HIGH SCHOOL WRAPUP

SOCCER
At the Second District Soccer Tournament at Draffenville last night, the Murray High girls were not about to let one of the best season's in school history come to an end. Shelby Crouch broke a 1-1 tie in the first half and Sydney Smith added an insurance goal in the second half as the Tigers held on for a 3-1 win over Graves County. Smith finished with two goals and Morgan Graham had five saves. Murray is now 16-3-2 as they move into the title game tonight against Marshall County at 5:30...In boys action, Graves County upset Marshall County 2-0, knocking the Marshals out of the district title game for the first time in two decades. The Eagles battle Murray High tonight at 7:30 in the boys championship game.

At the First District Soccer Tournament at Lone Oak, the Tilghman boys defeated St. Mary 6-0, and the Tilghman girls blanked Lone Oak 5-0. Both Tilghman teams battle Heath in championship games tonight.

VOLLEYBALL
Two districts will decide championships, joining Marshall County and Lone Oak as winners in next week's First Region Tournament.  In the First District at Carlisle County, Fulton City plays Carlisle County, and in the Third District at Ballard Memorial, Community Christian vs. Ballard Memorial, 7 p.m.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FRIDAY NIGHT
Marshall County at Daviess County
Graves County at Madisonville
Henderson County at Apollo
Paducah Tilghman at Allen County
Lone Oak at Reidland
Heath at Halls
Mayfield at Calloway County
Fulton County at Murray
Union County at Crittenden County
Webster County at Caldwell County
Trigg County at Christian County

EAGLE HOOPS TICKETS ON SALE
Season tickets for the 2008-2009 Graves County High School Eagle and Lady Eagle basketball seasons are now on sale for the 2007-2008 season ticketholders only.  Those who purchased seats last year may purchase their tickets through October 31 from 8 AM-3 PM in the high school office.  Tickets not purchased by then will go on sale to the general public beginning on November 3.  All season tickets provide admission for 13 regular season varsity home boys basketball games, 11 regular season varsity girls home basketball games, the ten games of the First Kentucky Shoot-Out on December 12-13, the hoops tip-off event on December 2, as well as all junior varsity and freshmen games.  Lower arena reserved chair seats may be purchased for $50.  Upper arena reserved chair seats are $35.  Reserved bleacher seats are $30.  Adult general admission tickets are $30.  GravesCounty students may purchase season tickets for $15.  Admission at the door for varsity games will be $5 for adults and $3 for students.  Junior Varsity/Freshmen game admission will be $3 for adults and $2 for students.  Century Club parking passes for varsity doubleheader and boys varsity events are available as well for $75.  The Lady Eagles open their season at home against Heath on December 1, and the Eagles open their season one night later at home against Caruthersville. Persons desiring more information may contact athletic director, R.B. Mays at 328-4884.

EAGLE WEBSITE LAUNCHED
Graves County High School’s athletics department is excited to announce that it has launched a new website to promote all of its 20 sports programs and over 400 athletes, as well as keep Eagle fans and alumni informed of the exciting things that are happening in Eagle sports. The new website is located at www.gravescountyeagles.net . The new website represents a partnership between Graves County High school and The Mayfield Messenger and sports editor, Kevin Weaks. Articles written and pictures taken for publication in The Messenger will also be made available to GCHS, and will be posted on the new website. The official athletics site is still in formation as coaches, staff, and aides develop ownership of their portions of the site. Still, in the short time the site has been in operation, it has received over 14,000 hits; and, the GCHS athletics department believes those numbers will skyrocket as others discover www.gravescountyeagles.net as their source for information about their team. The athletic department has also joined the Schedule Star network for managing its schedules, facilities, and transportation. As part of this partnership, fans may log on to www.highschoolsports.net, enter Graves County in the school location, and view schedules, announcements, and even find directions for upcoming contests. Fans may also upload their pictures of the contests, participate in forums, and eventually see game results as it becomes linked with the KHSAA. GCHS athletics encourages all of its fans to bookmark these pages and check daily to see the exciting things happening in Eagles athletics!
ALCS ON WNBS
The Rays will look to secure their place in the Fall Classic with a win over the defending champion Red Sox tonight in Boston. Tampa Bay leads the best-of-seven ALCS 3-1. Scott Kazmir will start for the Rays. The Red Sox will pitch Daisuke Matsuzaka. Airtime is 6:35 on 1340 WNBS, your home for the 2008 World Series

PREDS SEEING STARS
Fabian Brunnstrom notched a hat trick in his NHL debut as Dallas outlasted the Nashville Predators 6-4.

