CINCINNATI SPORTS LAST WEEK

CINCINNATI SPORTS LAST WEEK

Well, the Reds started the week at 68 wins and 69 losses. The first time this year that they were below .500. They were 6 games behind the Cards in the division and 3 games behind the Padres in the wild card race. Things looked pretty bleak to say the least.

On Monday, they led the Giants 4-2 with two outs in the eighth behind good pitching by Aaron Harang when Berry Bonds hit one just over the right centerfield wall with a man on. The game went to the 10th and David Weathers gave up a homer to Shea Hillenbrand and the Reds woes continued. Not only did they endure a heartrending 5-4 defeat but lost Ken Griffey Jr for an indefinite period of time with a dislocated toe he suffered trying to catch Bonds' home run. Tuesday night they got a temporary reprieve when Bronson Arroyo pitched on 3 days rest and threw a nifty 3-hit 3-0 complete game shutout. On Wednesday afternoon, they reverted to their sad impotent state and went down whimpering 3-2. Friday night they opened a 3-game series against the Pirates with Kyle Lohse on the mound. He allowed only one run in seven innings of work and struck out six. Ryan Freel led off the game with a homer, Javier Valentin homered twice and Adam Dunn hit his 40th to lead the offense. Saturday evening, the reeling Reds succumbed to the same bugaboos that have haunted them most of the year; erratic relief pitching and shoddy defense. Aaron Harang couldn't win his 14th game of the year as the Reds went down 7-4. On Sunday, Bronson Arroyo pitched a sparkling 4-hitter through eight innings and the Reds finished off the week with a 4-2 win at GABP. Brandon Phillips, who had a homer on Saturday, had two more hits and knocked in a run to lead the offense. The Reds finished the week with a 71-72 record, 3-1/2 games behind the San Diego Padres in the wild card race and 4-1/2 games behind the Cardinals in the division. They have only 19 games left to play.

Friday night the UC Bearcats opened Big East play with a game at Nippert Stadium against the Pitt Panthers and went down 33-15. All of the Panther scores were on long plays and a returned interception. The defense played much better than the score. The offensive line is the obvious weak spot on this team. The score was 26-15 with about 4 minutes left when the Cats got a first down at the 8 yard line. The referee in the booth called for a review of the play and determined that the spot of the ball should be one yard short of where it was put. That made it 4th and one at the 9 yard line. Cincinnati tried a quaterback sneak and didn't make it. This basically ended the game. It doesn't get any easier for the Bearcats. They face Ohio State at the Horseshoe next weekend.

On the high school front; Fenwick lost to Talawanda 28-21, Hamilton Big Blue beat Trotwood Madison 26-25, Wilmington tripped up Tipp City 41-25, Winton Woods topped Tallmadge 41-20, Mariemont was a 41-7 winner over Taylor and Lakota East mashed Mason 20-10.

Fenwick has the top rated golf team in division II or III in southwest Ohio according to the latest coaches poll. Now that OJ Mayo has left town, keep your basketball eye on Yancey Gates, a 6 foot 8, 245 pound center at Withrow. Because of this junior, they are altering their schedule to include home and home games with Moeller and a Lexington meeting with Oak Hill Academy.
Middletown's quarterback Skylar Jones has committed to Wake Forest for next year. He chose Wake over Ohio State among others.

On Sunday afternoon, the Bengals traveled to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. They were 3-point underdogs but won going away, 23-10. It was a big day for the defense which had an interception, two fumble recoveries and seven sacks. The offense looked like its old self in the second quarter but sputtered most of the rest of the game. A good part of the second half was played in a driving rainstorm. TJ Houshmandzadeh was hobbled by a sore heal and couldn't play.