Great Falls Tribune from Great Falls, Montana • Page 15

FALLS TRIBUNE E-MAIL: QFTRIBUNEMCN.NET Wednesday, August 16, 2000 Scoreboard 2 National briefs 2 Major Leagues 3 NFL, pro golf 4 For tips or corrections: Call Sports Editor George Gelse at 791-1470 or (800) 438-6600; Fax: 791-6588 SPORTS Grizzlies ranked No. 2 in I-AA Injuries strike Bobcats 1 Georgia Soutnern (66) 1 ,788 2. Monlana (8) 1,579 3. Troy Slate (4) 1,479 4. Massachusetts 1,484 5.

Illinois SI. (4) 1,451 8. Appalachian 91. 1,332 7 Youngstown SI 1,322 6. 1,218 9.

Furman 1,162 10. Northern lom 1,052 11. Holstra 858 12 Portland St. 769 13 Southern U. 703 14.

Viilanova 622 18. Carolina AiT 612 18. Delaware 692 17. Stephen F. Austin 578 18.

James Madison 576 19. Tennessee St, 563 20. E. Kentucky 460 21. Jackson St.

433 22. N. Arizona 390 23. W. Illinois 297 24.

Lehigh 284 25 Colgate 276 More than iwo dozen other schools received at least five points, Including Eastern Washington, Cal State Northrldge and Montana State. Special to the Tribune BOZEMAN A pair of offensive linemen will be missing from Montana State's football program due to injuries when veterans report to camp on Friday. Sophomore Mike Quast and junior Josh Rollins, both of whom would have been in contention for starting duties, will be out of action until sometime in September. Quast underwent exploratory arthroscopic surgery on Tuesday to evaluate a knee injury which was not responded appropriately over the summer "It's just a poll," he said. "But at the same time, it's a reflection that people have respect for our athletes and program.

I certainly hope we live up to that, if not a little bit better. "It doesn't mean anything until the season is over," Glenn added. "At our level, thank goodness, we get to play it off. I hope it creates some Interest, sells tickets and inspires our team." The Grizzlies return 16 full-time starters from last year's Big Sky Conference championship team, after surgery in the spring. Rollins had back surgeries last spring and again over the summer.

He will continue to rehabilitate from the surgeries, and could also return September. Kramer also indicated that sophomore tight end Brandon Vancleeve of Billings West, who earned starting duties at running back last fall, will undergo surgery to repair a pinched nerve in his neck this fall, and will redshirt this year to rehabilitate the injury. Kramer is guiding MSU after six seasons as Eastern Washington head coach. Defending national champion Georgia Southern was ranked No. 1 in the poll, which was released Monday.

Georgia Southern received 66 first-place votes and 1,788 total points. Montana received five first-place votes and 1,579 points. Montana is also ranked No. 2 in the Sports Illustrated poll, behind Georgia Southern. The Grizzlies began the 1999 season ranked No.

3, when they went 9-3 and lost in the first round of the I-AA playoffs to Youngstown State. MISSOULA (AP) The Sports Network's preseason poll of Division I-AA football puts the Montana Grizzlies in the No. 2 spot. It marks the seventh consecutive year that the Grizzlies will open the season ranked among the top five teams in the division. The Sports Network publishes a weekly I-AA poll.

The voters are mostly media members, along with some coaches and administrators. First-year coach Joe Glenn viewed the ranking as a double-edged compliment. Map si staii 5 Defeat Raptors with big innings By MIKE TOWNE Tribune Sports Writer Great Falls Dodgers first baseman David Detienne said "the money was in right field." Both he and Willie Aybar cashed in, smashing towering home runs over the right field wall to spark the Dodgers to a 7-4 Pioneer League victory over the Ogden Raptors at Legion Park Tuesday night. Manuel Nunez ripped a two-run triple; Keith Godbolt and Nate Lipowicz each added a double; and Jeff Tibbs pitched six ef- fective in AP photo Gary Hall Jr. of Phoenix reacts to setting an American record in the men's 50-meter freestyle at the U.S.