UTM VS TECH TONIGHT
It's an early start to the college football week tonight for UT Martin as they visit Tennessee Tech. The 3-1 Skyhawks are just a game in the loss collumn behind first place Tennessee State at 2-0...The Racers continue to prepare for pre-season OVC favorite Jacksonville State. Murray will be trying to make it three wins in a row, and only their second win ever against the Gamecocks, but in order to to that, head coach Matt Griffin says they have to play well and limit the effectiveness of LSU transfer QB Ryan Perriloux. Airtime Saturday is 3:30 for MSU at Jacksonville State on 1340 WNBS and Froggy 103.7

BROOKS CALLS HOGS SIMILAR TO CARDS
Kentucky football Coach Rich Brooks said at practice Wednesday that he has noticed a lot of similarities between BobbyPetrino's current Arkansas team and those he coached at Louisville that beat Kentucky four straight times. Brooks said Petrino still has the same efficient offensive philosophy. The Kentucky coach also said he has seen tremendous improvement in Arkansas' senior quarterback Casey Dick and the receiving corps since the beginning of the season. He said he expects to face off against an offense that will keep the Wildcat defense off balance and on their toes.

WILLIAMS UNDER THE KNIFE
Louisville senior forward Terrence Williams underwent knee surgery Wednesday and is expected to be out four to six weeks. The school announced that the surgery was successful. Dr. John Ellis performed the surgery to repair a medial meniscus tear in Williams' right knee. Williams was injured during a pickup game Tuesday.


CARDS ADD RELEIVER
The Cardinals left-handed relief situation is already shaping-up for next year.  The Birds claimed lefty-reliever Charlie Manning off waivers yesterday and added him to their 40-man roster.  The 29-year-old southpaw appeared in 57 games for the Nationals last year posting a 1-and-3 record and a 5.14 ERA.  First-baseman Josh Phelps was designated for assignment to make room for Manning on the roster.  The Cardinals finished last season with 31 blown saves.

JACK CLARK TO MANAGE SLIDERS
A former Cardinal will be named the manager of a college league team in central Illinois more than 20 years to the day of one of his career highlights.  Jack Clark is set to be named the Springfield Sliders manager in a Friday morning press conference.  The Sliders won the Central Illinois Collegiate League title with a 30-and-17 record this summer.  Clark’s major league career began in 1975 with the Giants.  He retired in 1993.  Clark played for the Cardinals between 1985 and 87 and won the 1985 NLCS with a two-out, three-run home run in the ninth inning  off Dodger reliever Tom NiedenfueR 23 years ago today.

NCAA REGIONAL TIX GONE AT MEMPHIS
The University of Memphis announced Wednesday that tickets for next spring's NCAA regional at FedExForum are sold out.  The FedExForum box office is maintaining a waiting list in case any further tickets become available.  The regional will feature two games on March 27th, with the regional title game on March 29th for a berth in the Final Four.  Teams playing in the Memphis regional will not be known until the weekend before the event, but it is certain the MemphisTigers will not play on their home court.  NCAA rules would force them to another regional if they advance to their fourth straight Sweet 16.

FULMER'S JOB IN TROUBLE?
At 2-and-4 overall, and 0-and-3 in SEC play this season, the Tennessee Vols are losing fan support.  Thousands of empty seats in Neyland Stadium greeted the players in non-conference home games against UAB and Northern Illinois, and the stadium started to empty at halftime during a 30-6 loss to Florida.  After being quoted as saying he feared some fans are becoming apathetic about the program, athletic director Mike Hamilton refused further comment Wednesday.  There is speculation that coach Phillip Fulmer's job is in jeopardy if things don't turn around.  The Vols host the Mississippi State Bulldogs Saturday evening.  Game time is 6 p.m.

DORSEY BACK HOME
Former Memphis Tigers standout Joey Dorsey returned to Memphis Wednesday night as a member of the NBA's Houston Rockets.  Dorsey started the Rockets  preseason game against the Grizzlies, and drew an ovation from the crowd when he was introduced.  Dorsey scored five points and pulled down eight rebounds in 16 minutes, as the Rockets beat the Grizzlies, 101-97.  Dorsey was drafted in the second round back in June, and signed a four year deal with the Rockets.  He helped lead last year's MemphisTigers to the NCAA title game.


