Longview News-Journal from Longview, Texas • Page 13

ports mpifU rii Journal Friday, September 8, 1989 Section Major leagues2-B SFA, Kilgore College3-B Putt-Putt Golf4-B ofooSo Pirates kick off season PT looking to continue tradition against Wyatt Longview hopes to turn tables on North Mesquite mini II i ii.nii.-iii Radio Mm KEES, U30-AM will broodcoil tonight'i Pint Tr-Fort World 0.0. Wyatt non diitfkt gome beginning at 7: Radio itotkm KFRO, 1370-AM will broadcoit tonight', longview-North Meiquite nondiitrict gome beginning at 7:15. coming off four straight years in Baker Hunter the playoffs, lhe Lobos fortunes this season are heavily weighted-io a Mrong running game "led by Tmirning By John Inman Sports Editor Pine Tree has established a tradition in its season-openers, having lost only once in the last decade. O.D. Wyatt, the Bucs' season-opening opponent tonight, on the other hand, has come away empty-handed in three trips to Pirate Stadium.

"We'd like to come down there and do a whole lot better job than we've done. We've lost every time and we should have one of our better teams," said Wyatt coach Willie Criss, a native of Pittsburg. Pirates coach Clint Humphreys, naturally, would like to begin the season on a winning note, as his team did last year in a 19-14 victory, and avoid a seven-game By Bob Ward Assistant Sports Editor MESQUITE Last year North Mesquite came into Lobo Stadium and handed the Lobos a 28-14 setback in the season opener. Tonight, Longview hopes to turn the tables on the Stallions here at Memorial Stadium. The kickoff for both teams 1989 football opener is slated for 7:30.

Traditionally playoff participants, the Lobos and. Stallions each missed the party last, season. Longview compiled a 6-3 overall and 4-2 slate in District 13-5A, while North Mesquite finished 7-3 and 3-3 in 9-5A. Longview had strung together six consecutive playoff appearances, while the Stallions were losing skid which followed. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

"I know they are bigger than us, I just hope their conditioning is not as good as our's. I hope being in better condition makes a difference in the second half. As the game progresses, I hope we can overtake them," said Humphreys. While Wyatt has 15 starters, including two-time back Tommy Guy, back from a 6-4 team, Humphreys will be fielding an all-new backfield See Pirates, 3-B 1 tailback Earnest Hunter, who headlines a highly touted offense. Plus, a rebuilt defense that includes a couple of offensive holdovers.

Once again, North Mesquite provide another strong test. "North Mesquite is very solid program and Gary Childress is See Lobos, 3-B DIGEST Lions sign Sanders to $5 million deal PONTIAC, Mich. Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders signed a $9.5 million, S-year contract with the Detroit Lions on Thursday, ending six weeks of negotiations between the team its top draft choice. "I'm not one to make promises. But I'm ready to give 100 percent to the Detroit Lions.

It's time to work. This is big business," said Sanders, whose deal includes a $2.5 million signing bonus. Ten percent of the bonus will go to the Paradise Baptist Church in his hometown of Wichita, said Sanders, a running back who gave up his last year of eligibility at Oklahoma State and was the No. 3 pick overall in April's NFL draft. Sidekicks sign.

Phillips as coach DALLAS -The Dallas Sidekicks have signed Billy Phillips to a one-year contract as head coach of the MISL club. Phillips took over as head coach for the final 26 games of last season when Gordon Jago was promoted to club president. The Sidekicks open their 1989-90 season Oct. 28 with a home game against San Diego. GLSA parade set Saturday morning The Greater Longview Soccer Association will have its annual soccer parade Saturday, Sept.

9 preceding the opening of the fall season. The parade will begin at 8 a.m. at the Longview Mall. A fire engine and decorated floats will proceed south on McCann Road, turn right on Cotton and proceed to the Soccer Complex. The soccer teams will be dressed in this year's uniforms and play will get underway at 10 o'clock.

TCU names Fricke part-time assistant Riddle Fitzpatrick Connors ousted in quarterfinals Agassi rallies for Open victory 1 V. 1 By Barry Wilner Associated Press NEW YORK Youth was served at the U.S. Open. So was age. Andre Agassi, overcoming every sort of obstacle and the stigma of failure in the clutch, won a five-set match for the first time Thursday, rallying to eliminate Jimmy Connors at the U.S.

