The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 24

C4 FRIDAY, JULY 27, 2001 SPORTS THE SALINA JOURNAL BRIEFLY Alexander, Woodlee honored by Big 12 DALLAS Former ka'football standout Dan Alexander and ex-Kansas State women's basketball player Kim Woodlee were named Thursday as recipients of the Big 12 Sportsperson of the Year award. Alexander and Woodlee were selected for the honor by Big 12 conference administrators and members of the media. League officials said the award is given to athletes in good academic standing and with a strong commitment to sportsmanship and-community service. Alexander, of Wentzville, finished his four-year career at Nebraska ranked 10th on the school's all-time rushing list with 2,456 yards and 20 touchdowns. After rushing for 1,154 yards and eight touchdowns in his senior season, Alexander was-a sixth-round NFL draft choice by the Tennessee Titans.

Woodlee, of Beersheba Springs, was a First-team Academic All-Big 12 selection apd, broke the Kansas State record female and male with 285 career 3-pointers. "Alexander and Woodlee will be honored at an awards cere- moriy during the Big 12 Football Championship on Dec. 1, at Texas Stadium in Irving. Chiefs sign lineman to two-year contract KANSAS CITY, Mo. The Kansas City Chiefs have signed free agent offensive tackle Jim Stull to a two-year contract, the Chiefs said Thursday.

Stull, 6-foot-6 inches and 318 pounds, was signed as a free agent by Carolina in 2000 after playing college football at Delaware. Last season, he played with the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe. He also played with Toronto of the Canadian Football League for six games in 2000. K-State women open at Georgia Tech MANHATTAN Seventeen games against teams that appeared in postseason play last year highlight the 2001-02 women's basketball schedule for Kansas State. The Wildcats open their season on the road at Georgia Tech on Nov.

16. The home opener in Bramlage Coliseum is with Indiana-Purdue at Indianapolis on Nov. 19. Exhibition games at Bramlage will be against the Basketball Travelers on Nov. 7 and 11.

Chadron State picked to win RMAC HAYS Chadron State, with six first-place votes, has been picked to win the 2001 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football championship, according to the preseason coaches poll; Mesa State, the 2000 RMAC champions, were picked second with three first-place votes. was picked third, Fort Hays State fourth and Western State fifth. Adams State was sixth, Fort Lewis seventh, New Mexico Highlands eighth and Colorado Mines ninth. Pressel advances to Girls' Junior semis HILLS Morgan Pressel, the 13-year-old who qualified for the U.S. Women's Open, won two matches Thursday to advance to the semifinals of the U.S.

Girls' Junior Championship. -Pressel, Boca Raton, beat Eom Ji Park of Canada 3 and 2 in the third round, and edged Allyson Harvie of Grass Valley, 2 and 1 in the quarterfinals. face 17-year-old Nicole Perrot of Chile in the semifinals on the Indian Hills Cpuintry Club course. Perrot beat Sukjin Lee of Toms River, N.J.-, 4 and 3 in the Janangelo, 17, West Hartford, will face Whitney Welch, 17, of Las Vegas in the other semifinal From Staff and Wire Reports AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL: ZONE 5 TOURNAMENT Resilient Great Bend gets past Mac Chiefs' Hafner collects game-winning RBI in top of eighth to redeem himself By ARNE GREEN The Salina Journal Never mind that it was his three-run double that kick-started Great Bend's offense in the fourth inning. Matt Hafner was looking for redemption.

"I knew I was going to be up, and I knew I had to get the job done," Hafner said after his eighth-inning RBI single proved to be the game winner in the Chiefs' 7-6 American Legion Zone Tournament victory over McPherson Thursday at Dean Evans Stadium. "The inning before (actually, in the sixth), I had a runner on third and didn't get the job done. "I was just trying to get the ball to the outfield and get the run in on a sacrifice fly." Instead, Hafner's soft liner to left in the top of the inning scored Blake Guthrie from third base to break a 6-6 tie in the Class AAA Zone 5 tourney. The Chiefs (29-14) then shut McPherson down in the bottom of the eighth to move into to today's 5 p.m. winners' bracket final.

