Sioux City Journal from Sioux City, Iowa • 19

i iwoiom my journal, I rtursday, Apnl 16,1 938 ti 3 Rising son Marshall coach calls questions about Moss' character unfair 1 1 Dale Earnhardt Jr. stands with his ceremony at Hickory, N.C., Motor Earnhardt CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -Randy Moss' troubled past is as well documented as his dashes into the end zone. Yet his coach believes questions about the Marshall wide receiver's character are unfair. Moss is the enigma of the NFL draft, a very talented athlete with a dubious past.

Coaches and executives have said they don't know if spending a high draft pick on Moss is worth the risk. "Randy has not had a problem since he's been at Marshall," Thundering Herd Coach Bob Pruett said. "I don't think it's fair to keep chastising someone for as far back as high school. He's being chastised only because he's a gifted athlete. If he wasn't, people wouldn't care about this." Without the questions, Moss probably would be drafted in the top five.

Now, he probably won't go that high and some people think that if he doesn't go to New Orleans with the seventh pick Saturday, he could tumble all the way to 20 or lower. There's little question about his talent the one rap on him is if he will catch balls over the middle, a prerequisite for a top NFL receiver. But at 6-foot-5, he runs the 40-yard-dash in 4.3 seconds, and can leap over most defensive backs. In 1996, he had 29 touchdowns in leading Marshall to the 1996 Division I-AA title. Last season, the school's first in Division I-A, he caught 96 passes for a I-A record 25 touchdowns and 1,820 yards.

But his personal problems make him a gamble, just like Warren Sapp TRACK FIELD Spartanette Relays ONAWA, Iowa Sergeant Bluff-Luton received scoring in 16 of 19 events en route to winning the team championship of the Spartanette Relays with 97 Vi points here Tuesday night. The Warriorettes placed first in the 4x800, 4x400 and distance medley relays. Courtney Williams of Sergeant Bluff-Luton dashed to victory in the 400, clocking 1:03.15, and teammate Beth Johnston paced the 1 ,500 meter tield with a time of 5:36.51. River Valley's Nikki Brauninger picked up titles in the shot (32-8 'A) and discus (112-2). Aimee Dunlop of Woodbine was also a double-winner with gold medals in the 3,000 and 800 meters.

Woodbine placed second in the team standings with 70. TEAM RESULTS Tram scoring: Sergeant Bluff-Luton 97 W. Woodbine 70, Boyer Valley 65. River Valley 62, Missouri Valley 56 V. Battle Creek-Ida Grove 32 Vi, Woodbury Central 32, Wettwood 25, West Harrison 23 Vi.

Logan-Magnolia 19, Kingsley-Pierson 14, West Monona 6. Field Events Long jump: 1, Brittany Jacobsen, Battle Creek-Ida Grove, 15-3: 2, Kathy Wohlers, Missouri Valley, 14-10 3. Tara Sands, Woodbury Central. 14-8 Shot put: 1, Nikki Brauninger, River Valley, 2, Nicole Gore, Woodbine, 31-1114; 3, Angle Klaahsen, Woodbine, 31-8 'i. High jump: 1, Allison Riddle, River Valley, 5-2; 2, Chrisli Miller, Battle Creek-Ida Grove, 5-1; 3, Jessi Kucera, Sergeant Blufl-Luton, 5-1.

Discus: 1, Nikki Brauninger, River Valley, 112-2; 2, Amanda O'Connor, Westwood, 103-3; 3, Angie Klaahsen, Woodbine, 101-11. Individual Running 3,000: 1, Aimee Dunlop, Woodbine, 2, Karl Ruffcom. West Harrison, 11:58 85; 3, Jody Garrett, Boyer Valley. 12:05.45. 100: 1, Rachel Hansen, Logan-Magnolia, 13.37; 2, Rachel Lea.

Sergeant Bluff-Luton, 13 59; 3, Jenna Heistand, Boyer Valley, 13.74. 400: 1, Courtney Williams, Sergeant Bluff-Luton. 1:03.15: 2, Carrie Ralclitt, Sergeant Bluff-Luton. 1 03 54; 3, Tara Sands, Woodbury Central. 1 :04 16.

200: 1, Kayla Lundt, River Valley, 27.11; 2. Kalhy Wohlers, Missouri Valley, 27.20, 3, Courtney Williams, Sergeant Bluff-Luton. 27.33. 100 hurdles: 1, Rachelle Kuhknan, Boyer Valley. 16.04; 2, Kathy Wohlers, Missouri Valley.

