Briefs
All-PAC football
After winning its 26th PAC Championship and making its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, Washington & Jefferson football had 19 student-athletes selected to the 2018 All-PAC teams.
Five Presidents were named First Team All-PAC: senior Phillip Bobich, junior Nick Getz, junior Jeffrey Oxner, senior Zac Quattrone, and sophomore Andrew Wolf.
Seven Presidents garnered Second Team All-PAC recognition with junior Jacob Adams, senior Jake Cullen, senior Andrew Reo, sophomore EJ Thompson, and junior Jordan West representing the W&J offense. On the defensive side of the ball were sophomore Keith Knowell and senior Zach Royba.
Rounding out the Presidents’ All-PAC representation are seven Honorable Mention selections: senior Sal DeCario, sophomore Sean Doran, sophomore Max Garda, senior Cody Milsom, senior Zack Queen, junior Keaton Turney, and junior Mike Williams.
For Waynesburg, junior offensive lineman Alex Paulina and linebacker Tyler Smith made first team, junior running back Chad Walker and junior defensive back Brennan Sefcik made second team and junior wide receiver Nick Moretti, junior quarterback Tyler Perone, senior defensive lineman Will VanNorman, senior linebacker John-Glen Davis, senior defensive backs Garrett Hepner and Justin Willkow and kicker Garret Guthrie were named Honorable Mention.
South Fayette had two award winners in PAC Newcomer of the Year, Case Western Reserve freshman quarterback Drew Saxton, and PAC Coach of the Year in Grove City’s Andrew DiDonato.
At The Meadows
Last by 8 lengths at the half, Cracklin Rosie followed a line of cover to the final turn, then roared wide through the lane to capture Tuesday’s $20,000 Filly & Mare Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows.
Cracklin Rosie was third in a cover flow that seemed excessive. But when Jim Pantaleano tipped her wide for the drive, she showed she’s no “store-bought woman” – as Neil Diamond’s 1970 chart-topper Cracklin Rosie had it – and erased the last 3-½ lengths of her deficit, scoring in 1:55.4 over a sloppy surface. Jewels Forreal shot the Lightning Lane for second, 1-½ lengths back, while the first-over McDazzle finished third.
Scott Betts trains the 5-year-old daughter of Badlands Hanover-Honey’s Bud Lite, who extended her career bankroll to $225,846, for Tim Betts, Stephen Moss, Nicholas Catalano and Pedro Baez III. It was one of three wins on the 13-race card for Pantaleano.
In the NHL
Veteran Washington Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and is expected to miss four to six weeks.
Orpik has missed the past nine games. He has a goal and an assist in 10 games this season. He hasn’t played since Oct. 27 and was placed on long-term injured reserve Nov. 9.
In the NBA
CJ McCollum scored 31 points, Damian Lillard had 29 points, eight assists and six rebounds, and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the New York Knicks 118-114.
Portland’s star guards provided most of the offense in a game that was close most of the way, and Evan Turner helped the Trail Blazers finally pull it out when he put back a missed shot with Portland clinging to a two-point lead and 9.5 seconds remaining.