By Sean Star

Reporter-Herald Sports Writer

Change is inevitable. And depending on the new landscape, it can be good or bad.

For the Fort Collins football team dropping down a classification this year to 4A, change has been nothing but positive.

For a Loveland squad that lost nearly all significant contributors from last year's state quarterfinal team, change has made this fall a rebuilding year.

Thursday night at Patterson Stadium, the two programs continued to trend in opposite directions as fifth-ranked Fort Collins breezed its way to a 37-14 victory.

The Lambkins (5-0) jumped all over the Indians right from the start, forcing LHS to go three-and-out on its first four possessions. On the other side of the ball, FCHS scored on its first offensive play when wide receiver Kielar Harpham took a reverse 35 yards to the house.

Fort Collins added two more touchdowns in the first quarter and another score just before halftime to go up 27-0 at the break.

Senior Jake Weinmaster was a bright spot for the now 1-4 Indians, rushing five times for 95 yards and coming up with two interceptions. The senior LHS linebacker/running back broke a 73-yard run early in the second half to set up the Indians first score, a 6-yard toss by Ayden Eberhardt to Charles Dunkelman.

But by then, the Lambkins were already comfortably ahead after they took the opening drive of the third quarter 78 yards in 11 plays to go up 34-0.

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Young Loveland team falls to undefeated Fort Collins

As of Aug. 15, smoking has been banned in Harvard Yard.

Over a month after Harvard banned the use of all forms of tobacco in the Yard, Harvard staff and students said that the implementation of the ban has been smooth, with its impact localized to a few areas.

According to Maureen McCarthy, manager of Harvard Yard and the freshman dormitories, the University has been enforcing the smoking ban similarly to the way it enforces the ban against biking through the Yard. Staff members, including members of Securitas and Yard Operations, approach smokers and ask them to either desist or leave the Yard.

McCarthy said she has not heard any reports about hostile or uncooperative responses from either students or tourists.

Were not really aggressively implementing it, but people slowly learn that its a policy, and they get the word out, she said.

Students interviewed around the Yard this week said that they were aware of the ban and pleased it is in place, though many also noted that they had not found issue with smokers in the Yard before the prohibition was put in place Aug. 15.

I think its probably a good thing, but its never been a problem, Caroline L. Ferguson 17, a Crimson sports editor, said of the ban. If I was around people smoking I think itd probably bother me, but I didnt notice before that it was [a problem].

According to McCarthy, although smokers in the Yard were not considered a huge issue before the ban, there were certain locations in the Yard that were popular for smokers. At locations such as Widener Gate, the steps of Lamont Library, and entryway D of Wigglesworth Hall, cigarette butts posed a cleanup problem for landscape maintenance staff members.

According to the University Department of Health Promotion and Education, the ban was put in place to ensure a safe, healthy environment for people to walk, study, be active, [and] engage with each other.

Student smokers interviewed for this story said that the ban has made smoking more inconvenient and prompted them to change where they smoke, but it has not promoted any broad lifestyle changes.

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Month in, Yard Official Says Smoking Ban Implementation Smooth

Ben Roethlisberger threw two third-quarter touchdown passes to wide receiver Antonio Brown, and the Pittsburgh Steelers used a key play on special teams to ward off the Carolina Panthers 37-19 Sunday night at Bank of America Stadium.

All three of the quarterback's touchdown passes this season went to Brown.

Both teams are 2-1.

The Panthers' eight-game regular-season home winning streak ended, with hundreds of towel-waving Steelers fans in the crowd dominating the scene in the waning minutes.

Pittsburgh running back Le'Veon Bell rushed for 147 yards on 21 carries. Steelers running back LeGarrette Blount scored the last touchdown on an 8-yard run, and he finished with 118 yards on 10 attempts.

Roethlisberger completed 22 of 30 passes for 196 yards with no interceptions. Carolina quarterback Cam Newton was 24-for-35 for 250 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. He didn't play the last series.

A third-quarter turnover set up the game's first touchdown and helped Pittsburgh pull away.

Linebacker Jarvis Jones' sack of Newton dislodged the ball, and linebacker Jason Worilds recovered at the Carolina 17.

The Steelers appeared to be headed toward their fourth field goal, but the Panthers jumped offside. On the next play, Roethlisberger hit Brown with a 7-yard touchdown toss.

Roethlisberger and Brown connected on another 7-yard touchdown play with 2:22 to go in the third quarter. That came after Bell's 81-yard dash on a second-and-22 play altered the landscape.

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Roethlisberger, Steelers roll past Panthers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Ben Roethlisberger threw two third-quarter touchdown passes to wide receiver Antonio Brown, and the Pittsburgh Steelers used a key play on special teams to ward off the Carolina Panthers 37-19 Sunday night at Bank of America Stadium.

All three of the quarterback's touchdown passes this season went to Brown.

Both teams are 2-1.

The Panthers' eight-game regular-season home winning streak ended, with hundreds of towel-waving Steelers fans in the crowd dominating the scene in the waning minutes.