16.10, 3, Brittany Jacobsen, Battle Creek-Ida Grove, 1618. 400 hurdles: 1, Earteen Meseck, Boyer Valley, 2, Jessica Hinkel, Woodbine, 3. Carmen Steckeberry, West Harrison, 1:16.62. 1,500: 1, Beth Johnston, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, 2. Kari Ruffcom, West Harrison, 3, ascent a popular one Martinsville 2nd home for Bodine MARTINSVILLE, Va.

(AP) -Geoff Bodine knows his way around Martinsville Speedway better than most drivers. The paper clip-shaped oval in the foothills of southwestern Virginia was where Bodine got his introduction to NASCAR, and it has been one of the most successful tracks for him. Over the years, Bodine has won on the track in modifieds, Busch Series and Winston Cup cars. But it didn't start out so well. "I was just a kid, and I built this car that I was racing up in the Northeast." Bodine said in recalling his first visit to the track where he'll try to win the Goody's 500 on Sunday.

"I heard a lot about Martinsville, and decided to come down even though I didn't even have a NASCAR rule book." That was a mistake. The inspectors, led by Bill Gazaway, who later became competition director for the Winston Cup series, didn't like Bodine's modified. "The first thing they found wrong was the carburetor was sticking through the hood," said Bodine, who is celebrating his 49ih birthday this weekend. "They kept looking at the car." What they saw was a drive line was all offset to the left, like a super modified. The fuel cell in the back was very low.

The oil tank was behind the left front tire, and there were several other rules infractions. "They looked at all of that and couldn't figure it out," Bodine recalled. "Bill Gazaway said, 'Son, we're not going to be able to let you run today. The car is about five years ahead of these other boys, and it just wouldn't be fair if we let you go out and Bodine said Martinsville track owner and race promoter Clay Earles pleaded with NASCAR to let him race. When they wouldn't change their minds, Earles gave Bodine $100 for his trouble and he made the long drive back to his home in New York state.

"It was quite an experience, but I took home a NASCAR rulebook and changed a few things," Bodine said. "The next time I came down, they let me run." And he has had plenty of success, becoming the only driver in the 50-year history of the track to win in all three classifications. "I just took a liking to Geoff right the start," said Earles, an octogenarian who remains chairman of the board and CEO at the track. "He came from a short-track background andjustfitinhere. "And I like the way he drives.

It seems like he has a feel for this track." Indeed, he does. "A lot of people have asked me if there is something about this place that suits my driving style, but I always say, I've had good equipment and good teams. I've had some good luck here and I've had some bad luck. "I should have won more races, but it isn't like it's a given that I come here and win, especially nowadays." Bodine's four Winston Cup victories at Martinsville were in cars belonging to Bud Moore, Rick Hen-drick and Junior Johnson. Since Bodine became an owner-driver late in the 1993 season, he has not come close to winning here.

"It's getting a lot tougher to win anywhere," said Bodine, who has 18 Winston Cup victories, but only one since 1994. "Martinsville is a real tough track. "The size, along with its flat shane. lone straiehtawavs and tieht and Lawrence Phillips, two highly touted players with personal problems who slid down in the draft. Sapp, taken by Tampa Bay with the 12th overall pick in 1995, has become a Pro Bowl player and has caused no off-field problems.

Phillips, taken sixth overall in 1996 by St. Louis, lasted 1 Vi years with the Rans and now is with Miami. Moss had a scholarship revoked by Notre Dame after being charged three years ago with beating up a high school classmate. He went to Florida State, where he redshirted his freshman season, but Coach Bobby Bowden kicked Moss off the team for violating probation by smoking marijuana. And during his first season at Marshall, Moss and the mother of his daughter were arrested on misdemeanor domestic charges.

The woman's family said she was not physically harmed and the charges were dropped after both agreed to attend counseling, said Moss' attorney, Tim DiPiero. Personnel director Bobby Grier of New England said this week he doesn't want Moss because of his past problems. Rams coach Dick Vermeil has said the same. And Tampa Bay Coach Tony Dungy said: "He's the kind of guy we wouldn't go near. We don't want personal baggage." But Moss has visited with the Saints, Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys.

