The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 23

THE SALINA JOURNAL WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 16. 2002 P8 KU Atones for 33-point defeat two seasons ago WILLIAMS FROM PAGE D1 "He took two terrible shots early and didn't plaiy any defense or guard guy. He lost his focus," WlUlams said. "You throw out that game, and for the last three or four weeks he's played about as good as anybody I've ever had." Gooden, Hln- rich and Collison were freshmen two years ago when the Jayhawks lost 86-53 in Stillwater, the worst loss of Williams' career.

The only question this time was Kansas' margin of victory Scoring Inside and outside, in transition or in the halfcourt, Kansas took a 22-6 lead midway through the first half behind 13 points from Gooden. At that point, the Jayhawks were 10-of- 13 from the field and the Cowboys were 2-of-13 with eight turnovers. Oklahoma State cut the deficit to 28-15 with 7:23 left before halftime, but Hinrich hit two 3-pointers and Jeff Boschee added one in an 11-2 run that made it 39-17. The Jayhawks led by 24 three times in the first half and the Cowboys got no closer than 18 in the second half. "When we jumped out we had a lot of confidence, a lot of anger built up after losing to Kansas 79, Oklahoma State 61 K(14-2) Qooden Colllaon HInrleh Miles Botehss Harrison Btllard Langlord Nash Carey SImlen Lee Zerbe Kappelmann Team rebounds TOTALS 08(16-2) Jonzen McFarlln Baker V.WIIIIams Sanders Hill Crawlord Boxsia Gadson A.WIIIIams Team rebounds MIN 31 2S 34 30 27 1 2 B-14 7-11 6-10 3-5 2-4 0-0 0-0 252-32-S MIN 35 14 30 2S 23 4 11 7 21 26 0-0 1-2 3-5 0-1 0-) 0-0 FO 6-13 2-3 2-12 4-11 1-5 1-3 0-0 2-5 2-6 FT A FTP 4-4 7 3 3 17 0-0 7 3 3 14 2 2 4 IB 3-4 6 6 1 0 1-2 2 0 2 7 0-0 0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 1 0 6 0 3 6 0-0 1 0 1 0 0-2 0 0 3 2 3-4 5 0 1 9 0-0 0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0-0 0 3 0 1 0 14-22 38 14 23 79 FT 9-12 10 0-0 2 2-2 3-6 0-0 0-0 2-2 0-1 0-0 1-4 FTP 2 21 2 4 1 6 2 12 1 TOTALS 200 21-69 17-27 35 8 17 61 Kantai 53 26 79 OKIahoma Stale 31 30 61 3 -pDlnt goBli 5-11 (Qooden 1-3, HInrlch 23, Miles 0-2, Boschee 2-3), OS 2-12 (Jonzen 0-1, Baker 0-2, V.Willlama 1-4, Sanders 0-2, Hill 1-1, Crawford 0-1, Gadson 0-1).

Turnovtri 14 (HInrlch 4), OS 14 (V.WIIIIams 4). Blocked ihota 4 (Colllson 2), OS 3 (Baker, Broxsia, A.WIIIIams 1). Steals KB (Gooden, HInrlch. Boschee 2), OS 6 (V.WIIIIams, A.WIIIIams 2). Technical touts Jonzen.

OHIelals Ruckar, Harrington, Slllon. A UCLA," Gooden said. "I think that was the game that gave us a reality check." Fredrlk Jonzen had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Oklahoma State but didn't get much help. Maurice Baker scored just six points, 11 below his average, as the Cowboys shot 35.6 percent. South Takes lead for good in 1st half FROM PAGE D1 "We talked tonight about trying to execute on every possession and taking it one possession at a time," Erickson said.

"We did a good job not getting ahead of ourselves. "Defensively I thought we (lid a real good job helping out at the post. A couple of times we got tired and reached in, but as a whole we did a good job digging it out." Wilson added nine points and Spickler finished with eight, as South played its second consecutive game without injured senior point guard Shelby Eastep. South's biggest deficit was six points in the first half, but once the Cougars took the lead on a Fiske runner in the lane midway through the second quarter, they never trailed again. SIT South, Central perennial finalists FROM PAGE D1 South four.

The one exception in the last decade came in 1996, when Concordia, the tourney's No. 4 seed, defeated Southeast of Saline in the championship game, 57-46. While South and Central have met one another in the championship game each of the last five years, five different teams have finished third in that time, including Concordia in last year's tournament. South has won at least two games in this tournament in 21 of 22 appearances, and has never finished lower than fifth. The Cougars are 20-2 in first- round games.