McPherson (30-20) will play Manhattan at 2:30 p.m. in an elimination game. It was the second comeback victory in as many days for the Chiefs, who rallied twice, from 4-0 and 6-5 before winning in ZONE 5 extra innings. They Great Bend McPherson 6 trailed Hutchinson 5-0 in the first round Wednesday before winning 11-5. "I felt comfortable with (Matt) Zinn coming back in to pitch (the bottom of the eighth)," Hafner said.

"We've been able to come back all year, even in high school ball." The Chiefs almost didn't score in the eighth. After Guthrie led off with a single, Tyler Manwarren sacrificed him to second, but Guthrie was caught rounding the base toward third. Still, he reached third safely when McPherson first baseman Brian Bengtson threw behind him to second and Guthrie slid safely into third. McPherson had its chance in the bottom of the eighth when No. 9 hitter Ryan Biegert led off with a single.

But Luke Barthel bunted sharply back to Zinh, who threw to second for the force. Zinn's high throw drew second baseman Hafner off the bag, but the base umpire ruled that he came down in time to get the out. "That was a big play," McPherson coach Jim Black said. "We did the best we could. They just happened to come out on top.

They got a couple of big hits. "We'll be back. We've still got our No. 1 pitcher, so we'll be OK." Zinn, who threw a complete-game eight-hitter, got the next two batters on a fly ball and a ground out to end the game. McPherson took the early lead with four runs in the second inning.

The big hit was Biegert's three-run double down the left-field line, followed by Barthel's RBI single. Great Bend then took the lead with five in the fourth inning, scoring single runs on a Brandon Mauler double and Bleke Esfeld's single before Hafner cleared the bases with his double to left center. Kratzer's two-run double put McPherson back in front in the bottom of the fifth, but Great Bend tied it in the sixth as Mauler led off with a single, reached third on Guthrie's pinch-hit double and scored on Manwarren's grounder to third. HUTCHINSON 6, TOPEKA 5 The Hutchinson Colts had to work a little overtime to keep their season alive. Hutchinson rallied for two runs In the bottom of the eighth to come away with the one-run victory over Topeka Post 74 on Thursday afternoon in the tournament's first elimination game.

The Colts will play at noon today against Hays. Nick Keast's one-out single down the right field line scored Zane Ehling with the tying run, before Josh Abernathy plated Grady Wray with a sacrifice fly to right. Hutchinson's David Mancillas pitched a complete game for the Colts, striking out six and giving up eight hits. MANHATTAN 9, JUNCTION CITY 8 The lead changed hands three times in the final three innings before Manhattan finally closed out a wild elimination contest. Robert Burke's RBI double and Matt Casey's two-run homer gave Manhattan its first lead, 7-6 in the fifth.

Junction City regained the lead on Brian Gannon's two- run double in the top of the sixth, but Manhattan came back with two more in the bottom of the inning for the game's final runs. Burke pitched the final three Innings to get the win, stranding the potential tying run at second In the seventh when he ended the game with a strikeout. Travis Machor had a triple, a double and two RBI for Manhattan, with teammates Chantry Sorrell and Jake Smith each adding and RBI single. PRO FOOTBALL Decision looms for Deion If Sanders doesn't report to Redskins by Sunday he could lose $6.8 million By The Associated Press Three words printed in capital letters on his contract "MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL" have painted Deion Sanders into a corner. As some of his Washington Redskins teammates gathered Thursday for the first day of pre-training camp workouts, the world's flashiest cornerback-out- ROUNDUP fielder was still on the roster of minor league baseball's Syracuse SkyChiefs.

His options are running out. And it's his move. "It will all unfold in due time, whatever transpires," coach Marty Schottenheimer said. "And I have no idea what will happen." Talk of Sanders nearly overshadowed the other absentees at Redskins Park, even though he doesn't have to report until the start of training camp Sunday. The minicamp is for rookies and selected veterans, so unsigned first-round pick Rod Gardner and second-round selection Fred Smoot were the major no-shows.

