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Phoenix falls to Yreka, 35-14 YREKA, Calif. - The Gordie Crowston era for the Phoenix High football team got off to a rocky start on Friday. Crowston, who replaced nine-year coach Joe Hagler as the head man coming into the season, and his Pirates fell in their season opener, 35-14, to Yreka. "We got off to a slow start and had to play catch up," said Crowston. "That made things pretty difficult for us. It really showed it was our first game." Yreka cashed in on two early Phoenix fumbles and put the game away with a late interception. The Pirates mounted a second-half rally, pulling to within 28-14 and moving the ball to the Yreka 25-yard line late in the third quarter. But an interception off a batted ball crippled the drive and clinched the win for Yreka. "We moved the ball really well between the 20s," said Crowston. "But we shot ourselves in the foot a few times. "I think we learned a lot from that game." Jimi Lockheed and Eric Kessler both had solid games on the ground for the Pirates (0-1), who host Douglas this coming Friday. JAPAN 48, ASHLAND 0 - At Osaka, Japan, Shirisomo Sukata rushed for 183 yards on nine carries and had three scores to lead the Japan All-Stars to a rout of the Grizzlies in exhibition football. Japan finished the game with 357 yards of total offense compared to 194 for the Grizz. Ashland returns home for its regular-season opener against College Park of California on Friday. Boxing TWO BULLDOGS ADVANCE TO FINALS - Enrique Gallegos of the Bulldog Boxing Club defeated Delany Howard of Detroit, Mich., in a four-round decision Saturday to advance to the finals of the Ringside National championships in Olathe, Kan. Gallegos moves on to battle Chris Rangel from Florida in the 147-pound, senior open division today. Another Bulldog boxer, Javier Torres, will face Jesus Cordero from Garden City, Kan., in the finals of the 125-pound, intermediate open division today. Mike Wilson, also of Bulldog Boxing, lost a heartbreaker to Jerome Tabb from New York in the semifinals of the superheavyweight division. Wilson led on all scorecards heading into the fourth and final round until an incidental head butt opened a gash on Wilson's chin. The bleeding could not be stopped, so Tabb was awarded the win while Wilson required 20 stitches. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.