Lansing State Journal from Lansing, Michigan • Page 16

Lansing State Journal MSU VOLLEYBALL Spartans face tough road tests MSU travels to Big Ten heavy hitters Penn State, Ohio FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2010 JldLC LI Mo WCCrVCllU. Page9B AI EDITOR: MARK MEYER SPORTSL5J.COM 377-1073 WWW.LSJ.COM Qiiarterfjacks airforM ORTS IOB siM Stanzi marched the Hawkeyes to a 9-0 start and an Orange Bowl win last season. Michigan State junior Kirk Cousins and Wisconsin and five touchdowns through the air. Cousins threw for 2,680 yards last season, almost mirrored but slightly bested by Tolzien's 2,705. rii nh a i mr tut Tolzien Cousins senior Scott Tol- said on Tuesday about bis quarterback's effort in the 45-7 win.

Tolzien also faced a Football Championship Subdivision opponent on Saturday and only played a portion of the game. The Rolling Meadows, 111., native only had two incomplete passes and threw for 217 yards and three touchdowns in a 70-3 win over Austin Peay. In the Badgers' stiffest competition to date, Tolzien carved up a talented and fast Arizona State defense on Sept. 18. He completed 19 for 25 for 246 yards and a touchdown.

See MSU I Page 6B Spartans Cousins, Wisconsin's Tolzien both on the upswing Denny Schwarze EAST LANSING There are certainly a few household names at the quarterback position in the Big Ten. Denard Robinson of Michigan and Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor are popular early-season Heisman Trophy candidates. Iowa's Ricky SATURDAY'S GAME No. 11 Wisconsin at No. 24 MSU When: 3:30 p.m.

I TV: ABC I Radio: Spartan Sports Network, including WJIM 1240-AM and WMMQ 94.9-FM Where: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing Inside PointCounterpoint: Can MSU contend for the Big Ten title? Page 6B Both quarterbacks have settled in lately. Cousins was 16 for 20 last week against Northern Colorado and threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns before giving way to backup Andrew Maxwell. "I thought Kirk Cousins played the best game in terms of getting the ball out," coach Mark Dantonio zien aren't two names that immediately come to mind, but both are leading top 25 teams into Saturday's game in East Lansing. The similarities don't stop there. Cousins has thrown for 863 yards and six touchdowns, while Tolzien counters with 851 yards UGH SCHOOL TEiJHIS Mason, Garvey, White among Spartans' new Hall of Famers JQ- ft SsK tK ifllf S-r Yfy iX v- iX EAST LANSING Michigan State will induct 10 new members into its Athletics Hall of Fame today as part of the "Celebrate 2010" weekend.

The Class of 2010 includes: Jim Bibbs (men's track and field coach), Ed Budde (football), Steve Garvey (baseballfootball), Linda Gustavson (swimming), Dr. Nell Jackson (women's track and field coachadministrator), Ron Mason (hockey coach athletics director), Julius McCoy (basketball), Percy Snow (football), Ken Walsh (swimming) and Lorenzo White (football). HIGH SCHOOL Six area teams can clinch their spot with a win Geoff Kimmerly gkimmeriylsj.com Nearly two months into this high school football season, mid-Michigan's best teams hope they are just getting started. Six teams can clinch the area's first playoff berths this weekend. A number of others have set themselves up during the season's first half to qualify before the regular season ends Oct.

23. The ultimate goal since the start of this fall remains MCoJoD0lM The Hall of Fame Class will be introduced during halftime of the Wisconsin football game on Saturday in Spartan Stadium. The MSU Athletics Hall of Fame, located in the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center, opened on Oct. 1,1999, and displays key moments in Spartan athletics history as well as plaques of all 103 inductees. The charter class of 30 former Spartan student-athletes, coaches and administrators was inducted in 1992.

Lansing State Journal FOOTBALL WEEK 6 BLITZ PICKS LSJ Media prep sports editor Geoff Kimmerly and WILX-TV's Jeremy Sampson pick this week's area football games. Page 7B capture the area's first state football title since 2000. That was a tall task then and remains so now. But we also know a lot more about what's possible heading into the regular season's second half, which starts tonight. The Headliners Big stories abound, but these have been three of the most significant so far: see Football Page 7B Swinging for the fences: East Lansing's Harry Jadun hits a backhand during his No.

1 singles match Thursday against Grand Ledge's Trevor Stoimenoff at the CAAC Blue meet at Holt High. It was the first loss of the season for Jadun, but the Trojans won the team title. MATTHEW moving Sam Cawood down to No. 3 doubles. The move paid big dividends as Brogan and James defeated Okemos' Kyle Haak teams came to the rescue.

East Lansing won four total flights, three of which were doubles flights, and went on to capture the league tournament championship with 43 total points. Okemos finished in second place with 39 points, and Holt took thirdwith27. Johns league Page and Herschel Ambek- iNCfC er in a thrilling three- rrn ro Jadun drops first match, but E.L. doubles lead way Sean Merriman smerrimanlsj.com HOLT East Lansing coach Karim Jelassi challenged his doubles teams midway through the season and told them that they would have to improve their play if the Trojans were going to compete for a league title this season. At Thursday's CAAC Blue league meet, with No.

