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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 4, 2018)
10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018 CONTACT US FOLLOW US facebook.com/ DailyAstorianSports Gary Henley | Sports Reporter ghenley@dailyastorian.com Athletes of the Week JORDAN POYER Buffalo Bills TYLA LITTLE Warrenton Buffalobills.com The Daily Astorian he Astoria High graduate has had a great month in general for the Bills. T On Dec. 13, he was named Buffalo’s winner of the Ed Block Courage Award (voted by teammates as a role model of inspiration and courage, fol- he senior guard averaged 24 points per game in Warrenton’s appearance T in the Kiwanis Holiday Tournament in Lincoln City, Dec. 28-30. She had 31 in a first round win over Taft, in which she tied a Warrenton school record with lowing Poyer’s near career-ending injury last season). In a Dec. 24 loss at New England, he had six combined tackles and intercepted a Tom Brady pass and returned it for a touchdown. He began the new year with a game-sav- ing interception vs. Miami last Sunday, helping clinch a playoff spot for the Bills, their first since 1999. Poyer is the only player in the NFL with five or more interceptions and more than 90 combined tackles (95). Thursday morning, Poyer was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for December. seven 3-pointers. She scored 15 vs. Waldport on Day 2. She finished with 26 points in the championship win over Harrisburg. She was named tournament Most Valuable Player. Little is currently ninth on Warrenton’s all-time scoring list with 804 points, behind Ellen Snell (eighth, with 821 points) and Allison Mattila (seventh, 855). In copycat NFL, Seattle’s defensive scheme keeps spreading By MARK LONG Associated Press JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Seat- tle didn’t make the playoffs, but its defense essentially did. The scheme that carried the Sea- hawks to consecutive Super Bowls (2013-14) has become increasingly popular around the league. It helped Atlanta get to the big game last year and was the catalyst for Jacksonville’s stunning turnaround this season. It also got rave reviews down the stretch in Los Angeles and San Francisco. In a copycat league, this is the one being emulated right now. And for good reason. The Sea- hawks rode the scheme to six straight playoff berths between 2012 and 2016, and as more of Pete Carroll’s defen- sive assistants moved on to become coordinators and head coaches else- where, they brought it with them. Now, it spans coast to coast. “It really takes on the flavor of the coaches that are doing it, so they have their uniqueness,” Carroll said. “But AP Photo/Ted S. Warren Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, left, and Jacksonville Jag- uars head coach Gus Bradley talk in the rain before a September 2013 game in Seattle. there are a lot of similarities.” Similar results, too. The Jaguars ranked second in the NFL in yards and points allowed this season, relying on their defense to mask offensive deficiencies. The Chargers ranked third in scoring defense, allowing just two opponents to top 21 points in their final 11 games. The Falcons (eighth) and the inju- ry-riddled Seahawks (13th) weren’t far behind. The 49ers finished 25th at 23.9 points a game, but were consid- erably better over the final five weeks of the regular season. They allowed 19.9 points during a five-game win- ning streak that included victories against three playoff teams. Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, Atlanta defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel, San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn and Jack- sonville defensive coordinator Todd Wash all spent time in Seattle under Carroll. Bradley, Manuel, Saleh and Wash were on the same staff in 2012. For- mer Oakland defensive coordina- tor Ken Norton also was there and had the Raiders playing the Seat- tle scheme until he was fired in late November. “It’s good. It’s nice,” Carroll said. “I love that the guys are getting the opportunities and they are doing stuff.” PREP SPORTS SCHEDULE TODAY Girls basketball — Knappa at Neah- Kah-Nie, 6 p.m.; Ilwaco at NW Christian, 5:45 p.m. Boys basketball — Knappa at Neah- Kah-Nie, 7:45 p.m.; Ilwaco at NW Chris- tian, 7 p.m. THURSDAY Swimming — Astoria at Seaside, 4 p.m. Girls basketball — Columbia Adven- tist at Naselle, 5:30 p.m. Boys basketball — Columbia Adven- tist at Naselle, 7 p.m. GIRLS BASKETBALL Jewell 27, Falls City 15 Falls City 8 3 2 2—15 Jewell 8 0 7 12—27 FC (15): Emma Burgess 4, Houghtaling 3, Simmons 2, Potts 2, Lofte 2, Mack 2. JWL (27): Gabi Morales 14, Guillen 6, Norman 5, A.Wammack 2, N.Mo- rales, Olvera, Meier, Park, Kaczenski. BOYS BASKETBALL Catlin Gabel 60, Warrenton 43 Catlin Gabel 17 6 23 14—60 Warrenton 10 5 15 13—43 CG (60): Jett Sheng 14, Ubedei Mc- Gautha 14, Agapiev 12, Hoffman 9, Langlois 6, Girard 3, Zeller 2. WAR (43): Dalton Knight 18, Jack- son 8, Morrow 8, Little 5, Stephens 4, Fowler, Fischer. Falls