Sports – Page 316 – North Platte Post Archive

Yankees Acquire Right-Hander Chris Martin from Rockies

Posted on January 13, 2015January 13, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees have obtained pitching prospect Chris Martin from the Colorado Rockies for cash.

The 28-year-old right-hander made his big league debut with the Rockies last April and had a 6.89 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 15 2-3 innings over 16 relief appearances. He was 1-3 with a 4.39 ERA in 25 relief appearances last year at Triple-A Colorado Springs with 36 strikeouts in 26 2-3 innings.

The 6-foot-8 Martin had been designated for assignment last week to open a roster spot for catcher Nick Hundley.

To clear a spot on the 40-man roster Tuesday, the Yankees designated right-hander Gonzalez Germen for assignment.

Royals give Manager Ned Yost Extension through 2016 Season

Posted on January 13, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The AL champion Royals and Ned Yost have agreed on a one-year contract extension that will keep the manager with the franchise through the 2016 season.

Yost said after leading the Royals to an improbable pennant last season that he hoped to manage a few more years. His contract had been set to expire after the 2015 season.

Yost became the Royals’ manager in May 2010 and presided over a massive rebuilding effort that culminated with the end of a 29-year playoff drought. The Royals took the San Francisco Giants to the seventh game of the World Series before their season finally ended.

The longest-tenured manager in club history, Yost will soon become its winningest. He has 373 victories, trailing only Dick Howser (404) and Whitey Herzog (410).

NPCC Lady Knights Volleyball Signs Wolever

Posted on January 13, 2015January 13, 2015

The North Platte Community College Women’s Volleyball team continues to add more players for the upcoming volleyball season by signing Shelby Wolever from Brush High School in Colorado.

In an interview with the Fort Morgan Times Wolever said, “I was introduced to their coach, and last spring I went for a visit and got to practice with them a little bit,” Wolever said on the recruiting process. “This past summer I went to help them with their camp, and in the fall I went to a tryout there.”

“I really liked the college and the environment during my visit,” Wolever said on the school.

Wolever is a 5’ 8” setter. In her senior year she led the Brush High Beetdiggers with 195 assists, 123 digs, and 26 service aces. She also had 77 kills and 10 blocks.

During her career at Brush High School Wolever recorded 164 kills, 90 service aces, a 93.9 percent serving percentage, 653 assists, and 499 digs in 209 sets played.

Lady Knights Volleyball head coach Alexa Hopping said, “Shelby will be setting for us and will have a big job on her hands, which I believe she will do very well with.”

“She offers some height and jumps well and will be a good player for us,” Hopping added.

Wolever is the third Beetdigger to play volleyball for the Lady Knights. Sabrina and Sandrina Hallahan, being the two most recent, played for the Lady Knights during the 2012 and 2013 season.

ESPN Scores Big in College Championship Game

Posted on January 13, 2015

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ohio State’s victory in the first championship game of the College Football Playoff produced ESPN’s highest overnight rating ever.

The network said Tuesday that according to Nielsen the Buckeyes’ 42-20 win over Oregon generated an 18.5 overnight rating.

That’s a 21 percent increase over the 2014 BCS national championship on ESPN between Florida State and Auburn, which drew a 15.3 rating.

Monday night’s title game also topped the 16.1 overnight rating for the 2011 BCS championship between Auburn and Oregon that had been the previous best in cable history.

Columbus, Ohio, was the No. 1 overall market at 51.2 while Portland, Oregon, was fourth at 37.6.

Overnight ratings measure the country’s largest markets. The rating is the percentage of all homes with TVs, whether or not they are in use. Final ratings are to come later Tuesday.

Ohio State is No. 1; TCU Finishes 3rd in Final AP Top 25, Nebraska drops Out

Posted on January 13, 2015

Ohio State is No. 1 in the final Associated Press poll and TCU finished third, in front of two teams that made the playoff ahead of the Horned Frogs.

The Buckeyes finished on top of the AP Top 25 for the fifth time in program history, matching Miami and Southern California for fourth most behind Alabama (nine), Notre Dame (eight) and Oklahoma (seven).

Ohio State beat Oregon 42-20 on Monday night in the first College Football Playoff national championship game and got all 59 first-place votes in the media poll.

The Ducks finished second in the rankings, matching their best finish.

The Horned Frogs, who were left out of the playoff but beat Mississippi 42-3 in the Peach Bowl, were ranked ahead of No. 4 Alabama and No. 5 Florida State. The Tide and Seminoles lost playoff semifinals.

Michigan State tied Florida State for fifth.

The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, final records, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:

	Record	Pts	Pv
1. Ohio St. (59)	14-1	1,475	5
2. Oregon	13-2	1,402	3
3. TCU	12-1	1,349	6
4. Alabama	12-2	1,297	1
5. Florida St.	13-1	1,212	2
5. Michigan St.	11-2	1,212	7
7. Baylor	11-2	1,098	4
8. Georgia Tech	11-3	1,071	10
9. Georgia	10-3	925	13
10. UCLA	10-3	908	14
11. Mississippi St.	10-3	767	8
12. Arizona St.	10-3	756	15
13. Wisconsin	11-3	724	17
14. Missouri	11-3	710	16
15. Clemson	10-3	683	18
16. Boise St.	12-2	653	21
17. Mississippi	9-4	543	9
18. Kansas St.	9-4	509	11
19. Arizona	10-4	499	12
20. Southern Cal	9-4	315	24
21. Utah	9-4	302	23
22. Auburn	8-5	216	19
23. Marshall	13-1	161	NR
24. Louisville	9-4	116	20
25. Memphis	10-3	94	NR

Others receiving votes: Notre Dame 28, Stanford 27, Nebraska 22, Air Force 21, Duke 18, LSU 12, Utah St. 11, Arkansas 10, Minnesota 9, Oklahoma 7, Texas A&M 7, N. Illinois 4, Colorado St. 2.

