The Daily News Leader from Staunton, Virginia • 19

News-Leader, Sept. 19, 1976 Venturing Rams aren't defeatists Section Staunton, Va. By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Venturing into Minnesota is not a desire devoutly to be wished by any National Football League team. Venturing in where the team has had such little success before makes it even more unpalatable. And venturing in with a third string quarterback calling the signals seems downright hopeless.

But the Los Angeles Rams, who face all those tasks Sunday, aren't defeatists. No team made up of real pros ever is. And especially not a team that has such a solid record of success under its coach, in this case, Chuck Knox. It's been eight years since the Rams won a game in Minnesota won their only one in 11 there, as a matter of fact. Trying to do it with first-stringers like Roman Gabriel or John Hadl in years past or with James Harris league in Ken Anderson and Bert Jones, but each has to go against an exceptional defense.

Buffalo got a big lift with the return of O.J. Simpson, but that's been balanced by the loss of their other running star, Jim Braxton, out with a torn right knee ligaments. Without his blocking, and with O.J. still not at full strength, the Bills' task will be a tough one against an Oiler squad which shut out Tampa Bay last Sunday. The Bucs give their fans a first in-person look following their debut in Houston.

They'll have to stop a San Diego offense that rolled up 467 yards (267 rushing) against Kansas City. The Seahawks, having come close to winning their inaugural at home against St. Louis, visits Washington, which got a healthy scare before pulling out a last-minute victory against the Giants. this year would seem tough enough. But with rookie Rhodes scholar Pat Haden? Knox thinks Haden, a college star at the University of Southern California and a former World Football Leaguer with the Southern California Sun, can do the job with help.

"If everyone else does his job, we can win with Pat," Knox says. "He's not the type of quarterback who will get you beat by making foolish mistakes." Haden was No. 3 in the Rams' quarterback ranks during training camp. He became No. 2 when Harris broke a thumb in an exhibition against Buffalo, then found himself No.

1 when Ron Jaworski broke a shoulder in last Sunday's opener against Atlanta. "I want to be the starting quar terback," Haden says, echoing Knox's faith in him. "The thought of facing guys like Carl Eller and Alan Page boggles the mind, but I think I could do the job. I know I'd be ready to do it." Despite the presence of the untested Haden at quarterback, Minnesota Coach Bud Grant sees a tough game shaping up, primarily because of Los Angeles' potent ground game. "I don't see any soft spots at all," he says of the Rams.

"They're basically a running ball club and pass generally when they want to, not when they have to." In Sunday's other games it's Cleveland at Pittsburgh, Cincinnati at Baltimore, Houston at Buffalo, San Diego at Tampa Seattle at Washington, Miami at New England, the New York Giants at Philadelphia, Atlanta at Detroit, Green Bay at St. Louis, Dallas at New Orleans, the New York Jets at Denver and Chicago at San Francisco. On Monday night it's Oakland at Kansas City. The Steelers can be expected to come out roaring in their home opener against Cleveland. Pittsburgh seemed to have its opener locked up in Oakland, only to see the Raiders come back with two touchdowns and a field goal in the final three minutes.

To further complicate matters for the Browns, they've never won at Three Rivers Stadium and they may have to try this time without their No. 1 quarterback. Mike Phipps, who had a three-touchdown day last week against the Jets, has a shoulder injury and may have to give way to Brian Sipes, who tossed two TDs of his own against New York. The Bengals and Colts have two of the best young quarterbacks in the --s. 3 Kruis, Fimian team to lead William Mary by Virginia CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.

and Fimian, who brought the dians' 21 in a drive that con- William and Mary might well (AP) Tailback Jim Kruis ball downfield from the In- sumed half the quarter. have won by a wider margin, and fullback Keith Fimian but the Indians were stymied by two fumbles, one at the Vir OH, MY University of Virginia's Bill Cope-land (26) gets a real hard hit from William and Mary's Rolfe Caraway (77) in early action. Copeland's face tells the story of a real hard hitting interstate rivalry. (APwirephoto) ginia 10, two pass interceptions and several untimely penalties. An illegal procedure infraction early in the fourth quarter nullified a 24-yard field goal by Steve Libassi, and Li-bassi missed on his second try from 29 yards.

