MOREHEAD West Carter's Ben Jordan chatted easily with University of Kentucky pitching coach Jim Belanger in a hallway in the bowels of Johnson Arena on Thursday evening.

Jordan is Lexington-bound after this school year to toss the horsehide for the Wildcats, but the Comets senior will remain a basketball player for at least a few more days thanks in large part to his performance in the 16th Region Tournament quarterfinals.

Jordan dropped in 29 points and 11 rebounds, including four dunks in the final 3:03, and Hadyn Roe notched 25 points and 13 boards as West Carter topped Greenup County, 80-64.

The Comets enjoyed a 43-22 rebounding advantage and a 54-32 edge on points in the paint. Jordan scored 15.1 points more than his season per-game average to lead that effort.

"Whenever he gets to running the floor and playing like that, that's just a huge emotional boost for us," West Carter coach Jeremy Webb said of Jordan. "Whenever he's playing like that, our guys feed off that energy."

The Comets won their first region tournament game since 2012 -- when West Carter's senior class was in seventh grade.

"We've worked really hard to get here," Comets senior guard Dalton Roark said, "and it just means a whole lot."

Roark worked really hard Thursday, too. He scored 10 points and was one of three Comets who shadowed Musketeers stud shooter Gage Hughes. Dalton Brown and Rodney Evans also spent time guarding Hughes.

Hughes scored 45 and 40 points in the teams' first two meetings this season, which they split. He finished with 15 on Thursday, 13 of which he scored in the second half. Hughes averaged 29.0 per game coming in.

"We knew if (Hughes didn't have) a good game that they wouldn't get into any kind of offense," Roark said. "That was our game plan coming out, and it just helped us get in the flow of the game."

The Musketeers led, 15-14, at the end of the first quarter on Jherrell Jackson's bucket down low. But the Comets started the second frame on a 9-0 run, begun by Jordan's and-1 and capped on Evans' putback at the 5:47 mark of the second period. Greenup County was never even again.

Musketeers coach Harold Tackett said West Carter's emphasis on taking Hughes away was no surprise. Greenup County got 28 points from Mike Hubbert, but the Musketeers were at a height disadvantage inside and didn't shoot well enough from the perimeter (4-for-21) to overcome it, Tackett said.

"I think with a matchup like (West Carter's) size, compared to mostly guards, you've gotta knock down the outside shot, and we really struggled from the field tonight," Tackett said. "We're really good when we knock down the outside shot, but we tend to struggle against big teams when we're not knocking down the outside shot."

Greenup County did surge late in the second quarter to within 30-28 on Hubbert's and-1. But West Carter was up seven by halftime as Ethan Adkins converted a putback with 22 seconds to go in the second.

The Comets shot 57.4 percent from the field for the game and 71.4 percent in the fourth quarter. That total was aided by four late Jordan dunks, the first off a pretty alley-oop from Brown.

"It's hard to come back from that," Jordan said. "It's exciting, gets the crowd into it, and it's a big momentum swing, and to get it going back like that several times, it's good for our team and atmosphere."

W. CARTERFGFTREBTP

B. Jordan13-173-71129

Roark5-90-0210

Roe10-155-61325

Adkins3-62-218

Brown2-70-064

Evans2-60-014

Johnson0-10-010

Glancy0-00-000

Skaggs0-00-000

Team8

TOTALS35-6110-154380

FG Pct.: 57.4. FT Pct.: 66.7. 3-pointers: 0-7 (Roark 0-1, Roe 0-1, Brown 0-4, Johnson 0-1). PF: 18. Fouled out: None. Turnovers: 9.

GREENUP CO.FGFTREBTP

Jackson4-60-089

Hubbert9-1910-12528

Keeton2-90-015

Hughes5-144-5315

Lanning2-70-025

Walker0-00-000

Nelson1-20-012

Reed0-00-000

Raby0-00-000

Robinson0-00-000

Johnson0-00-000

Thomas0-00-010

Team1

TOTALS23-5714-172264

FG Pct.: 40.4. FT Pct.: 82.4. 3-pointers: 4-21 (Jackson 1-1, Lanning 1-4, Keeton 1-7, Hughes 1-8, Hubbert 0-1). PF: 12. Fouled out: Jackson. Turnovers: 6.

W. CARTER14221925--80 GREENUP CO.15141817--64

Officials: Jason Reineke, Tony Pompilio and Michael Romes.

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16th Region Tournament (with video) Jordan, Comets jam on: West powers past Greenup - The Independent

Emily Kesel

Last February, the Marionville Comets upset top-seeded Crane on its home court to claim the district title in a dramatic and intense game. This year, Marionville was the number one seed, having lost only three games all season and firing on all cylinders with one game left to repeat as champions. The Comet faithful, decked out in beach gear and filling the Galena gym, was ready to celebrate another win over the Pirates.

But Crane was determined to avenge last season's loss, and so they did. The Comets' title defense hopes came to an end last Friday with a heartbreaking 50-49 overtime loss to the second-seeded Pirates, ending the season earlier than Coach Ted Young and his team would have hoped.

The game began very much in Crane's favor, as the Pirates took the early lead on a three-pointer and led by as many as four points before Marionville finally scored its first field goal at the 4:50 mark.

The Comets would tie the game at seven briefly, but another Crane trey gave the lower seed the 10-7 lead. By the end of the first period, the Comets trailed 16-9.

Marionville would score the first points of the second quarter on a three by sophomore Josh Goodman. The Comets outscored Crane in the period and brought themselves to within three points of the lead, but the Pirates still maintained a slight advantage of 26-23 at halftime.

The Comets carried the momentum of the second quarter into the third, tying the game on the first possession on a trey by senior Aaron Head. Crane would answer with a bucket to retake the lead, but senior Levi Doyle hit his own three-pointer to give Marionville its first lead of the game moments later. After a low-scoring third quarter, the Comets led 31-30.

Just over a minute into the fourth period, Goodman increased the Marionville lead to three with a steal and layup, but Crane would tie the game at 35 two minutes later.

The fourth quarter passed in much the same fashion, with the teams trading blows and the lead never more than two points at a time. With 37 seconds to go and the game tied at 41, Coach Young called a timeout, instructing his team to stall and wait for a last-second shot to win the game.

