Sports – Page 433 – North Platte Post Archive

Broncos Rookie Cornerback Comes Up Big in Debut

Posted on September 11, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — On back-to-back August afternoons, Denver Broncos rookie cornerback Bradley Roby was torched by Peyton Manning’s long touchdown passes to Demaryius Thomas.

The first time, Roby trudged off the field knowing his technique, leverage and his reaction time could have been better.

The next day, same play, same result.

This time, Roby plodded back to the sideline in frustration.

He knew he’d done all he possibly could have and yet he’d still come up short.

The following week, Roby was a different player entirely.

AL Wild-Card Game Sept 30 Begins MLB Playoff Sked

Posted on September 11, 2014

Major League Baseball is scheduled to begin the postseason with the AL wild-card game on Sept. 30.

MLB announced the schedule Thursday. The NL playoffs will start with the wild-card game on Oct 1.

The regular season ends Sept. 28, and any tiebreakers would be played the next day.

Both AL division series openers are scheduled for Oct. 2. The NL division series openers will be Oct. 3.

The AL championship series begins Oct. 10 and the NLCS opens the next day.

The World Series is set to start on Tuesday, Oct. 21 at the home of the AL champion.

Ex-NFL Players Lose Bid to Disrupt Concussion Deal

Posted on September 11, 2014

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Seven former NFL players hoping to intervene in a proposed settlement of concussion claims have lost their federal court appeal.

The 3rd U.S. Circuit ruling Thursday comes just a day after the appeal was argued in Philadelphia.

The NFL would pay at least $765 million under the settlement to men diagnosed with moderate to severe cognitive problems they link to league concussions.

Senior U.S. District Judge Anita Brody has granted preliminary approval of the plan.

However, the seven former players object, calling it a “lousy deal” for athletes with symptoms that don’t qualify for awards.

They can still raise their objections at a court “fairness hearing” on the settlement in November, or file separate lawsuits.

The group includes 2008 Pro Bowl player Sean Morey, now Princeton University’s sprint football coach.

US Beats Lithuania to Reach Basketball World Final

Posted on September 11, 2014

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — James Harden and the U.S. sprinted into the championship game of the Basketball World Cup, riding a huge third quarter to a 96-68 victory over Lithuania on Thursday night.

Harden scored all of his 16 points in the lopsided third quarter of a near carbon copy of the Americans’ quarterfinal victory over Slovenia, when he awoke from a scoreless first half to help turn a close game into a blowout in a split second.

The Americans will travel to Madrid to face France or Serbia on Sunday as they try to repeat as world champions for the first time.

Selig Forms Committee on Pace of Game Issues

Posted on September 11, 2014

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig expects to receive a recommendation in the next 30-60 days from a committee he formed to deal with the issue of pace of game.

Baseball has come under scrutiny this year for its increasingly long games, which stem from a number of reasons but in large part the addition of expanded replay this season. Selig isn’t sure what to expect from his small group in terms of suggestions. Atlanta Braves President John Schuerholz is taking part.

Selig says this is an issue he wants to improve before he steps down on Jan. 25 and turns over the commissioner job to Rob Manfred.

Regarding replay, Selig acknowledges: “I was a little bit of a reluctant dragon on that. I had some concerns.” But overall he considers it a positive thing.

Selig: Domestic Violence Policy has been Discussed

Posted on September 11, 2014

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig says the league and players’ union have previously discussed the idea of a blanket policy regarding domestic violence during collective bargaining, yet so far baseball has opted to handle any issue on a case-by-case basis.

Selig, speaking Thursday at AT&T Park as part of his farewell tour before the Giants hosted Arizona, declined to address the NFL’s situation surrounding the Ray Rice case and whether he thought there could be an impartial investigation.

Selig says he can’t remember the last domestic violence case involving a baseball player. Talks about a policy could come up again in the next collective bargaining, but Selig leaves office Jan. 25 and Rob Manfred takes over.

“Yes, it has been discussed, because we’re sensitive to all issues,” he says.

Sheriff: Investigation of Stewart Crash Complete

Posted on September 11, 2014

CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. (AP) — An upstate New York sheriff says he has completed his investigation into the death of a driver struck by NASCAR champion Tony Stewart during a sprint car race last month. The district attorney will announce late next week whether Stewart will face any charges.

Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero said Thursday he has submitted the investigation, including enhanced video, to prosecutors for review. The statement said neither Povero nor District Attorney R. Michael Tantillo would comment further.

