US Skiers Step out of Shiffrin's Shadow
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B4 | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 SPORTS CASPER STAR-TRIBUNE WOMEN’S WORLD CUP SKIING IN BRIEF UW WRESTLING US skiers step out of Shiffrin’s shadow Cowboys release complete 2021 schedule ERIC WILLEMSEN The University of Wyoming wrestling team Associated Press released its full schedule for the 2021 season on For the first time since Wednesday. The Cowboys, who begin their 13th Lindsey Vonn’s retirement, season under head coach Mark Branch, open the the U.S. women’s ski team season Sunday when they host Big 12 opponent is no longer solely depen- Northern Colorado. dent on Mikaela Shiffrin for UW then travels to Columbia, Missouri, on Jan. World Cup success. 8 for duals against Missouri and Shiffrin was responsible Central Michigan. The Cowboys for all 34 American podium remain on the road as they com- results on the women’s cir- pete at Fresno State on Jan. 16; and cuit in the past two seasons, take on Utah Valley and Arizona but three months into the State on Jan. 23 in Orem, Utah. current campaign, two team Wyoming returns home for its members have scooped top- next two matches against Big 12 three results as well. opponents Air Force on Jan. 30 Paula Moltzan finished Branch and West Virginia on Feb. 6. UW runner-up in a parallel event closes the regular season on Feb. in Austria in November, and 14 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in a dual tournament Breezy Johnson added back- that also features defending national champ Okla- to-back third-place finishes homa State, West Virginia, Missouri and Central in two downhills in France Oklahoma. this month. The season has also NBA brought a string of ca- reer-best results for Nina GIOVANNI AULETTA, AP League ratings for opening O’Brien, Keely Cashman and United States’ breezy Johnson, a native of Jackson, holds the trophy after finishing third in an alpine week up significantly AJ Hurt. ski, women’s World Cup downhill on Dec. 19 in Val d’Isere, France. “I am really excited about NBA viewers watched 81.5 million hours of live and proud of our team,” Shif- cluding a record-breaking 17 spotlight, getting her first at any moment in a very real games on ABC, ESPN and TNT in the opening frin said after placing third wins, in the 2018/19 season, two career podiums on two way, I don’t take anything for week of the season, up 95% from opening week in the year-end night slalom and 13 podiums the follow- consecutive days. granted.” in 2019. in Semmering, Austria, on ing campaign, which was cut The Jackson native im- Other team members have In terms of total hours, this season’s opening Tuesday. short following the death of proved one place from her stepped forward as well: week was the most viewed since 2011, the league “Everything is building. her father, Jeff Shiffrin, in previous best, when she fin- O’Brien got a career best in said Wednesday. That also was the last time the It’s been a really long time early February and the out- ished fourth in a downhill in GS in October and added NBA season opened during the week of Christmas; since we had this much depth break of the coronavirus. Garmisch-Partenkirchen in her first top-10 result by it was on Dec. 25 that year and Dec. 22 this year. within our entire ski team. This season Moltzan be- February 2018 that was won finishing ninth in Tuesday’s The NBA season typically opens in October. It’s really cool to see that.” came the first team member by Vonn. slalom; Cashman collected The start of this season was delayed because of With a women’s record to step forward, finishing a “I still will always say that her first World Cup points the coronavirus pandemic, whereas there was a of 82 World Cup victories career-best 10th in the sea- I am really bummed that I by coming 17th and 16th labor dispute in 2011. behind her, Vonn retired in son-opening giant slalom in never shared (a podium) with in two downhills in France Games shown on ESPN on Christmas Day — February 2019 after winning October before earning her Lindsey Vonn. I was close before placing 10th in a su- New Orleans against Miami and the Los Angeles downhill bronze at the world first podium six weeks later. one time,” said Johnson, who per-G the next day; and Hurt