Newsmakers

Resigned After a long and impressive run as the head football coach at Centralia, Wash., longtime Tigers coach John Schultz has decided to resign. The high school science and physical education teacher has been recently working as a dean of students at Centralia High School, but hopes to move up to a full-time administrative position. Over 22 seasons, Schultz won 129 games, going 45-21 over the last six years. Over that span the Tigers won four league championships, made the state quarterfinals three times, earned a spot in the 2006 state championship game, and won an academic state championship. The team finished in the league’s top three 11 times and qualified for the playoffs 10 times.

• Fresno State men’s basketball coach Steve Cleveland is resigning after six seasons to take a job in the athletic department. Athletic director Thomas Boeh announced the move , just over a week after Cleveland finished his fourth straight losing season with a 14-17 record.

Sidelined Tennis star Venus Williams withdrew from the upcoming Sony Ericsson Open, citing an abdominal injury that has sidelined her for nearly two months. The No. 8-ranked Williams lives 90 minutes north of Key Biscayne in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and considers the tournament her home event. Suspended Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has been suspended two games by the NHL for an elbow to the head of Columbus Blue Jackets center R.J. Umberger. Marchand approached Umberger from behind and struck him in the neck and side of his head during the second period of Boston’s 3-2 victory Tuesday. He will forfeit $6,330.64 in salary and be eligible to return March 22 against New Jersey.

Declared Freshman basketball phenom Perry Jones will miss the first five games next season if he stays at Baylor after an NCAA reinstatement committee upheld an earlier ruling that declared him ineligible. Jones is projected to be one of the top picks in the NBA draft. As part of the ruling, Jones must also repay at least $700 in impermissible benefits, which included a trip to California to attend an NFL preseason game.

Dead Football coach Murray Warmath, who led the Minnesota Gophers to a national championship and back-to-back Rose Bowls, has died at age 98. Warmath died Wednesday night in Bloomington, Minn., of natural causes, the university said.