Briefs: Vobora joining Seattle

David Vobora was born in the Pacific Northwest and he played high school and college football in the region.

Therefore, the former Mr. Irrelevant is not irrelevant in the Pacific Northwest.

Vobora will now get to return home to play for the NFL team in the Pacific Northwest.

The 6-foot-1, 239-pound linebacker signed with the Seattle Seahawks on Monday, 10 days after the St. Louis Rams released the last player chosen in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Vobora joins an NFC West divisional foe after playing 34 games in three seasons with the Rams. He started 16 times, 10 during the 2009 season, when he finished with a career-high 49 tackles.

Vobora, who played at Winston Churchill High in Eugene, Oregon, before starring at the University of Idaho, will try to help Seattle defend its division title.

— David Carrillo Peñaloza

Sage’s Tolver honored

Sage Hill School football coach J.R, Tolver will be recognized as ABC7/NFL High School Coach of the Week on the Sept. 3 airing of the “Sports Zone” television show on ABC7.

Tolver, entering his third season, was recognized for his coaching skills, as well as his impact on the students, school and community, after being nominated by letter from a viewer.

Tolver is 15-7 at the helm.

The Lightning football program will receive a $1,000 grant from the NFL Youth Football Fund that goes with the honor.

A segment including Tolver and his players, taped earlier in the week, will be shown as part of the show that follows the College Football Game of the Week.

— From staff reports

Robertson stands out

Newport Harbor High alumna Leah Robertson scored a team-high three goals as the United States women’s water polo World University Games team defeated Italy, 9-8, in a semifinal match Saturday in Shenzhen, China.

Team USA advanced to meet the host Chinese in the final.

Robertson, who also starred at the University of Michigan, scored twice in the third quarter against Italy, once on a six-on-five and once on a counterattack. CdM Aquatics Coach Stephanie Schnugg also scored for the Americans.

—From staff reports

Couples edges Cook

Fred Couples, the 2010 Toshiba Classic champion, defeated part-time Corona del Mar resident John Cook in a playoff Sunday to claim the Seniors Players Championship at Harrison, N.Y.

It was the first senior major title for Couples, who shot par 71 to match Cook at 11-under after regulation at the Westchester Country Club’s West Course.

Couples joins Jack Nicklaus and Raymond Floyd as the only players to win the Players Championship on both the PGA and Champions tours.

The Toshiba Classic is scheduled March 12-18 at Newport Beach Country Club.

— From staff reports

Local bouts online

Fight Club OC now runs a video-on-demand service online.

Roy Englebrecht, a fight promoter from Newport Beach, announced last week’s Fight Club OC card is available for $4.99 at https://www.fightcluboc.com. The card includes five bouts, boxing and mixed martial arts, and entertainment and promotional footage.

“After just four shows in 2011 the buzz surrounding the launch of Fight Club OC has been tremendous,” Englebrecht said in a release. “We have more media covering the shows than ever before, our 10 all-inclusive VIP suites are sold out, we had our largest number of merchandise vendors ever, and our Fight Club OC outdoor cigar lounge was packed the whole night. I made the decision that this unique night of fight action needs to be available to fight fans all over the world, and we decided to launch Fight Club OC TV and boy did we ever pick the right night.”

— From staff reports