Sports
University Daily Kansan / Monday, November 9. 1987
11
Mattox's wing and prayer salvages tie with Wildcats
By CRAIG ANDERSON
Staff writer
Kansas senior strong safety Marvin Mattox prayed to the Lord and then leaped toward the heavens to block a Kansas State 28-yard field goal attempt that could have broken a 17-17 deadlock on the last play of the game.
"I just prayed to the Lord that I could jump just a little bit higher to get my hand on the ball," he said. "I mis-timed my jump a little bit. I jumped over the back of (Kansas defensive tackle) Eldridge Avery and got it."
"I'm a little bit happy, but I'm sad because we only tied," Mattox said. "I wanted to win real bad."
Kansas coach Bob Valesente said though his team didn't win, he was happy with the effort of his players.
"I really have to give credit to the defense," he said. "They reached within themselves when it counted."
As it was, the 17-17 tie evoked mixed emotions from Mattox and the rest of his teammates. Nobody nobody, nobody lost, and nobody had a great feeling after the game.
Jayhawk senior defensive end Stacy Henson, who recorded six tackles, including two for losses, and caused a fumble, said he took no solace in not losing to the Wildcats in his final trip to Manhattan.
"A tie to any type of competitor is a loss," he said. "Personally I feel like we lost the game. I feel terrible."
Henson played a big part in the Jayhawks' efforts to avoid their 14th straight loss to Big Eight Conference competition. He caused a fumble on the Kansas State goal line in the first quarter when he smashed Wildcat running back Tony Jordan just as it appeared Kansas State was going to score a touchdown.
Despite his heroes, Henson said he didn't think he had played a good game against Kansas State. "I could have made a lot more plays than I did," he said. "We had
several opportunities to win the game, but we just couldn't capitalize."
Kansas tailback Arnold Snell said the game to the in-state rival Wildcats meant a little bit more than most games.
"We wanted to win so we could bring the Governor's Cup home where it should be," he said. "A tie doesn't mean anything."
The Governor's Cup is given annually to the team that wins the Kansas-Kansas State football game. As Kansas Governor Mike Hayden watched the last few seconds tick off the clock, he was asked who would get the Cup after this year's tie.
"I'll have to save it until next year," Hayden said, smiling.
Snell, who gained 124 yards on 30 carries, said he felt bad about the Kansas State defensive unit that way members of the Kansas State defensive unit had played.
"The K-State players were playing dirty," he said. "They would twist and push my ankle because they were trying to get me out of the game. They kept hitting me when I was trying to play fair. Why didn't they play fair? They kept doing it throughout the game."
Jayhawk center Chip Budde said he saw only one instance when he thought the Wildcats were playing dirty.
"There was one time when (Kansas quarterback) Kevin Verdugan ran to the 1-yard line and this guy fell on Kevin's ankle and started twisting it," he said. "Me and a couple other offensive lineen ran over and pulled the guy off. The referee kind of had words for us because he thought we were roughing up the guy."
Verdurog said the rough play wasn't anything that didn't happen in other games he had played in.
"I took a couple of late shots, but I didn't think the K-State players were out to hurt anyone," he said.
Snell might have received some aches and pains courtesy of the Wildcat defenders, but he still
managed to run for some good gains. Despite the high number of carries, Snell said he felt strong in the fourth quarter.
"I still felt fresh at the end of the game," he said. "I'm used to carrying the ball so many times."
The Kansas running game, which has stressed ball control throughout the season, has made Snell the unofficial worthouse of the team the past few contests. He has rushed the ball 87 times for 343 yards in the Jayhawks' last three games. Snell said his labor was made much easier because of the Jayhawk offensive line.
"I never give up on our offensive line," said Snell, who has rushed for 365 yards this season. "They are like creases so I can run through them."
Snell's contributions might have been expected, but Kansas also got a boost from some unexpected sources. Seldom-used senior wide receiver Murphy Ray made his first reception of the year — a 28 yarder — and set up the first Kansas touchdown of the game in the second quarter. Ray's catch gave the Jayhawks a first-and-goal at the Wildcat 5-yard line. Verdugo ran the ball into the end zone four plays later.
In theory, it almost figured that two football programs with a combined 5-31 record for the past two seasons would end up playing each other and then come out of the game without a win. It turned up when discussing what had been accomplished in the game.
For Kansas State coach Stan Parrish, the tie ended a 13-game losing streak that began after last year's 29-12 victory over Kansas
"We did not lose today; the losing streak is over," he said. "I'm sure I'll remember this one forever."
