12A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2016
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Gary Henley | Sports Reporter
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SPORTS
IN BRIEF
Football games
rescheduled
for tonight
The Daily Astorian
The storms over the past few
days caused all local high school
football games to be rescheduled
for tonight.
The games include Seaside’s
homecoming game against Tilla-
mook; Portland Christian at War-
renton; Neah-Kah-Nie at Knappa
and Ilwaco at Willapa Valley.
Game times are listed in
Scoreboard.
SCOREBOARD
PREP SCHEDULE
TODAY
Football — Tillamook at Seaside, 7
p.m.; Portland Christian at Warrenton, 6
p.m.; Neah-Kah-Nie at Knappa, 7 p.m.;
Ilwaco at Willapa Valley, 7 p.m.
Volleyball — Warrenton at Rainier, 7
p.m.
TUESDAY
Volleyball — Astoria at Scappoose, 7
p.m.; Seaside at Banks, 7 p.m.; Knappa
at Vernonia, 7 p.m.
Girls Soccer — Astoria at Tillamook,
7:30 p.m.; Seaside at Valley Catholic, 7
p.m.
Boys Soccer — Tillamook at Astoria,
7:30 p.m.; Valley Catholic at Seaside, 7
p.m.
Cross Country — Astoria at Valiant
Invitational, TBA
WEDNESDAY
Football — Oregon Deaf School at
Jewell, 7 p.m.
Cross Country — Seaside at Taft, 4
p.m.
THURSDAY
Girls Soccer — Banks at Astoria, 7:30
p.m.; Tillamook at Seaside, 7:30 p.m.
Boys Soccer — Seaside at Tillamook,
7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY
Football — Astoria at Scappoose, 7
p.m.; Banks at Seaside, 7 p.m.; Warren-
ton at Clatskanie, 7 p.m.; Knappa at Ver-
nonia, 7 p.m.; Ocosta at Ilwaco, 7 p.m.
Kershaw,
Dodgers
blank Cubs
NLCS tied at 1-1
By JAY COHEN
AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO — So much for
October closer. With his Dodgers
desperate for a win, Clayton Ker-
shaw delivered the best start of
his checkered playoff career.
The ace left-hander pitched
seven sparkling innings, Adrian
Gonzalez homered and Los
Angeles beat the Chicago Cubs
1-0 Sunday night to tie the NL
Championship Series at a game
apiece.
Kershaw retired his irst 14
batters and allowed just two hits
in irst outing since he pitched
three times in the NL Division
Series, including a two-out save
in Game 5 on Thursday night in
Washington. The three-time NL
Cy Young Award winner struck
out six and walked one while
throwing just 84 pitches in a brisk
outing that could help when he
returns later in the NLCS.
“It was one of those games
where one pitch could have
been the deciding factor,” Ker-
shaw said. “So, really just kind
of couldn’t look up for a minute
for air and just kind of kept going
through it and fortunate to get
through it tonight.”
Kenley Jansen then struck
out four in two perfect innings
for his third save of the playoffs.
The teams combined for just ive
hits for the lowest total in a play-
off game since the Cardinals and
Pirates had four in Game 4 of
their 2013 NL Division Series.
“I think that you couldn’t have
scripted it any better,” Dodg-
ers manager Dave Roberts said.
“And it was just another fun
ballgame.”
Roberts almost went to Jan-
sen with a runner on irst and two
out in the seventh, but Kershaw
argued successfully to stay in the
game. Javier Baez then hit a drive
to the warning track in deep cen-
ter, but Joc Pederson was there
for the catch.
Baez’s drive was one of a pre-
cious few hard-hit balls for the
Cubs. Kershaw was that good.
Browns’ Poyer suffers major injury
The Associated Press
The most frightening injury of the
day happened in Tennessee. Cleve-
land defensive back Jordan Poyer
went to the hospital with a lacerated
kidney following a vicious blind-
side hit in the second quarter of the
Browns’ 28-26 loss to the Titans.
