SPORTS digest

Logano wins Phoenix to reach Chase finale

AVONDALE, Ariz.

Joey Logano raced his way into NASCAR’s championship finale with a victory Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway. Defending series champion Kyle Busch finished second to earn the other transfer spot into the final four.

The race went to overtime and dramatically changed in the final laps. Matt Kenseth was headed to victory until a caution set up the first overtime attempt. Kenseth then made contact with Alex Bowman that caused Kenseth to wreck and ended his title hopes.

The second overtime pitted Logano against Busch for the victory, but the drivers began the day tied in the standings and any 1-2 finish between them would get both into the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Keven Harvick needed to win Sunday and was the favorite because he’s an eight-time Phoenix winner. He finished fourth and was eliminated.

Injured Howard out for U.S.-Costa Rica

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica

Goalkeeper Tim Howard did not travel with the United States for Tuesday night’s World Cup qualifier at Costa Rica after injuring the adductor muscle in his right leg.

Howard was hurt while making a goal kick in the first half of Friday’s 2-1 loss to Mexico at Columbus, Ohio, and was replaced by Brad Guzan in the 40th minute.

The U.S. Soccer Federation said Sunday that Howard returned to Colorado, where he is in his first season with Major League Soccer’s Rapids, for further evaluation and treatment.

The 37-year-old Howard started for the U.S. at the last two World Cups. He took a one-year sabbatical after the 2014 tournament and alternated with Guzan when he returned, with Guzan starting at this year’s Copa America.

Golfer Dawn Coe-Jones dies of bone cancer

TAMPA, Fla.

Dawn Coe-Jones, the Canadian Golf Hall of Famer who won three times on the LPGA Tour, died Saturday after a battle with cancer. She was 56.

Fellow former Canadian LPGA Tour player Gail Graham, Golf Canada and The Legends Tour said Saturday that Coe-Jones died at a hospice near her home in Tampa. She was diagnosed with bone cancer this year.

From Lake Cowichan, British Columbia, Coe-Jones played on the LPGA Tour from 1984 to 2008. She won more than $3.3 million and had 44 career top-10 finishes.

Coe-Jones won the 1983 Canadian Women’s Amateur and starred at Lamar University. She won LPGA Tour’s 1992 Women’s Kemper Open, 1994 LPGA Palm Beach Classic and 1995 Tournament of Champions.

Coe-Jones is survived by husband James Edward Jones, son Jimmy Jones, and brothers Mark and John Coe.

Czech Republic retains Fed Cup crown

STRASBOURG, France

Czech Republic retained its Fed Cup title on Sunday after Barbora Strycova and Karolina Pliskova defeated their French opponents in the decisive doubles match.

Strycova and Pliskova beat Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic 7-5, 7-5 to secure a 3-2 win for the Czechs in the final on the indoor hard court at Rhenus Sport Arena.

The Czechs won a fifth title in six years.

WGH-Hudson tickets to go on sale this week

WARREN

Tickets for Warren Harding’s regional final football game vs. Hudson will be on sale Wednesday and Thursday from 1:30 p.m.-6 p.m. and Friday from 1:30 p.m.- 3 p.m. at the Harding ticket office.

Advance tickets are $8. The game is at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Twinsburg Tiger Stadium.

Vindicator seeking winter prep schedules

The Vindicator sports department encourages area high schools to submit schedules for their winter sports programs.

Schedules can be emailed to sports@vindy.com or faxed to 330-747-6712.

Staff and wire reports