The Times from Shreveport, Louisiana • Page 6

INSIDE The Toronto Blue Jays broke a major league record with 10 home runs in their 18-3 victory over Baltimore Monday night. And the consecutive inning streak of Baltimore's Cal Ripken Jr. was broken at 20. DSD dhc (Tune Tuesday, Sept. 15, 1987 LJ 23-29 Classified Lemdll says iti's unbelievable' MORNING LINE Bill Campbell He's got a lock on the Open 1 r-v NEW YORK (AP) For years Ivan Lendl couldn't win the U.S.

Open. Now he can't seem to lose it. Lendl's bid for a third straight Open title appeared in jeopardy Monday after he lost the first set to Mats Wilander. It was the first set Lendl had lost in the tournament. Worse yet, he was suffering from the flu and facing a player who specializes in long, tiring baseline rallies.

But Lendl rallied to beat the 23-year-old Swede 6-7 (7-9), 6-0, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 in a 4-hour, 47-minute match at the National Tennis Center. Lendl, a 27-year-old Czech who lives in Greenwich, lost three straight Open finals from 1982-84 before starting his winning streak in 1985 with a victory over John McEnroe. "It's something I never dreamt of," Lendl said. "It's unbelievable. If somebody told me three years ago, when I had lost my third straight final, I wouldn't have believed it.

I would have said that person was crazy." Lendl, who has also won three French Open titles, said his illness drained him during the match. "I was out of juice for the last 3 Vi sets," he said. "It was strength of mind and a little bit of luck. In this kind of match, there's such little difference between the players." Lendl thrust his fists upward in joy and covered his face with his hands after closing out the match with a backhand service return down the line. Both players had held serve in the final set until the 10th game.

Lendl and McEnroe are the only men to win three consecutive U.S. singles titles in the Open era. Wilam' who has won two French and two Australian Open titles, was in his first U.S. Open final. "I was surprised to be in the final," he said.

"But after the way I played in the tournament, I thought I could win it." It was Lendl's second victory over Wilander this year in a Grand Slam final, with the first coming on the slow red clay at the French Open. The U.S. Open is played on hardcourts, a faster surface. Wilander, a classic baseliner, said he tried to be aggressive against Lendl, who has a more varied attack. "I was the one who was attacking," Wilander said.

"But you can't do it all the time. I can't attack any more for my style. I don't have that good a volley and he passes so well." The match, postponed Sunday because of rain, started under sunny skies at 1:11 p.m. CDT. When it ended at 5:58 p.m., the sun had set and the stadium lights were on.

Wilander, who was more emotional than usual during the match, won the first-set tiebreaker after saving one set point with a forehand passing shot. The set, which lasted 1 Vi hours, ended when Lendl hit a forehand that landed inches wide of the sideline. Lendl argued briefly with chair umpire Richard Kaufman, who declined to overrule the line official's call. That broke Lendl's 25-set winning streak at the Open. He hadn't lost a set at the Open since losing the third set in his quarterfinal victory over Henri Leconte last year.

AP Loserphoto Ivan Lendl: The U.S. Open champion 1985, 1986 and 1987 You can blame Landry Co. for this one Commentary Collins has had his fun against Tech Louisiana Tech University made a mistake in 1979 and Pat Collins has been making the university pay for it ever since. It was the winter of 1979, after a dismal 3-8 campaign in 1978, that Larry Beightol was hired to replace the Bulldogs' legendary head coach Maxie Lambright. That move spelled the end of an era in which Tech would claim five national championships.

It also spelled the end of Collins' 12-year coaching career at Tech. Along with other veteran assistants on the staff, Collins was overlooked for the head coaching position. And when Beightol arrived, Collins knew he had to leave. Making a move But he landed on his feet, at a nearby university that had only begun to tap its athletic potential, as an assistant at Northeast Louisiana University to John David Crow. It was at that point Collins began to wreak havoc on his alma mater.

