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SPORTS East Oregonian Page 2B Thursday, March 8, 2018 NFL Seattle trades Michael Bennett to Philadelphia Seahawks get receiver, fifth-round pick in return Michael Bennett file • Age: 32 • Ninth NFL season (4 with Tampa Bay, 5 with Seattle) • 2018 cap hit: $6.65 million By ROB MAADDI Associated Press The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles bolstered their formidable pass rush with another top-level defensive lineman. The Eagles acquired three- time Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Bennett from the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday, three people familiar with the trade told The Associated Press. The deal won’t be officially announced until the NFL’s league year opens next Wednesday. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to release the trade information. Seattle gets wide receiver Marcus Johnson and a fifth-round Career with Seattle • 62 games • 39.0 sacks • 131 tackles • 11 fumbles • 1 Super Bowl ring AP Photo/Ben Margot In this Oct. 22, 2015, file photo, Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett (72) reacts after sacking San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in Santa Clara, Calif. pick, while Philadelphia also receives a seventh-round pick. Bennett had 8 ½ sacks last season and 54 in his nine-year career. The 32-year-old Bennett has three years remaining on his contract, with a base salary of just $1.65 million in 2018. That number jumps to $6 million in 2019 and $7.5 million in 2020. The Eagles will have to make roster moves to accommodate Bennett because they already are over the salary cap. Defensive end Vinny Curry is a likely candidate to be traded or released. Curry started 19 games this season, including playoffs, had three sacks and has three years left on a five-year, $47 million deal. Bennett joins a deep front unit that includes Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, Chris Long and Tim Jernigan. He probably won’t face double- teaming as much and could thrive in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s aggressive system. The outspoken Bennett has been heavily involved in social activism and fits in nicely in Phil- adelphia’s locker room with Long and safety Malcolm Jenkins, who are leaders in those areas. Seattle could be moving on from another defensive star. Cornerback Richard Sherman also is reportedly on the trading block. Johnson, a second-year player, has five catches for 45 yards in 10 career games. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2016 by the Eagles out of the University of Texas. Pro Soccer Six new MLS coaches mark new season, new expectations By ANNE M. PETERSON AP Sports Writer Los Angeles FC coach Bob Bradley’s victory over Seattle in the team’s Major League Soccer debut was the second time he’d guided an expansion franchise to victory in its opener. The first was 20 years ago, when he was coach of the Chicago Fire. Bradley, while not new to MLS overall, is among a group of six coaches embarking on their first season with new teams. Last season was historic for its turnover. Jay Heaps was let go by New England in September. It followed the dismissals of Pablo Mastroeni from Colo- rado, and Dominic Kinnear from San Jose. Curt Onalfo from the Galaxy and Jeff Cassar from Real Salt Lake were replaced during the season. In the offseason, the Timbers abruptly parted ways with Caleb Porter. The Montreal Impact let go of Mauro Biello. A primer on the league’s new coaches, and how they fared after opening weekend: BOB BRADLEY, LAFC: Bradley, a former coach of the U.S. men’s national team, is easily the most high profile of the newcomers. Bradley coached the national team from 2006-11, winning a CONCACAF Gold Cup title in 2007 and three years later became the first American coach in 80 years whose team won a World Cup. After leaving the U.S. team, Bradley coached Egypt, falling just short of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, then led clubs in Norway Stabaek and France’s Le Havre before landing with Swansea in 2016. He was the first American coach of a Premier League team, although his tenure lasted just 11 games. Bradley also has MLS experience, leading the expansion Fire to the MLS Cup championship in 1998. He also coached the Metro- Stars and Chivas USA, the defunct Los Angeles team. LAFC opened the season with a 1-0 victory over the Sounders in Seattle. Diego Rossi scored early and Brad- ley’s club hung on for the win. REMI GARDE, MONTREAL IMPACT: Garde was hired as the Impact’s coach and first team director of player personnel in November. The team dismissed Mauro Biello after Montreal finished ninth among the 11 teams in the Eastern Conference at 11-17-6. