The Press Democrat from Santa Rosa, California • 35

Tuesday, January 2, 1982 PRESS 3D PINER CAGERS FACE A BIG WEEK The pressure is on Barich ROD Walt Christensen gun It you thought the San Francisco Prep ratings, scoring 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals got a lot of attention before Sunday's Super Bowl clash, you should see the EMPIRE CAGE RATINGS (Through Jan. 23) CUM AA-A RATINO crowd petaluma's Jon Wheeler, Pi-ner's Joe Barich, and Cloverdale's Craig McMillan attract whenever they get their hands on a basketball. Devlin Jackaon. Caw Grand 16 2S5 15 9 Greg Price, Andereon Vallay 17 256 161 MOUTH IAY UAOUf I OP 1W Ave. 13 3 Jon Wheeler.

Petalume 17 442 2 0 14 Derren Bennett, Montgomery 15 246 163 13 2 Robert Hoop. Rancho 1S 237 143 11 Jar) Myw. Ukiah 15 220 14 7 7 Mo Thompeon, Rancho Cotate 17 240 14.1 11 Mike Ston. Santa Row 11 140 12 7 11 5 Pal Veughen, Cardinal Newman 16 196 124 5 10 David Pringle, Uklah 14 172 12 3 6 7 Randy Hanaan, Uklah 15 183 12 2 16 2 Dave Mllaa, Palaluma 15 150 10 6 Joa Hutt, Santa Roaa 13 137 10 5 Jaff Schueller, Uklah 14 142 10.1 I V' But, despite all the elaborate defenses designed to stop them from scoring, the trio continues to lead the Redwood Empire's high school scoring lists. 1.

Cm Qrend I. Petalume 3 'Clovefdele 4. Analy Heaideixirg Cerdlnal Newman 7. Piner 8. Montgomery 8.

Santa Rom 10. Anderon Valley Cardinal Newman coach Tom Bonfigli employed various zone cov erages in an attempt to contain SECOND TEN SONOMA COUNTY LEAOUK OP 16 wneeier in Friday's North Bay League opener, but after holding him scoreless for the first five minutes of the game, the 6-6 senior still wound up with 22 points. 17 16 14 13 Joa Barich, Piner Ron Carpenter, Analy Laatar Wllliama. Casa Grande. Nile Madden, El Molino Robert Haun, HeekJeburg Dave Svranaon, Analy Devlin Jackson, Casa Grande 11.

Uklah 12. Claar Laka 13. KaMyvllla 14. Callatoga 15. Rancho Cotata 16.

Sonoma 15. El Molino 16. 'St. Halana 19. Foit Bragg 20.

Uppar Laka kidlcatai Claaa A School. Ave. 23.3 192 185 179 172 162 159 106 104 102 10.0 373 327 296 251 224 27S 256 161 146 163 150 17 16 He leads the Empire with 442 points in 17 games for a 26.0 Rob Craighead, Healdsburg 14 Jm Ferrera, Cass Grande 14 Pel Stewart, Sonoma 16 Dan Shultz, Sonoma 15 Barich, too, gets most of the de CLAM A RATI NOt fensive attention whenever the NORTH CENTRAL LEAGUE I OP Craig McMillan, Cloverdale 15 Prospectors play, and El Molino, although it lost its Sonoma County League opener to Piner, held Barich Scon Tabor. Clear Lake 9 6 11 4 10 3 9 6 3 14 3 13 9 5 6 6 9 13 2 16 2 11 4 10 3 9 6 5 8 9 5 9 5 7 6 7 6 4 10 4 11 4 7 5 7 7 9 2 11 0 6 7 9 4 9 1 9 0 3 15 to 18 voints and that's a good 1. Cloverdale 2.

Anderson. Val 3. Claar 4. Kelseyvlllo 5. Calistoga 6 St.

Halana 7. Fort 6. Uopar Laka. 9. Willits 10.

TP 334 242 157 171 164 160 142 141 155 Ave. 223 16.1 143 132 13.1 123 109 108 10.3 Brian DsSilva, Fort Bragg Eric Hawkins, Willits Paul McGulre. Oaer Laka Kris Svendsen, Willits Bill Ballantlne. St. Helena Anthony Ghiossi, Ft.

