Tuesday State Sports Briefs: Investigator denies tampering with Braun's sample

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MONTREAL - Dino Laurenzi Jr. – the urine sample collector in the center of the Ryan Braun drug case – denied tampering with the samples he took from the National League MVP last October first.

Laurenzi issued a statement today to quote, “set the record straight” after he came under fire for the way he handled Braun’s routine drug test. Braun convinced a Major League Baseball arbitration panel not to suspend him for 50 games for the Milwaukee Brewers this season. Braun claimed his sample was somehow mishandled on the basis of the excessive levels of testosterone uncovered by a World Anti-Doping Agency lab in Montreal. Laurenzi, the head of rehabilitation services at a Kenosha hospital, said there was not a Fed-Ex office within 50 miles of Miller Park that would ship packages on the Saturday he administered the test – or on Sunday. But Braun told reporters last Friday there were at least five Fed-Ex locations open until nine that night within five miles of the stadium, and one was open 24 hours. Laurenzi said he handled the tests the same way he’s done since 2005, when he became a collector for baseball’s Comprehensive Drug Testing program. He said his basement office is cool enough to store the samples without tainting them – and there were other times he’s held them for at least a day without incident. Laurenzi said the incident has caused quote, “great distress” for him and his family. After supporting his work last week, Major League Baseball said it would have no further comment. Braun refused comment as well.

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Western Wisconsin native Tim Krumrie was among 76 players named today as possible induction candidates for the College Football Hall-of-Fame. He played his high school football at Mondovi before going on to a stellar career as a defensive tackle for the Wisconsin Badgers and the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals. About 12,000 foundation and Hall-of-Fame members will select their favorites – and then a 14-member selection committee will pick this year’s class. Also on the ballot are former Green Bay Packers’ receiver Sterling Sharpe, who played at South Carolina in the mid-1980’s, and former Chilton high school star Dave Casper, a tight end for Notre Dame and later for the Oakland Raiders. The inductees will be announced May 15th, and they’ll be inducted into the College Hall-of-Fame on December fourth in New York.

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Green Bay Packers’ veteran Donald Driver says it will be a “fun journey” to compete on “Dancing With the Stars.” The Packers’ all-time leading receiver was one of 12 contestants named today for the 14th season of ABC’s popular ballroom show. Peta Murgatroyd will be Driver’s professional dancing partner. The competition begins on March 19th. ESPN’s Rachel Nichols said Driver told her that he’s doing it for his family – because they love the show. Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers tweeted that Driver is quote, “guaranteed to be in the finals.” Two NFL players have won the dancing competition – Emmitt Smith in 2006, and Hines Ward of Pittsburgh in 2011.

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Former Milwaukee Bucks’ forward Bobby Simmons is back in the NBA. He signed a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, after playing in the Development League for much of the season. Simmons signed a five-year contract with Milwaukee in 2005. But he missed all of his second season with a foot injury, and the Bucks ended up trading him and Yi Jianlian to New Jersey in 2008 for forward Richard Jefferson – who played for a year in Milwaukee before moving on to San Antonio. This year’s edition of the Bucks will return from the All-Star break tonight, and will host Washington.

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Luke Doedens of Concordia-Mequon was named today as the Northern Athletics Conference men’s basketball player-of-the-year. Mike Keller of Marian was chosen by the league’s coaches as the freshman-of-the-year. Derek Nkemnji of Edgewood was the defensive player-of-the-year. And Todd Adrian of Edgewood is the coach-of-the-year, after he led the Eagles to a conference tournament title and an NCAA Division III berth. Doedens, a senior guard, led Concordia to its third straight N-A-C North Division championship. He averaged 16 points, five rebounds, and two-and-a-half assists per game. Doedens was also named to the NAC’s All-Conference first team along with Kent Faurote and Ben Wisniewski of Edgewood, and Jake Schwarz and Justin Ward of Lakeland. Mitchell Schneider of Concordia-Mequon and Josh Regal of Lakeland were picked to the all-league second team. Three Wisconsin players were picked to the All-NAC freshman squad – Keller, Joe Klocek of Edgewood, and Ben Brooke of Concordia-Mequon.

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Carol Cayo of the Milwaukee School of Engineering has been named the women’s basketball player-of-the-year in the Northern Athletics Conference. Cayo was also named the defensive player-of-the-year by the league’s coaches. Katelyn Kuehl of NAC tournament champion Wisconsin Lutheran is the freshman-of-the-year. And Jessica Ott of MSOE is the coach-of-the-year. Cayo, a senior, earned her fourth straight All-Conference honors by making the first team. She averaged around 18 points and 10 rebounds per game this past season. Alexis Becker of Marian also made the top squad, along with Rachel Johnson of Wisconsin Lutheran and Katie Luethe of Concordia-Mequon. Lutheran’s Shavon Dillon made the all-league second team, along with Jessica Genke of Lakeland and Laci Peterson of Maranatha Baptist. Kuehl made the All-Freshman squad along with Mariah Hill of Edgewood.

