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After a 2-8 start, Cowley Community College got rolling.

The Tigers will enter the NJCAA Region VI Tournament today having won eight of their last 10 and 33 of its last 42 games.

Cowley was the only team to sweep its best-of-three series in the first round, winning 11-3 and 9-1 against Garden City.

The Eastern Division champs will face Allen County. The teams split both of their conference doubleheaders.

Western Division champion Seward County nearly didn't qualify. After losing the first game against Neosho, the Saints were down to their final out when an error enabled them to win.

After four years as a boys basketball assistant at Northwest, Chris Collins has been hired as the Grizzlies' coach.

Collins replaces Eric Hofer-Holdeman, who resigned in April after eight seasons. Northwest won the Class 6A title in 2006.

"I'm elated," said Collins, 32, who teaches special education at Northwest. "In my estimation, it's a dream job for me.

"I feel that this is one of the best schools in the state. Holdeman did a wonderful job, built a great program, great kids, great philosophy and I'm just honored to be the one to help continue that successes."

Northwest athletic director J. Means believes Collins can do just that.

Wichita State basketball recruit Ehimen Orukpe will interview for his student visa Monday at the United States embassy in Lagos, Nigeria, according to Sam Sackett, communications director for Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard.

"Congressman Tiahrt's office has been working closely with WSU and the State Department to ensure Mr. Orukpe has every opportunity to obtain a student visa," Sackett said in an e-mail.

Orukpe, a 7-foot center from Nigeria, signed a letter of intent with WSU a year ago, but he has been unable to leave the country. Should he receive a student visa, he would be able to leave Nigeria.

He had an appointment Thursday, but was unable to get into the embassy, according to WSU athletic director Eric Sexton.

Wichita State basketball recruit Ehimen Orukpe did not interview for his student visa Thursday at the United States embassy in Lagos, Nigeria, according to WSU athletic director Eric Sexton.

"No news, other than Ehimen was at the embassy (Thursday) and he had some trouble getting in," Sexton said.

Sexton said Orukpe, a 7-foot, 225-pound center, will try again today. Sexton said Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard is helping Orukpe get an appointment today.

"Ehimen is on call," Sexton said. "Congressman Tiahrt is helping vigorously to get that done."

The series: 6 tonight, 2 p.m., Saturday; 1 p.m., SundayProbable rotations: WSU, LH Rob Musgrave (7-1, 2.49); RH Aaron Shafer (8-2, 2.63); LH Anthony Capra (7-0, 2.53); UE, RH Zach Taylor (2-4, 4.31); RH John Foley (4-4, 4.84); RH Wade Kapteyn (1-3, 7.34)Notes• Evansville won two of three against WSU in 2006 at Braun Stadium, propelling the Aces to the MVC title. Last season, WSU won three of four meetings and run-ruled the Aces 12-1 in the MVC Tournament.• The Aces have won four of six games, their best stretch of the season. They won three of four against Chicago State over the weekend before losing to Austin Peay 10-4 on Wednesday.• Evansville is last in the MVC in hitting (.262) and fielding (.945) and eighth in pitching (6.89 ERA). The Aces start four freshmen and a sophomore in the field. LF Greg Wallace is hitting .316, second among Valley freshmen. He went 9 for 13 in the final three games of the Chicago State series.• In MVC games, Evansville's ERA is 8.00. Its pitchers have combined for 93 walks and 73 strikeouts in 18 games.

• WSU 3B Conor Gillaspie looked happy and healthy during Thursday's practice. He fielded groundballs and jumped to snag several line drives. The inflamed muscles in his back that kept him out of four games recently are loosening. "Good and getting better," he said. "It was real tight muscles, probably from overwork." Gillaspie, who also took batting practice Thursday, said he did not need an injection to ease the pain. "Rest," he said. "I should be good for all three games."

• WSU CF Andy Dirks is hitting .473 in MVC games and is tied with Gillaspie for the team lead with 21 RBIs.• 1B Clinton McKeever took over the starting position against Kansas on March 22 and is hitting .377 since. He has nine RBIs and seven walks in those 12 games.

It rarely gets more exciting in track.

Southeast's boys led host Heights in the City League track meet Friday night by two points with only the 1600-meter relay remaining. Mirroring each other in the standings the entire meet, the race came down to the wire. Southeast anchor Clarence Anderson took the baton with a slight lead and managed to hold off Heights anchor Tyrell Everett, winning the race and giving the Buffaloes the title.

"The times we ran today were the best times we ran all year long," Southeast coach Mark Lamb said. "That's what it's all about, to get to that point in the year and peaking right before regionals and state."

