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Bulls clinch division for seventh time in eight years

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bullschampsThe Durham Bulls clinched the International League South Division title with a 4-2 win over the Gwinnett Braves at the DBAP Monday night, marking their second straight division title. And they did it without the likes of big-name players like Wil Myers and Chris Archer.

The IL South crown is the seventh in eight seasons for Durham since manager Charlie Montoyo took the helm of the Bulls in 2007, and in the 17 seasons that Durham has been in the International League the team has won the South Division 12 times, while also clinching the Wild Card in 2004.

The Bulls (71-65) jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs in the third inning. Mike Fontenot drove in the first run on an RBI grounder, and Cole Figueroa followed with an RBI single. Both Fontenot and Figueroa were 3-for-4 on the night.

The champagne had to wait, however. Gwinnett scored a run in the fourth on Sean Kazmar’s RBI double. The Braves (60-76) tied it in the sixth, when Bulls starter Matt Andriese hit Todd Cunningham, made a throwing error on a pickoff, and walked two batters. Cunningham scored the tying run on Ali Solis’ passed ball.

The Bulls responded in the bottom of the inning. Fontenot doubled to right center to lead off the inning, and Figueroa singled him to third, before Fontenot scampered home on a double play grounder.

The bullpen wrapped up the crown, as Steve Geltz (3-3) retired seven straight batters to earn the win, and Josh Lueke pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his eleventh save.

The Bulls will open the 2014 Governors’ Cup playoffs on Wednesday, September 3rd on the road against the West Division champions for Games One and Two of the best-of-Five series. The first round will shift to Durham Bulls Athletic Park for Game Three on Friday, September 5th, with Games Four and Five (if necessary) following on Saturday and Sunday.

The Bulls and G-Braves head south for a two-game series in Gwinnett beginning Tuesday. RHP Nathan Karns (9-7, 4.56) starts for the Bulls against RHP Zach Stewart (6-4, 4.94) for the Braves.

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UNC-Wilmington basketball coach to speak at Raleigh Sports Club

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Coach Kevin Keatts.
Coach Kevin Keatts.
UNC-Wilmington basketball coach Kevin Keatts will be the Raleigh Sports Club luncheon speaker Wednesday, Aug. 27 at Bradley Hall in Highland United Methodist Church at 1901 Ridge Road.

Buffet lines open at 11:30 a.m. and the meeting is from noon until 1 p.m. Attendance fee for members is $15 while guest fee is $25.

The RSC will honor local high school student Adria Johnson, a volleyball standout from Broughton High School, as the Student Athlete of the Week.

The annual membership fee is $70, which helps to fund the club’s scholarship fund. Each week from late August to early April meetings include a Southern buffet, door prizes, pick sheets and introduction to a deserving Student Athlete as well as hearing from a prominent sports figure as our guest speaker.
Raleigh Sports Club Membership Form

Duke, Featured stories, UNC

UNC picked as ACC field hockey favorite; Duke second

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uncfieldhockeyNorth Carolina received 31 points and is the preseason favorite to claim the 2014 Atlantic Coast Conference Field Hockey Championship, according to a vote of the league’s seven head coaches.

The Tar Heels, who reached the national semifinals in 2013, earned two votes for first place and edged out Duke and Syracuse for the top spot. The Blue Devils, who advanced to the national championship game last year, collected three first-place votes and 30 points, while the Orange received one top selection and 29 points.

Boston College and Wake Forest tied for fourth with 16 points, followed by Virginia in sixth and Louisville in seventh.

Duke and North Carolina led all league programs with three players recognized on the preseason squad. Syracuse and Wake Forest had two players selected, and Boston College and Virginia had one player apiece.

Six of the 11 on the preseason squad were named Longstreth/NFHCA All-Americans in 2013, including Boston College’s Emma Plasteras and North Carolina’s Emily Wold, who were selected to the first team. Seven were named to the 2013 All-ACC Team.

ACC teams have won 17 of the 33 NCAA field hockey titles, including 10 of the last 12, and at least one ACC squad has advanced to the national championship for 15 straight years. All seven current ACC programs finished the 2013 season ranked nationally.

