The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • Page 11

Pruitt Breaks Ankle. Lost For Season By RANDY YORK When Nebraska trainer Paul Schneider took Tom Osborne aside Sunday to apprise him of Ron Pruitt, the Cornhusker head football coach looked like someone had just slugged him in the stomach. The news was that bad. Pruitt, who had been helped off the field after the fourth play of scrimmage, would be lost for the rest of the season. The two-year left defensive tackle starts suffered a dislocation and fracture in his ankle and will undergo surgery Monday morning.

the biggest blow had in defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin said. remember any of our big players getting hurt like that in fall Kiffin gathered his defensive players and told them the bad Ron Pruitt Out For Season news. a bunch of sad kids in he said. knew it had to be broken or Ron Pruitt would never have come out of the Kiffin added. why so respected by his teammates.

He let anything stop Gives Inspiration Kiffin refused to buckle even though the hard facts shook his emotional armor. going to stop us. This vdiole defense is going to suck it up and go out and get it for Ron he said. Fultz, John Lee, Bob Martin and Dave Butterfield are going to play the best football game ever played in their life against added Kiffin. Osborne help analyzing the irony of the costly injury.

Last Friday, he had indicated Pruitt would only scrimmage 10 minutes since his position on the Black Shirts was solidified. The idea was merely to give THE LINCOLN STAR Sports Monday, Septennber 1, 1975 11 Pruitt and other solid frontliners a chance to work on their timing and quickness. really hurts Osborne lamented. two spots tiiinnest this year is in the offensive and defensive line and it seems like where been hit the Injuries Taking Toll Although enthusiasm ranks among an all-time high this fall, sickness and injury are taking their ton. Last 'Thursday, 18 players missed practice for various reasons: Another 17 were not at fuU speed.

Joining the injury list Sunday during the scrimmage were middle guards Lee (knee strain) and Willie Thornton (ankle sprain), center Rik Bonness (pulled groin) and linebacker Jim Wightman (ankle sprain). Offensive guards Stan Waldemore and Dan Miller, offensive tackle Bob Taylor Upset By Garnett Comeback By CHUCK SINCLAIR Sig Garnett has always idolized Harry Taylor, a man he'd never beaten at tennis in his life. The idolization of Taylor is still present in mind after competition in the Nebraska Closed Tennis Tournament at Woods Tennis Center, but the tag of always losing to Taylor is gone for good. Garnett, a former University of Nebraska player and No. 5 seed in the open singles, upset the No.

4 seeded Taylor, 26, 7-5 and 7-6 in a to advance to semifinals against top-seeded Dave Weber of Omaha. The upset was even more amazing after Garnett dropped the first set 2-6, and then found himself down 1-4 in the second. Concentrating concentrating well Kunkee at the Garnett said. hard to play against someone you idolize. been the best around for a long, long time.

service has always been the strong part of my game and I was having trouble so I just kept repeating to myself, watch the' ball, watch the Garnett added. I started to come Actually, Garnett had a long ways to come back before the match started after suffering one Of the worst weeks of practice in his life. has been without a doubt one of the worst weeks of tennis ever he said. been horrendous. I played every day up until the tournament and I was getting beat by Garnett said prior to the tourney draw Thursday, he was just hoping to play up to his seed Defeat Red Sox, 8-6 Rolls 300 By BOB MOYER Mike Kunkee got the new fall bowling season off to a perfect start Sunday morning at Plaza Bowl when he rolled 12 strikes in-a-row for a 300.

It was the first 300 bowled in the young fall league season, and like last year, the initial perfect game came in the Sunday Morning League at Plaza. 300 came after 191 and 188 games hardly a portent of the perfect game. made a one-board adjustment for the 300 game and then the ball came right said the right-handed Kunkee. Late 10-Pin Kunkee said until the 10th frame his only really strike was in the seventh frame when the 10-pin fell just before the rack came down. the 10th strike it was starting to bother said Kunkee.

the 11th, I was really getting nervous. On the 12th I was so excited I could hardly get my hand in the And it was that 12th shot that nearly cost him. threw it outside my mark but it just came up enough hit light and said Kunkee. Kunkee. whose high average last year was 186, credited Lincoln pro bowler Bill Straub with helping him improve as a bowler.

gave me some lessons a couple of years ago, which helped a said Kunkee. I got a lot of encouragement from John and Doug Parker (who bowl with Kunkee) which also helped a Lot of Practice Kunkee said the main thing helped him though is practice a lot of it. Even so, he was stunned by his sudden success. never really was sure I could bowl a he said. always wondered if I had enough consistency to do Now he knows.

