Victoria Advocate from Victoria, Texas • 13

'mm Outdoors i i i Wlmi OveFCdme Lack of NmmlbeFs 1 his. Donald's been on the varsity longer than any of them' (three years). Only injuries kept him from playing more last year." At 6-3, 190 pounds, Culp is more of a drop-back passer and McCluskey plans on giving his strong arm plenty of work this fall. "Brian could start for any other team in the says. "Both Brian and Donald have played in varsity games.

This is the best 1-2 punch I've ever had. We've got the quickness with Donald and height with Brian. We've got the best of both One in a Series By COY SLAVIK Advocate Sports Writer Even with six offensive and eight defensive starters returning from last season's 6-4 squad, the crystal ball appears a bit hazy to Stroman Coach Harry McQuskey. "I don't know what the personality of this team is going to be," says McCluskey, who has compiled a 24-16-1 record in four seasons at Stroman. "We have a lot of talent.

But depth will be our biggest problem. 7) "A worlds. Stroman Schedule As usual, Stroman will have a We'll have more people playing both ways than ever before." Stroman was 22 students shy of dropping down to Class 4A in January's University Interscholastic League reclassification and realignment and McCluskey says the Raiders' days in Class SA may be numbered." "I can't see us staying in SA in the next realignment," McCluskey says. But for at least two more years, the Team Austin Crockett Victoria at Moody Miller at Klngsville Carroll at Alice Ray at King Data 92 99 915 923 930 107 1014 1021 1029 113 Tim 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 i7 strong corps of receivers led by wing-' back Andra Thomas, who topped the 4,4 Raiders last season with 23 catches' 26-19 for 328 yards and three touchdowns. 28-o "Andra's an awful good receiv- 19 er'" one ')est I ve fta'" McClus-' 33.2 key says.

"He doesn't have the speed 21-7 of some, but his hands are as good as anybody's." 7 at S.A. Jay Denotes District 24-5A Game Also back are tight end John Whitby ll '1 1' 9 Raiders will remain in District 26-5A and league opponents will again face the task of solving Stroman's frenzied run-and-shoot attack. Gone from last year is the engineer of the Raiders' aerial blitz, Ronnie Barnes. But the quarterback position seems to be in good hands with experienced seniors Donald Ramey and Brian Culp. Ramey completed 13 of 31 passes for 178 yards and one touchdown last fall and rushed for 88 yards on 31 carries.

"There is only one negative about Donald he's short," McCluskey says of his 5-foot, 5-inch signal caller. "But he's a quick kid and he's smart. He reads coverages well. "Each of our quarterbacks have been very different," McCluskey adds. "Rodney Brown, James Williams and Ronnie Barnes each had their own styles and Donald has and split end Raymond Randle.

Whitby, a second-team all-district choice last caught 11 passes for 141 yards while Randle had nine' catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns. The main hole to fill on the Raiders' offense is the team's catalyst role the halfback position. That spot was capably manned by Arthur Ellis a year ago. i Stepping in to replace Ellis will be junior Ronald Ramey, Donald's brother. The younger Ramey scored two touchdowns while averaging 11.8 yards on nine carries a year ago and also caught three passes for 72 yards and two more TDs.

"Ronald's a good runner and receiver and he gives us an added dimension because he's about 6-2," McCluskey (See STROMAN, Page 3B) Atfvacatt SUH Phots Starters returning to lead the Stroman Raiders Brown, Kelly Arnecke, Clarence Lemons and Dar- thls football season are, front row, left to right, rell Bates; and back row, Julius Whitby, Andra Pete Ramos, Donald Ramey, Raymond Randle Thomas, John Whitby, Melvin Tolbert and John and Ronald Ramey; second row, Alex Soils, Trey Paul Mastery a Mystery for Buc' Brafoek Former Flyer Has Won Seven of Last Eight Starts "I know I've been throwing good and getting wins but you really don't think about those things," Drabek explained. "I just want to do a good job in my next outing." Drabek has every reason to look forward to his next outing which is set for Sunday at 1 35 p.m. in the Astrodome. Drabek has not only boosted his record to 12-6 and lowered his ERA to 3.11 but he's also improved his stamina, pitching into the seventh inning in nine of those 11 starts. "When I was only going four or five innings, I'd sometimes think, 'how long am I going to go this Drabek said.

