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SPORTS
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TJESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2001
1B
Commentary
Chris
Wristen
Columnist
sportskanan.com
Soccer players winning games still need fans
Two weeks ago, a witty young man called Free for All, asking, "Where can I find the girls' soccer team swim-suit calendar?"
Although you won't find a pinup calendar, you can still get a first-hand look at the women's soccer team. Go to SuperTarget Field, at 19th Street and Naismith Drive, and watch the team play at 4 p.m. on Friday against St. Louis and 1 p.m. Sunday against Drury.
You'll find your beauty there, but it goes beyond what you're probably looking for. These women can play their fast start and impressive record are a testament to that.
Kansas' 3-1 start is its best in program history. The lone blemish on the record is a 4-3 loss with 14 seconds left in double-overtime to now 18thranked Illinois. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America ranks the Jayhawks 10th in the central region for just the second time in program history. They should climb in the new rankings that will be released today.
Senior forward Hilla Rantala, who transferred to the University of Kansas from South Alabama to follow her coach, said the team was finally ready for its breakthrough season after having a program-best eighth place finish in the Big 12 Conference last year.
"I want to finish in the top three in the conference and go to the NCAAs," Rantala said. "I don't think that is an unrealistic goal at all this year."
This year, Francis landed his most talented class of recruits and transfers, and they've helped make Kansas' play a virtual art form.
Rantalahammershomegoalswith enoughpowertotattooaNike swooshacrossa goalie theforehead. Shealsosculptsone-touchpasses that curve throughdefenders to her openteammates.
Freshman forwards Amy Geha and Monica Brothers dance around the ball with feet so fast that they make defenders dizzy before they blow by them with lightning speed.
Senior forward Natalie Hoogveld likes to turn handsprings after scoring goals as part of her victory dance.
The Jayhawks are about more than finesse, though. They pack a punch. Midfielders Brooke Jones, Maggie Mason and Gabby Quiggle navigate a tough-as-nails midfield while Pardis Brown and Brianna Valento lead a much-improved defense that allows very few shots.
The talent's finally in place, but now the team is trying to build a fan base.
Almost 300 people have attended each of KU's two home games at 1,000-person-capacity SuperTarget Field.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
But the women need more student support because 300 people isn't enough to help them press toward a first-ever Top 25 national ranking, let alone cause them to contemplate making a calendar.
Wristen is a Leawood senior in journalism
Co-captain's career in jeopardy
Senior receiver's injury forces teammates into key roles
Kansas receiver Harrison Hill tries to break away from a Southern Illinois defender last season. The senior co-captain had a chance to become the Jayhawks' all-time leading receiver this season before breaking his left shoulder blade in Saturday's loss to UCLA.
By Jeff Denton Kansan sportswriter
Senior wide receiver Harrison Hill broke three tackles on a punt return Saturday against UCLA — the last break is what hurt him the most.
Hill, one of the team's co-captains, broke his left scapula (shoulder blade), which might have been more deflating for Kansas than enduring the 24-point pounding handed down by UCLA.
"It's a disappointment," Hill said. "But I'm really not thinking about that. It would be disappointing for myself because I want to play more games as I jayhawk."
As the clock ticked down in the fourth quarter Saturday, Hill stood on the sidelines in blue sweats with his shoulder cast in a sling. He dodged reporters after the game, but Kansas coach Terry Allen lamented about the loss of his leader.
"We thought Harrison could make some plays today," Allen said. "He could
be out one month, maybe two, but it's a very tough loss."
Without Hill as the lone receiver split to the left in the game against UCLA, the Jayhawks passing game suffered.
Junior Barry Goodrich, 6-1, 190, was sent into the game as Hill's replacement. UCLA cornerback Ricky Manning covered Goodrich all afternoon. Not one pass was thrown Goodrich's direction.
Lanky freshman Brandon Rideau, 6-3, 170, was rushed into duty as Goodrich's
backup. Twelve months ago he was playing high school football in Beaumont, Texas. A year before that he was playing quarterback. He, too, proved ineffective
Senior wide receiver Roger Ross, who hauled in seven passes for a game-high 87 yards Saturday, knew his production would have to increase after Hill went down. Along with senior Termaine Fulton, Ross will become a target where Hill thrived.
"I have to step up a lot," Ross said. "I got to go out there and play the best that I
can. And the rest of them around us, they got to step up now."
But until the Oct. 6 game in Lubbock, Texas, against Texas Tech and as late as the Nov.3 home game against Nebraska, Hill will have to sit on the sidelines, nursing his shoulder.
