The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • Page 28

THE DAILY OKLAHOMAN 28 Wednesday, May 4, 1994 Arena Team's Coach Predicts Strong Debut Season homa ties. Quarterback Todd Hammel, a Durant native, is challenging NFL veteran Kyle Mackey for a starting role. Robert Kirk-sey, a former Oklahoma State wideout, is with Fort Worth after playing for Dallas last season. And former UCO end Ira Richards is expected to join the team this week. "I'll bring all 30 players to Oklahoma City, then after two weeks of preseason, I'll cut it to 23," Trigg said.

"We're not going to be overcomplicated this season. We're just going to try and outhorse the other teams. We'll do well." Kickoff on Friday is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. Tickets are on sale the the Myriad box office and any metro Sight 'n Sound location. Reserved seats are $20, $15 and $12.

"We found some really good players, but the drawback is that the (bigger leagues) also share the same interest in the people we've been signing. "We've had a fair amount of turnover already. We've been losing athletes we anticipated on coming to camp. They were quality athletes the kind we were hoping to help take us to the level of championship, "But that is the nature of this game," he said. "(AFL) is used as a springboard for guys to go to the next level.

When you search on the edge and find the guy who is just out of the NFL or CFL, you are susceptible to losing them but that's the quality of player it's going to take to win." Training camp began last weekend at Tarrant County Convention Center. Trigg has 30 players in camp, some with Okla His playing career was followed by two seasons as an assistant at East Texas State, then three years as offensive coordinator for the AFL's now-defunct Dallas Texans. "Everyone on my staff has played and coached arena football. That is very unusual," Trigg said. "I have a younger staff, but everyone here understands the game.

That is important." Apparently, Trigg and his assistants attracted the type of players it takes to win in the snappy AFL. In fact, some so good that Canadian Football League and NFL scouts have already come-a-callin' and left with a few Cav players in tow. "We spent the last six months trying to find players that could fit in with what we want to do," said Trigg, at 28, the youngest head coach in professional football. By Scott Munn Staff Writer Michael Trigg could probably sell ice to an eskimo, a cherry pie to Sara Lee or hamburgers to a king, clown or red-headed girl with pigtails. Trigg really talks a good game.

So well in fact, that it is hard not to believe the expansion Fort Worth Cavalry will be a contender in the Arena Football League this season. He leaves the "ifs" and "buts" to other coaches in the indoor circuit, seven of which were unsuccessful at stopping Tampa Bav's quest for a second-straight league title a year ago. Trigg's club is one of three new members this season, and he says the Cavalry should pass on growing pains and enjoy the playoff pool this "That's the truth, too," said Trigg, whose Cavalry faces Tampa Bay in an exhibition game Friday in the Myriad. "Something I've been able to do in my six years in arena football is to get a grasp on what needs to be done to get a team ready. "A lot of times, when a coach is hired from the outside, he comes in not really understanding the (AFL) game.

He has to acclimate himself to the game. "I've committed my life to arena football. Plus, I've had the opportunity to study under some of the best coaches in the league." Trigg talks like a winner because he has been a winner in the AFL. The former East Texas State University star quarter-backed the high-scoring Detroit Drive to Arena Bowl championships in 1989 and '90. Cowboys Ink QB Peete As Backup For Aikman NFL Notes The Associated Press IRVING.

Texas Rodney Peete. a part-time starter for Detroit for the past four years, signed a one-vear contract Wednesday with the Dallas Cowboys, filling a vacancy created when backup quarterback Bernie Kosar went to the Miami Dolphins. Peete accepted a one-year, $575,000 contract that includes a $125,000 signing bonus. Peete. who will back up Troy Aikman, was drafted in the sixth round in 1989 out of Southern California.

He was a college rival of Aikman, who played for UCLA, but said last week, "I know my place with the Cowboys. It would be as insurance for Troy." Peete started 47 games for the Lions. He was 489 Tor 873 attempts and 6,494 yards. Dallas has a third quarterback, Jason Garrett, who started one game last year when Aikman was injured. Johnson Joins HBO Crew Jimmy Johnson added HBO to his growing television football duties, yet still left open the possibility of returning to the NFL as a coach.

