The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey • 2

THE TRAVERS A rematch of Triple Crown race winners is scratched as Funny Cide and Empire Maker are pulled from today's race. 3 SATURDAY AUGUST 23, 2003 lift Yankees in loss yjiiig Wells can ORIOLES 4 YANKEES 3 By JORGE ARANGURE JR. STAFF WRITER NEW YORK At times, the Yankees have relied on David Wells to carry the team on his back. On Friday, with a weakened back, Wells was unable to pitch his team to an eighth consecutive win. The Orioles snapped the Yankees' seven-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory at the Stadium.

The Yankees rallied in the ninth, but couldn't come up with the big hit. Ori oles' closer Jorge Julio loaded the bases with two outs and was lifted by manager Mike Hargrove for left-hander Buddy Groom. Yankees' manager Joe Torre countered with pinch-hitter Ruben Sierra, who flied out to right on the first pitch giving Groom his first save of the season. For most of the season, Wells had been perhaps the team's most reliable starting pitcher. He had won big games against the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, and the Mets.

But Wells, who has been bothered Pope and Ben Julianel. "I have mixed feelings," said Hitchcock, who gave up three runs in six innings last Saturday but did not get the decision in the Yankees' 5-4 win in extra innings. "I'm leaving behind a bunch of great guys and a chance to go to a World Series, win another pennant here. But it's an opportunity to go and start, and after last Saturday night, it's clear that that's what I wanted to do. I missed it, and I didn't realize that until I had as much fun as I did out there See YANKEES Page S-4 that Wells' back would most likely ache for the rest of the year, but that it wouldn't get progressively worse.

The Yankees seemed satisfied with the diagnosis. But Wells, because of his back problems, missed his last start. Last week, lefty Sterling Hitchcock started in place of the injured Wells. The Yankees, who got a boost to their pitching depth with the return of Jose Contreras, traded Hitchcock on Friday to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for pitching prospects Justin by a bad back for most of the season, had begun showing signs of wearing down.

Wells fell to 12-4 and hasn't won a game since July 19. His back seemed to ache like never before. Almost two weeks ago, Wells, for the first time this season, visited a back specialist. The doctor told the Yankees JETS VS. GIANTS, TONIGHT, 8 O'CLOCK, CH.

9 1 it r7 I i I Venus closes the door to Open Joins Serena on the sidelines By HOWARD FENORICH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK Forget an all-Williams final. The U.S. Open will be a no-Williams affair. Venus Williams joined younger sister Serena on the sideline for the yeafs last Grand Slam tournament, withdrawing Friday because of the abdominal injury that has bothered her since May. The U.S.

Open, which starts Monday, will be the first major without a Williams since the 1997 Australian Open. It also will be a test for a sport that has benefited from the sisters' on-court skills and off-court popularity. "It's a shame for the fans. Serena and Venus have been the ones dominating the Slams the last few years," 1998 Open champion Lindsay Davenport said. "It's always exciting, especially for the New York crowd, to have at least one of them there.

Now both of them are gone." Neither has played since Serena beat Venus for the Wimbledon title July 5, the fifth Williams vs. Williams championship match in the past six Slams, all won by Serena. She pulled out of the U.S. Open on Aug. 1, after left knee surgery, leaving the tournament without either reigning singles champion (Pete Sampras is retiring).

Venus, 23, has been in New York, practicing and testing her condition. "I kept thinking I would be able to compete," she said Friday. "Unfortunately, it just wasn't meant to be. So, with regret, I have to pull out of this tournament and continue my recovery. I'm looking forward to playing again in the fall." A Williams has won the past four U.S.

Opens, with Venus lifting the trophy in 2000-01. When she beat little sis in the 2001 final, it was the first time in 117 years that siblings played for a Grand Slam title and the first time two black players stood at opposite sides of a net to decide a major singles title. Now the question is: Can the sisters withstand the grind of the tour? Kim Clijsters of Belgium recently replaced Serena at No. 1 in the WTA Tour rankings, despite never having won a major. Clijsters benefits from having played 15 events in 2003, reaching the semifinals at all but one.

