The Springfield News-Leader from Springfield, Missouri • Page 31

i 1 Lj art TVRADIO 2C CHARLIE FARMER 2C HIGH SCHOOLS I AC NFL5C CLASSIFIED 5C Warren promises a return to form Packers rookie deals with aftermath of Sunday's season-ending leg injury. "And it's not like it's an injury that's going to cause arthritis or anything like that. The bad thing is it takes nine to 10 months of rehabilitation, so it's a long process." The 22-year-old Warren expects to have surgery either Thursday or Friday in Green Bay. Doctors have told him it will be six weeks before he can drive a car, and six months before he'll be back to running full speed. The 10-month prognosis, which would likely have Warren missing the first month of the 2001 season, is designed to allow for complete strengthening of the muscle.

Warren was hurt late in the third period when he was bent over backwards on a passing play by veteran Bears tackle Blake Brockermeyer. "Me and Vonnie Holliday had a stunt going on, and I was going outside to contain on the pass," Warren said. "I got there a little late, I had to make sure the quarterback was still in the pocket. I saw him take two steps and pull the ball back, so my natural instinct was to stop and jump to try to block the pass, and (Brockermeyer) hit me before I jumped. "I knew it was bad because I heard my knee pop, and I knew from the way I landed, with my knee underneath the weight of Chiefs coach stays positive From Our Wire Services Despite a five-game losing streak that has eliminated his Kansas City Chiefs from playoff contention, head coach Gun-ther Cunningham is not giving up.

"I understand and I keep thinking about what is there and I see all the positive signs," Cunningham said Tuesday in the aftermath of Monday's 30-24 loss to New England. I can't waver. I believe it in my heart and soul." lnSid6: Details. 5C rUFQw By Scott Puryear News-Leader The few remaining NFL Sundays this season will be tough on Steve Warren, who, until now, had never missed a full game due to injury since his junior high school days. But the former Kickapoo High School star vows that the same Steve Warren, who was starting to make his presence felt as a Green Bay Packers rookie, will be the one who'll return with a vengeance next fall from a season-ending leg 1 Mtt (Pill! Tulsa uses a 17-0 run in the first half for a 28-18 lead, then holds off Bears.

injury. "I'll be all right," Warren said Tuesday, two days after suffering a torn quadriceps muscle in his right leg in Warren the Packers' 28-6 win at Chicago. "The big thing about this injury is it's not like if I'd torn my ACL or MCL in the knee. After it's healed up, that's it. You don't have to worry about it again.

k. A E3HH2I10 PREP FOOTBALL Stale award goes to Helming Jared Helming, a senior offensivedefensive lineman at Kickapoo, has been selected as the Gatorade Missouri High School Player of the Year. Helming was the Chiefs' lead blocker on the offensive line and top pass rusher on the defensive line. Kickapoo went 11-2 this season, advancing to the Class 5A semifinals. The6-foot-4, 275-pound Helming has a 3.88 grade point average and has committed to the University of Nebraska.

He is one of 51 finalists for the Gatorade National High School Football Player of the Year award. COLLEGE FOOTBALL Arkansas linebacker makes All-SEC team FAYETTE VILLE, Ark. -Arkansas linebacker Quinton Caver was named to The Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference first team Tuesday. Razorback punter Richie Butler made the second team. A 6-5, 240-pound senior from Anniston, Caver recently became the first player to be named SEC Defensive Player of tlie Week in consecutive weeks.

He was honored after the Razorbacks beat Mississippi State 17-10 in overtime on Nov. 18 and defeated LSU 14-3 six days later. Butler, a sophomore from Harrison, averaged 42.8 yards per punt, third best in the SEC. BASEBALL Hart named best in minor leagues Former Southwest Missouri State slugger Jason Hart has added to his growing list of accolades by picking up the J.G. Taylor Spink Award as the Topps 2000 Minor League Player of the Year.

The Fair Grove High School graduate and Oakland A's minor-league first baseman, who spent most of the season with Midland of the Texas League, led all Double-A players with 178 hits, 121 RBIs, 77 extra-base hits, 318 total bases and a .582 slugging percentage. Hart, who batted .326, was third among Double-A players with 30 homers and 44 doubles. The 23 year-old Hart became the third" straight Oakland prospect to claim the Topps award, following Eric Chavez (1998) and Adam Piatt (1999). BASKETBALL NCAA reinstates Arizona forward TUCSON, Ariz. -The NCAA reinstated Arizona forward Richard Jefferson after a one-game suspension for accepting gilts from former UCLA and NBA great Bill Walton.

