Sports briefs

Spartans prevail over Panthers at districts

The Boardman High School baseball team topped Warren Harding 12-9 in district play at Cene Park May 11.

The Spartans took an early seven-run lead in the second inning and secured the win with three runs in the sixth, after the Panthers closed the gap 9-8 in the fifth inning.

Phil DiIanni went 2-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and a run scored, while Carmen Tarantino was 3-for-4 with a double and RBI. Starting pitcher Troy Parks got the win after scattering nine hits in five innings. Jake Stauffer pitched the sixth and seventh innings for the save.

Scrappers, NYPL offer scholarships

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers and the New York-Penn League have announced that the league’s philanthropic arm, the New-York Penn League Charitable Foundation, will sponsor a scholarship program.

The program will offer three $2,500 prizes. The program is open to any graduating senior from a public or private high school.

For details, call 330-505-0000. The deadline to submit applications is June 30.

All-Academic team named

The Federal League Athletic Association announced members of the 2010-11 All-Academic Team May 12.

Members of the team from Boardman High School includ, Zachariah Brewer (cross country), Mark Calautti (baseball/golf), Jenna Corroto (volleyball), Emily Gabriele (cross countyr/track), Jessica Gonda (swimming/diving), Philip Hall(baseball), Katelyn Heney (cross country/track), Michael Henson (swimming/diving), Michele Kordupel (tennis), Mark Leone (baseball), Jennifer Moore (tennis), Danielle Petrus (softball/soccer), Jenna Powell (volleyball), Matthew Smaldino (soccer), Alexander Terlecky (cross country), Nichole Vlad (soccer/track) and Amanda Volosin (basketball/volleyball).

To qualify for the All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must be a senior letterwinner in one of the sanctioned Federal League sponsored sports and carry a 3.8 or better grade point average through the first seven semesters of their high school career.

High school football proposal fails

A hotly debated initiative that would have changed the landscape of Ohio high school athletics was narrowly defeated Tuesday.

The so-called “competitive balance” between public and nonpublic schools was set to a vote of school principals in the state. The measure failed, 332-303, a vote close enough that it is likely the issue will not go away.

The referendum would have taken every high school’s student enrollment in grades 9-11, then used factors such as how students are secured (i.e., open enrollment), the number of students on the free-lunch program, and the school’s tradition in team sports as multipliers.

Fait qualifies for golf regionals

Jake Fait of Boardman won the 16-18 division at the Optimist International Junior Golf Championship at Deer Creek Golf Course in Hubbard May 14 after shooting a 74. The win qualified him for the regional tournament in June.