Leading off today: Spencerport hockey coach Craig Charron, 42, finds himself literally fighting for his life following a diagnosis of stomach cancer this winter, the Democrat and Chronicle reported.

   Charron, a local hero after a stellar career playing for the AHL's Rochester Americans, starting experiencing flu-like symptoms in November and was diagnosed in February, by which time surgery or radiation were not options. He began his second round of chemotherapy yesterday at Strong Memorial Hospital.

   "I'm ready to fight this, I'm ready to fight this every step of the way," Charron told the newspaper. "I want to be one of those (beat-the-odds) statistics."

   Still, the father of four is being honest with himself. "Chemo can't cure it, he said. "It can prolong or extend life for five or 10 years, so this will be my course of action for years to come."

   Nyack coach's future to be discussed: The Nyack school board will meet today to discuss the resignation last month of baseball coach Erik Lazerus, The Journal News reported.

   Lazerus, a third-year elementary school teacher, resigned April 6 after he was denied tenure. Since then, a group of parents and players have been petitioning the school board to reconsider his resignation.

   The board will meet in executive session at 7 p.m. and then reconvene to public session, at which time Lazerus' fate could be known.

   Nyack is 13-3 and averaging more than nine runs a game this season.

   James I. O'Neill makes hire: Anthony Finochio, 28, who spent the last three seasons as a Washingtonville assistant, is the new football coach at James I. O'Neill.

   He replaces Tim Hendershot, who became an assistant at Newburgh Free Academy. O'Neill went 7-4 last fall and won the Section 9 Class B championship; the school will drop down to Class C in 2010.

   Finochio will continue teaching in Washingtonville.

   "He's extremely motivated and comes highly regarded by (Washingtonville's) administrative staff," O'Neill AD Debbi Crowe told The Times Herald-Record.

   Pitch counts: New York City Democratic councilmen Oliver Koppell and Lewis Fidler want a local law setting pitch-count limits for high school hurlers next season. the New York Daily News reports.

   The idea, which might be implemented by the PSAL regardless of whether a law is passed, isn't going over

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especially well.

   "We've all heard about it, and a lot of coaches are frowning upon it," Monroe coach Mike Turo told the newspaper. "Basically, who are these guys to tell me how to run my ballclub?"

   "Overall, there's going to be some kind of restriction," says Francis Lewis coach Ian Millman. "I can understand why they're doing it, but it's going to really hamper some coaches who know what they're looking at."

   The PSAL has asked coaches to log game-by-game counts on the league's Web site this spring to that it will have data to review, Department of Education spokeswoman Margie Feinberg said. PSAL Executive Director Donald Douglas said the league's goal to have pitch-count limits next spring.

   Rightfully so, coaches question how the PSAL can monitor all the hurlers in the 138-team league. "How are they going to know, anyway?" asked one coach, speaking anonymously. "If I logged 50 pitches for a guy who threw more, how would they know? I love it when they do rules they can't enforce."

   The 'international' rule: Speaking of rules on the diamond, Will Montgomery of The Record in Troy dug into the "International Tiebreaker Rule" used to cut down on marathon softball contests.

   The rule has variations. In New York, if teams are tied through nine innings then the player who made the last out in the ninth inning heads to second base to begin the 10th. As Montgomery notes, teams typically use their first out to lay down a sacrifice bunt, giving them at least two more opportunities to plate the go-ahead run.

   "You score and then they have the same scenario," Cohoes coach Frank Ryan said. "You gave them a run and now we’re going to try to give you a run. It’s not like you really earn the run. I’d rather just play, myself."

   A suggestion to the softball folks: Try moving the pitcher's circle back from 40 to 46 feet.

   Extra points: Grover Cleveland boys basketball coach Earl Schunk has retired but told The Buffalo News he will resume coaching "if the right opportunity comes up."