Stories for January 2012

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Tuesday, January 31

Monday, January 30

WNC finishes tourney 2-5 vs. top teams

Western Nevada College softball coach Leah Wentworth was happy with her team's offensive production in a preseason tournament in Las Vegas over the weekend.

Time out with Nick Aquino

YEAR: Senior SCHOOL: Dayton High

Sunday, January 29

Saturday, January 28

PREP/JC: Carson wrestlers fifth at Placer

AUBURN, Calif. - Carson High's wrestling team placed fifth at the Placer duals on Saturday afternoon at Placer High School.

Wolf Pack extends streak to 15 with road win

RUSTON, La. (AP) - Olek Czyz tied his season high with 24 points and converted the game-winning three-point play as Nevada held off Louisiana Tech 65-63 Saturday night for its 15th consecutive victory.

Tiger Woods shoots 66 to share lead in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Tiger Woods put himself in position to win his second straight tournament Saturday, and this one would leave little doubt about which direction his game is going.

Stanley builds 5-shot lead at Torrey Pines

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Hang gliders were taking off from the cliffs behind the 13th tee at Torrey Pines where Kyle Stanley was waiting to tee off on the 524-yard hole. Then, the 24-year-old launched a shot that was just as majestic.

Colts, Manning headed for divorce

The idea didn't seem so outlandish at the time. Not for a city about to open a spanking new $720 million stadium, and surely not for a team with Peyton Manning under center.

Sports Briefly

Niners' rookie gets a DUI in Florida

Coughlin-Belichick: Same yet different

They come from the same coaching tree, disciples of Bill Parcells. That and a no-nonsense approach are what Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick have in common.

Indy hopes Eli can protect Peyton's turf

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - There's a strange vibe on the streets of Indianapolis this week.

The confusing Pro Bowl numbers game

KAPOLEI, Hawaii - The Pro Bowl has turned into a numbers game.

Finally, a good crowd at CHS

Can I just start by saying kudos to both Douglas and Carson high school rooting sections for showing up Friday and supporting their respective teams.

Three groups advance in quest to own Dodgers

NEW YORK - Hedge fund head Steven Cohen and groups including Joe Torre and Magic Johnson have survived the first round of cuts in bidding for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

OPEN: Djokovic reaches men's final

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - If anyone knows how Novak Djokovic feels after sweating and scrapping for almost five hours in the Australian Open semifinals, it's his next opponent - Rafael Nadal.

BOYS: Hughes-led Douglas escapes with OT win

Douglas senior Connor Hughes has made somewhat of a living as a facilitator/distributor for the Tiger offense this year.

GIRLS: Carson sitting pretty at top of Sierra

With two weeks to go in the Northern 4A season, Carson High's girls basketball team is sitting in a good spot.

Giants will target Brady

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Tom Brady felt the power of the New York Giants' pass rushers when he was sacked five times in their first Super Bowl confrontation.

PREP/JC: WNC baseball loses opener 1-0

LAS VEGAS - Western Nevada College dropped a season-opening 1-0 decision to South Mountain College Friday afternoon.

Friday, January 27

Raiders announce hiring of coach Dennis Allen

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - Hiring a new coach has become almost commonplace for the Raiders, who will have their seventh coach in the past 10 seasons in 2012.

Dolphins hire Sherman, Coyle as coordinators

MIAMI (AP) - Joe Philbin was once hired by Mike Sherman in Green Bay. On Friday, Philbin returned the favor.

Super Bowl Village opens for NFL fans, public

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Super Bowl Village is open for business.

Buccaneers introduce Rutgers' Schiano as new coach

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Greg Schiano couldn't resist the challenge of trying to transform the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into winners.

Pats' Gronkowski absent from practice for 2nd day

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Rob Gronkowski's playing status for the Super Bowl was listed as questionable on Friday after the star tight end missed the New England Patriots practice for the second straight day with an injured left ankle.

Woods in contention after 36

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Maybe those swing changes are paying off for Tiger Woods.

PGA: Stanley has lead to himself after 36 holes

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Kyle Stanley made more than enough birdies Friday to offset one big mistake, giving him a 4-under 68 on the South Course at Torrey Pines and a one-shot lead in the Farmers Insurance Open.

Thursday, January 26

Pacheco verbals to University of Nevada

Carson High senior kicker Austin Pacheco has verbally committed to attend the University of Nevada next year to play football.

Texas approves coach Mack Brown's 4-year extension

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - University of Texas regents agreed Thursday to extend football coach Mack Brown's contract by four years to 2020, a move school officials hope will assure long-term stability for a program eager to get back in the chase for national championships.

Tiger opens 2012 season with solid 70 in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - No momentous shots for Tiger Woods. No bogeys, either.

Levin, Stanley share lead after 62s

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Spencer Levin and Kyle Stanley knew they had to post low scores on the easier North Course at Torrey Pines to get off to a good start Thursday in the Farmers Insurance Open. It went even better than they expected.

Prince Fielder introduced by Detroit Tigers

DETROIT (AP) - Prince Fielder stood with a smile and recalled his earliest memories of old Tiger Stadium, when he would hang out at the ballpark where his father hit so many massive home runs.

Outfielder Jonny Gomes and A's finalize $1M deal

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Jonny Gomes takes pride in his versatility. He can play the corner outfield, and he's an experienced designated hitter.

Cruz will run into old UMass buddy vs. Patriots

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Victor Cruz has had a season full of improbable moments, and the Super Bowl is set to be another.

Colts owner wishes Manning kept comments in-house

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indianapolis Colts are a long, long way from being healed.

