BLUE DEVILS STRIKE IT RICH WITH 4 BLUE-CHIPPERS IN EARLY RECRUITING.(SPORTS) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)

Byline: FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER

Barring unexpected snags, it appears the recruiting class that Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski welcomes next August will be the highest-rated group ever brought in by an ACC school.

Better than the Eric Montross class at North Carolina. Better than the Tar Heels' Jerry Stackhouse-Rasheed Wallace class, too. It even compares favorably to the much-heralded ``Fab Five'' class at Michigan in 1991.

Three members of Duke's quartet rank among the top six prospects in the nation on most recruiting lists, and the other as high as 11th.

Chris Burgess, a 6-foot-10 center from Irvine, Calif., is the No. 1 prospect by Prep Stars Recruiter's Handbook, Sports Illustrated and USA Today. The Recruiter's Handbook ranks Shane Battier, a 6-8 forward from Birmingham, Mich., No. 2 and Elton Brand, a 6-8 power forward from Peekskill, N.Y., No. 6.

William Avery, a 6-2 point guard from Augusta, Ga., is ranked 30th by Recruiter's Handbook, but 11th by recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons.

Gibbons describes Duke's recruiting class as ``a rare accomplishment.''

``I don't know if anyone can expect this class to duplicate what the Fab Five did (two straight NCAA championship game appearances), but who knows?'' Gibbons said.

The only hitch is that two of the four prospects declined to sign official letters-of-intent during the signing period that ended Wednesday night. Avery and Brand said they remained committed to Duke. but would wait until April's late signing period before sealing their commitments.

What's the holdup?

Brand's high school coach in Peekskill, N.Y., Lou Panzanaro, said Brand wanted to make sure ``something crazy doesn't happen - like maybe Coach K leaving.''

Panzanaro said Brand was not having second thoughts about Duke, but was ``just being cautious.''

Unlike the other three, Avery has not qualified academically, but his coach at Oak Hill Academy, Steve Smith, recently assured a North Carolina newspaper that ``William will be fine.''

Duke had to battle Kentucky and Virginia for Avery and Brand, North Carolina and Michigan for Battier, and Kentucky and Brigham Young for Burgess, the last of the four to commit.

An angry and disappointed Brigham Young coach Roger Reid charged that Burgess, a Morman, ``let 9 million people down'' by choosing Duke. Burgess told a Salt Lake City newspaper that Reid also told him that he was ``letting down the prophet and the apostles.''

Burgess said he has been a longtime Blue Devils follower, dating to the days of Danny Ferry.

``I want to be a part of returning Duke to the national championship,'' Burgess said. ``This class can be awesome.''

A look at the rest of the league:

NORTH CAROLINA: Also scored well in the early period, beating out Clemson and Wake Forest to sign 7-foot Brendan Haywood, who analysts say could become an outstanding player. Signed two other blue chippers: 6-11 Brian Bersticker of Virginia Beach and 6-5 guard Max Owens from Macon, Ga.

Haywood did not begin playing basketball until late, and missed his sophomore year in high school because of a broken foot.

``There aren't many seven-foot kids like him with that size, coordination, good hands, and agility,'' Gibbons said.

NORTH CAROLINA STATE: First-year coach Herb Sendek didn't sign any prospects who rate as highly as Duke's and North Carolina's, but all five are solid.

``It could rank among the best classes in the country,'' Gibbons said.

The two big signees were 6-10 Ron Kelly of Emory, Texas, and 6-11 Cornelius Williams of Jacksonville, Ala.

VIRGINIA: The only signee was 6-1 point guard Chezley Watson of Gainesville, Ga. Watson wasn't noted among the top point guard prospects in the country on any major recruiting list.

WAKE FOREST: Fulfilled its most pressing need by beating out Indiana for 6-2 wing guard Robert O'Kelley of Memphis. O'Kelley said the opportunity to be a scoring point guard at Wake Forest influenced his decision. Received commitments from four other players, but none is expected to make an immediate impact.

