University Daily Kansan / Friday, September 18, 1987
Sports
13
KU football team meets Kent State in first home game
By CRAIG ANDERSON
Staff writer
Numbers seem to illustrate best the downward spiral that the Kansas football team has experienced during its current eight-game break, which spans over the past two seasons.
During the past eight games, the Jayhawks have been outscored by an average of 39-5. The Kansas offense hasn't scored a touchdown in its past 13 quarters. The defense has given up an average of 469 yards a game during the losing streak.
Some of the negative attitudes toward the football program could diminish somewhat if Kansas beats Kent State in the Jayhawks' home opener tomorrow at Memorial Stadium. Kansas coach Job Vallees said his team would have an important game against the Golden Flashes.
"It's critical for us to win this game," he said. "We need to start playing winning football again."
Junior center Jay Allen said that despite the losing streak and the scoring slump, the Jayhawks had kept a positive outlook this week in practice.
"We still are playing as hard as we can," he said. "Sure we want to score, but we want to win more than anything else. We have to come off the ball hard and hit someone."
Despite the Jayhawks' recent misfortunes, Kent State coach Glen Mason said:
"We look at Kansas like they looked at Auburn. Our kids look at it as a big challenge to go in and play a Big Eight team at their place. We think of size and talent that they will be up against."
The biggest size difference between the two teams will come in the offensive and defensive lines. Kent State's offensive linemen weigh an average of 239 pounds, while Kansas' defensive linemen weigh an average of 184 pounds. Kent State's defensive linemen outweigh Kent State's defensive linemen by an average of more than 27 pounds.
Kansas players and coaches, though, said the size difference was just that — a difference. They said whether or not it would be an advantage for them would be decided tomorrow.
"They're small but quick," said Kansas defensive coordinator Dave Dunkleberger. "I think one kind of balances out the other."
Kansas senior defensive tackle Von Lacey, who weighs 305 pounds, said the size factor
"I can take advantage of my size if I use it," he said. "The key to our defense is being aggressive."
could play into the Jayhawks' corner.
Valesente said he wanted the Jayhawks to jump on Kent State early, much as Auburn had done to his team last week. He said Kansas was eager to play.
Mason said he was concerned that the Jayhawks were going to use their size to control the line of scrimmage. He said, howev-
er, the Hawks are looking forward to going up against Kansas.
"The people in Lawrence are probably going to look at us Saturday and say, 'Oh my God, can these little guys play football?'" he said. "I told them we don't line up and ram it down the field on us."
Kent State might prove to be a team that won't get rattled. The team beat Akron (Ohio) 27-23 Saturday, despite losing their starting quarterback, Pat Young, to a hip injury late in the second quarter. Young, the 1986 Mid-American Conference freshman of the year, had run 51 yards for a touchdown before he left the game. He will miss tomorrow's game and likely is out for the season. Mason said yesterday.
Because of the loss of Young, the Golden Flashes probably will abandon most of the wishbone offense they had planned on using. With fewer players and more is a more passing quarterback than a runner.
Kansas graduate assistant coach Chip Gaber scouted the Akron-Kent State game and said Phillips did a good job of holding the Golden Flash offense together.
"They lost a little effectiveness when Young went out," he said. "“(Phillips) has been there before, though, and he helped them keep their lead."
The biggest weapon for the Kent State offense will be junior tailback Eric Wilkerson, Gaber said. Wilkerson rushed for 119 yards in 20 carries against Akron.
Wilkerson's counterpart at tailback for Kansas, junior Darryl Terrell, said the Jayhawks would be pumped up for their home opener. He was one of many working the team hard all week during practice.
"he's their best athlete," he said. "he's got a lot of natural ability and he makes great cuts when he's playing."
"We don't want to ever go through an experience like the game last week," Terrell
Game 2
Kansas Jayhawks
Coach Bob Valesente
Record: 0-1
Last Week: The Jayhawks were defeated by the Auburn Tigers 49-0 in in Auburn.
Kent State Golden Flashes
Coach Glen Mason
Record: 1-0
Last Week: The Golden Flashes started the year with a 27-23 victory over Akron (Ohio) in Akron.
