SPORTS digest

OHSAA returns to four regions in D-I football

COLUMBUS

The tournament format for the OHSAA Division I football playoffs will move from two regions to four regions beginning this fall following a 9-0 vote Thursday by the OHSAA Board of Directors during its April meeting.

With four regions, Division I moves back into the same format as Divisions II through VII, with a greater emphasis on the regional championship games and decreased travel.

Austintown Fitch is the Mahoning Valley’s lone Division I football program.

The proposal, which came jointly from the OHSAA staff and the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association, does not change the number of Division I qualifiers (32, same as other divisions).

But it will have its tournament field comprised of eight qualifiers coming from each of four regions, rather than 16 teams from two regions, as has been done beginning in 2013 when the OHSAA expanded the football playoffs to seven Divisions and reduced the number of schools in Division I to only the largest 72 schools in Ohio.

Penguins strand 13 in loss to Cleveland St.

Cleveland

The Youngstown State softball team collected 10 hits, but the Penguins stranded 11 runners on base and dropped a 7-1 decision to Cleveland State on Thursday.

The Penguins fall to 20-14 overall and 7-3 in the Horizon League while the Vikings improve to 9-25 overall and 2-7 in the league.

Junior Brittney Moffatt, who went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple, drove in the Penguins’ only run with an RBI-triple in the top of the second inning to cut the Vikings’ lead to 2-1.

The Penguins host Wright State in a three-game series today and Saturday at the YSU Softball Field. First pitch today is slated for 3 p.m.

OHSBCA showcases set for April 23

The Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association will be conducting the Boys and Girls Showcases on April 23 at 9 a.m. at Otterbein University and Denison University.

The Showcases are designed to “Showcase” the best underclass basketball talent in Ohio. Each of the 16 basketball districts of the OHSBCA will be represented by at least five players.

Boys will compete at Otterbein under the direction of Joe Bogdan of East Canton and Chad Pado of St. Edward high schools.

Girls will compete at Denison under the direction of Dave Butcher of Pickerington North High School.

For more information, contact Bogdan at 330-418-7983 or joe.bogdan.44@gmail.com or Pado at 440-724-8581 or chadpado@yahoo.com.

Seven Valley players honored for academics

The Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association recently honored seven Mahoning Valley players for academic success.

Making the group’s All-Ohio Academic teams were: Krista Johnson, Boardman, 4.0 grade-point average; Jared Burkert, Poland, 4.0; Mason Mangapora, Canfield, 4.0; Matthew Baker, Poland, 3.95; Graham Mincher, Springfield, 3.95; Alex Jones, Bristol, 3.97; and Josh Liberati, Lisbon, 3.96.

Olympic hopefuls to compete in regionals

COLUMBUS

Four boys from area schools will represent Olympic Dreams Gymnastics during this weekend’s regional championships. The gymnasts qualified for their respective ages and skill levels at the state championships that were held in Columbus on April 2-3.

The meet will be held at the French Field House at Ohio State University.

Competing at level 10 is Ursuline sophomore Dylan King. The level 9 participants are 14-year-olds Dylan Colangelo from Austintown Middle School and Will Woodfint from Victory Christian and 11-year-old Shane Lindstrom is competing at level 8. The boys are coached by Dave Forister, a former national team coach and Kent State gymnast.

Staff/wire report