The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware • Page 17

delawareonline.comsports Watch the latest high school video highlights Participate in sports blogs and forums Find the latest local and national scores and sports news To advertise in the Sports section, call Wanda James at 324-2634 or Theresa Behringer at 324-2642. TUESDAY JULY 8, 2008 TheNewsJournal SERVING DELAWARE Updates and latest news www.delawareonline.com News tips: 324-2539 or sportsdelawareonline.com HBP" TWIST TO TENNIS Cindy Prendergast wins doubles title in platform tennis. C2 en v- Bryson honored to be involved in Sabathia trade William Penn grad one of four minor leaguers leaving Brewers system in exchange for Cy Young winner vl, By KEVIN TRESOLINI The News Journal On Sunday, Rob Bryson learned he had been promoted. Then, 45 minutes later, the William Penn High graduate found out he had been traded. Both reflected positively on the right-handed pitcher's baseball promise, and that thought gave him a positive push as he packed for the drive from Charleston, W.Va., to Cleveland on Monday afternoon.

The floundering Indians acquired Bryson, 20, and three other minor leaguers from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for C.C. Sabathia. The 2007 American League Cy Young Award winner will be a free agent after this season. "I feel honored for the Indians to think that highly of me that they'd trade a Cy Young winner, a future Hall of Famer," Bryson said. "I'm excited." Bryson, a second-year pro, was 3-2 with a 4.25 ERA but had 73 strikeouts and just 20 walks in 55 innings for the Brewers' West Virginia Power in the low Class A South Atlantic League.

He began the season as a starter but is now pitching out of the bullpen, where he'll also work in the Cleveland system. "I'm a bullpen guy," he said. After meeting today with Cleveland officials, Bryson will be assigned to the Lake County Captains in Eastlake, Ohio, just outside Cleveland. They also play in the South Atlantic League. But Bryson said he expects to be promoted to the Kinston Indians of the high Class A Carolina League in the next two weeks.

Kinston visits the Blue Rocks July 25-27. If i not promoted by then, Bryson will lace his old teammates as the Captains host the Power See BRYSON C3 Photo courtesy of Scott Glover Minor league player Rob Bryson, a William Penn graduate, was traded to the Indians. METS 10, PHILLIES 9 Phi iesf J.J1 rally not emough io I it, Mets light up Eaton early By SCOTT LAUBER The News Journal PHILADELPHIA Having managed C.C. Sabathia for VA seasons with the Indians, Charlie Manuel is aware of the imprint the ace pitcher may leave on the National League playoff race after being traded to the Brewers. Right now, though, Manuel has other concerns.

The Phillies' potent offense has been alarmingly dependent on home runs, and thus, prone to inconsistency. And needing to win Monday night to salvage a split against the rival Mets, right-hander Adam Eaton reverted to the wretched form that got him booted from the playoff roster last October. ONLINE Read Scott Lauber's Phillies blog at www.delawareonline.com Eaton got hammered for 10 hits and lasted only 2 nings. The Phillies were left in an eight-run abyss before a The News JournalCARLA VARISCO-WILUAMS Former University of Delaware running back Omar Cuff demonstrates an agility drill during th Blue Hens Youth Football Camp on Monday. Cuff was out of shape when he joined the Blue Hens as a freshman in the winter of 2004, but he worked hard and finished his career as UD's No.

2 all-time leading rusher. Cuff familiar with obstacles Former Hens RB takes on next challenge with Titans By KEVIN TRESOLINI The News Journal NEWARK The odds are against him. But Omar Cuff knows that feeling. It was the winter of 2004, and University of Delaware football players were gathering for their 5:30 a.m. run on the Field House indoor track.

spirited, homer-fueled rally fell short in a 10-9 loss. The setback shaved their lead to 2 games over the Mets (4544), who moved above .500 for the first time since June 5. "Watching how we battled back offensively, if I just give an average performance, it's a different story," Eaton said. "This loss was definitely put on the right person." The Phils (48-42) lost for the eighth time in 10 home games before the 13th straight sellout crowd at Citizens Bank Park. They have dropped seven of their last eight series.

And their frustrated manager is counting the days until next week's All-Star break, hoping time off will recharge his players for the second half. "We've got six games before the break," Manuel said, "and we've got to win some of these games." Eaton made that all but impossible. The Phillies scored six of their runs on homers by Chase Utley, Pat Burrell, Ryan Howard and even slumping pinch-hitter Geoff Jenkins, but they couldn't overcome the 8-0 hole that Eaton left them in after the third inning. As opening-day starter Brett Myers continued his minor-league mission to recover his See PHILLIES C3 INSIDE Utley gets his chance to compete in the Home Run Derby. Phillies notes, C4.

Cuff was among them, a freshman who ONLINE EXTRA See a photo gallery and video of an interview with Omar Cuff at www.delawareonline.com. No. 2 all-time leading rusher with 4,364 yards. His 73 touchdowns are a UD record. "It was a long road," Cuff said Monday, reflecting on his personal journey.