Bragg Rich Rowland, Cloverdale 11 13 14 13 13 13 15 ntgnt's work. Barich, who ranks second in scoring with 373 points in 16 games for a 23.3 average, will have to be at his best this week, because This is OTHERS 1 4 kfw NORTH CENTRAL LEAGUE II Duck bag was down THE DUCK SEASON which closed Jan. 17 was the poorest in several years despite fairly good shooting during the last week of the hunt. This, at least, is the story on the public areas. While the average of 1.5 birds per hunter including geese and coots was above the 1.4 posted in the 1977-78 season, there were actually fewer ducks bagged this winter.

In the 77-78 hunt a total of 105,540 ducks were taken, this winter only 105,412. The only difference in the two seasons is that only 76,092 hunters bought permits during the 1981-82 shoot while 85,680 used the areas during the 1977-78 season. The reduced number of hunters this winter brought the avrage per hunter up even though less birds were killed. Incidentally, the 1.4 birds per hunter average posted in 1977-78 was the poorest since 1950-51, so you can understand why we often mentioned the poor shooting this winter. What makes it bad, as far as the areas are concerned, is that 13,564 less hunters bought permits at $5 each this winter.

This means the Department of Fish and Game will have nearly $70,000 less for improving the habitat than in the previous year. The total of 76,092 hunters using the areas was the smallest in at least 10 years and possibly more. In the 1976-77 season 115,117 bought permits. The fact that less money was taken in by the DFG while costs are going up can only mean less improvements can be made on the areas unless more funds can be gotten elsewhere. One source that should be considered is the state duck stamp money.

We haven.t seen the figures for this year but would guess it to be about $600,000. In the past these funds have been spent almost entirely for improving nesting grounds in the northern part of the state and in Canada. As we have mentioned several times before, we think it is now time to spend every dime of this money raising more feed or otherwise improving the refuges for wintering waterfowl. IT MAKES NO SENSE TO raise waterfowl if they don't have anything to eat when they get here. This winter conditions are above average because some rice went unharvested and there was far less burning and plowing of stubble due to wet weather.

But, this hasn't been an average winter. Because of the conditions prevailing this year, we would expect duck hunting to improve next fall and winter. Our records indicate there is always better shooting following a wet season. We can't help but think this is due to sending the ducks back to the nesting grounds in better condition. They lay more eggs and hatch more ducklings than when they go north skinny.

We've said that before too, and will again, until somebody proves we are wrong. Meanwhile, the best shooting this winter was on Joice Island, which was only open two days for a 3.34 birds per hunter average. Colusa was next at 2.41. Then Delevan, 1.91; Kern, 1.90; Wister, 1.76; San Luis, 1.72 and Volta 1.61. The rest were down to about one bird.

Statewide the average was 1.52. Next fall? The hunting should be good if somehow the DFG can find a way to open the season before the sprig are all in SoCal or Mexico. the Week that Was for the Prospec Wm 11. St. Vincent'a 12.

Lower Laka 13. Rlnoon Valley Christian 14. QeyservHIe 15. Middkttown 16. Mendocino 17.

Tomato 18. Round Valley 19. Poller Valley 20. Point Arena 21. Leg gett Valley WmMM OP 15 14 10 14 12 13 14 12 6 11 13 6 Ave.

195 184 13.3 13.2 127 118 11.6 112 107 105 104 10.0 Bill Northen, Calistoga Tim Lounlbos, St. Vincent's Dave McQueen, Kelseyville Tim Casey, Upper Lake. Adam Beak. Mendocino Jim Bengeon, Kelseyville Tim Glllerin, St. Vincent's Don Rubke.

Mendocino Joa Vendue, Tomalea Mike Merrtman, Kaiieyville Mane Borghesanl. Kelseyville Ron Giacominl. Tomalea NORTHWE8TERN LEAGUE OP -Jeff Lee Joe Barich of Pfner High School is the No. 2 scorer in the Redwood Empire despite the elaborate defenses designed to stop him. TP Ave.

