WESTPLEX TODAY SPORTS PAGE: October 10, 2008
Chase Utley belted a two-run homer and Pat Burrell added a solo shot in a three-run sixth inning to lift the Phillies to a 3-2 win over the Dodgers in Game One of the NLCS at Citizens Bank Park. Utley and Burrell had two hits apiece as the Phils grabbed a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Cole Hamels struck out eight over seven innings of six-hit, two-run ball to pick up the win. Brad Lidge closed it out in the ninth for the save. Manny Ramirez had two hits, including an RBI double in the first, for Los Angeles, which is making its first NLCS appearance since 1988. Blake DeWitt also drove in a run with a sac-fly as LA took an early 2-0 lead. Derek Lowe allowed three runs, including two earned, in 5 1/3 frames to suffer the tough-luck loss. Game 2 is slated for Friday afternoon in Philadelphia. The Dodgers will send Chad Billingsley to the mound, while the Phillies will counter with Brett Myers.
After battling all season for American League East supremacy, the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox now take their rivalry to the postseason with Game One of the ALCS Friday at Tropicana Field. The Rays went 97-65 in a worst-to-first effort in 2008, finishing two games ahead of the Red Sox to claim their first division title after finishing with an American League-worst 66-96 record in 2007. The Rays will send 14-game winner James Shields to the mound in the ALCS opener, while the Red Sox counter with 18-game winner Daisuke Matsuzaka. After each team won the first six meetings in their home park, Tampa Bay took four of the final six regular-season encounters in September. The Rays are making their first-ever postseason appearance, while the Red Sox are in the playoffs for the fifth time in six years. It's Boston's ninth appearance in the American League Championship Series.
In college football: Gary Pinkel's Missouri Tigers have yet another tough test as they face their second Big-12 opponent of the year on Saturday night. Mizzou hosts Oklahoma State and its high-powered offense at Faurot Field. Quarterback Zac Robinson leads the Cowboy's offense, ranked third nationally, right behind Missouri's #2 ranking. Robinson has completed 72% of his passes and recorded 10 touchdowns, Tiger Heisman hopeful Chase Daniel has completed 76% of his passes for over 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns. While both teams can ring up the points, they both have work to do on the defensive side of the ball. Mizzou is dead last in the Big-12 in passing defense and OSU is last in the league in sacks and tackles for loss. Kickoff is scheduled for just after 7 p.m. on Saturday. KFAV will have the action for you on 99.9 FM, beginning at 6 p.m. with pre-game activities.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers visit Champaign tomorrow morning for an 11:00 kickoff against the Fighting Illini. Quarterback Juice Williams and Illinois are coming off a big weekend at the "Big House". Williams became just the second player in Big-10 history to post 300 yards passing and 100 rushing in a league game as the Illini rolled over Michigan. With a win on Saturday, visiting Minnesota would become bowl eligible with six victories. Last year the Gophers finished with just one win.
The Rams practice again today as they prepare to head to Washington to take on the Redskins on Sunday. Kickoff is slated for noon from FedEx Field. The Rams injury woes continue as receiver Dane Looker is still undergoing tests after suffering a concussion during the Rams' last game on September 28th.
In high school football, KWRE and KFAV will each have a game on the air for you tonight. KWRE will feature Warrenton's visit to Wentzville Timberland. Warrenton is 2-4 this season, while Timberland is 6-0 and ranked #1 in the MoSports.com Class 5 state poll. KFAV will have Troy's homecoming game against Francis Howell. Troy is riding a 4-game winning streak with a 4-2 record...its best season since 2003. Francis Howell is 1-5. Both games begin at 7:00, and the pre-game shows get underway around 6:45.
Here are the other high school football games scheduled for tonight and tomorrow, featuring Westplex teams:
Zumwalt West (5-1) at Wentzville Holt (5-1)...both teams 4-0 in the GAC South
Orchard Farm (2-4) at Wright City (3-3)...Wright City still alive for EMO share
Montgomery County (5-1) at Winfield (0-6)...Montgomery County leads EMO
Van-Far (2-4) at Bowling Green (5-1)
Hermann (2-4) at St. Clair (4-2)...St. Clair tries to stay in Four Rivers race
Pacific (2-4) at Sullivan (5-1)...Sullivan hopes for Four Rivers share
Owensville (2-4) at Union (6-0)...Union ranked 2nd in MSSA Class 4 poll
Duchesne (2-4) at St. Charles West (5-1)...West hanging in GAC North race
Zumwalt South (0-6) at Howell Central (0-6)...somebody wins 1st game!
Parkway North (4-2) at Howell North (2-4)...non-conference matchup
DuBourg (4-2) at Lutheran St. Charles (4-2)...both trail Cardinal Ritter in AAA
St. Dominic (4-2) at Kennedy (0-6)...St. Dominic staying alive in AAA
Borgia (4-2) at Trinity (2-4)...non-conference Catholic-school matchup
Zumwalt East (1-5) at Zumwalt North (3-3) (Saturday, 1:00)
Cuba (3-3) at Clopton-Elsberry (2-4) (Saturday, 3:00)
St. Charles (2-4) at Washington (4-2) (Saturday, 7:00)
In girls softball, district semifinals were the rule of the day in yesterday's games involving Westplex teams:
Class 4 District 9 Wentzville Holt 2, Troy 1
Wentzville Timberland 5, Zumwalt West 2
(championship game 4:00 today at Troy)
Class 4 District 8 Howell Central 4, Zumwalt East 2
Francis Howell 4, Zumwalt South 3
(championship game 4:15 today at Zumwalt East)
Class 3 District 5 Wright City 4, Duchesne 1
Winfield 6, St. Dominic 0
(championship game 4:15 today at St. Charles West)
Class 3 District 7 Sullivan 10, St.Clair 0
Union 4, Borgia 0
(championship game 4:00 today at Sullivan)
Class 4 District 3 Parkway South 5, Washington 0
Another season of Blues hockey gets underway tonight. The Blues entertain Nashville at 7:30 at the Scottrade Center. Following the game tonight, the Blues head out for their first road test against the Islanders on Saturday evening.
The Red Wings began their defense of the Stanley Cup last night with a 3-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tomas Holmstrom scored both goals for Detroit, including one on the power play. Newcomer Marian Hossa also recorded his first point as a Wing, assisting on Holmstrom's second tally. Head coach Mike Babcock says the Wings just didn't play hard enough to win. Before the game, a banner was raised to the rafters in honor of last year's championship. The Wings return to the ice when they face the Senators in Ottawa tomorrow night.
Rain washed out qualifying for the Bank of America 500 Thursday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway. As a result, the starting lineup for Saturday's race will be determined by points. Jimmie Johnson will start from the pole, while Carl Edwards will start on the outside of row one. Johnson enters the race with a 72-point lead over Edwards, with Greg Biffle 77 points back. Jeff Gordon is the defending race champion. His win in last year's 500 is his last Sprint Cup victory. The Dollar General 300 Nationwide Series race is tonight at LMS.
Sprint Cup driver Kasey Kahne will shoot for an unprecedented triple in the Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway Saturday night. Kahne, who also won the All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600 at LMS in May, will try to become the first driver to win all three races in one year. Five different drivers have had chances to turn the trick only to come up short in the fall race. Jimmie Johnson was the last driver to have the opportunity in 2003, but he finished third in the 500. Kahne is not among the 12 drivers who are competing for the Sprint Cup championship. He is currently 14th in the standings, trailing only David Ragan among non-Chase drivers.