FLORIDA STATE: Signed two players who could offer immediate help - 7-foot center Karim Shabazz of Lawrence, N.Y., and 5-10 point guard Devlon Arrington of Jersey City, N.J. Arrington's St. Anthony's High School team is 54-0 with him starting and his coach, Bob Hurley Sr., says he is the best point guard he's had since his son, Bobby, a former All-American at Duke. Future Stars recruiting service ranks Shabazz the No. 7 center prospect in the nation.

MARYLAND: Signed 6-7 Terrence Moore, a highly-regarded wing forward from Frederick, and Juan Dixon, a 6-2 guard from Towson.

GEORGIA TECH: Signed one prospect, 6-11 Alvin Jones, Jr., the 13th-ranked center.

CLEMSON: Did not sign anyone.

CAPTION(S):

Graphic

ACC COMMITMENTS

Clemson

None

Duke

Chris Burgess, 6-10 C, Irvine, Calif. Nation's No. 1-rated center averaged 27 points, 12 rebounds as a junior. Runs the court well and is an excellent outside shooter in the mold of former Blue Devils great Christian Laettner.

Elton Brand, 6-6 F, Peekskill, N.Y. Averaged 28 points, 14 rebounds as a junior. Strong rebounder and solid ballhandler. He was MVP at Nike Peach Basket Classic.

Shane Battier, 6-8 F, Birmingham, Mich. Averaged 21 points, 14 rebounds, 6.2 blocked shots as a junior. Handles the ball well enough to be a point guard. His high school coach compares him to former Duke great Grant Hill.

William Avery, 6-1 PG, Augusta, Ga. Averaged 23 points, 10 assists as a junior. He is a smart court leader who also can score.

Florida State

Delvon Arrington, 5-11 PG, Jersey City, N.J. Averaged 10 points, 6 assists for USA Today's No. 1-ranked high school team last year.

Karim Shabazz, 7-0 C, Lawrence, N.Y. Averaged 27 points, 16 rebounds, 7 blocks as a junior. He has excellent court quickness but needs to add muscle to bang inside.

Georgia Tech

Alvin Jones III, 6-11 C, Lakeland, Fla. Averaged 15.8 points, 10 rebounds, 6 blocks as a junior. He has excellent ability, but temper can be a problem. His stock fell during summer camps.

Maryland

Terrence Moore, 6-7 F, Frederick, Md. Averaged 23 points, 14 rebounds, 5 blocks as junior. Great offense and effective shot-blocker.

Juan Dixon, 6-2 G, Towson, Md. Excellent shooting range.

North Carolina

Max Owens, 6-5 BG, Macon, Ga. Averaged 27 points, 4.1 steals as a junior. His scoring ability is compared to current Tar Heel Vince Carter, but he plays much better defense.

Brian Bersticker, 6-10 C, Virginia Beach. Averaged 12 points, 15 rebounds, 8 blocks as a junior. Impressed at summer camps with his mobility and versatily. Will be used as power forward or small forward in college.

Brendan Haywood, 7-0 C, Greensboro, N.C. Averaged 10.2 points, ll rebounds as a junior. The No. 3-ranked center has the bulk (265 pounts) to be a force under the basket but he is weak on fundamentals.

North Carolina State

Ron Kelly, 6-10 C, Emory, Texas. Averaged 21 points, 14 rebounds as a junior. Moves well for a big man and will play forward in college.

Cornelius Williams, 6-11 C, Jacksonville, Ala. Averaged 15 points, 12 rebounds as junior. Has the size and natural ability but skills need polishing.

Kenny Inge, 6-8 F, Virginia Beach. Very athletic with strong moves to the goal. Can be a solid contributor early.

Ryan Miller, 5-10 PG, Beaver Falls, Pa. Averaged 17 points, 8 assists as junior. His brother, Sean, is an assistant at State. A smart ballhandler.

Ron Anderson, 6-6 G, Fayetteville, N.C. Averaged 17.5 points as junior. Not highly recruited by other major schools.

Virginia

Chezley Watson, 6-1 PG, Gainesville, Ga. Averaged 22 points, 4 assists, 4 steals as junior. Has good quickness, protects the ball well, and his defensive skills will fit in with Cavaliers' program.

