NEW YORK (AP) - Seattle Mariners pitcher Cliff Lee has been
suspended for the first five games of the regular season for
throwing a pitch over the head of Arizona's Chris Snyder in an
exhibition game this week.
Lee is in his first season with Seattle. The former AL Cy Young
winner was ejected from Monday's game.
Major League Baseball vice president Bob Watson issued the
suspension and a fine on Wednesday. If the players' association
appeals, the penalty would be delayed until after a hearing and a
decision.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Squalicum boys 2a championship replay on KPUG
The Squalicum Storm boys basketball team are state champs and
you can relive it all on KPUG. Squalicum won their second straight
2A state title over the weekend in Yakima. We will replay the
championship game against Burlington today on KPUG and
on-line at kpug1170.com beginning at 4:30pm.
(KPUG newsroom)
Seahawks sign LB Matt McCoy
RENTON, Wash. (AP) - The Seattle Seahawks have signed former
Tampa Bay linebacker Matt McCoy to a one-year contract to add depth
to their defense and special teams.
The Seahawks announced the signing Wednesday.
The 27-year-old second-round pick of Philadelphia in 2005 played
in 12 games, including two starts, last season. It was his second
with the Buccaneers. He finished the 2007 season with New Orleans.
The former San Diego State Aztec has made 97 tackles and forced
three fumbles in 47 NFL games, 12 of them starts. He has made
another 50 tackles on special teams.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Huskies' Thomas still has injured shooting hand
By GREGG BELL
AP Sports Writer
SEATTLE (AP) - Doctors have told Washington catalyst Isaiah
Thomas he probably has a broken bone in his shooting hand.
The Huskies' point guard and second-leading scorer said before
practice Tuesday that trainers are trying to make a thinner,
less-bulky glove for him to wear on his injured hamate bone on the
lower palm of his left hand. He's planning to wear that Thursday in
Washington's NCAA tournament game against Marquette in San Jose,
Calif.
Thomas says the glove he had been wearing since getting hurt on
Feb. 11 at California caused him to shoot with too much of his hand
on the ball.
Washington coach Lorenzo Romar calls it a non-issue. He says
Thomas has played well with the injury.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Canucks winger Samuelsson to miss up to 3 weeks
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - Canucks winger Mikael
Samuelsson will be out up to three weeks with an undisclosed upper
body injury during Tuesday night's 5-2 loss to the Islanders.
Samuelsson left during the third period of a contest that also
saw his seven-game point streak come to an end. The 33-year-old had
seven of his nine goals during that span in the five games since
being moved onto the Canucks' No. 1 line with fellow Swedes Daniel
and Henrik Sedin.
"He's been playing really well," Vancouver coach Alain
Vigneault said. "Obviously he was contributing to our success and
it's something we'll have to deal with."
Samuelsson signed a three-year, $7.5-million free agent deal in
Vancouver last summer after four seasons in Detroit. He has already
set career highs with 30 goals and 53 points.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Islanders stun Canucks with 5-2 win
VANCOUVER, B.C. - John Tavares scored two goals and added three
assists as the New York Islanders upset the Vancouver Canucks 5-2
on Tuesday night.
Tavares, 19, the first overall selection in last year's NHL
draft, broke out of a prolonged scoring slump in a big way as he
recorded his best game as a pro. The five-point night came after
Tavares, considered a strong rookie of the year candidate in the
season's early going, had produced just nine points in his previous
37 games and only one goal in 22 contests.
Fellow rookie Dylan Reese, with his first NHL career goal, Matt
Moulson and Freddy Meyer also scored for the Islanders (29-32-9),
as they posted their third straight victory before a shocked and
disappointed sell-out crowd of 18,810 at General Motors Place.
New York ended Vancouver's home winning streak at seven games.
Kyle Wellwood and Alex Burrows replied for the Canucks (43-24-3)
with goals two minutes apart in the second period.
