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BENNYSIEU—THEASSOCIATEDPRESSFILE The Oakland Athletics have found their potential new right fielder, agreeing to terms with Matt Joyce on an $11million, two-year contract Wednesday. ByJanieMcCauley TheAssociatedPress OAKLAND MattJoycehopestoplay more regularly again in his new role with the Oakland Athletics, who needed a new outfielder to fill a big void and put him high on their off- season list. The versatile Joyce reached agree- ment on an $11 million, two-year contract Wednesday after passing a physical. "Obviously the biggest thing that was kind of noticed for me was how interested they were and the oppor- tunity to get substantial playing time again coming from the situa- tions that I was in last year," Joyce said. "We're really pumped and ex- cited for the whole opportunity and how it worked out." The 32-year-old journeyman has played 140 games in each of three of the last four seasons, batting .242 with 13 home runs and 42 RBIs this year for Pittsburgh. A regular pinch hitter, he started 30 games in right field and is likely to be a regular against right-handed pitching with a possible platoon role with Mark Canha. Joyce will earn $5 million in 2017 and $6 million the following sea- son. Oakland dealt right fielder Josh Reddick to the Dodgers at the trade deadline and then sent Coco Crisp back to his former Cleveland club. Joyce will play for his fifth major league team as he begins his 10th season. The security means a lot for Joyce as he prepares for the birth of his first child. "It was obviously the perfect fit," Joyce said. "It was a great fit for the kind of player I am and the kind of organization Oakland is. It's a good opportunity with a two-year deal on the table with a lot of security and the chance to play a lot is huge for me." At 69-83, the A's responded from losing 10 of 11 to win their final two games at Seattle and finish with one more victory than a year ago. But they finished in fifth place and at the BASEBALL A'ssignJoyceto2-yeardeal Outfielder appears to be good fit for Oakland as proven hitter, veteran By Josh Dubow The Associated Press ALAMEDA With the game on the line, the Carolina Panthers sent three blockers in Khalil Mack's di- rection to no avail. He overpowered Trai Turner, beat a chip attempt by running back Fozzy Whittaker and then knocked the ball out of Cam Newton's hands for a game-seal- ing strip sack before guard Chris Scott could get over to help. Those types of plays are becom- ing commonplace for Mack, who has put together quite the encore following last season's historic campaign when he became the first player ever picked as a first- team All-Pro at two positions in one season. With sacks in six straight games, his first career intercep- tion and first career touchdown last week and relentless pressure every game, Mack is a major rea- son for this year's success for the Raiders (9-2) and perhaps the league's most dominant defender. "I think him and Von Miller are the two best in the league right now, the two best edge pass rush- ers and they can do it all," Bills coach Rex Ryan said on a confer- ence call ahead of Buffalo's game against the Raiders this Sunday. "That's what I'm seeing from him, a guy that can play with speed, power, finesse. You name it, he's got it. When you look at those two, NFL RAIDER STAR MACK LOOKS PRODUCTIVE Oakland pass rusher has sack in 6 games in a row, had 1st career pick, touchdown last week Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack (52) celebrates with fans a er scoring a touchdown during the first half Sunday against the Carolina Panthers in Oakland. PHOTOS BY TONY AVELAR — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack (52) scores a touchdown a er intercepting a pass by Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, le rear, during the first half Sunday in Oakland. Staff Report RED BLUFF The Red Bluff Lady Spartans girls basketball team went on the road Tuesday night and returned with a narrow vic- tory over the University Prep Panthers, 60-57. The nonconference win opens the Spartans basketball season with league play scheduled to begin Jan. 13 when the Spartans will visit the Chico Panthers. As of 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, no stats had been posted for the game. The Spartans are scheduled to play in the Anderson tourna- ment, which runs today through Saturday. Willows46,Cardinals35 WILLOWS The Corning Lady Cardinals fell to the Willows Honkers on Tuesday night, 46- 35. As of 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, no stats had been posted for the game. The Cardinals are scheduled to play the Hayfork Timber- wolves at 8:30 tonight in tour- nament play. Other teams The Spartans boys team hosted the West Valley Eagles on Tuesday night, but as of 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, no final score or stats had been posted for the game. The Spartans are sched- uled to play in the Wheatland tournament today through Sat- urday. The Cardinals boys are sched- uled to play the Orland Tro- jans at 4 p.m. today in the Dur- ham tournament, which runs through Saturday. The Los Molinos Bulldogs boys team is scheduled to play BASKETBALL Lady Spartans open season with narrow win By Cam Inman Bay Area News Group ORLANDO, FLA. Chip Kelly did not, ahem, duck the obvious ques- tions Wednesday and indicated he won't be leaving the San Fran- cisco 49ers to return to Oregon. Speculation about a comeback heated up Tuesday night after Or- egon fired Mark Helfrich, Kelly's successor in 2013. Asked if Oregon had reached out to him, Kelly responded: "Nope, nope, nope. The only per- son I've talked to is Helf." Kelly stood by his Nov. 7 com- ments in which he said he was "not looking to go back" and that the 49ers "are where I want to be." Where Kelly certainly wants to move is into the win column. The 49ers (1-10) take a franchise- record, 10-game losing streak into Sunday's visit to the Chicago Bears (2-9). Speculation about Kelly did not infiltrate the 49ers locker room, according to left tackle Joe Staley, their longest-tenured player in his 10th season. After practicing a second straight day at the University of Central Florida, Staley talked about how this extended trip is helping them "build a team," and nowhere did he consider Kelly's potential departure from them. Said Staley: "Yeah, I don't care. I mean, I do care. I'm just focused on winning football games right now. That stuff is so far out of my thought process and my mindset right now." Kelly shook his head from side to side and said "no" when asked point blank about a possible re- treat to Oregon, where he first served as an offensive coordina- tor before leading the Ducks from 2009-12. Kelly left for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013 after compiling a 46-7 record as Oregon's coach, including a BCS Bowl berth each year and a loss in the 2010 sea- son's BCS Championship Game. Helfrich's tenure there ran its course after the Ducks went 4-8, their worst record in 25 years. "I just felt for him and the rest of the guys on that staff," Kelly added. "It's one of the unfortunate things that goes on in this profes- sion. We all know it when we sign up for it. When it happens, you're still taken aback." Kellyhimselfgotfired11months ago, before the Eagles' season fi- nale. The 49ers hired him a month later to replace Jim Tomsula. "Chip's obviously had good suc- cess, both at the collegiate level and really in my opinion in both his pro stops," Bears coach John Fox said on a conference call with Bay Area media. "I do know Chip and have great respect for him. He's a good ball coach. He works hard at it." Fox praised the 49ers' fourth- ranked rushing attack and their improved production with Co- lin Kaepernick leading Kelly's of- fense. "He's got the up-tempo thing that a lot is made of," Fox said, "but people have been doing that in the league a long time." 49ERS Kelly has ruled out return to Oregon BASKETBALL PAGE 2 JOYCE PAGE 2 RAIDERS PAGE 2 SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Thursday, December 1, 2016 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1