Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday September 22,1999
Sports
Section:
Graduate student Brian Foster, who has diabetes, will compete in the Triathlete Nationals this weekend.
B
SEE PAGE 10B
H.A.W.K. Club
The H.A.W.K. club sponsored a chat last night with football coach Terry Allen.
Page 1
SEE PAGE 3B
Pro Football
Atlanta Falcons running back Jamal Anderson will be out for the season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
SEE PAGE 6B
Contact the Kansan
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Sports e-mail: sports@ekansan.com
Kansas punter
Joey Peliafonn
kicks the ball
during a game
against Colorado.
The Jayhawks
defense and
special teams
have scored
three times this
season.
Photo by
Roger Nomer/
KANSAN
Jayhawks live or die by turnovers
Kansas ranks No.1 in turnover margin
By Mike Miller
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Special teams win football games. Any coach will say it.
They also talk about turnovers and defensive scores. Dominate those facets of a football game and success should follow.
The talk has been backed up.
Before Kansas played Notre Dame, coach Terry Allen talked about winning the special teams battle. He talked about it again before the Cal State Northridge game and before the Colorado game last Saturday.
Kansas has been great on special teams this year, whether it is on punt returns, kick-off returns or blocking kicks, Kansas has had a little bit of each
this season. Throw in a defensive score and suddenly, turnovers and big plays can quickly put a team back in a game.
"Returning a kick off or punt for a touchdown can really deflate a team," said senior Tim Bowers. "It's such a big play because the defense or the offense doesn't get a chance to respond."
Case in point — Colorado.
Midway through the third quarter, Kansas was down 33-3. All of a sudden, the Jayhawks recovered a Buffalo fumble, scored a touchdown, then blocked a punt and recovered the ball in the end zone two minutes later.
Suddenly, Kansas was 14 points closer.
"We had our chances when it was 33-17," Allen said.
But it works both ways.
Colorado scored, recovered a Kansas fumble and scored a field
goal. The trend continued when Kansas junior kick returner Carl Nesmith ran back a kickoff 97 yards, which seemed to give Kansas some momentum again.
Then Colorado defensive back Ben Kelly picked up a Kansas fumble and sprinted 96 yards for another Colorado touchdown.
It was the story of the day: special teams, turnovers and defensive scores are critical to a team's success. Kansas has had success with all of those aspects of the game. The Jayhawks have forced nine turnovers in the first three games of the year, making them ninth in the NCAA and first in the Big 12 in turnover margin.
It's just that the opponents also have been successful in forcing turnovers, which is one of the reasons Kansas is 1-2.
"We've been putting the ball on the ground too much," Allen said. "Our turnovers are horrendous. Being plus one on turnovers is amazing because we've fumbled six times. The two interceptions I can handle, the disappointment is putting the ball on the ground."
Allen's teams have had success with special teams and defensive scores during the last two years, but this season could be the best.
Kansas has scored three times this season on defense and special teams. Henri Childs returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown against Northridge, Bowers recorded the first Kansas safety in four years and blocked a punt against Colorado, which was recovered for a touchdown by senior Greg Erb.
And Nesmith ranks second in the NCAA in kickoff returns, averaging 40 yards per return — something that the Jayhawks say can be invaluable for a team.
"It's something that can turn the tide at a big point of the
game." Bowers said.
Four Jayhawks were injured during the Colorado game, but only two of them will miss Saturday's game against San Diego State.
Running back David Winbush, who suffered a sprained ankle, and offensive tackle John Oddonetto, who bruised a shoulder, are probable for Saturday.
Safety Chad Coellner is questionable with a pulled groin, while tight end Jason Gulley had his knee scoped Monday and is out for one week.
Offensive tackle Justin Hartwig broke a finger in his right hand during practice yesterday, but is expected to play Saturday.
Wide receivers Termaine Fulton, who sprained his right ankle against Northridge, and Byron Gasaway, who broke his jaw during the preseason, are doubtful for Saturday, but they might return to practice next week.
— Edited by Jamie Knodel
Victory snaps soccer team's losing streak, shut out
Rv Chris Wristen
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The return of Hilla Rantala and the return to winning ways came hand-in-hand for the Kansas soccer team as it defeated Southwest Missouri State 3-1 yesterday in Springfield, Mo.
yesterday in open court. The win improved Kansas' record to 3-4 and put an end to its two game losing streak. In addition, the win eased the Jayhawks' offensive woes. Kansas had been shut out in its previous two games, but yesterday three different Jayhawks found the back of the net and Kansas fired 12 shots.
For a majority of the first half, Kansas dominated the game but neither team could score. Senior midfielder Melissa
Downing broke the scoreless deadlock when she connected for the first goal of the game during a loose ball scramble in the box in the 37th minute.
The goal, Downing's third of the season, moved her into the team lead for scoring this season with three goals for six points.
The score remained 1-0 until the 51:40 mark when the Bears earned the score. Natalie Whiteman scored her fifth goal of the season when she received a throw in from teammate Shannis Stock.
Kansas responded 10 minutes later and took the lead for good off a goal from junior Megham Haven. Haven caught a pass from Rantala and fired a long shot into the far corner of the net past Bears goalkeeper Jennifer Grocki to put the Jahayhaws ahead 2-1. The assist was Rantala's first career point at Kansas,
after tallying 81 during her two years at South Alabama.