AP Source: Raiders finalize 4-year deal with Allen

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - The Oakland Raiders formally agreed Thursday on a four-year deal to make Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen their new head coach.

Gronkowski misses practice with ankle injury

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - The Super Bowl ankle jinx has struck the New England Patriots again.

Pats WR Ochocinco, head down, heads to Super Bowl

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Chad Ochocinco is going to the Super Bowl again, and this time he will be in uniform, answering questions, instead of causing a commotion by asking them.

Bucs hire Rutgers' Greg Schiano as new coach

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The Buccaneers are counting on Greg Schiano to lead them back to respectability and transform Tampa Bay into consistent winners - much in the same way he made Rutgers matter again.

Ex-Florida DB trying to impress at Senior Bowl

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) - Janoris Jenkins missed the steady supply of athletic shoes and the big crowds during his one-season stop at Division II North Alabama, but he didn't miss the chance to forge an NFL career.

Memorial exposes anger over Paterno's treatment

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - The near-capacity crowd of 12,000 seemed to be just waiting for somebody to bring up the subject.

OPEN: Azarenka into women's final at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Victoria Azarenka reached her first Grand Slam final and staked a claim for the No. 1 ranking when she beat defending champion Kim Clijsters 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 in the Australian Open semifinals on Thursday.

TOP 25: OSU stuns Mizzou

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) - Freshman swingman Le'Bryan Nash scored a career-high 27 points, Brian Williams added a career-best 22 and Oklahoma State knocked off No. 2 Missouri 79-72 on Wednesday night.

PGA Tour takes big step toward qualifying change

SAN DIEGO (AP) - The PGA Tour is one step closer to eliminating Q-school as a path to earning a tour card, a significant overhaul that would include starting the official season in the fall instead of waiting for the next calendar year.

NFL extends Goodell's contract through 2018 season

NEW YORK (AP) - Now that the NFL has labor peace for the next decade, Commissioner Roger Goodell has job security through the 2018 season.

Colts name Pagano new coach

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indianapolis Colts have hired Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano as their new head coach.

AP Source: Raiders finalizing deal with new coach

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - For more than three decades, the Oakland Raiders operated under a similar formula with late owner Al Davis hiring offensive-minded head coaches and remaining deeply involved in devising the team's defense.

Pro Bowlers want game to stay in Hawaii

HONOLULU (AP) - Many NFL stars are hoping that when it comes to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii, aloha doesn't mean goodbye.

Funeral service for Paterno as thousands mourn

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Quiet mourners lined the route of Joe Paterno's funeral procession Wednesday, watching with grief and reverence as the electric-blue hearse carrying the Penn State coach's casket slowly drove by.

Wednesday, January 25

Carson wrestlers clinch tie for title

RENO - Four and 19. Those were key numbers for the Carson High wrestling team Wednesday night.

Torrey Pines loses some luster

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Tiger Woods and Torrey Pines used to be a winning combination.

Holmes returns from brain surgery

SAN DIEGO (AP) - On a window sill in his closet is a chunk of bone that reminds J.B. Holmes why he's lucky to play golf for a living.

Murray joins Federer, Nadal in Aussie Open semis

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Andy Murray overcame an inconsistent serve to beat Kei Nishikori on Wednesday and reach the semifinals of the Australian Open for the third straight year.

Second day of mourning for Paterno to end with burial

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - The second day of a three-day period of public mourning for the late Joe Paterno will culminate with the funeral and burial service for the Hall of Fame football coach who became the face of Penn State University.

Lincecum and Giants agree to $40.5M, 2-year deal

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants reached a verbal agreement Tuesday on a two-year contract worth $40.5 million.

A's agree to terms with right-hander Bartolo Colon

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - The Oakland Athletics and free agent right-hander Bartolo Colon have agreed to terms on a $2 million, one-year contract, bolstering their depleted starting rotation.

AP source: Fielder and Tigers agree on 9-year deal

DETROIT (AP) - The Detroit Tigers responded to a jarring injury with an audacious move.

Jorge Posada: 17 seasons, 5 titles and 1 team

NEW YORK (AP) - Jorge Posada was watching television when he saw speculation on which teams were interested in signing him as a free agent.

Carson girls roll over Hug

RENO - For the second straight game, Carson High held its opponent under 30 points, and for the second straight game it meant an easy win.

Hug rallies in fourth quarter to beat Carson

RENO - Carson High led perennial powerhouse Hug for more than 23 minutes Tuesday night. Unfortunately for the Senators, high school games last 32 minutes.

ROUNDUP: Tigers lose overtime thriller to Cougars

MINDEN - Douglas High School's gymnasium has been a magical place for nearly two years.

Rookie QBs replacing Manning, Brady in Pro Bowl

NEW YORK (AP) - Cam Newton and Andy Dalton are headed to Honolulu for the Pro Bowl.

Belichick strives for consistent approach

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Season opener or Super Bowl, every game is a big game to Bill Belichick.

NFL: NY players didn't hit Williams illegally

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The NFL on Tuesday said there were no illegal hits by the Super Bowl-bound New York Giants on 49ers return man Kyle Williams during the NFC championship game.

Report: Raiders to hire Allen

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - The Oakland Raiders reportedly agreed Tuesday to hire Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as their new head coach, breaking a more than three-decade stretch of offensive-minded head coaches for the franchise.

Tuesday, January 24

Monday, January 23

Paterno funeral scheduled for Wednesday

STATE COLLEGE, Pa (AP) - Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno will be buried Wednesday, and his family has scheduled three days of public memorial events this week.

