Green Bay Press-Gazette from Green Bay, Wisconsin • Page 19

Coming Tomorrow A preview of the Fox River Valley Conference football season. In SPORTS Green Bay Press-Gazette Comments? Call Sports Editor Tony Walter, 431-8222 Wednesday, Anntist 1995. I 1 1 MM MO Lm McAndrew too much for Royals The ex-replacement player throws his second straight gem By Arnie Stapleton Associated Press MILWAUKEE Rookie right-hander Jamie McAndrew has had consecutive solid starts, and his reward just might be a trip to the bullpen. McAndrew, 2-2, scattered six hits over eight innings in Milwau- Press-Gazette file photo he isn't concerned with Keith Jackson's whereabouts. regular-season opener against St.

Louis. And there's always a chance Jackson might decide to report. If he does it's fine by Chmura. "It's part of business," he said. "I'm just happy to be on the team.

I'll accept any role they give me. If it means being the No. 2 tight end, that's OK. In this offense, it's not like I'll be put on the back shelf." Packers notebookC-5 NFL notebookC-5 te He's No. 1: Mark Chmura, the Packers' starting tight end, says matter of using proper techniques." Tom Lovat, who coaches the offensive line, said the Packers don't fear running behind Chmura.

"He's come a long way in that area in the time we've had him," Lovat said. "Ed West was a fine blocker. That was his trademark. Chewy adds the pass receiving to it and he's improved his block-ing." Chmura and Bartrum can expect some relief at tight end. Jeff Thomason, who's been sidelined with a knee injury, is due back before the Packers' Sept.

3 Tight end has faith in himself despite drops By Chris Havel Press-Gazette Mark Chmura could've been excused for being ornery. The past few days have seen the Packers' starting tight end battle weary legs, shaky hands and a scratched left cornea, the result of being poked in the eye during Tuesday's morning workout. Yet there he was, patch and all, back at work in the afternoon session. He even remembered to bring his sense of humor. "I really didn't need this, you know," Chmura said, mus tering a smile while uniting ku me jjatcii w4 over his left eye.

Lately, it been hard enough catching the ball with two good eyes." Chmura's eye should be OK. The medical staff treated it with antibiotics, while the patch enables the cornea to heal, nor Chmura Has improved as a blocker mally within 18 hours. Chmura said he'll play in Friday's 7 p.m. exhibition game here against Washington. Recently, it's been Chmura's hands, -not his eyes, that have been questioned.

But the fourth-year pro insists there's no need to worry, even though he's been betrayed by typically sure hands a time or two. He isn't panicking. He just keeps plugging along and trying not to concern himself with Keith Jackson's whereabouts. "If (Jackson) comes in, he comes in and we'll see what happens," he said. "Believe me, I'm not losing any sleep over it." Chmura's probably too tired anyway.

He and Mike Bartrum currently represent the Packers' tight end corps. But because coach Mike Holmgren's offense calls for considerable double-tight end alignments, the workload is enormous. Thus the tired legs. "I'm feeling the wear and tear," Chmura admitted. "But I've just got to work through it.

That's all you can do." Fatigue often leads to mental lapses. After Chmura jumped offsides Tuesday, Holmgren shouted, "If you're offsides one more time, you may never get back on this field again." Chmura didn't jump offsides. Afterward, Holmgren admitted he's tough on his tight ends. "I'm hard on them," he said. "That's a key position for us." In the individual meetings, however, Holmgren makes sure Chmura understands where he's coming from.

"You start worrying when they don't yell at you," Chmura said. "If I drop a pass, Coach will scream, 'Catch the That's all. Hey, you can't be thin-skinned in this business." Chmura has four catches for 39 yards in exhibition play. He is confident his receiving skills will be a boost for the offense. It's his blocking, however, that he's learned to take pride in.

"I think I've become a lot better (blocker)," he said. "A lot of it's timing and technique. (Tight end coach) Andy Reid has really worked a lot on my blocking. I have the tools. I'm strong enough and fast enough.

Now it's just a Size gives By Rob Guyette Press-Gazette DE PERE De Pere is the biggest team in the Bay Conference. Two months from now will reveal whether it's the best. A massive offensive line that averages 225 pounds is the primary reason the Redbirds will be contenders to reclaim a crown they won in 1992 along with a WIAA Division 3 state championship. The Redbirds have few holes, and they have the power up front to potentially dominate opponents. Adequate talent at the skill positions and depth everywhere makes coach Rich Bessert's biggest worry his kicking game a situation any high school coach would love.