Since his move to Northeast, Collins' teams have lost to Tech only in 1979 (his first year as an assistant) and in 1982 (his second year as head coach). He has won six of seven since taking over the head coaching job. Collins has rewritten the old, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" adage to read, "If you can't join 'em, beat 'em." Tech keeps lining them up, and Collins keeps knocking them down. Carl Torbush is a proven coach and a good man a man Tech people will be proud to have representing their school but standing on the sideline Saturday night Torbush must have felt the same frustration A.L. Williams and Billy Brewer had known before him.

Those who had witnessed Collins' teams solve the teams coached by the previous Tech staffs probably couldn't help but feel a little pity for Torbush and his staff, the latest victims of Collins' annual Bulldog roast. After the first two NLU scores, Torbush stood with arms folded, occasionally conversing on his headset to his coaches in the press box. After the Indians' third, first-quarter touchdown, Torbush crouched to a squatting position with head down. The mouthpiece of his headset shoved up toward his ear. He was only beginning to realize a long night was in the making.

Collins must have felt a little compassion for his rookie opponent. Perhaps it should go unmen-tioned, but those who were still around in the final period know it could have been worse. Northeast was within Teddy Garcia's field goal range three times in the final period when no kick was attempted. Twice, NLU punted. And once, from the Tech 2, the Indians ran into the line on fourth down.

It could have been Scoring on those three opportunities could conceivably have given NLU as many as 57 points, which would have been the most scored on a Tech team since Centenary College took no mercy in a 63-' thrashing of Coach F.A. Rockwell's 2-7 Bulldog squad back in 1928. Three years before that, Fort Benning Infirmary ran up a 66-7 score on the Bulldogs. Now, with the victory over Tech out of the way unusually early in the season, Collins is out to quiet a few of his own critics the ones who say Northeast can't beat anyone after it beats Tech. Those critics have history on their side.

The Indians are 1-7 after beating Tech the past four seasons, but this time there are still 10 games to play. The Indians and Collins held tradition by beating Tech for a fifth straight time. But don't look for them to go 1-10. That's a tradition this Collins-coached team is poised to break. And you have to wonder what will happen to Tech in Torbush's first year.

One of the two neighborhood rivals already has beaten the Bulldogs; the other (Northwestern State) can't wait for the State Fair Game. But Tech has to worry about Mississippi State this week and then Kansas and then The goal of a 3-1 start is out the window. Considering schedule, the Bulldogs may have to wait a while for one in the win column. three touchdowns in the final two minutes. Dallas head coach Tom Landry said St.

Louis won simply because the Cardinals played well in the fourth quarter. "When we had to make the points, we couldn't do it or even the first downs," Landry said. "That's all it would have taken there in the last couple of drives." Not true. Dallas' 13 points should have been enough to get a victory. A few more rushing attempts by Walker or Dorsett would have killed the clock and St.

Louis' hopes of a victory. Walker, who did not play in the Cowboys' four preseason games because of a sprained knee, gained 152 yards 90 receiving, 62 rushing. Although many observers felt the game was a must-win situation for Dallas, Landry didn't see it that way. "No game is a must win," he said. "Sooner or later you have got to start winning.

When you start winning, you stay winning. One game doesn't make any difference." On a positive Dallas note, the addition of Roger Ruzek appears to have ended the team's kicking needs. Ruzek was 2-for-2 in field goals and consistently booted the ball deep into the end zone on kickoffs. On a negative note, the Cowboys' offensive line, which has been severely criticized in recent years, yielded eight sacks for 59 yards. team's play selection.

"I'm not a coach," he said. "All I'm required to do is go out and play. We were running the ball with some consistency, especially late in the first half, and I thought we would come out in the second half and start pounding at them a little more." Said Walker, who rarely complains, "I wish I could have played more." St. Louis should be given ample credit for making a fine comeback, but the Cardinals shouldn't have had enough time to win the game, let alone score By RICK CANTU Gannett News Service ST. LOUIS The Dallas Cowboys coaching staff is mostly to blame for the Cowboys' 24-13 loss to the St.