Harbaugh, 49ers go from 6-10 to cusp of Super Bowl

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Jim Harbaugh arrived as the new coach of the 49ers a year ago challenged with turning around San Francisco's once-proud franchise in the midst of a lockout and minus the usual offseason preparation time with his players.

Time out with Nicholas Lani

SCHOOL: Carson High YEAR: Sophomore SPORT: Wrestling

Sunday, January 22

ROUNDUP: Carson wrestlers third at Fernley

FERNLEY - Carson High's wrestling team finished third at the Vaquero Invitational on Saturday.

Niners, Giants renew rivalry

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The Giants boasted a physical, intimidating defense with athletic linebackers and stout linemen capable of stifling the NFL's most productive offenses.

Dominant Serena into 4th round

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Just before she walked on court, Greta Arn said she was looking forward to the "privilege" of playing her first match against Serena Williams. Some privilege.

CFB: West wins Shrine game

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Thankful for another opportunity to bolster his resume for pro scouts, Lennon Creer made the most of his experience in the East-West Shrine game.

AFC: Pats' offense against stubborn Ravens' defense

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Tom Brady and the New England Patriots made it to the AFC championship game with a high-powered offense that piled up points and yards.

Pacheco in no hurry on scholarship decision

Carson High's Austin Pacheco left for Florida last week for the first-ever Blue-Gray all-star football game in Tampa sans a scholarship offer.

Damonte outlasts Carson again in OT

Three hard-fought games and three excruciating losses.

Nevada outlasts Fresno State, improves to 16-3

RENO - How confident is the Nevada Wolf Pack men's basketball team right now?

Carson girls use stellar defense to stop Damonte

Carson High girls' coach Todd Ackerman missed Saturday's basketball game because of a death in his family.

Briefly

Doctors: Paterno in serious condition

No. 12 Murray St. wins to remain last undefeated

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) - Murray State guard Jewuan Long did a little scoreboard watching on Saturday night.

Saturday, January 21

TENNIS: Djokovic rolls to easy win

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Novak Djokovic gave Nicolas Mahut one lousy birthday present.

Sports Briefly

Maine man drops lawsuit vs. Fine

Pack's Evans improves his game

RENO - Jerry Evans Jr. thinks back on his days at Leuzinger High School in Southern California and smiles.

Eli Manning hasn't changed, only playing better

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Chris Snee took a couple of quick stabs at how much Eli Manning has changed since the two came into the NFL as rookies with the New York Giants in 2004.

AP source: Philbin accepts Dolphins' coaching job

MIAMI (AP) - A person familiar with the decision says Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin has accepted an offer to become the Miami Dolphins' head coach.

49ers' Vernon Davis leading the way in many ways

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - With a record-setting day and the winning touchdown in his playoff debut, Vernon Davis left no doubt he is indeed a winner.

49ers plan for cold, wind, rain in NFC title game

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Offensive lineman Adam Snyder and 49ers special teams standout Blake Costanzo sat side by side in outdoor ice tubs, each sporting a beanie to keep his head warm while playing with their respective cellphones.

Golf Capsules

LA QUINTA, Calif. (AP) - Mark Wilson shot a 10-under 62 on Friday to tie Ben Crane and David Toms for the second-round lead in the Humana Challenge, topping a leaderboard again filled with blistering scores.

RACING: Keep it slow and safe during inclimate weather

We had our first little taste of winter last week, with more possibly on the way this weekend. So, keeping in mind that very few of us have the car control ability of a Sebastian Vettel, Tony Stewart or Dario Franchitti, here are my annual winter driving tips.

PREPS: Carson wrestlers enjoy first-day success at Fernley

FERNLEY - After the first day of the Fernley Invitational wrestling tournament, 18 of 22 Carson wrestlers remain alive.

Dust Devils continue downward spiral

DAYTON - Dayton High basketball coach Jason Santos would like to forget the first three weeks of January, and it's certainly understandable.

GIRLS: Sophomores play big role in Dayton win

DAYTON - Lettie Lynch made her first big contribution to the Dayton High girls basketball team.

Friday, January 20

Thursday, January 19

OSU's Gundy wins Bryant Award

HOUSTON (AP) - Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy won the Paul "Bear" Bryant College Coach of the Year Award on Thursday night.

Nadal into 4th round in Australia; knee is OK

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Rafael Nadal moved into the fourth round of the Australian Open without dropping a set or showing any signs that a freak knee injury is bothering him.

Toms, Villegas lead low scores at Humana Challenge

LA QUINTA, Calif. (AP) - A little extra time off this winter left David Toms and Camilo Villegas feeling fresh for the Humana Challenge.

Giants, 49ers resume tradition-rich rivalry

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Erik Howard's memories of the play remain vivid more than two decades later.

Giants vs. 49ers: matchups

Matchups for the NFC championship game Sunday between the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park:

Lewis, Reed star on built-to-last Ravens defense

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) - Ray Lewis and Ed Reed have spent 11 seasons together with the Baltimore Ravens, making one big play after another for a defense that is perennially among the best in the NFL.

Eli Manning returns to practice after 1-day bug

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Tough luck, Frisco fans. Eli Manning's tummy is just fine.

Jets owner backs Sanchez, doesn't rule out Manning

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Sports Writer

Niners' Walker hopes to return for NFC title game

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - San Francisco tight end Delanie Walker has returned to practice for the first time since breaking his left jaw in two places late in the regular season and hopes to be healthy enough to play in the NFC championship game.

Colts oust 8 assistants, while DC Murphy retires

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - One horribly bad season has pressed the Colts into major shake-up mode.

AP Source: Spagnuolo to take over Saints' defense

METAIRIE, La. (AP) - Former St. Louis Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo has agreed to take over as defensive coordinator for with the Saints.