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File Los Angeles head coach Bob Bradley walks on the pitch before Sunday’s MLS match against the Seattle Sounders in Seattle. Six coaches begin their first full MLS season with a new team, a league record. Most notable is Bradley, who won his debut with LAFC. Garde coached Lyon from 2011-12 through 2013-14, winning the French Cup in his first season. He was hired by last-place Aston Villa in November 2015 and left the following March with the club still last and headed to relegation. Garde was a midfielder and defender for Lyon (1987- 93), Strasbourg (1993-96) and Arsenal (1996-99). He lost his opener against Canadian rival Vancouver 2-1 at BC Place last weekend. BRAD FRIEDEL, REVOLUTION: The former U.S. national team goalkeeper was hired as coach of the New England Revolution in November, replacing Heaps. Friedel made 82 appear- ances for the United States over 13 years and was on the national team’s roster for three World Cups, starting for the American team that advanced to the quarterfinals in 2002. His club career was high- lighted by 17 Premier League seasons, including stints with the Blackburn, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Tottenham. Friedel most recently served as head coach of the U.S. under-19 national team and was a Fox analyst. The Revolution lost its opener 2-1 to the Philadelphia Union.w ANTHONY HUDSON, COLORADO RAPIDS: Hudson was hired by the Rapids in late November after three seasons coaching New Zealand’s national team. A Seattle native, Hudson was 9-11-7 as the national team coach. He also led New Zealand to an appearance in the Confederations Cup last summer, becoming the youngest coach to lead a team in the tournament. Colorado finished 9-19-6 last season, second-to-last in the Western Conference. The Rapids parted ways with Mastroeni in August and assistant Steve Cooke served as interim coach. Hudson makes his MLS coaching debut with the Rapids on Saturday against the Revolution. GIOVANNI SAVARESE, PORTLAND TIMBERS: Savarese replaces Porter, who posted a 68-50-52 record and won the MLS Cup champi- onship in 2015. The Timbers finished atop the Western Conference last season. Savarese, a former forward from Venezuela, comes to the Timbers from the New York Cosmos of the second-tier North American Soccer League, where he had been coach since 2012. He led the Cosmos to three Soccer Bowl championships in five seasons. “With Gio it was — I hate to use the proverbial cliche, ‘check the boxes’ — but the off-the-field, on-the-field philosophy, the way he thinks about the game, it was pretty seamless,” team owner Merritt Paulson said about Saverese’s fit in Portland. Savarese’s debut as head coach was spoiled by the Galaxy, which downed the Timbers 2-1 in Los Angeles last weekend. MIKAEL STAHRE, SAN JOSE EARTH- QUAKES: Stahre was hired in late November to replace Kinnear, who was fired in June. Chris Leitch, the team’s technical director, served as interim coach. Stahre, who is from Stock- holm, coached for 11 years in Europe, most recently as head coach for a season with Hacken in Sweden’s top division, where he posted a 14-6-10 record. Stahre won his opener 3-2 over Minnesota United, surviving a scare after Loons forward Kevin Molino scored twice in the final 10 minutes. “I enjoyed every second,” Stahre said of his debut. “Maybe not the last 10 minutes, but it was a good atmosphere for sure.” MARINERS: Suzuki to help with outfield woes as injuries continue to pile up Continued from 1B seasons in Japan. Suzuki appeared in 136 games last year for the Miami Marlins and hit .255 with a .318 on-base percentage. “I still have things that I want to do and I want to accomplish,” Suzuki said. “I’m really thinking about this year and what the Seattle Mariners need, what I can do to help. Everything that I’ve gained, everything that I’ve done in my career, I want to just give it all right here in Seattle.” Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said discussions about Suzuki’s return intensified about a week ago, when the club’s injury situation became a greater concern. “It did not take very long to put a deal together that brought Ichiro back home,” Dipoto said, adding that Suzuki’s presence will help a young outfield and veteran Dee Gordon, who is playing center field for the first time. “It’s huge for our club and our ability to step forward,” Dipoto said. Projected left fielder Ben Gamel is sidelined for at least a month with a strained oblique muscle, Right fielder Mitch Haniger is dealing with a hand injury that has limited his activity for a couple of weeks, and Guill- ermo Heredia is still in the final stages of recovery from offseason shoulder surgery. Suzuki underwent a phys- ical in Seattle on Monday. His return is similar to the Mariners’ reunion with Ken Griffey Jr. in 2009 that was AP Photo/Matt York Seattle Mariners’ Ichiro Suzuki arrives after signing a contract to a news conference at the teams’ spring train- ing baseball complex on Wednesday in Peoria, Ariz. Su- zuki signed a one year deal in his return to the Mariners. good for one year but had an ugly conclusion. Seattle has significant concerns about depth in the outfield. Other options were available, including free agents Jose Bautista, Carlos Gonzalez and Jon Jay. “Bringing him in, what