Asheville Citizen-Times from Asheville, North Carolina • Page 19

ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES Section Sports Business Sunday. Oct. 10, 1982 Furman Nips Western, 12-6 (Pi tm-m Vl I ritftttr I I i. XI III I Wi I on the WCU SO. The Paladins, who seemed to be demonstrating their own version of the four corners, again stayed on the ground with quarterback David Char-pia handing off to either fullback John Drye or tailback Stanford Jennings.

Furman got as far as the 12-yard line before its drive stalled and Coach Dick Sheridan called on placekicker Tim Tanguay to ice the contest with a field goal But Tanguay's 29-yard attempt was blocked by Eric Bratcher, and the Cats took possession on the 22. On WCU's first play from scrimmage, Mixon lofted one high and deep down the right sideline and Rasheed, doing a perfect Willie Mays Imitation, made an over-the-head catch before stepping out of bounds at the Furman 36. The play covered 42 yards. But once again the Cats managed to bungle a perfect scoring opportunity. Mixon tried to hit tight end Eddie West over the middle, but overthrew his target by a wide margin, and the pass was picked off by Furman corner-back Gib McEachran.

That gave the Paladins possession at their own 16 with only 4:40 remaining. "When you throw one across the middle, it has to be right in there," said a somber Mixon in the Western dressing room afterwards. "And this one wasn't It was high. I had trouble with throwing the ball high today. It was hot By DOUG MEAD Cltiiea Sports Editor GREENVILLE, S.C.

Western Carolina continued its pattern of making crucial mistakes at inopportune times, and it cost the Catamounts a victory here Saturday. Two-time defending Southern Conference champion Furman took advantage of four fumble recoveries, three pass interceptions and a first-quarter safety to hold off Western Carolina 12-6 before a crowd of 13,250 at Paladin Stadium. Furman grabbed a 12-0 halftime lead, and that margin held up through three quarters of play as the error-prone Catamounts continued to commit turnover after turnover. Western finally got its only touchdown of the day early in the fourth quarter when tailback Anthony James scored on a three-yard run to cap an 11-play, 80-yard drive. Dean Biasucci's point-after attempt was blocked, his first miss after 45 straight conversions.

But the momentum had switched to WCU, and the Paladin offense, which had gone ultra-conservative, suddenly couldn't move against the Catamount defense. Western's next drive began at its own 32 as quarterback Ronnie Mixon promptly completed a 14-yard pass to wide receiver Eric Rasheed. But disaster struck on the next play as James fumbled on a reverse and Furman defensive back Steve Walburn recovered 4 1 1 inn -i in i 1 wait i i mi Staff mm Mr Iwort tail out there and my hands seemed to be Tun To Page 5B Furman's Ernest Gibson (42) Knocks Ball Away From WCU's Eric Rasheed I Cardinals Top; Atlanta In 9th Vm i I Brewers Defeat Angels Doug Mead Bulldogs Set For Big Year It wasn't so long ago that all UNC-Asheville basketball coach Jerry Green had to do to (ill up his schedule was answer a few telephone calls. Everybody wanted a piece of the Bulldogs. And why not UNC-A basketball was a laughingstock.

An embarrassment to the school and the community. Things got so bad UNC-A could have run an ad for Dial-A-Wia The Bulldogs won only seven games and lost 22 during the 1978-79 season, worst in the school's history. "After we went 7-22, everybody and their brother wanted to play us," said Green, who has guided the Bulldogs to a 44-41 record during the past three seasons. "This year I must have called 70 different teams to try and get a schedule. "Everybody knows who's good and everybody knows who's not good," he added.

"And the teams that arent good don't call the teams that are good and ask for a couple of games" This year it's been Green who has spent endless hours on the phone trying to schedule teams within a reasonable distance of Asheville. Wofford, Central Wesleyan, Erskine, Presbyterian and Newberry all said, thanks, but no thanks. Western Carolina and Appalachian State both said they'd consider playing the Bulldogs, but only in Cullo-whee and Boone, respectively. Green politely declined. Why is everybody suddenly ducking UNC-Asheville? Last year's 19-10 season, a solid returning nucleus and several outstanding newcomers are the primary reasons.

UNC-A, which started practice last week, has its share of sure wins, to be sure Lee College, North Carolina Central and Knoxville College. On the other side of the ledger are Wake Forest and UNC-Charlotte, while home-and-home encounters with fellow NAIA District 26 independents Mars HilL Gardner-Webb, Lenoir-Rhyne, Belmont Abbey and Barber-Scotia fall into the unpredictable category. The Bulldogs also have bome-and-away encounters with defending national champion USC-Spartanburg, Carson-Newman and Lincoln Memorial, all tough assignments. They also play Anderson of Indiana, Milligan, Benedict, Methodist and Voorhees. While Green isnt unhappy with the schedule, be readily admits it isnt exactly what he was looking for.