Indians' pitcher arrested for using false identity

CLEVELAND (AP) - From year to year and game to game, the Cleveland Indians never knew what to expect from Fausto Carmona.

WNC softball will benefit by early start

A year ago, Western Nevada College's first softball game was its conference opener. The Wildcats were playing against teams with 10 or 12 games under their belts. Not a really fair situation.

Wednesday, January 18

Post-season or bust for WNC

After six seasons, Western Nevada College has become one of the best junior college baseball programs on the West Coast.

COLLEGE HOOPS: Nebraska upsets Indiana

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Jorge Brian Diaz made two free throws with 11 seconds left to give Nebraska the lead, Indiana couldn't score on its last possession, and the struggling Cornhuskers upset No. 11 Indiana 70-69 on Wednesday night for the Hoosiers' third straight loss.

Alabama adds Nussmeier, Thompson to football staff

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - Alabama has hired Doug Nussmeier as offensive coordinator and brought Lance Thompson back to coach outside linebackers.

Darvish, Texas agree to $60M, 6-yr deadline deal

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Yu Darvish is coming to America to pitch, for the team he really wanted to join for his next challenge.

Jim, John Harbaugh a win away from Super Bowl

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - When addressing his 49ers this week, Jim Harbaugh can point to the monumental miss in his 15-year NFL career: He

Tomlinson says Jets' turmoil was worst he's seen

NEW YORK (AP) - LaDainian Tomlinson has never seen a locker room as troubled as the one he was in with the New York Jets this season.

Tebow played through injuries in playoff loss

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - Tim Tebow needs more R&R than anyone thought.

Williams, Sharapova into 3rd round in Australia

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - After taking a tumble on the next-to-last point of the match, Serena Williams got up and whipped a backhand winner down the line to finish off her second-round match at the Australian Open and her 500th career win.

New name, format for Hope tourney

LA QUINTA, Calif. (AP) - Greg Norman hadn't played the Bob Hope Classic since 1986, and he had no plans to return to the Palm Springs desert's venerable tournament until Bill Clinton changed his mind.

TENNIS: Clijsters cruises into 3rd round

MELBOURNE, Australia - Defending champion Kim Clijsters cruised into the third round of the Australian Open and then showed just how much support she has at Rod Laver Arena by getting the crowd to sing 'Happy Birthday' to her younger sister.

Giants' ace Lincecum wants $21 million

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Giants ace Tim Lincecum asked for $21.5 million in salary arbitration Tuesday and was offered $17 million by the club.

Wolf Pack wins 12th straight

RENO - There was a definite Nevada energy shortage Tuesday night at Lawlor Events Center.

Niners' secondary is golden

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The change in the San Francisco 49ers' attitude this season might be most evident when the defensive backs gather in a team meeting room each week to watch the highlight video from the previous game.

Nicks emerging as one of league's elite receivers

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - While fans in San Francisco have been celebrating "The Grab" that thrust Alex Smith and Vernon Davis to the national scene, there's a pair of hands on the New York Giants making just as much news.

Fisher ready for challenge of rebuilding the Rams

ST. LOUIS (AP) - After a year off, Jeff Fisher says he is refreshed and ready to take on the challenge in St. Louis.

Tuesday, January 17

Welker still big threat as Patriots TE hype grows

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - The question seemed to blind-side Tom Brady and he reacted quickly as if he were zipping the ball to one of his three star receivers.

Raiders to interview Mornhinweg for coaching job

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - Reggie McKenzie's short list of candidates to fill the Oakland Raiders' vacant head coaching job has grown by another name.

Colts fire coach Jim Caldwell after 3 seasons

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Jim Caldwell endured everything thrown at him during his first two seasons as the Colts' coach - replacing a friend, constant criticism, even fighting through a huge rash of injuries.

Slow play in golf is not going away anytime soon

HONOLULU (AP) - Luke Donald took to Twitter to vent about a contentious issue on the PGA Tour. If nothing else, it was refreshing to see golf with a No. 1 player who was willing to express his opinion freely and publicly.

Li ends post-Paris slump, into 3rd round at Aussie

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Li Na advanced to the third round of the Australian Open with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Olivia Rogowska on Wednesday, her best run at a major since her breakthrough win at the French Open.

Monday, January 16

Time out with Dayton's Joey Moore

SCHOOL: Dayton High YEAR: Junior SPORT: Wrestling

Raiders ask to interview Broncos OC for coach job

ALAMEDA, Calif - The Oakland Raiders search for a new head coach picked up steam on Monday as the team received permission to interview two Denver assistants and was also poised to talk to members of Green Bay's staff.

49ers thrilled to stay home for NFC title game

SANTA CLARA, Calif - Any cold-weather garments Vernon Davis owns are getting tossed aside as quickly as he changed San Francisco's playoff fortunes with a game-winning touchdown catch against the favored Saints.

Sunday, January 15

NBA Capsules: Hawks rally to top Timberwolves

ATLANTA (AP) - Joe Johnson scored 25 points, Ivan Johnson hit the clinching free throws with 4.6 seconds remaining and the Atlanta Hawks rallied from 18 points down to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 93-91 on Saturday night.

Top 25 Capsules: Florida State pounds No.3 North Carolina

TALLAHASSEE, Fla (AP) - Deividas Dulkys scored a career-high 32 points and Michael Snaer added 17 as Florida State stunned No. 3 North Carolina 90-57 on Saturday, handing the Tar Heels their worst loss under coach Roy Williams.

PREP ROUNDUP: Six CHS wrestlers win titles at JV invitational

Carson High wrestlers won six championships at Saturday's Carson JV Invitational at Morse Burley Gym.