Tavares scored his second into an empty net with 2:20 left in
the game to put the Islanders ahead 5-2 and erase what little doubt
there was left about the outcome.
(The Canadian Press) (from Broadcast News Ltd.)
Seahawks trade Darryl Tapp to Eagles for Chris Clemons, 4th-round pick
RENTON, Wash. - The Seattle Seahawks have traded pass-rushing
defensive end Darryl Tapp to Philadelphia for defensive end Chris
Clemons and the Eagles' fourth-round choice in next month's draft.
The Seahawks announced the deal Tuesday.
They drafted Tapp in the second round in 2006 out of Virginia
Tech and re-signed him Monday. He has 18 sacks, two interceptions,
eight forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 65 NFL games. He
had four sacks in a game against St. Louis in 2007.
Clemons played two seasons with Philadelphia after posting a
career-high eight sacks in 2007, his only season with Oakland.
(The Associated Press) (from Broadcast News Ltd.)
Penn out as Portland's VP of basketball operations
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Portland Trail Blazers have dismissed
Tom Penn as vice president of basketball operations.
The team issued a statement that said Penn was dismissed Tuesday
for "philosophical differences." No details were offered.
Penn, who was regarded as a salary cap specialist, joined the
Blazers as an assistant general manager in 2007.
He was a candidate for the general manager's job with the
Minnesota Timberwolves last May. He removed himself from
consideration when the Blazers promoted him.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Mariners send 2nd overall pick Ackley to Double A
PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) - The Seattle Mariners have sent second
overall draft choice Dustin Ackley to Double-A West Tennessee,
where the impressive 22-year-old will likely begin his first full
professional season.
Last August, the Mariners and Ackley agreed on a five-year major
league contract worth $7.5 million. Seattle has since tried the
sweet-swinging former first baseman and outfielder at North
Carolina at second base.
He had three hits in 19 at-bats (a .158 batting average) with
three RBIs and one error in 10 spring games.
The Mariners have said they expect Ackley to reach the major
leagues soon, though he was expected to begin this season in the
minors.
Seattle also optioned outfielder Ezequiel Carrera to Triple-A
Tacoma on Tuesday.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Mariners like Ackley's bat, defense
PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) - The Mariners were attracted to Dustin
Ackley by his magic bat.
But now that they see the former North Carolina star's work
ethic when it comes to defense, they are excited about the 2009 No.
2 overall draft selection all over again.
Ackley, who played outfield and then first base with the Tar
Heels after undergoing Tommy John surgery, has been hard at work
for more than three months adjusting to second base.
He is headed to Double-A West Tennessee this season but is
showing that could be a very temporary situation. Ackley has looked
smooth in the field and typically at home at the plate.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Former Mariners catcher Johjima set to lead Tigers
TOKYO (AP) - Former Seattle Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima
(KEHN'-jee JOH'-jih-muh) says he still has plenty to learn in Japan
after returning from four seasons in the major leagues.
Johjima, the first Japanese catcher to play Major League
Baseball, has returned to play for the Hanshin Tigers, one of the
most popular teams in Japan.
Coming home may seem like an easy transition for the 33-year-old
veteran, but Johjima knows there's plenty to learn, including a new
pitching staff in a league he's never played in.
Before he left Japan, Johjima was a standout for the
small-market Fukuoka (foo-koo-oh-kah) Daiei Hawks of the Pacific
League.
Playing for the Central League's Tigers is a whole new ballgame.
Zags prepare to face Florida State
By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS
Associated Press Writer
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - Gonzaga's 12th straight trip to the NCAA
tournament is shaping up as one of its toughest.
Even though they were ranked in the top 25 most of the season,
the Zags got a No. 8 seed and were shipped to Buffalo, N.Y., to
play ninth-seeded Florida State on Friday.
If they win, their likely opponent is top-seeded Syracuse.
Gonzaga (26-6) is making the 13th trip to the NCAAs in program
history. The 12 straight trips are tied with Texas and Wisconsin
for third-longest current streak, after Kansas (21), Duke (15) and
Michigan State (13).
