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ByEddiePells TheAssociatedPress GLENDALE, ARIZ. It'sOK,Car- olina, you can open your eyes. An unwatchable game turned into a beautiful night for the Tar Heels, who turned a free-throw contest into a championship they've been waiting an entire year to cel- ebrate. Justin Jackson delivered the go-ahead 3-point play with 1:40 left Monday and North Carolina pulled away for a 71- 65 win that washed away a year's worth of heartache. It was, in North Carolina's words, a redemption tour — filled with extra time on the practice court and the weight room, all fueled by a devastat- ing loss in last year's title game on Kris Jenkins' 3-point dag- ger at the buzzer for Villanova. Most of Roy Williams' play- ers returned for another run. To say everything went right for them at this Final Four would not be the truth. The Tar Heels followed a terrible-shooting night in the semifinal with an equally ice- cold performance in the final — going 4 for 27 from 3-point land. Gonzaga, helped by 8 straight points from Nigel Wil- liams-Goss, took a 2-point lead with 1:52 left, but the next pos- session was the game-changer. Jackson took a zinger of a pass under the basket from Theo Pinson and converted the shot, then the ensuing free throw to take the lead for good. Moments later, Goss-Williams twisted his ankle and could not elevate for a jumper that would've given the Bulldogs the lead. Isaiah Hicks made a basket to push the lead to 3, then Ken- nedy Meeks, in foul trouble all night, blocked Williams-Goss' shot and Jackson got a slam on the other end to put some ic- ing on title No. 6 for the Tar Heels (33-7). NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP TAR HEELS TAKE TITLE OVER GONZAGA DAVIDJ.PHILLIP—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS North Carolina's Justin Jackson (44) reacts a er making a shot during the second half in the finals of the Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament against Gonzaga, Monday in Glendale, Ariz. DAVID J. PHILLIP — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS North Carolina head coach Roy Williams and players celebrate a er the finals of the NCAA tournament against Gonzaga, Monday in Glendale, Ariz. Staff report OROVILLE The Corning Car- dinals golf team opened the season with a strong show- ing Thursday at Table Moun- tain Golf Course, with Cardi- nals Jared Burreson and Marc Lengtat tieing for first place in individual rankings. Both Burreson and Lengtat carded 41 on the front 9 and 44 on the back, in exception- ally windy conditions. Rick Villalobos, at 135, Juan Ramirez, at 141,and Clyde Talley, at 159, completed the Cardinals' card for a team score of 605 — good enough to tie with the host Oroville Tigers for second in the league points standings. Peyton Sherwood of Las Plu- mas came in third at 89. The Paradise Bobcats took first in the team standings with a team score of 577. Oro- ville had 604 as a team and Las Plumas came in with a 637. GOLF Burreson, Lengtat shine for the Cardinals By Chip Thompson editor@redbluffdailynews.com @editorchip on Twitter RED BLUFF The Red Bluff Spar- tans baseball team blew out the Shasta Wolves at home Friday night, 13-0, behind 5 innings of 2-hit ball from the arm of Kolby Button. After a quiet first, the Spartans plated 6 in the second and 5 in the third before ending the game due to the 10-run rule with 2 more in the fourth. At the plate, Button led the Spartans with 3 RBI, going 3 for 3, with a double and a walk. Payton Edwards and Eric Spen- cer each had 2 RBI and a double, Spencer also getting a free pass. Tanner Tweedt went 2 for 2 with an RBI and a walk. Colton Young- blood stole a bag. Button gave up 2 hits, 3 walks and struck out 3 Wolves in 5 in- nings. The Spartans (12-1 overall, 5-0 league) are scheduled to host the Chico Panthers (13-4 overall, 3-3 league) in a double header start- ing at 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. Cardinals1,Sutter2 SUTTER The Corning Cardinals lost a close one on the road Friday night 2-1 to the Sutter Huskies. Noah Miller gave up 2 runs, 1 earned, on 7 hits with 3 walks and a strikeout for the Cardinals to take the loss against Sutter. Sophomore Jake Alexander got the Cardinals' sole RBI. Sopho- more Bryce Armstrong hit a dou- ble and