Friday News & Sports

Governor Mike Easley has declared a state of emergency for all of North Carolina, which puts into action a number of state and federal efforts to respond not only to Hanna, but possibly to Hurricane Ike next week.

While our region is gearing up for the effects from Hanna tonight and into tomorrow, other parts of the coast of North Carolina will start to see the rain and wind later today.

Shelters are opening in Wilmington, Jacksonville, and Morehead City. UNC Wilmington has cancelled classes Friday. Beach towns from the Crystal Coast through Brunswick County have issued evacuation orders to residents where the center of Hanna is forecast to come ashore tonight.

Some events are still scheduled despite Hanna’s passage, including Saturday’s football game between West Virginia and East Carolina in Greenville, and William & Mary at NC State.

Stay tuned to your East Carolina Radio News station for all the latest info on Hanna, including anticipated impacts to our area, as well as cancellations and closings.

NFL
The New York Giants kicked off their Super Bowl title defense with what else - defense. Playing without Pro Bowl linemen Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, the defense limited the new-look Washington Redskins to 11 first downs and 209 total yards and gave indications that these Giants are back for another run in a 16-7 victory that ushered in the NFL season on Thursday night. Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, Plaxico Burress and the rest of the offense that started the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots also came up big in spoiling the debut of Redskins coach Jim Zorn and his West Coast offense.

Sunday's Games
Detroit at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Cincinnati at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Seattle at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
N.Y. Jets at Miami, 1 p.m.
Kansas City at New England, 1 p.m.
Tampa Bay at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
St. Louis at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
Houston at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.
Jacksonville at Tennessee, 1 p.m.
Dallas at Cleveland, 4:15 p.m.
Carolina at San Diego, 4:15 p.m.
Arizona at San Francisco, 4:15 p.m.
Chicago at Indianapolis, 8:15 p.m.

Monday's Games
Minnesota at Green Bay, 7 p.m.
Denver at Oakland, 10:15 p.m.

COLLGE FOOTBALL
Chris Nickson threw for a touchdown and ran for another and Vanderbilt finally beat a ranked opponent on its own field by upsetting 24th-ranked South Carolina 24-17 in the SEC opener for both teams. The Commodores hadn't upset a ranked team in Vanderbilt Stadium since 1992, when they beat then-Number-25 Mississippi 31-9.

Penn State coach Joe Paterno kicked one player off the team and said three players will not face Oregon State this weekend because of undisclosed off-field issues. Defensive back Willie Harriott has been kicked off the team while defensive linemen Maurice Evans and Abe Koroma and tight end Andrew Quarless will sit out when Oregon State visits 19th-ranked Penn State on Saturday.

Don't look for Chris "Beanie" Wells on the field Saturday when third-ranked Ohio State hosts Ohio. Coach Jim Tressel says his star running back will sit out the Buckeyes' outing against the Bobcats after injuring his right foot in last week's season-opening romp over Youngstown State. Wells has not practiced with the team this week and has spent much of the time wearing a protective boot.

Friday
Navy at Ball State, 7:00 PM
Saturday
William & Mary at NC State, 6:00 PM
Ole Miss at (20) Wake Forest, 3:30 PM
Northwestern at Duke, 7:00 PM
(8) West Virginia at East Carolina, 4:30 PM
Chowan at St Paul's (VA), 1:30 PM
Elizabeth City State at Catawba, 7:00 PM
Jacksonville at Appalachian St, 3:30 PM
Furman at Virginia Tech, 1:30 PM
Richmond at Virginia, 3:45 PM
Norfolk State at Kentucky, 6:00 PM
Hampton at Southern Ill, 7:00 PM
Georgia Tech at Boston College, 12:00 PM
Maryland at Middle Tennessee, 7:00 PM
Miami at (5) Florida, 8:00 PM
Western Carolina at Florida State, 6:00 PM
The Citadel at Clemson, 3:30 PM

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Bunn 30, Northeastern 17
Camden 25, Currituck 7
Pasquotank 39, Gates County 8
Plymouth 14, Edenton 7
New Bern 40, Bertie 12
Hertford County 60, Northampton-East 7

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Los Angeles Angels 7 Detroit Tigers 1
Kansas City Royals 5 Oakland Athletics 4 (first game), 10 Innings
Kansas City Royals 9 Oakland Athletics 6 (second game)
Toronto Blue Jays 9 Minnesota Twins 0
Tampa Bay Rays 7 NY Yankees 5

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cincinnati Reds 8 Pittsburgh Pirates 6
Atlanta Braves 2 Washington Nationals 0
San Diego Padres 5 Milwaukee Brewers 2

TENNIS
Roger Federer has reached the semifinal of a Grand Slam tennis event for the 18th straight time. The second-seed at the U.S. Open defeated Gilles Muller (zheel MUHL'-ur) 7-6, 6-4, 7-6 to earn a semifinal date with third-seed Novak Djokovic (NOH'-vak JOH'-kuh-vich), who beat eighth-seeded American Andy Roddick 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6.

GOLF
Rain has washed out the first round of the BMW Championship, adding to the string of bad luck for golf in St. Louis.
Organizers plan to play the opening round Friday and 36 holes on Saturday to get back on schedule.

NASCAR
Richmond, Friday-Nationwide, Saturday-Sprint Cup, final race to set the field for the Chase for the Championship. All events still on for the weekend, but updates from speedway will be announced throughout the day.