There was no drama in the girls division. Southeast won eight events and finished with 142 points, outscoring second-place Bishop Carroll by 27 points.

The Buffaloes swept all three relay races. Marissa Quillin was the long-distance star, taking both the 1600- and 3200-meter titles.

Bishop Carroll's doubles duo of Kevin Klein and Jordan Keller entered Friday's opening rounds of the Class 5A state tennis tournament as the No. 1 seed in the tournament -- albeit partially due to a coin flip.

Klein and Keller had no problems dispatching Bonner Springs (6-2, 6-2) in their first match, but things got difficult in a hurry.

They drew a tough matchup in round two, facing Cody Fawl and Nathan Wehrman of McPherson.

The McPherson duo had already topped Klein and Keller earlier this year.

The result was the same this time, as McPherson came out on top 6-2, 6-4.

The Class 4A tennis tournament is only halfway complete, but the Andover Central doubles team of senior Tucker Noyes and junior Neal Rasmussen has already made program history.

Noyes and Rasmussen won their two matches Friday to advance to the state semifinals today in Prairie Village. No Andover Central boys tennis player or doubles team had ever reached the semifinals before, coach Mark Fleske said.

"We had pretty high expectations, so we're doing good. We're doing what we expected," Rasmussen said."... We're planning on being in the championship. That's what we're expecting."

The duo will play Topeka Hayden's Cody Martinek and Taylor Bach for the opportunity to play in the final.

Noyes and Rasmussen advanced with wins of 6-2, 6-0 over Chanute's Jeremy Harold and Matt Stutt and 6-2, 6-0 over Buhler's Aaron Peak and Michael Mitchell.

Class 6A

At Goddard

Singles

First round--Jack Sock, BV North, def. Cole Marceau, Goddard, 6-0, 6-0; J.T. Christian, Olathe Northwest, def. Bobby Florence, Washburn Rural, 6-0, 6-2; Max Helgeson, BV West, def. Todd Luttgeharm, Maize, 6-0, 6-1; Johnny Stueve, Washburn Rural, def. Arin Enge, Olathe East; Gabe Nagy, Manhattan, def. Ross Carr, Olathe Northwest, 6-2, 6-0; Kevin Moore, SM North, def. Danny Jones, Goddard, 6-1, 6-2; Michael Swank, Lawrence Free State, def. Alex Tretbar, Wichita East, 6-1, 6-1; Chris Fotopoulos, SM East, def. Jarrett Payne, Garden City, 6-0, 6-0.

Quarterfinals--Sock, BV North, def. Christian, Olathe Northwest, 6-2, 6-2; Helgeson, BV West, def. Stueve, Washburn Rural, 6-1, 6-4; Moore, SM North, def. Nagy, Manhattan, 6-0, 6-2; Fotopoulos, SM East, def. Swank, Lawrence Free State, 6-3, 6-3.

Boys

Team results--Garden Plain 147; Cheney 138; Wichita Trinity 63; Wichita Independent 54; Belle Plaine 48 ½; Medicine Lodge 42; Chaparral 24; Douglass 22; Conway Springs 15 ½; Bluestem 4.

100--1. Dold, GP, 11.02; 2. K. Pauly, GP, 11.19; 3. Burns, WT, 11.32. 200--1. K. Pauly, GP, 22.77; 2. Dold, GP, 23.12; 3. Burns, WT, 23.14. 400--1. Pauly, GP, 50.62; 2. Burns, WT, 52.00; 3. Jones, BP, 52.01. 800--1. Powell, ML, 2:04.63; 2. Spurgeon, WT, 2:04.86; 3. Throop, BP, 2:13.57. 1600--1. Powell, ML, 4:14.78; 2. Hunt, BP, 4:44.89; 3. Akler, Cheney, 4:58.23. 3200--1. Hunt, BP, 10:00.01; 2. Akler, Cheney, 11:07.19; 3. Dorl, Chap, 11:15.37. 400 relay--1. Cheney 45.32; 2. W. Independent 45.33; 3. Garden Plain 45.90. 1600 relay--1. W. Trinity 3:33.73; 2. Cheney 3:33.94; 3. W. Independent 3:36.36. 3200 relay--1. W. Trinity 8:43.2; 2. Cheney 8:45.6; 3. Belle Plaine 9:20.3. 110 hurdles--1. Hageman, Chen, 14.81; 2. Puetz, GP, 15.88; 3. Becker, GP, 16.32. 300 hurdles--1. Hageman, Chen, 39.64; 2. Kaye, WT, 41.84; 3. Barker, Chap, 42.46. Discus--1. Puetz, GP, 166-0; 2. Wood, Chen, 138-0; 3. Varenhorst, WI, 136-3 ½. Javelin--1. Krenzel, Chen, 168-9; 2. Capul, GP, 161-5; 3. Wood, Chen, 160-11. Shot put--1. Puetz, GP, 56-11 ¾; 2. Wood, Cheney, 49-0 ¼; 3. Varenhorst, WI, 46-6. High jump--1. Buck, ML, 6-6; 2. Olser, Chen, 6-0; 3. Martin, WT, 5-10. Long jump--1. Bates, D, 19-5 ½; 2. Puetz, GP, 19-1 ¾; 3. Patelle, Chap, 18-4. Triple jump--1. Dold, GP, 41-10; 2. Buck, ML, 40-11; 3. Puetz, GP, 40-4 ¼. Pole vault--1. Hickey, Chen, 13-2; 2. Thimmesch, GP, 12-8; 3. Dewey, Chen, 11-8.

