LOCAL

LOCAL

SteelHounds sign
defenseman Burnett

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown SteelHounds have signed defenseman Gord Burnett for the 2007-08 season.

Burnett, 26, comes to Youngstown after spending his rookie season with the ECHL Utah Grizzlies where he compiled nine assists, 189 penalty minutes and a +5 in 50 games. The native or Regina, Saskatchewan will team with Joel Irving who was signed by the Hounds on August 17th.

The 6-1, 200-pound defenseman played four years at Div. III College of St. Scholastica (Minnesota) where in 104 games he accumulated 12 goals, 24 assists and 277 penalty minutes.

Steelshounds’ coach Kevin Kaminski said “Gord is a solid stay at home defenseman and is a great penalty killer.

Vallos back with the
Seattle Seahawks

SEATTLE — The Seattle Seahawks filled out their practice squad Sunday, utilizing the full compliment of eight that will be available to practice with the 53-man roster.

There were no surprises among the eight, considering the only two 2007 draft choices that did not make the 53-man roster - Jordan Kent and Steve Vallos – were brought back. Vallos is a graduate of Boardman High School.

Vallos, a 6-3, 312-pound guard from Wake Forest, was their seventh round pick.

Romeo named PAC
special teams POTW

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. — The Presidents' Athletic Conference named Westminster College football player Fred Romeo (Poland High) as its Special Teams Player of the Week.

Romeo, a sophomore kicker, made two out of three field goals in Westminster's 13-6 non-conference win at Allegheny on Saturday, His career-long 30-yard field goal gave the Titans a 10-0 lead in the second quarter, while his 21-yarder gave the Titans a 13-6 lead in the fourth quarter.

Simpson honored

TIFFIN — Senior Dan Simpson (Leetonia) of the Heidelberg College has been named the Ohio Athletic Conference Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week.

Simpson helped lead the Berg to a first place finish at the Dragon-Berg Invite over the weekend at the Clinton Heights Golf Course in Tiffin, Ohio. He took second place out of 49 runners, covering the 8K course in 26:11.

Fundraiser planned

BOARDMAN — A bowling fundraiser for the Hospice House Butterfly Garden will take place Sept. 9 at Camelot Lanes from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The proceeds will benefit the Butterfly Garden, a project of an Eagle scout candidate from Boy Scout Troop #119 out of New Springfield. Tickets are available at Hospice House and at Hospice of the Valley's Boardman office.

Martial arts awards

OCEAN CITY, N.J. — Five students from the Martial Arts Training Center in Struthers —Marc Cooper, Christopher Svenson, Connor Agnone, Alex Marapese and Ed Marapese — all placed in a Martial Arts Tournament held at the Music Hall on the pier Aug. 25.

Cooper, competing in the 11-12-year-old age group, placed first in sparring, second in breaking and third in forms. In 13-14, Svenson placed first in sparring, second in forms and third in breaking; while Agnone was first in breaking, second in sparring and third in forms; and Alex Marapese placed third in forms, and fourth in breaking.

Ed Marapese was third in form in 17-and-over. All five students were competing in their first tournament.

Niles football tickets

NILES — Niles High School is now selling tickets for Friday’s home football game against Lakeview.

Today they are available from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. and Thursday they will be sold 8-6. On Friday they will be sold 8-4.

YMCA volleyball

YOUNGSTOWN — The downtown YMCA coed volleyball league has registration and pick up games on Friday evening. The league games begins Sept. 14. For details call (330) 744-8411.

NATION

Shock must slow
Mercury’s run game

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — The Detroit Shock is already on the offensive, and Game 1 of the WNBA Finals against the Phoenix Mercury hasn’t even tipped off.

Already, the talk of the Finals is how the Shock, the defending league champion, will need to counter the run-and-gun style of the Mercury, a young but explosive team.

The Shock insists it has the athletes capable of keeping up with Phoenix. But that’s not the Shock’s style.

Vindicator staff⁄wire reports