Sports digest

Area

Free Fishing Days set this weekend

COLUMBUS — Ohioans are encouraged to take advantage of “Free Fishing Days” on Saturday and Sunday.

For these two days only, Ohio anglers may fish in any of the state’s public waters without having to buy a fishing license, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.

During the rest of the year, anglers 16 and older are required to have a valid fishing license. An Ohio fishing license is $19 a year for residents.

Fishing licenses are available at bait and tackle stores as well as on the Internet at wildohio.com.

Six Ursuline students commit to colleges

YOUNGSTOWN — Six members of Ursuline High’s state championship football team have committed to attend colleges.

Matt Krause, Alex Menton and Lavance Turnage will go to Waynesburg University, while Josh Bermann and Jimmy Mszanski will enroll at Grove City College and Dwight Wright is set for Heidelberg College.

Menton, a linebacker, was Ursuline’s leading tackler and a first-team All-Ohio selection.

Turnage played both wide receiver and defensive back and came up with the interception and touchdown return that clinched Ursuline’s win in the state championship game.

nation

Indy 500 qualifying

INDIANAPOLIS — Former Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Lazier and Milka Duno have been added to the entry list for the May 24 race.

Lazier, who won in 1996, joins Helio Castroneves, Dan Wheldon, Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon as former winners who have entered. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway said Monday he will drive the No. 91 Hemelgarn Johnson entry in an attempt to make his 17th career Indianapolis 500 start.

Milka Duno, who finished 19th last year, will try to qualify for the third time. She will join the Dreyer & Reinbold team, which now has three drivers and three cars for the month of May.

Armstrong sits out

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Lance Armstrong is going to miss this week’s Tour of the Gila cycling race in New Mexico. Organizers blame what they say is a rarely enforced International Cycling Federation rule.

Race director Jack Brennan says the UCI plans to enforce a rule that prohibits top-level professional teams from competing in national-level events such as the 23rd Tour of the Gila.

The decision means Armstrong, who had planned to enter, won’t participate. The race runs Wednesday through Sunday in Silver City.

It would have been Armstrong’s first competition since he broke his collarbone last month.

Shortened schedule

DEL MAR, Calif. — Officials say horse racing at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club has been cut to five days a week due to economic reasons.

Club officials said Monday racing will now be staged Wednesdays through Sundays at the seaside track north of San Diego.

The racing season there starts July 22 and closes Sept. 9. The only Monday races will be held on Labor Day, Sept. 7.

The track previously had six racing days a week.

world

US tops Austria, 6-1

BERN, Switzerland — The United States broke open a close game with four goals in the third period, beating Austria 6-1 on Monday to reach the second round of the ice hockey world championship.

Dustin Brown had a goal and two assists, and Patrick O’Sullivan and Jason Blake each added a goal and an assist for the Americans. Drew Stafford, Lee Stempniak and defenseman Matt Niskanen also scored goals.

Soccer safety

ZURICH, Switzerland — FIFA has announced that World Cup match referees have the authority to delay kickoffs for safety reasons after 19 fans were killed in a stampede at a stadium in the Ivory Coast.

Soccer’s world governing body also asked each of the 52 national federations in Africa to send security specialists to a meeting in Cairo next month.

Vindicator staff/wire reports