Tallahassee Democrat from Tallahassee, Florida • Page 20

ry I'f t'' wyy 2CTailahassee Democrat Wednesday, August 22, 2001 Sports w.Ti aii T.rom Monday Steve Ellis Tuesday Recreation Golf money leaders Wednesday National commentary Around the Campuses On the Fnnge Thursday Gotf notebook That's Racin' Randy Beard Friday High schools Fishing report Outdoors calendar Saturday Randy Beard Sunday Outdoors 3 I Community calendar i Sports Forum 'i Randy Beard FAMU scrimmages, and Tallahassee tries to advance in Babe Ruth World Series. i tm ym tm i RIEFS RUTH From page 1C Monday's results Langley, B.C., 8, State College. 7 Tallahassee 9, Iowa City, Iowa, 3 Hamilton, N.J. 10. Mattoon, 111..

4 Italy 7, Nottingham, N.J., 5 Tuesday's results Jefferson Parish, 10, State College, 5 Langley, B.C., 10. Mattoon, 4 Honolulu 5, Cambridge, 3 Nottingham, N.J., 7, Iowa City, Iowa, 0 Today's games Cherry Hill, N.J. vs. Jefferson Parish, 12:30 p.m. Tallahassee vs.

Hawaii, 3 p.m. Cambridge, vs. Italy, 5:30 p.m. State College, vs. Hamilton, N.J., 8 p.m.

End pool play Thursday's bracket play American third place vs. National second place, 5:30 p.m. National third place vs. American second place, 8 p.m. BABE RUTH 15 STANDINGS American Division Team RF RA Honolulu 3 0 35 5 Cambridge, Mass 2 1 18 11 Tallahassee 2 1 17 12 Nottingham, N.J.

2 2 21 14 Italy 1 2 11 19 Iowa City, Iowa 0 4 7 48 National Division Jefferson Parish, La. 3 0 26 9 Langley, B.C. 3 1 27 23 Mattoon, III. 2 2 30 32 Cherry Hill, N. J.

1 2 8 16 Hamilton, N.J. 1 2 12 16 State College, Pa. 0 3 20 27 RF-runs for, RA-runs against Note: top three teams advance to bracket play starting Thursday, with division champs earning byes to Friday's semifinals. talking differently than we do," said Willis. The trip to New York was a first for most of the players.

Some found the city too big. Others were too fascinated by the fast-paced life to make a judgment on a city far removed from what they are accustomed to in Tallahassee. "I'm not a big-city person," said Brian Icerman, a first-time player on the All-Star team. "I like the small hometown where you know everybody." Added Willis, who has visited the Big Apple several times before: "It's a good trip, but I would never want to live there." Neither would Caton. "It was a different experience," he said.

"I saw a lot of new things and a lot of weird people. I liked Times Square and Yankee Stadium. Everything else is real nasty and dirty. Time Square is really cool. You have all the big buildings and big signs.

It was an experience. I will never forget it." games. "We have been here three times and won it one year, so nobody ever talks to us unless they are talking smack," said infielder Ross Caton. "We talk to JPRD (Louisiana's players). They have been there with us all three times.

They are real cool." Seldom has there been a dull moment for the Tallahas-seeans since they arrived here last week. They spent their first off day on Saturday in New York City, touring the ESPN Zone restaurant, taking a ferry ride and attending a game at Yankee Stadium. Just the kind of stuff that makes the trip to the World Series a winning experience, even if they don't take home the championship. "It's a memory they will never forget," said Cindy Meredith of Tallahassee, who serves as district commissioner for the league. "I have people like (major leaguers) Reggie Jefferson, Dean Palmer, John Wasdin and (former FSU player) Mike Martin Jr.

all of them come back and tell me their time in Babe Ruth was the funnest time in their lives." The cultural differences being recognized by the players don't stop with grits. They can't quite get with the Northeastern slang for "you all." Down south the slang is Tall" while here "You's" means the same thing. Of course, the Tallahassee players can get hip to the slang difference. "It's kind of cool listening to everybody 2001 FAMU RUNNING BACKS LAST YEAR run From page 1C Yards carry TD Long game Clemson loses top receiver 85.2 47 5.4 6 1022 60.5 Running back Games Rush O.J. Marchbanks 12 188 Kelsie Lordeus 2 17 Travles Williams x-Did Not Other RBs 40 Totals 12 398 38 27 47 7.1 2.7 4.4 3 0 24 121 Play 108 1767 147.2 x-did not play 2000 season for family reasons THE ASSOCIATED PRESS COLUMBIA, S.C.

