Sports briefs

Academy will court-martial two

Air Force Academy, Colo. Two Air Force Academy football players accused of using steroids will be court-martialed, the military said.

Junior running back Matthew Ward, charged with wrongful use and possession of the anabolic steroid methandrostenolone, will be court-martialed Aug. 18, the academy said Thursday.

A date has not been set for the court-martial for junior linebacker Overton Spence Jr. on charges of wrongful use, distribution and possession of methandrostenolone.

If convicted, Ward faces 10 years of confinement while Spence could receive 25 years. Both face dismissal from the Air Force and forfeiture of pay and allowances.

The school has begun random testing of cadets and some employees for steroids in what experts say is an unusual step for a college of any kind. Both players have been suspended from the football team.

Golf

Park recovers to take lead in LPGA event

Gloria Park had 10 birdies in a 6-under 66 and held a one-stroke lead in the tournament she almost didn’t play in.

She was sick Thursday night and considered withdrawing before the first round of the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic at Squaw Creek Country Club in Vienna, Ohio.

Young-A Yang had a 67 and Donna Andrews was another stroke back. Marilyn Lovander, Nadina Taylor and Laura Diaz all had 69s.

Tracy Hanson of Rathdrum, Idaho, opened with a 3-over 75.

“ Jonathan Byrd had nine birdies in a 7-under 65 that gave him a one-shot lead after two rounds of the B.C. Open in Endicott, N.Y.

Daniel Chopra and John Morgan, who lost in a playoff last week at the John Deere Classic, were tied for second at 11-under 133. Chopra had a 65 and Morgan a 68.

“ Former NHL star Dan Quinn, a three-time champion of this event, and ex-NFL quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver each had 25 points and shared the first-round lead in the American Century celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe, Nev. The tournament uses the modified Stableford scoring system.

Basketball

Peterson signs offer sheet with Hornets

New Orleans Restricted free agent forward Morris Peterson signed an offer sheet with the New Orleans Hornets, giving the Toronto Raptors 15 days to match it.

The Hornets did not release the amount of the offer, citing club policy.

Peterson’s agent, Rob Pelinka, said the deal was worth $15 million over three years.

Peterson played in every game for the Raptors last season, starting 29, and averaged 8.3 points and 3.2 rebounds.

Football

George considers taking pay cut

Nashville, Tenn. Eddie George is mulling over the Tennessee Titans offer: take a pay cut or risk being released by the salary cap-strapped team.

George, who turns 31 in September, has a contract that would pay him $4.25 million for the 2004 season. But the Titans want him to sign a new deal closer to $1.5 million to create space to sign their top rookies.

A decision is expected within a few days because the Titans open training camp July 31.

Soccer

Top 17-year-old player signs MLS contract

New York Danny Szetela, a 17-year-old national soccer player of the year, signed a contract with MLS.

Szetela, of Clifton, N.J., was pursued by several top foreign clubs. The standout midfielder for both the U.S. Under-17 and Under-20 national teams and joins Freddy Adu (D.C. United), Eddie Gaven (MetroStars) and Guillermo Gonzalez (Los Angeles Galaxy) as the latest American youth player in the league.

The MLS will select a team for Szetela through a lottery on Thursday.

Sports people

Marcelo Rios, ranked No.1 for six weeks in 1998, retired from tennis because of a recurring back injury, ending a career that included 18 singles titles. … Szymon Kolecki, a Polish weightlifter, who won a silver medal at the Sydney Olympics tested positive for a steroid and is expected to be barred from the Athens Games. … Suspended jockey Patrick Valenzuela was denied a stay by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, but the California Horse Racing Board was ordered to conduct a hearing for him no later than July 29. He was suspended indefinitely by the Hollywood Park stewards July 2 after failing to submit to a test of hair samples for the presence of illegal drugs.