Great Falls Tribune from Great Falls, Montana • Page 13

I fi JL Scoreboard 2C TvS a Baseball roundup 2C iiiHiHMj.w8HmwjiiiwiMi of days, worst of days for Philadelphia Eagles stuff Green Bay, but lose Cunningham for year By The Associated PrM I 'VL 1 1 I -rvt yS when he was hit by the Packers' Bryce Paup. Cunningham, the league's top running quarterback, was in the pocket releasing a pass when he was hit A preliminary diagnosis said Cunningham tore two ligaments in his left knee and could miss the season. He was scheduled for more tests Sunday night. When Cunningham departed, the Eagles had the ball on the Packers 26, thanks to Mike Golic's interception of a pass by Don Majkowski that was batted by White. White was dominant all day with three sacks and two forced fumbles.

The Eagles also stopped the Packers on three downs from their own 4 in the third quarter, forcing a field goal. "This was probably my best game," White said. "You bate to see that happen to Randall. Right now we just have to depend on Jim." With McMahon in the game, the Eagles just missed a first down and settled for a field goal by Roger Ruzekfora3-01ead. McMahon made it 10-0 with 9:15 left in the half when he hit Keith Byars with a bizarre 32-yard touchdown pass.

The pass was nearly intercepted by the Packers' Chuck Cecil, who dropped the ball as he was hitting the ground. The ball popped out and Byars, headed for the ground himnself, caught it for the touchdown. Majkowski, in his first regular-season game since rotator cuff surgery last December, wasn't sharp, hitting only six of 21 first-half passes and throwing three interceptions during the game. He was intercepted late in the half by Wes Hopkins when a pass went through Vince Workman's hands. The Packers' Scott Stephen picked off McMahon on the very next play.

The Eagles' Keith Jackson and the Packers' Matt Brock were kicked out for fighting after Stephen was tackled with 8:46 to play in the half. GREEN BAY, Wis. Jim McMahon's sunny afternoon on the sidelines ended quickly Sunday when Randall Cunningham went limping off the field with a knee injury, perhaps lost for the season. McMahon threw a few hurried warmup passes and then took over against the Packers, a team he'd beaten often during his career with the Bears. It turned out to be like old times.

McMahon threw two touchdown passes and the Eagle defense, led by Reggie White, had four sacks, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries in a 20-3 victory. "My confidence level has always been the said the 31-year-old McMahon, who threw only 12 passes last season as Cunningham's backup. "When I'm in the game, I expect to make big plays. That's my job, why they brought me here. I didn't know how bad Randall was.

Usually he rolls around a bit and jumps back up." McMahon completed 17 of 25 passes for 257 yards and hit Fred Barnett on a 75-yard touchdown pass to clinch the victory with 6:51 left McMahon, who considered coming to the Packers as a free agent, said he's ready to take over the starting job if Cunningham is finished for the season. "I've been around here for two years now. They know the kind of player and the kind of person I am," McMahon said. The Eagles gave Rich Kotite a victory in his head coaching debut, but it was overshadowed by the injury to Cunningham, who's started the last three Pro Bowls for the NFC. "Everybody picked it up a notch after Randall went down.

It certainly upset all of us," Kotite said. "I have all the confidence in the world in Jim and so does this football team." Cunningham was Injured on the first play of the second quarter Apnwt Philadephia Eagles' All-Pro quarterback Randall Cunningham is glum as he is carried off the field with a knee Injury in the first quarter of the Eagles' 20-3 win over Green say sunaay at Lamoeau i-ieia. Fumbles-Lost 2-1 Penalties-Yards MS 4-30 Time of Possession 15:43 24:17 INDIVIDUALSTATISTICS RUSHINO-Phlladelphlo, Sanders 23-52, Byars 4-11, McMahon 4-7. Green Bay, Thompson 4-16, Workman 2-14, Malkowskl 1-9, Woodslde 3-4, Harris 1-1. PASSING-Phllodelphla, Cunningham 1-4-0-19, McMahon 17-25-2-257.

