SPORTS DIGEST || Canfield’s Esarco commits to Colgate

Canfield’s Esarco commits to Colgate

CANFIELD

Canfield senior linebacker Jacob Esarco has verbally committed to Colgate University, Canfield coach Mike Pavlansky announced Tuesday.

A three-year starter with the Cardinals, Esarco has led the team in tackles for the past three seasons. Last season, he was named the All-American Conference’s Red Tier Defensive Player of the Year, made the first-team All-Ohio team in Division III and was academic All-Ohio.

This past season, the Cardinals finished 8-3 after falling in the playoffs to Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary.

Columbiana announces Hall of Fame class

COLUMBIANA

The 20th class of Columbiana High School Athletic Hall of Fame will be inducted on Feb. 13 at the high school.

The class includes Dan Baker (2000), Leanne Wilms Cyan (1982), Mike Hartley (1986), Matt Henderson (1983) and Burt Perkins (1987). The dinner and formal induction will be a 6 p.m., with the inductees being introduced in between Columbiana’s JV and varsity boys basketball games. Tickets to the dinner cost $25 and $12 for kids between six and 10 and can be purchased at any boys or girls basketball game. For more information, call Larry Baughman at 33--482-3422.

YSU softball players named all-conference

Reigning Horizon League Co-Player of the Year Miranda Castiglione was named first-team All-Horizon League and three of her teammates were second-team selections. Juniors Sarah Dowd, Caitlyn Minney and sophomore Cali Mikovich made the second team. Castiglione hit .349 last season and stole a school-record 29 bases last year. Dowd tied the single-season home run record with 11, Minney struck out 98 batters for five wins and three saves and Mikovich drove in 30 runs last season. The team opens its season against UMass and Toledo on the road on Feb. 13 in Charlotte.

Northeastern Ohio NFF announces banquet

The Northeastern Ohio National Football Foundation is holding its annual banquet on March 8 at the LaCentre Banquet Center in Westlake.

The featured speaker is Youngstown State head coach Bo Pelini. The winners are the Cleveland Browns’ Robert Jackson for the Distinguished American Award and the Browns’ Kevin Mack for the Dino Lucarelli Lifetime Achievement Award. YSU president Jim Tressel is presenting the Lee Tressel Ohio College Coach of the Year to Mount Union coach Vince Kehres.

Tickets are $50. For more information or to buy tickets, call Erin Dengler at 440-788-7472 or email her at neonff@nacda.com.

OHSAA to begin new enrollment cycle

COLUMBUS

The Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Competitive Balance Plan, which member schools passed through referendum vote in May 2014, will begin during the 2017-18 school year, OHSAA Commissioner Dr. Dan Ross announced. Activating the plan in the fall of 2017 will coincide with the start of the OHSAA’s next two-year enrollment cycle, and will also allow for additional time to test the roster data collection software.

Historically, the size of a school’s enrollment was the only factor in determining its tournament divisional assignment. The Completive Balance Plan, which will affect all schools (public and non-public) in those selected sports, will add additional modifying factors to enrollment counts based on each sport-specific roster and is dependent upon where the student’s parents reside for public school students and/or the educational system history for non-public school students.

Paczki Dash 5K coming next month

Polish Youngstown and Vertical Runner of McDonald have teamed up to present the Paczki Dash 5K. The race will be held on Feb. 6 in the Poland Forest. Registration is $20. For more information, call Vertical Runner at 234-421-0188.

Staff/wire report