Fast Break
College football
Mud, guts, glory for Carroll College
Score one for the little guys.
The cover of Sports Illustrated’s Pictures of the Year issue, on newsstands today, features a triumphant Carroll College player kneeling in the mud following the school’s 17-9 win over the University of Sioux Falls for the NAIA college football championship.
“I’m still kind of in shock,” said the player, junior linebacker Brandon Day. “This is crazy. Sports Illustrated. It’s like a dream come true.”
On Tuesday, Carroll’s athletics director Bruce Parker said people at the magazine told him the choice for the cover was between Day and the recent Mitchell report on drug use in baseball.
“This is recognition we didn’t expect,” said Parker, a former sports information director at Eastern Washington University. “It’s nice when something good about sports is on the cover of Sports Illustrated.”
Associated Press freelance photographer John Russell, who works full time as a staff photographer for Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., said getting the cover is the “Holy Grail of sports photography.”
“It’s probably going to be pretty tough to top that,” Russell said.
College soccer
Mead grad Hamby All-American
Seattle Pacific University midfielder Kara Hamby, a Mead High graduate, was named to the women’s National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas Division II All-America first team.
Hamby, a senior, anchored the midfield for the Falcons while adding two goals and two assists. She earned All-America honors for the first time after being an all-region selection each of the past two seasons.
The Falcons also placed Sarah Martinez and Claire Grubbs on the first team.
“Three first-team All-Americans in unprecedented,” said coach Chuck Sekyra. “I am so proud of Sarah, Kara and Claire and I am so happy that their great season, and the team’s great season, is being recognized with this honor.”
The Falcons finished the season with a record of 23-1 and a No. 4 national ranking.
College soccer
GU’s Josten All-American
Gonzaga University senior forward George Josten has become the Bulldogs’ inaugural soccer All-America selection by being named to the NSCAA/adidas third team.
Josten is a three-time NSCAA/adidas Far West Region selection – first team in 2006-07 and third team in 2005, in addition to being a three-time All-West Coast Conference first-team pick.
A product of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Josten leaves Gonzaga tied for third in career goals with 34, third in career assists with 17 and fourth in career points with 85.