JURISPRUDENCE

Tocchet's out until at least next February

Rick Tocchet's role in an illegal gambling ring will keep him out of the NHL until at least next February.

Tocchet, who partnered with a New Jersey state trooper and another man in a sports betting venture they ran for five years, pleaded guilty to promoting gambling and conspiracy to promote gambling. As part of a plea deal, Tocchet was sentenced by a New Jersey court to two years' probation in August and avoided jail time.

He has been on an indefinite leave from his job as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Coyotes under Wayne Gretzky and had his ban extended Thursday by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman until Feb. 7, 2008 — two years after the leave began.

PREP FOOTBALL

Coach resigns amid recruiting scandal

A Stockton high school football coach resigned amid accusations that he was involved in improperly recruiting players from American Samoa.

Franklin High's head coach Tom Verner sent in his resignation letter to the Stockton Unified School District after the CIF-Sac-Joaquin Section shut down the school's football program until 2010.

That is believed to be the harshest punishment in the history of the high school sport, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Local sports authorities allege an assistant football coach working for Verner improved the team's standing by improperly recruiting more than a dozen players from American Samoa and offering them housing in Stockton, 50 miles south of Sacramento.

State Assemblywoman Audra Strickland, R-Thousand Oaks, called Wednesday for a legislative hearing to look into the powers granted to the federation, which oversees high school sports in the state.

GOLF

Hayes builds one-shot lead

J.P. Hayes is feeling much better about his health than the last time he was in these parts on the PGA Tour. And thanks to a 7-under 65 at Disney, his prospects for keeping his card are looking good, too.

Hayes turned a sloppy hole into a birdie on the par-5 10th at Magnolia, then ran off four more birdies in wet and windy conditions to build a one-shot lead in the Children's Miracle Network Classic at Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Hayes is No. 123 on the money list with a $16,599 cushion.

Rose hits an ace: England's Justin Rose had a hole-in-one in his 1-under 70 in the first round of the Volvo Masters at Sotogrande, Spain, and was one stroke ahead of Ireland's Padraig Harrington in the Order of Merit race for the European season money title.

Letzig shoots 60: Michael Letzig shot a course-record, 11-under 60 to take a three-stroke lead in the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship at Lakeside.

TENNIS

Nalbandian beats Federer again

David Nalbandian beat Roger Federer for the second time in less than two weeks, earning a 6-4, 7-6 (3) victory in the third round of the Paris Masters.

Davenport routs Wozniak: American star Lindsay Davenport advanced to the Bell Challenge quarterfinals, routing Canada's Aleksandra Wozniak 6-1, 6-0 at Quebec City.

Davenport will face France's Stephanie Foretz today.