The Times from Shreveport, Louisiana • Page 38

THE TIMES shreveporttimes.com 4C FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2002 College Athletics Grambling still has shot at Black College national title of us for this to happen." Golden Tigers, there's a reasonable chance that Grambling could jump back on top with a good showing against "It's just something we're going to have to deal with," outgoing Tuskegee head coach Rick Comegy said. "I don't think it would be right if it happened, but we know that's a possibility." It's almost the same scenario as last year for the two teams. After falling to Alabama State in the regular season, Grambling dropped to No. 2 behind Tuskegee, which suffered only an early-season loss to Morehouse. In the SWAC ti against Alabama in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game on Saturday.

Grambling probably could gain a little ground on the Golden Tigers in the polls with a solid win on Saturday, but Tuskegee thought it could offset most of the damage with a win of over Bowie State in the Pioneer Bowl. Not anymore. Jericho Communications Media Group, which was the Pioneer Bowl sponsor, was forced to back out due to financial problems and the bowl was canceled. Without another game for the 0 Tigers could leap to No. 1 with win Saturday.

By Josh Moon Gannett News Service After a loss to Southern two weeks ago in the Bayou Classic, Grambling State fell to No. 2 in the Sheridan Black College Poll behind Tuskegee. At the time, it looked as if the loss ended any chance for a third straight black college national championship for the Tigers. Grambling has one game left rMm)g vers for Dor Game-by-game stats i i. mm ii ii muni UN I) unil.ll II I.

Ill lll.llll.MIIIIIII.il I IHWPI4I' 0 III V- "V- if A- 1 v' A tUJ f'v' 1 AP Art YdsTdlnt 13 110 3 1 32 202 4 3 35 314 2 0 26 202 2 0 26 216 3 1 45 362 2 2 36 422 2 0 31 192 2 1 35 245 1 0 26 163 1 1 25 345 2 0 20 300 2 1 36 20 The Associated Press CORAL GABLES, Ha. The Maxwell Award sat in a comer of Ken Dorsey's house for six months, collecting dust and taking up space next to the cat's litter box. Dorsey didn't even care. His roommate, Brett Romberg, decided to clean it up and display it prominently in the living room with many of Dorsey's other trophies. Dorsey didn't even help.

A few weeks ago, the cat knocked the Maxwell Award to the ground and snapped it at the base, prompting Romberg to glue it back together. Dorsey didn't even notice. "He doesn't really pay much attention to the awards and accolades that he gets personally," Romberg said. "I take more pride in his trophies than lie does." All Dorsey cares about is winning football games, something he has done better than any quarteroacK the last two seasons. His success has top-ranked and defending national champion Miami riding a 34-game winning streak as they return to the national champi Dorsey onship game.

It also has earned Dorsey a second consecutive trip to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation. Dorsey finished tliird last year and entered this season as a front-runner for the award given annually to the nation's most outstanding player. Although he is the only one remaining from many preseason Heisman lists, Dorsey is not considered the favorite to win Saturday night. The senior quarterback has been criticized maybe as much as the Bowl Championship Series this season, and having teammate Willis SWAC title game SATURDAY: Alabama (8-3, 6-1) vs. Grambling State (10-2, 6-1), 1 p.m., Legion Field.

Birmingham, KOKA (980 AM) We've beaten Alabama State, which is a good team, four straight years." It's an argument Williams doesn buy into. "A lot of people beat Alabama State tlus year," he said. "We beat them. Plus, we played teams the same caliber as ASU all year long. Tuskegee was beaten by Albany State.

Albans not gonna win many games on this level. You're trying to compare two different things in this Saints' Riley mulls Bama offer The Associated Press TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Alabama's coaching search is in a holding pattern, with New Orleans Saints assistant coach Mike Riley reportedly mulling an offer to return to his alma mater. Athletic Director Mai Moore said Thursday evening he hopes to havea new coach "in the very near future." "We've made the move and we're waiting and hoping to know something real shortly," Moore said in a taped interview on the school's "Hey Coach" radio program. "It's an awkward situation that we're in that nobody anticipated, but we're working hard to make this come out an outstanding change here with a new coach in the very near future." Moore indicated the school is pursuing "a couple of people" but offered the job to Riley on Wednesday, according to The Tuscaloosa News and The Birmingham News.

It's unclear who the oUier candidate he alluded to might be. Riley played for Crimson Tide coach Bear Bryant as a defensive back in the early 1970s. Johnson wins Maxwell, Doak Walker From Wire Reports LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Penn State's Larry Johnson ran away with the Maxwell and Doak Walker awards Thursday night during the college football awards show. The senior tailback won the Maxwell as the nation's best all-around player and the Doak Walker as the nation's top running back.