In contrast, Serena has played in seven tournaments, Venus six. See VENUS Page S-7 For the first time Works in progress The Giants and Jets had good camps, but still must find some answers: Giants Edwards is pleased with Jets' readiness By RANDY LANCE STAFF WRITER EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. Some say the Jets have had another "Club Ed" summer, since Herman Edwards ended two-a-day sessions a week earlier than originally scheduled. Many think the Jets have taken a step backward, 1. Depth at CB is a big question mark, with two rookies contending.

Giants have issues still to be resolved By TARA SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER ALBANY, N.Y. One Jeremy Shockey apology, a William Joseph holdout, a Lake George trip full of fish stories, a Jim Fassel helmet toss, a record number of rained-out practices, and a handful of Rich Seubert-Keith Hamilton fistfights later, Giants training camp came to a finish Friday morning. Gassed-up cars bolted down the New York Thruway after a 33-minute walk-through in preparation for the team's third preseason game tonight against the Jets. As camp closed shop, the time is right to revisit the competitive roster spots analyzed on the day camp opened shop. Here they are, with an update on where players stand: OFFENSIVE LINE: Tarn Hopkins arrived in Albany as the Giants' starting right guard.

He left as the backup to rookie fifth-round pick David Diehl. Diehl, who took over for the second preseason game, formed a much better tandem with fellow new starter Ian Allen at right tackle. The duo appears to be the answer to the question of replacing last year's starters Mike Rosenthal and Jason Whittle. They left as free agents. See GIANTS Page S-8 2.

Bergen Catholic's Jim Finn is in a neck and neck duel with Charles Stackhouse at FB. 3. Dorsey Levens can overtake Ron Dayne as primary backup RB behind Tiki Barber. Jets what with their off-season defections, the problems at right guard, and first-round defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson's tame start All the talk is music to Edwards' ears. "Boy," he said this week, with an Ed ge in his voice, "if we didn't make the playoffs two years in a row, I wonder what people would be saying." The Jets play the Giants for "Braggin' Inside Jets will credit the $50 annual fee toward season tickets.

Page S-8 1. Looking for improvement from rookie DT Dewayne Robertson. Rights" tonight "on the road" at Giants Stadium. Then Sunday they officially break training camp, and Thursday they wrap up their preseason slate at Philadelphia. And at this late crossroads, a week and a half before they get the real show on the road at Washington, the boss likes what he sees.

See JETS Page S-8 2. WRs Curtis Conway and San-tana Moss must come on strong. 3. Awaiting the return of DT Josh Evans from his drug suspension. Longtime friends and teammates Pals from Miami strive to be effective one-two punch for Rutgers Rutgers' wide receivers Marcus Daniels, left, and Willie Foster hope their friendship leads to success on the football field.

By ADITI KINKHABWALA STAFF WRITER PISCATAWAY Seventh grade, Madison Middle School, Miami. Willie Foster lays eyes on Marcus Daniels, watches the kid move, and manages one thought "Tall fast boy," Foster remembered, without hesitation, six years later. And Daniels, when he first saw Foster? "Short fast boy," Daniels said, liked them." There's not much to not like with this duo. Foster, initially, comes across as the chattier of the two. But the quieter Daniels, his buddy said, is a lot more successful talking to the girls.

"It's all the gold teeth," Foster said, very matter-of-factly. Both have dreadlocks (Daniels' are bigger), neither has a tattoo, and where Foster's smile is a dentist's dream, with equal certainty. And then he glanced across at Foster and both broke into grins. Eyes-light-up, teeth-blinding, cheek-pinch-demanding grins. The two speedsters are freshmen wide receivers at Rutgers now, best friends promising those smiles will be on-field fixtures very soon.

"Oh, we're going to play them," Rutgers' coach Greg Schiano said, clearly catching the smile contagion. "We sure Daniels' is entirely capped in gold. Their styles on the field are similar and yet unique to each. Both are conscientious workers and devoted students, players quarterback Teddy Trump said pay incredible attention to detail. With the two spending camp on the second team, it's been the No.

2 quarterback, Trump, who has spent the majority of time with them. They have tremendous upside, See RUTGERS Page S-2 a a. 'a idt i iaiii- ii- i tit ii tf i -will i iT i 1i il Hi tt'i BETH BALBIERZSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER.