B1

Mark Jones Sports Editor 701-572-2165 sports@willistonherald.com

Wednesday August 22, 2012

Sports
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Up Next
Editors note: Schedules are subject to change.

Football
Heart River at Watford City, 7 p.m. Williston High School at Grand Forks Red River, 7 p.m.
Williston High School at the Bismark Tournament Williston High School vs Bismark Century, 2 p.m. Williston High School at Fargo South, 5:30 p.m.

Friday

Anderson sharp for As in return to mound

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Trevor Plouffe has struggled since returning from the disabled list and hitting into a triple play only served to highlight his recent problems. Oakland left-hander Brett Anderson pitched seven innings in his first start since undergoing elbow surgery nearly 15 months ago and the Athletics beat the Minnesota Twins 4-1 on Tuesday night. Plouffe has two hits in 29 at-bats (.069) since serving his stint on the disabled list with a bruised right thumb. He went hitless in eight atbats during a rehab assignment. Just when it seemed like the Twins were knocking on the door against Anderson in the fifth with Justin Morneau and Ryan Doumit both singling to open the inning, Plouffe grounded sharply to third baseman Josh Donaldson, who started the aroundthe-horn triple play . We saw a pretty good pitching performance from both sides, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. Anderson didnt give us much of a chance. We hit into a triple play and thats the breaks. That goes with the territory . Minnesota scored a run in the first on former Athletic Josh Willinghams RBI single after Ben Revere reached on an infield single, stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Anderson picked off Willingham straying off first base to get out of the inning then retired nine straight before Morneau and Doumit opened the fifth with hits, setting the stage for the third triple play in the majors this season. Cole De Vries (2-5) overcome a slow start to pitch effectively, retiring 10 of 11 hitters during one stretch. It still didnt prevent the Twins from losing for the 10th time in 12 games. I was a little disappointed with myself in the first two innings, De Vries said. I allowed myself to be too fine and I ended up going deep into counts and throwing too many pitches. De Vries retired the first two batters in the inning before Smith, Donaldson and Derek Norris followed with consecutive hits. Norris single to the gap in leftcenter drove in Smith to give the As a 2-1 lead. I was able to command the lower part of the zone, De Vries said. Everything kind of melded together there. Anderson did the rest to win for the first time since May 26, 2011. He didnt walk a batter and retired his final seven hitters before departing after the seventh. De Vries struck out three in 5 2-3 innings but lost to the As for the second time this season and remained winless since June 30. NOTES: Injured Twins OF Denard Span was scheduled to have an MRI on his right clavicle but was unable to go through with the test because he felt claustrophobic.

Volleyball Tennis

Peterson tells Vikes their no-preseason plan is OK

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) The Minnesota Vikings have a better idea about how to finish preparing Adrian Peterson and his surgically repaired left knee for the season. The plan, simply, is more practice. Coach Leslie Frazier said Tuesday his change of mind about handing the ball to his recovering star running back in a preseason game. Frazier said he wanted Peterson to experience the full contact of such a setting before the real season begins, but he has backed off. Peterson actually agreed this time. My goals are still the game, Peterson said. I look forward to being back the first week of the regular season. That Peterson, a fierce, relentless competitor who has lobbied for more playing time seemingly since the day he was drafted, was satisfied with the decision was as sure a sign as any the Vikings are making a wise move. There are no setbacks. Thats not the reason were doing it, Frazier said. We just feel like more time with him in practice with some of the things that were doing and the progression of getting him ready for the season, its the right thing to do. The opener is Sept. 9 against Jacksonville, and Frazier again declined to guarantee that Peterson will be cleared to play that afternoon. But there is little benefit to the team to assure that at this point, unless the goal was to assuage the anxieties of fantasy football league owners. Frazier instead sounded intent on tempering expectations and reiterating the importance of caution, even if the 27-year-olds participation against the Jaguars has carried almost an air of inevitability throughout his rehabilitation work this summer. Everything has gone better than can be expected up to this point. But this is a decision we made. We talked with him about it. And for the first time in our conversations, he kind of seemed like he understood, Frazier said. He even used the word patience. And I was like, Wow. Finally Its clicking. . Hes on board. Frazier also said Petersons father, Nelson, has encouraged him to listen to the coaches and trainers as the end of the recovery comes closer. And Peterson himself has been perhaps his best adviser. Ive been preaching to myself. Ive been repeating it and trying to brainwash myself, teaching patience, patience, patience, Peterson said. Because the last couple weeks I really havent been hearing the things I wanted to hear, so I have to be patient. Patient. But Im understanding it, man, and were on the same page. Peterson had surgery Dec. 30 to fix tears in his anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament. Hes been so far ahead in his rehab all along, Frazier said. Even the things hes doing in practice, theres nothing that makes you feel like you have to pull back just from watching him move around. But the more things we can give to him in the time we have leading up to the season opener, the better. Though the defense is still prohibited from touching him, Peterson ran the ball 18 times in the full team portion of Mondays practice. Frazier said he experienced no problems or side effects. Soon, before Sept. 9, the no-contact ban will be lifted to gauge Petersons ability to cut and properly maneuver around the tacklers, essentially the final evaluation of a running backs ACL recovery .

Swimming

Saturday
Trenton-Trinity Christian at Shiloh Christian, 1:30 p.m. Bottineau vs Williams County Firestorm (at Ray), 7 p.m.
Divide County vs Bowman County High School 7 p.m. Williston High School at Bismark Century Tournament Williston High School at Minot Tournament, 8:30 a.m. Williston High School at Fargo South Individual Williston High School at the Spring Creek Park Invitational, 10 a.m.

Football

Volleyball Tennis

Swimming

Cross Country

Maroons trounce Tigers

Divide County beats TrentonTrinity Christian 46-12
BY MARK MCNEILLIE WILLISTON HERALD

Shorts North Dakota Class A and 9-Man polls

GRAND FORKS (AP) A judge in Grand Forks has thrown out the last felony charges stemming from an investigation into suspected steroid possession by three former University of North Dakota football players. The Grand Forks Herald reports that Judge Joel Medd on Monday dismissed charges against 23-year-old Justin Belotti, who finished his senior season last fall. Two other players also were accused of possessing steroids and amphetamines. Kenneth Watkins Jr. pleaded guilty in March to misdemeanor marijuana charges and served 10 days in jail. Medd earlier this month dismissed charges against Jon Goertz, and also those filed against Richard McConn, who wasnt on the UND team. Attorneys for the men who had their cases dismissed successfully argued that there were problems with a police search of the house where the men lived.

NDSUs backup quarterback moved to defense

FARGO, N.D. (AP) North Dakota State University backup quarterback Esley Thorton is being moved to outside linebacker. Coach Craig Bohl says the sophomore who was a standout at Bismarck High asked to try another position so he could get on the field after freshman Carson Wentz beat him out for the backup quarterback job. Wentz is a former prep standout at Bismarck Century . Thorton says he got a fair chance at quarterback. He says he has to make a change and linebacker is the best fit for him. Its not clear where he fits on the linebacker depth chart, but he will play on special teams. NDSU begins its season on Sept. 1 at home against Robert Morris. The Bison are the defending champions of the Football Championship Subdivision