Olympic Swimming Trials in Indianapolis Tuesday night. More mature Hall sets mark in 50 freestyle Sideline briefs- COLLEGEVOLLEYBALL Ex-player Almquist named UM aide MISSOULA Katie Almquist, a three-time Big Sky Conference academic all-conference volleyball player for Montana, will join the staff as a volunteer assistant coach for this season. "Katie has shown tremendous leasdership qualities on the court as a former student-athlete here at the University of Montana," said head coach Nikki Best. "We felt it would be to our benefit to utilize those talents In our program." A 1995 graduate of Missoula Big Sky, Almquist led the Eagles to the 1994 state Class AA championship. STATEBASEBALL Two more sign with MCC baseball MILES CITY Two members of the perennial Class A American Legion powerhouse Bitterroot Bucs have signed to play baseball for the Pioneers next season, First baseman Scott Becker, and outfielder Russ Sharkey will join several other Montana players who have recently signed with MCC.

Becker hit .487 with 25 doubles and 54 RBI, and committed only five errors during the season, Sharkey hit .373 for the Bucs, and is a 2000 graduate of Missoula Hellgate High School. STATEFOOTBALL Data sought for football section j'p Hhe Great Falls Tribune sports department is planning its annual preseason football special section, and coaches are reminded to return questionnaires as Soon as possible, I Forms were mailed to each high school, with the request that they be filled opt and returned as soon as possible. Coaches may fax their questionnaires to the Tribune at (406) 791-6588. Information may also be phoned In to the newspaper's sports department at (800) 438-6600. The Football 2000 special section, featuring com- prehensive coverage of Montana's high school and college teams, will be published on Sunday, Aug.

27. NATIONALGOLF winy nings as the Dodgers rebounded strongly from a three-game sweep by the Idaho Falls On Deck Pafs- What: Dodgers "We knew vs. Ogden Rap was in right field, and we took ad- tors. Where: Legion Park 7 Tribune photo by Adrlenna Gump Great Falls Dodger Keith Godbolt was out at home plate Tuesday night after being pushed hard by Ogden catcher Shaun Gragg. Both teams rushed the field in reaction to the play.

broadcast. euuc, leiei- I ring to the that wind By PAUL NEWBERRY AP Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS It's a kinder, gentler Gary Hall Jr. who will challenge Alexander Popov at the Sydney Olympics. While clearly impacted by life-changing events over the last four years, Hall broke a decade-old American record in the 50-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic trials Tuesday night, edging Anthony Ervin in 21.76 seconds the second-fastest swim in history.

Hall once again wore, his red, white and blue boxing trunks to the pool, flexing muscles when his name was announced. But the bravado was gone afterward when he quoted former tennis star Bil-lie Jean King. "No matter how tough, no matter what kind of outside pressure, no matter how many bad breaks along the way, I must keep my eye on the final goal to win, win, win," Hall said, his voice choked with emotion. Ervin claimed the second trip to Sydney in 21.80, the third-fastest time ever, also beating the old American mark of 21.81 set by Tom Jager in March 1990. Hall's performance set up another showdown with Popov, the Russian star who swept the 50 and 100 at the last two Olympics.

Hall won the silver in both events at Atlanta, but his life changed dramatically after that. First, Hall was suspended for three months after testing positive for marijuana. Then, he was diagnosed with diabetes, altering his training routine and requiring him to take up to eight insulin shots a day. Maybe that's why he refused to reprise his youthful war of words with Popov. "I don't want to make predictions," said Hall, 25, of Phoenix.

"I'm predicting a good race. It always is when 1 1, race Alexander Popov. I guess the rivalry continues." At the trials, Hall earned two more Olympic chances to knock off Popov, who set the 50 world record of 21.64 at a June time trial. Hall and Ervin now have the fastest times in a full, eight-man field. In addition, Hall will swim the 100 at Sydney after finishing second in Indy.