Wake Forest

Robert O'Kelly, 6-2 G, Memphis, Tenn. Averaged 24.5 points, 2.5 assists as junior. An excellent outside shooter and ballhandler. He hopes to beome another Randolph Childress for the Deacs.

Josh Shoemaker, 6-9 F, Gate City, Va. Has a lot of raw talent and is a good shot-blocker, but his future might be on the football field.

Joakim Bloom, 6-10 F/C, Sweden. He committed to Deacons last year but didn't qualify. He's all set now and could be in school second semester.

Nikki Arinze, 6-5 F Nashville, Tenn. Has good enough ballhandling skills that he could be used as a big guard. Did not make major recruiting lists.

SPORTS TALK - The Record (Bergen County, NJ)

Mark J. Czerwinski
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
07-04-1991
SPORTS TALK
By Mark J. Czerwinski
Date: 07-04-1991, Thursday
Section: SPORTS
Edition: All Editions -- Two Star, One Star
Column: SPORTS TALK

A BASEBALL SUMMER:
Bill Craib and Sue Easler are on baseball's
ultimate road trip.

By World Series time in October, the couple plans to have visited
all 178 professional baseball stadiums in the country.

'A lot of people figured we'd fight and Sue would leave after about
a week,' Craib said. 'So far it hasn't happened.'

They made stop No. 90 Friday at St. Cloud Commons, home of the
Huntington Cubs of the rookie Appalachian League. They watched the
Charleston Wheelers of the South Atlantic League beat the Greensboro
(N.C.) Hornets, 2-1, the following night.

The trip will encompass 60,000 miles. Craib, 27, thought of the trip
in 1986 while director of sales for the Macon (Ga.) Pirates. They began
their excursion April 9 in Oakland, Calif.

'We started out with about $4,000 that we had saved up,' said
Easler, 23. 'We've used a lot of that up, but we're going to keep
going.'

MR. NOSTALGIA:
San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Felder really
must enjoy those Turn Back the Clock Days, when major league teams don
the uniforms of yesteryear.

Felder scored the winning run for the Milwaukee Brewers last year
in the original Turn Back The Clock Day against the Chicago White Sox.
Then he drove in the winning run for the Giants in their TBTC game
against the Cubs this year.

HE CAN HIT LEFT-HANDERS:
One of the knocks on Pittsburgh Pirates
outfielder Andy Van Slyke is his inability to hit left-handed pitchers.
But don't tell that to his teammate, Neal Heaton.

The Pirates outfielders were tossing the ball around the outfield
before a recent game. In the right-field bullpen, Heaton and reliever
Stan Belinda were talking, oblivious to the events around them.

Heaton was waving his glove as he talked. Van Slyke saw the wave
and thought Heaton wanted the baseball. So Van Slyke obligingly fired
the ball into the bullpen.

Heaton never saw the ball coming. The throw nailed him in the head,
and down he went.

'Well,' Van Slyke said, 'I had to knock out a left-hander sooner or
later.'

HAPPY TO BE HERE:
Rookie outfielder Wes Chamberlain, off to a great
start with the Philadelphia Phillies, isn't ashamed to tell the world he
loves being a major league ballplayer.

'You play your whole career waiting to get here,' Chamberlain said.
'You dream about it. You sleep it. You eat it. And now it's here.

'I got here in September, but that was just a tease. That's why they
call it a cup of coffee. It's just a taste of it. But then, when you get
back, you think, `Now I know I belong here.''

BIG FRANK:
During the late Sixties and early Seventies, Frank
Howard was the most intimidating power hitter in the American League.

The 6-foot-8 former Washington Senators star and current Yankees
hitting instructor left an impression on opponents.

'I've got one for you,' said former Yankees outfielder Bobby
Murcer. 'It was in Washington and Fritz Peterson was on the mound. Frank
hit a line drive up the middle and Fritz hit the deck.

'It just missed him. I was in center field and I took two steps in.
The ball sailed 30 feet over my head, banged off the fence, and almost
knocked the stadium down.'

Illustrations/Photos: ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO - BY GEORGE, A PERFECT FIT: Four-time
Indianapolis 500 champion Rick Mears modeling racing helmet for President Bush
during visit to the Oval Office Tuesday.

