Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 10

ports Today's TV tip The up-and-down Seattle Seahawks will be battling for a possible playoff berth when they play host to the Denver Broncos in an AFC West game. 1 p.m., channels 4-12. Saturday DECEMBER 20, 1986 RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL Section 2B VINCI COLUMN 3B BASKETBALL 4B FOOTBALL 7B AT A GLANCE 6-8B BUSINESS Georgia Southern wins l-AA football crown Eagles' Ham burns Arkansas State TACOMA, Wash. Georgia Southern quarterback Tracy Ham ran and passed for 486 yards Friday night as the Eagles defeated Arkansas State, 48-21, to take their second consecutive NCAA Division l-AA football championship in the Diamond Bowl. The 5-foot-ll senior from High Springs, rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 306 yards and another touchdown, a 79-yard toss to tailback Ricky Harris that was the longest play from scrimmage in the nine years of the Division I-AA title game.

Coach Erk Russell then pulled Ham with 4:08 gone in the fourth quarter and Georgia Southern leading 48-15. The Eagles advanced to the championship game with a victory 48-38 over the University of Nevada-Reno last Saturday in Mackay Stadium, ending the Pack's season at 13-1. Georgia Southern had failed to score a touchdown from inside its opponent's 20-yard line only twice in 63 possessions in the school's previous 14 games. But the Eagles had to settle for Tim Foley's 20-yard field goal after stalling on the Arkansas State 4 on their first possession Friday night. They never looked back.

Georgia Southern scored on its first three possessions night to take a 17-7 lead. Georgia Southern finished with a 13-2 record while Arkansas State ended the season 12-2-1. Arkansas State reserve fullback Richard Kimble, a 6-foot, 200-pound freshman, did his best for his school's running attack with 13 carries for 134 yards, most in the second half. Georgia Southern drove 62 yards in nine plays in a 3-minute, 55-sec-ond drive for its first touchdown. Foley kicked two more field goals.

Associated Press Latest scores Pro basketball Philadelphia 122, Boston 100 Detroit 114, San Antonio 84 Utah 134, Cleveland 128, 20T Dallas 141, Denver 118 Seattle 108, Phoenix 106 Portland 115, Houston 112 College basketball UNR 109, Sacramento State 86 UNLV 105, Ohio 81 Fort Lewis 79, N. Arizona 72 St. Mary's 55, Central Michigan 39 SMU 62, Boston College 49 Utah 66, Denver 63 Washington State 81, UCLA 73 San Diego 60, Long Beach St. 55 Boise St. 82, SW Texas St.

63 SW Louisiana 75, Idaho St. 64 Florida 82, Virginia Tech 60 Ohio State 85, Jacksonville 74 Stetson 88, E. Kentucky 68 Georgia 82, La Salle 65 Boston U. 65, Texas 63 Kentucky 75, lona 59 Texas 59, Bowling Green 44 South Alabama 86, Grambling 72 New Orleans 71 NW Louisiana 57 LSU, Hardin-Simmons 71 Kansas St. 87, Illinois St.

86, OT Vanderbilt 89, Tennessee Tech 65 College football Diamond Bowl Ga. Southern 48, Arkansas St. 21 Pro hockey Buffalo 3, Montreal 2 New Jersey 6, Washington 4 Edmonton 4, Vancouver 2 DIAMOND State's Mike Adams tries to regain control of the football. Bairn NF 1 v. fW phi 1 ft i 3 Niners earn first-round bye before playoffs By Don CoxGazette-Journal SAN FRANCISCO The San Francisco 49ers, who spent the year chasing Los Angeles, ran down the Rams in their final regular-season game and finished first in the NFC West.

"I'm so pleased with this victory. It's one of the great ones we've had in recent years," said 49ers head coach Bill Walsh, whose team beat the Rams, 24-14, Friday at Candlestick Park to win the division championship with a 10-5-1 record. The Rams, who will play the Washington Redskins in next weekend's wild card round of the National Football League playoffs, are 10-6. San Francisco, which trailed the Rams by l'2 games in the division race two weeks ago, earns a bye through the first playoff round with its second NFC West title in three years. "I've got to do my Christmas shopping and now I've got a couple of days to do it," said tight end Russ Francis, who caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Montana to give the 49ers a 24-7 lead in the third quarter.