Cade Sutfin had a pair of hits and a run scored. The Cardinals (4-5-1 overall, 1-1 league) travel to Orland Tuesday for a 4 p.m. game with the Trojans (8-6 overall, 1-1 league). Warriors drop 2, win 1 CHESTER The Mercy Warriors lost 2 and won 1 at the Chester Tournament Friday and Saturday. The Warriors opened with a 16-2 loss to the Biggs Wolverines Friday night in a game shortened by the 10-run rule. Sophomore Tasman McClellan was roughed up to start the game, giving up 6 runs, 1 earned, with a pair of walks and took the loss. Freshman Tommy Ross came in to pitch 3 innings and gave up 10 runs, 5 earned, on 10 hits, 4 walks and 2 strikeouts. At the plate, McClellan and Will Nelson each had an RBI, and Nel- son went 2 for 2. Carlos Rosales stole once. The Warriors bounced back Saturday with a 12-8 win over the Redding Christian Lions. Bobby Rodriguez started for the Warriors and gave up 5 runs, 1 earned and 4 free passes over 2/3 of an inning. Nelson and McClel- len combined in relief for another 2 1/3 innings, McClellan allowing 3 runs, 1 earned with 5 walks and BASEBALL Sp art an s blow out Sh as ta at home By Chip Thompson editor@redbluffdailynews.com @editorchip on Twitter CHICO The Red Bluff Lady Spar- tans softball team went 4-1 on the weekend in tournament play at the Panther Challenge. The Spartans on Friday beat the Chico Panthers 7-4, Pleasant Valley Vikings 13-6 and the Dur- ham Trojans 9-2 and on Saturday the Willows Honkers 12-1, before falling to the Foothill Cougars 4-1. The Spartans move to 15-8 on the season, 1-1 in league play. Top hitters in the Chico game were Kylee Kitchell, who went 2-4 with 2 RBI and 2 runs and McKenzie Colgate, 2-4, a double and 2 RBI Sarah Reineman gave up 4 runs, 2 earned, on 4 runs over 6 innings with 3 strikeouts and a pair of walks. Chico and Red Bluff have played twice now and each has won a game. They are schedueld to meet on Tuesday in Chico for a league contest. In the Pleasant Valley win the top hitters were Aubrey Zamora, 4-4, 3 runs, 1 RBI, a triple and a double; Allyson Drury, 2-, a dou- ble and 3 runs; Colgate, 2-4, 2 runs and 1 RBI; Aubree Akins, 2-4, 2 runs, 4 RBI, a home run and a double and Elizabeth Bac- cala, 2-4 and 1 RBI. Reineman gave up 6 runs, 5 earned, on 9 hits with 5 strike- outs and a pair of walks. Red Bluff would score in all five innings before winning with the mercy rule. Against Durham the top hitters were Alexis Zamora, 2-3 2 runs and a double and Drury, 2-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI and a pair of doubles. Akins got the win, giving up 2 runs, 1 earned, on 6 hits with 4 strikeouts and a walk. Red Bluff and Durham will meet again April 12 for a non-league game. Against Willows the top hitters were Braydi Johnson, 2-3, 3 runs, a double and a triple; Drury, 2-3, 2 runs, a double and 3 RBI; Zamora, 2-3 and 2 runs and Akins, 1-1, 2 runs and a pair of walks. Akins got the win, giving up 1 earned on 4 hits with 3 strikeouts. In the loss to Foothill, top hitters were Kitchell, 1-2, with a double and Akins was 1-3. Reineman took the loss, giving up 4 runs, 2 earned, on 2 hits with 2 strikeouts and 4 walks. Jessica Seely, winning pitcher for Foothill, had 12 strike outs. Foothill only had two hits, but walks and errors cost the Spar- tans. The Spartans are scheduled to host the Panthers at 4 p.m. Tues- day. Lady Cardinals 0, Sutter 11 SUTTER The Sutter Huskies shutout the visiting Corning Car- dinals Friday 11-0. The lone hit for the Cardinals came off the bat of Trinity Jones, who also got a walk. Isabella Blanchard took the loss for the Cardinals, striking out 3 and giving up 2 walks over 5 innings. The Cardinals (5-5 overall, 0-2 league) are scheduled to visit the Orland Trojans (7-5 overall, 1-1 league) for a 4 p.m. start Tuesday. Lady Warriors 0, Burney 16 BURNEY The Mercy Lady War- riors were shut out 16-0 and held to a single hit Saturday against the Burney Raiders. The Warriors (0-3) are sched- uled to host the Redding Chris- tian Lions (0-2) at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Diamond Park. SOFTBALL Spartansgo4-1atPantherChallenge SOFTBALL PAGE 2 Cardinals shut out by Sutter on the road BASEBALL PAGE 2 SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Tuesday, April 4, 2017 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1