Shepas will join Bulldogs

EAST PALESTINE — The East Palestine board of education will vote tonight on hiring Rick Shepas as the new head football coach.

Shepas, the Warren Harding athletic director, was head coach as Massillon for seven years before becoming Waynesburg University’s winningest coach.

He is being recommended by superintendent James Rook, according to the board agenda. The board will meet at 6 p.m. today at the elementary media center.

Shepas starred at Youngstown Mooney High School and was Youngstown State’s leading receiver in the 1985 and 1986 seasons. He still ranks fourth all-time in YSU history with 150 career receptions and 2,263 yards receiving.

He was an assistant coach at Alliance in 1989 and at Poland from 1990-92. Then Shepas was head coach at Poland from 1993-95, Seneca Valley (Pa.) from 1996-1997 and Massillon from 1998-2004. He went 69-55 in 12 seasons at Waynesburg (Pa.) University.

He replaces Michael Demster, who led the Bulldogs to an 8-4 season last fall and a 17-25 record over four seasons.

County Classic on Sunday

LISBON — The 39th Columbiana County Classic will include six all-star basketball games Sunday at Nace Gymnasium.

Action begins with the junior high girls at noon, followed by the junior high boys at 1:30 p.m., the grades 9-11 girls at 3 p.m. and the grades 9-11 boys at 4:30 p.m.

The day will be highlighted by the senior all-star games with the girls tipping off at 6 p.m. and the boys at around 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and are only available at the door.

Harden scores 22 with broken thumb

NEW YORK (AP) — James Harden scored 22 points in his return to the lineup with a broken thumb and the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a two-game skid with a 106-102 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.

Harden missed two games after fracturing his thumb earlier in the week. He bounced back and shot 5 for 9 from the field, 4 for 7 from 3-point distance and 8 for 12 from the line, with nine rebounds and eight assists. He was injured Tuesday night in a 109-94 home victory over New York. X-rays Wednesday showed a non-displaced fracture of the distal phalanx. The 17-year veteran was traded by the Los Angeles Clippers to Cleveland on Feb. 4.

Jarrett Allen scored 20 points and Evan Mobley added 16 points and 13 rebounds as the Cavaliers improved to 12-1 in their last 13 games against the Nets. Sam Merrill finished with 15 points and Dennis Schroder had 10.

Michael Porter Jr. scored 26 points on 10-for-17 shooting, and Danny Wolf added 23 points and nine rebounds for Brooklyn, which lost its eighth straight game and for the 11th time in 13 games. Nolan Traore contributed 17 points and Grant Nelson 11 as the Nets slipped to 15-45 overall.

The Nets led 56-42 at halftime, helped by 50% (21 for 42) shooting from the field.

The Cavaliers rallied in the second half and led by eight points with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter before Brooklyn rallied.

Brooklyn closed within three points (102-99) on a basket by Traore with 28.6 seconds left and within a point (102-101) following two free throws by Wolf with 9.2 seconds showing. Schroder made a pair of free throws and Wolf hit 1 of 2, giving the Cavs a two-point lead with 5.9 seconds left. Schroder and Mobley added free throws in the final seconds to seal the win.

Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell was sidelined for a third straight game due to a groin injury. Dean Wade also sat out due to a sprained ankle.

Up next

Cavaliers: Host the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday.

Nets: At the Miami Heat on Tuesday.

Colorado QB dies in car accident

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Colorado quarterback Dominiq Ponder died early Sunday morning in a single-car crash, police said. He was 23.

Ponder was driving a 2023 Tesla when he lost control on a curve and hit a guardrail, according to the Colorado State Patrol. The car struck an electrical line pole and rolled down an embankment.

Ponder was pronounced dead at the scene in Boulder County. Police said a preliminary investigation “shows that speed is suspected as a factor.”

Ponder played in two games for the Buffaloes last season, going 0-for-1 passing and carrying the ball twice for a loss of 4 yards. The 6-foot-5 sophomore from Opa Locka, Florida, began his collegiate career at Bethune-Cookman before transferring.

The Buffs were slated to begin spring practice on Monday.

“God please comfort the Ponder family, friends & Loved ones,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders posted on X. “Dom was one of my favorites! He was Loved, Respected & a Born Leader. Let’s pray for all that knew him & had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord you’re receiving a good 1.”

