The Daily Spectrum from Saint George, Utah • 14

Page B2 The Spectrum Sports Saturday, October 19, 1996 Payability key to new Players Island olf Course SERIES Continued from Bl first World Series game in 15 years, but maintained his usual low-key demeanor. Atlanta's lineup has left-handed power, including Fred McGrifT and Ryan Klesko. Normally lefty pitchers to do better against lefty batters, but not so with Pettitte. While righties hit just .259 against Pettitte during the regular seasoa lefties hit .329. "I really struggled against them," Pettitte said.

"In the postseason, for me, I've been trying harder to get lefties out I'm going to focus in." Atlanta outscored the Cardinals 32-1 in sweeping the final three games to overcome a 3-1 deficit, which really impressed the Yankees. "The Braves are playing unbelievable right now," Pettitte said. "What they've done in the last three games shows what kind of team they have. They've got an unbelievable pitching staff. They've got three of the best arms in the league, and we're going to have to be on top of our game." Smoltz is 1-0 in five career World Series starts, getting a win over Toronto in 1992.

After leading the majors in wins, going 24-8 with a 2.94 ERA, Smoltz is 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA in the postseason, allowing just three earned runs in 25 innings. "We know we have a chance to beat the best now," Torre said. "They wore the Cardinals out." By DEAN ROCK The Spectrum When course designer Cal Olson accepted the arduous task of designing the Players Island Golf Course on Mesquite farmlands he placed one essential criteria for the project design 18. holes with payability. Olson wasn't trying to layout links that would frustrate scratch golfers and send high handicaps-scrambling to find golf balls in the rough.

Rather, the 25-year veteran of golf and landscape architecture wanted golfers to be challenged, yet capable of scoring on the public course. The course has five different tees to challenge both the beginner and advanced player," said Olson, who also designed the highly regarded Coyote Hills Golf Course in Fullerton, Calif. "It's amazing that the few people who have already sampled our course have all remarked on how playable, fun and enjoyable it is. The course wasn't designed to give double or triple bogeys," Olson added. "It was designed to give pars and occasionally bogeys and birdies." A sample of golfers at Friday's Nevada Scramble believe Olson triumphed in his efforts to design a mutually demanding course.

"It's challenging for all types of golfers, depending on what tees you play," said former Major League Baseball player Marty Barrett, pitching shots on one of the four par three holes. This place is really nice. In Vegas it's so crowded and so tough to get on and the rates are kind of high I can see a lot of people coming out here from there. "It's really in good shape for how young the course is." Mike Maddux, a Las Vegan and current Boston Red Sox pitcher, also believes Players Island can lure Vegas golfers. "It's only an hour away," Maddux said.

"You can either come out here and get a time and enjoy yourself for the day and relax or you can go and wait an hour and kick around and putt in Las Vegas. Las Vegas needs more golf courses and I think Mesquite right now is a great alternative." St. George native Bruce Hurst greeting golfers on the 15th hole, believes that Washington County residents will also be attracted to the course. "It's a little more playable than some of the courses (in St. George)," Hurst said.

"It's not as hard as Sunbrook or Oasis but I think it's a challenging course. For people in St. George it would be great to come down here for a couple of days and play it." 7 jS j- Spectrum photo John McCloskey Andrew Smith, a sports anchor for the NBC television Players Island Golf affiliate in Las Vegas, putts on hole No. 13 of the tournament at the Situated along the Virgin River par 72, 7,011 yards from the pro on 200 acres south of 1-15 in Mesquite, Players Island is the third 18-hole in Mesquite and 9th within 60 miles of St. George, is a HS Head to head How the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves match up against each other: Yankees pitching set, weather permitting 1 Batting 288 Runs 871 1621 Home 162 Stolen CM2D Wins several pitching questions Torre had to wrestle this week.

He also wavered on Pettitte or Cone as his Game 1 starter, and waffled on Rogers' role and health. The decision to use Pettitte was probably the easiest. "He is probably the strongest of our starters," Torre said. "He's left-handed, which is more favorable against the Braves. Also, if we needed someone to pitch on three days' rest, which I am not anticipating, Andy is the best- piippedt Kt finiii Pettitte" pitched eight innings of three-hit ball in Game 5 of the ALCS on three days' rest and has been the Yankees' most consistent and dominating pitcher all season.

"I'm thrilled," said Pettitte, the AL's likely Cy Young winner. Tm very excited about it. I usually don't get worked up about most things but I think this is something in the offseason Til look back and I'll really cherish more than I am right now." Torre said he selected Key over Cone for Game 2 for one reason. "He's left-handed and it's not going to change the number of times any one of them will throw," Torre said. "Besides I'd like to have David's bat in the lineup on Tuesday in Atlanta." 92 Earned 4.65 Complete run Saves 52 Walks 610 1139 rr Strikeouts Course in Mesquite, during a course's grand opening Friday.

depending on the water level of the Virgin River. Players Island Golf Course also offers a full service, practice facility with greens, bunkers and a driving range. Oklahoma looking to build on win By The Associated Press Bud Wilkinson led Oklahoma to a record 47-game winning streak in the 1950s. First-year Sooners coach John Blake has a far more modest goal. Blake, com College Football ing off a surprising 30-27 overtime victory over then-No.

