Palladium-Item from Richmond, Indiana • Page 9

Inside Vijay Singh starts this season where he left off last season: on top Page B2 Palladium-Item FRIDAY Jan. 7, 2005 Area Sports Events afco3 Hop In local history January 1955 Martin Craig, a 1953 Cambridge City High School graduate, was playing basketball with a U.S. Army team in Austria. Dy7 format New If play starts Saturday, the Randolph County Tournament games will.be juggled from the original format to avoid having one team playing twice in a day. Monroe Central and Win- chestergirls would meet at 10 a.m.

and Union City and Union boys would follow. Union City and Union girls would play at 6 p.m., then Randolph Southern and Winchester boys. Postponed Here's a list of area sporting event that were postponed Thursday because of weather: Randolph County Basketball Tournament Richmond home wrestling match National Trail girls basketball game pected this just doesn't sound very positive," said Rich Clark, athletic director and girls coach at Ran-. dolph Southern High School. "It really is up in the air.

If power comes back on, we'll try toplayfourgamesonSaturday We'lljustgoonedayatatime" Other weather casualties Thursday included RHS' home wrestling dual with Muncie Central and Nation-. al Trail's girls basketball place tonight, despite the closure of schools in Mar ion. "It's a go for now," said RHS athletic director Chris Rodalat 8:40 a.m. today "They have some buildings withoutpower, butthehighschoolisfina" It will be the first game in 16 days for the Red Devils, who are 6-2. Marion is 5-5.

Play could be off again for Saturday at the Randolph County Tournament in Lynn. That decision is ex For the latest weather developments, please log 1 ontowww.pal-item.com. game at Mississinawa Valley. "Muncie is just a mess right now. They are talking about not having power untilnextweek'Rodalsaid.

He doesn't know when the NCC wrestling dual will be rescheduled. "Our plan is to do it, but we don't know how it will fit Randolph Co. tourney postponed, again By Mike Bennett Sports editor The Randolph County Basketball Tournament is off again tonight as ice damage and power outages continue to play havoc with area sports schedules. But, Richmond High School's boys game will take in," Rodal said. if possible on Saturday in Clark said two sessions of the Randolph County Tour-two games would be played nament.

Pro Basketball Prep basketball: Wayne County Tournament 'Dogs, Eagles cruise to wins Squads win lst-round matchups by double digits Thursday night Prep Gymnastics Local teams ready for success RHS has more on team; Hagerstown working through injuries By Mike Bennett and Myyon Barnes Palladium-Item Brittany Dixon is thrilled. The gymnastics star at Richmond High School has a bigger supporting cast "We have a lot more girls out. I By Vernon Redd Staff writer i'S'r'US HAGERSTOWN, Ind. Centerville's boys and Lincoln's girls. Each is still the team to beat after posting digit margin of victories Thursday night in the opening round of the Wayne County Basketball Tournament.

Brandon Mayse scored 27 points and grabbed-18" rebounds, Brittany Dixon Associated Press photo by Bob Owen The Indiana Pacers' Jermaine O'Neal makes a move to the basket as the San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan defends in the second quarter Thursday in San Antonio. San Antonio just too much to handle for -Indiana Pacers Spurs clamp down on defense in 2nd half to get 111-98 win SAN ANTONIO AP) Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs knew exactly whattoexpectfromlndiana. r. Duncan scored 27 points, Tony Parker had 26 and San Antonio clamped down on defense in the second half for a 111-98 victory over thePacers on Thursday night "These are great games for us," Duncan both Wayne County tourney stats Page B2 Scores from around state Scoreboard, PageB2 season highs, to muscle the Class 2ANo. 1 if-, 1 said, "we know they'reatough de 4 Bulldogs past Northeastern 67-41.

Lincoln's girls balanced easy baskets in the lane with six 3-pointers to beat host Hagerstown 52-30. Centenrille (8-1) grabbed 22 offensive rebounds to offset shooting l-of-13 from 3-point range Keith Peterson came off the bench to score seven points and pull down five boards. He said theBulldogshavespent214 weeks working on rebounding. "It was nice to finally hit somebody else instead of our teammates," Peterson said. Please see Tourney, Page B2 NBA boxes, standings Scoreboard, PageB2 Palladium-Item photo by Joshua Smith fensive team.

They have (former Spurs assistant oronh Miko Centerville's Travis Power shoots against Northeast- Tournament at Hagerstown. The Class 2A No. 4 Bull-ern's Kahl Wise during Thursday's Wayne County dogs defeated the Knights 67-41. can't wait to start competing," the junior "There's a lot of optimism. We're going to win more this year" She doesn't have long to wait for the opportunity.

The Red Devils play host to a season-opening meet at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Richmond Gymnastics Training Center. Other teams in the mix will be Lincoln, Shel-byville and Muncie Central. "We have 16 kids out," said second-year RHS coach Ruth Balthis. "I'm feeling like were going to win some meets this year." Teams need depth to do that.

