Daily Record from Morristown, New Jersey • Page 57

Scoreboard, Pageci9 Pro FOOtball, PageC23 National, PageC20 Local SportS, PageC22 Daily Record Northwest New Jersey Thursday, November 28, 1988 Paged 7 we ach Rsiinigeirs mm Webster ne I I By BARRY RUBINSTEIN Daily Record Staff Writer sons coaching the Windsor Spitfires (juniors) of the Ontario Hockey League. One of the catchwords of Esposito's short tenure as Rangers GM has been "loyalty." That was something that played a large part in his decision to go with Webster over Crisp. "I felt that since Tommy was in our organization before," Esposito said, "he deserved a chance to come back. "Tom's coaching experience particularly on different levels his philosophies and his familiarity with our organization all were factors in the decision." It was also announced Wayne Cashman and Eddie Giacomin would serve as assistant coaches under Webster. Webster became known throughout the hockey world in 1983-84, when he coached the CHL Oilers to the Jack Adams Cup, the Central League's version of the Stanley Cup.

After steep costs and the lack of an adequate rink forced the team to move out of Tulsa, the Oilers became a barnstorming squad and played all its games on the road. Along the way, they won the league championship, with John Vanbiesbrouck as their goalie. Webster was subsequently named the recipient of the Jake Milford Trophy as Minor League Coach of the Year. This is the second time Webster was considered to coach the Rangers. The first time was before the 1985-86 season when Ted Sato: was hired.

But Webster looks upon that experience as a positive rather than a negative, another check in his favor as far as Esposito is concerned. "I felt that in order to be a little more prepared for a future opportunity, the first step was to go back to junior hockey and find out what happens when kids, who wind up as the backbone of your organization, go through pressure situations for the first time and find out what makes them tick," Webster said. "The teaching experience at Windsor was one of being a baby sitter, a guidance counselor, a father and a teacher. The things these young people go through are incredible." Webster's largest task in New York is turning a last-place team into a Stanley Cup contender. "Motivating people is important," Webster said.

"It's a game, and people have to have Rangers defeat Quebec Page C20. fun. But you still have to get the most out of them. And success comes from motivation." It seems the Rangers are already moti-1 vated by the coaching change. Esposito said Cashman and Ron Greschner yesterday put down some memorial black tape around the bicycles at Rye Playland, a comment on Sa-tor's training regimen.

Webster is also someone the Rangers i should take to quite quickly. Said Vanbiesbrouck, "He's a nice man, and he knows when to leave hockey at the rink. He's not obsessed with it." Esposito said he felt good about Webster's feelings on practicing fundamentals on the ice. "He likes the old-fashioned ways, like I do," Esposito said. "A lot of skating rather than pedaling." How far it can take the Rangers remains to be seen.

NEW YORK In the end, the task of coaching the New York Rangers went to the man with the larger appetite. Rangers GM Phil Esposito said he thought Tom Webster was "hungrier" for the chance to coach in the National Hockey League than Terry Crisp, and as a result, Webster was officially named the 22nd coach of the Rangers yesterday at an afternoon press conference. "I think Tommy wants it a little more," Esposito said. "He knows what it takes to be a winner." The 38-year-old Webster, who was given a two-year contract (the terms weren't undisclosed) by Esposito, coached in the Rangers organization for three years two as the head coach of the Tulsa Oilers of the now-defunct Central Hockey League in 1982-83 and 1983-84. The following season, after the Oilers folded, he remained in the organization with the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the International League and he's spent the last two sea Associated Press Tom Webster was "hungrier" for the Rangers' job said Phil Esposito.

People tugging at a tradition Yankees complete Rhoderf trade By MIKE HARRIS Associated Press -JLL FOCUS Mike Tschappat One man's tradition tends to be another man's barricade to progress. So it is with the high school football games played on Thanksgiving Day. They're tugged on by opposing factions like the wishbone of a turkey. Some see the holiday game as an event a chance for alumni to visit the school, the renewal of a rivalry and an opportunity to draw the biggest crowd of the year. Others see the game as all but meaningless now that conference realignment has destroyed most of the old rivalries.

It falls awkwardly between the two state playoff dates and it prevents schools from starting the fall ath-' letic season at an earlier date. Of the games being played today in the Daily Record area, three qualify as full-fledged rivalries. Chatham Township plays at Chatham Borough, Millburn is at Madison and Morris Hills plays at Mor ris Knolls again after an adjournment of two years because of conference priorities. Another rivalry that has been brought back to life this year, Rox-bury at Randolph, was moved to Saturday because both teams are in the playoffs. "We're very pro Thanksgiving Day," said Morris Knolls coach iv 1 i i f' A i a 1 I Bill Regan Jr.

