The Galveston Daily News from Galveston, Texas • Page 19

Sports JL dahieston Section Local, Statt, World Sports Crenshaw one up on Trevino AUGUSTA, Ga. Ben Crenshaw played an almost- errorless 5-under-par 67 and took the lead, one stroke in front of Lee Trevino, after the first round of the 48th Masters golf tournament Thursday. "It was a very good round of golf today," said Crenshaw, so often a challenger but not yet a winner in golf's Big Four events. "But," said the man who is noted among his peers as one of the finest putters in the game, "it could have been better. "I felt like 1 left a few shots out there.

It easOy could have been two or three shots better and that's conservative." He hit 17 greens, reached two par-5s in two and did not make a bogey. The problem, said Crenshaw, lay with the putter, often the most potent weapon in his arsenal. This time, however, he made only two putts longer than 30 inches. "I'm perplexed," said Crenshaw. "I had the putts at the right angle.

I was putting from where I wanted to be. But I just missed 'em. The putter hasn't been that good this year." Trevino, like Crenshaw fascinated with the possibility of winning this title which ranks with the U.S. and British Opens and the PGA as the game's major events scattered seven birdies across his card in a swaggering, arm- swinging journey over the rolling hills of Augusta National. It was, he said, his best effort ever over the course he once vowed he'd never play again.

But Trevino, 44, a runnerup in the Tournament Players Championship, said he's changed his mind and now ranks a victory in the Masters as one of his prime goals. "After the way I played the last three rounds in the TPC, I reached way back and decided there's no place I can't play," he said. The international group of four at 69, one back of Trevino and two behind Crenshaw, included Tom Purtzer, Mark Lye, the Japanese veteran Isao Aoki, and David Graham. Graham, an Australian now living in the United States who has scored previous victories in the U.S. Open and PGA, had a share of the lead until he drove into the woods on the 18th, rattled around in the trees for a while and emerged with a double bogey-6.

Ray Floyd, a former winner here, holed out from the fairway for an eagle-2 on the 14th and topped the group at 70. Also at that figure were George Archer, Tom Kite, two-time U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin, Nick Faldo of England and Gary Koch, the only two-time winner on the PGA Tour this season. There were some other late challengers. But they found that Augusta National, wet from early-week rains but still possessing very fast greens, was not completely without its teeth.

Gary Player, the South African who has won this title three times, once got to four under for the Sunny day. But he played the next See CRENSHAW, Page 2B Tigers gain 8th straight DETROIT (AP) Detroit's Morris is glad that his personal brush with history is now taking a back seat to the Tigers' surge. Alan Trammell, Chet Lemon and Lou Whitaker hit home runs as Morris and the unbeaten Tigers defeated Texas 9-4 Thursday, extending Detroit's winning streak to seven games, the best start in the club's 84-year history. The Tigers' best previous start was 6-0 in 1911. "The record speaks for itself, we're hot," Morris said.

"We want eight now. We're playing again Friday. We want to win that one, too." Morris, 3-0, in his first start since his no-hitter last Saturday in Chicago, yielded a single to leadoff hitter Mickey Rivers on a 2-2 pitch, one minute into the game. "I got kind of lucky," Rivers said. "(But), I was pretty sure he wasn't going to pitch another no- hitter." Morris allowed seven hits, struck out two and walked one in seven innings.

He got relief help from Aurelio Lopez and Willie See TIGERS, Page 2B Page 1 Friday Morning, April 13,1984 Sports Phone 744-3611 LM girls, Tors off to regionals APLaserphoto Jack Mcklaus reacts to a missed putt during the opening round of the Masters Oilers try Matthews at center HOUSTON (AP) New Houston Oilers head coach Hugh Campbell completed his first mini-camp by raising a question that can't be fully answered until training camp can prize offensive guard Bruce Matthews replace David Carter as the team's starting center. Campbell is considering moving the multi-talented 1983 No. 1 draft pick from right guard to center. "You can't find the answer in a mini-camp," Campbell said. "But you can see if somebody is capable of handing the ball to the quarterback or not.

And what I've seen so far, Bruce is capable of it." Matthews was projected as a tackle prior to his rookie season a year ago but played guard in the regular season. Now, he has a new assignment. Oilers offensive line coach Bill Walsh handed Matthews a football for his trip back to Los Angeles. "It's the first time I've ever got a ball without paying," Matthews said. Matthews isn't complaining about the other lack of benefits involved at the center position.