Green Bay, Malkowskl It-42-3-201. RECEIVING-Phlladetphla, Byars 1-111, Shuler 445, Barnett 2-83, Sanders 2-4, Jackson 1-4, Williams 1-5. Green Bay, Sharpe 6-70, Kemp 2-39, Query 2-20, Wilson 2-18, Workman 1-25, Harris 1-14, West 1-10, Woodside 1-3. MISSED FIELD GOALS None. Second Quarter Phl-FG Ruzek 37, -M.

Phl-Bvara 33 pass from McMahon (Ruzek kick), 5:45. Phl-FG Ruzek 40,11:13. Third Quarter GB FG Jacke 21, 12:09, Fourth Quarter Phl-Bomett 75 pass from McMahon (Ruzek Phi OB Flrstdowns 13 14 Rushes-yards 31-70 13-44 Passing 248 184 Return Yard 78 90 Comp-AtWnt 18-29-2 16-42-3 Sacked-Yarde Lost 4-2 4-17 Punte 7-44 M2 half. That led a 40-yard field goal by Ruzek and the Eagles had a 13-0 halftimelead. The Packers' Vai Sikahema returned a punt 62 yards to the Eagles 4 late in the third quarter.

But the Packers managed only one yard on three passes and had to settle for Chris Jacke's 21-yard field goal with 2:51 remaining in the quarter. Philadelphia II 7-28 OrMnBav I I way to start, a rough day," said Majkowski, who finished with 16 completions in 42 attempts. "I've never seen so many batted balls in my life. A lot of times we had guys open and it seemed like very time we had somebody open, the ball would get batted." Majkowski fumbled when sacked by White and Clyde Simmons recovered with 6:43 to go in the first 'Obviously this wasn't a great 1 Elway, Broncos go wild on Cincinnati ODD GGOO a PI mm mm wm NFL scoreboard Kansas 3 New Orleans ....................27 Seattle ..24 NY Jets 18 Tampa Bay .......................13 26 Cleveland .........................14 .....20 Green Bay ..........................3 24 LA Rams .........14 HOUStOn IHnilNMHMHIHNIItM47 LA .........17 Buffalo .....35 Miami 31 a fumble that was recovered by Broncos lineman Warren Powers with 4:07 left in the quarter. Braxton's TD return came less than two minutes later.

Cincinnati TIT t-14 Denver 7 21 le 45 First Quarter Den-Young 52 pass from Elway (Treadwell kick), 3:33. Cin-Barber 42 pass from Esiason (Breech kick), 10:28. Second Quarter Den-Elwav 3 run (Treadwell kick), 1 :38. Den-Lewis 1 run (Treadwell kick), 10:24. 1 pass from Elway (Treadwell kick), 14:45.

Third Quarter Cln-McGee 52 pass from Esloson (Breech kick), 3:49. Den-Braxton 52 Interception return (Treadwell kick), 12:25. Fourth Quarter Den-Elway 5 run (Treadwell kick), 2:30. Den FG Treadwell 19, 13:04. Cln Den First downs 25 Rushes-yards 23-53 43-185 Passing 193 284 Return Yards 22 112 Comp-Att-Int 11-23-3 W-29-0 Sacked-Yards Lost -13 Punts -50 2-55 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 04) Penalties-Yards 4-47 Ml Tlmeot Possession 38:59 INDIVIDUALSTATISTICi RUSHING-Clncinnatl, Brooks 11-27, H.Green 6-12, Esiason 2-, Ball 1-5, Taylor 3-3.

