The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 11

roa 1 html 8 The Courier-Journal, Thursday morning, September 9, 1982 PORTS JJsa BflM Will I-AA numbers hamper Eastern's playoff bid? The 12-team playoff field allows byes for the four seeds and features three rounds of games culminating in the Pioneer Bowl in Wichita Falls, Texas, on Dec. 19. Along with the Big Sky, which has had the last two national champions, the OVC has been the dominant I-AA football conference. Eastern's record over that five-year period has been the division's most successful. But the inclusion of the Southern and Southland confer- See EASTERN PAGE 10, col.

3, this section Eastern has been the dog that got to the gravy dish first. But now, with plenty of big dogs in the same kennel, the question is whether the Colonels still can get in their licks. Since Eastern lost to Idaho State in the Pioneer Bowl last December, NCAA I-AA membership has nearly doubled from 50 to 93. That would seem to make winning national championships twice as tough, except that some of the new members face periods of adjustment. The adjustments include cutting back football scholarships from the Division I-A maximum of 95 to the I- or Murray can guarantee itself a berth with an OVC title.

Now an independent. Western will have to get one of the two bids guaranteed to the independent schools or one of the three at-large berths. There are 21 independents within the I-AA The NCAA reclassifications dropped five conferences out of I-A, but only the Southern and Southland received automatic I-AA berths for their champions. The OVC, Big Sky, Yankee, Southwestern Athletic and Mid-Eastern Atlantic will retain their automatic bids. AA maximum of 75.

For the colleges who were not at the I-A maximum, the slice will be quicker and less painful but in some cases not possible by the 1982 playoffs. A school is ineligible for the playoffs if it has more than 75 players on football scholarships. Other schools dropped in classification have chosen not to participate in the playoffs. The Ivy League refuses to send any of its teams, saying it would cost players too many hours of study time. The rugged Mid-American Conference also isn't interested in the 1982 playoffs.

The MAC is under contract to the new California Bowl in Fresno to match its champion against that of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association. "We have a contract for five years," MAC commissioner Fred Jacoby said yesterday. Still, the MAC is eligible to send one of its other teams to the I-AA playoffs, which were expanded this year from eight to 12 teams. "But we elected not to," Jacoby said. That's good news for possible contenders Eastern, Murray State and Western Kentucky.

As members of the Ohio Valley Conference, Eastern Mandlikova spills Austin in Open; Lloyd stages rally By STAN SUTTON Courlar-Journal Staff Wrlttr Will Eastern Kentucky, the most successful football team in its division the past three seasons, suffer from overpopulation? When the Colonels won the national championship of NCAA Division I-AA schools in 1979, they were competing in a class with only 39 schools. When they finished second in 1980 the number of I-AA schools had increased to 46. Last year Eastern again was second, but there were 50 teams in competition. Schroeder knows risk but hopes to help UK By JOHN McGILL Couritr-Jeurnal Staff Wrlttr LEXINGTON, Ky. It was the spring of 1981, and if the flowers were.

in full bloom, so was Scott Schroeder. Full of himself, Schroeder was. The University 'of Kentucky's leading tackier as a sophomore the previous fall. Intelligent. Strong.

Effective. Getting better and better as spring football practice breezed by. "It was really becoming an incredibly fun game," Schroeder recalls. "When you get to that stage where you think you're one of the best around. Of all the qualities a good linebacker possesses, the greatest is a sixth sense, an ability to ignore an offense's deceits and sniff out its intention.

It helps, too, to have the agility and strength to construct rude detours once the route has been discovered. Schroeder was all of that quick with his reactions, heavy with his hitting until his knee twisted and popped out in UK's annual spring game. That was more than 16 months ago Scott Schroeder has not played a down since. "My leg," he says, "will never be the same." And yet, when UK opens its season Saturday at Kansas State, Schroeder will be wearing a helmet. It is no token appearance.

On crutches last season, withheld from practice last spring, Schroeder is suddenly listed third among the linebackers. UK's defensive scheme calls for only two, but Schroeder has been impressive enough to be named alongside actual starters Kevin McClelland and John Grimsley on the first team anyway. But why is he playing? His doctor advised against it. His parents advised against it. Some of the assistant coaches on Fran Curd's staff told him it wouldn't be the smart thing.

