--- SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN Friday, September 11, 1992 7 BRIEFS Rugby football club to play this weekend The KU Rugby Football Club will be playing teams from the Kansas City area, Nebraska and Central Missouri State this weekend. The varsity team will play the Kansas City Blues, a rugby club out of Kansas City, at 3 p.m. tomorrow at the Shenk Complex. The complex is the playing fields located at 23rd and Iowa streets. The varsity team, whose players are all KU students, will take on Nebraska at 10 a.m. Sunday. The club team, which comprises students and players from the community, will play Central Missouri State at 3 p.m. Sunday. Both games will be at the Shenk Complex. Matt Delargy, London junior, said he expected the varsity team to do very well this weekend. "The K.C. Blues game should be a great game," Delargy said. "We should win that game because it's a new K.C. team." The club team also will play the Kansas City Blues at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Shenk Complex. Delargy said this game was important because it was one of four games that could qualify the club for the national club championship tournament later this season. Holly McQueen/ KANSAN Xavier McDaniel signs with Boston Celtics The Associated Press BOSTON — The Boston Celtics launched their first bold strike of the post Larry Bird era yesterday, snatching Xavier McDaniel from the New York Knicks, adding sass and shooting to a team that needs both. "We want to compete this year," Boston coach Chris Ford said. Twenty-three days after Bird retired, the Celtics signed McDaniel, an unrestricted free agent, to a five-year contract with three years guaranteed. The value of his Boston contract was not announced. Jeremy McClain, sophomore member of the Kansas men's cross country team, remained in critical condition last night at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Cross country athlete still in critical condition Last Wednesday, McClain was taken by helicopter to the Med Center from Lawrence Memorial Hospital after being hit by a car. See related story, Page9. Jayhawks set for home opener Rodney Harris, left, sophomore tight end, and Robert Mitchell, right, senior outside linebacker, practice behind Allen Field House in preparation of the Jayhaws' home opener tomorrow against Ball State. Game 2 1 p.m., Sept. 12 Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, Kansas Kansas Jayhawks Head Coach: Glen Mason Offense: WR 5 MATT GAY 5 11 180 Sr. TE 1 D WAWNY CHANDLER 6 21 240 Jr. LE 1 DHUSSEY HEIGHTH 6 21 285 Sr. LG 6 HENKELHESTECK 6 12 297 沈 C 75 SAN DUMCHT 6 12 275 沈 RG 14 DAN SCHOMT 6 12 250 沈 RT 74 KUTH LONKEK 6 3 305 Str. RT 74 KUTH LONKEK 6 3 305 Str. ROB 11 LOB CURSILI 6 0 200 Str. QB 18 CHIP HILLERY 6 1 185 沈 QB 18 CHIP HILLERY 6 1 185 沈 MB 13 MOON COLLINS 6 10 125 沈 MO 13 MOON COLLINS 6 10 125 沈 Defense: OLB 39 DON DAWS 61 220 So. LB 39 KYE MOLE ROWER 61 250 Sr. HT 71 DANA LIMANCA 61 280 Sr. RT 71 DANA STUBLEFIELD 63 285 Sr. RE 90 GU HOWARD 63 280 Sr. MLB 39 HASSAN BALEY 60 260 Jr. MLB 38 LAMIN 60 260 Jr. CB 38 ROBBET VAUGHN 60 220 Jr. FS 47 CLINT BOWEN 60 190 Jr. CF 42 GERALD BUCRWRS 60 190 Jr. C 38 GERALD BUCRWRS 511 195 Sr. Season record: 0 - 1 - 0 Ball State Cardinals Offense: Head Coach: Paul Schudel LI 74 MIKE MCIAIL 6.0 257 Jr. LG 77 ANDY BERRY 6.3 266 So. LG 78 ERIE HENRICH 6.2 266 So. GG 62 LANCE WILDONER 6.4 290 Sr. RT 74 TMCHIRMAN 6.2 277 Sr. TE 70 DAVE MWHROR 6.3 277 Sr. NI 84 MIKA KRODNER 6.1 185 Fr. SE 3 KRYLE ROBSONN 5.10 183 Fr. MB 14 MIKA CRODMAN 5.10 183 Fr. IB 29 COREY CRODM 6.0 212 Sr. FB 24 SONNY LABHART 6.0 212 Sr. Defense: MG 68 BRANF BRANGAN 62 250 Sr. NG 92 CARL KENRICK 62 265 Sr. RLB 70 DERRICK WALKER 63 294 Sr. OLB 167 MEMORI 61 284 Sr. BLU 67 SCOTT JORDAN 61 216 So. ILB 58 MARK HARTS 60 237 Sr. IBL 58 MARK HARTS 60 217 Sr. CB 30 COPATRIC DARTS 5.10 172 Jr. CB 22 BLNE BISHOP 5.9 193 Sr. CB 22 TRAIL 6.1 195 Sr. SJ 14 MARL HAWLS 6.0 194 Sr. Ball State's defense to test Kansas attack Kansas will play its first home game of the year tomorrow against Ball State, which finished last season with the same record as the Jayhawks, 6-5. By David Bartkoski Kansan sportswriter Sean M. Tevis / KANSAN Although Kansas posted a 49-20 victory over Oregon State last week and Ball State lost to No. 15 Clemson, 24-10, Kansas will have to play its best football to beat the Cardinals, Coach Glen Mason said at a Wednesday news conference. "Ball State is an improved team," he said. "They execute, and they have good team offense and good team defense. The guys they have returning are well-seasoned." The Cardinals played Clemson to a 10-10 tie after three quarters but fell when the Tigers scored two touchdowns in the last quarter. But Ball State still gamed more than Clemson in total yardage, first downs and time of possession. The Cardinals' defense limited Clemson to 36 passing yards and caused three fumbles, recovering two. Returning from last year's team, which tied for fifth in the Mid-American Conference, are 30 lettermen and 12 starters. Kansas returns 44 lettermen and 14 starters. Two of the top returms for Ball State's offense are junior quarterback Mike Koe and senior tailback Corey Croom. They accounted for about 80 percent of the Cardinals' offensive yardage in 1991. Last season Neu passed for 1,491 yards in nine games and threw for 332 yards against Bowling Green, the third most passing yards in a single game ever by a Ball State quarterback. Croom rushed last year for 1,053 yards, the fourth most rushing yards in a season by a Cardinal. He gained a career-high 190 yards against Navy in a 33-10 win. Ball State returns eight starters from a defense that ranked 11th in the nation last year. The Cardinals had allowed 