News-Press from Fort Myers, Florida • Page 23

.1 PHO FOOTBALL I C2 Some players are confused by league's crackdown on hard hits YOUTII SPOHTS I C4 Pop Warner game ends in fight; teams eliminated from playoffs HOCKEY I C5 Russian duo add unique element to Florida Everblades roster II (0) jy ill Mil ran liilolL 1 liuiyuu 'k The New York Yankees' Robinson Cano watches his solo home runoff Texas Rangers pitcher C.J. Wilson in the third inning on Wednesday. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ALCS SCHEDULE GAME 1 New Yort Texas 5 2 Texas 7, New York 2 GAME 1 Texas 8, New York 0 GAME Texas 10, New York 3 GAME New York 7, Texas 2. Texas leads series 3-2 NEXT GAME: New York (Hughes 18-8) at Texas (Lewis 12-13), 8:07 p.m. Friday Yankees close gap in ALCS to 3-2 The Associated Press NEW YORK They were facing the end of their season and a miserable winter that Not to worry, Joe Girardi said.

Speaking in the wee hours before his players went Sabathia made the lead stand up and the Yankees beat the Rangers 7-2 Wednesday to close within 3-2 in the AL championship series. "We're right where we need to be," Swisher said. A late-arriving crowd for the late-afternoon game wondered whether this would be it for the defending World Series champs after Texas outscored See ALCS C3 home for a few hours sleep ahead of Game 5, the New York Yankees manager implored them not to give up. "That was huge," CC Sabathia said. "Just having us be able to relax and not panic." No panic here.

Sabathia pitched like a champion, and the Yankees are heading for Texas. Nick Swisher and Robinson Cano hit consecutive homers to build an early IT -j, Crosstown rivals meet in district showdown m.j- ti 1 ii BY CARL BLEICH If the last 1 1 years are any indication, one team has a clear advantage in Friday's Crosstown Showdown between Naples and Barron Collier. Naples has not lost to Barron Collier since 1999, a streak that equates to 11 straight victories for the Gold-en Eagles. While Naples coach Bill Kramer said the winning streak is meaningless for Friday night's contest, he shared his team's feelings about it "This team does 1 1 not want to be the one that gets the streak broken," Kramer said. "We haven't talked it about much, but they know about it It should be a good game." The 30th meeting between the rivals will begin at Naples at 7:30 p.m.

Friday. Barron Collier who IF YOU GO WHAT: Barron Collier at Naples (6-0, 3-0) WHERE: Staver Field, Naples High School WHEN: 7:30 p.m.' Friday ANDREW WESTflHE NEWS-PRESS Amy Vetter works out at the Omni Club in Fort Myers on Wednesday. She recently won a national figure competition in Atlanta that earned her a pro bodybuilding card. She is heading to Houston this weekend for her first professional cpmpetition. Area body builder goes pro Fort Myers lifter wins at nationals Jeff Delaney said.

"She's the first female figure pro from this area." Figure competitions are a relatively new sub-category of fitness and bodybuilding contests. Figure competitors are judged solely on muscle symmetry and tone, not on muscle mass or leanness. "It's kind of in between a hot-body contest," said Delaney, "and traditional bodybuilding." See BODY BUILDING C6 eration of Body Builders Pro Card after winning her class at the NPC (National Physique Committee) Nationals held in Adanta earlier this month. She will fly to Houston today to compete in her first pro competition at the 2010 NPC Texas State. "Most girls, to get a pro card, take "two, three, eight, 10 years if they ever earn one.

She's accomplished in a year and a half something most people never do," Vetter's friend and sometimes-trainer dominated this rivalry. From 1989 to 1998, the Cougars won all 10 meetings, including a victory in 1998 over Kramer during his first year as A Kramer's Golden Eagles have dominated since as he has a career 11-1 record against the Cougars. Mark Ivey, who is in his fourth year with the Cougars, has never beaten Naples at any of his coaching stops. Prior to Barron, Ivey was the coach at Cypress Lake and an assistant at Gulf Coast. He is 0-10 all-time against the Golden Eagles.

"Naples always plays their best against us every year," Ivey said. the gym till 9 o'clock at night," the 30-year-old Fort Myers native said. "The hardest part is finding a balance. It's tough." Vetter is trying to balance her full-time job, boyfriend and four dogs with the demands of life as a professional figure competitor. After less than a year and a half of serious training, Vetter earned her International Fed BY ANNABELLE TOMETICH It's 5 a.m.

and the intersection of Summerlin Road and Boy Scout Drive in Fort Myers sits empty. A few hundred yards away, The Omni Club's doors open and Amy Vetter is among the first to enter. "I have to work out at this time otherwise I'm stuck in See RIVALRY C4 Green Wave back ontopatLCAC BY ANNABELLE TOMETICH title to Cape Coral. Fort Myers was back to form Wednesday at WATCH LIVE Log on to tonight at 7 as hosts Dan DeLuca and Gary Sharp discuss and answer some of the biggest questions facing Southwest Florida's teams. Participate in a chat and have your questions answered by our experts live.

the FGCU Aquatic Center Fort Myers High School's San Carlos as the Green Wave swim team is back on track. boys and girls teams once again After 12 years of Green Wave took LCAC crowns. For the domination at the Lee County boys, it was the 14th straight Athletic Conference meet, their conference championship, girls team suffered a small setback last fall when it ceded the See SWIMMING C4 UNDSAY TERRYTHE NEWS-PRESS Fort Myers swimmer Aaron Spence competes in the boys 2Q0- yard individual medley at FGCU Aquatics Center on Wednesday. Log on to for more photos. 36 month lease I.