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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
Jessica Tims
jtims@kansan.com
Game brings many firsts for Kansas fans, athletes
Tomorrow night's football game against the Southwest Missouri State Bears has been 21 years in the making for Kansas coach Mark Mangino.
He has worked his way up the coaching ladder, starting as an assistant coach at his alma mater, New Castle High School, in New Castle, Pa. in 1981.
Now, two high schools, five colleges and nine bowl births later. Mangino will take his first steps on a home field as the leader of a Division I college team.
Former tight ends coach Brandon Blaney will experience his first game as Kansas offensive line coach after the resignation of Ken Conatser on Tuesday. Offensive graduate assistant Rance Holt will slide into Blaney's former position for tomorrow's game.
Mangino's first home game as a Jayhawk may be thrilling, but he will not be the only person in Memorial Stadium experiencing the rush of a first.
Kansas' Bill Whittemore will toss his first pass on home turf as a starting quarterback for the Jayhawks tomorrow. The junior started last week over classmate Zach Dyer in the Jayhawks 20-31 loss to the University of Nevada Las Vegas. It will be the first time that Whittemore, a transfer from Fort Scott Community College, will hear a stadium of crimson and blue scream his name.
Two Jayhawks will make their debuts in new positions tomorrow night. Senior Leo Bookman will make his first start as wide receiver. Bookman spent the last two games as defensive back. David Hurst will make a transition, moving from tight end to guard against the SMS Bears.
It will be the first time freshman Nick Reid will take the field as a Jayhawk. Reid, once a high school quarterback, will play his first home game as a linebacker. Reid filled the slot left vacant by Banks Floodman, who is out for the season with an injured right knee.
For most fans in Memorial Stadium, it will be the first time they see a crimson and navy blue squad. The new uniform hue was adopted by the coaching staff last year after Mangino was announced the new Kansas coach.
For freshmen and other new KU students, it may be their first home Kansas football game.
The game may mark their first time to sing the alma mater with a stranger's arm draped around their shoulders, the first time to wave the wheat after a Kansas score. It will also be the first time to sing the rock chalk chant with thousands of other students.
But the first that every coach, player and fan is most looking forward to is the first win. A win against SMS would not only mark the first for the season or the first at home, it will also be the first of the Mangino era.
With the possibility of winning a $1,000 scholarship by attending the game in a blue KU First T-shirt, tomorrow's game could mark the first time in recent memory that the student section will be a sea of blue.
If it is true that a person never forgets their first, then Memorial Stadium is sure to be the birthplace of many memories tomorrow night.
- Tims is an Arma senior in journalism. She is the associate sports editor.
Zach Dyer, junior quarterback, drops back to throw a pass in last year's game against Nebraska. Dyer will be the starting quarterback in tomorrow's game against Southwest Missouri State. Kansas beat SMS last year, 24-10, during the teams' first meeting. Kansan file photo
Kansan file photo
Bearsto test' Hawks
By Doyle Murphy
Kansan sportswriter
For the second consecutive year Kansas will open its home season against Southwest Missouri State.
Kansas enters the game reeling from road losses against Iowa State, 45-3, and the University of Nevada - Las Vegas, 31-20. On the other hand, Southwest Missouri State, a Division 1-AA team with two wins and no losses, will try to continue its success after beating 23rd-
ranked Hampton last week
Kansas didn't turn the ball over last week, but it did allow costly big plays on third down with regularity. The Kansas defense focused on avoiding those defensive letdowns in practice this week. Kansas coach Mark Mangino said.
The Jayhawks won the first meeting between the teams last season 24-10, despite committing four turnovers.
"That's a daily thing," he said. "We've got to work on that everyday in practice. You've got to protect yourself from
SMS has players who can test that preparation. Fans of Kansas high school football might remember one of those names. Wide receiver Beno Gore gained fame as an Olathe North runningback. He led the Eagles to back-to-back 6A state titles from 1997-98. Gore scored on a 34-yard reception against Hampton.
big plays and you've got to understand why those big plays occur, first of all."
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 3B
Cross country team treks to Topeka meet
By Justin Schmidt
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas cross country will take a short drive down I-70 for the second meet of the season tomorrow.
the Jayhawks will be running in the Kansas State Wildcat Invitational at the Stateland Cross Country Course in Topeka. The course is located at Second and Oakley streets.
