The Napa Valley Register from Napa, California • 5

The NAPA REGISTER-5 Register 0 Superchiefs look to Blank for relief, Pg. 6 Napa Valley netter shines in Modesto, Pg. 6 0 Lakers beat Sixers behind Worthy, Pg. 7 Cryslhirs mma vory Buccellato, Kollin headed for sections Monday, February 23, 1987 By MARTY JAMES Register Sports Editor Vintage High School wrestling coach Jim Lanterman probably knows Steve Buccellato and Mike Kollin as well as anyone on the Vintage campus. After all, Lanterman has been coaching the two Crushers for the last four years, and he knows exactly what is going through their minds at this point in the wrestling season.

Theyre just tough wrestlers," Lanterman said. Mike and Steve didn't place at sections last year, and they want to improve on that. They have something set that they want to improve on. Buccellato and Kollin are real good for each other. They work hard.

They don't just lay around like a lot of kids will do. Theyre real close friends, and thats going to help. What the two Vintage wrestlers have in mind is getting back to the Sac-Joaquin Section meet, scheduled Friday and Saturday at Tokay High in Lodi, and getting even for failing to place last year. They have redemption in mind. They have high expectations in mind.

Buccellato and Kollin, who each won championships at the Northwest Sac-Joaquin Sub-Section Wrestling Tournament at Vintage High Saturday afternoon, are among the leading contenders from the City of Napa to place at this weeks Sac-Joaquin Section meet and qualify for the California Interscholastic Federation State meet, March 6-7, in Fresno. Lanterman is confident of that, just as he is confident of Marc Vanderschoot, the Crushers 194-pounder, who took third place at the sub-section meet and stands 27-4 on the year. Hes hopeful that all three can advance to the prestigious state meet to cap an outstanding senior year and prep wrestling career. I really think that Marc will be back," said Lanterman. "I think he'll definitely be back.

The top three kids in his weight class are right here at sub-sections today. Buccellato beat Craig Doerfert of Vanden-Travis Air Force Base to win the 157-pound title, 11-5, and improve to 35-1 on the year after going 4-0 for the tournament with a forfeit in the first round. It was Buccellatos second straight subsection title. Doerfert, the Delta League champion, took a 29-2 record in the finals. Steves a tough kid who's got a lot of heart, said Lanterman.

Kollin was awarded a technical fall in the finals of the 168-pound division over Tim Patelzick of Vacaville at 5:17 of the third round, raising his record to 29-4 as the No. 1 ranked wrestler in The Sacramento Bees Superior California rankings. He won each of his four matches, pinning his first opponent at 3:49 and then picking up 16-1 and 10-2 decisions to reach the finals. Kollin is just a technician out on the mat, Lanterman said after Kollin picked up his second straight sub-section title. Hes an excellent kid who's very aggressive and doesnt let up.

If someone gets him in a situation, he changes that situation. When hes on the mat, hes all business. The top four wrestlers in each weight class qualify for the Sac-Joaquin Section meet. Buccellato and Kollin will be joined by sophomore Dave Limpin of Vintage, second at 108 pounds; Vanderschoot, third at 194 pounds; Napas Curtis Inglis, third in the heavyweight class; and Napa's Louis Deibert, fourth in the 122 division. Taking fifth place from Vintage, and being listed as alternates in the event of an injury or illness to another wrestler, were Brian Curtis, 122 pounds, a 4-2 record to go to 22-10 on the year; Jay Aquino, 129, 3-1 record, now 23-8; and Eric Jones, 141, 4-2 record, now 19-9.

WITH HEAD COACH Jim Lanterman in the background yelling out the 141-pound division at the Northwest Sac-Joaquin Sub-Section Wrestling instructions, Vintage High Schools Eric Jones (top) wins his match over Tournament in the Vintage gym Saturday. (Register photo by A1 Francis) Chip Miller of Christian Brothers-Sacramento in the consolation bracket of I hope I can place higher there and go on to state and hope to take something there, he said. When you start wrestling against better guys you get a little better yourself. Kollin is anxious to return to the section meet. If I have a good day, its going to See WRESTLING, Page 6 12th with 522 points.

