WSJM Morning Sports-09/14/2021

wsjm-2020-podcasts

NFL – Lions CB Okudah has season-ending Achilles tendon injury
Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah has a season-ending Achilles tendon injury. The team made the announcement Monday. Okudah was hurt in the fourth quarter Sunday as the San Francisco 49ers held on to win 41-33 against the Lions. Detroit drafted the Ohio State star with the No. 3 overall pick last year and injuries limited him to nine games as a rookie. Okudah appeared to make improvements during training camp, but he had a rough game in Week 1.

NFL – Lions have a long list of fixes before facing Packers
The problem facing Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell isn’t finding things to fix. It is deciding where to start. The Lions trailed the San Francisco 49ers 31-10 at halftime and 41-17 with two minutes left before a late charge brought them within 41-33. Campbell said watching the game film didn’t make the game look much better than it had seemed in real time.

NFL – National Football League – Week 1
Yesterday
Las Vegas Raiders 34, Baltimore Ravens 27 – OT

Raiders 34, Ravens 27 – OT – Raiders beat Ravens in OT
Derek Carr fired a 31-yard TD pass to Zay Jones in overtime to give the Las Vegas Raiders a 33-27 triumph over the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL season opener for both teams. Carr’s second TD pass of the game came after Carl Nassib’s strip sack of Lamar Jackson at the Ravens 27. The Raiders trailed 14-0 early, ending a 98-game, regular-season win streak for the Ravens when leading by at least 14 points dating to 2004.

NCAAFB – Michigan’s Harbaugh renames drill, inspired to beat Ohio St
Jim Harbaugh seems to have his best running game in seven seasons at Michigan, rotating two speedy and powerful backs behind an offensive line that has been opening huge holes. In a 31-10 win over Washington, Michigan had 56 rushing carries for 343 yards and chose to throw just 15 times for 44 yards. Harbaugh says No. 25 Michigan will likely lean on its ground attack again against Northern Illinois on Saturday at home.

NCAAFB – Kelly has solutions for No. 12 Irish against visiting Purdue
No. 12 Notre Dame is trying to firm things up before a visit from Purdue this weekend. Both teams are 2-0, but the Fighting Irish have looked shaky at times. Notre Dame escaped Florida State with a 41-38 overtime victory to open the season. It had to rally for a 32-29 win at home over Toledo. Coach Brian Kelly says his staff is working on limiting big plays. Purdue coach Jeff Brohm says his team will have its hands full.

NCAAFB – USC fires Clay Helton 2 games into 7th season in charge
Southern California has fired football coach Clay Helton two games into his seventh season in charge. Athletic director Mike Bohn made the move two days after an embarrassing 42-28 home loss to Stanford. Helton went 46-24 during his improbable tenure in charge of the longtime West Coast college football powerhouse. Helton twice took over as USC’s interim head coach before getting the job on a permanent basis late in the 2015 season. Helton’s Trojans won one Pac-12 title and one Rose Bowl, but otherwise struggled to live up to the sky-high expectations at USC. He was 19-14 since the 2017 season.

NCAAFB – Arkansas fined after fans rush field following win vs Texas
The Southeastern Conference has fined Arkansas $100,000 after Razorbacks fans rushed the field following the win over Texas. The fans violated the league’s access to competition area policy that was adopted in 2004. Arkansas beat its former Southwest Conference for before a crowd of 74.531 — the ninth-largest in school history. It was the Razorbacks’ first win over Texas in Fayetteville since 1981. It’s a second offense for Arkansas, which also was fined following a win over LSU in 2014.

NCAA – Big 12 coaches says swift expansion solidified league future
Big 12 coaches feel the league is solidified for the long haul after the conference’s swift action to expand. Kansas State coach Chris Klieman says the Big 12 got four really good programs with the additions of BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston. That quartet got invited to the league six weeks after Oklahoma and Texas accepted invitations to join the Southeastern Conference by 2025. Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy says the league hit a home run, keeping the Big 12 status and getting back to 12 teams from 10.

MLB – Major League Baseball
Yesterday
Cubs, Tigers, and White Sox were off

Today
Milwaukee Brewers at Detroit Tigers, 6:40 p.m.                  WSJM-FM 94.9/103.7 Cosy-FM 6:20
Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia Phillies, 7:05 p.m.
Los Angeles Angels at Chicago White Sox, 8:10 p.m.

WNBA – Women’s National Basketball Association
Tonight
Indiana Fever at Atlanta Dream, 7:00 p.m.

NHL – Preds’ arena latest in NHL to require test or vaccination
The NHL’s Nashville Predators’ home arena will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test at least through Nov. 15. That makes the Predators the 14th NHL team using similar requirements. The Bridgestone Arena policy announced Monday applies to all events being held inside the facility. The Country Music Association awards show is scheduled for Nov. 10. Arena officials will announce at the start of each month whether that policy remains in place or is altered. Children 12 and under will have to either mask up or provide a negative test result.