"If the situation's right," he said of coaching again. "But it's got to be right." Two weeks after joining Fox Sports as an NFL analyst, Johnson, who coached the Dallas Cowboys to the last two Super Bowl titles, was added to the team for HBO's long-running series "Inside The NFL" where he joins Len Dawson, Nick Buoniconti and Cris Collinsworth. Ross Greenburg, HBO Sports executive producer, said the one-year contract would not keep Johnson from returning to the sidelines. Rams Serve Notice ANAHEIM, Calif. As expected, the Los Angeles Rams delivered a notice of termination of their 30-year lease to the city of Anaheim, along with a required $2 million deposit.

Executive vice president John Shaw assured city officials that the Rams will play all of their 1994 home games at Anaheim Stadium, and once again confirmed that no decision has been made to leave Anaheim Stadium. "We will continue to work with them in the coming months to identify contractual issues and resolve them in a manner that will satisfy both sides," Shaw said. AP Pholo Former Detroit Lions quarterback Rodney Peete, left, signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday to back up Troy Aikman. Karsten Creek- that. "But it's going to be a fun golf course to play, especially for good players." The greens may be relatively flat, but not necessarily level, and most of them have run-up possibilities.

In many ways it's a traditional course in the style of Southern Hills, a Perry Maxwell design that will host the PGA Championship in August. Donors will get first crack at the course later this week, and it will open for public play was asked how he would describe Karsten Creek to other pros on the Tour. "I'd tell them it's a great golf course, they would enjoy playing it," said Edwards. "It's a playable golf course but very challenging, without any tricks. You can see the trouble, you can see where you want to go on the golf course.

"The greens are relatively flat, there aren't any real tricks to them, but they're going to be firm and fast most of the time, and it's certainly going to have a degree of difficulty because of large ravine into the prevailing wind. It's completely tree-lined, and shots that play off an inviting hill to the right of the green will sometimes trickle onto the green but other times bound across the green and into trouble on the left. Another interesting hole is the 600-yard, par-5, slight dogleg left No. 9. It's the longest on the course but will play downwind and downhill, the approach shot dramatically downhill to a small, guarded green.

Edwards, who ranks 33rd on the PGA money list this season, acre lake. Even the cart paths, which are continuous, were hidden in the trees by architect Tom Fazio. The 17th is a 467-yard par-4 headed into the prevailing, south wind. It's the No. 1 handicap hole.

No. 18 is a 530-yard par-5, with a drive over water but a second shot downwind. "After taking a 6 on No. 17, you can get something back on the 18th," said head pro Tom Jones. The signature hole may be the 218-yard, par-3 No.

11, which plays down the channel of a From Page 23 has been raising funds donors put up $150,000 per hole for more than a decade, finally getting over the top through the help of Ping-producer Karsten Solheim and family. The course offers some spectacular views, and has so many trees and hills that, with few exceptions, the only hole you see is the one you're playing. On only three holes Nos. 16, 17 and 18 will other holes be visible, and that's only because those three circumvent a 100- Bulldogs Hand Swan Song To Norman By Murray Evans Staff Writer EDMOND All season long, Edmond Memorial boys soccer coach J.B. Belzer had asked senior forward Matt Swanson to score a big goal.

Swanson answered the call on Tuesday night. Swanson's first-half 20-yard bender into the net gave the sixth-ranked Bulldogs a 1-0 victory over archrival Norman in a first-round Class 5A playoff game before about 400 fans at the Edmond Soccer Complex. Three other playoff games were also played on mud-packed fields at the ESC on Tuesday. Edmond Memorial's sixth-ranked girls routed Yukon 12-0, and on another field, both Edmond North's girls and boys were first-round Class 4A winners. High School Soccer The top-ranked Lady Huskies picked up five goals from Becky Atkinson and three more from Jae Eng to breeze past No.

9 Chickasha 8-1, and North's fifth-ranked boys cruised past No. 6 Carl Albert 6-1. Easily the most dramatic contest of the night, though, was the Edmond Memorial-Norman matchup. No. 5-ranked Norman beat the Bulldogs on penalty kicks in a classic 1993 semifinal contest, and had posted a 1-0 win over Memorial earlier this season.

This time, it was the Bulldogs' chance for some drama, thanks to Swanson and a rock-solid defense which has allowed just seven goals all season. "I've said all year that offense wins games and defense wins championships," Belzer said. "(Senior fullback) Scott Coody played an incredible game, and so did (junior fullback) Ryan Pack." Swanson's goal happened through sheer individual effort. He stole the ball just past mid-field, and raced down the right side. He juked two defenders and dribbled past two others before launching his shot.

It curved just inside the left post and just outside the reach of Norman goalkeeper Aaron Shockey. "I saw the curve on the ball, and I knew it would go in if Shockey didn't get to it," Belzer said. "It was brilliant placement. Two inches either way, and it wouldn't have gone in." The Bulldogs' defense then took over. Whenever Norman tried to make a ran, Coody, Pack and Mark Waner swept in to clear the ball away.

If they weren't there, Bulldog goalkeeper Matt Schwettman, who made five saves, was. Norman managed just eight shots on goal and never attempted a corner kick. Edmond Memorial attempted 15 shots. The Tigers' best second-half opportunity came in the 71st minute, when a Bulldog foul resulted in a free kick for Norman from about 25 yards. The kick by Kyle Russ was strong, but low, and it was deflected by the Bulldogs' defensive wall.

The loss ended Norman's season at 10-3, and gave the Tigers their first two-game losing streak since 1992. Edmond Memorial (7-3-3) will host No. 2-ranked, 11-0-2 Putnam North, a 5-0 winner over Midwest City, on Friday night in a quarterfinal game. Putnam North won a regular-season game over the Bulldogs 2-0. Memorial's girls (10-2-1) picked up four goals and four assists from senior Michelle Anaman in their win over Yukon (3-6-2).

Sunshine Hol-man and Smith each added two goals and two assists for the Lady Bulldogs, who will play No, 5 Westmoore in the quarterfinals. Westmoore knocked off Edmond Memorial 4-3 on April 15. Edmond North's girls remained unbeaten at 11-0-2 by downing outmanned Chickasha (5-3-1). North outshot tlie Lady Chicks 48-4, but only led 1-0 the first 30 minutes. The Lady Huskies then scored three times in a 90-second span to break open the game.

Eng completed her hat trick before halftime, malting it 5-0. Atkinson scored three times after halftime, raising her state-loading total to 34 goals. Christy Brown had Chickasha's only goal, which raised her season total to 27. North's boys outshot Carl Albert. 33-10.

Junior forward Stevio Daniels scored three of the Huskies' goals and assisted on two others. North, which win its sixth straight game after an 0-5 start, led the Titans only 2-1 at halftime before back-to-bnek goals by Daniels gave the Huskies some breathing room, A dramatic 5A boys game was played at Yukon, whore the soventh-rnnkod Millers edged archrival No, 12 Mustang 3-2 on penalty kicks. The teams battled through four overtimes tied before Yukon claimed a 4-3 edge during the penalty-kick shootout, In first-round Class 4A boys notion, Eric Marsh scored twice to load Noble over El Reno 3-0 Top-ranked Western Heights moved to 13-0 witli a 10 0 romp over Guthrie. Tory Gross hnd scored four goals for the Jots. Tour DuPont Edmond Schools Dominate Prep Golf contested over the par-71, South Lakes course in Jenks.

The defending champions are sophomore Stacy Ranibin and her Jenks teammates, who won regional titles last week. Mitzi Taylor of Edmond Memorial, Angie Hopkins of Stillwater and Jina Walker of Norman also led their teams to regional wins last week. The Class 4A tournament will bo played on the par-73, Lake Hefner South course in Oklahoma City. Tulsa Cascia Hall won last year, but did not qualify for this season's event, and individual winner Heather Bowie has graduated to Arizona State. In last week's region-als, Mandy Puckett of Cushing and Jina Wallace of Okmulgee led their teams to titles.

Seminole and Buffalo won the other two qualifiers, with Lisa Craig of McAlester and Carrie Chambers of Elk City winning the medals. Mac Bentlcy Edmond Memorial and Edmond North dominated high school regional golf tournaments Tuesday. The Memorial Bulldogs will bid for an unprecedented sixth consecutive state championship next week after sailing through a Class 5A regional at Kickingbird, winning by 33 strokes over runner-up Westmoore. Rick Leath's No. 1-ranked team had the top three individuals defending state champ Teddy Smith, who won a playoff for the medal over teammate Nathan Norris after both had 36-hole totals of 142, and Paul Brunner, who had a 145.