Five will compete on varsity, one more than last season. Dixon qualified for regional competition in the vault, uneven bars, beam and all-around last season. Balthis expects good results again from the upbeat, hardworking Dixon. "She's really concentrating on her gymnastics," Balthis said. Also on the varsity are senior Katie Stevens, sophomore Logan Schuerman and freshmen Ali Springer and Kiersten Baumgartner.

Balthis is working to build the team. "It's nice to have numbers, but it's been hectic," she said. "The 11 on junior varsity don't have a lot of experience. It's a real learning experience." Stevens and Schuerman are in their second season of varsity competition. The freshmen will be strong competitors, Balthis predicts, but Baumgartner will not compete for a month because she broke a hand duringpractice.

RHS will have one more regular-season home meet, Jan. 18 against Hagerstown. That will be the season-opener for the Tigers. Please see Success, Page BZ If you go Whatwhere: Wayne Saturday. em 41 (boys).

p.m. (boys) Hagerstown County Tourney at Hager- Thursday: Lincoln 52, Today: 6 p.m. (girls) (1-5) vs. Lincoln (3-6). stown High School.

i Hagerstown 30 (girls); Centerville (8-3) vs. Saturday: 6 p.m. girls When: Tonight and Centerville 67, Northeast- Northeastern (1-9); 7:45 final; 8 p.m. boys final. Pro Football Colts' Manning another unanimous selection Brown, whobasicallyrunsour defense He runs our zone It's like playing ourselves ondefense." ManuGinobili added 18pointsandDun-can grabbed 12 rebounds for San Antonio, which improved to at home against Eastern Conference teams andl6-loverall attheSBCCenter.

The Spurs earned their seventh double-digit victory in eight games, but it didn't come easy. JermaineO'Nealhad32pointsandnine reboundsfor Indiana, and JamaalTinsley finished withl8pointsandeightassists. Before the game, O'Neal pledged $1,000 per pointto the victims of the tsunami "They played very well," O'Neal said. "There were some questionable things that happened with the officials, but you've got to play the game, and the Spurs just outplayed us tonight" Parker got San Antonio off to a fast start by scoring 10 points in the first quarter on a series of layups. Still, the Spurs only led57-51 athalftime despite shooting 54 percent from the field and50percentfrom3-pointranga San Antonio also held a 100 advantage in second-chance points through the first two quarters andalO-pointedge in thepaint For the game, the Spurs outrebound-ed Indiana 43-23.

"Our undoing tonight was the difference between the rebounds and second-chance points," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. Jets' Vilma wins top defensive rookie of year passes in a season with 49, and shattered Steve Young's passer rating mark with a 121.1. Manning also was the All-Pro quarterback in 2003, when he was the co-MVP with McNair of Tennessee. The AP Most Valuable Player will be announced Monday. Earlier this week he was the unanimous pick for AP Offensive Player of the Year.

Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Willie Anderson became the team's first All-Pro selection since 1996. First Team All-Pro roster Scoreboard, Page B2 broadcasts, who cover pro football, the only player to sweep the voting this year. After sharing the MVP award with Steve McNair last year, Manning reached a new level in '04. "Last year was fun," Manningsaid. "This year was more fun because the things we wanted to do, we came out, worked on them and got them done." Manning broke Dan Marino's 20-year-old record for touchdown This time it's to the All-Pro team By Barry Wilner Associated Press NEW YORK Peyton Manning was unstoppable on the field this season, and in the All-Pro voting, too.

The record-setting Indianapolis Colts quarterback was a unanimous choice Thursday for The Associated Press 2004 NFL All-Pro Team. Manning received all 48 first-place votes from a nationwide panel of writers and it with the speed and exuberance that con-vincedNewYorkto make him the first linebacker chosen. A terror at the University of Miami, Vilmamoved mtothestartinglineup revival that lifted the Jets (10-6) into the playoffs. NEW YORK (AP) Jonathan Vilma brought exactly what the New York Jets needed on defense with aperformance so brilliant he won The Associated Press 2004 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Vilma, the 12th pick in last year's draft, did The Bottom Line On The Air: Today's Sports Must-See No.

15 Texas 74, Memphis 67 No. 23 Cincinnati 83, DePaul 54 On The Web Visit us on the Internet at www.pal-item.com. Whom To Call Mike Bennett, sports editor, (765) 973-4462 or (800) 686-1330 He's back. Tiger Woods, left, and 30 of last season's PGA Tour winners compete in the second round of the Mercedes Championship. Coverage starts at 7 p.m.

on ESPN. Thursday's scores College Basketball AP Top 25 No. 9 Ga. Tech 80, Miami (Fla.) 69 No. 11 Gonzaga 91, Santa Clara 87 No.

12 Washington 84, USC 59 No. 13 Arizona 87, California 67 NBA San Antonio 111, Indiana 98 Washington 107, Seattle 96 Memphis 101, Detroit 79 For complete listings, see Leading off, Page B2 ii nal ammd.