Probable Starters:
Offense:
WR — 2 Quintin Smith, 5-11, 175, So.
LT — 70 Jim Davis, 6-6, 260, Sr.
LG — 68 Jay Allen, 6-3, 255, Jr.
C — 51 Chip Buddie, 6-2, 260, Fr.
RG — 64 Steve Isham, 6-4, 265, Sr.
RT — 65 Bryan Howard, 6-5, 285, Sr.
TE — 68 John Baker, 6-4, 230, So.
GB — 14 Kelly Donohue, 5-11, 175, So.
TB — 28 Darryl Terrell, 5-11, 180, Jr.
FB — 24 Mike Rogers, 6-1, 195, Sr.
FL — 34 Ronnie Cadwell, 6-0, 180, Sr.
PK — 29 Louis Kemp, 5-10, 195, So.
Defense:
LE — 94 Eldridge Avery, 6-3, 265, Sr.
LT — 70 Van Lacey, 6-5, 305, Sr.
RT — 97 David White, 6-4, 285, Sr.
RE — 73 Teddy Newman, 6-4, 240, Sr.
LLB — 33 Rick Clayton, 6-3, 235, Jr.
MLB — 19 Curtis Moore, 6-1, 220, Fr.
RLB — 25 Rick Bredosan, 6-1, 230, Sr.
RCB — 16 Milt Garner, 6-1, 200, Sr.
LCB — 31 Mike Fisher, 5-9, 175, Sr.
FS — 8 Clint Normore, 6-1, 200, Sr.
SS — 32 Marvin Mattos, 6-4, 210, Sr.
P — 48 Rich Reith, 5-11, 180, Sr.
SE — 5 Eric Dye, 6-1, 171, Sr.
LT — 55 Brian Lynch, 6-3, 243, Jr.
LG — 75 Ben Stratton, 6-4, 247, Fr.
C — 58 Chick Curtis, 6-1, 245, Jr.
RG — 63 Jim Klohn, 6-2, 249, Jr.
RT — 65 Bryan Howard, 6-5, 285, Sr.
TE — 68 John Baker, 6-4, 230, So.
GB — 8 Tim Phillips, 5-11, 200, Sr.
TB — 40 Eric Wilkerson, 5-10, 179, Jr.
FB — 25 Robert Golden, 6-2, 219, Sr.
FL — 84 Fermin Olivera, 5-11, 188, Jr.
PK — 14 Larry Steinberg, 6-1, 181, So.
Series: This is the first meeting of the two schools in football. Kansas, however is 0-2 against opponents from the Mid-American Conference and Kent State is 0-5 against Big Eight Conference schools.
History: The Jayhawks have a career home opener record of 65-28-4. In last year's home opener, Kansas was shut out by the North Carolina Tar Heels 20-0. The game was also the first for the team under Coach Bob Valesente.
Coverage: The Kansas-Kent State game will be carried locally by the Kansas Jayhawk Network. The game can be heard in the Lawrence area on KLZR (106 FM) and KLWN (1320 AM). Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in Kansas' Memorial Stadium.
said.
Terrell was part of an offensive shuffle that moved him and sophomore wide receiver Quentin Smith into Kansas starting line-up, and junior Sophomore Arnold Snell and Will Vaughn, both juniors.
Senior tackle Bobby Pieper replaced in the starting line-up by Senior guard Steev Isham. The team played against the Grizzlies on Tuesday.
since the first week of practice. He suited up but didn't play in the Jayhawks' opening game against Auburn. Bryan Howard, senior guard, and Brian Isiah and Islam will assume the guard position.
KANSAN GRAPHIC
On the defensive side, senior Milt Garner will replace junior Johnny Granderson at cornerback. Senior Marvin Mattox will move into Garner's free safety position.
KU softball to play NU in tourney
By MIKE CONSIDINE
Staff writer
Kansas softball coach Kalum Haack will renew old acquaintances while sizing up the competition in this weekend's KU Invittual No. 2.
Haack, who was an assistant coach at Nebraska for two years, is thankful for the opportunity to do both at the same time when the Jayhawks, 2-2, play the defending Big Eight Conference champion Huskers.