"I know I like the idea of a traditional game. I like it as a community affair besides just a good rival football game. Where else can you see 200-300 people that you haven't seen in awhile?" Regan discounts the argument that the Thanksgiving Day game interferes with the state playoffs. "Some of these high schools think they're the University of Michigan or Alabama," he said. "They're still high schools.

I think they have to remember their position in the communities." His coaching opponent, Howie Fyock of Morris Hills, has mixed feelings about playing on Thanksgiving Day. "I would sooner play them (Morris Knolls) the first week of the season," he said. "I'm from Pennsylvania where they don't play Thanksgiving Day games. They finish in early November." But Fyock conceded that the players on his team like playing on Thanksgiving Day. "With the rain there was some talk about not playing tomorrow," he said.

"And the kids were upset about it. They want to get out there and play Thanksgiving Day." Bob Moore is an athletic director at a school, Mount Olive, which has no traditional Thanksgiving Day rival. The Marauders are hosting Parsippany today, "The Thanksgiving Day game is splitting the state playoffs," Moore said. "It's causing a problem the way things are set up now with schools that are making the playoffs asking schools to move that Please see Tradition on Page C22 Today's schedule Football (all garnet at 10:30 a m. unless otherwise noted) Parsippany Hills at West Morris, Mornstown at East Orange.

1 1 a.m. Hanover Park at Boonton, 10 a.m. OePaul at Butler Parsippany at Mount Olive. 10 a.m. Klnnelon at Bernards Hunterdon Central at Watcnung Hills Bayley-EUard at Mountain Lakes Cedar Grove at Whippany Park Chatham Township at Chatham Borough Millourn at Madison, 11 a.m.

Morns Hills at Morns Knolls Saturday's games Football Roxbury at Randolph, 1 :30 p.m. Morris Catholic at Delbarton, 1 p.m. Mendham at Dover, 1 NEW YORK -The New York' Yankees reached agreement on a contract extension with pitcher Rick Rhoden yesterday, salvaging a six-pitcher deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates that nearly collapsed when the American League team had probi" lems signing the right-hander." vt The deal will bring Rhoden and relievers Cecilio Guante and Pat Clements to the Yankees in ex- change for reliever Brian starter Doug Drabek and minor league prospect Logan Easley. The agreement to make the trade was reached by the two clubs on Sunday. Under baseball rules, thei Yankees were then given 72 hours' in which to sign Rhoden.

Woody Woodward, vice president of baseball administration for the Yankees, said the deal with the 33-year-old Rhoden and agent Tony Attanasio was reajch just before midnight Tuesday. The deal extended Rhoden's current guaranteed contract through 1988 with an option year in 1989. Woodward said the option will be the club's. No other details of the deal were released. i Rhoden, who has the right to veto any trade, reportedly will be paid $575,000 for 1987 under the terms 6f his existing contract.

The pitcher, who could have become a free agent after next season, was reportedly; seeking about 1 million a year for the next two years. Published reports said the Yan kees and Rhoden's agent were abdut $400,000 apart on a two-year, $1.4 million extension before the deal was made. "Both sides gave and we got most of what I wanted," said Rhoden in I telephone interview from Boynton Beach, where he was traveling on business. "That was good enouglj." Rhoden, who had repeatedly asked the Pirates to trade him. said he is delighted to be going to a contending team.

"It's good to feel like you're wanted and to feel you can he said. "Baseball is not a one-man I game. No one person is the difference. Everybody's got to contribute and play well, but I think I ran add something to their team." Reached in Tampa, Yankee owner George Steinbrenner told the Daily News prior to the announce ment of the deal that Rhoden and fcis agent "just didn't want to give ia fi things. I told my people to use common sense.

You may want this guy. but you can't go crazy." Rhoden, who the Yankees have coveted for nearly a year, was 15-2 for the last-place Pirates in 1986. Only Dennis Rasmussen. 18-6. wwi more than nine games for New Yoj last season.

