by Advocate Staffers
The first Junior Portage County Amateur golf tournament will be June 30 and July 1 at Raccoon Hill in Franklin Township.
Boys and girls ages 10 to 19 who have not entered college will compete in either two nine-hole rounds or two 18-hole rounds that include lunch, trophies, medals and gift certificates.
The event is made possible by the Matt Mishler Foundation, Beal and Associates and Acushnet Golf, with support from the Northern Ohio PGA.
The top three golfers in all age groups, broken down by boys and girls, will receive trophies or medals.
Winners in the 16 to 19 age group will earn trophies and gift certificates to purchase items in the Acushnet catalog that includes merchandise from Titleist, Cobra and Footjoy.
The champions in the 16 to 19 division also will be invited to compete in the Portage County Amateur July 26-27 at Windmill Lakes and Kent State.
Registration fees are $35 for 10- to 12-year-olds and $50 for 13- to 19-year-olds. Juniors do not have to reside in Portage County to compete.
Registration deadline is June 26. Prepaid forms can be dropped off at Raccoon Hill, Windmill Lakes, KSU or the Record-Courier in Ravenna.
For details, call Raccoon Hill pro Jim Beers at 330-673-2111 or the Record-Courier at 330-678-5460.
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Aurora's new athletic director Paul Powers will be on hand at tonight's (May 7) meeting of the Aurora All-Sports Boosters. It will start at 7:30 in the AHS media center. All interested residents are welcome to attend.
Meanwhile, the AHS spring sports awards night has been rescheduled from May 20 to 22. The change was necessary because of a conflict with the district track meet. The awards start at 7:30 in the auditorium.
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Barrington Golf Club pro David Engram tied for fourth place in the Callaway-Pepsi Stroke Play Series 1 tournament April 28 at Madison Country Club.
He earned 21 points and $700. Paul Wackerly won the event with 25 points. Auroran Todd Lancaster tied for 32nd place with 14 points, while Aurorans Rick Areddy and Jeffrey Sasala and Walden pro Mitch Camp tied for 42nd at 10.
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Aurorans Gus Mehallis and Gary Trivisonno are among those entered in the 23rd annual Ohio Senior Open, which will take place May 14-15 at Firestone's West Course in Akron.
Players who are 50 and older as of May 14 and have a handicap index of not more than 8.0 are eligible and still can register online until May 8. Fees are $210 for a PGA pro and amateur and $235 for a non-PGA pro.
For information, visit www.northernohiopga.com.
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Several Aurora students were recognized by the Akron Touchdown Club at a banquet April 20.
Wrestlers Johnny Papesh and Ty Mitch and basketball player Johnny Trew were named to the club's Portage County all-star team.
Mitch was also honored as wrestler of the Year in Portage County. In February, the sophomore won the Division II state title as 103 pounds. Papesh, a senior, finished third at 112 pounds.
Trew averaged more than 16 points and 8 rebounds a game for the Greenmen ,who went 14-7.
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A rule change will go into effective prior to the next high school basketball season with regard to positioning of players during free throws.
The two closest-to-the-basket spaces where players stand while a free throw is being shot will be eliminated and two spaces will be added near the free throw line.
The National Federation of State High School Associations approved the rule change to reduce rough play and fouls while rebounding missed free tosses.
The change was recommended by the federation's basketball rules committee after it was tested last season by the Georgia High School Association.
A proposal to use instant replay to review certain situations in state tournaments was defeated.
Meanwhile, the Ohio High School Athletic Association last week adopted a policy that coaches who are ejected from games will be fined $100 and ordered to enroll in a course to prevent future such incidents.
Coaches who are ejected already must sit out a certain number of games, which vary from sport to sport.
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United Way's fifth annual 5K and 10K races will be July 5 at the Masonic Temple on West Main Street in Kent. Cost is $15 for the 5K and $20 for the 10K, or $30 for both. To register, call 330-297-1424 ext. 110 or visit www.uwportage.org or www.active.com.
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Heidelberg College's softball team ended the season with a 7-31 overall record after four losses to Notre Dame College and Findlay University.
In a 4-0 loss to Findlay, Aurora High School graduate Katie Allenspach struck out 7 and allowed 2 earned runs. She and fellow AHS grad Ashley Foust got hits as batters.
In a 3-2 loss to Notre Dame, Foust singled to left field to drive in a run, while Allenspach suffered the loss, earning 2 earned runs and striking out 4.
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Kent State University football fans can buy season tickets for 2008 for $45 each until June 1. That cost includes a $15 ticket to the KSU vs. Boston College game Aug. 30 at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Each season ticket ordered entitles the buyer to receive a $45 coupon toward the purchase of a season basketball ticket. For details, visit www.KentStateSports.com.
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Mogadore High School needs a wrestling coach. Candidates must have a pupil supervisory license and CPR certification.
Send a letter of interest and personal-coaching resume to Athletic Director Rich Brumbaugh, Mogadore High School, 130 S. Cleveland Ave., Mogadore 44260, fax 33-628-6657 or e-mail mo(brumbaugh@mogadore.net.
Bedford Chanel is looking for a volleyball coach. A teaching position may be available. Send a cover letter and resume to Dave Stupka, 480 Northfield Road, Bedford 44146.
Perry needs a girls volleyball coach. Send a resume and cover letter to Athletic Director John Dorko, Perry High School, 1 Success Blvd., Perry 44081.
Maple Heights seeks head coaches for boys and girls basketball. Send a resume to Athletic Director Tim O'Connor, Maple Heights High, 5500 Clement Dr., Maple Heights 44137.
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The first Kenny Novak Memorial Junior Tour golf qualifier will be June 7 at Ellsworth Meadows in Hudson, and the second will be June 9 at Grantwood in Solon.
Other qualifiers will be June 13, 16, 19 and 23 and July 1, 11, 16 and 18 at various courses. The Novak championship runs July 29 and 30 at Walden in Aurora. To register, visit www.northernoh.pg.com.
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Three runs are coming up this weekend in the area.
Two 5Ks are slated May 10 at the Cleveland Zoo and Walter F. Ehmfelt Rec Center. They start at 8:30 and 9:15 a.m., respectively.
The MOMS 5K will be May 11 at 9 a.m. at the Independence Civic Center.
For details on the three, call Hermes Sports & Events at 216-623-9933 or visit www.hermescleveland.com.
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Aurora High School 2007 graduate Chris Dennison placed 12th in the 5,000-meter run at the Jesse Owens Classic on May 2-3 in Columbus.
He competes for Miami University of Ohio and his time was 15:13.26. The Red Hawks will compete May 9 in the Billy Hayes Invitational in Bloomington, Ind.