The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 27

section i if. i IksIUoincs. Sttnbay ftccftstcr HU i I i i It Copyright 114, On Moines Register oa Trlftunt Company September 9, 1984 F. i. nn 57 Hp 1 FQQIl Harmon PHOTOS kj Long throws 4 TD passes; IIMBHliiL 1 vS I Vl "'-V' Iowa's Ronnie Harmon, after hauling in a Chuck Long pass, roars away from ISU's Perry Laures rims 86 BY DAVID PETERSON AND FRANK FOLWELL 3f i Harris also was UNI's No.

1 pass receiver, totaling 75 yards on eight catches. "I wouldn't have expected us to give up," Drake Coach Chuck Shelton said, "but we've got to play for more than 6 or 7 minutes. Miller made us look silly in the first half. We gave him too much time to throw." Gronowski started the 17-12 season-opening loss to Southwest Missouri State, but lost the No. 1 quarterback job to Ed Cheatham for this game.

However, he won it back Saturday after relieving Cheatham late in the third quarter. "It's obvious Ray has earned the starting spot back," said Shelton, whose team plays at Iowa State next Saturday. The Bulldogs struck with lightninglike swiftness in the final quarter, just as they opened a 7-0 lead on Cheatham's 86-yard touchdown pass to Kirk Abernathy with just 1 minute 24 seconds gone in the game. Tim Ray, a promising freshman tailback from Alva, burst 28 yards for a touchdown with 5:58 left in the game, then Gronowski ran for a NORTHERN IOWA iie rally It for score Turnovers handicap Iowa State Iowa overcomes early offensive shortcomings Statistics tsu 22 3-2 327 3 25-41-S 7-33 3-3 10-77 First downs Rushes-yards Passing yards Return yards, Passes Punts Fumbles-losl Penalties-yards 3-H7 2i 121' 23-U-2 4-J J-2 12-y SCORING leva Stale. 0 7 0 U-it 14 a i-tf.

IU Strobel 31 interception return (Nichoi kick IU Happel 15 past from Long (Nlcnol kick) a IU Smith 63 pass from Long (Nichoi IU Haves 3 pass from Long, (Nichoi kick). IU CM 3 run (Nichoi kick) IS Davis 1 pass from Esplnota (BachrodP kick) IU R.Harmon run (Nichoi kick) IU Harmon pass from Long (Nictvol ktckf IU FG 37 Nichoi IS Henderson 45 pass from Espinoza (Bach rodt kick) 4 IU Cotton 10 pass from K.Harmon (NichoW kick) IS Hanson 12 pass from Espinoia (Bachrodfc kick) By BOB DYER Register Staff Wrtter IOWA CITY, IA. With 4 minutes 27 seconds remaining in the second quarter Saturday, 10th-ranked Iowa-had managed only six first downs arwfl a minus three yards rushing against Iowa State. Yet despite those paltry statistics the Hawkeyes led, 35-0, in what turned out to be a 59-21 rout. That amazing second-quarter score is proof positive of the value of a strong and opportunistic defense, and Saturday the Hawkeyes' first-string defenders were about as fun to traverse as a swamp full of quicksand.

They certainly gave the inexperienced Cyclones a sinking feeling, forcing three first-half turnovers that led directly to touchdowns while giving their compadres on offense the type of field position quarterbacks dream about. When Cyclone starting quarterback Alan Hood wasn't wearing a couple of Hawkeyes for a necklace, he was watching helplessly usually from the prone position as an Iowa defender intercepted one of his rushed passes. Proud Of Defense "I was extremely proud of our defense early," Iowa Coach Hayden Fry said. "They knew what they had to do. They got the turnovers and established momentum for our offense." Iowa's offense sputtered at first against Iowa State's gambling defense, but eventually quarterback Chuck Long, wide receiver Robert Smith and tailback Ronnie Harmon burned the Cyclones for big plays.

Long completed 10 of 17 passes for 217 yards and four touchdowns, including scoring strikes of 68 yards to Harmon and 63 yards to Smith. In addition, Harmon raced 86 yards for a score, the fifth-longest touchdown in school history. A Kinnick Stadium crowd of 66,150, the second-largest in history, was restless as Iowa, a 24-point favorite, got off to a slow start against the aggressive Cyclones. Despite taking over at midf ield and their own 45- and 44-yard lines on their first three possessions, the Hawkeyes were unable to score. "We had a rocky start, but I expected that," Long said.

