COLLEGES

Stoops leaves Sooners after 18 eventful years

Bob Stoops is retiring as Oklahoma’s football coach after 18 seasons that included the 2000 national championship and 10 Big 12 Conference titles.

Stoops says the time is right to conclude his run in charge of the Sooners. The 56-year-old Stoops is a sure bet for the Hall of Fame.

Oklahoma says 33-year-old offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley is being promoted, making him the youngest head coach in the Bowl Subdivision.

Stoops was the longest-tenured active coach in major college football. In 18 seasons with the Sooners, Stoops was 190-48.

TRACK AND FIELD: Isaiah Harris of Lewiston qualified for the 800-meter finals at the NCAA Division I championships by posting the second-fastest time in the preliminary round Wednesday night in Eugene, Oregon.

Harris, a Penn State sophomore, was clocked in 1 minute, 46.62 seconds. He went into the meet ranked second in the country as he tries to improve on his fourth-place finish last year. The 800-meter final is Friday.

Kate Hall of Casco and the University of Georgia is scheduled to compete in the long jump on Thursday.

HORSE RACING

BELMONT STAKES: Irish War Cry is back in a Triple Crown race as the 7-2 favorite.

The colt claimed that status after expected favorite Classic Empire was forced out Wednesday because of an abscess in his right front hoof.

SOCCER

WORLD CUP: Fox plans to go all-American with its top broadcast crew for next year’s World Cup, pairing play-by-play man John Strong in the booth with former U.S. national team players Landon Donovan and Stuart Holden.

They will broadcast Thursday night’s World Cup qualifier between the U.S. and Trinidad and Tobago in Colorado.

EUROPA LEAGUE: Spanish club Sevilla says it has reached a deal to hire Argentine coach Eduardo Berizzo for the next two seasons.

The former Celta Vigo coach replaces countryman Jorge Sampaoli, who left Sevilla to guide Argentina’s national team. Sevilla said Berizzo would arrive in the coming days to sign his contract and be officially introduced to fans.

BOXING

HEAVYWEIGHT: Former champion Wladimir Klitschko says he’ll decide whether to have a rematch with Anthony Joshua “within the next two weeks.”

The 41-year-old Klitschko lost an 11th round TKO to Joshua on April 29.

AUTO RACING

NASCAR: Four-race suspensions were handed to the crew chief, tire changer and tire carrier for Kyle Busch because a tire rolled off Busch’s car last weekend at Dover International Speedway.

BASEBALL

TWILIGHT LEAGUE: Elijah Lashua hit a two-run double during a three-run first inning and Patriot Insurance beat Aero Heating and Ventilating 9-4 at Southern Maine Community College. Each team is 1-1.

Dustin McCrossin had two hits including a double, and Pete Stauber added a two-run double in the top of the fourth that gave Patriot a 7-0 lead.

Nate Cyr hit a two-run double in the bottom of the fourth for Aero Heating.