Stewart’s car struck and killed 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr. on the dirt track at Canandaigua Motorsports Park on Aug. 9. Ward had climbed out of his car and walked onto the track to confront Stewart after he spun out while racing alongside the three-time NASCAR champion.

Dissecting the Kansas City Chiefs’ Downward Spiral

Posted on September 11, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Was last year a smoke-and-mirrors mirage? Did the Kansas City Chiefs go from 2-14 to 11-5 and the playoffs on the strength of dumb luck?

There’s an argument to be made for it after their season-opening loss to Tennessee.

Alex Smith threw three interceptions after receiving a big contract extension. Running ball Jamaal Charles touched the ball 11 times after getting his own new deal. Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe was suspended. First-round draft pick Dee Ford got on the field for just three snaps.

Defensive starters Derrick Johnson and Mike DeVito were lost to season-ending injuries, too.

Now, the Chiefs will have to pull out of a downward spiral at arguably the toughest place in the AFC: Denver. They visit the Broncos in Week 2 on Sunday.

Huskers Host Ameritas Players Challenge

Posted on September 11, 2014

After a 3-0 weekend on the road at the Flyer-Raider Invitational in Dayton, Ohio last weekend, the 11th-ranked Nebraska volleyball team returns home to host the Ameritas Players Challenge on Friday and Saturday at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

The four-team tournament includes Nebraska, Akron, Colgate and Denver. The Huskers and Akron will play just two matches total, while Colgate and Denver will each play three matches. The tournament begins on Friday with Akron facing Colgate at 4:30 p.m. The Huskers host Denver Friday at 7 p.m. A tripleheader on Saturday begins with Colgate vs. Denver at 11 a.m. Denver then turns around to play Akron at 4:30 p.m. The Huskers and Colgate wrap up play Saturday at 7 p.m.

Husker volleyball season-ticket holders may attend every match of the tournament as long as they present their Husker match tickets for that day. The Huskers will take part in the 7 p.m. finale each day, but the doors and parking lots will open in time for the first match of the day (3:30 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday), and tickets will be valid all day. Fans will not be required to leave the Devaney Center between matches. They also can come and go throughout the day by having their tickets scanned as they enter and leave the Devaney Center.

Media Information
Friday’s match against Denver will stream online on BTN Plus, which fans can purchase for $9.95 for one month’s access. Saturday’s match will be available online with a HuskersNSide subscription at Huskers.com. Fans can also listen to the action with John Baylor and Diane Mendenhall on the 25-station Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and The Wolf 93.3 FM in Omaha. Fans inside and outside the state of Nebraska will also be able to catch the live audio feed on Huskers.com for free.

Last Time Out
After the Huskers dropped their first two matches of the season to Florida State and Stanford at home, going on the road last weekend proved to be just what the Huskers needed. NU posted wins over Dayton (3-0), Bakersfield (3-1) and Eastern Kentucky (3-0) and became more consistent as the weekend went on, culminating with a 25-7 third-set win over Eastern Kentucky. Kelsey Fien had a breakout weekend, notching a career-high 17 kills in the win over Bakersfield. For the weekend, the junior outside hitter had 4.3 kills per set and hit .340. All-American Kadie Rolfzen got untracked with 4.1 kills per set while hitting .398.

Up Next
Nebraska plays its final two non-conference matches at home next week. The Huskers host in-state rival Creighton on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. It will air on NET and BTN Plus. The Huskers finish non-conference play when No. 2 Texas visits the Devaney Center on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 2 p.m. That match will also air on NET and BTN Plus.