Clem- a LfU "We can have several guys in the backfield at the same time. Depending on the formation, receiver Kevin Youngblood, who was supposed to help replace career reception leader Rod Gardner, broke his leg COLLEGE FOOTBALL NOTES I look at it as if all three of them can be starters." Billy Joe FAMU coach, about how he plans to use multiple-back sets to take advantage of O.J. Marchbanks, Kelsie Lordeus and Travles Williams But a season after March-banks started 11 of FAMITs 12 games and had nearly 200 carries, he will split time in two-and three-back sets with Kelsie Lordeus and Travles Williams. Marchbanks replaced Lordeus as the starter in Week 2 last season after he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Williams, a former standout at FAMU High, has had a rocky three-year career with the Rattlers, but he fell back into Joe's favor this off-season.

A lack of a diverse rushing attack along with the coaching staff reluctance to stick with the run consistently has hurt FAMU against some their top MEAC opponents and in the I-AA playoffs. But with Marchbanks, Lordeus and Williams, Joe hopes to counter teams that have successfully stalled FAMU's pass-oriented offense. "If a team takes away the pass from us this year, well be more than ready to attack with a combination of one-back, two-back and three-back sets," Joe said. Joe believes he can make all three running backs happy. "We can have several guys in the backfield at the same time.

Depending on the formation, I look at it as if all three of them can be starters." FAMU typically has used one running back over the past four seasons. His responsibilities in order of importance were to pick up the blitz, provide the quarterback with a all-purpose threat, but he excels at running inside. Lordeus is the fastest and most elusive of the three. It also doesn't hurt that he's a roommate of FAMU quarterback Quinn Gray. Williams is the best blocker and catches the ball well out of the backfield.

Their reactions to sharing the load are as different as their running styles. "There's no animosity, but it can only really be one main spot, and everybody's trying to get it," said Lordeus, who rushed for 121 yards and 3 touchdowns in his only game last season. "I do feel like I should be the starter because I had the job last season before I got hurt. But I can see O.J.'s argument, too. He did rush for a grand, and that hasn't been done around here in a while." Said Williams: "Coach knows what each of us brings to the table.

Well have to go to the run more because people are keying on the pass and know what's coming." Marchbanks has said in the past that he was held back at times in junior college because his former coach toyed with a multiple-back offense. "But I'm for whatever helps the team," Marchbanks said. "I can handle being the marked man. I know I've got stuff to offer that people haven't seen yet." COLLEGES Virginia promotes Littlepage to AD Assistant athletic director Craig Littlepage was elevated to athletic director at the University of Virginia on Tuesday, becoming the first black AD in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Littlepage succeeded Terry Holland as athletic director.

Littlepage was an assistant men's basketball coach for the Cavaliers from 1976-82, and again from 1988-90. In between, he coached at Pennsylvania and Rutgers. He joined U.Va.'s athletic administrative staff in 1990. From December 1994 to July 1995 he served as interim athletic director until Holland was hired to replace former athletic director Jim Copeland. COLLEGE BASKETBALL Michigan State, Temple top Florida schedule: Florida's 2001-02 schedule includes games against Michigan State and Temple, the two teams to defeat the Gators in the last two NCAA Tournaments.

Florida will open the season against Temple in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, Nov. 8 in New York. The Owls beat the Gators 75-54 in the second round of the tournament last year. On Dec.

5, Michigan State visits Florida in a rematch of the 2000 final. Last year, Florida traveled to Michigan State. The Gators play host to Florida State on Nov. 16, the night before the schools play football. The Southeastern Conference schedule opens Jan.

