Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 60

1 8D DETROIT FREE PRESSTHURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1989 'Little M' seeks the big time CCHA PREVIEW 4 i c'x If -V )v i 1 4 vZXJ I JT 11111 I i sy.z: i At 26, Michigan-Dearborn's Tom Anastos is the country's youngest college hockey head coach. He also hosts a weekly radio show. Michigan State Spartans LAST SEASON: 37-9-1 overall, 25-6-1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association (first), NCAA semlfinalist. COACH: Ron Mason, 11th year (285-133-13). KEY PLAYERS: Senior center Kip Miller (32-45-77), junior goalie Jason Muzzatti (32-9-1, 3.03 goals-against, .876 save percentage), senior defensemen Don Gibson (7-10-17) and Steve Beadle (14-40-54).

OVERVIEW: The Spartans return 1 6 lettermen from the only team in major college hockey to win its league regular-season and playoff titles. Miller, who tied for the national scoring title with MSU's since-departed Bobby Reynolds, is a top Hobey Baker Award candidate. Defense and Muzzatti also edges. Lake Superior State Lakers LAST SEASON: 29-11-6, 19-7-6 CCHA (second). COACH: Frank Anzalone, eighth year (158-98-19).

KEY PLAYERS: Senior left wing Pete Stauber (25-13-38), junior center Jim Dowd (24-35-59), senior defensemen Kord Cernich (7-31-38) and Dan Keczmer (3-26-29). OVERVIEW: Two freshmen and a sophomore will be hard-pressed to replace goalie Bruce Hoffort, last season's CCHA player of the year. But figure that the Lakers who allowed a league-low 90 goals last season will muscle their way near the top. Two of their top three scorers (Anthony Palumbo and Mike de Carle) are gone, but 10 of the top 13 return. Michigan Wolverines LAST SEASON: 22-15-4, 17-11-4 CCHA (fourth).

CO ACH: Red Berenson, sixth year (83-1 1 1 -6). KEY PLAYERS: Senior goalie Warren Sharpies (17-11-2, 3.69, senior defenseman Alex Roberts (5-19-24), sophomore left wing Denny Felsner (30-19-49), junior left wing Don Stone (24-17-41). OVERVIEW: Red may have finally shed the blues, with his Wolverines picked to finish third by league coaches. They must survive playing their first seven games on the road. Last season's 154 goals against were 19 fewer than 1987-88.

Mike Moes and Rob Brown are Berenson's first senior centers. Sharpies and the vastly improved Roberts will set the tone. Bowling Green Falcons LAST SEASON: 26-18-3, 15-14-3 CCHA (fifth). COACH: Jerry York, 11th year (256-149-19). KEY PLAYERS: Senior center Nelson Emerson (22-46-68), senior right wing Joe Quinn (21-20-41), senior goalie Paul Connell (21-16-3, 3.44, senior defenseman Kevin Dahl (9-2635).

OVERVIEW: Keyed by Connell, the Falcons limited opponents to three or fewer goals in 18 of last season's final 26 games, including a stretch of 11 straight (7-1-3). Emerson, a Hobey Award candidate, needs 59 points to become the school's all-time scoring leader. Western Michigan Broncos LAST SEASON: 14-23-6, 9-17-6 CCHA (sixth). COACH: Bill Wilkinson, eighth year (146-129-15). KEY PLAYERS: Senior center Paul Polillo (20-46-66), senior right wingcenter Jeff Green (23-29-52), senior defenseman Mike Posma (7-34-41), senior right wing Shane Redshaw (10-19-29).

OVERVIEW: A deep defense (three seniors, three juniors) might be hampered by untried goaltending. Last season's league finish partly due to untimely injuries was Western's worst since 1982-83 (tie ninth), Wilkinson's first season. If the Broncos' rampant scoring pace of recent years does not continue, their skid will. Illinois-Chicago Flames LAST SEASON: 23-14-5, 18-10-4 CCHA (third). COACH: Val Belmonte, eighth year (104-156-11).

