The Anniston Star from Anniston, Alabama • Page 21

October 23, 1994 PagelB CHAMPS: Lady Gamecocks take the crown in own tournament. PACE 1 1 DASKETD ALL: An early look at Tide, Tigers, JSU, preps. PAGES 14 B-1 5 INSIDE College football NFL Outdoors 4B-9B "IPS 12B Auto racing 16B Sports Editor Ken Patterson, 236-1558, Ext. 331 Peter St. Storm delay Alabama vs.

Ole Miss Srcit3 gives Tide time to adjust, down Rebs ft More on Alabarna4B By Phillip Tutor Star Sports Writer JSU deserves to celebrate Scort: No. 8 Alabama 21 Ole Miss 1 0. Key playa: Jay Barker's 2-yard touchdown run that gave the Tide rts first lead. Quote: "Wowl IVe never seen anything like it. It was crazy." Alabama's John Walters.

Records: Alabama is 8-0, 5-0 SEC. Ole Miss is 2-5, 1-5 Next up: Alabama is off, but travels to LSU Nov. 5. Ole Miss hosts LSU. TUSCALOOSA Alabama needed a jump-start, something that would spark the Crimson Tide from the first-half doldrums that we've all come to expect.

Ah interception would have been nice. A long touchdown pass would have worked A fumble recovery would have been perfect. But an electrical, storm? An honest-to-goodness, run-for-cover deluge that sent National feather Service warnings throughout western Alabama? In the Tide's case, anything will work. Even a dangerous gift from Mother Nature. "It came at a good time," linebacker John Walters said Saturday, just after Alabama's 21-10 win over Ole Miss here at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

"They had the momentum. It kinda gave us a halftime in the middle of the second quarter." OK, enough with the foolishness. There was little funny about Saturday's storm, even though it did give eighth-ranked Alabama (8-0, 5-0 SEC) time to catch its breath and avoid a quirky upset. The storm, which caused a 26-minute delay, sent one ABC television cameraman to a Tuscaloosa hospital and scared another ABC worker and Ole Miss linebackers coach Mike Grant who each received electrical shocks from nearby lightning bolts. "I'm from Iowa and Nebraska," said Alabama offensive coordinator Homer Smith, "so I know how important it is to head to the barn." Said defensive tackle Shannon Brown, "Anytime you get lightning bolts out of the sky and guys with metal face masks on, it's time to get the hell off the field.

It's nothing to fool around with. I just thought they should have done it sooner. Bill WllsonTIM AnnlMon Star See Alabama4B Alabama running back touchdown in third quarter against Ole Miss. One to rememlber Sherman Williams scores JSU upsets ft More on JSU5B By Tim Hathcock Star Sport Writer 7 71: ev iw m- I VP, -w r5T. MONROE, La.

Finally, when the last wild seconds had slipped off ihe scoreboard, and the ball and the game and two season's frustration rested harmlessly in the mud, the Jacksonville State Gamecocks began to yell. Chuck Robinson high-stepped toward the sidelines and screamed "Jacksonville! Jacksonville, baby!" Jason Reynolds screamed, too, and he held his arms open wide, almost as if he was trying to show how big this really was. "It's celebration time!" he shouted. "Baby, it's celebration time!" Finally, it really is. Here, in the slop that used to' be a football field, the Gamecocks beat Northeast Louisiana 32-28 on Saturday night.

They beat a team that is just finding its tooting in Divisionl-A football, but what they really beat was a great Division l-AA program. It was the second biggest football win in the history of Jacksonville State, behind the 1992 national championship, but it was the biggest win for the new JSU, the one that is moving to Division l-AA itself, the one that has come close and closer to high-level Division I-AA teams, but never could quite kiss glory on the lips. "We have done that all year long," JSU coach Bill Burgess said. We got down wheYe we couldn make those one or two plays to win those close ballgames." This is what happened against Sam Houston State in the opening game of the season, what happened against McNeese State the next weekend and Western Kentucky last weekend. Each time, the Gamecocks were as close as body hair to their opponents, but in the end they would succumb.

