Fast Break

College football

UCLA fires Dorrell

UCLA coach Karl Dorrell was fired Monday, a day after the Bruins accepted a bowl bid and two days after a loss to cross-town rival Southern California.

Dorrell was let go despite leading the Bruins to a postseason game in each of his five seasons at UCLA, which had an outside chance to reach the Rose Bowl before its loss to USC on Saturday.

The 43-year-old Dorrell had a 43-27 record. The Bruins (6-6) will play BYU (10-2) in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 22, with defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker to serve as interim coach.

Dorrell’s firing leaves five black coaches at 119 major universities.

Boise State’s Chris Petersen, Texas Tech’s Mike Leach and former NFL coach Steve Mariucci have already been contacted by UCLA about the job, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Dorrell was under contract through 2011, but it included a buyout clause that would pay him $2.05 million over a two-year period, according to the Times.

Junior hockey

Chiefs ranked 1st in WHL poll

For the fifth straight week, the Spokane Chiefs earned the No. 1 ranking in the Western Hockey League writers’ poll.

The Chiefs, ranked second in the Canadian Hockey League, are three games into a five-game swing through the Central Division.

They play in Edmonton tonight for the first meeting between the franchises. Former Chiefs assistant Steve Pleau is head coach of the expansion Oil Kings.

Spokane’s 21-4-1-2 record and .804 winning percentage continues to lead the league.

College football

UI’s Vobora on All-WAC team

University of Idaho senior linebacker David Vobora was named to the All-WAC team announced by the conference Monday.

The 6-foot-1, 240-pound Vobora was the lone Vandal named to the first team. The team is voted on by league coaches.

League champ Hawaii (12-0) had the most first-team picks with 11. Boise State placed five on the first team and Fresno State had four.

Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan is the Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. Fresno State linebacker Marcus Riley is the Defensive Player of the Year. Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick is the Freshman of the Year. Hawaii’s June Jones is Coach of the Year for the second straight year.

Idaho had four second-team picks: Senior offensive lineman Adam Korby, freshman running back Deonte Jackson, senior defensive back Stanley Franks and sophomore defensive back Shiloh Keo, who also was named to the second-team special teams.