Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 31

Cuniay. lournal-Chr I- NOVTMPrR8.1P'N9 EE3 Quota of ths cnto Colorado Coach McCartney: "It wouldn't have been fitting if it hadn't of, gone down to the" last play nothing's been easy around here." 4 1 ball, was the last of a drive that stark on the Nebraska 12 after Tyrone HuVs; let a punt bounce and roll some 20 yards. The bounces also took precious time ott the dock. "The punt that bounced downfield for 70 yards if we could have gotten somewhere around midfield we might have had a better shot at the end," Os- i bornesaid. As it was, that was the third punting mistake that stung the Comhuskers.

The first two problems were caused by returns by Colorado senior Campbell Campbell, who had two major runs in 1988 in Colorado's only other win against Nebraska since 19S7, helped put -the Buffs ahead in the first quarter with a 47-yard punt return to the Nebraska 4-yardline. i Three runs by quarterback Darian Hagan, the last a 1-yard option dash into the end zone, gave CU a 14-7 lead with 5:04 left in the first quarter, i One-play drive matched -v Three minutes earlier, Colorado had matched Nebraska's opening one-play scoring drive. The Comhuskers ripped open the Colorado defense for a 51-yard screen pass from Gdowski to fullback Bryan Carpenter to take, a 7-0 lead with the game less than two minutes old. Colorado answered with a 70-yard option from Hagan to 3 J. Flannigan that brought the sellout crowd of 52,877 people to their feet.

1 I Campbell repeated his return magic in the third quarter when he raced 55. yards to the Nebraska 19. Six plays later, Flannigan scored on a 2-yard run to give Colorado a 24-14 lead with eight minutes I left in the period Scoring, team cici3 Nebraska 7 7 7 0-21 Colorado 14 3 7 327 NU Carpenter 51 pan from Gdowski (Barrio kick) CU Flannlgan 70 run (Culbertson kick) CU Hagan 1 run (Culbertson kick) NU Gregory 12 pas from Gdowski (Barrios kick) i CU FG Culbertson 49 CU Flannlgan 2 run (Culbertson kick) NU Garrett 26 pass from Gdowski (Barrios kick) CUFG Culbertson 28 NU CU First downs 19 13 Rushes-yards 43-166 47-206 Passing yards 211 22 Total yards 397 227 Return yards 23 108 Passing 11-27-0 2-10-1 Punts Fumbles-lost 1-0 2-0 Penalties-yards 6-47 4-20 Tims of possession 31:12 28:48 Third-down conversions 8-17 7-15 Fourth-down conversions 2-3 0-0 i Ken Hambleton BOULDER, Colo. In the eyes of some beholders, Colorado won a beauty. The second-ranked Buffaloes withstood a ferocious third-ranked Nebraska and the goal posts came tumbling down at Folsom Field after Colorado's 27 21 victory Saturday.

Colorado all but certainly won a Big Eight title, a berth tn the Orange Bowl and a shot at the national championship. The uus didn't completely win the game, though, in the eyes of the Nebraska beholders. The fact that two Colorado scores followed drives of 4 and 18 yards and that another came on a 70-yard run left the Comhuskers wondering what might have been. "We lost this more than they won it," Nebraska defensive tackle Kent Wells said. "We had them.

But for three plays this game was ours, an ours." Three big breaks The plays, or the breaks, as Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne called them, were entirely on the side of the home team. Osborne said there were three big breaks, two on punt returns by Colorado's Jeff Campbell and one on a pass interference call against Nebraska. "We didnt have a break go our way," Osborne said. "There were big problems with the kicking game. I thought offensively and defensively we played well enough to win.

We should win. "They are awfully good in the kicking game. They stayed with their blocks and Campbell is a good returner. Maybe we should have kicked away from him, beause once he got to the wall they had itgoing." v. Even a last-second 42-yard pass from Nebraska quarterback Gerry Gdowski to Jon Bostick was a possibility that wasn't a reality for the 8-1 Comhuskers.