On Saturday, there were so many times the same could have happened: In the first half, when the NE Lousiana offense skipped through JSU's defense like recess tag. Or in the third quarter, when Northeast had the ball and an eight-point lead and seemed ready to tuck the game away. Or in the final minutes, when Northeast was driv ing with the clock and score on their side. But each time, Jacksonville State dodged disaster. For most of the first half, JSU scored touchdown for touchdown with Northeast.

In the third quarter, when the Jax State offense stalled some, the defense stopped Northeast on two consecutive possessions, buying more time and more life. And in the final minutes, the defense held once more, turning a clinching Northeast drive into a field goal attempt that sailed wide right. "Before, we'd always find a way to lose a ballgame, senior Mon-dreco Blair said. "Every time we got close, we would do something wrong. We never knew we could do And now? "Now we know." This time, on that last desperate JSU drive, they showed it.

There was a cocky Tracy Pilot, calling for noise from the Northeast crowd on a fourth-and-14, then sliding on his rump in the muck to make a first-down catch. There was Jermelle Pruitt, cooly finding the hole for a first down to the Northeast 10-yard line, then doing the same thing again almost routinely for the winning touchdown. There was all the confidence JSU had tried to grab a fistful of this season, but had missed again and again. Now they have it in their hands. "We have to carry it over," Burgess said.

"If we don't carry that over, it was just great here and the eight-hour bus ride home. We have to carry it all the way through." But first, they can enjoy it a little more. And they did. They hugged and the jumped around and flopped in the mud like little boys. And when they finally ran to the locker room, free safety Tim Sud-duth held his finger to the sky, but not just to say "No.

1." and it was too true. The Gamecocks had beaten a Division I-A team. They had beaten what used to be a great I-AA football program. Now they know they can do it. faw they know how good they can be.

WW Jacksonville State quarterback Chuck Robinson slips between two Northeastern Lousiana de-fenders Saturday. The winforJSUwasthe biggest since the Gamecocks won the Division II national championship in 1992. Annltton Star Life on TV helps Auburn Win over Florida eases recruiting By Erin Harvego Star Sports Writer AUBURN Auburn's win last week over then-No. 1 ranked Florida will help the Tigers recruit players for next year, say Auburn's coaches. In 1995.

the Tieers will need all the help they can get. The team will lose several kev olavers from this year's due to graduation. Recruiting coordinator Rodney Oarner said the defensive line, which will lose five olavers. is the first priority. The Tigers lose both starting defensive ends, Willie Whitehead and Alonzo Ftheridoe! hnth stariino tarlrlpc C.arv Wolkor and Mike Pelton; and the No.

1 backup, Ramon Luster. The second orioritv is defensive backs which will lose four players, including Chris Shelling and Fred Smith. The Tigers are also looking for wide receivers since both starters, Thomas Bailey and Frank Sanders, will not be back. Garner said he is also looking for a return specialist and hopes to recruit one who is either a wide receiver or a defensive back. It is a tall order to fill, but heatino a No.

1 team on national television makes the job easier. I think it will (make recmitine easier)." said' head coach Ten-v Bowden. "Because of the impact of the game. Not necessarily because of what (recruits) think of us. hut what everyone thinks of Florida.

I tmnKs it going to be a big plus." Garner cautions one win will not make a big difference in the level of recruits Auburn signs. He said he still approaches recruiting as if the Tigers were 0-7, rather than 7-0. We are a long way away from See Auburn8B Pate tournament I What: The Jerry Pate National Inter collegiate golf tournament. I When: Monday and Tuesday. Tee times begin at 7:1 6 each morning.

Thirty-six holes will be played on Monday, 18 holes on Tuesday. I Where: Shoal Creek Country Club In Birmingham. Who: The field Includes host Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia Tech, Nevada-Las Vegas, Oklahoma State, Texas, Stanford and Wake Forest. Among those is Stanford freshman Tiger Woods who made history this past summer as the youngest player to win the U.S. Amateur.

