Altoona Mirror from Altoona, Pennsylvania • Page 25

Altoona iHttrot Sports Arkansas triumphs D2 SFC preview D3 Bowler of week D4 Scoreboard D5 Saturday, November, 25, 1989 Bragging rights on line for State, Pitt Panthers Lions seeking win By Neil Rudel Associate Sports Editor Today's assignment is to explain why Penn Slate will beat Pitt, and it's one of the more challenging tasks that has been passed along lately. Even Beano Cook predicted a 2121 tie. And who can argue? It's difficult to build a case for either team, given that neither, in the estimation of Joe Paterno, "has had tt big win." Beating Pitt (6-2-H this afternoon (12:17 Kckoff, would qualify as that for Penn (6-3-1). As everyone who follows Penn State knows, this has not been the easiest of seasons for the Mltany Lions. Stunned in ths opener by Virginia.

Starting quarterback had to be disciplined after the second game. Had great last-minute strategy against Alabama backfire with a blocked field goal. Stubbed a toe with the tie at Maryland. Outclassed against Notre Dame. Will there be a silver lining to the 1989 season? Yes, and it comes today.

Penn State may not have been special this year, but it has been better and more consistent than Pitt. Pill's best win came against Syracuse, the East's most disappointing team. Penn State's best win came over West Virginia, which Pitt rallied to. tie. Penn State played tough against Alabama and controlled West Virginia, something Pitt has not proven capable of this year.

Pitt's offense has gone steadily downhill since Alex Van Pelt took the nation by storm. Penn State's offense is typical Palerno, which is why the score will be dose today. Penn Slate does not seem capable of blowing anybody out, but its defense is strong enough, despite late-season problems, to keep the game tight and give the offense a chance to win it. Penn State has been able to move the ball on everybody it has played and Paterno feels.going into this game that, regardless of the quarterback instability, Blair Thomas will be able to run behind the Nits' offensive line. But Pitt will not allow Penn State to make a living exclusively on the ground, which is why the passing game mil have to come up with a big play or two.

Ditto for Pitt. Neither team's kicking game has distinguished itself, so let's zero in on the intangibles. A loss would be Penn State's third straight to Pitt, and the Lions had much higher expectations than Pitt this year. Both of those factors should work in favor ol State, as the fact that of 17 previous games, the visiting team has won nine times. Further, Pitt is a young learn that has dismissing for a minute lopsided losses to Noire Dame and See Penn State on Page 04 Mirror photo by J.D.

Cavrich BLAIR THOMAS is the center of Penn State's rushing attack. Thomas has faded out of the Heisman Trophy race, but standout back will most likely be a high first-round NFL Jraft pick. Minor pholo by J.D.' Cavrich CURVIN RICHARDS has the power to pound up the middle for tough'yardage or break open a big run to the outside. 'Swervin Curvin' leads the Panthers in rushing with 876 yards. Williamsburg guns for D6 title By John Hartsock Mirror Sports Staff The small town of Williamsburg has been decked out in blue and jvhite this week, and the display has nothing to do with today's Penn State-Pitt football showdown.

Blue and white banners, balloons and signs adorn various businesses, houses and establishments in honor of Wlliamsburg's high school football loam, which boasts the school's first appearance in the District 6-A championship game this morning at Mansion Park. The Blue Pirates kick off against Laurel Valley at 10:30 a.m. Williamsburg enters today's game with a 12-0 record and the Mid-Penn Conference championship under its belt. Laurel Valley is "I think the people here are.pretty excited about tin's game," said Dave Baker, is Ending his 19th season as the Blue Pirates' head coach. "It's a good thing for our school and our players something that doesn't happen very often." In its only other undefeated season under Baker's tenure, Williamsburg posted a 10-0-1 record in 1984, the last season before a District 6 WiUiainsburg Record: 12-0 Clays burg-Kim mel.

