Sports – Page 691 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Former Northwest Missouri State RB James Franklin dies

Posted on January 20, 2015

Former Northwest Missouri State running back James Franklin has died according to the Olathe Police Department.

A spokesman for the department said officers found Franklin, 23, dead after responding to a call Monday morning at The Edge apartment complex at 12200 S. Strang Line Rd. in Olathe. He also says that Franklin’s death “looks to be a suicide.”

Franklin stared at Olathe North high school and led them to undefeated season and the Kansas Class 6A state championship in 2009, when the Eagles defeated Wichita Heights.

He ran for 2,803 yards and 31 touchdowns as a senior and broke Darren Sproles’ single-season rushing record, earning the Simone Award as the Kansas City area’s top player.

Franklin signed with the University of Nebraska-Omaha out of high school and rushed for 766 yards and 10 touchdown in 11 games as a freshman.

The Mavericks then dismantled their football program and Franklin transferred to Northwest Missouri State.

He led the Bearcats with 1,247 yards and 25 touchdowns as a sophomore and also led Northwest as a junior with 733 yards and 12 touchdowns, but was ruled academically ineligible before his senior season in 2013.

St. Joseph Mustangs announce 2015 roster

Posted on January 20, 2015January 20, 2015

St. Joseph Mustang fans may soon start filling out their line up cards as the team prepares to defend their M.I.N.K League Championship in 2015, beginning May 27, 2015 at Phil Welch Stadium. The roster for the 2015 team has been completed.

In typical fashion, the team sees a large number of returning players from last year’s championship roster-fifteen returning players total. However, there are a number of new faces that will soon don the jersey of the country’s top summer collegiate baseball teams. Multiple players are coming from Mizzou, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Boston College, Ohio, and a slew of other programs across the United States.

Players will arrive in St. Joseph after their college season is completed; although there are a few players who will find St. Joseph particularly comforting. The 2015 roster features three players from St. Joseph, as well as a trio of players from nearby communities. Patrick Dillon, Dillon Mattice, and Trevor Moeck all reside in St. Joseph. Other local communities represented include Tanner Smith from Cameron, Payton Scarbrough from Maryville, and Evan McDonalds from Platte City.

“We’ve found players who not only excel on the field, but also are excellent teammates and members of their community,” said Mustangs manager Matt Johnson, who is entering his 7th season as architect of the Mustangs roster. “I think we have another Mustangs team that St. Joseph will be proud to call its own.”

The team will also see former Mustangs member Johnny Coy return as Hitting Coach. Blake Hardegree will serve as Bullpen Coach.

Starting mid-February, the Mustangs will provide an introduction to members of the roster with a feature titled “Meet the Mustangs.” The feature will run throughout the spring on the Mustangs website www.stjoemustangs.com as well as their social media outlets.

Click here to download the 2015 Mustangs’ roster.

— MUSTANGS PRESS RELEASE —

Chiefs backup QB Tyler Bray tears ACL; team signs 19 to future deals

Posted on January 20, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs announced Tuesday that Tyler Bray has torn the ACL in his left knee, putting his future with the franchise in doubt and creating space for Terrelle Pryor at backup quarterback.

Bray spent last season on injured reserve after spraining an ankle in the preseason. The move allowed the Chiefs to keep him along with Alex Smith, Chase Daniel and Aaron Murray. Pryor, a former Raiders quarterback, recently agreed to a deal with the Chiefs.

Among the 19 players Kansas City signed to futures deals Tuesday was wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers. The former college star began his career at Tennessee but transferred to Tennessee Tech after admitting to failing several drug tests. He has played professionally for Buffalo and Indianapolis. In five games with the Colts, he had 14 catches for 192 yards.

The 17 players signed to future deals besides Pryor and Rogers are tight ends Brandon Barden and Adam Schiltz; wide receivers Armon Binns, Corbin Louks and Fred Williams; linebacker Jo Jo Dickson; defensive tackles Herbon Fangupo and Jerel Worthy; tackles Curtis Feigt and Derek Sherrod; long snappers Brandon Hartson and Jorgen Hus; guards Ricky Henry and Jarrod Pughsley; cornerbacks Aaron Hester and Deji Olatoye, and fullback Spencer Ware.

— Associated Press —

Husker hang on to defeat Minnesota

Posted on January 20, 2015January 20, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The first thing Tim Miles told reporters after his Nebraska team held off Minnesota surely resonated with fans at Pinnacle Bank Arena and folks watching at home.

“Man, I’m glad that clock ran out,” the coach said following a 52-49 victory Tuesday night.

