Sports – Page 449 – North Platte Post Archive

Packers Beat Chiefs 34-14 in Backup QB Battle

Posted on August 28, 2014

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Matt Flynn and Scott Tolzien each threw for two touchdowns in their competition to back up starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas Chiefs 34-14 in a preseason finale Thursday night.

Flynn threw for 102 yards and Tolzien had 139 in splitting reps by quarter in the evening’s most closely watched position battle. Coach Mike McCarthy could keep both players anyway a season after Rodgers missed seven weeks with a collarbone injury.

The Chiefs’ defense looked lost at times. Kansas City also had seven penalties in the first half, which ended with Green Bay up by 13.

Packers undrafted free agent Jayrone Elliott got his fifth sack of the preseason, beating Chiefs first-string tackle Donald Stephenson.

Chiefs receiver A.J. Jenkins made an impressive, diving 45-yard catch before leaving with a concussion.

Huskers Closing In On Season Opener

Posted on August 28, 2014

Lincoln, Neb. – The Nebraska football team continued its preparation for Saturday’s season opener on Thursday with a one-hour walk-through inside the Hawks Championship Center. Head Coach Bo Pelini spoke to the media after the team’s workout.

“We had a good day,” Pelini said. “We got accomplished what we wanted to get accomplished. We’ll finish up our preparation tomorrow and be ready to go.”

Pelini said that tackles Givens Price and Matt Finnin will both play on the offensive line during Saturday’s game.

“(Givens) has had a good camp,” Pelini said. “He’s practiced well. He’s gotten better. I thought he followed up a good spring and did well at guard. We moved him out to tackle in the fall. He looks even more comfortable. I think he did a good job. We have a lot of confidence in him.”

Pelini also addressed the role of kicker for Saturday’s game, saying that both Drew Brown and Mauro Bondi will see time.

“We’ll start the game with Drew Brown as the field goal kicker and Mauro as the kickoff guy,” Pelini said.

Pelini added that the newcomers will be ready to go for their first college football game.

“They’ve played a lot of football up to this point against good competition,” Pelini said. “A lot of good on good. They are ready to go and just execute their football.”

Saturday’s matchup with Florida Atlantic begins at 2:30 p.m. (CT) at Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

Record-Setting Petit Leads Giants Past Rockies 4-1

Posted on August 28, 2014

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Yusmeiro Petit set a major league record when he retired his 46th batter in a row, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 4-1 on Thursday for their third straight win.

Petit (4-3) got the first eight Colorado hitters, and established the mark by striking out Charlie Culberson. That broke Mark Buehrle’s record of 45 straight with the Chicago White Sox in 2009.

The announced sellout crowd of 41,017 at AT&T Park gave Petit a standing ovation before his streak ended when the next batter, Rockies pitcher Jordan Lyles, doubled to left field. Charlie Blackmon followed with a single to drive in Colorado’s only run.

Petit, a 29-year-old journeyman from Venezuela, fell one strike short of a perfect game against Arizona last September. His streak covered eight games, six of them in relief.

Royals Claim Jayson Nix off Waivers

Posted on August 28, 2014

Jayson Nix when he played for the New York Yankees.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals claimed infielder Jayson Nix off waivers Thursday from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Nix hit .133 in 34 games this season with the Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies. He is a career .214 hitter in seven big league seasons. He’s also played for Colorado, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland and Toronto.

The Royals also activated left-handed pitcher Scott Downs, who had been on the disabled list with a stiff neck. The team also optioned right-handed pitcher Liam Hendriks to Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Hendriks held Minnesota to one run and four hits over seven innings in a no-decision spot start Wednesday in his Kansas City debut.

The Royals recalled right-hander Michael Mariot, who had been on the disabled list at Triple-A Omaha, and put him on the 60-day disabled list to make room for Nix on the 40-man major league roster.

The Royals will have to make a corresponding move to add Nix to the 25-man roster when he reports.

Manning gets Fine after Taunting Texans Safety

Posted on August 28, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Peyton Manning has been docked a reported $8,268 for taunting Houston Texans safety D.J. Swearinger in a preseason game last week.

The Denver Broncos quarterback laid into the safety for hitting Wes Welker in the head, which left the slot receiver with his third concussion in 10 months.

The penalty was reported by ESPN. Manning told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen: “I accept it. Money well spent.”

Swearinger’s hit on Welker drew a 15-yard personal foul — but so far no word of a fine.

Manning was irked by the hit on Welker and after throwing a 29-yard TD pass to Emmanuel Sanders on the next snap, he ran up to Swearinger and let him know it.

Stewart to return to competition Sunday

Posted on August 28, 2014

Tony Stewart will return to Sprint Cup competition Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway, ending a three-race hiatus after his car struck and killed a fellow driver during a dirt-track race.

The three-time NASCAR champion has not raced since Aug. 9, when he hit Kevin Ward Jr. at a sprint car event in upstate New York.

Stewart hastily pulled out of the NASCAR race at Watkins Glen the next morning, then skipped races at Michigan and Bristol Motor Speedway.

Stewart has been in seclusion since Ward’s death. He returns to his No. 14 Chevrolet at Atlanta ranked 26th in the Sprint Cup standings.

NFL Increases Penalties for Domestic Violence

Posted on August 28, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL players will be subject to a six-week suspension for a first domestic violence offense and banishment from the league for a second under a new policy outlined by Commissioner Roger Goodell.

In a letter and memo sent to all 32 teams owners Thursday, and obtained by The Associated Press, Goodell says he “didn’t get it right” in giving Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice a two-game suspension for allegedly hitting the woman who is now his wife.

