Thursday

High School scores

Foreman leads Panthers past rival Falcons in rain, 25-15

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — D’Onta Foreman carried 31 times for 130 yards and a touchdown, Laviska Shenault added a 41-yard burst to the end zone and the Carolina Panthers beat the Atlanta Falcons 25-15 on a rainy night. The Panthers piled up a season-high 232 yards on the ground, and Eddy Pineiro kicked four field goals after he missed two critical kicks in a 37-34 overtime loss to the Falcons 11 days earlier. Marcus Mariota finished 19 of 30 for 186 yards and two touchdowns, but was sacked five times and intercepted once. Atlanta fell to 4-6, leaving Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers alone atop the NFC South at 4-5.

Silver says he doesn’t believe Kyrie Irving is antisemitic

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says he has “no doubt” that suspended Brooklyn guard Kyrie Irving is not antisemitic. Silver made those remarks to attendees at a conference in Washington. Meanwhile, LeBron James took to Twitter to defend his former teammate. Irving’s status with the Nets remains a mystery. Those developments followed Nike co-founder Phil Knight telling CNBC, in an interview that aired earlier Thursday, that the relationship between the shoe giant and Irving is likely severed for good. The Nets also suspended Irving for at least five games. He has missed four already. It’s unclear when he will return to play.

Snyder, Commanders, NFL, Goodell sued by DC attorney general

WASHINGTON (AP) — The District of Columbia attorney general’s office has filed a civil consumer protection lawsuit against the Washington Commanders, owner Dan Snyder, the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell. D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine announced the civil complaint for colluding to deceive fans at a news conference. Racine says the team and league violated D.C. consumers’ rights based on what they knew about the organization’s workplace misconduct. The Commanders are the subject of multiple ongoing investigations into workplace culture and potential financial improprieties. Lawyers representing the team say the Commanders welcome this opportunity to defend the organization in a court of law.

US women fall to Germany, 1st 3-game losing streak since ’93

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The United States women lost again, falling 2-1 to Germany for their first three-game skid since 1993 and first home defeat in more than five years. Paula Krumbiegel scored the decisive goal in the 89th minute for third-ranked Germany in the exhibition at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Megan Rapinoe scored in the 85th minute for the top-ranked Americans, who had been unbeaten in 71 straight games at home. The team’s last loss on U.S. soil was to Australia in July 2017. The U.S. lost at England and Spain last month.

3 Olympic volleyball medals stolen from California home

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Authorities are looking for three Olympic medals belonging to a member of the U.S. women’s volleyball team after they were stolen in a burglary. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department says the medals were in a safe that was taken on Oct. 29 from a Laguna Hills home. No arrests have been made. The medals were a gold from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a silver from the 2012 London games and a bronze from the 2016 games in Brazil. Another gold medal belonging to a women’s volleyball team member was stolen in a car burglary in Anaheim in May. It was found and returned the next month. One arrest was made.

Snyder’s status, Watson’s ban, Flores’ lawsuit hang over NFL

The NFL’s overwhelming popularity just keeps on growing, no matter how many significant, unsavory off-field issues loom as its season enters its second half. There are multiple ongoing investigations of Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder, including one by the District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine. He filed a civil consumer protection lawsuit Thursday against the team, Snyder, the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell. There is the impending return of Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson from an 11-game suspension negotiated with the league after about two dozen women filed civil suits accusing him of sexual misconduct. And there is the pending racial discrimination lawsuit brought by Pittsburgh Steelers assistant Brian Flores.

Rising travel, food costs straining college athletic budgets

College athletic programs of all sizes are reacting to inflation the same way as everyone else. They’re looking for ways to save. Travel and food are the primary areas with increased costs. Schools in major conferences are working with boosters and other partners to try to bridge the financial gap. Arizona estimates it could spend $4 million more across the board this year than it would if the U.S. inflation rate hadn’t risen to more than 8%. Division III Mary Baldwin University in Virginia played exhibitions against Division II teams for a few thousand dollars to pay for basketball shoes.

Lewis Hamilton committed to helping Mercedes end slump

Lewis Hamilton rebounded from last year’s crushing defeat in the Formula One season finale to return to racing when many believed he’d walk away. Instead, he refocused and returned in 2022 determined to win his record eighth title. But his Mercedes has been a beast to drive and Hamilton is winless as he heads into Sunday’s race in Brazil. He has just two more chances to avoid the first losing season of his 16-year career. He wants a multi-year contract extension to help Mercedes rebuild its struggling car and to win a record eighth F1 title.

NFL sees higher grades for gender hiring in diversity study

An annual diversity study has found the NFL posted significant gains in hiring women for positions in coaching, front offices and league headquarters. The report card from The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at Central Florida assigned an overall B grade for the league, with a B-plus for racial hiring and a B for gender hiring. The report examined a range of positions at the league office and within franchises using data for the 2022 season. The NFL’s gender results were a C last year.

EXPLAINER: World Cup host Qatar relies on desalination

WASHINGTON (AP) — World Cup host Qatar is among the world’s most water-stressed countries. It’s a problem the tiny, wealthy Persian Gulf emirate has largely paid its way out of thanks to expensive technology known as desalination that makes seawater drinkable. The country that’s normally home to 2.9 million people receives less than four inches of rain per year on average and has no surface water. Qatar will increase its water supply by 10% during the World Cup when an expected 1.2 million people will descend on the country.