by Tony Renteria
The Sacramento Kings (4-1) hosted the Denver Nuggets (1-3) and complety overwhemled the visiting team by the score of 131-109. The Kings jumped out to quick 21 point lead in the first quarter and took a 40-19 point lead heading into the second quarter. DeMarcus Cousins poured in 30 points and added 11 rebounds. Rudy Gay nearly matched that point total by adding in 29 points on his own. The Kings are 4-1 for the first time in over a decade. While the Kings lead by 21 after the first, at one point they lead by 36 points. Ty Lawson lead the Nuggets with 13 points and nine assists. This could be the start of a new era here in Sacramento, with New ownership and a new downtown arena on the horizon, are the Kings finally headed back to the glory days of the early 2000’s? Kings head to Arizona to start a four game road swing, while the Nuggets head to Cleveland to face Lebron and the rest of the Cavaliers on FridayCategory: Uncategorized
Bears beat Beavers, go on to Troy
By George Devine, Sr.
After a convincing 45-31 win at Oregon State last Saturday, the Golden Bears next play USC at the Los Angeles Coliseum on November 13, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. PST. Southern Cal, having vanquished Washington State 44-17, will be more than a formidable opponent for Sonny Dykes and his charges. However, the Bears are now 5-4, and one win away from bowl eligibility.
What caused the win and offered hope for future contests was the shift of Cal’s offense to a more balanced approach. Against OSU the Bears had 269 yards on the ground as compared to 277 in the “air-raid” attack led by QB Jared Goff. The chief practitioner of the running game was RB Daniel Lasco with 188 yards and 3 TDs. He will likely be a key to the game against the Trojans.
USC, however, is now 6-3 after their win over the Cougs, and their defense will be gunning for both Goff and Lasco. One important factor will be the need for the Cal offensive line to give both players time to launch their respective attacks. Meanwhile, the Bears’ defense will have to contend with QB Cody Kessler who threw for 400 yards and 5 TDs, as well as RB Javorius Allen who racked up 114 yards. The secondary will have to stop JuJu Smith, who caught 3 TD passes.
Cal’s remaining two games are at home, with kickoff times TBD:
November 22: Stanford
November 29: Brigham Young
Seahawks hang on for win
By Jeremy Kahn
After jumping out to a big lead on the Oakland Raiders, the defending Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks were forced to hang on late.
Former Oakland Tech High and CAL star Marshawn Lynch rushed for two touchdowns, while Bruce Irvin tipped a Derek Carr pass and hauled it for a 35-yard interception return and the Seahawks defeated the Raiders 30-24 at Century Link Field.
Steven Hauschka kicked three field goals for the Seahawks, who have won two in a row after demoralizing losses to the Dallas Cowboys and the St. Louis Rams.
Going into the half with a 21-point lead, all things were pointing towards another win by the Seahawks and yet another loss by the Raiders.
The Raiders failed to be a pushover, as they recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown by Brice Butler.
Carr found Mychal Rivera for a six-yard touchdown pass with under three minutes remaining in the third quarter to cut the Seahawks down to 24-17.
Hauschka hit his final two field goals to push the Seahawks lead up to 30-17 with just under 10 minutes remaining in the fame.
Despite their 0-7 record, the Raiders did not give up, as Carr found Rivera for the second time on the afternoon with just under two minutes remaining in the game; however Jermaine Kerase was able to fall on Sebastian Janikowski’s onside kick after Cooper Helfet muffed and then Russell Wilson kneeled three times to secure a hard fought victory for the Seahawks.
Carr went 24-for-41 with 194 yards passing, and he also threw two touchdowns, but he also threw two interceptions.
Wilson went 17-for-35 with 179 yards passing, and did throw a touchdown nor an interception on the afternoon.
Irvin, who intercepted a Carr pass and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown, was joined in the interception column by Richard Sherman.
Lynch carried the ball 21 times for 67 yards with those two touchdowns, while Darren McFadden led the Raiders, as he carried the ball 13 times for 20 yards.
McFadden also led the Raiders in yardage with 47 yards on four receptions, while Rivera led the Raiders in receptions with eight for 38 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
No. 5-Ducks, Mariota, too much for Cardinal
By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota threw for two touchdowns, ran for two more, and led the No. 5 Ducks to a lopsided 45-16 win over visiting Stanford Saturday at Autzen Stadium in Eugene.