The Jayhawks wrapped up the scoring with a goal by junior Kyle Watts. Watts took a pass from senior defender Lindsey Loeffler and chipped it over the Bears defense into the top of the net at the 75:30 mark
The game marked a complete performance for the defense as they allowed Southwest Missouri five shots all game. Senior goalkeeper Betsy Pollard delivered a solid performance as well, grabbing three says.
"We played well." Francis said. "It was a good performance."
Coach Mark Francis was pleased with the wav his team performed.
The victory comes just in time for Kansas as it prepares to sponsor its home
KANSAS VS. SOUTHWEST
MISSOURI STATE ___
Kansas: Melissa Downing, Meghann Haven, Kylie Watts
Southwest Missouri State: Natali Whiteman.
Records: Kansas 3-4, Southwest Missouri State 7-3
tournament this weekend. The Jayhawks will play two games this weekend, against Drury on Friday and Creighton on Sunday, and Francis is glad his team will enter the tournament coming off a win.
"Hopefully, with this win we can get some people to come watch us at our tournament this weekend," Francis said.
- Edited by Julia Nicholson
Kansas golf succumbs to Missouri even as Vermeer is named top-ranked player
Kansas golfer Ryan Vermeer eyes the hole after chipping the ball to the green. The Jayhawks fell by seven strokes to the tigers Photo by Lucas Krump/KANSAN
By Doug Pacey
By Doug Pacey
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Missouri shot 881 as a team while the Jayhawks totaled 888 strokes to go 24-over par.
One week after pummeling the Missouri men's golf team by 35 strokes, the Kansas men's golf team lost to the Tigers by seven strokes.
"We didn't click as a team on any of the three rounds of play," said coach Ross Randall.
"I was a little (surprised) at the results," said golfer Ryan Vermeer. "I thought we'd play capably to win the tourney."
The team shot 301 during the final 18 holes yesterday.
"(The team) is mad and disappointed in their performance," Randall said. "But this is just one of those times when five guys weren't clicking."
Amid the disappointment of the team's play was Vermeer's first-place finish.
Vermeer, the nation's top-
ranked collegiate golfer, shot a 2-under-par 214 to finish one stroke ahead of Missouri's Corv Ewert.
"I was getting down on myself at the beginning of the day," Vermeer said. "But I told myself to keep going because I knew I wasn't out of it."
Three strokes behind Ewert at the 16th hole during the final round, Vermeer birdied two of the last three holes to win.
birdie on 18 for all the marbles," said Randall.
"It's something I've always wanted to do; be on the 18th green to win."
"He birdied two times in the last three holes and had a clutch
The Tigers placed two players in the top three, Ewert and David Suggs. Suggs was leading before yesterday's play, but shot a 76 to drop to third place.
Vermeer said he was excited with his performance on the final three holes.
See LOSS on page 2B
See the game meeting set for halftime spike the ball
Judging by the e-mail responses, the contradictory policy is about as popular with people around campus as the new Lazer format.
I was going to do the typical pull from reader e-mail sports column. Three things occurred to me that will keep me from doing that.
Two weeks ago, I asked students to email me their thoughts on the current University policy of having a dry campus yet allowing alcohol in particular places; places with a serious lack of students such as the scholarship suites at Memorial Stadium and the Naismith Room outside Allen Fieldhouse.
No. 1. Most of the e-mails involved language not fit for sailors.
No. 3. I've come up with a personal way to deal with the alcohol for them and-not-us policy.
10. 2. There is a volleyball game tonight that is much more timely (and more fun to talk about).
First, how I'll deal with it. Then, volleyball.
I'm starting my own new tradition. It's tentatively called the "Halftime Beer Break."
What is this strange new tradition, you ask? Simple.
to myself, rather than com-
4.
Seth Jones
sports columnist
sports@kansan.com
I thought to myself, plain about the lack of beer for everyone at Memorial Stadium, I'll just go have a brew during halftime and chill out. I'll get my hand stamped by the gate people, walk to a very nearby bar, have one or maybe two, then walk back to the game. I'll think of it as my own scholarship box, just a little further from the game. With a much more limited
Since I'm not (yet) at an age where I drink alone, I can cordially inviting everyone, especially the yahos who read my column. The official meeting spot is located at that tennis court without a net right outside of the southeast entrance. The beginning of halftime is the appointed time. First person who joins me gets the first round courtesy of me. I'll see you at scholarship box east, then.
Next up, volleyball. The ladies take on Texas at 7 tonight at the brand new Horeisi Family Athletics Center.
view. And less stuffy people.
Do KU students realize how cool volleyball games are? Judging by the attendance, they don't.
Admission is free. They have plenty of give-aways. Last match I went with a group of six guys. Between the six of us, there were two free t-shirts and one $20 gift certificate won. Not bad for free.
Need more reasons to go? Here are four:
They're good.
Senior Mary Beth Albrecht spikes the ball hard. Rumor has it that the reason the new center was built was so Albrecht wouldn't put any dents in the hard wood at Allen Fieldhouse. Albrecht's monster spikes are just as authoritative as an alley-oop dunk.
They're good.
Senior Amanda Reeves blocks opponents often and with enthusiasm. She seems like a nice person, but her opponents have to think she's mean. After all, she makes them look bad sending volleballs back in their face.
Newcomer Danielle Geronymo not only has the coolest name in all of Kansas athletics, she also has a stinging jump serve. opponents feign injuries just to get a safe seat on the sideline when Geronov stems up to serve.
So, in summary, go to the volleyball game tonight, then meet me at beer-thirty during the football game on Saturday. Have a nice day.
1
Jones is a Mulvane senior in journalism.