"I enjoy playing guard but I can be excited about playing center too," he said. "I just want to play." Carter has been the starting Oilers center since the third game of the 1981 season when he replaced Carl Mauck. He hasn't missed a game since and isn't automatically being sidelined now. "I'm happier with David Carter than before I saw him in this mini-camp," Campbell said. "He's a little bit of a leader.

He has some spirit. I like that. It's going to be hard for Dvid Carter to get beat out but then again anything is possible." Walsh says Matthews' only major adjustment will be the center snap. "There's a lot a center has to do but he can't forget to deliver the ball to the quarterback," Walsh said. "Center has become a vital position.

It's covered 90 per cent of the time with the 3-4 defense." The Oilers also have Pat Howell as a possible center along with Les Studdard, who finished last season as Carter's backup. "We play a lot of teams that put a nose guard against the center, so it's to our advantage to have the best center in there possible," Campbell said. Carter says he's not bothered by the competition. "In two years, I've gotten to be the 'old man' all of a sudden," he said. The Oilers completed their three-day mini-camp Wednesday that was not mandatory for players.

New quarterback Warren Moon was the center of attention throughout the drills, and he expected to be. By MARK HARTLEY News Sports Editor PASADENA The La Marque Lady Cougars anticipate a four- team showdown for the Region III girls track title this weekend, while Ball High sweats out a pair of nagging injuries to its relay teams. The Lady Cougars, who won their fourth straight district championship in Texas City eight days ago, are favored along with Smiley, Alief Elsik and Houston Sterling to dominate the Region III track meet at San Jacinto College. La Marque paced itself through light workouts this week after winning seven of the 15 events to fend off Clear Lake at the district meet. "Once you get this far, all you need to do is maintain what you've got," said La Marque Coach Robert Magee, "We're in good shape, and we'll be ready to go Friday." The regional will start competition in field events at 6 p.m.

today, beginning the running preliminaries at 7 p.m. The running finals start at 1 p.m. Saturday. The meet will also include Class 4A qualifiers, such as Santa Fe's Julie Smith, Dora Ruiz and the Indians' mile relay team. Ball High qualified for all three Class 5A relays at regionals.

But Leila Archie, who anchors a leg on the 400-meter and 800-meter relays, strained a muscle during practice at San Jacinto on Monday. Elva James, a sophomore who runs on the 1600-meter relay, has also been nursing injuries. The school trainer has frequently examined both of the runners this week. Mary Castillo, the girls track coach at Ball High, said, "I won't know until meet time which one will run." Benita Mays and Nancy Powell won the long jump and 200 dash, respectively, at the district meet But Castillo scratched Powell from competing in the 200 dash at regional, choosing to save her as an alternate on the relay team. Castillo believes the Lady Tors could have won more individual events against district rivals.

But Ball High has stressed its relays, and the strategy paid off. The Lady Tors, with only six runners, finished third in the district meet with 104 points. "When you have six runners and you score that many points, you can't ask for any more from them," Castillo said, "I just hope we can get out of regionals and go to Austin meet). That's our goal. The relays are what we've worked on all year." AP Laserphoto The following athletes qualified lor regionals during the District 14 5A girls track meet In Texas Clly on April 4-5.

Dljcus 1.) Latrlcla Frank, La Marque, 135-1 J.I Charlene Selser, Dickinson. Shot put I.I Latrlcla Frank, La Marque, 2.) Laura Hlckey. Clear Lake, Triple I Teresa Carraway. Marque. 35 2.) Pauline Monseque.

La Porte, 145 High jump 1 Jana Moore, Pear-land. 5 3 2.1 SusanMusgrove. Clear Lake, 53 Long jump BenltaMays. Ball High, 17-3 2 Michelle Williamson. Pearland, 16 11 3200-meter run 1.) Missy Domenlck, Clear Lake, 11:38.12 Clear Lake, 11:54.41 400 meter relay 1.1 La Marque.

49.34 2.) Ball High, 47.39 800-meter run 1.) Donise Daley. Clear Lake, 2.) Barbie Batters. Clear Lake. 2:20 S3 100-meler hurdles Jackie Bailey, La Marqge, 14.51 3.) Christie Guederlan. Clear Creek, 15.69 100-meter dash Bailey, La Marque.

