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University Daily Kansan / Tuesday, April 28, 1992
SPORTS
Former Jayhawks get a shot at NFL
Bv Codv Holt
and Chris Jenson Kansan sportswriters
The final picks of the 1992 NFL draft had not yet rolled across the television screen when the phone rang in Tony Sands' apartment.
Although he was not one of the 336 college football players chosen in the draft, Sands was offered a free-agent contract by the Phoenix Cardinals.
"I was praying to God, and now I have a chance to play," he said. "To me, it's just another step to show that I can play in the upper echelon of football."
Sands, along with former teammates Christopher Perez and Tim Hill, will attempt to make the transition to professional football.
Hill, a defensive back, was chosen yesterday in the ninth round by the Cleveland Browns, and Perez, an offensive tackle, was picked in the fifth round by the Miami Dolphins.
Tony Sands
Tim Hill
Sands, Kansas' all-timeleading rusher.
set the NCAA record for the most yardage in a single game by gaining 396 yards last season against Missouri. Also, he was named the Big Eight conference offensive player of the year.
Despite these accolades, Sands said his 5-foot-6, 175-pound frame kept him from receiving the recognition he deserved by NFL scouts.
"A lot of people are skeptical about my size," he said. "If I was three inches taller and weighed 15 more pounds I would have gone much earlier."
times yesterday evening to work out the terms of his contract. He said he would attend a minicamp May 7-10 in Phoenix.
Marty Bland, a representative of Sands from Kamson Sports in New Jersey, said Phoenix had shown interest in Sands for several weeks.
He said that other teams had contacted Sands after the conclusion of the draft but that Sands had decided that Phoenix best suited them to compete in all forms of the contract were not yet finalized.
"They're excited and Tony is excited." Bland said. "I'm sure he'll make the decision."
Sands said he was pleased with his situ-
ation despite his chosen during the 12
round.
"That's basically all I wanted was somebody to give me a chance to play," he said.
"With my attitude and ability I think I can make any ball club."
This also received his invitation to the NFL by phone, but he did not wait as long.
He said that 15 minutes before the Cleveland Brown made him their ninth.
round pick they called to congratulate him
"They asked if I would like to be a Cleveland Brown," he said. "I told them I'd love to be a Cleveland Brown."
The 5-8, 170-pound Hill said scouts were skeptical about his size and said it was the main reason for his late selection in the draft. But he said he was happy to have the opportunity to prove himself to the Browns.
"Just getting the opportunity to play in the NFL is great," he said. "It didn't really matter what team."
Hill said that the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants also had shown interest in him but that he was pleased with having the opportunity to play near his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
"It's a lifetime dream come true," he said.
Perez, a 5-1,280-pound lineman, was the first Jayhawk taken in the draft and the fifth overall from the Big Eight. He was the fifth-round pick of the Dolphins and the 124th player selected in the draft.
Chiefs' picks include basketball player
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs added to their collection of Butkus Award winners yesterday by taking linebacker Erick Anderson in the seventh round of the NFL draft.
The 6-foot-1, 241-pound Anderson, who ranks second on Michigan's all-time list with 428 tackles, becomes the third Butkus Award winner in four years to join the Chiefs. Given to the man voted the nation's best collegiate linebacker each year, Butkus awards also hang in the trophy room of Chiefs' linebackers Derrick Thomas and Percy Snow.
The Associated Press
Yesterday, in the sixth round of the 1992 draft, the Chiefs opted for Tony Smith, a wide receiver who caught 42 passes last year for Notre Dame. Jim Jennings, 6-3, scored two touchdowns at University, was the Chiefs' choice in the eight round.
round.
In the ninth, they tabbed a familiar name to Big Eight Conference fans, two-time all-conference center Jay Leeuwenburg of Colorado. Jerry Ostroski, a 6-3, 310-pound guard from Tulsa, Okla., was the choice in 108.
In the 11th round, the Chiefs took Wyoming defensive Doug Rigby, 6-5, 276 pounds, then wrapped things up by taking one of the 1992 draft's most intriguing prospects — Oklahoma State basketball player Corvill Williams.
Known as the quickest basketball player in the Big Eight, Williams has not played football since the ninth grade. But several experts advised the Chiefs to take a chance because of his rare athletic abilities.
"The phone rang today, and when my brother answered it I told him to tell whoever it was that I wasn't home," Williams said. "Then he said it was the Kansas City Chiefs, and I almost took his arm off getting the phone."
Williams, 6-2, 190, has exhausted his basketball eligibility but could play football next year for the Cowboys. However, he would jeopardize his eligibility if he reported to the Chiefs' minicamp this weekend without dropping some classes and becoming a part-time student.
Leeuwenburg, small for an NFL center at 6-2. 267, will
battle second-year incumbent Tim Grunhard.