With six seconds left, Gdowski dropped back to pass for the ninth time in the final 1:40. He heaved a pass to sophomore Bostick in the end zone. "I had the ball in my hands for a second," Bostick said. "Maybe a second. But it was gone and on the ground just as quickly." 1 On tha Inslda Related stories.

Paget so, 60,70., i 1 Flannigan scored after another one or the breaks Osborne referred to. Colorado halfback Eric Blenlemy tried a pass to wingback Mike Fritchard in the corner of the end zone. Nebraska freshman Legette picked off the pass but was called for pass interference. "I thought we had the ball and the in- SeeHUSKERSonpageGO Colorado, defensive back Dave McCloughan, son for former Cornhusker standout Kent McCloughan, had tipped the ball away and kept Colorado's dreams alive. Crossed line of scrimmage The play, which would have been nullified because Gdowski crossed the line of scrimmage before throwing the foot TED KIRK SUNDAY JOURNAL-STAR Nebraska's Tyrone Lestta (3) intercepts a pas3 in the end zone intended for CU wingback Mike Fritchard (9).

But Legette was called for Interference, and the Buffaloes scored two plays later to take a 24-14 lead in the third quarter. McCcsr game fittingly fina By Curt McKeever W0wto Healthv auarterback does won-' been fltUn8 tf tt of of the game and just basically passing out fieaV McQoughan, who said he and Bostick had i gone down to the last play because nothine's been attacks to everyone who was watching on TY.S gone down to the last play because nothing's been ders for Oklahoma in 52-14 vic their hands on the ball before it fell to the ground, tory over Missouri. Page id. BOULDER, Colo. Colorado's defense was knocked off stride one play after stepping onto Folsom Field against Nebraska Saturday.

r- But the Buffs, who gave.up a 51-yard touchdown on that play, never lost sight of the finish easy arouno. nere," ne sata a "(Actually), we were never sure of the game after the clock ran but because as that ball was coming down and the clock had expired, I was scared to death he was going to catch that ball Right at the end, we batted it away, but it sure looked to me like he had a chance to catch it" crossed the line of scrimmage throwing the football Goal posts come down Moments after the ball fell to the ground, the explained the final play: "He (Gdowski) just rolled out right, and Bostick just went up the sidelines. I thought he was "going to throw it right, but then he stepped up, and it looked like he eluded a couple of guys, stepped up between them and then started heading for the sideline. "Then he stopped and threw it across the field. It was long throw, and I just made sure I got set and got my two steps and got up in the air.

As soon as it started to touch his hands I made sure I didn't interfere with him." Could hardly watch Wide receiver Jeff Campbell felt the late-garde suspense So much that that he could hardly briijg himself td watch Nebraska's final drive. "I had my eyes closed and was praying" like crazy," he said, "and our defense did a great jdj with it I kind of opened my eyes when they were knocking the ball down in the end zone, and I'saw everybody jump off the sidelines and we knelw It wasover. "We played a 60-minute game. It was a day's work. It was a day's work." "I ran off the field after that last second, their! had to come back," tailback J.

Flannlgan' said. "I had to go back and look at the scoreboard one more then I was truly satisfied." goal post gave way to the fans who swarmed the Game had everything field. The game, linebacker Michael Jones said, had At the end, CU's defenders needed all the kick they had. "It was close," said Colorado cornerback Dave McCloughan, who with no time left knocked down Gerry Gdowski's pass to Jon Bostick in the end zone and preserved his team's 27-21 Did what he had to did what I had to do and made the play I should've made. This is what a good game should Colorado Coach BUI McCartney didnt mince words.

"Obviously, this Is the greatest win that I've ever been a part of, easily." McCartney said. everything from a brief moment of horror to a classic storybook finish. "Steven Spielberg couldnt write a better script than this," said Jones, who celebrated by lighting Even if Bostick had made the catch, the play "The significance of this win, in my estimation, a cigar. "(It kept) everybody on the edge of their would have been nullified because Gdowski no proportions. seat making sure everybody stayed until the end Active Onuoha keep household hopping By Ryly Jane Hambleton sacrifices made by Obasi and Ber-; nice Onuoha arent a lot different from those made by parents of other high school students who participate in ath-: tleUcs and other i track clinics," Obasi Onuoha said "It takes a lot of work to make it possible, but you find a way.

