SPORTS digest

Canfield-Poland softball tickets on sale

POLAND

The Poland High School Athletic Department will sell advance tickets to the Canfield-Poland softball game, set for April 27 at Akron’s Firestone Stadium. The game is part of the inaugural Rubber City Rivalry Series.

Tickets will go on sale in the Poland athletic office beginning on Monday and continuing through April 27.

Student tickets cost $1 and adult tickets are $3.

Three area schools tagged with violations

The OHSAA released its list of recent infractions and penalties. East Palestine, Canfield and Canfield Village Middle School were on the list.

East Palestine volleyball coach Denise Pickett will be suspended for the first four regular season games of the 2016 season after she was found to have coached one of her players in a non-scholastic setting on eight separate occasions.

Canfield High School’s ice hockey team will not face additional punishment for using an ineligible player during this year’s state tournament. A Cardinals player was found to have been playing for a club team after Jan. 25. Canfield had to forfeit any wins the player participated in during that period, including its postseason victory.

A Canfield Village Middle School football player is suspended for the first two games of the next season after participating in a non-scholastic football even last season.

Kucek to speak to Curbstone Coaches

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Jack Kucek will be the guest speaker on Monday at The Curbstone Coaches weekly luncheon at The Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road in Beaver Township. The event begins at noon and is open to the public.

The Curbstone Coaches 49th annual Hall of Fame Induction ceremony will be May 1 at Mr. Anthony’s in Boardman. Champion High, Ohio State and Denver Bronco linebacker Randy Gradishar will be the keynote speaker.

For tickets and more information, contact Mariel Sallee at 330-519-6819.

Kent professor to speak about concussions

WARREN

Kent State Trumbull professor Dr. Valerie Cubon-Bell will be hosting a lecture on sports-related concussions on Tuesday at Kent State Trumbull’s Classroom/Administration building. The lecture starts at 6 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

To register for the event, visit ksualumni.org or call 888-320-5368.

Lovable Lyss wins $75,000 sprint

AUSTINTOWN

Filly Lovable Lyss rallied to win the $70,000 Austintown Filly Sprint on Saturday.

Jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. lead Lyss into the lead at the upper stretch. Tia Flor and Absatootly took second and third, respectively. All three horses beat betting favorite and previously undefeated Tiffany Case.

Blind longsnapper plays in spring game

LOS ANGELES

Southern California’s blind long-snapper completed two field goal snaps in the Trojans’ spring game Saturday.

Jake Olson got a standing ovation at the Coliseum before he participated in USC’s final workout of the spring.

Olson says he had to fight back tears when he heard the cheers, but he delivered his snaps solidly.

Coach Clay Helton praised Olson, saying both snaps were “dead on the money.”

Olson wasn’t happy with his first snap, calling it “a tad low.”

Olson completely lost his sight to a rare form of retinal cancer in 2009 when he was 12 years old. He has been around USC’s program since coach Pete Carroll’s tenure.

He snapped for his high school team in Orange County, and he joined the Trojans last season on a special scholarship.

Staff/wire report