Saturday, January 14

Maggert tied for lead at Sony Open

HONOLULU (AP) - Matt Every had a hard time sleeping on the lead going into the weekend at the Sony Open. He managed a 2-under 68 on Saturday, and goes into the final round tied with 47-year-old Jeff Maggert with a lot more at stake.

Brady, Pats carve up Broncos

FOXBOROUGH, Mass (AP) - Tom Brady silenced Tebowmania with a record-shattering performance.

'The Grab': Smith-to-Davis propels 49ers into NFC title game

SAN FRANCISCO - In one triumphant afternoon, playoff first-timer Alex Smith joined a pair of 49ers Hall of Fame quarterbacks with his own indelible postseason moment.

Darrell Moody: McKenzie putting his stamp on Raiders

It seems that many in Raider Nation are upset that Hue Jackson was fired by new general manager Reggie McKenzie after going 8-8 in his only season at the helm.

NCAA asks for new proposal on $2,000 stipend

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The NCAA Division I Board of Directors still believes scholarship limits should be expanded.

Today's NFL Playoff Capsules

NEW YORK GIANTS (10-7) At GREEN BAY (15-1)

Serena looking to win another Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Serena Williams knows better than most what it takes to win a Grand Slam title.

Djokovic includes Olympics among 2012 priorities

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - After taking three of the four majors and gaining the No. 1 ranking last season, Novak Djokovic is going for prizes beyond Grand Slams in 2012.

Muhammad Ali still the Greatest as he celebrates 70th birthday

"Rumble, young man, rumble," used to be his battle cry.

Dayton girls trounced by Elko

DAYTON - Hot-shooting Elko knocked off the Dayton girls varsity basketball team 74-37 Friday.

First-half shooting woes kill Carson boys

The first half of Friday's game is one Carson High boy's basketball coach Carlos Mendeguia would like to forget forever.

Collins, Smith key Carson win over Lancers

On a night where leading scorer Eliza Matley struggled mightily from the field, Carson High teammates Emily Collins and Savannah Smith were there to pick up the slack in a big way.

Friday, January 13

Anthony Davis close to Kentucky shot-blocking mark

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky freshman Anthony Davis is closing in on the school's all-time single-season blocking record - with nearly half this season to play.

49ers defense looks to stop Brees, red-hot Saints

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Drew Brees piled up points, yards and accolades in a record-setting season for the New Orleans Saints. Much of the time, Alex Smith did just enough to get the San Francisco 49ers back in the playoffs for the first time in nine years while a dominant defense and kicking game did the rest.

Tebowmania grabs headlines from Brady

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - For his latest trick, Tim Tebow is making three-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady disappear from the headlines.

Giants hope to pressure Rodgers, Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - All-Pro defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul thinks the New York Giants are going to beat the Green Bay Packers in Sunday's divisional playoff game at Lambeau Field.

Adrian Peterson begins rehabbing torn ACL

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) - The first week after Adrian Peterson's reconstructive knee surgery was a grueling one.

Texans, Ravens make a run at glory in playoffs

BALTIMORE (AP) - The Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans are quite content to run against the grain in the pass-happy NFL.

DIEZ: Teleconference with NASCAR drivers

I sat in on a teleconference from Daytona earlier this week, where a number of drivers and NASCAR officials gave their impressions of the Preseason Thunder testing under way at the track.

Sparano: Jets' offense will be physical, explosive

NEW YORK (AP) - Tony Sparano sat in front of Rex Ryan and rattled off his offensive philosophies and thoughts on how to be a winning football team. He said exactly everything the New York Jets coach needed to hear.

AP source: Fisher to coach St. Louis Rams

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Jeff Fisher spent exactly one season out of the NFL. He will have a huge task in front of him as he gets back to work.

Dolphins to interview more coaching candidates

MIAMI (AP) - Rejected by Jeff Fisher, the Miami Dolphins plan to interview several more candidates before hiring a coach, owner Stephen Ross said Friday.

3-pointers key Nevada's win over Spartans

RENO - The Nevada Wolf Pack is even surprising itself these days.

Rippee retires as Douglas football coach

MINDEN - It's been a long ride for Mike Rippee, but after 34 years, he decided it was time for it to end.

Fans send message to BCS

Sports fodder for a Friday morning ...

Sharks blank Jets

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) - Logan Couture and Brad Winchester scored and Antti Niemi made 24 saves for his second shutout of the season in the San Jose Sharks' 2-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.

DaLaet sizzles with a first-round 63

HONOLULU (AP) - Graham DeLaet has never been happier to be on the PGA Tour, and it showed Thursday in the Sony Open.

Thursday, January 12

Santana not sure whether ready for opening day

NEW YORK (AP) - Sixteen months after shoulder surgery, Johan Santana hopes to be back on the mound for the New York Mets when the season starts. He just doesn't want to commit to it.

MLB owners delay sale of Padres to Moorad

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. (AP) - Major league owners have put off approval of sale of the San Diego Padres to Jeff Moorad.

Luke Scott agrees to $6M contract with Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Luke Scott is looking forward to life in the AL East without having to face Tampa Bay's young, talented pitching staff.

Verlander trying to take new attention in stride

DETROIT (AP) - After becoming the first starting pitcher in a quarter-century to win the Most Valuable Player, Justin Verlander was ready for a different kind of offseason.

Nolan Ryan confident Rangers will sign Darvish

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Texas Rangers President and Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan was impressed by his first meeting with Japanese sensation Yu Darvish and is confident a contract will be completed by next week's deadline.

