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

Coming Tomorrow Wisconsin hosts Manhattan in the first round of the NIT tournament. In SPORTS Green Bay Press-Gazette Comments? Call Sports Editor Denis Dougherty, 431-8222 Wednesday, March 13, 1996 no MBS LfDDS uDW S1IP Nordgaard looking to regain his outside touch i I- By Sharon Raboin Press-Gazette Scoring drop 1 Nordgaard squared up to basket and released a 15-foot I fc- i ssr- i FT im MEADOWLAND5 Jeff Nordgaard's scoring in the past three games: Team Pts. FG PGA FG ball touched the rim before through the net. He his head in disappointment. Butler 13 5 16 31.3 Loyola 9 4 10 40.0 Detroit 11 4 12 33.3 Totals 33 13 38 34.2 Green Bay assistant coach to leave.

"I wanted to make sure my shot's on," Nordgaard said. "It's been cold the last several games. It feels good now. I think it will be there for the rest of the games." Nordgaard, a 6-foot-7 senior forward, realizes he must regain his shooting touch if UWGB is to stand a chance of beating Virginia Tech on Thursday in the opening round of the NCAA tournament's Midwest Regional in Dallas. He and guard Ben Berlowski have scored 58 percent of UWGB's points this season.

"It's got to be there for us to win, I think," Nordgaard said. "I think it will be. It's not like I'm doing Johnson passed the ball back Another assistant, Woody watched from behind to his mechanics. Nordgaard was averaging 24 points and shooting 57 percent in the 25 games prior to Butler. Nordgaard tried again.

The shot through cleanly. When he hit shots without striking the backboard, he allowed himself move to a different spot. Center was empty. Practice was finished. Nordgaard was not ready rest of the Phoenix Sports More inside Game info: UWGB vs.

Virginia Tech, Thursday, 2 p.m. More UWGB: Rosters, keys to the gameC-4 Honor: Nordgaard an honorable mention all-AmericanC-4 Regional: A look at Thursday's top gamesC-3 Times: 1st-round timesC-3 NCAA women: Pairings, game timesC-5 League awards BCECS Third-round pick is compensation for losing Paup By Pete Dougherty Press-Gazette The Packers received three compensatory draft picks from the NFL on Tuesday for their losses in free agency last year, including a third-rounder for Bryce Paup. Seventeen teams received a total of 31 compensatory picks in the April 20-21 draft. The Packers lost nine players in free agency before last season, including Paup, who went on to win the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year Award with Buffalo. Ron Wolf, the Packers' general manager, said he assumed the other two picks were in the sixth and seventh rounds, though he did not know for sure.

The NFL's management council determines the compensatory picks each team receives and allows a maximum of four per team. The picks are awarded at the end of the round. "I think we should have gotten one Wolf Decision due on Jordan "A i -A, i. i. 1 anything different with my form.

Sometimes shooters go through cold slumps. It will be there." Nordgaard averaged 24 points and shot 57 percent until the last three games, when he dropped to 11 points and 34 percent. He scored only nine points against Loyola, ending his string of 36 games in double figures, and 11 points against Detroit in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference tournament. In the Loyola game, he felt so uncomfortable with the ball he missed three consecutive free throws. One was an airball.

"Jeff Nordgaard is a fierce com- Please see NordgaardC-4 Tone-setter: Green Bay East's Ben Kolstad paces the Red Devils with his defensive intensity. He was named second-team all-FRVC despite averaging just 4.1 points per game. As the point guard, Kolstad helped East win the FRVC title for the first time since 1968-69. As the football quarterback, he led the Devils to their first league title since 1979. Press-Gazette photo by Ken Wesety 1 kind Fress-(iazette pfioto by John Roemer Floor leader: Paul Kraft, a junior, averaged 17.9 points and seven assists in leading Seymour to the WIAA Division 2 state tournament.

State schedule First-round WIAA boys state matchups for area teams: DIVISION 1 Green Bay East (19-4) vs. Watertown (22-2), Thursday, 3:45 p.m. DIVISION 2 Seymour (15-9) vs. Whitefish Bay (25-0), Friday, 2:05 p.m. DIVISION 4 Wausaukee (21-4) vs.

