Ex-Buckeye Clarett accused of robbery at gunpoint

Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett was accused of robbing two people at gunpoint in an alley behind a bar early Sunday, the latest trouble for the Buckeyes star who left the school in disgrace and failed to gain early entry into the NFL.

Clarett fled the scene and was wanted on two counts of aggravated robbery. According to police, he left in a white sport utility vehicle with two other men and took only a cell phone from his alleged victims, who weren’t injured.

The 22-year-old Clarett fled when the bar owner or manager, who knew both Clarett and the victims, came into the alley and identified him shortly before 2 a.m., detectives said.

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said he was informed of the incident on his way to the Fiesta Bowl news conference in Scottsdale, Ariz.

“Obviously, my reaction to that is it’s sad,” Tressel said, “because, as I said the last few times people have brought up the subject, my hope would be that he would have an opportunity to go over to NFL Europe and make a comeback.

“I hope it’s not true, but beyond that, I don’t know much, but my reaction is, I was sad.”

Clarett’s agent, Steve Feldman, said Sunday evening he had not yet spoken to his client. “At this point we still don’t know what’s fact and what’s fiction,” he said.

Clarett rushed for 1,237 yards and scored 16 touchdowns as a freshman. He helped the Buckeyes win the national championship in 2002, but has found only hard times since.

Clarett sat out the 2003 season after he was charged with misdemeanor falsification for filing a police report claiming that more than $10,000 in clothing, CDs, cash and stereo equipment was stolen from a car he borrowed from a local dealership. He later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

Ohio State suspended Clarett for misleading investigators, and for receiving special benefits worth thousands of dollars from a family friend.

Clarett was chosen by the Denver Broncos in last year’s draft, but the team cut him in August.

Hockey

U.S. beats Canada in exhibition

Krissy Wendell scored two goals to help the United States beat Canada 5-3 in women’s exhibition play at Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The game was the last meeting between the teams before they head to the Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, in February.

The defending Olympic champion Canadians are now 8-2 against the Americans since September. Their other loss was a 2-1 shootout during an exhibition game Nov. 27 in Ohio.

•The United States will play the Czech Republic in its world junior quarterfinal game tonight, with the winner advancing to face Russia. In tonight’s other quarterfinal, Finland will face Sweden for a shot at Canada in the semifinals.

Baseball

Pirates sign three players

Utilityman Mike Edwards signed a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Edwards hit .247 with three homers and 15 RBIs in 88 games last season for the Los Angeles Dodgers, playing third base and the outfield.

Also signing minor league contracts were infielder Gookie Dawkins, a former Reds prospect who hasn’t played in the majors since being with the Royals in 2003, and Paul Chiaffredo, the backup catcher at the Pirates’ Triple-A Indianapolis farm club last season.

Tennis

Hingis wins WTA return match

Martina Hingis won in her return to competitive tennis, beating Venezuela’s Maria Vento-Kabchi 6-2, 6-1 in a first-round match at the Australian women’s hardcourt championships in Gold Coast, Australia.

It was Hingis’ first WTA Tour match since losing to Elena Dementieva in Filderstadt, Germany, in October 2002. Hingis will face seventh-seeded Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic in the second round.

Skiing

Janda wins World Cup ski jump

Jakub Janda of the Czech Republic won the second leg of the annual ski jumping Four Hills tour in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, for his fifth World Cup victory of the season.

Janda tied defending champion Janne Ahonen of Finland at 226.5 meters after two leaps, but received more style points for his control in the air and smooth landings.

Running

American wins Central Park run

Australian Andrew Letherby and American Sara Slattery won the New Year’s Eve midnight run at Central Park in New York. Letherby won the 27th annual 4-mile run in 18 minutes, 44 seconds, while Slattery, last season’s NCAA 10,000-meter champion, finished in 21:36.