SPORTS HEADLINES 7/19/12

Hoppers Baseball:   Following an off day, the Hoptown Hoppers are back in action this evening at Owensboro. The 24-11 Hoppers stand two games away from clinching the regular season title. First pitch this evening at 7.

Last night in the OVL:   The Hoppers were unable to move closer to clinching the league crown as the doubleheader between Fulton and Owensboro was rained out. It will be made up this Sunday.

Madisonville won its 2nd straight game, defeating Marion 5-4. The Bobcats have lost three contests in a row.

Tonight in the OVL:   Marion plays a doubleheader at Fulton.

High School Football:   We’re less than a month from the beginning of the regular season and local teams have scrimmage games coming up. The Kentucky New Era reports Christian County will have Meet the Colonels August 4th at the Stadium of Champions, with the team to play in a jamboree August 11th at Austin Peay with several teams.

Hopkinsville will scrimmage Owensboro August 10th at Hopkinsville High at 6 pm. Fort Campbell will host a jamboree August 10th at 7 pm, with Trigg County playing scrimmage games against Murray and Union County August 10th in Murray.

College Football:   Kentucky coach Joker Phillips and some of his players were among those participating in day two of the SEC Media Days Wednesday in Birmingham. Phillips—11-14 in two seasons as UK coach—was asked if he were on the proverbial hot seat. Phillips said he was not sitting down, so in his mind the seat is not hot. Phillips says his job was to put the best product on the field and not worry his job.

Kentucky has announced former defensive end Jeremy Jarmon is joining the coaching staff as assistant director of player personnel. Jarmon played three seasons in the NFL, including two seasons with the Washington Redskins. Jarmon signed with Denver last season, but didn’t see action and recently retired due to a nagging knee injury.

Golf: Hopkinsville’s Dayton Jones finished 2nd with a 73 in the Boys 17-18 division at the Pepsi Junior Tour stop at Lakeside Golf Club in Lexington. Jones had won the five previous stops before falling Wednesday. Jones will play again today on the Pepsi Tour at Tates Creek Golf Club in Lexington.

Paducah’s Russ Cochran—the defending Senior British Open champion—has withdrawn from the British Open underway today at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. Cochran withdrew due to a back strain suffered during last week's US Senior Open.

NHL:   Shea Weber could no longer a Nashville Predator. The Philadelphia Flyers have signed the restricted free agent to a 14 year, $100 million offer sheet.   The Predators now have seven days to match the Flyers offer. Weber had 19 goals and 30 assists in 78 games in Nashville last season.