25 Texas, hopes to make it two in row Saturday night at Baylor. 1 "We've got it turned around riow "and" 'we're headinginrithe right direction," said Blake, ah assistant with the Dallas Cowboys last season. Even in embarrassing opening losses to Texas Christian, San Diego State, Tulsa and Kansas, the Sooners have showed an ability to move the ball on the ground, something that should come in handy against the Bears (3-2). While De'Mond Parker and James Allen have helped the Sooners to a No. 19 ranking in rushing offense at 212 yards a game, Baylor is last among the NCAA's 111 Division I schools in rushing defense at 280 yards per game.

"Parker has really come on since the TCU game, and that's making James Allen better," said Baylor coach Chuck Reedy, who watched Texas Tech's Byron Hanspard run through the Bears for 287 yards two weeks ago. "They've just gotten better and better. They're playing' with a lot more confidence." Lincoln County overpowers Laughlin, 53-16 By The Spectrum iib. ifi OS I Tyler Tennille tookLoJrj County's opening play 73 yjs l4 a touchdown and the Lynx entorf to slaughter Laughlin 53-lfi ildar Lincoln County scorecLn ond-quarter points and defense forced six tumovesSrtfe LC move to 4-3 on the seaMjifcfil "We really rose to the occasiori tonight," Lincoln Countyoachl Brad King said. "We absqluteM showed we're a dynamite jtejgk make his first start in place quar-l terback Jeff Dover, one of fiytplay era suspended this vear.

Sullivan's greatest was the jelling of a defensc Mf, heidj the potent Miners offense -V jut 235 total yards, despitehjiuiesj that robbf-i it of two vejtepivir-j end Chance McCarry afitackle Michael Janak. 1 "Our defense is a perfecl'examplel of what happens when you playj with great intensity," the-poach5 said. "Defense is all about attitude and we just need to keep playing with a lot of emotion, flying to thes; football and having fun." Hits tees. The $10.5 million course includes 18 acres of water, which provides a hazard oh 11 holes, average 270 I 773 1514 runs 1 197 bases 1 WVvyfjas WtW .196 average 3.52 games 46 451 1245 APEd Oe Gasero navigate the rush-hour traffic to Yankee Stadium. "Once we landed, it took four hours," Smoltz said.

"It was like a trip to the West Coast" But even with the late hour, manager Bobby Cox wasn't going to pass up a chance to give his players a look, at the stadium where Ruth and Mantle played especially since an approaching storm system made the outlook for Saturday's first game dicey at best "We were not going to miss this workout for anything," Cox said. "Almost none of our players have played here, so they were all anxious to get here, take some ground balls and hit here for the first time." 4 The players put aside their frustration when they spotted Yankee Stadium on the horizon. Henry are his top receivers, with 408 yards and four scores and 356 yards and five touchdowns, respectively. But McBride doesn't take a win for granted. He's making sure his players well rested after a bye weekend aren't either.

1 "TCU presents a little different look than the teams we've seen so far," he, said. Their new quarterback (Fred Taylor) is pretty good. He moves around well, has the ability to run and he moves the pocket" Taylor passed for 156 yards and ran for a 29-yard touchdown against UTEP, getting a chance to New York: Braves fight rush-hour traffic DIXIE Continued from Bl attack to keep (Dixie) honest." According to Uperesa, Jensen is being looked at by Div. 1 schools Rutgers and Boise State among others. "He has a great mental capacity and patience reading the defenses," Uperesa said.

"He also has a very strong Croshaw, comparing Snow to pass-happy Ricks College, expects the Badgers to put the ball in the air 40 or 50 times in the game. On defense, Snow must contend with the nation's top rusher, Rodrick Johnson. -Johnson has gained 1,409 yardsln six games (232 average) "arid has run fori 18 touchdowns. "On defense we have to be well disciplined," Uperesa said. "We can't overrun a guy like Rodrick.

He runs hard and every play he gives 100 percent. (Dixie) will pound at you with Johnson and then all of the sudden throw deep We have to be very respectful of what they can do." Uperesa says that he will blitz the Rebels in an attempt to plug the gaps and pressure the quarterbacks "If we're disciplined on defense and poised on offense we can win," Uperesa added. "I'm just hoping it's not a shootout" Asked about the significance of the matchup, Croshaw barely hesitated. This is the optimum because you have two undefeated teams, cream of the crop in the WSFL, it should be a helluva game." BYU Continued from Bl 499 yards per game, while senior quarterback Steve Sarkisian has thrown fop touchdowns. "We're flaying well.