"We want to control the tempo on offense," Bessert said, "and get some of those six-, seven-, eight-minute drives to take the pressure off our defense. We have the potential to be that type of offensive team." The three returning starters on the line are seniors Brad Brick (6-3, 245), Chuck Wiercinski (6-3, 225) and Will Enright (64, 245). Tackle John Dexter (6-1, 225) and center Adam Olsen (5-10, 185) round out Haese League's deep threat Iff top the line. Those five room (6-0, 220) and (5-10, 180). Pere relied about 25-30 Bessert said for the Senior (6-1, year with a member of make his against "It's a "but not a What dangerous a AP photo Playoff victory: Brad Faxon and Greg Norman slap hands after Faxon's birdie putt gave the pair a win in I sudden-death at the Fred Meyer Challenge charity tournament in West Linn, on Tuesday.

McCullough wins UW job Sophomore Carl McCullough, one of the celebrated recruits in the Barry Alvarez era at Wisconsin, has emerged as the Badgers No. 1 tailback. Alvarez said McCullough, who was sidelined last season after suf-1. ering a back injury, won the starting berth on the basi6 of his in a weekend intraa--' quad scrimmage, including a 60--yard touchdown. "He really did some good things," Alvarez said of McCul-; lough.

The selection means McCul- 5 lough, a b-toot-J, 218 pounder from Paul, figures to start "'against Colorado in the Badgers 2 opener. Sophomore Royce Roberson and freshman Aaron Stecker 5 Ashwaubenon also should get but their practice work will be reduced to give -McCul lough more time behind "veteran quarterback Darrell- Be- "'ft In nine games as a freshman in 1993, McCullough carried the ball 31 times for 162 yards and a 5.2 average while playing behind jl Moss and Terrell Fletcher. Brian White, the Badgers' run- -''ning backs coach, said McCullough took the No. 1 tailback position by playing virtually errorless j.jball in practice. Associated Press Wisconsin to host NCAA golf, tennis The University of Wisconsin has been selected to host NCAA golf and women's volley-' ball tournaments in 1998, school 'officials say.

"Both are very prestigious that will mean a lot to the i "university and the city of Madi-' son," said UW associate athletic director Cheryl Marra. The golf tournament is to be Tield at the University Ridge course, the site of the Big Ten men's tournament last May. When Marra bid for the volleyball tournament, she listed the UW Field House as the site. But she said the tournament could be held in the new Kohl Sports Cen-, ter if it is finished in time, i Associated Press MM. In an unusual baseball trade in 1960, the Tigers and Indians 1 1 swapped managers.

Name the two skippers. I Answer on C-2 Seles' streaks Consecutive Grand Slam singles 1 1 championships won by Monica Seles before her involuntary hiatus: Tournament No. Yrs. Australian Open 3 1991-93 I French Open 3 1990-92 U.S. Open 2 1991-92 "I don't have nothing bad to say about Green Bay.

I don't have anything positive to say, either." Terrell Buckley, former Packers cornerback Baseball: The Green Bay Blue Ribbons play the Ashwaubenon A's tonight at 7:30 at Joan- "nes Stadium. kee 8-1 victory over Kansas City Tuesday night. Five days earlier he shut down Cleveland on seven hits over eight innings for his first major league victory. But Brewers manager Phil Garner is contemplating making a long reliever of McAndrew, now that starter Bob Scanlan has returned from the disabled list. Garner said he hasn't made a decision, but he appears to be leaning toward putting McAndrew Brewers Royals 8 1 Cirillo Third homer in two days in the bullpen to get more use out of him.

"With the way he's pitching how often" would you like to see him out there? Would you like to see him 12 times or six times?" Garner said. "I might like to see him 12 times." McAndrew, a former replacement pitcher who overcame shoulder surgery in 1993 that threatened to end his career, said he doesn't care whether he pitches in the rotation or from the bullpen. "Whichever happens I'm going to be happy," McAndrew said. "I'm happy just pitching here, period. It's not going to make a dik ference to me at all." McAndrew said he's willing to accept "whatever's best for the team right now, because we've got to put it together and make a charge for the wild card." McAndrew walked one, struck out six and gave up just three hits over the first seven innings.