"An ideal schedule for us would have to include Western Carolina and Appalachian on a home-and-bome basis," he said. "Mars Hill is really the only natural rival we are playing." But all indications point to Green having his best team since he's been at UNC-A, even better than a year ago 'when the Bulldogs barely missed the playoffs "I think we're going to be competitive," he said. "How competitive will depend on how our new kids come around. But if we get any of our key people injured, well be hurting. "Last year was a good squad, be added.

"And we've got all the capabilities of being better than last year. Or at least as good." According to Green, there are only two certain starters 6-5 junior Paul Allen, who averaged 19.2 points a game last season, and 6-9 junior Pat Jolley, who averaged eight points and 10.3 rebounds. After that, things are wide open. The Bulldogs will also be relying heavily on veteran David Clark, a 6-2 senior who was the team's second leading scorer last season with an 11.2 average, and 6-1 junior Winfred Basnight, who transferred from Chowan Junior College. Clark can play both small forward and the second guard spot, while Basnight could step in at either back-court position.

"I expect Basnight to play a lot," said Green. "A junior college kid who sits on the bench a lot is really a waste. I'm not saying that he's going to start, but he'U get a lot of playing time." Green has four goals for this year's edition of the Bulldogs: (1) win 20 games; (2) make the district playoffs; (3) win the district tournament; (4) win the NAIA national championship. The first two goals should be malic. The Bulldogs have 20 wins in the bag.

almost before the first jump shot goes up. And unless AUen or Jolley go down with a serious injury, UNC-A has an excellent chance to make the four-team playoffs. As for goals Nos. 3 and 4, anything is possible. After all, the 1981-82 national champion was USC-Spartanburg, a former two-year branch campus just 70 miles down 1-26.

i Irs-4- didn't do," be said. "I'm not going to second-guess myself on that" Obetkf eU said he wasn't surprised that Torre cboae to pitch to him. "I've been struggling to drive in runs all year," he said. "All I wanted to do was hit the ball hard somewhere. I was just bearing down, looking for a pitch to hit I got one and I hit it" The Cardinals go for the clincher Sunday night in Atlanta with Joaquin Andujar going against Rick Camp for the Braves.

Green, who had entered the game in the eighth as a defensive replacement in left field, opened the Cardinals' ninth with a single to left Tommy Herr sacrificed the runner to second, bringing up ObkerfeU. Sutter had rescued the Cardinals from a two-out no out jam in the eighth and then St Louis rallied to tie the score against Gene Garber in the bottom of the inning. Atlanta starter Phil Niekro, who was pitching with just two days' rest after working 4 1-3 innings in Wednesday's rained-out opener, turned in six gritty innings for the Braves. The Cardinals, who struggled in the early going against Niekro's dancing knucklebau, came from two runs behind to tie the score 3-3. They nicked Niekro for a run in the sixth on a single by Keith Hernandez and Darnell Porter's RBI double.

After Atlanta pinch-hit for Niekro in the seventh, Garber came out of the Braves' bullpen. He set the Cardinals down in order in their half of the seventh, and then Atlanta wasted a golden opportunity to add to Its lead in the eighth. The Braves had runners at first and second with none out when Sutter relieved for St. Louis and pitched out of the jam, keeping the Cardinals just one run ST. LOUIS (AP) "I'm not sorry for what I did," said Atlanta Manager Joe Torre.

And wtth that simple statement, the Braves' skipper explained a key strategy decision that backfired in the Braves' 4-3 loss to SL Louis in Saturday night's second game of the National League Championship Series. With David Green, the game's winning run, on second base with one out and Ken OberkfeU coming up in the ninth inning, Torre strolled to the mound to talk with Gene Garber, ace of the Braves' bullpen. The strategy seemed to call for an intentional walk, especially with Cardinal reliever Bruce Sutter on deck. A base on balls would have set up the potential inning-ending double play and forced Cardinal Manager Whitey Herzog to pinch-hit for Sutter, getting him out of the game if the contest went extra innings. But Torre decided to pitch to OberkfeU, who was 6-for-10 lifetime against Garber before that at-baL He's 7-for-ll now after drilling a long single over the head of center fielder Brett Butler, delivering Green with the winning run in a Cardinal victory that left SL Louis one victory away from their first World Series appearance since 1968.

Why had Torre elected to pitch to OberkfeU? "It was a question of OberkfeU or (probable pinch-hitter Dane) lorg and Hernandez," the Braves' Manager said. "That's like being between a rock and a hard place. "With lorg and then Hernandez, it's tough unless you can take it for granted lorg will hit into a double play. Gino's the best pitcher on my staff at pitching with a base open. He just gave him too good a pitch to hit" Garber, who set a Braves' record with 30 saves this season, understood.

