nation

March 14, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

nation

Bellotti stepping down as Oregon coach

EUGENE, Ore. — Mike Bellotti is stepping down as Oregon’s football coach to become the school’s athletic director, and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will be promoted to head coach.

Bellotti, who has coached the Ducks for the last 14 seasons, takes over his new position July 1, replacing athletic director Pat Kilkenny. Kelly becomes coach on March 30, the opening day of spring practice.

The moves first were announced in December, but no timetable was set for the transition.

Browns sign pair

CLEVELAND — The Browns are becoming the Cleveland Jets.

Coach Eric Mangini added another player he coached in New York on Friday, signing former Jets linebacker Eric Barton.

The Browns also signed offensive lineman Floyd Womack, who spent the past eight seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.

Barton is the fourth former Jets player brought to Cleveland by Mangini, joining linebacker David Bowens, cornerback Hank Poteat and defensive lineman C.J. Mosley. Cleveland’s coaching staff also includes several of Mangini’s former assistants in New York.

The 31-year old Barton started all 16 games for New York last season. He recorded 127 tackles, the second-highest total of his career.

CA Championship

DORAL, Fla. — Phil Mickelson chipped in for another birdie and wound up with a 6-under 66 on Friday to build a two-shot lead in the CA Championship, putting him in the last group at Doral for the first time in three years.

The only difference this time will be the company he keeps.

Tiger Woods, his nemesis on the Blue Monster, was 10 shots behind.

Mickelson was at 13-under 131 and will have to settle on Saturday for Buick Invitational winner Nick Watney, who shot a 67 and will join Lefty in the final group.

Rory McIlroy, the 19-year-old from Northern Ireland who is trying to become the youngest PGA Tour winner in history, finished with an eagle and a birdie on two dangerous holes for a 66 and was two shots behind. He was tied with 48-year-old Kenny Perry, who has three children older than McIlroy.

Bacardi Cup race

MIAMI — Bermuda’s Peter Bromby and crew Magnus Liljedahl of Miami won the 2009 Bacardi Cup Star Class Regatta on the waters of Biscayne Bay near Miami on Friday.

Bromby and Liljedahl won Day 6 of sailing to finish the regatta with a commanding six-point lead over Americans Mark Mendelblatt, the 2005 Bacardi Cup champion, and crew Bruno Prada, who finished second overall.

Bromby took an early lead on the left side of the fleet following a very strong start, but rounded the fourth mark second behind seven-time Bacardi Cup Champion Mark Reynolds of the United States, sailing this week with crew Hal Haenel.

Mackey first to Anvik

ANVIK, Alaska — Two-time defending champion Lance Mackey is the first musher to reach Anvik and is being treated to a gourmet dinner for arriving first.

Church bells rang out Friday to welcome Mackey as he pulled into the Yukon River community, 500 miles from the finish line in Nome. He is being feted with a seven-course meal that includes braised pork belly, Alaskan bouillabaisse and duck breast prepared by a chef flown in from Anchorage. He also receives $3,500 for being first into Anvik.

Theft charges filed

SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake County prosecutors have filed charges against three men in the February burglary of the home of Olympic cyclist Dave Zabriskie.

Howard Jay Leopold, 39, and Craig William Carlisle, 43, were charged Thursday in 3rd District Court.

Leopold was charged with two counts of second-degree felony burglary, two counts of second-degree felony theft and one class A misdemeanor of failure to stop.

world

Puerto Rico Open

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico — Matt Jones shot a 30 on his back nine and finished with an 8-under 64 to match the course record, giving him a share of the 36-hole lead with fellow Australian Jason Day in the Puerto Rico Open.

Jones tied the course record set last year by Bo Van Pelt in the inaugural event. Day had a 68 in swirling wind and occasional rain to match Jones at 10-under 134 on the Trump International Golf Club along the island’s northeast coast.

Speedskating worlds

RICHMOND, British Columbia — Trevor Marsicano won the 1,000 meters and Shani Davis was third at the world single distances championships.

Marsicano finished in 1 minute, 8.96 seconds, beating Canada’s Denny Morrison by 0.04 seconds. Davis, who set the 1,000-meter world record last week in Salt Lake City, finished in 1:09.02

Vindicator staff/wire reports