San Francisco's first playoff game will come on the road in two weeks, against either the New York Giants or the defending Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears. "Does anybody know who we play?" asked wide receiver Dwight Clark, whose 11-yard catch was part of a 15-play touchdown drive that put San Francisco ahead 17-7 in the second quarter. "Which city do you guys want to go to?" Clark said. "Chicago or New York? They're both cold as hell." But Clark and his teammates, who struggled against injuries and adversity for 16 weeks before catching the Rams, are feeling hot. San Francisco's offense totaled 408 yards, including 170 rushing against Los Angeles, a team that was supposed to be tough against the run.

Fullback Roger Craig led the 49ers with 80 yards and halfback Joe Cribbs rushed for 62 and one touchdown. Montana completed 23 of 36 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns, including a 44-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Jerry Rice that gave the 49ers a 10-0 lead "I thought the 49ers completely con- Rams' loss ruins Christmas plans, cuts out vacation By Dan VierraMcClatchy News Service SAN FRANCISCO Christmas will arrive a little late for the Los Angeles Rams this year, seeing how they'll be practicing for the Washington Redskins and the NFC wild card playoff game, to be played Dec. 28 at unfriendly RFK Stadium. The Rams didn't expect the revolting developments that unfolded Friday night at unfriendly Candlestick Park. The Rams didn't expect to hand the NFC West division title over to the rival San Francisco 49ers.

The Rams didn't expect to finish second after leading the division most of the second half of the season. The 49ers defeated the Rams 24-14 here Friday night, but it wasn't as close as the score might indicate. The Rams only had 12 first downs, totaled a mere 229 yards and running back Eric Dickerson finished with 68 yards. Yet, there always is an optimist in the bunch. "One positive thing is we're still in a position to go all the way," said Rams defensive end Gary Jeter.

That's what the Tampa Bay Bucs say every opening day. "Now we're going to be practicing on Christmas and a lot of guys are going to hate it," said Jeter. It the Rams had beaten the 49ers, they would have had an eight-to-nine day break before their first playoff game. Two weeks ago, the Rams had a three-game winning streak and appeared headed for a 12-4 record and the NFC West championship. All the Rams had to do was win one of their final two games to win the division and earn the short vacation.

But a 37-31 overtime loss to Miami last Sunday and Friday night's loss to the 49ers gives the Rams a 10-6 finishing mark. And the last time the Redskins and Rams met in a playoff game, Washington won, 51-7. That was in 1983 and in Rams head coach John Robinson's first year. Robinson wasn't impressed with his team's performance Friday night in front of a national television audience. Neither were his players.

"Our game plan is rock 'em, sock 'em, come at you," said Rams' cornerback LeRoy Irvin. "For some reason we weren't able to do that. See RAMS, page 4B kfi': 'lit F-H No. 1 UNLV roars past Ohio, 1 05-81 LAS VEGAS Freddie Banks scored 22 points and Armon Gilliam added 20 Friday night as top-ranked Nevada-Las Vegas blew past an out-manned Ohio University team 105-81 in the Rebel Roundup college basketball tournament. Nevada-Las Vegas, which ran its record to 8-0, will play Louisiana Tech in tonight's championship game.

Louisiana Tech beat Duquesne 82-64 in an earlier game. UNLV had little trouble with Ohio University, racing to a 68-40 halftime lead. The Rebels shot 68 percent in the first half and used a full-court trapping press to force Ohio into 16 turnovers in the half. Banks scored 17 of his game-high points in the first half, while Gilliam had 16 in the opening 20 minutes. Five UNLV players scored in double figures as the Runnin' Rebels topped the 100-point mark for the second game in a row.

Morris will stay in Detroit NEW YORK Free agent pitcher Jack Morris agreed Friday night to submit to arbitration with his old club, the Detroit Tigers, thus taking himself out of the open market. "It means that Jack will be with us in 1987," said Tigers' general manager Bill Lajoie. Lajoie said he hoped to sign Morris to a contract before major league arbitration hearings begin. The hearing are scheduled for Feb. 5-20, but no date has been set for Morris and the Tigers.

"We will probably try to work out an agreement prior to that date," Lajoie said. "He's a big part of our team and we are pleased he will be with us in 1987," Lajoie said in a telephone interview from his home early this morning. Morris already has had offers rejected by the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies. Morris' agent, Dick Moss, said he also expected the California Angels to do the same. Morris said the similiar responses convinced him owners are conspiring to drive down spiraling salaries, including his.

