The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware • Page 61

Oct. 14, 1990 Section Sunday News Journal, Wilmington, Del. 1 HORSE RACING ROD AND GUN SCOREBOARD BOATING I-! TTTT Telblby 2(Q)tIm inleims av JACK CHEVALIER By TOM TOMASHEK Staff reporter VILLANOVA. Pa. After 24 seasons and 282 games.

Tubby Raymond reached the 200-victory plateau Saturday in Villanova Stadium. The University of Delaware' coach arrived there after an emo- tional roller-coaster ride. The Blue Hens dominated through the first 30 minutes, then held on to defeat Villanova 19-15 in a critical Yankee Conference game at- tended by 8,850 spectators. Early, there was the euphoria of a 19-0 lead for the Blue Hens (3-1 conference, 4-2 overall), who put together three precision touchdown drives. But, as has been the case too many times this season, the Blue Hens lost their momentum and spent most of the second half nervously playing back on their heels.

Villanova (1-2, 2-4) moved back to within six points, 19-13, with 4 minutes and 40 seconds left in the. game. The Wildcats launched an- -other drive that went to the Blue Hen 21 before defensive back Warren Mclntire intercepted a Brad Parpan pass at the 1-yard line with 1:26 remaining. Delaware's Bill Vergantino ran, I three quarterback sneaks, then stepped back into the end zone and allowed Villanova cornerback Tom Sency to tackle him for a two-point safety. With only one second left, Delaware kicked off to Villanova, which executed See HENS F8 VI i 'V.

The News Journal STEPHEN Delaware's Anthony Ventresca eludes Villanova's Tom Sency to pick up yardage around left relieved JAFFE The News Journal STEPHEN JAFFE Tubby Raymond had some anxious moments before securing his 200th victory. Reversed roles for A's, Reds Cincinnati enters Series as underdog Villanova falls prey to Yankee clippers VILLANOVA, Pa. The Delaware Blue Hens didn't need any extra incentive, not after losing to Villanova last year 20-11 at Delaware Stadium. "We thought we were the better team," quarterback Bill Vergantino said, "but they outhit us that day." Villanova (8-3) went on to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, and Delaware (7-4) went home early. Just in case the Hens needed a little reminder, five players boarded the team bus Friday night with shaved heads.

Admiral Sydnor and Tim Jacobs did the shearing, starting with each other; Lanue Johnson, Dan Cooper and Brian Little were their next three victims. "When we got to the hotel, somebody said, 'Hey, we all have to shave our reported defensive tackle Mike Hranicka. "It was a sign of team unity. The ultimate sacrifice." Linebacker Rowan Watson volunteered first. Most of the defense followed.

And when the barbers' work was done, Delaware didn't trip over its clippings. It went out and skinned Villanova 19-15 in an important Yankee Conference game. "Attack of the Coneheads. That's what we called it," Hranicka said. "Rob Wolford and Brian Quigg didn't get shaved, but they said they would if we make the playoffs." With a 4-2 record, including 3-1 in the Yankee Conference, the Hens still have a chance.

The team has to keep improving, especially when it meets undefeated Massachusetts (4-0-1) next week in Newark. "That'll be a scary game," Hranicka said. "You have to think the time's gonna come when they beat us." UMass is 0-17 against the Hens, with many close calls. Delaware marched into Villanova Stadium and took over the place, totally controlling the first half while building a 19-0 lead. The Hens outgained 'Nova in yardage 303-27 and in first downs 20-1.

"They spread their two outside linebackers pretty far, so we figured we could run inside them," Delaware halfback Anthony Ventresca said. "They didn't adjust it till the second half." As usual, offensive coordinator Ted Kempski tipped off the game plan on WDEL radio's pregame show, but Villanova wasn't listening. Vergantino aggressively ran the triple-option, featuring off-tackle gains to the split-end side, just as Kempski predicted. The Wildcats seemed to have no answers for anything. The Delaware marching band performed smartly at halftime, and Villanova's musicians didn't even bother with 8:30 left on the intermission clock.

The second half was a different tune. Villanova began to block a little bit, and second-string quarterback Brad Parpan led the offense into position for a missed field goal. Hey, even that was a marked improvement. Two bulbs were burned out on the scoreboard, so Delaware's lead was listed as 13-0 instead of 19-0. "That bugged me," Vergantino said.

"I checked with the ref a couple of times to make sure he knew the real score. Maybe it gave Villanova hope." The Wildcats turned a Vergantino interception into a touchdown at 8:52 of the third period. Then came two more Delaware turnovers, making the 8,850 fans (a very disappointing turnout) wonder exactly what was happening. Were all those shorn locks growing back too fast? Was Tubby Raymond tearing his hair out? (No, he remained calm.) Were the Hens impersonating a certain green NFL team that fails to put opponents away? The game became more and more bizarre, with Villanova using passes to halfback Pat Kennedy to set up a second touchdown with 6:05 to play. It was 19-13, although the goofy scoreboard read 13-13.

Then the 'Cats got the ball back and threatened again. It took Warren Mclntire's interception with 1:27 left and an intentional safety to Finally seal Raymond's 200th win. Maybe it's just as well. A game like this deserved a hairy ending. Jack Chevalier is sports editor of The News Journal.

end during Saturday's Yankee Conference game. grateful the day and with the outcome." Raymond also was happy to put the milestone behind him entering the second half of the season. "I'm glad to have the monkey off my back," Raymond said with a half-smile. "We have worked so hard at selling the idea that football is a team game. We win as a team and we lose as a team.