At Soulhet Huntingdon Moshannon Valley, At JurifaiaVaHey. Cheslnul Ridge, Al Northern Bedford, AtPonnsVaUey, Conference champfoftsnfp g.ima 6-Asemifinal 29 23 6 7 0 22 0 14 7 41 14 26 a Laurel Va(ley Record: 9-? Salfsfaurg. At Purchase At Conffmaugh Valley. AlBlacklick Valley. Al Blairs villa, 6- A semlfTnal 47 0 7 7 Z7 S3 16 12 32 0 so i 13 14 6 football playoff format was instituted.

The Blue Pirates tied Chestnut Ridge, 16-15, in the Mid-Penn Conference championship game that year. The Blue Pirates recently found out the sad news thai even if they were to win. the District S-A title today, they will not be able to qualify for the state playoffs next Keystone of District 9 has already clinched the Region III, Class A slate playoff berth by virtue of a season- ending victory over a Class AAA opponent that Keystone added to its schedule at the last minute. Because of that, today's district championship 'feame takes on significance fojT Baker and the Blue Pirates, who defeated Bishop Carroll, 24-8 in. last Friday's District 0-A semifinal at Beilwood.

"I think that (not qualifying for slates) has really put this (G-A championship game) into focus for us," Baker said; "About tost week at this time, we were happy just to be in the playoffs. Nosv, we would feel disappointed if we would lose. We feel that beating (Carroll) was a big step forward. We didn't know if we could beal them." The Wiiliamsburg offense is led by senior quarterback Louie Lang, who lias completed 43 of 105 passes for 801 yards and seven touchdowns. Baker's son, Matt, a fleet split end, has caught.

.23 passes for 553 yards and five touchdowns. Laurel Valley, according to Coach Baker, presents a different kind of threat than Carroll's wide-open, pass-oriented offense. "They're more of a ball-possession team," Baker said. "And they like to compile the big, long drives in their running game." Laurc! Valley has the perfect running back to do so in senior Alan Burkliart, who lias gained 1,143 yards on 143 carries and scored 19 touchdowns. "There's no question that he's the 'catalyst to our offense," Laurel Valley Coach Gerry Page said of Burk- liart.

"He's quick, he has good balance, and he runs intelligently. We're primarily a running team, and we have two other backs junior fullback Doug Roberts (350 yards) and halftrack Tim O'Shell (300 yards) who can also run with the football." Laurel Valley avenged one of its Set-Williamsburg on Page D4 enjoy QB edge By Michael V. Emery Mirror Sports Staff Why will Pitt beat Penn Slate today? With a little pvegamo tailgatmg, that should be easy enough to answer. Let's start with defense. All right, Penn State has the edge (hero.

Before Notre Dame ripped the Nits for uncountable yardage, Penn State's defense was unyielding. Pitt, tough at'tlie beginning of the season, gave up 42 points to Bast Carolina last Saturday. True, Penn State's offense might not bo up to par with East Carolina's, but the Panthers still have cause for concern. How about home field advantage? Well, oftay, Penn State has 'won eigKt of the last 11 games at Pitt Stadium, dating back to 1965. Give the edge here, again, to Penn Slate.

What about ttic fact that Per.p Slate hasn't beaten a quality opponent this season? The Lions' wins have come against Temple, Bostqij College, Texas, Rutgers, Syracuse and West Virginia. The argument could be made that Penn Slate 1 doesn't need to beat a quality opponent to beat Pitt. Or, Hie poinl could also be mad8 lhal Pill hasn't beaten a quality opponent either, with wins over Pacific, Boston College, Syracuse, Temple, Navy and East Carolina: Call the fact that neither team has beaten a quality opponent, or that neither learn lias to beat a quality opponent today, a draw. That brings us to comparing how Pitt and Penn State have fared against their common opponents; Starting with the weaklings and working up: Pitt and Penn State looked like Notre Dame in beating Temple and Rutgers; Hie Panthers handled Boslon College easily, whils the Lions struggled to win; Penn Stale handled Syracuse easily, while Pill struggled to win; the Panthers: looked like winners in tying Wesl Virginia, while the Lions were winners in beating West Virginia; Pill looked like Rutgers in losing to Noire Dame, while Penn State looked like Temple in losing to Notre Dame. Comparing common opponents, again, isn't gelling anywhere: Call il a draw.

