Sports News-November 16, 2012
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As expected, San Francisco catcher Buster Posey has been named the Most Valuable Player in the National League. He came back from a devastating injury in 2011 to lead the Giants to the World Series. The 25-year old was listed first on 27 of the 32 ballots submitted by writers representing each league city to score 422 points. He also was the National League batting champion with a .336 average, joining two-time winner Ernie Lombardi as the only catchers in the league's history to win batting titles. Posey won the National League Rookie of the Year in 2010. This year's MVP runner up was Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun. In the American League, Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera is the MVP. He was baseball's first Triple Crown winner in baseball since 1967, hitting .333 with 44 home runs and 139 runs batted in. Cabrera was listed first on 22 of 28 ballots. Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout was the runner up, just days after being named winner of the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Trout hit .326 with 30 home runs and 83 RBI's. He led the league in runs scored with 129 and 49 stolen bases.
The Mike D'Antoni era in Los Angeles has begun on crutches. The new Los Angeles Lakers coach moved smoothly on crutches while his team went through drills orchestrated by his assistant coach and brother, Dan. Although D'Antoni's surgically replaced knee is slowing him down a bit, he couldn't wait any longer to get the Lakers rolling. D'Antoni echoed Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak, saying the Lakers are built to win now. D'Antoni formally took over the Lakers four days after the slow-starting club hired him to replace Mike Brown. Brown was fired after a 1-4 start. The Lakers are now 3-5 after going 2-1 under interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff. D'Antoni is expected to make his sideline debut with the Lakers Sunday night against Houston.
Brandon Ubel scored 17 points and Ray Gallegos added 14 as the Nebraska men’s basketball team overcame a late scoring drought to hold off cold-shooting Valparaiso 50-48 on last night. Gallegos made a career-high four three-pointers, all of them coming during big runs that helped the Cornhuskers build a double-digit cushion against the defending Horizon League champion Crusaders. But after Ubel scored with 7:20 left to make it an eleven-point game, Nebraska didn't get another point until Ubel's two free throws with 14 seconds left. Kevin Van Wijk, who led Valparaiso with 20 points, hit two free throws to make it a two-point game in the final seconds. Matt Kenney missed a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer. The Crusaders, which had made 13 three-pointers in each of its first two games, was just 2-15 from behind the arc and shot 34% overall. The Huskers shot 37%. Nebraska is now 2-0 overall while Valparaiso is 2-1.
Nebraska football coach Bo Pelini joked about the priority listed atop his game plan for Minnesota. He said he doesn't want his team to be two touchdowns behind at halftime. The BCS 14th ranked Cornhuskers have come back from double-digit, second-half deficits to win four games. They would assure themselves of playing Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game December 1st in Indianapolis with a win Saturday over the Golden Gophers and another next week at Iowa. Minnesota became bowl-eligible last week. The Golden Gophers are battling injuries on the offensive side. They are allowing 336 yards and 22.3 points a game. Those numbers were 431 yards and 34.5 points through ten games a year ago. Nebraska is 8-2 overall and 5-1 in the Big Ten Legends Division going into the 2:30 kickoff. Minnesota is 6-4 overall and 2-4 in the Legends. The Huskers are also ranked 16th in the Associated Press Top 25 & USA Today poll.
Senior guard Amry Shelby scored a game-high 24 points and Wayne State pulled away late in the second half to record a 78-59 non-conference men’s college basketball win over Nebraska-Kearney Thursday evening at Rice Auditorium in Wayne. Shelby led all scorers for WSC, going 7-14 from the field and a perfect 8-8 at the charity stripe to go along with five assists and three steals. Senior forward Derrell Williams added 18 points and ten rebounds for his first double-double of the season while also recording five assists and three steals. Sophomore forward Jordan Holdsworth also reached double figures with twelve points. The host Wildcats move to 3-0 on the young season while dropping UNK, playing its fourth road game in five nights to open the season, to 1-3.
The Central Community College of Columbus volleyball team remains alive at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Toledo, Ohio. After knocking off unbeaten Moraine Valley in five sets in the first round, the Raiders dropped a five set match to Parkland University in five sets in their second match. Central led in that match two sets to one. The Raiders are now 32-11 and will play Kishwaukee College in a semifinal match today at 2:30.