216 180 203 16.9 261 16.3 292 182 238 15.9 175 159 256 154 Lee Alexander. Laytonville Joe Lopez, Geyserville Russ Brown, Round Valley Jerry Tolman, Anderson Jeckson Britton, Round Matt Gerjets. RV Christian Greg Price, Anderson Valley Todd Foster. Legget 12 12 16 18 16 11 18 3 PREP CAGE SCORING (Over 15 ppg) EMPIRE LEADERS OP TP Aim. Jon Wheeler.

Petaluma 17 442 26 0 Joe Barich, Piner 16 373 23.3 Craig McMillan. Cloverdale 15 334 22.3 Bill Northen, Calistoga 16 292 195 Ron Carpenter, 17 327 19.2 Lester Williams, Casa Grande. 16 296 18 5 Lee Alexander. Laytonville 12 216 18 0 Nils Madden, El Molino 14 251 17 9 Robert Haun. Healdsburg 13 224 17 2 Joa Lopez, Geyserville 12 203 16.9 Tim Lounlbos, St Vincent's 14 230 16 4 Darren Bennett, Montgomery 15 245 16 3 Russ Brown, Round Valley 16 261 16.3 Jerry Tolman, Anderson Valley 18 292 16.2 Dave Swanson, Analy 17 275 16 2 Scott Tabor, Claar Lake 15 242 16 1 Jackson Britton, Round Valley 15 238 159 Matt Gerlets, RV Christian 11 175 15 9 45 171 150 14 2 12 Paul Blackburn, Geyserville.

tors. Piner (11-5) faces two of the SCL's leading contenders this week, hosting No. 1 ranked Casa Grande (13-3) Wednesday, and No. 4 ranked Analy (11-6) Friday. While the Prospectors and Gau-chos meet Wednesday, Analy, which has put together a seven-game winning streak, hosts El Molino, and Healdsburg entertains Sonoma.

On Friday, the Greyhounds calls on Casa Grande, and Sonoma hosts El Molino. There'll be no NBL action Wednesday, but on Friday, it's Montgomery's turn to try to shackle Wheeler and the Vikings may just have the best "matchups" to do it. Petaluma has had its problems with zone defenses because of their inability to shoot well from outside, the Montgomery's strength lies in its ability to keep its big men 6-4 Rick Losey, 6-3 Darren Bennett, and 6-3 Paul Jungkeit tightly packed in its zone. Both teams will take 1-0 records into Friday's 8:15 p.m. game at Montgomery, and in Friday's other NBL action, Santa Rosa and Ran-cho Cotate, which both lost their Dino Lopez, Geyserville 12 Blake Baker, RV Christian.

8 153 128 96 120 210 117 112 112 11 1 Zach Anderson, Anderson Mark Marlcal, RV Christian Bill Hecomovich, Middkttown Steve Moyles, Point Arena Linni-Ouaa Lee, Middkttown Aaron O'Brien, Anderson Valley Doug Peterson, Laytonville 18 10 15 9 15 18 12 167 112 164 10 10 163 102 123 10.2 openers, collide at The Ranch, and Cardinal Newman (0-1) calls on UWah (1-0). CLOVERDALE'S Craig McMillan scored 21 points Friday as the Eagles won their big North Central League I test, 44-30, over Clear Lake, and that left Cardinal coach Ken Hook bemoaning the fact that the league teams "have to put up with him for two more years." McMillan, only a sophomore, has scored 334 points in 15 games for a 22.3 average despite the fact he's probably got far less playing time than either Barich or Wheeler be- cause the Eagles have been "winning big." Making the biggest move up the scoring ladder has been Analy's junior guard, Ron Carpenter, who scored 29 against Ukiah, 24 against Cardinal Newman, 25 against The Ranch, and 26 against Healdsburg in his last four outings to raise his average to 19.2 (17x327). That puts him No. 5 in the Empire behind Wheeler, Barich, McMillan, and Calistoga's big center, Bill Northen, who is averaging 19.5. Casa Grande and Cloverdale continue to lead the Empire's large and small school ratings.