Unfortunately, that shot would not be possible, as an offensive foul gave the Pirates the ball with less than five seconds remaining. After their own timeout, the Pirates attempted their own last-second shot, but the attempt was short and the teams regrouped before a four-minute overtime period.

Crane would score the first five points in overtime to take a 46-41 lead before a pair of free throws by senior Brandon Horn cut it to a three-point advantage. On the ensuing Crane possession, Horn stole the ball and broke away for a layup but missed and then fouled the rebounding Pirate player, who made both free throws to make it 48-43.

With just over a minute remaining, a Doyle trey from the corner cut the lead to 48-46, and another 30 seconds later gave the Comets a 49-48 advantage. Crane, though, would take back the lead on a basket with 16 seconds remaining.

The clock continued to run as the Comets looked desperately for an open shot to win the game but none was to be found, and a last-ditch effort by senior Cole Brown missed the mark, giving the Pirates the upset victory.

Goodman led the Marionville offense with 13 points off the bench, while Doyle followed with 12 points. Head added nine, while Horn scored six and junior Ryan Mayberry added five. Brown and senior Nick Dean each contributed two.

The Comets finished the year with an impressive overall record of 24-4, including a 5-1 record in the MidLakes Conference. Five seniors on the team will be lost due to graduation (Head, Horn, Brown, Doyle and Dean), but several important contributors are likely to return next season, including Goodman, Mayberry and starting sophomore guard Gavin Stanton.

See original here:

Comets upset by Crane in final rematch - Aurora Advertiser

A nameless comet races to certain death.

Sun watchers at the US Naval Research Laboratory spotted a so-called "sungrazing comet" heading toward its imminent doom on Friday. The newly spotted comet doesn't yet have a name, and it might never get one as it may cease to exist very soon.

"This comet will not survive," NRL astrophysicist Karl Battams wrote on Twitter. "It'll vaporize loooong before it even nears the solar surface."

Sungrazers are exactly what they sound like: comets that pass very close to the sun on their trips through the inner solar system, often disintegrating in the process.

You can actually watch this new comet's final hours in near real time via NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). To use the interactive SOHO movie theater tool to follow the comet's suicidal path, just go to this link, choose "LASCO C3" in the "image type" field and "1024" for your resolution, and enter "10" under "latest n images." Then press search. You can also play around with different start and end dates if you're reading this long after March 3.

The resulting time-lapse shows the comet in the lower left flying towards the sun and oblivion. The sun is actually blocked out in the image by an occulter disk that's seen as a dark blue circle, which is what allows nearby objects to be seen by the observatory.

You can also see Mercury hanging out on the right. There's about a 12-minute gap between each frame.

Happy trails you brave space snowball, we barely knew you. Then again, maybe that's better as things don't often end up well when comets try to shake hands with the Earth.

Crowd Control: A crowdsourced science fiction novel written by CNET readers.

Solving for XX: The industry seeks to overcome outdated ideas about "women in tech.

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See a comet racing toward the sun -- and its own demise - CNET - CNET

JEFFERSON CITY ---- Cottey's 2016-17 basketball campaign ended Thursday night in the semifinals of the NJCAA Division II Region 16 Tournament semifinals, as the fourth-seeded Comets were downed 80-56 by the top-seeded St. Louis Community College Lady Archers .

"I can't begin to express the appreciation I have for this sophomore class," Cottey head coach Stephanie Beason said. "They'll be a difficult group for us to replace, for numerous reason."

Cottey (8-13) was able to stay close early, as the Comets trailed 16-15 at the conclusion of the first quarter, before the Lady Archers grabbed a 28-25 halftime advantage.

Led by sophomore guard-forward Shamara Glover, St. Louis turned up the heat, outscoring Cottey 28-19 in the third quarter, as the Lady Archers went on top 56-44.

St. Louis then pulled away in the final frame, doubling up Cottey 24-12 for the final 24-point margin. Glover tallied a game-high 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field, to go along with seven rebounds. The Lady Archers' point guard Ellisha Davis added 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists.

For Cottey, freshman guard Destiney Teniente finished with a team-high 18 points while knocking down four 3-pointers. Teniente also registered four rebounds and three assists. Comets' leading scorer Kelsey Acton was held to six points (2-of-12 FG, 1-7 3-Pt). Meanwhile, sophomore Kasey Acton and freshman Malory Moles chipped in 10 pointa apiece. The Comets shot just 37 percent from the field as a team (22-of-60).

The Lady Archers pounded Cottey on the glass, outrebounding the Comets 53-31 as Lady Archers' 5-foot-10 forward Chrishana Wilson hit the glass for a game-high 14 rebounds.

Play-in game

The Comets hammered Wentworth Military Academy 79-39 in Tuesday night's home play-in game.

"We did a great job playing as a team this evening," Beason said. "It was also nice to send the sophomores off with a win on their last opportunity to play on their home court."

Cottey opened the game on a 28-10 extended run, before grabbing a 37-18 halftime lead. Cottey's lead swelled to 30 after three quarters of play, as the Comets soared to victory.

Cottey's well-balanced offensive attack was led by sophomores Kelsey Acton and Cheyenne Ortiz. The guard-center duo combined for 35 points, while Teniente pitched in with 11.

Returning players

The Comets are tentatively scheduled to return: Teniente, Moles, Katey Story, Alex Alvarez, and Kim Robles for the 2017-2018 season.

Continued here:

Comets conclude season with Region 16 tourney loss - Nevada Herald

Video One: We quickly ran through what ended up being a very successful week for the Utica Comets. Why did we brush over their sweep? It's because Wednesday brought with it an important day in both the NHL and the AHL.

Video Two: Comets forward Wacey Hamilton dropped by the studio for his interview. The team's alternate captain explained his current role with the team, and how the mentor mentee (yes it's a word) process works within the Comets organization.

Video Three: Wacey Hamilton stuck around for another list of questions. We learned how he got his name, and more importantly what's going on with his high knee post goal celebration. (PS don't expect anything groundbreaking on this).

Video Four: We wrapped up the show with a look at the Comets' upcoming schedule. Plus, Andy Zilch showed off his keen eye for research as he explained what the NHL trade deadline did for the other teams in the North Division.

