Chargers’ Butts Won’t Play in Pro Bowl
Running back Marion Butts, one of three Chargers voted by their peers to start for the AFC in the Pro Bowl, will miss the Feb. 3 game in Honolulu because of a foot injury, the Chargers announced Tuesday.
Butts was leading the NFL in rushing with a Charger-record 1,225 yards before injuring the foot in Week 14 against Denver. Butts missed the final two games.
Seattle’s John L. Williams will replace Butts. Receiver Anthony Miller and outside linebacker Leslie O’Neal are the other two Charger starters.
FOOTBALL SIGNINGS
Rancho Buena Vista’s Matt Sailors, the defensive player of the year in the Palomar League and a Times’ All-County first-team selection, was one of a number of area high school seniors verbally to commit to a Division I university. Sailors said he will sign a national letter of intent with Brigham Young on Feb. 6, the first day for such proceedings.
Sailors, who had 27 sacks this season as a linebacker and was a big part of the Longhorn team that won the section 3-A championship in 1989, cancelled recruiting visits to Cal and Washington State after visiting BYU. Sailors had also visited Fresno State and Oregon.
“BYU has it all,” Sailors said. “Strong academics, incredible facilities, and a winning tradition that I want to be a big part of.”
Other local players verbally committing to universities, included: Lincoln’s Marvin Green and St. Augustine’s Zach Smith to San Diego State; Helix’s Brandon Sanders to Arizona; and Point Loma’s James Witkowski to Washington State.
Green (6-1, 195) intercepted six passes and was the City Central League defensive player of the year as a defensive back for the Hornets. Smith (6-4, 210) played tight end and linebacker for Saints, but will probably be used as a tight end by the Aztecs. Sanders intercepted five passes and was a Times’ All-County first-team selection as a defensive back for the Highlanders. Witkowski (6-3, 270) was a second-team pick by the Times as an offensive lineman.
“(Witkowski) is just a real hard-working young man, who has done it mostly with time in the weight room,” Point Loma Coach Bennie Edens said.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
John Greer sank a 15-foot jump shot with eight seconds left to lift Point Loma Nazarene to a 66-64 victory over Cal Baptist (10-9, 0-4) in a Golden State Athletic Conference game at PLNC.
Greer finished with eight points. Teammate James Kinzler came off the bench to score a team-high 16 points for PLNC (10-11, 2-2).
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Becky Wilson scored a career-high 16 points to lead Point Loma to its fourth consecutive Golden State Athletic Conference victory, 85-61, over visiting Cal Baptist.
Camille Armijo added 14 points and Christy Stevens 12 for PLNC (13-6, 4-0). Sonja Akkerman, the leading scorer and rebounder in the GSAC, had 18 points and 10 rebounds for Cal Baptist (11-9, 2-2).