Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Spanning the commonwealth and beyond …

The Mason-Dixon Athletic Club will host its 49th annual Mason-Dixon Games, Friday and Saturday, in Broadbent Arena at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville.

Approximately 3,000 Kentucky middle school and high school athletes will compete, plus about 70 Masters and Open athletes.

Friday’s schedule begins at 4:30 p.m. with Masters and Open events. Middle school events begin at 5:15 p.m.

Saturday’s high school schedule begins at 8 a.m. for Class A, 1 p.m. for 2A and 5 p.m. for 3A. The meet is designated by the Kentucky Track and Cross Country Coaches Association as the indoor state championships.

Admission is $5 each day. Officials will again be collected canned goods and non-perishable items, to be donated to the Dare to Care Food Bank.

In conjunction with the Games, the Mason-Dixon Games Hall of Fame induction banquet will be tonight (Thursday) at Wildwood Country Club in Fern Creek.

Inductees include athletes Bobby Brown (long jump), Susie Brutscher (pole vault pioneer), 1976 Olympian Tommy Haynes (triple jump, long jump) and 1968 Olympic gold-medalist (200 meters) Tommie Smith (440 yards), along with officials Ron Althoff, David L. Armstrong, Donnie Ray and Jack Thompson, plus “significant supporter” of the Games David A. Jones.

Al Michaels returns to Olympic broadcasting

Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports and Olympics, announced Thursday that Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Al Michaels will serve as host of NBC’s live weekend and weekday daytime coverage of next year’s Vancouver Winter Olympic Games.

Michaels last broadcast a Winter Olympics in 1988, also in Canada — Calgary, Alberta.

In 1980, Michaels made the call on what, according to a variety of polls, Americans consider the nation’s top sports moment of the 20th century, The Miracle on Ice hockey victory over the Soviet Union.

“Do you believe in miracles? YES!” was his most memorable line as the game neared the finish at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics.

Michaels will host more than 50 hours of live coverage. Although this will mark Michaels’ debut as an Olympic host, he is no stranger to the Games. Vancouver will mark his sixth Olympic assignment.

He covered hockey, biathlon, speed skating, ski jumping and cross-country skiing at the 1972 Sapporo Olympics; hockey at the 1980 Lake Placid Games; figure skating and hockey at the 1984 Sarajevo Games; track and field, plus road cycling, at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games and hockey at the 1988 Calgary Games.

Michaels is the only broadcaster to call a Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals and host a Stanley Cup Final for network television.

12 semifinalists for Sullivan Award are named

The 12 semifinalists for the 79th annual James E. Sullivan Award include three gymnasts and three swimmers.

Nastia Liukin

The Sullivan Award, named in honor of the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) founder and past president, is presented annually to the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. In addition to athletic accomplishsments, the Sullivan Award considers the qualities of leadership, character, sportsmanship and the ideals of amateurism.

Gymnasts on the semifinals list are Beijing Olympics all-around champion Nastia Liukin, Olympic balance beam gold-medalist Shawn Johnson and Olympic silver-medalist on the horizontal bar, Jonathan Horton.

Swimming semifinalists are the Olympic men’s 4-by-100-meter freestyle relay champions, Paralympian champion Erin Popovich (four gold medals, two silver) and 41-year-old Olympian Dara Torres (three silver medals).

Also on the list are: Cynthia Barboza, Stanford University, volleyball; Amanda Blumenherst, Duke University, golf; Sam Bradford, University of Oklahoma, football; Tyler Hansbrough, University of North Carolina, basketball; the Lopez family (Olympic medalists Diana, Mark and Steven), taekwondo, and Gerald “Buster” Posey, Florida State University, baseball.

Fan can vote online at www.usatoday.com. The winner will be announced April 15 at the New York Athletic Club.

Trammel is USATF Athlete of Week

Two-time Olympic and World Outdoor silver-medalist Terrence Trammell, winner of the men’s 60-meter hurdles and the Visa Championship Series at last weekend’s USA Indoor Track & Field Championships, is USA Track & Field Athlete of the Week.

Trammell led all the way at Boston, clocking 7.37 seconds to break Reggie Torian’s 10-year-old meet record of 7.38. Trammell just missed the American record (7.36) but did get the fastest time in the world this season.