4th to 1st: Ohio State beats Oregon 42-20

Posted on January 12, 2015

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 246 yards and four touchdowns and Ohio State won the first national title in college football’s playoff era, running over Oregon 42-20 Monday night.

Elliott scored three straight times in the second half for the Buckeyes, seeded fourth in the four-team bracket, after the Ducks pulled within a point in the third quarter.

The Buckeyes overcame four turnovers to give Urban Meyer his first title in his third season at Ohio State after he won two championships at Florida under the old BCS system.

Cardale Jones, who started the season as Ohio State’s third-string quarterback, accounted for two scores as the Buckeyes won their fifth national championship.

Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota threw a touchdown pass on the opening drive, but couldn’t lead the second-seeded Ducks to their first national title.

NPCC Lady Knights Lose to Northwest Kansas Tech

Posted on January 12, 2015

The North Platte Community College Lady Knights lost to the Northwest Kansas Technical College Lady Mavericks 59-57 Monday night at McDonald –Belton Gymnasium.

The Lady Knights, 9-7 on the season, jumped out to a 6-0 lead on baskets by Sarah Mahr and April Stull.

The Lady Mavericks came back and went on a 15- 8 run to take their first lead of the game 15-14 with 8:40 left in the first half. The lead changed four more times until the Lady Mavericks took the lead 20-18 with 4:15 to go in the first half.

The Lady Mavericks held a 30-21 lead at halftime.

In the second half, the Lady Knights came out and scored the first six points of the second half to cut the Lady Mavericks lead to three, 30-27.

The Lady Mavericks then went on another run and pushed the lead to 14 points with 11:12 left to play.

The Lady Knights started to chip away at the Northwest Kansas Tech lead and cut it to three with 2:16 left to play.

Neither team scored for the next two minutes. With 0.16 left in the game, Zulema Viescas hit a three pointer to tie the game at 57 each.

The Lady Mavericks went the length of the court, Leticia Rodriguez made the game winner with 0.8 seconds left in the game.

“We need to get our rhythm back,” Lady Knights Head Coach Richard Thurin said. “We play good enough defense, but we just need to score.”

The Lady Mavericks improve their record to 5-14 with the win. Lady Mavericks head coach Landon Steele said, “We have played several Top 25 teams recently, including Cowley County and Western Nebraska.”

The Lady Knights were led in scoring by April Stull, who scored 17 points. Stull also had 9 rebounds.

The only other Lady Knight to score in double figures was Ester Micheva, who had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

The Lady Mavericks were led in scoring by Nyachiang Bile and Leticia Rodriguez, each scoring 15 points. The only other Lady Maverick to score in double figures was Rayven Smith with 11 points.

The Lady Knights take to the road this weekend and play key games in the sub-region against Central Community College on Friday, and then travel to Beatrice to play Southeast Community College.

The game against Central is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CST, and the Southeast game is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. CST.

Ovechkin’s Goal gives Capitals 2-1 Win over Avalanche

Posted on January 12, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored a tiebreaking power-play goal late in the second period to help the Washington Capitals beat the Colorado Avalanche 2-1 on Monday night.

Jay Beagle also scored and Braden Holtby stopped 31 shots to earn his 21st victory for the Capitals.

Alex Tanguay scored for the Avalanche, and Semyon Varlamov finished with 36 saves.

Ovechkin snapped a shot past Varlamov from left circle after passes from Troy Brouwer and Nicklas Backstrom with 2:14 left in the second period. It was Ovechkin’s 74th game-winning goal, moving him past Peter Bondra for first place in franchise history. Ovechkin also now has scored a goal in six of his last seven games.

John Fox Out after 4 AFC West Titles, 4 Playoff Nosedives

Posted on January 12, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Coach John Fox and the Denver Broncos are parting ways following the team’s latest playoff meltdown.

Fox won the AFC West all four of his years in Denver, but each of those seasons ended in ugly fashion in the playoffs, including Sunday’s stunning 24-13 loss to Indianapolis.

Fox was 49-22 in Denver after going 73-71 in nine years with the Carolina Panthers.

In three seasons with Peyton Manning, the Broncos went 38-10 in the regular season but were upset twice at home in the divisional round and got upended by the Seahawks 43-8 in last year’s Super Bowl.

The Broncos went 8-8 in Fox’s first year, when Tebowmania was in full pitch. The stakes were raised when Manning replaced Tim Tebow in 2012.

Danilo Gallinari Ahead of Schedule after Knee Surgery

Posted on January 12, 2015

DENVER (AP) — Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari says he’s “a little ahead of schedule” after undergoing surgery to fix a torn meniscus in his right knee last month.

When he will return to the court, though, still remains unknown. He may be a few more weeks away from suiting up, but said after the team’s practice Monday he hopes it’s not that long.

Gallinari hasn’t played since scoring 19 points in a win over Indiana on Dec. 20. He’s averaging 7.8 points this season as he returns to the Nuggets after missing nearly 18 months with a torn ACL in his left knee that required three surgeries.

Although the latest knee injury is “tough,” Gallinari said he’s fortunate that it’s “not a major surgery” and “not a major problem. So, it’s easier.”