SPORTS DIGEST || Mooney tickets sold today and Friday

Mooney tickets sold today and Friday

YOUNGSTOWN

Cardinal Mooney will sell tickets to Friday night’s state semifinal game against Steubenville from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today and Friday at the Cardinals Nest in the high school. Tickets are $8 when purchased in advance and $10 at the gate at Fawcett Stadium in Canton. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday’s results will appear Friday

Area prep sports results reported to The Vindicator sports department tonight will not appear in Thursday’s edition due to an early deadline. Game accounts and summaries will appear in Friday’s paper and coaches and statisticians are urged to report their scores.

Email information to sports@vindy.com, fax it to 330-747-6712 or call 330-747-1478.

Varejao believes James could return to Cavs

INDEPENDENCE

Speculation over LeBron James’ future continues to build both inside and outside the NBA. Anderson Varejao fueled the discussion Tuesday when he said he believed James could play for the Cavaliers again someday. “It could happen,” said Varejao, the last remaining link to the James-led Cavs teams. “Bron is from Akron. Akron is not too far from here. Eventually in his career, he probably wants to play at home.”

Then unprovoked, the normally quiet Varejao said he didn’t like the way James left the Cavs via the one-hour television special three years ago. “I think the way he left was wrong,” Varejao said. “But regardless ... he helped me a lot, helped my game and helped me as a person. I have nothing against him. It could happen.”

The Cavaliers are off to a miserable 4-10 start as they prepare to host James and the Miami Heat today.

Penguins lose Bennett, Glass to hand injuries

PITTSBURGH

The injured list keeps growing for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Forward Beau Bennett will miss 8-to-10 weeks after undergoing wrist surgery on Monday. Bennett was hurt during Friday’s victory over the New York Islanders. This is Bennett’s second trip to the injured list this season. He previously missed 11 games because of a lower body injury.

The Penguins will also be without forward Tanner Glass for 3-to-4 weeks after Glass broke his hand in a loss to Montreal on Saturday. Defenseman Paul Martin will sit out today’s game against Toronto due to a lower-body injury.

Start time changes for girls basketball game

YOUNGSTOWN

The start time for the girls basketball game Saturday between Youngstown Christian and Cardinal Mooney on the Cardinals’ floor has been changed. The JV game will start at 10 a.m. with the varsity game slated to begin about 11:30.

Revs’ Goncalves tabbed MLS Defender of Year

NEW YORK

New England’s Jose Goncalves has been voted Major League Soccer’s Defender of the Year. The 28-year-old Portuguese central defender played every minute of the Revolution’s 34 league games and scored a pair of goals, both decisive. He was loaned to New England from Switzerland’s Sion in January, and the Revolution last week exercised their right to purchase his contract.

Goncalves received 102 percent of weighed ballots added from team, media and player votes, the league said Tuesday. Kansas City’s Matt Besler was second with 55 percent after winning the award last year. Omar Gonzalez of the Los Angeles Galaxy was third with 41 percent.

Wizards’ Beal out two weeks with leg injury

WASHINGTON

Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal has another stress injury in his right leg and will be sidelined for at least two weeks. The team said Tuesday that Beal underwent an MRI after feeling soreness and had the injury diagnosed. In the spring, a stress injury in a different part of his right leg caused the 6-foot-5, 203-pound Beal to miss the final eight games of his rookie season.

Staff reports/Associated Press