Klinsmann: Howard is still top ‘keeper

NEW YORK – Tim Howard remains the No. 1 American goalkeeper despite two strong games by Brad Guzan in World Cup qualifiers last month.

Howard, the starter since 2007, missed the snowy 1-0 win over Costa Rica and the 0-0 draw at Mexico after breaking two bones in his back while playing for Everton on Feb. 26. The 34-year-old returned to the English club’s lineup last Saturday.

Guzan, 28, took over as Aston Villa’s starting goalkeeper from Shay Given in September. He had not played in any qualifiers in four years.

“Tim is No. 1 undoubtedly,” U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. “It is just great to see Brad kind of breaking through and having the starter’s job now at Aston Villa. The level he played those two games just makes you feel a lot better now having such a strong No. 2.”

Verrazano tops field at Aqueduct

NEW YORK – Verrazano has a chance to give trainer Todd Pletcher the favorite for the Kentucky Derby.

The unbeaten 3-year-old colt will seek his fourth straight win when he takes on nine rivals in the $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct today – a final steppingstone to the Derby on May 4.

Verrazano is the overwhelming 4-5 favorite, with unbeaten Vyjack 4-1, Normandy Invasion 5-1 and the rest of the field ranging from 12-1 to 30-1.

“He’s been a rare horse who’s been able to go from a maiden on Jan. 1 to the Derby favorite on the first of April, which you don’t see very often,” Pletcher said.

Auburn denies two scathing reports

AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn is once again on the defensive amid allegations of wrongdoing going back to the 2010 national championship season.

Two reports surfaced this week accusing the athletic department of wide-ranging misdeeds ranging from covering up widespread use of synthetic marijuana among football players to grade-changing and illicit payments, allegations the school strongly denies.

Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs and other officials have disputed the findings in both reports, which painted a bleak picture of a department and football program that weathered an NCAA investigation in the recruiting of Cam Newton through much of the title run.

Jacobs dismissed allegations made by former players and their parents in an ESPN report Thursday that Auburn covered up widespread use of synthetic marijuana as “baseless and inaccurate.” Former football coach Gene Chizik said an earlier report on roopstigo.com by former New York Times and Sports Illustrated writer Selena Roberts was “short on facts and logic.”

STANFORD: The defensive coordinator position at Stanford has been endowed in the name of coach David Shaw’s father. The university announced Friday that a “generous gift” from a donor who chose to remain anonymous renamed the position the Willie Shaw Director of Defense.

WYOMING: Led by quarterback Brett Smith, the Cowboys offense generated 559 yards passing and 120 rushing for 679 yards of total offense without a turnover during a 100-play scrimmage Friday.

Etc. …

BOXING: Las Cruces’ Ayanna Vasquez will fight for a USA Boxing national title today against New York’s Christina Cruz in Spokane, Wash.

Vasquez defeated Carissa Morton of San Francisco by unanimous decision in Thursday’s 119-pound Elite Women’s Division semifinals. Cruz defeated Amanda Pavone of Burlington, Maine, by unanimous decision.
— This article appeared on page D2 of the Albuquerque Journal