Sports briefs Reggie's enjoying the attention Baseball shorts PLAYERS OF THE WEEK Sophomore forward Kenny Fields, UCLA's leading scorer in three straight Pacific-10 basketball victories, was named the conference Player of the Week Monday. Fields hit for 18 points against both Arizona State and Stanford, then totaled a career-high 27 in the Bruins' victory over California. He had 22 rebounds during the week to go with his 63 points. NEW YORK Forward Greg Ballard, who averaged 25.3 points and 9.3 rebounds in leading the Washington Bullets to three victories last week, has been named the National Basketball Association Player of the Week for the period ending Jan 24. Ballard's most productive scoring game of the week was in a 106-95 victory over Seattle, as he collected 29 points.

In winning the honor, Ballard beat out David Greenwood of Chicago, Ray Williams of New Jersey, Jack Sikma of Seattle, and Alex English of Denver. NEW YORK For the sixth time this season, Wayne Gretzky has been named the National Hockey League player of the week, the league announced Monday. The Edmonton Oilers center scored four goals and had six assists in three games all Edmonton victories and notched game-winning goals in two of the triumphs. Gretzky, who turned 21 Tuesday, leads the NHL with 61 goals and 136 points after 51 games, giving him a 52-point lead in the scoring race. He also is tops in the NHL in game-winning goals with eight.

Associated Press NBA REFEREE 'INNOCENT' NEW YORK Referee Earl Strom has been found innocent of reportedly telling Detroit's John Long that he would call a "make-up" foul to compensate for allegedly missing a foul against the Pistons' guard, the National Basketball Association said Monday. Reports following the game between the Pistons and the Philadelphia 76ers at the Pontiac Siiverdome Jan. 5 also said that a subsequent foul committed against Detroit's Isiah Thomas was not really a foul and constituted the "make-up" foul. Joe Axelson, the NBA's vice president, operations, said there was no evidence to substantiate the existence that Strom had made such a statement and that Thomas had gone to the free throw line twice during the game both times after being clearly fouled. Therefore, Axelson said he would take no action on the matter.

The inquiry was conducted by Jack Joyce, the league's director of security, and included interviews with the principals as well as newsmen who reported on the alleged incident, and a detailed study of the game film. SUPERSONICS WIN NEW YORK Gns Williams is the tonic that makes the Seattle SuperSonics go, even when the flu bug has him down. Williams, who will start at guard for the West in Sunday's National Basketball Association All-Star game, temporarily shook off the effects of illness to score 25 points as Seattle beat the New York Knicks 113-99 in the league's only game Monday night. Afterward, he said he felt so bad that he wouldn't have played if the game had been anywhere except New York, which is adjacent to his hometown of Mount Vernon. IRISH CAGERS STALL, WIN Notre Dame has put together consecutive victories for the first time this season, and Coach Digger Phelps has never seen anything like it.

"I have never seen a group like this with just pure heart," Phelps said Monday night after the Irish eked out a 50-48 overtime victory over llth-ranked Idaho. Notre Dame went into a stall that held the Vandals to 10 points in the second half, and the two teams were tied 46-46 at the end of regulation. The Irish held the ball for the first three minutes of the five-minute overtime period and took their first lead, 48-46, on a pair of free throws by freshman guard Ron Rowan, who led Notre Dame with 17 points. Phelps said he told his players to keep cool after Idaho hit 14 of its first 15 shots to take an 18-point lead in the first half. "I told them they couldn't keep it going," Phelps said.

"I think Idaho got too hot too quick." The loss was the second straight for the Vandals, who won their first 16 games of the season. In other games involving ranked teams. No. 7 Kentucky defeated Louisiana State 76-65, and Georgetown clobbered 20th-ranked Villanova 72-56. MISSOURI TIGERS ARE NO.

1 Missouri Coach Norm Stewart had a pep talk ready for his players if they didn't emerge as the top-ranked college basketball team Monday. Stewart, however, didn't have to use it The Tigers, unbeaten in 16 games, eased past North Carolina and into the No.l position in the Associated Press poll to become the first Big Eight squad to occupy the top spot in 23 years. "If we get No.l, I'll congratulate them and be happy to see their hard work rewarded," Stewart said a few hours before the poll was released Monday. "If we don't get it, I'll have to explain to them how they got cheated." SANTA ANA Sophomore forward Bernard Thompson, who led Fresno State to a pair of victories last week, has been selected as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association's basketball player-of-the-week, it was announced Monday. Thompson, from Phoenix, scored 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in victories by the 19th-ranked Bulldogs over UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Fuller-ton.

