Stanford’s Adebo to skip senior season for draft
Stanford cornerback Paulson Adebo announced his decision to opt out of the 2020 season in order to begin his preparation for the 2021 NFL draft.
“When I chose to come back last year, I was looking forward to coming back and taking the field for one more year repping the Stanford Cardinal,” Adebo wrote of his decision. “Unfortunately, 2020 has not gone according to plan. I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity that playing football and attending school at Stanford University has given me. I will be opting out of the 2020-2021 football season and declaring for the 2021 NFL draft.”
Over his final two seasons, Adebo played in 22 games with 21 starts. He had a nation-leading 38 passes defended and eight interceptions during that span and was named All-Pac-12 first team in each of those two seasons.
“Paulson has everything NFL scouts are looking for in a corner,” Stanford coach David Shaw said. “Most importantly he is mentally and physically tough, extremely competitive and has a high football IQ. He will make a significant impact early in his NFL career.”
APPALACHIAN STATE-LOUISIANA GAME POSTPONED >> Appalachian State postponed next week’s Sun Belt showdown against Louisiana on Thursday following positive COVID-19 tests at the school. The game scheduled for Wednesday in Boone, N.C., will be made up on Dec. 4 or 5.
Appalachian State officials said all active cases are recovering in isolation and others identified via contact tracing are in quarantine. An exact number of players or personnel involved was not provided.
French Open
KENIN STRUGGLES EARLY BEFORE SALVAGING SECOND-ROUND WIN >> American fourth seed Sofia Kenin ran into a spot of trouble before reaching the French Open third round with a 3- 6, 6-3, 6-2 victory against Romanian Anna Bogdan. Kenin, the best American hope in Paris along with last year’s semifinalist Amanda Anisimova after Serena Williams withdrew injured on Wednesday, was out of sorts in the opening set before finding her range.
The Australian Open champion struggled to handle Bogdan’s crosscourt backhands at first, but once she gained control of the rallies the tide turned completely.
“I knew I had to fight,” said Kenin. “I couldn’t find my rhythm at the beginning so I just kept fighting and it paid off.”
• Former French Open runner-up Sloane Stephens was knocked out 6- 4, 4-6, 6-2 by Spain’s Paula Badosa in the second round.
• Top seed Novak Djokovic barely broke sweat in reaching the third round with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, thrashing of Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis. Djokovic, bidding for his second French Open crown and 18th Grand Slam title, has dropped 10 games in two rounds so far.
Golf MUNOZ PICKS UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF IN MISSISSIPPI >>
Defending champion Sebastian Munoz found happy memories at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Munoz nearly holed a wedge on his opening hole as part of his fast start, ran in four straight birdies on the back nine and wound up with an 8-under 64 to share of the lead with Jimmy Walker, Kevin Chappell and Charley Hoffman at the Country Club of Jackson.
WESTWOOD MAKES 2 EAGLES, LEADS SCOTTISH OPEN >> Lee Westwood capitalized on his knowledge of the Renaissance Club to shoot a 9-under 62 that included two eagles, giving him a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Scottish Open in North Berwick. The 47-year- old former topranked player was bogey-free around a course he visited last month to prep ahead of the U.S. Open, and which he knows well having previously lived in nearby Edinburgh.
Alexander Bjork — who had five straight birdies in his back nine — and Joost Luiten shot 63 to share second place.
TWOTIED AFTER FIRST ROUNDOF SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC >> Lauren Stephenson holed out from the rough from 137 yards for eagle on the par- 4 14th and shot an 8-under 63 for a share of the Shoprite LPGA Classic lead with Mi Hyang Lee at Seaview’s Bay Course in Galloway, New Jersey.
Soccer
TEAM FORFEITS MATCH AFTER ANTIGAY SLUR >> San Diego Loyal forfeited a second- division soccer match in the United States in protest against an anti-gay slur apparently hurled at one of its players. The comment toward Collin Martin, who is openly gay, was said to be made near the end of the first half of Wednesday’s match against Phoenix Rising at Torero Stadium.
Martin’s teammates were seen rallying around him as they walked off the field at halftime. When they came back out for the second half, Loyal’s players and coaches took a knee and then walked off, thereby forfeiting the match. Loyal was winning 3-1 at the time.
The San Diego club is co- owned and coached by Landon Donovan.