Girls

Team results--Conway Springs 109; Cheney 106; Garden Plain 82; Douglass 71; Medicine Lodge 66; Wichita Independent 52; Belle Plaine 40; Chaparral 24; Bluestem 3; Wichita Trinity 3.

Megan Von Fange may only be in her second season as North's swimming coach, but she is well aware of the team's history.

The Redskins hadn't won a City League championship since 1988.

That 20-year drought ended Thursday night at Northwest, as North was able to run away with the league title, using its superior depth to cruise to victory.

"It was finally our time to take it," Von Fange said. "Our depth has been phenomenal all year. We didn't want to overlook anybody but knew that if we stepped up and came out strong, we'd have a good shot at taking it."

Elizabeth Strother (100-and 200-yard freestyle) and McKenzie Strother (50-and 500-yard freestyle) were dominant, each winning two events on their own and combining to help win two relays for the Redskins.

When Chris Bellar played tennis at Chaparral High in the early 1980s, the sport wasn't yet viewed as a privileged one.

In the past 25 years, though, tennis has grown and private lessons have become the norm. But Bellar has worked to keep the sport accessible to all at Conway Springs, where he has coached the Cardinals since 1991.

"I want to keep it local," said Bellar, 41. "That's the fun of being in a smaller community, because you can keep it that way."

In the process, Bellar also built a traditional tennis power.

Conway Springs is one of the favorites to win the Class 3-2-1A boys title at the state meet today and Saturday at Wichita State. The Cardinals won team titles in 2004 and 2005.

Heights' golfer Travis Deckert had three goals going into this season: Win the City League individual title, be the regional champion, and finish as one of the top 10 medalists at state.

He can go ahead and check that first one off his list.

The regular season scoring leader continued his stellar play with a one-over par 72 at MacDonald Golf Course Thursday afternoon to win medalist honors by two strokes over David Auer of Kapaun Mount Carmel.

The Crusaders won the team title with a 302.

"The last two years I've been close," Deckert said. "So to succeed this year is pretty cool."

As of May 5 Division I

For maybe just a few minutes, it looked as if the unbeaten Andover Trojans' soccer team was on the ropes.

An innocent leading pass from Andover Central's Sarah Potter turned into Kaitlin Tennyson booming a shot past Andover keeper Rebecca Dinsmore for a 1-0 lead just two minutes into the game.

"It was something we've been working on, sending the ball up and trying to beat their defense on the back end," Central coach Stephanie Garcia said. "It actually worked very well for us that time."

But Andover's explosive offensive attack was too much for the Jaguars to contain, with Kortney Clifton scoring less than two minutes later to start a string of 10 unanswered goals in Andover's 10-1 victory at Andover District Stadium on Thursday.

"It was definitely a wake-up call," Clifton said. "We kind of had to kick ourself in the butt. We realized that they can score on us. We had to take it back at them."

The Newton boys track team has certainly shown how to blaze trails this season, producing some of the best sprinters in Class 5A.

And it all starts with junior Grant Loescher, who has one of the fastest times for the 100-meter dash in the state. He won last week at Derbywith a time of 10.59 seconds, fighting some tough wind conditions.

Loescher has his sights set even higher.

"For me, placing top in league and regionals would be my goals," Loescher said. "Hopefully, I can then do good at state."

Loescher has been a versatile contributor for the Railers. After competing in the 200 and 400 last year, he moved to the 100 this season with much success.