Their fates are intertwined with Sanders' because of the salary cap. Fourth-round pick Sage Rosenfels, a quarterback from Iowa State, practiced after signing a three-year deal. When the 33-year-old Sanders signed his seven-year, $56 million contract last year, he included a clause that would allow him to miss training camp and the first few games of the football season if he were playing baseball. But the contract doesn't just say "baseball." It says "MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL." Sanders was released by the Cincinnati Reds on June 22 after batting .173 in 32 games. Sanders joined the SkyChiefs in the Toronto organization.

But the Blue Jays have shown no interest in promoting him he was hitting just .245 through Wednesday. If Sanders doesn't report to the Redskins on Sunday, he risks losing up to $6.8 million, a prorated portion of his signing bonus. PANTHERS Kicker John Kasay's recovery from a fractured kneecap that kept him out all of last season is ahead of schedule and he should play in Cardlina's preseason opener Aug. 10 against Jacksonville. Kasay participated in his first organized practice since shattering his left knee last year.

He converted all five attempts ranging from between 30 and 35 yards. JAGUARS With an assist from linebacker Kevin Hardy, the Jaguars signed first-round draft pick Marcus Stroud the day before two-a-day practices begin. Hardy restructured his contract to give Jacksonville room under the salary cap to sign Stroud, a defensive lineman from Georgia, to a five-year, $8.4 million contract. Stroud reported and ran with rookies Thursday afternoon. Going into their seventh season, the Jaguars have had only two rookie holdouts, and only one (Fernando Bryant) that lasted longer than day.

BUCCANEERS First-round pick Kenyatta Walker signed a five-year, $8 million contract with Tampa Bay. Walker, the Buccaneers' projected starting left tackle, was the 14th player chosen overall. He was the last of the club's nine selections to agree to terms. Walker played right tackle at Florida, but the Bucs are confident he has the athleticism to make the switch to the left side. COLTS Wide receiver Reggie Wayne, the team's first-round choice, signed a contract and reported to training camp with the rest of the players.

The signing ends a four-year span In which the Colts failed to sign their first-round picks before camp opened. Terms of Wayne's deal were not released. All of the Colts players are now under contract, although team president Bill Polian said negotiations on a long-term deal with tight end Marcus Pollard were continuing. EAGLES First-round pick Freddie Mitchell signed a five-year deal worth more than $5 million hours before the wide receiver and other Eagles rookies were due to report. Mitchell, the 25th pick out of UCLA, is the type of play- making wideout Philadelphia has sought to pair with quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Mitchell becomes the first Eagles first-round pick to report to camp on time since offensive tackle Tra Thomas in 1998. CARDINALS The NFL suspended Arizona running back Michael Pittman for one game after he was sentenced to five days in jail for arguing with his estranged wife. Pittman pleaded guilty in Tempe City Court to misdemeanor counts of criminal trespass and criminal damage. The team said Pittman, the first player to lead the Cardinals in receiving (73 catches) and rushing (791 yards) since Terry Metcalf in 1974, will sit out the season opener against Washington on Sept. 16.

CHARGERS San Diego agreed to a one-year contract with former Buffalo inside linebacker John Holecek. Holecek is expected to arrive in San Diego on Monday to sign his contract and begin practicing. The Chargers' first full-squad workout is Friday morning. A starter at inside linebacker for most of the past five seasons, Holocek was released July 12," a casualty of the Bills' makeover to a 4-3 defense. CYCLING: TOUR DE FRANCE Belgian Baguet takes 17th stage Armstrong stays on track for his third consecutive title By MICHAEL McDONOUGH The Associated Press MONTLUCON, France Belgium's Serge Baguet won the 17th stage of the Tour de France on Thursday, while Lance Armstrong maintained a five-minute overall lead and remained on track for his third straight championship.

