Leading off today: A Kentucky high school football coach was acquitted today in the death of a 15-year-old player who collapsed as the team was put through a series of sprints on a hot summer day.

   David Jason Stinson, 37, was charged after Max Gilpin collapsed at an August 2008 practice and died three days later of heat stroke, sepsis and multiple organ failure. His temperature reached at least 107 degrees.

   The jury deliberated for about 90 minutes. "That's why they came back quickly, because he was innocent," said defense attorney Brian Butler.

   Players testified Stinson ordered "gassers" on a day when the temperature and heat index were both 94.

   Gilpin's mother, Michele Crockett, she did not expect a conviction but was satisfied with having the public hear the details. "We feel fortunate that it was even brought to the jury," Crockett said. "We can live with it."

   MLK's amazing run continues: Martin Luther King defeated Stuyvesant 3-0 yesterday to give boys soccer coach Martin Jacobson his 300th victory.

   Jacobson, an amazing 300-19-11 in 16 seasons (11 PSAL titles in the last 13 years), says only a handful of his players knew of the impending milestone. He let the rest of them in on it after the game.

   "I told them, 'We have 300 wins, but I'm still frustrated over those 19 losses,'" Jacobson told The Daily News. "I guess it's because I'm a perfectionist."

   Off and running: The first New York State Sportswriters Association girls cross country rankings of the season have Fayetteville-Manlius (Class AA), Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (A), North Shore (B), Bronxville (C) and Greenwich (D) holding down the top spots.

   Offer for Southwestern star: The Post-Journal's Scott Kindberg had a nice lead this week on his story about Jamesown Southwestern lineman Jasen Carlson being offered a scholarship by University of Buffalo football coach Turner Gill.

   Carlson looked at his phone early in the morning on the day before school started, saw he had a message and returned the call.

   "I just called it back and a man answered and said, 'Turner Gill,' Carlson told the paper. "It woke me up pretty quick."

   H1N1 precautions: Check this out from The Advance: Post-game handshakes are being replaced with applause for opponents from a safe distance as a way to help slow down the spread of the swine flu.

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   The paper reported at least two schools in Manhattan have decided to go that route. Columbia Prep and fellow Independent Schools Athletic League member The Browning School have announced the policy.

   "We want to be proactive in protecting our athletes," Columbia Prep AD Steve Rybicki told the paper.

   The Centers for Disease Control report that the H1N! virus has resulted in 550 U.S. deaths, 8,800 hospitalizations and 1 million illnesses this year. About 80 percent of the deaths were among school-aged children.

   Rybicki informed ISAL members of Columbia Prep's policy in a recent e-mail, emphasizing that in no way should it be construed as a sign of disrespect.

   Lights out: Been meaning to get to this story all week and haven't had a chance until now, but The Times Union wrote about football starting times being moved to the day time as a way to avoid the expense of turning on the stadium lights.

   The decision -- which also applies to other outdoor sports -- by Bethlehem officials has some people upset. "I hate it," running back Casiem Maxwell said. "High school football is all about Friday night lights."

   Administrators say they didn't have much of a choice. Projected savings for the school year, including the need for less security at day games, is about $10,000. Superintendent Michael D. Tebbano said the alternative would have been to scale back or shut down some modified sports.

   In all, the district had to cut $60,000 from the sports budget for the current school year as part of a $2 million hit that the district as a whole took.