County’s sides continue bid for FA Trophy glory

WITH all but two of the county’s non-league sides already out of the FA Cup, the FA Trophy represents the last chance for Kent’s clubs to embark on the road to Wembley.

An appearance in the final is still a distant hope for the eight sides in first round qualifying action this afternoon, but three wins would put them in the draw alongside well-known Conference sides such as Oxford, Torquay and Wrexham.

The competition is already special for Whitstable Town, who won the FA’s ‘Team of the Round’ trophy a fortnight ago. The Oystermen shook off dreadful early season form to win away to two-time trophy winners Kingstonian in the preliminary round.

It was only the club’s second ever win in the competition and manager Marc Seager is relishing his side’s game against Northamptonshire’s Brackley Town at the Belmont.

He said: “You could say it’s the biggest game in the club’s history. We are playing against a side from a higher level so it’s a huge game and we are looking forward to it. Hopefully the town can get behind us and create a good atmosphere.”

Dover Athletic visit Staines Town in one of the round’s most eye-catching ties. Both sides are in excellent form following promotion last season and make up two of the Ryman Premier’s top four.

The Berkshire side have a cup trophy pedigree and beat Stockport County in last season’s FA Cup trophy en route to the second round.

The competition has taken on greater significance for the Whites, whose FA Cup trophy hopes were ended by AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday night.

Dover manager Andy Hessenthaler said: “The FA Trophy is a big competition and it’s a chance to play at Wembley. I was fortunate enough to be there this year when Ebbsfleet won it so I know it’s a fantastic tournament and one we will take seriously. I haven’t had back-to-back defeats since I have been here and I certainly don’t want it against Staines.”

Originated from Mumbai, INDIA

Ten Doeschate extends Essex deal – Ten Doeschate hit 30 not out in the FP Trophy final

Essex all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate has signed a one-year extension to his contract which will keep him with the county until the end of 2011.

The 28-year-old was instrumental in Essex’s successful 2008 season which saw them win the Friends Provident Trophy and Pro40 Division Two title.

The South African-born Netherlands international was named Associate Player of the Year at the ICC awards.

Ten Doeschate is due to return to Essex from Cape Town in February.

Originated from The BBC

Texas quarterback Colt McCoy not only retained the No. 1 position this week in the HeismanPundit/Orlando Sentinel Heisman Trophy poll, he was the unanimous choice of all 10 voters.

The top three in the poll were Big 12 quarterbacks, McCoy was joined by No. 2 Sam Bradford of Oklahoma and No. 3 Graham Harrell of Texas Tech.

Florida’s Tom Tebow, who won the Heisman Trophy last year, is ranked No. 5. But even he says he’s using the vote he gets as a former winner to pick McCoy if the Texas junior continues to dominate.

USC’s Mark Sanchez, who was as high as No. 2 one week, is again out of the top 12, despite the Trojans’ 69-0 victory Saturday over Washington State.

Originally written by Randy Harvey

Bart Bergfeld celebrates a TD catch versus Robert Morris. The University of Dayton senior, a 2005 St. John’s graduate, has been named a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame’s Draddy Trophy, as well as a candidate for the 2008 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award.The Delphos Herald

DAYTON — University of Dayton senior tight end Bart Bergfeld has been named a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame’s Draddy Trophy.
In addition, the Delphos native is a candidate for the 2008 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award.
The Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, has been referred to as “the academic Heisman.” One of college football’s most sought-after and competitive awards, the Draddy Trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership.
Bergfeld, a 2005 Delphos St. John’s High School graduate, carries a 3.95 GPA while majoring in Philosophy and minoring in Religious Studies.
He is one of 164 semifinalists from all levels of college football. Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, semifinalists must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first-team player and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. Established to honor former NFF Chairman Vincent dePaul Draddy, a Manhattan College quarterback who developed the Izod and Lacoste brands, the award comes with a 24-inch, 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship.
The NFF Awards Committee will select and announce up to 15 finalists on Oct. 29. Each finalist will be recognized as part of the 2008 National Scholar-Athlete Class, receiving an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship. The Draddy Trophy winner will be announced at the NFF’s Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 4 at the prestigious Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. A total distribution of more than $300,000 in scholarships will be awarded that evening.
Past Draddy winners include two Rhodes Scholars, a Rhodes Scholar finalist and a Heisman Trophy winner.

