The Galveston Daily News from Galveston, Texas • Page 15

SPORTS BRIEFS 11 Volleyball champs Pictured above are the City of Galveston Recreation Department's Co-Ed Volleyball champions for the Fall 1986 season. Front row (left to right): Zoltan Olah, Tom Mmello, Greg Samford. Back row: Jerry Linen, Terri Lund, Nancy Ker, Diane Easter and Coach Keith Ramsey. Not pictured are Carin Nestle and Cathy Walker. The team was sponsored by Russo's of Galveston.

Basketball meeting GALVESTON The Sunday Men's Basketball League will be holding a meeting tonight for teams interested in joining the league. The meeting will be held at the Boys Club 4420 Ave. beginning at 7:30 p.m. A desposit is required in order to join the league. For more information, Johnnv Enriquez at 744-8754.

UH back to square one HOUSTON (AP)'- The University of Houston is apparently going back to the starting block in its search for an athletic director after its leading candidate went unsigned over the weekend. Jim Garner, athletic director at Appalachian State in Boone N.C., had been the leading candidate. Garner met with school officials and coaches on Friday then returned to Appalachian State. "We had a nice visit with him over the weekend," said Stan Bmion, a member of the search committee. "I don't know whether all the pieces will fall together with rum or not.

Things like contract terms, money, the fit with the overall objectives here. ce rptai one we talked to seriously," Binion said tunday But if I had to say right now. I would think we would look a little further." co is scheduled to meet again Monday, he said At that time the members will again go over a list of candidates. ''Two or three or four of those are really viable candidates," Binion said. "One or two of them, fortunately live in town so we won't need to bring them into town for an interview." Bunion, however, would not say who the candidates are The search committee earlier had hoped to hire an athletic director by Jan.

1. But Bunion said no target date has been set for naming an athletic director to replace Tom Ford who resigned earlier this year. Conner takes 2-0 lead FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) The shifting winds of the Indian Ocean helped skipper Dennis Conner recover from a difficult start to score an easy victory Monday over Tom Blackaller's USA, giving Stars Stripes a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven semifinal American Cup challenger series New Zealand had an equally easy time with French Kiss to aJso take a 2-0 lead in the other challenger semifinal. Conner is considered a master at.the intricate pre-start maneuvering so crucial "to match racing. But Monday his crew misjudged their timing and were over the line too soon It was the second straight day that Conner and" the San Diego Yacht Club entry were forced to come from behind But this time, Conner did not wait until midway in the final leg to take the lead, as he did Sunday when Stars Stripes won bv 10 seconds.

The winning margin was 3 minutes, 2 seconds. Tuesday Morning, DecemberSO, 1986 yJ Bowls nesota, 6-5, in the Liberty Bowl Monday nightat Memphis, Tenn. Tuesday night's other bowl game has No. 15 UCLA, 7-3-1, against BYU, in the Freedom Bowl at Anaheim, Calif. On New Year's Eve, it's 18th-ranked North Carolina State, 8-2-1, against Virginia Tech, 8 2-l, in the Peach Bowl at Atlanta; Colorado, 6-5, against No.

14 Baylor, 8-3, in the Bluebonnet Bowl at Houston; and Indiana, 6-5, against Florida State, 6-4-1, in the All-American Bowl at Birmingham, Ala. The New Year's Day bowls were Southern Cal vs. No. 10 Auburn in the Citrus Bowl at Orlando, No. 8 Texas vs.

No. 11 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl at Dallas; No. 5 Louisiana State vs. No. 6 Nebraska in the Sugar Bowl at New Orleans; No.

7 Arizona State vs. No. 4 Michigan in the Rose Bowl at Pasadena, and No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No.

9 Arkansas in the Orange Bowl at Miami. Top-ranked Miami plays No. 2 Penn State for the national title on Jan. 2 in- the Fiesta Bowl at Tempe, Ariz. San Diego State generated much of its offense through the air this season, averaging 252 yards per game passing and just 94 per game on the ground.

Todd Santos passed for 2,553 yards this year but will be without one of his favorite targets, wide receiver Anthony Conyers, who caught 27 passes for 507 yards. Conyers tested positive for-cocaine before the game a nd was suspended. Vlasic has been effective at times late in the season for Iowa as he recovers from the shoulder injury. On Nov. 22, he came off the bench to rally Iowa to a 30-27 victory over Minnesota after the Hawkeyes had trailed 17-0 at halftime.

UCLA had won three consecutive New Year's Day bowl games coming into this season, so the Bruins and Coach Terry Donahue were understandably disappointed when they wound up in the Freedom Bowl against WAC runner-up BYU. The disappointment was heightened because crosstown rival USC was chosen to face Auburn in the Citrus Bowl. "I think all of us would prefer to be in a New Year's Day game," Donahue said. "We had a real string going, the best string in the country. To see it broken and to see a team (USC) going who went 74 and we beat 45-25 bothers us." Known as an offense-minded team, Brigham Young was second in the WAC this year in total defense, allowing just 278 yards per game, while struggling a little offensively.

