309) 347-8173.
The committee would also be interested in hearing from former players who have any memorabilia.
REGION
Schott painting sells for $1.3 million
CINCINNATI -- A painting from the art collection of late Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott sold for $1.3 million Saturday, the highest ever for a painting auctioned in Ohio, officials said.
New York buyer James Balestrieri bought Charles Schreyvogel's "Saving the Dispatch" for a private individual.
Cowan's Auctions Inc. said the record bid totaled $1.44 million after a fee was added.
Overall, the auction raised $4.9 million for Schott's charitable foundation.
The former Reds owner died in 2004.
Balestrieri also purchased Henry F. Farny's "Summoned by the War Chief," for $917,500, the auction's second most expensive piece.
The auction house offered 44 pieces of Schott's Western art and Rookwood pottery collection, much of which was acquired by her late husband, Charles.
Television and movie producer Jerry Bruckheimer and his wife purchased several paintings by Joseph Henry Sharp, including "Indian Medicine or Black Robe" for $450,000.
NATION
Benson earns first truck win
BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Johnny Benson finally broke through with a victory in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, holding off a challenge from Mark Martin in a two-lap, overtime shootout Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.
Martin, who has won three of six previous truck starts this season in a part-time ride, appeared stronger on long green-flag runs.
But Benson, driving a Toyota Tundra for Bill Davis Racing, got a break when four of the eight caution flags in the 102-lap event waved in the final 28 trips around the 2-mile oval.
It looked as if Martin, who plans to retire from Cup after this season and run trucks full-time in 2007, was going to catch Benson after a restart on lap 93.
But Martin Truex Jr. cut short that green flag run, spinning out with a flat tire on lap 97. He collided with Kerry Earnhardt, bringing out the final caution.
The race was scheduled to end on lap 100, but the late caution set up the dramatic two-lap, green-white-checker finish that began on lap 101. Martin did what he could, but Benson easily held off the No. 6 Ford F-150, winning by 0.112 seconds -- about two truck-lengths.
Bobby Labonte, making his first truck start of the season, finished third, followed by series points leader Todd Bodine, Matt Crafton, Rick Crawford, Ron Hornaday Jr. and Dennis Setzer, who won this race last year.
David Reutimann finished 15th and moved past Ted Musgrave into second place in the standings, trailing Bodine by 178 points. Musgrave finished 23rd and fell three points behind Reutimann.
Benson, driving in his 60th truck event since making his debut in 1995, became the 17th driver to post a win in each of NASCAR's top three series. He has 19 wins in Busch and one each in Cup and trucks.
MLS
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Andy Dorman scored in the 86th minute to pull the New England Revolution into a 1-1 tie with Eastern Conference-leading D.C. United Saturday night.
United (7-1-5) is unbeaten in its last seven matches, while New England (3-4-4) is winless in its last five.
Jaime Moreno gave United the lead in the 44th minute with his eighth goal of the season, after beating a pair of defenders at the top of the penalty box.
Taylor Twellman helped set up the tying goal, getting a head on Jose Cancela's free kick, and Dorman finished it off the left post.
WORLD
Williams gains 97in CFL debut
TORONTO -- Ricky Williams needed a little time to get going in his CFL debut.
After gaining 8 yards in the first half, the former Dolphins running back finished with 97 yards on 18 carries in the Toronto Argonauts' 27-17 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Saturday in the regular season opener for both teams.
Vindicator staff/wire reports