The Post-Star from Glens Falls, New York • 24

C6 The Post-Star, Glens Falls, Tuesday, August 31,1999 SPORTS Jacks earn a split with Caps Crystal clear Robinson leads Liberty into WNBA Finals WNBA Roundup ft ('r Rocnp txz2zl- 4-8 0-0 Qxtsc 8-1 7-8 1-2 Tonight: at Quebec p.m. Probable Starter Brian Grant (0-3) and Wakita Yo8himune (5-6) Que: Michel Laplante (10-2) and Mike Sanchez (5-2) their pitching came through and shut us down," Lancaster said. "(Quebec) got one run in each of the first three innings. (Adirondack starting pitcher Daman) Newman struggled a little bit, but still kept us in the ball game." In the nightcap, Adirondack's Bryan Britt hit a two-run single, Kelly Kingston hit an RBI triple and Kevin Ham drove home the fourth and final run of a fourth-inning rally that carried the Jacks to the win. "In the second game, our bats came more alive," Lancaster said.

"We got a good pitching performance from Santiago." Game One were outrebounded 32-20. Ahead 32-26 at halftime. New York extended the lead to 45-36 with 13:42 remaining behind eight points by Robinson, who scored consecutive 3-pointers and a basket. Witherspoon added another 3-pointer for a 50-38 lead with 1 1:12 remaining. Kym Hampton's jumper extended the margin to 60-43 with just over five minutes left in the game.

Charlotte, applied a press, but could come no closer, than 1 1 points in the final minutes. Comets 72, Sparks 62 HOUSTON Cynthia Cooper had 23 points and a career-high 1 2 assists as the Houston Comets rallied in the second half to beat the Los Angeles Sparks 72-62 and advance to the WNBA finals. The Comets, winner of the league title each of the first two years, will play the New York Liberty in the first game of the best-of-3 WNBA finals beginning Thursday in New York. The second and third games would be in Houston. Associated Press Liberty's Teresa Weatherspoon goes up for the ball with Charlotte's Niesa Johnson Monday night.

FL innovator Shurmur dead at 67 WRONDACK QUEBEC abrhbl abrhN Miyasaki2b 3000 Dumascf 2210 Miyakess 3 0 0 0 McDonald ss 402 1 Porterd 3110 LaPlantert 301 1 Samara 3t 2011 ChimHisIb 3000 Kingston If 3010 Hie 3000 Brilllb 3010 Lantigualf 31 10 Hamiltonrf 1 000 LepineS) 2010 Canodh 3000 DiPrima2b 3011 NeitcKkc 2000 Dionnedh 2000 Totals 23141 Totals 25 3 7 3 NFL Roundup Adirondack 0000010140 Quebec 1110001371 McDonats. DP Adirondack 1, Quebec 2 LOB Adirondack 4, Quebec 8. 2B Brrtt, Lantigua. SB Porter, Dumas 2, McDonald, LaPlanle, Lepine. CS Santana.

Adirondack IP ER BB SO Adirondack Newman (L, 7 3 3 4 3 Boynewk2(W, 4 1 13 4 Martlneau 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 WP Newman 1:47 Game Two Associaed Press GREEN BAY, Wis. Frit. Shurmur dedicated his life to studying, teaching and changing football. His imprint on the game and the men he taught to play it will be slow to fade. Shurmur, the Seattle Seahawks' defensive coordinator and the architect of the defense that led the Green Bay Packers to their 1997 Super Bowl victory, died of cancer at his home Monday.

He was 67. Shurmur spent two decades as a defensive coordinator for five teams and had the longest continuous tenure of any coordinator. He joined Holmgren in Seattle in January when Holmgren was hired as the Seahawks' coach and GM after seven seasons in Green Bay. Brister replaced as starting quarterback DENVER Brian Griese is the new heir apparent to John Elway with his promotion Monday as the Denver Broncos' starting quarterback ahead of Bubby Brister inherited the job after winning four straight games as a starter last year when Elway was out with assorted injuries. The 37-year-old Brister has struggled in Ihe preseason, however, twice throwing interceptions rookie defensive end failed to show for his first practice with the Miami which didn't surprise his family and to bother coach Jimmy Johnson.

who left the Minnesota Vikings to focus on his faith, was claimed Aug. 16 by the Dolphins and agreed for practice Monday. But he failed to flight Sunday night from Michigan to Lauderdale. Bills cut roster PARK The Buffalo Bills cut 1 3 from their roster Monday, leaving the one cut to make. are required to trim their rosters to 65 the end of the day Tuesday and make to 53 by Sunday afternoon.

also announced that running back Bryson, a promising third-round draft Tennessee who was injured in training placed on injured reserve. cut Monday included quarterback Mike who completed 6 of 1 1 passes for 86 one touchdown in preseason. Released after his 29th birthday, Cawley a 76-yard touchdown drive capped by pass to Bobby Collins in a 20-19 loss Washington Redskins. on his first pass attempt of a game. The two-time Super Bowl champions are 2-2 in preseason play.

