CINCINNATI SPORTS LAST WEEK

CINCINNATI SPORTS LAST WEEK

The Reds started the week in fine fashion with 2 wins over the Astros. Bronson Arroyo pitched a decent game on Monday but didn't get the win for lack of support. Rich Aurilia hit an 8th inning 3-run homer and Brandon Phillips combined with Royce Clayton for the deciding run in the 4-3 win. On Tuesday, newcomer Kyle Lohse, making his third start as a Red, made his third quality start and finally got a decision in a 14-0 blowout. Phillips, Hatteberg, Dunn and Ross all homered. The Reds lost to Roy Oswalt (again) in the series finale and they headed to the West Coast one game out of first place in the division.

The Mets completed the sweep of the Cards and the Reds pulled off another come-from-behind victory to kick off their west coast swing by beating the Giants 6-3 on Thursday night. Eric Milton held the Giants to 3 runs in 6-2/3 innings and David Ross homered in the 8th to put the Reds ahead to stay. With this win the Reds moved into a virtual first place tie with St. Louis. The next night Aaron Harang pitched a good game, holding SF to 2 runs through 7 innings but the Reds couldn't touch Matt Morris except for a first inning Griffey homer and they lost 4-1. On Saturday, Bronson Arroyo pitched and David Ross hit a bomb but that wasn't enough as they went down again, 4-1. On Sunday afternoon, they lost their third in a row being shutout 8-0. Kyle Lohse wasn't as sharp as he has been and the Reds bats stayed asleep. With two more stops on this West Coast road trip, things are not looking good. The Dodgers and Padres are playing real good right now.

The Bengals are playing tonight so there's not much significant to report. Carson Palmer quieted the reporters inquiring about his playing status by proclaiming early in the week that he would play.

High school football started in town this weekend. Lakota West beat Moeller 13-12 on a missed extra point in a battle pitting preseason top 5 teams. Hold your hats, here are more scores: Fenwick beat Roger Bacon 24-21. Wilmington got whipped by Winton Woods 58-28. Hamilton High was crushed by Xenia 41-28. Mariemont lost to Goshen 27-21.

The University of Cincinnati men's basketball team has completed its recruiting class by signing 6'11" 230 lb junior college center Adam Hrycaniuk this week. He is eligible to play this year. Hrycaniuk joins the Bearcat recruiting class that includes three NJCAA All-Americans--Hernol Hall, a first team All-American selection from Lon Morris College; John Williamson, a 6-6 forward who was a first team selection at Cincinnati State; and Jamual Warren, a 6-2 guard who earned second team honors at the Globe Institute for Technology.
Other Bearcat signees are Tim Crowell, a 6-2 guard who averaged 7.5 assists at Midland College en route to first team all-league honors last season; Marvin Gentry, a 6-3 guard who was the conference's player of the year at McLennan Community College; Marcus Sikes, a 6-8 forward who averaged a double-double (13.1 points, 11.3 rebounds) last season at Mt. San Jacinto College; Deonta Vaughn, a two-time first team all-state performer from Indianapolis who finished his high school career at Harmony Community School in Cincinnati; and Mike Williams, a 6-7 former McDonald's high school All-American and transfer from the University of Texas.

Cincinnatian Brett Wetterich (Oak Hills HS) made the US Ryder Cup team by amassing enough points to finish 10th in the standings. This team is led by Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. The Ryder Cup is a golf competition between the USA and Europe held every other year. It is one of the most exciting events in sports, if you ask me. To get on the 12 member US team you must be in the top ten in a complicated points race based on your play on the PGA tour or be one of two extra players selected by the captain. The event will be held in Ireland this year September 22-24.