Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/484996
StaffReports REDBLUFF MercyHighSchool has hired a new golf coach for the season with Jeff Phelps tak- ing the reigns of the Warriors program. Phelps worked for Costco Wholesale for nearly 20 years before he realized that he wanted to make a difference in others' lives. Phelps quit his job with all of its comforts and began a prayer- ful search. Through thoughtful reflection and self-examination, he was led to attend Shasta Bi- ble College, thinking and fear- ing that he might be called to a ministry. After one semester, he came to the understanding that the gifts he was given are attributes that he could truly utilize in a coaching career. From there he chose his ca- reer in golf. Phelps has had various golf experiences such as running golf clinics at the county schools, giving lessons for Red Bluff High School students and grad- uating from the PGA's golf man- agement program. He became a Class A PGA pro- fessional. For Phelps, bringing the game of golf to students and seeing how it can change their lives is one of his strongest passions. He believes that students should search out their strongest gifts and desires, cultivate them, en- joy them, and then give back to others what they have learned. Mercy was scheduled to open Five Star League play at Tierra Oaks Golf Club in Redding on Tuesday. Mercy hosts league compe- tition April 20 at Wilcox Oaks Golf Club. GOLF Mercywelcomesnew coachPhelpstoteam Spiritual journey leads to coaching position for Warriors' head man a er job at Costco COURTESYPHOTO Mercy golf coach Jeff Phelps (le ) poses with 2015team members (from le ) Shane Rhodes, Megan Realander, Mary DiMaggio, and Junior Grace. Online: For more stories about the Oakland Athletics and their season visit REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM/ATHLETICS. By John Hickey Bay Area News Group MESA, ARIZ. Tuesday was a day of setbacks for two of the men who have been part of the core of the Oakland A's past three postseason appearances. Left fielder Coco Crisp was scratched from the starting lineup with more soreness in his right elbow, then got a cor- tisone shot that will keep him from playing for several days at a minimum. Reliever Ryan Cook, who was an All-Star closer in 2012 and a solid member of the bullpen the past three sea- sons, was optioned to Triple- A Nashville a day after giving up three runs in two innings. He'll have to spend at least the first 10 days of the season in the minor leagues. The A's had wanted to hold down Crisp's appearances this spring in an effort to keep him healthy after a 2014 season when he was limited to 126 games because of a couple of neck injuries. But already this spring he's missed time with pinkeye before Cactus League games started and missed all games from March 9-16 with elbow pain. He'd played in four games since, but was just 2 for 15 (.133) for the spring. And now he's going to miss more time with the elbow continuing to bug him. Manager Bob Melvin chose to focus on the fact that Crisp has a history of needing minimal time to prepare him- self after injuries. "He's the last guy we worry about as far as being ready," A'S SPRING TRAINING Crispstillhurt,veteranCooksentdown Day of setbacks for two of Oakland's regular contributors to postseason runs BEN MARGOT — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Oakland Athletics' Stephen Vogt swings for a double off the Chicago Cubs' Edwin Jackson in the second inning of a spring training game Tuesday in Mesa, Ariz. Staff Reports IRVINE Haley Harris, a 2013 Red Bluff Union High School gradu- ate, was named the Big West's conference Softball Player of the Week for March 16-22. The former Lady Spartan plays for the University of California, Riverside Highlanders. Harris' Highlanders team- mate Chelsea Ponce received the Pitcher of the Week award. It's Harris' first weekly award at the collegiate level. Harris, a sophomore, spear- headed the Highlanders' efforts from the batter's box, notching 11 hits in 18 at-bats for a .611 bat- ting average. She posted a 1.000 slugging percentage for the week. The second baseman hit safely in all five games and scored at least one run in four. Harris also drove in five runs. She started the weekend pounding out three hits in three attempts that included an RBI double in the Highlanders' first win over Fairleigh Dickinson. In UCR's 7-0 shutout against Bethune Cookman she recorded another double and a triple, scor- ing twice. In game one on the final day of the LMU Invitational, Harris smashed a two-run home run en route to a three-RBI showing in a 5-1 victory over Seattle. She rounded out her week- end with three hits in a 10-2 win against host Loyola Marymount Defensively, Harris posted 10 putouts and 15 assists without committing an error. ALUMNI UPDATE Red Bluff's Harris gets Big West player nod Former Lady Spartan bats .611 for conference award By Dave Skretta The Associated Press OMAHA, NEB. In the 2008 na- tional championship, with Kan- sas trailing Memphis by three and 10.8 seconds left in the game, coach Bill Self called for his team to run a play called "Chop." The play, designed to provide multiple scoring options in mo- ments of desperation, began with Sherron Collins dribbling up the court. Veering to his right, Collins handed off to Mario Chalmers at the top of the key, and Chalmers took the first of his options: He shot the 3-pointer. It splashed through the net to force overtime. Kansas went on to win the ti- tle, and that perfectly executed play became known as "Mario's Miracle." And if anybody thinks calling it a miracle is hyperbole, well, chances are they haven't been watching as teams flounder through the final minutes in this year's NCAA Tournament. Turnovers, missed shots, poor coaching and worse execution. Just call it organized chaos, late- game blunders that have never- theless produced some memora- ble finishes. "First of all, the reason you struggle in games is because the other team's pretty doggone good," explained North Carolina coach Roy Williams, whose team survived two close games to reach the Sweet 16. "The other thing is the attention, the pressure — they're still 18-, 19-, 20-year-old kids. I mean, they're not going to NCAA TOURNAMENT Ready, set, scramble! Chaos defines end of games The first ticket has yet to be sold, but the richest fight in boxing history is getting richer by the day. New estimates show Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s payoff for fighting Manny Pac- quiao could be $180million. BOXING PursesforMayweather, Pacquiao soaring higher FULL STORY ON PAGE B2 Sergio Garcia will be the guest speaker at the Tehama County Democratic Dinner on Sat- urday, March 28, at the Red Bluff Community Center. Gar- cia, who was born in Mexico in 1977, is now a lawyer. DEMOCRATS Garcia to speak at party's annual dinner FULL STORY ON PAGE B5 The Red Bluff Spartans host South Medford, Oregon in an a ernoon doubleheader begin- ning at 1p.m. today. The Corn- ing Cardinals are at Willows at 4p.m. BASEBALL Red Bluff hosts doubleheader today The Red Bluff Spartans track and field team welcomes Shasta at 4p.m. today for an Eastern Athletic League dual meet. TRACK AND FIELD Red Bluff track hosts Shasta Wolves today NCAA PAGE 2 A'S PAGE 2 SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Wednesday, March 25, 2015 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1