Wayne State women’s basketball coach Chris Kielsmeier announced yesterday the signings of two Nebraska high school standouts to national letters of intent for 2013-2014. Norfolk Catholic’s Michaela Barry and Alex Nelson of Papillion La Vista are the first two players to join the 2013 Wildcat recruiting class. Last season as a junior, Barry averaged 14 points, five rebounds and three steals per game while leading the Knights to a 19-5 record.
Wayne State volleyball coach Scott Kneifl announced yesterday the signings of four high school standouts to the 2013 recruiting class. Joining the Wildcat program are Alyssa Frauendorfer of Humphrey, Katie Kurtz of Papillion, Michaela Mestl of Kearney and Sydney Rose of Wakefield. Frauendorfer is a 6’0 middle/outside hitter from Humphrey High School. She led the Bulldogs to back-to-back State Championships in volleyball in 2011 and 2012. This season, Frauendorfer recorded 491 kills, 132 blocks and 18 aces while helping the Bulldogs to a 33-2 record. Rose is a 5’6 setter/defensive specialist from Wakefield. She is a multi-sport standout for the Trojans, starting four years in volleyball, two years in basketball and four years in track and field. Rose was an All Lewis and Clark Conference selection in volleyball four seasons and honorable mention Class C-2 All-State volleyball selection by the Omaha World Herald and Lincoln Journal Star.
The Greater Nebraska Athletic Conference has announced its All-Conference & All-Academic honors. Regarding Norfolk High, honored from the football team were quarterback Taylor Reedy, running back Hayden Johnson, center Terrence Dawson, offensive lineman Shane Kalin, defensive tackle Kyle Temple, and linebacker Cody Merchant. Recognized from the softball team were catcher Lakyn McCarter, shortstop Paige Orwig, and pitcher/centerfielder Marissa Rucker. Honored from the volleyball team were Jordan Cobb and Aleeyah Kucera. Also named as All-District Selections for the football team were Reedy, Merchant, wide receiver Jake Hjorth, defensive back Stefan Medel, linebacker Tyson Wendell, & defensive end Steven Zarate. Norfolk High had 49 fall athletes named as All-Academic Selections.
Local Schedule: Nebraska at Minnesota at Minneapolis, MN (VB-7:00); Minnesota at Nebraska (WR Dual-7:00); Creighton at Wichita St. At Wichita, KS (VB-7:00); WSC Vs. Northern St. At St. Paul, MN (NSIC VB Tourn.-5:00).
Saturday Morning: Sportstalk on 106 KIX & 106KIX.com from 9:00-10:00 AM from Hy-Vee West. This week: Nfk Cath’s Jeff Bellar; LHNE’s Darin Suckstorf & Kathy Gebhardt; NECC’s Dan Anderson & High School State Champion volleyball coaches Adam Kuntz of Hartington CC & Humphrey High’s Gary Bender.
Tuesday Afternoon: The 11-1 Norfolk Catholic football team meets 11-1 Boone Central/Newman Grove at 2:45 in the Class “C-1” State Championship Game from Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. Pregame coverage at approximately 2:15 on 106 KIX & 106KIX.com.
Local Scores: Nebraska 50 Valparaiso 48 (MBB); WSC 78 Nebraska-Kearney 59 (MBB).
NFL Scoreboard: Buffalo 19 Miami 14
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Brooklyn 102 Boston 97
Final New York 104 San Antonio 100
Final Miami 98 Denver 93
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final ( 1) Indiana 99 Sam Houston St. 45
Final ( 2) Louisville 80 Samford 54
Final ( 6) NC State 72 Penn St. 55
Final ( 7) Kansas 69 Chattanooga 55
Final (12) Arizona 72 UTEP 51
Final (13) UCLA 100 James Madison 70
Final (16) Baylor 84 Boston College 74
TOP-25 WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final ( 8) Louisville 90 Austin Peay 52
Final (12) California 89 Saint Mary's (Cal) 41
Final (13) Vanderbilt 69 UAB 54
Final (24) Tennessee 101 Rice 48
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