NHL – Blue Jackets drop assistant coach who won’t get vaccinated
The Columbus Blue Jackets say the team has replaced an assistant coach who declined to get a COVID-19 vaccination. Sylvain Lefebvre was replaced on coach Brad Larsen’s staff by Steve McCarthy. A team statement says, “Lefebvre has decided not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and thus will not be able to perform the duties required of him given current NHL protocols.” NHL coaches and other team staff who closely interact with players are required to be fully vaccinated. Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen says the team respects Lefebvre’s decision and wishes him well. His replacement, McCarthy, has been an assistant with the AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, for the past five seasons.

Golf – Zalatoris wins PGA Tour award as rookie of the year
Will Zalatoris is the PGA Tour rookie of the year. Zalatoris is the first player in 20 years to win the award without being a full PGA Tour member. His break came with a sixth-place finish at the U.S. Open, which became part of this season when the event was moved to September. Zalatoris’ performance there earned him special temporary membership.  His eight top-10 finishes included a runner-up at the Masters.

Tennis – Raducanu, Fernandez climb rankings
Emma Raducanu’s qualifier-to-champion run at the U.S. Open has vaulted her 127 spots in the WTA rankings to a career-high No. 23.  The 18-year-old from Britain began the year ranked 345th, rose to 179th in July by reaching Wimbledon’s fourth round in her Grand Slam debut and arrived at Flushing Meadows at 150th. Then Raducanu won all 20 sets she played across 10 victories in qualifying and the main draw of the Open.  U.S. Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez of Canada also made a big jump in Monday’s rankings, from 73rd to a career-best 28th.


MILB – Minor League Baseball – High-A Central
Last Night
No games last night

Tonight
West Michigan Whitecaps at Lansing Lugnuts, 7:05 p.m.
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at Great Lakes Loons, 7:05 p.m.
South Bend Cubs at Quad Cities River Bandits, 7:30 p.m.

NJCAA – Junior College Athletics
Tonight
Women’s Volleyball
Glen Oaks Community College at Lake Michigan College, 6:30 p.m.

MHSAA – High School Sports
Tonight
Boys Soccer
Michigan Lutheran 8, Lawrence 0
Howardsville Christian 2, Lake Michigan Catholic 0
Watervliet 10, Constantine 2
Hartford 6, Comstock 0
Vicksburg 6, Allegan 1
Dowagiac 3, Three Rivers 2
Edwardsburg 3, Otsego 1
Plainwell 8, Niles 0
Sturgis 2, Paw Paw 0
Fennville 2, Schoolcraft 0
Delton-Kellogg 8, Parchment 0
Kalamazoo Hackett 5, Saugatuck 1

Boys Tennis
Lakeshore 7, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 1
Edwardsburg 7, Buchanan 1
Kalamazoo Hackett 4, Berrien Springs 4 – TIE
Niles 4, Brandywine 4 – TIE

Girls Golf
SMAC West at Mattawan (Lake Cora)

  1. St. Joseph               189
  2. Portage Northern    193
  3. Mattawan               199
  4. Lakeshore               202
  5. Portage Central       208

Volleyball
Buchanan 3, Lakeshore 2
South Haven 3, Dowagiac 2 

Today
Boys Soccer
St. Joseph at Mattawan, 6:30 p.m.
Lakeshore at Battle Creek Central, 6:30 p.m.
Niles at South Haven, 6:30 p.m.
Portage Northern at Battle Creek Lakeview, 6:30 p.m.
Gull Lake at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 6:30 p.m.
Kalamazoo Central at Portage Central, 6:30 p.m.

Boys Tennis
St. Joseph at Sturgis, 4:30 p.m.

Volleyball
Decatur at Marcellus, 7:00 p.m.
Bangor at Cassopolis, 7:00 p.m.
Comstock at Hartford, 7:00 p.m.
Bloomingdale at Mendon, 7:00 p.m.
Galesburg-Augusta at Constantine, 6:30 p.m.
Schoolcraft at Delton-Kellogg, 6:30 p.m.
Fennville at Gobles, 6:30 p.m.
Lawton at Martin, 6:30 p.m.
Kalamazoo Christian at Parchment, 6:30 p.m.

Girls Swimming and Diving
Bridgman/Lakeshore at Battle Creek Central, 6:00 p.m.
South Haven at Otsego, 6:00 p.m.

