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Local
AF2
Former NFL player assigned to Pioneers
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers were assigned their first player for the upcoming season in defensive lineman Kader Drame, who is 6-foot-6, 305 pounds and a former free agent of the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts.
He is a graduate of Syracuse University, where he was a two-year starter and started 23 of 39 career games for the Orange, totaling 78 tackles (34 unassisted), eight tackles for a loss, seven pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery spanning the 2002-2005 seasons.
Drame attended Wilbur Cross High School in Connecticut, where he accumulated 71 tackles, seven sacks, four pass breakups, and a blocked punt.
“We are really focusing on pass rushers,” said Rich Ingold. “Kader adds size, strength and toughness we are looking for. He is hungry to help us win a championship.”
Pioneers season tickets are available for the 2008 season. For more information, call 970-4232 or visit the Pioneers’ Web site at www.wbspioneers.com

College Tennis
Seven locals on team
A trio of King’s College players and four Wilkes University players were named to the 2007 All-Freedom Conference Women’s Tennis Team.
Earning first-team honors for King’s was senior Kristen Hunter, while fellow senior Sarah Guza, from Hazleton Area, and freshman Jillian Tallarico were both second-team choices. The trio helped King’s to a school-record 11-4 mark this season, breaking the previous best record of 10-4 in 1994.
For Wilkes, junior Alison McDonald, sophomore Xiaoqiao Zhang, and junior Kristin Wilt were all selected to the first team, while freshman Victoria Bybel was named the conference’s Rookie of the Year and also earned a spot on the second team.
Wilkes head coach Chris Leicht was selected as the Coach of the Year in the conference for the third consecutive season. Leicht has guided the Lady Colonels to an overall record of 12-1 this season, including a 5-0 record in conference play. Wilkes, the defending Freedom Conference champions, secured the No. 1 seed for the playoffs that will be held in the spring.
National
NHL
Thrashers fire Hartley
Bob Hartley was fired Wednesday as coach of the Atlanta Thrashers, who have lost their first six games and are the only NHL team without a victory.
General manager Don Waddell said he will take over as coach until a replacement is hired. He has no timetable for a hiring.
Hartley, who won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001, was in his fifth season with Atlanta.
WNBA
Atlanta joins league
It was more like a pep rally than an official announcement that Atlanta was being awarded a WNBA expansion team for the 2008 season.
The yet-to-be-named team will be owned and operated by Atlanta businessman J. Ronald Terwilliger.
Atlanta will join the Eastern Conference with Chicago, Connecticut, Detroit, Indiana, New York and Washington.
Terwilliger said he is convinced the team will draw well at Philips Arena, the downtown facility that also serves as home to the NBA Atlanta Hawks and NHL Atlanta Thrashers.
Atlanta will be the league’s 14th team and second new franchise since 2002.