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SPORTS IVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1995
Jayhawk magic is not over
With the Kansan's reputation for dogging on the Kansas football team and considering the 41-7 shellacking that the Jayhawks suffered Saturday, you're probably thinking I'm going to uphold the tradition.
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And if that wasn't bad enough, the pass-reliant Wildcats put on a ground show, amassing 335 rushing vards.
But no, I won't talk about that.
Something else I won't talk about
Johnson-Park
kicking game self-
destructed. Was
anyone else praying
the Jayhawks
would just go for
it on fourth down
instead of punting?
still had a higher punting average than K-State, with 34.3 yards a punt. A lot of good things can be said for the poise and strength that Kansas senior punter Darrin Simmons showed.
SPORTS EDITOR
But because I'm not talking about the kicking game, I won't talk about Simmons being a bright spot for Kansas.
I won't be talking about how K-State's receivers and tight ends tooyed with Kansas' defensive backfield either.
Even though Kansas accumulated more passing yards than K-State, the Wildcats hauled down the crucial passes. Three of the Wildcats' five touchdowns came on pass plays.
K-State offensive coordinator Dana Dimel can be credited for a masterful game plan. He threw Kansas for a loop when the Wildcats gained 72 yards on eight rushes during their first three possessions of the game. After they pounded out yards on the ground and forced the Jayhawk defenders closer to the line of scrimmage, the Wildcats went to the air. Dimel's plan worked perfectly.
Someone who watched Saturday's game with me said in disgust, "Does K-State just want it more than we do?"
What did become obvious as I watched Kansas' 41-7 loss to Kansas State is that this year's Big Eight Conference is bunched tightly in the middle. With the Jayhawks' first defeat of the season, they are tied with the Wildcats for second place, while Colorado and Oklahoma sit in a tie for fourth with their 2-2 conference records.
I thought that was a pretty stupid question, and I told her so. Of course Kansas wanted to win the game. No one goes out looking to lose.
After the 49-25 loss to Nebraska, though, people might have started believing that K-State wasn't a good team. Not true. The Wildcats still are part of that group of four teams packed at the middle of the conference that I think could, given the chance, defeat any of the other three.
And with the Jayhawks' three remaining games, I see two likely wins against Missouri and Oklahoma State. Not to say that a win against No. 1 Nebraska is impossible, but the way I see it, there are two leagues in college football. Nebraska/Florida State and everyone else.
But one loss in eight games is nothing to scoff at, especially when you think about the three Big Eight victories against the conference teams Kansas already has played.
That's why I'm not too disappointed that the Jayhawks fell Saturday. Sure, it was fun to watch them defy logic and the analysts when they ran off seven consecutive victories.
So take heart, Jayhawk fans. Three games remain in this magic season.
Make that four. I see visions of a bowl game dancing in my head.
Championships hardly a breeze
Kansas struggles against the wind in Big Eight meet
By Adam Herschman Kansan sportswriter
Despite running against the wind, the No.1 Colorado women's team and the No.4 Oklahoma State men's team breezed to victory Friday at the 1995 Big Eight Cross Country Championships.
Battling outbursts nearing 40 mph at Rim Rock Farm, the Kansas women finished sixth, and the men's team placed seventh.
"It's all a mind set," Kansas cross country and track coach Gary Schwartz said. "You can't let neither the course nor the weather conditions defeat you."
And the Colorado women and Oklahoma State men didn't let the weather or any other team defeat them.
The Cowboys had four runners finish in the top 10 and defeated second-place finisher and No. 2-ranked Colorado by 15 points.
The Colorado women claimed their second consecutive Big Eight, winning by 20 points against Iowa State. Colorado dominated the race with six of its runners finishing in the top 10.
"This is definitely the most challenging course they've run on all season," said Colorado women's cross country coach Toby Jacober. "But they were ready for it."
The Buffalooes swept first-place finishes in both races. Colorado senior Patty Roberts won the women's race with a time of 17:42.1, and Colorado sophomore Adam Goucher finished first in the men's race.
The irony of the race was that despite the wind and the hilly terrain at Rim Rock Farm, Goucher set a course record with a time of 23:57.3. Goucher, a 1994 All American, defeated the old mark that Arkansas' Daniel Munz recorded at the 1993 Jayhawk Invitational by seven seconds.
Results
"It has to affect the runners," Schwartz said about the wind. "But if you notice runners
Men
1. Oklahoma State 38
2. Colorado 53
3. Iowa State 64
4. Kansas State 117
5. Oklahoma 144
6. Nebraska 161
7. Kansas 170
8. Missouri 171
Richard Devinki / KANSAN
Women
1. Colorado 25
2. Iowa State 84
3. Missouri 89
4. Nebraska 93
5. Kansas State 107
6. Kansas 144
7. Oklahoma State 166
Oklahoma did not place
like Goucher, the good ones find a way to deal with it."
Kansas freshman Erica Blackwell was the second Jayhawk runner to finish at the Big Eight Cross Country Championships at Rim Rock Farm on Friday.
Kansas senior Chris Gaston was the first Jayhawk to cross the finish line. He recorded a season-best time of 25:37.4 and finished 23rd overall.
"The wind was a huge factor. It mentally drains you in a sense," Gaston said. "The competition is at the next level."
Kansas sophomore Brian Watts finished second for the Jayhawks and recorded his best time, completing the course in 25:59.5. In the last four races, Watts has improved his times steadily.
Kansas junior Cord Crisis also has been running well for the Jayhawks this season, scoring in every race. Crisis was the third Jav Hawk to finish.