Randolph, Friday, 9:35 a.m. Green Bay East-Watertown preview, rostersC-6 Leaders are two of a Jeff the shot. The UW AP photo He's tops: Brad Bridgewater celebrates his win in the 200-meter backstroke Tuesday at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Indianapolis, The Bridgewater finished in 1:59.16. StoryC-6.

Former Packer Forte, 73, dies Robert D. "Bob" Forte, a member of the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame, died Tuesday in Dallas. He was 73. Forte, a starting defensive back from 1946 to 1953, died of a heart attack in a nursing home, the Packers said. He had lived in Mil waukee after his retirement until moving recently to Dallas, where his son, Kerry, lived.

Forte, a ninth-round draft selec tion out of the University of Ar kansas in 1943, was elected to the Packer Hall of Fame in 1973. Fu neral services will be Thursday in Lake Village, Ark. Press-Gazette Six from area in Shrine Bowl Six area seniors have been selected to play in the 20th annual Wisconsin Shrine Bowl football game July 20 at UW-Oshkosh. Ben Kolstad of Green Bay East, Ty Hartung of Green Bay West, Chuck Wiercinski of De Pere, Eric Mahlik of Bay Notre Dame, Kevin Barry of Sturgeon Bay and Casey Rabach of Sturgeon Bay were nominated by their coaches and chosen to play for the North team. John Kolstad of East, Brent Claflin of Southern Door and Jer ry Bonino of Two Rivers will be assistant coaches for the North team.

They were selected by the Wisconsin High School Football Coaches Association. The game will begin at 7 p.m. at Titan Stadium. Tickets cost $7 and will be available at the stadium on game day. Press-Gazette ESS In 1936, the WIAA boys state basketball tournament was not held in Madison.

Where was it held? Answer on C-2 PGA money leaders Trn Money 1. Phil Mickelson 2. Grea Norman 3 $362,850 3. Mark Brooks 7 $337,905 4. Mark O'Meara 7 $292,153 5.

JimFuryk 8 $268,160 6. ViiavSinqh 6 $257,820 7. Davis Love III 4 $252,000 8. TimHerron 7 $250,924 9. BobTwav 6 $231,1 12 10.

Craig Stadler 5 $230,986 1 1 Scott Simpson 6 $225,570 12. Michael Bradley 8 $193,888 13. Scott Hoch 5 $193,465 14. NickFaldo 5 $171,070 15. Tom Lehman 16.

John Huston 7 $159,817 17. Justin Leonard 6 $159,384 i 18. Payne Stewart 6 $157,654 19. Brad Faxon 5 $153,748 20. Fred Couples 4 $147,523 i "Why should I mean, how much higher can I be ranked anyway? After the penthouse, there is nothing else.

USC's Kevshawn Johnson, the wide receiver who might be the first player picked in the NFL draft, on why he didn't take part in scouting combine sprints. mm i Women's basket ball: UW-Oshkosh hosts the NCAA Divi sion III Final Four Fri day and Saturday at Kolf Sports Center on the Oshkosh campus. The 29-0 Titans play New York Uni versity on Friday at 6 p.m. The title BESS dropping shook Ben to him. Wilson, check fell seven rim or to Kolstad, Kraft share backgrounds but play opposite roles on the court Kolstad file School: Green Bay East.

Size: 5-10, 160. Football stats: 1,049 yards rushing, 562 yards passing, 19 total TDs, Press-Gazette offensive player of the year. Basketball stats: 4.3 points per game, 4.7 assists per game. Kraft file School: Seymour. Size: 6-2, 170.

Football stats: 935 yards passing, nine touchdown passes. Basketball stats: 17.9 points per game, high game of 29 points twice, averaging 24.0 points in tournament. Per usual, on Thursday Kolstad will guard Watertown's top outside threat, Nathan Suhr, who averages 22.2 points per game. Kolstad has made a high school career out of shutting down big scorers, and he's a defensive role model for coaches to brag about. He used to score 15 to 20 points a game in grade school and freshman ball, but on the varsity level it's been all defense.