he can do on the field, still think he’s got plenty left in the tank there,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “What he adds in the club- house I think is very, very valuable.” Suzuki is slated to play left field and will need a few days of workouts and batting practice before he plays in a game, Servais said. Suzuki had 2,533 hits with the Mariners, including 262 in 2004 when he set the big league season record. His trade to New York during the 2012 season was a stunning conclusion to his time in Seattle, but gave Suzuki the chance to play in the postseason for the first time since his rookie season. Suzuki reunites with former Yankees teammates Robinson Cano and David Phelps, and he played with Gordon and Phelps in Miami. Third baseman Kyle Seager, pitcher Felix Hernandez and hitting coach Edgar Martinez were Suzu- ki’s teammates in Seattle before he was traded. On Wednesday, a stall in the Mariners’ spring training clubhouse awaited Suzuki, situated between journeyman outfielder Kirk Niewenhuis and starting shortstop Jean Segura. The team shop at the Peoria Sports Complex was already stocked with shirts and jerseys bearing Suzuki’s No. 51. ore merchandise was en route. BEAVERS: Now play Southern California in quarterfinals on Thursday at 6 p.m. Continued from 1B this is a championship-level conference and a great environment. They beat us in overtime. It was a heck of a game.” Washington made a strong NCAA Tournament push with consecutive wins over Arizona and Arizona State in early February. But the Huskies fell away from the NCAA bubble with a stretch of four losses in five games, including a double-overtime setback at Oregon State. Washington won two of its final three games, but needed a strong run in the Pac-12 tournament to have any NCAA shot. The third meeting of the season became a defensive battle, neither team able to find much operating room. Oregon State made 8 of 23 shots in the first half, including 1 for 7 from the 3-point arc. Washington was slightly better, going 11 for 29 and 2 for 9 from 3 to lead 29-25. Halftime adjustments freed up both offenses early before the defenses controlled the game again. Oregon State went nearly 6 minutes without scoring, but Washington couldn’t stretch its lead. Then the Huskies had a stretch when it went 1 for 9 and the Beavers capitalized, going on a 10-2 run to go up 55-51. BIG PICTURE Washington likely fell short in its NCAA Tourna- ment bid, but still won 20 games and had its biggest turnaround since 1937-38 in its first season under Hopkins. “New coaching staff, new system, there is a lot going on,” Hopkins said. “These guys went out there and made the plays that they had to make. We’ve beaten some really, really good teams this year. Part of what we’re trying to build is a standard of excellence.” Oregon State found a way to grind out a victory and enhance its chances of playing in a postseason tournament. TINKLE’S ANKLE Tres Tinkle came down on someone’s foot early and spent the rest of the game limping. The coach’s son tweaked the ankle again on a foul with 21 seconds, but made those two free throws and two more. Tinkle ended up playing 43 minutes, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds. “I haven’t had a chance to talk to him,” Wayne Tinkle said. “I had a brief conversation with our doc, but he’s got no choice, he’s got to play tomorrow. That comes from mom, not me.” UP NEXT Washington is likely headed to a smaller post- season tournament. Oregon State faces No. 2 seed USC. Ducks hang on in OT to beat Cougars 64-62 LAS VEGAS (AP) — Payton Pritchard scored on a runner late in overtime and Kenny Wooten had a pair of blocked shots in the final 13 seconds, lifting Oregon to a 64-62 victory over Wash- ington State in the opening round of the of the Pac-12 tournament on Wednesday night. Washington State (12-19) led by three, but Troy Brown scored on a hard drive and Pritchard put Oregon (21-11) up 63-62 on his runner. After Wooten blocked Malachi Flynn’s drive, Pritchard missed two free throws and Brown was fouled after grabbing an offensive rebound. Brown made 1 of 2 to give the Ducks a final chance, but Wooten swooped in to erase Milan Acquaah’s drive just before the buzzer sounded. Oregon moves on to play No. 3 seed Utah in Thurs- day’s quarterfinals. Pritchard and MiKyle McIntosh had 18 points each to help Oregon rally from a dismal first half. Flynn had 22 points and Robert Franks added 16 for Washington State. Oregon had a 20-win regular season and a winning record in the Pac-12, yet still is considered a fringe NCAA Tournament bubble team. The Ducks need a good run in the conference tour- nament, possibly all the way to the title game. The first step there was the second game against Washington State in six days. The Cougars won that game 78-76 behind a superb all-around game by Flynn. Oregon’s push didn’t get off to a very good start. The Ducks missed their first six shots and didn’t score in the opening 5:15. UP NEXT Oregon will play No. 3 seed Utah in Thursday’s quarterfinals.