The Denver Broncos are hopeful that they will have the services of their spiritual leader on defense for their first playoff game in six years. But safety Brian Dawkins again sat out practice yesterday with the same neck injury that has kept him out of all or part of the final four regular season games. The team continues to list Dawkins as day-to-day. Dawkins’ presence would be a major boost to a defense that will have added pressure on them in Sunday’s AFC Wild Card matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers because of the recent struggles of the team’s offense. After nine weeks of mostly turnover-free football, quarterback Tim Tebow has thrown five interceptions and lost a fumble in the last two weeks. The Broncos will be hosting their first playoff game since the 2005 AFC Championship Game on Sunday afternoon.
Category: Sports
Wallace Wildcats Sports Update – January 4
Husker Men Blown Out Again
Nebraska’s third Big Ten conference game went exactly like the first two – outclassed by a ranked opponent. The Huskers never stood a chance in Columbus, as they were blown out by sixth-ranked Ohio State 71-40 last night. Nebraska led early, but the Buckeyes quickly surged out to a 13-point first half lead on the strength of a 17-2 run. Ohio State would get a three-pointer from All-American Jared Sullinger at the first-half buzzer to stretch their lead to 44-20 at the intermission. The Huskers never got closer than 23 in the second half as the Buckeyes cruised. Toney McCray led three Huskers in double figures with 13 points. Brandon Richardson added 11 and Bo Spencer chipped in 10. The Huskers as a whole shot just 31 percent from the field. The Huskers are now 8-6 and visit Illinois on Saturday.
Huskers Land Two Defensive Recruits
The day after their season came to an end with a loss in the Capital One Bowl, the Nebraska football program scored a couple of recruiting victories as a pair of defensive players announced their commitments.. Avery Moss, a defensive end from Tempe, Arizona, and Jared Afalava, a linebacker from South Jordan, Utah, both pledged commitments to the Huskers at the Semper Fidelis high school All-Star game in Phoenix. Moss, a 6’4”, 245-pounder who rates as three star recruit according to Rivals.com, attends the same high school as current Husker freshman defensive tackle Todd Peat. Afalava, a four-star prospect, chose Nebraska over offers from Oregon, Utah, and Washington. The commitments bring Nebraska’s current recruiting class of 2011 up to 11 players.
Storm’s Wilcox Named USHL co-Goaltender of the Week
For the second straight week, the Tri-City Storm had a goaltender honored by the United States Hockey League. After Phoenix Copley earned the award for the games played prior to the winter break, the Storm’s other netminder, Adam Wilcox, was named the Reebok co-Goaltender of the Week for his performance in a pair of Storm victories last weekend. Wilcox made 33 saves in a 4-3 win over Sioux City on Friday and then shut out Omaha on Saturday, turning aside 34 Lancer attempts. Wilcox, who was acquired in a trade with the Green Bay Gamblers earlier this season, ranks in the top five in the USHL in save percentage and goals against average. The Storm have won five of their last seven games. They’re back in action on the road against Wilcox’s former team, Green Bay, on Friday night.
Sutherland Sailors Sports Update – January 3
Huskers Season Ends With Capital One Bowl Loss
Nebraska’s quest for a third-straight double-digit win season fell short as the 20th-ranked Huskers fell to 9th-ranked South Carolina 30-13 at the Capital One Bowl yesterday in Orlando. The Huskers were primed to take a lead into the locker room after the first half, but game MVP Alshon Jeffrey caught a 51-yard Hail Mary pass on the final play of the half to give the Gamecocks the 16-13 halftime advantage. The Huskers, who had scored on their first drive of the game and gained 189 yards offensively in the first half, gained just 64 yards in the second half and did not score. The Huskers committed two turnovers, both in enemy territory and one in the red zone, and had an extra point blocked and returned for two points. Nebraska finishes their season with a record of 9-4.
Husker Men Host 6th Ranked Buckeyes
The Nebraska men’s basketball team’s difficult introduction to Big Ten conference play brings the toughest challenge yet tonight, as the Huskers host the 6th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes at the Devaney Center. The Huskers have suffered losses to 11th-ranked Wisconsin and 16th-ranked Michigan State to open their inaugural Big Ten campaign. Tonight, they face a Buckeyes team considered a legitimate national championship contender, led by the conference’s preseason player of the year and a reigning All-American, forward Jared Sullinger. Ohio State is 13-2, and are coming off a 74-70 loss at Indiana on Saturday. They are 1-1 in conference play. Husker men’s basketball has an all-time record of 20 wins and 113 losses in games against teams ranked in the top 10. Tip off in Lincoln is set for 5:35.
Broncos Sign Harris After Kuper Lost For Playoffs
The Denver Broncos may have lost their final three regular season games, but they’ve got a chance to snap that losing skid in the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs. The 8-8 Broncos, winners of the AFC West Division, will host the 12-4 Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night in their first playoff game in six years. The Broncos needed to make a personnel move to replace starting right guard Chris Kuper, who suffered a gruesome left leg injury in Sunday’s loss to Kansas City. The team signed Ryan Harris, who played for the Broncos from 2007 to 2010 before signing with Philadelphia in the offseason. He ended up sitting out the season after getting surgery on a back injury suffered in training camp. Harris will serve as emergency depth for the offensive line. Veteran Russ Hochstein replaces Kuper in the starting lineup.
Lady Bulldogs in GNAC Final; Boys Drop To Third Place Game
The North Platte Lady Bulldogs are headed to the Greater Nebraska Athletic Conference championship game after defeating Lexington 38-14 in the semifinals last night in Lexington. The Lady Bulldogs shut out the Minutemaids in the opening quarter, and scored the game’s first 18 points on their way to the victory. Ashten Hernandez scored a game-high 10 points and hauled in 13 rebounds for her second double-double in as many games. In the boys semifinal last night, North Platte fell to second ranked Norfolk 65-36. That loss sends the Bulldogs to the third-place game, where they’ll play Hastings. That game takes place today at noon, and will be followed by the Lady Bulldogs facing Columbus in the championship game at 1:45. ESPN Radio 1410’s coverage will begin at 11:45 this afternoon.