HIGH SCHOOLS

Sanford High athletic director is honored with statewide award at conference

Sanford High Athletic Director Gordie Salls was presented the State Award of Merit on Thursday night at the Maine Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association conference at the Samoset Resort in Rockland.

The award is sponsored by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.

Salls has been in athletic administration for 24 years and has served as an MIAAA executive board member. He has been involved with the Maine Principals’ Association on its cheering, track and baseball committees, serving as the baseball committee chairman the last four years.

TENNIS

FAMILY CIRCLE CUP: Venus Williams and Serena Williams reached the quarterfinals with straight-set victories at Charleston, S.C. Venus defeated Anastasia Rodionova 7-5, 6-2 on center court shortly after Serena ousted Marina Erakovic, 6-2, 6-2. Should the sisters win today, it would set up a Saturday showdown in the semifinals.

“If we both get to the semifinals,” Venus said, “I guess the best Williams will win.”

SOCCER

EUROPA LEAGUE: Spanish clubs continued their impressive run in European play this season as Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid and Valencia reached the semifinals alongside Sporting Lisbon.

Bilbao twice rallied to squash Schalke’s hopes with a 2-2 draw that put it through 6-4 on aggregate, Valencia routed AZ Alkmaar 4-0 to easily go through 5-2, and Adrian Lopez scored one of the season’s most memorable goals as Atletico won 2-1 at Hannover to secure a 4-2 win after two legs. Sporting drew 1-1 at Metalist Kharkiv to go through 3-2.

U.S. WOMEN: The United States women will play Canada on June 30 in Sandy, Utah, as a final tuneup before heading to the 2012 Olympics in London.

REVOLUTION LOSE: Ugo Ihemelu scored in extra time to lift FC Dallas to a 1-0 victory against the New England Revolution at Frisco, Texas.

AUTO RACING

DRIVER ADDED: Andretti Autosport added Ana Beatriz of Brazil to its driver lineup for the Indianapolis 500.

Beatriz will drive for Andretti in her hometown event, the Sao Paulo Indy 300 (April 27-29), then attempt to make her third Indianapolis 500 start in May.

OLYMPICS

BAN MAY REMAIN: Plans for Saudi Arabia to send women to the Olympics for the first time appear to be in jeopardy.

Saudi Arabian newspaper Al-Watan reported Tthat Saudi Olympic Committee President Prince Nawaf does “not approve” of sending female athletes to the London Games. But he left room for Saudi women to possibly compete on their own outside the official delegation.

– From staff and news services