UMF skier earns top-10 finish
BEND, Oregon – The University of Maine at Farmington Nordic ski team wrapped up the season Friday at the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association National Championship at Mt. Bachelor with Emily Ramsey recording a sixth-place finish in the 15-kilometer skate race.
She finished with a time of 44 minutes, 3.8 seconds..
Teammate Alisha Labbe finished 29th (52:06.7) and Ellie Pinto was 40th (1:04:32.5).
In the men’s 15K skate, Bryce Neal finished 43rd (47:04.4) and Joshua Neal followed in 45th (53:28.9).
Scarborough Downs working to prepare track for opener
SCARBOROUGH, Maine — Despite a winter of heavy snow and frigid temperatures, the 65th season of harness racing is looming at Scarborough Downs with qualifying races set for March 18, 21 and 24.
Post time is 10 a.m. for each day and horsemen are asked to enter their horses either by written or electronic declaration by 9 a.m. the day before each qualifying date.
Opening day at Scarborough Downs is Saturday, March 28 with a 4 p.m. post time, followed by races the next day beginning at 1:30 p.m.
Those seeking more information may visit www.ScarboroughDowns.com.
Pats’ Gostkowski signs franchise tender
New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski reportedly signed his $4.59 million franchise tender on Friday.
The Patriots had placed the tag on him Monday.
The Patriots and Gostkowski are expected to work on an extension through the July 15 deadline.
Gostkowski, a three-time Pro Bowl player, made a career-best 94.6 percent (35 of 37) of his field-goal attempts in 2014 and became the Patriots’ all-time leading scorer with 1,179 points.
A fourth-round draft choice in 2006, replacing Adam Vinatieri, Gostkowski has converted 243 of 280 attempts, just 20 short of Vinatieri’s franchise record.
Seahawks cut Miller as Lynch arrives
EditorsNote: Adds minor moves at end Seahawks cut Miller as Lynch arrives
Running back Marshawn Lynch reportedly returned to Seattle on Friday to discuss and possibly sign a new contract with the Seahawks.
Lynch, just back from a football camp in Turkey, was spotted on a plane to Seattle on Friday afternoon, and Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that Lynch had reached agreement with the Seahawks.
Owner Paul Allen reportedly returned from the South Pacific, where he had been overseeing the discovery of a World War II-era Japanese battleship, to meet with Lynch.
The expected deal is for one year and $11 million, according to John Clayton of ESPN.
The Seahawks also released tight end Zach Miller on Friday and placed a second-round tender on wide receiver Jermaine Kearse, according to Field Yates of ESPN.
Ohio State football player showed no signs of a brain disease
An Ohio State football player who committed suicide last year did not show signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease sometimes found in athletes with repetitive brain trauma, a coroner’s report said on Friday.
Kosta Karageorge, 22, a non-scholarship reserve defensive lineman in his first year on the football team, had been reported missing several days before he was found dead in Columbus, Ohio, with a gunshot wound to the head in late November.
“There is no evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy but there are nonspecific findings consistent with subacute to remote prior concussive injury,” the Franklin County Coroner’s office said in a statement.
The coroner listed the cause of death as suicide from a penetrating gunshot wound to the head.
His mother had told police Karageorge, who also wrestled for Ohio State, suffered several concussions and had been confused at times.
Karageorge’s death raised questions about whether physicians and athletic trainers properly treated the player, and whether they had noticed any lingering effects of head trauma.