Copyright 1991 Bergen Record Corp. All rights reserved.

CYCLONES WILL PLAY IN ECHL THIS SEASON.(SPORTS)(Brief Article) - The Cincinnati Post (Cincinnati, OH)

PRINCETON, N.J. -- The Cincinnati Cyclones will begin play as a member of the East Coast Hockey League during the 2001-02 season.

Cincinnati will play at the 12,056-seat Firstar Center, and will be a member of the Northwest Division of the Northern Conference, joining Dayton, Ohio; Johnstown, Pa.; Peoria, Ill.; Toledo, Ohio; and Wheeling, W.Va.

''The ECHL is excited to welcome Cincinnati back into the League,'' said Richard Adams, president of the ECHL. ''The combination of strong geographic rivalries, a state of the art facility in Firstar Center and an experienced, proven ownership group makes the Cyclones a tremendous addition.''

The Cyclones are owned by David LeFevre and Phil Esposito. LeFevre, a sports industry veteran, is the president of Beacon Sports Capital Partners, while Esposito is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Boston Bruins.

The Cyclones head coach will be Ray Edwards, who most recently coached the Huntington Blizzard in the ECHL during the 1999-2000 season.

THE DODGERS HAVE DONE IT. THEY'VE LANDED BASEBALL'S BIGGEST FREE AGENT, SIGNING KEVIN BROWN TO A 7-YEAR CONTRACT WORTH $105,000,000.(SPORTS) - Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

Byline: Joe Haakenson

Showing that money was no object, the Dodgers signed free-agent pitcher Kevin Brown on Saturday to a seven-year deal worth $105 million, setting the baseball world on its ear.

Both the total value of the contract and average annual salary ($15 million per season) are the highest in baseball history, drawing criticism from many in the business.

``All I can say is as a former general manager (with the Oakland A's) I'm alarmed by the contract,'' Sandy Alderson said in Nashville, Tenn., where baseball's winter meetings are taking place. ``As a member of the commissioner's office, I'm alarmed by this contract, and as a fan of the game, I'd be alarmed by this contract.''

Brown will receive a $5 million signing bonus, $10 million in 1999 and $15 million each season from 2000 to 2005. He also has incentive bonuses in the contract.

The Dodgers, put in a situation of having to defend themselves for becoming an instant World Series contender, point to Brown's durability and the fact that he has pitched in the World Series in each of the past two seasons with different teams (Florida in 1997 and San Diego this past season). The Dodgers haven't been to the World Series since 1988.

``I think Kevin is unique and special in the regard that he is without question the most durable pitcher in the major leagues,'' Dodgers general manager Kevin Malone said. ``Kevin Brown is one of those special players who is capable of elevating a team into a championship team.''

Brown, who lives in Macon, Ga., with his wife and two children, also received a clause in his contract that provides a corporate jet for 12 round-trips a year.

``We think Kevin Brown is a big part of our future,'' Malone said. ``We're comfortable with the terms. We feel like we logically evaluated the marketplace. We needed the player, we wanted the player and we made the commitment to our fans to becoming a winning team.''

``I'm looking forward to being part of the re-establishment of a winning tradition,'' Brown told the Orange County Register. ``I'm excited I will be there to see that happen.''

New Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said Brown, who turns 34 on March 14, will be his Opening Day starter.

``I'm sure that when I read the January, February sports magazines, I'm sure they'll have the Dodgers pretty high,'' Johnson said.

Brown joins Chan Ho Park, Darren Dreifort, Ismael Valdes and Carlos Perez in the Dodgers' starting rotation. Dave Mlicki also figures into the mix.

The Angels, Orioles, Cardinals and Rockies were among the finalists for Brown, but none of those teams offered him more than six years. Brown will be 40 in the seventh and final year of his contract in 2005.

Brown was 18-7 with a 2.38 ERA for the Padres last season and is 139-99 in his 12-year career. He has won 20 games in a season only once - in 1992 with the Rangers when he went 21-11 and was the American League's starting pitcher in the All-Star Game.