Central has had similar success of late, winning 11 consecutive opening round games and never finishing lower than third in the last 10 years. Sacred Heart has won three of its four games since the holiday break to even its record at 5-5. The Knights get the first shot at trying to stop Abilene and senior Shawn Herrman, the top returning scorer and re- bounder from last year's tournament. Herrman set a tournament record -with 41 points in a consolation semifinal victory last year against Russell. His 75 points in three games were the second best total in tourney history, and his 42 rebounds matched the tournament record set by South's Bill Kennedy in 1987.

"You look at Abilene and Shawn Herrman, and you know that's where your defense has to start," Sacred Heart coach Brian Gormley said. "That has to be the focus of our defensive game plan. "Our kids look forward to this tournament and the number one goal is to get into Friday with a win. Hopeflilly, our game with Abilene will be a battle like last year." Coaches Schools now search for replacements FROM PAGE D1 resigned on the day Trojans were to have played their season opener. He guided the Trojans to a 4-5 record in his flrst year, winning three of the final five games.

This past season the Trojans again got off to a rocky start, dropping their first five games before coming on late and winning three out of their last four. "There just wasn't any support for him to remain as foot- baU coach," said Belolt athletic director Jon Bingesser. The Trojans are five years removed from winning a state title in 1996, but have not made the-postseason in the past three seasons, "We are just going to list it as an opening and see what comes up," Bingesser said. "We would like to have somebody in place by the end of the school year." Lull said the same thing will take place at Belleville, but no committees to find a new coach have been set up as of yet. "We haven't discussed it," he said.

"We will list it. We have an opening in football now and we will go about the business for trying to get it filled." Alexander said he isn't sure what his future holds. He's a single father of three kids, one who was a freshman on last year's Belleville football team. "My kids are my No. 1 priority right now, I have to take care of my children," he said.

"We have a lot of friends and family here and my two girls really like it here. But I also love football and that is my career. So I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet." PRO FOOTBALL A-Train is top offensive roolde Bears RB Thomas significant factor In team's turnaround By BARRY WILNER The Associated Press Anthony Thomas, not even a starter in Chicago at the beginning of the season, still rolled to a performance that earned him The Associated Press Offensive Rookie -uoMAC of the Year THOMAS award on Tuesday Thomas, a second-round draft pick out of Michigan, was a backup to James Allen at the start of the season. By mldseason, he was an overpowering presence in the Bears' backfield, helping them to the NFC Central title. "A lot of people didn't think I could do it," Thomas said.

"But Chicago had faith in me and gave me an opportunity, and I tried to make the best of it." He did precisely that, operating behind an improved line and keying a balanced attack that complemented a superb defense. Thomas rushed for 1,183 yards and seven touchdowns, with four 100-yard efforts. He compiled his impressive numbers despite missing two games with a hamstring injury and totaling three car- VMMB 2001 Ntn. RooMs ol.th*, fti by of the media; UDathlah TomilnMn; Ban Chris Miami 7 UonardDavliArlXtint Dominio RhodM, ries for 9 yards in the first two weeks of the season. But when he got on track, Thomas was showed why his nickname is "A-Train." "It's a good offense for a running back," he said.

"Our offensive line did a great job and our receivers always do a great job of blocking down- field to help me out. I think it always help when you're a part of a good team that is jelling at the right time," It certainly helped in the balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers" and broadcasters who cover the NFL that the Bears were winners. Thomas earned 20 votes, beating San Diego's LaDain- ian Tomllnson, who had 16. Tomlinson was a first-round pick, the first running back chosen in the draft. Thomas was taken 38th overall one spot in front of Pittsburgh linebacker Kendrell Bell, the league's Defensive Rookie of the Year and was the fourth running back selected.

The Bears' offensive around was sparked by Thomas' work. "He's looked awfully good since he's gotten here," Bears coach Dick Jauron said. "I think he does play fast. He does a lot of things very well, a lot of things." Spurrier pledges to put a winner In nation's capital WASHINGTON Steve Spurrier took over the Washington Redskins and immediately pledged to return the team to the greatness it enjoyed under coach Joe Gibbs. The former Florida coach also made It clear Tuesday who was in charge, saying he was "in complete agreement with the way Dan Snyder wants to run this team." If there's a disagreement with the yet-to-be-hired general manager, Spurrier said he would look to the owner to resolve it.