City 51, Jewell 21 Falls City 18 11 15 7—51 Jewell 0 4 6 11—21 FC (21): Jason Lafayette 20, Bur- gess 7, J.R.Lafayette 7, Je.Labrado 6, Scheet 4, Curry 3, Simmons 2, Sick- les 2. JWL (51): Jacob Lilley 9, N.Kane 4, Berg 3, R.Kane 2, Stahly 2, Meehan 1, Lyon. Knappa boys pound Neah- Kah-Nie, 70-32 ROCKAWAY BEACH — Knappa had 11 players in the scor- ing column Wednesday night, as the Loggers cruised to a 70-32 win at Neah-Kah-Nie in a Northwest League boys basketball game. Dale Takalo topped the No. 3-ranked Loggers with 22 points, despite limited action in the second half. “Ty Vanderburg and Kanai Phillip did a nice job sparking us in the second half,” said Knappa coach Chris Spencer, whose team improved to 8-2 overall, 3-0 in league. “We had a lot of players log time off the bench.” Knappa’s next two games are against Faith Bible (0-3) Friday at Knappa, and at City Christian (0-4) Monday, before the Loggers travel to Columbia Christian next Thursday. Neah-Kah-Nie free throws beat Knappa girls SCOREBOARD Warrenton 51, Catlin Gabel 18 Catlin Gabel 6 2 7 3—18 Warrenton 11 20 10 10—51 CG (18): Sophia Spry 10, Sneed 3, McGautha 3, Alluri 2. WAR (51): Fernanda Alvarez 13, Lit- tle 12, Heyen 11, M.Blodgett 10, Dyer 3, Ramsey 2. SPORTS IN BRIEF AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen AP Photo/Ralph Freso Southern California quarterback Sam Darnold LA QBs Rosen, Darnold announce NFL draft entry just moments apart Associated Press Within 30 minutes of one another, UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen and Southern California quarterback Sam Darnold announced they will enter the NFL draft. The Los Angeles rivals have a chance to be the first two quarter- backs taken and possibly among the first few players off the board in April. Joining Rosen and Darnold in announcing NFL intentions Wednes- day was Oklahoma offensive tackle Orlando Brown, another possible top- 10 pick. Rosen’s decision was no surprise. He has started for UCLA since his freshman season, though injuries cost him most of his sophomore year and this season he did not play in the Bru- ins’ Cactus Bowl loss against Kansas State because he was being treated for a concussion. He passed for 9,301 yards with 59 touchdown passes and 26 intercep- tions in his college career, but UCLA never even so much as won a bowl game during his time there. He was close to fired UCLA coach Jim Mora. but Rosen said he discussed his deci- sion with new Bruins coach Chip Kelly. After playing for three offen- sive coordinators in three seasons at UCLA he decided to move one. In his statement, Rosen said attending UCLA was “the best decision of my life.” He also promises his mother that he’ll return to Westwood to fin- ish his degree. There was more uncertainty about Darnold . He was a third-year sopho- more this past season after sitting out as a redshirt as a freshman. Darnold took over as the Tro- jans’ starting quarterback four games into last season as a redshirt fresh- man. He won the Rose Bowl in his first season with a record 453-yard, five-touchdown performance against Penn State, and he led the Trojans to their first Pac-12 championship since 2008 this season. He passed for 7,229 yards with 57 touchdown passes and 22 interceptions in 27 games behind center for the Trojans. Brown is the son of the late for- mer NFL player Orlando Brown, who was nicknamed Zeus and played for the Baltimore Ravens. The younger Brown is 6-foot-8 and 345 pounds, and an All-American this season. Auburn cornerback Carlton Davis, linebacker Jeff Holland and tailback Kamryn Pettway announced they are skipping their senior seasons to enter the NFL draft. That comes a day after Tigers star tailback Kerryon Johnson declared his plans to turn pro. Also, Washington State defensive tackle Hercules Mata’afa, and Florida State tight end Ryan Izzo said they are passing up their final college sea- sons to enter the draft. ROCKAWAY BEACH — A late rally had Knappa within nine points in the third quarter, but Neah-Kah-Nie put the game away at the free throw line in the fourth period for a 56-37 win Wednesday over the Loggers in a Northwest League girls basketball game. The Pirates shot 37 free throws on the night, making 7-of-16 in the final quarter. Paris Vanderburg scored 16 points for Knappa, but Maddie Lambert countered with 22 points to lead the Pirates, who led 32-16 at halftime. Aiko Miller added six points and five steals for the Loggers, and Sophia Carlson finished with six points, six rebounds and four steals. Knappa hosts Faith Bible on Friday. — The Daily Astorian Seahawks sign former Jags K Myers to contract RENTON, Wash. — The search for a kicker in Seattle now includes former Jacksonville kicker Jason Myers after he signed a reserve/future contract with the Seahawks. The deal with Myers was com- pleted Wednesday. Seattle was able to sign Myers now because he was cut by Jacksonville earlier this year and was not with any other team at the conclusion of the reg- ular season. — Associated Press