The San Francisco Examiner from San Francisco, California • 22

Tuesday, November 3, 1998 SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER MERV HARRIS buzz FROM THE MOUTH "I've never known anyone who bved football as much as my dad. His heart was shaped like a football" Mike RymkiK on Lou Rymkus, the first Houston Oilers coach, who died Saturday at 78. Lou's .625 winning percentage is the best in franchise history. III' tgfiii i i I 1 tl VVV I 1 1 -1 ,.1 1 1 I i 41" I1 1 Next School Record game 1. De La Salle, Concord 8-0 Clayton Val.

Nick Walsh has gotten chance to emulate big brother Patrick as hero. 2. Marin Catholic, Kentfield 7-0 tTamalpala Bye meant opportunity to adjust to loss of injured WR-DB Tyler Rodrique. 3. Miramonte, Orinda 8-0 Las Lomas Title-decider could be cue (or OB Ken Dorsey's best game of season.

4. Foothill, Pleasanton 7-1 Llvermore Dave Moretti's two FG blocks, interception keyed win over Monte Vista. 5. Clayton Valley, Concord 7-0-1 De La Salle With Travis Vandevoir out for year, pressure falls on OB Nick Hendryk. 6t.

Bellarmine, San Jose 6-2 St. Francis Defense will be challenged as Bells bid (or share of WCAL championship. 6t. St. Francis, Mountain View 5-3 Bellarmine Find of season Benard Thomas may make big impression on Bellarmine.

8. St. Mary's, Berkeley 8-0 De Anza Eddie Smith has stepped up to overcome absence of RB Paki Gordon. 9. Skyline, Oakland 5-2 tFromont DE Omar Nazel will hound, hound, hound Tigers passing star Mario Vital.

10. St. Ignatius, San Francisco 6-2 Riordan Fast start could quell Crusader passion in battle for Doc Erskine Trophy. 11. El Cerrito 71 Richmond Gauchos continue to mark time waiting for North Coast Section playoffs.

12. San Leandro 7-1 Moreau Cath. OB Matt Maughn needs no reminder HAAL title still not sure thing. 13. Las Lomas, Walnut Creek 8-0 Miramonte Knights intercepted three passes, forced seven fumbles whipping Dublin.

14. Monte Vista, Danville 7-1 Amador Val. Chastened by loss to Foothill, Mustangs have to regroup, await playoffs. 15. Washington, Fremont 7-1 Logan QB Dan Brown, RB Todd Beck could ramble on Logan's artificial turf.

16. Bishop O'Dowd, Oakland 6-2 Arroyo OS Kevin Klein showed versatility, leadership in win over Castro Valley. 17. Ygnacio Valley 80 Pittsburg QB Matt Wade threw for three touchdowns in romp past Pinole Valley. 18.

Aragon, San Mateo 6-1-1 Half Moon Bay RB Dingane Jackson may rest injured kneecap rather than play Friday. 19. De Anza, Richmond 71 St. Mary's Upset win could earn coach Greg Qchs'Dons share of ACCCAL crown. 20.

Jefferson, Daly City 71 Mills RB Jamon Simmons, QB Jonathon Emelo making game-winning plays. 21. Newark Memorial 5-3 American Washington almost shut down rushing game, ended NM title bid. 22. Castro Valley 71 San Lorenzo Trojans started fast, but finished slow in painful loss to QDowd.

23. McAteer, San Francisco 4-1-2 ttLlncoln Coach Brian Von Almen's Mustangs threat to AAA round robin title. 24. Redwood, Larkspur 71 San Marin QB Daniel Silva, RB Dustin Niglio have Giants on verge of MCAL title. 25.