"But lately, I just seem to roll along and when I look up, I'm in the later innings. It's just a feeling inside, knowing I'm going to be able to do it." Drabek's teammates share that feeling. "I think the biggest reason for Doug's improvement is his confidence level," said Pittsburgh catcher Mike Lavalliere. "He has the same stuff he's always had. He has good velocity and a good breaking ball.

He's throwing the curve a little more but the main difference is his confidence By MIKE FORMAL Advocate Sports Writer HOUSTON Doug Drabek is certainly enjoying his recent success but he still has a hard time explaining it. The Pittsburgh pitcher has won seven of his last eight starts to help keep the Pirates in the Nation? al League Eastern Division pennant race but insists he has made few changes since the beginning of the season. "I have no idea why I'm doing so well lately," Drabek said. "I really haven't done anything differently. I've added another slider it's kind of a bigger breaking ball like a slurve but I'm not throwing it all that much.

"I've just been in one of those grooves where everything goes your way. And you don't want to change anything. You just try to go along." The St. Joseph High School graduate has been going along about as well as a pitcher can over his last 11 starts. During the two-month span, he has allowed just 12 earned runs in 80 innings for an earned run average of 1.35.

level." Drabek would like to see that level of confidence spread to the rest of the team as the Pirates pursue the Mets down the stretch. "We may be trying too hard and pressing too much," Drabek said. "I think we need to be a little looser and not worry about how far ahead the Mets are. We just need to beat the teams we play and have some help from the other teams." The Pirates are definitely counting on a great deal of help from Drabek. "The first two years I finished a game under .500 so it would be nice to have a winning record," Drabek admitted.

"But my main goal is always to have a quality start so the team is still in the game when you leave." NOTES According to Lavalliere, Drabek is such a competitor that he is often be too hard on himself. "Sometimes I have to go out to the mound just to settle him down and keep him from fighting himself," the Pittsburgh catcher said. "Doug can be his own worst enemy." 'Huskers, Taylor Slip Past Aggies EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Steve Taylor got Nebraska '8 offense untracked in the third period with his scrambling and passing and the second-ranked Corn-huskers scored on their first three second-half possessions and defeated No. 10 Texas 23-14 Saturday night in the sixth annual Kickoff Classic.

The Corahuskers, who failed to capitalize on two Texas turnovers in the first half, turned Tim Jackson's interception into the go-ahead touchdown, a 1-yard run by tailback Ken Clark at 10:28 of the third period that gave Nebraska a 12-7 lead. Taylor, who was shaken up one play before Gregg Barrios kicked a 38-yard field goal that brought Nebraska within 7-6 on the Cornhuskers' first second-half possession, returned to become the top rushing quarterback in jfc, -4 ft l.i ii. i niiii.i,. il ir AmctoMPnWmMl Robert Strait works on conditioning at Gobbler Stadium, Cuero's Strait Meets 'Sugar Land Express9 Pknn downs Kvahn-yards ftttaim Yank Comp-Att-Int turn FumblM-Lost fmltlm-YMXt) Tlrmof PowmloA 11 37 115 23 H7-J 7-44 2-1 7-7 23:55 59-201 125 5 11-22-0 4-42 5-3 4-35 16:05 fV "I don't think he will have any problem as long as he keeps his mind straight, let all the hullabaloo go in one ear and out the other." Kenneth Hall on Robert Strait Texas fullback Matt Gurley pushes the ball across the goal line for a first quarter Aggie touchdown Saturday night in the Kickoff Gassic. Pass-Happy Moon Sparks Oiler Humiliation of Cowboys By CALVIN SPEER FREDERICKSBURG (AP) -Robert Strait spent several minutes reading the two framed groupings of press clippings hanging on the wall before he spotted one that made him shake his head.

"Five hundred and twenty yards," he said. "Naw, man, that's awesome. I can't imagine that in one game. Five hundred and twenty yards." Strait the Cuero High School running back who is considered Texas' top schoolboy football player of the 1988 season was looking back a generation ago. Strait was reading about Kenneth Hall, "the Sugar Land Express," the legendary Texas schoolboy running back that people now compare Strait to.

The story on the wall of Hall's barbecue restaurant on the outskirts of Fredericksburg was about a game between Sugar Land and Houston Lutheran almost 25 years ago in which Hall rushed for 520 yards on only 11 carries. In four years, from 1950-53, Hall rushed for 11,232 yards, a national high school record that has yet to be touched, or challenged. Hall also owns the record for career touchdowns with 127 and career points scored with 899. It is doubtful Strait will break the rushing mark this fall in his senior year for Cuero High School. It will take a season to Nebraska history.