Valesente said he too looked at the tie in a positive way.
"I'm not always happy with ties, but I was happy with the effort of our team," he said. "Both sides had 60 minutes of gutsy play."
Kansas safety Marvin Mattox blocks a field goal attempt by Kansas State kicker Mark Porter. The blocked field goal attempt ended Saturday's KU-KSU game in a 17-17 tie.
Stephen Wade/Special to the KANSAN
Independent teams breeze to Hill Championships
Staff writer
Bv DARRIN STINEMAN
The intramural football Hill Championships weren't dominated by a quarterback or running back, or even by any of the teams in Sunday's games at Shenk Complex. They were dominated by the wind.
After being confined to their end of the field by a stiff north breeze in the first half of the men's championship, the Mad Hatters scored four wind-aided touchdowns in the second half and defeated the Delta Upsilon Ducks, 28-14.
The Mad Hatters claimed the championship of the Independent trophy league by defeating the James Gang. Delta Upson got into the Hill Championships by taking the Greek trophy league title with a victory over Alpha Kappa Lambda.
The Ducks led 14-0 after having the wind at
their backs in the first half, but were unable to match the Mad Hatters' barrage in the second half.
"We didn't feel very comfortable at all at halftime." Ducks quarterback David Vaughn said. "We knew they'd really be tough to stop in the second half."
And they were. The Mad Hatters scored on four of their five second-half possession.
"We didn't get flustered when we were down at the half," said Brad Cobble, the Mad Hatters player-coach, said. "We knew we had the wind behind us." We did the first half and we played the second half."
After blessing the wind in the first half, the Ducks were cursing it in the second. The breeze made passing difficult and punting almost pointless, forcing them to play the final 20 minutes between midfield and their own goal
line.
Once they had the wind at their backs, the Mad Hatters didn't take long to put the ball in the end zone. They drove 80 yards for a touchdown on their first possession of the second half, the last 47 coming on a pass from quarterback Bret Morris to Wes Hendricks who lateralled the ball to John Hughes for the last 20 vards of the run.
After the Ducks were forced to punt, the Mad Hatters again wasted no time in crossing the goal line, completing a 61-yard drive on a 25-0 run from Morris to Hughes to tie the game at 14.
After an interception deep in Ducks territory, the Mad Hattrics scored the deciding touchdown on their first play after taking possession on an 18-yard pass to Hughes.
The women's championship was won by the Corona Clubbers, the winners of the women's
independent trophy division. They defeated the winners of the women's Greek trophy division, Alpha Gamma Delta. 15-0.
The wind again was a factor, as all of the Clubbers' points were scored in the south end zone.
“Considering we had seven players, we did an excellent job,” said Charla Rosenberry. Meade senior. “I thought we played really well.”
"We really wanted to win that one day," said Clubber Joan Garlinger. "It finally went to the trophy league instead of the Greeks."
The Corona Clubbers made it to the Hill Championship game last year but lost.
The winner of the men's Greek recreation league was the Studbuckets, and the winner of the men's independent recreation league A was the Ambulance Chasers.
Sooner QB undergoes knee surgery
The Associated Press
NORMAN, Okla. — Quarterback Jamelle Holieway of top-ranked Oklahoma underwent knee surgery yesterday morning to repair ligament and cartilage damage suffered in Saturday's game against Oklahoma State.
"We're just happy to hear he now has a stable knee," said trainer Dan Pankow. "Everything went fine. We're waiting for the rehabilitation program."
Holley was injured with about six minutes left in Saturday's game when he was swung around by an Oklahoma State player. The junior quarterback Oklahoma's top rusher had 660 yards, and gained 123 yards in a 29-10 victory.
Pickett said Holieway's left leg would be in a cast for several weeks and that Holieway definitely would be able to take part in spring drills.
"The encouraging note is the fact the surgery was very successful from the standpoint that it is now a stable patient, so what needs to be required," he said.
"Jamelle will do well in rehabilitation. He's that type of person, one to attack an adverse situation. I feel very confident in his attitude toward this type of situation.
Pickett stressed the positive
Oklahoma also lost the services of its second-leading ball carrier, fullback Lydell Carr. Carr, who has rushed for 673 yards, sprained his right knee early in Saturday's game.
"We've got something good to work with, and that's great."
Dave Niebergall/KANRAN
Jenny Fisher pushes her way to a first place finish in the women's 200 meter backstroke. She finished with a time of 2:14.12. The KU women's swim team defeated Southern Illinois 77-36 yesterday in Robinson Natatorium.
