The Daily Herald from Provo, Utah • 15

SECTION SATURDAY. DECEMBER 4. 2004 344-2555 dhsportsheraklextra.com Another game, 2004 ALL-VALLEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR KTBE1MM Eg another Cougars, Trojans look for answers MV hero ASHLEY HAMILTON LONE PEAK Darnell Dickson v. DAILY HERALD Mountain View has this end-of-game thing down cold. For the second straight game, a Bruin guard played hero.

This time, it was junior Taylor Williams, who went coast-to-' coast for the game-winning layup with two seconds left in a 70-69 overtime thriller over MTN.V1EW 70 PAYSON 69 i )' '7Y? Vkn -fir A i J1 i 1 1 Jason Franchuk DAILY HERALD Finally, BYU might have found an opponent battling more adversity. That's USC, which the Cougars will play at 8:30 p.m. (MST) tonight in Los Angeles as they try to overcome their own inadequacy issues after losing four of their first five games. The Trojans, on the other hand, have had to deal with problems that run deeper: injuries and gruntlement. Rodrick Stewart, a sophomore, was academically ineligible first semester and decided to transfer, saying that playing alongside his twin brother was too emotional Looks like his brother, Lodrick, is thinking about bolting, too.

According to the Los Angeles Times, he threatened to quit the team after Tuesday's 71-62 loss at La Salle. "Lodrick is still at USC regardless of the turmoil inside the program," the players' father, Bull Stewart, told the Times. "He wanted to leave because he was frustrated, but he's got to suck it up because he decided to stay. He made a commitment when Rodrick decided to leave." But it's evident this program's disposition isn't as sunny as the football players'. "I hope the situation gets better.

He's too good a basketball player to endure this. College should be fun," Bull Stewart said. This matchup is certainly between a couple teams that aren't having a lot of laughs right now. USC is 1-2. Both were whomped by North Carolina, the Cougars lost by 36 points and the Tar Heels pounded USC by 32.

Besides the dissension, the Trojans will have to contend with the absence of senior forward Jeff McMillan, whose broken left (non-shooting) hand will keep him out for about three weeks. He had averaged nearly nine points. BYLFs only injury is bruised ego. Looking tired following a 7 1-57 loss at Utah State on Wednesday, BYU coach Steve Cleveland called the See BYU, C5 Payson on Fri- day night. "The plan was to get the ball and kick it out to the wings," said a breathless Williams, moments after getting mauled by appreciative Mountain View fans.

"But I saw an opening and decided to go." Mountain View trailed 69-68 with 9.2 seconds remaining in overtime after Payson sophomore McKay Massey scored off a nice pass from Stephen Roberts. After a timeout, Williams took the inbound pass and raced up the floor. He drove past his defender into the key and laid the ball softly in for the go-ahead basket. Payson was unable to get a shot off before the buzzer. "We had our three guards split so whoever had the ball could penetrate and be an athlete," said Mountain View coach Jason Young.

"We thought they wouldn't try to foul so sometimes you can go all the way on the drive. Taylor went for it." Mountain View (3-0) probably didn't envision this kind of ending after a great-shooting first half The Bruins nailed eight 3-point shots, including three from John Belliston off the bench. Back-to-back triples by Andrew Bateman and Belliston gave Mountain View a 43-27 lead with 1:12 to play in the half, and the Bruins settled for a See BRUINS, C6 MATT SMITHDaily Herald Lone Peak setter Ashley Hamilton is the Valley Player of the Year in volleyball Hamilton key to LP's title machine Jared Lloyd DAILY HERALD Early lead a --Lone Peak volleyball team that has- lifts Orem Jacob Conde HERALD CORRESPONDENT Orem jumped out to an early lead and held on to beat the visiting All-Vaiiey volleyball team PAIGE PALMER, senior outside hitter, Lone Peak JACKIE FOTU, junior middle blockeroutside hitter, Lone Peak KORTNEY ROBINSON, junior outside hitter, Pleasant Grove MORGAN LLOYD, junior defensive specialist, Pleasant Grove JALYNN THORTON, senior outside hitter, Pleasant Grove CASSIE KING, senior setter, Provo LORI WILSON. sophomore outside hitter, Provo SHANTELLE DURRANT, senior outside hitter, American Fork SANDY MARVIN, senior outside hitter, Payson NIKKI SLY, senior middle blocker, Springville VALLEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Ashley Hamilton, junior setter, Lone Peak Highland Rams 55-37 on Friday in girls basketball. Orem's Ashley Bowlter led all scorers with 19 points, while Denise Downey chipped in 12 for won the state title two years in a row, Ashley Hamilton has earned a number of awards and honors.