"That first winter workout The coaches must have wondered, 'What is I had to backpedal, and I hadn't done that in so long. I was thinking to myself, I feel so unathletic right now At that point, I just felt like I wanted to quit. The team had just come off a national championship, and its expectations were really high. These guys were at a level where, they wanted to go back again. I was like, 'I'm not going to I felt so overwhelmed." Cuff got through that, as well as the 15 days of spring practice, including the Blue-White in-trasquad spring game.

In that, wide receiver Joe Bleymaier so bamboozled him with a double move on a pass pattern that Cuff remembers it vividly. An overthrown ball saved him from further embarrassment. See CUFF C6 had entered school between semesters and, therefore, had just arrived, out of shape and not knowing anyone very well. Delaware football coach K.C. Keeler witnessed that workout, returned to his staffs Carpenter Center offices and wanted an explanation.

"Who in the heck gave a scholarship to Omar Cuff?" Keeler remembered asking. Cuff smiled when he heard Keeler recount that tale once again Monday, when the Blue Hen Youth Football Camp began and Cuff spoke to, mingled with, advised and signed autographs for the campers, a couple of whom wore his No. 28 jersey. He was wearing a powder blue Tennessee Titans cap and a white shirt with a Titans logo. In two weeks, Cuff will be in Nashville for the start of training camp with the NFL team.

Cuff survived those initial winter workouts, but was just a fourth-string cornerback during 2004 spring practice. But on Nov. 6 that year, he started for the first time at tailback. He rushed for 162 yards on 34 carries, both UD freshman records, in a 20-13 loss at James Madison. Last fall, Cuff finished his career as Delaware's Myers wins with IronPigs Happy with outing at AAA By CARYN GRANT The News Journal ALLENTOWN, Penn Brett Myers threw 7X innings for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in a 4-3 win over the Louisville Bats at Coca-Cola The News JournalCARLA VARISCO-WILUAMS Omar Cuff will be in Nashville in two weeks for the start of the Tennessee Titans training camp as an undrafted rookie free agent Mooney follows advice 3,000 miles to UD Blue Hens' passion for football prompts tight end to transfer from Washington State Park on Monday night, heating up late en route to his first win with the team.

"I felt a heck of a lot better than last time," Myers said. "The velocity was way 1 better." Velocity and location have been the two buzz words surrounding Myers and his fastball during his stint with the IronPigs. Myers agreed to the Phillies' request to go down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley for 20 days to work on his fastball and get more comfortable as a Brett Myers threw Th innings in the IronPigs' win Monday night By KEVIN TRESOLINI The News Journal As he searched for a new start to his college football career, Trevor Mooney was directed 3,000 miles east by someone who knew the terrain. The Washington State tight end listened to one of the assistant coaches from his Trabuco Hills (Calif.) High team, Chad Johnson, who had been a kicker at Hofstra. That initial suggestion ultimately propelled the 6-foot-6, 250-pound Mooney to the University of Delaware, where he will have sophomore eligibility this fall.

"Johnson always thought the world of the old Atlantic 10, now the Colonial Athletic Association," Mooney said by phone from California on Monday. "He always talked about the great competition. He transferred down from Iowa. "Through this process, I didn't want to make a lateral transfer. It really just came down to I just wanted to play, so I started making phone calls.

I knew about Delaware, because of the playoffs last year and Ben Patrick the tight end now in his second year with the Arizona Cardinals. Delaware was one of my top schools." A transfer to another NCAA Division I-A school would have required a redshirt year. fall, primarily on special teams, and did not catch a pass. He was also wooed by the likes of Oregon, Oregon State, Arizona and Utah coming out of high school. His main reason for transferring was a coaching change Bill Doba out after a 5-7 season, and former Eastern Washington coach Paul Wulff in and what he anticipated as a decreased role for tight ends in the Cougars' offense.

He was fourth on the depth chart in spring practice. "They love their tight ends at Delaware," said Mooney. UD tight ends Robbie Agnone and Josh Baker combined for 58 receptions last year. Agnone is a senior this year. See TRANSFER -C6 "They love their tight ends at Delaware." Trevor Mooney, tight end, who is transferring from Washington State to UD A high academic achiever, Mooney also considered Ivy League schools and visited Penn.

But he preferred the greater attention devoted to football at UD, where he'll study anatomy and physiology as a prelude to medical school. Mooney, who turns 20 in August, played in all 12 games as a redshirt freshman for Washington State last starter. Myers has said that he envisions himself as a closer, but the Phillies made that very unlikely when they re-signed closer Brad Lidge Sunday to a three-year contract extension for $37.5 million. "I'm happy for Lidge. Good for him," Myers said after starting for Lehigh Valley.

See MYERS C3.