Sports – Page 413 – North Platte Post Archive

Student Who Ran on Field May Keep Scholarship

Posted on October 3, 2014

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A student who ran onto the field during an Ohio State football game and was body-slammed by a coach may not lose his scholarship.

An official of the Evans Scholars Foundation says that 21-year-old Anthony Wunder has been suspended from all program activities and was asked to move out of the Evans Scholars House on campus. But the status of his scholarship is still being determined.

The program covers tuition and housing for former golf caddies.

Wunder, a fourth-year engineering student, ran onto the Ohio Stadium turf last Saturday and was slammed to the ground by Ohio State assistant coach Anthony Schlegel. Video of the hit became a sensation on social media.

Wunder’s attorney entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf to misdemeanor criminal trespassing.

Spartans Host Huskers in Crucial Big Ten Matchup

Posted on October 3, 2014

After all the big, era-defining victories Michigan State earned last season, a November win at Nebraska is often overlooked.

Michigan State’s 41-28 victory at Nebraska last year was the Spartans’ last major hurdle en route to the Legends Division title. The Big Ten realigned after that, and these teams are in different divisions now, but a lot will still be on the line Saturday night when the 10th-ranked Spartans host the 19th-ranked Cornhuskers.

Michigan State (3-1) has rebounded from its loss at Oregon and still holds hopes of reaching college football’s new four-team playoff. The Big Ten has taken some criticism for its early-season performance, so if the Spartans are going to impress the nation, this matchup with one of the league’s other ranked teams is important.

Nebraska (5-0, 1-0) didn’t look great while struggling against McNeese State a few weeks ago, but the Cornhuskers beat Miami and routed Illinois.

Moustakas’ HR in 11th Puts Royals Past Angels, 3-2

Posted on October 3, 2014

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Moustakas homered leading off the 11th inning, and the Kansas City Royals kept rolling in their first postseason in 29 years with a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels in the AL Division Series opener Thursday night.

Moustakas hit the first extra-inning homer in postseason history for the Royals, a high shot off Fernando Salas that barely reached the elevated right-field stands at Angel Stadium.

Alcides Escobar had an early RBI double for the Royals, and their bullpen repeatedly escaped trouble in Kansas City’s first game since that spectacular, 12-inning comeback victory over Oakland in the wild-card playoff Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Game 2 in the best-of-five series is Friday night at the Big A, with Angels 16-game winner Matt Shoemaker taking on fellow rookie Yordano Ventura.

9 Ex-Players Opt Out of NFL Concussion Litigation

Posted on October 3, 2014

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Lawyers for thousands of former football players involved in the NFL concussion litigation say nine have opted out of the proposed settlement.

The deadline to opt out is Oct. 14, although some retirees want a judge to extend the date.

The NFL has agreed to pay at least $765 million over 65 years. About 20,000 ex-players would be covered by the agreement.

Individual awards could reach $5 million for severe brain trauma. The average ex-player with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is expected to get about $190,000.

The players’ lawyers filed a motion Thursday asking U.S. District Senior Judge Anita Brody to keep the current timelines for settling the case. They say families need money soon.

But some plaintiffs want the opt-out deadline delayed until after the judge weighs the fairness of the settlement in November.

Huskers Inching Closer to Showdown with Spartans

Posted on October 3, 2014

Lincoln, Neb. – The Nebraska football team went through a 50-minute walkthrough at the Hawks Championship Center on Thursday in preparation for Saturday night’s showdown against Michigan State.

Head Coach Bo Pelini spoke to the media afterward and expressed pleasure with the team’s performance this week.

“It was good,” Pelini said. “It’s not over yet. We have one more day. There are always some mistakes early in the week. I thought we corrected them as the week went on. I thought that walkthrough was very clean. We’ve got some things to clean up. We’ve got our final run-through tomorrow and our guys made a couple of adjustments on both sides of the football today. We’ll practice it tomorrow and be ready to go.”

Pelini mentioned that the team’s focus will be on “us” and that the Huskers need to play loose to have success against the Spartans.

“(We need to) execute our football,” Pelini said. “Don’t treat this any different than we have up to this point. We have to execute our football and do what we are being coached to do. That’s been a constant theme for us. I know they’ll play hard and at the end of the day, we need to execute at a high level and do the things we’ve done up to this point.”

Sophomore Tommy Armstrong enters the matchup with a 12-1 record as the starting quarterback, without a loss on the road. Pelini expressed confidence in Armstrong.

“Tommy is a confident kid and we have a lot of confidence in him,” Pelini said. “I have confidence in this football team. I know we are playing a good football team. It will be a battle. The teams are going to go at it. It’s going to come down to little things. It always does.”

Pelini added that junior linebacker David Santos is “doubtful” for Saturday, but said it shouldn’t change too much with the defense and that the Blackshirts will “go kind of the way (they) did last week.”

The Huskers and Spartans square off on Saturday in East Lansing, Mich., at 7 p.m. (CT) on ABC. NU is seeking its second Big Ten win of the season as the Huskers take on the defending conference champions.