Ducks’ running back Thomas Tyner ran for a pair of touchdowns, helping Oregon (8-1 overall, 5-1 Pac-12, No. 5 CFP) snap a two-game losing streak to Stanford. The 45 points allowed by the Cardinal defense marked the first time Stanford allowed an opponent 30 points or more in 31 games — the longest such streak in the nation.
Mariota, who also rushed nine times for 86 yards, finished with 257 passing yards. Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan completed 21 of 29 passes for 237 yards. Hogan was sacked twice and picked off once.
Hogan was also the Cardinal’s top ground gainer, picking up 44 yards on 11 carries.
Stanford (5-4 overall, 3-3 Pac-12) had allowed four rushing touchdowns all season before allowing four by the Ducks. In addition, the Cardinal defense, which had allowed an average of 250.6 total yards per game, surrendered 525 to Oregon.
Stanford shocked the Ducks in 2012 when the Cardinal won 17-14 on a 37-yard field goal by Jordan Williamson in overtime. Last season at Stanford, the Cardinal built a 26-0 lead, then held on for a 26-20 win.
Oregon opened the scoring on Mariota’s 6-yard TD pass to Charles Nelson. The Cardinal responded with a 47-yard field goal by Williamson. The Ducks extended their lead to 14-3 when Mariota faked a handoff and ran untouched for a 22-yard touchdown. Again, the Cardinal countered with a Williamson field goal, this time from 43 yards out.
Tyner, who sat out the Ducks’ win over California last weekend with an undisclosed injury, tallied Oregon’s third touchdown with a 1-yard plunge, giving the Ducks a 21-6 lead.
Aidan Schneider booted a 40-yard field goal to extend the Ducks’ lead. Stanford fullback Patrick Skov scored on a 1-yard run, cutting the Oregon lead to 24-13 at halftime.
Oregon’s Erick Dargan picked off a Kevin Hogan pass at the Duck 1, surfing out the Cardinal’s opening drive of the second half. But Alex Carter of Stanford intercepted a Mariota pass on the Ducks’ ensuing drive, leading to a Williamson 25-yard field goal, cutting the Oregon lead to 24-16.
The Ducks’ offense took over from there. Tyler scored his second touchdown, this time from 21 yards out as the third quarter wound down. Tyner finished with a game-high 63 rushing yards on 10 carries.
Early in the fourth quarter, Mariota scored on a 7-yard quarterback draw, set up by a Hogan fumble recovered by the Ducks.
Mariota’s 25-yard touchdown pass to Darren Carrington closed out the scoring.
Next week, the Cardinal return home to host No. 17 Utah. Kickoff time has yet to be determined.
San Francisco looks to come out of Bye week strong
By: Phillip Torres
SANTA CLARA- The San Francisco 49ers (4-3) will host the St. Louis Rams (2-5) on Sunday in Santa Clara at Levi’s Stadium. The 49ers are coming off of a well needed Bye week as they look to rebound from the embarrassing 42-17 loss to the Denver Broncos in week seven.
The Bye Week for the 49ers came at a perfect time as they were in need of a break so that they can get healthy again. Patrick Wills sat out of the game in Denver with an injury to his toe, and starting center Daniel Kilgore was lost for the season to a broken leg. This opens up an opportunity for rookie Marcus Martin to get his first starting experience in the NFL.
Quarterback Collin Kaepernick will look to have another great outing against the Rams. In week six the dual threat quarterback torched St. Louis for 343 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Kaepernick would have had three if it were not for a miss communication between tight ends Vernon Davis and Vance McDonald. The 49ers need a strong dominating performance for a confidence boost.
Sitting at 4-3 in second place in the NFC West is not where the 49ers thought they would be this time of the year. The Arizona Cardinals sit atop the division at 6-1 and the 49ers have a lot of work to do to catch them. The Seattle Seahawks are coming off of an ugly win over the Carolina Panthers to improve to 4-3 as well as they are tied with the 49ers for second in the division. These two teams will meet for the first time this season on Thanksgiving.
The 49ers need to play consistent football if they plan on overcoming Arizona and winning the division. Aid is on the way as linebacker Aldon Smith could be back as early as next week. If his suspension is reduced from nine games, then he would be back next week against the Saints in New Orleans. Linebacker NaVarro Bowmen is also expected back a little sooner rather than later. Bowmen is on the fast track to recovering from the broken leg that he suffered in the NFC Championship Game is Seattle in January.
