A7
THE ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2019
SPORTS
Seahawks offensive line not a major concern
By TIM BOOTH
Associated Press
RENTON, Wash. — The list of concerns
for the Seattle Seahawks as their mandatory
team minicamp began Tuesday started with
wide receiver and went through to questions
about where the pass rush would come from.
There is also uncertainly about the tight end
position and how the secondary will shake out.
Noticeably missing from the list was Seat-
tle’s offensive line, which is a signifi cant turn-
around from previous years.
After several seasons during which the
offensive line was the primary concern for
the Seahawks going into training camp, it’s
now low on the list of worries for a team that
should be a contender in the NFC. Last year’s
success and the ability to bring back four of
fi ve starters made the line an afterthought.
Injuries could quickly change that, but the
Seahawks believe they could have one of the
better offensive lines in the league.
“No one is confused out there,” left tackle
Duane Brown said. “I think once we get the
pads on, the amount of physicality we’ll play
with will be demoralizing for defenses, so I’m
looking forward to it.”
A year ago, the Seahawks led the NFL in
rushing in large part because of its success up
front. The Seahawks averaged 160 yards per
game rushing, an increase of more than 58
yards per game on the ground from the previ-
ous season. And the Seahawks led the league
without getting major running contributions
from Russell Wilson.
The foursome of Brown, J.R. Sweezy, Jus-
AP Photo/Ted S. Warren
Seattle Seahawks center Joey Hunt hits a blocking sled.
tin Britt and Germain Ifedi started at least 15
games. Guard D.J. Fluker started only nine,
but may have been the most impactful of Seat-
tle’s linemen. Between the stability of having
the same starting group and the addition of
offensive line coach Mike Solari, Seattle was
able to make rapid improvement.
The Seahawks return four of those fi ve
with the only subtraction being Sweezy, who
signed in free agency with Arizona. But the
Seahawks countered by signing veteran Mike
Iupati and drafting Wake Forest guard Phil
Haynes, who has been getting signifi cant
time with the starting unit during offseason
workouts while Iupati has rested a minor foot
sprain.
Coach Pete Carroll said the way Seattle
improves its pass protection will determine
how well this group plays.
“We’ve got to come back and run the foot-
ball like we did and fi nd ways to be more
effective in short yardage situations. But it will
really come back to pass pro,” Carroll said.
“We want to give (Russell Wilson) a really
clean pocket back there so he can do his work.
That will come along as we get together and
the guys learn how to make their calls and fi t
together.”
Ifedi made arguably the biggest improve-
ment last year under Solari. But his future in
Seattle is uncertain after the Seahawks opted
not to exercise the fi fth-year option on his
rookie contract.
“I had no reaction. I’m not sure the fi fth-
year option is the best thing as far as a player
contract,” Ifedi said. “Reading into their not
picking it up, football is a business and they
made a business decision, and I can’t feel one
way or another about it.”
NOTES: Unlike a year ago when Earl
Thomas’ absence clouded the mandatory
minicamp, the only absence Tuesday was
an excused one as DT Al Woods was deal-
ing with a family issue. ... Carroll said the DE
Ezekiel Ansah is fully recovered from offsea-
son shoulder surgery and is now working on
strengthening the shoulder. Carroll said the
team will get a better sense of his timetable
when training camp begins but the team wants
to avoid rushing him back too soon. .. Rookies
RB Travis Homer (hamstring), SS Marquise
Blair (hamstring) and LB Ben Burr-Kirven
(sports hernia surgery) were all spectators but
should be ready by the start of training camp.
... Carroll had no update on the legal situation
of LB Mychal Kendricks but said the team
expects to have the linebacker available to
play this season. Kendricks has pleaded guilty
to federal insider trading charges.
Morgan has 5 goals as Gimre’s Summer Sale!
US routs Thailand 13-0
SAVE $
REIMS, France — Alex
Morgan tied a World Cup
record with fi ve goals as the
defending champion U.S.
national team opened the
Women’s World Cup with a
record-breaking 13-0 rout of
Thailand on Tuesday night.
Samantha Mewis and
Rose Lavelle each added a
pair of goals for the United
States, which broke the
record for goals and mar-
gin of victory in a World
Cup game. Lindsey Horan,
Megan Rapinoe, Mallory
Pugh and Carli Lloyd also
scored. The previous record
margin was Germany’s 11-0
victory over Argentina in
2007.
Morgan tied Michelle
Akers’ record for World
Cup goals, set in the quar-
terfi nals against Chinese
Taipei in 1991.
“We really just came into
the game really wanting to
showcase ourselves,” Mor-
gan said. “Every goal mat-
ters in this tournament and
that’s what we were work-
ing on.”
The two teams were the
last to kickoff in the group
stage for the monthlong
tournament. Hosts France
opened the World Cup
before a sellout crowd in
Paris on Friday night with
a 4-0 victory over South
Korea.
Ranked No. 1 in the
world, the Americans had
dropped only one match in
their previous 38, a loss to
France in Le Havre in Jan-
25
UP TO
By ANNE M. PETERSON
Associated Press
ON FOOTWEAR*
*Some styles excluded
20
%
OFF
ON SOCKS, INSOLES AND BAGS
Sale ends June 15, 2019
Astoria: 239 14th St. • 503-325-3972
CLATSOP
POWER
AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino
Alex Morgan, second right, celebrates after scoring her side’s
12th goal.
uary. The team is 7-1-2
overall this year, with six
straight wins going into the
World Cup.