So were connoisseurs of fine basketball. Except for a heart-pounding final 25 seconds that seemed to last an eternity to Miles, this one was hard on the eyes. There were 33 field goals and 31 turnovers, and the teams combined to miss nearly half their free throws.

“Ugly, but it’s a win,” the Huskers’ Terran Petteway said. “A win is a win. Some pretty good things, some bad things in this game. We’ll take it. We’ve got to. Now is the time we have to make our run.”

Shavon Shields scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half and Nebraska survived an eight-minute field-goal drought to end the game. The Cornhuskers (11-7, 3-3 Big Ten) made 11 of their last 12 free throws after starting 3 for 9 from the line and hung on as Minnesota missed what would have been three straight game-tying 3-pointers before the final buzzer.

Minnesota (12-8, 1-6) has lost six of its last seven games. Five of the Gophers’ six conference losses have been by five points or less.

“We’ve lost our fair share of close ones,” Gophers coach Richard Pitino said. “That’s the best we’ve executed. I thought we got open looks. The reality of the situation is when you miss 10 free throws on the road like that in a one- or two-possession games, you’re not going to win.”

Petteway added 11 points for the Huskers in a slog that had 43 fouls called, 25 in the second half.

Andre Hollins had 21 points for the Gophers, who shot a season-low 30.8 percent from the field and made only 9 of 19 free throws. Joey King added 11 points.

Shields’ jumper with 8:01 left was the final field goal for the Huskers, who shot 40.5 percent.

Hollins’ layup and Carlos Morris’ 3-pointer from the corner pulled the Gophers’ within 50-49, but Benny Parker was fouled and made the free throws to make it a three-point game with 25 seconds left.

Hollins, Morris and DeAndre Mathieu each were off with their 3-point tries at the end.

“The initial one Hollins got off I thought was a decent look, and that one worried me. It looked like it had a good line,” Miles said. “The ones after that didn’t have the arc or the line. But when you’re in a scramble situation, and you’re switching on defense and there are long rebounds and they’re desperate… It felt like we were running around there for 18 seconds.”

Minnesota had an eight-minute field-goal drought and shot just 28.6 percent in the second half yet still had a chance to the end.

Pitino praised Nebraska’s defensive effort, which kept the Gophers from getting good looks inside.

“We’re not going to get any sympathy,” Pitino said. “Miles is a good friend of mine. That’s the way it works. We’ll break through. We’ve still got a ways to go here.”

—

TIP-INS

Minnesota: The Gophers came into the game averaging a Big Ten-leading 11.1 steals and finished with nine. … The Gophers have lost three straight to Nebraska.

Nebraska: Terran Petteway reached 1,000 points in his career with an early 3-point basket. The game also marked Petteway’s 50th consecutive start, most on the team besides Shields’ 68 in a row. … The struggling Tai Webster made his best play of the year when he juked Joey King on his way to the hoop for a layup that gave Nebraska a 15-7 lead.

UP NEXT

Minnesota hosts Illinois on Saturday.

Nebraska hosts Michigan State on Saturday.

— Associated Press —

Cardinals will honor late Taveras with uniform patches

Posted on January 20, 2015

ST. LOUIS (AP) – The St. Louis Cardinals will wear uniform patches this season to honor the late Oscar Taveras.

The rookie outfielder died last October in a car accident in his native Dominican Republic.

Cardinals uniforms will feature patches with Taveras’ initials and his No. 18. Team chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said the club also is renovating a field in Taveras’ hometown of Sosua.

City High School Basketball Scores – Monday, Jan. 19

Posted on January 20, 2015

GIRLS

Lafayette 46 (10-5)
Central 30 (5-9)

BASEHOR-LINWOOD TOURNAMENT – 1st ROUND
Benton 70 (13-2)
Basehor-Linwood 40

No. 11 Jayhawks blow big first-half lead, holds off No. 19 Oklahoma

Posted on January 19, 2015

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kelly Oubre Jr. began the season on the bench. Cliff Alexander is still there at the start games. Both highly touted Kansas freshmen have gone through their share of growing pains.

They seemed to grow up quite a bit Monday night.

Oubre poured in 19 points, converting two driving layups down the stretch, and Alexander had 13 points and 13 rebounds to help the No. 11 Jayhawks hold off No. 19 Oklahoma, 85-78.

“They played a big part in tonight’s win,” said Perry Ellis, who added 16 points for Kansas.