The former Astoria High School
player was hurt chasing down Titans
returner Marc Mariani when Antonio
Andrews hit him, knocking Poyer to
the ground with 6:33 left in the sec-
ond quarter. Andrews was lagged
and penalized for unsportsmanlike
conduct on the blindside hit.
The hit left Poyer bent over on
the grass for a few minutes before he
was able to walk to the Browns side-
line. He was evaluated, then put on a
cart that took him to the locker room
before Poyer was transported to a
local hospital. He was evaluated at
the hospital for a concussion and an
abdomen injury, revealing the dam-
age to his kidney.
Asked about the hit, Browns
coach Hue Jackson called it just
football and doubted Andrews was
doing anything more than just trying
to block Poyer.
“Sometimes you aim at a spot and
hit some other things,” Jackson said.
AP Photo/Mark Zaleski
Cleveland safety Jordan Poyer walks off the field after being shaken up
on a play against Tennessee in the first half Sunday in Nashville, Tenn.
Seattle’s win over Atlanta
impressive for both teams
By TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer
SEATTLE — Matt Ryan dissected
the best defense in the NFL for 15
memorable minutes. Richard Sher-
man unloaded on his teammates with
an intense sideline tirade rarely seen
in public. And Russell Wilson led
another fourth-quarter comeback.
Eventful would be one way to
describe Seattle’s 26-24 win over
Atlanta on Sunday.
But it was also validating. At this
point of the season, the Falcons and
Seahawks are clearly among the
handful of contenders in the NFC.
Yes, both have laws that were dis-
played at times in Seattle’s win. Both
also showed they have the ability to
overcome them.
“I like where our team identity is
now, so badly that I want the identity
to happen right away,” Atlanta coach
Dan Quinn said. “It’s growing stron-
ger, that toughness, that resolve where
we can attack in all three phases. That
identity, I am pleased we are starting
to become.”
That sounds like something Seat-
tle coach Pete Carroll might say .
But the Seahawks’ identity has been
proven over time and was shown once
again against the Falcons. Wilson led
Seattle on a 70-yard touchdown drive
midway through the fourth quarter to
pull within 24-23. Then it was Rich-
ard Sherman and Earl Thomas team-
ing up to intercept a pass that slipped
through Julio Jones’ ingers and set up
Steven Hauschka’s 44-yard ield goal
that proved the game-winner.
The victory was Wilson’s 20th
fourth quarter or overtime comeback.
Seattle’s been down the path of being
in close games in the fourth quarter
against good teams and inding a way
to pull out a win beginning in Wil-
son’s rookie season. Sunday was the
second time in ive games this sea-
son Wilson led the Seahawks to a
go-ahead score in the inal 2 minutes.
That would seem to be the next
step for the Falcons to learn.
AP Photo/Stephen Brashear
Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25) and Earl Thomas (29)
break up a pass intended for Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (ob-
scured) in the second half Sunday. Seattle defeated Atlanta 26-24.
“We had a really nice irst half.
Then came back when we needed
to in the fourth quarter to get the
stops we needed to get it done, and
we made the one kick we needed
to make,” Seattle coach Pete Car-
roll said. “Very dificult game. Dan’s
team is playing like crazy. They were
hard to beat today.”
Here’s what else to know from
Seattle’s victory:
RIPPING RYAN: Ryan’s third
quarter was stunning. He was 13 of
17 for 220 yards and three TDs. Ryan
found Jones for a 36-yard score on the
irst drive of the second half; found
Mohamed Sanu on a 10-yard TD; and
later connected with Levine Toilolo
on a 46-yarder as the Falcons rallied
from a 14-point halftime deicit to
lead 24-17 going to the fourth quarter.
“They started making catches,
started making deep throws and they
made some good plays you have to
give them that. That’s a real good
team over there,” Seattle linebacker
Bobby Wagner said.