``Kevin Brown is a winning pitcher. Kevin Brown has the ability to take a good team and make it a championship team. Kevin Brown took a team to the World Series in 1997 and was in it again in '98,'' Malone said.

``Kevin Brown is arguably the best pitcher in the game and all I can say is championships are won with pitching.''

Brown's mental toughness and approach to the game also attracted the Dodgers, according to Brown's Newport Beach-based agent, Scott Boras.

``They wanted a mentality that is completely different from the prior ownership,'' Boras said. ``It's not going to be, `Hey dude.' It's going to be, `You better win or walk.' That's what Kevin brings to a locker room.

``Everyone knows the value of a No. 1 pitcher. The premium is Kevin Brown has taken a good club and put it in the World Series.''

The signing was the third by the Dodgers this offseason. They signed center fielder Devon White to a three-year, $12.4 million contract and right-handed reliever Alan Mills to a three-year, $6.5 million deal.

The Dodgers' payroll stands at $71.8 million for 1999, but there are several players eligible for arbitration, which would push the payroll by opening day to approximately $80 million.

SO WHAT DOES $105 MILLION GET YOU

KEVIN BROWN

Born: March 14, 1965.

Ht: 6-4 Wt: 200

Resides: Macon, Ga.

1997: 18-7, 2.38 ERA with Padres

1997 Postseason: 2-2, 2.54 ERA

Career: 139-99, 3.30 ERA, 1480 strikeouts in 2178 1/3 innings

Career Postseason: 4-4 2.75 ERA

Highlights: Helped Florida Marlins to World Series title in 1997 ... Pitched no-hitter June 10, 1997 in 9-0 victory over San Francisco ... Struck out 16 Houston Astros in 1998 Divisional Round playoff game ... Has worked at least 170 innings in each of his 10 full major league seasons ... Considered one of the most dominant pitchers this decade.

THE REACTION

``I'm looking forward to being part of the re-establishment of a winning tradition. I'm excited I will be there to see that happen.''

- Kevin Brown

WHO SAID WHAT . . .

After Kevin Brown signed the first nine-figure salary in baseball history, owners, general managers and members of the baseball community were speaking their minds on the state of payrolls in baseball.

Sandy Alderson - executive vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner's office

This is not a good baseball deal. This is not a decision made by a baseball man - I don't believe.

John Moores - San Diego Padres owner

I don't mean to criticize Kevin Brown, but it's a truly tragic day for baseball. It's extraordinary. It confirms my worst fears about what would happen if we let (Rupert) Murdoch buy the Dodgers, and I think it represents a continuation of a very bad series of events in baseball after a spectacular season.

I think the system is at the point of absolutely breaking down. A number of people ought to be held responsible. Not just the agents, but the players' association and the ownership of Major League Baseball. We're on the verge of destroying the competitiveness of many, many ballclubs. Maybe this will be the straw that broke the camel's back.

Davey Johnson - Dodgers manager

I'm sure that when I read the January, February sports magazines, I'm sure they'll have the Dodgers pretty high.

He's my Opening Day pitcher. I don't usually announce it this early. Yes, I'd have to say we're favorites to win the division.

Kevin Malone - Dodgers general manager

If we didn't do it, and that doesn't justify it, but somebody else was going to do it. He's been to the World Series in each of the last two years. The Dodgers haven't been to the World Series since 1988. That's why we've made the seven-year commitment we did.

Kevin Brown is a winning pitcher. Kevin Brown has the ability to take a good team and make it a championship team. Kevin Brown took a team to the World Series in 1997 and was in it again in '98.Kevin Brown is arguably the best pitcher in the game, and all I can say is championships are won with pitching.

Scott Boras - Agent for Kevin Brown

They wanted a mentality that is completely different from the prior ownership. It's not going to be, `Hey dude.' It's going to be, `You better win or walk.' That's what Kevin brings to a locker room. Everyone knows the value of a No. 1 pitcher. The premium is Kevin Brown has taken a good club and put it in the World Series.

Tommy Lasorda - Dodgers senior vice president

I never thought we'd see the day of a $91 million player. There's only one thing certain in baseball - nothing is certain.

Gord Ash - Toronto Blue Jays general manager

What it tells you is money has gotten to the point where it is meaningless. You need other things of value.

