Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 15

1 Today's TV tip Darrell Waltrip will be starting from the ninth position as he tries to win the 40th Southern 500 and collect a $1 million prize for winning the Winston Million. ESPN, 10 a.m. Sunday SEPTEMBER 3, 1989 RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL SCORELINE: 323-4422 SPORTS EDITOR: JOE SANTORO, 788-6346 Section 2-4B FOOTBALL 5B GOLF, RACING 6B BASEBALL AVERAGES 7B AT A GLANCE 8B BASEBALL Sports Latest scores Southern Miss upends 6th-ranked Florida State The coach told us, 'If you have them in the fourth quarter, you will win We knew they were scared, jj Brett FavreSouthern Miss knew Favre would be a handful for his young secondary. "He could make big plays and keep drives going," Bowden said. "Favre was good enough that he took advantage of mistakes we made." Actually, Southern Miss could have made its work much easier, but three of its turnovers came within the Florida State 15.

"We wouldn't knock them out when we had them down the first half," said Bowden. "We couldn't make the big plays." The Seminoles took advantage of the first two Southern Miss turnovers to take bles by Florida State's Shannon Baker; and Dexter Carter to take a 17-10 halftime lead. The Golden Eagles grabbed their first; lead with 11 seconds left in the half when I Favre lobbed a 4-yard scoring pass to; Alfred Williams. Eddie Ray Jackson's 3-yard run tied the game 10-10 early in the second quarter, The Seminoles rebounded from the 17-10 halftime deficit with a pair of third quar-; ter touchdowns to take a 23-17 lead. Willis completed 25 of 40 passes for 269 -yards for the Seminoles, who have now; lost their opener two straight seasons.

Miami defeated Florida State 31-0 a year ago. By Brent KallestadAP JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Southern Mississippi might have surprised Florida State Saturday, but the Golden Eagles didn't surprise coach Curley Hallman. "We've got a bunch of doers. We knew it before we came down," Hallman said after Brett Favre's last-minute 2-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Harris gave Southern Miss a 30-26 victory over the sixth-ranked Seminoles.

Florida State had taken a 26-24 lead midway through the final quarter on Bill Mason's 27-yard field goal before Southern Miss put together a 6:34 drive to set up Favre's winning pass with just 23 seconds left in the game. Pack to mi ill MIIUliU II "The coach told us, 'If you have them in the fourth quarter, you will win said Favre, who completed 21 of 39 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns. "We knew they were scared. Florida State ctach Bhhbil Owdpj. I III 1 iiALJ.imm,iu;,i -wr powerful ir i r- Major League baseball American League Boston 6, Seattle 5 Toronto 4, Minnesota 2 Detroit 10, Cleveland 4 Baltimore 2, Chicago 1 New York 2, California 1 Oakland 7, Milwaukee 2 Texas 6, Kansas City 3 National League San Francisco 6, New York 2 Cincinnati 6, Pittsburgh 2 Chicago 10, Atlanta 3 St.

Louis 13, Houston 5 Los Angeles 4, Montreal 3 San Diego 3, Philadelphia 2 Pro football Exhibition games Chicago 41, L.A. Raiders 38 Tampa Bay 27, Cleveland 10 Pittsburgh 13, N.Y. Giants 10 Indianapolis 38, Denver 34 L.A. Rams 24, Detroit 14 Dallas 30, Houston 28 Philadelphia 20, Miami 10 College football UNR 41, Southern Illinois 3 Southern Miss 30, Florida State 26 Texas 28, LSU 16 Clemson 30, Furman 0 Oklahoma 73, New Mexico State 3 West Virginia 35, Ball State 10 Arizona 19, Stanford 3 Brigham Young 24, New Mexico 3 Pittsburgh 38, Pacific University 3 Houston 69, UNLV 0 N.C. State 10, Maryland 6 Washington State 41 Idaho 7 Montana 41, E.

New Mexico 15 N. Arizona 41, Abilene Christian 13 Kansas 41, Montana St. 17 Arlington Million has no clear-cut favorite ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, 111. A wide-open race without a clear-cut favorite was predicted for today's Arlington Million, returning to its permanent home, the new Arlington International Racecourse. Nasr el Arab and Steinlen top the field of 14 of the world's finest grass horses in the ninth running of lV4-mile event with a top prize of $600,000.

