YSU

YSU

Academic honors

YOUNGSTOWN — Sixteen student-athletes were named to the Horizon League Academic all-league team.

Senior golfer Bonnie Sherman junior baseball player Josh Page were selected for the third time. Sherman carries a 3.85 grade-point average in accounting while Page boasts a 3.88 GPA in middle childhood education.

Bethany Anderson and Drew Weizer, Gina Peretti and Ryan Sellman were named for the second time.

Other selections were McKenzie Bedra, Felicia Ciotola, Brittany Jones, Dan Nemmergut, Mike Perri, John Sheppard, Jacquline Clonch, Lindsay Cobey, Darcelle Formby and Madelyn McGhee.

Bedra, Koehnlein
finish among leaders

YOUNGSTOWN — Junior softball player McKenzie Bedra and sophomore baseball player John Koehnlein finished 2007 ranked as two of the top hitters in the nation.

Bedra, a third baseman and designated player from Bowling Green, ranked among the top 100 hitters in six categories, including second in doubles per game (0.42). Koehnlein, a third baseman and outfielder from Steubenville, finished in the top five in two categories, including fourth in batting average (.434).

Other baseball players in the rankings were junior Sean Lucas, 44th-toughest player to strike out, redshirt freshman Tom Clayton, 53rd in doubles per game, and senior Andy Svitak, 58th in saves.

The softball team ranked 71st in doubles per game.

Sam Mann awarded
$7,500 for law school

WASHINGTON, Pa. — Sam Mann, an All-American pitcher for the Washington & Jefferson College baseball team from Howland High and a 2007 graduate, has been awarded a $7,500 postgraduate scholarship by the NCAA.

Mann, a political science and history double major who holds nearly every W&J pitching record, plans to attend law school at the College of William & Mary.

He recently signed a professional baseball contract with the Kalamazoo (Mich.) Kings of the Independent Frontier League.

Mann compiled a 26-14 career record with a 2.21 ERA in 293 2/3 innings, and was named Presidents’ Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

He also was a second-team academic All-American.

Red Bulls at Campbell

CAMPBELL — The Ohio Red Bulls semi-pro football team plays its home opener against the Ohio Invaders on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Campbell Memorial’s stadium.

The Red Bulls (2-0) own road victories over the Beaver County Warriors and North Coast Vikings.

Thunder returns

NEW CASTLE — The New Castle Thunder returns to N. Kerr Thompson Stadium Saturday to square off against the Beaver County Warriors in a North American Football League game at 7 p.m.

Rocky Bleier, the former Pittsburgh Steelers’ player, will be a guest speaker at the game.

Meanwhile, the Mahoning Valley Tigers will meet the Youngstown Hardhats at South Field Saturday at 5 p.m. in an inter-league game. The Hardhats are members of the Mid-Ohio Football League.

McDonald board hires
several coaches

McDONALD — The board of education has hired the following coaches for the upcoming school year: Ron Mamrick and Kevin O’Connell, assistant golf coach volunteers; Patricia Vilk-Worrell, tennis coach; Mike Lepor, head bowling coach and Jeff Dombroski, assistant golf coach, volunteer.

Weathersfield moves

MINERAL RIDGE — The Weathersfield board of education has hired the following athletic personnel for 2007-2008: Randy Cameron, Athletic Director, Darren Garris, Assistant Athletic Director, varsity boys track coach, Ron Toth, Jennifer Stith, Varsity/JV Cheerleading advisor, Deanna Rhodes and Andrea Virostick, both junior high cheerleading advisors.

Correction

NILES — Scrappers catcher Alex Castillo is 21 years old. His age was incorrectly reported as 29 in Wednesday’s paper.

Staff reports