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Gonzaga, Washington traveling in NCAA tournament
SEATTLE (AP) - Gonzaga is a No. 8 seed and will travel to
Buffalo, N.Y., to face ninth-seeded Florida State on Friday in the
first round of its 12th consecutive NCAA tournament.
And Pac-10 tournament champion Washington is an 11th seed in its
second consecutive tournament. The surging Huskies will meet
sixth-seeded Marquette in San Jose, Calif., on Friday.
The NCAA announced Sunday that Gonzaga and Washington are again
among the 65 teams in its tournament.
The Bulldogs lost a chance to play their first NCAA games at
home in Spokane when they lost in the West Coast Conference finals
to Saint Mary's.
The Huskies rallied after they spent January and February
wondering how they could possibly make the field of 65.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Bone: Cougars 'not that far off'
By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS
Associated Press Writer
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - Coach Ken Bone didn't expect to finish
last in his first season at Washington State, but he says a couple
of breaks in close games would have lifted the Cougars into the
thick of the Pac-10 race.
Washington State (16-15, 6-12 Pac-10) could have finished in the
middle of the muddled Pac-10 most of the season. Their six
conference wins were the most ever for a last-place team in the
league.
The Cougars were one of the youngest teams in the nation,
featuring only one senior in Nik Koprivica, and no juniors.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Puck in gold-medal game heads to Hall of Fame
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - The gold-medal puck is going
to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Sidney Crosby used it to score the game-winner in the 3-2
overtime thriller against the U.S. in the Olympic final on Feb. 28.
It will be displayed at the Hall in Toronto.
"I am happy to see that the puck is going to the Hockey Hall of
Fame," Crosby said in a statement Tuesday. "I feel very lucky to
have been part of that team and that game as well, and I am glad
hockey fans will get the chance to share the moment by seeing
things like the overtime-winning puck up close."
After the game, officials accidentally shipped the puck to the
International Ice Hockey Federation offices in Switzerland.
The IIHF, along with the Vancouver Olympic organizers, decided
it would go to the Hall of Fame.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Portland's Roy wins Player of the Week honors
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy
has been named the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week.
The All-Star averaged 27 points while leading the Trail Blazers
to four victories last week. He had 41 points in a comeback win at
Golden State.
This is the fifth time Roy has won the award in his career.
Clyde Drexler is the only other player in franchise history to
win it that often.
Gonzaga sent to Seattle for second consecutive year
SEATTLE (AP) - While the Gonzaga men got shipped across the
country, the Gonzaga women are just going across the state.
The Bulldogs were given a No. 7 seed in the Sacramento region of
the NCAA women's tournament on Monday. They will open play on
Saturday night against No. 10 seed North Carolina in the first
round.
The other first-round matchup to be played in Seattle will
feature No. 2 seed Texas A&M, champions of the Big 12 Conference
tournament, against No. 15 seed Portland State, winners of the Big
Sky tourney.
The two winners will play on Monday night in the second round.
This is the second consecutive year Gonzaga has been placed in
Seattle.
Last year as a No. 12 seed, the Bulldogs upset Xavier before
losing to Pittsburgh 65-60 in the second round.
UW in women's postseason tourney
SEATTLE (AP) - Though it's not the NCAA tournament, the
University of Washington women's basketball team has reached its
first postseason event in four years.
The Huskies on Monday accepted a bid to the inaugural, 16-team
Women's Basketball Invitational. Washington will host Portland on
Wednesday night.
Huskies coach Tia Jackson says the team is "thrilled" to have
another opportunity to play. It is her first postseason tournament
as a head coach.
Washington finished 12-17, but tied for sixth in the Pac-10 with
a late-season winning streak. The Huskies had been picked to finish
last in the conference.
Portland was 18-12, 7-7 in the West Coast Conference.