Bears Announce NFL Draft Headed to Chicago in 2015

Posted on October 3, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — The 2015 NFL draft will be held in Chicago, according to a tweet by the Bears.

The Bears posted the announcement on their Twitter account Thursday, saying: “2015 NFL Draft will be held in Chicago next April 30-May 2 at Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University.”

Moving the draft out of New York, where it has been held for decades, was likely once the league began taking bids for the event. Los Angeles and Chicago were the finalists for next year’s event.

The NFL soured on Radio City Music Hall after it was forced to move the draft back two weeks into May this year. But under Commissioner Roger Goodell, the league also has considered moving around the draft for a while.

Trout Family Fishing Events Scheduled Across State

Posted on October 3, 2014

LINCOLN – Young and inexperienced anglers are invited to explore the fun of fishing in October at a series of Trout Family Fishing events across Nebraska.

Rods and reels, hooks, bobbers, weights and worms are all anglers will need to start catching rainbow trout. All of that equipment and bait will be loaned for free. Volunteer instructors will be on hand to assist anglers.

Each body of water will be stocked with catchable-size trout before the event. Anglers ages 16 and older must have a valid Nebraska fishing license. Permits may be purchased at OutdoorNebraska.org.

The Trout Family Fishing schedule is as follows (times are 4:30-6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted):

Oct. 19 – Scottsbluff zoo pond, 4-6 p.m.; Oct. 21 – Lake Halleck, Papillion; Oct. 23– Holmes Lake, Lincoln; Oct. 24 – North Park Lake, Holdrege, 4:30-6:30 p.m.;Oct. 25 – Plumb Creek Park Lake, Lexington, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Oct. 28 – Steinhart Park Pond, Nebraska City; Windmill State Recreation Area Lake No. 2, Gibbon; Arrowhead Meadows Golf Course pond, Curtis; Oct. 30 – Rotary Club Lake, Auburn; Yanney Park Lake, Kearney

Huskers Not Enough in 3-1 Setback to Michigan

Posted on October 3, 2014

Ann Arbor, Mich. – Senior Mayme Conroy put Nebraska up 1-0 early, but Michigan’s Nicky Waldeck earned a hat trick to lead the Wolverines to a 3-1 win at U-M Stadium on Thursday afternoon.

Conroy’s goal came in the eighth minute, as she rebounded Katie Kraeutner’s blocked shot and shot it to the bottom right corner of the net. Conroy, the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, continued where she left off from last week and has four goals in her last three games. The Omaha, Neb., native took three shots on Thursday.

The Huskers outshot the Wolverines 13-10, as Kraeutner led the way with four. Caroline Gray had three shots, Jaycie Johnson took two and Caroline Flynn added one for NU.

Michigan’s first goal came in the 31st minute, as Waldeck dribbled past Nebraska’s keeper and tapped it in from three yards out off an assist from Ani Sarkisian. In the 42nd minute, Waldeck scored her second goal to give the Wolverines a 2-1 advantage heading into the locker room.

Despite the Huskers outshooting Michigan 7-3 in the second half, the only goal came from Waldeck in the 65th minute. She received a pass five yards out on the right side and slipped it past the goalkeeper to the left side of the net.

NU falls to 5-5-2 on the season, and holds a 1-3-2 record in the Big Ten. The Huskers continue their road trip by playing Michigan State on Sunday at noon (CT). The game will not be streamed, but live stats are available through GameTracker.

Refs Union Criticizes NFL Inconsistency on Calls

Posted on October 2, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — The union representing NFL on-field officials criticized the league Thursday for inconsistencies in grading calls, including two high-profile penalties from recent games.

In a release, the NFL Referees Association says the NFL has “caused confusion for NFL officials as to what the league does and doesn’t want called.”

The union referred to penalties on Washington’s Chris Baker for a hit on Eagles quarterback Nick Foles on Sept. 21, and to Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah last Monday night for going to his knees to celebrate an interception return for a touchdown. Abdullah actually had gone to his knees to pray — an act exempted from celebration penalties.

The union says both calls were graded as correct even after NFL executives announced that they were incorrect. Baker got a 15-yard penalty and was ejected from the game at Philadelphia. Abdullah also received a 15-yard penalty.

Ibanez off KC’s ALDS Roster; Pestano in for Angels

Posted on October 2, 2014

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Raul Ibanez has been left off the Kansas City Royals’ 25-man roster for the AL Division Series.

Ibanez wasn’t included on the roster submitted Thursday before the series opener against the Los Angeles Angels. The 42-year-old began this season with the Angels, who released him in June.

Former Angels reliever Scott Downs and infielder Jayson Nix also were left off the Royals’ roster, while left-hander Tim Collins made the cut.

Los Angeles chose reliever Vinny Pestano over Joe Thatcher, who hasn’t pitched well since his return from a sprained left ankle. The Angels also left off left-hander Wade LeBlanc and 40-year-old infielder John McDonald.

Versatile Efren Navarro earned a spot as an Angels reserve.

The Angels kept 12 pitchers on their roster, while the Royals have 11.