Open'. The 19-year-old Agassi repeated his 1988 quarterfinal victory over-the 37-year-old Connors, but in entirely different style. Last year, he "swept three sets from the five-time Open champion, This time, Agassi had to show' the determination and staying power he has not displayed in his four years on tour. With the 20,839 fans firmly against him, even applauding his double faults, Agassi won 6-1, 4-6, 0-6, 6-3, 6-4. "I don't know what I proved," Agassi said.

"Losing in five sets was a thing that everyone wanted to dwell on. It was a great achievement out there under those circumstances to pull out the win. I don't care if it was three sets, five sets, two sets or 20 sets." Had it gone all night, the match couldn't have been tighter. Every time one player seemed in control, the other responded. "I played on automatic pilot and guts and to play the way I did, that's good," Connors said.

"He didn't run out of steam," Agassi said of Connors. "We both battled it out to the last point." Ivan Lendl didn't get much of a battle from Tim Mayotte in the other quarterfinal. The top seed and three-time champion, who has been a finalist the last seven years, routed the ninth-seeded Mayotte 6-4, 6-0, 6-1. That match was in stark contrast to Lendl's last outing, a tense five-setter against Andrei Chesnokov. And it was the exact opposite of Connors-Agassi.

Agassi Connors under con trol at the start and the veteran complained of nausea and dizziness early in the second set. At one point, Connors turned to his wife, Patti, seated at courtside, and said "I don't think I can make it." "I wasn't feeling at my best," Connors admitted. "I was wearing myself out just trying to stay in there." But then Connors came alive. No longer was he shuffling ly around the court between points, looking like a misfit against the energetic Agassi. Seeded just 13th after 15 years among the favorites here, Connors gave further indication that at an age when most tennis players are c6aching their kids, Connors can compete with youngsters nearly half his age.

And it offered proof that Connors' 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 rout of No. 3 Stefan Edberg in the fourth round was no fluke. "He gave a tremendous effort," Agassi said. "He deserves a lot of respect for that. "I hope if I'm 37 and still playing tennis, that all the people who I've pleased stand by me like they're standing by him." The standing ovations didn't end even when Agassi showing more stamina broke Connors in the fourth game of the fourth set, turning the "match around.

By the final set, Connors was being overpowered by the sixth seed, 0-5 in previous five-setters. Agassi took a 5-2 lead in the set, but was broken by Connors, who then held to make it 5-4. "It's not like I gave it to him" Agassi said. "When he came back to 5-4, he raised his game, like, six levels." With the fans standing and shouting encouragement and Connors pumping his arms, Agassi blew one match point'' before Connors' backhand off a drop shot went long. 1 FORT WORTH Texas Christian University officials Wednesday named Kevin Fricke as'a part-time assistant basketball coach.

Fricke, 29, a native of Hastings, has been an assistant coach at Moberly Area Community College in Moberly, for the past three years. Prior to his stint at the Missouri junior college, Fricke spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at the University of Nebraska under current TCU head coach Moe Iba. He replaces Garry Mendenhall, who two weeks ago was promoted to a full-time position with the TCU program. From Staff, Wire Reports ON THE AIR MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL: Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs, WGN4 p.m. Atlanta Braves at Cincinnati Reds, p.m.

Baltimore Orioles at Texas Rangers, KFRO radio TENNIS: U.S. Open, USA10 a.m. and 1 p.m. U.S. Open highlights, channel 5110:30 p.m.

4 ii i AP LowrPhoto Jimmy Connors takes a backhand In his U.S. Open quarterfinal match Thursday. Rozier signs one-year contract, becomes 2nd highest paid Oiler SCORES rusher last season with 1,002 yards, originally sought a five-year contract but agreed to one year at $600,000. Moon earns $1.5 million per year. Rozier agreed to the contract on Wednesday and worked out HOUSTON (AP) Houston Oiler running back Mike Rozier signed a one-year contract Thursday that makes him the second highest" paid player on the team behind quarterback Warren Moon.