Galileo, San Francisco Balboa QB Marquez Shaw and Co. already taking aim at Turkey Day opportunity. Saturday game; tt Thursday game; all others Friday. HONORABLE MENTION (In alphabetical order): Arroyo 6-2, Capuchino 5-3, Concord 6-2, Dublin 5-3, Fremont (Oakland) 6-1, Menlo School 7-1, Richmond 5-3, Serra 5-3, Tamalpais 6-2, Terra Nova 4-2-2 The Examiner's Top 25 is selected from San Francisco, Contra Costa. Alameda, San Mateo and Marin counties plus Santa Clara County members ol the West Catholic Athletic League.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Actor Dennis Quald focuses on Steve Young in an August camp session in preparation for "Any Given Sunday, which may feature Lawrence Taylor. and each made his own auto racing film (Garner was first with 1966's "Grand Prix," Newman raced in the Indianapolis 500 in '69's "Winning" and McQueen was a Formula One driver in '71's "Le WHITE-WASH: More on the story printed in the Monday editions of the Examiner about Reggie White's planned film, "Barnstor-min' described as 'Jumanji' meets 'Field of Dreams' with a football twist." White will star in the movie, the first big production from Reggie White Studios (gag me), as will Packers quarterback Brett Favre and, White hopes, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Delon Sanders and blow-hard talk show host Rush Limbaugh. White said he wants pop culture to include movies that "parents can let their children watch, even by themselves, without worrying. There doesn't have to be a lot of cursing and sex to make movies good." Yeah, but messages of divisive-ness along race, gender and sexual orientation are for everyone. OVER THE FENCE: And finally, The long ana short of Bells' chances THE OUTCOME of the West Catholic Athletic League race may wind up in the hands of two of the most productive, yet dissimilar, teammates in Bay Area prep football.

Derek Martinez stands 6-foot-7 and weighs upwards of 250 pounds. He is strong. He is aggressive. He verges on the terrifying. Jeremy Jones is 5-foot-6 and claims to weigh 170 pounds.

He darts more than runs. He finds gaps in the opponents' defense when no gaps seem apparent. He, too, verges on the horrific in his own way. Opponents fear Martinez may squish them. Opponents fear Jones may race past them before they even know he is coming.

They play for Bellarmine Prep of San Jose, still in contention for the league championship along with, as expected, St Francis of Mountain View and, as not expected, St. Ignatius of San Francisco, with just two weekends of games to play. St. Francis (5-3, 3-0 in WCAL) plays Bellarmine (6-2, 2-1) Friday night at San Jose City College. Then St.

Ignatius (6-2, 3-0) plays at home Saturday afternoon against intracity rival Riordan (3-5, 0-3) in their annual battle for the Doc Erskine Trophy. Should St. Francis survive Bellarmine and St. Ignatius beat Riordan no safe assumptions the championship would be decided Nov. 13 when SI plays at St.

Francis and Bellarmine at Mitty of San Jose in the regular-season finales. Bellarmine andor Riordan victories this weekend would complicate things in a way Martinez, for one, fervently desires. "We've got to win every game from now on," Martinez said last Friday night after starring at both offensive and defensive tackle in a 41-14 rout of Sena of San Mateo. "That's been our goal to win league. Hopefully, SI will lose one somewhere." Jones' contributions, the latest in a weekly succession of demonstrations of how determination can overcome physical shortcomings, included 30 carries for 127 yards and one touchdown.

He also executed misdirection fakes on other plays that opened up the passing game for quarterback Jeff Incerty. Coach Mike Janda, a native of Texas who still speaks with a Lone Star State drawl after nearly two decades at Bellarmine, said he challenged Jones to be a leader as early as the beginning of practice last August. "Jeremy was not a question," the coach said. "He was going to be our main ball carrier. And he's come through in every ballgame we've had.

He's a tough, tough little guy. He runs hard, plays with a lot of heart and he's awfully tough to tackle." Incerty, wingback Craig Bragg, tight end-linebacker Kyle Pilgeram and other Bells will play prominent roles Friday night, but the 5-6 guy and the 6-7 guy are likely to be the most important Bells of all. Facilities Basketball and volleyball teams at all-girls Mercy High in San Francisco have been more than competitive, year in and year out, despite the major handicap of having no true home gym in which to play or prepare. Practice sessions have taken place on the school's outdoor courts or wherever a semi-convenient gym has been available. Principal Dottie McCrae, president of the Central Coast Section, expects that handicap to be overcome in a few years when a new multipurpose athletic facility rises on campus, with seating planned for "approximately 700." Fund-raising is well under way, the principal said.