Griese, 24, who led Michigan to a Rose Bowl victory and a shared national championship in 1 998, has never started an NFL game. Lincoln on spot with Hamilton, Sehorn still sidelined EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. With Jason Sehorn and Conrad Hamilton still sidelined by injuries, it's no wonder Jim Fassel is concerned about his starting right cornerback. With the regular season less than two weeks away, veteran Jeremy Lincoln is the starter, somewhat by default. Fassel said there is an outside chance that either Hamilton or Sehorn might be ready for Tampa Bay on Sept.

12, but the more likely scenario will have Lincoln starting against the Bucs. Underwood fails to show in Miami DAVIE, Fla. Enigmatic Dimitrius Underwood is becoming predictable. ADIRONDACK QUEBEC abrhbl abrhbl Miyasakl2b 4000 Dumascf 3010 Cano3b 4000 McDonaldss .2000 Porterd 4120 LaPlantert 3010 Santanadh 3210 Clinelis1b 3000 Bntt 1b 3222 Lantigua If 3000 Kingstonlf 1111 Hill 3111 Hamrf 2012 Lepine3b 2000 Aheamess 3000 DiPrima2b 3000 Cnurchc 3010 Bairddh 3030 Totals 27885 Totals 25101 Staff Report QUEBEC CITY, Quebec The tight North Division second-half standings in the East Conference of the Northern League remained that way as the Adirondack Lumberjacks split a doubleheader with the Quebec Les Capitales Monday night in Quebec City. Quebec took the opener 3-1 behind pitcher Jim Boynewicz's 6.

1 innings of four-hit pitching, Adirondack used a four-run rally in the fourth inning of the night cap to break open a scoreless game and go on to a 6-1 win. Derek Santiago pitched a complete game, six-hitter to pick up his seventh win of the season for Adirondack. Meanwhile, Albany, the second-half's North Division leader, split its doubleheader with Massachusetts, dropping the opener 5-3 and winning the nightcap 2-0. Adirondack's split makes the Jacks 20-20 on the second half and keeps the them 1. 5 games behind Albany.

The Jacks are tied with Quebec and a half game ahead of Massachusetts. Adirondack and Quebec face off in another doubleheader in Quebec City today, then finish the regular season with a single game Wednesday. Albany and Massachusetts play single gajnes today and Wednesday. Adirondack, by virtue of its first-half title, already own a spot in the playoffs, which start Friday at East Field. Winning the second-half title would improve the Jacks playoff positioning, but isn't the only thing that's important as Adirondack prepares for postseason play.

"The pitching is in order for playoffs," Adirondack manager Les Lancaster said." It's been all set up for the last week and half. We'll carry it on to playoffs. We would like to win the second half, but at the same time, we have to look ahead to playoffs and not burn everybody out." A long, overnight bus ride could have burned out the Jacks entering Monday's doubleheader. They completed a scries late Sunday night in New Jersey and immediately boarded a bus for Quebec for a ride that took about 1 1 or 12 hours before it finally reached its destination, which was at 8 a.m. Monday.

Lumberjacks' manager Les Lancaster had his team rest for as much of Monday as possible, then take a late bus to Municipal Stadium in Quebec City at around 4 p.m. The team skipped batting practice before the doubleheader, which started at 5:30 p.m. The opener saw the Jacks get off to a slow start. "The first game, we had our opportunities early to score, but Spielman From Pag CI sideline under his own power. After refusing to get on a stretcher, he was taken to the Cleveland Clinic for an MRI, the second he has needed this summer following a high-impact collision.

"He had thai first hit in training camp and that scared me," said his brother, Rick, the Hears' director of pro personnel, who was in St. L-ouis that nighl. "I told him, 'One day you're going to take a hit and you're not going to be able to get IXspiic llie second scare, Spielman thought he might be able to continue his comeback which he postponed last year while with the Buffalo Bills lo help take care of his (wo children ufter Stclanic underwent breast cancer surgery. He began weighing his options Sunday morning, walking into Browns coach Chris Palmer's office at 8 a.m. lor a heart-lo-hcart talk.

Martin From Pago CI "This is jusi preseason football," Purcells said, "bul obviously I'm happy wild something positive that happens. But I don't have any doubts about Curtis Martin. Anyone who has watched the game Ihe last lew years, how can they have uny doubts about him? "You tell me any back who Can come uilo this league and produce MM) 1,700 yards combined, you have a real good back, and this guy has done it every year. What did he have last year, I That would be in the lop live of the league I would think. "He is a very hard worker, and I don't worry about him.

