SPORTS digest

WYTV’s Frketic to speak to Curbstone

AUSTINTOWN

WYTV sports broadcaster Josh Frketic will be the guest speaker at Monday’s luncheon of The Curbstone Coaches at Lucianno’s Banquet Center in the Wedgewood Plaza. The event begins at noon and is open to the public.

Curbstone is accepting applications for nominations for the 2016 Hall of Fame Class which will be inducted on May 1. For an application, call 330-792-2272.

Phantoms down Steel

CHICAGO

Yushiro Hirano scored two goals to lead the Youngstown Phantoms to Saturday’s 4-1 victory over the Chicago Steel.

Cam Morrison and James Winkler also scored goals while goaltender Ryan Bednard stopped 25 shots to earn the victory.

The win came a night after the Phantoms lost 3-0 to Team USA in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Nationals outshot the Phantoms 41-20.

“The shot totals told the score of the game,” Phantoms head coach John Wroblewski said. “They were better from the drop of the puck until the final buzzer.”

The Phantoms and Steel play again this afternoon.

YSU’s Thompson sets digs records

CHICAGO

Senior Nikki Thompson set a pair of school digs records in her final career match, and the Youngstown State volleyball team ended the 2015 season on a high note with a sweep at Illinois-Chicago on Saturday. The set scores were 29-27, 25-14, 25-19.

Thompson registered 26 digs, which was the most by a Penguin in a three-set match in the rally-scoring era. That helped her break her own school record for digs in a season, upping her total in 2015 to 510.

Lori Vanbeek had 12 kills on a .478 attack percentage to pace YSU’s offense, and she posted a match-high four blocks for the Penguins, who finished the season with a 10-21 overall record and a 4-12 mark in conference play. Aly Ryan had seven kills, Lauren Thompson had five, and Jessie Gerig had a pair of aces and seven digs in their final match.

Warren Junior Masters finals are set for today

WARREN

After 12 games of qualifying, Jessica Guesman will be defending her championship title today in the 29th Warren Junior Masters.

A new boys champion will be crowned this year.

Three blocks of four games were bowled at Freeway Lanes, Cortland Lanes and Champion Lanes, on Nov. 6-8 to determine the finalists. The top four girls and the top six boys advance for head-to-head competition, starting today at noon.

The other girls bowlers are Susan Decker, Danielle Kyser, Chyanne Scott, Brianna Protain, Isabelle Lincoln and Alexisn Hunter,

The boys bowlers are Adrian Willoughby, David Meals, Caleb Johnson, Shon Moore, Conner Pawlosky, Joe Martin, Kyle Scott, Blake Maurer, Mason Persons, Willie Stevenson, Charles Pawlosky, Robert Howell, Cody Clendenin and Nathan Zook.

Worsham, 2 others vie for Funny Car title

POMONA, CALIF.

Del Worsham, Jack Beckman and Tommy Johnson Jr. will decide the NHRA Funny Car season title today in the season-ending Auto Club NHRA Finals.

Worsham and Beckman provided a preview Saturday by closing qualifying with a side-by-side 3.89-second race.

“It was a great qualifying effort for the DHL Toyota team,” said Worsham, who could meet Beckman in a critical semifinal matchup. “We have the Camry running strong and I am proud of our effort. We will go into tomorrow and lay it all out on the line.”

Series leader Worsham took a 36-point lead over Beckman into the final eliminations. Johnson, 96 points back, needs to have his two rivals lose early and then win the race and set a national record to have any chance at the title.

“It’s an unbelievable time to be a fan of nitro Funny Car,” Beckman said.

Staff/wire report