William and Mary's mistakes kept Virginia within striking distance through three quarters, but a fumble and two pass interceptions prevented the Cavaliers from getting on the scoreboard. Late in the first half, a Cavalier bid to gain a halftime tie was turned back by free safety Joe Agee, who recovered a fumble at the 15 at the end of an 18-yard pass play from quarterback Andy Hitt to tight end Jim Wicks. Andy North leads Kings Island golf ''-mrv i combined for 297 yards Saturday as William and Mary's Indians ground down Virginia's intrastate rival Cavaliers 14-0 in an in-terconference football game. The Indians, off to a 2-0 season's start for the first time since 1971, left new Virginia Coach Dick Bestwick still looking for his first victory as the Cavaliers suffered their second setback of the 1976 campaign and their 11th in a row over two years. Kruis, a junior from Lancaster, scored his third touchdown of the young season as he romped for 133 yards on 22 carries.

Fimian, a junior from Virginia Beach, chipped in with 164 yards as he handled the football 34 times. Altogether, the Indians out-rushed Virginia 335-114, getting the ball well over half their yardage between the Cavalier tackles. Kruis scored on a five-yard run in the final minute of the first period, and wide receiver Tom Butler registered William and Mary's other touchdown midway the third period, hauling in a 13-yard pass from quarterback Tom Rozantz. The second touchdown was set up by the running of Kruis Coaches quotes By KEN BOSSERMAN CHARLOTTESVILLE Despite losing 14-0 to underdog William and Mary, Virginia coach Dick Bestwick saw hope for his fledgling team which has surrendered over 400 yards of offense in each of its first two games. "Today, we had problems, but we will get better as we go along.

I'm pleased with our effort, but disappointed that we couldn't execute with a greater degree of consistency. We must now try to settle people into positions and make them better. "Defensively, I see us being better. Today doesn't change that. We will just have to work harder." The Virginia coach felt that two key interceptions killed the Cavalier effort.

One was intercepted in the end zone with a Virginia first down on the 13 and another Virginia aerial was picked off to kill a drive at the Indian 21-yard line. "Interceptions hurt. But those are the things that happen. With eight minutes left in the game, I thought we could come back, but you can't make it with penalties, interceptions, and fumbles. I think we have as good a team as Wiliam and Mary, but you can't make the kind of errors we did and win the game." Bestwick added.

Meanwhile, William and Mary coach Jim Root was bubbling with excitement. "I'm so pleased and elated that I can't even remember what happened," he remarked. "I thought it would be a high-scoring game. I saw the films of Virginia's game against Washington and thought it would be one of those 28-21 games. But our defense made it effective.

"As the game went on, we became more and more confident in our defense. We executed to perfection." One reporter reminded the head coach that it was William and Mary's first shutout since 1968. "That makes it just that more impressive," Root added. Tailgate party STATISTICS Wllllim Mary 20 First downs 1M 335 Rushes-yards 75 Passing yards 72 Return yards 3-62 Passing 4 46 Punts 3 2 Fumbles lost 9104 Penalties Virginia 12 41 114 93 28 17-2 I 47 3 1 335 014 0-0 0 7 William ft Mary 7 Virginia 0 Edwards, who shared the 18-hole lead with rookie Don Poo-ley at 66, matched par of 70 on the warm, partly sunny day. Four bogeys cost Hill a 73.

The first two champions of this tournament, Jack Nicklaus and Miller Barber, maintained faint hopes of winning. Nicklaus, playing one of the courses he built, birdied 18 for a 69 and 209. Barber had 70 for 211. North is seeking his first title in his fourth tour year. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound North reeled off three birdies on the front nine, two-putting the par-five fourth hole and knocking in putts of 10 or less feet at six and nine.