NATIONAL SPORTS REPORT

=== MLB ===

It took 15 years, but the Phillies are back in the World Series and are now
poised to break Philadelphia's 25-year major sports championship drought.
Jimmy Rollins led off the game with a homer and Cole Hamels was in complete
control on the mound, as the Phillies shut down the Dodgers, 5-1, finishing
off Los Angeles in five games in the National League Championship Series. The
Phillies took advantage of three errors from shortstop Rafael Furcal in the
fifth inning to clinch their first NL pennant since 1993, the year they lost
to Toronto in the Fall Classic. Brad Lidge came on for the ninth and catcher
Carlos Ruiz caught Nomar Garciaparra's foul pop on the third base side for the
final out, as the Phillies mobbed the field in celebration. Philadelphia made
a dramatic comeback to win, 7-5, in Game 4 behind two-run homers in the eighth
inning from Shane Victorino and Matt Stairs. Two nights later, Hamels
(3-0) frustrated the Los Angeles bats in making his first-ever playoff road
start. The lefty allowed five hits, with three walks and had five
strikeouts over seven innings. Ryan Howard, who came into the game hitting
.185 in the 2008 postseason, had three hits, an RBI and scored once for
the Phillies, who captured their sixth NL pennant. There hasn't been a
title in the four major sports (NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA) in the City of Brotherly
Love since 1983 when the 76ers beat the Los Angeles Lakers for the
championship. Manny Ramriez's homer in the sixth, a post-season record 28th of
his career, accounted for LA's lone run. Dodgers manager Joe Torre yanked
Chad Billingsley (1-2) with two outs in the third inning and the bases loaded
after the righty gave up four hits, four walks and three runs. It also may
have been the end of Ramirez's time with the Dodgers. The 2004 World Series
MVP, who was acquired at the trade deadline from Boston, is due to be a free
agent this winter.

===

The Tampa Bay Rays or Boston Red Sox will stand in the way of the Phillies
accomplishing that goal. The surprising Rays hold a 3-1 lead in the AL
Championship Series, with Game 5 set for Thursday night in Boston. The winner
of that best-of-seven series will have home-field advantage for the World
Series, which starts next Wednesday. The Rays have won three straight in the
series, including the last two at Fenway by a combined score of 22-5.
Boston, however, is in familiar territory, having rallied from a 3-1
series deficit just last year in the ALCS against Cleveland. Tampa Bay
manager Joe Maddon has decided to change his starter for Game 5, as Scott
Kazmir will take the Fenway Park mound instead of James Shields. Shields was
the tough-luck loser in Game 1 against Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is still
scheduled to start for Boston. The Tampa Bay right-hander will instead pitch
a potential Game 6 on Saturday at Tropicana Field if the Rays are unable
to close out the series Thursday. Kazmir, who was knocked around for five
runs on six hits in a Game 2 no-decision, has fared better at Fenway Park.
The lefty is 4-4 with a 3.02 earned run average in 11 career outings in
Boston, while Shields is 0-3 with a 10.12 ERA in three starts.

===

Chicago White Sox outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. reportedly underwent arthroscopic
surgery on his left knee, a clear sign that the future Hall-of-Famer is no
closer to hanging up the spikes. Griffey's agent, Brian Goldberg, told a
Chicago newspaper that the procedure to repair a torn meniscus and cartilage
was performed Tuesday. Goldberg also revealed that the 38-year-old Griffey was
suffering from the injury prior to the White Sox acquiring the slugger from
the Reds at the trading deadline. Dr. Timothy Kremchek, the Reds' medical
director, performed the surgery. A typical recovery time for the procedure is
four-to-eight weeks. Goldberg added that Griffey's condition was to the point
that his knee needed to be drained three times during the season, including
once while with Chicago. The 1997 AL MVP and a 13-time All-Star, Griffey has
never appeared in a World Series in his 20 seasons in the majors and the White
Sox are closer than most after falling to the Cinderella-story Tampa Bay Rays
in the Division Series this season.


=== NFL ===

The Indianapolis Colts will reportedly be without running back Joseph Addai
for two-to-four weeks while he rests a slightly torn hamstring. The NFL
Network reported Wednesday that Addai, who was hurt in the first quarter of
Sunday's 31-3 rout of the Baltimore Ravens, will miss two-to-four weeks with
the injury. Colts head coach Tony Dungy did not go into detail in his
Wednesday press conference, just saying that he didn't expect Addai to play
this Sunday in Green Bay. Indianapolis also lost rookie running back Mike Hart
on Sunday to a knee injury that ended his season. The injuries forced Dominic
Rhodes to carry the workload on Sunday.

