SPORTS DIGEST || Area prep golfers earn all-district honors

Area prep golfers earn all-district honors

Thirteen area scholastic golfers were named first team all-district in recent voting by members of the Northeast Ohio Golf Coaches Association.

Boys first-teamers included seniors Dominic Carano of Canfield and Jason McQuown of Poland in Division I; Girard teammates and brothers Evan Standohar, a senior, and Mark Standohar, a sophomore, in Division II; and Warren JFK teammates, Billy Phillips, a senior, and Ryan Fowler, a junior.

On the girls side, Canfield junior Christina Cooper and Boardman freshman Jacinta Pikunas were all-district first teamers in Division I. In Division II, Poland senior Melinda Hannon, Cardinal Mooney junior Caitlin Butler, Columbiana sophomore Alexa Tringhese and Lakeview teammates Ryan Rosenberger, a junior, and Kaylee Neumeister, a sophomore, were chosen.

RubberDucks is new name of Akron team

CLEVELAND

Splish, splash, Akron’s minor league team is ready for a bath. No longer known as the Aeros, they’re now the RubberDucks.

The Double-A affiliate for the Cleveland Indians announced the new nickname on Tuesday. Team owner Ken Babby said the RubberDucks nickname and logo are designed to “honor the history of Akron and the rubber industry while creating a new identity that was fun, exciting, and family-friendly.”

The team’s primary logo consists of a snarling, tire-treaded duck’s head accentuated by flames. The team’s new official color combination of “blue flame, racing yellow, fire orange and tire black pays” tribute to Akron’s heritage as the “Rubber City.”

Akron’s team had been known as the Aeros for the past 17 seasons, adopting the nickname when the club moved into Canal Park in 1997.

Gold Gloves: Molina wins 6th straight

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina won his sixth straight Gold Glove award Tuesday, making him one of four players in the World Series rewarded for superior defense this season. Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia and right fielder Shane Victorino also were honored, along with Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright.

The Orioles and Royals had three winners apiece, tied for the most of any team.

See list elsewhere on this page.

Judge to decide later on Paterno family lawsuit

BELLEFONTE, Pa.

A Pennsylvania judge said Tuesday he would decide later whether to allow a lawsuit against the NCAA filed by the family of longtime Penn State football coach Joe Paterno and others to go forward. After hearing more than three hours of arguments, Judge John B. Leete said he planned to issue a written opinion but did not say when.

A lawyer for college sports’ governing body urged him to throw out the complaint. The lawsuit and the court are “a poor forum for the venting of frustration, and the NCAA should not be made the scapegoat for the errors and omissions of university officials,” NCAA lawyer Everett Johnson said.

Leete is considering a host of issues, including whether Penn State itself is an indispensable party to the lawsuit, which challenges the NCAA penalties imposed on Penn State as a result of the Jerry Sandusky child-molestation scandal.

White Sox finalize deal with Cuban slugger

CHICAGO

Cuban slugger Jose Abreu couldn’t pass up the chance to play alongside his countrymen on the Chicago White Sox. Abreu, 26, officially finalized a six-year, $68-million deal with the White Sox on Tuesday, about a week-and-a-half after the sides reached an agreement on the largest contract in franchise history. He is the organization’s 17th Cuban player and the third currently on the roster, joining Alexei Ramirez and Dayan Viciedo.

Abreu’s agent Barry Praver said as many as eight teams were seriously involved before the list was narrowed to five finalists. All five final offers were at least $60 million.

Staff reports/Associated Press