His lone bogey at 10 was the result of three putts from 30 feet. He sank a one-foot putt for a bird at 15 and drove his second shot, a three wood, over the green on the water-protected, 590-yard closing hole. MASON, Ohio (AP) Andy North rolled in a six-foot birdie putt on the final hole Saturday for his third straight sub-par round, a four-under 66, for the 54-hole lead in the $150,000 Ohio Kings Island Open Golf Tournament. The 26-year-old former Florida All-American put together four birdies to offset a sole bogey for a total of 203, seven under par on the Nicklaus Golf Center course. Mac McLendon fashioned a 67 and was alone in second place at 204, one shot behind in the chase for the $30,000 first prize.

Ben Crenshaw and Tom Weiskopf were two shots off the pace at 205. Crenshaw, the year's No. 3 money-winner, carded 67 and Weiskopf 68. Mike Hill, the second-round leader at 134, faded to a 73 and fell four strokes behind. He shared fifth place with Danny Edwards and Kermit Zarley.

Penn State football fans remove a stuffed real pig from a charcoal grille outside Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa. as main course for a tailgate party prior to Penn State-Ohio State game Saturday- (APwirephoto) SCORING Kruis 5 run ILIbassI kick) Butler 13 pass from Rozantz Libassi kick) Attendance 26,000. Lauda comes back to bid as racing champ Austria. "My chances for the championship are still good, even though I only lead James Hunt by five points." Lauda picked up three points with a fourth-place finish in the Italian Grand Prix, his first race since his fiery crash in the German Grand Prix. Points are awarded to the top six finishers in each event, with nine going to the winner.

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. AP) -Niki Lauda, after a remarkable recovery from near fatal injuries last month and a return to racing last week, is resting for what he views as the decisive race in his bid to repeat as world driving champion. "The Grand Prix of the United States Oct. 10 is it," said the rugged little Austrian in a telephone interview from Salzburg, "I felt good," said the 27-year-old Lauda of his return to racing. "I was only normally tired, as after every Grand Prix.

I felt good in the car, no physical or mental problems. "I was very pleased with the performance of both myself and the car." Tar Heels romp 12-0 Staunton native, turned pro returns home for a visit Northwestern played without its star quarterback, Randy Dean, who did not make the trip because of an illness. yard field goal by Biddle. Then, early in the third period, Biddle kicked another field goal, from 25 yards. The Tar Heels scored late in the third period when quarterback Bernie Menapace lunged over from the one.

The touchdown was set up when Bill Perdue recovered a Northwestern fumble by fullback Jim Whims on the Northwestern 28. North Carolina, winner over Florida and Miami of Ohio in earlier games missed two scoring opportunities in the first quarter. The Tar Heels drove from Northwestern's 48 to the Biddle kicked two field goals and North Carolina shoved over a third period touchdown as the Tar Heels defeated Northwestern 12-0 Saturday for their third straight victory of the college football season. A crowd of 41,000 saw North Carolina stifle Northwestern with pass interceptions and a stout running defense. The Wildcats' deepest penetration was to the Tar Heel 41 in the closing seconds of the game.

It was their second straight loss. North Carolina jumped in front in the first period on a 21-St. Pauls tops A. five, where Menapace fumbled and Marty Szostak recovered for the Wildcats. Later in the period, North Carolina's Bobby Cale intercepted a pass and returned six yards to the Northwestern 35.

But North Carolina stalled on the 14, where the visitors took over. Halfback Bobby Cale was outstanding on defense for the 17th-ranked Tar Heels, injecting a bit of excitement into a game that needed some. Cale intercepted two passes and recovered one fumble. In the closing minutes of the game, Cale intercepted a pass by Steve Breitbeil on North-western's 25. The Tar Heels were frustrated again when they tried to convert the break.

