Sports briefs
NMU spikers sweep Lake Erie
MARQUETTE – Spurred by a tough defense, the Northern Michigan University women’s volleyball team posted a 3-0 (25-10, 25-19, 25-17) win over Lake Erie At Vandament Arena in Marquette Friday evening.
“This was an outstanding defensive performance by our whole team,” NMU head coach Dominic Yoder said. “The ability to scramble within rallies really showed what we’ve been practicing all week in having players play different positions.”
With the win, the Wildcats improved to 10-2 overall and 2-1 in GLIAC play.
Northern was led offensively in kills by Lisa Studnicka (14), Anna Aycock (10) and Bridget Bussell (10)
Bridget Bussell and Madison Whitehead posted hitting percentages north of .500 at .529 and .643, respectively.
Wildcats Alex Berger (14) and Autumn Monsma (10) were the game leaders in digs, while Jami Hogeboom posted a match-high 43 assists – her second-highest total of the season.
“I thought Jami did a great job running the offense and really using our strengths against Lake Erie,” Yoder said.
The Wildcats return to action at 4 p.m. today when they take on Ashland (Ohio) University at Vandament Arena.
Wildcats soccer still winless
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Northern Michigan University women’s soccer team remained winless Friday thanks to a 3-0 loss to Ohio Dominican.
The Panthers scored their first goal in the 30th minute on a breakaway by Susan D’Isidoro. Ohio Dominican then picked up two goals in the span of three minutes during the second half, one by Allison Pavlik at 56:26 and the other by Ashley Blake at 59:29.
Ohio Dominican outshot NMU 21-10 and held a 6-5 advantage in corner kicks. NMU’s Alexandra Simmons made six saves in the loss.
The Wildcats (0-6, 0-2 GLIAC) play at home Sunday against Walsh at 12:30 p.m.
High school coach sentenced
MOUNT PLEASANT (AP) – A highly successful small-town football coach in mid-Michigan who authorities say sent sexually explicit images to boys has been sentenced to six months in jail.
The Morning Sun reports Isabella County Chief Judge Paul Chamberlain on Thursday also ordered 46-year-old Lou Rau of Beal City to serve four years of probation.
The former varsity football coach, who resigned as he was investigated, apologized in court. He says that he “treated my players like friends” and blurred the line between adult and teenager.
Rau in July pleaded no contest to distributing obscene materials to children and furnishing alcohol to a minor. Other charges were dropped.
Beal City played Ishpeming in a regular-season game in 2014, with the Hematites winning 20-14 in Gaylord.
Saints QB Brees out for Sunday
METAIRIE, La. (AP) – Drew Brees will be sidelined for New Orleans’ game at Carolina on Sunday, when the Saints will try to avoid falling to 0-3.
Brees, who is recovering from a bruised rotator cuff in his right (throwing) shoulder, will be replaced in the lineup by 12-year veteran Luke McCown, Saints coach Sean Payton said Friday.
Payton said resting Brees this weekend was not a difficult decision. Payton also declined to forecast whether Brees would return the following week against Dallas.
Sunday’s game will mark the first start Brees has missed because of an injury since joining New Orleans in 2006.
McCown has been with the Saints since 2013 but has yet to complete a regular-season pass with the club.
Kane case DA shoots down rumor
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) – The prosecutor overseeing the sexual assault investigation of Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane says the accuser’s mother lied about finding an evidence bag in her doorway.
Erie County District Attorney Frank Sedita said during a news conference Friday he’s not sure yet how the two-day sideshow of how evidence was handled affects the main case. Sedita said all the evidence, including the rape kit used to examine the accuser, was handled properly and is still in custody of authorities.
“Obviously there has been an effort to create a hoax,” Sedita said. “I gotta figure out who was in on that, why they would do that and what it means vis-a-vis all the other evidence.”