Among others, Trammell beat Oklahoma State freshman German Fernandez for weekly honors. Running in the Big 12 Indoor Championships at College Station, Texas, Fernandez won the mile in a collegiate-record 3:55.02. Three hours later, Fernandez won the 3,000 meters in the second-best time in meet history, 7:57.21.

UK baseball opens 3-game set vs. Indiana State

James Paxton

Chris Rusin

The Cats (6-2) and Sycamores (9-2) will meet Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m.

 

Cats add two games to schedule

Pre-game clinic Saturday

Briefly: James Johnson, Bobby Curtis

James Johnson, right, with Helena Hau and myself in Beijing.

James Johnson,

a three-time national champion Greco-Roman wrestler out of the University of Kentucky, has been on tour since Feb. 23 as coach of U.S. Greco-Roman athletes competing in the Hungary Grand Prix and in Slovakia. The tour ends Sunday.

Olympic rings.

Jose Acevedo

First-place finishes by Jose Acevedo and Mikel Thomas, both veterans of the Beijing Olympics, led Kentucky. Chase Madison made it a UK hat trick, winning the shot put.

Top female performer at UK’s Nutter Fieldhouse was double-winner Hyleas Fountain, the Olympic silver-medalist in the heptathlon from Dayton, Ohio.

The meet was the second and last home competition for UK before it plays host to the Southeastern Conference Championships, Feb. 27-March 1.
Acevedo, who competed at 200 meters for in the Olympics, tied the Venezuelan national record for 60 meters in Saturday’s finals, placing third. He later won the 200 in 21.22, an NCAA provisional qualifying mark.

In all, 20 collegiate performances met NCAA provisional standards. Twelve non-collegians also reached provisional standards and four hit automatic qualifing marks.

“It was good. The 60, I opened with my PR (personal record). I was impressed about that - 6.79,” Acevedo said. “It was awesome. And I was trying to do better in the finals. My start wasn’t as good as the prelims, so that cost me a chance to run under 6.70. That was the goal, but I still feel really good about 6.76.”

Rondel Sorillo

His 6.76 matched the Venezuelan record set by Victor Castillo, who placed 15th in the long jump at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

D’Angelo Cherry, who set a national high school record for 55 meters last year, won the 60 in 6.64. UK senior Gordon McKenzie took second, with a personal-best and NCAA provisional mark of 6.68. Acevedo was among three runners timed in 6.76. Going to ten-thousands of a second, Acevedo’s 6.7511 edged unattached David Dickens’ 6.7547 and Eastern Kentucky’s Shannon Davis’ 6.7575.

UK freshman Justin Austin ran a provisional-qualifying 6.74 preliminary, but did not test a sore leg in the finals.

In the 200, Acevedo topped UK newcomer Rondel Sorillo, 21.22 to 21.33. EKU’s Davis took third in 21.55.

“I was feeling a little bit tight just because of the 60,” Acevedo said. “That (60) is not my event; I’m not used to it. … But I tried to do my best. I got out with Rondel. He’s a really good competitor. He’s a really good runner.

“I was just trying to run with him more than run my race, and I think that was my mistake in the 200. But 21.22 is a provisional mark. It’s a pretty good day.”

Sorillo, from Trinidad and Tobago, competed in the same Olympic qualifying heat as Acevedo. That August day, Sorillo won in 20.58; Acevedo was fifth in 21.06. Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, the eventual gold-medal winner and world record-setter, ran second in the heat.

Mikel Thomas

Sorillo, who has two years of college in Trinidad under his belt, ran unattached as he is not yet eligible for UK.

Thomas, also a Trinidad Olympian last summer, met the NCAA provisional standard by winning the 60-meter hurdles in 7.80. Runner-up Terence Somerville of Cincinnati matched the provisional cut of 7.91.

“In the trials, I didn’t really get out of the blocks,” Thomas said of his 7.95 prelim. “I got out better (in the finals). This one was cleaner, but in between (hurdles) it’s not really where I need to be. A little tight. A little slow.”
UK’s Madison, a senior, won the shot put by more than four feet over Louisville’s Steve Hnat. Madison’s mark of 61 feet, 7 3/4 inches is an NCAA provisional qualifier.

“That’s definitely the best series of my life,” said Madison, who had efforts of 59-6 3/4, 59-0 1/4, foul, 60-2, 59-10 1/4 and 61-7 3/4. “Building consistencey now through SECs and through the national meet, that’s what I want.”

