THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2008
TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2008
SPORTS
TRACK AND FIELD
5B
Team lands 11 event titles
Jon Goerina/KANSAN
Senior pole-vaulter Kate Sultanova the bar during Saturday's track meet at the Anschutz Sports Pavilion. Sultanova won the women's pole vault
BY DANNY NORDSTROM
dnordstrom@kansan.com
"I feel like you've gotta get the crowd involved," he said with a laugh.
As sophomore pole-vaultter Jordan Scott looked down the runway at a bar suspended 5.41 meters in the air, he began to clap.
As the sound of unified clapping began to pick up throughout the Anschutz Sports Pavilion, Scott made his attempt at the mark. Although Scott did not clear the 5.41 meters, the 2007 indoor and outdoor Big 12 Champion managed to take home his third victory of the season, clearing 5.26 meters.
Sophomore Kirk Cooper followed Scott, placing second with a personal best pole vault of 5.11 meters.
"Kirk really helped me out," Scott said. "He PRed today, which is awesome. I love jumping with my teammates."
These performances were only two of many showings by the Kansas Track and Field team at the Kansas Invitational last Saturday against Tulsa University, Missouri, Wichita State and UMKC.
In addition to Scott and Cooper's domination, junior Nickesha Anderson set a new Anschutz facility record in the 60-meter dash with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 7.43 seconds.
Junior Victoria Howard finished at a close second with a time of 7.66 seconds.
"My goal was to run a 7.5 and I did that in the prelims." Anderson said, "Running a 7.43 tops it all. It was a great performance for me."
"Victoria is a great athlete," Anderson said. "We push each other during practice, but when
it all comes down to it, I run against the clock."
Howard also placed first in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.44 seconds, just shy of her 24.30 personal best time.
Harmon took second with 3.68 meters.
Lauren Bonds also put
"It's all about getting better at one thing every day and taking out time."
Senior Matt Baysinger brought the Jayhawks another victory in the 600-yard dash with a time of
on an impressive show with her second victory of the year in the 3000-meter run with a time of 10 minutes, 3.21 seconds. A late burst of energy on the final lap gave Bonds a dramatic victory over Wichita State's Mica Land. Bonds said her late kick is typical of the way she likes to run, but added that she wants to be more consistent in future races.
KELSEY ERB High jumper
Senior Kate Sultanova, who already provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships, won the women's pole vault with a 4.13-meter vaul. Liberty
1 minute, 11.71 seconds. "It's always nice to sleep in your own bed the night before a meet," he said.
On a more serious note, Baysinger said the Jayhawk team is one of the best in the nation.
"This team has tremendous potential," he said.
Senior Paul Hefferon, senior Patrick McGowan and sophomore Bret Imgrund finished first, second and third respectively in the 3,000-meter run. Hefferon finished with a time of 8 minutes, 35.39 seconds followed by McGowan's 8 minutes, 40.70 seconds and Imgrund's 8 minutes, 43.38 seconds.
Junior ShaRay Butler and Freshman Kendra Bradley placed second and third respectively in the 400-meter dash with times of 58.04 seconds and 58.37 seconds.
Other strong performances include senior Maresia Pencil's victory in the 600-yard dash with a personal best time of 1 minute, 24.68 seconds, junior Zlata Tarasova's second place finish in the women's weight throw with a 18.79 meter throw and senior Crystal Mannning's 5.95 meter firstplace long jump.
Sophomore Kelsey Erb took second in the women's high jump, clearing 1.63 meters.
"It was a little bit frustrating." Erb said. "I was looking for an improvement from last weekend and it didn't happen."
She stressed that the season is early and improvements will still be made.
"It's all about getting better at one thing every day and taking our time," she said.
The Jayhawks will have another great opportunity to improve this Friday, as they host the Jayhawk Classic, their second home meet in two weeks.
"Jumping in the same place two weekends in a row is a huge opportunity," Scott said.
Events will take place at Anschutz and are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m.
-Edited by Katherine Loeck
SWIMMING & DIVING
Hawks sweep Cornhuskers
Allison Ho, sophomore diver, prepares to complete a dive Saturday at Robinson Natatorium. Two pool records were broken at the meet.
Team places first in every event on senior dav
Lisa Lipovac/KANSAN
BY TAYLOR MICHEL NYE
tnye@kansan.com
The Kansas swimming and diving team continued its hot streak and set records with a dominating victory against visiting Nebraska Saturday.
"We came out strong with a lot of energy and enthusiasm," assistant coach Jen Fox said. "We performed above expectations after a month with no competition. Nebraska was solid. They always perform well against us."
The lajhayks took first in every event on their way to a 197-99 victory against the Cornhuskers. It was the first full dual meet for the team in a month.
"I'm pretty excited" Herrmann said. "I was shooting for some personal in-season bests today. To set the records was an added bonus."
A highlight of the day came from junior Danielle Herrmann who set two Robinson Natatorium pool records in the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke events.
"Danielle is one of the hardest workers on our team," senior co-captain Lauren Bonfee said. "She showed her true colors today."