2014 ACC Field Hockey Predicted Order of Finish

Team Points

1. North Carolina (2) 31
2. Duke (3) 30
3. Syracuse (1) 29
4. Boston College (1) 16
5. Wake Forest 16
6. Virginia 14
7. Louisville 11

2014 Preseason All-ACC Field Hockey Team

Emma Plasteras, Sr., M, Boston College
Aileen Johnson, Jr., M, Duke
Amanda Kim, Jr., D, Duke
Lauren Blazing, R-Jr., GK, Duke
Emily Wold, Jr., M/B, North Carolina
Charlotte Craddock, Sr., F, North Carolina
Emma Bozek, Jr., M/F, North Carolina
Kati Nearhouse, R-Sr., F, Syracuse
Alyssa Manley, Jr., M, Syracuse
Tara Vittese, Fr., M, Virginia
Anna Kozniuk, Sr., B/M, Wake Forest
Georgia Holland, R-Sr., M/B, Wake Forest

Featured stories, N.C. State

Doeren to speak at Raleigh Sports Club Wednesday

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Dave Doeren.
Dave Doeren.
NC State football coach Dave Doeren will be the first luncheon speaker of the Raleigh Sports Club’s new year Wednesday, Aug. 20 at Bradley Hall in Highland United Methodist Church at 1901 Ridge Road.

Buffet lines open at 11:30 a.m. and the meeting is from noon until 1 p.m. Attendance fee for members is $15 while guest fee is $25.

The annual membership fee is $70, which helps to fund the club’s scholarship fund. Each week from late August to early April meetings include a Southern buffet, door prizes, pick sheets and introduction to a deserving Student Athlete as well as hearing from a prominent sports figure as our guest speaker.
Raleigh Sports Club Membership Form

The skinny

Notre Dame favored to win ACC men’s soccer title; Heels third

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notredamesoccerDefending national champion Notre Dame is the Atlantic Coast Conference men’s soccer preseason favorite, according to a vote of the league’s 12 head coaches.

The Irish were named by six coaches as this year’s team to beat, followed by Virginia with three first-place votes, North Carolina with two, and Louisville with one.

Notre Dame, with 64 points, was also named by six coaches as the favorite in the Coastal Division, edging out 2013 Men’s College Cup participant Virginia, which had four first-place votes and 62 points. North Carolina (53 points) received two nods for the division and was picked third, followed by Duke (37), Virginia Tech (23), and Pitt (13).

League newcomer Louisville was picked as the Atlantic Division favorite, receiving nine of a possible 12 first-place votes while totaling 69 total points. Wake Forest (57 points) and Clemson (50) both collected first-place votes, and are followed in the poll by NC State (30), Boston College (26), and Syracuse (20).

A national-best six ACC squads earned NCAA bids in 2013. Three advanced to the NCAA College Cup, marking the 13th straight year with at least one league team in the semifinals. Notre Dame’s championship marked the sixth title by an ACC team in the last nine years and the 16th in league history.

The 2014 season, which gets underway on Friday, Aug. 29, marks the first for the league under a divisional format. Each team will play every other squad in its division, plus three crossover games. The two division winners are guaranteed one of the top two seeds for the ACC Championship.

The 10-team ACC Championship will be held in early November, with first round games slated for Wednesday, Nov. 5, quarterfinals for Sunday, Nov. 9, semifinals on Friday, Nov. 14, and the championship on Sunday, Nov. 16. The first round and quarterfinals will be held at campus sites, with the semifinals and final at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.


2014 ACC MEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES POLL

(first place votes)

Overall Champion
Notre Dame (6)
Virginia (3)
North Carolina (2)
Louisville (1)

Atlantic Division
1. Louisville (9) 69
2. Wake Forest (2) 57
3. Clemson (1) 50
4. NC State 30
5. Boston College 26
6. Syracuse 20

Coastal Division
1. Notre Dame (6) 64
2. Virginia (4) 62
3. North Carolina (2) 53
4. Duke 37
5. Virginia Tech 23
6. Pitt 13

The skinny

UNC women’s soccer team picked to finish third in ACC

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UNC coach Anson Dorrance.
UNC coach Anson Dorrance.
North Carolina’s women’s soccer team finds themselves in an unfamiliar situation. The Tar Heels, who open the season at home Friday night against Stanford, received just one first-place vote in a poll by the league’s 14 head coaches.

UNC did rank No. 8 in a national preseason poll issued by Top Drawer Soccer but that poll had the Tar Heels the fourth best ACC team, behind Virginia Tech.

Florida State was chosen to repeat as the Atlantic Coast Conference women’s soccer champion.