Paterno's son: JoePa's firing 'not handled well'

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Joe Paterno's son, Scott, said Thursday it's becoming apparent that his father's ouster as Penn State head coach by school trustees "was not handled well."

College presidents like 4-team playoff

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - NCAA President Mark Emmert would support a four-team playoff in college football - as long as the field doesn't grow.

Broncos long snapper misses practice again

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - The Denver Broncos, whose stellar kicking game played a huge role in their return to the playoffs after a six-year absence, had to practice most of this week without long snapper Lonie Paxton.

Giants receivers rank on par with Packers wideouts

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Three days before the biggest game of his life, Victor Cruz wasn't discussing either the Green Bay Packers' secondary or the New York Giants' chances against the defending Super Bowl Champions on Sunday in the NFC divisional round.

Saints have advantage in playoff experience

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Center Jonathan Goodwin has been going around San Francisco's locker room offering bits of veteran insight here and there. Playoff knowledge, Saints knowledge.

Bailey, Brady renew their rivalry this weekend

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - The last time the Broncos and Patriots met in the playoffs, Champ Bailey returned an interception 100 yards, sparking a big Denver win and handing Tom Brady his first postseason defeat after 10 wins and three titles.

Raven LB Lewis a fan of Houston RB Foster

HOUSTON (AP) - Arian Foster was in his first season as a starter for Houston back in 2010 when the Ravens came to town.

Rodgers makes accuracy top priority for Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - For the Green Bay Packers, Sunday's playoff game against the New York Giants brings up not-so-fond memories of Brett Favre's interception in overtime that led to an NFC title game loss four years ago.

Saints linemen say chemistry was a key to success

METAIRIE, La. (AP) - Moments after his missed block caused a recent sack of Drew Brees, right tackle Zach Strief looked up to find fellow Saints linemen converging on him.

Wednesday, January 11

Giants give All-Star pitcher Vogelsong 2-year deal

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Ryan Vogelsong and the San Francisco Giants agreed Wednesday to a two-year contract worth approximately $8.3 million after he became one of the team's most reliable starters and an unlikely All-Star last season.

Matley receives scholarship to Stanislaus State

Eliza Matley has improved immensely as a basketball player during the past two years at Carson High, and her hard work has resulted in a Division II scholarship from Stanislaus State.

No. 1 Syracuse tops 'Nova 79-66 to move to 18-0

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Dion Waiters demanded a little more noise as he motioned toward a Philly crowd colored with so much orange it could have passed for a Flyers game.

Prince picked as Boise State offensive coordinator

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Boise State coach Chris Petersen has made assistant Robert Prince the team's new offensive coordinator.

It's official: Heisman winner RG3 jumping to NFL

WACO, Texas (AP) - When Robert Griffin III arrived at Baylor four years ago with new coach Art Briles, the Bears had never even had a winning season in the Big 12.

Johnson finally healthy as Texans prep for Ravens

HOUSTON (AP) - Andre Johnson missed several games this season dealing with injuries to both hamstrings.

Quiet Colston lets clutch catches speak for him

METAIRIE, La. (AP) - Marques Colston usually sits next to Drew Brees on the New Orleans Saints' charter plane, which is ideal for a quarterback who likes using that time to study the game plan or take a nap.

Jets teammates defend Sanchez amid heavy criticism

NEW YORK (AP) - The fallout from the New York Jets failing to make the NFL playoffs is in full swing, with members of coach Rex Ryan's staff leaving, players taking shots at quarterback Mark Sanchez and other players defending him.

Patriots must handle run better against Broncos

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - On the first series of their regular-season meeting, the Denver Broncos rushed for 73 yards against the New England Patriots. By the end of the first quarter, that total reached 167.

Packers OC Philbin away from team indefinitely

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - Mike McCarthy called it a "punch in the heart."

NFL Injury Report

NEW YORK (AP) - The National Football League injury report, as provided by the league (OUT - Definitely will not play; DNP - Did not practice; LIMITED - Limited participation in practice; FULL - Full participation in practice):

Alex Smith has turned boos into cheers as 49ers QB

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - At the end of last season, Doug Smith never imagined his son would play for the San Francisco 49ers again, not after hearing the quarterback get booed out of Candlestick Park and yet another coaching change on the way.

McKenzie brings Packers experience to Raiders

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - Reggie McKenzie began his playing career as a linebacker with the Los Angeles Raiders in the 1980s.

Glover withdraws from Sony with sprained knee

HONOLULU (AP) - Lucas Glover is leaving Hawaii without hitting a single shot in competition.

Finchem gets 4-year extension

HONOLULU (AP) - Coming off his most difficult stretch as PGA Tour commissioner, Tim Finchem is ready for four more years.

Confident Pack ready for SJSU, Hawaii

RENO - The Nevada Wolf Pack men's basketball team never lost faith in itself.

Big leap: Jim Harbaugh makes 49ers instant winners

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - From Nick Saban and Steve Spurrier to Dennis Erickson, winning college coaches have long failed to translate their success to the next level.

Oakland Raiders fire first-year coach Hue Jackson

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - Reggie McKenzie made clear on his first day as Raiders general manager that there's a new regime in Oakland.

Son of Packers' coordinator found in Wis. river

OSHKOSH, Wis. (AP) - Police have recovered the body of Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin's son from an icy Wisconsin river and said Tuesday that they were trying to figure out how he died.

Carson boys drop tough one to Manogue

RENO - First-year Carson High boys coach Carlos Mendeguia did a nice job summing up his feelings Tuesday night after yet another loss.

COMMUNITY SPORTS: Spring sports signups at CHS

Registration for spring sports at Carson High School is scheduled from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Jan. 30 in the north foyer of the school.