CAMPUS BASEBALL

Isiah Mellington was a well-received surprise for coach Bryan Clasen and the Campus Colts. Mellington transferred to Campus this season after playing three seasons at Goddard. The senior catcher and Garden City signee has certainly been a big addition. He's been one of Campus' biggest offensive threats this season, including having a couple of doubles and runs batted in against McPherson Tuesday.

Did you expect to have the year you guys are having?

No, not really. I knew they had seven strong seniors when I was coming over. I had played with a lot of them so I knew they were talented. I expected to do well, but it surprised me that we did this well.

We hear you were a big athlete. Do you still play other sports?

When: 12:30 p.m. today, 9 a.m. Saturday

Where: Class 6A at Eisenhower Middle School, Goddard; Class 5A at Riverside Tennis Center, Wichita; Class 4A at Harmon Park Tennis Center, Prairie Village; Class 3-2-1A at Wichita State University

In the past, there was usually little strategy involved in trying to win the pole for the Indianapolis 500. Just hold the gas pedal down and drive.

Thanks to the qualifying format adopted two years ago, Saturday's opening day of time trials for the May 25 race could be a strategic nightmare.

"This year, it's going to be such a mess," said Scott Dixon, the fastest driver in this week's rain-abbreviated practice on the 2.5-mile Indy oval with a lap of 226.968 mph Friday, considerably faster than the four-lap average of 225.817 that won the pole for Helio Castroneves last May.

In fact, the five quickest drivers on "Fast Friday," the final full day of practice before qualifying, were faster than last year's pole. But it isn't as simple as just being fast now.

The unique, four-day Indy qualifying format limits the number of qualifiers to 11 on each of the first three days, then uses the fourth and final day to bump the slowest drivers already in the 33-car lineup.

The Philadelphia Flyers knew the consequences of failing to move the puck cleanly out of their zone against the supercharged Pittsburgh Penguins.

They knew the consequences if they turned over the puck. And they certainly knew how dangerous Evgeni Malkin was with the puck.

But knowing potential disaster and preventing it are quite different, as Malkin and the Penguins proved with a 4-2 victory on Friday night at Mellon Arena in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Game 2 is Sunday night.

"We were sloppy," defenseman Derian Hatcher said. "We came out pretty good, even after they scored. The last five, six minutes, we kept turning it over, couldn't do anything cleanly. Both teams were sloppy, to be honest. We didn't do anything clean or crisp."

With Kimmo Timonen out indefinitely with a blood clot in his left ankle, coach John Stevens tried matching up Hatcher on Malkin and Jason Smith on Sidney Crosby. Hatcher had help from Braydon Coburn on Malkin, but the Russian center still scored twice.

Bethany 9, Ottawa 7

Bellevue 13, Ottawa 5

Bethany 4, Kansas Wesleyan 1

Hot blasts of wind on a diabolical course made The Players Championship tough enough to turn someone's hair gray. Not that the leaders needed any help with that Friday at Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Kenny Perry, who first showed up at Sawgrass 20 years ago, kept his wits and his patience in 35 mph gusts and made only one bogey in a solid round of 2-under 70 that gave him a one-shot lead at 6 under going into the weekend.

He will be paired with Bernhard Langer, who already has won twice this year -- on the Champions Tour.

The two-time Masters champion and former Ryder Cup captain thought about withdrawing Thursday morning when he felt pain in his lower back, which caused his groin and left knee to ache, along with his left shoulder. All those creaking joints, and the 50-year-old Langer still managed to produce a 67 and entertain hopes of winning against kids who weren't even born when he won his first Masters.

LPGA --Lorena Ochoa started with a birdie, pulling her even with Annika Sorenstam, the playing partner she replaced at the top of the world rankings.

Sergio Garcia put together his third straight impressive round at The Players Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. The first two gave him a runner-up finish last year. The 6-under 66 on Thursday was only a great start.

With growing confidence in his balky putting stroke and superb ball-striking that has become his hallmark, Garcia birdied all the par 5s and picked up a bonus birdie with a 50-foot putt on the 14th hole to build a two-shot lead on the frightening Stadium Course.

It was a good step toward ending an 0-for-53 drought on the PGA Tour, the longest of his career.

"At the end of the day, the only thing I can do is keep working on it, keep giving myself chances, and it's going to happen," Garcia said. "I feel like I'm getting closer and closer. At least now, I feel like I can do it, and it's just a matter of being able to do it."

Kenny Perry and Paul Goydos each had a 68 in the mild, morning breeze on a perfectly conditioned golf course. Sawgrass turned tricky, if not downright difficult, in the afternoon, and Ernie Els was among those who paid dearly.

