LOCAL

LOCAL

Thunder, Bulldogs
present PPK district

BOARDMAN — The Mahoning Valley Thunder and the Poland Little Bulldogs will play host to the NFL Pepsi Punt Pass & Kick district qualifier competition on July 28.

The NFL Punt, Pass & Kick competition allows boys and girls to showcase their football talents with scores based on distance and accuracy.

The competition is open to boys and girls ages 6 to 15. The activity will be held at the Poland Little Bulldogs practice field located at 7767 State Rt. 170 beginning at 9:30 a.m.

For information, call (330) 747-3975.

Football coaches
huddle set in Warren

WARREN — The Warren Sports Hall of Fame will hold its annual Football Coaches Huddle on July 31 at DiLucia's in Warren.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with a buffet dinner and the program begins at 6:30. The cost is $13.

Area coaches who will be speaking are from Brookfield, Champion, Girard, Howland, Hubbard, LaBrae, Lakeview, Liberty, Mineral Ridge, Newton Falls, Niles, Ursuline, Warren G. Harding, Warren John F. Kennedy, and John Heacock from Youngstown State.

AREA

McNeil hired by
Westminster College

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. — Westminster College announced the hiring of Tim McNeil as head men's and women's track and field coach and head men's and women's cross country coach.

In a newly-created position within the athletic department, McNeil becomes Westminster's first full-time coach responsible for coaching both sports.

McNeil, a native of Mineral Ridge is a 1996 graduate of Westminster having excelled for the Titans in track and field and football.

In track, McNeil was a three-time qualifier for the NAIA national championships in the 400-meter hurdles from 1994-96. His school record of 53.8 in the 400 hurdles still stands, while he also currently holds the school indoor record for the 55-meter high hurdles (7.9).

In football, McNeil was the most valuable player in the 1994 NAIA national championship game after catching two touchdown passes as the Titans defeated Pacific Lutheran, 27-7, for their sixth and most recent national championship.

McNeil ranks second on the school's career receptions list (129) and fifth in the receiving yards (1,849) to go with 15 career touchdown receptions in four seasons from 1992-95. He also owns the school's single-season receptions record with 61 in 1994.

"I am extremely pleased and excited that Tim has accepted the challenge of being the head coach for both the track and field and cross country teams at Westminster," said Westminster Athletic Director Jim Dafler.

Zanic wins sixth
straight award

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. — For the sixth consecutive year, Geneva College sports information director, Van Zanic, was awarded the first place honor by NAIA-SIDA (Sports Information Director’s Association) for the best football game day program in the NAIA.

Zanic, entering his 10th year as Geneva’s sports information director, has also won honors for publications in four other sports during his tenure at Geneva.

The most recent award will be his last from the NAIA as Geneva College begins play in NCAA Div. III in the fall.

Autograph session
slated August 5

CANTON — On August 5 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2007 will be on hand for a special autograph session.

Scheduled to participate are Michael Irvin, Bruce Matthews, Charlie Sanders, Thurman Thomas and Roger Wehrli. Class of 2007 Enshrinee Gene Hickerson is unable to participate.

Tickets go on sale Thursday by telephone only (1-800-913-9788) beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET.

Ten Ohio players
at Junior PGA meet

WESTFIELD CENTER — Ten of the top junior golfers from Ohio are scheduled to play in the 2007 Westfield Junior PGA Championship, July 11-14, at Westfield Group Country Club.

The 10 represent the second-largest Ohio contingent in the tournament's 32-year history. Thirteen players in 2006 is the current Ohio record.

Northern Ohio PGA section champions Johnny Burke, Bay Village, and Katie Jurenovich, Warren, will join Southern Ohio PGA Section champions Tyler Hawk, Batavia, and Marissa Steen, West Chester.

Slippery Rock gets
USTA facility grant

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — The USTA today announced that Slippery Rock Univ. has been awarded a Category II, 2007 USTA Public Facility Funding Grant in conjunction with the Tennis in the Parks Initiative.

The grant, in the amount of $5,000, is one of 20 such grants awarded this funding period by the USTA totaling nearly $320,000.

By investing in the rehabilitation and development of tennis facilities in the United States, the USTA and NRPA believe these facilities not only will grow the sport, but provide venues for communities to gather and provide lifelong healthy activity through tennis.

Vindicator staff⁄wire reports