"Iowa State threw everything at us blitzes and stunts. We knew we would break one sooner or later. All we had to do was be patient." Iowa finally dented the scoreboard with 4:03 left in the first quarter, but it was the defense that produced the points. Tackle George Little whacked Hood as he released a pass and end Dave Strobel intercepted in the flat and coasted 38 yards for the touchdown. Strobel Was Shocked "I was kind of shocked," Strobel said.

"I dropped wide and the ball was there. After the first couple of steps I knew it was a touchdown. Tony Wancket (an injured Iowa defensive end) did the same thing against Iowa State two years ago." Once the dam finally broke, the scoring deluge began. Hood overshot Tracy Henderson on the next series, free safety Devon Mitchell tipped the ball and nickel back Ken Sims inserted in passing situations picked it off and ran 18 yards to the Iowa State 29. Soon after, Long evaded a rush and found wide receiver Bill Happel in the HAWKEYES Pleose turn to Page 4D -I.

What's next for Joe Hicks? In Chicago, Cub fans are asking about Joe Hicks the way college foot-bill crazies inquire about the latest hotshot recruit coming their way. "They look at The Sporting News, see those 37 home runs piled one atop another for the triple-A club here in Iowa and they start dreaming of Hicks-propelled baseballs caroming off Wave-load Avenue outside Wrigley Field. o'What about that Joe Hicks?" the Cut fans ask when they find a visitor from Des Moines in their midst. "Will he.be up here next year?" uJiVell, you try to explain, he deserves a chance, but it doesn't look good. The Cubs don't seem overly impressed with Joe Hicks and his Hot Licks.

If tfiey were impressed, they probably would have announced their plans to call him up when the I-Cubs' season is over. If such plans exist, the Cubs are keeping them a secret. you say. Might as well tell a group of toddlers that Santa exists in spirit only. not?" they persist (the Cub fans, not the toddlers).

"Joe has more homers and a better batting average than Carmelo Martinez had last year at Iowa, and Martinez is starting for the San Diego Padres now. And the Padres are in first place." Cub fans don't give up easily. r.But neither does Joe Hicks, and that's your ultimate response. Hicks is certain someone is watching; certain ror one can keep him down if he keeps it up. 'Thirty-seven homers aside, Hicks still has some convincing to do.

The hard truth is that he lost his prospect label last year when he suffered his worst year in organized baseball filling in for the charismatic Carmelo. JJThough Hicks is doing his best to regain his good name, he's still swimming against the current of that .238 batting average and those 80 strike-ftits in 244 at-bats. 2 "IT WAS a terrible year," Hicks Sjys. "The year before that, I hit .311 With 52 RBIs, but you don't move up as Esignated hitter for a National ague team in the minors. This Jfeir.with Martinez gone, I knew the Opportunity was there.

I told them if they give me a shot at first base, nobody will be able to take it away from OH" i He was right, and so was Iowa Man- Jim Napier, who saw Hicks unching the ball into the bright blue rizona horizon during spring training Qd allowed that, in his considered Sinion, the burly Hicks is good for 35 me runs if he plays every day. Talk gpout your more outlandish statements. Napier, understand, is a Joe Hicks ran; always has been, even during the lgid times. When Hicks found himself exiled to the Mexican League a few years ago, Napier was the man who (Brew him a lifeline. And last year, when the Cubs wanted to send Hicks to his baseball death at double-A Midland, Napier talked them out of it.

It was the same story last spring when Napier's discussions with the diicago higher-ups turned to the first tfase situation in Des Moines. Napier says, "They'd tell me, 'Well, at first base you'll have Tom Lombar-ski and Pete Mackanin and Don Wer-gr' and I'd say, 'Yeah, and Joe The Cub execs would smile politely, and Napier would scribble fijeks into the lineup; as it turned out, t5th indelible ink. JJAt 27, Joe Hicks is still crashing headlong into the waves though he was Iowa's most valuable player this though he hit 35 of his home runs ig June, July and August and was named Topps minor league player of USe month midway through that binge. JJHe can play a decent first base and he, can steal a base when the pitcher forgets he's over there. Eleven stolen bjses in 15 attempts isn't bad for a guy JJio stands 6 feet, weighs 215 pounds and looks more like Harmon Kille- brew than Bob Dernier.