He surrendered an RBI single to Johnny Damon in the eighth. "You could really see the confidence he took out there from beating the Indians the other night," said Jeff Cirillo, who hit his third homer in two nights. Cirillo's shot came in a seven-run fifth inning that added to a 1-0 Milwaukee lead. All of the runs came with two outs and started with Fernando Vina's two-strike single. The big inning came one night after the Brewers gave up a franchise-record 1 1 runs in the fourth inning of an 18-9 loss to the Royals in the nightcap of a doubleheader.

Joe Oliver started and ended the fifth with popups to short, but in between Kevin Seitzer and B.J. Surhoff had RBI singles and Dave Nilsson added a two-run single before Cirillo's three-run homer. McAndrew became the second former replacement pitcher to win for Milwaukee in two nights. In Monday night's opener, former replacement player Brian Givens scattered five hits over eight scoreless innings in Milwaukee's 3-1 victory. Ironically, Scanlan, the Brewers' union representative who hasn't exactly embraced his replacement teammates, was the loser in Monday's second game, when he gave up 1 nine runs in 3 'a innings.

Still, McAndrew said he thinks Scanlan will get the start Monday in Chicago. "Scanlan's got a lot more experience than I do, and he's probably the one they're going to go to," McAndrew said. "If they ask me to start, that will be great, too." Box scoresC-3 lltSiiiiillll 1. De Pere: Big line, talented athletes. 2.

Seymour: Offensive back-field will be tough to stop. 3. Marinette: Strong line play keeps Marines close. 4. Pulaski: Solid team lacks explosiveness of '94.

5. Ashwaubenon: Jaguars have the speed to scare any foe. 6. Shawano: Hawks haven't won more than three games since 1981. 7.

West De Pere: Lots of seniors with little experience. 8. Clintonville: Passing attack has been grounded. 9. Bay Port: Rebuilding project begins.

10. New London: Tough defense, but lost too much. More inside PULASKI: DefenseC-5 BAY PORT: ChangesC-5 WEST DE PERE: BuildingC-5 ASHWAUBENON: SpeedC-5 OTHERS: A capsule look at the other Bay teamsC-4 Redbirds favorite's role At a glance Coach: Rich Bessert, third season (13 wins, 5 losses). Last year's record: 6-3. Last playoff appearance: Beat New Richmond 35-6 to win 1992 Division 3 state Kopitzke QB missed ast year to injury receiver Craig Haese (6-2, 190), a talented athlete whose speed and leaping ability make him the top deep threat in the league.

"When people start loading up (on the line), we've got our ace in the hole," Bessert said. "If people try to single cover him, we'll call their bluff." The defensive line is just as strong, with Brick, Wiercinski, Brian Carter (6-5, 215) and Mike Dudek (6-0, 215) as returners. Blake Peters (6-2, 235) is the fifth lineman. Treml and Nate Koz-lovsky (5-10, 190) are the linebackers. Haese leads the secondary which includes Kraig Isley (5-11, 185), Brett Eifler (5-10, 180) and Brett Spaeth (5-10, 175).

The Redbirds have enjoyed four straight winning seasons and have beaten rival West De Pere five years in a row. They finished third in the Bay in both 1993 and '94. Bessert is in his third year as De Pere's head coach, and even he acknowledges this team has a chance to be special. "The kids spent time in the weight room to improve themselves," Bessert said. "We're getting ourselves into the position Bessert Red- birds' record the past 10 years: 46-48.

Best record the past 10 years: 13-0 in 1992. Worst record the past 10 years: 0-9 in 1985. will try to make running for fullback Ryan Treml tailback Kelly O'Brien In the recent past, De on the tailback to carry times per game, but he expects more carries fullback this year. quarterback Casey Kopitzke 190) missed all of last finger injury, so each De Pere's backfield will offensive debut Friday Clintonville. concern," Bessert said, weakness." makes De Pere especially is having junior wide where we're challenging year-in and year-out, not once every four or five years.

"We have as good a chance as any in the three years I've been here to regaining the Bay Conference title we won in 1992.".