SPORTS DIGEST

LOCAL

Chaney-East game moved to Oct. 31

YOUNGSTOWN — Due to a scheduling conflict, the Chaney vs. East high school football game has been moved to Oct. 31 at 1 p.m. at Canfield High School’s Cardinal Stadium.

The game was originally scheduled for Oct. 29 at Youngstown State University’s Stambaugh Stadium.

REGION

Bethany wide receiver earns D3 honor

BETHANY, W.Va. — Senior Matt Cruse has been chosen as one of three wide receivers for this week’s D3Football.com National Team of the Week following his performance in Bethany’s win over Thiel.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound wideout snared 12 passes for 186 yards and one touchdown in a 42-21 Homecoming win by the Bison. His score was a 34-yard TD grab in the back of the end zone that swelled BC’s lead to 14-0 late in thefirst quarter. The 12 grabs, eight of which went for first downs, is also tied for the second-most in one game by a Bison receiver in school history.

It was record-setting day for Cruse as well, as the 186 receiving yards gives him 2,276 for his career. That was good enough to vault past

T.J. Parker’s Bethany record of 2,141 yards for first place on the school’s all-time list.

NATION

Pizza Bowl working on Big 10 tie-in

DETROIT — The chief executive of the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl says he still hopes for the game to have a tie-in with the Big Ten.

George Perles said Wednesday he expects to know by next week if the former Motor City Bowl will reach an agreement with a Big Ten or Big East team to play a Mid-American Conference school.

Big Ten spokesman Scott Chipman said the conference is still in talks with bowl officials in Detroit.

The bowl changed its name after Detroit-based Little Caesars stepped in as sponsor. The game is played at Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions.

Former USOC boss opens marketing firm

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Jim Scherr doesn’t want his job back with the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The USOC’s former chief executive officer launched a full-service marketing and events firm Wednesday, with former USOC employees Steve Brunner, Jim Grice and Darryl Seibel as business partners and start-up clients that include Olympic national governing bodies, bull-riding organizations and road cycling tours.

A former Olympic wrestler, Scherr was considered an outside contender to replace acting CEO Stephanie Streeter, who will resign in March. Streeter succeeded Scherr, whose six-year tenure with the USOC ended seven months ago, with Streeter rising from the USOC board to claim the organization’s highest-paid post.

UCLA legend Wooden celebrates 99th

LOS ANGELES — John Wooden celebrated his 99th birthday Wednesday.

The former UCLA coach and Hall of Famer is confined to a wheelchair after a series of minor health setbacks in recent years.

One of Wooden’s last public appearances came in July when he gathered with current Bruins coach Ben Howland and several of his former players at a luncheon celebrating Wooden’s recognition by a national magazine as the greatest coach in American sports history.

Wooden, whose wife Nell died in 1985, is looked after by his daughter, son, several grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

WORLD

Beckham focuses on World Cup roster

WEMBLEY, England — With another loan move to AC Milan 95 percent done, Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham can focus on earning a place on England’s World Cup roster.

The 34-year-old midfielder demonstrated his enduring worth to his country Wednesday night, lifting the team’s tempo and rousing the home crowd during a 30-minute appearance against Belarus.

His first touch set up the second goal as England completed qualifying with a 3-0 victory.

It was Beckham’s 115th international appearance, 10 shy of the English record held by retired goalkeeper Peter Shilton.

Whether Beckham goes to a fourth World Cup, where he could break that record next June, is dependent on securing a move to a top European club.

Staff/wire reports