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Comets Faceoff - Wacey Hamilton - WUTR WFXV CNYhomepage

Dennis Garcia

RANDLEMAN Gill Butler said his Randleman High School varsity softball team has been working very hard on hitting and it sure showed on a chilly Thursday night against Asheboro High School. Hallie Chisholm hit a grand slam to break a tie in the fifth inning and the Tigers would add three more runs that frame in rolling to a 12-3 nonleague win over the Blue Comets. Randleman evens its record at 1-1 on the season while it was the season opener for the Blue Comets, who are now under the direction of Ricky Martinez. While both teams struggled in the field each team committed six errors the Tigers were able to overcome those miscues as they banged out nine hits while taking advantage of the AHS mistakes. All three of the Blue Comets runs were unearned. We have been working on hitting a lot and we are in an in-season weight-lifting program, said Butler, who is in his first year at the RHS helm. It paid off tonight. We have seen two good pitchers so far and tonight we were able to catch up to her.

After the Blue Comets scored a pair of unearned runs in the fifth to tie the game at 3-3, RHS struck for seven runs on four hits. AHS committed three errors in the inning which made all the runs unearned. We just need to keep working, said Martinez, who spent the past seven seasons at SWR. It was our first game and we saw some things we need to work on. With one out, a pair of errors put Chloe Hicks and Courtney Lineberry on base before Megan Cottrell walked to load the bases. Chisholm hit the first pitch she saw over the left-field fence and cleared the bases, giving the Tigers a 7-3 lead. That was a big hit and we went up there with more confidence, Butler said. Singles by Carley Hughes and Karrie Price and another error re-loaded the bases for RHS and Lauren Fruitt ripped a three-run triple to make it 10-3. Hughes, who had three hits in the game, added a two-run homer in the sixth. Lineberry earned the win on the mound as she allowed just three hits over the first six innings and a total of five in the game. She walked four and fanned 11. I dont think we were as aggressive at the plate as we need to be, Martinez said. Were going to get better. AHS scored once in the first on two walks, an error and a RBI ground out from Adrianna Butler. RHS took a 3-1 lead in the third when Fruitt doubled, Lineberry walked and Cottrell delivered a two-run double before scoring on an error. AHS scored twice without a hit in the fifth with one scoring on an error and Saylor Wyland driving in one with a grounder. Five different players had one hit each for Asheboro, while Hughes had three and Fruitt and Price had two each for the Tigers.

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Tigers slam Blue Comets - Asheboro Courier Tribune

Matthew Lounsberry mlounsberry@hillsdale.net mlounsberryHDN

BRONSON Jonesvilles girls basketball season has come to an end with a 37-30 loss to Homer in the district semifinals in Bronson.

The Comets struggled to score consistently throughout the night, and were unable to get to the free throw line, making two of only four attempts from the charity stripe.

We attacked the basket. Obviously, we need to get [to the foul line] more to help us out, said Jonesville coach Tom Dunn.

The Comets jumped to a small 8-5 lead to start the game, but went cold from there as the Trojans scored 12 consecutive points in a run that carried into the early stages of the second quarter.

Jonesville chipped away at their 17-8 deficit, ending the half by outscoring the Trojans 7-4. Comet junior Koryn Playford ended the second quarter with a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 21-17 as the teams entered the locker rooms.

Homer was carried through the first half by juniors Megan George and Jillian Sitkiewicz, who scored 11 and 10 points respectively in the first two frames. All of the Trojans first half points were scored by the two post players.

George and Sitkiewicz tore us up in the first half for Homer, Dunn said. I thought we did a much better job on them in the second half.

Jonesville came out of halftime as the aggressor, starting the third quarter on a 12-2 run to take a 27-23 lead. The run was capped by back-to-back triples from Playford and junior point guard Katie Brown.

The Trojans scored the final four points of the frame however, to make the score 27-27 heading to the fourth quarter.

We struggled to score a little bit, but I thought we hung around. We took that four point lead, then they came back and tied it, Dunn said.

The Comets led 30-29 with about four minutes remaining in the half, and ate up the next two minutes on one possession, keeping the ball on the perimeter, and looking for an easy bucket against Homers extended defense.

The possession resulted in a turnover and a fastbreak layup for Homer however, and the Trojans took a 31-30 lead.

We got up by one, and I just wanted to spread the floor and maybe sneak to the basket, Dunn said. We werent really stalling, but we were just trying to get a back-door layup. [Homer] took the ball from us, and they made more plays at the end then we did.

Jonesville would not score for the remainder of the game, and the Trojans stretched their lead with free throws down the stretch.

George finished with 16 points for Homer, while Sitkiewicz finished with 14. Breanna McCone, an outside scoring threat for the Trojans, did not hit a three-pointer on the night, finishing with only four points.

The kids sucked it up. We just wanted to clamp down on their two bigs, Dunn said. McCone had an off night, but shes been battling an injury all year, so we just tried to key on the other two.

The Comets were led by Playford with 10 points and four rebounds. Brown contributed in many ways with seven points, five rebounds and three assists.

Also for Jonesville, Teya Nichols scored five points, Sarah Dawson had three points and four rebounds, and Samantha Dunn added three points, six rebounds and four steals.

Jonesville will lose seniors Brittany Mapes and Johnni Collard to graduation this year.

Theyve both played four years here, JV and varsity. Brittany left it on the floor tonight. She plays hard all the time. Shes a fist-fighter, Dunn said.

Johnnis a great kid to be around for the kids on the team. Shes like the Mother Hen of these guys, keeps everybody loose. Theyre two decent kids.

Continued here:

Comets fall in district semifinals - The Hillsdale Daily News

Slow start dooms teams chances for early victories

Saint outfielder Tyler Barry slide back into first before the tag by Comet first baseman Eric Whitfield during CCC's 6-2 loss to Mission College at the Baseball Field on Sunday.

Cody Casares / The Advocate

Cody Casares / The Advocate

Saint outfielder Tyler Barry slide back into first before the tag by Comet first baseman Eric Whitfield during CCC's 6-2 loss to Mission College at the Baseball Field on Sunday.

By Dylan Collier, Assistant Scene Editor March 1, 2017 Filed under Sports

The Comets (3-11 overall) played Sunday at the Baseball Field to make up a contest canceled due to rain. The team faced Mission College (6-5 overall) but fell in the contest 6-2.