With just three days left in the three-week-long race, Baguet edged Danish rider Jakob Piil in the final sprint to claim his first stage win in the grueling event. Armstrong finished in 32nd place with the main pack, 13 seconds behind Baguet. He retained the overall leader's yellow jersey, with an unchanged advantage of 5 minutes, 5 seconds over his closest rival, Jan Ullrich of Germany. Kazakstan's Andrei Kivilev remained third, 5:13 behind the American. Armstrong's big lead means he is almost certain to collect a third consecutive Tour title when the race finishes in Paris on Sunday.

Baguet, who rides for the Lotto completed the 120.3-mile stretch between Brive-la-Gaillarde and this town in central France in 4:13:36. The 32-year-old had never won a stage in his two previous Tours. A former teen-age cycling star, he retired from the professional sport at the end of 1996 after winning only nine races in six years. He worked as a tiler, riding only in his spare time, before returning to high-level competition in 2000. "It took a lot of sacrifice," Baguet said.

"Only my wife knows what it meant to come back. Now I know I can win. I want to ride for another five or six years." He crossed the line in Montlucon just ahead of il, who clocked the same time, and was five seconds faster than third-place Mas- similiano Lelli of Italy. The three were part of a group that broke from the main pack early in the long, hot stage. The trio led the pack by up to 4:35 before losing ground in the closing stretch.

Big 12 Huskers picked to win North FROM PAGE C1 They entered the Orange Bowl as 10 Va-point underdogs, but closed out their season with a dominating 13-2 win over Florida State to clinch the school's first national title in 15 years. And Stoops said either of Heupel's potential replacements, junior Nate Hybl or sophomore Jason White, could put up just as many dazzling offensive numbers. "Two years ago, no one was bragging about Josh Heupel," Stoops said. "With what we've seen in the practices and mages, we're confident either one of them can do the job." In the media poll, Nebraska was picked as the first-place team in the North Division, followed by Kansas State, Colorado, Iowa State, Missouri and Kansas. In the South, Oklahoma followed by Texas, Texas Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and Baylor.

"I think we have the finest football conference in America from top to bottom," first-year Oklahoma State coach Les Miles said. "That's where the best teams play." Green injures thumb FROM PAGE C1 "It has been a lot of hard work, but it has been a lot of fun," Wahlgren said. "It has been fun to meet all of these guys. They are guys that you have always heard about, but now you get to meet them and get to know them." AROUND CAMP West coach Dustin McEwen said the team is right where he was hoping it would be as it wraps up camp in Salina. The squad took Thursday afternoon off once again and spent most of Thursday evening's session working on special situations that might arise during the game.

"We have almost got all of the hay in the barn," McEwen said. "It is almost time to go and I think we are The other thing McEwen is working on are a few "razzle-dazzle" plays to run if the time is right Saturday night. "We have got a few things in there," he said with a wry smile. The formations really limit the types of things that you can do, but we do have a couple of extra plays that we can Junction City lineman Ray Green, who will attend Kansas State this fall, injured his thumb during practice Thursday to join McGrew on the injured list. McGrew, who has an injured wrist, went back to the doctor again Thursday.

Both players are expected to play in Saturday's game. Falcons Salina gets on board in top of third FROM PAGE C1 "It just seems like we're doing everything right," Sheahon said. "We got good pitching from Gen tonight and good defense from all spots on the field and then got the offense going." The Falcons snapped a scoreless tie with two runs in the top of the third. Sheahon's leadoff single was the team's first hit off Landon Paul and was followed by Eric Puvogel's single and Jason Hamilton's bunt gle to load the bases. Hays second baseman Brian Lovewell made a nice play on Adam Ptacek's grounder up the middle and forced Hamilton at second.

But when the Eagles attempted to turn the double play, the ball went into the dugout and two runs scored. Hamilton's leadoff walk and Mick Gordon's hit-and-run single set up the Falcons' two-run fourth. Kadem Tharp came through with a two-out single down the third base line that made it 4-0. LAND OWNERS WANTED SALINE OTTAWA COUNTY Dove only leases for youth hunts in September Call Matt Peek or Matt Smith at Parks (785) 658-2465 Deadline Aug. 15th YES YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF! I Golfers 515 N.

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