Tuesday shorts 1-6-2009

in the NFL playoffs

LINCOLN -- A total of eight former Huskers were on NFL rosters entering the 2008 NFL Playoffs.

Of the eight, six Huskers played in the first round while Kyle Vanden Bosch's Tennessee Titans received a first-round bye and Chris Patrick of the Philadelphia Eagles was inactive.

All the former Huskers' teams won this past weekend, all moving one step closer to the Super Bowl. The Big Red has had at least one representative at 11 of the last 12 Super Bowls.

Correll Buckhalter and Stewart Bradley helped the Eagles continue their late-season surge as the Eagles downed the Minnesota Vikings on the road at the Metrodome, 26-14.

Bradley produced six tackles (four solo) and added a pass deflection, while Buckhalter carried the ball twice for 27 yards. The two former Huskers will now travel to New York on Sunday to face the Giants at noon (Central) on FOX.

In Miami, Fabian Washington and Sam Koch each contributed in a Baltimore win over the Dolphins, 27-9.

After only throwing seven interceptions during the regular season, Miami quarterback Chad Pennington was intercepted by the Ravens four times, with Washington adding one pick to his five solo tackles.

Koch was once again solid in the punting game, booting five punts for 217 yards, with two landing inside the 20-yard line. The Ravens will now travel to Tennessee for a 3:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon game on CBS.

On Saturday, Ralph Brown and the Arizona Cardinals hosted the team's first home playoff game since 1947 when they were the Chicago Cardinals and beat Philadelphia to win the NFL championship.

On the Falcons first possession of the game, Brown intercepted quarterback Matt Ryan at the Arizona 34-yard line.

The Cardinals scored on the following possession with a 42-yard pass from Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald via a flea-flicker.

The Cardinals went on to win 30-24, setting up a 7:15 p.m. Saturday showdown at Carolina on FOX.

Bryan High School

investigates fan's

fall from bleachers

BELLEVUE (AP) -- Officials at a Bellevue high school are investigating how a wrestling fan fell from the bleachers during a weekend tournament.

The 62-year-old man suffered a broken vertebrae, wrist and ankle in the 15-feet fall at Bryan High School.

His family says the man stood up to cheer for his grandson during Sunday's tournament when the railing on the collapsable bleachers came loose, sending him to the floor.

The school is investigating reports that some students may have tampered with the railing.

Information from: KMTV-TV, http://www.action3news.com

New Omaha

stadium to be

finished by 2011

OMAHA (AP) -- Documents show plans for Omaha's new baseball stadium north of downtown to be finished in April 2011 -- just two months before the College World Series that will be played there.

Groundbreaking for the $140 million stadium is expected later this month.

Documents regarding construction of the stadium show plans for construction to begin on the infield foundation later this month and finish in February 2010. Construction on the concourse and suite level will begin in August and is expected to finish in early 2010. The playing field is expected to be installed in October.

Information from: KETV-TV, http://www.ketv.com

CSC women's

team turns back

Johnson and Wales

DENVER -- Four Chadron State women's basketball players scored in double figures and the Eagles shot over 50 percent from the field en route to its 80-51 victory over Johnson and Wales Monday evening in Denver.

Kristy Long paced the Eagles with 15 points and five rebounds, Tabitha Gutierrez and Alyssa Lyman each scored 13, and Kelsey Scott added 11 as CSC improved to 6-6 on the season.

With the loss, Johnson and Wales falls to 2-19.

The Eagles, who owned a 48-27 lead after the first half, knocked down 14 of 33 3-pointers in the game. The 14 made treys is the second-highest total in school history.

For the game, CSC connected on 30 of 59 field goal attempts (50.8 percent), while limiting Johnson and Wales to 14 of 45 from the floor (14-45).

All eleven Chadron State players scored in the game and saw at least 17 minutes of action.

The Eagles will play two Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games this weekend, beginning on Friday at Western State.

Chadron State 48 32 -- 80

Johnson & Wales 27 24 -- 51

Chadron State: Kristy Long 6-11 0-0 15, Alyssa Lyman 4-5 1-2 13, Tabitha Gutierrez 4-8 2-2 13, Kelsey Scott 4-7 0-0 11, Vanessa Schroeder 3-5 0-0 6, Sunni Busch 3-6 0-0 6, Whitney Segelke 1-4 3-4 5, Chelsea DeHaven 2-3 0-0 4, Samantha Arkulari 1-3 0-0 3, Sarah Gross 1-6 0-0 2, Bobbi Arends 1-1 0-2 2. Totals 30-59 6-10 80.

