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COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Elliott Fry hasnt given up on a successful final season, even if most of what hes heard and read since last year has told him he should.The South Carolina senior kicker, whos 42 points away from becoming the schools career scoring leader, was a freshman on the last of three straight 11-2 seasons from 2011-13. He believes the Gamecocks upperclassmen are poised to take a big step forward with new coach Will Muschamp after last years 3-9 flop.I think everybody on the team wants to get back to 11 and 12-win seasons, Fry said Friday. Thats our expectation.There arent many outside the program who share Frys vision.South Carolina, which contended for an SEC East title from 2010-13 and voted to win the 2014 crown, were picked dead last in the division by the media at the leagues recent preseason gathering with little hope of breaking into the top half of the seven-team division.For Fry, its a point of pride to prove the doubters wrong.At the end of the day, Muschamp said it best: Theyre never right, Fry said. I dont remember a time they predicted it accurately.Fry understands the problems of the past two years.The Gamecocks struggled to finish above .500 in 2014 -- blowing three double-digit leads in the fourth quarter and losing a fourth at Auburn after entering the final period tied -- needing a bowl win over Miami to go 7-6.Then coach Steve Spurrier preached improvement, hope and a return to the top most of the next summer. But South Carolina opened just 2-4 and Spurrier stepped aside.The reeling Gamecocks lost five of their last six under interim coach Shawn Elliott, leading to Muschamps hire last December.Ever since, the buzz around South Carolina has been bad.Linebacker T.J. Holloman, another senior, says the team has used the negative talk as motivation.Were not going to talk about last year, were just going to work hard, said Holloman, who made three starts as a redshirt freshman on the Gamecocks last 11-win team in 2013. Were a blue collar team. Were not the fastest, were not the flashiest, but were going to go out there and outwork everybody.Holloman and Fry didnt have to do much work Friday, entertaining grade-school children at a yearly Pigskin Poets event put on by the Richland County Public Library.Holloman said the support he and other Gamecocks receive at these gatherings powers them into workouts.Were just so thankful for the loyalty, he said.The Gamecocks start the first fall camp with Muschamp on Tuesday.Holloman believes South Carolinas returning players are better than they showed last season and have been focused on getting things back on the winning track.When we came in here, we saw what it took to get to 11-2 and now were trying to focus on the little things, he said.Holloman said first-year strength coach Jeff Dillman ran an intense, high-energy program that the Gamecocks bought into and pushed themselves though to improve.Thats been the big key for me and I see the difference, he said. Everyone said, `Yes, sir, lets go to work.Thats what Muschamp expects from the Gamecocks. He has said both that the team has to own last years poor mark and after spring ball that South Carolina had good enough players to win the East.Fry accepts that it will take more hard work at practice and in meeting rooms to make anything like that happen. But its possible. Just take a look at Auburn in 2013, Fry said, which came off a dismal 3-9 season and went 0-8 in the SEC.All that (negative talk) is just speculation, Fry said. It doesnt mean anything.Luke Kennard Pistons Jersey . - Connor McDavid scored 53 seconds into overtime as the Erie Otters came from behind to defeat the visiting Guelph Storm 4-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Tony Snell Pistons Jersey . Klitschkos management company says the bout will be the Ukrainian fighters 25th world championship fight. 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The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side.NEW YORK -- Finally, after nearly a fortnight of generic coaches and trainers, family and friends, a male players box finally produced some serious star power.There were Hugh Jackman and Ben Stiller sitting next to each other Tuesday night in the top row of Novak Djokovics box. You had to wonder who was more thrilled to meet whom when six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker, Djokovics coach, introduced himself before the match.It wasnt the Q-Rating bonanza of Jay Z and Beyonce, who appeared in the box of Serena Williams earlier in the tournament, but it was pretty solid. The best Jo-Wilfried Tsonga could do? Roland Garros tournament director Guy Forget.What felt like a prizefight at the outset -- this was the 22nd meeting between the two -- quickly devolved into a master-level class in geometry. No. 1-seeded Djokovic was leading 6-3, 6-2 when Tsonga retired abruptly with a left knee injury.I came out with the right intensity, the level of my game has raised, Djokovic said. As tournament progresses, I feel like Im getting better.To have three retirements on the road to the semifinals, I can only wish all my opponents a speedy recovery.Is Djokovic concerned about the lack of playing time?Not really, he said. At this stage of the season, considering some of my physical issues, this is the scenario that I needed and I wished for. Got a lot of days off, recovered my body. Im feeling very close to the peak, and thats where I want to be.Djokovic, thus, advances to a Friday semifinal against another 30-something Frenchman, Gael Monfils.The 29-year-old Serb, who came into this event a little nicked up, doesnt need any luck -- but he has gotten oodles of it here.Through five matches, Djokovic has now played a mere nine sets and six games. Only two of his matches have gone the minimum distance of three sets, with a walkover and two retirements.At the beginning of Djokovics on-court interview, ESPNs Brad Gilbert wanted to know what exactly was going on.You tell me, I dont know, Djokovic responded. Obviously, I have to say it again. I really wish Jo a quick recovery. This is something Im sure he didnt wish for.Djokovic has now won each and every one of his 10 US Open quarterfinal matches, 10 straight Grand Slam quarters overall and 23 of the past 24.Hes also beaten Tsonga in 14 of their past 15 meetings.There were times when Djokoovic, covering the court with an almost disquieting aplomb, could have been mistaken for the flashing, steel-slashing X-Men character Wolverine.dddddddddddd Tsonga, the No. 9 seed, played more like the night watchman in Night at the Museum.Arthur Ashe Stadium, very close to its capacity of 23,700 spectators, was actually almost hushed at times. All those bodies seem to dampen the swirling sound that has visited matches when the seats are half full.In those moments, the only sound was the squeaking of Djokovics sneakers, the sound of impeccable footwork.Djokovic is acknowledged as the games finest returner of serve. His instincts and hand-eye coordination are extraordinary. For most of the match, he casually moved Tsonga from side to side, as if for his own amusement.And no one turns trouble into treasure, defense into offense, quite like Djokovic. With Tsonga serving a 3-4 but facing a break point, Djokovic stretched to hit a running forehand -- for a winner past a stunned Tsonga.Tsonga came into the match on a serving tear, but went out of the tournament meekly, seeing his serve broken four times in two sets. He double-faulted three times in a single game during the first set and four of five times overall.Djokovic, noticing that Tsongas first-serve speed had dropped significantly, knew something was up.But I held my concentration well, Djokovic said. I hung in there and stayed composed.Based on Andy Murrays superb summer, with wins at Wimbledon and the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, some folks have him favored to win this tournament.Djokovic, for his part, came into this event nursing a recurring left wrist injury, but he has found some unexpected time for rest and relaxation in the Grand Slam considered the most grueling of the four.Two matches short of the title, Djokovic is in a terrific spot, looking like a man poised to win three majors in a season for the third time, following 2011 and 2015.Im hoping thats going to happen again, Djokovic said. Grand Slams through the history of our sport have been the most prestigious.At the end of the day, Im trying to take every moment with appreciation. I put myself in a position to be two matches away from the title. Im not taking anything for granted. ' ' '