1 singles player Harry Jadun losing his first match of the season, the Trojans' doubles win titles. 73 and then went on to defeat Jackson's No. 1 doubles team in the final, "They got down early in that Okemos match, but they gained their confidence back, put it together and played very well," Jelassi said of Brogan and James. "I thought that those two could make a nice team together, and they have worked great together so far." East Lansing's No. 2 dou- bles team of Chad Dalton and DAE SMITHFor the Lansing State Journal Harry Shah, and No.

4 doubles duo of Justin Baker and Josh Clingenpeel each won their flights as well. The Trojans also won a league championship at No. 3 singles, where Cutler Martin defeated Karun Nair of Okemos, 6-2, 7-5. While East Lansing cruised to three doubles championships, perhaps the most surprising story of the day came at No. 1 singles, where Grand Ledge junior Trevor Stoimenoff defeated East Lansing senior Jadun in the championship match, 6-2, 6-2.

The victory marked the first time that Stoimenoff has defeated Jadun in a high school match. It also was the see Tennis Page 7B tails on the nature of his pairings or the order, saying he cared only about the American team and not what Montgomerie might do. See Ryder Cup Page 9B TFMV Woods goes third for U.S. in Ryder Cup "At the start of the season, we felt like our doubles (were) a little weak, and we knew we had to improve there," Jelassi said. "They made the difference here today." Midway through the season, Jelassi made the decision to switch up his No.

1 doubles pairing by teaming T.J. Bro gan with Russell James, and Woods Strieker KISIDE ft COMMENTARY: Ten reasons why and how the U.S. can pull off a win in the Ryder Cup. Page SB on, Martin Kaymer. Woods, who has gone nearly 10 months without a victory, will be partnered with Steve Strieker in the third of four matches.

They will face Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher, one of six rookies on the European side. It's the first time since 1999 that Woods was not in the opening match of the Ryder Cup. European captain Colin I Hr i i r. Ml. mj TOP AREA GAMES OF THE WEEK All games at 7 p.m.

today GRAND LEDGE (5-0) AT EAST LANSING (4-1): East Lansing's Lynn C. Adams Stadium will be swirling with excitement as a number of former players are expected to return for the dedication of the field to former coach Jeff Smith. And the Trojans can force their way back into the CAAC Blue race with a win over the Comets, who are ranked No. 5 in Division 1 and the league's co-leader along with Holt. Grand Ledge beat East Lansing 42-7 last year, but this one should be much closer in front of full bleachers.

I LANSING CATHOLIC (5-0) AT PORTLAND (3-2): The Cougars, ranked No. 4 in Division 4, can clinch a share of the CAAC White title by beating the two-time reigning champion Raiders. Lansing Catholic was perhaps a surprise early, but not any more especially after last week's comeback win over No. 9 Williamston. Portland already has lost to the Hornets, but this game offers the Raiders a chance to force a three-way tie for the league title and Portland no doubt will rely on a heavy size advantage tonight in that attempt.

DEWITT (5-0) AT F0WLERVILLE (4-1): How many times has a league title come down to these two? Two of the past three seasons in the CAAC Gold, and again tonight. Both are 3-0 in the league, meaning the winner clinches a share of the championship. Fowlerville had a tough time earlier this season with a similar spread offense run by Lansing Catholic. But the Gladiators have a size advantage on the Panthers that could allow them to run well and keep this one close. SEXTON (5-0) AT MUSKEGON HEIGHTS (3-2): Sexton's defensive gameplan, no doubt, centers on Muskegon Heights star quarterback Willie Snead IV, who has led his team to a co-No.

2 ranking in Division 5 with losses to Division 4 No. 1 Detroit Country Day and a Midwest powerhouse in Joliet (III.) Catholic. But the Big Reds, ranked No. 2 in Division 4, are expected to return star running back Onaje Miller. And he's got some catching up to do after missing nearly three full games with an ankle injury.

Geoff Kimmerly He 11 team with Strieker as Lefty, Johnson take lead Doug Ferguson Associated Press NEWPORT, Wales US. captain Corey Pavin called on one of his strongest tandems to lead off his team's defense of the Ryder Cup. Tiger Woods? He'll be going third. Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, famous for the big-money games they play during practice rounds, will be the opening fourballs match Friday at Celtic Manor as the United States tries to win the Ryder Cup away from home for the first time since 1993. They will face Europe's best player, Lee Westwood, and its latest major champi- ADRIAN DENNISAssociated Press Royal welcome: Britain's Prince Charles (right) shakes hands with U.S.

Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin as Europe's captain Colin Montgomerie looks on Wednesday in Newport, Wales. Montgomerie was expecting Woods and Strieker in either the opening match or as the anchor. "Tiger being hidden is a different move," he said. Pavin did not go into de A 1 1.