Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 31

fMJUUBlE CCT ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL INDIANS SNUBBED Cleveland had the money to sign big-name free agents, but each one went elsewhere. DETMER LEADS EAGLES Former BYU quarterback Ty Det-mer kept the Philadelphia Eagles in the playoff race. 5 Wi i Zi. Jj Basketball 3 Section i6 DeathsWeather I u9 trt DO 7 -J ml 8-Point Win Vs. Thunderbirds Gives Lobos 8-0 Start This Season 1 TfYP hi itt) rm nvn cm hi I i Saturday New Mexico 62 So.

Utah 54 finally were able to start connecting after making just two of their first eight attempts. The team's lone senior, sharpshooter Vanessa Hoover, was 4 of 5 at the line in the game's final 1:26. The Lobos used an 8-0 run in the first half to help pave the way for a 30-21 lead at the intermission. The Lobos led all of the second half, although the advantage dwindled to six points three times over the game's final four minutes. That's when the Thunderbirds See UNM on PAGE D4 coach, Joe Hillock.

Stukes not only gave the Lobos the lead for good after scoring her team's first eight points, but she also matched her season high with a team-high 16 points. Under the basket, 6-foot-2 Lobos sophomore Katie Kern didn't let center Monica Doman's six-inch height advantage stand in the way. Kern had a team-high nine rebounds and slipped around Doman several times along the way, finishing with 14 points. The Lobos' final six points came at the free-throw line, where they Going back to the end of last sea-, son, the Lobos have won 12 of -last 13 games. Junior point guard Tamika Stukes turned in one of her finest all-around performances, scoring 11 points in the game's first eight minutes and pestering Thunder-bird ballhandlers into turnovers.

"Hey, fourteen (Stukes' number) nice job," a voice called to Stukes as she headed up the ramp after the game. "Way to run your team." That compliment didn't come from a Lobos fan but, rather, from Southern Utah's first-year head By Gary IIerron For the Journal In this, the season for giving, the University of New Mexico women's basketball team continued its stingy ways. The Lobos' pesky defense limited visiting Southern Utah (3-6) to just 28.1 percent from the field in a 62-54 victory Saturday night at the Pit UNM's eighth victory in as many starts this season. The Lobos' largest crowd of the season, 3,630, watched UNM improve to 4-0 in the Pit this season. Next Vs.

New Mexico State, Dec. 21, 2 p.m., the Pit STEPHANIE YAOJOURNAL REACH FOR THE SKY: Thunderblrds Mandi Sha-heeo (13) and Jessica Llttlefleld (50) sandwich the Cobqs' Anita Vuletlc In a battle for a rebound. TEAM CHRISTIANITY Danny Boy; The -y eisman fe; To Gator Wuerffel Exposure Tops Davis in Vote Jr r-w i til i v. till i' -irri' UsC'J li- tY'-! '3. 4 I k- 1 By Richard Rosknblatt The Associated Press NEW YORK For Danny Wuerffel, the Heisman Trophy always has been a small part of the picture.

For one night, Florida's All-America quarterback became caught up in its history. "It seems like everything is going in slow motion," Wuerffel said Saturday night. "Things are happening so fast, and it's overwhelming. It's hard to comprehend what's going on. Everything stops, and you're aware of everything." When he was announced as the winner, Wuerffel smiled and stood up from his seat at the Downtown Athletic Club.

He hugged his father, Lt. Col. Jon V. 1 1 '4 7 PAUL BEARCE JOURNAL Wuerffel. and Members of the Lobos football team say a prayer following their game against Utah on Nov.

9. Several Lobos help with fellowship huddles with younger kids. embraced his "Ny momer, lAiia. ne walked ud to the podium, smiled I. fX 7 1 11 0 ew exco coaches and athletes are using VI lKs their status to spread the word of God again and placed his hands on the trophy.

"If you guys are watching," Wuerffel said. nt erve "fa, il By J.D. Kailer For the Journai t's common to read and observe on a daily basis what has gone awry in the world of sports. There is, however, another side: During the offseason, Bliss, often accompanied by several of his players, speaks to high school groups in Roswell, Gallup, Los Alamos, Santa Fe and other New Mexico cities on behalf-of the FCA. He also is a regular speaker at the FCA's sports camp in Flagstaff, each summer.