And although the Bears, who pick fifth, say they're still interested, most people believe they're saying that in hopes another team Brenda Lege. Westwood, 5:51 07, 800: 1, Aimee Dunlop, Woodbine, 2, Sheryl Anfinson, Kingsley-Pierson, 3, Ericka Darbeaux, Boyer Valley, 2 42 96. Relays Distance medley: 1, Sergeant Bluff-Luton. 2, Woodbine, 3. Missouri Valley.

4:50 80. Shuttle hurdle: 1, Boyer Valley, 1:10 98; 2, Missouri Valley, 1:11.39:3, Battle Creek-Ida Grove. 1:13 64. 4x800: 1, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, 10 43 86; 2, Missouri Valley. 1 1 :01 .95: 3.

Boyer Valley, 1 1 37 27, 4x200: 1, River Valley, 1:56 24; 2, Woodbine, 3, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, 1:58 82. 4x100: 1. River Valley, 56 44; 2, Battle Creek-Ida Grove. 57.02; 3, Westwood, 57.05. Sprint medley: 1, Woodbury Central, 2.

Boyer Valley, 3, Woodbine. 2 05 60. 4x400: 1. Sergeant Blufl-Luton. 4:28 89; 2, Woodbury Central, 4:38 24; 3, Boyer Valley.

4:43.22. Alta Girls Invitational ALTA. Iowa Hinton sprinter Jill Zevenbergen swept the 100 and 200 meter dashes but Schaller-Crestland roared to the Class A team championship at the Alta Girts Invitational here Tuesday night. The Wildcats piled up 125 team points to outdistance second-place Ar-We-Va, which scored 1 09. Hinton was third with 99 points.

Zevenbergen zipped to a time of 13.28 seconds in the century and clocked 27.78 seconds in the 200. Allison Smith led the Schaller-Crestland contingent by garnering titles in the 800 and 1,500, timing 2:36.24 in the shorter race. The Wildcats also posted three relay wins. Sarah Mummert of Alta won both the shot put and discus. Granville Spalding coasted to the Class team title with 124 points.

Runner-up Aurelia scored 79. Class race results were not provided to The Journal. CLASS A RESULTS Team scoring: Schaller-Crestland 125, Ar-We-Va 109, Hinton 99, Odebott-Arthur 60, Newell-Fonda 53, Alta 43. Field Events Long jump: 1, Molly Movall, Schaller-Crestland. 14-9V; 2, Jenni Rydberg, Schaller-Crestland.

3, Rachel Pieper, Ar-We-Va. 13-4 ft Shot put 1, Sarah Mummert, Alta, 31-4; 2. Cindy Reis, Schaller-Crestland, 30-10; 3, Knsti Kruchten, Newell-Fonda, 29-11. High jump: 1, Bridget Bollmeyer. Hinton, 4-8; 2.

Anne Crane, Ar-We-Va, 4-6; 3. Julie Bloyer, Odebott-Arthur, 4-6. Discus: 1. Sarah Mummert, Alta, 79-4; 2, Janene Arbegst, OdeboD-Arthur, 79-3; 3, Sam Taggart, Hinton, 72-9. Individual Running 3,000: 1, Sarah Shebara, Schaller-Crestland, ofEngland will attempt to trade for their pick.

"A lot of NFL people say they're not interested in him, but I get calls daily," Pruett said. "Maybe the Patriots are not going to take him. He probably won't be around when they get their pick." Pruett allowed Moss to join the team as a walk-on before the 1996 season. "We set down the guidelines that he had to stay eligible and would be treated just like everyone else," Pruett said. "He's matured a great amount.

He came here as a young pup." Moss has not granted interviews in the weeks leading up to the draft, but as he left the Cowboy's training camp last week he told reporters that teams that pass on him "will regret it once they see what kind of a player I am and what kind of guy I really am." DiPiero said: "Everybody's beating up on him right now. It's ridiculous." But the meetings with teams have helped. "He feels like he accomplished a lot." DiPiero said. "That's all he's wanted, is for people to know him. It's the key to getting through the media image." Moss will watch the draft on television from home rather than attending in person, as top prospects often do.

"The team that gets him, they're going to be a whole lot better," Pruett said. "Some of the bad press he's getting now is from people who are jockeying for position hoping he' II slide down to them." 12 2. Lisa Healy, Ar-We-Va. 12 34,10. 3, Jessi Bellcock, Schaller-Crestland, 13:05 68.