Pittsburgh running back Le'Veon Bell rushed for 147 yards on 21 carries. Steelers running back LeGarrette Blount scored the last touchdown on an 8-yard run, and he finished with 118 yards on 10 attempts.

Roethlisberger completed 22 of 30 passes for 196 yards with no interceptions. Carolina quarterback Cam Newton was 24-for-35 for 250 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. He didn't play the last series.

A third-quarter turnover set up the game's first touchdown and helped Pittsburgh pull away.

Linebacker Jarvis Jones' sack of Newton dislodged the ball, and linebacker Jason Worilds recovered at the Carolina 17.

The Steelers appeared to be headed toward their fourth field goal, but the Panthers jumped offside. On the next play, Roethlisberger hit Brown with a 7-yard touchdown toss.

Roethlisberger and Brown connected on another 7-yard touchdown play with 2:22 to go in the third quarter. That came after Bell's 81-yard dash on a second-and-22 play altered the landscape.

The rest is here:
Big Ben to Brown works again as Steelers put down Panthers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -

Ben Roethlisberger threw two third-quarter touchdown passes to wide receiver Antonio Brown, and the Pittsburgh Steelers used a key play on special teams to ward off the Carolina Panthers 37-19 Sunday night at Bank of America Stadium.

All three of the quarterback's touchdown passes this season went to Brown.

Both teams are 2-1.

The Panthers' eight-game regular-season home winning streak ended, with hundreds of towel-waving Steelers fans in the crowd dominating the scene in the waning minutes.

Pittsburgh running back Le'Veon Bell rushed for 147 yards on 21 carries. Steelers running back LeGarrette Blount scored the last touchdown on an 8-yard run, and he finished with 118 yards on 10 attempts.

Roethlisberger completed 22 of 30 passes for 196 yards with no interceptions. Carolina quarterback Cam Newton was 24-for-35 for 250 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. He didn't play the last series.

A third-quarter turnover set up the game's first touchdown and helped Pittsburgh pull away.

Linebacker Jarvis Jones' sack of Newton dislodged the ball, and linebacker Jason Worilds recovered at the Carolina 17.

The Steelers appeared to be headed toward their fourth field goal, but the Panthers jumped offside. On the next play, Roethlisberger hit Brown with a 7-yard touchdown toss.

Read more from the original source:
Pittsburgh receiver Antonio Brown catches two touchdowns

By Lynn Underwood

Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

When Erika Benson and Mike Peterson bought their 1920s Tudor home, the backyard was mostly an English-style garden filled with roses, dahlias and other flowers that required time-consuming care.

"They were beautiful -- but not for our lifestyle," says Benson.

The couple wanted an all-season landscape instead, with low-maintenance grasses, perennials, shrubs and evergreens. "We liked the soothing and calming feel of evergreens," says Benson, "and they have winter interest."

The couple also wanted to create a more attractive and welcoming backyard with seating and a grilling area. When they bought this Minneapolis home, the only space for sitting was a concrete slab right next to the house, one that absorbed heat and radiated a lot of it in summer.

A few months after moving in, the couple dug out the gardens and removed some messy crab-apple trees to create a blank slate. Then they called in landscape designer Daryl Melquist of the Minneapolis firm Landscaping by Bachman's.

Benson and Peterson had been considering a deck off the back door. But they realized a raised platform would give them less privacy.

Instead, Melquist designed a curvy 15- by 20-foot paver patio with two defined areas -- one for a dining table and chairs, the other for a sitting area or "coffee corner," splitting the functions with a walkway to the detached garage.

They mixed hand-cut cobblestone-style concrete pavers of different sizes and colors and used dark brown pavers to create a decorative border that accentuates the shape of the patio. "It creates a little more expense, because of the cutting time, but the look is well worth it," says landscape designer Daryl Melquist.

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Goodbye, yardwork; hello, coffee cup

By Melinda Myers

You can see and feel the change of seasons. Fall color is starting to appear, pansies, mums and asters are in the garden center and your thoughts are turning to preparing your landscape for winter.

Those in warm climates are switching to winter annuals, while those in colder regions are fortifying their landscapes for the cold winter ahead. No matter where you live, invest some time in preparing your landscape for the change in seasons. Dedicating some time now will pay off with healthier more beautiful plants next spring.

Continue to mow the lawn high as long as it continues to grow. Theres no need to cut it short unless that is the look you prefer.

Fertilize the grass with a low nitrogen slow release fertilizer. Fall fertilization provides the greatest benefit to your lawn and gives you the best value for the time and money invested.

Those in cooler regions growing bluegrass, fescue and perennial ryegrass should make a final application between Halloween and Thanksgiving before the ground freezes.

Those in warmer climates growing centipede, Bermuda and zoysia should also fertilize around Labor Day. However, be sure to make the last fall application at least one month prior to the average first killing frost.

Shred leaves as they fall. Leave some on the lawn to add organic matter and nutrients to the soil. As long as you can see the grass blades through the shredded leaves your lawn will be fine.

Use the rest of the shredded leaves in your compost pile, as mulch on top of the soil or as a soil amendment. Just dig a two to three inch layer into the top 12 inches of annual or new planting beds. These leaves will break down and add organic matter. By spring the leaves will decompose and the garden bed will be ready to cultivate and plant.