By United Press International Reggie two-run ninth inning single drove in his fourth and fifth runs of the game Sunday and gave the Oakland an 8-6 victory over the Boston Red Sox in the finale of a three- game series between the American division leaders. game winning hit, which gave the the series two games to one, came after reliever Segui walked Phil Garner, Claudell Washington and Ray Fosse. Rollie Fingers shut out the Red Sox for the last 11-3 innings to receive credit for his 10th win of the season. The loss was fifth against two victories. The Red Sox took a 6-4 lead in the fifth inning with the help of Rick two-run double but the scored one run in the sixth and tied the score at 6-6 on Tommy homer.

The Kansas City Royals defeated the New York Yankees 7-0 in the American only other day game. Chicago at Baltimore, California at Detroit and Minnesota at Cleveland were rained out. Ron Cey hit two homers for the second straight game and Steve Yeager added a solo shot to power the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-2 victory over the New Yoric Mets. In other NL action, San Francisco shaded Philadelphia 5-4, Pittsburgh downed Houston 9-6 in the first game of a secheduled doubleheader while the second game was rained out, St. Louis beat Cincinnati 5-3, San Diego blanked Montreal 6-0 and Atlanta won the first game of a twin- bill 3-1, then dropped the nightcap 9-8 in 10 innings.

Paul Splittorff pitched a five- hitter and Hal McRae drove in three runs for the Royals, who dealt Larry Gura his fifth setback. Splittorff walked one and struck out four enroute to his seventh win. Cey, who had a pair of two-run homers Saturday night, led off the second inning with a solo homer and hit in the eighth to give him 22 for the season. and if he made the quaiMinals would be He found out Thursday that Bruce Vossburg of Omaha and Taylor, both left-handers, were in his side of the bracket, so he altered his preparation. Practice Serve usually do it, but I got Out a basket of balls and just practiced my serve to an imaginary left-handers backhand until I got it he said.

figured if I playing well, better be able to Garnett said drawing Vossburg in the second round really helped him against Taylor since he had actual left-handed competition before meeting Taylor. thing that helped me today was that I was so paranoid going into the tournament that I did concentrate Garnett said. think I would be in it at So far, the tournament have gone any better for someone who figured he was out of it. Garnett remained undefeated in all his singles, doubles and mixed doubles matches for the first two days. He and Bill Roach of Omaha upset second seeded John McCabe and Dan Grossman of Omaha in the open doubles semifinals, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, and later teamed with Joyce McVicker to win a quarterfinal mixed match.

Garnett and Roach meet top- seeded Weber and Taylor in the doubles finals, while McVicker faces top-seeded Simmy Pell of Omaha in the singles finals before the semifinal mixed match. Number of Upsets There were a number of upsets throughout the action, the most notable a junior unseeded doubles team of 15-year-old Sue Sheldon and 17- year-old Debbie Denenberg defeating the second-seeded team of McVicker and Carol Meyerhoff. Denenberg teamed with her mother to win one of the finals in the mother-daughter division with a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Barb Ringwalt and her daughter Barbie. Other finals were decided in the 35 doubles and 45 doubles and 55 singles. matches will at 9 a.m.

with the semifinals in the open singles with finals in both and open singles scheduled for 11 a.m. and doubles finals immediately following. Lingenfelter, defensive end Dave Redding and I-backs Dave Gillespie and Byron Stewart were held out of scrimmage because of injuries. TTie return of Monte Anthony was one of the few bright spots in the overaU injury situation. The sophomore I-bad(, sidelined all last week with a injury, rushed for 71 yards on only nine carries Sunday.

Quarterback and cocaptain Terry Luck also sparkled. He hit all six of his pass attempts for 57 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns on runs of 1 and 18 yards. Burrow Scores The scrimmage featured three other scroing plays a 20-yard Randy Garcia to Chuck Malito pass, an 85-yard pass interception by safety Jimmy Burrow and a 4-yard run by I-back Dale Zabrocki. The loss of the 6-3, 247-pound Pruitt means the Huskers will open against LSU without three starters. Defensive end Ray Phillips and all-American safety candidate Burrow also will miss the opener because of an NCAA penalty for attending a bowl game in which they were ineligible to play.

With the unavailability of Dean Gissler for the same reason in the opener, Jerry Wied is likely replacement at defensive left tackle. Mills to Switch Right defensive tackle George Mills, who battled Mike Fultz impressively for a Black Shirt could be moved to the left side to challenge Wied. Kiffin is also contemplating advancing three freshmen to the varsity ranks to work at defensive tackle. STAFP PHOTO BY DAVE KENNEDY At 6-G and 192 pounds, senior tackle Brian Hensel is the in Lincoln small offensive line. Spartans' Asset Quickness By RANDY YORK Prep Editor In high school football, which is more important size or quickness? Lincoln East is hoping is the right answer.