100: 1, Jill Zevenbergen, Hinton. 13 28; 2. Knsti Kruchten, Newell-Fonda, 13.35; 3, Molly Movall, Schaller-Crestland, 13 69. 800: 1, Allison Smith, Schaller-Crestland. 2.

Cassity Lindgren, Odebott-Arthur, 2:38 90; 3, Seagren, Newell-Fonda. 2:42.58. 400 hurdles: 1, Milyle Harderson, Hinton. 2, Abby Schroeder. Odebott-Arthur.

1:18 21; 3, Lindsay Held. Hinton. 1:19.58 400: 1. Sara Kock, Ar-We-Va. 2.

Chris Nehring. Alta, 3. Kyndara Harderson. Hnton, 1:11 04. 100 hurdles: 1.

Cindy Reis. Schaller-Crestland. 16 29; 2. Rachel Hoffman, Ar-We-Va. 16.47; 3, Abby Schroeder.

Odebott-Arthur. 19.08. 200: 1, Jill Zevenbergen, Hinton, 27.78: 2, Amy Neiland. Newell-Fonda, 28 48; 3, Rachel Pieper, Ar-We-Va. 29 08.

1.500: 1, Allison Smith, Schaller-Crestland. 5 40 94; 2. Lisa Healy. Ar-We-Va. 3.

Sarah Shebara. Schaller-Crestland. 5:51 61. Relays Shuttle hurdle: 1, Ar-We-Va, 2, Hinton, 1:25 50, 3. Schaller-Crestland.

1:26.28. 4x800: 1. Hinton, 10:59 07; 2, Newell-Fonda, 1 1 3, Ar-We-Va. 1 1 :36.78. Distance medley: 1, Schaller-Crestland, 4 45 81; 2, Odebott-Arthur, 4 57 37; 3.

Hinton. 5:06 08. 4x200: 1, Schaller-Crestland. 2, Ar-We-Va. 3, Newell-Fonda, 2:04.93.

Sprint medley: 1, Ar-We-Va, 2, Newell-Fonda. 3, Schaller-Crestland, 2:10.04. 4x100: 1, Schaller-Crestland. 54.23; 2, Ar-We-Va, 54.71; 3, Newell-Fonda. 55.19.

4x400: 1, Hinton, 2, Ar-We-Va, 3, Schaller-Crestland, 4:55.32. Be sure to get the Home Field Advantage As with every sporting event The Journal covers, we promise you me Desl seal me house, no matter what it takes. CANVAS Repair Tarps Boat Covers Tents Awnings Curtains Dock Seals Mullin Awning 9th Steuben Sioux City 712-252-3807 Rae Pendergast Manager grandmother Martha during a Speedway. (AP photo) Jr. rapid weekend competitor on the low-profile Winston Racing Series to someone getting Elvis-like attention from fans hungry to create a new hero.

"I want all of them cheering me, and I want all of them to enjoy watching me race and to hope that I would win," he said. "But then again, I also miss the way things used to be. "I didn't even have, time to get used to it, to break into it." The attention has produced strong sales of his team's merchandise, including a $25 T-shirt that shows a picture of his car on top of the following message: "Dale Earnhardt Jr. Rising Son." Seven races into the year, the team's souvenir sales had already surpassed the total from all of 1997, when Steve Park was the driver. But with the success comes concern about how the changes will affect someone who until recently had no trouble finding time to search the Internet or go to dinner with his buddies in his hometown of Mooresville.

"He didn't have any transition period," his grandmother said. "It was like going from being a regular person one day to having a million people to satisfy the next." Part of that has to do with being the son of one of the most famous racers of his generation. Another part has to do with the younger Earnhardt's own performance on the track. After flipping his car in the season-opening race in Daytona Beach, Earnhardt answered any questions about how that might affect him by finishing a solid loth the following week in Rockingham, N.C. It was the last time he would finish outside the top 10.

A second at Las Vegas was followed by a third in Nashville, a 10th in Darlington, S.C., and another second, this time in Bristol, Tenn. His breakthrough came April 4, in Fort Worth, Texas, where he crept up close enough behind Joe Nemechek to make the leader momentarily lose his traction with one lap remaining. Earnhardt slipped by and went on to his first career victory. "That was about like watching Dale win the Daytona 500," said Martha Earnhardt, who was watching the Texas race on television from the living room of her home in Kannapolis. "I was up in the middle of the floor, walking back and forth, crying.

