Page C2 — Sunday, December 29, 2013
SPORTS
SPORTS
www.journal-news.net • The Journal
Marshall poised for 2014
AROUND
Wizards bounce back to beat Pistons
WASHINGTON — John Wall had 20 points and 11 assists, Marcin Gortat added 16 points, and the Washington Wizards routed the Detroit Pistons 106-82 on Saturday night. Trevor Ariza and Bradley Beal each added 15 points for Washington, which snapped a three-game home losing streak and has won four of its last five overall. One night after their worst defeat of the season, a 22point loss at Minnesota, the Wizards never trailed, pulling away late in the first half en route to their biggest win. Greg Monroe scored 14 points and Brandon Jennings had 13 for Detroit, which has dropped four of five.
Broadcaster saves mate with Heimlich NEW YORK — ESPN’s Chris Fowler posted on his Twitter account that he needed broadcast partner Jesse Palmer to perform the Heimlich maneuver on him during halftime of the Pinstripe Bowl to avoid choking on a chicken sandwich. “Never before needed a Heimlich at halftime. (Or any time)!” Fowler posted Saturday. “thanks Jesse Palmer! He saved me from death by dry chicken sandwich. Really.” Fowler was doing play-by-play for the game at Yankee Stadium between Notre Dame and Rutgers. Palmer, the former Florida and New York Giants quarterback, was the analyst. Both live in New York, so the Pinstripe Bowl is home game for them. Fowler also posted: “Not bad to have quick thinking, ex-NFL player around when Heimlich needed. I’ll take bruised ribs to avoid choking!”
U.S. women’s hockey wins in shootout ST. PAUL, Minn. — Hilary Knight scored the lone shootout goal and the United States women’s hockey team beat Canada 3-2 on Saturday in a pre-Olympic exhibition game. Jessie Vetter stopped all three Canadian shootout attempts. Kelli Stack and Alex Carpenter scored for the United States in regulation, and Meghan Acosta-Marciano and Marie-Philip Poulin countered for Canada. Canada rallied to tie it in the third period. Acosta-Marciano scored off a faceoff midway through the period, and Poulin tied it 1:14 later on a power play. Stack scored in the first and Carpenter had a power-play goal with 8.3 seconds left in the second.
Dodgers’ Puig arrested for speeding
NAPLES, Fla.— The Florida Highway Patrol says that Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig has been arrested after officers clocked him driving 110 mph in a 70 mph zone. — Wire reports
AP photo
North Carolina's Ryan Switzer returns a punt for a touchdown past Cincinnati's John Lloyd (24) and Corey Mason (44) during the second half of the Belk Bowl.
Switzer helps NC boot Cincy CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. “I kind of got mad because when I was getting recruited I was told I going to start at punt return,” said Switzer, the state of West Virginia’s two-time Kennedy Award winner from George Washington. Rather than pout, the 5foot-10, 175-pound Switzer went about working even harder to earn the starting job. The 18-year-old not only did that, but capped a memorable season Saturday by returning a punt 86 yards for a touchdown to help North Carolina beat Cincinnati 39-17 for its first Belk Bowl title in four tries. It was Switzer’s fifth punt return for a TD this season, tying an NCAA record. T.J. Logan returned a kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown, Marquise Williams threw for 171 yards and a score and Romar Morris had two short TD runs as the Tar Heels (76) won a bowl game for the first time since 2010.
The victory also capped a huge turnaround for the Tar Heels, who started the season 1-5. “We’re standing here today because of our coaching staff and our senior leadership,” said Switzer, the game’s MVP. “Those two groups, they didn’t let us hang our heads. They didn’t let one person walk into the building who wasn’t willing to work. We knew we had the talent the ability to turn the season around. We had to have the heart to do it.” Said second-year coach Larry Fedora: “At 1-5, nobody thought we would be sitting here today. But these guys kept believing and got it done.” Cincinnati (9-4) was looking to become the bowl’s first back-to-back champion since Virginia did it 10 years ago, but Brendon Kay — the MVP last year — was limited to 181 yards passing and no touchdowns. The Tar Heels brought relentless pressure and had five sacks, including one for a safety. “They knew we were missing some starters on the offensive line, and they threw the kitchen sink at us,” Cincinnati coach Tommy Tuberville said. “They twisted, they did all kinds of things up front, and
our quarterback could never set his feet. He didn’t have a chance. ... We expected it, but there’s not a lot we could do about it.” Notre Dame 29, Rutgers 26 NEW YORK — Tommy Rees passed for 319 yards in his final college game, Kyle Brindza kicked five field goals and No. 25 Notre Dame muddled through a victory over Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl. The Fighting Irish (9-4) finished their follow-up season to last year’s run to the national championship game a long way from the BCS against a two-touchdown underdog trying to avoid a losing record. Notre Dame’s TJ Jones scored on an 8-yard run in the first quarter and Rutgers star Brandon Coleman answered with a 14-yard touchdown catch soon after. Tarean Folston’s 3-yard touchdown run with 3:38 in the fourth made it 26-16 and finally gave the Irish a comfortable lead. On the slick, cold turf at Yankee Stadium, the Pinstripe Bowl turned into a field-goal kicking contest. Brindza was 5 for 6. Kyle Federico made 3 of 3 for the Scarlet Knights (6-7). Rees went 27 of 47 passing.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Marshall accomplished everything it set out to do in the Military Bowl. With an uplifting 31-20 victory over Maryland on Friday, the Thundering Herd provided their seniors with a lasting memory and laid the groundwork for success in 2014. Marshall (10-4) doubled its win total of a year ago and reached double digits in victories for the first time since 2002. “It’s a great way to send the seniors out and it’s a great way to carry the momentum over to the offseason and into next year,” coach Doc Holliday said. The Thundering Herd will miss senior Gator Hoskins, who closed out his college career with six catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Hoskins scored 15 TDs this season, most in the NCAA among tight ends. Quarterback Rakeem Cato and wide receiver Tommy Shulerwill be back. That does not bode well for the rest of Conference USA. Cato went 28 for 44 for 337 yards and three touchdowns against Maryland, and Shuler caught nine passes for 68 yards and a score. For the season, Cato threw 39 TD passes and Shuler caught 106 passes for 1,165 yards. Cato was at his best when it mattered most. After Maryland (7-6) went ahead 20-17 early in the third quarter, Cato calmly directed a 63yard march that put Marshall ahead for good. “I told the guys that when we get back on the field following their drive, we have to capitalize,” he said. “I saw that they were able to keep us off the field from time to time, but in the end we just need to have the mindset to get on the field and score.”