"I think it's a big part of the game," Kolstad said. "I love it. I try not to worry about offense too much. I try to be solid no turnovers, get assists but defensively I have to hold my guy." The second-team pick came as a shock to Kolstad, who had more assists (108) than points (99) this season. But not to others.

"He's the type of player I want playing for Sheboygan North," said North coach Tom Desotell, who thought Kolstad should have been a first-team pick. "He's a player you make an example of. "If you picked out one player, you want Ben Kolstad to build around. He makes everybody else better. Coach Kestly will be short next year.

His right-hand man will be gone when Ben Kolstad isn't there." Kraft has one more season to show his stuff. He's just hoping for a smoother ride. In Seymour's final two football playoff games, Kraft took several tough hits and Please see LeadersC-6 By Rob Guyette Press-Gazette Let's consider the ways Paul Kraft and Ben Kolstad are similar: Both are starters on WIAA state tournament-bound basketball teams that play in Madison this week. Both played quarterback on football teams that reached the state semifinals, missing a chance to play at Camp Randall Stadium by one game. Both come from strong family backgrounds, having had their fathers for a coach at one time in their careers, and are excellent students.

Kraft and Kolstad are both key players on the basketball floor. But that's also where they are drastically different. Kraft, a 6-foot-2 junior at Seymour, averages 17.9 points and seven assists per game, and his offense is a must if the Thunder is going to challenge for the Division 2 title. Kolstad, a 5-10 senior at Green Bay East, is a tenacious defender who was named second-team all-conference despite averaging 4.1 points per game. His intensity sets a tone for East, which faces Watertown in a Division 1 quarterfinal on Thursday.

Above all, though, both are leaders. "I lead by example and hope other people pick it up," Kraft said. "I don't like to yell at (my teammates). I like to see the seniors be the leaders out of respect." Kolstad has that respect, and it's evident by East's substitution pattern. Kolstad almost never leaves the floor, and when the Red Devils have a large lead toward the end of a game, he's usually the last starter to come out.

"He's a great competitor," said East coach Steve Kestly. "Things don't bother him. The kids rally around him as a leader." For Kolstad, this is his last shot. In football, he was coached by his father, John, and together they helped East win its first Fox River Valley Conference championship since 1979. In basketball, he is the point guard for an East squad that shared the Valley title for the first time since the 1968-69 season.

It's no coincidence Kolstad was at the head of an East athletic class that had a year for the record books. "I think our success carried over from football," Kolstad said. "The attitude. How to handle the team. Knowing when to speak up and when not to." more, said Wolf, who is attending the NFL owners meetings in Palm Beach; Fla.

"To this day I don't under; stand this system." The highest compensatory pick will go to Philadelphia, the 31st pick of the second round. That's for losing linebacker Seth Joyner two years ago to Arizona. He was a named plaintiff in the lawsuit that led to free agency. Dallas, which has lost 22 players in the four years of free agency, was the only team to receive four draft picks, including two third-rounders. Receiver update: The Packers have until midnight tonight.

Wolf said, to decide whether to match the three-year, $2.6 million tender sheet receiver Charles Jordan signed with Miami. Wolf said he and coach Mike Holmgren plan to discuss the issue for a final time this afternoon while both are at the meetings in Florida, and they are seriously considering matching Jordan's offer. One reason they're taking this to the last minute is Holmgren has been especially busy this week as co-chairman of the NFL's competition committee. "We've got so many things going on," Wolf said. "Mike Holmgren is with the competition committee and has other functions he has to go to.

The only chance we get to talk to each other is between meetings. We just want to make sure we don't rush into something stupid." If the Packers match Jordan they probably would not have enough money to sign free-agent receiver Jeff Graham or tight end Keith Jackson unless the price for one of them falls dramatically. The Packers also might he losing receiver Anthony Morgan through free agency. The Packers have heard Morgan is close to a deal with another team. He has visited Houston, but the Packers checked with the Oilers and it's not Instand replay takes a hitC-7 NFL notebookC-7 game is Saturday at 7 p.m..