The originator of the Fun 'N Gun said he would run tlie offense and that "hopefully we'll get an excellent defensive coordinator in here." "That's why I left college to see if my style of coaching can work in the NFL," Spurrier said. He said his role model would be Gibbs, whose Redskins won three Super Bowls in a dozen seasons. Buccaneers acknowledge they want Parcells TAMPA, Fla. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers edged for the flrst time Tuesday that they are pursuing Bill Parcells. The Bucs fired Tony Dungy, the only winning coach in the franchise's 26-year history, on Monday night and are believed to be close to an agreement with Parcells.

After denying during a news conference that the team had ever had discussions with, the former Giants, Patriots and Jets-coach or his representative about coming to Tampa Bay, the sons of owner Malcolm Glazer issued a statement saying talks began with agent Jimmy Sexton late Tuesday afternoon. Dungy could interview witli Colts next week INDIANAPOLIS Tony Dungy's agent thinks the fired Tampa Bay Bucs coach might interview next week with the Indianapolis Colts. Ray Anderson would not say if someone from the Colts had contacted him directly, but told The Associated Press on Tuesday that there were "informal indications" that could lead to an interview. Speculation about Dungy has surfaced in part because of his ties with Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore. They were on the Minnesota Vikings' staff in 1992-93, and Moore was offensive coordinator at the University of Minnesota when Dungy was the Gophers' quarterback in the mid-1970s.

STATE COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NAIA ALL-AMERICANS Betliany, KW players honored Swedes' Strack, Mendenhall and Coyotes' Leonard earn second-team recognition By The Saline Journal OLATHE Two football players from Bethany and one from Kansas Wesleyan have been named to the NA- lA's Division All-America second team. Wesleyan running back Matt Leonard and quarterback Mike Strack and offensive lineman Troy Mendenhall were honored for their play last fall. Leonard rushed for a Kansas Conference-best 1,400 yards and scored 13 touchdowns in his senior season as the Coyotes shared the KCAC regular-season title with Bethany and qualified for the NAIA postseason playoffs for the first time in school history Strack, a junior, threw for 3,060 yards while completing 62.7 percent of his passes. He threw 36 touchdowns passes and only nine interceptions. The 260-pound Mendenhall anchored Bethany's line in his senior season.

Ottawa offensive lineman Josh Crews, a junior, was the only other KCAC player to receive second-team honors. No KCAC players were named to the first team. Five KCAC players received honorable mention All-America honors, cluding Bethany wide receiver Todd Just and Wesleyan offensive lineman Jeff Stroecker. Just, a senior from Salina, finished his career in superb fashion by catching 62 passes for 980 yards and 10 TDs. The 300-pound Stroecker, a junior college transfer this season, played guard on the Coyotes' line.

Two players from Tabor also earned honorable mention recognition sophomore wide receiver Tyson Ratzlaff, who caught 54 passes for 1,132 yards and 14 touchdowns and sophomore defensive back Jason Phelps. Southwestern defensive back Ricky Johnson, a senior, was the KCAC's fifth honorable mention selection. BRIEFLY Chiefs agree to terms with three players KANSAS CITY, Mo. The Chiefs have agreed to two-year contracts with linebacker Wes Robertson, wide receiver Terrill Shaw and fullback Paul Shields, the team announced Tuesday Robertson, 6-feet-2 and 229 pounds, signed with the Chiefs as a rookie free agent last April, but Was released before the season started. At Rutgers, where he had 185 tackles of them solo and nine sacks and tackles for losses.

Shaw, 6 feet and 175 pounds, joins the Chiefs after scoring a record five touchdowns in Arena Bowl XV to be named the game's MVR Shields, 6-feet-l and 238 pounds, entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with Indianapolis in 1999, playing in 21 games in the 1999 and 2000 seasons. He has four career receptions for 37 yards and one kickoff return in his NFL career. Olathe North's Mack commits to K-State Olathe North running back Maurice Mack, one of the state's top prospects, has made an oral commitment to play football at Kansas State next year. The 6-foot-l, 190-pound Mack, who succeeded K-State freshman Darren Sproles as Olathe North's top runner, is projected as a cornerback for the Wildcats. He chose Kansas State over Missouri, Kansas and Minnesota.