He works diligently every year and it's important for him to do well." Matlin wasn't doing very well in preseason games until he ran around, over and through the Giants. Panells challenged his By Melissa Murphy Associated Press NEW YORK The New York Liberty, behind Crystal Robinson's 18 points, advanced to the WNBA Finals with a 69-54 victory over the Charlotte Sting on Monday night. Robinson was 7-for-8 from the field to help the Liberty clinch the Eastern Conference title in the decisive game of the best-of-3 series against the Sting. New York advanced to the WNBA Finals, which begin Thursday, for the second time in three seasons. The Liberty will meet the winner of the Houston-Los Angeles Western Conference final.

They played later Monday night. Robinson's 3-pointer, her fourth of the night, gave New York a 65-51 lead with just over a minute left and ignited the Madison Square Garden crowd of 12,929. New York, which shot 54 percent, got 13 points from Vickie Johnson and 10 points apiece from Tamika Whitmore and Sophia Witherspoon. Andrea Stinson, the only Sting player in double figures, had 24 points on 10-for-19 shooting. But the Sting shot just 37 percent and "The way he looks right now, he'll be able to," Price added.

"My hat's off to him." Woods became the first player to win five tournaments in a season since Price in 1994. Price, who won the British Open and the PGA Championship that year, remembers what it was like to show up at every tournament feeling that if he played well, he would win or at least have a really good chance, "It's very hard to describe," Price said. "You feel like it's never going to come to an end." Greg Norman, when asked about Duval's play before the Masters, Kafelnikov, No. 8 Carlos Moya and No. 12 Richard Krajicek moved into Ihe second round.

Kafelnikov, a finalist in the French Open, defeated Spain's Alberto Martin 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Moya stopped Slovakian Dominik llrbaly 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 6-4; and Krajicek eliminated Philip King, the USTA National Boys' 18 champion from Long Beach, 6-1 6-4, 6-0. In 1997, Spirlea intentionally bumped Williams during their semifinal at Ihe U.S. Open. That prompted Richard Williams, Venus' father and coach, to call the Romanian "a big, tall while turkey." This time, Ihe main confrontation was with Ihe wind. Spirlea and and be right around that." George knows Ihe importance of such workouts.

He pointed lo The Kid's last work Ihree furlongs in 35 35 seconds on Thursday as evidence of Scoliy's genius. ll is uncommon lo work a horse jusi (wo days before a big slakes race. Many big-lime trainers wouldn't do il. Many exercise riders wouldn't feci right about il. But Martens knew what Schullioler wauled.

He could see what The Kid needed. And fie understood what he had lo do. The Kid fell really comfortable out there," Martens said, "He jusi did il so nice, Scolly came back and The Monday Dolphins, didn't seem Underwood, unannounced off waivers to report make his Fort ORCHARD players team with Teams players by final cuts The Bills Shawn pick from camp, was Players Cawley, yards and two days engineered an 8-yard to the Adirondack 0004020 6 8 0 Quebec 0000100162 LaPlante, Lantigua. DP Adirondack 1, Quebec 1. LOB Adirondack 3.

Quebec 6. 2fl Bntt, Ham. 3B Kingston. Hfl Hill, ST- Jam. SB Dumas.

CS Baud. Adirondack IP ER BB SO Santiago (W, 7-4) 7JT 6 1 13 4 Quebec 7.0 8 6 6 1 8 WP Santiago 2 HBP Kingston (by Ramos) 1:57. A 2,486 Convinced he could still play despite an MRI that showed he shouldn't, Spielman told Palmer: "I'm not retiring." But after consulting with his family, Spielman came to one conclusion. "Until you have pure medical evidence in front of you, as a player your mentality is, 'I'll beat he said. "But as they say in football, the films don't lie, and here the images of the MRI don't lie." And as Spielman showed last year when he stayed home, family comes before football.

"He told me his daughter was at the game and she's 4, 414," Rick Spielman said. "She knows that Daddy has a bad neck. When she saw him gel just started crying and later she asked him, 'Daddy, if you're in a wheelchair, does that mean we can't go swimming Thai's just the nail in the collin." The injury thai forced him to retire is una-lated to the fusion surgery that interrupted his career in 1997, Spielman said. players alter their poor effort against Ihe Eagles in the previous exhibition game. Nobody responded heller than Martin.

Martin admitted he look some heal from Ihe coaching slalf last week. Running backs coach Maurice Carthon "had been on me: '1 want to see you break a long run in Ihe game sometime. You need one lo gel ready lor Ihe "I felt like I was in a one. Most of the tune. I feel like a Hash, and then it's over." The idea of rushing for 2.000 yards might seem absurd on a team with such a sirong passing game.