"Joe said to get him out, which I Milwaukee's Paul Molitor Is Caught In Rundown MILWAUKEE (AP) Pitcher Moose Haas and outfielder Mark Brou-hard neither of whom has started down the stretch helped carry the Milwaukee Brewers to a 9-5 victory over the fumle-fingered California Angels, tying their American League playoff series at two games apiece. Haas, who had not started since SepL 13, pitched 52-3 innings of no-hit ball, finally leaving after Don Baylor's grand slam homer with one out in the eighth and Jim Slaton retired the final five Angels for the save. Brouhard, who had not started since SepL 5 and last played in a game on SepL 11, drove in three runs, two with an eighth-inning homer and scored four times to tie a major league playoff record held jointly by Steve Garvey of Los Angeles and Bob Robertson of Pittsburgh. Haas sat through two short rain delays, the final one after he had walked the leadoff batter in the sixth. He attributed those delays, in part, for his inability to finish the game, but he said a little trick taught to him by teammate Don Sutton had helped him hang around that long.

"Don Sutton suggested it He had done it, and I guess he had leanred it from Doc Medich," Haas said. "During the rain delays, I'd go into the press room next to the clubhouse and keep myself in shape by throwing the ball against the wall" Haas said he was aware of the no-hitter, "and I would have liked to have had it Anybody would. But I'm just glad to win." Brouhard made his start as a late replacement for Ben Oglivie, who bruised his ribs in Friday's third game. He said he learned about his start from other was Detroit in 1972, but the Tigers lost that series to Oakland. "Coming back two down, we knew we had our backs to the wall," Haas said.

"There was a personal satisfaction in the way I pitched, but it was great for the club and well go out tomorrow for another showdown." Angels Manager Gene Mauch dismissed the importance of any momentum the Brewers might carry into Game 5. "Momentum obviously was of no advantage to us, so why should it be any special advantage to them?" Mauch said. "It's down to one game, and we're going to win because we have to." The Angels committed three errors in the game, two by center fielder Fred Lynn. coach Sal Bando one-half hour before gametime. I went over and looked at the lineup card and there I was," said Brouhard, who then was asked if he wanted to start again in Sunday's deciding Game 5, which will feature Bruce Kison who won Game 2 for California on the mound against Milwaukee ace Pete Vuckovich.

"To be honest with you, I hope Benji's back alive," Brouhard said. "He's been one of our horses all year. I'm just glad to get in there when my chance comes and be able to do something halfway decent" Milwaukee's victories Friday and Saturday enabled the Brewers to become only the second team in the 13 years of league playoffs to tie a series after starting out two games down. The Running Game Keys UNC SOUTHERN si IMMMB.1I fctaMfcBllTl CIMM 11 VMI UT-ri imp i ti hi ii i yarder following a fumble by Wake quarterback Gary Scho-field to snap a 7-7 tie. North Carolina, 4-1, 1-0 in the ACC, marched 73 yards at the start of the fourth quarter with Bryant doing most of the work.

When Bryant was stopped at the Wake Forest 2, Brooks Barwick kicked a 24-yard field goal with 11 :50 left to extend the Tar Heel lead to 17-7. After Walter Black blocked a Phil Denfeld field goal attempt the Tar Heels marched 80 yards with Smith scoring on a 14-yard pass with 1:40 remaining. In the second quarter. Wake Forest converted one of Bryant's fumbles into a touchdown on Michael Ramseur's 1-yard run to tie it at North Carolina had taken a 7-0 first -quarter lead on Tyrone Anthony's 40-yard run with 2:39 left Anthony finished with 179 yards on 24 rushes, Bryant carried 29 times for 142 yards and Stankavage finished with 11 of 19 passing for 113 yards Wake Forest dropped to 3-3, 0-2 in league play. Following a Wake Forest punt the Tar Heels marched to the Demon Deacon 9 where they fumbled, but recovered to set up a 27-yard field goal attempt by Barwick which he missed.

WINSTON-SALEM (AP) Scott Stankavage threw two second-half touchdown passes Saturday, but North Carolina Coach Dick Crum praised his 12tb-ranked Tar Heel's running game after defeating Wake Forest 24-7. While Stankavage completed 11 of II passes for 113 yards, his touchdown passes were set up by the 368 yards rushing gained by Tyrone Anthony, Kelvin Bryant and crew. "We've got three good tailbacks," Crum said. "We got Kelvin and Tyrone going today and didnt use Ethan (Hor-ton) because of that Next week, be may play more than them." Crum said he wanted to give Bryant more playing time following his early season injuries. "Kelvin's starting to- come on," Crum said.

"He had some misfortune in the first half with fumbles which cost him yardage. But give Wake credit. They were really bitting." "Our defense played with good intensity and showed more signs that we are becoming a proud defensive fighting team," Wake Forest Coach Al Groh said. "If we make the touchdowns, make the field goals and dont fumble, we have a chance to win the game." Mark Smith caught both scoring passes, the first a 26- SEC SOUTH ATLANTIC Jmjjo i CviM-NiwnM -iiMiiMi MewtafTT 7 it Prep Football College Football The Good (he Boys Re-' tun To Charlotte' Mato? Speedway Page SB Is That Superman Wearing The Red Aad White Of Emin High SchoofT PageiB Alabama Beats Pent State Page SB i.