Louis Cardinals Sunday at Busch Stadium. The Cowboys led 13-3 for most of the fourth quarter. The Cardinals' offense was sputtering. It looked like the Cowboys would leave with a much-needed shot of confidence and momentum going into next Sunday's game against the Super Bowl champion New York Giars. But the Cowboys specifically Cowboy coaches decided that the game had been decided and got too cute with the offense.

Nursing a 10-point lead in final period, Dallas elected to dump its effective running attack in favor of more passes. In two of Dallas' last three possessions, it attempted four needless passes. All were incomplete. And each miss stopped the clock. Instead of grinding out the clock with running backs Herschel Walker and Tony Dorsett, quarterback Danny White elected to test his already aching right wrist.

Dallas' decision to use the passing attack was surprising the team showed the ability to move the ball on the ground. Walker rushed for 62 yards, Dorsett for 60. Had the Cowboys stayed on the ground, the clock would have expired long before St. Louis mounted its brilliant rally. Dorsett was careful not to criticize the Herschel will play with separated shoulder IRVING, Texas (AP) Herschel Walker says he has played for five years with a separated shoulder and isn't about to let it keep him out of the Dallas Cowboys' NFL game with the New York Giants on Sunday.

Walker, the Cowboys' all-purpose performer, injured his left shoulder on a critical fourth-quarter play in Sunday's 24-13 opening loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. On third and four at the Dallas 26 with 1:52 left and Dallas leading 13-10, Walker caught a short swing pass. St. Louis' Carl Carter knocked Walker out of bounds inches short of the first down.

Walker suffered a separated shoulder on the play, Dallas punted, and the Cardinals rallied to win. "I hurt my shoulder on the play," Walker said. "I thought I had the first down. I probably should have spun and taken it on upfield. But I knew my shoulder was separated and I was just trying to step past the line." Walker said he played at Georgia for three years with a separated shoulder and had the problem two years with the New Jersey Generals in the now defunct USFL.

"It's something I'm used to having and I'll play against the Giants," Walker said. "I'll be ready to go." Walker said he may make some changes in his shoulder pads. "I might make an equipment adjust ment," he said. The Cowboys listed Walker as probable for the NFC Eastern Division game in New York. Walker, who had 152 yards rushing and receiving, came into the game worried about a knee he injured in training camp.

Walker didn't play in the Cowboys' 1-3 preseason. "My knee was OK but I got kind of tired because I only had one week of practice," Walker said. Listed as questionable for the game were safety Mike Downs with a sprained shoulder and rookie kick returner Kelvin Martin, who suffered a leg injury in the preseason. Bears get their season off to a super start Chicago, it would seem, no longer has a quarterback question or many other questions after this surprising night of Giant bashing. The Bears did it with the same old defense.

Eight sacks, the most to a Giants team since 1981. Quarterback Phil Simms was out of the game much of the first half with a woozy head, courtesy of a Richard Dent helmet delivered to his earhole. They also did it with new young Quarterback Mike Tomczak, the man on the hot seat with McMahon out, threw two long touchdowns in the third period and passed for 292 yards, hitting 20 of 34 attempts. Neal Anderson, the second-year man moved to fullback this year, was the driving force behind two long first-half scoring drives. Ron Morris, the rookie from SMU, took the ball away from cornerback Mark Collins and turned an interception into a touchdown.

Throw in Dennis McKinnon's team record 93-yard punt return and you have a stunning 34 points against a Giants defense last seen swallowing the NFL. The most points New York allowed in a game all of last year were 31. But this was the most shocking statistic of all: The Giants had no sacks. None. The Bears offensive line had the best game of all.

Tomczak grew up this night, partly because he had time to. By MIKE LOPRESTI Gannett News Service CHICAGO It was just one game, they are all saying today. But there is something significant to remember about Chicago's 34-19 rollick over the New York Giants Monday night. The Bears beat the Giants in this mega-showdown without Jim McMahon. So who won't they be able to beat without Jim McMahon? Probably nobody.

