Matthews aids Spartans

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Matthews aids Spartans

ALLIANCE — Caleb Matthews of Boardman had a 6-feet, 4-inch high jump to place first at the Mt. Union College indoor track field meet.

Matthews was also second in the long jump ( 21-4 1/2).

Also from Boardman, Corey Linsley won the shot put (52-9 1/2).

Among girls, Tricia Haff was second in the 1600 (5:36) and Corey Carter was second in the high jump (5-2).

Phantoms take title

BOARDMAN — The Phantom Fireworks Bantam A team won the PAHL league playoff championship.

Zach Jones had five points and Corey Barnhouse added four points as the Phantoms won twice at the Ice Connection.

The Phantoms beat Cambria 3-0 in the semifinal then they defeated North Pittsburgh 273, 4-1.

The Bantam A Phantoms are 18-4.

Whipple honored

CANTON — Chivas Whipple, a 6-0 senior guard for the Point Park University basketball team from Youngstown and Calvary Christian High, has been named to the All-American Mideast Conference North Division basketball team.

Whipple led Point Park (16-11, 6-4 AMC North) of Pittsburgh in scoring (18.2-point average) and steals (57 total) and was second in rebounding (6.7) and assists (72).

He scored a team-best 491 points, making 173 of 356 (48.6 percent) from the field, including 16-for-48 (33.3) from 3-point range; and 129-for-149 (86.6) from the foul line.

Carr, Hannon picked

WEXFORD, PA. — Shawn Carr of Grove City College, and a graduate of Mohawk High, was selected to the all-Presidents’ Athletic Conf. men’s basketball team.

Craig Hannon (New Castle Union) of Westminster made second team all PAC.

Freshman Tommy Hall (Campbell Memorial), a student at Thiel, was named honorable mention.

nation

Committee rescinds 2 penalties for chiefs

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A NASCAR appeals committee reduced the penalties Tuesday for two Nationwide Series crew chiefs punished for violations found before the season-opening race.

Newt Moore, crew chief for Johnny Sauter at Phoenix Racing, had his suspension reduced from six weeks to two weeks by the three-member National Stock Car Racing Commission. Charlie Wilson, crew chief for Cale Gale at Kevin Harvick Inc., had his $15,000 fine reduced to $5,000 by a separate three-member panel.

Both crew chiefs were penalized because their cars had a loose cover on the oil tank before qualifying for the Feb. 15 season-opener at Daytona.

Moore only became crew chief for the No. 1 three days before the race, agreeing to fill in at the last moment.

“The commission also decided that there were very unusual circumstances regarding the crew chief in this case,” the decision read. The appeal was heard by chairman George Silbermann, Jack Housby and Cathy Rice.

Penalties to owner James Finch and Sauter were not overturned.

KHI only appealed the penalty against Wilson. Although his fine was reduced, his six-race suspension was upheld.

Dial, former Steeler receiver, dies at 71

HOUSTON — Buddy Dial, a star receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers who also played for the Dallas Cowboys, has died. He was 71. Dial died Friday in a Houston hospital. He had been hospitalized recently for treatment of cancer and pneumonia.

Dial played in the NFL for eight years — with the Steelers from 1959-63 and the Cowboys from 1964-66. He still holds the second-highest per catch average in NFL history at 20.8 yards. In 1963, he caught 60 passes for 1,295 yards and nine touchdowns.

“Because Buddy did not play on any championship teams during his NFL career, he may not have received all of the publicity that our more modern-day players receive, but he was as good,” Steelers chairman Dan Rooney said.

5 Iditarod winners chase leader

TALKEETNA, Alaska — Five former champions were chasing Norway’s Kjetil Backen through wet falling snow Tuesday in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Backen was the first musher to reach the checkpoint at Nikolai, checking in at 10:39 a.m. with 15 dogs.

Backen, of Porsbrunn, Norway, coasted into the checkpoint, 347 miles into the 1,100-mile race. Told he was in the lead, he said, “I can see that.”

Backen told onlookers the going was rough on the frozen Kuskokwim River.

Foudy to consult for NY-NJ soccer team

NEWARK, N.J. — Former U.S. women’s soccer star Julie Foudy is going to serve as a consultant of the New York-New Jersey franchise when the Women’s Professional Soccer league debuts in 2009.

Foudy laughed when asked if her husband, Ian Sawyers, who will be the coach and general manager, might be able to lure her out of retirement and play in the seven-team league.

Vindicator staff/wire reports