The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 17

FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2006 SALINA JOURNAL Sports TRACK HONOR ROLL C4 C6 ALMANAC C8 KANSAS CAGERZ SEASON PREVIEW ear, renewed hope By BOB DAVIDSON Salina Journal SEASOWOPfflER Matchup: Nebraska Cranes at Kansas Cagerz. When: Saturday, 7 p.m. Where: Bicentennial Center. Radio: KSAL 1150- AM. After another eventful and often doubt-filled offseason, the Kansas Cagerz are back and ready to resume their pursuit of an elusive United States Basketball League title, Buoyed by new ownership and a more experienced cast of players, the Cagerz are hopeful the 2006 season will be the year they finally hang a championship banner in the Bicentennial Center after seven previous disappointments.

Retired Salina businessman dordon Kasparson purchased the team from the previous six-man ownership group during the winter. He retained Francis Plax as Ipach and 0arroll- Ijong as general Manager; were of the ownership group ihat had run the franchise the previous five seasons. Flax took over most of the of player procurement and focused on signing players with previous minor league experience, Cliff Levingston, a former USBL coach at Dodge City, was hired as assistant coach and brought a couple of players with him after coaching in the Continental Basketball Association last winter, Their efforts have produced a team that at least has more experience than any previous Cagerz' team, and one with considerably more size. "We look pretty solid at every position," said Flax, with the idea of stepping down as coach, but was coaxed by Kasparson into for a sixth season. "How that plays out when we play a game, I don't know.

We'll have to play a couple of games to find out. "I know they like to compete, first and foremost. Again, we'll have to see how that translates at game time, opposing teams, it will be even more competitive." See NEW, Page C3 File photo Point guard Nate Johnson returns for the Kansas Cagerz this season. Johnson was named the United States Basketball League's Player of the Year last season after averaging 22.4 points and 5.5 assists. Second half explosion boosts South Leading 1-0 at halftime, pougars tally eight goals during second half romp By ARNE GREEN Salina Journal As one golden scoring opportunity after another fell by the wayside, Salina South's girls just kept plugging away The payoff came in the second half when the Cougars scored eight times night on way to a 9-0 soccer rout of Valley Center at Salina Stadi- ym.

"We changed the lineup a little in the first half," said South senior for- GIRLS Valley Center Salina South ward Karen Gugler, who led the charge with all three of her second- half goals and an assist after intermission. "We were there as a team, just not finishing our shots. "We did get a little frustrated, but once we slowed down and made the easy pass, we were OK." It took South less than three minutes to get on the board, when Neasha Haynes' corner kick from the left side found Theresa Zackary at the far post for an easy tap-in. The Cougars, 6-4-1, converted again a minute later when Kate Zackary found Gugler alone on the left side of the goal, only to have it disallowed by an offside call. South was foiled at least one other time in the half by the crossbar, three times on nice saves by Valley Center goalkeeper Shelby Nesbit.

Several other shots simply missed the mark. "The score didn't really matter," said senior forward Kate Zackary who had two goals and two assists in the second half. "This game we really wanted to concentrate on our movement as a team. "We switched some players up, so we wanted to concentrate on that. We took our time more in the second half and played better." Gugler started the second-half onslaught four minutes into the second half when she was fouled inside the 18-yard box and slid her resulting penalty kick into the lower right corner.

But the floodgates really opened in the 58th minute on a Gugler goal off Switch pitcher Reliever effective as right-hander and left-hander By ERIC OLSON The Associated Press The Associated Press Creighton pitcher Pat Venditte delivers pitches left-handed and right-handed during a game against Nebraska on April 18. OMAHA, Neb. Pat Venditte Sr. came up with the idea when he was tossing a ball to his 3-year-old son in the backyard. Wouldn't it be neat if he get Pat a natural to throw equally veil with his left? Neat, indeed.

Now "Little Pat," as his dad oalls him, is the only active switch pitcher in Division I baseball and one of the few ambidextrous hurlers in the history of the sport. The sophomore is a middle reliever for Creighton. And just as Dad hoped, Pat Jr. is equally good with both arms, his coaches and statistics say "I have average stuff from both sides, and I really think it takes me to pitch with both arms even to be a little bit effective here," Venditte said. "It throws the hitters off and it gives me the advantage almost every at-bat.

I need every inch I can take." Venditte's ERA is 2.36 as a righty and 2.92 as a lefty He retired all six batters he faced in two innings against on Wednesday three as a Kate Zackary's assist, starting a seven-goal barrage in 13 minutes. Zackary and Gugler both beat Valley Center's offside trap for a breakaway, and when new keeper Shae West came off her line to cut off the angle, Zackary simply slipped the ball to Gugler, who put it in the open goal. Valley Center got caught pushing its defense forward again two minutes later and Kate Zackary found herself alone with the keeper again to make it 4-0. In the 65th minute, it was Theresa Zackary who scored on a header off a Kate Zackary corner kick. Gugler was fouled again in the box in the 70th minute, and this time Haynes took the penalty kick for a 7-0 See SOUTH, Page C3 The Associated Press Minnesota's Lew Ford scores on a throwing error by Kansas City catcher John Buck (left) during the second inning of their game Thursday in Kansas City.

TMns find elixir in KG Santana continues mastery of Royals, notches first victory By DOUG TUCKER The Associated I'ress KANSAS CITY, Mo. Johan Santana found the perfect cure for his slow start: the Kansas City Royals. Santana struck out 10 in eight innings to get his first victory of the season, leading the Minnesota Twins over the Royals 7-3 AL Twins 7 Royals 3 starts against Kansas City, Santana is 6-0 with a 1.50 ERA. The 2004 Cy Young winner has recorded 115 strikeouts against the Royals in his six-plus seasons, more than any other major league team. "I felt pretty good today," said Santana (1-3), who had never started 0-3 before.

was throwing the fastball in, and out of the plate and I was able to throw my changeup. It was a nice day." The Royals, who committed three errors, said Santana's changeup was particularly baffling. "I was throwing it the whole time," he said. "I knew it was there so I was using it the whole time." The Twins opened up a 5-0 lead in the second inning and the Royals were quickly in trouble against a pitcher they haven't beaten in almost two years. He allowed seven hits and three runs with one walk.

The only Kansas City starter who did not strike out at least once was Mark Grudzielanek. In one stretch in the fifth and sixth innings, Santana fanned four straight. on Thursday In his last seven righty three as a lefty He had a strikeout with each arm. If you think Creighton got two pitchers for the price of one, you would be wrong. Venditte is a walk-on who, as Creighton coach Ed Servais said, "recruited us." Venditte told Servais he would pay his own way if he got a chance to pitch.

'The coach didn't make any promises, but was impressed with Venditte's determination and competitiveness. Venditte's strength is location, not power. He throws See SWITCH, Page C5 See TWINS, Page C5 NFL draft mysteries multiply Top players still not sure who they will play for next season By DAVE GOLDBERG The Associated Press NEW YORK Two days before the NFL draft, even the players who will be picked at the top are tired of listening to the chatter and reading the gossip. In other words, just get on with it, "There's so much uncertainty Idon't even pay attention to what they're saying anymore," Southern Cal quarterback Matt Leinart, the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner, said See DRAFT, Page C5 DMnELAHCE When: Saturday, 11 a.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.. SUGGESTIONS? CALL BOB.

DAVIDSON, SPORTS EDITOR, AT 822-1404 OR 1-800-827-6363 OR E-MAIL AT.