Clippers against Denver — were up 10% in aver- championships, but her last “I am kind of overwhelmed has recovered from severe scored her first points in the age viewers (2.83 million) over the games shown World Cup podium came at but I am really excited. I am injuries to both knees since parallel event where Moltzan in comparable windows on Christmas last season. the finals of the previous really lucky to have a great that race in Germany. finished second before fin- Opening week of the NBA was also a huge hit on season, in March 2018. team to share it with,” said “After the injuries, I have ishing 18th in a GS in France. social media. The NBA saw a 36% increase in video That same season Shiffrin Moltzan, who started rac- so much energy, I have so “These are athletes that views and a 279% increase in minutes watched in won her second overall title ing on the same Buck Hill in much fun. I have watched skiing for this year’s opening week compared with opening while Alice McKennis Duran Minneapolis where Vonn had “When we train, I am like: years,” Shiffrin said. “I grew week in 2019. and Jacqueline Wiles also her skiing roots. ‘How many runs can we take, up skiing with them. I raced scored podium results. In the final race weekend can we take six, can we take with them for 15 or more NHL Since then, it has been all before the Christmas break, seven?’ I have so much love years. I know that they can about Shiffrin. Johnson was the next team for the sport and realizing have success in the World Longtime Bruins captain She had 21 podiums, in- member to appear in the that it could be taken away Cup.” Chara joins Capitals Longtime Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara signed with the Washington Capitals on Wednes- Tuesday, Dec. 29 Denver 5 10 0 .333 292 414 Men’s Top 25 Fared No. 6 Arizona (7-0) did not play. Next: vs. No. SPORTS ON TV 1 Stanford, Friday. day, a stunning move less than a week before most Cheez-It Bowl NFC Wednesday No. 7 Baylor (7-1) did not play. Next: at TCU, Schedule subject to change and/or Oklahoma State 37, miami 34 NHL teams open training camp. EAST W L T Pct PF PA Saturday. blackouts Alamo Bowl 1 Gonzaga (9-0) did not play. Dallas 6 9 0 .400 376 450 No. 8 Oregon (7-0) did not play. Next: vs. Chara agreed to terms on a one-year contract Texas 55, colorado 23 Next: vs. San Francisco, Saturday. Thursday, Dec. 31 Washington 6 9 0 .400 315 315 No. 2 Baylor (8-0) beat Alcorn 105-76. USC, Friday. worth $795,000. COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) Wednesday, Dec. 30 N.Y. Giants 5 10 0 .333 257 338 Next: at Iowa St., Saturday. No. 9 Texas A&M (9-0) did not play. Next: vs. Philadelphia 4 10 1 .300 320 398 The 43-year-old defenseman posted on Insta- Mayo Bowl 3 Kansas (8-1) did not play. Tennessee, Thursday. 1 p.m. SOUTH W L T Pct PF PA Wisconsin 42, Wake Forest 28 Next: vs. 8 Texas, Saturday. No. 10 Arkansas (9-1) did not play. Next: at gram that the Bruins have decided to move for- ACCN — Catawba at Wake Forest yx-New Orleans 11 4 0 .733 449 330 Cotton Bowl Classic No. 13 Kentucky, Thursday. ward with younger players. He had been Boston’s 2 p.m. x-Tampa Bay 10 5 0 .667 448 328 4 Villanova (8-1) did not play. No. 6 Oklahoma (8-2) vs. No. 7 Next: at DePaul, Tuesday. No. 11 UCLA (5-2) did not play. Next: vs. No. CBSSN — Utah State at Air Force Carolina 5 10 0 .333 343 369 8 Oregon, Sunday. captain since 2006 and was the second European Florida (8-3), (n) 5 Houston (7-1) did not play. PAC-12N — Arizona State at Washington State Atlanta 4 11 0 .267 369 370 No. 12 Mississippi St. (5-1) did not play. Next: Next: at SMU, Sunday. captain to win the Stanley Cup. 2:30 p.m. BOWL SCHEDULE NORTH W L T Pct PF PA vs. Georgia, Thursday. BTN — Minnesota at Wisconsin yx-Green Bay 12 3 0 .800 474 353 6 Wisconsin (8-2) did not play. The 6-foot-9 Chara is a seven-time All-Star Thursday, Dec. 31 No. 13 Kentucky (7-1) did not play. Next: vs. 3 p.m. Chicago 8 7 0 .533 356 335 Next: vs. Minnesota, Thursday. No. 10 Arkansas, Thursday. who won the Norris Trophy as the league’s top de- ESPNU — Brigham Young at Pepperdine Armed Forces Bowl Minnesota 6 9 0 .400 393 440 7 Tennessee (6-0) at 12 Missouri, (n). No. 14 Maryland (5-1) did not play. Next: at fenseman in 2009. He led the Bruins to the Cup in 4 p.m. No. 24 Tulsa (6-2) vs.