Popov holds the world record in that event, too. Ervin, 19, of Valencia, already had become the first U.S. swimmer of black heritage to make the Olympic team, earning a relay spot. He stayed with Hall stroke-for-stroke, then leaped into the arms of the winner and training partner after spotting their blazing times on the scoreboard. out, but was thrown out in a game-ending double play, the Dodgers' second of the game.

Great Falls quickly erased a 1-0 deficit in its half of the second inning, hitting for the cycle en route to four runs. After Nate Wright pinch ran for Jose Es-calera, who was hit in the hand by a Ryan Miller pitch, Detienne stroked his fifth home run to give the Dodgers the lead. Godbolt followed with a double, and on an enusing single by Lipowicz was tagged out hard at home plate by Raptors catcher Shaun Gragg. That prompted a bench-clearing altercation that didn't amount to much. After Adrian Mendoza was nicked by a Miller pitch, Nunez tripled to left-center field to score both Lipowicz and Mendoza and give Great Falls a 4-1 advantage.

There was no more scoring until the sixth inning, when Ogden leadoff hitter Elliott Ayala homered to left on a 2-0 pitch by Tibbs. The Dodgers answered with two runs against reliever Kevin Shrout in their half of the seventh inning. Lipowicz led off with a double to right-center, went to third on a ground-out by Mendoza and scored on a bloop single to center by Milko Jaramillo. Aybar then ripped his fourth home run of the season to extend the lead to 7-2. Ogden's Travis Hake reached on an error to lead off the eighth inning.

Clark followed with a home run, whitting the deficit to 7-4. "We just have to keep playing good and keep the guys healthy," Bustabad concluded. DODGER NOTES: The second game of the scheduled three-game set is on tap tonight, starting at 7 p.m. It will be Shirt Off Your Back! and Elvis night at the ball park The Billings Mustangs are in town for games Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Following an off day Monday, Aug.

21 the Missoula Osprey visit Legion Park for a pair of games Great Falls righthander Ricardo Rodriguez (7-2, 2.22 ERA) is scheduled to face Ogden righthander Robert Minial (6-3, 2.89) In tonight's game. tough time with Idaho Falls," Great Falls manager Juan Bustabad said. "We hit the ball good tonight. We swung good and made good contact, "We got big hits, and that's something we were missing." He singled out Tibbs for his second straight victory and also praised a solid defensive effort that was led by shortstop Nunez. "Tibbs gave us six good innings.

It was second good start in a row," Bustabad said. "Nunez was really good at shortstop." "Tibbs did another nice job. We're going to need him in the latter part of the season," Detienne added. Tibbs gave up two runs on five hits in six complete innings, walking two and striking out one as he improved to 2-4. In two innings of relief, Clifton Glidewell allowed two hits and two runs, both coming on D.J.

Clark's booming home run to straightaway center field in the eighth. Edgar Lizarraga pitched the ninth to earn his sixth save of the season. Jonah McClanahan reached on an error with one was blowing in that direction. "All of the righthanded hitters were hitting the other way." Of his two-run home run in the Dodgers' four-run second inning, he said, "It just went." Ditto for Aybar's two-run homer in the seventh inning, a high-arching shot that cleared the top row of billboards in right-center, a good 400 feet from home plate. "We've been hitting the ball consistently, even in the losses to Idaho Falls," Detienne said.

"It was good to start (the eight-game homestand) with a win. Everything came together again," he added. "We came out and played well. We were disappointed about getting swept (in Idaho Falls)." The victory boosted Great Falls to 11-9 in second-half play (29-29 overall) and kept the Dodgers within one game of the Northern Division-leading Helena Brewers, who defeated Idaho Falls 5-1 Tuesday. "We responded well.