Even Schroeder, quoting "reverence for this knee," is mindful of the hazards. Ask him about his dreams of playing in the National Football League, and he tells you he has abandoned them. "I really wouldn't want to try and take the chance of crippling myself," he says. "It was so terrible not being able to walk, I just couldn't handle it. If it happened again and I was injured to such an extent that See UK'S PAGE 10, col.

5, this section R. W. Bret for Pacing It ViCv if --y i mi niiiiiiii in i imr-n-i Associated Prass NEW YORK Hana Mandlikova of Czechoslovakia stunned defending champion Tracy Austin and advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Open Tennis Championships yesterday, winning 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Mandlikova, seeded fifth in the tournament, meets No.

7 seed Pam Shriver, who upset Martina Navrati-lova, the world's top-ranked women's player, in the quarterfinals Tuesday. In another of yesterday's matches, five-time champion Chris Evert Lloyd roared from behind to defeat Bonnie Gadusek 4-6, 6-1, 6-0. Mandlikova and Lloyd joined fourth-seeded Andrea Jaeger and Shriver in the semifinals. Jaeger came from behind to eliminate amateur Gretchen Rush 3-6, 6-1, 6-0. She will take on Lloyd, who has reached the semifinals in each of the 12 years she has played in the U.S.

Open. When her match with Mandlilova began on Tuesday, Austin, the No. 3 seed, held a 5-4 lead in the first set when rain halted play. When play resumed yesterday, Austin won the 10th game and the first set. Mandlikova, 20, lost her serve in the first game of the second set but broke Austin back in the sixth game and went on to win the set.

Then, in the first game of the third set, Austin zoomed to a 0-40 lead before Mandlikova recovered to win the game. In the third game, Mandlikova saved a point with a tumbling return, forcing deuce, and went on to win the game. They exchanged service breaks in the next two games, but in the sixth tests are Tilghman (both 4-A teams) were the only two that wanted to play us." Glasgow is strong at the skilled positions, which is a pleasant surprise to Scotty Jones is another in the long list of outstanding quarterbacks at Glasgow. David Bailey has successfully made the move from split end to tailback, and Tony Wooten has been effective at split end. Jones, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound senior, has completed 15 of 30 passes, four for touchdowns.

Against E'town he hit on six of eight passes for 136 yards. Two went to Wooten for TDs, including a 75-yarder. "Jones runs well. He's got a strong arm, he's mechanically strong and Associated frs Tracy Austin in the U.S. Open yesterday.

Mandlikova, seeded fifth, won 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Hana Mandlikova of Czechoslovakia raised her arms in victory after defeating No. 3 seed game Mandlikova broke Austin again. Austin broke her again in the ninth game to stay alive. But a double fault in the next game doomed the teen-ager from Rolling Hills, Calif.

It was Mandllkova's second straight victory over Austin, who had beaten the Czech the first eight times they met. The streak ended in the French Open last June. "Two years ago I couldn't play this (baseline) game and I was serving and coming to the net," Mandlikova said. "But my game has a little bit of a change. I beat Chris from the baseline and Tracy twice from the baseline.

So I know that I can keep going from the baseline." The Czech said she was delighted when Shriver ousted Navratilova. "I beat Pam -twice," Mandlikova said, then cautioned: "She is very difficult to play, especially after (Tuesday). She has confidence now. It's going to be very tough, but I am looking forward to it. I prefer to play her than Martina." Mandlikova has been bothered by back problems, but in the final set she showed the speed, agility and powerful groundstrokes that helped her win the Australian Open in 1980 and the French Open in 1981.

She made the final of the U.S. Open in 1980 but lost to Lloyd. She played an all-around game, trading groundstrokes with Austin or coming to the net for put-away volleys. Austin's own back injury has cut down on her amount of play this year. She was forced to drop out of See MANDLIKOVA PAGE 10, col.

3, this section to come he's faster than Travis. He's definitely a (college) prospect," Meadows said. Bailey is averaging more than eight yards a carry after gaining 197 yards in 16 carries against Taylor County and 86 yards in 11 carries against E'town. "Bailey is shifty, has quick feet and good moves, and runs with strength inisde," Meadows said. "Against Bowling Green, we went to our fullbacks more.