Last year, the Million was run at Woodbine outside Toronto while Arlington was being rebuilt at a cost estimated between $120 million and $175 million. Nasr el Arab was to be coupled with England's River Warden and some predicted the entry owned by Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum could wind up as the crowd favorite. The entry was listed as a 9-2 favorite by British bookmakers earlier in the week. However, the early Arlington line listed Steinlen as a 7-2 favorite. St.

Mary's drops Pack MORAGA, Calif. The University of Nevada-Reno dropped its second volleyball game of the season to St. Mary's 15-4, 15-11, 15-7 to drop to 0-2. Freshman Dede Read had five kills for the Wolf Pack, ten digs and a hitting percentage of .500. Denny Marsh had one block and six digs.

UNR plays at the Cal-Davis tournament beginning Friday. Mets activate Gooden SAN FRANCISCO Dwight Gooden, the ace of the New York Mets' pitching staff who has been sidelined since July 1 with a torn muscle in his right shoulder, was reactivated Saturday. Before being placed on the disabled list, Gooden haa a 9-4 record with a 2.99 ERA. He also had 95 strikeouts and 45 walks in 111 innings. The Mets said that Gooden, who has been throwing batting practice and on the sidelines before recent games, would be examined next week to make a determination of when he will be able to actually pitch.

Houston rips Rebels, 69-0 LAS VEGAS Andre Ware threw five touchdown passes in the first half and ran for a score in the third quarter as No. 21 Cougars routed Nevada-Las Vegas 69-0 Saturday night in the college football opener for both teams. The Cougars, who scored on seven of their first eight possessions and blocked a punt for another score, broke a school record by rolling to a 564) halftime lead. The margin of defeat was the worst in the 21-year history of the UNLV football program, surpassing a 51-7 loss to Miami, in 1972. The 69 points tied the most points ever scored against Nevada-Las Vegas by Utah in 1981 in a 69-28 rout.

UNLV's previous worst shutout defeat was 42-0 by San Jose State last year. Eureka wins in volleyball Eureka High School finished with a 2-0 record Saturday in a round-robin invitational volleyball tournament at Smith Valley. Eureka defeated Austin, 15-7, 16-14, and Smith Valley, 15-2, 16-14. Austin finished with a 1-1 record, defeating Smith Valley, 15-10, 15-13. Smith Valley finished 0-2.

Wire service and staff reports I it, I ii it; mtri-ifi PACK ATTACK: Tramelle Barnes brings a 10-0 lead on their first two possessions. Southern Miss then capitalized on fum fn Russell Yip Gazette-Journal Gibson Saturday at Mackay Stadium. "I'm not a two-quarterback guy," said Ault. "I never have been. But if that's what it takes to win, then we'll do it.

I'll say one thing, though. Both have to play this year." And both will. Often. And, if Saturday is any indication, they'll play effectively. Backster, who started the game and the second half, completed 8 of 13 for 73 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Gatlin, who played the majority of the second and fourth quarters, was 5 of 10 for 55 yards and two touchdowns. Together, Backlin was 13 of 23 for 128 yards. Not bad. No reason to change the shuttle system now. It didn't work for rdPV 1 'Gazette-Journal es play by From a cast of hundreds, the 34-year-old Bossert, the defensive coordinator at McQueen for seven seasons, was selected.

After practice, Bossert is clearly over-See AAA TEAMS, page 2B mm ii MB it JIAr sanBsi It rlatwicineriiignjwwvz UNR way with 'Backlin' at aluki ense runs wild, fense stuffs SIU attack for 41 -3 rout By Larry BadenGazetie-Joumai If the game plan was to lull Southern Illinois into a state of overconfidence, the University of Nevada-Reno Wolf Pack football team executed it to perfection. UNR muddled through a more-than-mediocre first half then played a near-perfect second half to beat the Salukis, 41-3, in the season-opener for both teams Saturday at Mackay Stadium. This was a transformation that by comparison made Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde look like identical twins.

