The Columbian

Nhl Report: Flyers Force Ot Late, Then Win in Shootout

Simon Gagne scored in a sudden-death shootout after Freddy Meyer tied it with 0.2 seconds left in regulation, leading the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-2 victory over the league-leading Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night in Philadelphia. Peter Forsberg scored to extend the shootout and R.J. Umberger had a goal in regulation for Philadelphia, which has won consecutive games in shootouts following a four-game losing streak.

Beavers Persevere to Eliminate Sun Devils

LOS ANGELES The Oregon State Beavers didn't panic when their leading scorer went out with a sprained right ankle early in the game. They're used to losing players. "We have been a banged-up team. In fact, we have 16 players on our team and we haven't had all 16 practices (together) once all year," Oregon State coach Jay John said Wednesday after the Beavers' gritty 71-68 victory over Arizona State in the Pacific-10 Conference tournament opener.

Ridgefield Boys Stumble Against King's; Connell

YAKIMA -- The Ridgefield boys basketball team didn't shy away from King's of Seattle in the first round of the Class 2A state tournament on Wednesday. With Troy Bleth asserting himself on offense, the Spudders put a scare into the Knights. But it was the Knights' defensive aggressiveness that made the difference as King's (21-3) prevailed 40-29 to advance to the state quarterfinals.

Prairie Girls Corral Victory; Sophomore Point Guard Shakes Off Injury to Lead Way

TACOMA -- Ashley Corral willed her body to play, then she willed the Prairie girls basketball team to victory. Corral scored 16 points Wednesday evening, and the Falcons used a 12-0 run to end the game for a 63-50 win over Jackson of Mill Creek in the opening round of the Class 4A state tournament at the Tacoma Dome.

Commentary: It Pains Point Guard More to Sit On Bench

TACOMA -- They have four senior starters. They have a wealth of experience. They have a pedigree that is unmatched in girls basketball in this state. And yet for all of their obvious strengths, Prairie's hopes in this week's Class 4A state tournament likely rest on the 16-year- old ankles of Ashley Corral.

Oregon Ends the First Bennett Era at Wsu

LOS ANGELES -- Chamberlain Oguchi scored all but five of his career-high 26 points in the first half, and Oregon beat Washington State 66-55 Wednesday night in the first round of the Pac-10 tournament. The game marked the end of WSU coach Dick Bennett's career. Bennett announced last week he would retire at the end of the season and turn the team over to his 36-year-old son, Tony.

College Notebook: Abandoning Football, Webb Gives Penguins Big Boost in the Field; Former Heritage Star Will Throw Weights for Clark

Already boasting depth and talent, the Clark College men's track and field team received a big surprise to further bolster its hopes this season. Mat Webb -- the former Heritage three-sport standout who signed to play football at Oregon before leaving the Ducks prior to the start of fall classes -- is now throwing the shot put, discus and hammer for the Penguins.

Corrections

Nfl Owners Give Ok to Union Deal

NFL owners chose the certainty of a salary cap over the prospect of life without one, and they're paying for it. The league agreed Wednesday to the union's proposal, including a revenue-sharing component that will cost owners nearly a billion dollars over the next six years.

Baseball Report: Moyer Sharper in Second Spring Start

Jamie Moyer's second spring training start went better than his first. Moyer allowed one hit and struck out four in three scoreless innings in a 4-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.

Wbc Roundup: Canada Stuns Team Usa, 8-6

Adam Stern hit .133 in 36 games for the Boston Red Sox in an injury-plagued 2005 season. Adam Loewen spent all of last year at Class A Frederick in the Baltimore organization. On a brisk Wednesday afternoon, they outshone Jeter, A-Rod and Team USA, leading Canada to an surprising 8-6 victory in the first round of the inaugural World Baseball Classic.

Free-Throw Woes Plague Blazers in Close Losses; Nba's Lowest- Scoring Offense has Been Lining Up to Hurt Itself

TUALATIN, Ore. -- Steve Blake understands if fans find the Portland Trail Blazers' free-throw shooting difficult to watch. "It's hard for me to watch, too," the Blazers' starting point guard admitted.

Gasol's Triple-Double Leads Rout of Supersonics

SEATTLE -- Pau Gasol wasn't about to lie. Memphis' All-Star forward knew exactly what he needed for the first triple-double of his career. Gasol got the assist he sought when Jake Tsakalidis flashed open along the baseline for a wide-open dunk with 2:32 left, leaving Gasol with a giant grin all the way down the court.

Lakers Spoil New Orleans' Homecoming

The Hornets' homecoming turned into another Kobe show. Kobe Bryant scored 18 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter as the Los Angeles Lakers beat New Orleans 113-107 Wednesday night in New Orleans, disappointing the standing room crowd that put aside its Hurricane Katrina problems for a night of cheering on its team. It was the first professional sporting event in New Orleans since the Aug. 29 storm destroyed much of the city, scattered residents across the United States and sent the Hornets...

Woodland Girls Grow Weary of First-Round Losses, Rally to Win; Beavers Will Meet No. 1 East Valley of Yakima Today

YAKIMA -- For three years running, Woodland's current seniors have emerged from the first round of the Class 2A girls state basketball tournament with a loss. Four in a row looked like a smart bet Wednesday, when early in the fourth quarter, Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls was beating the Beavers by nine points.

Comeback Defeats Prairie Boys; Falcons Squander Six-Point Lead in Final Two Minutes

TACOMA -- This loss will be difficult to handle for the Prairie Falcons. A nine-point lead in the fourth quarter, a six-point lead in the final two minutes, gone.

Ridgefield Girls Hang On for Victory; Spudders Score First 19 Points in Win Over Eatonville

YAKIMA -- Just hang in there, right? Sensible thinking for a team loaded with freshmen and sophomores playing in a first-round state baksetball tournament game, correct?

Final Shot by Ferris Sinks Evergreen; Running Shot with Four Seconds Left Beats Plainsmen

TACOMA -- No one to fault, no one to blame, just disappointment. That was Evergreen boys basketball team's reaction to losing its first-round game in the Class 4A state tournament Wednesday.

Hockinson Boys Not Perfect, but Get First Win at State; Hawks Use 21- 2 Run Early to Pull Away From Connell

YAKIMA -- An awe-inspiring show it wasn't. The 32-percent shooting was evidence of that. But the debut at the Class 2A boys basketball state tournament for the Hockinson Hawks went pretty much as expected Wednesday at the SunDome.