"The main thing about this meet is that we get to race K-State," assistant coach Doug Clark said. "Our goal is to win both the men's and women's races."
"It's a different race. Because it's shorter, we get to work more on speed," sophomore Megan Manthe said. "I know a lot of us are also excited to race against K-State."
The women will start the day off at 8:30 a.m. with a 4K. The men will follow with a 4-mile event at 9 a.m. The Wildcat Invitational differs from the standard cross country distances of 5K for women and 8K for men.
"I've only been at Kansas two years, but I know if you could only beat one team in the world it would be Kansas State, with the possible exception of Missouri," Clark said.
against K-State.
Kansas State will be the first Big 12 team Kansas faces this season. The instate rivalry is as intense in cross country as in every other sport.
Jared Soares/Kansan
Senior Courtney Deutsch leads a pack Saturday in the Bob Timmons Invitational at Rim Rock Farm. The Jayhawks swept both the men's and women's events at the home opening meet.
Kansas is coming off of a strong performance last weekend at the Bob Timmons Invitational at Rim Rock Farm. It was Kansas' only home meet of the season. Kansas men's and women's teams ran away with the event, winning easily. Senior Mark Meneefe, freshman;
SEE CROSS COUNTRY ON PAGE BR
Kansas soccer team travels to Arkansas and Oklahoma
The Kansas soccer team travels to Fayetteville, Ark., to play Arkansas at 7 tonight. The road trip will continue on Sunday when the team plays the University of Tulsa at 2 p.m.
Kansas, ranked No. 10 in both the NSCAA/Adidas and Soccer Buzz Central Region polls, is 2-1-1 coming into tonight's game.
Monica Brothers, sophomore forward, and Caroline Smith, freshman forward, lead the team in scoring with two goals each. Meghan Miller, sophomore goalkeeper, has a goals allowed average of 1.14, and she is second in the Big 12 with 19 saves.
second in the big game.
The team's first opponent of the weekend, Arkansas, come into tonight's game with a 1-4 record. They defeated Southwest Missouri State, 2-1, last weekend for their first win, but lost 3-0 to Oklahoma. Julie Williford, junior forward, leads Arkansas with three goals and two assists.
Kansas is 0-1-1 all-time against Arkansas.
On Sunday, Kansas faces the University of Tulsa. So far this year Tulsa is 1-2-1. The team tied Portland 2-2 last weekend in its first home game of the season. Danielle Fauteux, freshman midfielder, leads Tulsa with one goal and one assist
Kansas is 0-3-0 all-time against Tulsa.
—Nikki Overfelt
Volleyball 'anxious' about play at home
By Jason Hwang
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas volleyball team is set to begin its home season by hosting the Hampton Inn/Jayhawk Classic today and tomorrow at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center.
Marquette (5-1) and Purdue (7-1) are opening the tournament at 10 a.m. today, Kansas (5-0) will play Southeast Missouri State (6-2) at noon.
The Jayhawks will finish the day against Marquette at 7 p.m. The team's final match of the tournament is against Purdue at 1 p.m. tomorrow.
"On the other hand, we become more confident to play at home. I'd be surprised if anxiety at home becomes a big factor." Ray Bechard Volleyball coach
Kansas has won the last two Jayhawk Classic tournaments. Each year, the Jayhawks have dropped only one game in the roundrobin format. But coach Ray Bechard said this year's tournament field is the most competitive of the last five years.
"It's easy to take for granted playing at home. For some teams, playing at home brings more anxiety." Bechard said. "On the other hand, we become more confident to play at home. I'd be surprised if anxiety at home becomes a big factor."
Senior defensive specialist Jennifer Kraft said the team was excited to play in front of its fans in the home opener.
The team has proven anxiety is not a factor on the road as the Jayhawks have lost just one game in their five matches this season. Bechard said he credits this to the team's steady confidence and consistency.
"We're comfortable on the court, being more experienced from last year being nervous for the home opener," Kraft said.
Contact Hwang at jhwang@kansan.com. This story was edited by Christina Neff.
Kansan file photo
Molly Scavuzzo, Overland Park senior, sets the ball up for a teammate. Scavuzzo played in 30 of the Jayhawks' matches last year and was second on the team with 325 kills.
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