But the junior knows her success only comes through all of the players on her team being on the same page. "I hope the team likes me, first of all," Hamilton said. "Every position is important. If I don't get a good pass, I -can't set it. I think the hitters like me the best because they can't do anything without a set.

I pull my weight for them, they pull their weight for me." Although volleyball requires teamwork, the potent Knight offense worked because of the abilities of Hamilton. For that, the Daily Herald has named her the Valley Volleyball Player of the Year for 2004. "Ashley's surrounded by greatness in the players around her, but she's the one who makes it all work," said Lone Peak volleyball coach Deanna Meyer. "She allows us to run a very complicated offense." Hamilton averaged 33 assists per game. When the defense keyed on blocking her hitters, she displayed her ability to finish, picking up five kills per game.

She also showed strength at the net, getting 2.5 blocks per game. Those numbers set the pace for the Knights as they marched to their second straight 4A championship. "It was really exciting for us because you don't win two titles in high school very often," Hamilton said. "It was great to know we could do it again." Hamilton played an important leadership role this season, helping guide the team by the way she practiced and played. "She leads by example," Meyer said.

"She'll lead ver- BYU AT USC Today, 830 p.m. MST Los Angeles Sports Arena Radio: KSL 11 60 AM Live stats and live audio vailable at byucougars.combasketballm (select 2004-05 schedule) I Southern Ccdifarnia leads the aR-time series, 5-4 THE SKINNY: The Trojans return four starters and seven lettermen from last year's 13-15 team, including six seniors. Among the 11 players who have seen the most time for BYU, six are sophomores, two are freshman and three are seniors. Another sophomore, Jimmy Balderson, came out of his planned redshirt season to play 11 minutes, scoring six points, at Utah State on Wednesday. OREM 55 HIGHLAND 37 the Tigers.

Lin-ley Bpwen scored 12 for Highland, with Mak Prat and Kaelissa Sof ele adding nine each. The Tigers (2-0) looked good to start, holding a 12-point lead at the end of the first quarter. However, a series of turnovers and low-scoring quarters kept them from sealing See TIGERS, C6 bally and provides direction for the team. In stressful situations, she doesn't get stressed out. The other team can't get in her head.

She loves competition and is not afraid to lose. She respects everyone she plays against." See HAMILTON, C6 Who are these guys? Say hello to Orem Owlz true," said Kotofsky, a California native. "We've been looking forward to this all our lives. The welcome we've received here is tremen A Y- vJ -friftXL-. OWLS ARRIVE said.

"We went through 600 different name suggestions and lot of focus groups. But we are now the Orem Owlz." Also in attendance at the news conference was Orem mayor Jerry Washburn, Anaheim Angels player personnel director Tony Reagans, Pioneer League president Jim McCurdy and Owlz general manager Dave Ja-cobsen. "It's been quite a journey for everyone," Washburn said. "We want to welcome the club to Orem and hope it becomes a real pastime for the community and the valley, just like it is for the nation." Jacobsen announced that Tom Kotchman, who has led the team Darnell Dickson DAILY HERALD Hoot, hoot. Here come the Owlz.

New majority owner Jeff Kotofsky led a news conference Friday at UVSC, introducing the Orem Owlz as the new minor league baseball club in the-Pioneer League. The Owlz (formerly the Provo Angels) also introduced a new logo and new team colors. Kotofsky, who said he coaches six amateur or little league teams a year, passed out hats emblazoned with the' new logo and invited current season ticket holders to take a walk down to the nearly completed Parkway Crossing Stadium to pick out their seats. "Welcome to our fantasy come dous." The former Provo Angels spent the. first four years of their existence playing at BYlTs Miller Park and were very successful, winning seven of the eight season halves and a Pioneer League title (2004).

When former owners Linda Gach Ray and Rob Owens sold the team, the move to Orem helped facilitate a new ballpark and the new name. "It took us about six months to come up with all of this," Kotofsky JEREMY HARMONDaily Herald Jeff Katofsky, majority ownef of the Orem Owta (formerly the Provo Angels) announces the team new name at a news conference at ViC on tnaay. he team wiu puxy See OWLZ, C2 next season at the Orem school in a new stadium. CALL 375-5103 TO SUBSCRIBE.