Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 89

ooner comeback shells Cornh usliers BULLDOG -J 11UJJC1 13U1I, Oklahoma in 17-14 win Roadrunners dump Texans By FRANK GIANELLI mmmm I- If turkeys could escape chopping blocks nimbly as the Phoenix Roadrunners, the menu yesterday would have been fish chowder instead of torn 'n trimmings. Down 3-1 to Fort Worth after nearly two full periods of scrambling, the Runners drilled five straight points, three of them in three minutes, to turn back their Central League cousins, 6-3 Wednesday night at the Coliseum. Victory avenged a like loss in Texas earlier in the month, keeps the Runners the only Western League club with an unbeaten home record and Bestows the league leadership once more, by a point over idle Seattle. Murray Heatley double goaled again to lead Phoenix scoring and the Birds got singles from Wayne Hicks, Leo Thiffault, Brent Meeke and an empty-net game closer by Wayne Clairmont. And if coach Sandy Hucul needs any addendums to today's blessings, he might laud: A great night in the nets by goalie Gary Simmons, making 26 stops; Standout production by Howie Young, shelving his power play and penalty killing role when John Barlow was injured in the first period, paying brilliantly on defense and earning No.

1 game star honors; Meeke's goal with 52 seconds left in the second period the point that closed Fort Worth's lead to 3-2 and brought the Runners back rejuvenated for the fire-fall third. "We made some mistakes in the second period," observed Hucul, recalling the three unanswered points Fort Worth managed in the game's middle minutes. "And their goalie Andy Brown nearly turned the game around." That Brown did facing a barrage of 43 Phoenix shots and letting only five go by. Heatley scored the game opener at 2:57. And then the Runners were stoned until Meeke slid in a shot off Brown's skate at 19:08 of the second.

Thiffaut's at 6:49 of the third was a close-in punch rebound of a Young point shot; Hicks broke in solo at 8:11 with such a slick feint Brown was left flopping looking for socks, underwear and a pivot tooth. That was the game winner. Heatley's second at 8:11, following a Bob Barlow feed through a mob, was frosting third goal nine seconds short of three minutes. The night was remarkably free of penalty calls, just nine with Phoenix getting five of those and yielding it's 28th power play goal by Larry Giroux for Fort Worth's opener. Dan Gruen goaled 40 seconds into the second period and Bob Collyard at 8:30.

But that was all for the Wings, including bottling of touted Ralph Stewart who had 16 goals coming into the match. Stewart had two assists, though, to boost his statistics to 27 points in 17 matches. Associated Press LINCOLN, Neb. Quarterback Dave Robertson unleashed a passing attack to rally Oklahoma to a pair of a catchup touchdowns yesterday and Rick Fulcher booted the go-ahead 41-yard field goal for a 17-14 triumph over Nebraska in a titanic defensive struggle between Big Eight football rivals. Fifth-ranked Nebraska had turned a pair of fumbles into scoring drives and pulled ahead 14-0 in the third quarter.

The victory put Oklahoma, 9-1 for the season and 5-1 in the conference, in reach of its first Big Eight crown since 1968. A victory over cross-state rival Oklahoma State in next week's finale would clinch the crown. Nebraska, which could back into its fourth straight league title should Oklahoma State win, goes into an Orange Bowl date against Notre Dame with an 8-2-1 mark, 5-1-1 in the Big Eight. Robertson's passes, after Oklahoma's nationally top-ranked rushing offense was held in check, sparked a 76-yard drive in 11 plays for Oklahoma's first touchdown. His 22-yard pass to freshman Tinker Owens in a subsequent 36-yard drive was a key play in the march that tied the score.

A fumble by quarterback Dave Humm with the count tied at 14-14 set up the winning field goal. Oklahoma's Derland Moore recovered on Nebraska's 27 and four plays later, Fulcher, who had missed on two earlier field goal tries, split the uprights. It was the final home stand appearance as head coach for Nebraska's Bob Devaney, the nation's winningest long-term mentor, and it appeared the Husk-ers would present him with his 101st Nebraska win. But the fourth-ranked Sooners were not to be denied. Robertson used passes to Owens and Albert Chandler to cover 67 of the 76 yards needed for the first Sonner touchdown.