Steve Lindsley started the season at quarterback but was replaced late in the season by a sohpmore, Bob Jensen. North Carolina State Coach Dick Sheridan took a team that finished 3-8 in 1985 and completely turned it around. Led by All-Atlantic Coast Conference quarterback Erik Kramer, the Wolfpack features a balanced attack on offense but a defense that finished sixth in eight ACC schools this season. Coach Bill Dooley, meanwhile, Chargers' O'Neal, Saints Mayes named top rookies 3-B NEW YORK (AP) Leslie O'Neal, a primary force in the San Diego Chargers' defensive improvement before he was cut down by injury, was named Monday The Associated Press' defensive Rookie of the Year. "Oh, wow.

I'm thoroughly pleased," O'Neal said in a telephone interview from Little Rock, where he is spending the holidays with his family. "It's nice that people outside the San Diego Chargers organization recognized me, even though I got hurt," said O'Neal, a defensive end and the Chargers' top draft choice. He suffered torn knee ligaments in the season's 13th week. Meanwhile, New Orleans running back Rueben Mayes, who rushed for 1,353 yards and helped the Saints to a 7-9 record, was named offensive rookie of the year. Mayes was a near-unanimous choice for the honor, getting 74 of the 79 votes cast by writers and broadcasters representing all 28 NFL cities.

Mike Sherrard of Dallas, John L. Williams of Seattle, Mark Jackson of Denver, Napoleon McCallum of the Los Angeles Raiders and Jim Everett of the Los Angeles Rams each received one vote. The result of voting by a panel of sportswriters and sportscasters was released Monday. A two-time All-American out of Oklahoma State and the eighth player picked in the draft, O'Neal finished with 34 votes. Miami linebacker John Offerdahl, a second-round pick, received 20 votes.

Kansas City linebacker Dino Hackett, a third-round choice, received seven votes whiie Atlanta linebacker Tony Casillas, the second player taken in the draft, was fourth with five votes. O'Neal was hurt during San Diego's 17-3 victory over Indianapolis. Doctors likened the severity of his knee injury to those suffered in 1984 by San Diego tight end Kellen Winslow and Seattle running back Curt Warner. Like Winslow and Warner, who both have made successful comebacks, O'Neal underwent reconstructive surgery to repair the shredded ligaments. He is expected to be sidelined the better part of a year.

At the time of his injury, O'Neal was leading the Chargers in quarterback sacks and tackles (82). He also forced three fumbles and intercepted two passes, including one that he returned for a touchdown. Despite missing the final three games, O'Neal finished fourth in the AFC in quarterback sacks and his five sacks in a game against Dallas was an NFL high this season. "He's certainly well deserving of the defensive Rookie of the Year award," San Diego Coach AJ Saunders said. "What he did for the entire defense is evidenced by the fact that our defensive success was reduced without Leslie there." Mayes had six 100-yard games, including a New Orleans-record 203 yards in 28 carries against Miami.

He finished the season trailing only Eric Dickerson of the Los Angeles Rams, Joe Morris of the New York Giants and Curt Warner of Seattle among NFL rushers. Last season, the Saints had a 511 record. Mayes, a native of Canada who played at Washington State, suffered an Achilles tendon injury during training camp and didn't become a regular until the fifth game of the season, when he ran for 81 yards in 13 carries against the Washington Redskins. Blue Devils crack Top 20 By The Associated Press The Duke Blue Devils are making their first appearance in this season's college basketball rankings, and Coach Mike Krzyzewski saysit'sgood for theego. The Blue Devils are 6-1 despite losing four starters, including All-American guard Johnny Dawkins, from the team that lost to Louisville in the 1985-86 national championship game.

"With the new team this year, it helps give our players a little more confidence," Krzyzewski said. "It gives this team an identity separate from what we accomplished last year." In The Associated Press poll announced Monday, Nevada-Las Vegas, Purdue, Iowa, North Carolina and Auburn held onto the top five spots. Indiana jumped from eighth to sixth after beating Louisville, Princeton and Illinois State, and Syracuse was seventh followed by Georgetown, Navv and St. John's. Duke beat Miami, Fla.

74-67 in its only game last week. The Blue Devils' lone loss was at Illinois 69-62, on Nov. 29. While much of the Blue Devils' scoring punch is missing with the graduation of Dawkins, Krzyzewski says this year's club is doing it on defense. "We have good young talent, and our defense has been very good," the coach said.

"We have a lot of players who didn't play a lot last year, but they did practice, and they know the defense. That's been a positive aspect on this team, something this team takes pride in doing well." Nevada-Las Vegas, 10-0, received 47 first-place votes and 1,181 points from the nationwide panel of sports writers and broadcasters. Purdue, 7-0, received 10 first-place votes and 1,114 points. Iowa, ll-o, received one first-place vote and 1,065 points, while North Carolina, 8-1, had 1,037 points. Auburn, 7-0, got two first-place votes and 897 points.

