Thursday, October 2. 1997
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
D.C. United tops playoffs
By Joseph White The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — They are the defending champions. They have the most talented lineup and deepest bench. They overcame a haywire schedule, national team conflicts and the arrests of two top players to clinch their division with two weeks to spare.
On top of that, the championship game will be played at their home stadium.
No wonder D.C. United is the team to beat as the Major League Soccer playoffs begin this weekend.
"It's been a character-building year, fighting all the ups and downs that we've had," said midfielder and captain John Harkes.
United (21-11), which boasts six national team players in its starting lineup and two more on the bench, opens its postseason Sunday night at RFK Stadium against the New England Revolution (15-17) in the first game of the best-of-three Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Revolution lost all four games against United this season, albeit two of them in shootouts. New England offsets a weak offense with star goalkeeper Walter Zenga. New England was 15-7 when the former Italian World Cup starter played and 0-10 when he didn't.
Also Sunday, the Tampa Bay Mutiny (17-15) plays host to the Columbus Crew (15-17) in the opener of the other Eastern Conference semifinal.
In the West, the Kansas City Wizards, whose 21-11 record tied United for best in the league, open on Saturday at home against the Colorado Rapids. On Sunday, the Los Angeles Galaxy (16-16), last year's runner-up, are home against the Dallas Burn (16-16).
The winners advance to the best-of-three conference finals, with the championship to be decided in a single
game, the MLS Cup '97, at RFK Stadium on Oct. 26.
While Los Angeles, Kansas City and Tampa Bay all have the potential to challenge, D.C. United has proved it can handle the pressure of being a marked team. At one point, they
went 22 games without losing in regulation.
Last month, United coach Bruce Arena lashed out at the league. He cited United's grueling schedule — 13 games in 36 days, including two tournaments as well as their regular MLS schedule — and called for bigger rosters to help prevent injuries. He criticized the league for allowing the New York-New Jersey MetroStars to add Brazilian defender Branco in an apparent violation of the salary cap.
He also decried the league's decision to schedule most of its games on Fridays and Sundays.
"I think Friday-Sunday may look attractive when you try to attract revenues, but I think it's suicide for the teams." Arena said.
The MLS is promising to address Arena's concerns at the league meeting following the MLS Cup, but the team's biggest distractions came from off the field: the arrests of forward Raul Diaz Arce, the league's No.2 goal scorer, and defender Mario Gori for the alleged rape of a woman in a hotel room after an August game in Columbus.
Both players are free on ball pending trial.
Kansas hoops dream of signings
By Tommy Gallagher
The Kansas men's basketball team continues to recruit blue-chip prospects from across the country while the players themselves remain far from deciding.
Associate sports editor
The early-signing period for high school recruits is more than a month away. The late-signing period is in mid-April.
Doug Wrenn, a 6-foot-7 small forward from O'Dea High School in Seattle, has narrowed his choices to Kansas, Minnesota and Georgia Tech, said Jason Kerr, O'Dea assistant coach. Kerr said Wrenn probably would make a decision before spring.
Korleone Young, a 6-foot-8 power forward from Wichita, and JaRon Rush, a 6-foot-7 small forward from Kansas City, Mo., have said that they would not make official visits to Kansas because both players are already familiar with the Kansas program.
Young is considered one of the country's top three players by most high school recruiting publications. Rush has been ranked among the top 10.
More high school prospects also have Kansas on
their short lists.
Quentin Richardson, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Whitney Young High School in Chicago, narrowed his choices to Kansas, Kentucky, Connecticut, Colorado and DePaul, said George Stanton, his high school coach. Richardson will attend "Late Night With Roy Williams" on Oct. 18.
Joel Pryzbilla, a 7-foot1 center from Monticello (Minn.) High School, also will attend "Late Night," said Max LaVelle, his high school coach. Some Minnesota newspapers have said that Minnesota is the front-runner with Arizona second. Kansas and others are trailing.
Michael Miller, a 6-foot-8 small forward from Mitchell (S.D.) High School, is still being pursued by Kansas, Nebraska, Utah, UCLA, Arizona, Wake Forest and Florida, said Gary Munson, his high school coach. Munson said that Miller might attend "Late Night."
Dan Gadzuric, a 6-foot-10 center from Byfield (Mass.) Dummer Academy, has drawn interest from Kansas, Kentucky, UCLA and several other schools.
The Jayhawks already have received an oral commitment from Jeff Boschee, a 6-foot-1 point guard from Valley City (N.D.) High School. He will attend "Late Night."
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