The North Huskies, in their first year of competition, rolled to a 44-stroke victory over runner-up Woodward in a Class 4A regional at Cedar Valley. Mike McGraw's No. 1-ranked team placed all five players among the top six individuals, the lone exception being defending 4A champion Jason Tannehill of McGuinness, who was in a three-way tie for fourth place. Chris James led North with a 71-71 142, followed by Bubba Hart at 73-73146. Eight regional tournaments were held Monday, the other eight being delayed until Tuesday because of thunderstorms.

Twelve teams, plus 12 individuals, qualified for the four state tournaments to bo held Monday and Tuesday. The Class 5A state meet will be at Westbury CC in Yukon, 4A will be at Cimarron National west or Guthrie, 3A will be at Firelake in Shawnee and 2A will be at Cushing CC. The 54-hole lournaments consist of 36 holes Monday and 18 on Tuesday. Girls Begin Slate Meets The girls will hold their state tournaments today and Thursday. The first groups tee off at 8 a.m.

at both sites both days. The Class 5A tournament will be Pair of Winners Highlight Field WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) For the first time in race history, the Tour DuPont will have two former winners in its field when Raul Alcala and Greg LeMond compete starting today in the $300,000 cycle race. Alcala, 30, Mexico, the defending champion, and LeMond, 32, the three-time Tour de France titlist from Medina, will be among the 112 riders who comprise 10 professional and six amateur squads. The 12-day, race, with cyclists from 19 countries, will start with a 2.98-mile prologue, or pre-race, that determines the overall leader for Thursday's 74-mile road race first stage from Dover to Wilmington.

Alcala, a superior climber and time trialist, battled reigning world road titlist Lance Armstrong of Austin, Texas, during several mountain stages last year. But in Greensboro, N.C., Alcala overwhelmed the field during the final-day time trial and won the race over Armstrong by 2 minutes, 26 seconds. Ironically, Alcala the former team leader of WordPerfect, signed a contract with Motorola last winter and is now Armstrong's teammate. Alcala also won the Tour DuPont in 1990, "It's most important for Motorola to win. But I came here to win, too," Alcala, a multiple top-10 Tour de France finisher, said Tuesday.

"I need a win for my motivation." LeMond will try to regain the prowess that catapulted him to the top of the sport in the late 1980s. Although he has a combined six Tour de France and World Championship titles, LeMond has had little success since ho won the Tour DuPont title two years ago. He rode strongly and finished eighth Sunday in the Union Grand Prix in Atlanta despite a cracked rear wheel late in the race. "The competition is a little bit tougher than when I won," said LeMond, whose Tour DuPont win was- his first U.S. stage race victory since 1985.

"I would like to do well, sure. But I will go for a stage win first, and then wait to see how the othors do." Pleas Agreed to in Kerrigan Case sault Kerrigan in order to the time would have been much shorter," Smith said. Earlier, Frink worked out plea bargains with Kerrigan's skating rival Tonya Harding and her ox-husband Jeff Gillooly. Eckarclt, Stant and Smith wore indicted March 21, They have confessed to their roles charges in the Jan, 0 attack on Kerrigan but pleaded innocent in order to onter plea negotiations. The talks havo boon going on since the indictments wore issued.

Eckardt, Glllooly's 310-pound longtime friend, helped set up the plot to as ing Tuesday. Frink and Abraham declined to reveal details of the agreement. Reached at his home, Smith confirmed the deal and said he was satisfied with it. "I'm happy that It's finally happened. It seems like it's been awhile but I think the charge is correct and I'm happy to be getting on with my life," Smith said.

He said ho folt the notoriety of the case increased the severity of the sentence. "Honestly, probably If it had boon someone who hadn't been in the limelight, PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -The remaining throe defendants in the attack on figure skater Nancy Kerrigan have worked out pica agreements. Sources told The Associated Press that Shawn ICck-ardt, Shane Stant and Dor-rick Smith will plead guilty to conspiracy to commit second-degree assault and would serve IB months in prison. Any fines will bo set by the judge.

Prosecutor Norm Frink and lawyers for the three defendants told Multnomah County Circuit Judge Philip Abraham about the deal in a telephone conference meet clear the way for Harding to win the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Stant was the hit man in the attack. He admits he struck Kerrigan above the right knee after she worked out in Detroit prior to the U.S. championships.

With Kerrigan knocked out of the event, Harding won the title and a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. Smith, Slant's uncle, served ns the go-between who funnoled money from Gillooly and Eckardt to his nephew and drove the getaway car..