YSU

YSU
Soccer
YOUNGSTOWN -- Strikers Sierra Lawson (Gilbert, Ariz.) and Taylor Pickens (Cleveland Heights) and midfielder Tara Morey (Pittsgrove, N.J.) signed letters-of-intent to play at YSU.
"It is my hope that this class, together with the future student-athletes, will provide the much needed depth that we lacked last season when we were ravaged with numerous injuries and illnesses," said YSU coach Anthony James.
Lawson was a two-time all-conference selection as well as female athlete of the year and rookie of the year at Vanden High School. She won a state championship and a Coca-Cola National Championship with her club team, the Sereno Soccer Club.
"Sierra gives us the speed and athleticism we have been looking for in a striker for the past three seasons," said James. "She is very comfortable running at defenders with the ball at her feet and often finds various means to get in behind opposing teams defenses. If needed, I feel like we can also use her as an outside midfield player. She will be an excellent addition to our program".
Pickens has been a two-time All-Greater Cleveland selection, former Lake Erie Player of the Year and leading scorer for Cleveland Heights High. She was also named a two-time captain. Pickens is currently a member of the U-18 Ohio North State Champion Cleveland Cobras Soccer Club.
"Taylor will be an added threat to our attack. She is very creative on the ball and is well-known for her ability to score goals from distance," said James. "Her physical presence at 5-9 and her ability to play with her back to goal will give us the opportunity to use her as a target player."
Morey was a four-year varsity starter at P. Schalick High School. While there she won three Tri-County Conference championships and won the South Jersey championship on two occasions. Morey also played an integral part in her high school team's run to their first-ever New Jersey state final appearance. She was all-conference three times. Morey is a also three-time New Jersey State semi-finalist with her club team the New Jersey Devils. This past summer Morey won a conference championship with AC Diablos in the Women's Professional Soccer League.
"Tara will be a tremendous addition to our midfield. She possesses good field awareness and is a technically sound player. She is very good at solving problems under pressure and would be depended upon to assist the team in sustaining our attack in the middle to final third. She is extremely quick and also has a very good work ethic." said James.
LOCAL
Prep soccer
STRUTHERS -- The Cardinal Mooney girls soccer team will hold an informational meeting at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Valley Sports for anyone interested in playing in the fall.
For details, call Joe DeMay at 330-519-9918.
Bowling tournament
GIRARD -- The 15th annual senior tournament of the Youngstown USBC Women's Bowling Association will be March 10 at 2 p.m. and March 11 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Kay Lanes.
Age classifications will be: 55 to 59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-76 and 77 years and older.
An entry fee of 15 should be made payable to the Youngstown USBC women's senior tournament and mailed to Betty Kana, 2936 Eddie Street, Youngstown, OH. 44509 before March 5. Entry forms are available at area bowling centers.
Division winners will receive first-place prize money and a paid entry into the 2008 Youngstown USBC women's senior tournament.
Senior bowling
YOUNGSTOWN -- John Doughton Jr. leads the John Bossone Memorial Senior Masters through four rounds with 3,764.
Chuck Cormell is in second place with 3,747 followed by Bruce Curall's 3723. Lou DiNardo is fourth with 3661 and Joe Nuzzo stands fifth with 3647.
A point behind with 3646 is Ken Lamancusa, followed by Jim Calabretta (3639) and Russ Slagle (3571).
In the 60-69 age group, Tom Robinson leads with 3475; Rich Kady is second with 3450 and Jim Ellis is third with 3421.
Leading the 70-and-older category is George Gulu with 3265.
Cormell, Robinson, Tom Hood and Ted Bundy registered 300 games during the competition and Cormell had a four-game total of 1011.
The next event, the 2007 senior doubles open to bowlers 55-and-up is March 17-18 at Boardman and Bell-Wick.
NATION
MLB unveilsnew cap
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- One question facing baseball this season: Will cooler heads prevail?
On opening day, the sport will doff the traditional wool cap in favor of a new polyester blend model designed to wick away sweat before it can stream down a player's face.
The change is part of commissioner Bud Selig's focus on boosting player performance, a Major League Baseball official said, and follows a general trend toward moisture-managing "performance" materials in sports apparel.
"We started to think, 'How can those developments be applied to our headwear?"' said John DeWaal, vice president of brand communications at New Era Cap Co., the Buffalo-based manufacturer that holds the new cap contract.
Vindicator staff/wire reports