NOT-SO-FREE AGENTS

Kevin Brown is not only the biggest free-agent signing of this offseason but the biggest in Dodgers history. Here's a look at some other big Dodgers free-agent acquisitions and impact signings of the past 10 years.

Jan. 29, 1988 Kirk Gibson

Dec. 21, 1989 Hubie Brooks

Nov. 8, 1990 Darryl Strawberry

Dec. 15, 1990 Brett Butler

Dec. 9, 1992 Todd Worrell

Jan. 1, 1994 Chan Ho Park

Feb. 13, 1995 Hideo Nomo

Nov. 30, 1995 Greg Gagne

Dec. 8, 1996 Todd Zeile

Nov. 6, 1998 Devon White

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos, 3 Boxes

Photo: (1--Color) The Dodgers won the lottery for free-agent ace Kevin Brown, who was 18-7 with a 2.38 ERA in 1998 with the San Diego Padres.

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

(2--Color) KEVIN BROWN

(3) no caption (Kevin Brown)

Box: (1) SO WHAT DOES $105 MILLION GET YOU (See text)

(2) WHO SAID WHAT ... (See text)

Local sports - Charleston Daily Mail

SLAY A FINALIST

Marshall University's Tamar Slay is one of 16 finalists for the12-player USA World University Games basketball team. Slayparticipated in a training session this past weekend in ColoradoSprings, Colo., to earn a spot among the finalists. The team's finalroster will be named in August. The World University games arescheduled for Aug. 22-Sept. 1 in Beijing, China. The basketballcompetition will include 28 countries.

Slay, who'll be a senior this season at Marshall, averaged 17.3points per game and was a second-team All-Mid-American Conferencepick this past year. The 6-foot-9 guard is a former West Virginiaprep player of the year from Beckley's Woodrow Wilson High School.

WVU DONATION

West Virginia University's athletic department donated $62,708 toWVU's Children's Hospital from proceeds from the 2001 springfootball game. WVU has donated more than $400,000 to the hospitalover the past two decades.

BIG REDS TOP MSAC

Parkersburg High School athletic teams compiled the topperformance in the Mountain State Athletic Conference this pastseason. The Big Reds finished with 182 points to second place CabellMidland's 172.5. The point system is based on each school's finishin boys and girls sports.

Parkersburg picked up first-place awards in girls cross country,girls soccer, volleyball, football, boys basketball, girls track andboys tennis.

Here is the remaining MSAC schools and their ranking/pointsbehind Parkersburg and Cabell Midland:

3. Huntington 160; 4. Hurricane 124; 5. George Washington 118.5;6. Capital 112.5; 7. Ripley 99; 8. Nitro 85; 9. South Charleston 84;10. St. Albans 80.5; 11. Spring Valley 80; 12. Riverside 64; 13.Logan 50.5.

BASKETBALL TOURNEY

A fourth boys basketball team is needed for Nitro High School'sCheckers Christmas Tournament. The three teams already in the Dec.19-20 tournament are Herbert Hoover, Scott and host Nitro. For moreinformation, call Nitro Athletic Director Robert 'Little' Burdetteat 727-1912.

YOUTH SOCCER

- The West Virginia Storm under-13 girls soccer team won theunder-14 division of the Chevrolet State Cup Tournament this pastweekend in Huntington. The Kanawha Valley-based team beatParkersburg in the championship game, 3-1.

Team members are: Aly Shattls, Francie Brown, Leah Eddy, AllisonHendricks, Elizabeth Canterbury, Lesley LeRose, Laura Fahner, LaurenThomas, Whitney Sharp, Mindy Hannan, Bethany Bush, Micki Cummons,Heather Sperry, Katelin Haney, Lauryn Hunter and Jennifer Ball.Coaches are Dale Bush, Steve Shattls and Jon Zulauf.

- The West Virginia Lightning under-12 girls team, of theMountain State Girls Soccer Club, finished second in the Chevy Cup.