Junior Maria Mayrovich was victorious in three individual freestyle events, and junior Ashley Leidigh won both the 100 and 200-yard flybirds. The team recorded a sweep of the top three spots in the 1000-yard freestyle and 200-yard breaststroke, and placed first in both relay events, the 200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle.
The layhawks placed first in both diving events of the meet, the one-meter and three-meter boards, led by freshman Erin Mertz and senior Jenny Roberts.
The victory was special for the Jayhawks because it came on senior day.
Robinson since we've been freshmen is an honor and we went out on top"
"It was really overwhelming and emotional." Bonfe said. "To swim in
The team honored seniors Bonfe,
Nikki Maples, Jenny Roberts, Allie
Rubino and Terri Schramka before
the meet.
"The team and the seniors always get up for senior day," Fox said. "They were able to control emotions and have a great meet."
The victory improves the team's record to 5-2. The team travels to Columbia this Saturday to face the University of Iowa on a neutral site.
"This is the fastest and strongest we've been," Bonfe said. "We feel really confident going on the road and contending."
- Edited by Sasha Roe
Lisa Lipovac/KANSAN
Allison Ho, sophomore diver, competes in Saturday's meet against Nebraska. The Jayhawks beat the Cornhuskers 197-99.
NFL
Manning, Giants stand between Patriots and a perfect season on Feb.3
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The New England Patriots' path to perfection has one last hurdle; a New York team of road warriors hoping for a Giant upset.
Brady and the Patriots (18-0) will try to match the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only teams to complete an undefeated season when they face Eli Manning and the Giants on Feb. 3 in the Super Bowl at Glendale, Ariz.
"I think you enter the season and you're hoping to put together a bunch of great wins and you realize there's challenges every step of the way." Brady said after beating San Diego 21-12 in the AFC championship game Sunday. "To not have a letdown like most teams have — we had a few letdowns or times where we didn't play our best, but we overcame them."
"We'll try to elevate our game for one last performance," said Tom Brady, the Patriots' dimple-chinned, record-setting quarterback with the model girlfriend.
Standing in the Patriots' way are the Giants (13-6) and Manning — Peyton's little brother, whose moxie and leadership abilities no longer can be questioned.
"We haven't been given a shot, but we're here," Manning said of his Giants, who have won 10 straight on
the road — including a 23-20 overtime win at Green Bay in the NFC title game. "I think we're deserving of it."
Las Vegas oddsmakers might think differently. They installed New England as a 13½-point favorite in the big game, in which New York will get another shot at destroying the Patriots' path to perfection.
Brady and the Patriots are playing in the Super Bowl for the fourth time in seven years. A win in this one would rank the Patriots as perhaps the greatest champion in NFL history — Spygate a long-forgotten speed bump.
In that scandal, the Patriots were fined $250,000 and coach Bill Belichick $500,000 for violating league rules by training a sideline camera on New York Jets coaches in their season-opening win. New England was stripped of its first-round draft pick next season, but the team stood by its coach.
New England won 38-35 in its final game of the regular season, rallying from a 12-point second-half deficit against the Giants. The teams also played in the preseason finale, when New England won — with Brady sitting that one out.
And the Patriots never wavered.
"I think there's special guys on this team that have stepped up all year when they needed to," Brady said.
Maybe none more than New England's record-breaking — and heartbreaking — quarterback.
Brady started this special season by becoming a father for the first time as his ex-girlfriend, actress Bridget Moynahan, gave birth to their son. Brady's now dating former Victoria's Secret model Gisele Bundchen, making them gossip fodder around the world.
Brady threw an NFL-record 50 touchdown passes in the regular season, with 23 of those to Randy Moss, who topped Jerry Rice's record. Brady was also the league's Most Valuable Player in helping New England score an NFL-record 589 points.
When the football-hurling heart-throb got back to business, he became a cover story for other reasons.
"They played great all year," Belichick said. "I'm very lucky to coach this team."
Linebacker Junior Seau quickly returned the compliment: "Bill is definitely the best coach ever."
And the Patriots are on the verge of making NFL history.
They sure can. And they'll see a familiar foe in the Giants, whose run through the playoffs into their first Super Bowl since 2001 was jump-started by their valiant effort against the Patriots in the last week of the regular season.
"Now we can look ahead," Belichk said.
"That got us going, momentum," Manning said.
Little brother is now in the Super Bowl with a chance to bring home a
This is the same New York team that gave up 80 points in its first two games and had fans calling for coach Tom Coughlin to be fired. Those same fans also wondered whether Manning, acquired in a draft-day deal in 2004, would ever become a franchise-type quarterback like his brother.
title of his own.
"It's exciting, but it's not about me," Manning said in his typical aw-shucks manner. "It's about this whole team."
Sure, Manning had a big hand in the Giants' success, especially when the games took on greater meaning. He has been flawless in the postseason, completing a number of clutch throws without a turnover.
Got Swingman
Check out our NBA & college merchandise
Swingman Shorts? We Do!
1000 Mass (Enter off east 10th)
spdome.com • 832-0806