The betting of a hand and the cards that hit the board might tell you one thing, but your instincts might tell you another, and a lot of the top players go with their gut. It is what allows a top pro such as Brad Booth to call down an opponent's big bet with only a king-high.

At the World Poker Tour's $15,000-buy-in Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic at Las Vegas' Bellagio in 2007, Booth drew K-J offsuit under the gun. With blinds at $50-$100, he raised to $400. Action folded to aggressive pro John Phan, who called from the cutoff.

"My thought process was that when he called, he was weak," said the Canadian-born Booth, who's known as "Yukon Brad." "This is going to sound crazy or stupid or confident, which is what it is, but I put him on something like 6-high or 7-high with two suited connectors.

"It's our history. We'd been playing for an hour and a half together, and there are certain things that you start to pick up, certain things that I have confidence in reading my opponents by their pre-flop action. As goofy and as crazy as that sounds, I'm very intuitive that way."

The flop came Q-4-4, two hearts. Booth checked.

In "Redbelt," acclaimed playwright/filmmaker David Mamet attempts a thinking-man's martial arts movie.

If that sounds like a contradiction -- well, it is.

British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor ("Dirty Pretty Things," "Children of Men") is Mike Terry, operator of a Los Angeles Jiujitsu academy. The form of Brazilian martial arts Mike practices is virtually his religion, demanding the utmost in physical, mental and spiritual purity.

It may be good for Mike's soul, but not his pocketbook. The academy is circling the financial toilet bowl, creditors are calling and his Brazilian wife, Sondra (Alice Braga), is fed up at having to underwrite the martial arts operation with the meager profits from her fabric importing business.

Their fortunes seem to improve after Mike saves the neck of an over-the-hill action movie star during a bar brawl.

Music

Watermelon Slim

Watermelon Slim and the Workers will perform their Oklahoma-flavored blues Sunday night at Sam's Place, 5521 W. Kellogg. Tickets are $6 in advance, $10 at the door. The music will start at 8 p.m. Call 316-942-2224.

Benefit

'Evening at the Casbah'

"What Happens in Vegas" follows the standard romcom design, giving us two funny, neurotic people who are in love with each other but don't know it. But by being a smidge smarter than the average date movie, it makes the first-time meeting, the battle of the sexes and the bumpy course of true love entertaining despite overfamiliarity.

Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher are New Yorkers in need of a change. Ambitious Wall Street trader Joy (Diaz) has just been dumped in front of all her friends by her self-involved boyfriend. Slacker man-child Jack (Kutcher) has been shown the door at the family woodworking business by his own father.

Eager to forget their sorrows, they each zoom off to Sin City for a weekend of debauchery, where they meet, pound back kamikaze shots and marry just for the sheer drunken heck of it. Hung over, remorseful and awake to their utter incompatibility the next day, they resolve to divorce immediately. Then Jack uses Joy's quarter in a slot machine, wins a $3 million jackpot, and she insists the relationship is back on -- until there can be a division of assets in court.

Since these events occur in a parallel universe of romantic contrivance, they land in the court of a judge (grouchy Dennis Miller) who threatens to freeze their bank account unless they make an attempt to save the relationship. With regular visits to a court-appointed relationship therapist, the judge sentences the accidental couple to "six months' hard marriage."

This sets the stage for a Gatling-gun spray of gags in which Jack and Joy try to drive one another into leaving the marriage, thus forfeiting the Vegas windfall. She invites a bevy of bimbos to their place, aiming to get photographic evidence of him breaking the marriage vows. His brand of sabotage involves bodily fluids and booby-trapped toilets.

In his 18-year music career, country artist Tracy Lawrence has amassed 17 No. 1 singles and several platinum and double-platinum albums. He has won an array of awards, including an Academy of Country Music award for Top New Vocalist of the Year in 1993, and has become an advocate for many causes, including his own, the Tracy Lawrence Foundation.

Lawrence has plenty to feel good about when he ends his performing career.

It will be a sad time for his fans, though.

Lawrence said he plans to quit performing eventually to stay home with his family and venture into other areas in music.

"It's hard to do touring with kids," Lawrence said about leaving his two daughters. "I want to hit it hard for a few more years and back off."

We recently interviewed singer Colbie Caillat in her dressing room after a performance on the TV show "The View."

Here's what the young singer, who will perform tonight at the Wichita River Festival, had to say about crushes, nicknames and battling your fears.

Did you write the song "Bubbly" for anyone special?

No. I didn't write "Bubbly" for any guy. I wrote it about the feelings you get when you have a crush on somebody, and when they give you butterflies in your stomach and they just make you smile.

