YSU’s Hess earns top academics honors

January 4, 2014 at 12:09a.m.

Cleveland

Youngstown State senior quarterback Kurt Hess was one of 43 student-athletes named to the Football Championship Subdivision Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Star team.

Hess, a two-time first-team Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Academic pick, owns a 3.43 grade-point average in Early Childhood Education. He recently concluded his YSU career as the school-record holder in completions (706), attempts (1,135), yards (8,925), touchdown passes (75), and yards per game (198.4).

Each of the nominees was required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or key player with legitimate athletics credentials.

Three conferences had six student-athletes named to the All-Star Team — the Missouri Valley Football Conference, Ohio Valley Conference and the Southern Conference.

Mooney student plays in national soccer event

Elizabeth Philibin, a Cardinal Mooney High School freshman, helped her U14 Cleveland Internationals soccer club team to the championship of the United Soccer League’s Super Youth North American finals competition at Bradenton, Fla., last month.

The Internationals qualified for the event through league play during the summer. they posted a 2-1 record during the first three days and won a 2-0 victory in the semifinal round. The championship was tied at 1-1 after two overtimes and was decided by a seven-player penalty kicks shootout.

Philibin and her team also won the 2013 Ohio North state cup competition. She has been playing for the Internationals Soccer Club since she was a U10 player.

Venus Williams loses final in New Zealand

AUCKLAND, New Zealand

Venus Williams fell short in her attempt to capture her first title in more than a year, losing to Ana Ivanovic 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in the final of the ASB Classic on Saturday. Second-seeded Ivanovic looked headed for a routine victory in the matchup between former world No. 1s, winning the first set in 35 minutes and holding match point at 5-3 in the second. But Williams fought back to break Ivanovic twice to capture the second set and force a decider.

Williams was playing in her first final since winning the title at Luxembourg in October 2012. The seven-time Grand Slam champion’s ranking has fallen to 47th as she has battled injuries and Sjogren’s syndrome, a fatigue-causing autoimmune disease, over the past two years.

Newcomers part of 4-way tie at Kapalua

KAPALUA, Hawaii

Jordan Spieth thought the Plantation Course was a blast to play when he arrived at Kapalua. He had even more fun Friday. Coming off a sensational rookie season, Spieth opened the new year by never coming close to bogey and making a 12-foot birdie putt on the last hole for a 7-under 66. That gave him a share of the lead at the Tournament of Champions with fellow newcomer Michael Thompson, Chris Kirk and Webb Simpson.

For the opening round of the year, where players are still trying to shake off some rust, the leaderboard has rarely been this tight. PGA champion Jason Dufner had four birdies and an eagle on his front-nine 30, only to settle into a string of pars on the back nine for a 6-under 67. Kevin Streelman bogeyed his last two holes and also was at 67, along with Zach Johnson and Ryan Moore. The top 10 players were separated by three shots.

Clippers’ Paul out 3-5 weeks with injury

DALLAS

Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul will miss three to five weeks after separating his right shoulder in a game against Dallas.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers said the injury to the shoulder on the star’s shooting arm Friday night was a separation. Earlier, the team had said it was a sprain.

Paul was tripped by Mavericks guard Monta Ellis while dribbling around a screen.

Staff reports/Associated Press