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Cale Tassi of UW-Milwaukee and western Wisconsin native Tanner Vavra of Valparaiso have been named the Horizon League’s baseball players-of-the-week. Tassi, a junior pitcher, struck out seven in seven-and-a-third innings against Minnesota. He gave up one run, and none earned. And Tassi’s ERA is just point-68 in two starts. Vavra, a junior infielder from Menomonie, was named the league’s top position player for the week. He batted .583 for Valparaiso in a three-game series against fourth-ranked Arkansas – and he scored the game-winning run in the 10th inning on Sunday in a 10-9 decision.

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Jessica Spitzer and Charlie Leikness, both of Edgewood College, have been named the softball players of the week in the Northern Athletics Conference. Spitzer, a junior shortstop, was named the top position player after she belted three homers and hit .429 in four games at the Finlandia Dome Tournament. Leikness, a sophomore, was named the NAC’s top pitcher for recording all three of Edgewood’s victories at last weekend. She matched a career-high with six strikeouts in a one-run, nine-inning victory over Finlandia.

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Former NFL defensive end Carl Hairston, who lives in Green Bay, is the latest to sue the league for not warning players about the risks of concussions a number of years ago. Hairston is the lead plaintiff in the most recent suit, which is being combined with others in a federal court in Philadelphia. The 59-year-old Hairston coached defensive ends for the Green Bay Packers from 2006-through-’08. His lawsuit states that he suffers from various neurological symptoms from multiple head traumas while as a player. Over 700 players have sued the league, saying it should have educated and cautioned players about concussions and their health effects. Several ex-Packers are part of the legal actions, including former running back Dorsey Levens.

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Alexis Nelson of the University of Wisconsin tied a 54-hole school record at the Westbrook Invitational in Peoria, Arizona. Nelson shot a one-over-par 73 in her final round yesterday to finish at three-under-213 – matching the Badgers’ record 54-hole score set by Carlie Werwie in 2010. Nelson, a sophomore, finished in sixth place in the Westbrook tournament. And the Badgers finished eighth among 12 teams at 19-over-par 883. Illinois won the tournament at 11-under, three strokes ahead of second-place Texas Tech.

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SCORES

Wisconsin girls' high school basketball

Alma/Pepin 53, Independence 37

Appleton Xavier 41, Winneconne 20

Berlin 38, Clintonville 26

Birchwood 44, Lac Courte Oreilles 15

Blair-Taylor 56, Whitehall 34

Bonduel 81, Lena 20

Boyceville 51, Flambeau 33

Brookwood 63, La Farge 21

Cashton 40, De Soto 37

Coleman 40, Marinette 30

Columbus 52, Horicon 36

Deerfield 48, Marshall 42

Durand 41, Osseo-Fairchild 32

Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran 64, Cochrane-Fountain City 52

Eau Claire Memorial 50, Stevens Point 39

Eleva-Strum 52, Melrose-Mindoro 26

Evansville 68, Orfordville Parkview 55

Florence 34, Niagara 25

Fort Atkinson 48, Elkhorn 47

Fox Valley Lutheran 43, Ripon 35

Germantown 57, West Bend West 52

Glendale Nicolet 54, Mukwonago 34

Green Bay Notre Dame 52, Oconto Falls 46

Green Bay Preble 60, Appleton North 47

Highland 61, Ithaca 51

Hurley 67, Maple Northwestern 53

Janesville Craig 48, Oconomowoc 40

Kettle Moraine Lutheran 62, Milwaukee Lutheran 39

Kewaunee 73, Mishicot 36La Crosse Aquinas 54, Viroqua 15

Lake Country Lutheran 52, Brookfield Academy 45

Lake Holcombe 65, Clear Lake 48

Lancaster 61, Cassville 6

Laona 39, Suring 32

Lodi 60, River Valley 35

Manitowoc Lutheran 55, Cedar Grove-Belgium 38

Menasha 65, Hortonville 61

Milwaukee Pulaski 39, Milwaukee Ronald Reagan 29

Milwaukee University School 55, Milwaukee Hope School 18

Monona Grove 70, Mount Horeb 53

Nekoosa 66, Port Edwards 35

New Glarus 57, Dodgeville 53

New Lisbon 44, Alma Center Lincoln 26

Oconto 66, Gillett 42

Onalaska 51, Mauston 31

Platteville 61, Potosi 42

Plum City 40, Ellsworth 36, OT

Randolph 70, Oshkosh Valley Christian 18

Reedsville 49, Shiocton 44

River Ridge 26, Wauzeka 21

Sheboygan Falls 45, Chilton 36

South Shore 61, Bayfield 44

Sparta 55, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau 33

Superior 50, Hayward 34

Tomah 44, Wisconsin Dells 31, OT

Trinity Academy 57, Kenosha Reuther 48

Turtle Lake 54, Luck 34

Wabeno 60, Wausaukee 32

Watertown Luther Prep 78, Beaver Dam Wayland Academy 73

Waukesha West 27, Sussex Hamilton 25

Waunakee 43, Verona 41

Waupaca 56, Little Chute 48

Webster 46, Cumberland 41

Westfield 47, Pardeeville 42

Westosha Central 70, Walworth Big Foot 44

Weyauwega-Fremont 42, Winnebago Lutheran 28

Whitewater 60, Wilmot 54

Wonewoc-Center 59, North Crawford 50

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