Sports briefs
NMU runners finish second
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Northern Michigan University cross country team finished second in the Division II maroon race at the Roy Griak Invitational Saturday out of 35 teams.
NMU finished with 93 points, while Minnesota-Duluth won the meet with 83.
The Wildcats were led by sophomore Kameron Burmeister of Menominee led the way who finished 11th with a time of 23:08.8. Freshmen Sophie McDonald also finished in the top 15, finish, taking 15th with a time of 23:14.3.
Caroline Brisbois (22nd, 23:36.4), Megan Edic (27th, 23:50.2) and Vivian Hett (28th, 23:50.5) rounded out the top NMU finishers.
Northern Michigan is the lone Division II program to win three-straight team titles at the prestigious meet, accomplishing the feat in 2002, 2003 and 2004.
NMU’s next meet will be the Conference Crossover Invitational Saturday, Oct. 10 in Chicago.
Wildcats golfers in 13th place
ALLENDALE – The Northern Michigan University women’s golf team sits in 13th place at the Gilda’s Club Laker Fall Invite after shooting a 366 at the par-72 Meadows Golf Course Saturday.
NMU freshman Baylee Dunmire is in a tie for 40th after shooting an 86, while teammate Karissa Guthrie is tied for 52nd after shooting an 88. Freshman Megan Sarotte is in a tie for 62nd after finishing with a 91.
Host Grand Valley State leads with a 307 and MissouriSt. Louis is second with a score of 308.
The invitational concludes tomorrow with a 9 a.m. shotgun start.
Ausmus to return as manager
DETROIT (AP) – Brad Ausmus is going to return as the Detroit Tigers’ manager in 2016.
General manager Al Avila made the announcement Saturday despite reports that the decision had already been made to fire second year manager.
Avila said he understood Ausmus was dealing with severe roster limitations as the Tigers dropped to last in the AL Central after four straight division titles.
Detroit has won three straight and seven of 10, but could be officially eliminated from postseason play as early as Saturday night.
De’Veon Smith says he’ll play Sat.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) – Michigan running back De’Veon Smith seems to have survived a scare.
Smith’s right ankle was injured on a run in a 31-0 win over No. 22 BYU on Saturday and he didn’t return to the game.
He limped off the field, barely putting weight on his right foot. He was later taken across the field on a cart to the locker room, where X-rays were negative.
“I’m feeling good,” Smith said. “I got a little banged up, but it’s not a big deal.”
Smith had run for 125 yards on 16 carries, including a tackle-breaking, 60-yard touchdown, against the Cougars. He leads the Wolverines (3-1) with 331 yards rushing and four TDs.
“Yes, I expect to play next week,” Smith said.
Michigan opens Big Ten play at Maryland.
Harbaugh welcomes Jeter to UM
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) – Derek Jeter is going back to school. Sort of.
The former New York Yankees great, who attended the University of Michigan briefly, was in the house when the Wolverines hosted No. 22 BYU on Saturday. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh gave the 41-year-old Jeter a blue jersey with No. 2 and Jeter in maize.
After graduating from high school in Kalamazoo, Mich., Jeter planned to study medicine.
Plan B worked out well for the future Hall of Fame shortstop.
The Yankees drafted him with the No. 6 pick overall in the 1992 amateur draft and signed him that year with a $700,000 bonus and paid him a total of $266 million. The five-time World Series champion retired last year with 3,465 hits to rank sixth on the all-time list.
Lions’ Stafford listed as probable
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) – Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is listed as probable for Sunday night’s game against Denver.
Stafford’s injured ribs did not prevent him from being a full participant in practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and the Lions can certainly use him in their home opener this weekend. Detroit lost its first two games of the season at San Diego and Minnesota.
Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy (hip) is listed as doubtful, and tight end Brandon Pettigrew (hamstring) has been ruled out.
Sports briefs
Huskies eke out 1-point win
HOUGHTON – Michigan Tech overcame a 13-point second-quarter deficit to pull out a 28-27 football victory over Malone at Sherman Field in Houghton on Saturday afternoon.