The game was quite the opposite of Fridays extra innings match-up, and moved swiftly finishing in two-and-a-half hours, with rain sprinkling 45 minutes after it ended.

Pitching dictated the overall tempo of the game for both teams.

Saints starting pitcher John Kelly sat down the first 12 Comet batters with four consecutive three-up, three-down innings.

The Saints early success gave every indication that something was off for the home team.

Contra Costa College hitters made solid contact but couldnt seem to find the open gaps to put runners on the bases at the beginning of the game.

I felt like we hit the ball hard, but right at people. They just played good defense, Comet catcher Alex Melendez said.

The Comets will get a chance to put the ball in play again Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. on the Baseball Field

Although CCC came up short against Mission, its pitchers continue to show signs of success.

No CCC pitcher allowed a single runner to reach first base on walks.

There was no combination of starting and relieving pitchers that achieved that through nine innings last year proving what they are capable of when they put their minds to it.

In fact starting pitcher Tyler Reames, who went to Vanden High School in Fairfield, was almost too accurate with some of his pitches significantly contributing to the outcome of the game.

I got into trouble because I left pitches over the middle of the plate, and then had to make the adjustment. They strung together a bunch of hits in the second inning to get runs, Reames said.

It didnt help that the baseball gods blessed the Saints with third baseman Jake Martinez who demonstrated reflexes similar to that of a cheetah, pouncing and scooping up grounders.

He made four diving stops where he fielded the ball right on the third-base line, one of which was a laser line drive that he sprawled out and caught.

Three of the four hits down the line would have been doubles had they found the outfield grass, with the speed the Comets displayed.

Comet first baseman Eric Whitfield said, We had some good at bats and solid pitching. But unfortunately, we stranded runners and swung at some bad pitches. We learned from our mistakes and if we can flush them out, well be all right.

Coach Brian Guinn said as a team the Comets have to continue to play hard, look to the future, and prepare for the Bay Valley Conference games.

The Comets overall record of 3-11 is nearly identical to the 4-10 mark that the team posted after 14 games last season which some see as a cause for concern.

Reames said this is a crucial time of the year when they must stick together and play as a family.

Read more:

Comets suffer second loss in a row - The Advocate

For the second year in a row, the Catonsville High girls basketball team has won 23 games, but the Comets need one more if they are going to go to the Class 4A state tournament's final four for the first time since 2003.

The Comets (23-2) will play at Howard on Friday, March 3 for the Class 4A North Region title.

The host Comets advanced by defeating a feisty Bel Air squad, 53-42, on Wednesday night.

Against Bel Air, Jasmine Dickey scored 15 of her game-high 24 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Comets.

Jen Gast (12 points), Jameila Barrett and Gabby Douglas (eight each) also contributed for the Comets.

Bel Air was led by Liz Hillman (10 points) and OC Murphy (nine).

Both defenses were stellar and both offenses went into scoring droughts in the first half.

Catonsvilles defense forced 11 Bel Air turnovers in the first quarter and the Comets led 13-9. Gast scored seven points in the quarter, while grabbing three rebounds and getting three steals.

Murphy had four points to lead the Bobcats in the opening stanza.

Two fouls on Dickey sent her to the bench with 4:51 left in the first quarter and the Comets leading 10-4.

With starters Barrett and Stashia Daniels playing sick, Catonsville coach Mike Mohler went to his bench early with Amber Lally, Aakilah Barrett and Maddie McLean.

Barrett and Daniels were not at 100 percent and we went with them as long as they said they could go, and thats why we were subbing a lot early to try and get some quality minutes out of some kids, Mohler said.

The Comets scored only six points in the second quarter, but the Bobcats struggled from the field and only scored five and trailed 19-14 at the half.

Bel Air didnt commit any turnovers in the second quarter after the Comets took off their press that created havoc in the first quarter.

Weve seen these guys play before. I was here last year, so we know how fast its going to be, but its hard to simulate this kind of thing in a practice, Shelton said. Yesterday at practice, we brought our boys varsity team out just so we could simulate the speed and the length that this team has.

Catonsville expanded its lead to eight, 33-25, in the third quarter thanks to hard work on the boards.

Barrett had six offensive rebounds in the first four minutes of the quarter and eight overall.

When our coach writes on the list in the locker room, our top things to do are defense and rebounding, we really put in effort rebounding because you are limiting the other teams possessions which gives you more to execute, Barrett said.

Barrett added a pair of assists in the quarter, including a big one to Douglas, who canned a trey with 4:22 left to give the Comets a 26-16 lead.

A layup by Douglas expanded the lead to 33-22 with 39 seconds left in the quarter, but a three-pointer by Grace Wheland, after a pass by Hillman, cut the deficit to eight with seven seconds left in the quarter.

Bel Air coach Calvin Shelton wasnt surprised his team rallied after the rough start.

We know we have outstanding guard play and our kids have all kinds of heart, so we knew it was just a matter of adjusting to what was going to happen and settling in, Skelton said.

Mohler was also aware of the Bobcats strong backcourt.

Bel Air did a really good job," Mohler said. "They had three really good guards. We tell the kids all the time, I dont care what league you are in, good guards can beat you in any game.

After a Douglas free throw gave the Comets a 34-25 lead early in the third quarter, Bel Airs Murphy hit a trey with 7:16 left and the Comets led 34-28.

Barretts fast break bucket was answered by a layup from Hillman and the lead was 36-30 with 5:29 left, before Gasts putback made it 38-30 with 5:12 remaining.

Thats when Dickey went to work, scoring 15 straight points to end the game.

We talked about executing in crunch time. Youve got to execute in crunch time, Mohler said.

Skelton expected Dickey to produce.

If you are going to be Superman, you are supposed to come through in moments like that and thats exactly what she [Dickey] did, Skelton said. "To her credit, if you want the top billing and all that, youve got to perform when it counts and that is exactly what she did. We didnt have an answer for it. I give credit to that team. Thats a great team over there.

His fondness for his own team was evident.

Ive been the coach here at Bel Air for 13 years and Ive never been more proud of a group than I am of this group and this moment, said Skelton, whose squad won 10 of its last 13 and graduates only one senior starter [Murphy].

But he wont see three of his key players on the basketball court until next November.

Hillman is committed to play lacrosse at the University of North Carolina, Wheland will play lacrosse at Cincinnati and Henry plans to play lacrosse at Michigan.

