Quakes pursuing ‘ top- notch player’

Yallop says team won’t panic after loss of Dawkins

By Elliott Almond

The Earthquakes are trying to find a replacement for English striker Simon Dawkins, whose move to Aston Villa last week has changed San Jose’s plans for the upcoming MLS season.

Coach Frank Yallop said Tuesday that the club is holding talks with other players whom he didn’t identify.

“We’re not going to panic,” he said. “It’s got to be a real top- notch player.”

Yallop acknowledged how difficult it will be to find someone as talented as Dawkins at the price they got him the past two seasons in loan deals with Tottenham Hotspur. The team paid the player about $ 50,000 last year, according to salary figures provided by the MLS Players Union.

San Jose made Tottenham “a great offer” with a “large amount of money,” but the English Premier League club rejected the deal, Yallop said. “There is not much we could do,” he added.

The team still might try to work out a deal with Dawkins during the transfer window in June when his contract with Tottenham ends. If Dawkins does well at Villa Park, however, his chances of returning to Major League Soccer would be slim.

Arena football

The SaberCats announced that tickets are on sale for their preseason game with the Chicago Rush on March 7 at 6 p. m. at the Stockton Arena.

All tickets are $ 5 and can be purchased through ticketmaster. com, by calling 1- 800- 745- 3000, or at the Stockton Arena box office ( from 10 a. m. to 6 p. m. Monday through Friday on nonevent days and, on days with events, from 10 a. m. until approximately one hour after the event begins).

The SaberCats open the 2013 season at the San Antonio Talons on March 23. The home opener is March 29 against the Orlando Predators at HP Pavilion at 7: 30 p. m.

Colleges

The No. 19 Stanford men’s tennis team lost 5- 2 to visiting TCU. Orlando Superlano’s 7- 6, 7- 5 win over Maciek Romanowicz at the No. 4 spot clinched the match for TCU. Trey Strobel and John Morrissey won singles matches for Stanford.

San Jose State seniors Marisa DeWames and Amy Kilby have been named the Western Athletic Conference swimmer and diver of the week, respectively. DeWames recorded two first- place finishes in a 199- 96 win over Fresno State. Kilby scored first- place dives in the 3meter and 1- meter events against Fresno State.