SPORTS DIGEST || YSU’s Latone places 2nd at Raleigh Relays

RALEIGH, N.C.

Youngstown State junior Dylan Latone finished second in the pole vault at the Raleigh Relays on Friday afternoon.

Latone, an Austintown Fitch graduate, finished with a score of 4.57 meters.

The top four finishers all scored a 4.57. All four attempted 4.72 meters but none of them were successful.

Abate's late goal lifts Phantoms past USA

PLYMOUTH, MICH.

Joey Abate’s goal with 71 seconds remaining lifted the Youngstown Phantoms to Friday’s 3-2 victory over Team USA’s 18U squad.

Goaltender Wouter Peeters made 26 saves while Matthew Barry and Chase Gresock scored second-period goals for Youngstown.

Craig Needham and Michael Callahan assisted on the game-winning goal.

The victory gives the Phantoms (30-18-5-2, 67 points) a five-point lead on the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the race for second place in the USHL's Eastern Conference. The top two teams in each conference get first-round byes in the Clark Cup Playoffs.

Team USA (38-16-0-1) grabbed a 1-0 lead midway through the first period after Jack Hughes scored his 21st goal of the season.

Team USA tied the game again in the third period when Jonathan Gruden scored with 10:31 remaining.

It was Team USA's first loss since December.

Pikunas in 10th place at Colonial Open

RICHMOND, KY.

Boardman graduate and Akron golfer Jacinta Pikunas sits in 10th place after the first day of the five-team Colonial Open. She finished 2-over par with a score of 74. She recorded three birdies.

In team play, Akron is in second place with a score of 298, one stroke back of leader Western Kentucky.

Browns sign Stanton to two-year contract

CLEVELAND

The Cleveland Browns continued their quarterback makeover, signing free agent Drew Stanton to a two-year contract.

The veteran is expected to back up Tyrod Taylor, recently acquired in a trade with Buffalo. Cleveland is also expected to draft a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft.

He gives the Browns experienced depth and protection in case Taylor gets injured.

Since the end of their 0-16 season in 2017, the Browns have traded former starters DeShone Kizer and Cody Kessler, obtained Taylor and added Stanton, who is entering his 12th NFL season.

The 6-foot-3, 226-pounder has made 17 career starts while playing for Detroit, Indianapolis and Arizona. Stanton spent the past four seasons with the Cardinals. Stanton is 11-6 as a starter and has passed for 4,059 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Cleveland also signed wide receiver Jeff Janis, who had 17 receptions in four years with Green Bay.

Former QB Rypien says he attempted suicide

SPOKANE, WASH.

Former Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien said he has attempted suicide, hired prostitutes and suffers from persistent depression.

The 55-year-old former quarterback was drafted by the Washington Redskins in 1986 and played until 2002.

Rypien, who led the Redskins to victory in the 1992 Super Bowl over Buffalo and was picked as the MVP, said he played organized football for 26 years and figures he suffered several concussions.

Rypien said he suffers from depression, anxiety and isolation. Outwardly social, "I can't wait to get home and be alone," he said.

A decade ago, his impulsive behaviors began to escalate; aggressiveness and verbal outbursts increased.

One day, Rypien swallowed 150 Advils and washed them down with a bottle of wine.

His wife found him and poured hydrogen peroxide and activated charcoal down his throat to get him to vomit up the pills.

Staff/wire report