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Sporting News tabsTressel, Clarett
COLUMBUS -- The Sporting News will honor Ohio State freshman Maurice Clarett and coach Jim Tressel in the Dec. 30 edition.
The Saint Louis-based publication selected Clarett as its freshman of the year, Tressel as coach of the year and Southern California quarterback Carson Palmer as player of the year.
Harding's Kingbreaks record
CLEVELAND -- Warren Harding senior swimmer Nate King broke a 26-year-old school record at the 28th annual Viking Invitational at the Busbey Natatorium at Cleveland State University.
More than 1,200 swimmers and 120 schools participated in the event.
King finished fourth in the 200 freestyle, swimming a 1:42.71 to break the old record of 1:44.80.
The record time earned King All-America consideration status.
The top three finishers in the event broke the meet record of 1:42.52.
King also was second in the 100 freestyle with a time of 47.36, finishing a hundredth of a second behind the winner.
Harding's 200-free relay team (King, Ed Angelo, Tyler King and Eric Esposito) finished fourth in 1:31.91.
The 400 free relay (both Kings plus Esposito and Todd Talstein) finished eighth with a time of 3:24.78.
Esposito finished 16th in the 50 Freestyle (23.13) and 20th in the 100 Freestyle (52.28).
ESPN2 to televiseMercer event
MERCER, Pa. -- Cable-TV channel ESPN2 will televise an event from Mercer Raceway Park Sunday at 1 p.m.
The 30-minute program will feature the Big Rig Semi portion of the American Tractor Pullers Association (ATPA) Grand American "Spring Nationals" from May 26. Three classes were featured: The Beckwith Power Systems Big Rig Semis, Greenhill Farms Unlimited Super Stock Tractors and the Super Stock 4-Wheel Drive Trucks.
Schedule change
STRUTHERS -- Tri-County Sports Complex has changed its schedule for the winter holiday one-day indoor soccer tournaments.
High school boys varsity and junior varsity teams, men's open division and adult coed teams will play Jan. 2, 2003 and the following day youth age 8-14 and high school girls varsity and junior varsity teams will be in action.
For details call (330) 755-1661.
NATION
Alabama on topin basketball poll
Alabama is No. 1 in that other sport.
The school that has won six national football championships moved to the top of the AP college basketball poll for the first time ever.
The Crimson Tide (8-0) moved up one spot following Arizona's loss at LSU on Saturday night, giving the Top 25 a No. 1 team other than the Wildcats for the first time this season.
The highest Alabama had been ranked before this season was No. 3, for two weeks in the 1976-77 season.
Alabama is the 48th school to hold the No. 1 spot since the AP poll began in 1948.
Pittsburgh (8-0) was No. 1 on 14 ballots and jumped from fourth to second, matching its highest ranking ever. The Panthers were No. 2 for two weeks in 1987-88.
Duke (6-0), which beat North Carolina A & amp;T in its only game last week, stayed third, ahead of Arizona (5-1).
A's ink Singletonto one-year deal
OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics shored up their outfield, signing Chris Singleton to a one-year contract with a club option for 2004.
Singleton batted .262 with nine homers and 50 RBIs last season for the Baltimore Orioles. He also had 30 doubles and 20 stolen bases.
NFL roundup
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Deion Sanders was released by the Washington Redskins, clearing the first of several obstacles for him to play for the Oakland Raiders.
The retired cornerback was on the reserve-retired list with the Redskins, the team from which he retired after the 2000 season, one year into his seven-year contract -- meaning the Redskins own his rights.
Sanders now must clear waivers for the Raiders to be able to sign him.
ST. LOUIS -- Rams quarterback Marc Bulger will miss the team's finale next Monday night because of a spinal injury that his coach says will not require surgery or harm his career.
Bulger was hurt when he was sacked early in Sunday's 30-10 loss at Seattle. The spinal injury was described as three compression fractures. Matt Matava, one of the team physicians, said Bulger should be healthy in six-to-eight weeks.
PHILADELPHIA -- Quarterback A.J. Feeley will start his fifth straight game when the Philadelphia Eagles play the New York Giants on Saturday.
Feeley has led the NFC East champion Eagles to four consecutive wins.
Vindicator staff/wire reports