KEY PLAYERS: Senior goalie Dave DePinto (21-12-4, 3.63, sophomore centerleft wing Rick Judson (14-20-34), junior center Bob Melton (19-40-59), senior defenseman Darin Banister (7-26-33). OVERVIEW: The Flames lost seven seniors from last season's team the first to advance to the CCHA Final Four but return eight of their top 10 scorers. This will be the biggest squad under Belmonte, with seven players at least 200 pounds. Judson, from Lambertville, was a Red Wings' 10th-round pick in the June draft. Miami (Ohio) Redskins LAST SEASON: 1 1-27-0, 8-24-0 CCHA (ninth).

COACH: George Gwozdecky, first year. KEY PLAYERS: Sophomore center Craig Fisher (22-20-42), sophomore left wing Ken House (19-1433), senior right wing Dan Beaudette (5-13 18), sophomore goalie Mark Michaud (7-12, 5.07, OVERVIEW: Gwozdecky, who goes to Miami after five years as an assistant at Michigan State, would prefer to think of the Redskins as a team that lost 1 1 games by one goal last season. More objective observers recall that Miami has won just 15 league games the last two seasons. Despite the return of 1 0 of last season's top 1 2 scorers, expect only subtle improvement. Ferris State Bulldogs LAST SEASON: 12-22-6, 9-18-5 CCHA (seventh).

COACH: John Perpich, fourth year (43-69-11). KEY PLAYERS: Senior goalie Mike Williams (6-13-5, 3.62, senior right wing Bill Thomas (1 1-18 29), junior center John dePourcq (9-1928), senior defenseman Clark Davies (3-1013). OVERVIEW: A 1 988-89 season of promise thoughts of breaking into the league's upper division ended with three fewer victories than in 1987-68. Ferris' hope is centered around 10 NHL draft choices, but tempered by last season's 99-144 goal differential in CCHA and 3-13-3 road record. The Bulldogs ended the season with 0-10-4 streak, losing final six games.

Ohio State Buckeyes LAST SEASON: 9-26-5, 7-20-5 CCHA (eighth). COACH: Jerry Welsh, 15th season (277-236-33). KEY PLAYERS: Junior center Paul Rutherford (16-27-43), senior left wing Derek Higdon (19-1534), senior right wing Scott Rex (6-2430), senior goalie Todd Fanning (9-19-4, 4.88, OVERVIEW: Winning early might help offset not winning often the Buckeyes play eight of their first 10 league games at home. Ohio State was outscored, 215-141, last season, but earned one-third of Its victories in overtime (3-1-5). PREVIEWING MICHIGAN'S OTHER TEAMS northern Michigan Wildcats LAST SEASON: 26-17-2, 20-13-2 Western Collegiate Hockey Association (second).

COACH: Rick Comley, 14th year (270-21 1-25). KEY PLAYERS: Junior center Dean Antos (25-24-49), junior goalie Bill Pye (26-15-2, 3.15, senior defenseman Brad Werenka (7-13-20), senior defenseman Pete Podrasky (5-3136). OVERVIEW: Northern advanced beyond the WCHA first round for first time since joining league in 1984-85, and to NCAA tournament for first time since 1981. Werenka, a 1987 second-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers, could become one of the nation's most dominant defensemen. The Wildcats lost four players, among them second-team All-America defenseman Darryl Olsen and leading scorer Phil Berger (30 goals, 33 assists).

Michigan Tech Huskies LAST SEASON: 15-25-2, 15-19-1 WCHA (sixth). COACH: Herb Boxer, fifth year (56-99-8). KEY PLAYERS: Senior center Shawn Harrison (17-3350), Junior right wing Kelly Hurd (18-1432), senior defenseman Kip Noble (8-2230), junior goalie Damian Rhodes (15-22, 4.41, OVERVIEW: The loss of three senior defensemen could toughen Tech's trek back to WCHA upper division. The Huskies lost 42 player-games to injury or illness last season, but Harrison became the school's first WCHA scoring champ and Rhodes led the conference In saves (1,163, 35.2 average league games). Tech was outscored, 188-142.

The other WCHA teams are Colorado College, Denver, Minnesota (two-time defending regular-season champ), Minnesota-Duluth, North Dakota and Wisconsin. Minnesota and Northern Michigan are generally considered the favorites. Michigan-Dearborn Wolves LAST SEASON: 21-12-3, 10-1-1 American College Hockey Association (first). An independent this season. COACH: Tom Anastos, third year (46-26-6).