The athleticism is there and they wont pick up a ball again until next season, Skelton said.

Meanwhile, Barrett cant wait to get to basketball practice at Catonsville.

We need to pick up the intensity on defense and we really want to get out there and limit possessions, thats the biggest thing, Barrett said. Weve got to execute on offense. We had our struggles on offense today, but next game we plan to get better.

Mohler, whose Comets will play in the regional championship game for the fourth straight year, knows the importance of any playoff victory.

Like they say in all the tournaments, survive and advance, and sometimes you win one where you didnt play your best, but you survive and thats what happened tonight, Mohler said.

Go here to see the original:

Catonsville girls basketball advances to regional finals after win over Bel Air - Baltimore Sun

Patch.com

Tryout time for Lynn Comets Youth Hockey Patch.com The Lynn Comets Youth Hockey teams will be holding their annual tryouts in five different age groups, starting March 7. Lynn Youth Hockey is one of the longest running youth hockey programs on the North Shore. A second tryout will be held in August for ...

Excerpt from:

Tryout time for Lynn Comets Youth Hockey - Patch.com

A trip past the sun may have selectively altered the production of one form of water in a comet an effect not seen by astronomers before, a new NASA study suggests.

Astronomers from NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, observed the Oort cloud comet C/2014 Q2, also called Lovejoy, when it passed near Earth in early 2015. Through NASAs partnership in the W. M. Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, the team observed the comet at infrared wavelengths a few days after Lovejoy passed its perihelion or closest point to the sun.

The team focused on Lovejoys water, simultaneously measuring the release of H2O along with production of a heavier form of water, HDO. Water molecules consist of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. A hydrogen atom has one proton, but when it also includes a neutron, that heavier hydrogen isotope is called deuterium, or the D in HDO. From these measurements, the researchers calculated the D-to-H ratio a chemical fingerprint that provides clues about exactly where comets (or asteroids) formed within the cloud of material that surrounded the young sun in the early days of the solar system. Researchers also use the D-to-H value to try to understand how much of Earths water may have come from comets versus asteroids.

The scientists compared their findings from the Keck observations with another teams observations made before the comet reached perihelion, using both space- and ground-based telescopes, and found an unexpected difference: After perihelion, the output of HDO was two to three times higher, while the output of H2O remained essentially constant. This meant that the D-to-H ratio was two to three times higher than the values reported earlier.

The change we saw with this comet is surprising, and highlights the need for repeated measurements of D-to-H in comets at different positions in their orbits to understand all the implications, said Lucas Paganini, a researcher with the Goddard Center for Astrobiology and lead author of the study, available online in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Changes in the water production are expected as comets approach the sun, but previous understanding suggested that the release of these different forms of water normally rise or fall more-or-less together, maintaining a consistent D-to-H value. The new findings suggest this may not be the case.

If the D-to-H value changes with time, it would be misleading to assume that comets contributed only a small fraction of Earths water compared to asteroids, Paganini said, especially, if these are based on a single measurement of the D-to-H value in cometary water.

The production of HDO in comets has historically been difficult to measure, because HDO is a much less abundant form of water. Lovejoy, for example, released on the order of 1,500 times more H2O than HDO. Lovejoys brightness made it possible to measure HDO when the comet passed near Earth, and the improved detectors that are being installed in some ground-based telescopes will permit similar measurements in fainter comets in the future.

The apparent change in Lovejoys D-to-H may be caused by the higher levels of energetic processes such as radiation near the sun that might have altered the characteristics of water in surface layers of the comet. In this case, a different D-to-H value might indicate that the comet has aged into a different stage of its lifecycle. Alternatively, prior results might have ignored possible chemical alteration occurring in the comets tenuous atmosphere.

Comets can be quite active and sometimes quite dynamic, especially when they are in the inner solar system, closer to the sun, said Michael Mumma, director of the Goddard Center for Astrobiology and a co-author of the study. The infrared technique provides a snapshot of the comets output by measuring the production of H2O and HDO simultaneously. This is especially important because it eliminates many sources of systematic uncertainty.

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NASA study hints at possible change in water 'fingerprint' of comet ... - ScienceBlog.com (blog)

(13) ST. CHARLES54, (4) HANNAN 45

At Hannan, Tuesday (Feb. 28), Division III second-roundplayoff game

Records:St. Charles (13-14); Hannan (28-3)

HOW IT WAS WON

Patience was the key as St. Charles was able to stay a few steps ahead of Hannan and move on to the quarterfinals round of the Division III state playoffs.

Early on, the Hawks took momentumwith a three-point play. However,the Comets hit half of their shots in the first quarter, including three 3-pointers and tooka 15-10 lead, despite the fact Hannanhada 9-3 edge in rebounding.

The Comets led 21-20 at halftime, but the Hawks had trouble hitting field goals in the third quarter, while at the same time St. Charles was hot, shooting 75 percent. They also helped their cause with a slim edge in rebounding.

Duringa three-minute stretch, the Comets were able to turna one-point deficit into an eight-point lead as Arceneaux scored eight duringan 11-2 run to put the team ahead, 34-26. As Hannan fell further behind, they had no choice but to foul, and St. Charles took full advantage, hitting six of eight in the last 90 seconds to preserve the victory.

NOTABLE

** Hannan had won 22 straight games before losing Tuesday.

** Hannans previousloss was 84 days ago, to Division III top seed Dunham, 64-49.

SCORE BY QUARTER

End of first: St. Charles 15, Hannan 10

End of second: St. Charles 21, Hannan 20

End of third: St. Charles 37, Hannan 33

Final: St. Charles 54, Hannan 45

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

St. Charles: Jordan Arceneaux, 8-13, 6-7, 20; Tommy Charles, 4-5, 0-0, 10; R.J. Knighton, 3-5, 0-0, 8; Sam Delaney, 2-4, 1-4, 6; Christian Montz, 3-4, 0-0, 6; Owen Bourgeois, 0-0, 4-4, 4

Hannan: Norris Williams, 10-15, 1-1, 21; Pierce Dennis, 3-6, 2-3, 9; Brooks Murrell, 3-6, 0-0, 6; Shawn Beattie, 2-5, 0-0, 5; Nick Daniel, 2-4, 0-0, 4

HE SAID IT

Norris Williams (Hannan) We knew that St. Charles was a good team, but we could have played a lot better. Their offensive sets were a challenge.

