Pro Basketball
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
Chicago Bulls forward Scottie Pippen had surgery on his foot Monday. He will miss the first two months of the NBA season.SEE PAGE 3B
Pro Baseball
The pennant races began last night as Florida defeated Atlanta 5-3 in the National League.
SEE PAGE 6B
Wednesday
October 8,1997
Section:
B
Page 1
Pro Football
Kansas City waived wide receiver Brett Perriman yesterday. The Chiefs announced that they had acquired linebacker Wayne Simmons from the Green Bay Packers.
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Wegner to start at Texas Tech
Johner's left pinky-bone break gives backup his first big break
By Kelly Cannon
By Kelly Cannon
kcannon@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
Sophomore quarterback Zac Wegner pitches the ball during practice drills. that Wegner would replace Matt Johner, who is injured, as the team's starter Kansas football coach Terry Allen announced yesterday afternoon after practice Photo by Eric B. Howell/KANSAN
Once again, Kansas has avoided a quarterback controversy. This time it was because of an injury.
Starting quarterback Matt Johner split a bone in the little finger of his left hand during Saturday's game against Oklahoma. Consequently, backup Zac Wegner has been moved to starter for the Texas Tech game, Kansas football coach Terry Allen said.
"We elected to go in and surgically pin the bone back together." Allen said.
"But Matt will miss the next three games: Tech, Colorado and Nebraska."
Johner's finger did not contribute to his leaving the game in the second quarter. Allen said.
"When he came out, he said he had to have his hand checked anyway," Allen said.
Johner said he thought he had jammed his finger on the first series.
Allen said Johner had two options for healing his finger. He could have left it alone and missed the next two games, but he would have run the risk of reinjuring it. Or he could have surgery, which was performed Monday at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
"They (doctors) thought maybe he'd be back sooner by just resting it and letting nature heal it," Allen said. "It (the break) runs up and down, and the pin put in there just tightened it down so it heals that much faster. If we had not done that, we probably could have gotten it healed up, but then you face the fact that if it gets hit again you could be out."
because now you have a guy who can step in there after an injury that has an abundance of game experience and has shown more signs of having success with the offense."
This weekend will mark Wegner's first start for the Jayhawks. Wegner has been playing a lot for the Jayhawks this season, filling in for Johner in every game but the Missouri matchup. Wegner said he felt confident about starting for the Jayhawks.
However, Allen said Wegner probably would have started the Texas Tech game regardless of Johner's condition because of the Red Raiders' defensive scheme.
"It's not the way I would have liked to become starter, but I'll take it how it comes to me," Wegner said. "I want to go out there and make things happen."
moved to wide receiver earlier this season, also may be used, Allen said. "We will go with Hamilton, but we want Akili there, too." Allen said.
Wegner replaced Johner in the Oklahoma game shortly after the second quarter began. Kansas held off a late Sooner surge and won 20-17
"I like to go with one quarterback," Allen said. "Boy, I'm glad we didn't
Hamilton Hill has been moved to backup, and Akili Roberson, who was
Wegner's performance in the next three games may force Kansas to re-evaluate the starting position after Johner is healthy again. Allen said
"Let's give that one an opportunity to see what happens." Allen said.
"We have the ability to use both. This will be a great test for Zac to see if he is the answer."
Goalkeeper Betsy Pollard dives in an attempt to defend her goal during a practice scrimmage. The Kansas women's soccer team practices from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. every weekday. Photo by Marc Shank/ KANSAN
Soccer team trounced twice
Postseason hopes dimming but not vet extinguished
By Harley V. Ratliff
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas soccer team had hoped to inch closer to a Big 12 Conference postseason tournament berth last weekend.
The Jayhawks, however, will have to wait. Kansas (3-9 overall, 1-6 in the Big 12) lost to conference opponents Iowa State and Nebraska, dimming the postseason chances. The Jayhawks' 4-1 loss to the Cyclones might have been the most disappointing, considering that Iowa State had occupied last place in the Big 12 standings.