Indiana, 9-1, made its jump with 826 points, and Syracuse, 19-G, had 811 points. Georgetown, 8-0, improved two places from last week's rankings with 767 points. Navy, 5-1. improved three places from last week with 637 points, 48 more than St. John's, 8-0, which jumped from 15th into the Top Ten.

Kentucky, 6-1, heads the Second Ten with 523 points after beating Louisville 85-51 Saturday, handing the Cardinals their worst defeat at home in Denny Crum's 16 years as head coach. Following the Wildcats were Kansas, Oklahoma Temple, DePaul, Illinois, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, North Carolina State and Duke. Last week's Second Ten was North Carolina State, Navy, Kansas, Pittsburgh, St. John's, Temple, DePaul, Kentucky, Georgia Tech and Florida. Florida was in the Top Twenty only one week as the Gators lost their only game last week, 83-80 to California.

Bennett released by Bucs TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Leemari Bennett, who coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to consecutive 2-14 seasons that earned the team the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, was dismissed Monday by team owner Hugh Culverhouse. No replacement was named, although early speculation continued to center around Alabama's Ray Perkins, who left the New York Giants to coach the Crimson Tide. Culverhouse again denied reports that he has talked to Perkins about the job.

He said a search for a new coach will begin immediately and that he hopes to make a decision within a month. "I hope to call as many coaches as possible," he said, adding that he doesn't know if Perkins is interested in the position but will seek permission from Alabama officials to contact thecoach. Culverhouse also said he plans to interview Rollie Dotsch, coach of the USFL Birmingham Stallions, who Culverhouse said has "excellent recommendations." SD shakes up staff SAN DIEGO (AP) The' San Diego Chargers' top administrator was demoted and his assistant, former NFL fullback Paul "Tank" Younger, was fired Monday in a shakeup that wiped out much of the management structure left by former owner Gene Klein. Chargers owner Alex Spanos said the reassignment of the team's general manager, Johnny Sanders, and the departure of Younger had been in the making since he purchased the team from Klein in August 1984. "Hey.

they're good people. I have the utmost respect for them," Spanos said. "(But) this is something I've been thinking about for the last years." Without being specific, Spanos said he felt a front- office change was necessary for the Chargers, who have not had a winning year since 1982, when they finished 6-3 in the strike-shortened season. FISHINGSURVEY from IB is ending his nine-year career at Virginia Tech under unfriendly circumstances. When Tech took his athletic director's job away from him, he sued the school and won $3.5 million out of court.

Virginia Tech is led by rusher Maurice Williams. With it's 6-5 record, Colorado could easily have been overlooked by the bowls, but Baylor Coach Grant Teaff says his Bears won't be overlooking the Buffaloes when they meet in Houston. Among Colorado's six victories was a 20-10 triumph over Nebraska. Among the Buffs' losses was a 13-10 squeaker to Ohio State. "They've played some great football this year in the Big Eight," Teaff said.

Colorado runs a wishbone that features three 500-yard runners, including O.C. Oliver. Baylor's three losses were to Southern CaJ, Southern Methodist and Southwest Conference champion Texas by a total of 10 points. Indiana's 6-5 season was its first on Jhe winning side in six years, and Coach Bill Mallory is taking the Hoosiers to only the third bowl game in their history. "We've been, making some headway," Mallory said.

"It's gotten to the point where there is good quality football in thestate." Both Indiana and Florida State averaged 350 yards or better per game on offense, about evenly split between passing and rushing Florida State, however, held opponents to under 300 yards per game. TUESDAY TIDES High at pm low M.ifl.) and 18pm (1.0 ft.l. TUESDAY MOON Rise at am, sat at 5:00 pm. WEDNESDAY TIDES at (1.1 It.) andf pm 11-i low af am I ft.) and WEDNESDAY SUN Rise at 7:13 am. at 5:31 pm.

WEDNESDAY MOON Rise at 6:01 am. set at The weather was against area fishing Monday. Consequently the turnout of fishermen was light." Jetty waters paid off with sand trout, some scattered keeper red- fish and a lot of sheepshead, according to Juanita Martin at the Galveston Yacht Basin Bait Camp. Sand trout and some scattered speckled trout were caught from the Blue Hole in Offatts Bayou. The bayou, however, hasn't become cold enough for a big run of speckled trout.

A few boaters who worked West Bay caught some keeper redfish and small flounders in the vicinity of Confederate Reef. A few people fished from beachfront rock groins but catches 744-3651 were slim. Scattered redfish and speckled trout were caught from the Spillway Canal atBacliff. MUST PASSENGER MICHELIK XH PERFECT BALANCE BETWEEN PRICE QUALITY Longest-lasting Michelin tire. For domestic compact, intermediate full-size cars.

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