Sports shorts
Soccer FCCA matches set
The annual Fayette County Coaches Association Boys and Girls Soccer Invitational will be held Saturday with matches at Laurel Highlands and Uniontown stadiums.
The boys matches begin at LH with Brownsville-Geibel Catholic at 9 a.m. The rest of the day’s lineup includes: Laurel Highlands-Connellsville, 10:45 a.m.; Brownsville-Albert Gallatin, 12:30 p.m.; Geibel Catholic-Uniontown, 2:15 p.m.; Connellsville-Albert Gallatin, 4 p.m.; Uniontown-Laurel Highlands, 5:45 p.m.
The girls matches open at Uniontown with Geibel Catholic-Albert Gallatin at 9 a.m. The remaining matches include: Uniontown-Connellsville, 10:45 p.m.; Laurel Highlands-Canon-McMillan, 12:30 p.m.; Geibel Catholic-Connellsville, 2:15 p.m.; Canon-McMillan-Albert Gallatin, 4 p.m.; Laurel Highlands-Uniontown, 5:45 p.m.
Volleyball
FCCA tournament
The annual Fayette County Coaches Association Volleyball Tournament will be held Saturday at Laurel Highlands Senior High School gymnasium. Coaches meeting will be at 8:15 a.m. with pool play beginning at 9 a.m.
Auto racing
Bud Shootout change
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) – The Budweiser Shootout at Daytona will have a new format that places the emphasis on the four manufacturers in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup series.
The 31st annual season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 7 will have a field of 24 cars representing the top six teams from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and Toyota. It will be based on the 2008 final car owner points.
Under the new format announced Tuesday, the race distance will be increased from 70 laps to 75 (187 miles) on the 2.5-mile Daytona trioval. The race will consist of segments of 25 and 50 laps, with both green- and yellow-flag laps counting toward the total.
There will be a 10-minute intermission between segments. Teams can pit or go to the garage and may elect to change tires, add fuel and make normal chassis adjustments. Changing of springs, shock absorbers or rear-ends will not be permitted.
Starting positions will be determined by a blind draw, held Feb. 5 at the speedway.
Sorenson leaving Ganassi
STATESVILLE, N.C. (AP) – Reed Sorenson has signed a multiyear contract to join Gillett Evernham Motorsports, beginning in 2009.
The 22-year-old driver will finish the season with Chip Ganassi Racing, where he began his NASCAR career at 18.
Baseball
Replay starts Thursday
NEW YORK (AP) – Major League Baseball has reversed its long-standing opposition to instant replay and will allow umpires to check video on home run calls in series that start Thursday, a person familiar with the announcement told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was authorized before 5 p.m. Tuesday EDT.
The start date comes nearly 10 months after general managers voted 25-5 to use the technology, and following MLB agreements with the unions for umpires and for players.
Boxing
Ali’s ex-manager dies
CHICAGO (AP) – A longtime manager of boxer Muhammad Ali and son of the late Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad has died following heart surgery.
Jabir Herbert Muhammad was 79. His oldest son, Elijah Muhammad III, said he died Monday at University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago.
He managed Ali’s boxing career from 1966 until 1981 and managed his post-fighting career for another 10 years. He went on to a career in business.
He was an adviser to Elijah Muhammad until his death in 1975. He also served as the Nation of Islam’s chief business manager and established the Nation’s weekly newspaper.
Basketball
Kevin Duckworth dies
LINCOLN CITY, Ore. (AP) – Former Portland Trail Blazers center Kevin Duckworth died while on a trip to the Oregon Coast to host a free basketball clinic. He was 44.
The 7-foot Duckworth averaged 11.8 points and 5.8 rebounds over 11 seasons in the NBA.
Copyright Associated Press 2008