The last time the Ameri-
cans played on the world’s
biggest stage, Lloyd had a
hat trick in the fi rst 16 min-
utes and the United States
beat Japan 5-2 in Canada for
the trophy.
The U.S. pounced early
against Thailand, too, on
Morgan’s header in the 13th
minute off Kelley O’Ha-
ra’s precisely placed cross.
Mewis, Lavelle and Horan
were all making their World
Cup debuts.
Thailand, ranked No. 34
in the world, was clearly
outmatched even though the
team has shown progress on
the world stage. Making its
World Cup debut in 2015
four years ago, Thailand fi n-
ished third in its group but
SEVENDAY FORECAST FOR ASTORIA
TODAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
earned its fi rst win, a 3-2
victory over Ivory Coast.
At the fi nal whistle,
Lloyd and Christian Press
were seen consoling the
Thailand goalkeeper. Mor-
gan put her arm around an
opponent, who was wip-
ing away tears on the pitch
moments after the fi nal
whistle.
The World Cup comes at
a time that female players
across the globe are seek-
ing better treatment and
pay. The U.S. national team
has long championed equal
rights, and players collec-
tively fi led a lawsuit earlier
this year that alleges dis-
crimination by the U.S. Soc-
cer Federation and are seek-
ing pay equitable with that
of the men’s national team.
The players say the law-
suit is on hold while they’re
in France.
SUNDAY
MONDAY
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TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
REGIONAL FORECAST
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
Seattle
64 52
Cooler
62 52
63 53
65 54
63 53
62 51
Low clouds may
Partly sunny Clouds and sun
Mostly cloudy
break
Cloudy
66 52
Partly sunny
Aberdeen
Olympia
65/53
79/56
Wenatchee
Tacoma
Moses
Lake
79/51
ALMANAC
UNDER THE SKY
TODAY'S TIDES
Astoria through Tuesday
Tonight’s Sky: Barnard’s Star,
the second-closest star system
to Earth, is in the constellation
Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer.
Astoria / Port Docks
Temperatures
High/low ................................ 86/52
Normal high/low .................. 63/50
Record high .................. 92 in 1940
Record low .................... 40 in 1988
Precipitation
Tuesday ................................... 0.00”
Month to date ........................ 0.42”
Normal month to date ......... 1.12”
Year to date .......................... 22.43”
Normal year to date ........... 34.48”
Forecasts and graphics provided by
AccuWeather, Inc. ©2019
Source: Jim Todd, OMSI
Sunrise today .................. 5:24 a.m.
Sunset tonight ............... 9:08 p.m.
Moonrise today ............. 5:16 p.m.
Moonset today ............... 3:28 a.m.
Last
New
11:09 a.m. 6.4 5:13 a.m.
11:11 p.m. 8.6 5:01 p.m.
Cape Disappointment
10:56 a.m. 5.9 4:34 a.m.
10:50 p.m. 8.3 4:14 p.m.
First
11:03 a.m. 6.7 4:49 a.m.
11:01 p.m. 8.9 4:36 p.m.
Warrenton
11:04 a.m. 6.8 4:57 a.m.
11:06 p.m. 9.1 4:45 p.m.
Knappa
11:46 a.m. 6.7 6:14 a.m.
11:48 p.m. 8.9 6:02 p.m.
Depoe Bay
June 17 June 25 July 2
July 9
10:11 a.m. 6.0 4:03 a.m.
10:03 p.m. 8.6 3:41 p.m.
0.3
1.4
0.2
1.5
0.3
1.6
0.4
1.5
0.2
1.2
0.1
1.6
City
Atlanta
Boston
Chicago
Dallas
Denver
Honolulu
Houston
Los Angeles
Miami
New York City
Phoenix
San Francisco
Wash., DC
Today
Hi/Lo/W
Fri.
Hi/Lo/W
80/59/s
66/60/r
67/54/pc
85/68/s
82/57/t
90/74/s
92/69/s
77/61/pc
90/76/t
66/59/r
110/81/s
70/55/pc
77/59/t
79/62/s
74/59/pc
76/62/pc
89/75/s
82/53/t
89/75/s
93/77/pc
74/62/pc
88/79/t
72/60/pc
104/79/s
69/54/pc
77/59/s
Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy,
c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms,
r-rain, sf-snow fl urries, sn-snow, i-ice.
93/63
Hermiston
The Dalles 99/63
Enterprise
Pendleton 83/48
93/60
90/59
La Grande
87/53
87/53
NATIONAL CITIES
High (ft.) Time Low (ft.)
Hammond
SUN AND MOON
Full
Time
86/59
Kennewick Walla Walla
94/63 Lewiston
99/61
76/53
Salem
Pullman
96/55
Longview
64/52 Portland
84/56
89/60
Yakima 97/59
79/51
Astoria
Spokane
93/62
Corvallis
85/51
Albany
86/51
John Day
Eugene
Bend
87/51
88/49
86/56
Ontario
90/60
Caldwell
Burns
82/47
87/59
Medford
95/59
Klamath Falls
86/47
City
Baker City
Brookings
Ilwaco
Newberg
Newport
Today
Hi/Lo/W
85/49/pc
69/52/s
62/53/pc
85/52/s
61/49/s
Fri.
Hi/Lo/W
84/46/s
70/55/s
60/54/c
76/49/s
60/48/s
City
North Bend
Roseburg
Seaside
Springfi eld
Vancouver
Today
Hi/Lo/W
64/51/pc
89/56/s
65/52/pc
87/51/s
83/54/s
Fri.
Hi/Lo/W
63/51/s
85/55/s
62/53/pc
80/50/s
74/52/s