The Seminoles received eight first-place votes en route to 189 total points, followed by Virginia (five first-place votes, 183 points) and North Carolina (one first-place vote, 166 points).

Virginia Tech placed fourth in the voting, followed by Duke, Notre Dame and Wake Forest. Boston College placed eighth, followed by Clemson, Louisville, Syracuse, Miami, NC State and Pitt.

FSU, Virginia and Virginia Tech were all participants in the 2013 NCAA Women’s College Cup. A total of eight ACC teams were selected for last year’s NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship, including all four number-one seeds. It marked the first time in NCAA history that all four number one seeds had come from the same conference

Virginia leads the 2014 Coaches’ Preseason All-ACC Team with three selections among the 11 members, including 2013 MAC Hermann Trophy winner Morgan Brian. In addition to Brian, the preseason All-ACC teams features three more returning NSCAA All-Americans in Florida State’s Dagny Brynjarsdottir and Virginia’s Makenzy Doniak and Danielle Colaprico. Those four, along with Notre Dame’s Cari Roccaro and North Carolina’s Summer Green, were named to the 2014 MAC Hermann Watch List.

ACC teams are set to open regular-season play this Friday, with the first conference games slated for Friday, Sept. 19. The top four teams in the final league standings will advance to the ACC Championship, scheduled for Nov. 7 and Nov. 9 at the UNC Greensboro Soccer Stadium.

Preseason ACC Coaches Poll

1. Florida State (189 points, 8 first place votes)
2. Virginia (183, 5)
3. North Carolina (166, 1)
4. Virginia Tech (150)
5. Duke (135)
6. Notre Dame (128)
7. Wake Forest (104)
8. Boston College (95)
9. Clemson (79)
10. Louisville (72)
11. Syracuse (56)
12. Miami (44)
13. NC State (42)
14. Pitt (16)

Preseason All-ACC Team

Morgan Brian, Sr., M, Virginia
Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Sr., M, Florida State
Danielle Colaprico, Sr., M, Virginia
Makenzy Doniak, Jr., F, Virginia
Christina Gibbons, So., D, Duke
Summer Green, Jr., F, North Carolina
Kristin Grubka, Sr., D, Florida State
Stephanie McCaffrey, Sr., F, Boston College
Ashley Meier, Jr., M, Virginia Tech
Cari Roccaro, Jr., M/D, Notre Dame
Kailen Sheridan, So, GK, Clemson

Duke, Featured stories, UNC

ESPN to feature ACC basketball on Big Monday broadcasts

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espnbigmondayESPN will again showcase Atlantic Coast Conference basketball during the 2014-15 season as part of its weekly Big Monday.

Eight ACC games will be shown, beginning on Jan. 5 and on consecutive Mondays between Jan. 19 and March 2. Big Monday will take a one-week hiatus as ESPN debuts the inaugural College Football National Championship Game on January 12.

Each Big Monday game involving an ACC team is set for a 7 p.m. start and will be televised nationally by ESPN or ESPN2.

This marks the second consecutive year that ACC basketball games have been featured as part of ESPN’s Big Monday package. Every game on the Big Monday schedule this season will include at least one team ranked in the ESPN.com preseason Top 25 poll, including No. 2 Duke, No. 6 North Carolina, No. 7 defending ACC champion Virginia, No. 8 Louisville and No. 21 Syracuse.

The complete 2014-15 ACC basketball schedule, with dates, starting times and television broadcast information, will be released later this month.

The ACC Big Monday lineup reads as follows:

January 5 – Notre Dame at North Carolina (ESPN or ESPN2), 7 p.m.
January 19 – Pitt at Duke (ESPN), 7 p.m.
January 26 – Syracuse at North Carolina (ESPN), 7 p.m.
February 2 – Virginia at North Carolina (ESPN), 7 p.m.
February 9 – Duke at Florida State (ESPN), 7 p.m.
February 16 – Pitt at Virginia (ESPN), 7 p.m.
February 23 – Louisville at Georgia Tech (ESPN), 7 p.m.
March 2 – Virginia at Syracuse (ESPN), 7 p.m.

NOTING THE ACC ON ESPN BIG MONDAY

A potential of three ACC top-25 matchups showcasing No. 6 North Carolina, No. 7 Virginia and No. 21 Syracuse: Syracuse at North Carolina on January 26; Virginia at North Carolina on February 2 and Virginia at Syracuse on March 2.