Dayton boys lose again

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Things keep getting worse for the Dayton High boys' basketball team.

Carson's win streak is over

RENO - The Carson girls' five-game winning streak came to a crashing halt Tuesday night.

Douglas boys escape Galena with an overtime win

RENO - The Galena boys' basketball team certainly knows how to play to its strengths.

Tuesday, January 10

Monday, January 9

Sunday, January 8

Saturday, January 7

Dayton boys lose another close one

TRUCKEE, Calif. - The Dayton Dust Devils had no intention of going down quietly in Saturday's 3A crossover game at Truckee.

ROUNDUP: Carson wrestlers second in Livermore

LIVERMORE - Carson High's wrestling team finished second at the Livermore Mat Invitational at Granada High School on Saturday.

Saints open playoffs with 45-28 win over Lions

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Drew Brees and the Saints keep pouring on the points, rolling up the wins and rewriting the record books, too.

Stricker shoots a 63, builds big lead in Hawaii

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) - Steve Stricker, considered the best putter on the PGA Tour, felt as though he couldn't miss Saturday at Kapalua. That meant big trouble for the rest of the field at the Tournament of Champions.

Truckee girls use size edge to dominate Dayton

TRUCKEE, Calif. - The Truckee girls' basketball team used its size to its advantage as it built a comfortable early and cruised to a 67-37 win against visiting Dayton on Saturday.

Nevada stuns Utah State on road

LOGAN, Utah (AP) - Deonte Burton scored 25 points and Dario Hunt got his fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds as Nevada topped Utah State 78-71 Saturday night.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Syracuse remains unbeaten

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - Kris Joseph scored 17 points, Brandon Triche added 16, and top-ranked Syracuse remained unbeaten with a gritty 73-66 victory over No. 20 Marquette on Saturday.

BASKETBALL: Novosel, McBride lead Irish women over UConn

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - Skylar Diggins and Notre Dame ended another Connecticut run.

AP Source: Yanks C Posada set to retire

NEW YORK (AP) - Jorge Posada is planning to retire after 17 seasons with the New York Yankees rather than pursue opportunities with other teams.

Old 49ers greats thrilled with team's resurgence

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Hall of Famer Jerry Rice wears the championship ring from San Francisco's Super Bowl victory after the 1989 season on his right middle finger for all to see.

NIU, Arkansas State meet in GoDaddy.com Bowl

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) - Northern Illinois coach Dave Doeren is a huge fan of quarterback Chandler Harnish.

Bill O'Brien, 'the right guy,' takes Penn St reins

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Sporting a Nittany Lions pin on the lapel of his dark gray jacket, Bill O'Brien took the podium, looked straight ahead and introduced himself with two quick, no-nonsense sentences.

Sam Houston St. offense sputters in FCS title game

FRISCO, Texas (AP) - Sam Houston State's powerful offense sputtered at the worst possible time, costing the Bearkats a chance to win their first FCS title.

Parcells on list of Hall of Fame finalists

CANTON, Ohio (AP) - Bill Parcells moved one step closer to Canton on Saturday when the Pro Football Hall of Fame released a list of 15 modern-era finalists for enshrinement that included the Super Bowl-winning coach.

Texans win first playoff game, 31-10 over Bengals

HOUSTON (AP) - The Houston Texans turned to their kids, then to their stars to win the first playoff appearance in franchise history, a 31-10 rout of the bungling Cincinnati Bengals.

COMPASS BOWL: SMU routs Pitt

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - SMU has not lost this season when it scores first or puts up at least 21 points.

Carson girls continue winning ways

Carson girls basketball coach Todd Ackerman hopes his team has finally turned the proverbial corner.

Dayton boys drop second straight 3A contest

WINNEMUCCA - Dayton High's boys basketball team dropped its second consecutive Northern 3A game, losing a crossover game to Lowry, 57-43, Friday night.

Senators drop 54-51 thriller to Wooster

Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for the Carson High boys basketball team, the Senators went out and laid an egg against Wooster.

TODAY'S NFL CAPSULES

CINCINNATI (9-7) At HOUSTON (10-6) 1:30 p.m. today, NBC

NASCAR holding Preseason Thunder at Daytona

NASCAR's Preseason Thunder testing for Sprint Cup at Daytona takes place this week. Seven hours of testing is scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Raiders to hire Packers' McKenzie as GM

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - The Oakland Raiders have landed their new personnel man, who faces the daunting task of helping fill the void left by late owner Al Davis.

Golf Capsules

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) - A new PGA Tour season began with a familiar name atop the leaderboard at Kapalua.

Penn State hires Bill O'Brien as football coach

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Penn State has hired New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien as its head coach, the first change in leadership for the storied football program in nearly a half-century.

Arkansas beats Kansas State 29-16 in Cotton Bowl

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Explosive returner Joe Adams had one last big highlight to help No. 7 Arkansas end a record-tying season in tall Cotton.

Lakers outlast Warriors

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kobe Bryant scored 26 of his 39 points in a dynamic second half, Pau Gasol added 17 points and 11 rebounds, and the weary Los Angeles Lakers gritted out a 97-90 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.

Douglas pulls off big comeback to beat Reed

SPARKS - The first quarter at Reed High School Friday night may go down as the defining moment of the Douglas boys' basketball team's season.

Friday, January 6

Reports: Pats assistant O'Brien to coach Penn St

STATE COLLEGE, Pa (AP) - New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien will be Penn State's first new head football coach in nearly a half-century, according to multiple reports.