Guante was 5-2 with four saves and a 3.35 ERA in 52 appearances for the Pirates last season, while Clements was 0-4 with 2 saves andja 2.80 ERA in 65 outings. Fisher went 9-5 for the Yankees! with 6 saves and a 4 93 ERA in 62 games. Drabek started 21 games ar.d was 7-8 with a 4.10 ERA. Easley, considered one tf the Yankees' top prospects was 8-7 with saves and a 1.51 ERA for Albany iq the A A Eastern League. Daily RecordKAREN FUC1TQ Lakewood's Miguel Vasquez, No.

19, heads the ball away from Randolph's Mike Schaffer. 'Kissing iheir sisters' Randolph has to settle for co-championship Many turkeys today in football action? By JIMCAPPUZZO Daily Record Staff Writer Associated Press when he fired a shot from 10 yards out to the low right corner past Lakewood starting goalie Joe Mercado. "We should have done what McMaster did to tie the game," Oliveira said. "It was nothing fancy, he just shot the ball." Lakewood had a slight edge in play as the second quarter began. But Ram right wing reven Avers switched the momentum to Randolph's side by intercepting a Lakewood clearing pass.

Avers quickly passed the ball to Sherrod Burney, who shot wide from inside the box. Ayers appeared to be in excellent position to score 53 seconds later when he had the ball in the center of the box, but shot wide to the right. In the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, Burney had a good scoring chance of his own. He broke down the left side past the defense, but when he tried to chip the ball past Arroyol, he missed the shot completely. Less than one minute later, Burney came close again when he shot from the top of the box.

Arroyol stopped that shot, but the rebound went directly back to Burney and Arroyol made the save again, "There's no way we should have lost this game." Burney said. "We controlled the game, but we passed the ball when we should have shot. And when we didn't pass, we shot wide." Lakewood coach Tim Donnell conceded that Randolph should have won. but the tie also gave Lakewood its first state championship. "I'm very happy," Donnell said.

"Randolph deserved to win. I really don't know how they didn't score. Their end of the field didn't even exist as far as we were con-tfHvdm the half 11 EWING TWP, The Randolph High School boys soccer team passed up several prime scoring opportunities last night. And with squandered chance, the Rams came one step closer to handing over half of the State championship to Lakewood. Despite dominating the fourth quarter anJ the two 10-minute overtime periods, Randolph kept looking for the perfect play that never came.

And when the final buzzer sounded, Randolph ended up with a 1-1 tie and a co-championship with Lakewood in the Group III championship game at Trenton State College. The state title marks the first for Randolph in its 12-year history. The Rams outshot Lakewood 25-7. The tie. the first for both teams this season, ended Randolph's season at 18-6-1.

Lakewood finished at 15-6-1. "I'm not happy with a co-championship," said Randolph coach Tony Oliveira. "It's like kissing my sister. We waited too long to shoot the ball. We were looking for that perfect play.

If we just would have shot, we would have had more rebound chances." Lakewood. which was seeded 12th in a field of 15 teams in state playoffs, took a 1-0 lead 2 30 into the game. Dan Lindner took a direct kick, which hit the crossbar. But Randolph's defense couldn't control the rebound and Lindner found the loose ball and scored his 30ih goal of the season. One minute later, Matt McMaster tied the game Vinny Testaverde's motor scooter accident has turned what had been considered a formality into what could be an interesting game between top-ranked Miami and underdog East Carolina.

The outcome of the tonight's Thanksgiving game, which kicks off at 7:15 p.m. at the Orange Bowl, however, is not expected to change. The National Football League games are expected to be somewhat onesided as well The Dallas Cowboys, who are looking for more offensive spark from their "Dream" backf ield of Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker, are hosting the Seattle Seahawks. In the early game, as is tradition, the Detriot Lions are hosting the Green Bay Packers in a replay of a 1960s traditional game. Both the Cowboys and the Lions are decided favorites.

Testaverde. the overwhelming favorite for the Heisman Trophy, suffered severe cuts and bruises along the left side of his body when he fell off his Honda Scooter Tuesday night while riding home from a team meeting. The senior quarterback is doubtful for the 7:15 pm EST game in the Grange Bowl. If Testaverde does not play, his replacement will be seldom-used senior Geoff Torretta. Still, the Hurricanes.

10-0, should be able to handle the Pirates, 2-8. Before Testaverde injury, Miami was a 41-point favorite. A 'vfiami victory over the Pirates would set up a Fiesta Bowl showdown between the top-ranked Hurricanes and second ranked Penn State, the only ether unbeaten major-ccllege team. Should the Hurricanes lose, Penn State has the option of playing Miami in the Fiesta Bow! or Oklahoma in the Orange.