The Sentinel from Carlisle, Pennsylvania • 25

Thursday, December 28, 1995, The Sentinel, Carlisle, Pa. C5 Martin, Douglas take top rookie honors in NFL Texas Tech grounds Air Force 3 rv I IT 1 TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) Texas Tech showed why the Wishbone offense a run-based attack that doesn't work when a team has to catch up went out of style years ago. The Red Raiders bolted to an 18-point halftime lead against Air Force in the Copper Bowl, then put the game out of reach with another surge in the second half. "It felt like for the first time this year we looked good for all 60 minutes," Zebbie Lethridge said Wednesday night after directing a no-huddle offense that caught the Falcons off-balance and powered Tech to a 55-41 win.

It takes players to get ahead of a team with Air Force's crunching A Copper Bowl i i' NEW YORK (AP) Curtis Martin joined an impressive list when he led the AFC in rushing as a rookie. He became part of an even more illustrious group by being voted The Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year. Martin, who gained 1,487 yards and 14 touchdowns for the New England Patriots, led the AFC in rushing. Other rookies to pace a conference include Barry Sanders (1989), Eric Dickerson and Curt Warner (1983), George Rogers (1981) and Earl Campbell (1978). "I wasn't trying to prove anything to anyone," said Martin, a third-round choice from Pittsburgh and the only rookie in the Pro Bowl.

"I was just trying to come out and do my job. That's what they pay me to do, to do my job. I just want to give my 100 percent to this team." Martin began doing his job in preseason, winning the starting role. In his first game, Martin ran for 102 yards, with a 1-yarder for the winning touchdown with 19 seconds remaining against Cleveland. Coach Bill Parcells likes to build his attack around a workhorse runner, and he found one in Martin, who wound up with 368 carries.

"What's most impressive is his durability," Parcells said. "He always want to be in there and always wants the ball. He never stops working." That work ethic and the substantial numbers earned 57 votes from 88 sports writers and broadcasters nationwide. He easily outdistanced running back versatile Terrell Davis of Denver (16), exciting wide receiver Joey Galloway of Seattle (13), and Kordell Stewart of Pittsburgh, who got two votes for his work as a runner, passer and receiver. Nine times, Martin rushed for more than 100 yards.

While the Patriots were struggling to a 6-10 mark, Martin was shining, much the way Defensive Rookie of the Year Hugh Douglas did for the New York Jets. "I think Curtis Martin performed beyond anyone's expectations," added Parcells, who called Martin a one-game wonder after the performance against Cleveland. Davis a sixth-rounder from Georgia rushed for 1,117 yards and seven TDs. He caught 49 passes for 367 yards. Galloway, the eighth overall pick in the draft, made 67 receptions for 1,039 yards and seven TDs.

He also gained 10 yards per punt return, with an 89-yarder for a score. Stewart, a quarterback at Colorado, got into the lineup for Pittsburgh midway through the season. He has an immediate impact while lining up at receiver, running back and quarterback. Jets' Douglas earns defensive honors NEW YORK (AP) Hugh Douglas, a pass-rushing demon from an NAIA powerhouse, was one of the few bright spots in a dismal season for the New York Jets. So good was Douglas that despite his environment he was selected Wednesday as The Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The defensive end from Central (Ohio) State went from situational player at the outset of the schedule to full-timer. The Jets (3-13) might have been the worst team in the league and franchise history but Douglas certainly was a sensation with 10 sacks. "I really didn't expect to do too much this year. This year was a learning experience," said Douglas, the 16th overall choice in the NFL draft and the fifth defensive lineman taken. "So I just wanted to come in, learn the system and do whatever I could to help the team.

That was basically it." Basically, Douglas held his own against such top tackles as Bruce Armstrong, Will Wolford and Richmond Webb. His best performances came against Jacksonville, when he had three sacks, and at Indianapolis, where he had two. Even when Douglas didn't reach quarterbacks, he applied pressure as the New York defense played relatively well this season. "We worked hard and I learned no matter how hard you try to win, sometimes it is just not meant to happen," he said. "So you just have to work harder, keep your head up and go back to the drawing board again.

You just can't get down. You just got to keep fighting every play, every down, every week." Texas Tech quarterback Zebbie Lethridge runs past Air Force defender Jamie Maunz for a big gain during the first half of the Copper Bowl Wednesday. (AP) ground game 67 rushes for 431 yards. And the Red Raiders (9-3) had them. Byron Hanspard set Copper Bowl rushing and scoring records with 260 yards and four touchdowns Wednesday night, and Lethridge had 330 yards in total offense after passing for 245 and one TD, while running for two.

"I knew it was going to be an offensive game," Lethbridge said. "We were going to have to put points on the board to keep up with them." The Raiders never showed the no-huddle during the season. "We came out with the intention of showing them something different. We knew they would be keying on me," said Hanspard, a sophomore who led the Southwest Conference in rushing in its last year of existence. Air Force (8-5) took advantage of a series of mistakes by the Raiders to close to 31-28 in the first seven minutes of the third quarter.

