sports in brief

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Oct 30, 2006

Local & state: Wichita teenkilled at Park City speedway

An 18-year-old high school student was killed Sunday afternoon when she lost control of her converted Ford Mustang at 81 Speedway and crashed into a wall during a race.

Amey Cohoon, a senior at Heights High School in Wichita, was racing in the Junior Hornet league, which is limited to racers ages 15 through 17 and those who turn 18 during the racing season.

"We all knew this girl was in trouble," said witness Robert Goss, who was in the pits at the center of the track when he heard the crash.

Cohoon likely died from head trauma, Park City police officer Keith Goodall said. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the official cause of death, he said. She was wearing a helmet when she crashed, witnesses said.

The Governor's Cup girls competitive tournament concluded Sunday with 12 age groups playing championship games at the Sunflower Soccer Complex.

In the under-19 division, KC Bayern Munich defeated Topeka Select Galaxy, 3-1; KC Bayern Munich defeated Topeka Select Azzuri, 3-1, in under-17; the Cholita Strikers beat LASC Indians, 1-0, in overtime in the under-16 division; Chili Peppers defeated Topeka Select Rockets, 3-0, in under-15; Gladiator beat Prodigy Pegasus, 4-0, in under-14; Kaw Valley Force defeated Avellino FC Storm, 1-0, in under- 13 division two; KC Mystics defeated EFC Attack, 4-3, in a shootout in under-13 division one; KC Outlaws Black defeated Hays Blaze, 5- 4, in under-12 division two; Gladiator Blue defeated Prodigy Extreme, 3-0, in under-12 division one; Arsenal beat Prodigy Lady Blaze, 3-0, in under-11; KCFC Alliance United beat Cholita Strikers, 4-3, in under-10; and WFC Strikers defeated Prodigy Impact, 11-2, in under-9.

The University of Kansas women's golf team finished in 15th place at the Derby Invitational at Auburn, Ala.

Senior Amanda Costner was the top-Jayhawk finisher. She shot 156 for the 36-hole tournament for 39th place. Freshman Emily Powers tied for 58th place.

The tournament was the last action of the year for the Jayhawks, who will begin the spring season Feb. 5-6 at the Baja Invitational in Ensenada, Mexico.

Auto racing: Stewart wins Atlanta; Johnson moves to within 26 of lead

At this point, Tony Stewart is racing only for pride and wins. On Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, he stole the spotlight from the title contenders with a win that clearly made him proud.

Stewart, who failed to qualify for the 10-race Chase for championship after winning his second Nextel Cup title last season, held off Chase driver Jimmie Johnson for his fourth victory of the season and second in the first seven races of the 2006 playoffs.

Afterward, he literally grabbed the checkered flag after a somewhat perilous climb up the flagstand in celebration.

"It's better than last year," said Stewart after jumping out of his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet. "We were in it last year and couldn't win any of these, so it's a lot of fun.

The runner-up finish was just fine with Johnson, though, as he moved within 26 points of series leader Matt Kenseth with three races remaining.

Michael Schumacher, the seven-time Formula One champion who retired from racing last week, will stay on at Ferrari as an assistant to new chief executive Jean Todt.

"The basis of my future will be that of a super assistant to Jean," Schumacher said Sunday at the Ferrari World Finals, the racing team's traditional season-closer.

He did not elaborate on his new role, saying he needed to reflect on what he might be able to offer Ferrari.

Football: Baylor QB Bell done for the season with torn ligament

Record-setting Baylor senior quarterback Shawn Bell is done for the season because a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, coach Guy Morriss said Sunday.

Bell got injured late in the fourth quarter of Baylor's 31-21 loss to No. 21 Texas A&M on Saturday night. He took a hard hit near the sideline after his last pass and didn't return for the final series of the game.

Redshirt freshman Blake Szymanski will make his first career start Saturday when the Bears (4-5, 3-2 Big 12) play at Texas Tech. Baylor needs to win two of its last three games to be eligible for its first bowl since 1994.

Rutgers' defense and special teams showed they can carry the Scarlet Knights when running back Ray Rice and the rest of the offense can't.

With the nation's second-leading rusher held in check by Connecticut (3-5), the No. 15 Scarlet Knights (8-0) held off the Huskies 24-13 on Sunday night to remain one of the nation's six undefeated teams.

Rice scored on a 5-yard run on the first drive of the game, Manny Collins returned a fumble 11 yards for a score and Quintero Frierson scored on a blocked punt in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

Rutgers can now turn its attention to its showdown with No. 5 Louisville a week from Thursday.

West Virginia was a precarious No. 3 in the Bowl Championship Series standings Sunday, leading a tightly packed group of nine teams trailing Ohio State and Michigan.

The Mountaineers replaced Southern California, which had been in third place before losing 33-31 at Oregon State on Saturday. But unlike the Trojans, West Virginia's hold on third isn't strong enough for the Mountaineers to control their destiny in the national title race.