It was the first of many practices under the lights last night for the Husker football team, as their second session of the fall took place in the evening. Defensive coordinator John Papuchis explained the reasoning behind moving some of the practices this fall away from the middle of the day. “It gets them off their feet during the day,” Papuchis said. “They have a lot of meeting time during the day, which I think is crucial, obviously. And it gets us out of the hottest time of the day. They’ve had a tough summer working in the heat all summer long. Anything we can do to back off that a little bit will pay dividends in October and November we think.” The Huskers practiced for just under two hours. Cornerback Mo Seisay, a highly-touted junior college transfer expected to start this year, missed Monday’s workout with a knee injury. He’s expected to miss a few more days. The Huskers are back on the practice field tonight.

Todd Helton’s 2012 season is over. The long-time Colorado Rockies first baseman will have surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right hip. Recovery time for such a procedure is six months. Helton was in the midst of his worst offensive season. The 38 year-old was batting just .238 with seven home runs and 37 RBI and had only recently come off the disabled list as he tried to heal his hip injury with rest. Helton says his goal is to play at the start of the 2013 season, the last year on his current contract.

The Denver Broncos added a veteran presence to their linebacking corps yesterday, signing 15-year pro Keith Brooking to a one-year deal. Brooking started just three games last season for the Dallas Cowboys after starting 158 of 160 games the previous ten seasons. Prior to spending three seasons with the Cowboys, Brooking played eleven seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, making five Pro Bowl appearances. Brooking will begin practicing with the team on Saturday.

CHADRON, Neb. (AP) – Chadron State has been picked third behind Colorado State-Pueblo and Colorado Mines in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference preseason coaches’ poll.

The Eagles, who received one first-place vote, finished 6-5 last season and open at Montana State on Aug. 30 under first-year coach Jay Long.

Five Chadron State players made the All-RMAC preseason team. They are running back Glen Clinton, offensive lineman Garrett Gilkey, defensive linemen Keifer Burke and Jan Karlos Medina and linebacker Kevin Lindholm.

Colorado Mesa, New Mexico Highlands, Western New Mexico, Fort Lewis, Western State and Black Hills State rounds out the coaches’ poll.

LONG POND, Pa. (AP) – The president of Pocono Raceway says a fan struck by lightning in the parking lot at the track has been upgraded from critical condition to stable.

Raceway president and CEO Brandon Igdalasky provided the update Monday as he expressed condolences to the family of 41-year-old Brian Zimmerman, who was killed by another lightning strike at Sunday’s rain-shortened NASCAR race.

The badly injured fan was among nine people who were hurt as storms swept over the track.

Igdalasky says his track works with NASCAR on the safety of fans throughout race weekends and constantly works to get updated weather information.

HOUSTON (AP) – Prosecutors have again agreed to push back the court date for Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson to face a misdemeanor resisting arrest charge.

A pretrial hearing was originally scheduled for July 13, and it was initially moved to Monday. Attorney Rusty Hardin says hearings will now be held Sept. 27 and Nov. 15 before Judge Natalie Fleming.

Hardin says prosecutors need more time to review evidence and conduct interviews about the July 7 incident in which Peterson was arrested outside a Houston night club.

Dressed in a gray suit with a blue polka-dot tie, Peterson chatted with defendants and signed autographs in the courtroom Monday morning as Hardin talked with attorneys and Fleming. Peterson did not speak to reporters outside the courtroom before he and Hardin boarded an elevator.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Minnesota at Cleveland 6:05 p.m.
N-Y Yankees at Detroit 6:05 p.m.
Seattle at Baltimore 6:05 p.m.
Texas at Boston 6:10 p.m.
Kansas City at Chi White Sox 7:10 p.m.
L.A. Angels at Oakland 9:05 p.m.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Arizona at Pittsburgh 6:05 p.m.
Atlanta at Philadelphia 6:05 p.m.
Washington at Houston 7:05 p.m.
Cincinnati at Milwaukee 7:10 p.m.
San Francisco at St. Louis 7:15 p.m.
Chi Cubs at San Diego 9:05 p.m.
Colorado at L.A. Dodgers 9:10 p.m. (LISTEN LIVE on ESPN Radio 1410)

The Colorado Rockies concluded one of the worst homestands in franchise history with an 8-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field yesterday. It was the Rockies’ eighth loss on their nine-game home stretch. As is their wont, the Rockies fell behind early, as the Giants scored twice in the first inning without the benefit of a hit. Jordan Pacheco’s RBI single in the bottom of the first made it 2-1, but the Giants gradually stretched their lead. The visitors scored once in the fourth, once in the fifth, three times in the seventh and once more in the ninth to leave no doubt. The Rockies head out on the road tonight to open a six-game road swing with the first of three games against the Los Angeles Dodgers. ESPN Radio 1410 has the action from Chavez Ravine, with pregame coverage at 8:30 and the first pitch at 9:10.

She’s the biggest American star to emerge from these London Olympics, and tonight, Gabby Douglas re-emerges into the spotlight to try and add to her golden collection. Already an Olympic champion in the team gymnastics and the all-around, ‘The Flying Squirrel’ hopes the third time is just as much of a charm when she competes in the uneven bars final. You’ll see that event along with the finals in men’s rings and men’s vault, where American Samuel Mikulak goes for gold. Track and field finals include the women’s steeplechase, pole vault and shot put; the men’s 400, and the men’s 400 hurdles. The US men’s basketball team survived a scare from Lithuania in a 99-94 win on Saturday. Tonight they’ll wrap up pool play against San Antonio Spurs star Manu Ginobili and Argentina. The US women’s soccer team continues their quest for gold today as well, as they play Canada in the semifinal round.

The Denver Broncos’ running-back depth took a hit during their first intersquad scrimmage at Sports Authority Field on Saturday. Mario Fannin suffered a torn Achillies tendon, ending his season. Fannin tore his ACL in training camp last year and missed all of 2011, but had a chance to make the practice squad this season before his latest injury. The Broncos did add to their depth in the secondary with a free-agent signing over the weekend. Eight-year veteran safety Jim Leonhard agreed to a deal with the Broncos. He’ll be placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list while he completes his rehab from a torn ACL that cost him the end of the 2011 season, but once healthy, Leonhard provides a veteran presence in a youthful safety corps. The former Bill, Raven and Jet could also have an opportunity to return punts for the Broncos.

An infusion of walk-ons and a notable absence highlighted the release of Nebraska’s first 105-man football roster as fall practice opened this weekend. A total of seven freshman walk-ons made the first roster, the highest total in Bo Pelini’s five-year tenure. Six of them are native Nebraskans: reciever Brandon Reilly from Lincoln Southwest, tight end Trey Foster from Lincoln Southeast, receiver Sam Foltz from Grand Island, fullback Andy Janowicz from Gretna, I-back Graham Nabity from Elkhorn, and I-back Jordan Nelson from Omaha Burke. The seventh walk-on is King Fisher, an I-back from Lee’s Summitt, Missouri. Not on the 105-man roster was sophomore offensive lineman Ryan Klachko. Bo Pelini says Klachko, a highly-touted member of the recruiting class of 2011, has left the program. The Huskers are back on the practice field today.

The Jr. Phoenix are the champions of the 16U Northern Nationals Fastpitch Softball Tournament! The Wisconsin Bandits Black took home second place, the Kane County Xplosion took third, and the Bridgeview Redbirds placed fourth.

WINNERS BRACKET (click to enlarge)

LOSERS BRACKET (click to enlarge)