Tell us about your music video for "Bubbly."

"Speed Racer" runs for a gluteus-deadening 2 hours and 9 minutes.

Episodes of the animated '60s TV series that inspired it ran for only 22 minutes. And that was too long.

The latest from the "Matrix"-making Wachowski brothers is an underpopulated, uncompelling and grotesquely overlong piece of eye candy geared to a sixth-grader's world view.

When it's moving -- when our hero Speed is zapping his race car around a track resembling the innards of a gigantic pinball machine -- the film offers the sort of visually distracting (if largely incoherent) overload today's kids revel in. But "Speed Racer" can't get even that right, sacrificing action for long passages of momentum-killing exposition.

About the only area in which "Speed Racer" excels is in its look. A visual cacophony of day-glo colors, '60s retro kitsch and computer-rendered cars whose shiny plastic bodies reflect their surroundings, the movie might be likened to a high-tech Christmas ornament. And like said ornament, once you crack this yarn open there's nothing inside.

Many Wichita restaurants are celebrating Mother's Day with brunch buffets, complete with omelets, prime rib and divine deserts.

Some recommend reservations, while others are more casual about drop-in diners. So give Mom an opportunity to let someone else do the dishes.

Among the restaurants celebrating mothers on Sunday:

• Cibola, 1900 N. Rock Road, 316-631-3700: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; limited menu with kids' items and brunch items. Reservations recommended.

• Cinnabar Cafe, inside the Marriott, 9100 Corporate Hills Drive, 316-651-0333: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; $20.95 adults, $17.95 seniors 62 and over, $9.95 ages 6-12, free for ages 5 and under. Reservations recommended.

Mariah Carey really did get married to Nick Cannon in the Bahamas last week -- and they have the tattoos to prove it.

The 38-year-old singer and the 27-year-old actor confirmed to People magazine that they tied the knot at Carey's Bahamian estate April 30 after a courtship that began in late March.

In an interview from the magazine's May 19 issue, Cannon said they clicked instantly when Carey cast him as a lover in the video for her new single, "Bye Bye."

They began a whirlwind romance, and raised eyebrows when Carey was seen sporting a huge diamond ring at the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of her movie "Tennessee," in which she plays a waitress. Carey said she told "only about four people" about the wedding.

Were Carey's friends surprised?

In a game that featured a runner missing third base on his way to the plate and six errors -- two on the same play that allowed a runner to circle the bases -- it figures that the ultimate difference came on a mistake.

Johnson County scored three runs in the ninth inning, including the game-winner on a Connor Farris wild pitch to steal a 7-6 decision in the Region VI winners' bracket final at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.

Johnson County advances to tonight's championship game at 7 p.m. Cowley will play today at 4 p.m. against Kansas City for the right to face Johnson County.

"We took advantage of some opportunities they gave us and we certainly feel very fortunate," Johnson County coach Kent Shelley said. "We committed three errors, and they were three uncharacteristic errors for us. We were able to overcome them, and against a good club like Cowley, sometime that's not possible."

Cowley overcame many of its own miscues to break a 4-4 tie with two runs in the bottom of the eighth. The Tigers were aided by an error by center fielder Parker Amos, who dropped a fly ball to set up a two-run single by Tom O'Gorman.

Man In the middle

Wichita State coaches long ago targeted Clinton McKeever as a player who could give the batting order pop and a physical presence.

It took time, but McKeever is developing into that kind of player as his sophomore season enters its final weeks. Sunday, the Shocker who most looks like a cleanup hitter moved into that spot for the first time.

"It's all about being comfortable and having confidence," he said. "As the season progressed, I've had more and more success. I've been able to keep things going."

McKeever (6 foot 3, 245 pounds) locked down a regular spot in the batting order as the designated hitter in early April. By the end of the month, he took over at first base. In his past 15 games, he is hitting .379 with eight extra-base hits and 11 RBIs. He is one of the few Shockers on a hot streak as they play Oral Roberts tonight at Eck Stadium in their final regular-season non-conference game.

Wichita State basketball recruit Ehimen Orukpe has been granted a student visa by the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, according to Rep. Todd Tiahrt.

Tiahrt's office sent out a news release on Monday. WSU coach Gregg Marshall said he would have no comment.

"Whatever their office released will stand for me," Marshall said. "We're not going to talk about it."

Orukpe, a 7-foot center, signed a letter of intent with WSU in May 2007. He was not able to leave Nigeria. The granting of his visa is expected to clear the way for him to leave Nigeria and come to Wichita.