Jordan Arceneaux (St. Charles) The game was about who was tougher and who could run their system the best. We ran our stuff well, and not get sped up, and make our shots. Were going to keep working hard and giving it our best.

Mike Senna (Hannan coach) They are an unbelievably, well-coached team. They strategy was to make it a half-court game and move the basketball, and be patient offensively and kind of slow the tempo down. Our strategy was to get it and to, get it and go, creating as many possessions in the game as possible. Our strength is in transition and we wanted to create as many possessions as possible.

Kemper Todd (St. Charles coach) At this point in the season, its not really strategy, but more of who runs their system the best. Were both a man-to-man, motion team, and thats what the game was.

NEXT UP: St. Charles faces fifth-seededEpiscopal in the Division III quarterfinals round.

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St. Charles 54, Hannan 45: Jordan Arceneaux leads Comets into Division III quarterfinal round - NOLA.com

HARBOR SPRINGS The Comets' star duo of seniors Kash O'Brien and Michael Elliott have carried Mackinaw City throughout the past two seasons, so it was only fitting the pair were the stars once again on Monday.

O'Brien scored 34 points, his seventh game this season of 30 or more points, and Michael Elliott chipped in 20 as the Comets clinched their first outright Northern Lakes title since 2008 with a 74-61 win over host Harbor Light.

"Conference titles have been few and far between for the Mackinaw boys, which makes this win, and outright title even better," Mackinaw City coach John Martin said. "It was a very special night for our two seniors, as they have not experienced (a conference title) over their careers."

Mackinaw City (14-4, 13-1 NLC) finishes the season with nonconference games at Engadine today, Tuesday, and at DeTour on Thursday, while Harbor Light (8-11, 7-7) wraps up the season at home against Maplewood Baptist today, Tuesday.

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Quick Read: Comets clinch first outright Northern Lakes title since ... - Petoskey News-Review

DAMIAN MULINIX/For the Observer

Naselles Taylor Gudmundsen looked to the referee after she was called for a travel rather than the foul she received from Neah Bays Starlena Halttunen during Saturdays regional playoff loss.

DAMIAN MULINIX/For the Observer

Naselle seniors Ellie Chapman and Tayler Ford walked off the court for the final time as high school players Saturday after being subbed out late in the fourth quarter.

DAMIAN MULINIX/For the Observer

Naselle senior Ellie Chapman received heavy defensive pressure from Neah Bay defenders during Saturdays game.

DAMIAN MULINIX/For the Observer

Lilli ZImmerman looked to pass inside to a Comet teammate under heavy pressure from Neah Bay defenders.

DAMIAN MULINIX/For the Observer

Naselles Hailey Weston peeked through a bevy of Lady Reds defenders after having the ball stripped from her by multiple players Saturday.

TACOMA Spotty shooting and a physical mismatch led to a regional round exit from the 1B playoffs for the Naselle High School girls basketball team on Feb. 25 in Tacoma.

The Comets had a hard time matching up against the bigger Neah Bay Red Devils, who had a deep bench and seemed willing to play rough if it meant a trip to State, which they got, with a 58-39 win.

Solid defense by the Comets and poor shooting by the Red Devils kept the score to a close 14-9 in the first quarter Saturday morning. But a stretch of nearly two quarters without converting a field goal doomed the Comets. Neah Bay resorted to slapping, grabbing and shoving at both ends of the court, and seemed to frazzle Naselle, who were regularly fouled each time down the court but rarely received the call. From around the six-minute mark in the first quarter until halfway through the third, the Comets only points came on free throws. The Red Devils outscored the Comets 30-13 in the second and third quarters.

Hailey Weston ended the drought with a bucket at 3:37 in the third quarter, followed shortly by a breakaway lay up by Taylor Gudmundsen, who led the Comets with 9 points, followed by Ellie Chapman and Lilli Zimmerman with 7 each. The Comets won the fourth quarter, 18-14.

The Comets finished the season 16-7, and went 12-0 in Coastal League play, where they were the league champs, and placed second at district.

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Red Devils down Comets 58-39 - Chinook Observer

DAMIAN MULINIX/For the Observer

Taholahs Zach Cain drove past multiple Naselle defenders early in Friday nights regional playoff game.

DAMIAN MULINIX/For the Observer

Naselle coach Brian Macy motivated his team during a timeout in Friday nights game with Taholah.

DAMIAN MULINIX/For the Observer

Taholahs Brett Orozco defended Naselles Corey Gregory near the sideline.

DAMIAN MULINIX/For the Observer

Naselles Antonio Nolan tried to get a shot off in the lane against Tahloahs Zach Cain in Friday nights loss.

TUMWATER Taholah was the obstacle that never left the path of the Naselle Comets all season. After dashing Naselles hopes of league and District titles this season, the Chitwhins eliminated the Comets from the playoffs with a 76-47 win at Regionals on Feb. 24.

With a trip to Spokane on the line, Naselle and Taholah were in a tight defensive battle early on, with the Chitwhins leading 13-10 near the end of the first quarter. Chitwhin star Zach Cain had a five-point possession with about 34 seconds left in the period. He zipped down-court, hit a shot while being fouled, and rebounded his own missed free throw. He then scored again while being fouled, this time converting the three-point play for an 18-10 lead.

The high-flying Cain and Tom Anderson, along with other Taholah defenders, kept meeting the Comets at the rim, rebuffing their attacks on the basket. Naselle kept coming, though. Donny Edwards hit a driving layup early in the second quarter, then led a three-on-one break for another basket. Antonio Nolan and Ian Fontanilla buried three-pointers, cutting the lead to 27-20 midway through the second.

Edwards, who scored 14 of his 19 points in the first half, continued to attack, hitting a pair of tough pull-up shots from near the free throw line. However, the Chitwhins were generating much easier shots, and the game got away from Naselle late in the second quarter. Anderson repeatedly got open and caught long outlet passes, getting seven points and an assist on such plays in the final minutes of the quarter. During that same stretch, Brett Orozco hit his third three-pointer of the game. Taholah pulled out to a 45-24 halftime lead.

