SPORTS DIGEST || Fitch’s Annarella set for Curbstone Coaches

Fitch’s Annarella set for Curbstone Coaches

YOUNGSTOWN

Phil Annarella, Austintown Fitch football head coach and 2013 OHSAA Division I coach of the year, will be the guest speaker Monday at the weekly Curbstone Coaches luncheon. The event begins at noon at Luciano’s restaurant. The public is welcome.

Track officials praise Brown for state honor

Canfield

The Greater Youngstown Track Officials Association would like to congratulate Lou Brown for being selected by the Ohio Track and Cross Country Coaches Association to receive their Distinguished Service Award.

Louisville: ’No decision’ from Strong on leaving

LOUISVILLE, Ky.

Charlie Strong remains Louisville’s football coach for the moment, telling assistants Saturday morning he hasn’t decided to accept Texas’ offer to become its coach, but the Longhorns remained confident they would get their man.

Cardinals football spokesman Rocco Gasparro said Saturday that Strong told his staff that “no decision had been made” on whether to leave the school after four years. The coach had not met with athletic director Tom Jurich and university President James Ramsey as expected because the AD’s return from his Colorado vacation was delayed by weather.

Titans fire Munchak after 3 years as coach

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

Tennessee general manager Ruston Webster thinks Mike Munchak helped the franchise that drafted him back in 1982 through a challenging time through three seasons as head coach. Unfortunately for Munchak, loyalty to the NFL team with which he spent 31 seasons just wasn’t enough anymore. The Titans fired Munchak on Saturday with a season left on his contract. He was 22-26 overall. He had been with the franchise since 1982 when the then-Houston Oilers made him a first-round draft pick, and he joined the coaching staff as an assistant the year after he retired.

Zach Johnson builds 3-shot lead in Hawaii

KAPALUA, Hawaii

On the golf course with the widest fairways on the PGA Tour, Zach Johnson believes that keeping the ball in the short grass is key to success. On a course that favors power players because the par 5s can be reached in two, Johnson didn’t make birdie on any of them Saturday. Stranger still is that he matched the best score of the day and had a three-shot lead in the Tournament of Champions. The only explanation is that Johnson is playing some pretty good golf.

“Am I surprised? No. It’s only two days, so it’s halfway done for me,” Johnson said after his 7-under 66 gave him a three-shot lead. Defending champion Dustin Johnson birdied half of the holes at Kapalua for a 66 and was three shots behind, along with Matt Kuchar (68) and Jordan Spieth (70). Zach Johnson was at 13-under 133.

Venus withdraws from Hobart International

HOBART, Australia

Venus Williams has withdrawn from the Hobart International less than 24 hours after losing the Auckland WTA final. The 33-year-old American informed organizers of her decision on Sunday. Williams lost 6-2 5-7 6-4, to Ana Ivanovic at Auckland on Saturday. It was Williams’ first final since winning her 44th career 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.

Submit basketball stats

Area basketball coaches and statisticians are encouraged to submit their school’s season statistics to the Vindicator sports department.

Stats, through the previous Saturday’s games, should be submitted each week by 5 p.m. Monday. Please email the statistics do dchapin@vindy.com or fax them to 330-747-6712, attention Doug Chapin.

Staff reports/Associated Press