EWU to play Oregon in WNIT
CHENEY, Wash. (AP) - The Eastern Washington women will play at
Oregon in the first round of the WNIT on Thursday.
It will be the first national tournament for the Eagles since
1987.
It's also their second game this season in Eugene. They lost
86-48 at Oregon (16-15) on Nov. 16.
Eastern (19-11) earned an automatic berth into the WNIT by
winning its first Big Sky Conference regular season title. Their
NCAA tournament hopes ended with a 65-57 loss to sixth-seeded
Montana State in the tournament semifinals.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Viking season ends on basket with 0.6 seconds left
BELLINGHAM, Wash, --- Center Dwayne Fells scored on a post-up with 0.6 seconds left in overtime, lifting Cal Poly Pomona to a 76-75 victory over Western Washington University in a NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball West Regional semifinal game Saturday on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium.
Cal Poly Pomona, the defending regional champion, improved to 25-6 with its 17th victory in the last 18 games. The Broncos will face Brigham Young University-Hawaii on Monday (7 p.m.) in a rematch of the 2009 West Region championship game. Forward Austin Swift led CPP, which reached the NCAA II championship game last year, with 23 points.
The Vikings, ranked No.15 in the final regular-season National Association of Basketball Coaches/NCAA II Top 25 Poll and the No.1 seed in the region, finished its season 26-6.
Forward Derrick Webb (Sr., Port Orchard/South Kitsap), who had a game-high 23 points and eight rebounds, gave Western a 75-74 lead with 19.6 seconds left on two free throws.
But after the Vikings committed two fouls that forced inbound passes, the final one with 3.5 seconds left, the Broncos got the ball to Fells on the right block, and he turned and banked a shot off the glass for the winning points.
The Broncos also needed a basket with 0.6 seconds left to force the overtime. Western guard Morris Anderson (Sr., Federal Way/Decatur) made two free throws with 10.2 seconds to play, but Swift hit a driving layin to tie the game at 69-69.
Forward Zach Bruce (Sr., Oceanside, CA) had 15 points for Western and forward Rory Blanche (So., Ashland, OR) added 10 off the bench. The Vikings shot 55.6 percent (30-of-54) from the field and committed just five turnovers, scoring the second-most points allowed by CPP this season.
Forward Donnelle Booker had 15 points and a game-high nine rebounds for CPP, and Fells added 11 points and seven rebounds. The Broncos shot 56.9 percent (33-of-58) from the field, with Swift, Booker, and Fells combining to go 22-of-34.
Neither team ever led by seven points. CPP shot 70.8 percent (17-of-24) from the field in the first half, but needed a 3-pointer by Booker at the end of the period to hold a 37-36 lead, as the Vikings were also hot, hitting 57.1 percent (30-of-54) from the floor.
It was just the second loss in 16 home contests this season for Western.
- WWU -
The Squalicum boys are your 2A State Champions
YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) - Michael Greene led four Squalicum players
in double figures with 24 points, and the Storm beat
Burlington-Edison 67-63 on Saturday to claim its second straight
Class 2A boys state championship.
The Storm, who beat B-E 60-49 for the 2009 title, finished 26-1
in each of the last two years. It was the third time the Storm has
beaten the Tigers (22-5) this year.
Though its long-range shooting was absent in the title game -
Squalicum made just 3 of 19 3-point attempts a night after hitting
12 3s in the semifinals against Ephrata - the Storm worked the ball
inside to Greene and Christopher Qualls, who finished with 11
points.
Derek Dickerson, the tournament's MVP, and Patrick Voeut, an
all-tourney selection, also scored 11 points each for Squalicum.
B-E was led by all-tourney pick Evan Coulter, who scored 25
points.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Lynden takes 6th with loss to Ephrata
YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) - Patrick Simon poured in 25 points as
Ephrata held off Lynden 58-50 on Saturday to capture third place in
the Class 2A boys state tournament.
Simon, headed to Washington State next year, scored 14 in the
first half as the Tigers took a 26-21 halftime lead.
