Poor Grades Sack Idaho’s Chambers

Idaho, which opened fall practices for newcomers on Tuesday, will be without one returning starter when veterans begin drills on Sunday.

Senior Antoine Chambers, an impact player last year at safety and cornerback, will be absent. Coach Chris Tormey said Chambers is academically ineligible.

Tormey said Chambers still has a chance to become eligible this season.

Complicating matters is that Jevez Robinson, a redshirt freshman pegged to replace Chambers at safety, isn’t with the team. “He’s not sure he wants to go to school and play football,” Tormey said.

Three recruits, wide receiver Kahlid Hurst (actually a ‘94 signee), linebacker Sydney Murphy and Spokane’s Anthony Parson, a defensive back/wide receiver, are academic casualties, Tormey said. Murphy would have qualified last year, but UI has raised grade-point-average requirements from 2.0 to 2.5.

Boise redshirt freshman Nate Lundquist is no longer with the team, Tormey said.

Vern Bernard, a freshman running back, suffered a broken foot on the first day and will be out about four to six weeks. Casey Campbell, a freshman offensive lineman, injured his knee in an all-star game and is out indefinitely.

Tormey said the new crop of freshmen, walk-ons and JC transfers number about 35 and appear solid.

Punter Mike O’Neill, a late addition, might be good enough to challenge for the starting position, Tormey said.

O’Neill played at Grossmont Junior College in California.

Baseball

Bellevue took advantage of five errors and knocked off the Spokane North Stars 10-6 in the opening round of the American Legion State baseball tournament at Marysville.

The winners used two North Star boots to fuel a four-run fifth inning and then, with the help of three more Spokane errors, added six more runs over the final three innings.

Dan Macrae had three hits for the North Stars, who will play either Skagit Valley or Columbia Basin in a loser-out game at 9:30 a.m. today.

Softball

The River City Rivals lost their opening game at the girls 16-U Fastpitch National Tournment in Chattanooga, Tenn., falling 4-2 to the Barrington (Ill.) Typhoons.

Juliann Cook of River City had an RBI triple in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 2, but the Typhoons scored twice in the eighth to win it.

River City plays today at 3 in a loser-out game.

Golf

Chris Lohman of Spokane shot a 1-under-par 71 for a one-shot lead after the first round of the 70th Washington State Men’s Amateur golf tournament in Lacey.

Darren Slackman, also of Spokane, is two shots back after a 73.

, DataTimes