Perryville girls win in tourney

BYU's Staley will enter NFL draft

PROVO, Utah -- Brigham Young running back Luke Staley will skip his senior year and enter the 2002 NFL draft.

"I feel it is time for me to take my skills to the next level and achieve some additional goals I have established for myself," Staley said Wednesday.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Staley ran for a school-record 1,582 yards despite missing two games this season. His 28 touchdowns set another BYU record and led the nation.

Staley, from Tualatin, Ore., was a first-team All-America selection and won the Doak Walker Award, given annually to the nation's top running back.

The Cougars were 12-0 and ranked in the top 10 after Staley broke a leg and tore ankle ligaments near the end of a 41-38 win at Mississippi State on Dec. 1. Staley didn't play in a 72-45 loss at Hawaii the following week, and BYU plummeted to No. 19.

Wizards put Hamilton on injured list

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Washington Wizards placed guard Richard Hamilton on the injured list with a pulled right groin before Wednesday's game against the Charlotte Hornets.

Hamilton was injured when he collided with another player in Friday night's game against the Orlando Magic. He was re-examined Monday and was told not to play again until the injury heals.

Hamilton is the team's second-leading scorer averaging 19.8 points per game. He was named the NBA Player of the Week on December 17 after averaging 28.5 points in four Wizards victories.

Courtney Alexander, who was on the injured list with contusions of the left fibula and a sprained left ankle, was activated to replace Hamilton on the roster.

Angels sign Sele to three-year deal

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Aaron Sele, one of baseball's winningest pitchers over the last four years and an All-Star with the Seattle Mariners last season, signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Anaheim Angels on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old right-hander has won 69 games since 1998, the most by an AL pitcher during that time. Only Randy Johnson (76), Greg Maddux (73) and Tom Glavine (71) -- all NL pitchers -- have more victories over that span.

Sele will receive $7.5 million next season, $8 million in 2003 and $8.5 million in 2004.

"We're happy to add a pitcher of Aaron Sele's stature to our staff," Angels general manager Bill Stoneman said. "Our pitching staff was strong over the course of the 2001 season and, with the addition of Sele, should be even stronger in 2002.

"Not only does Aaron pitch a lot of innings over the course of the season, but he also is a proven winner."

Sele won his first eight decisions last season, a Seattle club record. He finished 15-5 with a 3.60 ERA and two complete games, one a shutout. He pitched 215 innings and allowed 216 hits and 51 walks while striking out 114.

Mariners sign Sierra to one-year deal

SEATTLE -- Free-agent outfielder Ruben Sierra signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.

Sierra, a switch-hitter, hit .291 with 23 home runs and 67 RBIs in 94 games with the Texas Rangers last season.

He is a career .270 hitter with 263 homers and 1,121 RBIs.

Sierra's first few seasons were promising. In 1987-89, he averaged 27 homers and 108 RBIs. By the late '90s, he had played with the Athletics, Yankees, Tigers, Reds, Blue Jays and White Sox, and his playing time and numbers diminished.

In 1999, he played with Atlantic City of the unaffiliated Independence League, and he began the next season with the Cancun Lobstermen in Mexico before rejoining the Rangers.

-- From wire reports