HERE’S JIMMY (AGAIN):
Jimmy Graham continues to show his
importance to Seattle’s offense.
Graham inished with six catches
for 89 yards, his third straight game
with six receptions. He nearly became
the irst player in team history to top
100 yards receiving in three straight
games, but fell just short.
It’s the irst time Graham has caught
ive or more passes in three straight
games since early in the 2014 season,
when he was still in New Orleans. And
he has discovered a rhythm with Wil-
son that hasn’t required the throws to
be forced.
“He just believes it. He puts that
back foot in the ground and just lets it
go,” Graham said. “It’s just going to get
better and better for the whole offense,
for all of us.”
RUNNING NOWHERE: While
Ryan had a big day throwing the ball,
Atlanta’s run game had no success.
Devonta Freeman and Tevin Cole-
man combined for 52 yards rushing
and averaged just 2.9 yards per carry.
Freeman had 40 yards on 12 carries,
but that included an 18-yard run.
Perhaps more important, Seat-
tle didn’t allow the duo to be part of
the passing game. Freeman had three
catches for 10 yards and Coleman one
reception for 7 yards. A week ago,
Coleman had four catches for 132
yards and a touchdown against Denver.
NO FLAG: Atlanta probably has
a right to be upset with the decision
not to lag Sherman for pass interfer-
ence on its inal offensive play. Replays
showed Sherman clearly pulling at
Jones’ arm on the deep throw before
the ball arrived. The Falcons sideline
screamed begging for a call, but no lag
ever appeared.
Sherman did not believe he got
away with one.
“No. I felt like we won the ball-
game,” he said.
Timbers playoff hopes still
alive with win over Rapids
By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer
Billy Gates/The Oregonian
Rapids’ Jared Watts climbs over Timbers’ Fanendo Adi for a ball during
Portland’s 1-0 win over Colorado in Portland on Sunday.
PORTLAND — Beat the White-
caps next Sunday in Vancouver, and the
Portland Timbers are in the playoffs.
The Timbers set up the win-and-in
scenario for the regular-season inale
with a 1-0 victory Sunday over the
Colorado Rapids. Fanendo Adi scored
on a penalty kick in the 35th minute.
“The reality is, it comes down to
one game for us now to extend our
season,” Timbers captain Jack Jews-
bury said. “It’s not the sixth game of
the season on the road where it’s hard
to see the end line. It’s do or die. “
It was the ifth straight win at home
for the defending MLS Cup champi-
ons and pulled them pulled even in
points with Sporting Kansas City for
the sixth and inal playoff spot in the
Western Conference. The Timbers
were a point back of ifth-place Seattle.
Colorado (15-6-12) dropped to
second in the conference standings
behind Dallas while vying for the
Supporters’ Shield for the team with
the best regular-season record.
The Timbers (12-13-8) have been
winless on the road this season, which
has hurt their playoff chances. But the
result Sunday keeps them in the play-
off race heading into the inal game
of the regular season next Sunday
against the Whitecaps in Vancouver.
“I don’t think anybody’s worried
about the road, even though, yeah,
maybe we should be,” Timbers coach
Caleb Porter said. “But I think in some
ways the group still has a lot of con-
idence going on the road. It’s more
frustration, like, ‘how did we not win
on the road?’ type of thing.”
The Timbers have lost starters
Liam Ridgewell and Diego Chara
for the match against the Whitecaps
because of yellow card accumulation.
Adi’s penalty kick was the result
of a foul in the box on Vytautas
Andriuskevicius. Three minutes later,
Andriuskevicius drew another pen-
alty but Rapids goalkeeper Tim How-
ard stopped the shot and Adi missed a
chance on the rebound.
Jewsbury, who is retiring follow-
ing the season, was captain for his
156th game with the Timbers, tied
for fourth on the team’s career list.
He was honored before his inal home
game, and the sellout crowd at Prov-
idence Park chanted “Captain Jack!”