He also teamed up with tight end Todd Millikan for the decisive touchdown, a 24-yard pass at 1:37 of the fourth quarter. Millikan broke a tackle by defensive back William Thomas at the 9 and carried two more defenders the final two yards to cap a seven-play, 80-yard drive and give the Cornhuskers a 20-7 lead. After being limited to 100 yards in the first half by Texas super-quick defense, Nebraska rolled up 108 yards in the third period alone in handing the Aggies their sixth opening-game setback in Jackie Sherrill's seven years as head coach. Barrios, a left-footed sophomore filling in for the injured Chris Drennan, missed his first collegiate field goal try from 35 yards out early in the game but then tied a Kickoff Classic record by connecting from 44, 38 and 48 yards, the last one the longest in the brief history of this game. Nebraska spotted the Aggies a 7-0 lead on Matt Gurley 's 1-yard plunge at 12:38 of the first period.

After that, only score was a 2-yard run by freshman Randy Simmons with 10:15 left in the game, six plays after Nebraska's Dana Brinson fumbled a punt at his 44. Barrios' final field goal with 7:10 remaining accounted for the final margin. A crowd of 58,172 attended the game at Giants Stadium in 77-degree weather. Taylor was voted the game's outstanding player. His statistics left something to be desired he completed 11 of 22 passes for 125 yards and carried 18 times for 34 but he produced most of his yardage in the second half, including some critical plays.

Taylor's rushing yardage gave him 1,333 for his four-year career, 16 more than Turner Gill, the previous team record-holder, whose final season was 1983. The Cornhuskers, who haven't failed to score a touchdown since the 1978 opener, trailed 7-3 at halftime and wasted two good scoric opportunities. pass Hall. But, barring injury, by season's end Strait will have surpassed Hall's record for career touchdowns and points. Strait wasn't even born when Hall starred for Sugar Land, but he had always heard about the man, and a chance to meet Hall face-to-face was too much to resist.

It's doubtful that many people coming to Hall's restaurant that afternoon really noticed the two men sitting at a table under the oak trees. The conversation might not have perked up many ears, either. Hall's colorful, exotic chickens and a few sheep grazing nearby were talked about as much as football. But Halllmd Strait both described the meeting as one of the most enjoyable they have ever had. As Hall, 52, and Strait, 18, (See STRAIT, Page 3B) in the first half as the Oilers rolled up 294 yards to 103 for the Cowboys, who had a minus four yards rushing at intermission.

Houston held Dallas running back Herschel Walker to a minus four yards on five carries for the night, although Walker did catch three passes for 83 yards. Mike Rozier scored twice on 1-yard touchdown runs as the Oilers built a 31-3 halftime lead in the annual joust for the "Governor's Cup." It was Houston's third consecutive victory in the series, which Dallas leads 15-7. Starting Dallas quarterback Steve Pelluer hit 7 of 10 passes for 113 yards in the first half. Dallas' only first-half points came on Luis Zendejas' 24-yard field goal. The Oilers' Tony Zendejas, who is Luis' cousin, kicked field goals of 22 and 28 yards.

The Cowboys finally crossed the Houston goal in the third period on Darryl Clack's 1-yard run. Lorenzo White scored on runs of 4, 3 and 5 yards in the fourth period for Houston. IRVING (AP) Houston's Warren Moon decimated Dallas with a precision passing show Saturday night, leading the Oilers to a record-smashing, 54-10, victory over the Cowboys and an unbeaten NFL preseason. Houston finished the exhibition season with a 4-0 record. It was only the third time in franchise history the Oilers have been perfect in the preseason.

It also happened in 1965 and 19. It was the worst preseason loss by the Cowboys since Minnesota beat them 57-17 in 1965. The Oilers had never scored this many points in a preseason game. It was only two points short of their all-time high for any game. Dallas' loss evened its preseason mark at 2-2.

Moon's passing carried Houston on touchdown drives of 90, 52, 72 and 66 yards on the 96-de-gree evening before 48,400 fans in Texas Stadium. Moon passed 14 yards to Curtis Duncan for one touchdown and scored another TD himself on a 1-yard bootleg run, fooling all 11 members of te Dallas defence. Moon completed 14 of 19 passes for 194 yards 4 of.