The Jayhawks (15-3, 4-1 Big 12) led by 20 during a hot start, then watched their entire lead evaporate early in the second half. Oklahoma (12-6, 3-3) went on a 21-3 run out of the locker room to make it a game, only to come up short for the 14th straight time at Allen Fieldhouse.

“We played maybe as well as we can play in the first half,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “In the second half, we weren’t as good — we missed some shots — but they were great.”

Buddy Hield had 26 points to lead the Sooners, who still haven’t won in Lawrence since Billy Tubbs was their coach. Isaiah Cousins added 18 points, Ryan Spangler had 13 points and 10 boards, and Jordan Woodward finished with 10 points.

“I’m proud of the guys for fighting back,” Hield said. “We should have done a better job of executing in the first half, but Kansas did a great job of making shots.”

Indeed, a rather tense finish was surprising given the lopsided start.

Kansas hit its first eight 3-pointers, one shy of the school record, and a couple almost defied logic. Brannen Greene missed a long jumper but got the ball back a foot beyond the arc and promptly knocked down the 3. Moments later, Frank Mason’s 3-point try hit off the back iron, shot about six feet straight into the air and dropped right through the net.

By the time Devonte’ Graham missed with 7:05 left to the break, the Jayhawks led 39-19, and still had a comfortable 51-32 lead when the teams headed to their locker rooms.

“We knew we wouldn’t shoot like that in the second half,” Greene said.

Oklahoma stormed back to the floor and went on a 21-3 run to open the half, taking advantage of a 1-for-12 start by the Jayhawks to close to 54-50 with 13:01 to go. Hield was the trigger for the run, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers along with dishing a couple assists.

“In the second half we turned it around a little bit, had a little bit more fight,” Sooners coach Lon Kruger said. “We had a little bit of a chance there.”

The Sooners kept clawing back, just as Utah did in rallying from a 21-point hole against Kansas earlier this season. And when Hield made the first of two foul shots with 10 minute to go, the visitors had a 59-58 lead — their first of the game.

Back and forth they went from there, two of the teams picked to battle for the Big 12 title, the intensity ratcheting up so high that Self slammed the electronic marquee at the scorer’s table so hard that he knocked out an entire bank of lights.

The Sooners were still leading 71-69 with 3:45 left when Greene knocked down his third 3 of the game. TaShawn Thomas turned the ball over at the other end, his fifth of the game, and Mason hit a 15-footer to give Kansas a bit of a cushion with 2 1/2 minutes left.

Cousins hit a 3 to keep the Sooners alive, but Alexander punctuated his breakout performance with a dunk and Oubre glided in for a layup to make it 79-74 with a minute to go.

This time, the Jayhawks managed to hold their lead to the finish.

“It was a great, great basketball game,” Self said, “and an unbelievable win.”

TRAINER’S TABLE

Kansas F Jamari Traylor is dealing with a hip flexor, Self said. The starter was held without a point or rebound in 10 minutes, though he did commit two fouls.

STAT WATCH

Oklahoma had the Big 12’s best 3-point field-goal percentage, but the Jayhawks were 10 of 19 from the arc. The Sooners also led the league in defensive rebounds but were out-boarded, 39-36.

TIP-INS

Oklahoma was facing its eighth Top 25 opponent, including five of its first six in Big 12 play. … Hield has scored at least 20 points in five of his first six league games.

Kansas improved to 64-8 under Self in games following a loss. … Mason finished with 10 points, his 15th straight game in double figures scoring.

UP NEXT

Oklahoma visits No. 21 Baylor on Saturday.

Kansas heads to No. 17 Texas on Saturday.

— Associated Press —

Wichita State up, Kansas down in this week’s Top 25

Posted on January 19, 2015

The Associated Press

The nation’s two unbeatens retain their spots atop the AP Top 25.

For the second straight week, Kentucky was No. 1 in 63 of 65 votes cast Monday, while Virginia stayed at No. 2.

The Wildcats (17-0) have been No. 1 in every poll and were the unanimous choice for five straight weeks before two voters switched to the Cavaliers (17-0) last week.

Both teams had a pair of double-digit conference wins last week.

Gonzaga remained in third, while Villanova swapped places with Duke. The Blue Devils fell from fourth to fifth after a loss to Miami that ended a 41-game home winning streak followed by a win at Louisville.

No. 22 Dayton, No. 23 Indiana and No. 25 Iowa entered the poll for the first time this season.

