Axsom takes 57 medals in N.C.
The Southern Mississippi-Appalachian State game canceled due to Hurricane Florence won't be rescheduled. Appalachian State spokesman Bret Strelow said the Mountaineers' plan for now is to stay at 11 regular-season games instead of seeking a replacement 12th game.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL:
The bonus pool for the PGA Tour season doubles next year to $70 million in a revamped system that pays $15 million to the FedEx Cup champion. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said the changes are designed to make the FedEx Cup finale easier for fans to understand and avoid the potential of separate winners of the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup.
GOLF:
According to league sources, the 76ers hired Elton Brand to be their general manager. Brand, who has been GM and vice president of basketball operations for the 76ers' Gatorade League team, replaces Bryan Colangelo, who resigned in June. Chosen No. 1 overall in the 1999 draft by the Bulls, Brand played 17 seasons in the NBA . ... The Heat announced that G Dwyane Wade signed a one-year, $2.4 million deal to play his final NBA season in Miami. The team also reported that G Dion Waiters, who is recovering from left ankle surgery, will not be ready for the start of training camp next week. … Michael Jordan is donating $2 million to assist residents affected by Hurricane Florence. The Hornets owner contributed $1 million each to the American Red Cross and the Foundation For The Carolinas' Hurricane Florence Response Fund. … The Pelicans agreed to terms with G Jarrett Jack on a one-year, veteran-minimum contract. … Timberwolves C Justin Patton is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery for a broken right foot.
NBA:
F Sean Malone will miss up to six weeks after hurting his knee in the second period of the Sabres' 4-1 preseason win in Columbus on Monday. The Sabres are also minus F Conor Sheary, who was injured Friday in the first day of training camp and could miss the start of the regular season.
NHL:
Lionel Messi registered a record eighth Champions League hat trick in Barcelona's 3-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven. That moved him past longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who has seven Champions League hat tricks.
SOCCER:
U.S. Open runner-up Juan Martin del Potro has withdrawn from Team World at this weekend's Laver Cup in Chicago and been replaced by American Frances Tiafoe. … Mohamed Lahyani, the chair umpire who climbed out of his seat to talk to Nick Kyrgios during a U.S. Open match, was suspended for two tournaments by the ATP. … Fifth-seeded Sloane Stephens was eliminated from the first round of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, losing 6-4, 6-4 to Donna Vekic. The 2017 U.S. Open champion also lost to the unseeded Croatian in the first round at Wimbledon.
TENNIS:
The Axsom Martial Arts team began its 2018-19 season Sept. 8 with the sixth NC-Okinawa Ryukyukan Karate Tournament in Goldsboro, N.C. Axsom's troops, including several first-time tourney participants, collected 57 medals, including 29 golds.
In the Advanced Division, Ryan Sigsbee led Axsom with four golds. Austin Galeski, Jessica Sigsbee, Will Whitaker and Jaylen Nicholson also won golds, while Aemon Tucker and Stephen Reinstein were among the other medalists.
In the Novice Division, Amiyr Gordon, Georgian Metang won golds, while Hunter Bowen also medaled.
In the Beginner Division, Chris “Hercules” Gordon — Axsom's youngest competitor, in the age 4-6 category — was a triple gold medalist, as were Robin Banuski and Conner Strickland. Finley Sirieys, Marcellus Wiggins and Jalyn Wilks won gold, and Amari Cox took a pair of medals.
A more specific list of Axsom's medals is on Scoreboard on this page.
Tennis
In honor of the Col. William Shivar, the area tennis legend who died in July, the Peninsula Tennis Patrons Association has established the Shivar Cup for Oct. 5-7 at Huntington Park Tennis Center in Newport News.
The plan is for each team to include a man and a woman. In a format similar to the pro Hopman Cup, an annual January tournament in Australia, two singles matches and a mixed doubles match will comprise each team clash.
There will be one bracket for tandems with combined ratings of 8.0 and above on the National Tennis Rating Program's 7-point scale, and another draw for those 7.9 and below.
The cost is $60 per team, and proceeds will support the PTPA. For more information or to register, go to pentennis.org, the PTPA website . ...
Also coming up at Huntington Park, on Oct. 13, is Center vs. Center, an abbreviated version of a tournament that rose to high popularity in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Women's, men's and mixed doubles could be played on the 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5-plus levels there.
Swimming
Danika Katzer, Nick Talati, Jacqueline Tinneny and Kade Younger of the Coast Guard Blue Dolphins recently were selected as 2017-2018 Scholastic AllAmericans by USA Swimming.
In all, 1,622 high school swimmers were selected nationwide. There are two key requirements to earn All-American status. First, a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 is required. Second, the applicant must have recorded an individual time equal to a 2017 Winter Junior qualifying time during the period of Aug. 16, 2017, to Aug. 15, 2018.
It was Katzer's third time to be honored, while Talati and Younger were selected for the second time.
A number of other local swimmers earned their first Scholastic All-American honor. They included Tinneny, as well as Colby Hurt, Sofia Long, Flynn Crisci and Noah Fields of the 757 Swim team, Brieanna Romney of South Eastern Virginia Aquatics and Christopher Kostelni of the Williamsburg Aquatic Club.