UNR, which netted four yards of total offense in the first quarter, rushed for minus-1 yard in the first half but 242 in the second. The Wolf Pack managed three first downs and 58 yards before halftime but 11 first downs and 291 yards of total offense after "I thought coach (Chris) Ault was going to lose it at halftime," UNR offensive guard Barry Dawson said. "He was pretty hot. He challenged our pride a little bit." The Wolf Pack came out in the second half and scored touchdowns on the team's first five offensive series. The UNR running game which failed to gain yardage on seven of 11 running plays in the first half broke six runs for 10 yards or more in the second half and averaged 15 yards on its 17 second-half carries.

"It was all about us settling down and doing what we knew we could do," said See WOLF PACK, page 3B Page 3B Wolf Pack defense learns lesson Fumbled punt stopped Salukis Wolf Pack running game came alive quarterback Tom Landry in the early 70s with Roger Staubach ana uraig Morion, dui mis is the Big Sky Conference not America's Team. If Backlin works, then Backlin it should be. Actually, things began Saturday as if Ault was going to need to bring Morton or Staubach out of retirement. Backster and Gatlin moved the offense to the sickening tune of 58 net yards in the first half. Only Gatlin's 28-yard scoring pass which Ault admitted was underthrown a bit and should have been knocked down showed glimpses of hope.

See QUARTERBACKS, page 2B Connors ailing but advances in U.S. Open By Steve WilsteinAP NEW YORK Jimmy Connors, spurred by a fan's taunt of "Let's go, old man," reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open on his 37th birthday Saturday, then limped off in pain with severe muscle cramps. Connors' right thigh cramped up as he reached his first match point against lumbering giant Andres Gomez, but he hung in to put the match away, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0. Gomez, 1-10 lifetime against Connors, pushed him to a fifth-set tiebreaker here before losing in 1981.

Connors didn't want this match to go any longer than necessary, especially with third-seeded Stefan Edberg looming in the next round after beating Milan Srejber, 6-2, 1-6, 6-2, 6-1. Connors is the oldest player in the Open and is competing for the 20th time while chasing an improbable sixth title. He followed victorious top-seed Ivan Lendl on the stadium court Saturday and looked equally spry and dominant in winning the first set. See U.S. OPEN, page 4B From this day forth, the University of Nevada-Reno quarterback will forever be called "Backlin." It's easier than trying to separate the two.

Quarterback controversy? What quarterback controversy? Chris Ault should have more problems like deciding between Fred Gatlin and Steve Backster as his starting JOE SANTORO KTnglh) school oottbaDI diary mm i -w down Southern Illinois quarterback Fred Quarterback. On Saturday at Mackay Stadium choosing between Backster and Gatlin was like selecting between Bo Derek and Morgan Fairchild. If one were Tammy Fae Bakker, Ault's problems would be easier solved. But it's not that easy. And after Saturday's 41-3 slaughter of Southern Illinois, it doesn't look like it's going to get any easier anytime soon.

Gatlin or Backster? What difference does it make? The Pack comes up a winner either way. At least they did Saturday. Backlin is the guy. Conversation closed. WATCHDOG: Joe Sellers, head footbal his linemen during a recent workout.

In November, when 11-year head coach Mike Ervin announced he was retiring in order to move to California, the applicants for the vacant position lined up at Reed's front doors like an assemblage of traveling salesman, each with their own blueprint of success under their right III Optimism predictably high as another prep season draws near By John TrentGazette-Journal The beginning of football practice for the seven high schools in the Reno-Sparks area is no summer vacation. The air is warm and thick and clings to an overheated young football player like a no-stretch sock. Water is scarce and coolly tickles a parched throat. Giddy adrenalin of the first few days of practice seeps out of the body as practice trudges slowly through the week, like sawdust oozing from a stuffed toy. High school football practice signals a beginning; all teams are equal.

During the first two weeks of practice, a visit was paid to each of the seven Reno-Sparks high schools. Labor Day Weekend traditionally signals the passing of summer and the beginning of school. Any self-respecting football player or coach will tell you that summer vacation ends earlier than Labor Day. AUG. 21; SPARKS AND REED The first day of high school football practice in Nevada has begun on a warm, humid morning.

In the middle of the action at Reed High School is first-year varsity football coach Courtney Bossert..