The Spartans, bidding for their fourth state championship in five years, may field the smallest Class A offensive line. from end to end. East averages 166 pounds per man. by far the smallest offensive line had in the seven years been says varsity assistant coach Lyle Sittler. quickness hold you in there for 48 minutes in high school Sittler asks himself.

going to be wondering each ball game, sure. our quickness and speed overcome the size he adds, in for some real trouble. I know all of these kids can hit, but always wonder if the cookie will Inexperienced As Well If the offensive line was experienced, head coach Lee Zentic and line coach Sittler might not be so concerned. But East is almost building from scratch. 100 per cent behind where we were last year at this same time in the offensive says Sittler.

been a 2(W per cent improvement these first two weeks of practice. very pleased with the progress the whole line has Zentic says. of our size, just going to have to be that much superior fundamentally and Guard and cocaptain Tom Strasheim 168) and tackle Brian Hensel (the at 192) are the experienced leaders in the offensive line. Joining them are center Bret Jones (5-10, 171), guard Mike Alexander tackle Scott Guyer (5-10, 165), split end Ken Rejda (5-8, 148) and tight end Randy Ahlquist (6-2, 165). Watters Co-Captain If the line matures.

East should be explosive offensively. Co-captain Dave Watters lights the fuse to the veer-T at quarterback. But been sidelined the past week with pneumonia, moving senior non-letterman Matt Rose into temporary No. 1 duty. FTiUback Sam Yowell, leading rusher and scorer in last 10-0 season, going to be just according to tic.

does so many things Zentic points out. think a experience has made him all the more determined. He luiows and understands the offense better. He reads better, gets to the hole quicker, blocks better. just a complete probable starting lineup for season opener at North Platte includes: Probable Starters Offense Watters or Rose, quarterback; Yowell, fullback; Moreland and Dave Stear, halfbacks; Rejda, split end; Ahlquist, tight end; Guyer and Hensel, tackles; Strasheim and Alexander, guards; Jones, center.

Defense Ahlquist and Guyer, ends; Hensel and Scott Schaefer, tackles; Strasheim, middle guard; Moreland and Jim Homer, linebackers; Rose, monster; Craig Bohl and Mike Borcher, halfbacks; Mickey Hayes, safety. roster, schedule, prospectus, page 13. Ace Recorded Harold Barnhart recorded a hole-in-one Sunday at Holmes Golf Course using a seven-iron on the 153-yard third hole. Witnesses included Dennis Schneider, Larry Vrtiska and Mike Beals. Patient Leavitt Wins State Sprint Car Feature By BOB MOYER Patient Eddie Leavitt got his break on the 18th lap, grabbed the lead and went on to a handy victory during the second day of State Fair sprint car races.

Leavitt, who started in the pole position for the main event, dropped to second place in the early going behind Dick Sutcliffe of Greenwood, Mo. Sutcliffe, however, was never able to put any real distance between himself and the rest of the field and coming out of turn four towards the finish Une, he slowed slightly allowing Leavitt to pass. know what happened, why he slowed down. But 1 knew Eddie Leavitt I could run faster, I just needed to get around the said Leavitt. And the competition was keen with Dick Forbrook, Jan Opperman, IMCA point leader Bill Utz, Ralph Parkinson, and Ralph Parkinson, Sr.

following closely in pursuit. Opperman Bid Late Of that group no one was able to make a serious challenge except for Opperman, who late in the race got his car into second place in the first turn but then hold it and fell back to fourth. Opperman, who won Saturday night at the Belleville, sprint car races when he passed race-long leader Larson coming out of the final turn, continued his second-place string until the fourth place finish in the feature. Opperman finished second in his heat, the main and the match race Saturday and finished second in his heat and the match race again on Sunday. Leavitt, who drives a car owned by John Rickey and Tom and Stan Hill of Williams, Iowa, noted the track was in better condition Sunday than Saturday.

was more black surface and it peel the Kearney, driver said. Leavitt said his only strategy was to keep running faster than everybody Ralph Parkinson, who won on Saturday ended up in sixth place, while Utz finished fifth. Utz H(dds Lead Utz, who has a slim lead in the IMCA point standings over Opperman, was able to maintain it Sunday. He finished just one position behind Opperman in the main, and defeated Opperman in the match race. Both drivers were second in their heats.

Leavitt also won the second heat race, while Randy Smith of Mt. Ayr, Iowa, won the first heat and Gene Gennetten of Glen wood. won the third heat. For Smith, a 20-year-old rookie, the heat victory was his first ever on the IMCA circuit and came in exciting fashion. Running second to Parkinson, throughout the heat, he suddenly found some good track coming out of the final turn and grabbed the lead just in time to take the checkered flag.

