BRIEFLY : DRUCKENMILLER CHARGED.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

Jim Druckenmiller's already uncertain future with the San Francisco 49ers took a disturbing turn Friday when the backup quarterback was indicted on a rape charge. Druckenmiller denied the allegations.

The charge against Druckenmiller, a 1997 first-round pick out of Virginia Tech, comes at a time when his standing with the team is at a low. General manager Bill Walsh trashed his football skills two weeks ago and last week implied he would have been released by now but for salary-cap ramifications.

Druckenmiller took part Friday in the opening of the team's three-day mini-camp in Santa Clara and coach Steve Mariucci said he would be permitted to continue practicing with the team while the criminal case goes through the courts.

Druckenmiller is accused of assaulting a Virginia Tech student in early March when he returned to Blacksburg, Va., for a visit. The indictment was unsealed Friday by the order of a Montgomery County judge.

Following the team's workout, Druckenmiller declined to comment in any detail on the allegations.

Buffalo lost one of its top draft picks indefinitely when wide receiver Peerless Price injured his knee at the team's mini-camp. The second-round pick out of Tennessee twisted his knee and was taken to a hospital for an MRI.

Heath Shuler, released by New Orleans in February, has signed with Oakland. In 29 NFL games over four seasons, Shuler has thrown for 3,691 yards with 15 touchdowns and 33 interceptions.

TENNIS: France's Jerome Golmard knocked out top-seed and world No. 2-ranked Carlos Moya 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-0 to reach the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Open.

Golmard, ranked 25th in the world, meets ninth seed Marcelo Rios, who defeated Mark Philippoussis 6-2, 6-7 (2-7), 6-4.

After a 67-minute opening set, Golmard took charge and needed just 62 minutes to sweep the next two.

``I was always really on the ball today and I hurt him a lot with my backhand,'' Golmard said. ``I could choose my shot and my power.''

Second-seed Mary Pierce was ousted from the Egypt Classic in the quarterfinals by Romanian Irina Spiralea 6-4, 6-2.

MOTOR SPORTS: Ken Schrader won the pole for Sunday's DieHard 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway with a lap of 197.756 mph. Schrader also has the top qualifying spot for today's Busch Series race on the 2.66-mile, high-banked oval, the fastest track in NASCAR.

BOXING: Scores will be announced and posted after each round of tonight's nationally televised main event on Showtime between Sharmba Mitchell and challenger Reggie Green for the WBA super lightweight championship at the MCI Center in Washington. Scores from the other two title fights on the card will be disclosed after the fourth, eighth and final rounds.

Open scoring hasn't been used in boxing since the 1980s.

``We feel it's our responsibility and our duty to give the boxing public a choice,'' District of Columbia Boxing & Wrestling commissioner Michael Brown said. ``Let them see what happens. Let the fans decide. Let the boxers decide. That's who really should be the judges.''

Promoter Bob Arum was unsuccessful in getting Nevada boxing officials to allow open scoring on a trial basis.