Kings Drop Opener to Rival Warriors
by Tony Renteria
Even though the new arena and a new age of Sacramento Kings basketball awaits with the start of the new downtown arena the basketball side seemed to repeat itself as the Sacramento Kings (0-0) drop the opening to the visiting Golden State Warriors (0-0) 95-77.
The Kings were in the game until the third quarter when the Kings fell behind by12 points in the quarter. While most Kings fans thought that both DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay learned how to win by being members of Team USA Basketball, they both failed to command the game but shooting close to 33%. Cousins brought in 20 points and Gay added 14.
Stephan Curry heated up the court as he shot 7-17, with 24 points to lead the game.
The Warriors host the L.A. Lakers on Saturday, while the Kings look to rebound on Friday night by hosting the Portland Trailblazers.
Royals force Game 7
By Jeremy Kahn
With a chance to win their third World Championship in the past five years, the San Francisco Giants will have to wait until the final game of the season.
Lorenzo Cain hit a two-run single in the bottom of the second inning, as the Kansas City Royals scored seven runs in the inning on their way to a 10-0 shutout over the Giants in Game Six of the World Series at Kauffman Stadium.
Eric Hosmer added a two-run double, as the Royals got hits from eight different players in the inning on their way to forcing a decisive Game Seven on Wednesday night.
Cain drove in three runs on the night, and was among six different Royals to have two hits in the game.
Mike Moustakas hit a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, stopping a 36-inning homeless streak, the longest such streak since 1945.
Giants starter Jake Peavy lasted just 1.1 innings before being replaced by reliever Yusmeiro Petit in the bottom of the second inning.
Peavy gave up five runs on six hits, the shortest outing by a starter in the World Series since David Wells retired just three batters in the 2003 World Series for the New York Yankees against the Florida Marlins, this according to STATS.
That second inning lasted 32 minutes, as the Royals never looked back and are now one win away from their first World Championship since 1985.
After scoring 15 consecutive runs in Games Four and Five, the Giants were unable to get anything off of rookie starter Yordano Ventura.
The key play in the game when Brandon Belt tried to go to first instead of home on a Alcides Escobar dribbler, like Peavy was yelling and loaded the bases .
Following the Fielders’ Choice, Nori Aoki picked up a base hit that chased Peavy.
Ventura pitched seven innings, allowing three hits, while walking five and striking out four on the night.
Bumgarner shuts down Royals
By Jeremy Kahn
SAN FRANCISCO-Madison Bumgarner is showing the major league world why he should be considered as one of the top pitchers in all of Major League Baseball.
Bumgarner threw a complete game shutout, on just four hits, while walking zero striking out eight, as the San Francisco Giants moved within one win of their third World Series in the past five years with a 5-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals in Game Five of the 2014 World Series before a sellout crowd of 43,087 at AT&T Park.
Brandon Crawford got the Giants on the board in the bottom of the second inning, as he grounded out to Omar Infante at second base to score Hunter Pence from third base after the right fielder led off the inning with a single off of Royals starter James Shields.
Crawford added a second run batted in, as he singled in Pablo Sandoval in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Sandoval led off the inning with a single of his own, then went to second on a base hit by Travis Ishikawa.
Bumgarner continued to mesmerize the Royals, as after allowing a leadoff single to Salvador Perez in the top of the second inning, Bumgarner struck out the side and proceeded to retire 10 in a row all together until Infante doubled with one out in the top of the fifth inning.
After the Infante double that brought the potential tying run to the plate in the prescience of Jarrod Dyson, but Bumgarner regrouped to strikeout both Dyson and Shields to end the threat.
Despite being on the losing end for the second time in the series, Shields pitched a great game, as he went six innings, allowing two runs on eight hits, while walking just one and striking out four.
The Royals threatened in the top of the seventh inning, as Eric Hosmer led off the inning with a single, but then Bumgarner was able to get Perez to fly out to newly inserted Juan Perez in left field, then Mike Moustakas flew out to Gregor Blanco for the second out and the inning came to a close when Infante grounded out to Sandoval at third base.
Juan Perez broke the wide open in the bottom of the eighth inning, as he doubled to centerfield to score Sandoval and Hunter Pence.
Perez advanced to third on a throwing error by Alcides Escobar and then scored the fifth and final run of the game on a single by Crawford.
Sandoval and Pence hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning.
Bumgarner is the first pitcher since Bret Saberhagen for the Royals in Game Seven of the 1985 World Series throw a shutout without allowing a walk.