Down in the Peninsula, Sacred Heart Prep of Atherton will celebrate the opening of its new $1.8 million Aquatic Center -featuring the first Olympic-sized 50-meter pool in San Mateo County with a blessing, barbecue and water polo exhibition match and clinic at noon Sunday. STONED And now, a special edition of our Page 2 feature: "PM Buzz Goes to the Movies." Pile the first item under "Conspiracy Theory." Two weeks after being arrested on charges of possession of crack cocaine, then claiming he was set up, former NFL star Lawrence Taylor auditioned for a role in an upcoming film by Mr. Paranoid himself, Oliver Stone. Taylor, who checked into a drug rehabilitation center in New Jersey earlier this week to avoid going to jail for violating his probation, was escorted by two counselors to the audition at the Tribeca Film Center in Manhattan on Friday. The audition was for a part in "Any Given Sunday," a film made in cooperation with the 49ers.

Stars Dennis Quald and Al Paclno spent several days at 49ers training camp in Stockton last summer researching their parts for the film. Cameron Diaz and James Woods are also in the movie, scheduled to begin filming in January. Taylor, who acted in HBO's "First and 10," performed well in the audition and has a good chance to receive the role, according to Taylor's marketing agent, Mark Lepselter of Maxximum Marketing. ZOOM LENS: It only seems natural, but over the weekend Newman-Haas Racing (that would be Paul Newman) announced plans to develop a one-hour action-adventure show with the CART FedEx Series. Newman-Haas will hook up with producer Neil Russell, the originator and executive producer of a current weekly show, "SOF (Soldier of Fortune): Special Ops Force." Russell said he plans to take the show directly to syndication on a market-by-market basis, rather than trying to sell it to a network or cable channel.

The plan is to begin with 22 episodes. Back in the '60's, Newman, James Garner and Steve McQueen were credited with helping spark a boom in popularity of open-wheel racing. Each competed in races, Azzi may FROM EXAMINER STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS SAN JOSE Jennifer Azzi, who injured her left hand while diving for a loose ball in practice Thursday, underwent her third MRI, further endangering her status for the Lasers' season opener Friday night against the Portland Power. Azzi has a partially torn ligament in the hand, which is her nonshooting hand. "She is in the process of collecting opinions from several specialists and gathering her information to make a final decision with regard to surgery," Lasers coach Angela Beck said.

"We'll have her go through some functional testing with a partial cast in the next few days to see what our options are, and if she is capable of playing Friday for the opener are Sharon Thompson, the Lasers' first-round draft pick, who will miss two more weeks with a sore right hip, and Charlotte Smith, who has a swollen gluteal muscle. Sheri Sam, out the last couple of weeks with sprained neck ligaments, will play. Three Kentucky players will sit out the Wildcats' first four games, including two regular-season games, under suspensions announced by coach Tubby Smith. The suspension of forward Myron Anthony, guard Ryan Hogan end center lamaal Magloira had been expected since June, when Smith said all three would be punished for misdeeds off the court University of Louisville men's basketball coach Denny Crum was released from the hospital, two days after he collapsed at Louisville International Airport A neurologist at Jewish Hospi- Famous SiNSUOUS tMAU ftOOYMJRMMO A tOTK tMAU Wmswno Veto fault col: 1.800.S82.434J Won Jol fO loi 43TJ Co Port, 1135 mi SP complete the quintet. The WCAL Jamboree, rotating the seven-member schools for 20-minute running-time scrimmages in a preview to the season, takes place Thursday night, Nov.

19, at Riordan. Alumni report: Former Examiner All-Metro halfback Jack! Crooks from Logan of Union City enjoyed his greatest day as a collegian, rushing 32 times for 159 yards and a touchdown Saturday as Rutgers downed Temple, 21-10. Crooks, a junior, was a recruit of third-year coach Terry Shea, the former San Jose State head coach and later Stanford assistant under Bill Walsh. The St. Francis volleyball team, the No.

1-ranked team in the nation, lost to Newport Harbor of Newport Beach, 15-17, 15-12, 15-0, 16-14, in the final of the Tournament of Champions at Santa miss Laser opener thought you'd like to know that home run balls hit by Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are going, going, gone, starting Tuesday with McGwire's 50th home run ball at Christie's in New York. No. 50 is valued at about $15,000. An auction house in suburban Clayton will sell McGwire's first home run ball of the season, from an opening-day grand slam off Ramon Martinez, on Nov. 12.