The Huskies (2-0) tied the game 27-27 with just over six minutes to go when David Walter caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Cowie. Josh King’s extra-point kick gave Tech a one-point lead it would keep to the end.
Each team scored four TDs and the difference came when Malone’s Devin Wallace missed an extra-point kick on his team’s second TD just before the first quarter ended.
“We made plays when we had to make plays to get a ‘W,'” MTU coach Tom Kearly said.
After Cowie hit Andrew Clark with a 6-yard TD six minutes into the game, Malone (0-2) scored three straight times to take a 20-7 lead. Neither team punted in the first half as the Huskies lost the ball on downs and on a fumble during Malone’s streak.
Tech got within 20-14 at halftime on an Alex Sherbinow 3-yard run with 1:52 to go, then took a 21-20 lead on another Sherbinow scoring run in the third quarter.
Malone retook the lead, 27-21, on a 44-yard pass late in the third quarter before the game-winning drive consisted of seven plays covering 64 yards with Walter’s seventh catch of the day. He had 135 yards in receptions.
Tech held a 380-346 yardage advantage on the strength of a 137-93 rushing edge.
Tigers-Indians postponed again
CLEVELAND (AP) – Steady rain and a soggy forecast postponed the Indians game Saturday night against the Detroit Tigers.
The game never got started and the Indians announced their second rainout in two days at 9:38 p.m. The teams are already scheduled to play a doubleheader today, and because the Tigers and Indians don’t share a common off day for the rest of the regular season, a makeup date is still to be determined.
The Indians have won 11 of 15 to move back into contention in the AL wild-card race.
Detroit has lost 15 of 20, fueling speculation about manager Brad Ausmus’ job security. The Tigers said Friday that his status won’t be determined until after the season.
Badgers dominate sans run game
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – It took nearly three quarters for Wisconsin’s traditionally strong running game to get going on Saturday.
By that time, quarterback Joel Stave and the Badgers’ dominating defense had already wrapped up a win over Miami (Ohio).
Stave threw for 236 yards and three scores, and safety Leo Musso had two of Wisconsin’s three interceptions to hand Paul Chryst a 58-0 victory in his home debut as head coach.
Rob Wheelwright had two touchdown catches for the Badgers (1-1), while Dare Ogunbowale ran for 112 yards and a 35-yard touchdown in place of injured starter Corey Clement.
Sports briefs
Webber, Hannah lead Mustangs
ESCANABA – Munising sophomore Alyssa Webber and senior Brett Hannah won their races at the Golden K Kiwanis Invitational high school cross country meet in Escanaba on Thursday.
Webber, who clocked 20 minutes, 23 seconds at Beauchamp’s Grove in Flat Rock, helped the Mustang girls tie for first place in their Small Schools meet with Chassell as each school scored 40 points. Stephenson was a distant third with 75, while Superior Central came in fifth with 112.
Munising’s Madeleine Peramaki came in second in 21:12, 13 seconds ahead of third-place Kyra Johnson of Norway.
Hannah helped the Munising boys take third with 78, trailing champion Chassell’s 50 and runner-up North Central’s 51. Stephenson was fourth with 96 while SC was sixth with 140.
Hannah won the Small Schools race in 17:26, 11 seconds ahead of Chassell’s Abe Gockenbach.
Among the Large Schools, Manistique finished seventh in each race with 206 points for the boys and 210 for the girls. Sault Ste. Marie captured both titles.
Munising hockey tryouts set
MUNISING – Boys and girls ages 4 to 18 in and around Alger County are invited to come to the Munising Hockey Corporation hockey tryouts on Sunday and Monday, Sept. 21, at the Alger Ice Arena in Munising.
The league include an “invitation” program that teaches skating for free. Tryouts take place from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 20 and 6 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 21.
Need-based scholarships and payment plans are available, as are equipment rentals.
