Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • Page 65

JHE HARTFORD COURANT: Sunday, Jum 30, 1996 Coyotes falter late in 5945 loss "To hear the crowd chanKde-fense, defense' that's a charfge around here. It's a pleasure to hear," said Firebirds defensive ling-man Jerome Brown. "They're, expecting defense now, while itf-pfe past they hadn't." Garcia was sacked for an loss, then then had a pass tipped incomplete. The rattled CoyBtes helped with a holding penally, which forced them into a fourth-and-26. Mike Geary's 52-yard 'fj'efd goal attempt was short, and Brown returned to the Albany 2 1 yard-line.

Three plays later, he caught a 29-yard touchdown pass, giving Albany the lead for good at 7:13 remaining. The Coyotes' Willie Gaston'fum-bled while returning the ensuing kickoff, and Albany's Kyle Mjojgje recovered on the Coyotes 21. Four plays later, Brown again beat1 We defense and caught a for a 50-38 lead. bag on his left knee after the game. "We were waiting for them to give us the game," Garcia said.

"Winning is a state of mind." And a state of cozy protection. Because Perez had a wall around him, he was able, as usual, to find Eddie Brown. Brown increased his league lead in scoring to 192 points with three touchdown catches, including two in a three-minute span of the fourth quarter when the Firebirds outscored the Coyotes, 21-7. "He gets a lot of opportunities to make plays," Coyotes receiver Larry Ray Willis said of Brown. "To his credit, he makes them.

We've got to help Garcia make plays." Willis had seven catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns. Brown caught six passes for 95 yards and also made seven returns for 138 yards, several times giving the Firebirds good field position. The Firebirds (6-3) made their best defensive stand with 10 minutes, 37 seconds remaining as the crowd became a factor. the Coyotes made a couple of mental errors in the defensive backfield, resulting in easy Albany touchdowns. "They were worried with the score tied that late," Garcia said.

"But we gave the momentum back to them. You can't do that in a place like this." Still, strides have been made. Albany defeated the Coyotes 58-26 a month ago and didn't seem nearly so dominating Saturday night when Garcia and Albany quarterback Mike Perez got into a touchdown-passing duel. Perez won, 7-4. "We need to take care of Garcia like they take care of Perez," Coyotes coach Lary Kuharich said.

"We'll keep trying. We'll move people around." Perez increased his league lead in touchdown passes to 55. He completed 16 of 3 1 for 3 15 yards and no interceptions, and absorbed few hard hits. Garcia was 22 of 36 for 290 yards and one interception. He had an ice Graf prevail after wild weel i Serena's Song draws away in Hempstead -I Staff and wire reports 1 Serena's Song, the filly last length victory bver'Shoop in the i $200,000 Hempstead Handicap Saturday.

at Belmont Park in Elmont, In the news Restored Hope was another head back in third in the field of eight jfillies and mares. Under Jerry Bailey and high of 125 pounds, Serena's pressed pace-setter Restored -Hope before taking over at the quarter pole. She drew away in the stretch and covered l'ie miles in 1 njirjute, 41 seconds over the fast Serena's Song returned and $2.10. Boston Harbor wins Boston Harbor drew away in the stretch for a four-length victory over stablemate Prairie Junction in the $1 1 1,000 Bashford Manor for 2-yearolds at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky Ms. Mostly post- ed half-length victory the $150)00 Pucker Up Stakes at Arlington International Racecourse in Chicago.

If Mr Purple wins the Wollywood Gold Cup today in Calif he will be two-thirds of the way to a $2 million bonus for winning the Santa Anita Handicap, Gold'Cup and Pacific Classic at Del be run Aug. 10. Mr Purple won the Santa Anita Handicap in "March. Hay to coach Coyotes? The Phoenix Coyotes reportedly will introduce Calgary Flames as--sistant Don Hay as their new coach. The Arizona Republic reported the Coyotes will announce the hiring of Monday.

