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1B Thursday February 6, 2014 Sports AP photo Shaun White of the United States takes a jump during a Snowboard Slopestyle training session at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia, prior to the 2014 Winter Olympics on Tuesday. Shaun White nixes slopestyle Big men, DBs highlight Bama's latest No. 1 class TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — In the grand signing day tradition, Alabama coach Nick Saban said the recruiting class met his team's needs. That might be an understatement in his case. The Crim- son Tide loaded up with six big men on each side of the ball and four defensive backs and pulled off a signing day coup on Wednesday by landing five-star linebacker Rashaan Evans. The result was Rivals.com's No. 1 recruiting class for the fourth consecutive year and sixth time in seven years. Saban will reserve his own class rankings until the play- ers have proven themselves on the field. ''I really do think that the most accurate way to be able to rank any recruiting class would be three years down the road,'' he said. This one certainly looks impressive with seven five-star recruits and seven Parade All-Americans plus Florida State transfer quarterback Jake Coker. Alabama got the top-rated prospect in Alabama, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Virginia, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. Rivals rates defensive end Da'Shawn Hand as the top prospect nationally. Offensive tackle Cameron Robinson also is a top-5 recruit. He said Brown and Humphrey fit the mold of Alabama's big, fast cornerbacks that have gone on to be first-round NFL draft picks. Here's a quick overview of Alabama's recruiting class: Ducks sign talented RB (AP) — The speedy Oregon Ducks just keep landing tal- ented running backs. Last year it was homegrown star Thomas Tyner. This year it's Royce Freeman out of Imperial, Calif., who also had offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, and Stanford, but on Wednesday signed his letter of intent to play for Ore- gon. Freeman ran for 2,824 yards and 41 touchdowns as a senior last season at Imperial High School. Freeman, who is 6-feet and 227 pounds, has drawn comparisons to former Ducks LeGarrette Blount and Jonathan Stewart. He could have an impact right away with the departure of De'Anthony Thomas, who decided to skip his senior season and declare for the NFL draft. The Ducks will return backs Byron Marshall and Tyner, who played last year as a true freshman. Oregon coach Mark Helfrich called Freeman a ''proto- typical big back.'' ''Just a great kid, who is fast and physical,'' Helfrich said. Oregon also lured 5-foot-9 running back Tony James, a four-star prospect out of Gainesville, Fla. Now that receiver Josh Huff has graduated, Oregon recruited 6-foot-2 receiver Jalen Brown from Phoenix, who has already enrolled. Helfrich said Brown typifies the players in this year's recruiting class. ''A great kid from a great family who was captain of his team,'' Helfrich said. Among Oregon's other four-star recruits was cornerback Arrion Springs out of San Antonio, who is expected to help the Ducks shore up the secondary after the loss of safeties Brian Jackson and Avery Patterson to graduation and the early departure of Terrance Mitchell to the NFL draft. The Ducks filled other defensive needs with the signings of 6-foot-7, 253-pound tackle Jalen Jelks of Phoenix, 6-foot- 3, 270-pound end Austin Maloata of Corona, Calif., 6-foot- 5, 207 pound end Justin Hollins of Arlington, Texas, and 6- foot-2, 229-pound outside linebacker Jimmie Swain of Olathe, Kan. The Ducks have lost defensive linemen: Taylor Hart, Wade Keliikipi and Ricky Havili-Heimuli and linebacker Boseko Lokombo, who all graduated. But Oregon returns all off its offensive line, anchored by center Hroniss Grasu, and 10 offensive players overall. The Ducks were in the mix for 300-pound defensive tack- le Trey Lealaimatafao, who committed to LSU. Five-star safety/receiver John ''Juju'' Smith also was considering Ore- gon, but signed a letter of intent with USC. Oregon got commitments from 17 prep players, three junior college players and transfer Johnny Ragin, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound linebacker who decided to leave Cal. The NCAA limits FBS schools to 25 new scholarship players, but Ore- gon didn't have that many open roster spots. Last season, its first under Helfrich, Oregon finished 11- 2, capped off by a 30-7 victory over Texas in the Alamo Bowl. Tehama Tracker Today's schedule BOYS SOCCER Lassen at Corning, 3:15 p.m. Williams at Los Molinos, 3:15 p.m. GIRLS SOCCER Lassen at Corning, 3:15 p.m. NBA Chicago at Golden State, 7:30 p.m. NHL Dallas at San Jose, 7:30 p.m. Sports on TV GOLF 8 a.m. TGC — European PGA Tour, Joburg Open, first round, at Johannes- burg (same-day tape) Noon TGC — PGA Tour, Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, first round, at Pebble Beach, Calif. MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 4 p.m. ESPN — Connecticut at Cincinnati ESPN2 — LSU at Georgia ESPNU — Robert Morris at LIU 6 p.m. ESPN — Oregon at Arizona ESPN2 — Penn St. at Michigan St. ESPNU — Murray St. at Belmont FS1 — UTEP at East Carolina 8 p.m. ESPNU — Santa Clara at BYU FS1 — Oregon St. at Arizona St. NBA BASKETBALL 5 p.m. TNT — San Antonio at Brooklyn 7:30 p.m. TNT — Chicago at Golden State WINTER OLYMPICS At Sochi, Russia All events taped unless noted as Live NBC 8 p.m. Figure Skating - (Team Event: Men's Short Program, Pairs' Short Pro- gram); Men's and Women's Snowboard- ing - Slopestyle Competition; Women's Freestyle Skiing - Moguls Competition KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia (AP) — Shaun White jammed his wrist on one jump and watched the world's best snowboarders join him in tumbling down the supersized, super-scary Olympic slopestyle course. Quickly, his choice became clear: Time to step away from the danger, and give himself a better chance in the event he knows he can win. The world's most famous snowboarder pulled out of the new Olympic event Wednesday, saying that after much deliberation, he has decided to bypass a chance at winning two gold medals at these games and instead concentrate on the halfpipe, where he'll have a chance to win his third straight title next week. ''With the practice runs I have taken, even after course modifications and watching fellow athletes get hurt, the potential risk of injury is a bit too much for me to gamble my other Olympics goals on,'' White said in a statement. The world's most decorated rider in a sport known for its risk-takers, White's decision was a stunner that dealt yet another blow to the still-to-start Sochi Games. They have been wracked by security threats and political dust-ups, along with the loss of at least one other headliner, injured American skier Lindsey Vonn. White isn't leaving, but his departure from an event that was essentially introduced at the Olympics this year to take advantage of his star power certainly can't make the folks at the IOC or NBC too happy. ''He's a notable person and he probably would have brought more viewers to slopestyle,'' said Nick Goepper, an American who competes in the skiing version of the event. IOC spokesman Mark Adams downplayed the idea that the course is too dangerous. ''I don't think that's an issue,'' he said. ''A lot of the ath- letes have said they're very happy, they like the venue.'' Slopestyle qualifying starts Thursday, the day before the opening ceremony. Snowboarding's newest and most-hyped Olympic event is a judged sport — a speed-packed trip down the mountain, filled with rails, bumps and, most notably, steeply angled jumps that allow riders to flip two, sometimes three times, before landing. White hurt his wrist on one of the takeoff ramps, which were built ''kind of obnoxiously tall,'' accord- ing to one top rider, Canadian Mark McMorris. White, who had already hurt his shoulder and ankle in the lead-up to the Olympics, deemed his latest injury — the jammed wrist — as nothing serious and said reports about it were overblown. But he said there remained serious issues with the slopestyle course. ''There are definitely concerns about the course,'' he said. ''It's been interesting to see how it's developed and changed over the past couple days. The big question is if it will continue to change. Because every day, they have rid- ers meetings and they give feedback. Sometimes there's changes, sometimes there's not.'' Reaction to White's decision came from several corners, not all of it positive. ''Mr. White... It's easy to find excuses to pull out of a contest when you think you can't win,'' Canadian rider Sebastian Toutant tweeted. Maybe so, but White certainly wasn't alone in question- ing the course. Australian Torah Bright, the defending women's half- pipe champion who is trying to compete in three events this year — halfpipe, slopestyle and a racer's version called snowboardcross — also described an overly treacherous few days of training. ''We're here as the world's best