Bliss is 'just one of many coaches and athletes using their high-visibility status to reach out and influence youth with the message of Jesus Christ for FCA on state and national levels. Dennis Darnell, offensive coordinator for Lobos football, sponsors an FCA huddle group at UNM. Huddle is defined as a positive peer group of mid-school, high school and college See COACHES on PAGE D12 involvement in the organization known as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). "The job of being Lobo basketball coach isn't where I get my true significance. That comes from God," says Dave Bliss, University of New Mexico men's basketball head coach, "The fact that sports is so important in our society affords coaches a platform to speak to youths and to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ." That kind of sharing is what the FCA is all about.

ELISS: Talks to kjds around the 'state FCA MVP: World Series Most Valuable Player John Wetteland, left, a Cedar Crest resident, signs autographs after a Fellowship of Christian Athletes breakfast Thursday in Albuquerque. talking to his WUERFFEL teammates, "I Coached by hope you have a Heisman sense of accom- winner plishment. This is just as much you as it is me." Even while he was becoming the most accurate passer in NCAA history, Wuerffel didn't seek the spotlight. When it found him, he tried his best to handle it. It wasn't easy.

"It's the award you heard about when you're little and kids dream about," Wuerffel said. Wuerffel was the perfect trigger-man for head coach Steve Spurrier's Fun 'N Gun on the field. He threw for 3,625 yards and led the nation with 39 touchdowns while guiding the the Gators (11-1) to a fourth straight Southeast Conference title and another shot at Florida State in the Sugar Bowl. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior quarterback didn't run away with the Heisman, beating runner-up Iowa State running back Troy Davis by 189 points the smallest margin since Andre Ware won by 70 points over Anthony Thompson. In fact, Wuerffel and Davis each won three of the six voting regions.

But Wuerffel had 300 first-place votes and 1,363 points to Davis' 209 first-place votes and 1,174 points. Arizona State quarterback Jake Plummer was third, Ohio State offensive tackle Orlando Pace fourth and Florida State running back Warrick Dunn fifth. In a historic Heisman twist, Wuerffel became the first winner to be coached by a former winner. In 1966, Spurrier won the Heisman as the Gators' quarterback. "The reason it's been unusual is that not too many Heisman guys coach," Spurrier said.

"Danny earned it. He deserved it." Many expected a close race between Wuerffel and Davis, the See WUERFFEL on PAGE D14 Relieved Lobos, Thomas Just Say 'Aaah' Next UNM vs. Sam Houston State, Saturday, 7:05 p.m., the Pit appearance. "I'm not supposed to talk much," Thomas said. "I'm still hurting.

But I'll be all right." Thomas had his upper mouth wired late Friday night by dentist Gary Mares, a friend of UNM assistant coach Ron Garcia who was called out of the stands to look at Thomas. Mares also began a root canal on Thomas' lower teeth, which will be completed later this week. Mares said, Thomas will have to eat soft foods for the next few days and should wear a mouth guard for the rest of the season. Mares said it'll take six to eight weeks for his teeth to heal fully. The apartment Thomas shares with guard Charles Smith was more like an infirmary Saturday.

Smith had soreness in his left wrist because of the first-half fall he had against the See THOMAS' on PAGE D3 A New Diet for UNM Star: Soft Foods and Few Words By Chris Tomasson Journal Staff Writer With his mouth wired and numbed by medication, Kenny Thomas couldn't say much Saturday. But Thomas, a center for the 15th-ranked University of New Mexico men's basketball team, was saying plenty at halftime Friday. "We went back into our locker room at the half, and we could hear Kenny screaming in the (training) room," said center Ben Baum. "It sounded like a dungeon from the 19th century." Midway through the first half of an epic 84-82 overtime win over New Mexico State, Thomas had an upper tooth pushed back and a lower tooth broken when he took an inadvertent elbow from the Aggies' Carl Laws. Thomas was rushed to the training room, where his mouth was numbed.

He returned for the second half and scored all 13 of his points and got all five of his blocks and six of his nine rebounds. Saturday, Thomas was the main topic of conversation at the Converse Factory Store, where UNM head coach Dave Bliss and several players were on hand to sign autographs. Fans were buzzing continuously about Thomas' gutty performance. Thomas even stopped by to show off his new hockey-player JAIME DISPENZAJOURNAL PAINFUL MOMENT: UNM trainer David Binder escorts Charles Smith (5) and his sore left wrist off the court Friday night. i.