Chiefs' line coach Howard Mudd said personnel director Whitey Dellow wrote in his report that Leeuwenburg made all the the blocks requiring thinking, finesse and athletic ability.
"He's very proficient at that." Mudd said. "There will be times with his size that he might not succeed. But it doesn't happen to him very often. He's real tough-minded."
Like Chiefs' tight end Jonathan Hayes, Leeuwenburg is diabetic.
"The only reason we figured he stayed on the board that long is that he is a diabetic," general manager Carl Peterson said. "We have checked him every way up and down. He's been diabetic since the eighth grade and he's handled it well."
Leeuuwenburg his right hand in a game last year but went back in snapped with his left, and did not pinch.
Anderson, unlike first-round picks Thomas and Snow, was the 28th linebacker chosen.
NFL Big Eight draft picks
These are the Big Eight Conference players selected Sunday and yesterday in the NFL draft:
Kansas
Position Team Round(pick)
Missouri Marco Johnson DT N.Y. Jets 10 (266)
Chris Perez OT Miami 5(124)
Tim Hill DB Cleveland 9(233)
Joe Bowden LB Houston 5 (133)
Brian Brauninger OT Phoenix 6 (146)
Mike Gaddis RB Minnesota 6 (152)
Stacey Dillard DT N.Y. Giants 6 (153)
Terry Ray DB Atlanta 6 (158)
Jason Belser DB Indianapolis 7 (160)
Carys Fieldie DE San Francisco 10 (269)
Brandon Houston OT Philadelphia 12 (326)
Chris Wilson OL Chicago 12 (331)
Nebraska
Johnny Mitchell TE N.Y. Jets 1 (15)
Tyrone Legette DB New Orleans 3 (72)
Nate Turner TE Buffalo 6 (167)
Curtis Cotton DB LA Raiders 7 (173)
Jon Richick WR Daredevil 7 (174)
Mike Petel LB New England 11 (288)
Keith McCant QB Cleveland 12 (316)
Oklahoma State
Corey Williams DB Kansas City 12 (325)
Kansas State
Colorado
Rogerick Green DB Tampa Bay 5 (118)
Russ Campbell TE Pittsburgh 7 (179)
Elijah Alexander LB Tampa Bay 10 (254)
Joel Steed  DT  Pittsburgh  3 (67)
Rico Smith  WR  Cleveland  6 (143)
Darian Hagan  QB  San Francisco  9 (242)
Jay Leuwenburg  C  Kansas City  9 (244)
Source: The Associated Press. Knight-Ridder Almee Bralnard. Daily Kansan
Out of my way
José Cantero, Asunción, Paraguay, freshman, tries to steal the ball away from Tom Caspari, Knoxville, Tenn., freshman during intramural semifinals. Kappa Sigma defeated Belco in a shootout en route to winning the championship. The games were played on the field behind Watkins Memorial Hospital.
Tired, last place Jayhawks to face No.2 Wichita State
By Jerry Schmidt
Kansan sportswriter
Baseball team shoots for postseason tournament
If Kansas baseball coach Dave Bingham is looking for a break, he picked the wrong week.
After splitting a four-game series with the Iowa State Cyclones during the weekend, the Jayhawks now face the No. 2 ranked Wichita State Shockers at 7 tonight at Eck Stadium in Wichita. The twoteams will play again at 7 p.m. tomorrow at Hogglund-Maupin stadium in Lawrence.
Then the Jayhawks, who are in last place in the Big Eight Conference, will attempt to sneak into the conference tournament when they play the Missouri Tigers this weekend. It is the team's final conference series of the season.
Kansas is 24-23 overall and 7-13 in the conference. But the Jayhawks are only two games out of fourth place. The top four teams in the conference play in the postseason tournament.
In addition to the rugged schedule, Bingham said his team was starting to feel the effects of the long season. Basically, the Jayhawks are getting tired.
"It has been a long haul this season with trying to play well and the level of competition we have played," Bing-hao "I think the kids are getting tired."
Wichita State is 38-8 and has beaten the Jayhawks twice this season. The Shockers beat Kansas 6-1 on March 31 in Wichita then again the next day 3-2 in 15 innings in Lawrence.
"They are a good club," he said.
"With the exception being a stretch
From April 7-16 the Shockers lost six of eight games, knocking them from the top spot in the polls. But Wichita State has rebounded to win seven of its last eight games.
they had a couple weeks ago, they have played well all season."
Monroe said the two games with the Shockers could enable Kansas to ride some momentum into the Missouri series this weekend.
"We have some big games with Missouri so we if play well the next two games it should give us some confidence going into that series," he said.
Monroe leads the Jayhawks in hitting with a .371 average. He has 26 RBI and 25 stolen bases. Junior first baseman John Wuycheck is hitting .322 with 41 RBI and a team-high seven home runs.
