YSU

YSU
Volleyball
CHICAGO -- Youngstown State jumped out to a 1-0 lead and freshman Allison Heinz led the Penguins with 10 kills but YSU (9-18, 0-10 Horizon League) dropped a four-game decision to Loyola (12-13, 5-5 Horizon League), 30-25, 21-30, 14-30, 20-30, Friday.
Freshmen Ruth Boscaljon and Kaitlin O'Hara each posted eight kills and record four and three blocks, respectively.
The Penguins visit UIC today at 5 p.m.
STEELHOUNDS
Roster moves
YOUNGSTOWN - The Youngstown SteelHounds signed three players prior to Friday's home opener.
Forwards Jason Spence and Mark Johnson and goaltender David Currie were signed to one-year contracts.
Spence, 27, has played in 346 career games, scoring 32 goals and 40 assists. He dressed for just eight games with Johnstown (ECHL) last season.
Johnson, 21, joins the 'Hounds for his rookie season after playing in the Mid-Western Jr. B League a year ago. The Glencoe, Ontario, native scored 27 goals and 26 assists in just 44 games in 2005-06.
Currie, 24, has played in 93 career ECHL with Johnstown, Victoria and Dayton. He began the season with the Dayton Bombers.
LOCAL
Bowling entries
YOUNGSTOWN -- Entries for the Tilly Tater Memorial women's scratch division tournament are available at area bowling centers through today.
The event is Nov. 4 at Camelot Lanes and Nov. 5 at Bell-Wick Bowl.
Division I is for women with an average of 190 and over and Division II is for averages 189 and below.
A 40 entry fee, which should be postmarked no later than Oct. 28, is payable to the Youngstown USBC WBA.
REGION
Football HOF
CANTON -- Running back Terrell Davis and offensive lineman Bruce Matthews are among the first time-nominees announced Friday for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Davis played just seven seasons in Denver, but the former sixth-round pick was a key part of the Broncos' two championship teams and was named Super Bowl MVP for his three-touchdown performance against Green Bay in 1998.
Matthews' skill and durability enabled him to play in 14 Pro Bowls in a 19-year career with the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans.
Davis and Matthews are being considered with 109 other former players, coaches and contributors.
The list will be reduced to 15 finalists along with Cleveland Browns guard Gene Hickerson and Detroit Lions tight end Charlie Sanders, who were selected in August by the Hall of Fame's senior selection committee.
The final vote will be held in Miami on Feb. 3, the day before Super Bowl XLI. Three to six new members will be selected.
The other first-time nominees are quarterback Randall Cunningham; running back Ricky Watters; offensive linemen Randall McDaniel, Mark Stepnoski and Steve Wisniewski; and defensive backs Eric Allen, LeRoy Butler and Carnell Lake.
Recently retired commissioner Paul Tagliabue is a nominee for the second time and wide receiver Michael Irvin and running back Thurman Thomas are among the finalists from last year who will be considered again.
New park for Clippers won't be ready
COLUMBUS -- The Columbus Clippers won't be able to play in their new ballpark until 2009.
Environmental cleanup at the downtown site, once home to a gas station, will take longer than expected, said Don Brown, administrator of Franklin County, which owns the Triple-A team that plays in the International League.
Franklin County commissioners had wanted the 55 million Huntington Park stadium to open in 2008.
The ballpark will be built in the same area as Nationwide Arena, home of the NHL Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Clippers, the longtime affiliate of the New York Yankees, signed a two-year agreement last month to become the top minor league team for the Washington Nationals.
Teams withdrawfrom league
HUDSON -- Teams in two Cleveland suburbs are quitting a youth football league because of racially insensitive actions by fans, coaches said.
Shaker Heights and Euclid planned to leave the North Coast Youth Football Conference after the championship game this weekend.
The president of the Hudson Hawks Youth Football Association, John Elffers, has apologized for fans who wore Afro wigs and painted their faces black at a playoff game Sunday. Shaker Heights coach Jeffrey Saffold said Hudson fans also used a racially offensive word during Sunday's game and at two other times.
Mac Stephens, the commissioner of Euclid's three teams, said they are pulling out of the league, partially because of the Hudson fans. But he said he's also unhappy with the league's board, of which he is a member, and its unresponsiveness to officiating.
The league has 1,200 players ages 7 to 11 on 50 teams.
Vindicator staff/wire reports