Duke – ranked preseason No. 2 – is on the schedule twice: at home vs. Pittsburgh on January 19 and at Florida State on February 9.

The Blue Devils add the ESPN 100 top incoming recruit in center Jahil Okafor, as well as guard Tyus Jones, who is ranked fourth.

North Carolina’s one additional appearance is an opening night tilt vs. Notre Dame on January 5.

North Carolina has two top-10 incoming freshman ranked nationally in the ESPN 100: Small forwards Justin Jackson (No. 8) and Theo Pinson (No. 10).

Virginia is also scheduled against Pittsburgh on February 16, as part of Rivalry Week.

New league member Louisville, ranked No. 8 in the preseason poll, has one appearance – at Georgia Tech on February 23.

In 2013-14, for the 12th consecutive year, Louisville was the highest-rated metered market for ESPN’s regular-season telecasts, averaging a 4.5 rating.

Featured stories, The skinny

McCraw, Rhodes lead West Raleigh to Ripken Series title

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Garrett McCraw.
Garrett McCraw.
Team Southeast from West Raleigh, representing the USA, defeated Mexico 5-2 Saturday in the World Championship game of the 2014 Cal Ripken World Series.

West Raleigh got all the runs it needed in the first inning. With a 1-0 lead, West Raleigh catcher Lane Rhodes slammed an opposite field three-run homer to right center to give the USA a 4-0 advantage.

Lane Rhodes.
Lane Rhodes.

In the third, West Raleigh’s Nolan McClean lifted a fastball over the left center field wall to extend the lead to 5-0.

Mexico’s Jesus Castillo popped a two-run homer in the fourth to narrow the USA lead to 5-2. But West Raleigh’s pitcher Garrett McCraw buckled down and went on to toss a complete game while striking out seven Mexico batters. McCraw, who gave up only five hits, retired 10 batters in a row at one point. He also scored the first run of the game when Matthew Willadsen drove him in after he had delivered a bloop double.

With one on and two out in the final inning, Mexico’s Castillo’s ripped what looked like a single to right but outfielder McClean fielded it quickly and cleanly and fired to Penn Sealey at first to throw out Castillo to end the game.

West Raleigh has had a strong program for several years, appearing in the tournament numerous times, but it was the first time the team has won the World Series title. West Raleigh won the USA championship in 2004 and in 2013 but fell in the World Series International Game.

West Raleigh coach Ryan Holjes brushed aside tears as the players and fans celebrated the title. “This is unbelievable man, just unbelievable,” he said. “It’s surreal, it’s more than we could ever dreamed of.”

A U.S.-based team had not won the title since 2009.

The Cal Ripken World Series features teams of 11-year-old and 12-year-old baseball players from throughout the world playing in Aberdeen, Md.

The tournament is named after retired Orioles iron man Cal Ripken Jr. It’s similar to Little League except teams play on a field with 70-foot base paths and a 50-foot pitching distance as compared to Little League’s 60-foot base paths and a 46-foot pitching distance.

McCraw was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament as he sported a 3-0 tournament record along with two home runs. Rhodes was chosen as Most Outstanding Player in the championship game. Outfielder Paul Ryder was the Most Outstanding Player of the U.S. championship game Friday. He slugged a 3-run homer in West Raleigh’s 7-5 victory over Harford (Md.).

Duke, Featured stories, N.C. State, The skinny, UNC

College football playoff to be exciting… and expensive

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cfpSo it’s not exactly like having 64 (or 65) teams vying for a national championship in a tournament like basketball but those who have been clamoring for a playoff will see one for college football this season.

Four teams will face off in two bowls games with the two winners playing a national championship game Jan. 12 at North Texas.

This year and for the immediate future there will be three bowl games played on New Year’s Eve and three on New Year’s Day. The College Football Playoff Foundation hopes this not only keep bowls relevant but it starts a tradition of football watching on New Year’s Eve as well as New Year’s Day.

The semi-final playoff games this year will be on New Year’s Day while the games shift to New Year’s Eve next season.

The Sugar and Rose bowls will host the top four teams this season while the Orange and Cotton host next season and the Peach and Fiesta the year after that. The same combination of bowls will host the semi-finals for at least three more years after that.