KEY PLAYERS: Junior center Larry Pllut (20-24-44), senior left wing Joe Mocnik (16-2541), junior defenseman Thorn Madden (5-2227), junior goalie Dave Church (13-7-1, 3.64, OVERVIEW: Under Anastos, the Wolves have mounted consecutive 20-victory seasons. They enter a pivotal season perhaps the last before being sanctioned by the NCAA with an all-Michigan roster. By Steve Crowe Once on thin ice, Dearborn school now on the move By Steve Crowe Free Press Sports Writer The country's youngest college hockey coach had just been handed a copy of his team's press guide, a glossy, 58-page hot-off-the-press publication. On the cover, the letters in "MOVING ON UP!" are five times larger than those in "Michigan-Dearborn." Athletic director Sid Fox called the guide the best in Michigan-Dearborn hockey history, which enters its 15th season at 7 p.m. Friday at home against Ryerson Tech of Toronto.

"But I'd like to find something more flattering to compare the guide to than our history," said coach Tom Anastos, a 26-year-old Dearborn native whose obsession with turning "Little into a big-time hockey school is shared with Fox. Even before Michigan-Dearborn applies for. NCAA sanctioning it remains, technically, NAIA-affiliated the Wolves have landed a contract with WCAR-AM (1090) for all 36 games. The deal includes a weekly one-hour talk show during the season (Wednesdays, 7 to 8 p.m.) hosted by Anastos, a former Michigan State right wing in his third season at Michigan-Dearborn. Last season, the Wolves finished first in the American Collegiate Hockey Association.

The Wolves were 21-12-3 overall and 10-1-1 in the league, which included Notre Dame, Lake Forest (111.) and Kent State but has since disbanded. Anastos' pack of Wolves is diving into a sea of bigger fish this season, most notably Michigan State, Jan. 27 at East Lansing. The Wolves' upgraded schedule includes Western Michigan and Miami (Ohio), also Central Collegiate Hockey Association members, and Maine, which, like MSU, reached the Final Four last season. But the fight for ascension to NCAA Division I will be waged at Michigan-Dearborn, not among the hockey powers that be.

Athletics are in the final phase of a three-year administrative evaluation that will determine where Wolves hockey is headed, if anywhere. To attain NCAA status, the school must offer at least eight varsity sports. Only hockey, women's volleyball and women's basketball are varsity-level. Five others exist as club sports, but, Anastos said, could shift to varsity status at minimal cost. Season-ticket sales, albeit modest, have topped 100 for this season impressive considering that season tickets had never been a facet of Michigan-Dearborn hockey, played in Michigan-Dearborn Ice Arena.

The Wolves averaged 1,000 fans last season, up from 600 in 1987-88 and 250 in 1986-87. "I'm really a believer in what Sid's doing," Anastos said of Fox, 49, a longtime Detroit Public Schools coach before taking over at Dearborn in November 1987. "Sid's way marketing and actively selling our product is the way to go. He's a hands-on guy his hands stuff the envelopes, sell the tickets. But Anastos' rather potent and energetic presence seems more tied to his days at Michigan State and his observance of coach Ron Mason, a Campus letter CALVIN: Senior Steve Rltsema (Grand Rapids South Christian), with 8 79.9 average, became the school's first golfer to earn three All-MIAA berths.

DETROIT: Senior Bob Beyer (Madison Heights Bishop Foley) made AII-MCC by finishing fourth, with a 16-over-par 232, at the conference golf tournament. U-D finished third. EASTERN ILLINOIS: Junior Inside linebacker DImitrl Stewart (Detroit Chadsey) has broken up five passes and is tied for second In tackles with 59. Other Michigan defensive starters Include senior cornerback R.L. Reynolds Detroit King), who has 29 tackles, and junior safety Rod Heard (Detroit Benedictine), who has 26 tackles and two Interceptions.

EASTERN MICHIGAN: Junior free safety Bob Navarro (Jenlson) leads the NCAA with eight Interceptions In six games. He had two in Eastern's 31-14 victory over Toledo JOHN CARROLL: Senior, setter Mary Ann Montagne (Grosse Pointe South), a co-captain, is second In the Ohio Athletic Conference in service aces with a 0,93 average. Her 7.0 assist average is fifth. Sophomore middle hitter Meg Plnkerton (Farmlngton Hills Mercy) Is second on the 17-8 team with a 1.76 kills average. Byjanie Reilly, speck writer A HBV SEASON The icemen cometh DROP THE PUCK: The college hockey season starts Friday.

