SPORTS DIGEST || Two Harding players make All-Ohio team

Two Harding players make All-Ohio team

COLUMBUS

Warren Harding senior guard Gabe Simpson and junior big man Derek Culver were named to the All-Ohio Division I basketball team.

Simpson, the Vindicator’s Boys Basketball Player of the Year, was a third team selection. Culver was an honorable mention. Harding went 23-4 this season, which ended in the regional semis with a 49-43 loss to Garfield Heights.

Lima’s Xavier Simpson was named the 2016 Ohio Mr. Basketball. Simpson averages 27.2 points, 6.1 assists and 3.8 steals as the undefeated Spartans are facing undefeated Wilmington in the state semifinals on Friday. The senior guard is committed to play at Michigan next season.

Player of the Year banquet announced

WARREN

The Trumbull County Coaches Association is hosting its annual Basketball Player of the Year Banquet on Monday at 7 p.m. at Leo’s Ristorante in Warren. Each school will nominate a senior boy and a senior girl for the honor.

Westminster College men’s basketball coach Kevin Siroki will be the keynote speaker. Tickets are $25; call Newton Falls boys basketball coach Roy Sembach at 330-872-0905 ext. 7329.

Here are the nominees: Badger (Stacy Elser and Garrett Kellogg); Bloomfield (Coty Turner, no female nominee); Bristol (Ashley Lamosek and Alex Jones); Brookfield (Autumn Kirila and Marc Kraml); Champion (Haley Dean and Eric Karafa) Girard (Ali Ciminero and Mark Standohar); Howland (Victoria Rappach and Luciano Romeo); Hubbard (Logan Nitsche and Brenden Candella); Warren JFK (Dan Rossi, no female nominee); LaBrae (Lauren Rutherford and Caelan Hyland); Lakeview (Addie Becker and Tim Roberts); Liberty (Amy Mikulich and Kaylon Davis); Lordstown (Erica Knox and Jiryes Rafidi); Maplewood (Liza Yoder, no male nominee); Mathews (Bryanna McClurg and Bryan Oatridge); McDonald (Sara Joseph and Jake Reckard); Mineral Ridge (Zane Rummell, no female nominee); Newton Falls (Gabby Kline and Jaden Walton); Niles (Makayla Butler and Cameron Kane-Johnson); Southington (Sara Baugher and Eric Wilson); Warren Harding (Shymara Dykes and Gabe Simpson).

LaRoche retires after dispute over son

PHOENIX

Chicago White Sox first baseman Adam LaRoche said he planned to retire and walk away from a $13 million salary after being told by the team president to cut down the time his son spent in the clubhouse.

Team president Kenny Williams confirmed Wednesday that he twice asked LaRoche in the last week to “dial it back” with 14-year-old son Drake.

LaRoche abruptly said Tuesday at spring training that he planned to leave the game. White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said at the time it was a “personal decision” and that LaRoche was asked to reconsider.

FIFA admits bribes, wants money back

GENEVA

While acknowledging for the first time that votes were bought in past World Cup hosting contests, FIFA is seeking to claim “tens of millions of dollars” in bribe money seized by U.S. federal prosecutors. FIFA submitted a 22-page claim to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York on Tuesday that seeks a big share in restitution from more than $190 million already forfeited by soccer and marketing officials who pleaded guilty in the sprawling corruption case.

Blaney in mix for rookie of the year

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

The preseason hype over rookie drivers went primarily to Chase Elliott, who slid into the coveted seat vacated by Jeff Gordon.

It’s been Ryan Blaney who has been most impressive through the first four races of the season.

Blaney heads into Auto Club Speedway this weekend searching for his third consecutive top-10 finish. He was sixth at Las Vegas and 10th at Phoenix and sits 12th in the Sprint Cup standings as the series shifts to California for the final stop in a three-race West Coast swing. Blaney is the son former NASCAR driver Dave Blaney, a Hartford native.

Staff/wire reports