Ephrata (23-3) led 36-25 late in the third quarter, but Lynden
(21-7) cut its deficit to 51-50 on two free throws by Ryan Seto
with 2 minutes to play.
Ephrata answered by scoring the final seven points of the game,
including four by Simon.
Simon made just 6 of 20 shot but was 13 of 19 from the
free-throw line. In Friday's semifinal loss to Squalicum, Simon
made all 15 free-throw tries. Ross Buchert added 11 points and
Randall Tupling 10 for the Tigers, who won their ninth trophy in 14
state trips.
Seto and Blair Bomber scored 15 and 14 points, respectively, for
the Lions, who captured their 30th state trophy in 44 appearances.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Mount Baker withstands Grandview 62-55 for fifth
YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) - Zach Stalin scored 19 points and grabbed 10
rebounds as Mount Baker held off Grandview 62-55 for fifth place in
the Class 2A boys state tournament on Saturday.
Stalin hit four straight free throws with less than a minute
left to extend the Mountaineers lead to 58-52 with 40 seconds to
play, and Mount Baker kept Grandview at bay with free throws the
rest of the way.
Spencer Backstrom chipped in 12 points and 11 rebounds for the
Mountaineers (18-10), who earned their seventh trophy in 15 state
appearances.
Tony Vela scored 17 points and Daniel Nielsen 15 for Grandview
(18-10), which kept its trophy streak intact with 13 trophies in 13
state trips.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) Portland St. beats MSU for Big Sky title
CHENEY, Wash. (AP) - Claire Faucher scored 26 points on a Big
Sky tournament record eight 3-pointers Saturday to lift Portland
State to a 62-58 win over Montana State and earn its first trip to
the NCAA tournament.
Faucher made 8-of-16 3-pointers as Portland State (18-14) won
its first Big Sky Conference championship since joining Division I
in the 1996-97 season. The Vikings, the No. 5 seed, beat perennial
power Montana in the semifinals on Friday.
Sarah Strand had 19 points to lead Montana State (18-14), the
No. 6 seed. The Bobcats upset top-seeded Eastern Washington on
Friday to advance to the finals.
Cal adds Akili Smith to coaching staff
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) - California has hired former NFL players
Akili Smith and Ronnie Bradford as administrative assistants on the
coaching staff.
Coach Jeff Tedford said Saturday that Smith will work with the
offensive coaches and Bradford will work with the defense.
Smith spent the past two seasons as the quarterbacks coach at
Grossmont College in San Diego. He played college ball at Oregon
when Tedford was an assistant. He was the third overall pick by
Cincinnati in 1999 but lasted only four years in the NFL.
Bradford worked on the defensive staff with the Kansas City
Chiefs last season under current Cal defensive coordinator Clancy
Pendergast. He spent the previous six years with the Broncos.
Bradford played 10 seasons in the NFL with Denver, Arizona, Atlanta
and Minnesota.
Sehome hires new football coach BELLINGHAM - Sehome High School has a new football coach.
The job goes to Darren Tinnerstet. Tinnerstet is coming from
Capital High School in Olympia where he was the offensive
coordinator the last four years. He's also a former Quarterback
at Capital.
Tinnerstet replaces Kevin Johnson, who resigned after
last season.
(KPUG Newsroom)
Oregon QB pleads guilty to burglary charge
Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli has pleaded guilty to a
second-degree burglary charge stemming from the theft of two
laptops and a guitar from a campus fraternity house in late
January.
Former Ducks receiver Garrett Embry also pleaded guilty to a
charge of second-degree burglary.
Both were sentenced to 12 months probation and community
service. They must also pay restitution.
Mentioned as a potential Heisman Trophy candidate in the coming
season, Masoli threw for 2,147 yards and 15 touchdowns last season.
He also rushed for 668 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Earlier Friday, Oregon running back LaMichael James pleaded
guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge connected to an
altercation with a former girlfriend.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
