IN BRIEF

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Gamecocks starting QB suspended for opener

South Carolina starting quarterback Blake Mitchell was one of three players suspended Thursday for the school's first game against Louisiana-Lafayette for missing summer school classes.

Mitchell is appealing his suspension, said Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier, who will allow Mitchell to play if the appeal is successful. If Mitchell can't play, freshman Chris Smelley will start.

The suspension is the latest setback for Mitchell, who was arrested a year ago and charged with simple assault after a nightclub bouncer told police Mitchell punched him. The charge was dropped.

Also suspended were tailback Bobby Wallace and cornerback Chris Hail.

Also: Starting tailback Chauncey Washington has a sprained right shoulder, putting his availability for Southern California's Sept. 1 season opener in question.

Washington, a fifth-year senior who led the Trojans in rushing last season with 744 yards on 157 carries, was injured when he hit the ground after a carry early in the second half of a scrimmage Wednesday at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

Neither sophomore C.J. Gable (lingering groin soreness) nor highly regarded freshman Joe McKnight (stretched knee ligament) played in the scrimmage, but Trojans coach Pete Carroll said he expects them to be ready for Idaho.

Former USC running back Emmanuel Moody visited defending national champion Florida, touring the campus, meeting with coaches and trying to decide whether he will join the Gators.

Moody was the second-leading rusher for USC last season as a freshman, gaining 458 yards on 79 carries before missing the final four games because of a sprained ankle. He entered USC's preseason practice as one of 10 players competing for playing time at tailback.

Drew Weatherford will be Florida State's starting quarterback in its Sept. 3 season opener at Clemson, beating out Xavier Lee. Weatherford has started 23 of the Seminoles' past 26 games.

MISCELLANEOUS

Blake rallies to reach semifinals of Pilot Pen

James Blake fought off three consecutive match points to win in the afternoon, then won again at night to advance to the semifinals of the Pilot Pen at New Haven, Conn.

Blake beat Fernando Verdasco of Spain 6-4, 6-2 in the quarterfinals. Earlier, Blake defeated Agustin Calleri of Argentina, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1.

American Mardy Fish also advanced to the semifinals. Top seed Nikolay Davydenko, No. 2 Tommy Robredo and No. 4 David Ferrer lost early in the day.

The men were forced to play two rounds Thursday after rain canceled numerous matches earlier in the week.

In the women's draw, Hungarian qualifier Agnes Szavay became the most unlikely entrant into the semifinals when she defeated eighth-seeded Alona Bondarenko, 6-1, 6-4.

Also: David Beckham played the entire 90 minutes for the third time in six days in the Los Angeles Galaxy's 3-0 loss to Chivas USA in Carson, Calif.

Beckham was in the lineup about six hours after arriving on a flight from London. He had spent the last four days with the England team.

Beckham failed to connect on two first-half free kicks. He also confronted Jesse Marsch after the Chivas midfielder tackled him from behind.

Jean-Baptiste Gonnet and Taichi Teshima each shot a course-record 6-under-par 64 to share the first-round lead in the Dutch Open at Zaandvoort, Netherlands. Seven golfers were one shot behind.

Former East Carolina basketball coach Ricky Stokes is leaving the school instead of taking an administrative position in the athletic department. He was reassigned Aug. 8.

The United States gave up two first-half penalty kicks to Tunisia in a 3-1 loss in the Under-17 World Cup at Changwon, South Korea.