"They're going to be the team to beat. We want our freshmen and our ballclub to see what they have to do to beat the best," Haack said.
Iowa State plays Nebraska in the first game at 3 p.m. tomorrow. Kansas meets Illinois State at 5 p.m.
Sunday, Illinois State plays Iowa State at 10 a.m. and Nebraska at noon. The tourney concludes with a Kansas doubleheader. The Jayhawks face Iowa State at 2 p.m. and Nebraska at 4 p.m.
Sophomore Roanna Brazier, who shut out Iowa State last Sunday, is the starting pitcher for tomorrow's game.
"I guess you could call her our ace," Haack said. "She has good control, a lot of movement and a little more speed than our other pitchers."
Sunday's pitching assignments haven't been determined.
Haack said he expected no changes in the starting lineup. However, he still plans to utilize as many players as possible.
"We want to get everybody some exposure." Haack said. "We're still trying to learn our weaknesses and get our best nine people on the field."
Senior infielder Cherie Wickham has been cleared to return as a pinch-hitter. Haack said he hoped to have her back for full-time duty in time for KU Invitational No. 3 on Oct. 3-4.
Wickham should bolster one of the team's strengths. Jayhawk pinch-hitters drove in three runs in last weekend's tournament and the team was batting 260.
KU volleyball holds tourney
By ROBERT WHITMAN
Staff writer
One of the signs of a big-time collegiate outlayball program could be:
Kansas, 4-3, is hosting Southwest Missouri State, Sam Houston and Michigan State in a four-team tournament tonight and tomorrow at Allen Field House. But on the cover of the volleyball team's guide, he says this year's tournament is the same as last weekend's — Kansas Tournament.
Southwest Missouri State, the No 1 seed, will play Sam Houston at 5 p.m., followed by Kansas against Michigan State at 7:30 p.m.
The losers of today's matches will play in the third place game tomon-
row at 5 p.m. The winners will play for the championship at 7:30 p.m.
At 9 a.m. tomorrow, the winner of the southwest Missouri State-Sam Houston match will play the loser of the Kansas-Michigan State match. The other two teams will play at 11:30 a.m., giving each team three matches for the weekend.
Southwest Missouri State is the top-seeded team in the tournament, in spite of Kansas' victory over the Bears on Sept. 4 at the Southwest Missouri State tournament. Albiz said the seedings were made in August before the Jayhawks first match.
Since Kansas was defeated at Southwest Missouri State in the Bears' own tournament, KU middle
blocker Tammy Hill said the Bears would probably be the team's toughest onponent.
The Jayhawks were soundly defeated in three games by Nebraska Tuesday, but Hill said she thought the team had rebounded from the loss.
"They're a very good team, they're Big Eight caliber." Hill said.
"I think we took it as a learning experience and we're going to work on the weaknesses we had," Hill said, to the team's blocking and hitting.
Women's soccer season begins;
Nebraska had 37 kills against the Jayhawks, but Kansas had no blocks. The Jayhawks had 24 kills but the Cornhuskers answered with 10 blocks.
By ROBERT WHITMAN
There may be no better way to open the fall season for the KU women's soccer team than playing Kansas State on Sunday in Manhattan.
"We can beat them. It'll boost our morale," Kansas defender Liz Roark BMG
The Jayhawks defeated the Wildcats twice last fall, but lost to them in the Big Eight Conference tournament in the spring.
"They beat us under the most noirie, unfavorable conditions." Ripper said.
The game was played on a hot day m Manhattan on Kansas State's main campus
The condition of this year's team.
though, is better than it was this time last year, she said.
"We're in better condition and we've had more skill preparation. We got started practicing earlier this year (Aug 31)." Roark said. "We have a lot of new people, a lot of students who are able to work well with them in practice. They've played a lot of soccer."
Roark said better organization this year by coach Kevin Conner had also helped.
"Last year was his first year with the club and he wasn't as organized as he is this year." she said.
Conner said 35 players were practicing with the team. He said he had a core of 10 players who would play in every game. The other 25 would play
"We're weaker on defense, I'll admit that," Conner said. "Midfield was what kind of slowed us down last season." He added, "good prospects at midfield this year."
