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ByJoshDubow TheAssociatedPress SAN FRANCISCO In the mid- dle of a champagne-and-beer- soaked clubhouse after the San Francisco Giants won the NL Championship Series, Tim Hudson was given the chance to speak to his team. The message was as simple as Hudson's approach on the mound: "World Series, baby!" After 16 years, 214 regular- season wins and seven failed trips to the postseason, Hudson has finally made it to baseball's biggest stage at age 39. Hudson is set to take the mound tonight for the Giants when they return home to face Jeremy Guthrie and the Royals in Game 3 of the World Series after a two-game split in Kan- sas City. "I think everybody thinks about it every year they play," Hudson said. "Obviously when you go 16 years without having been able to experience some- thing like this, you wonder if it's going to happen. I'm no dif- ferent than anybody." Hudson's brilliant career be- gan on the other side of San Francisco Bay as he helped Oak- land make four straight trips to the postseason that ended with Game 5 losses in the division se- ries. Hudson got back to the play- offs with Atlanta, losing in the division series in 2005 to Hous- ton and 2010 to San Francisco. The Braves made it again last year when Hudson was hurt but lost again in the division series. After signing a $23 million, two-year contract this offseason with San Francisco, Hudson fi- nally got to experience postsea- son success. "Coming off my injury last year, I knew that I probably don't have a lot of years left," Hudson said. "That was a huge reason I came here to San Fran- cisco. It's unfolding just how I figured it would." Hudson got no-decisions in his first two postseason starts, allowing five runs in 13 2/3 in- nings against Washington and St. Louis. The limited work of late has paid dividends. Hudson looks much fresher than he did in Sep- tember when he went 0-4 with an 8.72 ERA in five starts to end the season while dealing with a bum hip. "It's hard enough to play this game when you're healthy, but when you're pitching and your hip's bothering you a little bit — and he's a warrior," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He was never complaining. He was never mak- ing excuses, but it was a fact. I think it was affecting him a lit- tle bit." Despite being picked as an All-Star for the fourth time in his career, Hudson was not at his best in the regular season, and his 9-13 record was the first losing mark of his career. But he managed 31 starts over 189 1/3 innings in his comeback from a broken ankle and has been a key contributor in the postseason. "He's a veteran, been around a long time, seen a lot of stuff," Giants ace Madison Bumgarner said. "He brings a lot to the ta- ble, and I feel like he's still as good as he's ever been." Hudson has a 214-124 career record with a 3.45 ERA. WORLD SERIES Giants'Hudsonwill battleRoyals'Guthrie San Francisco's 39-year-old veteran starter finally has championship shot a er 16 years DAVIDJ.PHILLIP—THEASSOCIATEDPRESSFILE San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tim Hudson leaves the game during the seventh inning of Game 3of the National League championship series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, Oct. 14, in San Francisco. By Michael Wagaman The Associated Press ALAMEDA Oakland Raiders de- fensive end LaMarr Woodley has a serious biceps injury and could miss the remainder of the sea- son. Woodley has not practiced since getting injured in Sun- day's 24-13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Interim coach Tony Sparano wouldn't discuss the specific nature of Woodley's sit- uation but acknowledged it is a long-term injury. "Yeah, it's long-term," Sparano said Thursday. "I'm not going to sit here and tell you it's not. We'll make that announce- ment here whenever we're ready to make it. We don't have to do that but for me to sit here and tell you it's not (serious), no, I can't do that." The 29-year-old Woodley was one of the Raiders' prized acqui- sitions this past offseason. He and fellow defensive end Justin Tuck were signed to lucrative deals as part of general man- ager Reggie McKenzie's plan to bring in veterans with champi- onship experience. It hasn't worked out so well for winless Oakland. Woodley has five tackles in six games and is without a sack. Tuck has 12 tackles and one sack but has been slowed by a knee injury. Oakland's defense in general has struggled despite McKen- zie's efforts to revamp the unit. The Raiders head into Sun- day's home game at Cleve- land ranked 22nd in total de- fense and 29th against the run. They're last in third-down effi- ciency and have just six sacks — only three by defensive linemen. Losing Woodley is just the latest setback for a defense that appeared to be much improved coming out of training camp. C.J. Wilson and Benson May- owa will likely split playing time while filling in for Woodley. Wil- son leads the Raiders with two sacks. "More guys are going to get an opportunity," defensive co- ordinator Jason Tarver said. "Some of them haven't been able to show what they can do yet. It's a good opportunity for them. "Benson went in and did some good things. He set edges well, he affected the quarterback some in that game, so it was good to see him step up into that role." How long Woodley — who inked a two-year deal worth $12 million — is out is uncertain, though Sparano's tone and de- meanor made it sound as if the veteran defender will be gone a significant amount of time, if not the entire season. Partially torn biceps have an average recovery time of three to four weeks. Full tears requir- ing surgery require three to four months. "Defensively throughout this year it's been next man up and that's what it is," Tarver said. NFL Raiders' Woodley out with biceps injury Oakland defensive end hasn't practiced since getting hurt, could miss remainder of season Staff Reports WINTERS Mercy placed fifth in both the boys and girls divisions Wednesday at the Butte View League swimming champion- ships, breaking three school re- cords in the process. Zinnia Balken set a new Mercy High School record with a time of 1:07.09 in the 100 butterfly. She placed second. Balken added a third-pace fin- ish in the 100 breaststroke. Katelyn Tobin broke the school record in the 100 back- stroke with a time of 1:18.54 to place second. She was fourth in the 200 free- style. Mikaela Weber was fourth in the 200 individual medley. Anthony Aviles was second in the 50 freestyle. Aviles, Marcus Kuchle, Nico- las Keane and Theo Zang broke the school's 200 freestyle relay record with a time of 1:53.82 to place fourth. Mercy travels to Anderson on Oct. 20 for the Division 2 Cham- pionships. Golf EASTERNATHLETICLEAGUEMATCH DAY 5 Red Bluff and Chico are still neck-and-neck. The Lady Spartans and Lady Panthers tied with a 292 Wednes- day at Gold Hills Golf Club in Red- ding to remain tied in the season standings with 26 points each. The EAL moved the league meet up a day to beat the fore- casted rain. Just one day of golfing remains, as the EAL will return to Gold Hills on Tuesday for a full 18 holes of golf with the individual, team championships and section qual- ifiers at stake. Red Bluff's Sofia Frantz led the field Wednesday with a 46. She sits third in the individual stand- ings. Summer Frantz shot a 52 and is 0.25 strokes per nine holes be- hind Chico's Nicole Dempsey for the league title. Emilie Louisell shot 55 for the Lady Spartans, Yazmin Villalo- bos shot 62 and Maryn Spangler shot a 77. Cross Country EASTERN ATHLETIC LEAGUE MEET Host Chico won the girls race Wednesday at Hooker Oak Recre- ation Area with 43 points, ahead of Shasta with 55. The Lady Spartans placed third with 72 points. Enterprise's Natalie Ulloa turned in the best time on the 5,000-meter course at 18:35. Naomi Renfroe was Red Bluff's top finisher in sixth place at 20:44. Daisy Brose was eighth in 21:20. Natalie Renfroe was 14th (21:49) and Nicole Renfroe was 15th (21:51). Kayla Exum placed 32nd in 23:25. Shasta won the boys competi- tion with a score of 22 points, fol- lowed by Chico with 52 points and Pleasant Valley with 86 points. Red Bluff was fifth with 121 points. Chico's Jacob Graber won the race in 16:36. Gabriel Fregoso was Red Bluff's top finisher, taking 19th place with a time of 18:31. Martin Hernandez was 23rd in 18:46. Isaac Moldenhauer placed 27th (19:17), Karl Parks was 29th (19:54) and Conner Sousa was 32nd (20:03). The league championships are Nov. 6 back at Hooker Oak Rec- reation Area. PREP ROUNDUP Mercy swimmers break 3 records Lady Spartans golf team still tied with Chico for first in EAL standings Three state agencies including the California Highway Patrol will launch an interactive, mobile and online game called "Distraction Zone" that helps educate teen drivers about safe driving. CALTRANS Game launched to teach teen drivers FULLSTORYONPAGEB2 The Corning Lady Cardinals field hockey team begins postseason play in Davis. The Eastern Athletic League girls tennis championships begin at Foothill High School and continue Saturday. TODAY'S CHAMPIONSHIPS Championships under way for fall sports Central Valley (0-7, 0-2) visits Corning (4-3, 1-1) in a North- ern Athletic League game at 7:30p.m. that is the Cardinals' last scheduled home game of the season. Mercy hosts Elk Creek at 11a.m. Saturday. WEEK 8 FOOTBALL Senior Night as Corning hosts Central Valley The Tehama County Depart- ment of Education announced recently that Red Bluff has been designated as an official test site for the GED. Three candidates completed sec- tions of the GED at the center. EDUCATION Red Bluff becomes official GED test site FULL STORY ON PAGE B3 SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Friday, October 24, 2014 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1