The Times from Shreveport, Louisiana • Page 39

I Brassy Weils wins Prelude, earns berth in Super Derby. Page 3C -(She Qftme CONTACT DEAN ROCK 459-3295 or sportsthetimes.com SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1999 aints have Cowboys, opes for year 'By John McCloskey Today's games Noon: Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins, Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, Washington; Fox-TV (KMSS); KFLO-AM 1300. Noon: Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints, Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans; KEEL-AM 710. With hopes of improving their slowly decaying offensive attack, the aging Cowboys introduce their newest weapon, wide receiver Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, against a Redskins secondary that includes rookie cornerback Champ Baily. The Saints will rely heavily on their two big-named newcomers Heisman Trophy-winning running back Ricky Williams and former I.SU wide Washington also welcomes a new owner in Dan Snyder.

And while the 'Skins will have to worry about the Rocket, they will have a good chance to burn the Cowboys' second-string secondary with a proven new quarterback, former Vikings star Brad Johnson. Dallas is missing corners Kevin Smith (injured back) and possibly Deion Sanders (toe), so Johnson will likely go after backups Charlie Williams and Kevin Mathis. The Saints have similar concerns as Carolina QB Steve Beuerlein is sure to test a revamped Saints secondary. Injuries to corner F-arl Little (doubtful, concussion) and safety Je'Rod Cherry (questionable, ankle) are compounding this problem. There is nothing new about the Cowboys' success on open ing day.

Dallas boasts an NFL-best 29-9-1 record in Week 1, including a 16-5-1 road record. There is also nothing new about Washington's Darrell Green, who will set a club record today by beginning his 17th season. The Saints hope to start a new trend by winning their first home opener since 1993. They haven't played a home opener since 1995. Complete NFL coverage, 6C-7C receiver Eddie Kennison when they face a Panthers defense that finished last in the NFL last year.

But Carolina also has a new look, as new head coach George Seifert and the Panthers are switching defensive schemes to a 4-3. Times 3 Beginning a new season in the 'NFL automatically comes with i iew faces, challenges and strategies. The Cowboys and Saints open against division rivals at noon today, with both matchups Dallas at Washington and Carolina at New Orleans offering plenty of new weapons and worries for both teams. Grambling escapes with SWAC victory By Brian McCallum The Times GRAMBLING Footballs 5 2 NORTH TEXAS 0 iuj, (.,,. i immmm.

Inside were flying far and frequently at Eddie Robinson Stadium Saturday, but in the end it was the Grambling State defense and its kicker that made the difference in 'a 36-31 victory over Alabama In a game that saw the teams jiombine for almost 600 passing ui: LSU notebook: Tigers go into Southeastern Conference play next week against Auburn with a 2-0 record for the fourth straight year. After five years of waiting, LSU fans finally get to see highly touted QB Josh Booty play for the Tigers. Return to Tiger Stadium not a pleasant one for North Texas coach. Details, 8C Strong nights by Booty, Davey further cloud the Tigers' quarterback issue. By Scott Ferrell The Times BATON ROUGE About the only competition on the Tiger Stadium turf Saturday night came at the LSU quarterback position.

There certainly wasn't much competition between IijU and North Texas. The Tigers rolled up 514 yards total offense and kept the Eagles off the scoreboard in a 52-0 drubbing before 79,845 in Tiger Stadium. LSU improves to 2-0 on the season while North Texas drops to 0-2. What was far more interesting than the game Saturday night was watching LSU's quarterback competition. Rohan Davey got the start and led the Tigers to 21 points.

Josh Booty came in second and led the Tigers to 17 points. Craig Nail, last week's starter, came in the game in the fourth quarter and led the Tiger to seven points. The LSU defense also scored seven. "I think Ro played well," LSU coach Gerry DiNardo said. "You could tell Josh hadn't played for awhile.

As much as you practice, there is still something about game night I think his growth now can be more significant. I didn't want to put Craig in there in a situation where he wouldn't have a chance. So I really watched our offensive I eg If I CI Matthew MinardThe Times LSU quarterback Josh Booty saw the first action of his collegiate career Saturday night in the Tigers' pounding of North Texas. substitutions." terception. Nail completed downs on 13 carries.

