Sierra is a league of its own

They can call it a league of their own. But the league has also lead to many other opportunities as well.

The Sierra Inline Hockey League is gearing up for another season where players and supporters will brave the harsh Northern Nevada winter - and spring - at the Pony Express Pavilion.

Signups are scheduled for October, practices will begin in November and preseason games will also be held before league play begins in January. The league season normally lasts through mid-March, although the league maintains access to the Pony Express Pavilion through Mid-May.

That allowed two Sierra Inline alumni - Carson High graduates Bud Kop and Ryan Dwyer - to begin a lacrosse league last spring as part of their senior project with the assistance of Mike Premo.

The Sierra Inline League has also served as a feeder league of sorts for the highly succesfuly Carson Senators club team, with the vast majority of the club's players coming for the Sierra Inline League. Sierra Inline League players have also gone on to play for the University of Nevada's club team, which has won a national title. Since the Pony Express Pavilion is only one of two inline rinks in Northern Nevada - Elko has the other - Nevada's club team practices at the facility.

There have also been a number of Sierra inline players who have gone on to play ice hockey and a share have gone on to play ice hockey at a higher level.

League president Andrew Tucker said that's one of the goals of the league is for players to stay active in hockey no matter if it's on a hard surface or ice. "Hopefully they go on and continue to play," he said. "We have quite a few kids who play ice."

About 150 boys and girls participate in the league. Divisions range from the 8 and under developmental league to adult. The league takes players as young as five-years-old. Tucker said last year there was a jump in the number of players who signed up in the 8 and under division.

Tucker said the league's dream is to have an indoor facility so it can play year-round. "We're not really anywhere near that," he said.

So for now the league will continue to endure the harsh winter - and spring - months. "It's pretty miserable," said Tucker about how the conditions are sometimes.

RASNER'S STATUS

With Cory Lidle healthy again, it's not likely that Darrell Rasner will be named to the New York Yankees' postseason roster.

Manager Joe Torre is expected to finalize his postseason roster on Monday and will carry 11 pitchers in the postseason. Torre wants an additional pitcher to fill a long relief role and it appears Lidle will be that pitcher.

Lidle had been bothered by tendinitis in his finger and when his health was in question there was talk that either Rasner, a 1999 Carson High graduate, or Jeff Karstens would fill that role if Lidle couldn't do so.

But Lidle was impressive in his start for the Yankees on Tuesday in a 5-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles, so it looks like the long relief role is his.

The Yankees will likely go with a rotation in no particular order of Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina, Chien Ming-Wang and Jaret Wright in the postseason.

Both Rasner and Karstens could receive at least one more chance to pitch in the regular season. Johnson has been bothered by back spasms, so he's been shut down to rest for the postseason.

Wang made his last start on Wednesday and Mussina is scheduled to start today. Wright and Lidle will be available to start this weekend, but the Yankees should need another starter for Friday and Rasner and Karstens are the leading candidates to fill that role.

Rasner and Karstens are also eligible for the postseason if one of the Yankees' pitchers becomes injured. It would seem based on statistics at least that Rasner has the advantage over Karstens. In five appearances with the Yankees this year, Rasner is 3-0 with a 2.50 earned run average while Karstens has a 4.00 E.R.A.