The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 29

SPORTS Playoffs Page 30 The Salina Journal Sunday, November 8, 1992 29 Huskers maul Kansas in showdown Nothing works for 'Hawks in 49-7 loss By HAROLD BECHARD The Salina Journal LINCOLN, Neb. Kansas tried a little bit of everything Saturday night against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Jayhawk defense used three defensive tackles instead of two, two linebackers instead of three and three defensive backs instead of four. Nothing worked. The seventh-ranked Cornhuskers sliced KU's defense like a knife through rsoft butter on the way to a 49-7 rout in bone- Schilling Memorial Stadium.

Huskies stunned Arizona knocks off top-ranked Washington, 16-3, Page 31 It could have been worse. The Huskers filled the field with reserves in the fourth quarter as the victory brought Nebraska (4-0 in the Big Eight and 7-1 overall) one step closer to another Orange Bowl berth. For lath-ranked Kansas, it's back to drawing board. The Jayhawks playing in their biggest game in two decades, were never in this one after the second quarter. "When you take a very good football team like Nebraska and execute very well and take a good team like we are and not play well, you get embarrassed," KU head coach Glen Mason said.

"To be honest with you, I'm very disappointed, not only because we lost, but because we didn't play very well." Nebraska, known for its powerful running game, didn't disappoint the 188th consecutive sellout crowd on hand. The Cornhuskers rushed for 351 yards against what was the No. 1 defense against the run in the Big Eight. Cornhusker running backs Derek Brown and Calvin Jones each went over the century mark with 156 and 107 yards, respectively. "I saw a lot of guys out there tonight who I'd like to vote for for the Heisman Trophy," Mason said.

"Those two running backs are awfully good." But it was the passing game that put the Jayhawks in a deep hole. Freshman quarterback Tommy Frazier yes folks, he's only a freshman KU's secondary with three touchdown passes on the first three throws he completed and finished with 161 yards. "Our strategy was quite simple," Mason said. "You're not going to stop Nebraska. Schemes don't stop Nebraska, people do.

But when you try to stop their run, you leave yourself open in other areas." It wasn't as though Nebraska's offense wore down the Jayhawks. Hardly. The Cornhuskers took just four minutes and 53 seconds (1:30,0:59,0:08,1:54 to drive for their five scores in the first half as they sprinted to a 35-7 intermission lead behind 343 yards of total offense. The Jayhawks were down four touchdowns despite having ball one minute longer than Nebraska. The ease in which his team scored surprised head coach Tom Osborne, whose Cornhuskers have romped past nationally- ranked teams in successive games.

Last week it was a 52-7 win over Colorado. "The last two weeks have been a little hard for me to explain," Osborne said. "I thought both of them would be tough games, and we may or may not win them. It has to be very disappointing to Glen and I hope they are able to bounce back and play a great game next week." It didn't take the Cornhuskers long to get on the Scoreboard on a night where a dropping temperature at kickoff was at the freezing See NU, Page 35 rolls over Bethany 'falcons clinch KCAC title with 51-7 victory ByTROYPALENSKE The Salina Journal The battle of Kansas Conference and nationally- rafcked heavyweights turned into an ea'rly-round knockout Saturday. "Friends took command with a 21- point first quarter barrage and rolled to a resounding 51-7 victory against Bethany at Anderson Field.

The win capped an unbeaten conference championship for 8-2 Friends and propelled it into the NAIA Division II playoffs, providing the No. 21- ranked Falcons finish in the top 20. 13 Bethany dropped to 6-1 in the conference and 6-1-1 overall entering next week's regular-season finale at Ottawa. "They just played exceptionally well," Bethany coach Ted Kessinger said of Friends. "They were a better football team than we were today.

No question about it." Friends was as dominant as the suggests. Controlling the line of Sefimmage, the Falcons rolled up 368 yards and allowed just 113 while forcing four turnovers. Three resulted or led to touchdowns. really thought if we executed on-offense we could move the ball," Friends coach Brian Byers said. "I think we do enough offensively that gives people some problems." Friends, however, didn't have to dig deep into its playbook.

Effective on the ground, the Falcons were content to run behind center Juan Betersen, guards Bryan Houchens and David Kulaga, tackles Dan Wentz and Otis Colbert and tight end Greg Knoblauch. Much of the damage inflicted was supplied by elusive tailback Dana Thomas. The conference's leading rusher demonstrated why, piling up 2Q7 inspired yards and four touchdowns on 33 carries. jj een running the ball well all.year," Thomas said, "and we felt if we stuck with what we do best nothing could stop us. We came out and executed and took care of business." Thomas drew motivation from last year's disheartening 16-15 loss a year ago when Bethany converted a Friends fumble into a 99-yard game- wjjining scoring drive with 1:19 left.

been waiting for this all yejjtr," said Thomas, who scored on roofc of 57, 1, 36 and 15 yards. "We said. 15 to 16 all week. That's all that wasron our mind. "We felt (last year's loss) disgraced us and we had to redeem ourselves and make a better image of ourselves.