The sprint car portion of the State Fair races will conclude Monday. Time trials wiU begin at 1 p.m. with racing to start at 2 p.m. For the final day the feature race will be an expanded 30 laps. Auto racing resumes next Saturday at the State Fair with IMCA stock cars and Nebraska Stockers on Sunday.

Firtt hMt (I laps) 1. Randy Smith, Mt. Ayr, Iowa, 2. Bill Utz, Sedalla, 3. Ralph Parkinson, Kansas City.

4 Ralph Parkinson, Kansas City, 5. Dick AAorris, Sioux Falls, S.D. Eddie Leavitt, Kearney, 2. Jan Opperman, Knoxon, 3. Dick Forbrook, Morgan, 4.

Roger Rager, Mound, 5. Bill Cohee, Topeka, Kan. Third heat (I laps) Gene Gennetten, Gladstone, 2. Roger Larson, Kramer, Pa 3. Wayne Holz, Lincoln, 4 Bill Hudson, Des Moines, Iowa; 5.

Del Schmidt, Topeka, Kan. Match race (S laps) 1. Utz, 2. Opperman, 3. Morris, 4.

Rager. Censeiatlen (10 laps) Dick Sutcliffe, Greenwood, 2. Steve Hainline, Bonaparte, Iowa; 3. Bob Thoman, Higginsville, 4. Sonny Smyser, Gtenwood, 5.

Steve Lewis, Kansas City, Mo. Feature (2S laps) 1. Leavitt; 2. Sutcliffe, 3. Forbrook, 4.

Opperman; 5. Utz, 6. Parkinson, 7. Parkinson, 8. AAorris, 9.

Larson, 10. Thoman. Sprint car feature winner Eddie Leavitt, in car No. 40, is second in the easly going of the race as the field goes into a turn. DRIEM a NIS Backers Pleased With Initial Quarterhorse Meet By MARK GORDON Star Sports Writer With only four days left in first quarterhorse racing season, backers say they are pleased with the Broken Bow operation.

real pleased so far. Our mutuel handle has steadily grown and the best said Leo Cooksley president of the Custer County Agricultural Society. only have 30,000 people in Custer said the Berwyn resident who has long been interested in and quarterhorse racing. seemed like last night, (Saturday), we had almost half of them The opening-night mutuel handle on Aug. 21 was $28,102 the lowest of the six days.

handle was the highest $42,750. Bills Met? Still, is that good enough to pay the bills? 4 I spring when we had a meeting with the quarterhorse association from Amarillo, Texas, we guessed that to meet our expenses we would have to do $30,000 (on the average). Of course, you never know wlutt your expenses will be until the thing is he said. think running in the red. The first night was down, but now doing a lot he said.

fact, it was almost as noisy in the betting area last night Saturday as it is at Fonner (the thoroughbred track in Grand Besides the handle, the Fair Board is also derieving income from these sources admissions, concessions, income from the contract with the operators of the tout sheets and a rental charge for horsemen stalling their horses in the new bam. Cooksley said it is hoped the minimal rental charge for each stall would only be a temporary charge until the costs of buildmg the $100,000 barn, which has about 150 stalls can be met. Many Benefits Although the mutuel handle is somewhat lower than optimistic backers had sought, are still benefits to racing at the Custer County Fairgrounds in Broken Bow, Cooksley noted. grandstand is paid for and we have a 440- yard straightaway which is required for quarterhorse he said. lighting system is spait more than $200,000 to fix this place Changes for next meet might include a later post time than the current 7 p.m.

farmers around here need more time to get their chores he said. plan to continue racing here, but the dates are up in the he noted. horsemen would like an earlier meet say in June and over the Fourth of July weekend. Perhaps we might consider two sessions. But really up to the The Custer County Fair Board had reservations about how the might hurt the initial year of racing.

told the quarterhorse people that they have picked a worse year in the last 15 to start a he said. Into a drought last year and dry again this year. This is cattle country here and the economy is very closely tied to the cattle. When the cattle business is humming, so is the Jack Fickler, state steward for the Nebraska State Racing Commission, who has served as a steward this smon at Br(4en Bow, believe the meet is operating in the red. Recognized Track near as 1 can tell and assuming they I have some expenses I know about, the meet is pajdng its he said.

the tant thing is that a recognized track and the owners are running their horses and getting them eligible for big races here and at other ptos. had some problems such as a 13-year- old horse got in a race and, naturally, wmi. against the commission rules to have 13-year-old horses in races, but they notice Fickler said the Commission has a verbal agreement to grant Broken Bow the same dates for three years, if the backers so desire. special Labor Day program with a 4 p.m. post time will be a solid barometer of this meeting.

If the muturi handle surpasses $42,750 then the meet no doubt finish financially ahead. If not, backers might want to seriously evaluate the feasibiUty of running in Broken Bow next year. 1.