CMYK
SPORTS
SECTION
timesleader.com
THE TIMES LEADER
B
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2011
P E N N S TAT E F O O T B A L L
McGloin, Bolden will start sharing snaps Paterno’s raising cane with doctors’ concerns
Fight for starting quarterback U P N E X T spot will drag into season No. 25 Penn State vs. Indiana State opener at least. By DEREK LEVARSE dlevarse@timesleader.com
Both quarterbacks lobbied against this decision. But for at least one week, they will have to learn to share. With their arms and their voices, Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden both campaigned to win the starting job this summer. But with the season-opener just three days away, Joe Paterno isn’t ready to pick one just yet. The Penn State coach said
Noon, Saturday Beaver Stadium, State College Big Ten Network
By DEREK LEVARSE dlevarse@timesleader.com
both Bolden and McGloin will play in Saturday’s opener against Indiana State. He would not, however, reveal which one would start the game, saying he doesn’t “think it makes any difference.” AP PHOTO “I’m not a guy that likes to play two quarterbacks. But I Penn State coach Joe Paterno addresses the media during his think we’ll play both of them,” weekly news conference Tuesday in State College. Penn State opens the season at home Saturday against Indiana State.
See SHARING, Page 4B
against Indiana State. On Tuesday, Paterno appeared at his weekly press conference walking gingerly with a cane and downgraded his chances of being on the field this weekend to “5050.” Take that action if you can get it. Paterno has been eager to prove his toughness this season – he had called out his players for
Not surprisingly, Joe Paterno and his doctors are having a bit of a disagreement. Paterno is now more than three weeks removed from a hospital stay after he injured his right arm and hip when receiver Devon Smith collided with him during a practice. The 84-year-old coach was adamant earlier this month that he would “absolutely” be on the sideline for Saturday’s opener See PATERNO, Page 4B
T RY BA TO U R N EY
Matthews hits history
IL BASEBALL
Canzler is named IL MVP Hazleton Area grad adds league award to his earlier All-Star Game MVP. Times Leader Staff Reports
DON CAREY/THE TIMES LEADER
Zach Ciavarella of Crestwood lines up his shot at Fox Hill Country Club during the Tom Tryba preseason tournament.
Senior rallies his way to a fourth straight tourney title By DAVE ROSENGRANT drosengrant@timesleader.com
EXETER – In his first high school tournament since winning a state title in 2010, Brandon Matthews took the best shots of his opponents and Fox Hill Country Club during the 10th annual Tryba Preseason Golf Tournament. The Pittston Area senior battled the course – which was in stellar shape after the weekend rain with the help of superintendant Ron Garrison – but the No. 8 hole was closed and 17B, which isn’t played too often, was
played to make up the 18 holes. Then Matthews dealt with Holy Redeemer sophomore Mariano Medico, who was playing with the standout and stuck with him on every hole before the Patriot took a stroke advantage after the 18th. After Matthews got past Medico, he had another Royal sophomore to worry about. Chase Makowski tied Matthews’ 1-under 69 through the first 18 and forced a playoff. It took two holes, but Matthews finally clinched his fourth straight title in the tournament
scoring four on No. 2, while Makowski settled for five. “Four in a row feels good. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my Agame today or by B-game,” Matthews said. “This one is very, very sentimental to me. I love this tournament. To go from three in a row to a record that cannot be beaten that’s special.” After Medico birdied No. 16, he tied Matthews for the lead at 3-under; but both struggled on No. 17 allowing Makowski to get into contention. Medico had an opportunity to bury Matthews on the 17th after
Matthews’ second shot sailed behind trees and his third shot sailed into a bunker. Matthews took a triple bogey 7 on the hole. Medico scored six, but his fifth shot cupped out otherwise, he would have taken a two-stroke lead with two holes to go. They both shot 3s on 17B and went to 18 with Medico up by one. That’s when Matthews birdied the par-4 18 and Medico bogeyed to give the Patriot the lead. “Since I was one down (after 17) I knew definitely I could easily come back because I knew I
could drive the green,” Matthews noted. “And there aren’t many players who could do that.” That’s exactly what Matthews did hitting a booming drive on 18 to help score birdie. He did the same thing on No. 2, the second playoff hole when he launched his drive about 30 yards in front of the green then ended the playoff. It was a similar strategy he used to win the state title when he blasted several long See TRYBA, Page 4B
U.S. OPEN
Djokovic shoulders the load in return By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer
NEW YORK — Didn’t take too long to see that Novak Djokovic’s right shoulder is feeling fine. Which was good, because he was on court for less than an hour Tuesday. He began his first-round match at the U.S. Open with a 121 mph service winner. Four points later, he closed that game AP PHOTO with a 120 mph ace. He whipped Novak Djokovic of Serbia serves to Conor Niland of Ireland during forehands exactly where he wanted them. He returned well, the first round of the U.S. Open in New York on Tuesday.
too. Playing his first match since Aug. 21, when he quit because of a sore and tired shoulder, the top-seeded Djokovic began setting aside any questions about his fitness for Flushing Meadows, building a 6-0, 5-1 lead before qualifier Conor Niland of Ireland stopped after 44 minutes. Niland had food poisoning. “Great opening performance,” Djokovic declared. “Today I didn’t feel any pain. I served well, and I played well, so I have
no concern.” He improved to 58-2 with nine titles in 2011, including at Wimbledon and the Australian Open, allowing the 24-year-old Serb to overtake Rafael Nadal — the defending U.S. Open champion who played his first-round match Tuesday night — atop the rankings. Djokovic is on his way to compiling one of the greatest seasons in tennis history, particularly if he can earn his first See OPEN, Page 6B
Hazleton Area graduate Russ Canzler was named the International League’s Most Valuable Player, league officials announced Tuesday. Canzler batted at a .312 average in a 125 games for the Durham Bulls. He totaled 18 home runs and 79 RBI for the Tampa Bay Rays’ Triple-A affiliate. With the honor, Canzler becomes only the second player to win Top Star honors at the Triple-A All Star Game and IL MVP in the same season. He accounted for all of the runs scored in the all-star game, blasting a threerun home run. He also received the nod for the International League All-Star team at third base, despite starting much of the second half in the outfield. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s Jorge Vazquez represented the designated hitter spot on the all-star team. His 31 home runs lead the league and is the new SWB franchise record, breaking Shelley Duncan’s club record of 30. A former 30th round draft pick with the Chicago Cubs, this season marks the first time Canzler played above the Double-A level. See CANZLER, Page 6B
Russ Canzler