Sports
Wambach says US win caps historic gay marriage day
By Anne M. Peterson
Associated Press
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — That the United States capped Friday with a victory over China to advance to the semifinals at the Women’s World Cup had special meaning for forward Abby Wambach.
Earlier, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples across the nation have the right to marry. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion: “No longer may this liberty be denied.”
U.S. Soccer posted to Twitter: “More than ever, today we are #OneNationOneTeam #LoveWins.”
Wambach has been married to her partner, Sarah Huffman, since 2013.
“Obviously it impacts my life personally, but everybody on our team was super happy and excited about it. And to cap it off with a win, moving on to the semis at the World Cup, for me it doesn’t get any better,” Wambach said.
The United States defeated China 1-0 on Carli Lloyd’s goal in the 51st minute. The win sends the second-ranked Americans to a semifinal on Tuesday in Montreal against top-ranked Germany.
The Supreme Court ruling will put an end to same-sex marriage bans in the 14 states that still maintain them.
UNCERTAIN PAYDAY: Australian midfielder Katrina Gorry is far more concerned about facing Japan in the Women’s World Cup quarterfinal than she is about a pay dispute happening back home.
“We’ve come to the World Cup to compete with the best teams in the world and show the world what we’re capable of,” Gorry said, Friday. “So all those other things will take care of themselves, and it’s something we’re really not focused on.”
Gorry was responding to a question over how much the Matildas should get paid from Australia’s governing body, Football Federation Australia. The players’ union, Professional Football Australia, has put off discussions on the national women’s team pay to instead deal with the more pressing issue of negotiating a collective bargaining agreement for the country’s pro men’s league.
Gorry said the women’s team has tuned out much of the chatter about the talks.
“We are just kind of in our own little clam,” she said.
MAYBE HE’LL WEAR A COAT: Australian coach Alen Stajcic scoffs at questions about how hot it might get on the field in Edmonton for his team’s quarterfinal match against Japan on Saturday.
The forecast calls for temperatures approaching 90, and the game to be played at 2 p.m. local time, when the sun will be near its peak.
“To be honest, if it’s 30 or 31 degrees (Celsius), that’s in the comfort zone for our players,” Stajcic said. “When we play back home in our summer leagues, we often play in temperatures 35 to 40 (95 to 104 Fahrenheit), even 41. So 30 degrees is mild for us.”
With games being played on artificial turf, the on-field conditions will feel like it’s 100.
Stajcic also noted that Australia and Japan played in even hotter and more humid conditions at the Asian Cup last year in Viet Nam.
IT’S ROUGH OUT THERE: France midfielder Kheira Hamraoui entered the quarterfinal match against Germany in the 11th minute of extra time, and she almost left it five minutes later after taking an elbow to the face.
Hamraoui’s face was drenched in blood, sending her to the sideline. After the team’s medical staff stopped the bleeding, she had to change her jersey before returning to the field. But just as she was ready to re-enter, the fourth official pointed out some blood on her shorts, further delaying her return.
This left France playing with 10 for several minutes of extra time in a game that went to penalty kicks tied 1-1.
According to FIFA’s Laws of the Game: “Any player bleeding from a wound must leave the field of play. He may not return until the referee is satisfied that the bleeding has stopped. A player is not permitted to wear clothing with blood on it.”
Germany won the shootout 5-4 to reach the semifinals, where it will play the United States.
RECAPPING: The United States defeated China 1-0 on Friday night, after France and Germany played in an epic quarterfinal that was won by Germany on penalty kicks after a 1-all tie. Those two teams will meet in the semifinals in Montreal on Tuesday.
UP NEXT: Hosts Canada plays England at BC Place on Saturday, while Australia faces defending champion Japan at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.
___
AP Sports Writers John Wawrow in Edmonton and Jimmy Golen in Montreal contributed to this report.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Community
Rajah Caruth: Young Trailblazer of NASCAR
Imagine you’re only 22 years old and already making a name for yourself in NASCAR, one of the most thrilling sports in the US. That is the life of Rajah Kirby Caruth, an American professional stock car racing driver.
By Tamara Shiloh
Imagine you’re only 22 years old and already making a name for yourself in NASCAR, one of the most thrilling sports in the US. That is the life of Rajah Kirby Caruth, an American professional stock car racing driver.