Colorado offensive coordinator Brennan Marion reposted Sanders’ statement and called Ponder a joy to be around and coach.

“Getting that call from his dad today didn’t feel real,” Marion posted. “Love you Dom! God cover his family & our team, especially our qb room!”

Colorado athletic director Fernando Lovo said Ponder “epitomized the values of passion, enthusiasm, leadership, toughness, and intelligence that were revered by his teammates and coaches alike.” The athletic department said it would make counseling resources available to players and staff.

Fellow Colorado quarterback Colton Allen also paid tribute to Ponder on Instagram.

“Dom, you were a blessing to so many people,” Allen wrote. “You had a presence about you that just made everything better. You brought so much joy to me and everyone around you. I’m grateful for every lift, every practice, every rep, every conversation we got to share. I’ll carry those with me for the rest of my life.”

Tyler Reddick makes NASCAR history

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Tyler Reddick’s latest win drove him straight into the NASCAR record books.

Reddick held off hard-charging Shane van Gisbergen over the final 20 laps at the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday to become the first Cup Series driver to win the first three races of the season.

Driving a Toyota co-owned by Michael Jordan, Reddick won the season-opening Daytona 500 and a week later at Atlanta, then won from the pole in the first road course race of the year.

Jordan, the basketball Hall of Famer and six-time NBA champion, was with Reddick’s 23XI pit crew exchanging high fives as Reddick crossed the finish line.

“It’s one race, but it was so important,” Reddick said. “It’s so fitting to get three in a row and make history.”

History made for a team and ownership group that has been making a lot of it. They took on NASCAR with a federal antitrust lawsuit. The settlement in December and was considered a major legal victory that secured a permanent franchise-style model and ensured the team would remain in business for the long-term.

They’ve been unbeatable on the race track ever since.

“I’m proud of the team we put together,” Jordan said. He credited co-owner Denny Hamlin, who also is a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, with being the “mastermind” behind it’s racing success.

“I just put up the money,” Jordan said. “Denny’s done an incredible job building this team.”

Jordan also said he’ll be at the next race in Phoenix to see if Reddick can extend the winning streak that has built a commanding 70-point lead in the drivers’ championship.

Van Gisbergen, who won five of six road course races in 2025, lost his bid for a record-tying sixth consecutive road win. The only road course race the Trackhouse driver didn’t win last season was in Austin.

“Tyler was just amazing,” van Gisbergen said. “You’re always disappointed with second when the expectations are so high.”

Reddick was just too good all weekend in pursuit of history. His 11th career victory was also his second at COTA, a track built for Formula 1, and the first time he’s had multiple victories at a track. He won at COTA in 2023.

It was far from easy, even if Reddick looked like he was in complete control. Van Gisbergen was on his bumper for several laps in the final stage, but never found the pace to pass before falling farther and farther behind over the final six laps.

“I was just trying to minimize mistakes, Shane is so good,” Reddick said.

Jordan, so clutch in his playing days, noted Reddick was cool in the driver’s seat while under immense pressure.

“You see SVG coming back, you get a little nervous, but I think he had him covered the whole day,” Jordan said.

Rough day for rookie Zilisch

Trackhouse Cup Series rookie Connor Zilisch came into the weekend with the expectation that he might be the one to end van Gisbergen’s dominance on road courses.

But Zilisch’s weekend began with a surprisingly poor qualifying position of 25th and got worse Sunday when he got spun on the restart for stage two. Zilisch fought back into contention for the win in the final stage, but his race effectively ended when he was spun again in a restart out of a caution with 16 laps to go. He finished 14th.

Bowman had to bail out

Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman had to get out of his car with about 20 laps to go after complaining about being sick.

He was replaced by Myatt Snider who had been working as a pit spotter for the Fox broadcast. Snider had to scramble to put on his race suit and get in the car.

Keselowski finishes race while still recovering from broken leg

Brad Keselowski had a reserve driver Joey Hand on hand to take over in case his recently broken leg hurt too much. He didn’t need him and was able to finish the race in 20th place.

The RFK Racing driver has been able to race in all three events this season despite breaking his right leg in December. The road course in Austin was a particular concern but of the physical strain through the left and right turns.

Up next

The NASCAR Cup Series returns to oval racing Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, March 8. Christopher Bell outdueled Denny Hamlin in Arizona last year to become the first driver to win three races in a row in the NextGen car.

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing