Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/416679
ByDanielBrown BayAreaNewsGroup SANTA CLARA Thereisnowordon how much Aldon Smith will play in his return to action Sunday, but Jim Harbaugh said after practice Friday that the San Francisco 49ers line- backer "had a bounce in his step." Smith comes back from his nine- game suspension this weekend when the 49ers (5-4) take on the New York Giants (3-6) at MetLife Stadium. Before heading off to the air- port, the troubled linebacker talked about a significant moment in his comeback: Over the summer, Smith sat in a locker room with past 49ers stars like Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott and Jerry Rice during the "Legends of Candlestick" flag-football game. "What I learned is that years af- ter playing together they still had that respect for each other," Smith said. "Everybody was still friends and they still had relationships to this day. … You can tell the effect that they had on each other." Smith said several players reached out to him in advance of the game. He wound up with an up- close look at how those core players from the 49ers dynasty prepared for kickoff and comported themselves on the sideline. "If you're playing in this organi- NFL 49ers'Smithfeeling'bounceinhisstep' TroubledlinebackermakesreturntofieldSunday a er missing 9 games due to league suspension DAVIDGRUNFELD—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) is sacked by San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks (55) during last Sunday's game in New Orleans. COURTESY STUDIO 530 The Red Bluff Junior Spartans PeeWee cheerleading team won the Northern California state championship Nov. 2 in Oroville at the NorCalFed State Cheer Competition. The PeeWee cheer squad, of 9- and 10-year-olds, are Shelby Arellano, Jaime Bailey, Macenzie Bailey, Aaliyah Chavez, Yasmin Chavez, Camryn Clement, Badegech Dittner, Makenzie Ferguson, Kirra Ferreira, Lily Morales, Alexandra Strole, Allie VanOrnum and Alexandra Vicuna. They are coached by Cori Dittner and Melissa Sides and trained by Yessie Castillo, Carley Clement, Jasmine Dittner and Karlie Lopez. CHEERLEADING CHEER CHAMPIONS Red Bluff Junior Spartans PeeWee team wins title at NorCalFed competition in Oroville Latin Americans born into Roman Catholic families have increasingly le the faith for Protestant churches, while many others have dropped organized religion altogether in a major shi in the region. WORLD Poll:LatinAmerican Catholics leaving faith FULLSTORYONPAGEB4 The Red Bluff High School Holiday Classic basketball tournament is Dec. 17-20. Sponsors are needed for the annual event. Interested busi- nesses may call Nancy Mackey at 529-8787or 200-0283. HOLIDAY CLASSIC Sponsors needed for hoops tournament Due to our print deadline coverage of the Corning at Orland and Mercy at Red- ding Christian playoff games can be found on our website redbluffdailynews.com. FOOTBALL Friday night playoff game recaps online Congress inched closer Friday to a possible showdown with President Barack Obama over the Keystone XL oil pipeline as the Republican-controlled House approved the project, with the Senate next. POSSIBLE SHOWDOWN House sends Keystone pipeline bill to Senate FULL STORY ON PAGE B8 J. PAT CARTER — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NASCAR chairman Brian France talks to the media about the new Chase for the Sprint Cup championship format Friday in Homestead, Fla. By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press HOMESTEAD, FLA. After a wild play- off round filled with brawls and go- for-the-throat racing that left NAS- CAR's biggest stars out of title con- tention, chairman Brian France said Friday the series would "be de- lighted" if winless Ryan Newman de- fied the odds and claims the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. France announced the revamped Chase for the Sprint Cup champi- onship in January and promised it would place a greater importance on winning. It worked during the reg- ular season, when a victory earned a driver an automatic berth in the 16-driver Chase field. It's also been a critical part of the three elimination rounds, as both Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski pulled off must-win victories to avoid elimination. Harvick's victory last week in Phoenix put him into Sun- day's championship at Homestead- Miami Speedway. But Newman has debunked the theory that winning is the most im- portant element by making NAS- CAR's final four without a win. His most recent victory was last year's Brickyard 400, and he enters the championship round on a 51-race losing streak. Newman made it into the finale with consistent, unspectacular fin- ishes for Richard Childress Rac- ing. He's led just 41 laps all season with just four top-five finishes. Two of those did come during the second and third segments of the Chase. "What we're all finding out is the strategies that are associated with competing in this new format are dif- ferent, and they're unknown and un- tested," France said Friday. "Phoenix was a great example of that, where one person in Harvick won the race. But another in Ryan Newman got there in more of a consistent model, but got there nonetheless. We'll be delighted if Ryan Newman and Rich- ard Childress are able to pull it off. I think he's the underdog at this point, NASCAR SPRINT CUP France:Chaseimprovedseries Wild playoff round le biggest stars out of title contention, led to brawls Staff Reports COTTONWOOD Red Bluff cross country runner Naomi Renfroe qualified for the state champi- onships with a 15th-place finish in Thursday's Northern Section championships at West Valley High School. Renfroe ran the 3-mile course in 20 minutes, 26.50 seconds. Renfroe will compete Nov. 29 at the state championships in Fresno. As a team the Lady Spartans placed sixth out of 16 schools. Nicole Renfroe was 27th with a time of 21:13.87. Natalie Renfroe was 33rd (21:29.20), Kayla Exum was 72nd (23:.29.76), Daisy Brose placed 75th (23:39.21), Berenice Chavez was 84th (24:10.20) and Allison Winning was 100th (25:30.62). Corning's Jasmine Quntinana was 99th (25:29.60) and Diana Al- cala was 109th (26:46.88). The Corning boys placed fifth. The Cardinals were led by Ce- sar Rios, who placed 28th with a time of 17:14.69. PREP CROSS COUNTRY Renfroe qualifies for state title meet By Steve Corkran Bay Area News Group ALAMEDA If the Oakland Raid- ers go with a new head coach next season, part of the allure of the job figures to be the fact the Raid- ers finally have some foundational players on their 53-man roster. Most important, the Raiders appear to have a franchise-type quarterback in rookie Derek Carr, who was selected in the second round of the NFL draft out of Fresno State in May. They also have an impact player on defense for the first time in many seasons, with out- side linebacker Khalil Mack an every-down force from the out- set this season. Sure, the Raiders still have a ways to go before they become a Super Bowl-caliber team — they're still seeking their first vic- tory this season, and first in 15 tries — but this at least qualifies as a nice start. "All these guys that came in that are starting are mature be- NFL Raiders have foundation of young players RUNNERS PAGE 2 CHASE PAGE 2 49ERS PAGE 2 RAIDERS PAGE 2 SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Saturday, November 15, 2014 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1