Kansas swim teams win two out of three
By ROBERT WHITMAN
Staff writer
The first weekend of dual meets for the Kansas men's and women's swimming teams produced a victory and a loss for the women and a victory for the men.
The women's team lost Friday to Colorado State, 141-127, at Robinson Natatorium. The team came back yesterday and defeated Southern Illinois, 77-36. The men's team also defeated Southern Illinois, 70-43.
"We just couldn't win the close races Friday night," Kansas coach Gary Kempf said. "But we had some outstanding performances."
In the meet against Colorado State, Kempf singled out Barbara Ann Smith, who won the 50- and 1,000-yard freestyle races, and Gina Brown, who won the 100- and 200-yard butterfly races.
Other winning KU swimers were Susan Bloomfield, 100-yard backstroke; Kelley Kauzlarich, one-meter and Julie Pierce, three-meter diving.
In their victory against Southern Illinois, the women's team won seven individual events and one relay.
Smith won three events, the 1,000 freestyle, the 200-yard breaststroke and he 400-yard individual medley.
Susan Spry won the 500 freestyle and Jenny Fisher won the 200-yard race.
Kauzlarich won the one-meter diving and Lori Spurney won the three-meter diving.
Each of Kauzlarich's and Spurney's scores in the diving performances qualified them for the NCAA zone dive competition March 17-19, 1988 in Austin, Texas.
The Jayhawks also won the 400
vard medley relav.
"SIU is a class program; they always have been in women's swimming, but they are a little down this year," Kempf said. "On the ladies' side, what we had yesterday was a good overall team effort. I saw some good swimming out of almost every lady. What we did yesterday was we competed with other girls and feel like we became better as a team today."
In the men's meet against Southern Illinois, Kansas won only five of the 11 individual events, but captured both relays.
The winner of the relays received seven points.
The difference in the meet was the Jayhawks' one-two finishes in the 200-yard breaststroke and one- and three-meter diving.
Winning individual events for Kansas were: Dave Nesmith, 300 breaststroke; Denny Puckett, one-meter and Andy Flower, three-meter diving.
"The thing they did was show they could compete with a good team." Kempf said about the men's team. "They gutted out every race."
Kempf said he was pleased that Andrew Billings and John Easton finished one-two in the 100 freestyle.
"I can't remember the last time we did that." he said.
Other victories on the men's team included Glenn Trammel's win in the 200 backstroke. He was also on the men's relay and 400 trampoline relay teams.
The next meet for both teams is a dual meet at 1 p.m. Saturday against
Kick takes Pittsburgh past Chiefs
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Gary Anderson figures he has nothing else to prove after kicking a game-winning fourth-quarter field goal following what could have been a game-losing miss.
The victory improved Pittsburgh's record to 5-3 and left the Chiefs at 1-7. It was the second straight game in which the Kansas City special teams and defense have scored every point against the Steelers.
"It was happy to have another shot." Anderson said.
"That is just the ultimate test of a field-goal kicker," Anderson said after his 45-yard kick Sunday, which gave the Pittsburgh Steelers a 17-16 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
"We're a team that is starved for victory right now," said Chiefs center Rick Donnelly. "We feel like we're getting better. But until it translates into results on the scoreboard, who cares?"
“It's real easy to kick when things are going well.” Anderson said. “My teammates gave me a lot of support. You just have to keep your good presence of mind. You have a tendency to hit the next one a little tentatively. But I really nailed the next one.”
Anderson was wide right on a 41-yard kick with 5:32 left and the Chiefs holding a 16-14 lead. But after the Steelers recovered Christian Okoye's fumble, and with 4:02 left, Anderson made good on a 45-yard kick that gave Chiefs a team record-tying seventh straight loss.
Volleyball team has 2-1 weekend
By a Kansan reporter
The Kansas women's volleyball team won two non-conference matches but lost a Big Eight Conference match to Colorado during weekend action.
The Jayhawks, 12-17, defeated Regis College 15-6, 10-15, 19-7, 17-5 15-5 Saturday afternoon in Denver. They also defeated Northern Colorado 15-8, 15-9, 9-15, 11-15, 15-13 yesterday afternoon in Greeley, Colo.
Colorado beat Kansas 15-18, 13-15,
3-15, 11-15 Saturday night in Boulder,
Colo. The Jayhawks' conference
record dropped to 2-7.
The Jayhawks played the entire weekend without senior starter Moriah Jefferson.