Chase Madison

Madison beat his previous best (59-2 3/4) four times.

“A lot more technical work,” he said in explaining his improvement. “A lot more quality work. Not just quantity, but quality.

“Focus on technique, not distance. … Let the distance come in competition, not practice.”

UK’s Colin Boevers placed eighth in the shot. Teammate Rashaud Scott, the NCAA discus champion and a provisional qualifier in Friday’s weight throw, fouled twice and passed his third turn.

Fountain, who won SEC titles for Georgia in the high jump, long jump and pentathlon (collegiate-record 4,417 points) here in 2004, was the Saturday’s quality performer among the women.

Hyleas Fountain

Fountain set a meet record of 21-5 1/2 in the long jump, then beat the meet and fieldhouse record with an 8.02 in the 60-meter hurdles.

“Right now, training for USAs (championships) and just trying to retain my title in the long jump there,” Fountain said of her 2009 goals. “The biggest meet, of course, is the World Championships in Berlin.”

A timing malfunction made it necessary to re-run Fountain’s preliminary heat of the hurdles. She won both times, 8.13 in the one that counted.
“I just kind of looked at it as a good warmup,” she said.

Furman’s Patrick Morgan, a former standout for Boyle County High School, came off the final turn to kick past Middle Tennessee State’s Festus Chemaoi and win the men’s mile in a personal-best and school-record 4:05.90. Chemaoi, timed in 4:065.29, caught Morgan by surprise and surged to a big lead with about two laps left.

Patrick Morgan

“He made a really good move there,” Morgan said. “I didn’t think I could catch him. I started to kick with about 300 to go, and he just slowly came closer, so I knew I had to (catch him).”

Eastern Kentucky’s Joseph Maina edged UK’s Luis Orta by three-hundredths of a second for third place, finishing in 4:10.59.
Former EKU all-American Jacob Korir, like Maina a Kenyan, used similar tactics to win the 3,000 meters in a meet-record 8:07.09. Mississippi State’s Matt Cameron, competing unattached, led until the final 200 meters.

Western Kentucky swept the 4-by-400 relays for men (3:12.90) and women (NCAA-provisional 3:37.97). Janet Jesang (9:26.68) and Eimear O’Brien gave the Hilltoppers a 1-2 finish in the women’s 3,000, and Valerie Brown snared the 400 (53.58). Jesang and Brown both met NCAA provisional standards.

Janet Jesang

Jesang, a junior from Uganda, hopes to qualify for NCAAs at 5,000 meters next week.

Kelly McNeice, from Northern Ireland, swept the women’s 800 (2:09.45) and mile (4:45.71), followed each time by Zamzam Sangau, a Middle Tennessee State junior from Uganda.

Saravia Richardson gave Louisville its lone win with a provisional qualifying time of 7.44 in the women’s 60.

Other female winners included Chandra Brewer in the shot (55-5 1/2), Chelsea Taylor in the high jump (5-11 1/2) and Trish Bartholomew in the 200 (23.64).

Brewer, a South Florida graduate, placed fourth at last summer’s U.S. Olympic Trials.

Taylor, a top-20 ranked jumper and multi-eventer, is scheduled to return here in three weeks, competing for Alabama.

Jeff Chakouian

Ohio Northern’s James O’Brien scored one for the smaller schools, taking the lead with 50 meters left en route to winning the men’s 800 in a provisional qualifying time of 1:49.70.

Elvis Forde

Carl Morgan upheld Middle Tennessee’s reputation as a perennial power in the jumps, taking the long jump (24-3 3/4).

Other winners were unattached Jamil Hubbard in the 400 (46.58) and Cincinnati’s Shane Shockey in the pole vault (16-0 3/4).

Two Eastern Kentucky University seniors have been named to the Sports Network All-America football team.

Place-kicker Taylor Long was named to the first team, while safety Brandon Gathof made the third team. They were instrumental in helping the Colonels to an 8-4 record, a 20th Ohio Valley Conference championship, 31st consecutive winning season and a berth in the NCAA playoffs.

Long, from Hopkinsville, finished his EKU career as the program’s leading kick-scorer with 285 points. He made 20 field goals in 2008, ranking second in NCAA Division I FCS (formerly known as I-AA).

Gathof, from LaGrange, is a three-time all-Ohio Valley Conference pick and a repeat third-team all-American with Sports Network. He started all 12 games in 2008, finishing second on the team with 81 tackles and five interceptions. He led the Colonels with six pass break-ups.