Rozier, the Oilers' leading alone at the practice facility. He was scheduled to work out with the team for the first time Rozier doesn't anticipate playing in Sunday's regular season opener at Minnesota but said he'll play if asked. it Just in ease you misse problems among their linebackers AMERICAN LEAGUE: Baltimore 8, Texas 3, 1st game NATIONAL LEAGUE: New York 13, St. Louis 1 Chicago 6, Philadelphia 2 Los Angeles 8, Cincinnati 2 Pittsburgh 7, Montreal 4 San Francisco 7, Atlanta 5 Houston 2, San Diego 1 COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Washington State 46, BYU 41 TRIVIA TIME GOBUGEATERSI Original College Nicknames: 1. Nebraska Cornhuskers originally 'Bugeaters' 2.

Tulane Green Wave 'Olive and Blue' 3. N. Carolina St. Wolfpack 'Red Terrors' 4. Georgetown Hoyas 'Stonewalls' 5.

Alaska Nanooks 'Polar Bears' v6. Wichita 'Wheatshockers' 7. Texas Tech Red Raiders 'Matadors' Source: What's In a Nickname CALENDAR HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Longview at North p.m. O.D. Wyatt at Pine p.m.

Atlanta at Spring Hill8 p.m. White Oak at Elysian Fields8 p.m. JOHN INMAN all smiles these days. His 1985 aft-star backfield of Horton and Larry Centers are making all kinds of headlines as collegians, too. Horton's first-game performance enabled him to garner Southwest Conference Player of the Week honors, while Centers copped the weekly honor in the Southland Conference after his exploits against Jackson State last week.

Centers rushed for 114 yards, caught four pass.es for 79 yards and scored twice. Centers is the early SLC rushing leader and is tied for second in receiving Don't forget Street Jam, the 3-on-3 basketball tournament, slated to be played in the streets of Longview Saturday, Sept. 23. On a smaller scale, the tourney will resemble the now famed hoop gathering in the West End section of Dallas. It should be fun.

Call 237-4040 for more ino on the local affair I Idle thought: Enthusiasm is great, OK, but somehow the antics of Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones as they pranced off the field just seemed inappropriate after the Cowboys' win over the Oilers last weekend. Bits and pieces: Fighting back from injuries takes sheer dedication, desire and will power. Probably nobody realizes that more than Tommy Palmer, who played his high school ball at Gilmer and has suffered enough disappointment that would make most of us give up and call it quits. A promising running back prospect, Palmer missed all but 30 minutes of the 1987 season after blowing out a knee and all but three games of the '86 season with a foot fracture. Now, entering his final chapter at TCU, the 6-2, 230-pound Palmer is slated to start at tight end against Missouri tomorrow.

A nice comeback story Tommy's brother Gary, by the wav, is a wide receivers Cameron (OKla.) Rust Texas products helped the Si lii'Jrwest Conference get off to a i.jt ing start last weekend. Hughes j.i ings' Cary Brabham recovered a iumble on the game's opening kickoff, leading to a field goal, SMU's first points in three years, although Rice went on to post a convincing victory. At College Station, Tatum's Larry Horton returned Ford, the Southeastern Conference football official from Hallsville, was a basketball teammate of Leroy Romines at Panola Junior College in 1958. Romines is the cage boss at Longview High Newly elected officers for the Longview Running Club include president Rita Roarty, VP Steve Baker and treasurer Betty Dodson. Also, Randy Wagner will be in charge of club runs and Herschel McCord will continue to handle the monthly newsletter Don't ever ask these guys to drag race! Longview's brother duo of Doug and Ricky Ingalls are both ranked in the latest National Championship Racing Association point standings.

Doug is No. 1 with 1,650 points and Ricky No. 7 with 740 The Stephen F.iAustin State Lumberjacks will ob reunited with an old companion tomorrow when they travel to Boise State (Id.wThe SID at Boise is Max Corbet, formerly the publicist at SFA. Corbet servedan same capacity at East Texas State before moving to Nacogdoches in the last 1970s Tatum coach James Conway has to be the opening kickoff 92 yards for a' touchdown and the Aggies were off to a rousing upset victory over LSU The NFL's cuts on Monday of this week were not as kind to ET names, though. The Phoenix Cardinals released running back Tony Jeffery of Gladewater and the Green Bay Packers waived wide receiver Phillip Epps of Atlanta Dallas recently worked out linebacker Dwayne Jiles, a Linden-Kildare product cut by Philadelphia.

Jiles may be signed later if the Cowboys have injury.