I feel good about thaUijSdwards said. "We're heajthy. Vbjjalry all of our players should btCfedy." But the team needs to cut dowpn penalties (57 for the seasonf and turnovers (13). Edwardsaid he was impressed by( Tulsals consecutive victories over then-Na 19 Iowa, Oklahoma and Colorado State. The Golden Hurricane (3-2, 1-1) started the season with losses to Southern Methodisf 'and Oklahoma State.

Rader said one key to Tulsa's 20-14 victory over Colorado State last week was the rushing duo Solomon White Reggie Williams, who combined for 150 yards on 31 carries. Two Tulsa touchdowns came off intercepticJns. The three-game winning streak has boosted the team's confidence. But Rader said his players respect BYLTs s2ehd football tradition. They're impressive, well-coached," Rader said.

They don't do many things defensively that people "would consider fancy. They're Just a good, solid defense. I think that our people need to understand that these are tough football players." Bv The Associated Press NEW YORK Joe Torre's pitching blueprint could become a soggy, ink-streaked mess again. The New York Yankees manager spent all week consulting with his staff and "trusting his gut" before deciding to go with a three-man starting rotation in the World Series. As it turns out, all he really needed to consult was a weather nt 94 Qn'rldr, Toiafeirs4e f'wouktlstarfc ace 's Pettitte in Game 1 Saturday night against the Atlanta Braves.

He plans to use another lefty, Jimmy Key, in Game 2 and have David Cone pitch the series' third game in Atlanta Tuesday night. But once again Mother Nature is threatening to change Torre's plans. Heavy rains are forecast for today, jeopardizing both the opener and Torre's ideas for dethroning the Braves. The same scenario existed for' the AL championship series when Torre was forced to start Kenny Rogers in Game 4 against Baltimore when Game 1 was postponed by Tropical Storm Josephine. The rotation was only one of Welcome to By The Associated Press NEW YORK The Atlanta Braves finally arrived at Yankee Stadium on Friday night after getting a bitter dose of New York City traffic.

Looking tired and a little annoyed, the Braves stepped off their two buses at about 7:35 p.m. 1 VI hours after they were scheduled to begin their only workout prior to the start of the Series. The Braves, who beat St. Louis 15-0 to win the NL championship series Thursday night, arrived at Newark International Airport at mid-aftemoon and quickly realized it wasn't going to be a quick trip across the Hudson River. "When we saw the bus driver's face, we knew it was going to take a long time," said 24-game winner UTAH Continued from Bl afternoon against a JJtah team riding five straight wins after an opening loss.

Still. Sullivan is convinced his Horned Frogs are on, the upswing following last week's 18-0 shutout of Texas-El Paso. The week before, the Utes needed a late rally to nip the same Miners 34-27. TCU's fifth-year coach says the victory couldn't have come at a better time, with the Horned Frogs making their first-ever trip Utah. Aces on mound for Series The Yankees' Andy Pettitte takes on the Braves' John Smoltz in Game 1 of the World Series.

Their 1996 regular Source: Elias Sports Bureau SO ERA 162 3.87 10 4.22 276 2.94 19 1.13 APEd De Gasero The trip from the airport to the Braves hotel In midtown Manhattan took, about two hours. After dropping off their luggage, it took another hour for, the buses to good about that," he, said. "We're pretty much where we need to be now, and weVe played some good football so far." That's an understatement when it comes to Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala. The 275-pound running back is averaging almost 170 yards rushing in his last three starts, including 236 for three Jouchdowns against UTEP. For the season, he has 713 yards and sixTDs rushing.

Meantime, Utah quarterback Mike Fouts nephew of former NFL great Dan Fouts has thrown for 1,196 yards and 13 touchdowns. Kevin Dyson and Rocky 0 ana postseason recoras: Pitcher IP Pettitte (reg. season) 21-8 221 (postseason) 1-0 21 13 Smoltz (reg. season) 24-8 25323 (postseason) 3-0 24 s- Source: Elias Sports Bureau John Smoltz, who will start for the Braves in Game 1 tonight weather permitting. "It was a long day.

A lot of guys were getting impatient and irritated." "We needed to taste some success in order to start believing in ourselves," Sullivan said. "The effort has been there all along, but against UTEP we also had unity." He wants to see more of the same Saturday. "That's what college football is all about giving people a chance to step up and do the job." Coach Ron McBride was feeling good about his Utes, who enter the game leading the WAC's Mountain Division and fielding a balanced offense averaging nearly 250 yards passing rnd 164 rushing per game. "We're 5-1 and you've got to feel 4.