Still, Kansas soccer coach Dan Magner and his squad have yet to be eliminated from the race for San Antonio — this year's location for the Big 12 tournament. But to
"There is still a window of opportunity," Magner said. "The score line against Iowa State was a bit deceptive. We didn't play that poorly. Mentally, however, we just didn't focus in on taking full advantage of our opportunities."
have a shot, the Jayhawks will have to sweep their final three conference opponents.
"When we first got up to Iowa State, one of their assistants came out to us and said, 'We've been praying all day long that we win the flip of the coin so that we can have the wind,' Magner said. "The wind was a huge factor, and they buried their chances — something we weren't able to do."
One of those missed opportunities was the Jayhawks' inability to use the strong wind at their back in the second half of the Iowa State contest.
So what have the players worked on this week in practice?
Horton, who scored her first goal of the season against the Cyclones, said the team's focus this week had been to take full advantage of scoring chances.
"Shooting, Shooting, Shooting," sophomore midfielder Jackie Horton said.
"We want to take our opportunities on goal. That's been our main problem so far this season."
Jackie
Jackie Horton sophomore midfielder
"We've been working mostly on finishing the ball," she said. "We want to take our opportunities on goal. That's been our main problem so far this season. When we have our opportunities on goal we just don't finish them."
Horton said that after a tough week on the road, the team would be looking forward to playing in Kansas against nonconference opponent Arkansas.
"It's going to be nice to return home," she said. "There's not that extra pressure of playing in-conference. We still want to come out with a win against Arkansas. We've been practicing really hard this week on trying to overcome the things that hurt us this weekend."
Former track coach Easton dies at 93
During his reign as Kansas cross country and track coach, Bill Easton was said to be ahead of his time. It is unlikely that his coaching feats will be surpassed.
By Kristie Blasi
kblasi@kansan.com
Sports editor
M. "E.Bell" Easton, 93, died Saturday in Kansas City, Kan. Services for Mr. Easton will be at 11 a.m. Oct. 20 at the Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vermont St.
Mr. Easton coached Jayhawk teams from 1948 to 1965, which has proved to be significant to Kansas' track-and-field history.
Famous Kansas runners that Mr. Easton coached include Wes Santee, Billy Mills and Al Oerter. He was named the top collegiate coach in 1960 and received the first Gold Track Shoe Trophy.
"He established Kansas as a track-andfield power," said Gary Schwartz, Kansas cross country and track coach.
Adamarie Easton, who survives at the home, said that one of the most exciting races that her husband saw was Billy Mills winning the 10,000 meters at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.
Mr. Easton's teams captured 11 indoor and outdoor conference titles, and he coached Kansas to two consecutive NCAA championships in 1959 and 1960. Before his departure in 1965, his teams captured 41 consecutive dual-meet victories.
He is a member of the Helms Hall of Fame, the National Track & Field Hall of Fame, the U.S. Track & Field Hall of Fame, Drake Relays coaches Hall of Fame, Indiana High School Hall of Fame and the University of Kansas Hall of Fame.
Schwartz said that Mr. Easton had recruited him before his running career at Kansas in 1963-1966.
"At times, he was a very demanding man, but people enjoy structure and like to be part of something organized and that seems to be going somewhere." he said.
"He was very much into people thinking on a very high level, and he expected and demanded a lot," Schwartz said. "He created the kind of atmosphere the people wanted to be a part of.
Mr. Easton's influence on the Kansas teams continues because he began the tradition of Jayhawk runners wearing the "pink pants." The 1952 debut was the result of the
Bill Easton, who coached cross country and track at the University of Kansas from 1948 to 1965, died Saturday. Contributed photo.
Mr. Easton earned the respect of his players, including Schwartz and Dick Wilson, a member of the 1953 NCAA championship cross country team.
"Everybody talks about Bill Easton being a disciplinarian, and he certainly was that, but he was a lot more," said Wilson, who resides in Lawrence.
dark blue Kansas uniforms blending with other schools' in a 1951 race.
Wilson, a New York native, said he had planned to go to Syracuse University until the coach's recruiting trip, when the coach predicted that Kansas would set the American record in the 4-mile relay and win a cross country championship. Both of Mr. Easton's predictions proved correct.
Other survivors include a daughter, Lindsey Benne, Blue Springs, Mo.; a son, Richard Easton, Virginia Beach, Va.; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.