But Hanspard got his third TD with 5:06 left the period, then ran 63 yards to set up another Tech score and a 45-28 lead. Air Force, No. 3 in the NCAA in rushing offense and No. 105 in passing offense, couldn't rally again. "We had several points where we were about to turn the game around, but it seemed like we were playing catch-up the entire game," quarterback Beau Morgan said.

The teams shattered most of the offensive records in the 7-year-old bowl, which is sponsored by Weiser Lock. Hanspard, who carried 24 times, scored on runs of 2, 1 1, 2 and 29 yards. Lethridge threw a 38-yard scoring pass to Stacy Mitchell and scored on 1- and 3-yard runs. Tony Rogers kicked field goals of 24 and 3 1 yards for Tech. Air Force comerback Mickey Dalton figured in Air Force's rally by picking off a pass by Lethridge, who had set a SWC record with 211 consecutive throws without an interception, and returning it 32 yards.

He said the quick pace of the no-huddle got too much credit. "We just had poor execution," Dalton said. "We didn't tackle very well, and we had a lot of breakdowns on defense." Air Force's Danla Johnson scored on 71- and 60-yard runs. Nakia Addison ran for scores of 2 and 7 yards. Jake Campbell ran for a 7-yard TD and Morgan scored on a 1 -yard run.

Johnson was the first to break the previous Copper Bowl rushing record of 133 yards by Kansas State's J.J. Smith in 1993. Johnson had 145 of his 148 yards in four carries, but Hanspard, with 201 yards in the second half, passed him. The Raiders opened a 28-7 lead by marching 80, 75, 74 and 80 yards to TDs on their first four possessions. Lethridge had big plays in three of the four drives a 42-yard run before his pass to Mitchell for the first score, a 46-yard pass to Don-nie Hart to set up Hanspard's first TD, and a 25-yard run and 26-yard pass to Field Scovell before he produced the 21 -point lead with his keeper.

But the biggest play of the third drive was a penalty after the Falcons had stopped Tech. Air Force's Sam Ransom slid into Tech punter Brad Cade, incurring a 15-yard penalty that kept the drive going. Johnson cut the lead to 28-13 with the longest run in Copper Bowl history. Campbell's TD early in the third quarter following Dalton's interception return to the Tech 20 tightened the score to 31-21, and Johnson's 60-yard gallop pulled the Falcons within three points. yracuse off to a 10-0 start Cunningham may miss game to be with pregnant wife i A M- Associated Press Looks like someone was left off the list of biggies from the Big East.

When the preseason poll came out, Villanova, Georgetown and Connecticut were Nos. 3, 5 and 6, respectively, and they were also the only schools from the conference in the Top 25. Syracuse has made the select group a quartet with a 10-0 start, the latest win on Wednesday night, a 75-64 victory over No. 12 Illinois in the opening round of the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu. Georgetown, Connecticut and Villanova were 6-7-8 this week, while the Orangemen were 13th, a number i -V Men's College Basketball Roundup iff -v, 1 1 Illinois guard Kevin Turner, center, scrambles for the ball with a trio of Syracuse defenders during their game Wednesday.

(AP) PHILADELPHIA (AP) If Philadelphia coach Ray Rhodes decides to pull quarterback Rodney Peete in win Saturday's NFC wild card game against the Detroit Lions, there could be a problem. Peete's backup, Randall Cunningham, may be in Las Vegas, where his wife is expected to deliver the couple's first child on Sunday. Cunningham said Wednesday that he will definitely fly west to be with his wife, Felicity, if she goes into labor before her scheduled delivery date. "My wife is more important than football," Cunningham said. "If you have a wife, I think you understand.

If something happens wrong, you'd never be able to live that down. You've got to get your priorities right." Rhodes said he understands Cunningham's feelings. "When you're dealing with family matters, it's hard for me to tell a guy, It's a family matter," he said. "It will be Randall's decision on what he's going to do in that situation." Cunningham said he asked most of his teammates what they would do, and most said they would want to be there with their wives. "She wants me to be there right now," he said.

The situation is reminiscent of one involving Houston offensive tackle David Williams in 1993. Williams missed a game after the birth of his son, and the Oilers withheld his $1 1 1,1 1 1 pay for the game, saying he could have made it to the game after his wife gave birth. The incident got national publicity, and Rhodes obviously is not anxious to have that kind of controversy distract his team as they prepare for the Lions. "I've seen this whole thing two years ago in Houston and you guys are not going to get me caught up in that," Rhodes said. "It's going to be Randall's decision." It's a difficult decision, admit ted Peete, who was married June 10 to actress Holly Robinson of TV's "Hangin' with Mr.

Cooper." "It's a tough, tough deal," he said. "I don't know how I would react to that situation." If Cunningham isn't available to the Eagles, third-stringer Jay Fiedler would be the backup. Fiedler, who made the team two seasons ago as a free agent from Dartmouth, has yet to take a snap in a regular-season NFL game. "I've been ready this whole season," Fiedler said. "It's part of my job to be ready." Peete has struggled in the last six weeks of the season, throwing nine interceptions and only two touchdowns, while fumbling five times.

