Phantoms struggle in season opener

September 21, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich.

The Youngstown Phantoms’ inexperience showed Friday in their 2013-14 season opener.

The U.S. National Team Development Program under-18 squad pounced on every mistake the Phantoms made, striking with four goals in the second on the way to capturing a 9-3 win at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

Alex Smith, JJ Piccinich and Ryan Schwalbe found the back of the net for the Phantoms, who fell to 0-2-0 vs. USA in season openers.

Jake Moore got the start in net for Youngstown with Sean Romeo sidelined due to an injury, but struggled in the face of an offensive onslaught from Team USA.

Brandenstein leads Heartland Christian

Sophomore Daniel Brandenstein scored three goals and added an assist as the Heartland Christian boys soccer team beat Mathews 8-2.

Also scoring for the Lions were seniors Caleb House and Matt Leach with two goals apiece and sophomore Josh Long with another.

Senior Emma Donkin had three assists.

Alex Wilson and Ken Wallace scored for Mathews.

Soccer stalemate

boardman

Salem and Boardman fought to a 1-1 draw in a boys soccer match.

At the 31:50 mark in the second half, Boardman’s Andrew Gable scored from Alex Thomas off a free kick.

Then, at the 30:13, Max Righetti of Salem knotted it on a penalty kick.

Rodomsky ignites JFK

Nicole Rodomsky produced two goals and an assist as the Warren JFK girls soccer team blanked Lordstown 4-0.

JFK (6-4) led 3-0 at the half.

Nina Macali and Natalie Hoso added a goal apiece and Hoso had an assist.

Boardman stops Lake

Boardman defeated Lake on Thursday in a Federal League volleyball match, 21-25, 25-9, 23-25, 25-18, 17-15.

Krista Johnson had 14 points, four aces and 16 digs for the Spartans (7-6, 4-3).

Also, Megan Volosin had 22 kills, Faith Saunders contributed 50 assists and Amanda Lipke had 10 kills and two blocks.

Sedat Yelkin captures SCCA national title

ELKHART LAKE, Wis.

SafeRacer polesitter Sedat Yelkin of Canfield drove flag-to-flag to capture his first-career Formula Atlantic national title at the 50th SCCA National Championship at Road America.

Starting from the pole, Yelkin got a great start in the No. 75 Everclear Swift 014a Toyota.

Yelkin won by 8.3777 seconds.

Yelkin was awarded the Go Pro Hero Move of the Race and he also turned the Hawk Hot Lap with a time of 2:03.222 (116.862 mph).

Reporting prep results

Coaches and statisticians are encouraged to report prep results by 10 p.m. via email (sports@vindy.com), fax (330-747-6712) or phone (330-747-1478).

Emails and faxes are strongly preferred.

Pair withdraw from world championships

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.

U.S. road champion Freddie Rodriguez and Olympian Shelley Olds have withdrawn from the cycling world championships that begin Sunday in Florence, Italy.

The 40-year-old Rodriguez, a surprise national champion, said this week that the road course in the Tuscan countryside doesn’t suit his strengths. He will be replaced on the American roster by Matthew Busche, a veteran of three world championship teams.

Olds announced Friday that she was withdrawing due to a knee injury that flared up after she arrived in Italy. One of the sport’s top sprinters, Olds would have been among the American team’s best hopes for a medal if the race ended in a bunch finish.

She’s been replaced by Andrea Dvorak, who competed in last year’s world championships.

Vindicator staff/wire reports