Four of the top 10 teams are from the MEL. It certainly came as no surprise that Vacaville won the team title, or that Buccellato and Kollin captured individual titles for the Crushers, two weeks after winning MEL championships. Buccellato said signing a national letter of intent to attend California State University, Sacramento to play football a week before didnt interfere with his performance at the sub-section tournament. "I kind of tended to forget about it and stick to wrestling, he said after capturing 11A and 15-3 decisions to reach the finals. Im not going to college yet.

Ive got to finish this. A year ago Buccellato was fifth in the Sac-Joaquin Section meet. My heart goes out to Jay Aquino, Lanterman said. I thought he would at least place and go on. Hes a fantastic little wrestler.

Monticello Empire League champion Vacaville won the sub-section team title with 215 points, well ahead of Elk Groves 172. Vintage, second in the MEL, was third with 145lz points, and Napa High came in Craig anxious for opening of SF camp Royals7 Howser resigns FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) Kansas City Royals Manager Dick Howser said today he is resigning as manager of the American League team. Howser, who underwent surgery last year for a malignant brain tumor, will be replaced by Billy Gardner, hired recently as the teams third base coach, the team said. I've been pushing and pushing since the first operation in Kansas City and the second operation in Los Angeles, Howser said at a news confernce.

I couldnt do it. Howser, 50, attended the opening day of spring training for Royals pitchers and catchers Saturday, appearing in uniform for the first time since he was found to have a malignant brain tumor in July. Howser led the Royals to the World Series championship in 1985. On Sunday, Howser missed a substantial part of the teams workout, and General Manager John Schuer-holz said he was simply fatigued from Saturdays drill and would return today. Howser didnt come onto the playing field until about a half-hour after the players began working cut.

He stayed only about an hour, sitting down about half the time, and was back in the clubhouse around noon. Club officials said that he stayed in his office with the door shut for about an hour, and he left before practice ended at 1:30 m. By The Associated Press About 30 players are expected to be in uniform for the San Francisco Giants opening spring training workout today in Scottsdale, and Manager Roger Craig says, Were very anxious to start. The first full-squad practice is scheduled for next Saturday, but several non-battery players plan to arrive before then to get in extra conditioning before the March 6 exhibition season opener. Outfielders Jeffrey Leonard, Chili Davis and Dan Gladden, first base-man Will Clark, second baseman Robby Thompson and third baseman Chris Brown are among the many players who required surgery last season or after the season.

The only ones I may have to take it easy with for a while are Chili and Brown, Craig said. But I think theyll be ready to open the season. Brown underwent shoulder surgery last fall. Davis also had a shoulder operation as well as minor foot surgery. Atlee Hammaker, the left-handed pitcher who missed the 1986 season because of shoulder and knee problems, and right-hander Jim Gott, who had a shoulder operation, will be trying to reclaim spots in the Giants starting rotation.

Mike Krukow, a 20-game winner last season, is sure of a starting job. The candidates for the other spots in the rotation include Kelly Downs, Roger Mason, Mark Davis, Mike LaCoss, Terry Mulholland and Mark Grant along with Hammaker and Gott. As move Cey to first base Scott Hemond, a young catcher, missed the Oakland As spring training practice on Sunday because of injuries suffered in an auto accident, while veteran third baseman Ron Cey worked out with the team for the first time. Cey, 39, was acquired from the Chicago Cubs in a recent trade and is expected to share the As designated hitter role with Reggie Jack-son this season. Center fielder Dwayne Murphy was another new arrival in camp on Sunday.

Hemond, the As first-round pick in last Junes draft of college and high school baseball players, came out of a Saturday night two-car accident in Phoenix with a broken nose and other minor injuries. He spent the night in a hospital, stayed in his hotel room on Sunday and might miss a few more days of workouts. He played college ball at South Florida, signed with the As last summer and batted .306 in 22 games with Madison, of the Class A Midwest League. Lefty mounts his comeback Steve Carltons comeback try with the Philadelphia Phillies is off to a good start. His old slider seems to be back, Phillies pitching coach Claude Osteen said Sunday after watching Carlton and 16 other pitchers at spring training in Clearwater, Fla.

It looks entirely different from what I saw last year. Hes throwing the ball better. Hes got a good chance to get a lot of people out, Osteen said. Carlton, a four-time Cy Young winner, is with the Phillies as an unsigned, non-roster player. The left-hander, 42, was released by Philadelphia last season, and pitched for San Francisco and the Chicago White Sox later in the year, finishing with a combined 9-14 record.