"The shoulder's doing decent," Hill said. "It's as good as it can be right now. It's just something I'll have to deal with."
Young golf teams struggle on the road
By John Domoney
Kansan sportswriter
Coach Ross Randall predicted that The Ridges Intercollegiate this weekend would be a stern test for his young Jayhawk golf team.
As the team returned from Jonesborough, Tenn., last night, Randall's prophecies seemed correct. After Kansas struggled during the opening 36 holes it played on Saturday, the team found itself in 11th place in the 15-team tournament.
Yesterday's final round didn't prove to be much different for the Jayhawks as they climbed one spot to finish in 10th place, 40 shots behind tournament champion Texas Christian.
"We were just a little rusty and that is OK for being our first tournament," Randall said. "A team is going to make mistakes in their first tournament and we made a bunch of them."
One of the few bright spots for the Jayhawks was the play of junior Chris Marshall. The Stanley product fired a two-under-pair 70 in the final round to finish in a tie for 13th.
Randall came away impressed with the grit that the Jayhawks showed in the last round.
"We really struggled finishing, which hurt us a little," Randall said. "We made some birdies on some big holes and this is what helped us beat five other really good golf teams."
The schedule doesn't get any easier for the Jayhawks as they travel to the Inverness Intercollegiate Invitational in Toledo, Ohio Monday and Tuesday.
Not only was Kansas bringing a squad
that lacked experience, it was also facing what Randall said was one of the toughest tournament fields they would see all season.
Sophomore Tyler Hall finished 37th in the tournament and senior Travis Hurst finished in a tie for 65th.
Redshirt freshman Andrew Price took 67th while senior Casey Harbour tied for 71st.
The Kansas women's golf team finished in 14th place out of 31 schools at the Unlimited Potential/BayTree Classic, in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The Jayhawks shot a score of 322 on the final day of the tournament for a combined three-day score of 966.
Junior Heather Rose led Kansas with a tie for 45th place. Rose shot her best round of the tournament, a six-over par
78, for a final score of 241
North Carolina-Wilmington won the tournament with a combined score of 916.
Jill MacDonald finished one stroke behind Rose at 242 and tied for 52nd. Tiffany Kruggel and Jennifer Bawanan tied for 69th, shooting 83 and 81 in the final round, respectively.
"Overall, I feel the tournament was a success," said Kansas coach Nicole Hollingsworth. "We just needed to play a little better, but I think it is a great start to the fall season."
The Jayhawks play at the Mary Fos sum Intercollegiate Tournament Monday and Tuesday in East Lansing, Mich.
Contact Domoney at 864-4810
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Lee Sigley, Wichita senior, balances classes and his position as head coach for the Basehor-Linwood High School boys' and girls' soccer teams.
Students get coaching head start
Managing youth sports valuable experience while in college
By Ryan Greene and Ali Brox Kansan sportswriters
Lee Sigley has soccer on the brain. In the afternoons he jets from class straight to the field for drills.
At 21, he's the varsity coach of the boys' and girls' soccer teams at Basehor-Linwood High School, even though he's barely older than his athletes.
The Wichita senior, however, isn't donning shin guards and cleats on a club team. He's coaching.
Some University of Kansas students have students of their own. They coach or teach the sports played in high school or on club teams to children and teenagers in a variety of youth leagues and programs. The experience can be rewarding, whether it is guiding young children through their first strokes in a pool or leading a high school soccer team. But balancing the demands of working with kids and taking classes can take a toll. 'Attimes, it's tough'
Last year, Sigley was the assistant varsity coach at Basehor-Linwood in Basehor and gained head coaching experience when he took charge of the junior varsity squad. Sigley led the boys' team to a record of 8-3 and the girls' team to 2-7. The records may not seem impressive, but last season was the first that Basehor-Linwood had a soccer program.
"Luckily for us, there were a couple of kids who had playing experience," Sigley said. "Others didn't have any experience, but those with playing experience helped the younger ones along, bringing them along, up to speed with our coaching, so that they were not left behind in the sport."
As the varsity coach of the boys' team this season, Sigley has the squad off to a 2-0-1 start.
On the challenge of balancing a head coaching position, classes and a social life, Sigley said his schedule was restricting but that he was used to it.
"At times it is tough," Sigley said. "Fitting my class schedule around practices and games takes a lot of time out of my day. As I begin to finish my degree, class times are more restricted as of what I can take. It makes it tough at times to organize a schedule. Socially there's always time for me to be involved whether it's going out or hanging out with friends.
MLB
SEE COACHES PAGE 3B
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MLB
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Anaheim
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