5 at home against South Carolina. HOCKEY Lemieux plans to sit out nearly 25 percent of season: Mario Lemieux, already working out for what would be his first full NHL season in five years, plans to sit out nearly one-quarter of the Pittsburgh Penguins' games to stay healthy for the playoffs. Lemieux, who is also the owner of the Penguins, missed only a handful of games after ending a 44-month retirement in January, but said Tuesday he expects to miss all road games when the team plays on consecutive nights. YOUTH BASEBALL Bronx makes Little League semifinals: Rolando Torres threw a four-hitter Tuesday as the Rolando Paulino team from the Bronx, N.Y., secured a spot in the Little League World Series U.S. semifinals with a 5-0 victory over Bainbridge Island, Wash.

Florida 10, Iowa 3: Bill Blankenship hit two of the four home runs by Apopka and the Florida team overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat Davenport (Iowa) East. Mexico 2, Russia 0: Luis Zaragoza and Eduardo Flores combined to strike out 15 and allowed only two hits against Russia. Guam 6, Canada 5, 9 innings: Derwin Aguon scored the winning run for Guam on a bases-loaded walk. Japan 4, Netherlands Antilles 2: Tatsuya Suzuki hit a three-run homer to lead Tokyo past Willem-stad, Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Saudi Arabia 11, Panama 0: Nikko Eche-varria tied a Little League World Series record with three home runs and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, beat Santiago, Veraguas, Panama.

BOXING Back injury postpones Tyson-Nielsen bout: An injury to Mike Tyson has forced postponement of his Sept. 8 fight against Brian Nielsen of Denmark at Copenhagen. "Mike's back is giving him problems, and we're looking to move it back a few weeks," Shelly Finkel, Tyson's adviser, said Tues-. day by telephone from New York. The fight now will be held Oct.

13 in Copenhagen, a source close to the match said. The postponement comes one day after Showtime formally announced the 10-round fight, which was to be televised on same-day delay tape beginning at 8 p.m. PRO BASKETBALL WNBA awaits new champ: The Houston Comets were forced to admit that it was the end of a beautiful run. Still, as they left the WNBA playoffs for the first time without a championship, their pride still was shining. So there will be a new WNBA champion for the first time in league history as the Los Angeles Sparks, eliminated by the Comets the past two years, sent Houston home a loser this time, 70-58 Monday night.

TENNIS Williams overcomes bad back: Venus Williams stopped her match with Sandrine Testud for a three-minute medical timeout, then served two aces on the way to a 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory Tuesday in the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament. Williams said her back started to hurt during the match and was getting worse, so she decided to get some treatment while she was up a game in the second set. Her back has not bothered her before, and Williams said she did not con-; sider ending the match over the injury. Mantilla upsets Ivanisevic: Felix Mantilla, ranked No. 69 in the world, stunned Wim-; bledon champion Goran Ivanisevic 6-3, 7-5 in the opening round of the Hamlet Cup.

CORRECTION Ron Flury, who is currently coaching hia baseball team in the Babe Ruth World Series in Hamilton Township, N.J., works for the state attorney. Tuesday's Democrat reported otherwise. Democrat staff and wire services in practice Tuesday and will be out for the season. Youngblood had 13 catches for 225 yards and two touchdowns last season as a red-shirt freshman. He averaged 17.3 yards per reception and was named offensive rookie of the year by the coaching staff.

Maryland COLLEGE PARK, Md. -Maryland senior wide receiver Guilian Gary injured his neck when he colhded with another player at practice. Gary, 21, initially lost all feeling and movement below his neck, Prince George's County fire officials said. He was flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he was listed in good condition Tuesday evening. He was experiencing weakness on his left side, a university spokesman said.

Gary had 40 catches and seven touchdowns last year. dump-off passing option and carry the football when teams backed off to defend the pass. The Rattlers are now taking a more aggressive approach with the running game. For the first time in four seasons, FAMU will regularly use a tight end and run the ball nearly 40 plays per game. The team had averaged 31 rushing plays a game over the past three seasons.