Noting the Huskers
• Last Saturday, Nebraska beat Eastern Kentucky 25-7 in set three and Bakersfield 25-8 in set two. Nebraska held three opponents to single-digit points in 25-point sets three times all of last year and did so just twice in 2012 and once in 2011.
• Junior outside hitter Kelsey Fien notched a career-high 17 kills against Bakersfield. Fien may have had extra motivation, as she is a native of Bakersfield, Calif. For the weekend, she averaged 4.3 kills per set to lead the Big Red, and she is the only Husker averaging more than three kills per set this season at 4.0, which ranks second in the Big Ten and 53rd nationally.
• Senior setter Mary Pollmiller and sophomore outside hitter Kadie Rolfzen were named to the Flyer-Raider Invitational All-Tournament Team, with Pollmiller taking home MVP honors.
• After a tough opening weekend, Kadie Rolfzen responded at the Flyer-Raider Invitational with a season-high 15 kills against Dayton and Bakersfield and a career-best .667 hitting percentage against Eastern Kentucky. Rolfzen averaged 4.1 kills per set after 1.0 kills per set on opening weekend.
• The Huskers rank second in the Big Ten in digs per set (15.53). Kadie Rolfzen (3.38 per set) and Justine Wong-Orantes (3.24 per set) lead the Big Red.
• With its No. 11 ranking, Nebraska has appeared in every one of the AVCA’s 465 all-time weekly polls. NU and Stanford are the only two programs to appear in every AVCA poll, dating back to its inception in 1982.
• Nebraska has spent a nation-leading 418 weeks in the top 10.
• The Huskers are 226-0 under Cook when hitting .300 or better.
• NU is 367-15 (.961) when winning the first set under John Cook.
• Nebraska is 138-39 against ranked teams under Cook (.780).
• Just over one-third of Cook’s total victories at Nebraska (416) have come against ranked teams.
• Nebraska volleyball leads the nation with 203 consecutive sellouts, the longest sellout streak in the history of NCAA women’s athletics. NU owns a 188-15 record during the streak.

Series History
• Nebraska will be playing Denver for the first time.
• The Huskers are 1-0 all-time against Colgate, sweeping the Raiders on Sept. 1, 2012 (25-12, 25-19, 25-13) in Irvine, Calif.

Scouting the Denver Pioneers
Denver is 5-2 after opening the season with five wins before dropping its last two, 3-1 to Kansas and 3-0 at Colorado State on Tuesday. The Pioneers went 3-0 at the College Park Maverick Classic in Arlington, Texas to start the season, posting wins over Jackson State (3-0), Incarnate Word (3-1) and UT Arlington (3-2). Denver also swept Sam Houston State and Bradley before dropping its last two.

The Pioneers have six starters back from last year’s squad that went 17-13 and finished second in the Summit League at 10-4. The Pioneers were picked as the Summit League preseason favorite this season. Moni Corrujedo leads the team with 74 kills and is averaging 3.36 per set. She was Denver’s leader last year as well with 323 kills (2.96 per set). Setter Bailey Karst averages 9.05 assists per set and 2.18 digs per set. Kate Acker leads the team with 4.0 digs per set.
Head Coach Jesse Mahoney is in his third season at the helm with a record of 39-28. Mahoney was the head coach at Fort Hays State from 1999-2004 and compiled a 107-82 record before becoming an associate head coach at Colorado State.

Scouting the Colgate Raiders
Colgate enters the weekend with a 2-2 record with wins over Niagara and Cleveland State and three-set losses to Pennsylvania and Georgetown. The Raiders went 22-9 last year and 13-3 in the Patriot League, advancing to the conference championship match. The Raiders have four starters back.

2013 Patriot League Player of the Year Diane Seely has a team-high 36 kills and averages 2.57 per set. She is also hitting a team-best .301 and leads the team with 16 blocks. Seely, a senior middle blocker, was voted the Patriot League’s top player in 2013 with 355 kills and 97 blocks. She ranked third in the league with a .332 hitting percentage and was fourth in kills per set (3.26) and sixth in blocks per set (0.89). Setter Jackie Macy has 89 assists for 6.36 per set, and freshman Elena Simpson leads the Raiders with 43 digs (3.07 per set).
Ryan Baker is in his ninth season as head coach with a 131-110 record at Colgate. He is 154-121 overall in his 10th season as a head coach.

Shields Shuts Down Tigers as Royals Win 3-0

Posted on September 10, 2014

DETROIT (AP) — James Shields allowed two hits over seven innings in another terrific performance, and the Kansas City Royals edged Detroit 3-0 on Wednesday night to take a one-game lead over the Tigers atop the AL Central.

Shields (14-7) gave up a single to Ian Kinsler leading off the first. Then he picked off Kinsler — and retired every other batter he faced until another Detroit single in the seventh. The Tigers put two on that inning, but Shields worked out of the jam.

Kelvin Herrera pitched the eighth and Wade Davis finished for his third save.

Rick Porcello (15-11) pitched well for the Tigers, but Kansas City pushed across two runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Salvador Perez and Lorenzo Cain.

Alcides Escobar added a sacrifice fly in the ninth.