SPORTS digest || Ed Strauss, 89; coached YSU softball

DEATHS

Ed Strauss, 89; coached YSU softball

BOARDMAN

Ed Strauss, a former Youngstown State University softball coach and athletics video coordinator, died Wednesday. He was 89.

A 1945 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, Strauss was a three-sport athlete at Shepherd College and longtime area assistant football coach, also serving as head football coach of at Struthers in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

He was a driver education teacher at Boardman High School, also serving as the school’s director of transportation and was its football game day videographer. Over the years he also served as official scorekeeper for the boys and girls basketball teams.

Services are pending.

John Gillen, 85; was Warren JFK AD

WARREN

John Gillen, who for more than 50 years dedicated his life to Warren JFK High School and its athletic program, died on Wednesday. He was 85.

Gillen graduated from St. Mary’s High School in 1950. He coached basketball and served as the athletic director of his alma mater for several years, then moved over to Warren JFK when it opened in 1964.

At Warren JFK, he was a longtime coach and teacher. He became the school’s athletic director in 1972 — a role he never relinquished.

In 2012, Kennedy’s gymnasium was named in Gillen’s honor.

Football

Division III title game coming to Canton

canton

The Pro Football Hall of Fame will host the Division III football championship game in 2020 and 2021. Also awarded to the hall by the NCAA was the 2022 men’s volleyball championship for that division.

The football title games will be played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The volleyball championship will be staged in the Performance Center at Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village.

Basketball

City of Dayton to host First Four through 2022

dayton

March Madness will continue its start in Dayton, as the NCAA says the Ohio city will host the pair of play-in games known as the First Four through 2022.

The University of Dayton beat Detroit, Hershey, Pennsylvania, and Evansville, Indiana, to retain the opening games of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.

The university has played host to the First Four since 2011. Prior to that, the opening-round game of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, or play-in game, was played at UD Arena every season from 2001-10.

Nationwide Arena in Columbus will host the game’s first and second rounds in 2019. U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati hosts the first two rounds in 2022.

NHL PLAYOFFS

Senators take 3-1 lead over Boston Bruins

BOSTON

Bobby Ryan scored early in the third period, Craig Anderson stopped 22 shots and the Ottawa Senators beat the Boston Bruins 1-0 on Wednesday night for a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.

Tuukka Rask made 26 saves for Boston.

The Bruins, who were winless in four games against the Senators in the regular season, will try to force the series back to Boston with a victory in Ottawa in Game 5 on Friday night.

Capitals, Maple Leafs even in first round

TORONTO

Tom Wilson and T.J. Oshie each scored two goals, and the Washington Capitals beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 on Wednesday night to tie their first-round playoff series at two games apiece.

Alex Ovechkin added his third goal of the playoffs. Braden Holtby made 30 saves.

Zach Hyman, James van Riemsdyk, Auston Matthews and Tyler Bozak scored for Toronto. Frederik Andersen stopped 22 shots.

Staff/wire report