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SPORTS BRIEFS

Friday, Oct 10, 2008 - 12:07 AM

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AUTO RACING

Edwards, Harvick scuffle in garage

CONCORD, N.C. - Greg Biffle isn't angry with teammate Carl Edwards for starting a 12-car crash at Talladega Superspeedway. Neither is Matt Kenseth. Kevin Harvick? Not quite over it. Witnesses said Edwards and Harvick were in an argument in the Nationwide Series garage at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Edwards apparently walked into Harvick's garage stall and the two began arguing.

Harvick appeared to try to walk away, and witnesses said Edwards reached for his shoulder to turn him back around. Harvick then shoved Edwards, who stumbled onto the hood of Harvick's car, and the two had to be separated. Harvick was unavailable for comment. Edwards didn't deny the two argued, but wouldn't discuss the incident.

GOLF

Green's 62 leads Texas Open

SAN ANTONIO - Australia's Nathan Green shot an 8-under 62 to take a two-stroke lead over Olin Browne and Paul Claxton in the Texas Open. Green, winless in three seasons on the PGA Tour, birdied nine of the first 16 holes before dropping a stroke on the par-3 17th and closing with a par.

Claxton and Browne, a three-time tour winner, had bogey-free 64s in sunny and warm conditions on La Cantera Golf Club's Resort Course. Tim Herron, Greg Kraft, Patrick Sheehan, Jason Gore, Nick O'Hern and Chad Collins opened with 65s, and Paul Goydos and Bob Tway topped a group at 66.

Three share lead in Senior Players

TIMONIUM, Md. - Phil Blackmar, Bruce Fleisher and Des Smyth shot 5-under 65s to share the first-round lead in the Senior Players Championship, the fifth and final Champions Tour major of the year. Blackmar holed out from the fairway for eagle to help offset four bogeys, Fleisher made four straight birdies early in his round, and Smyth had a bogey-free day to top the leader board. Fred Funk, Scott Hoch, Bernhard Langer and Eduardo Romero opened with 66s on the East Course at Baltimore Country Club.

TENNIS

Jankovic wins in three sets

MOSCOW - Top-ranked Jelena Jankovic rallied from a set down to beat qualifier Vera Dushevina 6-7 (8-6), 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Kremlin Cup. In the men's draw, top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-1, 6-1. Jankovic, 23, took the No. 1 ranking from Serena Williams on Monday after winning back-to-back titles in the China Open and the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany. In other tennis news:

Wild card Kei Nishikori advanced to the quarterfinals of the Stockholm Open, beating Dominik Hrbaty 6-1, 1-6, 7-5. Nishikori will face No. 2 Mario Ancic, a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 winner over Steve Darcis. Top-seeded David Nalbandian, No. 3 Jarkko Nieminen and No. 4 Robin Soderling also reached the last eight.

ELSEWHERE

The San Jose Sharks released Jeff Friesen from a tryout contract, ending the veteran forward's comeback bid a few hours before the club's season opener against Anaheim. Friesen was given a chance during training camp to return to the Sharks. The popular 32-year-old Friesen played for the Sharks from 1994 until 2001 and was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in a deal for Teemu Selanne.

The Phoenix Coyotes traded center Mike Zigomanis to the Pittsburgh Penguins for future considerations. Zigomanis had 14 goals and nine assists in 75 games for the Coyotes in 2006-07, but had just two goals and one assist in 33 games last season. He was placed on waivers last week, went unclaimed and was assigned to San Antonio in the AHL.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed center Manny Malhotra on injured reserve and recalled right wing Derek Dorsett from their American Hockey League affiliate in Syracuse. Malhotra was put on injured reserve retroactive to Oct. 5 with what the team termed a "lower body" injury.

Guard Rudy Fernandez and center Joel Przybilla will not travel with the Portland Trail Blazers for their NBA exhibition game in Kansas City against the Atlanta Hawks tonight. Fernandez sprained his left ankle in the Blazers' 110-95 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. Przybilla has bronchitis. The team also said that small forward Martell Webster had surgery yesterday to repair a stress fracture in his left foot. He will likely miss eight to 10 weeks.

Clint Malarchuk, the former NHL goalie best known for having his jugular vein slashed by a skate in a 1989 game with Buffalo, is recovering after accidentally shooting himself in the chin with a rifle in Minden, Nev. Wife Christy told sheriff's deputies that the .22-caliber rifle discharged after her husband placed the butt on the ground between his legs. He had been shooting rabbits.

Former Denver Broncos running back Travis Henry was released from jail after posting a $400,000 bond on federal drug charges. The U.S. attorney's office said that Henry must remain in his home, where he will be monitored electronically. He's not allowed to have any contact with co-defendant James Mack.

Pittsburgh women's basketball coach Agnus Berenato earned a raise and a three-year contract extension through the 2015-16 season after leading the team to its first two NCAA tournaments. Berenato is entering her sixth season at Pitt after spending 15 seasons at Georgia Tech. AROUND THE STATE

The RacersReunion.com History of Racing Tour will stop in Rocky Mount on Tuesday and Wednesday. Organizers said they expect former drivers Jabe Thomas, Ronnie Thomas, Joe Thurman, Paul Radford, Paul Lewis, Peanut Turman, Gene Hobby and Brownie King to be on hand to sign autographs inside the Hometown Rentals store from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days. Vintage race cars will be on display. For more details, visit RacersReunion.com.

- From Staff and Wire Reports