Plant a few bulbs now for a colorful early spring display. Incorporate compost, aged manure or other organic matter into the planting area. Add a low nitrogen slow release fertilizer at the time of planting. In general, plant bulbs two to three times their vertical diameter deep. Follow specific planting and spacing directions on the package or tag.

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Important to get yard ready for winter

DALLAS An Earth-Kind Landscape Design and Management School will be held Oct. 3-5 in Building E of the Texas A&M Research and Extension Center, 17360 Coit Road in Dallas.

An Earth-Kind Landscape Design and Management School led by Dr. Steven George will be held Oct. 3-5 in Building E of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Dallas. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Jeff Floyd)

Extended, personalized design consultations will be given a few weeks after the program, said Dr. Steve George, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service landscape specialist. George is the creator of the Earth-Kind Environmental Landscape Management System and will serve as lead instructor in addition to conducting the personalized post-program design consultations.

Class times for the program will be from 6-9:30 p.m. Oct. 3, from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Oct. 4 and from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Oct. 5.

During this unique educational experience, you will learn how to design, plant, and manage a landscape that is beautiful, low maintenance, drought tolerant and the ultimate in environmental responsibility, George said.

He said the course will be presented in a time and travel efficient format, and will consist of in-depth classroom instruction, an outdoor laboratory session, a field trip to tour Earth-Kind plant trials and a personalized 1.5 hour landscape design consultation to be given a few weeks after the program.

George said no prior plant, design or landscape management knowledge is needed, and those attending the school will learn how to:

Design, plant, and manage a beautiful, low-maintenance, environmentally responsible landscape.

Work with Mother Nature to protect homes and communities.

Reduce irrigation use in landscape beds by 70 percent, and totally eliminate fertilizers and harsh pesticides on the plants, as well as reduce the amount of pruning needed.

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Earth-Kind Landscape Design and Management School slated for Oct. 3-5 in Dallas

September is a pivotal month in the garden because you are adding colorful perennials to freshen your landscape, starting preparations for winter, while at the same time setting the stage for next spring. Its an excellent time to reflect on your current garden by walking around your yard, making notes, and even taking pictures in preparation for planning next years garden.

Here are some activities for the September gardener:

Decorate porch, patio and landscape with mums, pansies and other colorful, cold-tolerant annuals.

Continue deadheading perennials, with the exception of those plants where seeds, leaves or pods provide winter interest and serve as food for birds.

Plant, divide and transplant selected perennials. Keep them well watered.

Cut back to the ground perennials exhibiting powdery mildew, such as tall phlox, peonies and bee balm. Dont dispose of diseased plants in your compost pile.

Stop pruning all trees, shrubs and roses, until they are fully dormant. Pruning encourages new growth that wont have time to harden off before winter. Fall pruning of spring flowering shrubs, which have already set their buds, such as lilacs, forsythia, viburnum and rhododendron, will reduce their spring flower display.

September is a good time for planting container-grown and balled and burlapped trees and shrubs.

Continue watering landscape throughout September and October, particularly recently installed plants. Stressed plants dont overwinter well.

Cooler weather is on the way, but you still have plenty of great gardening days remaining. September is the best time to reflect on the passing season and build anticipation for next spring.

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Garden Tip: Reflections on the fall garden

by Carlton D. White cwhite@mdjonline.com The Marietta Daily Journal

Valdosta States Bryson Brindle, a former Allatoona High School standout, puts the pressure on Winston-Salem State quarterback DMetrius Smith (14) during the Division II powers game Saturday at McEachern. Staff photo by Jeff Stanton

The game, a rematch of the 2012 NCAA Division II national championship won by Valdosta State, started slowly after neither team scored in the first quarter.

That changed 3 seconds into the second period when Valdosta State quarterback Jake Medlock capped an eight-play, 61-yard with a 1-yard touchdown run, and Kenny Murphys 2-point conversion gave the Blazers an 8-0 lead.

Winston-Salem State answered when Terry Ross 52-yard interception return trimmed the deficit to 8-7.

Cedric ONeals 3-yard run capped a 10-play, 70-yard Blazers drive and Valdosta State took a 15-7 lead into halftime.

Winston-Salem State responded after the break behind Alejandro Suarezs 21-yard field goal, for a 15-10 Valdosta State lead.

The Blazers added to their margin just over 4 minutes later when ONeal, who had 11 carries for 26 yards, scored his second touchdown from 5 yards out for a 22-10 advantage.

Quarterback Phil Sims kept the Rams close by directing a 14-play, 99-yard drive, resulting in a 15-yard touchdown catch for Marcel Caver to pull Winston-Salem State within 22-17 with 13:52 left in the game.

The Rams final possession nearly led to the game-winning score as Winston-Salem State recovered a fumbled punt return and drove to the Blazers 2, where they had first-and-goal. Rudy Johnson ran in for a 2-yard touchdown, but the play was called back for a holding penalty.

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Brindle helps Blazers blaze a path to win at McEachern