Theyre quick and athletic, Naselle coach Brian Macy said of Taholah. They took advantage of some of our mistakes, some quick shots, to get out running.

The Comets brought a press in the second half, but the Chitwhins handled it and extended their lead to 28 after three quarters.

The Comets, during a rebuilding year in which they had no seniors, finished the regular season 12-8 and went 2-2 in post-season play, with both losses coming to Taholah. Next year will be the Chitwhins turn to rebuild, as they will return only one starter, Cain.

For Taholah, Anderson and Orozco each scored 18 points, and Cain added 17. Edwards scored 19 points for Naselle, and Antonio Nolan had 10.

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Chitwhins or nemesis? Taholah ends Comets' State hopes - Chinook Observer

Comets first-year head softball coach Mark Skapin, has the Comets off to a terrific start. (Photo courtesy of Cottey College)

Enter first-year head coach Mark Skapin, who through the first 10 games of the season has already guided the Comets to four victories.

"At 4-6 we are still not where we want to be, but we are competing extremely hard in every contest," Skapin told the Daily Mail. "The team is young and relatively inexperienced, so the experience in these close games will pay off over the long haul."

Prior to arriving at Cottey, Skapin was an assistant softball coach at Southeastern Community College in Whiteville, N.C. A press release distributed by Cottey said that Skapin "served as the hitting and defense coach leading the team to a strong second half finish. Prior to SCC, he was the head varsity softball coach for Holy Name High School in Ohio."

Skapin said he is embracing the challenges that lie ahead.

"The biggest key in turning the program around is changing the culture to one that embraces making mistakes, and learning from those mistakes to continue to grow daily," he said. "The program now focuses a vast majority of our time on skill-building and enhancing our softball IQ. I feel that it is much easier to have the team compete day in and day out when they can see growth every day."

Skapin emphasized his top priority is changing the culture, as he quickly looks to put his stamp on the Comet softball program.

"I have a completely different approach, and it isn't always easy to get every player to see the value in what we are doing right away," he said. "The first year is always the most challenging year to get everyone on the same page, but we are most definitely moving in the right direction."

Skapin discussed upcoming obstacles he and his squad will likely face.

"Cottey includes a trip to Europe during (students) sophomore year, so about a third of the team will be spending the first week of spring break in Italy," he said. "The rest of the team will take the first week and go home to engage in some active rest and recovery. "

Cottey split a twinbill with Evangel University on Monday, and will now remain idle until they return from spring break March 18 with a road contest against St. Louis Community College.

"When we return for training during the second week of spring break we will be preparing to kick off regional-play," Skapin said. "Our pitching has not nearly been as sharp as we need it to be to compete within the region and, although we are scoring a ton of runs we still need to work on our approach at the plate. The second half of the season will definitely test us as we start to get into the tougher portion of our schedule."

As Skapin noted, Cottey has been torching opposing pitchers to the tune of a .342 team batting average. The Comets have also been nearly flawless on the basepaths, swiping 29 bags in 32 attempts.

"We believe we can score runs with anyone," Skapin asserted. "Our biggest weaknesses have been pitching, and in not playing a more aggressive style of defense. We have moved people all over on defense trying to determine the best fit while promoting competition. We're still trying to gel and learn to play with one another."

Player breakdown

Skapin discussed several of his players who have had the biggest impact through the first 10 games of the season.

"(Starting pitcher) Marisa Jervis has been an incredibly important addition to this team," he said. "She is a stabilizing force in the circle and the team has so much confidence in her. She does a great job of spotting the ball and keeping hitters off-balance while maintaining great composure no matter the circumstances.

Skapin said Izzy Milligan, Michala Coffman, and Hannah Bridges have keyed the Comet offense.

"Izzy is hitting .543 and is on pace to break just about every offensive school record this season," he said. "She is also getting a ton of opportunities in the field and has yet to make an error. Izzy (previously) played at an extremely high level in Texas, and her love for the game stands out on every play."

Coffman, the team's leadoff hitter is out with a concussion.

"She too was on pace to break every offensive school record prior to getting injured," Skapin said. "Michala has already tied the school record for triples and is hitting .478."

Coffman is also the ace of the Comets pitching staff.

"We have sorely missed her pitching over the last four games," Skapin said. She is currently leading the team in ERA and has the ability to keep hitters off-balance with her screw ball, changeup, and drop-curve."

Bridges has also opened the season red-hot at the plate.

"Hannah is having a tremendous impact for us in the batters box," Skapin said, noting Bridges is hitting .333 with two home runs and five extra base hits, to go along with a team-leading 10 RBIs.

"The freshman class in general is buying into what we are doing and they come ready to work hard day in and day out," said the first-year coach. "I'm very proud of what they have accomplished so far."

Skapin continued: "I am extremely excited about the future of this program. The 2016 (recruiting) class is making major strides and the 2017 class coming in looks incredibly strong with recruits from California, Arizona, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri.

"I believe that if this group continues to work as hard as they have and the incoming class comes in hungry that this program can be turned around very quickly."

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Comets softball off to flying start, exceeds combined win total of past three seasons - Nevada Herald

Vancouver, BC - Vancouver Canucks General Manager Jim Benning announced today that the club has recalled goaltender Richard Bachman and forward Borna Rendulic from the AHL Utica Comets.

Bachman, 29, has appeared in 26 games with the Comets this season, posting a record of 12-11-3 along with a .909 save percentage and 2.60 goals-against average. In the 2015.16 season, Bachman posted a record of 17-12-5 along with a 2.75 goals against average and .900 save percentage with the Comets. He also made his debut with the Canucks last season, registering a win on October 30, 2015 at Arizona. The 5-10, 183-pound goaltender has played in 44 career NHL games, amassing a record of 18-14-2, a 2.93 goals against average and a save percentage of .904.

Bachman was signed by Vancouver as a free agent on July 1, 2015. He was originally selected by Dallas in the fourth round, 120th overall, at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Rendulic, 24, has appeared in 52 games with the Comets this season, recording 9 goals, 5 assists (9-5-14) and 20 penalty minutes. In the 2015.16 he appeared in three games with Colorado and 68 games with San Antonio, where he registered 38 points (16-22-38) and 41 penalty minutes. The 6-2, 200-pound forward has appeared in 14 NHL regular season games over parts of two seasons with Colorado, collecting a goal and an assist (1-1-2) along with six penalty minutes.

