SPORTS digest

Ebony banquet set for Oct. 23

YOUNGSTOWN

The Ebony Lifeline Support Group’s 19th annual all-sports banquet will be Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Social Hall.

Motivational educator Charles “Chuckie” Traylor will be the guest speaker, while Richard “Dickie” Atkinson will be the master of ceremonies.

This year’s 12 inductees are: Don Calloway (football, softball, bowling); Ed Craft (football); Sam Dubose (baseball, basketball, softball); Mary Gonzalez (community service); James Evans (martial arts, karate); Mary Gibson (bowling); Amos Haynes (boxing, basketball); Tommy “T.D.” Jackson (golf, softball); James Moore (football, basketball, baseball); Walter Perez (boxing); Will Teague Jr. (basketball); and Kenneth A. Tate (baseball, basketball, football).

Tickets cost $30 and may be purchased at L.E. Black, Phillips & Holden Funeral Home or F.D. Mason Memorial Funeral Home or by calling Bob Thomas (330) 261-1825 or Pat Traylor (330) 792-0234.

Correction

YOUNGSTOWN

Poland’s Dylan Garver intercepted a first-quarter pass in Saturday’s 16-7 victory over East and returned it 8 yards. Another player was incorrectly credited with the pickoff in Sunday’s story.

Maryland fires head football coach

COLLEGE PARK, MD.

Randy Edsall has been fired as Maryland’s football coach after the team’s third straight lopsided defeat.

The dismissal, announced Sunday, comes in the middle of Edsall’s fifth season with the Terrapins. Maryland is 2-4 and mired in a three-game skid in which the Terps have been outscored by a combined 122-34. Including an earlier defeat against Bowling Green, Maryland’s four losses have come by an average of four touchdowns.

Offensive coordinator Mike Locksley will take over on an interim basis. Maryland has an open week before facing Penn State in Baltimore on Oct. 24.

Edsall went 22-34 after taking over for Ralph Freidgen before the 2011 season. He accepted the job after going 74-70 in 12 years at Connecticut.

USC football coach takes leave of absence

LOS ANGELES

Southern California coach Steve Sarkisian is taking an indefinite leave of absence after athletic director Pat Haden determined that the troubled coach is “not healthy.”

Haden announced the decision in a hastily called news conference Sunday after Sarkisian didn’t attend practice.

“I think it’s the right thing for our team, and I’ve always got to do what’s right for our team and for our school,” Haden said.

Offensive coordinator Clay Helton will take charge of the Trojans (3-2, 1-2 Pac-12), who have lost two of their last three games. USC visits No. 14 Notre Dame (5-1) on Sunday.

Haden wasn’t specific about the reasons for Sarkisian’s absence, only saying that “it was very clear to me” that the second-year USC coach was unwell. Haden asked Sarkisian to take a leave during a phone conversation.

Sarkisian publicly apologized before the season after he showed up drunk at the Salute to Troy pep rally and made a slurred public statement.

Dodgers’ Utley suspended 2 games

NEW YORK

Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley has been suspended two playoff games by Major League Baseball for his takeout slide that broke New York Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada’s right leg.

In handing down the penalty Sunday night, Major League Baseball executive Joe Torre called it an illegal slide. Umpires ruled it a legal play Saturday night.

Torre says after a thorough review from all angles, he concluded Utley’s slide merited a penalty.

Utley said he intends to appeal.

Staff/wire report