Originated from The Delphos Herald

LOS ANGELES – Bill Giles is honorary president of the National League. It’s strictly an honorary position. His sole duty is to present the Warren Giles trophy to the National League champion.

Last night, Giles presented the trophy named for his father to the team to the team he co-owns.

“I thought I would end up crying like I used to do,” Giles said later, standing on the field at Dodger Stadium. “But I tried to hold my emotions.”

It was a surreal scene out there. A man held up a Ya Gotta Believe banner. Another wore a red Simon Gratz High sweatshirt. The visiting dugout was surrounded by delirious Phillies fans. Players came out to the field holding champagne bottles and beer cans.

“A fantastic feeling,” Giles said on that field.

Giles ticked off all the contributions, on and off the field. His father was president of the National League from 1951 to 1969. He himself has been around for big days and bad days.

“I told the people I was sitting with, if we get five runs, we’d be all right,” Giles said.

But Bill Giles understands the history of this ballclub maybe better than anybody alive.

“I got to thinking, we’ve never blown a game all year,” Giles said. “And I have been through some bad times in my life, when things you think are going to work right, they don’t work.”

Then Giles revealed he’d had a nightmare about two weeks ago – “that Brad Lidge blew a save.”

So far this season, reality has trumped imagination “We’ve had big leads before,” Giles said, still dry-eyed. “But this year we don’t blow them.”

Originally written by Mike Jensen

Berry Tramel ranks the best trophies in college football- TREASURES OF VICTORY

?1. Little Brown Jug Trophy: Michigan & Minnesota. In 1903, Michigan coach Hurryup Fielding Yost left his water jug in a Minnesota locker room, later asked for it back and was told he’d have to win it back. And so Michigan has, mostly, for more than a century.

?2. Victory Bell Trophy: Cincinnati & Miami-Ohio. Cincy fans “borrowed” Miami’s bell in the 1890s, and it’s been traveling ever since.

?3. Old Oaken Bucket Trophy: Indiana & Purdue. Established in 1925.

?4. Golden Egg Trophy: Mississippi State & Ole Miss. Established in 1927 to serve as bounty for the winner so the goal posts wouldn’t be destroyed.

?5. Commander in Chief’s Trophy: Air Force, Army & Navy. Later-generation hardware, but the most noble, given to the round-robin winner among the service academies.

?6. Paul Bunyan’s Axe Trophy: Minnesota & Wisconsin. Established in 1948 and symbolic of the lumberjack regions of these schools. Minnesota would have some cool trophies, if the Gophers could win more consistently.

?7. Illy Illibuck Trophy: Ohio State & Illinois. A wooden turtle trophy, established in 1926, a year after the winner was awarded a real turtle.

?8. Golden Hat Trophy: Oklahoma & Texas. Actually started in 1929 as the Bronze Hat, a gift from the Texas State Fair for agreeing to play in Dallas.

?9. Jeweled Shillelagh Trophy: USC & Notre Dame. Produced in 1952 to celebrate the 26-year anniversary of the rivalry.

?10. Apple Cup Trophy: Washington State & Washington. Simple yet elegant name for a trophy instituted in 1962.

?11. Old Brass Spittoon Trophy: Michigan State & Indiana. Established 1950. The Big Ten clearly has the corner on great trophies.

?12. Platypus Trophy: Oregon State & Oregon. Established in 1959 but mysteriously disappeared in 1961 before reappearing in this decade. Makes this list because a platypus has features of both a duck and a beaver.

?13. Iron Skillet Trophy: SMU & TCU. Legend has it, an SMU tailgater in the 1950s was frying frog legs, and one thing led to another.

?14. Fremont Cannon Trophy: UNLV & Nevada. A replica of a cannon that explorer John Fremont hauled West and abandoned in an 1844 snowdrift. Actually fired until 1999.

?15. Telephone Trophy: Missouri & Iowa State. Seems the opposing coaches in 1959 could hear each other on rotary pressbox phones. The gaffe was fixed before kickoff, but Northwestern Bell had a trophy made to honor the occasion.

Originally written by Berry Tramel