The NCAA's student-athlete reinstatement staff ruled in favor of the university's appeal of the suspension on Tuesday. 4 jt, 4 I II PAGE my body. I just kept thinking, 'This is not It was like a bad dream it really was. You see it all the time, but when it doesn't happen to you. it doesn't hit home too much." At the time, Warren was equally as shocked at Brocker-meyer's reaction.

Warren said the sixth-year left tackle out of Texas leaned over him and said "Good night." "Vonnie heard it. and asked (Brockermeyer) after the game why he said it, and he said he didn't know he'd hurt me," Warren said. "He thought he'd just knocked the wind out of See WARREN, Page 5C Salem trio named all-state in football From Our Staff Fresh off their best season in history, the Class 3A runner-up Salem High School Tigers have been rewarded with three all-state football selections. All-state teams for Classes 1A. 2A and 3A were released today by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sports-casters Association.

The 4A and 5A teams will be released IT5" Schuchardt Thursday. Salem senior offensive lineman Andrew Wynn was named to the all-state first team, while senior quarterback Joe Schuchardt and senior line- -backer Andrew Moenster marie second team. The Tigers (131) finished the season ranked No. 2 behind champion Platte County. Schuchardt rushed for 1,604 yards and 20 touchdowns out of the Tigers' option attack.

Wynn, a two-way starter, was Salem's lead blocker and Moenster was a leader on one of the area's top defenses. Aurora senior linebacker Matt Johnston, an All-Ozarks choice this year, was named to the 3A all-state first team. Area 3A second-teamers are Bolivar senior defensive lineman Dennis Roland. Marshfield senior offensive lineman Roy Kaderly and Carl Junction senior linebacker Brett Bolinger. Stockton senior linebacker T.W.

Norman, another Ali-Ozarks pick this season, was named to the all-state first team in Class 2A. as were El Dorado Springs senior receiver Jason See ALL-STATE, Page 5C BePaui one as big as (Johnson and myself) to come off the bench. If they need to go the bench, we will really be out sized." To counter bigger opponents, the Tigers ned to cttack the basket with slashers Rush and Rickey ai look for the foul, as as shoet their trademark 3-p shot-. Long shots not only foice the larger defenders to step away from the basket, but produce longer rebounds for smaller players to gv.her. Sry-'' s.i'd is ir-t a of huge games." Siyoye said.

're exciteil to get a chance to get after them." Tigers lose guard Josh Kroenke for the season. 3C Cor roll. WEDNESDAY, December 6, 2000 News-Leader Questions7 Story Ideas' Call 836-1118. 1 Tulsa. .61 SMS men.

55 KEY STAT: Tulsa outscored SMS 17-0 in a five-minute first-half stretch to take a 28-18 lead QUOTE: They stepped up their defense and kind of got us rattled," SMS for-. ward Scott Brakebill said of the key stretch. UP NEXT: SMS opens Missouri Valley Conference play at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Evansville. SMS-Tulsa matchup loses its edge early.

Puryear column, 3C Peterson, who admitted he was expecting a hostile reception. The near-capacity crowd cheered loudly as the Bears and Hinson were introduced. The decibel level stayed high as SMS roared to an 8-4 lead after Scott Brakebill's 3-point-er five minutes into play. Robert Yanders' 3-pointer put the Bears in front 18-11 with 10:43 remaining in the first half. But that's when SMS stopped scoring and, for all intents and purposes, never found an offensive flow again.

The Bears had nine straight empty possessions seven missed shots and two turnovers. Tulsa cashed in with Hill's See BEARS, Page 3C By Lyndal Scranton News-Leader In a wallow-in-the-paint, bump-and-grind defensive battle royale, one offensive flurry went a long way Tuesday night. And it belonged to Tulsa, which used a five-minute blitz in the first half to leave Southwest Missouri State buried. "That's the tale of the game, SMS coach Barry Hinson said after the Golden Hurricane prevailed 61-53 before 8.184 fans in Ham- Hinson mons Student Center. Marcus Hill scored eight of his team-high 15 points in a 17- 0 Tulsa burst that erased an 18- 11 SMS lead and put Tulsa ahead 28-18.

The Bears, clawing for every point against an aggressive Tulsa defense, pulled within three in the final minute. But the Golden Hurricane put it away by hitting seven free throws in the final 47 seconds. Tidsa improved to 5-2 with the nonconference victory and dropped SMS to 3-1. "I can't tell you how big a win this is for our ballclub," said Tulsa coach Buzz Peterson. "This was a tough battle, as I knew it was going to be." Peterson, visiting Ham-mons for the first time since briefly accepting and then declining the S.MS coaching job 20 months ago, received few discernible boos when announced before the game.

