NORTH CAROLINA-SIMMONS
UNC DB Simmons suspended from team activities
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina senior cornerback Malik Simmons has been suspended indefinitely from all team activities.
Team spokesman Kevin Best announced the suspension Friday.
Chapel Hill police records indicate Simmons was arrested early Wednesday morning on Franklin Street and charged with resisting arrest.
He also was arrested in Orange County on May 16 on a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession.
Simmons, 21, is a native of Lehigh Acres, Florida, and he started five of 12 games last season for the Tar Heels. He had 34 tackles, three passes broken up and a forced fumble.
US JUNIOR AMATEUR
Andrew Orischak advances to US Junior Amateur final
BLUFFTON, S.C. (AP) — Andrew Orischak won three matches Friday in the weather-delayed U.S. Junior Amateur to reach the 36-hole final.
The 16-year-old Orischak, from nearby Hilton Head Island, will face 17-year-old Philip Barbaree of Shreveport, Louisiana, or 16-year-old Won Jun Lee of South Korea on Saturday. Barbaree and Lee were all square through 17 holes when their semifinal match was suspended because of darkness.
Orischak started the day at Colleton River Plantation Club’s Pete Dye Course with a 1-up victory over Spencer Ralston of Gainesville, Georgia, in the completion of their delayed third-round match. The Hilton Head High School junior beat Ryan Grider of Lewisville, Texas, 3 and 2 in the quarterfinals, and Eugene Hong of Sanford, Florida, 3 and 2 in the semifinals.
Barbaree beat Logan Lowe of Grass Valley, California 3 and 1 in the third round, and Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan 4 and 2 in the quarterfinals.
Lee topped Turk Pettit of Auburn, Alabama, 4 and 3 in the third round, and Andy Ogletree of Little Rock, Mississippi, 2 and 1 in the quarterfinals.
S CAROLINA-DEFENSE
Gamecocks moving on from last year’s defensive problems
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina linebacker T.J. Holloman likes having short-term memory, particularly when it comes to the Gamecocks dismal showing on defense last season.
Holloman said Friday that South Carolina’s defenders have put their problems in the past and approach the start of practice in less than two weeks with renewed energy and a strong commitment to improve.
Things couldn’t get much worse for the defense than 2014 when South Carolina blew three double-digit leads in the fourth quarter, turning a trio of certain victories into improbable losses in a 7-6 season.
The Gamecocks did not sit still since the end of last year, adding Jon Hoke as co-defensive coordinator and bringing in several fresh faces to shore up a unit that was last in the Southeastern Conference with eight sacks.
CANADIENS-SEMIN
Alexander Semin joins Montreal after 3 years with Carolina
MONTREAL (AP) — The Montreal Canadiens have signed Alexander Semin to a one-year contract for $1.1 million. The forward who once scored 40 goals with Washington has spent the last three seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Semin had six goals and 13 assists in 57 games last year. The Hurricanes bought out his contract July 1. Carolina owes the 31-year-old Russian $14 million over the next six years. He had three years left on a deal that paid him $7 million annually.
Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said Friday that Semin is “a pure goal scorer with a good shot” who will “strengthen our offensive production and our power play.”
Semin was a first-round pick of the Washington Capitals in 2002. He spent seven seasons in Washington and scored 40 goals in 2009-10.