EKU offensive lineman Sam Reid in action.

Honors continue to come for Eastern Kentucky University’s football team.

Friday, offensive lineman Sam Reid was named to the 11th annual Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Director Association (FCS ADA) Academic All-Star team. (Try fitting that inscription on an award!)

The announcement was made at Chattanooga, Tenn., where Richmond will face Montana in the FCS title game. Reid is among 43 players cited, and one of two from the Ohio Valley Conference. To be eligible for the award, student-athletes must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) and have been a starter or key player with legitimate credentials.

Reid, a second-team all-OVC pick from Carlisle, Ky., changed positions from tight end to center in 2008. He started all 12 games, helping the Colonels to their second OVC title in a row. A team captain, Reid earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice last spring and is now working towards a master’s degree. He is a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma National Athletic Honor Society.

Notes from Thursday’s (e-)mailbag.

* From Keith Elkins of the Lexington Legends ….

Alan Stein, president and CEO of the Legends and Omaha Royals, is the first recipient of the Presidential Citation from Minor League Baseball for outstanding service. MiLB President Pat O’Conner presented the award during the recent baseball winter meetings in Las Vegas.

Stein has served since 2006 as the South Atlantic League’s elected representative on Minor League Baseball’s board of trustees, elected vice chairman in 2007. O’Connor said Stein’s overall service was worthy of recognition, but noted in particular Stein’s role in this year’s agreement between MiLB and Major League Baseball Advanced Media on the bundled internet rights program. The Baseball Internet Rights Company, formed as a result of the agreement, bundles internet content of all clubs, with the purpose of significantly increasing the volume and availability of information about MiLB to an international audience.

* From Michael Clark at Eastern Kentucky University …

Senior place-kicker Taylor Long of Hopkinsville has been named second-team all-American by The Associated Press. Taylor finished his career with the Colonels as the program’s all-time leader in kick points, 285. Included were 20 field goals this season. He had a 13-for-13 stretch this season, including an overtime game-winner against Austin Peay, and booted a career-best 50-yarder against Eastern Illinois. Overall, he was 20-for-27 this season, averaging 7.3 points a game.

His 49 career field goals ties the EKU record set by Dale Dawson (1983-86), and his 138 PAT points are a school record.

* From Julie Bartell at USA Softball …

Crystl Bustos, the top power hitter in the game, has been named by the Amateur Softball Association as USA Softball Player of the Year.

Bustos came through in the clutch, blasting a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning to give the U.S. a 4-1 victory over Japan and a spot in the gold-medal game at the Beijing Olympics. Although Japan won the gold-medal game, Bustos provided the only American run with a home run before drawing her third intentional walk of the Games.

Overall, Bustos hit .500 (11-for-22) at Beijing, with six homers, 10 RBI and 12 runs before retiring. The six homers and 1.318 slugging percentage broke her own Olympic records of five homers and .923 slugging at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The 10 RBI tie her Olympic record set at Athens. She finishes with the career home run Olympic record, 14, over three Olympics.

Eastern Kentucky University announced the signing of two men’s basketball recruits Tuesday.

Spencer Perrin, a 6-foot-5 small forward, helped Boyle County to the 12th Region championship by averaging 21 points and 11 rebounds as a senior in 2007. He is now in his second season at Lake Land College in Mattoon, Ill.

Willie Cruz is a 6-4 guard, now a senior at L’Anse Creuse High School near Detroit. Cruz averaged 20.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists last season. He was named all-conference, second-team all-area and honorable mention all-state.

EKU (0-1) plays its home opener tonight at 7 against Winston-Salem.

Defending NCAA champion Oregon retains the top spot in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association men’s poll, released Tuesday.

Oklahoma State moved up a spot to No. 2, trading places with Stanford.

The top four women’s teams remain unchanged: Washington, Oregon, Florida State and Princeton. Villanova climbs a spot to No. 5. Three-time defending NCAA champion Stanford is No. 11.

Although no Kentucky teams are ranked nationally, four men’s teams are among the top 15 in the Southeast Region: No. 4 Eastern Kentucky, No. 9 Louisville, No. 12 Kentucky and No. 15 Morehead State.

The women’s Southeast Region has UK at No. 7, U of L at No. 11.