Guilty plea in Reds player's murder

One of two men charged in the kidnapping and murder of Cincinnati Reds outfielder Dernell Stenson has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder charges in Mesa, Ariz. Reginald Riddle, 21, agreed to the plea Thursday to avoid a possible death sentence. Riddle faces 25-years-to-life in prison when he is sentenced. A co-defendant, David Griffith, 22, is set for trial in September and still faces capital murder charges. Riddle and Griffith were charged with kidnapping Stenson as he left a Scottsdale nightclub Nov. 5, 2003, and stealing his sport utility vehicle. Court records allege they drove to nearby Chandler, where Stenson, 25, tried to flee the vehicle. He was shot several times, became tangled in a seat belt and was dragged more than 1,000 feet . . . Jose Guillen's injured left shoulder might force the Nationals' outfielder to miss the first month of the regular season . . . Mets reliever Jorge Julio agreed to a $2,525,000, one-year contract . . . Mark Prior and the Cubs agreed to a $3.65 million, one-year contract.

NBA
Andersen banned for drug violation

New Orleans Hornets forward Chris Andersen was dismissed and disqualified from the NBA for violating the league's drug policy. Andersen must wait two years before he can apply for reinstatement. According to the league's collective bargaining agreement, a player can only be disqualified for a fourth positive test for performance-enhancing drugs, or a first positive test for ''drugs of abuse." Andersen, 27, averaged 5.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in 32 games this season, his fifth in the NBA . . . Former NBA player Isaiah Rider appeared in a Marin (Calif.) County courtroom on charges of kidnapping a female acquaintance. Rider, 34, allegedly got into an argument Wednesday night with the unidentified woman and drove off with her against her will. He was arrested early Thursday.

World Cup skiing
It's all downhill for Paerson in super-G

Defending overall champion Anja Paerson won a World Cup super-G race in a snowstorm, with Americans Julia Mancuso and Lindsey Kildow finishing second and third in Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy. Mancuso was second, .034 seconds behind Paerson, who covered the Olympia delle Tofane course in 1 minute 16.75 seconds. Kildow was 0.78 back . . . Bruno Kernen posted the fastest time in the men's final training session, earning himself an undesirable start position for today's World Cup downhill in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Kernen covered the 3,455-meter Kandahar course in 1 minute 58.93 seconds.

Miscellany
Stenson takes one-shot lead at Qatar

Henrik Stenson shot a 4-under-par 68 to take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Qatar Masters in Doha, and Ernie Els equaled a European Tour record by making the cut for the 69th straight time. Els, who won the Qatar Masters last year in his tournament debut, equaled the mark set by Bernhard Langer . . . Fresh off a win at the MasterCard Championship on Kaupulehu, Loren Roberts shot a 6-under 66 at the Turtle Bay Championship in Kahuku, Hawaii to take a one-stroke lead over Bruce Summerhays . . . Penn State coach Joe Paterno was selected the Walter Camp Football Foundation's 2005 Coach of the Year . . . Kassim Ouma won the North American Boxing Organization junior middleweight title with an eighth-round knockout of Francisco Mora in Sahuarita, Ariz. . . . The United States Figure Skating Association and the Commonwealth Figure Skating Club kicked off competition in the 2006 Bay State Winter Games in Williamstown. Layla Siraj of Brookline won the Juvenile Girls Group 1 competition, Tegan O'Neill of Stamford, Conn., took the Juvenile Girls Group 2, and Elisa McNamara of Burlington claimed the Juvenile Girls Group 3. Aimee Buchanan of Lexington reigned in the intermediate level Ladies' Short Program. Erin O'Brien of Rockland won the Novice Short Program.