Vick won’t admit to killings

Michael Vick will not admit to killing dogs or gambling on dogfights when he enters a guilty plea in a Richmond, Va., federal court Monday, ESPN.com reported.

A source told ESPN that Vick’s defense team met with federal attorneys Thursday afternoon to determine the “summary of facts” to which Vick will plead. But the source says Vick maintains he never killed dogs and never gambled on a dog fight. The source said the Atlanta Falcons quarterback will plead guilty to the charge of interstate commerce for the purpose of dogfighting.

TENNIS

Henman to retire after Davis Cup

Tim Henman will play one last time at Wimbledon, but it won’t be next summer.

The British standout will play his final Grand Slam at the U.S. Open and then retire in September after the Davis Cup playoff at the All England Club.

James Blake defeated Fernando Verdasco, 6-4, 6-2, to advance to the semifinals of the Pilot Pen at New Haven, Conn.

Blake defeated Agustin Calleri, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1, earlier in the day.

Blake joined Mardy Fish in today’s semifinals. Fish beat Jose Acasuso, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-0, in his first match, before taking out Stanislas Wawrinka, 6-3, 6-3, in the quarterfinals.

In the women’s draw, qualifier Agnes Szavay became the most unlikely semifinalist, defeating Alona Bondarenko, 6-1, 6-4.

MISCELLANY

Teams from Texas, Georgia in U.S. final

Lubbock, Texas, beat Lake Oswego, Ore., 8-2, to advance to the U.S. championship game of the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa.

Lubbock will play Warner Robins, Ga., which routed Chandler, Ariz., 16-6.

In the international bracket semifinals, Curacao defeated Venezuela, 4-2, and Japan beat Taiwan, 4-3.

Dale Earnhardt Inc. was working on a deal to put Mark Martin and Aric Almirola in its flagship No. 8 next season in a split schedule.

DEI has been seeking a driver since Dale Earnhardt Jr. said in May that he would leave his late father’s team after the season. DEI later acquired the contracts for Martin and Almirola when it merged with Ginn Racing, and the company wants the two of them to split the ride in 2008.

The Ducks hired former Chicago Blackhawks coach Trent Yawney as a scout. Yawney, 41, coached the Blackhawks to a 33-55-15 record in one-plus season as coach before he was fired on Nov. 27, 2006.

The team will also play host to two games against the San Jose Sharks that will feature the top young prospects for both teams. The games will be Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. and Sept. 9 at 5 p.m. at Anaheim Ice.

Tickets to the Ducks’ four exhibition games will go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. They can be purchased at the Honda Center box office, online at anaheimducks.com, by telephone at (714) 703-2545 or at all Ticketmaster locations.

The Kings signed free-agent defenseman Drew Bagnall to a multi-year entry-level contract. Bagnall, 23, a first-team All American and Hobey Baker Award finalist, recorded 25 points and had a plus-10 rating in 39 games with St. Lawrence University this past season.

Four-time Olympian Johnny Gray has been hired as assistant men’s and women’s cross-country coach at Pepperdine.

The United States gave up two first-half penalty kicks to Tunisia in a 3-1 loss in the Under-17 World Cup at Changwon, South Korea.

Philadelphia Eagles Coach Andy Reid’s son, Britt, 22, awaiting sentencing in a road-rage case, was detained on suspicion of driving while impaired in Plymouth Township, Pa., police said.

South Carolina quarterback Blake Mitchell was one of three players suspended for the opening game against Louisiana Lafayette for missing summer school classes.

The Connecticut Sun beat the Indiana Fever, 93-88, at Uncasville, Conn., in the first triple-overtime playoff game in WNBA history. Connecticut took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three first-round series.

IAAF, track’s world governing body, called on the World Anti-Doping Agency to impose tougher sanctions for drug offenders.