True said. ond time in as many weeks, Davey completed all six of just lof5 passes for 12 yards, freshman Domanick Davis And, of course, there was the LSU defense also scored a his pass attempts for 66 yards. Both were helped by adorn- rushed 17 times for 109 yards the defense. touchdown. Mark Roman re-He also threw a touchdown inant running game.

The and a touchdown. The Tigers' defense record- turned an interception for a pass. Booty completed 9 of 14 Tigers ran for 350 yards. Se- "The offensive line did a edits first shutout since keep- score in the fourth quarter, passes for 86 yards. He did not nior Rondell Mealey rushed great job of opening up holes ing Alabama scoreless on throw a touchdown or an in- for 118 yards and two touch- and I just hit them," Mealey Nov.

8, 1997. And, for the sec- See LSU 8C North Texas is exactly what LSU needed: a pushover yuuB, 11 was uiaiuuiuig ueicu- end Antwan Lawrence who 1' made the biggest play. Lawrence recovered a fumble by Bulldog quarterback Tony Bellamy at Hie Grambling 2 with 4:24 to play that ended final challenge. Bellamy was also on the losing end four-and-a-half minutes when a surging Tiger line stopped him on a fourth-and-one keeper at the GSU 41, killing a drive and keeping the momentum in a home uniform. The win over its SWAC rival gives Grambling its first 2-0 start since 1994.

Alabama fell to 1-1. GSU kicker Lawrence Richmond connected on a career-best 45-yard field goal and a pair of 38yarders. Grambling quarterback Lionel Hayes completed 17 of 32 passes for 325 yards and three touchdown passes in the victory. The lead see-sawed in the second and third quarters, changing sides four times before the Tigers took control. seemed to have swung momentum again until the fourth-down stand by GSU.

After Grambling took a 14-0 lead less than three minutes into the game, the Bulldog defense clamped down by putting pressure on Tiger Hayes and forcing four sacks in the first half. v.Qn the game's fourth play from scrimmage, Hayes dropped back and found receiver Scotty Anderson locked in battle with defender Jason Boykin. The ball appeared overthrown, but Anderson turned on some powerful jets and cradled the ball in his fingertips as he crossed the goal-line with Boykin trailing by 10 yards. On the ensuing kickoff, the Bulldogs' Kenyon Hambrick fumbled at his own 39, and Grambling's Willie Evans recovered. This time it took Hayes just one play, as he hit tailback Walter Williams running by himself oil the left sideline.

Williams fumbled the ball in an early celebration at the five, but covered it in (Mend zone, and after the extra point, Grambling had a 14-0 lead. The Bulldogs set themselves up to get back into the game with a blocked punt by Julius Williams late in the first quarter which gave them the ball at the Grambling 20. It took five plays before Marvin Strong burst through the middle for a 4-yard touchdown carry that cut the margin to 17-7 with 14:18 remaining before halftime. But after Richmond added his second Geld goal and the Tigers fedj20-7, drew within a touchdown at 20-14 when Kelly Fields scored on a 38-yard scoring toss from Bellamy at 6:31 of the second quarter. The first lead change came on a i-yard quarterback keeper by Bellamy with 33 seconds left in the half.

BATON ROUGE Now this this North Texas team is what you expect when Scott Ferrell you write a check for $350,000 to an opponent A week ago, the LSU Tigers got no bargain with the San Jose State Spartans. The served a purpose for the Tigers. They have given LSU a much-needed boost of confidence. They have allowed DiNardo to find two quarterbacks Davey and Booty he can win with this season. That is essential with Auburn coming to town next week.

The preseason is over for the Tigers. There will be little experimentation next week. There will only be competition. So enough of the cupcakes. Bring on the main course the Auburns, Georgias and Floridas of the football world.

The real season is about to begin. norm. Twenty-nine against an outmanned San Jose State team wouldn't cut it. But on Saturday the Tigers moved the football effortlessly with three quarterbacks playing Rohan Davey, Josh Booty and Craig Nail. So now, because of this 52-point blowout, the Tigers go into SEC play with a little bit of confidence.

The memory of last year's 4-7 debacle dims some with this win. Auburn is next for LSU and that will be the first real lest for LSU. Southeastern Conference play will be nothing like these first two games. But these first two games fans and you have a team that needs confidence. "From a morale standpoint," LSU coach Gerry DiNardo said, "I think the guys enjoyed themselves." Which of course is why North Texas is on the LSU schedule.