Bul Mailin believes he benelits from being surrounded by Ihe likes of Vinny Tcslavcrdc, Keyshawn Johnson and Wayne ('hi'cbet. "If I can he one weapon among a lot, it makes all of us more dangerous." he said. Dangerous enough lor him to sel rushing records' M.iitin jusi smiled a hopeful smile He's gol 16 weeks (o prove it 1 2lh in career earnings. He also is in the middle of renegotiating his contract with Nike, a five-year deal reported to be in the neighborhood of $80 million to $90 million. Woods said this week those figures were too high, bul that was before he won yet again.

"By the time he gets to 25 or 26, he's going to have conquered a lot of mountains," Price said. "He'll have all the money in the world. He'll have probably won more majors in the next Ihree years. It's just a question of can he keep going like Nicklaus did. sixth-seeded Amanda Coet.er 6-1, 7-5.

Spirlea made 31 unforced errors to 28 for C'oeler. bul had 10 more winners than her South African opponent, 14 lo 4. In Ihe opening mulch in Arthur Ashe Stadium, Jelena Dokic of Australia was unable lo duplicate her Wimbledon surprise, when she shocked Hingis. This lime she fell to No. 10 Arantxa Sanche-Vicario.

Oilier early winners in women's singles were No. 8 Jana Novoina, No. 12 Barbara Schell, No. 13 Dominique Van Roosl, and No. 15 Amclie Maiircsino.

There were no early surprises on the men's si tic as No. 3 Yevgeny galloping horses for Scolly Schullioler, "A lot ol oiiit its have Iheir one guy or maybe two guys thai arc Iheir Ih-sI exercise riders, guys who have been around a long tune," Randy said, "(icorge is real jjood. He woiks Ihe horses Ihe way you want litem worked." Martens said he rides every horse in ihe barn, bul definitely prefers Ihe class horses, lie proudly recalled helping to piepare Ihe besl of Ihe barn, like Fly So free (2 -year-old champion, 1990) and Ruhiano (sprinter champion, 1992), "(icorge has a great clock in his head." Randy said. "You can say lo him, 'Woik Ibis hoise lour I'm longs in 19 and and he'll go out recalls feeling so confident at times he would stand on the first tee, look around and wonder who was going to finish second that week. Woods doesn't quite see it that way, even if his play suggests otherwise.

"I never had that outlook," he said. "I've always been very confident in my abilities, but not the point where I'm going to say something like that. There are 72 holes, and anything can happen. I need to go out there and take care of business." No one is doing it better right now. Coeter played on the Grandstand Court, known for its swirling gusts hcven in the best of conditions.

Both players had to constantly adjust, especially on balls hit high wilh topspin. Spirlea ventured to (he net only to retrieve Coel.er's short shots, but never won a point there. Instead, she traded groundstrokes, and did so enough on key points to pull out the victory. King was delighted when he drew Krajicek, the former Wimbledon champion, as his first-round opponent. "My last tournament, I was drawn against Pete Sampras," King said.

"I thought, 'Can we do it had me jog him Ihe next day, and Ihe colt was ready for bear. Martens said il is a terrific feeling lo win a race like the Travcrs. He said the bonuses he received from Scolly alter the Belmont and 1 ravers "made il a prosperous year." He declined lo say how many dollars were in those bonuses, but he had no problem saying what his job means lo him, "Scolly is like father to me." George said, "lie has put me on the best. It's a different life nol being a jockey any more, bul riding wilh an oullil hke Scolty Schiilholer's makes il all worthwhile." writer Rick Mitcey am be ranhed vine ma7 a niitivyPrxtstiiir.eom Tiger From Page C1 Woods doesn't lose his edge, The pressure on him isn't as great as when Tigermania peaked in mid-1997, bul it is still greater than what any other player faces. Woods' look home $1 million from Firestone Country Club, making him the first player to surpass $4 million in one season and giving him a more than $8.9 million in Ihree full years on the PGA Tour, already good enough for Open From Page CI possible." Williams made a big splash in her U.S.

Open debut (wo years ago, reaching Ihe final before losing to Martina Hingis. Williams has never gone that far in seven subsequent majors, yet she's been improving in all aspects of her game. The difference between 1997 and now, Williams said, is "aboul cighl lilies, and my ranking is aboul 61 places belter." Irinu Spirlea, best known lor bumping Williams on the court in the 1997 U.S. semifinals, upsel Martens From Page CI loll on me, reducing every day." He made a comeback in 1986. ruling Cryploclcarancc lo his maiden victory and Ihen lo Ihe colt's first slakes win.

Before Ihe year was up, though, Martens conceded defeat in die war against his body weight. He settled into Ins second career in thoroughbred racing as an exeicise ruler lot Scully Schullioler. It was a natural Itansiiioii. "(icorge has always been part of the family," said Randy. When (ieoige was born, his father.

Buddy Maitens, was.