A native of Zagreb, Croatia, Rendulic was the first player born in Croatia to sign a contract with an NHL franchise when he was signed by Colorado as a free agent on May 19, 2014.

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Canucks Recall Bachman, Rendulic from Comets - NHL.com

A series of delay-Doppler images of Comet 45P/HMP taken over 2 hours of observation.

A rare opportunity to study a comet using radar technology has yielded new measurements of this traveling space rock's size, shape, geology and rotation rate.

Comets don't often come close enough to Earth for scientists to study them with radar, but Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakovais making a rare close pass by the planet. It is now the seventh comet ever to be studied with radar, according to a statement from the Universities Space Research Association (USRA).

Based on observations from the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, scientists estimate that the icy nucleus of Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova is roughly 0.8 miles (1.3 kilometers) across, which is somewhat larger than they had previously estimated. The comet is too faint to be observed with the naked eye, or even with binoculars. [Best Close Encounters of the Comet Kind]

The observations of the comet also show complex structures that scientists are still investigating.

"Comets are remnants of the planet-forming process and are part of a group of objects made of water ice and rocky material that formed beyond Neptune," Ellen Howell, leader of the observing campaign at Arecibo, said in the statement.

"Studying these objects gives us an idea of how the outer reaches of our solar system formed and evolved over time," added Howell, who is with the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. The lab did the observations in conjunction with the USRA.

The radar observations give detailed information about a comet, such as its size, shape, geology and rotation. They also let scientists better predict where the comet will move in the future, as it allows for precise definitions of the orbit. Furthermore, radar can probe through the dusty environment surrounding a comet to see its nucleus. The comet's closest approach is roughly 32 Earth-moon distances from Earth (about 7.6 million miles, or 12 million kilometers), USRA representatives said in the same statement. The comet has an orbital period of only 5.3 years, but passes by Earth only rarely because the comet's orbit is influenced by the giant planet Jupiter.

"As comets orbit the sun, the ices sublime from solids to gases and escape the nucleus," USRA representatives added. "The nucleus gradually shrinks and will disappear completely within in less than a million years."

Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article onSpace.com.

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Nearby Comet Has a Big Heart, Radar Reveals - Space.com - Space.com

Matthew Lounsberry mlounsberry@hillsdale.net mlounsberryHDN

BRONSON Jonesville got a little more fight then they expected from Reading on Monday night, but the Comets kept their season alive with a 38-29 win over the Rangers in their district quarterfinal game at Bronson.

I think we got caught looking ahead to Homer on Wednesday, said Jonesville coach Tom Dunn. [Reading coach] Kevin Bailey did a super job with his short-handed crew tonight and they scrapped for 32 minutes.

The Comets held an 11-5 lead after the first quarter, but had a hard time pulling away from Reading after the opening frame.

Jonesville only outscored the Rangers 6-4 and 12-10 in the second and third quarters, respectively, and both teams scored nine points in the fourth quarter.

Koryn Playford led the Comets in scoring with 11 points. Katie Brown had 10 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Teya Nichols added nine points and seven rebounds.

Jonesvilles Samantha Dunn contributed eight rebounds and four steals, and Sarah Dawson added five rebounds.

Reading was led by senior Madison Caldwell, who recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Emily Hill added seven points and five rebounds for the Rangers.

Reading finishes its season with a 6-15 record overall. Jonesville advances to Wednesdays district semifinal game against Homer, which will also be played in Bronson.

Our defense was okay, but we missed a lot of shots tonight, Dunn said. We need to come out with some enthusiasm on Wednesday and play with some emotion.

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Lady Comets advance to district semifinal - The Hillsdale Daily News

Aberdeen Lynx secured their best ever league finish with a 5-4 win in Dundee.

The result came despite a late revival from the Comets pulling three goals back in the final period.

The Lynx went into the game knowing a win was vital to secure second place in the Scottish National League.

A strong start saw the Aberdeen outfit continue where they left off against Edinburgh the previous weekend.

However, it was the Comets who had the best chance of the opening 10 minutes, breaking free to force a one-on-one with Craig Chalmers but the Lynx net minder was more than equal to the effort.

The Lynxs confident passing and pushing forward paid dividends in the 16th minute with Aaron THOMSON finding himself in space to tap home a pass from Mark Laing. And THOMSON was on hand three minutes later to double the lead for the Lynx.

A shot from Ross McIntosh took a couple of deflections before Thomson was able to direct it past Comets net minder Michie.

It took just 90 seconds of ice time in the second period for the Lynx to extend their lead to 3-0 with Jordan LEYDEN forcing the puck into the back of the net following a goalmouth scramble.

But a frustrated Comets side regrouped and pushed forward on the attack with only a series of incredible saves and last-minute line clearances stopping the home side getting on the scoreboard.

The start of the third period saw a fired-up Comets side grabbing three goals in quick succession to pull level in just seven minutes

But a tactical reset by the Lynx saw them regain control of the game.

The Lynx regained the lead with Iain MALCOLM completing a stunning team goal, combining with Laing and Leyden to make the most of a two-minute Dundee penalty.

And MALCOLM was on target again just two minutes later to extend the lead to 5-3.

The Comets still had some fire left, grabbing a fourth goal to cut the deficit with just under two minutes remaining but their fightback was just too little, too late.

Lynx coach Barry Carnegie was quick to praise both his net minder and the 200-plus travelling support.

He said: First period was really good, to be fair I thought we carried over a lot of good things from Edinburgh last week.

Second period we got dragged down, we rode our luck a bit with penalties and some great saves from Craig in goal.

The start of the third period we had a spell of five or seven minutes where we basically stopped skating, and trying at the level weve been at, we got what we deserved from that.

It was a case of resetting and going back to what was working.

We had to be a bit smarter with our line changes, making sure the right people were on the ice at the right time against their top players.

We went back to doing that and it paid dividends, winning the game and claiming second place.

I thanked the fans personally after the game.

Theyve been great all season they are there to spur us on and thats what they do

Craigs been the rock we depend on. We put a lot of faith in him and he proves it week in, week out.

Some of those saves in the second period proved why hes the best goalie in the league.

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Aberdeen Lynx secure best league finish after Dundee Comets turn in fine fightback - Aberdeen Evening Express