Johnson, a Heisman Trophy finalist, ran for 2,015 yards to become the ninth major college player to run for 2,000 yards in a season. The 6-foot-2, 222-pound Johnson beat out fellow Heisman finalists Ken Dorsev of Miami and Brad Banks of Iowa for the Maxwell. Dorsey, who led Miami to a second straight perfect regular season and a spot in the BCS national title game, was last year's winner. Banks was the only other ROUNDUP Heisman finalist to pick up an award Thursday, winning the Davey O'Brien quarterback award over Dorsey and Palmer. Banks, who didn't start a Division I-A game until this season, was the nation's pass efficiency leader, throwing for 2.3G9 yards with 25 touchdowns and just four interceptions.

He also ran for 387 yards and five scores. Maryland linebacker EJ. Henderson, the Terrapins' leading tackier for a third straight season, won the Chuck Bednarik Trophy as the nation's best defensive player. Washington State defensive tackle Rien Long, who helped the Cougars earn a spot in the Rose Bowl, won die Outland Trophy as the nation's top interior lineman on Thursday night Michigan State's Charles Rogers won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver. Kansas State comerback lerence Newman won the Thorpe Award given to the nation's top defensive back over Ohio State's Mike Doss and Southern California's Troy Polamalu.

Colorado's Mark Mariscal won the Ray Guy Award as the nation's top punter over Tennessee's Dustin Colquitt and Kentucky's Glenn Pakulak. Iowa's Nate Kaeding won the Lou Groza Award given annually to the nation's top kicker over Mike Nugent of Oliio State and Jared Siegel of Oregon. IOWA: Coach Kirk Ferenl? was chosen The Associated Press College Coach of the Year. A great honor, representing trie work of a lot of said FerenU. The 47yeafok3 Ferentz received 26 votes balloting by 71 membeis of the AP college football poll board, which includes representatives of newspapers, TV' and radio stations.

Johnson tle crump the Tigers knocked off ASU and moved back in front to win the national title. "We really felt like we deserved that title last year Comegy said. "We beat Alabama State in our only meeting. We had lost one game in two years at that point" The problem, according to Grambling head coach Doug Williams, is that the Sheridan poll includes both Division II and Division I-AA schools. "There should be two different polls for Division II and Division I-AA," he said.

"It's two completely different levels. It's not fair to either for 26 touchdowns and more than ways been eager just to play and have success. I love to prove critics wrong." He has had plenty of opportunity this season, constantly having to answer for his supposed deficiencies: He lacks arm strength, accuracy and mobility. He has average numbers and is surrounded by so much talent that any of the team's cheerleaders could run the offense. And not only is Dorsey far from the best player in the country, he's not even the best player in his own backfield.

"I would love to rip people for being critics," he said. "I'd love to do it, but it's not my place." Instead, Dorsey defends himself on the field, where he has completed 55 percent of his passes for 3,073 yards and 26 touchdowns this season. He is just 18 yards shy of 10,000 in his career and has thrown 91 touchdowns against 29 interceptions. And he has been sacked about 10 times in 39 starts. the Phoenix.

The Wildcats (91) nearly joined the growing list of Green Bay's victims before finally outlasting the Phoenix (6-2) with its superior size and snapshooting. The Wildcats didn't breath easy until Megan Mahoney's two free throws with 4.2 seconds left capped the scoring. The Phoenix, who got 23 points from Sara Boyer and 18 from Chandra Johnson, had won six straight overall and 13 in a row at home. They were hoping for an upset that would vault them into the Top 25 for the first time in history. Green Bay led 59-55 with just under 8 minutes left, but Wecker hit a pointer to spark the Kansas State comeback.

Chelsea Domenico's first basket of the game, a 3-pointer. capped a 10-2 Wildcats run that gave Kansas State a 65 61 lead with six minutes left, and Kansas State never trailed again. Laurie Koehn added 16 points for the Wildcats, who led 42-39 at halftime. Broussard and five backup centers quit the team, Bryant turned to Summeriin, a 5-foot-8, 14.rpound sophomore who played center for Fair Park. "Coach Bryant said, 'I'm going to put a suit on Summeriin said.

"I told him that he didn't have one that would fit When (Broussard) left practice, after the meeting at night, coach asked if I was eligible. The next morning I had on a suit." The camp ended on Sept. 10, 19f4. The 35 players rode back to College Station in silence. It was an experience which salvaged the Texas football team and forever changed the players' lives.