John Onuoha and his Southeast teammates will meet Grand Island for the second time this year Monday night at Seacrest Field in a Class A semifinal game of the Nebraska high school foot-: ban playoffs. The Knights beat the Islanders 27-15 in the regular-season game at Grand Island The cheering section for the unde But the sacrifices are considerable, nice were in their usual seats right behind the student section. "We are a very close family, and if one person is in something, everyone is a Everyone in the Onuoha fanuly constitutes a large group. Four of the eight children live in Lincoln John and Nikki, sister Pam Church and her three Sons, and brother and his two, sons. Alice and Pateath live in Bemice is in Kentucky, and Angela is in college at Amherst University in Massachusetts.

fi'v "The five grandsons think John is a superstar," Bernlce said "Most of them have a Southeast jacket or shirt or something. Every one of them wants to be like Uncle Joiin. He has a fan club of bis Along the "way, the fan club and the superstar have learned lessons from athletics, -v. -ii "John has always been very competitive he wants to be on the winning team," Bernice said But he wasn't always that fortunate, "I remember when he was in elemen-' tary school and junior high, most of the teams he was on didnt do. very weU," Obasi said "We were concerned because he was always frustrated when they didnt win.

But it helps a child know that's the way life is sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. You have to be pre- pared for That preparation helped John deal See ONUOHAS on page 80 -i m'-tf1 --i. i i a -0 Hi 2 i jr P. 1fl) nonetheless. John and Nikki, twins and the young-1 est of eight children, keep the Onuoha household hopping.

John plays football for. Lincoln Southeast, then switches to I basketball runs on the track team and is active in music. Nikki is a cheerleader for the Knights, runs on the brack team Tiah3 is active in music "Last summer, John and Nikki went feated Knights has been strong, vocal and growing an year. John Onuoha's personal cheering section also is large and vocal Nikki is a Knight cheerleader and sang the national anthem before South-' east's 21-0 first-round victory over South Sioux City Wednesday. Obasi and Ber- champ, music camp, football camp, basketball camp and Results slightly down for '89 upland opener 1111 "MmMW 'I! tttstx check station because 1988 figures arent available, "teUs me the birds (pheasants) are down at least 10 percent in- this part of the state," Mitchen said "However, because we have so many pheas-' ant hunters involved in this survey of quail and because I heard so many good comments concerning quail, I still believe quail are as good as last year." Reasons for decline? The decline in hunting pressure in the Wahoo and Syracuse areas "may be because of our surveys, or It may have been a function of the football game (Nebraska vs.

Colorado) that we had today," Mitchen said "It seemed to an of us that hunters came out of the earlier than in most years." The latest survey, which was reportl just days before the upland game opener, Showed the statewide pheasant population was down 27 percent according to the October rural mail carrier count That compares with a drop of just 3 per By Gary Svoboda Nebraska's 1989 upland game season opened Saturday with results generally slightly down from last year. Comparison figures at two eastern Nebraska check stations showed that pheasant hunters harvested 18 percent fewer birds per hunter and that the quail harvest was down 9 percent At the Wahoo check station, 162 hunters harvested 128 pheasants and 84 quail Game and Parks Commission upland game specialist Jim Mitchen said That compares with figures of 226 hunters, 217 pheasants and 139 quail last year. Numbers down At Syracuse, 295 hunters harvested 162 pheasants and 446 quail In 1988, 438 hunters bagged 294 pheasants and 703 quail 1 In addition, Mitchen said 149 hunters harvested 138 pheasants and 69 quail at Crete. The 18 percent decline on pheasants per hunter and 9 percent decline on quail A8SOC4ATEO PRESS Sunday Silence holds off Easy Goer cent in the July survey. See UPLAND on paga So Sunday Silence (8), with jockey Chris KScCarron aboard, holds on to beat Easy Goer (1), ridden by Pat Day, in the $3 million Breeders' Cup Classic Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla.

Story on page 11D per hunter, which dont include the Crete 1.