The second Oklahoma TD drive was aided by a pass interference call on Nebraska in the end zone which gave Oklahoma a first down on Nebraska's one. For Oklahoma, the victory avenged a 35-31 loss to Nebraska just a year ago in Associated Press Lion Steve Owens leaps over Jets' defense in 33-yard run to New York's 20-yard line in first quarter of Thanksgiving Day game. New York's Mike Tay- lor (50) and Phil Wise (27) are down. Owens was injured with two minutes left in second quarter. (Story, Page 2-D.) The Arizona.

Republic I'riilay, 21. 1972 (Swlkin I Miller explains role in refusing television EOT1 In el mumc career due Holclen with and our own athletic future. "It's not fair to the fans to sell them tickets up to a couple of days before game time, then announce the game is being televised. When we switched our game with Air Force to afternoon TV this year we gave ample warning and refunded money to those who wanted it." ore records to do lolden night in Tucson with a chance ception, appears about to establ- isM record with a career Arizona State athletic director Fred Miller doesn't mind that ASU is the favorite for tomorrow's big football battle with rival Arizona, but he does resent the "heavy" in accompanying squabble over television. Miller and A-State assumed the bad guy role Wednesday when they exercised their option and nixed live home television of the Western Athletic Conference title clash after the UofA had received bids.

KTAR-TV in Phoenix reportedly submitted the most favorable bid, and Miller admitted yesterday part of his reason for refusing approval was to protect KOOL, which has a contract to broadcast and televise ASU games. "Arizona State has come out of this thing looking like the bad guy," Miller said yesterday, "but actually it's a matter of ethics and we took the most ethical action." "We turned down the TV for what we feel are three valid reasons in terms of the fans, the broadcast people we deal By BOH EGER TEMPE There seems to be an endless procession of super receivers at Arizona Slate University and the debate may never end as to which is or was the best. One of the best, and probably the most explosive, is about to close out a brilliant ASU career. That would be Steve llolden. The senior Sun Devil wingback makes his final regular season appearance against Arizona's Wildcats tomorrow also felt we had an obligation to KOOL.

They've given us the best radio-TV package in the history of the WAC and under terms of our contract they were entitled to televise the game if both schools agreed. UofA didn't agree, since they obviously wanted to make some money out of the deal themselves." "Another factor, and I feel this is very Continued on Page D-2 IUI- Hjin mim: MM maiiiiin the game between the undefeated teams. This time, scores came tougher for both teams. Nebraska capitalized on Keith Pope's fumble of a Nebraska punt to stage its first scoring drive, capped by a 14-yard TD scamper by Bill Olds. Quarterback Dave Humm appeared to have added another 43-yard touchdown on a pass to Johnny Rodgers late in the first half, but Rodgers had stepped out of bounds.

some serious record breaking. II won't be easy, however, with an America defensive back named Jackie Wallace keeping close watch on him. llolden broke a season record which he had shared with J. D. Hill when he snagged his 11th touchdown pass of the season last week against San Jose State.

One more touchdown reception and he'll break the career record which he and Hill own at 21. Hill, now one of the National Football League's top receivers at Buffalo, needed 115 receptions to score his 21 touchdowns. llolden 's 21 scores have come on only 69 catches meaning he scores a touchdown roughly every third time he catches the ball. And while Hill, a pretty explosive fellow himself, averaged 16.4 yards per re average now at 19.8. There seems little doubt that Ilolde.n would have threatened Hill's school record 115 career receptions if he had not come along at.

a time when ASU was re-emphasizing the ground pass. at a time when the passes were being passed around. Joe Petty, ASU's resident tight end, for instance, merely has 80 career receptions. That's eleven more than llolden and good enough to rank Petty sixth on ASU's all-time list. Holden obviously is getting all revved up about the chance to play against one of the nation's top defensive backs, Wallace, right? "Navv," says Holden.

"I treat all defensive backs the same. I can't be Continued on Page I)-3 17 OKLAHOMA NEBRASKA Nebr Olds 14 run (Sanger kick) Nebr Goeller 1 run (Sanger kick) Okla Washington 1 run (Fulcher kick) Okla Burget 1 run (Fulcher kick) Ckla-FG Fulcher 41 Barlow magic Nebraska 12 40-77 104 7 10-33-3 11-3? 3-3 l- Oklahoma 15 60-Ml 186 34 10-M-O 9-36 4-4. 0 First downs Rushes-yards Passing vards Return yards Passes Punls Fumbles-lost Penalties-yards here is evcryw Ew afTTTF a A L. 1 rTrtM- Runners host Bucks tonight By FRANK GIANELLI The Roadrunners "see red" again tonight. And that's good and bad.