Born June 11, 2002, in Washington, DC, he was drawn to the sport as a child after seeing the Disney Pixar film “Cars.”
Caruth dreamed of tooling around the track like the main character in “Cars,” Lightning McQueen. His enthusiasm grew when his parents surprised him with a trip to the NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway when he was 12.
In 2018, while keeping busy with school, sports and a summer job, Caruth and his family held fundraisers so that he could buy an iRacing simulator. Then, at age 16, he traded a real driver’s license to race virtually in the eNASCAR Ignite Series, which led to him being recruited by the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program.
His first big opportunity came in 2019 when he competed in a “Legends” car at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Bojangles’ Southern Shootout and recorded two top-third in the semi-pro points.
People began to recognize Caruth’s talents. In 2020, he stepped up to the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series and became the first African American to win at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in a late model race. The next year, he won at Tri-County Motor Speedway and picked up his fourth overall late model victory.
Then, he became the first person of color to win at the South Carolina track.
In 2021, Caruth announced he would compete full-time in the ARCA Menards Series East for Rev Racing, where he finished third in the standings, including a series of top-five finishes. He made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut on a bigger stage as well.
Then, in 2022, thing really took off. A new chapter found Caruth at NASCAR’s unofficial Triple A league with GMS Racing, where he drives full-time for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, with a sponsorship from The Wendell Scott Foundation. After a few setbacks, he broke into the top 10 several times, finishing at a career-high 6th at Darlington Raceway.
Fast-forward to 2024, and Caruth’s took the third major step in his career. He is now driving full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Spire Motorsports and has been making the news for putting on stellar performances. Oh, and he won at Las Vegas: his first career victory.
From an impressionable young racing fan to a professional NASCAR driver, Caruth is charting a new path, creating history, and inspiring people to always remember that if you have the talent, the drive, and most of all, the heart, anything can be achieved.
Community
Salesian Coach Knew Angel Jackson Could Play in WNBA
Back in 2019, Salesian Girls Basketball Head Coach Stephen Pezzola made a bold prediction about one of his players, Angel Jackson. “If she keeps putting in the work like she did for us, she could be in the WNBA,” the coach said. That turned out to be very true. Last month, the Las Vegas Aces selected Jackson with the 36th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. She is the second player from an Historically Black College or University, or HCBU, to be selected in the draft in 20 years.
The Richmond Standard
Back in 2019, Salesian Girls Basketball Head Coach Stephen Pezzola made a bold prediction about one of his players, Angel Jackson.
“If she keeps putting in the work like she did for us, she could be in the WNBA,” the coach said.
That turned out to be very true. Last month, the Las Vegas Aces selected Jackson with the 36th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. She is the second player from an Historically Black College or University, or HCBU, to be selected in the draft in 20 years.
Jackson’s success came as little surprise to Pezzola, who last year led the Pride to their 8th North Coast Section championship since he took over the program in 2008-2009. In 2019, Pezzola commended Jackson as “a very coachable kid” from the time she arrived at Salesian.
Tomekia Reed, her coach at Jackson State, shared similar sentiments, noting Jackson worked “very hard” to reach this moment.
“She came into our program doing great things and never looked back,” Reed told the Clarion Ledger. “She has trusted our leadership as we were able to develop her into an amazing player. I have watched her improve tremendously over the years.”
The 6’-6” Jackson played three seasons at the University of Southern California before transferring to Jackson State. She was ranked 10th in the NCAA in blocked shots and averaged 10 points per game in her final college season.
She finished her collegiate career with 1,047 points and was twice named Southwestern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
As the 36th pick, Jackson was the final pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. In a television interview, Jackson said she didn’t expect to be picked, and called the moment “surreal.”
“It made me feel so appreciative that HBCU is getting back on the map again,” she said.
All she could do in that moment was cry.
“I called my mom immediately, and she started crying,” Jackson said. “It was the best moment you can feel as a young lady.”
There’s no stopping Jackson now. “The sky is the limit,” she said.
Her high school coach agrees.
“I knew that Angel could do it,” Coach Pezzola told the Richmond Standard this week. “We are so proud of Angel and what she has accomplished. It was an honor and joy to coach Angel at Salesian.”