12.02 2.) Sandra Francis, La Porte, 12.10 300-meter relay I.I Ball High, 1 2.) Clear take, 1:48 DO 400-meter dash 1.1 Veronica Beard. La Marque. 58 15 2.) Sandra Francis, La Porte. 58.32 200 meter dash 1.) Nancy Powell, Ball High. 34.35 2.) Ty Lucketl, La Marque.

24.34 3.) PaullneMonseque. La Porte, 24.7) Ball High scratched Powell from the-200 meter dash so she could be an alternate on the 1400 meter relay (cam. LucVett and Monseque are District 24 5A's representatives In this event at regional. 1400-meter run KlmOlver, Clear Lake. 5:25.95 2.) Tess Ibarra.

Clear Lake. 5:31.16 1400-meter relay 1.) Ball High. 3:54.31 2.) La Marque, 4:05.17 In La Marque, Magee was unconcerned about the Lady Cougars' brush with runner-up Clear Lake. The track championship was not decided until the final event, and the Lady Cougars won by just nine points, 151-142. Magee pointed out, however, that a pair of disqualifications in the 800 relay turned the meet around.

Ball High set a meet record (1:39.26) en route to an uncontested victory. But Clear Creek and La Marque were both disqualified after separate violations, enabling Lake to turn a fourth-place finish into a second place finish and more points. "When we messed up on the handoff, that meant a 20-point difference (in the point standings). The meet wouldn't have been that close," Magee said, "We were expecting a challenge, but not that much of one. It was interesting, that's what makes track meets so much fun." Santa Fe finished fifth overall in the District 10-4A meet in Bay City last week.

Smith won the 400 dash and anchored a leg on the mile relay team with Tia Deleware, Vera Kelley and Esther Click. Dora Ruiz placed second in the run. Cleaning the plate New York Yankee catcher Butch Wynegar tags out Minnesota Twins' Lenny Faedo in the second inning of Thursday's game in New York. Faedo was attempting to score from second on Darrell Brown's single, but left fielder Don Mattingly made a perfect throw to home. The Twins went on to win 3-0.

Coogs hosting Tors, seven others in meet By MARK HARTLEY News Sports Editor LA MARQUE The Ball High Tornadoes, winners of 11 consecutive district track championships, return to action after a three-week "layoff," facing who will probably be their most serious challenger for the 1984 District 24-5A boys track championship the La Marque Cougars. The Cougars host an eight- team meet Saturday as both La Marque and Ball High make final preparations for a showdown at the district meet in La Porte on April 18-19. Texas City is the only other 24-5A team entered in the La Marque Invitational. The remaining track teams are from Yates, Madison, West Brook and French. Forest Brook, the defending champion of the meet, is not returning this year.

Preliminaries start at 9:30 a.m., while the finals are scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. The meet will be conducted at the track complex beside La Marque High School. Ball High decided not to attend the Houston Relays or the Texas Relays in recent weeks. The last meet the defending district champions have competed in was the Texas Southern Relays on March 23-24. Track Coach Kermit Courville figured the rest would help the Tors recuperate from several injuries.

"We've been a little sore, we just want to mend," Courville said Thursday, "It's been more beneficial to us to stay home and heal up. The layoff might do us some good, it might not." Courville added, however, that three of his track stars Reginald Ballard, Derrick Florence and Billy Williams were still not ready to return to action on Saturday. "And I'm not sure we'll be well for district either. That's only three days between the two meets," the Bali High track coach said. La Marque, on the other hand, is healthy and ready to dethrone the Tors.

The Cougars finished fifth at Baytown and have won meets at Dickinson and Victoria. Coach Leon Carr, in his eighth season as head track coach at La Marque, said of the upcoming district meet, "It will be a battle." The Cougars' varsity has 16 athletes, but there's a wealth of depth in sprinters and in the field events. "I've had faster people," Carr said, "But we have more depth. We are very competitive." Vince Carpenter heads a list of capable shot putters, including Dewayne Devers and Iverson Godfrey. The Cougars are also planning on points from pole vaulter Richard Irving and long jumper Bobby Haynes.

Curtis Whittaker and M.J. Butler will represent La Marque in the hurdles events. La Marque's depth of sprinters include the following: Mike Hill, Glen Wilson, Deroyce Evans, Mike Barbs, Milton Frank, Archie Mullins and Richard Haynes..