"I was a nervous wreck. I thought it was his father himself in that car driving. He's just amazing. It takes a special kid to do that." What made the victory all the more impressive was that after the race, NASCAR's scoring computers determined that the fastest lap recorded in the event was by Earnhardt on the final lap. That scenario is practically unheard of in NASCAR, given the general wear and tear on a car over the course of several hours, and especially considering that Earnhardt was on worn tires at the time.

The victory put Earnhardt in the points lead, and he added to his cushion at Hickory under some difficult circumstances. After being caught up in a multicar wreck early, he brought the fans to their feet by rallying from one lap down to finish on the lead lap, in eighth place. HICKORY, N.C. (AP) Mar tha Earnhardt made an error in judgment, and she'll be the first to admit it. It's natural for her to think she has a pretty good feel for what it takes to be a successful stock car racer.

After all, when NASCAR released a list of its 50 greatest drivers earlier this year, her late husband, Ralph, was on it. So was her son, Dale. So when Dale said he was pro moting her 23-year-old grandson, Dale from late models to a full-time ride on NASCAR's Busch Grand National circuit, Martha didn't hide her feelings. I didn think he was ready, she said defiantly. "I knew he had raced the smaller cars and all.

But when they said they were going to put him in a Busch car, I said, This kid hasn got enough experi ence. "But, boy, he's proved me wrong. He really something special." It unlikely she II get any arguments from anyone who follows the sport. Earnhardt began his first full season on the circuit by flipping his car onto its roof, but less than two months later, he had his first victory and the lead in the standings. Even more meteoric than his on-track success has been his fan appeal.

Witness what happened last weekend when the series rolled into Hickory Motor Speedway for the Galaxy Foods 300. The race was still 32 hours away, and fans milled around sev eral dozen souvenir trailers parked outside the track mam entrance. While it was busy, the atmosphere was laid-back. Then came the three words that changed everything. There he is! a woman shriek ed.

Within seconds, virtually everyone around had converged on Earnhardt's souvenir trailer for what was planned as a brief stop by the sport's hottest young driver to sign a few autographs. While the other vendors were reduced to the role of spectators, Earnhardt patiently greeted people in a line that quickly stretched to several hundred feet long. He posed for pictures, shook hands and signed everything from shirts, posters and caps to a piece of a fender from one of his father's wrecks. Grown women stumbled to find the right words, and Earnhardt tried to put them at ease with a smile and a soft voice. "Thank you, and enjoy the race," he said.

White-haired men told him they grew up rooting for his grandfather and his father and now are claiming allegiance to him. "That's real kind. I appreciate it," he responded. Thirty minutes alter the session began, team officials made six attempts to cut off the end of the autograph line before they succeeded. When they finally ushered Earnhardt out a rear door of the trailer, accompanied by a police officer, some unfulfilled fans followed, shoving pens at him and asking him to pose for pictures.

He obliged. Ninety minutes later, Earnhardt and his grandmother were relaxing in the lounge of his team's hauler in the speedway's infield, awaiting the start of the race. The break gave Earnhardt time to ponder his rapid ascent from a 00BDQD Men's Falcon Men's RIO Sandal Reg. $80 Now $69" Men's Caribou Clarks Makes Your Size corners makes it harder and harder to come here and have a good day. Bodine savs it's no secret that to win here you have to have a good car, good engine ana, particularly, good brakes.

"More importantly, you have to understand how tough that race is and drive accordingly, he said. "It's real easy to knock fenders off, mess up your front end and over-rev your engine. "But I love coming here. When I drive into Martinsville, I have a lot of good memories coming up the highway. The closer I get, the better I feel and the bigger my smile gets.

By the time I drive in the gate, I'm ready to go race. Omaha Flames boss closes operations OMAHA (AP) Low attendance and a shakv league have prompted Omaha Flames soccer team owner Ted Baer to close up shop. Rapr said ending operations has nothing to do with his interest in starting a franchise in Kearney, in th I Inited States Hockev League. Baer also owns the USHL's Omaha Lancers. Baer said it was disturbing that the Flames' two years of operation opponents did not show up for games in Omaha and no punishment followed from the league, the United Systems of In dependent soccer txaguc.

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