We had a Woods, Nicklaus: Mike Henneberg returns to roots at CMR program Local basketball teams return veteran athletes When Mike Henneberg packed up and headed for Bemidji, last August, he was confident he would someday be making a return trip to the West. Sooner than expected, Henneberg is back. And much to his delight, he's not only in Mon- Mike Towne Tribune Sports Writer i somewhere." He had hoped to teach and coach longer in Bemidji, a town of about 12,000 in northcen-tral Minnesota. But he got caught up in a "budget crunch" and, rmttatette8S tana, but in PREP paired up at PGA LOUISVILLE, Ky. Tiger Woods was pleasantly surprised when he learned Jack Nicklaus would be one of his playing partners for the first two rounds of the 82nd PGA Champi- 1 onship.

Woods, Nicklaus and Vi-jay Singh will tee it up to- -gether when the fourth major championship of the year starts Thursday at Valhalla Golf Club. "Jack, obviously, is the greatest champion of all time," says Woods, the defending champion. "It is going to be quite an honor and a lot of fun." The normal pairing procedure is to bring together the winners of the year's first three majors. Singh won The Masters, but Woods won the U.S. Open and British Open, 5 creating a spot for someone else.

The 150-man field won't include David Duval, who withdrew Tuesday because of a bad back. He is in Sun Valley, Idaho, where he has a home, resting and exercising reljeve liga- mentpain! I his hometown of Great Falls. Henneberg, 25, is serving as an assistant football coach at News and notes from the state's high schools (shooting guard) positions." "It's hard to tell (the team's status) this early, but the kids are working hard," said Lander. "They're in really good we haven't had to spend too much time on conditioning, and we can get to work on our offense and defense." Lander believes that her team can be successful if it builds upon some of the positives from last season, which included close losses to eventual state champion Bozeman, and wins over Billings West and state powerhouse Helena High. Another reason for optimism at Great Falls High, at least for the future, is that 28 freshmen showed up on the first day of practice.

Only 30 in grades 10-12 decided to go out for the team. "It's really a sign our program is coming around," she said. That's also what CM. Russell head coach Kerry Parsons is hoping about his squad this year. Last year's senior-laden By ASHLEY TAIT .1 Tribune Sports Writer i A Chris Lander's first season at th helm, of the Great Falls High-: girls' basketball squad wasn't pretty.

Her second season was better. And indications are that her third will be, at the very least, much easier on the eyes. Great Falls High returns seven players from last year's 9-12 squad that improved greatly over the previous 1-20 season. The group of returnees includes Aimee Montes, the Bison's lone Class AA all-state player from 1999, who is in her second year at GFH after transferring from Box Elder. Other returners who saw significant action for the Bison last year are Megan Schmitz, Kaila Fowler, Ashley Thatcher, and Joey Ehnes.

Megan's younger sister, Michaela, should also see some meaningful minutes. According to Lander, the younger Schmitz -gives the Bison "depth at the one (point guard) and two Tribune photo by Mark Slerkel Megan Schwantes (left) tries to dribble around Amy Harding as the Great Falls High Bison work out Tuesday at Bison Fieldhouse. after less than a year on the job, was notified in March that he wouldn't be retained for the 2000-2001 school year. "I enjoyed my time out there. It was a good learning situation," Henneberg said.

"But it's nice to be back in a familiar situation. "I grew up in the program, I know the defensive system and I'm close with the staff." A fine all-around athlete at CMR, Henneberg was a starting cornerback when the See NOTEBOOK, 4S CM. Russell High, his alma mater, and will soon begin teaching physical education at both Great Falls High and Paris Gibson Middle School. "It's nice to be back home. It was a good experience out there, but I feel fortunate to be back," said Henneberg following Tuesday morning's football practice at CMR.

"My goal was to get back West The 1999 Rustlers finished 12-12 on the season, which was somewhat disappointing considering the number of veteran athletes. "It was a great group of kids last year, but that didn't translate to consistency on the court," said Parsons. "This year we have a chance to be a pretty solid team, but we have See HOOPS, 2S team was ousted from the state AA tournament in three games. Parsons is hoping this year's seniors, although not as experienced, will do better. "Most of our seniors this year played a junior varsity schedule last year," said the third-year head coach.

"We have a lot of new kids in terms of varsity experience, but they're motivated and picking things up quickly.".