"No one is more important than anyone else, and the focus of my 200 wins was in the way." The Blue Hen players, who swept Raymond off his feet after the victory, also seemed particularly pleased to be associated with the milestone. "I'm proud to be on the team that got the 200th win for him," said co-captain Tom Bockius, "and I'm especially happy that we could get it for him this week. He's a great coach." RALPH FRESO Maymond By TOM TOMASHEK Staff reporter VILLANOVA, Pa. University of Delaware Coach Tubby Raymond spent the first few seconds as a 200-game winner riding atop the shoulders of his Blue Hen players. From there he moved to the Delaware locker room for a brief meeting with his football team, and then he stepped out into a large group of well-wishers outside Villanova Stadium.

Initially, the primary emotion expressed by Raymond was relief. The Blue Hens had beaten Villanova 19-15, but they almost let the game get away in the final quarter, a period in which Delaware has yet to score a touchdown this season. But after he had time to reflect, the 63-year-old Blue Hen coach only the 21st to reach the 200-victory plateau Michigan upset by Mich. St. Associated Press ANN ARBOR, Mich.

Michigan saw its No. 1 ranking and Big Ten lead slip away as easily as did the two-point conversion pass that slid out of Desmond Howard's arms. John Langeloh's PAT after an 8-yard touchdown run by Tico Duckett lifted Michigan State to a 28-27 upset of the top-ranked Wolverines, who lost a late bid for victory when a two-point conversion failed with six seconds remaining Saturday. "I'm very disappointed," Michigan Coach Gary Moeller said. "We wanted to win the ballgame.

I called the kids over and explained the ramifications and they wanted to do the same." See MICHIGAN F4 BASEBALL Red Sox turn into Dead Sox against Oakland. F2 Earthquake made 1989 World Series unforgettable. F3 FOOTBALL Texas upsets No. 4 Oklahoma. F6 No.

5 Tennessee crushes No. 9 Florida. F6 Penn State gets last laugh on Syracuse. F7 UMass beats UConn. F8 Moravian nips Wesley 21-19.

F9 Eric Dickerson returns to Colts. F13 GOLF Bob Tway leads International. F10 HOCKEY Flyers beat Jets 4-3 for third straight victory. F11 BASKETBALL Charlotte knocks off Sixers in preseason action. F11 by the to and the Bill dog expressed several other emotions.

Raymond is proud of his status, shared only seven active coaches in Division II and III. "I am not so insensitive not to realize that being a coach who has" won 200 games is a special thing," Raymond said. "Only 21 have done it in more than 100 years." Raymond was grateful, particularly for the support of one individual. "At this point in time, I get an overwhelming feeling of gratitude to the late Bob Carpenter," Raymond said of Blue Hen football's longtime benefactor who died this summer. "It was Bob Carpenter who made it possible for Delaware to have only three coaches since 1940.

"I have been head coach 25 years, but I would have left a long time ago if it hadn't have been for him. I'm sure that Bob, wherever he is, is very pleased with Delaware State's Craig Parsley puts the clamp on DelState lets By GENE BRYSON Staff reporter DOVER The first was hard to believe, second was miraculous. But Delaware State's bid for a third straight dramatic comeback was simply not be. The Hornets let an 11-point lead slip away then failed to complete three passes into end zone in the final seconds as Florida held on for a 43-38 victory in a wild Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game at Alumni Stadium Saturday. "We've been living on the edge for a couple of weeks; we'd been lucky, I guess," said Collick, the Hornets' coach.

"But the sun doesn't shine on the same every day, and it stopped shining on us. We knew we couldn't keep doing what we'd V3 ft i photo Florida A4M's Pat Reddick. one get away By BEN WALKER Associated Press CINCINNATI Then, it was" Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and the" budding Big Red Machine back in the World Series against Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers and green-and-gold group that had'; never been there. I Now, 18 years later, the teams 1 are the same and the roles are reversed. There are the Oakland Athlet-; ics, the best big-game team in baseball.

They are the defending -champions and in the World Se- ries for the third consecutive time. Jose Canseco, Rickey Hen derson, Dave Stewart and Eckersley are among the 21 play- ers on the roster who have been I there before. And there are the Cincinnati Reds, who have never trailed this season. But this is something new. Of their 25 players, only Danny Jackson has played in a World Series.

"I'm more happy for guys like Rick Mahler and Ron Oester," said Jackson, who helped pitch the Reds past Pittsburgh 2-1 Fri- day night to win the National -League playoffs in six games. "They've been in the game for a long time and this is their first chance. They've put in so many long years of work." Manager Lou Piniella gave his team the day off Saturday. The See SERIES F2 JL been doing and expect to come back, but I guess we tried to get away with it another time." Delaware State, which had used stunning second-half rallies over Bethune-Cookman and Liberty to build a four-game winning streak, fell to 1-1 in MEAC play. 4-2 overall.

Winning its second straight, Florida evened its record at 3-3 overall and improved to 2-0 in the MEAC to join Howard as the league's only unbeatens. "It was a big win for us," said Ken Riley, the Rattlers' coach. "We knew Delaware State had come back the last two weeks and we were worried about that. But we made some big plays when it counted." What counted the most was the passing of Florida Tony Ezell, who burned the See HORNETS F9 i.