GLENWOOD DEMONS’ STUDENT-ATHLETE AN ALL-AMERICAN
Glenwood Springs—Glenwood Demons’ freshman student-athlete Dante Sparaco was recently named to the Max Preps 1st Team Freshman All America Squad for 2013. Sparaco was a backup quarterback for Rocky Whitworth’s football team this past season but started at defensive end / outside linebacker and was one of the team leaders in tackles. Sparaco is expected to start at quarterback next year.
NUGGETS LOSE 7TH IN A ROW
DENVER – LeBron James returned from a groin injury to score 26 points on his birthday, and the Miami Heat beat the skidding Denver Nuggets 97-94 Monday night despite losing Dwyane Wade and Norris Cole during the game. James, who turned 29 on Monday, injured his groin Friday during the Heat’s overtime loss at Sacramento. He sat out the following game, a 108-107 win Saturday in Portland, before coming back to help send the Nuggets to their seventh consecutive loss. Ty Lawson led the Nuggets with 26 points.
WELKER CLEARED TO PLAY FOR BRONCOS
ENGLEWOOD (AP) – Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. 12 in the AFC divisional round. Coach John Fox said Monday that slot receiver Wes Welker has recovered from his second concussion that kept him out of the Broncos’ final three games, saying, “He has been cleared to play.” Welker set a career high with 10 touchdown catches in his first season in Denver after six years in New England. He caught 73 passes for 778 yards. Welker took a shot to the head just before halftime in the Broncos’ win over Tennessee on Dec. 8. He also suffered a concussion against Kansas City on Nov. 17 but didn’t miss any games. He returned to practice on a limited basis last week and began working on his timing with Manning.
