LOCAL

LOCAL

USA Today honors Ursuline DL Turner

YOUNGSTOWN — The awards keep rolling in for Ursuline junior Jamel Turner.

The standout defensive lineman was named to USA Today’s All-America first team on Wednesday after helping the Irish win the Division V state title.

Turner, who committed to Ohio State earlier this month, was a first team All-Ohio selection and was named The Vindicator’s defensive player of the year.

Turner had 18 sacks this season and had 10 tackles in the 21-0 win over Liberty-Union in the state championship game. Turner is the only Ohioan on the first team and one of just two juniors on the first team defense.

Cleveland Glenville offensive lineman Marcus Hall made the second team.

DeRosa home for holiday

NORTH CANTON, Ohio — Referee Joe DeRosa is home for Christmas, but he’ll soon be back on the road — and inside an NBA arena.

On Christmas Eve, the Ohio native and North Canton resident checked out of a Detroit hotel after working a Pistons-Bulls game and was told it was the 173rd night he’d spent in a Marriott Hotel this year.

DeRosa, now in his 20th season as a referee, is known as one of the league’s best officials. He’s worked the NBA Finals for six straight years and is set to call his 1,200th game in 2009.

DeRosa grew up outside Youngstown in Lowellville and was a three-year starter on the John Carroll University football team as a free safety.

He now lives less than an hour’s drive from where the Cavaliers play, but he says he’s lucky to do more than five games a season near home.

NATION

Miami snapper suspended from bowl

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miami punt snapper Chris Ivory will not play in Saturday’s Emerald Bowl because he violated an unspecified team rule. He is the fifth Hurricane suspended for the final game of the season.

Ivory did not accompany the Hurricanes to San Francisco, where Miami (7-5) will face California (8-4) on Saturday.

He also was suspended for the season-opener against Charleston Southern for another rules violation, but won Miami’s Albert Bentley Award as the team’s most valuable walk-on player.

Jake Byrne, who handles snaps on field goals, will take over Ivory’s punt-team duties. Byrne will also be the backup quarterback behind Jacory Harris, who will start after Robert Marve was suspended for missing classes.

Tight ends Richard Gordon and Tervaris Johnson, along with linebacker Jordan Futch, were also suspended last week for the bowl game because of team rule violations.

Favre remains undecided

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Brett Favre’s rocket right arm might be running out of steam.

The 39-year-old quarterback insisted he hasn’t decided whether he’ll return to the New York Jets next season, but said the health of his shoulder could be a factor.

Favre has struggled for several weeks, with one touchdown and six interceptions in New York’s last four games. His arm strength doesn’t appear to be what it was earlier this season, and that has led to speculation his right shoulder may be ailing.

Armstrong will be father again

AUSTIN, Texas — Lance Armstrong may be busy baby-sitting between two major races next year. Armstrong, who won the Tour de France seven consecutive years after overcoming testicular cancer, and his girlfriend, Anna Hansen, are expecting a baby in June.

He is scheduled to compete in the Giro d’Italia, which runs from May 9-31 and the Tour de France, which begins July 4.

Stoops could get big bonus

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops stands to receive a $250,000 bonus if the second-ranked Sooners beat Florida in the BCS championship game.

Stoops’ contract calls for him to get $150,000 for leading the Sooners to the BCS title game, and an additional $100,000 for a win. Oklahoma (12-1) will face top-ranked Florida (12-1) in Miami on Jan. 8.

Stoops has already earned an $80,000 bonus for winning the Big 12 title and another $30,000 for being selected the conference’s coach of the year. He shared that honor with Texas Tech’s Mike Leach. Stoops’ contract also calls for a $75,000 bonus if the Sooners finish in the top 10 in the BCS.

Vindicator staff/wire