snowboarders,'' she told The Associated Press. ''Too bad we don't have a world- class course. The craftsmanship doesn't match the world- class athletes that are here.'' Out of slopestyle, White will now focus solely on next Tuesday's contest in the halfpipe, which is essentially a hol- lowed-out ice shell with 22-foot (7-meter) sidewalls. There is danger there, but unlike slopestyle, it's based mostly on the types of head-over-heels tricks the riders try and not the setup of the pipe. In a news conference about an hour before he gave first word of his decision to the ''Today'' show, White was asked whether halfpipe was more important to him. ''For me, I definitely feel the halfpipe carries a bit more weight, a bit more pressure. I guess that's fair enough to say,'' he said. He is favored to become the first male American to win three straight golds in the Winter Games. His prospects for slopestyle, on the other hand, were uncertain. He's the five-time Winter X Games champion, though he more or less gave up the event about five years ago to focus solely on the halfpipe. He hurt his ankle on the halfpipe in the season's first Olympic qualifier, then bashed his shoulder during a nasty fall in slopestyle about a month later. He pulled out of events, changed his mind a few times about the X Games — considered the biggest snowboard- ing event outside of the Olympics — before skipping that, as well. In all, it has been a hectic lead-up period as he tried to deal with both events, and it didn't stop once he reached Russia. The slopestyle final is set for Saturday, which would cost him the first day of practice on the halfpipe. ''It's tough juggling both events,'' White said. ''Definite- ly not easy. It's something that's been talked about quite a bit. Losing a day of practice is a serious thing, especially with a new course and the challenges I'd face in slopestyle.'' He said watching the injuries pile up on the course did- n't build much confidence. Another top rider, Torstein Horgmo of Norway, was forced out after breaking his collarbone during practice Monday. On Tuesday, Finnish rider Marika Enne was cart- ed off the course with a concussion. There were dozens of other less-serious flips and spills. Many riders said the dangers of the course were being overblown — ''There's no way this course is too danger- ous,'' American Sage Kotsenburg insisted. But White and Bright are not alone in criticizing the setup. ''It's a little intense, a little challenging,'' said American rider Jamie Anderson, a gold-medal favorite on the women's side. ''The jumps are still a little weird. I'm hav- ing a questionable time getting used to them.'' While the other riders might breathe a little easier know- ing one of their main competitors is out of the way, White understands his place in the sport and the gravity of his deci- sion. ''Not one I take lightly,'' he said. ''I know how much effort everyone has put into holding the slopestyle event for the first time in Olympic history — a history I had planned on being part of.'' BOYS BASKETBALL The Red Bluff Spartans (12-9, 0- 4 Sac River League) fell to Shasta (13-8) on the road Tuesday, 67-47. Chester (17-4) beat visiting Los Molinos (11-10, 3-5 Five Star League) 61-44 on Friday. GIRLS BASKETBALL The Red Bluff Lady Spartans (16-6, 3-2 SRL) fell to Shasta (15- 6) at home Tuesday, 52-36. The Los Molinos Lady Bulldogs (9-8, 3-5 FSL) edged Chester (3-15) on the road Tuesday, 42-41. The Bulldogs' Clarivel Castillo tallied a triple-double on the night, finishing with 26 points, 21 rebounds and 10 blocks. She also added six steals. Katie Morgan notched four points and 11 rebounds, Heather Rodriguez added four points, Vanessa Cota had three points and four steals, Hannah Rogers finished with three points and Crystal Sanchez scored two points. BOYS SOCCER The Corning Cardinals (16-0-2, 7-0-1 Northern Athletic League) continued their unbeaten run on Tuesday, defeating Yreka (7-6-1) 4- 1 on the road. The Cards enjoyed goals from Arturo Carrera, Thomas Lowe, Jayve Uriostegui and Cristian Loera. Eric Figueroa aided with an assist on the day. Luis Luevano notched six saves in 60 minutes at goalkeeper, and Jesus Serrano tallied two saves in 20 minutes. GIRLS SOCCER The Red Bluff Lady Spartans (4- 8-4, 1-5-3 SRL) fell to visiting Par- adise (12-6), 3-2 on Tuesday. Red Bluff's Jordan Vazquez and Michelle Mitchell scored goals for the Spartans. Mikenna Corry had two assists. The Corning Lady Cards (7-10- 1, 3-5 NAL) lost to Yreka (5-8-1), 2-1 on the road Tuesday. PREP ROUNDUP