He is the first pitcher in World Series history to throw a shutout, not walk a batter and at least eight strikeouts.
Billy Pierce was the last Giants pitcher to throw a complete game was Billy Pierce in Game Six of the 1962 World Series against the New York Yankees.
Jack Sanford was the last Giants pitcher to throw a shutout in the World Series and that was in Game Two of the same 1962 World Series.
Chivas finishes in 7th place in club finale
Chivas finishes in 7th place in club finale
By Pearl Allison Lo
CARSON– Felix Borja scored the game winner as Chivas USA shut out their conference rivals, the San Jose Earthquakes, 1-0, in the teams’ season finale, but perhaps club finale for Chivas, Sunday.
With both teams desperate for a win, the win clinched the season series for the Goats as they won with the lead before halftime for just the second time this season. It was a satisfying finish, especially if the team is to be sold.
San Jose finished with a club-record 15-game winless streak and just one win on the road as they ended the season in last place.
Chivas’ Erick Torres hit the far post a second time after defender Victor Bernardez lost him, and then eventually backed off so he wouldn’t foul Torres. Borja then cleaned up Torres’ rebound in the 33rd minute. Goalie Jon Busch was defending the near post, Busch visibly frustrated, among other, throughout the first half.
San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski had two opportunities, but neither showed on the stat sheet until he got the Quakes’ first shot and shot on goal during the 22nd minute.
In the 28th minute, Chivas’ Leandro Barrera, who was always around the net, got a free kick. Eric Avila’s shot went over the net.
The Goats had the majority of the opportunities, outshooting San Jose 9-3 in the first half. Torres had four shots and Borja had three shots. Chivas seemed like they had the majority of the possession but the Quakes did, though San Jose was only able to get one shot on goal.
Quakes’ Cordell Cato came in for Pablo Pintos in the second half.
The Quakes started with some early opportunities, Wondolowski with a header in the 48th minute and Yannick Djalo with a shot in the 49th minute.
Play mainly stayed on the offensive side for San Jose until the 62nd minute, where the Goats started to challenge.
Busch, who tied fellow goalkeeper Joe Cannon’s club record for single saves in a season during the first half, broke it during the second.
San Jose would have tied and maybe eventually have won the game, but a goal at the 68th minute was taken back due to a foul by Atiba Harris.
The Quakes led in opportunities in the second, with five shots to Chivas’ one. The Goats had more clearances than San Jose, 16-3.
Game notes: There wasn’t a red card this game, but the teams combined for 30 fouls. The supporter groups for Chivas, the Union Ultras and Black Army 1850 were on the field before the game, and stayed through the anthem as the teams joined them. There were no changes to the Earthquakes starting lineup this game. There were three changes for the Goats, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Eric Avila and Oswaldo Minda for Eriq Zavaleta, who suffered a hamstring injury last game, Marvin Chavez, who was suspended last game and Matthew Dunn. On October 23, San Jose announced their 2014 Club Award Winners: Shea Salinas for Humanitarian, of the Year, Busch for Defensive MVP and Wondolowski for Offensive MVP. The Quakes will start 2015 in their brand new stadium.
Cal builds confidence, prepares for Beavers
By George Devine, Sr.
A 59-41 loss can be devastating, but for Cal it could be a hopeful sign, given the fact that the loss was to sixth-ranked Oregon and could have been far worse. The Bears went up against what is arguably the toughest opponent in their conference and had to do it in the cavernous, spanking-new Levi’s stadium at Santa Clara instead of the friendly confines of Strawberry Canyon. They came out alive, still in the middle of the Pac-12 North at 4-4 and still a potential postseason bowl candidate.
Coach Sonny Dykes, enjoying a far better season than his first one in 2013, addressed the media with his comments on the youth of the team and the mistakes that came from inexperience. But he found hope in the performance of Vic Enwere, a freshman running back who had 57 yards on the ground, an average of just over ten yards each time, and who contributed grind-it-out TD against the Ducks. Another freshman, Luke Rubenzer, was good for 62 yards. Both will be counted on against Oregon State on November 1.
The Beavers, who lost to Stanford by a score of 38-14, are now 1-3 in conference play, looking up at the Bears in advance of the meeting set for Corvallis Their quarterback Sean Mannion has shown himself to be stoppable by a good defense, which Cal will need to mount. Everything that has been exhibited by the two teams so far indicates that it will be defense that wins this game, and which could put Cal within a win of a bowl bid.