He told teams to distribute to all players the memo in which he writes: “Domestic violence and sexual assault are wrong. They are illegal. They are never acceptable and have no place in the NFL under any circumstances.”

Huskers Play Butler, Marquette Over Weekend

Posted on August 28, 2014

The Nebraska soccer team begins its second week of competition on Friday against Butler at the Nebraska Soccer Field at 5:30 p.m. (CT) before traveling to Milwaukee, Wis., to face Marquette on Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Huskers and Bulldogs will be meeting for the first time in series history on Friday. Both teams enter the contest with a 1-1 record after the first weekend of play. The game will be streamed on Huskers.com.

NU takes on Marquette on Sunday at Valley Fields for the second time in series history, with the Huskers holding a 1-0-0 advantage all time. In 1994, Nebraska defeated the Golden Eagles, 2-1, at home. This year’s matchup will be streamed on GoMarquette.com.

Last Time Out: Huskers Split Opening Weekend Games
Nebraska opened the regular season on Friday, Aug. 22 with a 4-0 victory over SMU before falling to DePaul, 2-1, on Sunday, Aug. 24 at the Nebraska Soccer Field.

Against the Mustangs, goalkeeper Kelly Schatz earned a shutout in her first career start at the position. She compiled five saves, four of which came in the second half. Caroline Gray, Caroline Flynn, Jaycie Johnson and Sydney Miramontez scored for the Huskers in the home opener.

Against the Blue Demons, Johnson scored the lone goal for the Huskers in the 89th minute off an assist from Flynn, but DePaul had already built a 2-0 lead. Elise Wyatt scored for the Blue Demons in the 16th minute before Abby Reed added a goal in the 85th minute.

Scouting the Butler Bulldogs
Butler enters Friday’s match with a 1-1 record after competing in the Boilermaker Challenge Cup last weekend. On Friday, the Bulldogs earned a 3-2 win over Ohio in double overtime before dropping a 1-0 decision to Miami (Ohio) on Sunday.

Kelly Mahoney led Butler on the weekend by scoring two goals, while goalkeeper Madison Card earned two saves over 193 minutes. Elise Kotsakis added a score and Stephanie Kaylor tabbed two assists.

Scouting the Marquette Golden Eagles
Marquette opened the 2014 campaign with a 3-0 win over Loyola-Chicago on Friday, but fell by a 1-0 margin to Northwestern on Sunday. Darian Powell paced the Golden Eagles with two goals on five shots as Ashley Handwork scored an additional one. Goalkeeper Amanda Engel gave up one goal in 180 minutes of action, while earning six saves in a 1-1 weekend.

Johnson Continues to Produce on Offense
Nebraska’s leading goal scorer from 2013, Jaycie Johnson, started 2014 where she left off from last season and scored twice during the opening weekend.

Johnson assisted on Nebraska’s first goal against SMU on Friday before adding the Huskers’ third goal of the game in the 32nd minute off an assist from Mayme Conroy. Johnson took five shots for the game, three of which were on goal.

A Lake Winnebago, Mo. native, Johnson took two shots against DePaul and scored a goal in the 89th minute off an assist from Caroline Flynn. Johnson’s five points and seven shots lead the team after two games.

Final Season at Nebraska Soccer Field
The Huskers are in their 10th and final season at the Nebraska Soccer Field before moving into the Nebraska Soccer and Tennis Complex next season. Since moving to campus in 2005, NU has compiled a 64-25-12 record and has 10 home games remaining in 2014.

2014 Season Outlook
Nebraska’s 2014 team includes five seniors in Head Coach John Walker’s 21st season at the helm of the school’s soccer program. The Huskers also welcomed back All-Big Ten second-team member Jaycie Johnson, who is a sophomore in 2014 after leading the team with 17 goals last season. The Huskers added 12 newcomers in the offseason in addition to their 12 returning letterwinners from 2013.

Huskers to Make Three BTN Appearances
Nebraska will appear on the Big Ten Network three times this season, while also making seven Big Ten Digital Network showings.

The Huskers open BTN’s 2014 soccer coverage on Thursday, Sept. 11 against Northwestern at the Nebraska Soccer Field. The game is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m.

Nebraska will host Big Ten newcomer Maryland on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 2 p.m., on BTN. The game was originally set for 1 p.m., but was changed for TV scheduling. NU’s final regular season appearance on the network comes at Michigan on Thursday, Oct. 2 at 2:30 p.m.

Nebraska Waterfowl, Crow Seasons May be Set

Posted on August 28, 2014

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Game and Parks commissioners are scheduled to consider recommendations for this year’s crow and waterfowl seasons at their meeting in Grand Island on Friday.

Commissioners also will consider the department’s operating and capital improvement budget request for fiscal years 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 and a recommendation to allow hunting in some state parks and state historical parks.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. at the Fairfield Inn and Suites, 805 Allen Drive, Grand Island.

Rise in Flags Makes NFL Defenders Wary of Contact

Posted on August 28, 2014

A subtle change to the NFL rulebook resulted in an 822 percent increase in illegal contact penalties through three weeks of the preseason.

Now the key question is not whether those calls will continue to rise in the regular season, because NFL Vice President of Officiating Dean Blandino is sure they will. He also says that’s a good thing.

What fans, coaches and defenders want to know is: Just how often will flags fly when games count next week? Just how much will cornerbacks, safeties and linebackers need to keep their hands to themselves?

Heading into Thursday’s final exhibition games, the jumps from the 2013 preseason for three particular penalties were striking: 83 for illegal contact, up from nine; 137 for defensive holding, up from 28; 99 for illegal use of hands, up from 22.