Goodwin: No. 4 too high for Division l-AA Top Twenty Following are the ratings in the first NCAA Division I-AA football poll of the 1987 season. 1. Nevada-Reno 79 2. Holy Cross 77 3.

Murray 72 4. Northwestern 67 5. Middle Tennessee 65 6. 58 7. Applachian State ,57 8.

Northeast 48 9. William Mary 47 10. Forman 44 11. Tennessee-Chattanooga. 39 12.

Northern 35 13. North Texas State 31 14. (tie) Boston University 21 14. (tie) Illinois State 21 14. (tie) East Tennessee 21 17.

Boise State 19 18. Southwest Missouri 11 19. Pennsylvania. 10 20. Southern 9 Minden joins Ruston at top of state polls Minden High School climbed to the No.

1 position in the Class AAA state football poll released Monday by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. Now the only problem for the Crimson Tide is staying there. John Curtis of New Orleans, No. 1 for the past two weeks, lost to Class A AAA John Ehret (Marer-ro) 21-14 and dropped to fourth. In the Class AAAA poll, defending state champion Ruston is still No.

1. The non-district season's game of the year could be a week from Friday when Ruston visits Minden. But both will have to get by tough opponents this Friday. Minden plays Huntington, 1-0-1, at Independence Stadium in Shreveport and Ruston play host to Jonesboro-Hodge, the second-ranked team last week in Class AA. Minden is no stranger to the top ranking.

Last year, the Crimson Tide took over the the top spot in the fourth week and stayed there for the rest of the regular season. The ranking held until the playoff quarterfinals when the Tide lost 21-14 to eventual state champion Wossman (Monroe). 4 in the nation," he said. "I'm glad we're ranked, but I'm not sure the people who do the rankings know what's going on." Goodwin wants his team in the poll, only at a more modest ranking. "I think we ought to be ranked," he said.

"We beat the No. 2 team in the nation (Arkansas State) at their place under adverse circumstances. And McNeese is not very good, but (NSU's score) could have been 60 points. And that hasn't happened to McNeese, no matter what kind of team they've had. "To me, what Northeast did to Tech is more impressive than what we've done." The Demons meet Northeast at home on Oct.

3. Northeast head coach Pat Collins feels a little more comfortable with his team's No. 8 ranking. "I think the ranking is justifiable," Collins said, "because of the quality of competition we played. And I would certainly sav the same for Northwestern." By BILL CAMPBELL The Times NATCHITOCHES Just because his Northwestern State University Demons have the highest national ranking in the school's football history, don't think head coach Sam Goodwin is going to brag about it.

So if you see him on the street this week, don't expect him to bring his team's No. 4 Division I-AA national ranking into tho conversation without some prompting. Don't get him wrong; Goodwin is proud of his team's 2-0 start, the best for an NSU team since 1980. He just doesn't put too much stock in the poll, especially one in which his Demons went from totally unranked a week ago to the No. 4 spot today.

While the Demons made the poll's biggest jump, Northeast Louisiana University climbed 10 notches to the No. 8 position after last week's 44-7 thrashing of Louisiana Tech. Ranked No. 1 in the poll is Nevada-Reno and ranked No. 13 is North Texas State, which is at Northwestern this week in an important Southland Conference game.

Gone entirely from the poll are the top two preseason picks, Georgia Southern and Arkansas State. Georgia Southern, defending national champion, was an upset loser to Florida while Arkansas State was upset by the Demons 23-20 in the season opener two weeks ago. The Demons combined their Arkansas State upset with Saturday's 39-3 demolishing of McNeese State to vault into the poll, but Goodwin was still overwhelmed by the lofty ranking. "In 1984, we went 16 or 17 quarters without allowing a team to score a point on us and we couldn't get in the top 20," Goodwin began in his examination of the poll's credibility. "Now we win two games and go from being picked last in the conference to No..