YSU soccer team falls to Northern Kentucky

YSU soccer team falls to Northern Kentucky

Youngstown

Sophomore Kyler Lum scored her first career goal, but the Youngstown State women’s soccer team dropped a 3-1 decision to Northern Kentucky in the Horizon League opener at Farmers National Bank Field.

Jessica Frey, Macy Hamblin and Megan Shafer scored for the Norse (5-1, 1-0). The Penguins (5-1, 0-1) host St. Bonaventure on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Florida State blanks Boston College

BOSTON

Cornerback Jalen Ramsey returned a fourth-quarter fumble 36 yards for a touchdown to help No. 9 Florida State beat Boston College 14-0 on Friday night.

The Seminoles (3-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) struggled against a BC team that had beaten a pair of FCS opponents. Everett Golson completed 15 of 24 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown for Florida State, which won its 25th consecutive ACC game.

The Eagles (2-1, 0-1) trailed only 7-0 when Jon Hilliman took a handoff in the backfield and had the ball stripped by linebacker Terrance Smith. Ramsey picked it up and scored to make it 14-0 with 12:20 to play.

On BC’s next possession, quarterback Darius Wade was knocked out of the game with what appeared to be a serious knee injury; the play also was initially ruled a fumble, but the call was overturned on review.

Concussions, CTE trend growing

Researchers studying a degenerative disease in former athletes say 11 of 12 brains of deceased former NFL players tested over the past year showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, continuing a trend they’ve been tracking.

A story posted on PBS.org on Friday reported that a total of 87 of the 91 brains of former NFL players examined in recent years by researchers with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Boston University have had CTE.

According to PBS, many players whose brains were donated for research suspected they had CTE, which therefore skews the population of brains being examined.

Gina DiGravio-Wilczewski, media relations manager at the Boston University School of Medicine, provided The Associated Press with the figures for the past year of research.

Linked to repeated brain trauma, CTE is associated with symptoms such as memory loss, impaired judgment, depression, and, eventually, progressive dementia.

In an email to the AP, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy wrote, in part: “We all know more about this issue than we did 10 or 20 years ago and will continue to learn as more research is conducted and discussed by the medical community. But we are not waiting to make the game and players safer. We have been and will continue to make improvements.”

How to report high school results

Coaches and statisticians are encouraged to report results by email (sports@vindy.com) or fax (330-747-6712).

Phone calls (330-747-1478) are also acceptable but emails and faxes are strongly preferred.

Deadline is 10:30 p.m. Late results will be published in the following day’s newspaper.

Harvick to start Chase on pole

JOLIET, Ill.

Rain has washed out qualifying for the opening race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

Kevin Harvick will start his title defense from the pole Sunday. The reigning Sprint Cup champion was fastest Friday in practice and, when a heavy downpour at Chicagoland Speedway washed out the qualifying session, the field was set by practice speeds.

Joey Logano will start second and Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski will start third.

Martin Truex Jr. will start fourth as four of the 16 Chase drivers were the fourth fastest in practice.

Denny Hamlin had a tough practice session and will start 30th, last of the Chase drivers.

Staff/wire reports