Sports

Editor's Note: This is the fourth story in a five-part series by staff writer Colin Harris leading up to the start of the 2008 high school football season. By Colin Harris Record-Courier staff writer Rising from the ashes of the Portage County League, the Portage Trail Conference has nurtured rivalries both old and new among member schools since its...  Read Story.

By David Carducci Record-Courier staff writer The heaviest labor of August's lead-up to the college football season ended Wednesday when Kent State wrapped up its final practice of two-a-days. Training camp is officially over. Now it is on, full steam ahead in preparation for the Patriot Bowl, and the...  Read Story.

Team USA completes another rout, semifinal matchup on Friday against Argentina is...  Read Story.

Associated Press CLEVELAND - Franklin Gutierrez hit a three-run homer in a five-run eighth inning, and the Cleveland Indians rallied to defeat the Kansas City Royals 8-5 on Wednesday night. The Indians' first four hits were home runs, including two by Kelly Shoppach, as they won for the ninth time in 12 games and stretched their winning streak to four....  Read Story.

By Jaime Aron Associated Press BEIJING - The U.S. came as close to defeat as they have in a long time. Not that it mattered in the end. The Americans were in a scoreless tie with Japan after seven innings, then scored four runs in the ninth " three on a looooong homer by Crystl Bustos " for a 4-1...  Read Story.

Lansinger, Tarter lead Wildcats to fourth...  Read Story.

VERMONT - at the Canadian-American National Weightlifting Championships on Aug. 16, Nick Apseloff set two new world records in the bench press for the 14 to 15 year old age group and 181-pound class. Apseloff is the grandson of Stan Apseloff of...  Read Story. (1 comment)

Staff report NORWICH, Conn. - The Akron Aeros built a commanding lead through 81,2 innings of play on Wednesday, then nearly watched the entire thing melt away in a thrilling ninth-inning comeback by the Connecticut Defenders. The lead for Akron stood at 9-2 heading into the Defenders' last...  Read Story.

Usain adds 200 gold, record to...  Read Story.

By Colin Harris Record-Courier staff writer One of the more unique stadiums in the Portage Trail Conference is Garfield's JAG Field, which has seen three PCL titles (1972, 1993, 2004) and two PTC County Division crowns (2005, 2006) since its construction. Additionally, JAG Field played host to the 1988 and 2004 Garfield squads, which thrilled fans on their way to...  Read Story.

By Rusty Miller Associated Press COLUMBUS - It's a statistic that rankles Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, a man not easily rankled. His Buckeyes were dead last in the Big Ten a year ago in kickoff returns and he's determined that won't happen again. So Wednesday's kick scrimmage at Ohio Stadium took on particular...  Read Story.

Staff report YOUNGSTOWN - Six women, including former Waterloo High School star Shannon Beach, will be among a group of eight inducted into the Youngstown State Athletics Hall of Fame class in October. The enshrinement will be held on Oct. 25, just prior to the start of the football team's homecoming game against Northern...  Read Story.

NASCAR hands out penalties to JGR Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NASCAR's latest attempt to reel in the rule-breakers aimed at an unfamiliar target: the normally squeaky-clean Joe Gibbs Racing. NASCAR's decision Wednesday to suspend seven JGR crew...  Read Story.

Griffey ties Sosa for fifth on home run list Associated Press White Sox 15, Mariners 3 CHICAGO -- Ken Griffey Jr. hit one of Chicago's four homers to move into a tie with Sammy Sosa for fifth on the career list and the surging White Sox routed the...  Read Story.

Jameson Konz was the first to make the switch. Prishod Koonce was next. Now it is Sam Kirkland's turn to flip to the other side of the football. The freshman defensive back became the latest Kent State player to switch from defense to offense when he debuted at wide receiver with the Golden Flashes' first-team offense in Saturday's Blue and...  Read Story.

Editor's Note: This is the third story in a five-part series by staff writer Colin Harris leading up to the start of the 2008 high school football season. By Colin Harris Record Courier staff writer Thousands of athletes have suited up for area football teams throughout the years, their accomplishments sparking both arguments and reminiscing from the people who've...  Read Story. (1 comment)

By Susan Jenior Record-Courier correspondent Casey Ailiff has just been waiting for his Red Devils to play to their potential. The Crestwood varsity golf coach tallied the scores of his players at the annual Rover Invitational and liked what he saw. "This is something we can build on," said Ailiff, as his team hoisted the championship trophy, claiming their victory...  Read Story.

By Colin Harris Record Courier staff writer ROOTSTOWN - The start of the Rootstown Rovers' 2008 boys soccer season couldn't have gone any better, as they picking up a long-overdue 2-0 victory over the visiting St. Thomas Aquinas Knights on Tuesday. "This is a really big win for our team," said a visibly excited Rootstown assistant coach Aaron...  Read Story.

Rough Riders pick up first win of...  Read Story.

By Jaime Aron Associated Press BEIJING - Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin are familiar faces by now, so seeing the gymnasts side-by-side on the medals stand Tuesday was nice, but nothing new. For that, get to know another American gold-medal winner, freestyle wrestler Henry Cejudo. The son of illegal immigrants from Mexico, Cejudo (pronounced say-HOO-doh) was 4 when he last...  Read Story.