"Today, my office was notified by the State Department in Washington that Ehimen Orukpe was granted a student visa by the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria," Tiahrt said in the release. "I wish him great success as he makes the journey to Wichita. I hope he receives a big Kansas welcome when he arrives."

The rain delays lasted twice as long as the game. For Wichita State and left fielder Bret Bascue, the wait was worth every water-logged minute at Braun Stadium.

No. 14 Wichita State routed Evansville 16-3 on Sunday to stay in control of its own destiny in the Missouri Valley Conference race. Bascue hit his first grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs to help the Shockers run-rule the Aces in seven innings.

"It was absolutely very crucial," WSU coach Gene Stephenson said. "Fortunately for us, the rain held off. We leave here feeling a little bit better than we did earlier today."

The Shockers (38-14, 16-5 MVC) spent most of Sunday waiting around in Evansville's field house, an old National Guard armory next to the stadium. They got to the stadium at noon for a scheduled 1 p.m. start and waited until 5 p.m. through rain and wind. Some players hit, some fielded, some threw and some slept.

Whatever the strategy, they were ready when the game started. The Shockers took a 9-0 lead in the first inning and all that remained was a weather watch.

Curtis Dolezal is adept at reading the looks on other's faces when they see his stub of a right arm. Dolezal (doh-LEE-zul) sees the pity and sympathy in adults and other teenagers. He sees the curiosity in children who want to know how it happened and why his right arm extends only to his elbow. And he wonders what he should say.

Should he explain how, when he was 3 years old, his own curiosity got the best of him and he stuck his arm down into where his parents' hired hand was binning wheat?

Should Dolezal tell how his arm hung limply by his side after his mother, Dawn, frantically tried to pull him free from the grain auger -- which moves the grain with a spinning blade -- injuring herself in the process? And should he explain that amputation was the only option because pretty much all that remained of his lower right arm was the bone?

The questions, sympathy -- that's all fine. He understands.

Just don't underestimate him.

Growing up around Wichita, Cindy Craine always knew about the River Run.

But Craine, a Mulvane High and Butler Community College graduate, was never a long distance runner looking to run in a 10K race.

Years later, after graduating from Texas Christian University and settling in Fort Worth, Craine decided it was worth a trip back home.

"I'm always looking for an excuse to visit family," she said.

Running in only her second 10K and first race back in Wichita, Craine made the most of the return, crossing the finish line at Douglas and Broadway in 36:21 to win the female division of the 32nd Annual Bank of America River Run 10K Saturday morning.

Strategy was almost as important as speed Saturday as Scott Dixon won the pole for the Indianapolis 500 with a big gamble by his Target Chip Ganassi Racing team.

Dixon and teammate Dan Wheldon, who took the second spot, both took advantage of Indy's unique qualifying format, which allows each entry up to three tries on each of the four days of time trials.

Dixon, who has three pole positions in five tries in the IRL IndyCar Series this season, got the biggest benefit of the team strategy, canceling out a four-lap average of 225.178 mph earlier in the day and making it pay off with four laps at 226.366 that held up for Ganassi's third Indy pole.

"I was part of that decision, so it wasn't really a surprise," Dixon said. "We had been out testing, so we were confident we could go much faster. The tough part came later in the day, knowing whether or not we should do a third attempt (if we got knocked off the pole).

"One thing that was great out there, even on an average lap for us, we still had the field covered as a team. That just goes to show how strong we are this year."

Evansville's eight runs Friday night didn't just spoil Wichita State's run-rule hopes. They gave the downtrodden Aces hope they could hang with the 14th-ranked Shockers.

So if a team can find a little juice in a 15-8 loss, the Aces did so. Saturday, they stunned the Shockers with a 6-3 victory behind junior right-hander John Foley's three-hitter at Braun Stadium.

"Giving us a chance and giving us momentum, that really helps us," Foley said. "Being able to put up runs (Friday) after we were down really played into today."

WSU (37-14, 15-5 Missouri Valley Conference) lost all margin for error in the conference race. The Shockers must win their remaining four games to ensure themselves at least a tie for first place with Missouri State.

Saturday's effort led to a 13-minute meeting in right field. Coach Gene Stephenson had plenty to talk about. The Shockers committed two errors that led to four unearned runs. Starting pitcher Aaron Shafer gave up nine hits and three straight two-out hits after an error in the crucial fifth inning. WSU didn't record a hit until the sixth inning and didn't put a runner on base after the sixth.

Paul Goydos doesn't have a Q-rating, an endorsement deal or a top-30 finish in the last 16 months. What he does have for the first time in his career is a 54-hole lead -- in The Players Championship, no less.

