Johns Hopkins to host RPI in DIII football quarters
The Johns Hopkins football team will host Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the NCAA Division III quarterfinals Saturday at noon. The Blue Jays and Engineers will be meeting for the first time. Johns Hopkins (11-1) is making its second appearance in the NCAA quarterfinals and first since 2009. The Blue Jays advanced to the third round with a 58-27 victory at previously unbeaten and sixth-ranked Frostburg State on Saturday, tying the school record with their11th win of the season. RPI (10-1) secured a 21-13 win at previously unbeaten and third-ranked Brockport in the second round Saturday. RPI is also making its second appearance in the quarterfinals. The winner of the Johns Hopkins-RPI game will play the winner of AUTO RACING: World champion Lewis Hamilton coasted to victory from pole position at the year-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, equaling his personal best for a season with his 11th win of the campaign. Having already secured a fifth F1 title, the British Mercedes driver beat Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel at the Yas Marina circuit in United Arab Emirates to secure the 73rd win of his career.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Ohio State moved up to No. 6 in The Associated Press poll after trouncing rival Michigan. The Buckeyes jumped four spots and the Wolverines fell four to No. 8, but overall the rankings were relatively stable. Alabama, Clemson and Notre Dame are the top three for the sixth straight poll. Georgia moved up a spot to No. 4 and Oklahoma is fifth. ... Kliff Kingsbury was fired by Texas Tech after the former record-setting Red Raiders quarterback had a losing overall record (35-40) in his six seasons as their coach. ... North Carolina coach Larry Fedora is out after seven seasons, let go a day after an overtime loss to rival North Carolina State that dropped the Tar Heels to 2-9. ... Clay Helton will remain USC’s coach despite presiding over the Trojans’ first losing season since 2000, athletic director Lynn Swann announced. ... Illinois extended the contract of coach Lovie Smith for two years through 2023. ... Western Kentucky fired secondyear coach Mike Sanford after a 3-9 finish.
GOLF: Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry gave Belgium its first World Cup of Golf title, holding on for a three-stroke victory at Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia. Australia’s Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith and Mexico’s Abraham Ancer and Roberto Diaz tied for second. ... Aaron Rai won the Hong Kong Open in torrential rain for his first European Tour title, shooting a 1-under 69 for a one-shot victory over fellow Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick.
SKIING: Kjetil Jansrud of Norway won the opening World Cup super-G of the season in Lake Louise, Alberta, as he began his quest to capture a third straight title in the discipline. Jansrud darted down the course in 1:33.52 to eclipse Vincent Kriechmayr of Austria by a 0.14-second margin. ... Mikaela Shiffrin powered through the fog in Killington, Vt., to win her third straight World Cup slalom at the venue. She finished in a combined time of 1:43.25 to edge Petra Vlhova of Slovakia by 0.57 seconds.
SOCCER: The Copa Libertadores final between Argentine rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate was postponed again a day after Boca players were injured in an attack by River fans. South American soccer body CONMEBOLsaid the second leg of the final will be rescheduled but did not give a date or say whether the venue would change. ... Tim Melia made six saves and Sporting Kansas City survived Portland’s aggressive attack for a 0-0 draw in the opening leg of Major League Soccer’s Western Conference finals. Atlanta United beat the New York Red Bulls 3-0 in the first leg of the Eastern Conference finals earlier Sunday.
TENNIS: Marin Cilic sealed Croatia’s victory over defending champion France in the Davis Cup final in Lille, France, with a 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-3 win over Lucas Pouille, giving his team an unassailable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five series.