Denver, G.Green 24-116, Lewis 8-35, Perryman 6-15, Sewell 2- 10, Elway 3-9. PASSING-Clnclnnatl, Esloson 11-20-3-206, Wllhelm 0-3-0-0. Denver, Elway 18-28-0-262, Sewell RECEIVING-Clnelnnatl, Holman 3-53, Taylor 3- 31, McGee 2-63, Barber 1-42, Brown 1-11, Brooks 1-4. Denver, Young 4-84, Perryman 4-41, Sharpe 3-43, Jackson 2-53, Sewell 2-22, Elway 1-24, Green 1-9, Kay 1-9, R.Johnson 1-1. MISSED FIELD GOALS Denver, Treadwell 30.

the preseason." The Bengals, like the Broncos playing with a patched-up offensive line, seemed stunned. "Nobody on the team ever felt this would happen," Esiason said. "We're disgraced with the way we played. I was directly involved in four turnovers. We didn't give our defense a break today.

They were out there all day." Bengals coach Sam Wyche said the Broncos were "just too good for us today. It was a game of close plays, and every time out they made them and we didn't. They kicked us around pretty good." If there was a turning point, it came in the third quarter and was provided by the Broncos defense. The Bengals, trailing 28-7 at the half, struck quickly as Esiason hooked up with Tim McGee on a 52-yard TD pass. Having seized the momentum, the Bengals looked about to cut the deficit to seven points when Esiason threw a 38-yarder to tight end Rodney Holman, enabling the Bengals to reach the Broncos 2.

But on third down, linebacker Karl Mecklenburg stormed in to sack Esiason, forcing and controlled th ball by nearly a 2-to-1 margin (38 minutes, 59 seconds to The Broncos exploded for five long scoring drives, including El-way's 52-yard TD pass to Michael Young. Elway completed 18 of 28 passes for 262 yards, and ran three times for nine yards. Even the Broncos defense got into the act, intercepting Boomer Esi-ason three times, including a 52-yard return by Tyrone Braxton for a touchdown. "That's what happens when you execute on offense and your defense makes big plays," Elway said. Referring to the Broncos' unpredictability on offense, Elway said, "We tried to mix things up.

It's fun to look across at the defensive backs and the linebackers and they don't know what's coming." Broncos coach Dan Reeves seemed somewhat overwhelmed by the season-opening showing. "We just had a good, solid performance offensively," he said. "I talked earlier in the week about the apprehension I had, not knowing how we were going to play. Obviously, we made some progress from By The Associated Press DENVER "That was as much fun as IVe had in a game in a long time," Broncos quarterback John Elway said, and no one could argue. Least of all the Bengals, who had no solution for the multi-faceted attack that riddled them for 471 total yards in a 45-14 rout on Sunday.

Just where that sudden display of firepower came from, no one knew, including Elway. "Not after the way the preseason went," Elway said. The Broncos, missing running back Bobby Humphrey who remains a holdout, had shown little offensive progress in exhibition play, averaging just 10 points and 221 yards per outing. Elway was calling his own plays for the first time in his career, but the results had been spotty. Somehow, it all came together.

Elway threw two touchdown passes and ran for two TDs. Gaston Green, who replaced Humphrey, had a career-high 116 yards rushing on 24 carries. The Broncos had 25 first downs to just 10 for the Bengals, produced nearly twice the yardage the Bengals could muster (471-246), 1 0 Minnesota 6 New 1 6 Sflll DIOQO IHHaimUMtflHHlt20 45 CInc1nn8tlMHMMatMMBMMl4 Washington .....................45 Detroit Irish starters get wrist slap Dodgers refuse to look past first game at Salt Lake was intoxicated or disorderly. By The Associated Press ByMIKETOWNE Tribune Sports Writer "Iam of the opinion that Rick and Demetrius were the victims of the situation and notv the cause of Holtz said in a statement he read after Sunday evening-' Pioneer League playoffs Series Great Falls Dodgers lead best 2-of-3 series 1 -O with 5-1 victory Saturday in Great Falls. Where Game 2 Monday, 7 p.m.

at Derks Field, Salt Lake City. Game 3, if necessary, Tuesday, Derks Field, 7 p.m. Pitchers Game 2, Ross Farrisworth, Great Falls (8-3) vs. Mark Stephens, Salt Lake (6-2). Game 1 Leroy Williams had three hits, while Frank Smith added two and knocked in a pair of runs for Great Falls.