Sharks finally beat Ducks for 1st time this season

ANAHEIM, Calif (AP) - Although the San Jose Sharks have bigger accomplishments in mind for this season, at least they finally figured out how to beat the woebegone Anaheim Ducks.

Wolf Pack rolls past Idaho

MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) - Deonte Burton scored 26 points and went 4 for 5 from behind 3-point line as Nevada beat Idaho 73-55 on Thursday night in the WAC opener for both teams.

Strangers in our midst: Lions and Texans

Here's a playoff head-scratcher: accompanying the Patriots and Packers, Steelers and Giants, are the Lions and Texans.

Nevada's 20 greatest games while in the WAC

RENO - The Nevada Wolf Pack football team will never forget its 12 seasons in the Western Athletic Conference.

Sacramento Kings fire coach Paul Westphal

SACRAMENTO, Calif (AP) - The Sacramento Kings fired coach Paul Westphal on Thursday, cutting ties after two-plus seasons amid a slow start and an escalating dispute with young center DeMarcus Cousins.

NFL PLAYOFFS: Bengals-Texans: uncharted territory

The Houston Texans never have won a playoff game. Of course, they've never even played in one.

Pujols: $240M and four season tickets

NEW YORK (AP) - Guess $240 million wasn't quite enough for Albert Pujols. In addition to his salary, the Los Angeles Angels are giving the slugger four season tickets to home games over the next decade.

Thursday, January 5

Douglas boys crush Carson

MINDEN - Douglas boys' basketball coach Corey Thacker has been preaching hard-nosed defense to his team all season long.

Matley's shooting keys Carson victory

MINDEN - It's rare that the outcome of a basketball game can be determined within the first two scores, but Carson's Eliza Matley did about as good a job of setting the tone for her team as one could hope.

The Game: Tide and Tigers roll into New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama had just gotten into town, and already it felt a little like a home game for the Tigers.

West Virginia routs Clemson 70-33 in Orange Bowl

MIAMI (AP) - The West Virginia Mountaineers were tough to slow down, and only the Orange Bowl mascot could stop Darwin Cook.

Wednesday, January 4

Lose the game, win a title? Maybe for LSU

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Picture this: A nail-biter of a Bowl Championship Series title game next Monday night comes down to a long field goal attempt by Alabama's Cade Foster. The snap is down, the kick is away and it's ... good!

K-State QB Klein keeps getting up and scoring

IRVING, Texas (AP) - Collin Klein always begins plays for 11th-ranked Kansas State taking snaps from center B.J. Finney.

Board approves pay raise for Boise State coach

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Boise State's Chris Petersen has officially joined college football's $2 million coaching club.

Darvish visits Texas, where he could be pitching

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Yu Darvish is visiting Texas for the first time during a 30-day window the AL champion Rangers have to negotiate a contract with the Japanese pitcher.

AP Source: CF Coco Crisp agrees to deal with A's

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Free agent center fielder Coco Crisp agreed to a two-year contract to return to the Athletics, filling one key void in the Oakland outfield heading into the 2012 season.

Torre quits MLB to pursue Dodgers ownership

NEW YORK (AP) - Joe Torre resigned Wednesday as Major League Baseball's executive vice president for baseball operations to join a group trying to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Can Frazar turn Memphis win into a big 2012?

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) - Christmas arrived a day early in Dallas at the home of Harrison Frazar.

WAC basketball: Pack begins conference play today

RENO - Nobody has to remind the Nevada Wolf Pack about the dangers of Western Athletic Conference play.

Foul troubles hurt Dayton boys in loss

DAYTON - With Dylan Taylor and Tyler Firestone hampered by foul problems throughout the game, Dayton High's offense struggled with consistency.

Dayton girls top Sparks

DAYTON - Save for a case of the third-quarter blahs, the Dayton High girls' basketball team didn't look like a team that hadn't played a game in more than two weeks.

Carson girls use big fourth quarter to beat North Valleys

RENO - Carson High's girls' basketball team scored 23 fourth-quarter points to break open a tight game and beat North Valleys 64-45 Tuesday afternoon in a Northern 4A contest.

NHL Capsules: Red Wings top Stars

DALLAS (AP) - Jiri Hudler scored twice, linemate Valtteri Filppula added a goal and two assists, and the Detroit Red Wings hung on to beat the Dallas Stars 5-4 on Tuesday night.

NBA Capsules: Deng's layup beats Hawks

CHICAGO (AP) - Luol Deng's layup with 3.7 seconds to play lifted the Chicago Bulls to a 76-74 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night.

Michigan beats Va. Tech in Sugar Bowl, 23-20

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Brendan Gibbons drilled a 37-yard field goal down the middle in overtime to lift No. 13 Michigan to a 23-20 victory over 17th-ranked Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl on Tuesday night.

Tuesday, January 3

49ers get groove on in practice

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Linebacker Tavares Gooden has been known to get down and start strumming an air guitar before practice.

Monday, January 2

Sunday, January 1

2011 was a good year for area athletes/teams

As most of you know, I'm not big on rankings. That's why you will never see me create the Appeal top-10 or anything of that nature.

Niners' success stems from taking care of the ball

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Despite San Francisco's impressive 12-3 record, the 49ers' offense leads the league in only one category - protecting the football.

AP's Top-10 stories in 2011

NEW YORK -- The ouster of one of America's most revered coaches, Penn State's Joe Paterno, after shocking child sex abuse charges against his former assistant was overwhelmingly voted the sports story of the year by members of the Associated Press.

Raiders may break two penalty marks today

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - The fine jar in the defensive meeting room fills up with bills, suggestions pour in from fans and coach Hue Jackson's voice gets hoarse from yelling.