Celtics advance in NBA playoffs
The Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS - The Boston Celtics became the first team to advance in the NBA playoffs with a 102-98 victory over Indiana last night for a sweep of their best-of-5 series.
The Celtics, the Atlantic Division champions and second seed in the Eastern Conference, will meet the winner of the Cleveland-New Jersey series with the status of starters Dee Brown and Larry Bird still uncertain. Both missed all three games of the first-round series. Cleveland leads New Jersey 2-0.
Kevin Gamble's jumper put Boston ahead to stay 96-95 with 1:48 remaining and the Celtics defense frustrated
The Celtics, wholled by as many as 18 points in the third quarter, found themselves trailing 95-94 after a dunk by Reggie Miller.
Indiana in the final minutes for the third consecutive game.
Miller led Indiana with 32 points and 11 rebounds. Harden had 35 points and 12 rebounds.
Reggie Lewis led Boston with 32 points but did most of his damage in the first half when he made 10 of 15 shots and scored 28 points.
Lewis, who fouled out with 2:30 to play, hit a jumper as Boston opened its biggest lead at 65-57 with 9:21 left in the third quarter.
But, Schrempt and Miller brought Indiana back and the Pacers tied the game 74-74 on an 18-footer by Vern Fleming with 1:45 to go in the period.
Iffeffective free-throw shooting hurt both teams. Boston, which led the league in that category this season, dropped seven attempts, 11-for-27 in the second half.
Missed free throws by Boston fueled
A free throw by John Bagley, who had 14 points and 11 assists, gave the Celtics a 99-85 lead with 46 seconds to play. Robert Parish blocked a layup attempt by Dale Davis, was fouled by Davis and made one free throw to give Boston a 100-95 lead. Schrepmft's 3-pointer after Indiana missed two other 3-point tries left the Pacers trailing 100-98 with 12 seconds to play. Ed Pickney then made two free throws for the Celtics.
the hopes of the capacity crowd of 16,530, but the Pacers were unable to hit down the stretch. Indiana made only 29 of 42 free throws.
The Pacers have never reached the second round of the playoffs since entering the NBA in 1976 as their fifth trip to the playoffs ended with a loss to Boston for the second consecutive year.
Men's golf team ties for third
Alan Bratton of Oklahoma State shot a 1-under par 139 to take the lead after the first two rounds of the Big Eight conference Men's Golf Championship.
The Cowboys have won seven consecutive Big Eight team titles but were in second place in the team standings yesterday, behind Oklahoma with a team total of 579. Oklahoma State finished at 584.
Iowa State's Rich Balla was in second place after the opening rounds
SPORTS BRIEFS
with a two-round total of 141. Patrick Lee of Oklahoma was in third place with 143, while his teammate Craig Cozby and Kansas State's Richard Laing tied for fourth at 144.
Iowa State and Kansas were third in team standings at 597, followed by Colorado with 605, Nebraska with 607, Iowa State at 608 and Missouri at 627
Junior Brad Bruno was tied for 19th at 152 and sophomore Casey Brozek was tied for 27th at 155. Sophomore Jeff Moeller rounded out the Jayhawk field in a 33rd-place tie at 159.
Two Jayhawks, sophomore Matt Gogel and freshman Tom Sims, led the Kansas squad in a eight place tie at 147. Gogel is the defending conference champion.
The tournament will conclude after 18 holes today.
Women's golf in third place
Arantxa Sison of Oklahoma State shot a 1-under par 71 in the second round of the Big Eight Women's Gelf game yesterday to take the overall lead.
Sison shot 145 for the first two rounds
and held a 5-stroke lead over teammate Stephanie Martin, who shot a 150.
Not surprisingly, Oklahoma State led the team standings at 60, followed by defending champion Oklahoma at 630 and Kansas at 634. Oklahoma State has won the tournament 11 of the last 12 years.
Kansas was led by senior Laura Myers, who finished in a ninth-place at 157. Senior Shelly Triplett and sophomore Emma Lester closely behind in an 11th-place tie.
In the team standings, Kansas State
Kansas signs Topeka all-stater
Missouri was in fifth at 640, Iowa State sixth at 652 and Nebraska was in seventh with 656.
was in fourth with 638.
Amelia Holmes, a 5-foot-11 forward from Topeka Seaman High School, signed a national letter of intent yesterday to play women's basketball with the Kansas Jawhaves.
Holmes was a first-team all-state selection her senior year and a second-team selection her junior year. She finished her prep career as the all-time
leading rebunder, 576, and second-leading scorer, 979, in her school's history.
Holmes averaged 19.9 points and 10.9 rebounds a game her senior year while leading her team to a second place finish in the 6A state tournament. She led the team to the state title her junior year.
Holmes is also regarded as one of the finest high school track athletes in Kansas. She competes in the heptathlon and was recruited by Stanford University on a track scholarship.
From Kansan staff and wire reports