Argus-Leader from Sioux Falls, South Dakota • Page 14

ww. argusleader.com PORTS SPORTS WEB Argus Leader sports reporters Stu Whitney and Mick Garry talk with Augustana Athletic Director Bill Gross about Saturday's Dakota Basketball Classic and the NCC season. Listen to the show at www.argusleader.com SECTION ARGUS LEADER, SIOUX FALLS, S.D. THURSDAY JAN. 5, 2006 The Rose Bowl TEXAS 0 16 7 ,18 41 USC 7 3 14 14 38 C- Vl mumim to jSkiz it ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS Texas quarterback Vlnce Young Is tackled after rushing for a gain against USC In the Rose Bowl on Wednesday.

Young rushed for 220 yards In the 41-38 Longhom victory. 4th-down scramble gives Longhorns title Texas may have won, but it was all Young Top stats RUSHING: Ew(GZu Texas' Vince Young rushed for 200 yards on 20 carries, while USC's Reggie Bush had 80. PASSING: Matt Leinart led with 367 yards on 29 completions. Young threw for 267. BY TIM KAWAKAMI Knight Ridder PASADENA, Calif.

It wasn't Vince Young vs. the world for the national title Wednesday, but if it had been, I still would have liked his chances. COMMENTARY Would have loved his chances, actually, if was the Texas quarterback vs. the world, the galaxy, the universe and the USC Trojans all combined in one grasping, gasping mass of frustration. It was a Rose Bowl for the ages, for history, for glory, and it ended up as Young's singular showcase.

Has any player lifted himself and his team so spectacularly in such a moment? Maybe, but Young made it seem like he was the only one who mattered. The final score was Texas 41, USC 38, but please: It was Young's victory. Young. All Young. Nobody but Young.

Young at the beginning, Young at the end, Young in the middle, Young and done. It was Young who ran for 200 yards, bounced off of 200 USC defenders and carried Texas, down 38-26 with 6:42 left, to one of the greatest comebacks in big-game history against one of college football's greatest teams. "He's really off the charts," USC Coach Pete Carroll said. "Without question, that was a phenomenal night by that guy." See YOUNG, page 3C BY RALPH D. RUSSO Associated Press PASADENA, Calif.

-Vince Young and Texas are second no more to Reggie Bush and Southern California. With the national championship down to a final play, Young scrambled for an 8-yard touchdown on fourth down with 19 seconds left and the No. 2 Longhorns stunned the top-ranked Trojans 41-38 in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday night. The high-scoring game everyone expected to see broke out in the second half yet it was a defensive stop that was the key to Texas ending USC's 34-game winning streak and Matt Leinart's college career. When USC coach Pete Carroll gambled, the Longhorns stuffed LenDale White on a fourth-and-2 at midfield with 2:09 left.

Young, bitterly disappointed at losing the Heisman to Bush, then wound up with the ultimate revenge. On a night when he ran for 200 yards and passed for 267 more, he capped a performance that Texas fans will remember forever by scoring the final TD and running for a 2-point conversion. See ROSE BOWL, page 3C i USC's Reggie Bush was held to 80 yards rushing. I p.Hin.1 fP-W OM'W TIF If 1 Ainu. Stampede streak over WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NGC 'incredibly strong this year BY TIGH J.

LESSMAN For the Argus Leader The Sioux City Musketeers' Frank Grzeszczak quieted a crowd of 3,690 with a gle snot Wednesday in the jS3 Grzeszczak's fifth-round shootout goal not only ONLINE Can USD or Aug VPS? Vikings interview Cottrell BY JON KRAWCZYNSKI Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS The Minnesota Vikings continued their search for a new head coach Wednesday, interviewing defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell. 3 Vikings enter pleas 2C Cottrell is the architect of a big-play defense that became the team's strength during the second half of the season, leading the Vikings to a 7-2 finish after a 2-5 start. "Ted's a serious candidate," his agent, Joe Linta, said Wednesday night. "It's a real possibility he could get this." See VIKINGS, page 3C basketball contend for a North Central Conference title? Talk about it on the forums at www.argusleader.com. BY MATT ZIMMER mzimmerargusleader.com You've heard for years that the North Central Conference is one of the best in Division II, and when it comes to women's basketball, there's always plenty of evidence to back up the hyperbole.

The NCC is as deep as ever this year, with two teams currently ranked in the nation's top 10. The teams pegged for the lower half look dangerous as well. "It's incredibly strong this year," said South Dakota coach Chad Lavin. "There's so much talent at all these schools. If you can be in the top three or four in this league, you have a chance to play edged the league-leading Sioux Falls Stampede, 5-4, but ended the Herd's franchise record 16-game win streak.

"It was a desperate win," said Grzeszczak, whose team came into Wednesday's game on a five-game skid. "I Muskies 5, Herd 4 STREAK: Sioux Falls fell in a shootout, their winning streak ended at 16. for a national championship." While there is certainly no slouch, there are three teams (North Dakota, St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth) that appear to be a step ahead. See NCC, page 4C came in on my backhand side, faked a shot to freeze (Alex Kangas) and then just put it up top." See STAMPEDE, page 3C LLOYD B.

CUNNINOHAM ARGUS LEADER The Stampede's Ben Holstrom takes a stab at a pass while Sioux City's Robby Spalding trails..