SPORTS DIGEST || YSU QB Hess to play in College All-Star Bowl

YSU QB Hess to play in College All-Star Bowl

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown State quarterback Kurt Hess has accepted an invitation to play in the College All-Star Bowl on Feb. 14 at Furman University in Greenville, S.C.

Hess is the Penguins’ career leader in most categories, including passing yards and touchdowns.

The game, now in its second year, will be broadcast at 6 p.m. on the CBS Sports Network.

The National team will be coached by ex-Clemson coach Danny Ford, while the Americans will be led by former South Carolina State coach Willie Jeffries.

The game will also feature Kent State safety Luke Wollet, a Poland High graduate.

Scrappers and backers plan hot stove event

NILES

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers and the Scrappers Backers will host a hot stove event Jan. 30 starting at 6 p.m. at Ciminero’s Banquet Center in Niles.

Plans for the event include dinner, auctions and an autograph sessions. Appearing at the event will be a number of the top prospects of the Cleveland Indians and guest speaker Jason Stanford, a former Indians pitcher.

Tickets are being sold at the Scrappers box office for $35 for adults and $25 for children aged 12 and under.

There will only be 200 tickets sold for this event.

Kopachy takes head coaching job at Newark

Chaney High graduate and former head coach at Western Reserve and Salem, Mike Kopachy has been named the head coach of the Newark High football program. Newark has won six of its last 66 games and finished 1-9 in 2013. The position drew letters of interest from about 80 candidates.

Kopachy took Western Reserve to two playoff appearances in six seasons (2003-8) at the helm and coached Salem to a pair of playoff berths in three seasons (2009-11).

McDonald re-hires coaches for falls sports

McDONALD

The McDonald school board Monday re-hired coaches with a 2.75 percent increase in pay, the same increase as teachers under a new contract signed in November 2013.

Re-hired are Dan Williams, head football coach, $7,784; Ed Dolsak, golf coach, $2,919; Mary Domitrovich, tennis coach, $3,568; Chris Rupe, boys head cross country coach, $3,586; and Michael Richards, girls head cross country coach, $3,568.

YSU to honor Penguin of the Year at banquet

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown State Penguin Club will honor area businessman Don Constantini as the Penguin of the Year on Feb. 18 at the annual Scholarship Ring Banquet held at Mr. Anthony’s in Boardman.

A 1966 graduate of YSU, Constantini’s leadership gifts to YSU include $150,000 to the YSU Foundation to endow an athletic scholarship (the Don Constantini Scholarship awarded to a football student-athlete who is a business major), a gift of $150,000 toward the construction of the Andrews Student Recreation and Wellness Center, and $200,000 for the Williamson College of Business Administration building campaign.

Tickets and tables for the event are available by contacting the YSU Penguin Club at 330-941-2351 or via email to Tom Morella at tmorella@ysu.edu. Program advertising is also available by contacting Rick Love at (330) 941-7227 or rwlove@ysu.edu. The deadline for dinner reservations and program advertising is Feb. 4. The doors for the event open at 6 p.m. with a buffet dinner starting at 6:15 p.m. The evening’s program will start at 7:30 p.m.

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