Even the next year, when a new group of freshmen arrived on campus, the legacy of the Junction Boys and Bryant had begun. Richard Gay, who played for Byrd and graduated in 1955, was on the Aggies' practice squad in 1955. Ineligible to play as a freshman. Gay lined up against a lot of the Junction Boys in practice. The reason Williams feels that way is the same reason he believes his team should be No.

1 if it beats "We have completely different rules up here in I-AA," he said. "And like I've always said, just look at the schedule differences. We play a much tougher schedule on this level than Tuskegee does." But Comegy notes that Tuskegee does go up a level and play ASU every year. "I would like to see Grambling go up and play a Division I team and see how they do," Comegy said. 3,000 yards this season.

Think it's the system? Think again, the Hurricanes say. "Without Ken Dorsey, we're not playing for the national championship," coach Iarry Coker said emphatically. "Without Willis McGahee, who knows?" Dorsey won the most valuable player award at the team's banquet Tuesday night. He hasn't decided where it will go. Maybe next to his two Big East offensive player of the year awards.

Maybe next to his Rose Bowl MVP trophy or his Sugar Bowl MVP trophy. Maybe next to the glued-together Maxwell Award. Or maybe next to the Heisman Trophy. "I don't care if I win or lose it. It doesn't bother me," Dorsey said.

"I've been in a situation where somebody thinks I'm going to win it, then the same guy thinks I'm going to come in last. It's not worth even thinking about. All I'm worried about is winning the game." The Wildcats jumped took 16-7 lead behind Wecker's 11 points. But when she went cold and missed six straight shots, the Phoenix surged to a 28-27 edge on Boyer's basket with 7:05 left in the first half. Under Kevin Borseth.

Green Bay has had three straight 20-victory seasons and four consecutive conference crowns that earned the Phoenix postseason berths. Green Bay winning streak, its longest non-conference stretch in seven seasons, included victories over Wisconsin, Oregon, Miami, Texas Christian and Ohio State. No. 21 BOSTON COLLEGE 86. NORTHEASTERN 48: At Boston.

Amber Jacobs had 18 points for Boston College, which scored the game's first nine and opened the second half with a 25-3 run while beating Northeastern, The Eagles (5-1) held Northeastern 19 points below its average, and outrebound-ed the Huskies 44-28. Northeastern (2-5) cut the lead to 18-11 on Aisha Williams' 3-pointer with 12:50 left in the half, but it took the Eagles just 2:30 to make it 27-11. Even away from Junction. Bry ant's practices were notoriously brutal and exhausting. "It was an honor to play with those guys and be able to get in there as a sophomore," Gay said.

"I'm interested to see how (ESPN) portrays it. "It was full force all the time you were on the practice squad. Playing a game was a delightful experience compared to the practice. It was unmerciful. Of course, you had to be just as mean as hell or you wouldn't be on the first team.

"Coach Bryant was a disciplinarian. I'd run through a wall for him. I believed in him that much." Even 48 years later, wiiat Bryant built in Junction continues to this dav. You ask any of them what do you attribute to your success?" Summeriin said. "It's Junction 1954.

For years, nobody knew what Junction 1954 was or what happened out there. As it turns ouL4S years later it turns into an event." Florida Florida Temple Boston Coll. Connecticut Florida St. West Virginia 22 Rutgers Tennessee Pittsburgh Syracuse Virginia Tech 12 Totals 194 350 3073 26 10 McGahee in the running could prevent either of them from taking home the bronze statue. Nebraska's Johnny Rodgers (1972) and Mike Rozier (1983) are the only players in the last 30 years to win die Heisman Trophy when a teammate also was a finalist.

The criticism bothers Dorsey, but he won't lose any sleep if he doesn't win the Heisman. "Don't get me wrong, I'd love to win the award," he said. "It would mean so much to me, but if I don't, I'm not going to sit there and cry about it. It's not going to take a win off the board in the end. My biggest thing is winning games." Dorsey is 38-1 as a starter at Miami, winning every game since a 34-29 loss at Washington in September 2000 his first start on the road.

He has three wins against Florida State and two against Florida. He has victories at Penn State, at Virginia Tech and at Tennessee. He also has a national championship ring and a shot at another when the top-ranked Hurricanes play No. 2 Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 3.

"I think that winning is important, and that's the only thing I've been concerned about since I've been here," he said. "I've never been con- Ed Dotson had 18 points, and Ray Abellard added 16 as Central Ronda beat No. 25 College of Charleston 824 Thursday night for its first victory ever against a ranked team. Thomas Mobley and Zeke Johnson scored 15 points each for College of Charleston, which opened the season with six straight wins. It's the most points allowed by the Cougars since an 84-63 loss at Georgia on Nov.