Community
Oakland WNBA Player to be Inducted Into Hall of Fame
The Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame (MESHOF) announced that it will induct Dr. Alexis Gray-Lawson, a former WNBA player and Oakland Technical High School graduate at its inaugural Curt Flood Platinum Award Ceremony in February. Gray-Lawson’s Platinum Award is part of the Hall of Fame’s 24th Annual Bay Area induction and award ceremony, where four other retired professional athletes will be honored.
By Post staff
The Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame (MESHOF) announced that it will induct Dr. Alexis Gray-Lawson, a former WNBA player and Oakland Technical High School graduate at its inaugural Curt Flood Platinum Award Ceremony in February.
Gray-Lawson’s Platinum Award is part of the Hall of Fame’s 24th Annual Bay Area induction and award ceremony, where four other retired professional athletes will be honored.
The banquet and ceremony will be held from 5:45 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, at the George P. Scotlan Convention Center at Oakland’s Marriott Civic Center Hotel.
“I am truly honored to receive this incredible nomination,” said Dr. Alexis Gray-Lawson, who, along with college teammate Devanei Hampton, lead Oakland Tech to its second consecutive state title in 2005. “It took a village to raise me and get me here, and I truly am excited to continue the legacy.”
Gray-Lawson, a “second team” Parade All-American and an All-State honoree, as a senior in ’05, was chosen for the California Interscholastic Federation sportsmanship award. She only lost one game throughout her four-year career in high school. Her jersey was retired at Oakland Tech and placed in the National High School Hall of Fame as a four-time All-City recipient, averaging 17.2 points per game during her career.
Gray-Lawson received scholarships in volleyball, softball, and basketball before deciding to travel up College Avenue to the University of California, Berkeley. There, she played in more basketball games (143) than any other player in Golden Bears’ history. She finished her career as the Bears all-time 3-point leader (211), and she is ranked third in scoring with 1,982 points.
An All-Pac 10 and honorable mention All-American in 2010, Gray-Lawson also was the top player at 5’8” or under for the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award. Later that year, she was a third-round pick of the Washington Mystics in 2010 and played with the Phoenix Mercury of the Women’s National Basketball Association in 2011 and 2012. She also played professionally overseas in Turkey and Israel.
Other inductees are Clifford Ray (Basketball); Lee Lacy (Baseball); Spencer Haywood (Basketball); and Mohinder Singh Gil (Track & Field).
Organizers say the event promises to be a “historic and celebratory evening,” and iconic personalities from across the professional sports industry and its various disciplines will attend.
The no-host cocktail hour begins at 5:45 p.m.; dinner at 6:45 p.m.; and the ceremony at 7:45 p.m. All times are prompt. General tickets are $250.00; Seniors (65 and older) $150.00, and students $50. This includes dinner and the ceremony. Tables of 10 are available as well, and early purchase is recommended.
MESHOF is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring athletes from all corners of the globe who have made significant contributions to the world of sports and broadening the public’s understanding of the contributions people of color have made to professional sports; and to provide educational life skills and mentorship opportunities for deserving youth. Proceeds will help maintain the City of Oakland’s Curt Flood Field, Oakland Parks & Recreation, and MESHOF’s after school and mental health initiatives.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.multiethnicsportshof.com. For additional information, please contact: Arif Khatlib @ afrosportshall@aol.com or India Alston @ india@beamcreativehouse.com
-
City Government2 weeks ago
Court Throws Out Law That Allowed Californians to Build Duplexes, Triplexes and RDUs on Their Properties
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
-
Alameda County2 weeks ago
An Oakland Homeless Shelter Is Showing How a Housing and Healthcare First Approach Can Work: Part 1
-
Activism2 weeks ago
S.F. Black Leaders Rally to Protest, Discuss ‘Epidemic’ of Racial Slurs Against Black Students in SF Public School System
-
Community2 weeks ago
Gov. Newsom, Attorney General Bonta Back Bill to Allow California to Host Arizona Abortion Care
-
City Government4 weeks ago
Vallejo Community Members Appeal Major Use Permit for ELITE Charter School Expansion
-
Community2 weeks ago
Gov. Newsom Issues Proclamation Declaring Day of Remembrance for the Armenian Genocide
-
California Black Media2 weeks ago
Cinco De Mayo: Five Interesting Facts You Should Know About the Popular Mexican American Holiday