Todd Childress and Jeff Buford gained more than 130 yards between them." Posting shutouts in two of the first See GLASGOW PAGE col. 4, this section CV- fx Glasgow is 3-0, but The scores have been impressive, but coach Coy Meadows says, "Scores don't mean On paper, however. Meadows' Glasgow Scotties football team looks as if it will rank among Kentucky's finest in Class AA this season. In three starts, Glasgow has beaten two AAA clubs, Taylor County 40-14 and Elizabethtown 37-0, and 4-A Bowling Green 27-0. Meadows said that this could be his best team in the three years he has coached at Glasgow.

His first team, led by All-State quarterback Scott Travis, went 1 1-2. Last year the Scotties were 7-4. "I don't know if we've played anybody yet," Meadows said yesterday. its biggest the next two games. Friday night, Glasgow visits Louisville to play Moore (0-2).

On Sept. 17, another road trip takes the Scotties to Corbin (0-2, but considered a strong title contender in AA). "I've seen Moore on film against Seneca and they're not bad," Meadows said. "They look explosive and they have some size in the offensive and defensive lines." The Glasgow-Moore game was set up after Moore dropped Martinsville, following a 61-7 loss to the Hoosier power last year. "Barren County dropped us and I called every AA school in the state," Meadows said.

"Moore and Paducah 1 1 1 appears in the swim Derby's top prize Ids TRc a i iv.av Bob White Courier-Journal high school writer "Bowling Green and E'town are both down. Taylor County was the best hitting team we've played. Either those teams aren't tough or we're better than I thought we were." Meadows may find out more in celebrated a win at Memphis, by jumping into a lake near the I8th green. Splish, splash. The Pacing Derby won't begin until around p.m.

Saturday because of what else? television. The Public Broadcasting System will carry the race live on 100 stations. Louisville Downs officials are especially pleased that their premier event will be televised in New York City for the first time. The Pacing Derby's purse of $312,220 makes it the richest harness race in Kentucky history but still leaves it far short of the biggest pot in the sport the $1.9 million Woodrow Wilson at The Meadow-lands, in New Jersey. Since the Wilson also is for 2-year-old pacers, Louisville Downs officials were hoping to get the winner for the Pacing Derby.

However, the handlers of this year's winer. Fortune Teller, decided to take their money and run or pace, if you will. He has been See PACING PAGE 10, col. 1, this section I t-HtA kAMM AX Too bad for R. W.

Bret that he'll have to compete Saturday night on the track at Louisville Downs instead of in its infield lake. After all, he's the most accomplished swimmer in the 12-horse field that will go after the winner's share of the fifth annual Kentucky Pacing Derby's record $312,220 His favorite stroke? "Dog paddle," said his groom, Lynn Gordon, smiling. She thought a moment. "Make that horse paddle," she said. "I don't want to call him a -dog." No wonder.

R. W. Bret was unbeaten until he suffered an injured leg earlier this summer. His trainer, Morris Stubbs, decided that swimming would be what, it would take to rehabilitate him, in time for the Pacing Derby. For about 22 weeks, the 2-year-old son of the great Bret Hanover swam daily at Castleview Farm near Lexington.

"Ifs a round pool with an island in the middle," said his groom. "First they spray 'em off and then walfem down a ramp into the j' Billy Reed Courier-Journal sports editor Which, at fifk, is difficult for a horse. "They start 'em off just a couple of minutes at a time," Stubbs said. "Since they're not used to it, it's pretty hard on 'em, But it was very natural- for this colt. I was surprised." Swimming apparently was good therapy for R.

W. Bret. He returned to the races last Saturday night at Louisville Downs and, while suffering his first loss, still finished a creditable second to Pacing Derby favorite Trim The Tree. If he comes back to upset Trim The Tree, maybe Stubbs should let him do a Jerry Pate and jump into the infield lake. It might be worth it if R.

W. Bret would get as much publicity as pro golfer Pate got last yearwhen he hi Staff Ptwto by Duratl Hall Jr. Pacing Derby. R. W.

Bret has also used rehabilitation; in a swimming pool to get ready. R. W. Bret, driven by Lynn Gordon, worked out in preparation for Saturday's Kentucky.