JbUT DESPITE all that; despi te his home run power and his 89 RBIs, Joe H)cks has never seen a day in the ma-jdj-s, and doesn't figure to be rewarded with a deserved trip to Wrigley later this month. Jin that regard he is like a few other HANSEN Pleose turn to Page 10D 5. -iA zone on a 68-yard third-quarter scoring play Inside The Peach Tigers' lead to 10V4 games 2D Penn State escapes 3D Michigan stuns Miami 6D Purdue upends Irish 6D Missouri holds off Illini 6D Prep Parade 8D Major League Averages 8D Sports Sunday 11D Navratilova edges Lloyd, wins Open NEW YORK, N.Y. (AP) Martina Navratilova battled from behind to defeat Chris Evert Lloyd, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, Saturday and successfully defend her women's singles crown at the $2.55 million U.S. Open Tennis Championships.

It was Navratilova's sixth consecutive Grand Slam singles title, tying a record set by Margaret Court Smith from the 1969 U.S. Open to the 1970 Australian Open, and her 55th consecutive match victory one behind the record set by Lloyd in 1974. Earlier, Ivan Lendl of Czechoslovakia advanced to today's men's championship match by outlasting Australia's Pat Cash in a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 7-6 struggle. Lendl, the men's No. 2 seed, will meet the winner of Saturday night's second semifinal between top-seeded John McEnroe and defending champion Jimmy Connors.

In one of the closest played women's finals in recent years, there were only five service breaks one in each of the last two sets. Lloyd, with the Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd of 20,811 solidly behind her, fell behind when she lost her service in the seventh game of the opening set. But she immediately broke back at love, then took the first set when she broke Navratilova again in the 10th game. But Navratilova, who has lost only one match this year and two in the last two years, wasn't to be denied as the sun set over the Manhattan skyline on a chilly, windy day. Although Lloyd repeated the outstanding performance she displayed in the final at Wimbledon earlier this year, the outcome was the same.

For the 19th consecutive time all in tournament finals Lloyd has succumbed to the onslaught of Navratilova. Yet, like Wimbledon, this wasn't an easy victory for the left-hander who has ruled women's tennis over the last few years. She broke Lloyd at love in the third game of the second set, then "TENNIS wmm Or and glides into the end By RON MALY Rfl9iiMr Stiff Wrlltr Yogi Berra was, oh, so right when he said, "It ain't over 'til it's over." At the time Berra made the comment, he was talking about baseball. But Northern Iowa learned Saturday that Yogi's philosophy also applies to football. The Panthers were enjoying the comfort of a 33-7 lead over Drake well into the fourth quarter, then the seemingly dead Bulldogs roared back behind quarterback Ray Gronowski and made a game of it in the final minutes.

"We made it interesting for the TV people," said Panther Coach Darrell Mudra after his team hung on for a 33-28 victory in a regionally televised game played before an announced crowd of 7,400. UNI, moving its record to 2-0, clearly dominated the second and third quarters, but afterward the Panthers were glad the game didn't go 5 more minutes. Drake obviously was the team with the momentum after Gronowski got things moving against UNI reserves. Larry Miller, UNI's 6-foot 4-inch, 206-pound senior quarterback, completed 20 of 29 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns while directing an attack that saddled Drake with its A mm Statistics UNI DO First downs 20 13 Rusnes-vards 50-49 31-115 Passing vards 793 23 Return vards 125 22 Passes 23-33-2 17-41-2 Punls 3-4) 8-37 Fumbtes-lost 4-3 1-1 Penalties-yards 10-70 3-22 SCORING Nemwrn lewa 10 0-33 Prate 0 0 21-21 DU Abernathy pass from Cheatham (Brda kick) Nl Harris 21 pass from Miller (Molstad kick) Nl Harris 1 run (Molstad kick) Nl FG 27 Molstad Nl FO 53 Molstad Nl Bruder 15 pass from Miller (Molstad kick) Nl Harris 2 run (kick failed) DU Ray 20 run (Gronowski 2 run) DU ADernathy 43 pass from Gronowski (run failed) OU Ray I run (Brda kick) A 7,400 second straight loss this season and 12th in the last 13 games over a two-year period. Miller fired a 21-yard scoring pass to Steve Harris in the first quarter and a 15-yarder to Marty Bruder that pushed the score to 27-7 in the third.

Harris finished with three touchdowns. He scored on runs of one and 2 yards while accounting for 80 yards on the ground. However, mainly because of the 44 yards Miller lost while being sacked four times, UNI closed with a net of just 49 rushing to 115 for Drake. The Bulldogs, who outscored UNI, 21-0, in the fourth quarter, had a 351-342 edge in total yards. Please turn to Page 3D Please turn to Page 10D.