Coyotes, the transplanted Winnipeg Jets, have been without a coach, since Terry Simpson was fired May 14 The Dallas Stars offered center Mike Modano a one-year; $2,921,875 contract, the same salary he made last season. By extending the qualifying offer, the Stars have the right to match any offer will receive as a restricted free agent, which he becomes on Monday. Modano, 26, had 36 goals and 81 points last season. European final today Germany aims for its third European soccer title in five final appearances today against the upstart Czech. Republic, which has beaten Italy, Portugal and France.

The. Germans almost certainly will be without injured captain and Star-Striker Juergen Kiinsmann. He tore.acalf muscle in the 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Croatia. U.S. team loses first Th6 U.S.

Olympic baseball team lostats first exhibition game, 5-1 to defending world champion Cuba in Zebulon, N.C. Team USA had won its rjreVious 18 exhibitions, hitting and averaging 10.2 runs. Cuba's Rolando Arrojo pitched seven innings, allowing five hits and striking diit nine. Former Olympic swimmer Ron Karnaugh is asking the US. Olympic Committee to disqualify a swimmer from the Olympic-team, claiming he violated the code of conduct, according 'to a published report.

2f Greg Burgees were to be disqualified from the Olympic team, would take his place at games as an alternate, according td The Star-Ledger of Newark. Karnaugh's complaint said Burgess violated the newly revised code of conduct for U.S. Olympic athletes I when he was arrested March 23 in Neptune Beach, and charged with drinking in public and providing alcohol to people under age 21. Burgess pleaded no contest to the cfiarges and paid $150 in fines. Ityvid Rodriguez, 15, from the Charter Oak Boxing Academy in iHartford, lost a three-round deci-Isipn to Miguel Espino of North Hollywood, in the championship Ibftut of 139-pound class at the Junior Olympic nationals in Marquette, Mich.

I Complied by Jeff Goldberg Vn IS Perez passes for seven TDs By WOODY ANDERSON Courant Staff Writer ALBANY An old problem resurfaced for the Connecticut Coyotes Saturday night in a 59-45 Arena Football League loss to the Albany Firebirds before 11,117 at the Knickerbocker Arena. Lack of pass protection. Although Coyotes quarterback Aaron Garcia was only sacked once, he was hit several other times after throwing. After one heavy hit in the second half, he rolled in pain for several seconds before slowly getting up. And a couple of his passes were tipped in the fourth quarter when the game got away from the Coyotes (2-7), who are 0-5 on the road.

The score was tied 38-38 midway through the fourth quarter when Sampras, Combined wire services WIMBLEDON, England Defending champions Pete Sampras and Steffi Graf dodged the tumult of upsets, freak injuries and illness as an Arctic blast closed out a wacky first week at Wimbledon Saturday. Never in 69 years since Wimbledon began seeding players were 19 seeds a record 11 men and a record-tying eight women eliminated before the mid-tournament break. Saturday, fans bundled up in blankets and players shivered in their shorts as a front from Iceland brought chilly winds that gusted to 35 mph after a session virtually gutted by rain. Sampras, seeking a fourth consecutive Wimbledon title, struggled unexpectedly against No. 107Karol Kucera of Slovakia before prevailing, 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3).

"It was very cool and gusty, so my form didn't seem like it was as good as it has been the last couple of matches," Sampras said. "I got through it, but it wasn't pretty. "This Wimbledon has been so strange. All the upsets, then Boris Becker hurting his wrist Friday. 1 thought I might be the next casualty-" Graf, going for her seventh title in nine years, lost the first nine points against Nicole Arendt before moving on to a 6-2, 6-1 victory.

"I don't think it ever happened to me that somebody cheered when I finally made a point," Graf said. "It was extremely cold. I warmed up quite a few times, but maybe not enough." German compatriot Anke Huber, the No. 5 seed, became the latest victim of bad luck, taking a break in her match because of a stomach illness before losing 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 to Ai Sugiyama of Japan. In other women's matches, No.

6 Jana Novotna beat Ruxandra Dra-gomir 6-3, 6-1; No. 3 Conchita Martinez defeated Lori McNeil 7-5, 7-6 (7-4); No. 12 Kimiko Date downed Kristie Boogert 2-6, 6-4, 6-2; No. 13 Mary Pierce routed Natalia Medve-deva 6-4, 6-1; and No. 16 Martina Hingis defeated Linda Wild, 6-3, Meredith McGrath of Midland, tied her best Grand Slam performance, advancing to the fourth round with a 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6- 2 victory over Nancy Feber.

