Path is cleared for Succop

It looks like a battle during preseason games to be the next Kansas City Chiefs kicker is irrelevant.

The Chiefs waived kicker Connor Barth Wednesday, most likely clearing the way for Mr. Irrelevant Ryan Succop to be the team’s starter this season. Succop is now the only kicker on the Chiefs’ roster.

The Chiefs took their kicker, Succop, in the regular draft, even though it was with the final pick, No. 256. But they had good reason to select him.

Mr. Irrelevant XXXIV played 50 games in four seasons at the University of South Carolina, where he became the Gamecocks’ No. 2 all-time scorer with 251 career points.

Succop converted 71 percent of his field goals with a long of 55 yards while at South Carolina, where at times he was also the Gamecocks’ punter.

During his senior season, Succop nailed 66 percent of his field-goal atttempts and converted all 30 of his PATs while dealing with a sports hernia injury during the season.

The 6-foot-2, 218-pound Succop just might have something going for him, and it’s not just because Barth has been waived. The Chiefs new GM Scott Pioli made quite the name for himself with the Patriots and now he’s looking to build a winner in Kansas City. When Pioli was with the Patriots they had some big-time legs in Adam Vinatieri and Stephen Gostkowski.

Succop could be the next in line, but for the Chiefs.

TEAM USA DOWNED

ROME — UC Irvine alums scored a total of four goals but the United States men’s senior national team lost to Spain, 7-6, in a semifinal game Thursday at the FINA World Championships in Rome.

With the loss, the U.S. will face Croatia in the bronze-medal match Saturday. Spain will meet Serbia in the gold-medal game.

Jeff Powers scored a team-high two goals. He had one goal each in the first and third quarters, and he added a pair of steals.

’Eater alums Ryan Bailey and Tim Hutten recorded one goal apiece.

JO RESULTS SOLID

The Newport Water Polo Foundation 18-and-under boys’ water polo team concluded a successful summer season Tuesday with a seventh-place finish at the S&R; National Junior Olympics in Palo Alto.

Newport secured the finish in the four-day event after recording a 5-4 victory against Santa Barbara Water Polo Club. Matt Russell scored the game-winner late.

Jack Yeager set the scoring chance up. He stole the ball with 35 seconds remaining and swam the length of the pool before passing it to Russell.

Corona del Mar placed 18th. SOCAL Black won the tournament.

The team, made up of Newport Harbor High players, also included Kris Craib, Andrew Duhoux, Blake Kelly, Zach Lucas, Jordan McLaren, Justin McLaren, J.P. Muller, Ikaika Sarme, Dane Sequeira, Farrell South, Tim Tauber, Harrison Tingler and Chris Whitelegge. Jason Lynch was the coach.

Newport finished the summer with a 30-8-2 record in tournament play. Newport won the gold medal at the California High School Championships earlier this month at Newport Harbor and placed fourth at the U.S. Club Championships in Goleta in June.

The Newport 16-and-under boys’ team also finished seventh in the platinum division at the Junior Olympics, while the 14U team won the gold division and the 12U team earned a bronze medal in the platinum division.

Newport Harbor is fielding teams in all divisions in the girls’ Junior Olympics, which began in Palo Alto Thursday.

KINDSTRAND FIFTH

CARSON — Costa Mesa’s Julie Kindstrand placed fifth in the Skateboard Vert Women’s final at the X Games 15 at Home Depot Center Thursday.

Lyn-z Adams Hawkins won the event.

— From staff reports