Rhodes implied that Peete won't last long if he gets off to a slow start against the Lions, the team with which he spent his first five pro seasons (1989-93). "He's got to do his job, just like everybody else," Rhodes said. "We can't leave any resource untapped." Peete, who is 9-3 since replacing Cunningham as the Eagles starter Oct. 1, said he can feel the pressure. He knows Rhodes won't hesitate to make a change: he benched Peete for two scries in Philadelphia's Nov.

26 game against Washington after the Eagles' offense sputtered. "My performance hasn't been up to par and this is a do-or-die situation, so 1 would imagine that if 1 were to struggle for a half or a little bit over a quarter or so, that something might happen," he said. The Eagles' offensive line hasn't always given Peete enough time to throw, but Peete said most of his troubles are his own fault. "I've got to make better decisions," he said. "Earlier in the season, when I first started playing, I was just taking what they were going to give me, and it didn't matter if it was a 3-yard, a that could change drastically in the next poll.

The Orangemen play Rhode Island on Friday in the tournament semifinals, and a win there would probably mean a shot at No. 1 Massachusetts. The victory over the Fighting Illini (9-1) followed one by the Orangemen at then-No. 3 Arizona. Both wins have come with Syracuse playing a very effective zone defense.

"Our game revolved around our zone," coach Jim Boeheim said. "We had success early." John Wallace had 15 points and 14 rebounds for Syracuse, which took control in the final 1 1 minutes. "John had his worst offensive game of the year," Boeheim said. "But he had 14 rebounds, a big block at the end and played good defense. That's what you have to do when you're not having a great game.

We were able to play through it. He made up for it rebounding and defensively." In other games involving ranked teams Wednesday night, it was No. 2 Kentucky 90, Rider 65; No. 7 Connecticut 77, College of Charleston 60; and No. 15 Utah 108, Fullcrlon Slate 58.

Illinois struggled willi its shooting, going 4-for-24 from 3-point range, and coach Lou Hcnson credited Syracuse. "They packed their zone in and did a good job on the perimeter," he said. "We did not shoot well from the outside and that was the difference. We couldn't penetrate and get the ball inside." Jerry Gee led the Illini with 21 points and 12 rebounds, while the backcourt of Kiwane Garris and Richard Keene were held to a total of 14 points, with Keene getting eight in the closing minutes. Garris was 1 -for-11 from the field, Keene 3-for-U.

No. 2 Kentucky 90, Rider 65 It was only a matter of time before No. 2 Kentucky took control against Rider. It was 5:45 to be exact. Rider took its only lead of the game at 14-12 on a four-point play by Dcon Hamcs and then it was all Wildcats as they went on to a 90-65 victory Wednesday night in the opening round of the ECAC Holiday Festival.

The Wildcats (8-1), behind the career-high 27 points of Antoine Walker and 24 from Tony Dclk, won their seventh straight and weren't challenged over the final 30 minutes. They will play Iona, a 70-57 winner over St. John's, in Friday night's championship game. "I really expected a war for most of the first half because they can control the tempo," Kentucky coach Rick Pitino said. "They hits some 3s early and 3s can negate talent if you make them." The Broncs (4-3) didn't make nearly enough to offset the advantages Kentucky had in size, speed and depth.

Rider lost to Kentucky 96-52 in the opening round of the 1993 NCAA tournament in the schools' only other meeting. "It's comparing one nightmare to another," Rider coach Kevin Ban-non said of the two games against Kentucky. "The biggest similarity is that both are very legitimate contenders for a national championship." The Broncs had the crowd at Madison Square Garden cheering wildly when it took their only lead. Kentucky took the lead for good with a 15-1 run with Dclk hitting two 3-pointers and a jumper. Rider stayed within 42-34 at half-time, closing the half with a 6-2 run, the last five points by Charles Smith, who finished with 20 points, two below his team-leading average.

The closest the Broncs of the Northeast Conference got in the second half was 45-38 one minute in, but the Wildcats had it to 56-42 with 16:41 left and it was never in doubt from there despite Kentucky missing a number of shots under the basket and committing a number of unforced turnovers. The biggest lead was 90-63. No. 7 Connecticut 77, College of Charleston 60 Ray Allen had 22 points, the visiting Huskies (9-1) scored the first 10 points of the second half for a 49-35 lead and the Cougars (2-2) couldn't get closer than nine the rest of the way. Thaddcus Delancy and Stacy Harris each had 16 points for Charleston.

No. 15 Utah 108, Fullcrton St. 58 Brandon Jessie scored 20 points and Keith Van Horn 19 as the Utcs (8-2) put up their highest point total in coach Rick Majerus' eight seasons. Utah extended its home winning streak 1o 26 games despite Chuck Overton's 21 points for the Titans (1-6), who were down to eight players because of injuries..