The quickest outing of the day took place on Centre Court as Tim Henman served one game and a total of five points to close out a 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Luke Milligan in a match suspended by rain Friday night. Two more seeded men bowed out No. 11 Wayne Ferreira and No. 12 Marc Rosset both in five sets. There is one seeded player No.

13 Todd Martin remaining in the bottom half of the draw that No. 2 Becker exited because of a wrist injury. Two-time finalist and No. 4 seed Goran Ivanisevic defeated Alexander Volkov, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5, 6-3. Mar- LIH 4sV 1 1 sfiWJU Now Forming Official Size Rink AIR CONDITIONED Call for Information 203-753-4983 RollerMaglc iTOTInr-ii 60 Harvester Rd.

Waterbury Naui. '-t 1 i 'l 1 TB. I Lata MwMt Pro Stocks Com Qualifying PKf See the jra4unta R-(tf PM I tnworns! MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBAU, 1 p.m.! Tigers at Red Sox, 09 799092, WTIC (1080), WNLC (1510), WHYN (560), WLAD (1400), WEB (850) 1:30 p.m.: Orioles at Yankees, CB 787837, WABC (770), WDRC (1 360), WWCO (1 240) p.m-kMets at Astros, 300585 4:30 p.m.i Braves at Marlins, TBS 821059 8 p.m.: Indians at White Sox, ESPN 348276, WFAN (660), WNNZ (640) MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 1 p.m.: Norwich at Portland, WWE-FM (102.3) 2 p.m.i New Haven at Hardware City, WNEZ (910), WMRD (1 1 50), WAVZ (1300), WLIS (1420), WNTY (990), WNLK (1350). WINE (940) AMATEUR BASKETBALL p.m.i Women's College Basketball All-Star Classic, SC 220905 GOLF 1 p.m.: ShopRite LPGA Classic, (D 90363 1 p.m.: Hooters Tour Championship, SC 691479 4 p.m.: Canon Greater Hartford Open, final round, 9214 5:30 p.m.i Kroger Senior Classic, ESPN 795740 TENNIS 3 p.m.: Wimbledon first-week highlights, 10(1)00909 954672(tape) AUTO RACING 7:45 a.m.: Formula One Grand Prix of France, ESPN2 52178127 Noon: Lysol 200, 00)003 314276 2:30 p.m.: DeVilbiss Superfin-ish 200, CKZCMB 66479 3 p.m.: IndyCar Medic Drug Grand Prix of Cleveland, QDOQD 55059; midnight: 77517 (tape) 6 p.m.: PPGFirestone Indy Lights Championship, ESPN2 7196653 SOCCER 1:55 p.m.: European Championship, Czech Republic vs. Germany, ESPN2 39071566 3 p.m.: MLS: New York-New Jersey MetroStars at Columbus Crew, UNI 318547 4 p.m.: International match, 6566 (tape) CYCLING 3 p.m.: Tour de France, ESPN 763932 (tape) 3 a.m.! NORBA National Championships, ESPN 615623 (tape) GYMNASTICS 2 p.m.: U.S.

Olympic trials, 37547 (same-day tape); 7 p.m.i H3GDO03 64189 HORSE RACING 3:30 p.m.: Irish Derby, ESPN 1 61 769 (same-day tape) 4:30 p.m.i Hollywood Gold Cup, ESPN 658479 EQUESTRIAN 12:30 p.m.: U.S. Olympic tri-als, ESPN 894059 MSG subject to blackout on some cable systems. VCR Plus codes He prefers TNT Michael Fraser, 6, of North York, Ontario, spent one inning helping announce the Reds-Cubs game Saturday in Cincinnati after being chosen in a Fox TV promotion. "I hope he hits a home run," Fraser said of Barry Larkin. "If he hits a home run, explosions and fireworks will go off." The factor Olympic fencer Peter West-brook began his career in the 1960s, trying to emulate his hero.