"I appreciate that." said Mailman passes From Our W're Services SALT LAKE CITY -With a quick step into the lane and an effortless sweeping underhand shot, the Mailman delivered the most historic basket of his prolific 16-year career. Karl Malone moved past Wilt Chamberlain for second place on the NBA's career scoring list Tuesday night, finishing with 31 points in Utah's win over Toronto, giving him 31.443 in his 16-year career. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the league's career leader with 33,387. LlSide: Details. 4C Mvr 1 Southwest Missouri State's Mike Wallace, finishing off two of his 13 points, later had a tip-in to bring the Bears within three late in Tuesday's loss to Tulsa at Hammons Student Center.

Mssouri faces tough test from I l.liilHfnir-1 -I tomee Roanauez Nc-ws-Leaaef game, will match up agaiiut the Tigers' Kaiwm Rush. Rush has been the Tigers' most dangerous offensive weapon this season, but fouled outa-vtinst Syracuse. Snyder probably will rotate forward tenter Ta.iudcen Severe and toivanl Johnnie Pr.i to gur.nl give Rusi a cha'i to mni-r on liefense. Snyder may have no answer for Wiiliams. a 6-9 center who averages points and 7.6 rebounds pit game.

Siv nI fr''-'rr Ar could Vi. 1 1 the tv.o main IXP.iul threats, but i'oid trouble would force the Tigers to go small. "We neotl to step up and play big against these guys." Soyoye said. "If we foul too much or do'i't play well, there isn't any Tigers host to Blue has lost only to two By Patrick Finley For ttia New-Leader COLUMBIA The Missouri men's basketball team will play its first important home game tonight when DePaid comes to town to test the Tigers. The Blue Demons (3 2) got off to a promising start despite losing in the first round of the Great Alaska Sh ootout, while the Tigers made it to the championship game of the Anchorage tournament.

The Demons' only two losses have come at the hands of ranked opponents Syracuse and Florida. The Orangemen defeated Demons team that ranked opponents. DePaul 92 81 in the first round of the Alaska tournament. The Tigers (4-1) met up with Syracuse in the finals, los Snyder ing by 22 points. The Demons STend came at the hanls of I on Saturday.

The Gators played without one of their bt players, Teddy Dupay, but came back to win after DePaul Imari Sawyer sprained his ankle. MU coach Quin Snyder said he expects Sawyer, who is DePaul at Missouri WHEN; 8 p.m. today ZSPN KVvTO 33.7 averaging 12.2 points per cane, to play despite 'he iniury. "He's a gv.ner. and I bt he'll g'." Snyder iid.

"We'll prepare for him 'ike he's join: to i- Rol-tiy and L.r.te Williams, who hr.e claimed high-scoring honei in each of the Demons' five game. Simmons, a 6-fxt-7 swing-man who is R2 points and 10.4 rebounds pi so is ec Jot igible for last Saturday's game against St. Mary's because he accepted a ticket to an NBA Finals game and three plane tic kets from San Diego to Tucson from Walton, whose son Luke plays for the Wildcats and is Jeffc-son's best friend. Arizona said Jefferson has been ordered to pay $281 to a charity of his choice by the end of the season as restitution for the travel. SMSAVcst Plains No.

17 in nation COLORADO SPRINGS. Colo. Southwest Missouri State-West Plains is ranked No. 17 in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association Division I men's basket- l.li (H)ll. Moberly wr.s No.

1 with 11 i r-t -place votes ami 1 lii puii.R No. 2 01 alooM Walton (l ret ived vof for first and 107 points. No. 13 Aquinas (Tenn.) had 16 points. SMS-West Plains received 13.

FGR Y0U3 IflFOnFATION Wrestling The Southwest Wrestling Association wul r.eet tonight. The rreeting will be held at 7:30 at Glendale High School. For more information about the meeting, can Jeff Rabbins at 835-8S09. The Mssouri Valley AAU -is' club tryouts for its 1 -under p.m. and 10-and-uncer (2.45-4 30 p.m.) teams Sunday at Ca-ver School.

For more information, ca Alan Wilson (723-5503) or Drent MuSeson (S39-375G). B3SSu3ll: Rockies pitchier Pedro Astaao. a cteen of fre Dominican Republic, can stay in tt.9 U.S. after pleading guilty a misdemeanor domestic violence clarge. He had withdrawn a guilty plea to a felony, v.tch put him at nsk of bemg deponed..