Phillies President Bill Giles invited Carlton to spring training for a tryout. Carlton has a lifetime mark of 323-229 in 22 seasons, most of them with Philadelphia. Right-handed pitcher Kevin Gross did not throw because of a sore back, and left-hander Don Carman is out with a broken left thumb. Around the Camps The Cleveland Indians pitchers and catchers are scheduled to start spring training today, and there is plenty of optimism predicated on the teams pitching staff. Its important we pick up where we left off last year, and obviously, pitching will be the key, Geheral Manager Joe Klein said.

OAKLAND AS Manager Tony LaRussa (left) escorts newly-acquired veteran Ron Cey to the practice field in Scottsdale, Ariz. Sunday morning. The As are trying Cey out at first base. (AP Laserphoto) Pressure suits Chen just fine at LA Open golf were Don Pooley, with a final-round 69, and Steve Pate, with a 67. Seve Ballesteros of Spain carded a 71 to finish at 279, a stroke back of Donnie Hammond, who had a 69.

Chen said he virtually conceded the tournament to Crenshaw on the 18th green. When Ben made that putt, I thought he had won, Chen said. When I was putting, I thought that I just didnt want to leave it short. Crenshaw, winner of 12 golf tournaments during his 15 years on the Tour but winless in six playoffs, said: Its disappointing to lose like this because you can look back and see where you couldve picked up a shot. I hit my final putt a little too hard.

It shouldve died in the hole, and I just hit it too hard. T.C. has played well and this is a great experience for him, Crenshaw added. Hes very determined; you can see that out on the course. After his dramatic putt on No.

18, Chen hit his approach shot on No. 15 about 12 feet from the pin. He stroked his birdie try just past the hole, then putted out for par on the 449-yard hole. Crenshaw, who pulled his tee shot on the hole through the gallery and onto a cart path, hit into a bunker in front of the green, made a nice recovery with his third shot, but then blew the putt. Crenshaw collected $64,800 for finishing second, while Edwards got $40,800 and the players at 277 received $23,625 apiece.

The check was more than Chen previously had earned in an entire year on the Tour. Last year, his best, he collected $86,590. He became just the second player from Asia to win on the PGA Tour. Isao Aoki of Japan won the Hawaiian Open in 1983. Ironically, while Chen was playing well under pressure to win at Los Angeles, his older brother, Tze-Ming T.M, blew a two-stroke lead with a doublebogey on the final hole to lose the Philippine Open.

Im very happy. Id say 18 million people back home in Taiwan are very happy. Chen forced the playoff when he made a curling, downhill putt of some 12 feet on the final hole to draw even with Crenshaw. Chen, Crenshaw and Danny Edwards went to the 18th green tied at 8-under-par for the tournament, and each hit approach shots within 12 to 15 feet of the pin. Crenshaw made his putt to go to nine under, Edwards missed his to drop a stroke behind, then Chen banged in his putt to send the tournament back to No.

15 for the start of the playoff. Chen began the day with the lead, one shot ahead of Edwards and two in front of Crenshaw. Chen had a closing round of par 71 to go with earlier rounds of 70, 67 and 67 for a 9-under-par total of 275. Crenshaw shot a closing 69 and Edwards had a 71. Lanny Wadkins had a 66 to finish at 277 along with his brother, Bobby, who had a 71.

Also in that group LOS ANGELES (AP) Tze-Chung T.C. Chens dramatic victory in the Los Angeles Open provided a couple of firsts, and maybe one last. The victory, coming against Ben Crenshaw on the first hole of a playoff, gave Chen his initial PGA victory and Taiwan its first Tour event champion. And Sundays pressure-packed win at Riviera Country Club might also overcome the perception of Chen as the man who lost the U.S. Open.

He blew a comfortable lead on the final day of the 1985 Open at Oakland, suffering a quadruple bogey on the way to a 77. I think this title proves I can win a tournament in the United States, Chen said after making a tap-in for par on the first playoff hole, then watching Crenshaw miss a 3-foot try for par. I think it will make me more confident for my next few tournaments, said the beaming Chen, who collected $108,000 for the victory..