Fast Break

College football

Eastern No. 7 in first poll

A lofty preseason national ranking has been given to the Eastern Washington University football team, but the same is true for its Aug. 30 season-opening opponent.

The Eagles are ranked seventh in The Sports Network preseason NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) poll announced Tuesday. The Eagles are one notch ahead of Big Sky Conference rival Montana, which is ranked eighth.

Eastern opens the season on Aug. 30 against a Texas Tech team that was ranked 12th in last week’s Associated Press preseason poll for the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

Eastern Washington was picked to finish second behind Montana by the coaches and the media in the Big Sky Conference preseason polls, but those positions were reversed nationally. The Eagles received 1,951 total points from The Sports Network in the poll of media and sports information directors, while Montana received 1,848 points.

Eastern finished the 2007 season 9-4 and ranked eighth in the final poll of the year.

Arena Football

Shock linebacker earns af2 honor

Spokane linebacker Lee Foliaki has been named the defensive player of the week in the arenafootball2 league after helping the Shock to a 79-49 win over Amarillo in the National Conference final Saturday in the Arena.

The Shock face Tennessee Valley in the ArenaCup on Monday in the Spokane Arena. Game time is 7 p.m.

Tennessee Valley’s wide receiver/defensive back Travis Blanchard was named the ironman of the week and teammate Alonzo Nix, a receiver, was named the offensive player of the week.

Foliaki made four tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble in the win over Amarillo.