Johnson and Wales: Weldon, Patricia 4-7 5-6 15, McPherson, Tyshel 3-4 1-2 9, Fitzpatrick, Sarah 3-10 1-2 9, Austin, Andrea 1-5 7-8 9, Sinohui, Kadie 0-6 3-4 3, Groce, LyVette 1-5 0-0 2, Kesterson, Holly 1-5 0-0 2, Huber, Victoria 1-1 0-0 2, Baumann, Jacinda 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 14-45 17-22 51.

Oregon Tech

No. 1 in NAIA II

men's hoops poll

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- As the calendar flips over into 2009 one thing remains the same, Oregon Tech is still No. 1 in NAIA Division II Men's Basketball.

The Hustlin' Owls own the top spot for the fourth straight time in the third edition of the 2008-09 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, announced today (Jan. 5).

The defending national champions earned 341 total points and 10 of the possible 13 first-place votes. OIT had its 18 game winning streak snapped after its first loss this year, 82-68 at Evergreen State (Wash.) on Dec. 20.

Oregon Tech ranks in the Top 10 statistically in six different categories including scoring offense (88.9 ppg).

Bethel (Ind.) checks in at No. 2 this week, the same spot the Pilots have held in all three previous polls (including preseason) this season. BC is 17-1 overall and posted 328 points.

No. 3 Oklahoma Wesleyan is credited with two first-place votes and 319 total points while No. 4 Northwood (Fla.) amassed 315 points and the remaining first-place nod. No. 5 Cedarville (Ohio), fresh off a two-point win over then-No. 5 Rio Grande (Ohio), rounds out the Top 5.

Four teams found themselves in the Top 25 for the first time all year: No. 13 Spring Arbor (Mich.), No. 16 Briar Cliff (Iowa), No. 21 (tie) South Dakota School of Mines & Tech and No. 25 Warner (Fla.).

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and independents. The fourth regular season Top 25 poll will be announced next Monday.

Morningside (Iowa)

tops NAIA D-II

women's poll

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Morningside (Iowa) remained No. 1 in the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll.

The Mustangs earned all 14 first place votes and 374 total points. The next two spots also stayed the same from the previous poll.

No. 2 Shawnee State (Ohio) and No. 3 Davenport (Mich.) both held their spots with 361 and 351 points respectively.

Jamestown (N.D.) (330 points) moved up to No. 4 while Ozarks (Mo.) (312 points) and Sterling (Kan.) (307 points) each climbed two spots to No. 5 and No. 6 respectively.

Northwestern (Iowa) took a huge leap to No. 7 with 304 points. The Raider moved up 17 spots from the previous poll. No. 8 Huntington (Ind.) (290 points), No. 9 Hastings (Neb.) (284 points) and No. 10 Black Hills State (S.D.) (283 points) rounded out the top-10.

No. 16 Marian (Ind.), No. 20 Concordia (Ore.), No. 22 Daemen (N.Y.) and No. 25 Mount Marty (S.D.) all moved into the top-25 this week.

The fourth regular season poll will be released next Monday.

Dana Viking men's

basketball team

falls in Sioux Falls

BLAIR -- Icy roads and winter weather did not stop the Dana College men's basketball team from making the trip to Sioux Falls, S.D., Saturday afternoon.

Sioux Falls defeated Dana 97-88 to open up the 20009 portion of the season.

Gabe Bross (senior, Omaha) led all scorers with 20 points. Bross also pulled down a team high five rebounds. Eric Maassen (senior, Hancock, Iowa) added 16 points and five rebounds before fouling out. AJ Arkfeld (junior, Harlan, Iowa) had 12 points and four assists.

Arkfeld was four of seven from behind the three point line.

Doug Huston (senior, Olathe, Kan.) chipped in with ten points and a game high seven assists. Huston is now 19 assists behind the all time assist record of 428 held by Todd Hinkle.

The loss puts Dana at 7-9 overall and 1-5 in conference play. USF improves to 9-7 and 2-3 in the GPAC. Dana returns home for the first time since December 13 to host Briar Cliff University.

The Chargers are 13-3 overall and 5-1 in conference play. They currently are in a tie with Dordt atop the conference standings.

Viking women

lose to Sioux Falls

BLAIR -- The Dana College women's basketball team opened the 2009 portion of its season at the Stewart Center on the campus of the University of Sioux Falls. Things did not start off the way the Vikings wanted on Saturday. USF took a 72-64 victory over Dana.