Earlier, Morris' the winningest pitcher in the 1980s, said he was "still not interested" in returning to the Tigers, although "I may have to consider that option yet." Judge dismisses case LAS VEGAS A judge dismissed a charge against a University of Nevada-Las Vegas basketball player convicted earlier this month of possessing stolen credit cards. In dismissing the case against Lawrence West on Friday, District Judge John Mendoza cited prosecutorial misconduct, vindictiveness and jury misconduct. District Attorney Bob Miller said his office will study the case before deciding next month whether to appeal the judge's ruling. West, 21, already was free on his own recognizance. Mendoza said the prosecutor, Deputy District Attorney Chris Owens, made several errors during the jury trial.

Owens' comment that a defense attorney should tell the jury his client was not a thief violated one of West's constitutional rights, the judge said. After the trial, the judge found Owens in contempt of court and fined him $250. Wire service reports AssociateO Press HIGH-ENERGY LEVEL: 49er rookie defensive end Larry Roberts, 91, and safety Jeff Fuller, 49, celebrate after sacking Rams' quarterback Jim Everett. See 49ERS' pa9e 48 UNR takes sting out of Hornets -xmm vfcY 'i 1 Commission finds error in drug test for Witherspoon NEW YORK (AP) Jose Torres, the chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, said Friday that the commission had erred when it announced Wednesday that heavyweight boxer Tim Witherspoon tested positive for marijuana before and after his loss of the World Boxing Association title. "I knew I was clean," heavyweight Tim Witherspoon said.

"I've been clean for a year." Witherspoon lost the title when he was knocked down three times in the first round Dec. 12 by James "Bone-crusher" Smith. "I do see litigation," Dennis Richard, an attorney for Witherspoon, said from Miami. "At the very least, Tim should get a rematch." Witherspoon had tested positive for marijuana after winning the title on a decision over Tony Tubbs on Jan. 17 at Atlanta.

The WBA fined him $25,000 and ordered him to give Tubbs a rematch. Smith replaced Tubbs in the fight at Madison Square Garden because Tubbs said he injured his left shoulder in training. "It was a critical error," Torres said after finding that Witherspoon had passed the post-fight drug tests following his loss to Smith. "Somebody made a critical error in putting 'positive' when it should have been By John SchumacherGazette-Journal Edit the game film down to the second half, wrap it in a bright, cheery bow and stick it under Sonny Allen's Christmas tree. It should make good viewing over the holidays.

The University of Nevada-Reno basketball coach had good reason to be jolly Friday night after watching the Wolf Pack race to an easy 109-86 victory over Cal State-Sacramento at Lawlor Events Center. UNR sent the Division II Hornets reeling back over Donner Summit with a 69-point second half that broke open a tight game. The Pack opened the second half by outscoring the Hornets 16-6 to turn a 40-33 lead into a 56-39 cushion with 14:45 to play. Center Quentin Stephens scored six points in the spurt, which ended with a rarity two straight Stephens' free throws. "We played very well in the second half," Allen said.

"I thought we picked up our defense. Usually when you play defense, it just pumps you up a little bit." It did Friday. The Pack forced 12 second-half turnovers to quickly turn the game into a rout. UNR, 5-4, twice led by 28 points en route to its most lopsided victory of the season. But not many people saw it.

Holiday parties, Christmas shopping and the 49ers on television probably all played a hand in the crowd count of 1,679, the smallest of the season. "It was a concern. I knev there I -x' -Ta -t 1 Tom Spitz Gazette-Journal SANDWICH: UNR forward Chris Rupp is covered on both sides by Sacramento State's Glen Spaulding, left, and Grover Perry, right. wouldn't be many people here," Allen responsible for UNR's Christmas cheer, said. "But it ended great.

This was a Point guard Darryl Owens contributed great way to end the first semester." 22 points on nine-of-13 shooting, dished off And the perfect way to forget Wednes- seven assists and had five steals, day's 115-83 loss at top-ranked Nevada- Forward David Wood totaled 19 points Las Vegas. When Allen watches Friday's game film, he'll see plity of players See UNR, pige 3B.