For more information, call MHC board President Tara Bond at 202-0830.
Lions’ LB Levy listed as doubtful
ALLEN PARK (AP) – Detroit linebacker DeAndre Levy is officially listed as doubtful for the Lions opener Sunday at San Diego because of a hip injury that has kept him out of practice.
Levy also missed the last two games of the preseason.
The Lions have ruled out defensive tackle Caraun Reid and guard Larry Warford, both with ankle injuries.
Tackle LaAdrian Waddle (elbow) is questionable and tight end Eric Ebron (ankle) and linebacker Tahir Whitehead (elbow) are probable.
Raiders sign troubled player
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) – The Oakland Raiders signed troubled pass rusher Aldon Smith to a contract Friday, five weeks after he was released by San Francisco.
The 49ers cut ties with Smith on Aug. 7, a day after his fifth arrest since being drafted by the team in 2011. Smith was arrested in Santa Clara on charges of drunken driving, hit and run and vandalism.
The Santa Clara District Attorney’s office said that Smith was charged Friday with three misdemeanors relating to his latest arrest. The charges are driving under the influence with a prior offense, hit and run with property damage and vandalism. Smith will be arraigned on Oct. 6.
Logano win pole at Richmond
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Joey Logano has won the pole for the NASCAR Sprint Cup regular-season finale tonight at Richmond International Raceway.
Logano turned a lap a 126.470 mph to emerge from the final 12 drivers in the knockout qualifying format on Friday.
He edged Matt Kenseth, whose best lap came at 126.357 mph, and won his fifth pole of the season and the 13th of his career.
Four drivers went into qualifying needing to win the 26th race of the season to qualify for a spot in the playoffs, and all four made it into the final round.
David Ragan finished with the best spot of the four, earning the No. 5 starting spot. Tony Stewart will start 10th, Austin Dillon 11th and Kyle Larson 12th.
Sports briefs
Munising hosts Pond tourneys
MUNISING – A pair of slowpitch softball tournaments will be held over consecutive weekends this month in Munising in memory of a late resident of the city.
The 19th annual Ken “Otis” Pond Memorial coed tourney takes place Sept. 19-20, while the inaugural “Otis” Pond Memorial men’s tournament runs the following weekend, Sept. 26-27.
Pond was principal at Hannahville Indian School when he died in an auto accident in 1996.
He was a 1969 graduate of William G. Mather High School in Munising. Proceeds from the tourney help fund an annual $1,000 scholarship at Munising High School.
The Browns Addition field and AuTrain, if necessary, will host games in these double-elimination events, with three games assured for each team – two in the regular bracket and one in the “plunger bracket” for a chance to win the traveling plunger.
The entry fee is $150 per team for each tourney with trophies to be presented to the top three teams along with a sportmanship trophy and Otis Cup traveling trophy.
Entry deadline is Sept. 14 for the coed tourney and Sept. 21 for the men’s.
For more information, visit Ken “Otis” Pond Memorial Softball online on Facebook, call Greg Pond at 202-0608 or email him at otiscup@yahoo.com.
Drone crashes into Ky. stadium
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – A student’s drone crashed into a part of newly renovated Commonwealth Stadium before the Wildcats faced Louisiana-Lafayette in the season opener, Kentucky officials confirmed Saturday.
School spokesman Jay Blanton said via email that the unmanned aircraft was recovered near the suite level.
He added that there were no injuries to spectators or damages to the facility, which just underwent a $120 million renovation.
New Mexico State bus robbed
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) – University of Florida police say electronics, computers and other items were stolen from a New Mexico State team personnel bus during Saturday’s game.
Brad Barber of the university police department said Sunday that the bus, which carried football staff members, was parked outside the stadium in a secure area during the game.
“Dozens of police cars were parked near the bus, so it seemingly took some gall to enter the bus where it was parked,” Barber told The Associated Press by phone.