Jeff Reynolds, who guided the Air Force Academy men’s basketball team to a 16-14 record in his first season as coach, received a five-year contract.
AFA athletic director Hans Mueh announced the agreement Wednesday, saying details of the contract are going through the academy’s review process. The new pact runs through the 2012-13 season.
Reynolds was promoted from assistant to head coach after Jeff Bzdelik left Air Force to become the coach at Colorado. The Falcons finished fifth in the Mountain West Conference in 2007-08. Irv Moss, The Denver Post
Heritage alum big hit in pro ball.
Jake Opitz, a Heritage High School graduate and a former Nebraska infielder, made the most of his first at-bat in professional baseball, hitting a walk-off solo home run in the ninth inning Tuesday night to give the Boise (Idaho) Hawks of the Single-A Northwest League a 6-5 victory over the visiting Eugene (Ore.) Emeralds in the teams’ season opener. He entered the game as a pinch runner and played second base.
Lakewood’s Duran advances.
Lakewood’s Lynette Duran, a former Colorado State golfer, defeated Kate Ackerson of Allen, Texas, 2 and 1 in the first round of the Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at Erin Hill Golf Course in Erin, Wis.
University of Denver senior Katie Kempter rallied from four holes down to force a playoff in her match, but Tzu Chi Lin of Chinese Taipei earned a 1-up victory, finally winning after 20 holes. Kempter on Tuesday earned co-medalist honors after stroke play when she and Lizette Salas of Azusa, Calif., topped the leaderboard with 2-under-par, two-round 144s.
Reigning Class 5A state champion Becca Huffer, a Littleton High School graduate, fell 3 and 2 to Michelle Shin of Cape Coral, Fla.
Colorado’s Rodriguez, Zabala victorious.
Ricky Rodriguez of Evans and Wheat Ridge’s John Zabala advanced past the quarterfinal round at the Junior Olympic Boxing National Championships at the Superior Dome in Marquette, Mich. Rodriguez in the 119-pound division earned a 17-14 decision over Maryland’s Marcus Gaddis. At 154, Zabala won 17-5 over Tennessee’s Eric Bossler.
Andrew Baca of Pueblo was eliminated at 110 when the referee stopped the contest in the second round to give a victory to Ray Ximenez of Dallas. And at 114, Pueblo’s Zachary Borunda lost a 15-4 decision to Antonio McGruder of Maryland.
Blok earns Gatorade award.
Emily Blok of Conifer High School was named the Gatorade Colorado girls track and field athlete of the year after the junior won Class 4A state titles at 100, 200 and 400 meters.
Tickets available for ceremony.
A few seats are available for the presentation of the third Will Nicholson Jr. Award to golf legend Jack Nicklaus tonight at the Brown Palace hotel. Dinner is at 7 p.m., reception at 6:30. The award, presented by the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame, is bestowed for a lifetime contribution to the game of golf. For more information, call Gary Potter at 303-885-4538. Cost is $175. Tom Kensler, The Denver Post