Mike Walkden earned the victory in relief of Jake Botts. Rick Hirtensteiner and Benny Castillo had two hits each for Salt Lake. Kevin McDonald took the loss. SOUTH BEND, Ind. Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz said Sunday he will discipline quarterback Rick Mirer and linebacker Demetrius DuBose for breaking team rules stemming from their weekend arrests, but they will not be dismissed or suspended from the football squad.

Both could start Saturday in the seventh-ranked Irish's opener against Indiana at home, Holtz added. Mirer, a junior from Goshen. and DuBose, a junior from Seattle, were arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct Friday after police were called to break up an off-campus party that had grown too large. The two football players were released on $100 bond apiece early Saturday, and an initial hearing is planned for Oct. 9 in St Joseph County Court, police said.

Neither Mirer nor Dubose have publicly responded to the charges. Notre Dame officials have quoted the players and witnesses to the incident as saving neither player Lake. Salt Lake manager Nick Belmonte believes the Trappers can battle back Monday and force a third game. "We beat them five times before, so it's not like we don't know how to win against Great Falls. We just have to do a better job with runners on base," he said.

"We'll come out battling. We're going to try to win it at home." Salt Lake won the final five games of the seven-game regular-season series, beating the Dodgers 5-0 and 8-7 in Great Falls and then sweeping a three-game set in Salt Lake by the scores of 6-4, 3-2 and 9-1. "We were nervous playing in front of big crowds in Salt like. We had never been there before," said Dodger first baseman Leroy Williams after going 3-for-4 in Saturday's victory. "We've experienced that now, so we should be a lot more relaxed this time.

I think well play better." Strong defense and pitching Late Saturday night, manager Glenn Hoffman was feeling pretty good about the Great Falls Dodgers' chances of winning the Pioneer League championship for the fourth straight year. After all, the rookie skipper had just seen his team outplay the visiting Salt Lake City Trappers in all phases of the game en route to a 5-1 victory that gave Great Falls a 1-0 lead in the best-two-of-three series. But by no means was Hoffman ready to pencil in the Dodgers as Pioneer champs. "We're not looking ahead to anything. We're still going to play it one inning at a tune," he said.

"Salt Lake Is a good team, and they'll come back strong." Game Two will be played Monday at Derks Held in Salt like, starting at 7 p.m. Game Three, if necessary, will be played Tuesday night in Salt i Holtz practice. Both players participated in the workout "I have every reason to believe that Rick and Demetrius due to extenuating and mitigating circumstances happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and I'm of the opinion this will be confirmed In the future," Holtz said. The coach did not disclose which team rule the players violated or what punishment they faced. "The violations of our team rules were a serious error and have been treated as such.

The penalty does not include dismissal or suspension," Holtz said. Nor did the penalty constitute removal from a starting position, Holtz added seven walks off Botts and Mike Walkden in the first seven innings, but left 10 runners on base. Left-hander Ross Farnsworth, 8-3 with a 3.09 ERA, will start for Great Falls on Monday. Farnsworth was named the recipient of the Jim Brewer Memorial Cup prior to Saturday's game. Salt Lake will counter with Mark Stephens, a lefty who has won his last six games since opening the season with two losses.

combined with nine hits, three for extra bases, did the job for the Dodgers in Game One. The defense bailed Jake Botts out of some early trouble, as the 18-year-old right-hander walked five Trappers in the first three frames, and got better as the game wore on. Second baseman Juan Castro and third sacker Henry Blanco keyed the strong defensive effort, combining for eight assists and two putouts. Salt Lake collected six hits and.