16. 1998. Central Florida closed out the first half with an 112 run for a 47 26 lead at the break. Both William Bakanowsky and Al Miller hit 3s during the run. Zeke Johnson and Mobley hit consecutive baskets to get College of Charleston within 47-30 two minutes into the second half.

Central Ronda. keyed by three 3-pointers by Abellard. rebuilt its lead to 62 37 with 14 minutes to play. College of Charleston made a comeback bid midway through the second half. Marcus Johnson hit four baskets and three free throws to help cut the deficit to 67 52 with Former Huntington standout leads Grambling to win Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey threw cenied about individual awards.

My focus is strictly on winning football games and not letting down my family or these guys on my team." Dorsey got a taste of losing at an early age and has hated it ever since. His older brother used to beat him at everything, especially basketball. The two would play all afternoon, then take lamps from inside their home, remove the shades, connect them to long extension cords and place them around the basketball court so they could play long into the night. As hard as Dorsey tried, he never won. Dorsey wasn't the best at football, either.

He played receiver on the squad of his middle school's flag football team and didn't move to quarterback until high school. "I was always a second thought in a lot of situations," said Dorsey, who grew up in Orinda, a suburb of Oakland. "I've always felt like I had something to prove. I've al Basketball 7:40 left. Marius Boyd had a layup.

and Dotson's slam boost Central Ronda lead to 75-58 at the four-minute mark. Miller went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line during the game's final two minutes. Dotson, a transfer from Centenary College, had two of his 11 first-half points to put Central Honda ahead 22 10 with minutes remaining. College of Charleston was called for two technical fouls dunng the first half. The Cougars scored just four points over the final 6 minutes of the half.

mmi, No. 7 KANSAS ST. 80, WISCONSIN-GREEN BAY 75: At Green Bay. Kendra Wecker's 31 points helped Kansas State stave off another upset bid by Wisconsin-Green Bay with a victory over defensive backs, linemen and meet with coaches. The classroom work was completely foreign to players who had been accustomed to practices consisting of offense running plays against the defense.

In the end, it was the unbelievable physical and mental limitations which drove so many players to abandon camp. Players were leaving at all hours of the day, some in the middle of the night. It was usually Summeriin driving them to the Junction bus station. "There was usually one player, sometimes several," Rob Roy Spiller, who worked at the Junction bus station, said. "They wanted to catch a bus and get out of Junction as soon as possible.

I'd open and ask. 'OK. which way do you want to go? Do you want to go east or A couple of them said tliey didn't care which way it went, they just wanted the first bus out of there." Alter all-conference center Fred Bryant's camp became test of endurance From Wire Reports GRAMBLING Former Huntington star Brion Rush had 29 ix)ints to lead Grambling State to a 95-58 win over Texas College Thursday night. Rush led four players in double figures for the Tigers (2-3). William McDonald had 16 points, Paul Haynes added 11 and Darius Whiteside added 10.

Whiteside also led Grambling in assists, with nine. The Tigers also dominated on the boards, grabbing 47 rebounds to Texas College's 26. Texas College (7-4) had just one player in double figures, Iyran Francis, who had 1 1 points. CENTRAL FLORIDA 82. No.

25 COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 64: At Orlando, Fla. Junction: Continued from 1C hooks, anything of diat nature to create a football (kid." Under the broiling sun, Bryant worked his team unmercifully. He intentionally withheld water from his players to test their fortitude. Players melted and collapsed from the heat and the pain. Wakeup was 6 a.m.

with practicing following shortly thereafter. Because of the intense heat, temperatures often reached 100 degrees by 10 a.m.. practices were reserved for the early morning and late afternoon, tven under those conditions, Bryant made sure his players were willing to make sacrifices. No one had been tested like that physically," Summeriin said. "One of coach Bryant's favorite saings was, 'I want you physically ready so when that fourth quarter comes you play your guts out." He was wanting you to overcome the hardship and endure your mental fatigue where On TV ESPN's movie.

The Junction Boys, isn't the only production to honor the men of the 1954 Texas football team. Fox Sports Southwest will broadcast its 1999 program on the Junction Boys at 10:30 tonight. Fox's 30-minute program contains interviews with members of the 1954 team, including Shreveport's Troy Summeriin. ESPN Classic will show its award-winning documentary series. Sports Century, featuring legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, at 7 and 10 tonight as well.

you could produce in the fourth quarter." The days weren't filled with practices. In fact. Bryant brought several revolutionary ideas to the Junction camp. Havers would break off into their specialities quarterbacks..