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WARRIORS, POTTERS IN POLL
West Branch is ranked 12th in Div. IV in the latest Associated Press state football poll. The Warriors (8-1) clinched a share of the Eastern Buckeye Conference title with last week’s win over Alliance and are set to host rival Salem (8-1) on Friday.
East Liverpool got one vote in Div. IV and is ranked 21st. The Potters (7-2) have a chance to clinch a share of the Buckeye 8 Big School title if they beat Brooke on Friday at Patterson Field.
In Div. V, Northeast 8 leader Girard (9-0) is fifth, while Cardinal Mooney (6-3) is ninth.
In Div. VI, South Range (8-1) sits in fourth place, while Mineral Ridge (9-0) is 13th. The Rams play at 8-1 McDonald on Friday. The Blue Devils are ranked 14th in Div. IV.
LEETONIA CLOSES SEASON
ELYRIA -- Leetonia’s volleyball season came to an end with a 25-4, 25-3, 25-6 loss to Elyria Open Door Christian on Tuesday.
The No. 26 seed Bears fall to 0-23 on the season. No. 2 seed Open Door (18-5) will host No. 25 Sebring on Thursday in the sectional final.
GECINA HONORED
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- Westminster College junior Brooke Gecina has been named the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Women's Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this season.
Gecina averaged 6.38 digs per set and totaled 10 service aces last week for 1-1 Westminster. She had 35 digs and five service aces in Wednesday’s five-set loss at Allegheny, marking her sixth match of the year with 30-plus digs. Gecina had 16 digs and five aces in Saturday’s three-set win at Waynesburg. Her 5.99 digs per set average leads the PAC.
She is the daughter of former Crestview High School standout Brian Gecina and was the team MVP twice at Aurora High School.
Westminster (13-9, 4-2 PAC) will will host Saint Vincent at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
FORMER BROWNS DT RELEASED
(AP) -- The Tennessee Titans have released defensive tackle Jordan Elliott, the team announced Tuesday.
Elliott’s departure came five days after his involvement in an incident at the team’s facility, the team said in a statement.
“On Thursday, October 15, there was an incident at our team facility involving Jordan Elliott,” the statement read. “Following our review of the incident, we have made the decision to release Elliott from our roster. We will have no further comment on the matter.”
Elliott appeared in five games this season with one start and had 11 tackles. He followed Titans coach Robert Saleh to Nashville after a two-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played in 31 games with 29 starts.
The 6-foot-4 defensive tackle was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2020 draft. He spent his first four seasons in Cleveland before signing a two-year, $7 million deal with San Francisco.
Tennessee added him as a free agent in the offseason on a two-year, $8 million deal.
GIANTS RELEASE HARRIS
NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Giants released running back Najee Harris on Tuesday, 48 hours after he had just two carries for 4 yards in a 34-27 loss to New Orleans.
In the locker room afterward, Harris was critical of his role with the team, saying it was impossible for anyone to get into a rhythm without a steady workload.
Coach John Harbaugh, around the same time, voiced his displeasure that no one had stepped up to be the lead running back. Told Monday of Harris’ comments, Harbaugh said he understood the sentiment.
“Also understand that that’s earned,” Harbaugh said. “I respect that he said that. I mean, I get it. Shoot, that’s how we all want it. That’s for sure, and I respect that he would want that.”
Harris, who is coming off a torn left Achilles tendon and signed with the Giants late in training camp, rushed for 99 yards in five games this season, an average of 3.2 yards an attempt.
The 28-year-old started against the Saints on Sunday when Harbaugh and his staff reduced Cam Skattebo’s role after the second-year running back fumbled in overtime at Washington the previous week. It is unclear how the Giants plan to split the responsibilities among Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary this weekend at Houston.
Before the injury last year, when he was with the Los Angeles Chargers, Harris had four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with Pittsburgh.
Jihad Ward also was released Tuesday and fellow linebacker Trace Ford was signed to the active roster off the practice squad.