That ball is estimated at 10,000 to $12,000. Though no date has been set, Creative Properties Management Group has contracted with the owners of home run balls 63, 64, 68, 69 and 70 considered the crown jewel of sports memorabilia. The company also has Sosa's 64th and 66th home run balls. So what does this have to do with movies? Well, the record for amount spent on a baseball collectible sure to be surpassed by the estimated million-plus price tag for No. 70 currently stands as the $93,000 that actor Charlie Sheen paid for the ball hit by Mookle Wilson that squirted between the legs of Red Sox first baseman Bill Buck-ner in the 1986 World Series against the Mets.

Seems fitting that a screw-up would end up buying a screw-up. Compiled by G. Allen Johnson from Examiner news services unsuspecting Jurl Golicic of the Owen Sound Platers during a brawl in a game Oct 25 in Windsor. Bora, Bora, Bora SECAUCUS, N.J. Former U.S.

national team soccer coach Bora Milu-tinovic, who lost out to Bruce Arena to succeed Steve Sampson as national team coach and reportedly spurned an offer to coach the San Jose Clash, will be officially named coach of the New York-New Jersey MetroStars. "It's Bora," a source close to the team, who asked not to be identified, told the Associated Press. The team was to have a news conference Tuesday in New York to introduce ite coach. Milu-tinovic replaced Alfonso Mondelo as the MetroStars coach in mid September. Joey Martinez, considered by the Clash to be a promising young defender with a powerful left foot, was selected in the Major League Soccer Waiver Draft.

Martinez, 22, spent 1998 with the Miami Fusion. In the Soccer America collegiate polls released Monday, the Stanford men (13-4) moved up three spots to No. 8 and UCLA supplanted Indiana as the nation's top team. On the women's side, the top seven spots held form, led by No. 1 North Carolina and No.

2 Santa Clara. Tyson to fight Botha LONDON Mike Tyson will make his comeback against South Africa's Francois Botha in Las Vegas on Jan. 16, according to published reports. The Sun and The Independent reported Tuesday that the former heavyweight champion has signed for the fight with the promoters America Presents, who are expected to announce details Tuesday in New York. The Independent said the fight would be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

J.D. after November Around the Bay Soccer: Mission is seeded No. 1 in a closely matched final four in the San Francisco Academic Athletic Association playoffs this week at Balboa Park's Boxer Stadium. Mission (13-12) meets Washington (10-2-4) Tuesday at 3 p.m. and McAteer (12-2-2) and Burton (12-2-2) play at the same time and same place Wednesday.

The winners meet at Boxer Field on Saturday, with Mission owning the playoff point-double elimination privilege. Basketball anticipation: Kansas-bound Andrew Gooden of El Cerrito heads the San Francisco-Oakland Metro Area all-star team chosen by Street and Smith's College Basketball. St. Joseph of Alameda's Justin Davis, San Mateo's Cordell Butler, St. Ignatius' Luke Whitehead and De Anza of Richmond's James Pye On the air TELEVISION TUESDAY Pro hockey New York Rangers vs.

New Jersey, (ESPN) 4:30 p.m. RADIO TUESDAY No scheduled events TELEVISION WEDNESDAY Soccer FC Bayern Munich vs. Barcelona, (ESW) 11:30 Lin. Bowling hdianapods Open, (ESPN) 4:30 p.m. Golf Wonderful World of Golf Lee Trevino vs.

Gary Player, taped, (FSPN), 6 p.m. Hockey Sharks vs Dallas, (FOXB) 7:30 p.m. RADIO WEDNESDAY Hockey Sharks vs Dallas, KATD (990) KARA 1057-FM) 7:30 p.m. In the Bay Area TUESDAY No scheduled events WEDNESDAY Pro hockey Shark vs Dallas, San Jose Arena. 7 30 Horee racing Thoroughbreds, Bay Meadows, San Mateo Fst post: 12 45 Rodeo Grand National, Cow Palace, 4 pm THURSDAY Prep football Lincoln at McAteer, 230 pm.