FAMU will continue to rely on a pass-first offense. But each back will likely get between four and 15 touches as part of Joe's equal-opportunity ground game. Marchbanks is more of an CHANCE "My parents are scared about my venomous snakes, but I'm really careful. I dang sure don't want to get bit" From page 1C r. Chance Gwaltney FSU punter child in my neighborhood about my age who was bit by a rattlesnake and died.

So I always tell Chance that story and remind him to be careful. It does scare me. But he and his older brother, Chris, are very cautious." Hollywood couldn't pen a more appropriate first name for Gwaltney. But his chance-taking had nothing to do with it. Chance is his real name, given because of what his birth meant to the Gwaltneys, who have four sons ranging in age from 21 to 32.

"My second child was a little girl, and we lost her when she was 18 months old," Linda Gwaltney said. "She had a birth defect called spina bifida. I was determined to have another girl. Chance was a surprise, and my husband decided no more children after this one. So I decided we got to Eick a name that is unique e's going to be our last chance for a girl." The name also fits his FSU football career.

After walking on and sitting out the 1998 season, Gwaltney briefly became FSU's starting kicker. He finally is at punter, where he wanted to play when he arrived at FSU. He's locked in a battle with freshman Chris Hall for the starting job. During Saturday's kicking scrimmage he averaged more than 45 yards per punt, even with defensive players in his face. As if that would scare him.

There they will stay while Gwaltney's older brother and roomate, Chris, works on obtaining a license. Chance has observed snake handlers and has studied rattlers under adult supervision for years. Still, his coaches are queasy about Gwaltney's passion. "The coaches look at me as if I'm weird, that it's crazy to be around venomous snakes and spiders," Gwaltney said. "But I'm fascinated by them." Former Seminoles Dan Ken-dra and Jamal Reynolds owned an alligator and a boa constrictor, respectively.

But diamondbacks and black widows are too much for most FSU coaches to fathom. Overhearing a conversation between Gwaltney and defensive tackles coach Odell Hag-gins about the snakes, linebackers coach Joe Kines interrupted, "Boy, that just ain't right." Haggins agreed. "I'm afraid of snakes, even rubber ones," he said. And what does Gwaltney's landlord think about his hobby? "My landlords are my mom and dad," he said. "My parents are scared about my venomous snakes, but I'm really careful.

I dang sure don't want to get bit." I That happened once when a pygmy rattler bit him on his finger during a feeding. Gwaltney did not experience any ill effects. He keeps the diamond-backs, each about 3 feet long, in a 65-gallon aquarium that is well-secured. Feeding responsibilities belong to the brothers, who live 45 minutes from their parents' house. Georgia allows the housing of native venomous snakes, but Gwaltney stresses his hobby isn't for everybody.

In Tallahassee, Chance has two 30-gallon tanks one to hold two pygmy rattlers and the other for his Burmese python. A black widow and a tarantula are housed in specially-made fiberglass boxes. "I'm kind of scared of spiders, and this helps me get over that fear," he said. Gwaltney, a sports-management major who is considering a more nature-oriented career, said he releases the majority of snakes he finds. He will eventually release the diamondbacks, which he's had for a year.

"In a sense, I guess taking them from their natural habitat is wrong," he said. "But I do let them go in time. I just like watching them." Gwaltney was 6 when he had his first pet snake a hognose found in the woods near his home. He graduated to pythons and boa constrictors, then rattlesnakes. His grandmother's pond supplied him with a pet alligator he kept briefly in his bedroom years ago.

"When we were younger," Gwaltney said, "we never could have dogs or pets that were trouble." And 3-foot rattlesnakes aren't trouble? "Everybody is scared of them, but I'm not," he said. "This is the one thing that really excites me." His mother, Linda, has been tolerant, even helpful, in regards to her son's passion. After a downpour, she would drive her young son around Cairo searching for toads he could feed to his snakes. Mom's stance is surprising because of a childhood experience. "The first reality I had of death I was maybe 6 or 7 years old," she said.

"There was a 1.