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Sports digest
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FIRST-TEAM HONOREE: Defensive lineman Mychal Savage was first team all-Gateway Conference during the 2007 season.
YSU
Savage again earns an honor
YOUNGSTOWN — For the third time, Youngstown State defensive tackle Mychal Savage has been tabbed a preseason first-team All-American by The Sports Network.
Savage was also named to the Sports Network’s preseason first team in 2007 and 2008. In 2007, he was named to the third team following the season. Last year, he suffered a season-ending injury in the opener at Ohio State.
In his career, he has been credited with 124 total tackles, making 32 starts in 36 games played. He has eight career sacks.
Savage was a first-team all-conference selection following his sophomore and junior years and was named the league’s all-newcomer team as a freshman in 2006.
YSU has been picked 18th in Phil Steele’s FCS Top 40. The magazine previews all FCS schools. In the league prediction, the Penguins tied for third with North Dakota State and South Dakota State. They trail Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois.
Rathburn wins in long jump
MINERAL RIDGE — Bella Rathburn, 8, won the 9-10 year-old Bantam Division of the Long Jump at the 2009 USATF Region 5 Track and Field Championships in Charleston, W. Va.
Rathburn’s gold medal leap measured nine feet 7-3/4 inches (2.85 Meters). She also placed 10th in 100-meter dash with a time of 17.63. Rathburn competes for the Austintown Community Track Club.
Boardman’s Koch ties for 14th
SEVILLE — Brad Koch of Boardman shot an 85 to tie for 14th for boys ages 16-19 in Monday’s Northern Ohio PGA Junior Golf event at Rawiga Golf and Country Club.
For boys ages 13-15, Brandon Pkuchinsky of North Lima tied for seventh while Dominic Carano tied for 11th and Sean McMahon of Poland tied for 19th.
For girls 16-19, Canfield’s Christine Brown finished fifth and Jessica Kinick was eighth.
Ex-SteelHound executive promoted
TEMPE, Ariz. — The Central Hockey League has promoted Bob Hoffman to the league’s Director of Operations. Hoffman will jump into his new role immediately in preparation for the CHL’s 18th season beginning this fall.
Hoffman is entering his third year with the CHL serving as the league’s Director of Communications previously. His increased duties will include overseeing the day-to-day team operations of the league’s 15 clubs as well as maintaining his current role as the league’s top communications executive.
The Cuyahoga Falls native started working with the league office in August 2007 after working as the Assistant General Manager with the Youngstown SteelHounds. Springfield Seniors win
ALLIANCE — The Springfield Seniors baseball team withstood a last-inning uprising by the Alliance Oldtimers for Sunday’s 5-3 victory.
Bob Johnson and Pat Pruent singled in two runs while John Donofrio and Howard Merritt had two hits each for Springfield.
Pat Buhrle doubled for Alliance.
Merritt tossed six shutout innings before Alliance scored three in the seventh.
Sports Medicine Clinic is July 25
SALEM — The Salem Community Center will be holding a Sports Medicine Clinic for coaches on July 25 from 8 a.m. to noon.
Registration fee for the clinic is $35. Volunteer coaches may register for $15. For more information, visit the website www.salemcommunitycenter.com or call (330) 332-5885.
Vallinger honored
ALLIANCE — Mount Union sophomore diver Mary Vallinger from Poland has been named a Scholar All-American from the College Swim Coaches Association of America.
Vallinger is a psychology major with a 3.61 grade point average and finished 12th in 3 meter diving and 13th in 1 meter diving at the NCAA Championship meet this season, after winning the OAC Championship and OAC Diver of the year for the second straight year.
Mount Union’s men’s and women’s swimming teams each earned the All-Academic Team Award.
REGION
Pens, Blue Jackets to play in September
COLUMBUS — The Columbus Blue Jackets will test themselves early against the NHL’s best.
The club announced Monday that the Blue Jackets play the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins twice during the preseason. The Blue Jackets are coming off their first trip to the playoffs last season. They will host the Penguins on Sept. 24, then play them at Mellon Arena the next night.
Columbus opens its exhibition season Sept. 18 at Minnesota. In addition to the game against the Penguins, home games include Minnesota on Sept. 21, Boston on Sept. 22 and Nashville on Sept. 28. The Blue Jackets also play at Nashville on Sept. 19 and at Boston on Sept. 26.
The regular-season schedule will be announced on Wednesday.
Staff/wire reports