===

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who originally was expected to be
sidelined for a month with a broken pinkie finger on his throwing hand,
apparently wants to try and play Sunday at St. Louis. The Cowboys Web site
reports Romo, with the help of specially-made splints and wraps from the team,
threw before practice on Wednesday. Earlier in the week, future Hall of Fame
quarterback Brett Favre reportedly made a phone call to Romo to say that he
played through a fractured thumb and encouraged the Dallas QB to play through
the pain if he could. There's no word from the Cowboys if Romo's timetable for
his return has changed. He was hurt on the first play of overtime in Sunday's
30-24 setback at Arizona, as he was stripped of the football by Chike Okeafor
during a scramble. He was sacked three times and left the stadium after the
contest with his right hand heavily iced and wrapped. If Romo can't play, Brad
Johnson is expected to take over as the starter for this week's game against
St. Louis. The 40-year-old veteran last started an NFL game on December 17,
2006 with Minnesota. Dallas' third quarterback is currently Brooks Bollinger.
The Cowboys have lost two of their last three games and own a record of 4-2,
tied for second in the NFC East with the Washington Redskins.

===

New Orleans Saints star running back Reggie Bush missed practice on Wednesday
because of swelling in his knee. Saints head coach Sean Payton said he intends
to rest the USC product Thursday, but expects him to be ready on Sunday, when
New Orleans (3-3) visits the Carolina Panthers (4-2) in a pivotal NFC South
clash. Bush has rushed for a team-leading 239 yards and caught a team-best 41
passes for 361 yards with eight total touchdowns, including three on punt
returns. Wide receiver Marques Colston and tight end Jeremy Shockey both took
limited reps in Wednesday's practice. Colston hasn't played since suffering a
torn ligament in his left thumb in the season opener, while Shockey has been
recovering from sports hernia surgery.


=== COLLEGE FOOTBALL ===

The nation's longest winning streak is on the line again Thursday night as the
ninth-ranked BYU cougars take to the field in Fort Worth against the TCU
Horned Frogs in a Mountain West Conference showdown. BYU, which enters the
week as one of only 10 Football Bowl Subdivision programs still undefeated,
has strung together 16 wins in a row, following a 21-3 triumph over New Mexico
last Saturday in Provo. With the victory, the Cougars won their 16th straight
home conference game and have now won 18 consecutive MWC encounters regardless
of location. The 18 straight league wins, which began after the team bowed to
Utah in the 2005 MWC finale, represents the longest such streak for any team
in the nation at the moment.


=== NHL ===

The National Hockey League announced Wednesday that Toronto Maple Leafs
forward Ryan Hollweg has been suspended for three games without pay. The
penalty was automatic after Hollweg earned his fourth game misconduct within a
41-game span. Hollweg was dismissed on January 5 and February 3 last season as
a member of the New York Rangers, then tacked on two more misconducts in an
October 1 pre- season game, which earned him a two-game suspension and, after
serving the two-game suspension, an October 13 regular-season contest against
St. Louis.


=== NBA ===

Eddie Jones, who was acquired by the Indiana Pacers in last week's deal that
sent forward Shawne Williams to the Dallas Mavericks, is apparently thinking
retirement. Jones will not join the Pacers this season, instead working out a
deal for less money than he was supposed to make for the upcoming season. This
allows the team to clear salary cap room to sign another player to a veteran
minimum contract without exceeding the NBA luxury tax threshold. The veteran
swingman -- who will turn 37 years old on Monday -- has played in 14 NBA
seasons with the Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, Miami, Memphis Grizzlies and
Mavericks. In 954 games, the former first-round pick owns lifetime averages of
14.8 points, 2.9 assists and 4.0 rebounds.


=== GOLF ===

Five-time major champion Seve Ballesteros is reportedly stable after
undergoing brain surgery on Tuesday. The Spanish news agency, Efe, reported
Wednesday that Ballesteros had a 12-hour procedure on Tuesday at La Paz
Hospital in Spain. Ballesteros, a three-time winner of the British Open and
two-time Masters champion, collapsed at a Madrid airport last week. Further
tests diagnosed a tumor.

===

Jim Furyk sank an 8-foot putt for eagle on the first playoff hole to defeat
Padraig Harrington and capture the 26th annual PGA Grand Slam of Golf. This
event is reserved for the year's four major champions. Since Harrington won
two, the British Open and PGA Championship, and U.S. Open winner Tiger Woods
is on the mend, Furyk and Retief Goosen were invited to join the fray, along
with Masters champion Trevor Immelman.