Horee racing Thoroughbreds, Bay Meadows, San Mateo First post: 1245 College basketball Exhibition: Race Express at San Francisco State, 5 Rodeo Grand National, Cow Palace, 5 pm FRIDAY Pro baeketbaH Women: Lasers vs. Portland, San Jose Arena 8 pm College betketbell Men: USF vs Five Star Sports, Memorial Gym, 7 Prep football Mssion at Washngloa 2 30 pm Balboa at GaMeo. 2 30 p.m Soccer Men: Australia vs US National Team, Spartan Stadum, San Jose. 7.30 pm Horse racing Thoroughbreds, Bay Meadows, San Maleo Fcst post 645 pm nodeo Grand National, Cow Palace, 6 pm SATURDAY Pro Hockey Sharks vs. St.

Lous, San Jose Arena, 7 30 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri I Sat 1 2 3 0 8 OO PALL ANAH STL 8 9 (f)( IX 13 14 NASH CARP 15 is it gi9 onj)oQ LA PHNX NYR 22 Ql? 24 28 28 IPALLI ICARoI I STL 1 Horn nol fP Sport 5el emo I (J) Bay Area Kicg DIGEST tal in Louisville said all the tests run on the Hall-of-Fame coach since he was admitted were normal. The dizzy spell may have been caused by a temporary decrease in blood flow. Graf wins LEIPZIG, Germany Former world No. 1 Steffi Graf, making her latest comeback from injury, beat Romania's Ruxandra Dragomir 6-3, 6-3 Tuesday at the Leipzig Open. Graf hadn't played a singles in 56 days, since losing to Patty Schnyder of Switzerland at the U.S.

Open. She had hand surgery shortly afterwards. Chaffee back on top PATTERSON, Stanislaus County Defending champion Jon Chaffee is back on top again at the Northern California Open. Chaffee, 42, of Scottsdale, shot a 5-under par 67 at Diablo Grande, Ranch and Legends West Courses, to take a one stroke lead over Mick Soil of San Carlos and Bill Keller of Mountain View after the first round. Last year, Chaffee a teaching pro whose home course is actually Inter-lachen in Minneapolis won the $3,000 top prize at Chardonnay Golf Club in Napa.

No puck for life WINDSOR, Ontario In one of the toughest penalties in junior hockey history, the Ontario Hockey League has suspended a member of the Windsor Spitfires for life. Jeff Kugef, a 6-foot-7, 265-pound forward, was kicked out of the OHL for coming off the bench and slugging an MICROSCOPIC SURGERY MICROMINIGRAFTINQ NO BANDAGES PROPECIAROGAINE 5 College football USC at Stanford, 12:30 pm; Drake at St Mary's, 1 pm. JC football San Francisco at San Mateo, 1 Prep football Riordan at St. Ignatius, 2 pm. Horse racing Thoroughbreds, Bay Meadows, San Mateo First post 12 45 Rodeo Grand National, Cow Palace, 130 and 7 30 m.

SUNDAY Pro football 49ers vs. Carolina, Candtestck, 1 05 pm. Horse racing Thoroughbreds, Bay Meadows, San Mateo First post: 12 45 m. Rodeo Grand National, Cow Palace, 1:30 and 7 30 m. Soccer San Francisco Soccer League, at Boxer Stadium: El Salvador vs.

Overlords, 930 am; Mezcala vs. Hfcernian, 11:15 am; CPSA Championshf), 1 p.m.; Morelos vs. Mexcak, 3 How to reach the Sports Department Report scores, general mfo. (415) 777-7750 fa (415) 957-0954 Sports editor (415) 777-7756 Deputy Sports Editor (415) 777-7754 Sports cotumnMs (415) 777-6405 for Ray fUtto press 1 tor Gwen Knapp press 2 for Tom Stlenstia press 3 tor Susan Fornoff press 4 Scores tree (CrtyUne) (415510408)808-5000 (press 6000, touch-tone phone only) Tom Rosanelli, M.D. www Rosanelli com Practice limited to Hair Restoration only.

1-800-743-4247 2000 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 209, San Francisco Mxf rmM daemon (o otkwkJ thojto ontv iw tnoroucjh corwtJttattm Dr Romo.