We wanted to play as a team and hit on all It was evident from the start Friends was. The Falcons scored on their second play when Dana Thomas broke outside for a 57-yard burst. That touchdown lead soon ballooned to 21-0 by the end of the first quarter on Darrin Harding's 21-yard interception return and Thomas' 1- yard carry. Bethany narrowed the deficit to 217 when running back Chad Koesnter covered the final two yards of a five- play, 17-yard drive at the 12:27 mark of the second period. But the momentum soon shifted See FRIENDS, Page 31 Wesleyan falls Panhandle State rallies'-to.

beat KW, 33-28, Page 31 Central withstands Aquinas charge Photos by Scott Journal Central running back Sam Wilson stiff arms Aquinas defender Phil O'Hara away on one of his 28 carries Saturday afternoon. Mustangs next face Blue Valley By LARRY MORITZ The Salina Journal High school football playoffs: Time to put up or pack it up. Salina Central put up points on the board and then held off a late St. Thomas Aquinas rally to post a 2318 regional victory Saturday afternoon at Salina Stadium. Central, 9-1 and ranked No.

1 in Class 5A, won its first playoff Diener game since 1989. The Mustangs will be on the road to face defending 5A state champion Blue Valley-Stilwell in a sub-state contest Friday night. Aquinas packed up the equipment for the final tune, as the Overland Park school ended the season with a 6-4 record. "You don't go to the playoffs just to show up," Central coach Marvin Diener said. "You go to get to the state championship and win the state championship and we got the first big step out of the The Mustangs never trailed in this game, getting a big day from tailback Sammy Wilson (162 yards on 28 carries) and a pair of touchdowns from quarterback Casey Vidricksen to build what appeared to be a comfortable advantage.

The Saints did not go quietly. Down 23-9 with less than five minutes remaining, Aquinas tacked on a touchdown, a safety and was See CENTRAL, Page 30 Mustangs hold on in first close game of the season By TIM FITZGERALD The Salina Journal Less than 12 inches kept the Salina Central Mustangs on the winning side of their first close game of the 1992 football season. The Mustangs racked up an 8-1 record in the regular season, with those nine games being decided by an average margin of 26.4 points. As Central entered Saturday afternoon's Class 5A bi-district playoff game with St. Thomas Aquinas, the big question was: How will Central react to a close game? Just fine, was the easy answer in Central's 23-18 win at Salina Stadium, but a tad of luck helped, too.

"That's the first time this year that we've felt pressure in the fourth quarter," Central coach Marvin Diener said. "We rose to the occasion, but so did St. Thomas." Fate was on Central's side on two crucial plays late in the game. Clinging to a 23-16 lead with three minutes remaining, Central was forced to punt from its 18-yard line. The worst thing that could happen was to have punter Jason Fuller's attempt blocked.

It happened. Aquinas smothered Fuller's kick and the ball flew over his head. Aquinas, however, did too good of a job blocking the punt as it squirted to the back of the Central end zone. When Aquinas junior Ryan Steiner See MUSTANGS, Page 30 Central's Brian Hill (10) and Bret Payne (24) celebrate with their teammates after beating Aquinas. Chargers have suddenly become contenders Chiefs test San Diego's winning streak today By DOUG TUCKER The Associated Pren KANSAS CITY, month ago, how tempting the Nov.

8 date with then-winless San Diego must have looked in Kansas City. The Chargers, 24-10 victims at home to the Chiefs in the season opener, were 0-4 under first-year coach Bobby Ross and their starting quarterback was out for the year. The Chiefs were rolling along at 3-1, and new quarterback Dave Krieg was playing as if he'd been reincarnated as a young Sammy Baugh. Making the playoffs wasn't their major worry, securing home field advantage was. Now, however, the Chargers have found new life with quarterback Stan Humphries and have won their last four games, as hot as any team in the league.

The Chiefs, encountering any number of problems, glitches and quarterback setbacks, are 1-3. All of which leaves the two AFC West rivals deadlocked at 4-4 and proves once more a SAN DIEGO AT KANSAS CITY WHERE: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo. WHEN: Today, 3 p.m. TELEVISION: NBC, Salina cable 3, 7. RADIO: KINA, 910-AM.

LAST WEEK: San Diego defeated Indianapolis, 26-0; Kansas City was off. RECORDS: San Diego, 4-4; Kansas City 4-4. team's opinion of itself is determined not so much by its record, but how that record came to be. The Chargers are 4-4 and trying not to feel overconfident. The Chiefs are 4-4 and wondering, "Why us?" "The wins have helped us," agreed Ross, a Chiefs assistant under Marv Levy 12 years ago.

"They've given us some confidence. But it doesn't do a thing for us when it comes time to play in the ballgame Sunday afternoon in Kansas City. "If there's one lesson I've I think our players know got to go out there and play hard every game. You just can't relax in any situation or assume anything in this league." The Chiefs, who had last week off, are 6-point favorites against the Chargers, who beat Indianapolis 27-0 last week in their first shutout since 1986. Humphries, the AFC player of the month for October, was thrown into battle when John Friesz suffered a knee injury in the preseason.

The one-time Redskins backup is hitting almost 60 percent of his passes for 1,679 yards with seven TDs and 12 interceptions. The Chargers, whose defense ranks second in the NFL behind Dallas, have outscored their opposition the past four weeks 101-41. After a 27-3 loss at home to Pittsburgh, their sorriest performance in Marty Schot- tenheimer's five years as coach, the Chiefs were glad to have their bye week. Judging from coaches' steely countenances all week, it's safe to say the players didn't fritter away their tune. But does Schottenheimer feel better about his team? "Yes," he said.

"The disappointment of our performance against we're not going to forget that. But what's happened is we've had a chance to evaluate and analyze the things that have gone on, and where we need to improve. The players have worked their tails off. I think we're all going to benefit." A victory gives the Chargers their first five- game win streak since 1987, when Al Saunders, the Chiefs' receivers coach, was their head man. The winner also could move into a first- place tie with Denver should the Broncos lose to the New York Jets.

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