MLS-DYNAMO-SOUNDERS
Sounders battle to 0-0 tie with Dynamo
SEATTLE (AP) — Stefan Frei made five saves, deflecting one shot off the right post, and the Seattle Sounders played to a 0-0 tie with the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday night.
The draw moved the Sounders (13-13-6, 45 points) closer to securing a spot in the MLS playoffs. The Dynamo (7-13-12, 33 points) already have been eliminated.
Houston nearly got on the board in the 30th minute on a shot by Will Bruin from the top of the penalty area. But Frei dove to his left, got a hand on the ball, and watched it bounce off of the right post.
Just nine minutes later, Frei went the other way to knock away a blast by Andrew Wenger.
Dynamo goalkeeper Joe Willis did his part in the other net. He stopped Seattle’s Erik Friberg twice just seconds apart in the 40th minute, and finished with seven saves.
Seattle played the final 26 minutes with 10 men after midfielder Osvaldo Alonso was sent off with a straight red card following a scuffle with Bruin. The Houston forward received a yellow card.
SEAHAWKS-IFEDI
After 1st start, Seattle’s Germain Ifedi hopes rust is gone
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Rookie Germain Ifedi was admittedly a little off when he finally made his regular-season debut on the Seattle Seahawks offensive line three weeks later than originally planned.
It wasn’t the speed of the game or the scheme of the opponent. It was simply being back on the field for a full game for the first time as a pro.
Ifedi’s return at right guard during Seattle’s Week 4 victory over the New York Jets finally put the Seahawks offensive line fully in place.
Ifedi missed the first three weeks of the regular season after suffering a sprained ankle in practice just days before the season opener against Miami. The injury led to significant changes on the offensive line with J’Marcus Webb — having not played guard all training camp — stepping into Ifedi’s spot for the first three weeks.
But the job was Ifedi’s from the start and the Seahawks hope his return in Week 4 is just the start of improved play along the entire offensive line.
FALCONS-OUT WEST
Falcons hope spending week on the road brings team closer
SEATTLE (AP) — Atlanta coach Dan Quinn views having the Falcons practice in the Pacific Northwest as an opportunity to maximize preparation for Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks and bring his team closer together.
Atlanta extended its winning streak to four with a 23-16 road victory over the Denver Broncos last week. Rather than return home between games, the Falcons are practicing this week at the University of Washington.
Quinn, who took the Atlanta job after being on Seattle’s staff as defensive coordinator for the Seahawks’ 2013 and 2014 Super Bowl seasons, says it should bring the Falcons closer together as a team.
Quinn says the makeup of the current team figured into the decision to practice in Seattle, saying a team must have the right mindset to “reset and go right to it.”
WASHINGTON-MEDIA DAY
All eyes on Markelle Fultz as Washington gets started
SEATTLE (AP) — Markelle Fultz walked into the room Wednesday and was immediately engulfed.
Of all the eventual NBA players Washington coach Lorenzo Romar has brought into his program over the past 15 years, none came in matching the talent or hype that Fultz brings as a freshman. Romar says he thinks Fultz could be the best.
Washington’s first regular-season game is still a month away, but the buzz surrounding Fultz — a 6-foot-4 guard — has been building for months. Whether it’s because of his performance as part of the U.S. national team at the under-18 FIBA Americas tournament in July in Chile or during Washington’s summer overseas tour of Australia and New Zealand, Fultz is the focal point for the Huskies as the season draws closer.
The Huskies lost their top three scorers from a year ago with the graduation of guard Andrew Andrews (20.9 points per game), and the early departures of first-round NBA picks Dejounte Murray (16.1) and Marquese Chriss (13.7). No returning player averaged more than Noah Dickerson’s 7.5 points per game.
PAC-12 TRADING PLACES
Former QBs making impact at other positions for Pac-12 teams
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — The change in position for Oregon State quarterback Seth Collins seemed inevitable at the end of last season, when he was used in several roles in the finale against Oregon.
The writing was on the wall: Utah State transfer Darell Garretson would be eligible to play this season, and it looked like that was where the Beavers were leaning at quarterback. Collins decided to leave Oregon State and go somewhere where he could play at quarterback — but he never actually left school. Instead, he became a receiver — joining several other prospective Pac-12 quarterbacks who have also traded positions.
The list includes Oregon’s Jeff Lockie and Taylor Alie. Lockie was the backup to quarterback Marcus Mariota and many figured he’d become the starter when the Heisman Trophy winner went to the NFL. But Oregon brought in graduate transfer Vernon Adams from Eastern Washington last season.
Adams’ finger injury prompted Oregon to look at both Lockie and Alie, but both struggled with consistency. All three QBs played in a loss at home to Washington State last season.
The Ducks brought in another graduate transfer in advance of this season, Dakota Prukop, and Lockie and Allie were moved to receiver in the spring.
Interestingly, freshman quarterback Justin Herbert, who started last weekend in Oregon’s 70-21 loss to Washington, credited Lockie and Alie for their guidance in the days leading up to his debut.
MICHIGAN STATE-SPARTY
New monument of Sparty comes to Michigan State University
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State University is getting a new bronze monument to the school’s Sparty mascot.
The statue at the MSU Union on the school’s East Lansing campus is perched on a bench with his muscular arms extended out. People will be able to sit next to Sparty and pose for photos. An unveiling of the about $150,000 project is Wednesday ahead of weekend homecoming events.
Oregon-based sculptor Alison Brown created a clay rendering used to cast the statue, which weighs about 1,500 pounds.
The MSU Senior Class Council for 2016 picked the Bronze Sparty Statue Fund as its senior class gift, an annual fundraiser for special campus projects.
Another statue known as “Sparty” is a popular campus photo spot. That statue is located outdoors, within view of Spartan Stadium.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