Seemingly immune to the mounting pressure and a course getting tougher by the day, Goydos seized the lead Saturday with a 10-foot birdie on the island-green 17th and a great escape on the closing hole for a 2-under 70 and a one-shot lead over Kenny Perry in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

As well as he played, his self-deprecating humor was even better.

Asked if he had ever had a 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour, Goydos shook his head.

"But I've only been on tour for 16 years," he said.

The previous four times David Keller ran the two-mile race at the River Run, the preparation was the same.

He didn't put much focus on the race, opting to run in the 10-kilometer run earlier in the morning before running the two-mile about an hour later.

But this year, Keller decided to change things up. He sat out the 10K, saving his stamina for the 32nd Annual River Run two-mile race Saturday morning.

The strategy worked. Keller made a late break for the lead, passing Fernando Martinez with a quarter of a mile remaining, to win his second two-mile race. Martinez, the Bishop Carroll cross country coach, finished second.

"I didn't expect to win it today," Keller said. "Usually I run a (10K) and then I come and run this race. That's what I did last year and I got third. That... always takes a little bit out of you. I think I was just fresh this year."

The Detroit Red Wings kept rolling without their hottest player.

Darren Helm and Henrik Zetterberg scored first-period goals to help make up for the loss of Johan Franzen and Detroit held on for a 2-1 win Saturday night over the Dallas Stars and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

Stephane Robidas tied it at 1 midway through the first period, but the Stars struggled to get shots to or past Chris Osgood.

Dallas' Marty Turco made 32 saves, but the former University of Michigan star fell to 0-9-2 in the NHL at Joe Louis Arena. Osgood needed to stop just 17 shots, improving to 8-0 as a starter in the playoffs this season.

Game 3 is Monday night in Dallas.

Asdrubal Cabrera turned the 14th unassisted triple play in major league history, and it wasn't enough for the Cleveland Indians to complete a doubleheader sweep.

Shannon Stewart hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, Aaron Hill added a two-run single and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Cleveland 3-0 on Monday night to salvage a split of the doubleheader.

The nightcap featured terrific pitching performances from Toronto's Shawn Marcum and Cleveland's Cliff Lee, who got a big assist from Cabrera in the fifth inning.

With Kevin Mench and Marco Scutaro on with singles, Cabrera made a diving backhand catch of a line drive by Lyle Overbay, touched second base to force Mench and then tagged out Scutaro.

Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki made the last unassisted triple play in the majors, on April 29, 2007, against Atlanta. Oakland second baseman Randy Velarde last turned the trick in the AL, on May 29, 2000, against the Yankees.

Eagle high school reporters talk to area athletes about their school, their sport and teen life. Today, it's Maize High.

Three Eagles softball players -- Kayla Becker, Taylor Funk and Courtney White -- took a few moments between games to answer some questions.

Is it tougher hitting a softball than a baseball?

Becker: "It depends. I used to play baseball, and it comes at a different angle. Some say it's easier to hit a softball because it's bigger. No, it's just different."

Funk: "I would say yes. A, the pitcher is closer to you and B, baseballs are so little, they can just fly. Softball's a little heavier. and really, in reality, the softball is coming just as fast as a baseball is because of the distance. And boys need to quit saying that it's easier to hit a softball because they're completely wrong."

Tom O'Gorman hit a one-out two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to lift Cowley Community College to an 8-6 victory over Hutchinson in the Region VI Tournament on Sunday night at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.

Brice Cole led off the ninth by being hit by a pitch. After an out, O'Gorman hit a drive over the left-field wall.

W -- Roten. L -- Rosine. HR -- Cowley: O'Gorman.

Hutch batting: Bieberle 1-3, DeBlanc 2-3, Hoover 1-4, Roy 2-5, Adams 0-4, LaGree 0-4, Delcambre 2-4, Ferrell 1-4, Yerby 2-3.

Pedro Alvarez has a date every night.

Even if busy with dinner, he grabs his cell phone, puts the speaker on, props it on his shoulder and talks away for about 30 minutes -- with his father, a cab driver in New York.

That's how the Vanderbilt junior third baseman stays in touch with his family. That closeness is why the talented third baseman turned down a big offer from the Boston Red Sox coming out of high school and headed off to college. A tough decision for a fan of Boston's Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz.

But to Alvarez and his family, education comes first.

"You've got to set foot on the ground and be realistic and see things for what they are. At the time, it just wasn't our path to follow," Alvarez said as he leaned against the dugout rail before a recent game. "I thought this was the place I could get the best of both worlds."