The Vikings looked to shake off the rust from the holiday break early in the game. Kalen Carlson (junior, Omaha) took a Tricia Trotter (junior, Treynor, Iowa) pass to extend the Vikings lead to six points midway through the first half. USF forced Dana into three turnovers to take a six point lead with three minutes remaining in the half.

Amada Bryant (senior, Treynor, Iowa) scored four points in 30 seconds to cut the lead to one point. Trotter drained a three-pointer to put Dana back in the lead with 90 seconds left in the half. She then hit two free throws as the half expired to give the Vikings a 33-28 lead at the half.

The lead did not last long in the second half. Dana shot 16-percent from the floor as Sioux Falls erased the Dana lead 90 seconds into the half. USF built a six point lead with 10:52 remaining in the game.

The Vikings did not go down without a fight. Kayla Hofstetter (junior, Lawrence) cut the USF lead to one point at the 9:40 mark. This was as close as Dana came to regaining the lead. The Cougars outscored the Vikings 6-2 in the games last 42 seconds for a 72-64 win.

Dana had three players in double digit scoring. Tricia Trotter had a game high 19 points and pulled down six rebounds. Trotter also dished out four assists. Amanda Bryant added 15 points and six rebounds. Chelsey Zimmerman (senior, Tabor, Iowa) chipped in ten points and five rebounds. Bryant and Zimmerman each were a perfect ten for ten from the free throw line.

Dana falls to 6-8 overall and 1-5 in conference play. Sioux Falls is 12-4 overall and 4-1 in the GPAC. T

he Vikings return home on Wednesday for another GPAC match-up. Dana will host Briar Cliff University (10-8, 3-3) at 7:30 p.m. in the Gardner-Hawks Center.

Viking wrestlers

host Dana Open

BLAIR -- Dana College hosted over 125 of the top wrestlers in the Midwest on Saturday afternoon.

Teams entering wrestlers included: Augustana College, Briar Cliff University, Central Missouri State, Dana College, Grand View College, Hastings College, Iowa Central Community College, Missouri Valley College, Northwestern College, University of Nebraska-Kearney, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and University of Nebraska-Omaha.

No team scores were kept, but wrestlers from top rated University of Nebraska-Omaha and the fourth rated University of Nebraska-Lincoln were in the finals of nine weight classes.

Adam Manz (junior, Council Bluffs, Iowa) was the highest finisher for the Vikings. Manz lost his opening bout at 141 pounds to a Division II wrestler from Central Missouri State 6-4.

In the wrestle-back bracket, Manz pinned Jeff Fallen of Hastings in 5:54. He then won a major decision 13-2 over Tait Weatherbee of the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Manz then pinned Cody Gilenwater of Central Missouri in 2:59 in the semifinal round. He then received a forfeit win over Vinny Pisani of Iowa Central to bring home third place.

Matt Jacobson (junior, Craig) captured sixth place at 133 pounds. Jacobson won his opening round match over Jesse Knott of Missouri Valley 5-2. Second seed Billy Murphy of Iowa Central pinned Jacobson in 1:06.

Murphy ended the day as the champion at 133 and was named the meets outstanding wrestler. Jacobson finished the day with a 1-3 record.

Jon Wilbourne (junior, Lake Stevens, Wash.) finished the tournament with a fifth place performance. Wilbourne opened the meet by pinning Hastings' Justin Boyce. He won a 5-2 decision over fifth seed Travis Ewart of Missouri Valley. Next up for Wilbourne was top seeded Elijah Madison of UNO.

Madison came out with a 6-3 decision. In the wrestle back semifinals, Wilbourne faced third seeded Justin McKain of the University of Nebraska-Kearney. McCain took a 7-5 decision. Wilbourne finished his meet with a forfeit win over Bryce Boehm of UNO.

Dana has its sights set on the National Duals January 10-11 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Eight of the top NAIA teams in the nation will face off in the UNI Dome this coming weekend.

Other Vikings

Travis Okano (FR, Lahaina, Hawaii) 125 pounds 2-2

Hunter Samuels (junior, Tonganoxie, Kan.) 149 pounds 1-2

Andrew Carillo (junior, Parsons, Kan.) 149 pounds 1-2

Kedall Burke (FR, Raymore, Missouri) 157 pounds 1-2

Ryan Tuzon (junior, Kahului, Hawaii) 165 pounds 2-2

John Schmalz (SO, Kansas City, Missouri) 184 pounds 1-2

Alex Monegro (junior, Leavenworth, Kan.) 184 pounds 0-2

Mark Peiffer (junior, Pine Hill, New Jersey) 197 pounds 2-2