The Divide County Maroons showed Tuesday why they are defending nine-man Region 4 champions. The Maroons opened their season with a overwhelming 46-12 win over the TrentonTrinity Christian Tigers. Its always good to get going again, said Divide County co-head coach Nate Nelson. Anytime you can you can open with a win, you cant lose them all. The game opened on a positive note for the Tigers, as senior Trenton Hove recovered an onside kick on the opening kick off. The Tigers struggled moving the ball though, and failed to convert on 4th down, giving the ball to the Maroons. Maroons senior quarterback Lance Knudson led the Maroons down the field easily, and opened the scoring with a quarterback run, giving Divide County a lead they would never relinquish. The Maroons scored again on another Knudson keeper with just over a minute left in the first quarter. They successfully completed a two point try, giving them a 14-0 lead. Senior Lane Huck put points on the board for the Tigers early in the second quarter. The damage was limited though, as the Maroons blocked the extra point kick. Divide County responded quickly though, as junior Issac Jacobs took a long run into the end zone. Divide County added to their lead with 2:30 left in the second half, as Knudson connected with senior Bennet Lystad for a touchdown. The Maroons piled more misery on the Tigers with less than a minute to go in the half. Knudon tossed the ball to Jacobs in the backfield, who caught the defense off guard by throwing the ball to Lystad in the end zone, giving Divide County a

Divide County senior quarterback Lance Knudson scrambles in a game against Trenton-Trinity Christian on Tuesday. Knudson led Divide county to 46-12 win. 38-6 lead. In the second half, the Maroons seemed content to just run out the clock. Their only score in the half came with 6:35 on a interception returned for a touchdown. The Tigers got some conciliation points with just under 4:00 left in the game, but failed to convert another extra point try . After the game Nelson said he was pleased with his team, but thought there was still a lot of work to be done. Thats a good way to start, but I think when we go back and look at the tape, were going to see theres a lot of things we need to work on, said Nelson Pretty sloppy, didnt look like we were in great condition but it was a hot game. Cant complain too much about a win but we got a lot of MARK MCNEILLIE | WILLISTON HERALD things to work on. Trenton-Trinity Christian senior Trenton Hove carries the ball.

MARK MCNEILLIE | WILLISTON HERALD

Clemens hopes to have fun in return to baseball

SUGAR LAND, Texas (AP) Hours after Roger Clemens agreed to join the Sugar Land Skeeters, he was back on the field playing in an over-50 softball league. And the ultra-competitive Clemens, now a half-century old, was quick to point out just how well he did against that group of geezers. I hit two homers, by the way, he said. Things will be a bit tougher on Saturday when he is scheduled to start for the independent Atlantic League team at home against Bridgeport. The right-hander agreed to play for the team on Monday and was introduced on Tuesday . Whether this all leads to Clemens pitching in the major leagues the seven-time Cy Young Award winner played that down, conceding hes nowhere near big league pitching shape. Im 50 years old. Were just going to go out and have fun with this and make it fun for the fans, said Clemens, who has a touch of gray stubble on his chin but still sports a shock of blond highlights in his hair. Clemens didnt understand all the rules of his old-man softball league at first. When he hit his first home run and dashed to first base, his teammates told him to stop. He thought it was because home runs werent allowed. It turned out that the over-50 set doesnt see the need to run all of the bases on a homer. I really play in that league for the exercise and the fun, he said. He laughed off questions about playing professionally at an age when he qualifies for an AARP card. I hope nothing breaks and I hope I dont pull anything, a still fit-looking Clemens said. Some believe his return to the minor leagues is the first step to another comeback in the major leagues, where he last pitched for the New York Yankees in 2007 at age 45. Clemens is set to appear on the Hall of Fame ballot going to voters late this year. If he plays in a major league game this year, his Hall consideration would be pushed back five years. He isnt sure how hell be perceived by voters when his name appears on the ballot. Sure, the Hall of Fame is great, Ive told people that. But its not going to change my life either way, he said. But if theres something there that somebody feels like they have a grudge or want to hold something against you, I cant control that one bit. Clemens said thinking about a big league comeback is premature. He dismissed the theory that the minor league appearance was a step on the path to a big league return.

MSU mens hoops signs SMU transfer

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) Montana State mens basketball coach Brad Huse has announced the signing of Southern Methodist University transfer Eric Norman. The 6-foot-9 forward played in five games as a freshman for SMU and joins the MSU program as a sophomore. Norman averaged 19 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots per game as a senior at Francis W. Parker School in San Diego.