With starting forward Rod Higgins not playing against FuUerton. Thompson filled the gap by scoring 15 points and grabbing a team-high seven rebounds. A LUCKY BETTOR HIALEAH, Fla. A lucky bettor put down $2 at Hialeah Monday and won $382,344.80 the largest $2 payoff in American racing history, track officials said. By the end of the track's working day Monday, the unknown bettor hadn't turned in the ticket to collect the money, officials said.

The ticket was sold as a Pic Six, in which the bettor attempts to pick the winners of the third through eighth races. The previous record for a $2 payoff was $375,897.80 on the Pic Six at Hollywood Park on June 15, 1980. SAN DIEGO Shortstop Ozzie Smith still is considering offers to play for the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres and will announce his decision Tuesday, his agent said Monday. Ed Gottlieb denied telling the Cardinals last Friday that Smith would pass the Monday midnight deadline to file for arbitration, a move that might forfeit his no-trade security.

NEW YORK The Major League Baseball Players Association says a record total of 95 players applied for salary arbitration Monday, the last day allowed for filing under the basic agreement between the associaUon and the club owners. The last-day surge brought to 108 the total number who filed for arbitration, according to Peter Rose, associate counsel for the Players Association. Rose said, "As of last Friday, we had 13 cases on file. We asked the players not to wait until the last day to file, but they did. We don't know why.

For sure, it's the most ever filed in one day, although the total in the house, 108, is about the same as last year." NEW YORK A lawyer representing veteran New York Yankees left-hander Tommy John says the pitcher has filed a grievance against the American League team that could result in his becoming a free agent. Bob Cohen said Monday the grievance, filed last Wednesday, involves the contract offer John received from the Yankees last month. He said the salary proposed by the American League champions constituted a cut from last season's pay that exceeded the maximum 20 percent permitted under the basic agreement between the club owners and the Major League Players Association. CINCINNATI Cesar Cedeno has no regrets about signing a shorter contract with the Cincinnati Reds than he had with the Houston Astros. "I signed a new contract for four years with the Reds.

I had one that could have lasted six years with the Astros, but Tom Reich (his agent) and I are happy with that," Cedeno said Monday. Terms of the pact were not announced. Cedeno said that he's healthy again and is glad he'll have the chance to play center field. Associated Press N.Y. Times Service MIAMI By the side of the running track at Crandon Park on Key Biscayne Sunday, a bronzed young man in red bathing trunks sidled up to Reggie Jackson and asked him where he was going to play next year.

"Where you been the last few days?" Jackson asked. "In a cave?" The young man was the only person Jackson has encountered here who did not know that he had reached an agreement to play for the California Angels for the next four years. Since announcing his decision Friday night, after arriving here to work as a commentator on the ABC telecast of "The Superstars," Jackson has been besieged by well-wishers. He has been forced to unhook the telephone in his hotel room and he has declined formal interviews until after his news conference announcing the signing in Anaheim today. "I want to be fair to the L.A.

writers," Jackson said. Still, Jackson has enjoyed the attention generated by his latest career move. Saturday night at the Sonesta Beach Hotel, he bumped into a visitor from the north and immediately asked how his agreement had been treated in the New York newspapers. He was thrilled to hear that it had been page one news and asked if any New York reporters were going to California for his official signing. Most of all, Jackson wanted to know how his former Yankee teammates had reacted to his decision.

He had already received congratulatory messages from Rick Cerone and Rudy May, but he wanted to know what the rest were saying. Did they acknowledge that the Yankees would miss his considerable offensive skill? Did anyone say anything bad about him? The reaction of the Yankee players was mixed, Jackson was told. They had praised his talent, wished him well and observed that they would be grateful for the peace and quiet likely to prevail without him. He listened closely and nodded. Jackson has never denied that he created tension in New York from the day in 1977 when he told a magazine reporter that "I'm the straw that stirs the drink" to the day last fall when he said that George Stein-brenner's public apology for the Yankees' World Series loss was unnecessary and inappropriate.

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