After blunting red-shirted Fort Worth, 6-3, Wednesday night, at the Coliseum, the hockey locals take on Portland's red-suited pests at 8 tonight at the Coliseum with stakes and hopes high. Phoenix is only team in the Western league with a clean home record 5 wins and a tie out of the six played. And with four road wins and a tie to accompany, the Runners keep in the thick of the scrap for first. The Bucks came in to continue a series tied at a match each Phoenix won the season opener here 3-1, and Portland won at home, 5-3. Top scorers in the series, with three points each, are Art Jones and Ken Campbell of the Bucks and defenseman Howie Young of Phoenix.

All have been getting better. Jones, Western League scoring champ the past five years, got only eight points in his first 11 games. Then he exploded for seven in two matches and started the week the team's top producer. Roadrunner Young has been on the ascent, too. Relegated to a penalty kill- ing and power play role.

Young came back into fulltime shifts Wednesday when defenseman John Barber was injured early. And his noteworthy play earned him No. 1 game honors. The series with Portland has always been one of the Runners' hottest equaling the spectacular that occurs when the Birds play San Diego. Portland always has been a spoiler.

Only this year status is reversed Phoenix goes in a lead scrambler, Portland is buried in the cellar. SOME HEAD SHRINKER could crop a best seller capturing the positive thinking philosophy of Roadrunner hockey livewire Bob Barlow 37 years young and making kids in the Western Hockey League wonder whether its Geri-tol or "bennies" he sprinkles on his morning cereal. Whatever, the touch is magic. Barlow's known as a "blah" because of his seady line of chatter, or "Greybeard," a tagline picked up this year in respect for savvy rather than derision of age. On the bus it's Barlow's voice above all the chatter, stimulating, rapier wit, raucously funny On the street he'll holler half a block notifying buddies of the best "sales" around town, and is leader style-setting leather jackets, floppy pants, Buster Brown-toed shoes At the meal table a serious, intelligent Barlow counsels on such things as conditions, pensions, game strategy.

And on ice a romping terror. If youngsters of the league gave of themselves as sincerely, the Western circuit could levitate to National League class. Boldness he's alway had. And brash-ness. One of the funnier Barlow blips stems from his breakin as a NHL rookie with Minnesota after 14 years' plugging in the minors.

It was opening game of the season, 1 Sports today RADIO 3 2 WHL Hockey-Portland at Phoe- I nix, KTAR 8 p.m. Barlow was sent onto the ice in the first minute and he scored off his first shot. With customary verve, Barlow dove into the net, grabbed the puck, skated back to the bench and flipped the puck at coach Wren Blair. "What the hell is so hard about this league?" he chuckled. "It took me 14 years to gel here and only six seconds to score G-STKINGS (don't cover much! Remember Maurie Swanberg, colorful scrapper who etched a good record in amateur and pro boxing here from 1958 through '62 He's just purchased "Ye English Inn" at Hollister, after being associated with Chippewa Hotel on Mackinac Island, the past 14 years: started as bellboy and worked up to assistant manager.

Swanberg is associating with Dick Whitehead, manager of Queen City Boxing Enterprises, to develop a boxing team in the Tri-lakes area An article here on wristwrestling championships drew reply from Jack Homel who notes he's originator of the contests as they are run today and held the title 25 years. Homel makes his home at Lake Havasu City, is affiliated with the L. A. Dodgers, and hopes to set up an Arizona contest that would establish a state champ to enter the Petalu-ma, world title meet. You listening Jon Cole? Looking forward to that Dec.

27 hockey match with the Russian National Team, Roadrunner coach Sandy Hucul notes "I saw them play Team Canada in Vancouver and the Russians are an excellent conditioned team. They know where they're going on the ice and don't make to many mistakes Sort of the way Huck has his Runners tramping the past couple of games AueclaM Prtu Oklahoma won the game, 17-14, with second half tcr action in yesterday's game at Lincoln Neb. Okla homa won the game, 17-14, with second half rally. Jerry List (85) of Nebraska carries the ball as Dave Smith (44) of Oklahoma closes in during first quarter action in yesterday's game at Lincoln, Neb..