FOR OPENERS: The most Important first-week matchup sends Lake Superior State to Michigan State for games Friday, and Saturday nights. MSU won the CCHA regular-season and playoff titles last season; Lake Superior won the NCAA title In 1988. TV: PASS cable will show 18 regular-season games, Including Friday's MSU game at 7:30 p.m. FRIGHTENING TO FOOLISH? The season begins on Friday the 13th, and ends with the NCAA championship game on April Fool's Day no foolingl PLAYOFFS: Best-of-three quarterfinals, March 2-4, at campuses of top four finishers. CCHA Final Four, March 10-11 at Joe Louis Arena.

NCAA Final Four, March 30 (semifinals) and April 1 (final) at Joe Louis Arena In Mason's view Michigan State coach Ron Mason ranks his CCHA colleagues and himself: DON CHERRY AWARD For the best dressed coach 1. George Gwozdecky, Miami (Ohio): "He's GQ all the way." 2. John Perpich, Ferris State: "Always nicely suited to the task." 3. Val Belmonte, Illinois-Chicago: "The neat and tidy look." 4. Ron Mason, Michigan State: "I'm right up there probably." S.

Jerry York, Bowling Green: "The Eastern conservative look." JACQUES DEMERS D.O.C. For the most animated coach 1. Frank Anzalone, Lake Superior State: "Not even close. On top of everything, everybody." 2. Bill Wilkinson, Western Michigan: "A bucking Bronco behind the bench." 3.

Jerry Welsh, Ohio State: "Woody Hayes lives and he's coaching hockey now." 4. Ron Mason, Michigan State: "Reacts only to extremes. But if it happens twice, fm not very nice." S. Red Berenson, Michigan: "Underneath every redhead, a fire blazes." WAKE ME WHEN IT'S OVER For ihA most mild-mannered coach 1 John Perpich, Ferris State: "Very cordial, win or lose. Represents class." t.

2. Jerry York, Bowling Green: "Amazing handle on -emotions." 3. George Gwozdecky, Miami (Ohio): "Smiles through adversity, and based on what he might be In for. 4. Ron Mason, Michigan State: "But I've got assistant Terry Christensen on the bench I to compensate." 5.

Val Belmonte, Illinois-Chicago: "Great composure unless his Cubbies are playing." By Steve Crowe "That was pretty perceptive on their part to schedule a week off before our game," Deromedi said. "I'm sure, Bo (Schembechler) wouldn't want Michigan State to have a week off before it plays Michigan. And we know for a fact that Gerry Faust (Akron' coach) helped them get our film with them so they've been watching that for a while now." Akron beat CMU, 27-20. Like Central, the Broncos are try-' ing to get healthy. Molde said expected running back Michael Greene to play, but running back Paul -Agema was still out because of a neck injury.

Molde also expects a better performance from freshman quarterback Brad Tayles, who did not play well in a 21-20 loss to Eastern Michigan', "I think Brad was sicker than we; realized," Molde said. "We felt he had strep throat, and he was treated witti penicillin. That slid into tonsillitis, and he had a big, big infection in his tonsils. He lost 16 pounds, and then he tested-! positive for mononucleosis. His spleen is not enlarged, and he's been to practice." Saturday's winner will remain the hunt for a trip to the California -Bowl, but Deromedi doesn't want to talk about the importance of this game and its effect on the MAC race.

"I'm not even talking about being in that race," Deromedi said. "I can't think long range. There is no room for error now. We just want to win this game so the next game will be imrjor-l' -tant." master motivator and mingler. "I watched Ron pretty closely when I was there," Anastos said.

"He was able to get people involved because they wanted to be around Ron Mason. He made the time to be out and available to people. His door was always open, and that's the philosophy I'm following." And Anastos' former coach is trying his best to help out. "We're playing them this year specifically because I want to give Tom every opportunity," said Mason, whose decision to play the Wolves was at the expense of an exhibition against a Soviet team. "In their situation, you've got to start by creating an identity, and Tommy's been very good at doing that.