MHSAA – HS Football Rankings
Division 1
1. Rockford (4)                                     (3-0)    48
2. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (1)  (3-0)    46
3. Clarkston                                          (3-0)    39
4. Detroit Cass Tech                              (2-1)    34
5. Belleville                                           (2-1)    27
6. Saline                                                (3-0)    26
7. Dearborn Fordson                              (3-0)    18
8. Rochester Adams                                (3-0)    16
9. Grand Blanc                                      (3-0)    9
10. Brownstown Woodhaven                   (3-0)    6
Others receiving 12 or more votes: None.

Division 2
1. Warren De La Salle (4)                       (3-0)    49
2. Livonia Churchill (1)                          (3-0)    46
3. Caledonia                                           (3-0)    31
4. Byron Center                                     (3-0)    28
5. South Lyon                                        (3-0)    25
(tie) North Farmington                           (3-0)    25
7. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central      (2-1)    18
8. Muskegon Mona Shores                       (2-1)    17
9. Temperance Bedford                            (3-0)    14
10. Traverse City Central                       (2-1)    11
Others receiving 12 or more votes: None.

Division 3
1. BirminghamBrother Rice                     (3-0)    40
(tie) Detroit King (4)                             (2-1)    40
3. DeWitt                                              (2-1)    39
4. River Rouge                                       (2-1)    34
5. Muskegon                                          (2-1)    33
6. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (1)                (3-0)    25
7. Mount Pleasant                                  (3-0)    22
8. Zeeland West                                     (1-1)    11
9. Allen Park                                         (3-0)    9
(tie) St. Joseph                                    (3-0)   9
Others receiving 12 or more votes: None.

Division 4
1. Chelsea (1)                                        (3-0)    45
2. Detroit Country Day (2)                     (3-0)    42
3. Edwardsburg (2)                            (3-0)   40
4. Hudsonville Unity Christian                (3-0)    36
5. Freeland                                            (3-0)    31
6. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep                     (3-0)    23
7. Spring Lake                                        (3-0)    17
8. Ortonville Brandon                            (3-0)    13
9. Milan                                                 (3-0)    12
10. Charlotte                                        (3-0)    8
Others receiving 12 or more votes: None.

Division 5
1. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (5)      (3-0)    50
2. Portland                                            (3-0)    43
3. Frankenmuth                                      (3-0)    38
4. Kingsley                                            (3-0)    35
5. Grand Rapids West Catholic                (3-0)    27
6. Kingsford                                          (3-0)    19
7. Marine City                                        (3-0)    15
8. Essexville Garber                               (3-0)    14
9. Gladwin                                             (3-0)    13
10. Belding                                            (3-0)    4
Others receiving 12 or more votes: None.

Division 6
1. Lansing Catholic (4)                          (3-0)    48
2. Constantine                                     (3-0)   43
3. Millington                                         (3-0)    31
4. Michigan Center                                 (3-0)    21
(tie) Jonesville                                       (3-0)    21
6. Montague (1)                                     (2-1)    18
7. Watervliet                                       (3-0)   14
(tie) Lake City                                        (3-0)    14
(tie) Menominee                                      (3-0)    14
10. Napoleon                                         (3-0)    12
Others receiving 12 or more votes: None.

Division 7
1. Jackson Lumen Christi (2)                   (3-0)    44
2. Traverse City St. Francis (2)              (3-0)    39
3. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central       (2-1)    35
4. Pewamo-Westphalia (1)                       (3-0)    32
5. Detroit Loyola                                   (2-1)    30
6. New Lothrop                                      (2-1)    18
7. Bad Axe                                             (3-0)    15
8. Reese                                                 (3-0)    12
(tie) Madison Heights Bishop Foley         (3-0)    12
10. Lawton                                          (3-0)   11
Others receiving 12 or more votes: None.

Division 8
1. Hudson (3)                                        (3-0)    43
2. Ottawa Lake Whiteford (1)                 (3-0)    42
3. Addison                                             (3-0)    38
4. Reading                                             (3-0)    32
5. Carson City-Crystal                           (3-0)    23
6. Ubly (1)                                            (3-0)    20
7. White Pigeon                                   (3-0)   18
(tie) Beal City                                        (2-1)    18
9. Clarkston Everest Catholic                 (2-1)    16
10. Sand Creek                                      (2-1)    14
Others receiving 12 or more votes: None.

8-Player
1. Powers North Central (5)                   (3-0)    69
2. Adrian Lenawee Christian (1)              (3-0)    64
3. Portland St Patrick (1)                      (3-0)    60
4. Morrice (1)                                       (3-0)    38
5. Suttons Bay                                       (3-0)    31
6. Mendon                                            (3-0)   28
7. Marion                                               (3-0)    27
8. Colon                                              (3-0)   20
(tie) Pickford                                         (3-0)    20
10. Crystal Falls Forest Park                 (3-0)    18
Others receiving 12 or more votes: Martin 15.