AREA SPORTS IN BRIEF

YSU

Krupko, Mellott MVFC award recipients

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Youngstown State football players Tom Krupko and Brian Mellott are among a group of 13 student-athletes to earn the league’s highest academic achievement by capturing the Missouri Valley Football Conference President’s Council Academic Excellence Award, the conference announced on Thursday.

Overall, 400 were selected to the 2008 Missouri Valley Football Conference Honor Roll, of those, YSU placed 28 on the list.

local

Buy a Brick theme behind Poland drive

POLAND — The Poland Touchdown Club is sponsoring the “Buy a Brick” fundraiser for the entrance way at the new Poland Seminary High School Stadium. The brick orders that are submitted by June 1 will be engraved and installed before the 2009 season opener scheduled for Sept. 11.

Orders received after that date will be installed on a periodic basis.

Bricks can contain up to three lines, 20 characters per line, in a 4-by-8-inch space. The cost of each brick is $75. For more information, call John Dangelo (330) 770-8540, John Medina (330) 618-1379 or Joanne Wollet (330) 550-2885.

Mixed doubles bowling to start

BOARDMAN — Entries are now available for the 46th annual Youngstown Mixed Doubles Tournament, which will be at Boardman Lanes.

The tournament begins today and runs through May 24.

Entry fee per couple is $24.

For more information, call Donna (330) 530-2727 or Tony (330) 518-5857.

AREA

Salute to military at Sharon Speedway

HARTFORD — Sharon Speedway is promoting “So Much Fun So Close To Home” by presenting Armed Forces Night on Saturday.

A full card of racing action featuring the Big Block Modifieds, Limited Sprints, Pro-Stocks and E-Mods will begin at 6 p.m.

Active and retired members of the Armed Forces will receive free grandstand admission by presenting their military ID or a membership card from an organization such the VFW or American Legion.

Fan Appreciation Night at Tri-City Speedway

FRANKLIN, Pa. — H&H Motorsports and Schaeffer’s Specialized Lubricants present a night of Five-Star racing on Sunday, at the Tri-City Speedway.

Visit www.tricityspeedway.com, or contact the track at (814) 676-0477.

nation

Golf capsules

•CLIFTON, N.J. — Helen Alfredsson jump-started a career-best, 10-under 62 by holing out for eagle from 68 yards on her second hole, and took a two-stroke lead over Brittany Lincicome on Thursday after the first round of the Sybase Classic.

Three-time defending champion Lorena Ochoa opened with a 71.

Michelle Wie shot a 70.

•SAN ANTONIO — Three-time champion Justin Leonard and Paul Goydos shot 7-under 63s to share the first-round lead in the Texas Open.

The 44-year-old Goydos, who publicly opened up this month about the death of his ex-wife in January and raising his two teenage daughters, had the lead for most of the day until Leonard birdied three of his last four holes in the afternoon.

•BALTRAY, Ireland — Italy’s Francesco Molinari shot a 9-under 63 to take a one-stroke leader over Sweden’s Johan Edfors in the Irish Open.

Paul Lawrie, Oliver Wilson, Nick Dougherty, Robert Rock, Shiv Kapur, Jamie Donaldson and Roop Kakko shot 66s. John Daly, coming off a second-place tie in the Italian Open, had a 68 in cold and rainy conditions at County Louth.

SuperLiga field announced by MLS

NEW YORK — San Luis, Santos Laguna, Tigres and Atlas will play in this year’s SuperLiga along with Chicago, Chivas USA, Kansas City and New England.

The third edition of the eight-team tournament will start June 20 and end Aug. 5, Major League Soccer said Thursday.