Sportshorts for Thursday, Nov. 6, 2012
PREP VOLLEYBALL
Five locals receive all-state honors
Two Sterling seniors, two Rock Falls seniors and the youngest Oregon player to ever make the cut were named to the Champaign News-Gazette’s all-state volleyball team.
Sterling senior Krista Loos and Rock Falls senior Morgan Mammosser were among 50 players who received special mention. Sterling senior Jenn Rahn, Rock Falls senior Jordan Giddings and Oregon sophomore Delaney Mahoney are among 100 to receive honorable mention.
Papers statewide submit their area’s top players to help the News-Gazette compile its annual list.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Sterling’s Billings named all-region
Wartburg College junior and Sterling High School graduate Ryan Billings was named to the D3Football.com All-Region third team defense.
Billings, a linebacker, was the Knights’ leading tackler with 62.5 total tackles, 41 of them solo. He also led the team with 18.5 tackles for loss and added four sacks, two interceptions and forced two fumbles.
NFL
Vikings place Harvin on season-ending IR
The Minnesota Vikings placed wide receiver Percy Harvin on the injured reserve list on Wednesday, ending his season.
The 24-year-old has not suited up for a contest and has hardly practiced since severely spraining his ankle in a 30-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks back in Week 9.
Sanchez to start again for Jets
New York Jets coach Rex Ryan announced Wednesday morning that Mark Sanchez will be the starting quarterback Sunday when the Jets take on the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Sanchez was benched in the third quarter of last Sunday’s game against Arizona and Greg McElroy led the Jets to their lone touchdown in a 7-6 win.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Chicago State
headed to WAC
Chicago State athletics announced a major shift in the program Wednesday, joining the Western Athletic Conference in all sports on July 1, 2013.
The acceptance of the invitation from the WAC allows the Cougars, for whom Dixon graduate Matt Ross plays basketball, to compete for conference championships and earn NCAA automatic qualifier berths. They also will receive equal distribution of conference revenue sharing.
Ross had a team-high 20 points and 10 rebounds in 37 minutes of a 74-64 loss to DePaul on Wednesday.
MLB
Padres’ Cashner hurt in hunting accident
San Diego Padres right-hander and former Chicago Cub Andrew Cashner will likely be on the disabled list on Opening Day in April after having surgery to repair a knife puncture wound to the thumb on his pitching hand.
According to Padres GM Josh Byrnes, the ex-Cub was on a hunting trip and was accidentally stabbed by a friend while the pair was trimming a carcass.