If you're keeping score, as of now the Panthers have nothing going in their favor, the keg's nearly kicked and kickoff is getting closer. How aboul Ihe momentum factor? Oh, yes Ihe momentum factor. Penn Slale is coming off a 34-23 loss to Noire Dame. Pitt is coming otf a mn over East Carolina. Okay, forget the momentum factor.

All right, now to the deciding tor, the factor that will turn the tidd in Pitt's favor the point being points.or lack thereof. For everything Penn Slate has going iii its favor, its offensive ineptitude will cost the Lions Iho gome. While he's slipped somewhat in Ihe second half of (he season, one See Pill on Page 04 Opening day always an adventure By Walter Young For the Mirror It can't be deer season again can' it? Oh, I'm not complaining. The last of my venison supply was consumed on an overnight fishing trip months ago, Opening the freezer and sceSng all those neatly wrapped packages marked "deer j. steak" and "deer burger" once again will be a most welcome sight.

Although most years, like many hunters, 1 manage to get 3 deer I even if 1 have to settle for a doe I lam well aware that procuring the Icontents of those delicious packages I is rarely a sure thing and often a Shard-earned accomplishment. From la personal standpoint, however, I Ishtmld be anything but 'optimistic iabout opening day, because I am snakebitten when it comes the first day of buck season. Looking back over the past 18 sea- sons, I can recall watching the sun rise on the Monday after ing in at least five different counties. And on each of those evenings when I watched the sun set, my deer tag has always remained unfilled. Since I've usually had jobs that allowed me to juggle vacation and days off to give me time to hunt during the deer season, I rationalize my lack of success on opening day by feeling sorry for all those other hunters who wait all year to-go deer hunting, only to have their season end so abruptly by killing their buck early the first morning.

Okay, that is a pretty lame excuse, and I confess. It would be nice, just once, to put my tag on a buck by lunchtime Ihe first Monday. Consequently, I feel I'm long overdue for a first-day buck and each new season brings with it a renewed and special anticipation. As I digest my Thanksgiving dinner, a dilemma presents itself: 1 have no more idea where I'm going to hunt Monday morning than I did back on the Fourth of July, This year, because of work and other commitments, time available for smalt game hunting and deer scouting was at a premium. Although I did see deer and deer sign at most of my usual haunts, no place in particular stood out as Even those years when I've spent plenty of lime in the woods prior to deer season, I usually postpone the final decision on THE spot until as close to the zero hour as possible.

It also gives me a good excuse to spend some time this weekend just relaxing and remembering. As I Ihink back over past openers, most of the more memorable ones are related to the weather. This time of year in Pennsylvnaia, the weather can be quite fickle. We normally expect it to be cold, but just as often it's downright balmy; we expect it to snow, but it's nol uncommon lo get through deer season without a sign of Ihe white sluff. I imagine most hunters in this area still remember the incredible wind storm on the first day lour or five years ago.

I spent that morning on top of a mountain in Huntingdon County, listening to tree after tree being blown over all around me and hoping the next one wouldn't land on me. And I'll never forget the morning many years ago when Ihe fog was so thick I thoughl never get light enough to see. Even though my watch told me the sun had risen sometime ago, visibility was limited to no more than a few feet. As 1 leaned against a tree, spellbound by such an eerie phenomenon, a doe and her fawn materialized out of that soup so close I could have jabbed them in the ribs with the muzzle of my rifle. In fact, that still is the closest I've ever been lo a live See Hunting on Page D4 Mirror prioto by David S.

Lovo JAMES KRISE, 2-5, of Fallentimber shot this 12-point buck Monday in Grant County, West Virginin. Field dressed, the animal weighed 180 pounds. Pennsylvania's rifle buck dcor hunting season opens Monday. Complete game coverage of the Penn State-Pitt football game in Sunday's Mirror.