Team members are: Christine Bronikowski, Caroline Copenhaver,Amber Elam, Kellie Fisher, Laura Harper, Jessica Kortz, Haley Kuyk,Chelsea McComas, Brittany Moss, Hannah Silverman, Katie Smarr,Mallory Susser, Alexandra Thomas, Inaayat Wazir, Danica Webb, HannahWhiteker, Kristen Williams, Alexandra Wise and Blake Younis. Coachesare Deborah Crowley, Margaux Ratte, Greg Silverman and MelindaSusser.

- The Mountain State Girls Soccer Club is accepting players forits under-9 developmental program for the fall season. All girlsborn between Aug. 1, 1992 and July 31, 1993 are eligible. For moreinformation call Greg Silverman at 925-7560.

PREP TENNIS

Several area players were named to the West Virginia TennisCoaches Association's high school all-state team. All-state membersare selected based on their position and performance at the statetournament.

Among the local players earning honors were: Grant Clark,Hurricane; Dane Pilsbury, Capital; Christina Chen, GeorgeWashington; Mona Iyer, GW; Drew College, Charleston Catholic; ShaneHutton, Charleston Catholic; Kristen McClung, Charleston Catholic;Erin McFann, Scott; and Whitney Frail, Charleston Catholic.

See complete list this page.

CATS WASHED OUT

The Charleston Alley Cats' series finale against the Macon Braveswas halted by rain in Macon, Ga., in the bottom of the sixth inningMonday and will not be made up.

The Alley Cats were leading 2-1 when the game was called.

Charleston, which has won two of its last three, is off today andopens a five-game homestand on Wednesday at Watt Powell Park. TheHagerstown Suns visit first for three games, followed by the HickoryCrawdads for two.

CAMP CANCELED

West Virginia University Tech's basketball camp, scheduled fornext week, has been canceled because of changes in the coachingstaff.

Those who preregistered will receive refunds.

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA, FGCU TIED WITH 102 POINTS IN COMBINED ALL-SPORTS RACE - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

MACON, Ga., Nov. 29 -- The University of North Florida issued the following news release:

With the completion of the Atlantic Sun Conference Fall Championship season, FGCU and UNF share the lead for the Bill Bibb Trophy in the combined all-sports race with 102 points. The Eagles claimed both the men's and women's soccer regular-season titles, while the Ospreys won the women's cross country title and qualified for both the women's soccer and volleyball championships.

The ETSU Buccaneers lay claim to the top spot for the Jesse C. Fletcher trophy, which is awarded for the top men's athletic program, with 45 points after finishing second in the regular season in soccer. The Bucs have close competition in FGCU with 42 and Belmont at 39.

On the women's side, crosstown rivals UNF and Jacksonville stand tied for the Sherman Day Trophy as both programs earned 72 points during the fall season. The Dolphins finished third at the cross country championship and then took runner-up honors for the regular season in soccer before tying UNF in fifth place for volleyball.

Trailing FGCU and UNF in third place in the combined all-sports race, Mercer qualified for all three A-Sun Tournaments in men's and women's soccer and volleyball as only one of two programs to accomplish the feat. The Bears won the A-Sun Women's Soccer Championship after finishing the season in third. Belmont and Lipscomb finish out the top five in the combined race with 96 and 94.5 points, respectively. The Lady Bisons captured the final conference championship of the season by winning the volleyball tournament for the second-consecutive season.

Kennesaw State, who took the men's cross country title, ranks in sixth place in the men's race despite not competing in men's soccer and tied for fifth on the women's side with FGCU to combine for 93 points, which ties them with ETSU in sixth. The 2009-10 Bill Bibb Trophy winners, ETSU qualified for all three A-Sun Fall Championship Tournaments along with Mercer.

Jacksonville, Campbell, USC Upstate and Stetson round out the final four spots of the combined all-sports standings.

Sportsworld.(Sports) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)

TORONTO -- BASEBALL

Blue Jays' Ryan will miss 4 to 6 weeks; Glaus going on DL

TORONTO - Blue Jays closer B.J. Ryan will miss four to six weeks with an elbow sprain, and All-Star third baseman Troy Glaus will be placed on the disabled list today.