Conner said the Jayhawks would use four defenders including a sweeper and stopper. Both positions were year by year by players who were graduated.
at least every other game.
The sweeper, who is the last defender in front of the goalkeeper, will be played by Colene Richert. Roark will be a defender in front of the sweeper.
"I was interested in the position and I told Kevin I wanted to try it," Roark said.
Royals beat Angels, 7-6 in 9th inning
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Danny Tartabull's two-out, bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Kansas City Royals a 7-6 victory over the California Angels last night.
Tartabull's hit off reliever Greg Minton, 4, came after Willie Wilson and Bill Pecota had both singled, and Brett was intentionally walked.
Kansas City made it 6-4 in the fifth when Willie Wilson doubled and moved around on two groundouts. Danny Tarttabull hit his 28th home run to lead off the sixth, pulling the Royals within one run.
Kansas City tied the game with a run in the bottom of the eighth when Kevin Seitzer doubled to lead off the innning and knock Angels starter Mike Witt out of the game. Seitzer scored on a single by Brett.
California scored four runs in the third inning to chase Kansas City starter Charlie Leibrandt and take a 6-3 lead.
John Davis, 4.2, got the victory with three innings of scoreless relief.
Devon White was intentionally walked, loading the bases, and reliever Steve Farr then walked Bob Bone to force in the fourth run of the game.
Johnson County falls to Kansas baseball team, 12-9
Dick Schofield and Wally Joyner singled and, after Brian Downing was intentionally walked, both scored on a double by Doug DeCinces. George Hendrick singled in Downing, and DeCinces was thrown out at the plate.
Jayhawk outfitter Rocky Helm makes a hasty retreat to first base on a pick-off attempt. KU defeated the Johnson County College College Cavaliers 12-9 yesterday afternoon at Quigley Field.
Most of Kansas's runs were legitimate — like the four Troy Mentzer drove in with two home runs in a three-for-six performance — but others came as gifts from the coach of Cavalier walks and errors.
By DARRIN STINEMAN Staff writer
Although the Kansas baseball team scored more than enough runs to defeat the Johnson County Community College Cavaliers, 12-8 in a 15-inning game yesterday, the runs weren't necessarily the result of productive Jayhawk hitting.
"We're still not swinging the bat at this point." Kansas assistant coach Lee Ice said. "Offensively, we've got to see, a little more aggressiveness."
The game was broken into three five-inning segments. This allowed the teams to use three starting pitchers and their relief pitchers at the end of each game like they would in a nine-inning game.
The Jayhawks used the fall season format like it was intended to be used in the first segment of the game. Sophomore Steve Renko pitched the first four innings and reliever Craig Stoppel came on to pitch. He had three hits and four runs including a two-run homer, but Stoppel retired the side in order in the final inning of the first mini-game.
The Jayhawks scored the bulk of their first-segment runs in the four-run fourth inning behind singles by juniors Tom Buchanan, Jon Pattin, Jarrett Boesen, sophomore Pat Karlin, and junior
Steve Dowling
The two teams each scored four runs in the second five-inning segment. Mentzer supplied three of the Jayhawk runs with a three-run shot over the center field wall in the sixth innings. KU pitcher Steve McGinnis struggled with his right-handed four batters and hit three more. He surrendered all four of the Cavaliers' runs in the second segment before he was replaced by Stoppel with one out in the 10th.
The Jayhawks' best pitching performance came in the final five innings. Freshman Darin Harris went the distance and gave up only one hit.
— for the Cavs' only run in the final segment. Johnson County's John McClelland pitched equally to one unearned run and one hit.
McCelldan held the Jayahawks hitless and struck out six in a row during one stretch until Boeschen hit a line drive single to left in the final inning. The only run he allowed scored on an error after back-to-back walks in the 11th inning.
Although ice said he thought the Jayhawks lacked aggressiveness at the plate, he said he was encouraged by Harris' performance.
"I thought Darin did a real good job," he said. "I think he has come a long way since we first had him."
Kansas' next opponent will be Butler County Community College when they meet at 1 p.m. Sunday at Quigley Field.