Ticket: Admission Is $10 for the general public. Tickets can be purchased at Shoal Creek. Students can enter for $5 with an ID. High school golf team members we admitted free If wearing the golf team's uniform shirt. Division I Northeast Louisiana, 32-28 vs.

NE Louisiana celebration amid the 17,101 shocked fans here in the muck and mire of Malone Stadium. Jax State tight end Rick Schomburg left the field screaming, feeling like he had just won the Super Bowl. Backup kicker Scott Brooks grabbed pieces of the soggy turf to take with him for the ride home. Assistant coaches hugged each other with unabashed joy, some almost driven to tears. This was big.

"I've been trying to think when I've been more proud of a group, of young men," said Burgess. Perhaps he was as proud as when the Gamecocks claimed the 1992 Division II national championship, which Burgess still feels is his biggest win in 10 years as head coach. See JSU5B Jacksonville State 32, Northeast Louisiana play: J.J. Pruitt's 1 0-yard touchdown run with gave the Gamecocks the win. "It took me about 20 seconds to realize I had Jax State fullback J.

J. Pruitt. Jax State is 4-3. Northeast Louisiana is Jax State stays on the road, traveling to to take on Middle Tennessee Saturday. Northeast Louisiana is off a week playing al Brigham Young.

MONROE, La. Maybe Jacksonville State, should just skip the move to Division I-AA and go on to Division I. The Gamecocks, not yet officially a I-AA school, pulled off an improbable 32-28 win over Division I Northeast Louisiana here Saturday night. J.J. Pruitt ran 10 yards through the middle of the Northeast Louisiana line for the winning score with just 29 seconds left to give the Gamecocks the win.

"It took me about 20 seconds to realize what I had done," said Pruitt. What he had done was set off a wild Jax State Inside Pate enjoys bringing Sttv OroHTh Alcorn State's Steve McNalr, above, became the NCAA's career yardage leader with 15,049 yards to surpass the old mark set by Brigham Young's Ty Detmer, who had 14,665. McNair'i 649 yards Saturday also broke his own single-game record. See 9B. Mm: JSU Score: 28.

Key :29 left that Quote; done tt." Records: 1-7- Next up: Murfreesboro, State next before amateur golf to state Zeler: 420 yards Eric Zeler threw for 420 yards and two touchdowns to rally Georgia over Kentucky, 34-30; Texas extends streak Texas extended Its home wining streak to 25, the longest In the nation, and Its Southwest Conference winning streak to 26 games with a 7-0 win over Rice. Miami routs W. Virginia Miami ran Its winning streak over unranked teams to 68 with a 38-6 win over West Virginia. Colorado wins 11th straight Rashaan Salaam ran for 202 yards and two scores and Kordell Stewart had 127 yards and three TDs, leading Colorado to a 35-21 victory over Kansas State for their 11th straight win. Se college football roundupfPtgea 4m9B, got out of the car, Pate handed the valet a $5 tip for carrviris their 'Coach looked at me and said.

in his slow, deep drawl, 'Give him five remembers Pate. "I said, 'I gave him $5, And we're talking a $5 tip in 1974. He says, 'I said, give him five So I gave the guy five more dollars. "We walked on up the stairs, and coach Bryant said, "He may not know you, but he knows me. Well, I thought about it for a minute and decided he was probably right.

"Then Coach Bryant put his arm around me and his arm was like a big piece of pulpwood big and heavy and he said, 'Let me tell you something. In your life, you are See Pate1 3B Phenom Tiger Woods scheduled to play 8pecial to The 8lar TUSCALOOSA The greatest teacher in collegiate football didn't limit his lessons to just one arena. Alabama football legend Paul "Bear" Bryant taufeht Jerry Pate, 1975 Masters and U.S. Open winner, a lesson in life the golfing legend will never forget. Bryant taught Pate, who learned to play iEolf in Anniston, the importance of ooking out for others.

Not long after Pate, who played golf at the University of Alabama, had won the U.S. Amateur in 1974, he flew to New York with Bryant to attend a banquet. When the pair iAeB4VriSslM .0 iii i a issW asSs 4 A i- -ft1 rS i i ijj. lift 1 1 jw a I'.