The Eagles are fodder for college football's big boys. On Saturday, LSU defense saw its confidence grow immensely just by shutting down the North Texas offense. Offensively, the Tigers needed confidence that there is indeed life after Kevin Faulk and Herb Tyler. In the old days, 30-point games were the 'em eight first downs. The Eagles also provided one crazy play when Broder-ick McGrew took a kick off nine yards deep into the end zone and tried to return it.

Not smart. He was plastered like a bug on a wind shield at the Eagle's 9-yard line. But there is nothing wrong with beating up on North Texas. LSU needed this game. Badly.

After going 4-7 a year ago, the Tigers' confidence was shaken to say the least. Then you throw in a close game against a WAC team that won all of four games last year and the boos of your own And there was no joy in Tiger-town. But North Texas, well, the Eagles were just what the Tigers needed. They brought in a team with no offense and not much defense. And it showed in LSU's 52-0 victory.

This North Texas team had only 35 yards in the first half against an LSU defense that has been quite generous over the last year or so. And the Eagles didn't exactly light up the new Tiger Stadium videoboards with either points or highlights. North Texas ended the night with a total of 132 yards offense and eight count if Opinion Spartans were the pushover that pushed back. LSU needed a late touchdown to win 29-21 La. Tech takes out frustrations on Sam Houston, 55-17 the Bearkats.

The Bulldogs scored touchdowns on their first six offensive possessions on the way to a ations, but Corey did a good job to get in the end zone for us tonight." Addison, a freshman added another 1-yard score to give him two touchdowns on two carries for 2 two yards in the game. The drive was set up after a bad snap on a punt attempt by the Bearkats gave the Bulldogs the ball deep in Sam-Houston territory. See TECH 10C you have a pretty good football team and you stall out 0-2 on the season. I was proud of the way our guys responded." Early in Saturday's game, Bicknell must have had some bad flashbacks to last week's goal-line failure against the Aggies. On Tech's first possession, Bicknell saw his offense get stuffed on three straight running plays to force another fourth-and-goal situation at the 1.

Again, the Bulldogs were de termined to run the ball in a goal-line situation. Fullback Corey Addison just barely broke the plane of the goal line to give Tech its first rushing touchdown of the season with early in the opening quarter. "It's been so frustrating, but our guys have to understand that your not always going to be able to get everybody blocked down there," said Bicknell. "I just don't think that we've been running very hard in those situ needed to take out its frustration on someone or something. Division 1-AA Sam Houston State proved to be a perfect punching bag as die Bulldogs rolled to a 55-17 victory Saturday night at Joe Aillet Stadium, giving first-year head coach Jack Bicknell III his first victory.

Tech (1-2), which had struggled in the red zone in its first two games against the Florida St and Texas defenses, found much more room against After frustrating losses to Top 25 teams, Bulldogs crush 1-AA visitor. By Bob Thompson Special to The Times RUSTON After taking beatings against two of the top teams in the nation in its first two games, Louisiana Tech 48-10 halftime Bicknell lead. "It feels good to get the win both for our kids and for me," said Bicknell. "It's tough not to get down when you feel that Williams captures U.S. Open What sister Venus couldn't do, Serena Williams did in style.

Serena Williams defeated Martina Hingis in straight sets to win the U.S. Open women's tennis championship on Saturday, one day after Hingis had eliminated Venus Williams. Instead, Serena Williams kept the championship in the family with a 6-3, 7-6 (74) triumph. Details, 3C 1 I r- Williams Twin pitches no-hitter Never mind that the Anaheim Angels' lineup contained mostly late-season call-ups who have little major league experience. That doesn't matter to Minnesota Twins pitcher Eric Milton, who pitched a no-hitter Saturday in a 7-0 victory.

Milton says it's not who's in the batter's box as much as what is taking place on the mound that counts. Details, 4C Sutton one shot off lead Shreveport's Hal Sutton once again finds himself in contention for a victory on the PGA Tour despite blowing the lead he held after the second round. 1 Sutton shot a 70, including birdies on four of the last six holes, to be one shot behind leader Lee Janzen after three rounds of the Canadian Open at the Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario. Details, 3C i 1 A' 'k Milton Sutton.