Navy names Niumatalolo new football coach

Navy wasted little time finding a new football coach, promoting assistant Ken Niumatalolo on Saturday to replace Paul Johnson, who left Friday to take over at Georgia Tech.

The 42-year-old Niumatalolo is believed to be the NCAA’s first Polynesian head coach.

Niumatalolo had two coaching stints at the Naval Academy for a total of 10 seasons, including the last six, when he was assistant head coach and offensive line coach.

The Midshipmen went 45-29 in six seasons under Johnson, including 43-19 over the last five years, and became the first Navy team to record six consecutive wins over Army.

Niumatalolo played a major role in installing the triple-option attack that enabled Navy to set the school’s season scoring record this year. He will coach the Midshipmen against Utah in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 20 in San Diego.

WINTER SPORTS

Janyk wins first World Cup title

Britt Janyk of Canada won her first World Cup title in a downhill at Aspen, Colo., during which about half the field was unable to complete the race.

Janyk was followed by Austrians Marlies Schild and Renate Goetschl in a race run in a light snow.

Janyk covered the Ruthie’s Run course in 1 minute 14.17 seconds. Schild, the overall World Cup points leader, was timed in 1:14.59 and Goetschl at 1:14.63.

Lindsey Vonn of Vail, Colo., finished fourth in 1:14.68.

Only 30 of the 56 skiers finished. Race officials called off the race before 19 skiers were able to ski the course because of fog and poor visibility. Four other skiers chose not to start.

--

Massimiliano Blardone led Italy’s 1-2 finish in a giant slalom at Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria. Ted Ligety of Park City, Utah, finished third as the World Cup returned to Europe after a series of races in North America.

Blardone was third after the opening leg but had a solid second run to complete the course in 2:10.75. Manfred Moelgg was 0.09 of a second behind.

Ligety, the Olympic combined champion, was timed in 2:10.92 to keep his overall points lead in the discipline. Bode Miller of Bretton Woods, N.H., was seventh in 2:11.67.

--

Bill Demong of Vermontville, N.Y., won a World Cup Nordic combined event at Trondheim, Norway, outsprinting Bjorn Kircheisen at the finish to win by 0.7 of a second.

Demong covered the 15-kilometer ski race in 38:54.9 and finished eighth in the morning ski jump. It was his third World Cup victory and fifth top-three finish.

Kircheisen had the fastest ski time but was 12th in the ski jump. Ronny Ackermann finished third, 8.5 seconds behind Demong.

PRO FOOTBALL

Colts’ Harrison will sit out another game

Indianapolis wide receiver Marvin Harrison, who has been bothered by a knee injury, will be sidelined for the eighth time in nine games when the Colts play at Baltimore tonight.

Harrison, who did not travel with the team, got limited practice time Wednesday and had been listed as questionable for the game. He suffered the injury Sept. 30 against Denver.

--

The Denver Broncos signed wide receiver Brandon Stokley to a three-year contract extension. Stokley, who injured his knee during last week’s loss to the Oakland Raiders and hadn’t practiced until Friday, is expected to play today against the Kansas City Chiefs.

--

The New Orleans Saints announced that running back Reggie Bush will not play Monday night in Atlanta because of a knee injury. He had been listed as questionable after an MRI this week indicated a partially torn left knee ligament.

--

The NFL fined New England strong safety Rodney Harrison $5,000 for taunting the Baltimore Ravens following a fourth-quarter interception by free safety James Sanders that stopped a Baltimore drive during Monday night’s game won by the Patriots, 27-24.

BASEBALL

Report: Gagne reaches agreement with Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers reached a preliminary agreement on a $10 million, one-year contract with free-agent reliever Eric Gagne, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported on its website.

Gagne’s deal, which is subject to him passing a physical, will allow him to earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses, a person familiar with the negotiations said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been finalized.

--

The Colorado Rockies sent utility infielder Jamey Carroll to the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named, freeing up money to pursue free-agent second baseman Tadahito Iguchi.

Carroll and his $2.15-million salary were deemed expendable even though the Rockies lost starting second baseman Kaz Matsui to the Houston Astros.

SOCCER

Manchester United gets closer to Arsenal

Manchester United beat Derby, 4-1, behind two goals by Carlos Tevez to move to within a point of English Premier League leader Arsenal.

Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo also scored at home for United, which has 36 points. Arsenal plays Middlesbrough today. Tevez made it 2-0 in the 45th when he tapped in a free kick from Ronaldo and scored his second goal in the 60th after taking a cross from Wes Brown.

GOLF

Asia increases Lexus Cup lead

Se Ri Pak and In-Kyung Kim held off Annika Sorenstam and Catriona Matthew in the final best-ball match to give Asia a 9 1/2 -2 1/2 lead over the International team in the Lexus Cup at Perth, Australia.

After sweeping the opening alternate-shot round Friday, Asia won 3 1/2 points to take a seven-point lead into today’s singles matches. The singles were reduced from 12 to 11 when Suzann Pettersen withdrew after aggravating a back injury. Asia captain Pak, bothered by shoulder pain, also will sit out today. Pak and Sorenstam agreed to halve their match.

--

Woody Austin and Mark Calcavecchia shot a 12-under 60 in best-ball play to take a two-stroke lead over Greg Norman and Bubba Watson after the second round of the Merrill Lynch Shootout at Naples, Fla.