Leftfielder Reed Johnson also opted for surgery to repair the herniated disc in his lower back. Johnson, who was placed on the disabled list Friday, will have the procedure done today in St. Petersburg, Fla., and will be out until July. Johnson was batting .265 this season with a home run and seven RBIs. Adam Lind will start in place of Johnson.

Ryan was placed on the DL on Sunday after he blew two of his first five save chances. The injury first bothered him during spring training and worsened.

Jason Frasor will be the closer in Ryan's absence.

Glaus has a bone spur in his left heel and a sore hamstring. There was no timeline given for his return.

Reds and Freel agree on 2-year extension

CINCINNATI - Versatile veteran Ryan Freel agreed to a $7 million, two-year contract extension through the 2009 season with the Cincinnati Reds.

Freel, 32, is the starting centerfielder this season, but also is expected to see time in the infield. He has started at all three outfield positions and second and third base for the Reds since he signed as a minor league free agent before the 2003 season.

Freel will get base salaries of $3 million next year and $4 million in 2009, when he would have been eligible for arbitration. He is in the final year of a two-year deal that pays him $2,325,000 this season.

In other baseball news:

nMinnesota Twins third baseman Nick Punto will miss only one or two more games after an MRI exam on Monday revealed no structural damage to his left ankle. Punto, who missed the previous two games, has a sprained ankle with light swelling, the Twins said.

nCuban baseball great Antonio Pacheco was released from a hospital on Monday, a day after he began having chest pains while managing Santiago de Cuba into the National Series.

FOOTBALL

Chiefs' Shields will retire after 14 seasons

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City guard Will Shields is retiring after 14 NFL seasons, during which he made a record 12 Pro Bowl appearances and anchored one of the top offensive lines in the league.

The 35-year-old announced his decision on his Web site - www.willtosucceed.org - on Sunday. He blamed the physical requirements of pro football.

Shields, who made a team-record 224 starts, made his 12th Pro Bowl appearance last season to tie the record held by Minnesota guard Randall McDaniel.

Shields had strongly contemplated quitting after the 2005 season.

Olbermann will work on NBC pregame show

NEW YORK - Keith Olbermann will return to sports for the first time in six years to join Cris Collinsworth as co-host of the pregame show for NBC's Sunday night NFL telecasts.

Olbermann, who hosts a prime-time newscast and opinion show called 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' on MSNBC, will join with host Bob Costas and analysts Jerome Bettis, Tiki Barber and Peter King on NBC's 'Football Night in America.'

In other football news:

nReceiver Cortez Hankton signed with the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, leaving Jacksonville after four seasons.

nThe Seattle Seahawks are bringing back veteran guard Chris Gray, who turns 37 in June and will be starting his 15th season, giving him a two-year contract worth $2.1 in base salary plus bonuses.

BASKETBALL

Texas coach gets raise to $2 million a year

AUSTIN - University of Texas regents approved a $200,000 raise for Rick Barnes, boosting his salary to $2 million per year.

Barnes has led the Longhorns to the NCAA tournament in each of his nine seasons, including a trip to the Final Four in 2003.

Texas went 25-10 last season behind freshman Kevin Durant, who last week announced he would leave to enter the NBA draft.

In other basketball news:

nGeorge Washington junior Maureece Rice made himself available for the NBA draft, but he plans to retain his NCAA eligibility and could return to school.

CYCLING

Hamilton buoyed by first U.S. race since '01

MACON, Ga. - Tyler Hamilton wasn't sure what to expect in his first cycling race in the United States after a two-year doping ban.

After the first stage of the Tour de Georgia on Monday, the former Olympic gold medalist was encouraged.

Hamilton was 56th, finishing in the middle of a huge peloton about a minute behind the stage winner, Daniele Contrini of Italy. Contrini finished the 97-mile ride from Peachtree City to Macon in 3 hours, 24 minutes, 26 seconds.

Hamilton is attempting to reclaim his place among the elite in cycling after his suspension in September 2004 for blood doping. He has been racing in Europe since January but Monday was his first sanctioned race in his home country since the 2001 San Francisco Grand Prix.

In other cycling news:

nFrance's anti-doping laboratory began analyzing Tour de France champion Floyd Landis' 'B' urine sample Monday.

Briefly