Jeff Arnold's 41-yard field goal attempt was far short. North Carolina tailback Mike Voight was the busiest man on the field, carrying the ball 29 times for 79 yards. But Voight, like the rest of the Tar Heels, spent the better part of the afternoon frustrated, never able to break a run further than 10 yards. J. Bridgewater 7-6 tT wrestling championship at St.

Joseph, Mo. just a little over two months ago on July 3, he said. The title has to be defended every 30 days according to Tank, who will join Super Intern in St.Louis, Mo. on Sept.24, in his first defense of the crown. Tank arrived in Staunton after a month on the wrestling tour in Japan.

He has also competed in Guatemala, Canada and 26 states of the U.S. The closest to Staunton he has appeared is Georgia, although he says he would like to wrestle sometime nearer his home town. After one year at SMA, Tank played football at Appalachian State College in Boone, N.C. A neck injury in 1965 ended his college football career and he joined the Navy. When he was discharged, he coached for three years at Catholic High School in Charlotte, N.C.

where he got interested in professional wrestling. When asked the inevitable question "Are pro wrestling matches fixed?" Tank replied "I've never been in a fixed The former Doug McMichen says he plans to stay around the city for another week. He won't be hard to recognize on Staunton streets. World tag-team wrestling champion Tank Patton is better known to his Staunton friends as Doug McMichen, a former Robert E. Lee High School all-state football guard who is visiting Staunton and his parents at 274 Fillmore St.

Doug played for the Fighting Leemen on their undefeated teams of 1962, '63 and '64 and played one year for SMA where he was named all-Virginia Military League guard. He weighed "only" 250 pounds then, but now tips the scales at 300 which he says is not too big in professional wrestling. "All pro wrestlers run about 250 pounds or better, and Andre the Giant weighs 462 pounds," he said. Tank, who is 6-foot-4, has good reason to remember 7-foot-5 Andre: "He's the guy responsible for the 10 stitches In my chin." Along the pro wrestling circuit, Tank also picked up 14 stitches around his eye, two separated shoulders, three knocked-out teeth and water on both knees. Otherwise he's done pretty well as a member of the National Wrestling Alliance, wrestling's equivalent of the National Football League, Tank explained.

He and his partner, Super Intern, won the world tag-team rv of- BRIDGEWATER (AP) -Sam Cosby's two-yard pass to James Woodson on fourth down in the second period gave St. Paul's Tigers a 7-6 football victory Saturday over Bridgewa-ter's Eagles. Cosby hit Woodson on the eighth play after the Tigers had picked up a first down at the Eagles' 11 and another at the one. Bridgewater threw the Tigers back a yard on the first three tries from the one before the St. Paul's combination connected.

Donald Johnson kicked the decisive extra point. The Eagles came back in the final period on a 71-yard pass from Jeff Wholey to Tony Al-sop, but a kick that would have tied the score failed. St. Paul's is now 1-1. It was Bridgewater's opening game.

00 012 Northwestern 0 0 0 North Carolina 3 0 9 UNC-FG B'Odle 21 UNC FG Brddle 25 UNC Menapace 1 run (pass failed N. Carolina 7 35 WORLD TAG-TEAM wrestling champion Tank Patton used to play guard for the Fighting Leemen when he only weighed 250 pounds. Staunton friends knew him as Doug McMichen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Keith McMichen of 274 Filmore where he is visiting this week.

22 75 215 Northwestern First downs Rushes yards Passing yards Return yards Passes Punts Fumbles lost Penalties yards 70 94 7 4 9 21 4 118 0 1 35 5 34 2 2 4 2 5t 3 45 KEITH FIMIAN (41) of William and Mary gain yardage on this play against Univ. of Virginia defense in Charlottesville Sept. IS. William and Mary won 14-0. (APwirephoto) 1.