A college bowl selection committee, rather than a computer system or a writer’s or coaches’ poll, will choose the top four teams to play for the national title. In addition to record, the blue ribbon panel will consider strength of schedule, head to head competition, results against common opponents and championships won.

The idea behind this entire plan, said Mike Kelly from the College Football Playoff group, is to keep the bowl tradition, not infringe on the academic calendar and still make the regular season count.

Revenues should double or triple what they were under the old BCS system, Kelly said. College Football Playoff merchandising income will go to the Foundation arm, which will support various related causes such as rewarding good teachers.

The championship game itself, which will be held 7-12 days after the semi-final games (this season on Jan. 12), will bring in substantial revenue as well. Tickets won’t be cheap at $450 each. Kelly notes that’s half of the price of a Super Bowl ticket. There will also be an entire championship game experience similar to the Super Bowl activities.

“Of course the ticket price for the CFP championship game had nothing to do with Super Bowl price,” Kelly said. “Last year’s national championship game was $385 at the Rose Bowl and that was proven to be below market value. With a new event and with a stadium of the highest quality we felt that going up to $450 was reasonable.”

In today’s climate, I suppose it could be considered reasonable but certainly not for the average family of four. ESPN will be the way to go for most families.

Look for the first College Football Playoff rankings from the committee to begin on Oct. 28 with the final rankings coming out after the conference championship games are complete.

There will be a selection Sunday similar to announcing the basketball tournament. Announcements will be made about the bowl matchups for the six bowls games on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, including the semi-finalists.

While the committee plans to keep lower ranked teams from getting a home-field edge, it could happen. For instance, with the games being at the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl, consider the far-fetched example that if the top four teams in order are Notre Dame, Oregon, UCLA and Southern Cal.

Either Southern Cal or UCLA, both lower ranked teams, would get to play at the Rose Bowl. It will be interesting to see how the next three seasons play out.

2014-15
Fiesta Bowl – Dec. 31
Orange Bowl – Dec. 31
Peach Bowl – Dec. 31
Cotton Bowl – Jan. 1
Rose Bowl – Jan. 1 (semi-final)
Sugar Bowl – Jan. 1 (semi-final)

Championship game at North Texas Jan. 12

2015-2016
Cotton Bowl – Dec. 31 (semi-final)
Orange Bowl – Dec. 31 (semi-final)
Peach Bowl – Dec. 31
Fiesta Bowl – Jan. 1
Rose Bowl – Jan. 1
Sugar Bowl – Jan. 1

Championship game at Arizona Jan. 11

Featured stories, UNC

UNC’s Fedora doesn’t shy away from his Christianity

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UNC coach Larry Fedora.
UNC coach Larry Fedora.
The attorney for the Freedom From Religion Foundation out of Madison, Wisc. could probably put a satellite office in ACC football country, maybe even in the Triangle.

As background, this past April, the lawyer wrote a letter to Clemson University claiming that football coach Dabo Swinney was comingling religion and athletics to the point that you had to “pray to play.” See the five-page bullying complaint here.

“I can’t come to work and not be a Christian. It’s just the reality of it,” said Swinney, who says he doesn’t make football decisions based on players’ participation in religious activities.

“I have great respect for other people’s faiths and beliefs and all that,” he added. “It’s not my job to judge people. I just am who I am.”

Football and religion is not uncommon.

In Durham, Duke prays before each game and at every practice.

Over in Chapel Hill, UNC coach Larry Fedora is very open about his Christianity.

“It’s extremely important in my life. There’s no doubt about it – I don’t try to hide it,” Fedora said. “I don’t try to hide it in the program either. I really believe when these players come to Carolina, my responsibility is to see them grow academically, socially and spiritually.”

He said that he’s not pushing anything on them but instead is providing an atmosphere that if they want to grow spiritually they can.

The team prays together on occasion, and certainly before and after every game. “We don’t ask for a win,” Fedora said with a laugh. “We ask to keep guys healthy and safe.”

The Tar Heels have a year-round team chaplain, Mitch Mason, who is with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. “He does a great job being there for our young men as a mentor, as an ear and as just a friend,” Fedora said. He’s at all the workouts and he has a relationship with all the guys. They can go to his office and talk to him about any problems they are having.”

Fedora says that’s a great thing. Like with Swinney at Clemson, you probably won’t see any changes at Carolina as long as Fedora is there, no matter how many letters the Freedom From Religion Foundation writes.