Mancuso ends U.S. drought

Julia Mancuso had two long-term goals growing up as a skier -- winning an Olympic gold medal and hoisting the overall World Cup trophy.

The Squaw Valley, Calif., native achieved one at last year’s Turin Olympics, winning the giant slalom. And Sunday, the second moved closer to reality.

Mancuso moved atop the World Cup standings for the first time by finishing third in a super-giant slalom in Tarvisio, Italy. It is the first time in 24 years that an American woman has led the standings during a season.

But Mancuso isn’t alone atop the standings with six races left.

Renate Goetschl won her record 17th super-G by more than a second to join Mancuso in the overall lead. She skied the 1.2-mile course in 1 minute 18.66 seconds. Austrian teammate Nicole Hosp was second.

Goetschl and Mancuso are tied with 1,199 points each. Hosp is third with 1,183.

Mancuso is trying to become the first American woman to win since Tamara McKinney in 1983.

PRO FOOTBALL

Plummer fulfills retirement promise

Quarterback Jake Plummer, who had vowed to retire instead of playing for a team other than the Denver Broncos, announced his retirement in a statement on his website without giving reasons one day after being traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Denver traded Plummer, 32, to Tampa Bay on Saturday for a conditional 2008 draft pick.

Meanwhile, free-agent fullback B.J. Askew, 26, signed with the Buccaneers. He last played for the New York Jets.

The Dallas Cowboys agreed to terms with free-agent offensive lineman Leonard Davis.

Davis, 28, reportedly agreed to a seven-year contract worth nearly $50 million, including $18.75 million in guaranteed money. He left Arizona.

Free-agent defensive end Dewayne White, 27, reunited with Coach Rod Marinelli by signing a five-year, $29-million contract with the Detroit Lions that includes a $13-million bonus.

Marinelli was White’s defensive line coach with Tampa Bay.

The Houston Texans agreed to terms with free-agent running back Ahman Green. Green, 30, last played for Green Bay.

The Jacksonville Jaguars agreed to a five-year contract with former Cleveland Browns receiver Dennis Northcutt, 29. The contract was reportedly worth $17 million.

Defensive back Kenny Wright, 29, signed a three-year deal with Cleveland. He last played for Washington.

Damian Harrell of Colorado set an Arena Football League record for consecutive games with a touchdown (66), but Matt Sauk came off the bench and threw for two touchdowns to lead the Grand Rapids Rampage to a 44-42 victory over the Crush at Denver.... In other AFL games: Dallas defeated New York, 60-7; Kansas City beat Chicago, 54-41; and Arizona downed Las Vegas, 57-36.

TENNIS

Hewitt wins title in Las Vegas event

Lleyton Hewitt won the Tennis Channel Open for the third time, outlasting fourth-seeded Jurgen Melzer, 6-4, 7-6, in the final at Las Vegas for only his third title since January 2005.

Top-seeded Bob and Mike Bryan repeated their doubles title, winning their 12th straight match at the event with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 victory over No. 2 Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram.

Fourth-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela won the Mexican Open title, beating eighth-seeded Carlos Moya, 6-3, 7-6 (2).

GOLF

Weekley misses chance before play suspended

Boo Weekley missed a three-foot par putt on the final regulation hole of the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., squandering a chance to win his first PGA Tour title before darkness delayed a four-way playoff.

He’ll have to wait until this morning to get another chance against Camilo Villegas, Mark Wilson and Jose Coceres.

MISCELLANY

Hedges wins surfing’s season opener

Former surfing world champion Chelsea Hedges, formerly Chelsea Georgeson, defeated 14-year-old Carissa Moore in the final of the season-opening Roxy Pro on Australia’s Gold Coast. Moore was a sponsor wild-card entrant who defeated several top pros, including reigning world champion Layne Beachley, to make the final.

Doctors removed a blood clot from the swollen brain of flyweight boxer Victor Burgos late Saturday after the veteran fighter from Mexico suffered a 12th-round knockout loss to International Boxing Federation champion Vic Darchinyan at the Home Depot Center in Carson. Burgos, 32, underwent the emergency operation at Los Angeles County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance. Doctors reported Burgos has shown signs of movement they described as positive, according to Don King Promotions.

Illinois sophomore receivers Jody Ellis and Derrick McPhearson were released on $2,500 bond after being charged with obstructing justice and possessing stolen property in Champaign, Ill. Coach Ron Zook said Ellis and McPhearson were suspended indefinitely.