LOCAL

LOCAL

Prep hockey report

GARFIELD — The Canfield hockey team snapped a five-game losing streak with a 5-0 win over Twinsburg in the Garfield Christmas tournament.

Tyler Buchenic and Greg Firestone each scored twice while Riley Emery added a goal for the Cardinals (3-6-1).

Emery also had two assists while Nick Manos, Ryan Meditz, Chris Schade, Chad Fischer, Nick Carney, Scott Sittig and Firestone each had an assist.

Boardman’s Palmer
sets pool record

MASSILLON — Boardman’s Megan Palmer set a pool record in the 400-meter freestyle with a time of 4:56.75 at a dual swimming meet at Massillon Perry on Friday.

Palmer also won the 200 freestyle and helped the Spartans place first in the 200 freestyle relay.

STATE

Vyborny returns
to Blue Jackets

COLUMBUS — The Columbus Blue Jackets activated right wing David Vyborny, the club’s all-time leader in assists, points and games, off injured reserve on Friday.

Vyborny, 32, was expected to be available for Friday night’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. He had been sidelined since Dec. 1, missing seven games with a groin injury. Vyborny has appeared in 26 games with the Blue Jackets this season and has two goals and eight assists. He collected his 300th career point in his 500th career game Nov. 24 vs. Detroit and has 108 goals and 193 points in 503 career games, all with the Blue Jackets.

NATION

Ohio Valley Conf.
offers replays

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — The Ohio Valley Conference announced Friday it will make courtside replay available during all basketball games played in conference venues starting in January.

Courtside monitors are usually only available to officiating crews during televised games. The NCAA regulates how replays may be used during games.

“OVC games are too competitive and we have too much invested to not utilize every means available to ensure our officials have every tool necessary,” Ohio Valley commissioner Jon A. Steinbrecher said.

Curiously Sweet wins
Cat’s Cradle Handicap

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Heavily favored Curiously Sweet beat Kalookan Year by one length Friday in the $107,200 Cat’s Cradle Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Curiously Sweet, ridden by Patrick Valenzuela and carrying high weight of 120 pounds, covered 71⁄2 furlongs in 1:28.15 and, as the 3-5 favorite in a field of six, paid $3.20, $2.40 and $2.10.

Driver convicted of
fixing harness race

SACRAMENTO — A harness-racing driver faces up to three years in prison and a lifetime ban from horse racing after his conviction for trying to fix a race at Cal Expo last year.

Daniel Maier is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

A second driver was acquitted by a Sacramento County jury. A third driver was cleared, while a fourth previously pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe. Maier was convicted of bribery, conspiracy and grand theft. The 23-year-old did not drive in the May 2006 race but made more than $3,000 in bets, mostly in trifecta combinations. Winning the trifecta requires betters to correctly pick the first three finishers of a race in the proper order.

WORLD

Nephew convicted
in Berbick killing

KINGSTON, Jamaica — A nephew of Trevor Berbick has been convicted along with another man of killing the 54-year-old former heavyweight champion.

A jury found 21-year-old Harold Berbick guilty of murder and 19-year-old Kenton Gordon guilty of manslaughter in the death of the former boxer. The judge ordered both men jailed pending their Jan. 11 sentencing.

Authorities said the nephew and Gordon beat Berbick to death in October 2006, leaving his body in a church courtyard in Portland. Harold Berbick had been involved in a land dispute with his uncle.

Trevor Berbick was the last fighter to face Muhammad Ali in the ring and briefly held the WBC heavyweight title before losing it to Mike Tyson in 1986.

Berbick fought from 1976 to 2000, finishing with a record of 50-11 with one draw and 33 knockouts. He later had legal problems, including convictions for sexual assault, grand theft and burglary, that led to his being deported from the United States to his native Jamaica.

Vindicator staff/wire reports