Record Pts Prv

1. Kentucky (63) 17-0 1,623 1
2. Virginia (2) 17-0 1,562 2
3. Gonzaga 18-1 1,467 3
4. Villanova 17-1 1,429 5
5. Duke 15-2 1,345 4
6. Wisconsin 16-2 1,282 7
7. Arizona 16-2 1,228 10
8. Notre Dame 17-2 1,055 12
9. Iowa St. 13-3 1,004 11
10. Louisville 15-3 1,003 6
11. Kansas 14-3 943 9
12. Utah 14-3 940 8
13. Maryland 17-2 937 14
14. Wichita St. 16-2 857 13
15. North Carolina 14-4 803 15
16. VCU 15-3 670 17
17. Texas 13-4 554 20
18. West Virginia 15-3 501 16
19. Oklahoma 12-5 445 18
20. N. Iowa 16-2 387 23
21. Baylor 13-4 260 22
22. Dayton 15-2 241 —
23. Indiana 14-4 93 —
24. Seton Hall 13-4 91 21
25. Iowa 13-5 85 —
Others receiving votes: Oklahoma St. 47, Miami 41, San Diego St. 34, Georgetown 33, Stanford 31, Saint Mary’s (Cal) 18, Providence 17, Colorado St. 16, Arkansas 15, Georgia 13, Butler 11, SMU 11, Michigan St. 8, LSU 6, Old Dominion 5, Wyoming 4, Ohio St. 3, Louisiana Tech 2, Tennessee 2, George Washington 1, St. John’s 1, Washington 1.

Cardinals top two starters say they’re healthy heading into 2015. Wacha’s MRI comes back clean, Wainwright ready for a full slate

Posted on January 19, 2015

January 19, 2015 by Bill Pollock

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright talks with fans during Day 2 of the St. Louis Cardinals Winter-Up in St. Louis on January 18, 2015. Warm-Up allows fans to get close up to their favorite players of the past, present and future. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

The St. Louis Cardinals were possibly interested in adding another starting pitcher to their already solid rotation. It looks like they are not in the running for former Missouri star Max Scherzer. He’s about ready to sign on for seven years with the Washington Nationals. If Adam Wainwright and Michael Wacha remain healthy for 2015, Scherzer would have been an expensive insurance policy.
Wainwright underwent elbow surgery and for those fans concerned, consider this. Wainwright, speaking at the Cardinals Winter Warm Up, told the media he started his offseason throwing program at the same time that he does every year. While he had to make minor adjustments int he second half of the season, throwing more cutters and curves, Wainwright says he will back to his full potential.

Wainwright also says he’s not ready to slow down or let up on the number of innings or starts he’ll make, but the coaches and management will look for ways to cut down on his workload. Wainwright, as noted on STLCardinals.com, has thrown 520 innings over the last two seasons, most by any pitcher in baseball.

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Michael Wacha talks with fans during Day 2 of the St. Louis Cardinals Winter-Up in St. Louis on January 18, 2015. Warm-Up allows fans to get close up to their favorite players of the past, present and future. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

The last time we saw Wacha, he served up the season ending homer in San Francisco. He contends he was healthy enough to pitch, but an MRI just yesterday confirmed his shoulder is back to 100%. Wacha was limited to 107 innings over 19 starts in 2014. His season then ended with Travis Ishikawa tagging him for a game-winning homer following the right-hander’s 20-day layoff. He too has no concerns about putting in a heavy number of innings. In fact, he says he wants to be the type of pitcher the club can rely on every fifth day. It’s a simple goal.

Free-agent pitcher Max Scherzer has agreed to a seven-year contract with the Washington Nationals. The 30-year old Scherzer is 91-50 with a 3.58 ERA in seven seasons with Arizona and Detroit. He won the 2013 American League Cy Young Award and has made the All-Star team in each of the past two seasons.
He was 18-5 with a 3.15 ERA in 2014, a year after going 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA and being voted the best pitcher in the American League.

Super matchup: Seahawks face Patriots for NFL championship

Posted on January 19, 2015

HOWARD FENDRICH, AP Pro Football Writer

For Russell Wilson’s Seattle Seahawks to become the first team in a decade to win consecutive Super Bowls, they’ll have to beat the most recent group to do it, Tom Brady’s New England Patriots.

In an enticing matchup pitting the defending champions against the dominant NFL franchise of the 2000s, the NFC’s Seahawks (14-4) will face the AFC’s Patriots (14-4) in the title game at Glendale, Arizona, in two weeks.

New England reached its eighth Super Bowl, equaling Dallas and Pittsburgh for most in league history. It’s the sixth time Brady and coach Bill Belichick made it in the past 14 years; they won trophies after the 2001, 2003 and 2004 seasons.

Some Las Vegas sports books had the Seahawks as 1-point favorites; others made the game a pick ’em.