"I wanted to be Zorro ail my life," he said. "I went to a Catholic school, and I used to think about swinging on the chandeliers, saving the nuns and stuff like that." Wire reports Leg: Prologue to the Tour, a flat 5.8-mile individual time trial through Den Bosch. Winner Last year's overall runner-up Alex Zulle of Switzerland, who clocked 10 minutes, 53 seconds. Tour tidbit: Italy's Roberto Conti was the only entrant of 198 to retire from the Tour Saturday. He had a virus and did not compete In the prologue.

Next leg: First stage of the Tour today is a relatively flat course, 129.6 miles, starting and ending in Den Bosch. The Tour will cover 2,418 miles through France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Spain where it passes near Indurain's Pamplona home to mark his 32nd birthday. The first stage today is a relatively flat trek of 129.6 miles, with the start and finish in Den Bosch. Beside Indurain, Frenchmen Bernard Hinault and Jacques Anquetil and Eddy Merckx of Belgium are the only riders to win five Tours but none did it in succession. Associated Press No.

3 women's seed Conchita Martinez, above, is pumped up after reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon with a straight-set victory. No. 4 Goran Ivanisevic also advanced without losing a set. champion, originally feared the4n-jury could be career-threaten)ng. The injury was diagnosed as a partial tear of the ulnar extensoc in his right wrist.

"I'm relieved it is nothing Jridre serious," Becker said. "I hope to be able to keep returning to Wimbledon to play in 1997 and 1998 A1 only 4 Prices $4,986 $6,986 $8,986 $10,986 'KftH A Division of Stephen RMOGranbyCT. 1 3 1 FOOTBALL v-r 1 KM I I a i niM fc 1 will definitely be 100 percent fit for the U.S. Open," Becker said. Becker, 28, was injured in a third-round match against qualifier Neville Godwin.

He was forced to retire when he heard something pop in his wrist after mishitting a service return. Becker, a three-time Wimbledon Hair Transplants It 's not a hairpiece. It's not a weave. ITS YOUR HAIR and it continues to grow for as long as you live. Call for Your Free Consultation Transplant Group l-800-745-HAffi(4247) Cromwell New Haven Locations tin eliminated Renzo Furlan, 7-6 (7-1), 6-4, 6-2.

"This is the tournament I want to win so badly," said Ivanisevic, who lost to Andre Agassi in the final four years and to Sampras in the final two years ago. "It would be a relief to win it. It's like I have a big stone inside my shoe, and I want to take it out. A couple of times I've come close but not close enough." No. 10 seed Michael Stich, the 1991 Wimbledon champion who failed to get past the first round the past two years, defeated Sandon Stolle, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

"I think the All England Club should look at the draw, how it was made this year," Stich said. "It's a little bit surprising that all the big servers show up in the top half and all the so-called clay-courters, except Boris, show up in the bottom half." Becker injury not serious Becker said he ruptured a tendon and did not break any bones when he snapped his wrist on a shot that forced him out of the tournament. "I mustn't play for a month but FOII 61 HIPS' CMJO HIGE1T jlndurain seventh in prologue CoBBQetfcut Coyotes 9 US PJnncsota Fighting Pike Friday July 5 7:30 pn Hartford Civic Center Independence Day Celebration! Associated Press "DEN BOSCH, Netherlands i AJex-Zulle won the prologue and five-time defending champion Mi- indurain was seventh as the tour de France got under way Saturday. Zulle, a Swiss who was runner-up tin the grueling cycling event last year, finished the 5.8-mile rain-'slickened course through the Istfjejs and bridges of this historic citiiedral town southeast of Am-sgardam in 10 minutes, 53 seconds. I Stance Armstrong, the 1993 world champion, was 24 sec-Jor0sbehind Zulle in 12th place.

rlrldurain, the last of the riders out u) the individual time trial for the fifth consecutive year and wearing 'the yellow jersey as defending champion, was 12 seconds back. i The early cyclists went out in a steady downpour. The rain slowed forjhe later riders, helping their Chris Boardman, who fractured his left ankle in six places and broke a'wrlst last year in the prologue, was second, 2 seconds behind Zulle. Boardman won the prologue two vears ago, setting sjrspeed record. T1 Tislctts stst at I-ilo call: C50 All ticket prices subject to a I27 S01 $1 Ct.

surcharge.