He's helped create an identity that wasn't there." But Mason added, somberly: "Unless they become an NCAA member, they'll never go beyond this, or even keep what he's built up." The focus of Anastos' three-year effort has been on healing the "black eye" he said athletics had become in the eyes of administrators and faculty earlier this decade. "I needed to show them that not all athletes are meat heads," Anastos said, "and we've succeeded, I think, to this point." But Anastos also was confronted with formidable disinterest among the school's more than 7,000 students. Said Mike Humitz, who played four seasons for the Wolves before becoming one of Anastos' two assistants this season: "They had always talked about expanding the program, but that's GEORGE WALDMANDetroit Free Press what it turned out to be talk. Then when Tom got here, things got moving. The interest is growing all the time.

Four years ago, I'll bet 80 percent of the people on campus didn't know we had a hockey team. And that might be conservative. It might have been 90." Fox said he had "virtually no contact" with the Ann Arbor-based parent school. "And at this point," Fox said, "I don't think they would relish the thought of playing us because we're becoming so competitive. But we haven't approached them and they haven't approached us yet." The prospect of sharing the metro Detroit area with another NCAA Division I team "doesn't bother me at all," said Michigan coach Red Berenson.

"I think it would be great, I really do. I look at them as a different school. They're a different campus and aren't affiliated with our athletic department. I don't even know where Tom's office is, to tell you the truth. "But it would be great in the sense of location and rivalry.

Fighting for fans is not an issue. There's room for another competitive, bona fide program in the area." Anastos said "we're still fighting that image," which is, more precisely, the lack of one. "But Ron Mason is a real supporter of the expansion of college hockey, and not every coach is, particularly in the CCHA," Anastos said. "I'm not going to take a negative stand against any- body. It's more like I keep saying to myself: 'I'll show you.

Somewhere down the road, we'll show The Game MATCHUP: Western Michigan (3-2, 1-1 In Mid-American Conference) vs. Central Michigan (2-3, 2-1). WHEN: 12:30 p.m. Saturday. WHERE: Waldo Stadium, Kalamazoo.

TVRADIO: Channel 62 in Detroit, PASS cable; statewide radio networks. TICKETS: 30,000 expected, tickets $10 reserve, $8 general admission, $5 students. four offensive starters able to practice. We're slowly getting people back, but we're still not 100 percent at tailback." Donnie Riley, the starting tailback, has been bothered by various injuries but still ranks second in the MAC in rushing with 515 yards. Deromedi does his best to build up Western as a fearsome opponent.

Some observations: "Western has a great, great defensive football team. Every yard you get against them you earn." Western ranks third in MAC total defense. "They have a very sophisticated passing attack. They stretch your defense better than anyone else." Western is seventh in MAC total offense. The Broncos did not play last week, meaning they have been preparing for Central since Oct.

1. Elimination Bowl: It's CMU vs. WMU by Mick McCabe Free Press Sports Writer Herb Deromedi winces when he hears people say Central Michigan has its destiny in its hands in the MidAmerican Conference football race. "Whenever I hear that phrase it seems like I'm going to watch a movie," said Deromedi, Central's coach. "That ought to be the title of a Class movie." Maybe Saturday's Central Michigan-Western Michigan game at Kalamazoo shouldn't be called the Destiny Bowl, but rather the Elimination Bowl.

The loser probably won't win the MAC title. Both teams have lost one conference game, and Western's loss was to unbeaten Eastern Michigan. Central, the preseason MAC favorite, is 2-3, 2-1 in the conference. Western, the defending champion, is 3-2, 1-1. "There isn't any question the winner is in the race and the loser is out of it, especially because Eastern is off at 4-0," said Western coach Al Molde.

After losing its first three games by a total of seven points, Central has beaten Miami (Ohio) and Kent State, but both of those teams are winless. "Maybe we've stopped the bleeding," Deromedi said, "and now maybe we can do some healing." He wasn't kidding about the healing. The one area in which the Chippe-was might lead the MAC is injuries. "We haven't been a very healthy team," Deromedi said. "One week we had a Wednesday or Thursday practice, a critical practice, and we only had.