13.6 points a game and allowed 13.6 points a game in 1991. But Mason and the KU players are not overlooking the numbers that Ball State's defense has produced. Senior offensive tackle Keith Loneker said he knew the offense would have its hands full with the Cardinal defense. "If you're ranked No. 11 in the nation, you're playing good ball," he said. "Ball State swarms the football. Each play they all go toward the ball." The Cardinal defense plays hard and has gained a lot of confidence from its recent success, Loneker said. Ball State senior linebacker Mark Parris, a four-year starter and a team captain, made 167 tackles last year. He was a member of the All Mid-American Conference first team and a finalist for the conference MVP award. Another team captain, senior cornerback Blaine Bishop, made 84 tackles last year. He had a teamhigh 14 tackles against Clemson last week. The Cardinals offense amassed 208 passing yards and 120 rushing yards against Clemson's defense that is perennially one of the nation's best. Senior split end Mike LeSuro was one of eight players to make receptions for the Cardinals against Clemson, catching six passes for 50 yards. Mason said he was impressed with Ball State's receiving corps, which caught 25 passes for 198 yards. Kansas tight end coach Tim Phillips said he thought the Mid-American Conference was somewhat underrated. He played at Kent State, a member of the MAC conference, during Mason's two-year coaching stint. "There are a lot of tough kids in the MAC Conference." Phillips said. "I try to tell the players that those kids are waiting to play the bigger programs like Kansas and Clemson." Mason said that Ball State's performance tomorrow would not be the deciding factor in the winner of the game. If the Kansas team concentrates on its performance, the Jayhawks will come out with a victory, he said. PRE-GAME NOTES: Mason was the defensive line coach for the Cardinals in 1974. He received his master's degree in education from Ball State in 1973. Ball State Coach Paul Schudel has coached the Cardinals since 1985 and has a career record of 42-34.2. His teams defeated Mason's Kent State suns in 1986 and 1987. Sophomore safety Chris Smith has had knee surgery. His status is unknown for the rest of the season. Junior defensive end Brian Christian has an injured knee and will not play tomorrow. Sophomore linebacker Steve Harvey's status is questionable for tomorrow's game. He twisted his ankle during the first quarter of last week's game. Junior safety Kwanie Lassiter, coming off an injury, is working out with the team and is available tomorrow. Junior cornerback Robert Vaughn, senior defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield and junior defensive end Guy Howard, who are recovering from minor injuries, will play tomorrow. GAMEDAY FORECAST Jahawk fans can expect partly cloudy skies with a high temperature of 84 degrees for tomorrow's battle against the Ball State Cardinals. The KU Men's Soccer Club members practice at the field between 19th and 23rd streets. The club travels to Omaha, Neb., this weekend to compete in a tournament. New players add enthusiasm depth to Kansas Soccer Club Team to compete in tournament this weekend By Kristi Fogler Kansan sportswriter Meinolf Droste was excited when he found out he could continue his 15-year soccer career when he came to Kansas. "I used to play soccer in Germany," Droste, an exchange student from Dortmund, Germany, said. "I was nicely surprised that there was a soccer club so near to Hashinger, where live." Droste is just one of the new members of the KU Soccer Club who are helping bring life to the club. Kipper Hesse, Lincoln, Neb., senior, who plays defense, said the new players, especially the freshmen, had given the team a need boost in attitude. The freshmen players, excited about playing in college, have brought their enthusiasm to the field, he said. "They've revitalized the team with their talent." Hesse said. "They've pushed the older guys to work." About 40 men are practicing with the team. Hesse said final selections for two teams still were being made. The two teams will be divided by skill level. Duke Christoffersen, Overland Park senior, said that having two teams was advantageous. Christoffersen said this year's team was more dedicated. "We were never a solid squad last year," Christoffersen said. "Now we have a solid unit. We will consistently have good players at all the games." "If someone on the first team gets hurt, you can move someone up from the second team and have the same amount of depth as you had before," Christoffersen, who plays midfield, said. The team has done more physical conditioning this season in past years, Hesse said. Last year's team had problems with running out of energy by the end of the game. he said. Although the team may be in better shape this year, it still has other problem areas. Hesse said that team unity had been a problem this year. The team has not developed a playing style that stresses working together, he said. "We have great talent, but that doesn't mean anything if you can't play as a team," Hesse said. Droste said he also was concerned with the lack of experience the team had playing together. "What the team needs is to be able to work together," we said. "That will come with time. If we play together for a couple of months, it comes together automatically." The team will be traveling this weekend to Omaha, Neb., to participate in the University of Nebraska-Omaha Maverick tournament. The tournament will feature teams from Colorado, Kansas State, Kansas and Nebraska-Omaha. Hesse said he hoped the team places first or second at the tournament. The team won the tournament two years ago and was in the finals last year.