The commitment brings K- State's total to 22, according to Rivals.com, an Internet recruiting monitor. But one of the names on the list is Salina Central running back Donnie Anders, who said recently that he still plans to take at least one more visit, to Missouri. The NCAA national signing period begins Feb. 6 and runs through April 1. Tulsa's Shriver earns WAC weekly honor TULSA.

native Alyssa Shriver has been named the Western Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of January 7-13. Shriver, a 6-foot-4 center with Tulsa University, set a school record with 10 consecutive baskets in an 83-70 win against UTER Shriver, who transferred from Iowa State, scored 22 points and pulled down 10 rebounds against the Miners for her second-straight double-double. The center also led Tulsa to a 69-58 come-from-behind win over Boise State, recording game-highs of 20 points, eight rebounds with three blocked shots. Her three blocks gave her 45 career blocks, tying her for first on the all-time Tulsa block list. In two games, Shriver averaged 21.0 points with 9.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocked shots, connecting on 18-of-27 field goal attempts.

With a 10-5 overall record and a perfect 5-0 conference mark, the Hurricane is off to the best start in school history Tulsa is also in the midst of a school- record six-game winning streak. FHSU men recover In overtime, 88-87 HAYS Fort Hays State's men squandered an 11-point halftime lead but rebounded In overtime Tuesday night to edge Rockhurst 88-87 at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Tigers, who improved to 12-2, got 23 points and seven assists from Aulston Marthi, 19 points fh)m Melroy McKelvey and 13 points from Ike Smith. Rockhurst (12-3) got 21 points from Davin WinWey and 20 from Brian Moeller. The Hawks had all five starters score in double figvires but were outscored 18-7 by Fort Hays State's bench.

Port Hays led 46-35 at halftime, but Rockhurst rallied to tie it at 81 at the end of regulation. The Tigers outscored Rockhurst 7-6 in the extra period. For Fort Hays State, martin hit 4 of 5 3-point attempts and Jim Rhodes 2 of 3 for all six of his points. Rockhiurst had a 3728 rebounding advantage led by Joel Sobanski with 12. Smith and McKelvey had seven rebounds each for Fort Hays State.

Sterling women No. Swedes stay at No. 13 OLATHE The unbeaten Sterling Warriors have moved up to second in this week's NAIA Division II women's basketball poll, released Tuesday The Warriors (15-0) moved up after last week's top-ranked team, Hastings, lost and was replaced by Holy Family, Pa. (14-0). Hastings fell to third In the poll.

Bethany (14-1) remained at 13th. There are no Kansas Conference teams ranked in the NAIA II men's BMC men No. 8 In NJCAAII rankings COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. The Brown Mackie Lions slipped two spots to 13th in this week's National Junior College Athletic Association's Division II men's basketball poll. Brown Mackie (12-6) lost to No.

8- ranked Penn Valley, Mo. 101-96 Saturday at Muir Gymnasium. The game was highlighted by the play of Penn Valley's Nate Johnson, a 6-foot-3 guard, and Brown Mackie's 6-11 center, Lee Benson. The two combined for 95 points with Johnson scoring a school-record 51. Benson had 44 and 14 rebounds.

Benson is the leading scorer in Junior college basketball with a 32.4 average. He.also averages 13.7 rebounds. Johnson is the second- leadhig scorer in Division with a 26.1 average. The Lions play No. 7-ranked Redlands, (16-3) Saturday in El Reno, Okla.

Redlands is coached by former Butler County and Wichita South coach Steve Eck. CoffeyvlUe (15-1) moved up from 10th to eighth in the CAA Division I men's poll. Okaloosa-Walton, Fla. (17-1) is the top-ranked team, replacing San Jacinto, Texas (14-1), which lost last week and fell to fifth. Seward County (16-0) moved up two spots to sixth in the CAA Division 1 women's poll.

Butler County (16-0) is ranked fourth and Cowley unty (142) 23rd. SE-Saline girls too much for Ellsworth GYPSUM The Southeast of Saline girls' pressure defense took its toll on Ellsworth from the beginning Tuesday night as the Trojans grabbed an early lead and rolled to a 58-22 North Central Activities Association victory at the Southeast gym. The Trojans, who Improved to 7-3 overall and 3-2 in the NCAA, got 14 points from Jamie Schropp and 11 each from Emily Eilders and Chantay Seim. Ellsworth fell to 1-9 and 0-5 in the league. "We came out with a good effort," said Southeast coach Wayne Sager.

"Ellsworth is sfruggling and we were shooting well, and that was that they could not overcoine," Southeast led 11-5 after one quarter and blew it open in the second for a 28-11 halftime advantage. From Staff and Wire Reports ENTERPRISES LLC TOM BUILDING REMODELING Clarke Garnett, Builder New Home Com traction, Contnctor with (he City of SaliiM, Bonded Custom remodeling of kitcbeni. bachroomt and basements. Also deck construction and repair. Quality work completed on time and on budget.

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