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Stellar field set for NOS

The stars will be out Saturday night at Wheeling Downs. It’s Night of Stars XX — a simulcast program featuring top-grade races from 17 racetracks across the country on one card. Wheeling will be Race 12 on the American Greyhound Track Operator’s Association-sponsored NOS program (separate from the regular Saturday evening card) and a spectacular field has been assembled for the 5/16 race. Post time for Wheeling’s Night of Stars feature race is 10:55 p.m. A portion of the proceeds from each Night of Stars broadcast goes to Greyhound Pets of America, the largest greyhound ...

Sack dance: Bucks beat down Badgers

COLUMBUS — Were the Buckeyes ever in danger of losing this one? Permit linebacker James Laurinaitis to answer that. “We (defense) looked at each other on the sideline and kind of said (collectively), ‘Hey! we gotta get going.’” This development came with Ohio State facing a rare second half deficit against an old nemesis. For at least a few minutes, there, the Buckeye Nation inhaled to take a deep breath. About an hour later as the victory bell signaled the Buckeyes’ 10th win, Laurinaitis embraced teammate Vern Gholston — the weary pair celebrating a defensive ...

Local golfers finish fifth in ESPN National tournament in Vegas

Most people who go to Las Vegas go strictly for social purposes. That wasn’t quite the case for former River High football standout Ricco Simonetti and Wheeling resident Bryan Myers. It was all golf and a little bit of social. The duo took part in the ESPN National Golf Challenge after going through two rounds of qualifying at Paitue Resort, which is situated about a half hour outside of Vegas in the desert. “It was an excellent experience,” Myers, a Belmont Hills Country Club employee, said. “ESPN ran the tournament first class and we actually didn’t have much time to do ...

ON THE MAT: Wrestling season is alive and ready

It’s official, wrestling season is upon us. The coaches in the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference were brought together to kick-off the official start of the 2007-2008 wrestling season Monday night at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling. Certain coaches continued to be the jokesters of the wrestling fraternity, but all in good fun as 11 new coaches joined the ranks as head mat coach. However, take the term “new” lightly. Martins Ferry dug deep in its pockets picking out former coach Jeff Oberdick as its go to guy this season. While Chic Lamotte proved that wrestling never truly leaves you, ...

Nomemory wins Night of Stars

Quite often sporting events don’t live up to their prior buildup and accompanying hype. That was not the case last weekend in Night of Stars XX at Wheeling Downs. Taking part in a national simulcast program featuring top-grade races from 17 tracks across the country, the Wheeling sprint was a classic with three greyhounds hitting the wire only a half length apart. The homestretch battle couldn’t have been any more dramatic as Majestic Kennel’s San Tan Nomemory closed on the outside to edge Ryan Farms Kennel’s Freya by a head and Charter Kennel’s Makin Bakin by a half length ...

ON THE MAT: Trying to give an education to area youth

THIS WEEKEND the Ohio Valley wrestling community will be graced with the presence of the world’s most elite grappler as Bobby Douglas will be part of a three-part technique clinic at Wheeling Park High School. “I always want to give back to my roots, I feel comfortable giving back in clinics and giving the kids the opportunity to get an education,” Douglas said after getting off a conference call to select the next U.S. Olympic wrestling coach. Douglas says two of the big things he wants to start promoting to Ohio Valley wresting community is the need for more technical ...