Although the men's team has had some individual successes, it has struggled as a team — mainly because of injuries.
"I don't think we have distinguished ourselves," Schwartz said.
Like Gaston, Kansas senior Sarah Heeb placed in the top 25. For the fourth consecutive meet, she paced the women, recording a time of 18:53.8 and placing 22nd overall. But her performance did not come easily with the wind.
"It kind of made it tough to concentrate on your race at the same time and try to block the wind out," Heeb said. "I think Colorado is an excellent team, but I think we have strong runners, too. It's just a young team."
and we're going to take time to develop."
Kansas freshman Erica Blackwell followed Heeb, placing 25th overall.
"Erica Blackwell ran out of her skull. Schwartz said. It's a PR (personal record) for her on this course, almost a PR for her on any course this year."
Volleyball team bounces back from losing streak
Kansan sportswriter
Bv Bill Petulla
After losing its last three matches, the Kansas volleyball team got back on the winning track this weekend. And the Javahawks did it in two clean sweeps.
Kansas (8-15) didn't lose either game in its two-match series against Missouri-Kansas City on Friday and Saturday.
"It's a big confidence boost going into our last Big Eight Conference matches," said Kansas right side hitter Kendra Kahler.
In the first match Friday at Allen Field House, Kansas got off to a slow start. Following a 3-3 tie, the Jayhawks ran off six unanswered points and never turned back, winning the first game 15-5.
The Kangaroos bounced right back in the second game. After falling behind 5-2, UMKC tied the game at 8. But behind the strong serving of Kansas sophomore setter Trisha Lindgrem, the Jayhawks forced the Kangaroos to take a time out.
In the third and most competitive game, the Kangaos stormed to a 6-2 lead. The Jayhawks, however, inched their way back and tied the game at 6. Kansas broke away from UMKC and won game three 15-12, completing the sweep.
After the time out, the Jayhawks finished off UMKC and won the second game 15-9.
"We were playing more aggressively," said Kansas sophomore outside hitter Leslie Purkeypile. "The back row was talking more to the hitters, and that helps out a tremendous amount."
"I was pleased with the overall level of play," said Kansas volleyball coach Karen Schonewise. "But I was disappointed with a lot of little things. The setting was not good, and our ball control was weak."
Kahler led the Jayhawks with 12 kills. Sophomore
middle blocker/right side hitter Maggie Mohrfield added 7 kills with a .600 attack percentage.
UMKC (6-21) was paced by freshman middle hitter Elizabeth Whitener, who had six kills with a .417 attack percentage.
Although Kansas broke its three-match losing streak, the team still felt there was room for improvement.
"I walked into the locker room (after the match), and it was quiet." Schonewise said. "Everybody was glad we won, but they know they still have a lot of work to do."
The Kangaroos, who won the first two points of game one, were unable to hold back the Kansas charge, led by outside hitter Tracie Walt. The senior served three consecutive aces in the 15-5 game-one victory. Walt finished the match with six aces — one shy of the Kansas single-match record.
The Jayhawks would get a chance to improve less than 24 hours later, as they took on UMKC again Saturday afternoon.
Walt's strong serving carried over to the second game, as she served the final nine points in a 15-2 Kansas victory.
Although UMKC had lost five consecutive games in the last two days, it started strong in the third game and gained a 5-2 lead. The Jayhawks caught the Kangaroos and pulled away, winning 15-7.
Kahler led the team with 11 kills, and Kansas senior middle blocker Jenny Larson added eight kills and eight block assists.
"Today was a lot more fun to play," she said. "The team looked a lot more relaxed and focused. We played more of our style."
UMKC was led by sophomore hitter Katie Simpson, who finished the match with 10 kills.
Schonewise said she was pleased with the team's performance on Saturday.
Pam Dishman / KANSAN
Kansas senior Jenny Larson (left) and freshman Moira Donovan team up to block a Missouri-Kansas City volley in Saturday's match.
Intense practices take toll on players, field house
By Matt Irwin
Raef LaFrentz took a nickel-sized divot out of the Allen Field House basketball floor with his tooth.
Kansan sportswriter
The sophomore forward was
People who don't believe this can check the floor before it is repaired. About 5 feet east and 2 feet south of the free throw line at the northeast side is a scuffed piece of floor.
diving for a loose ball in practice Wednesday when junior point guard Jacque Vaughn fell on top of him, Kansas men's basketball coach Roy Williams said.
LaFrentz ended up with a black eye, a gouge over his eye, a chipped tooth and a piece of the floor in his mouth.
"He was spitting out wood chunks over at the hospital," Williams said. "You'd think he'd have to be a beaver to do what he did."
KANSAS BASKETBALL
"I never wanted to wear one because the ones I had worn in the past made it a little bit more difficult to breathe and a little bit
LaFrentz now wears a mouthpiece, but he is not the only one. Junior guard Jerod Haase has worn a mouthpiece since one tooth was knocked out at tryouts for the World University Games team this summer.
more difficult to talk," Haase said.
Pearson's injury didn't impress Williams because the Jayhawk
Practice is always intense enough that injuries are common. Haase said.
LaFrentz wasn't the only one injured in practice last week. Kansas senior forward Sean Pearson practiced with a bandage above his eye Thursday. The cut was the result of a stray elbow.
coach once had 29 stitches in his head.
Williams said that encouraging his players to practice with intensity was the best way to prepare them and that injuries in practice were nothing new. Williams has seen more than one injury in one day.
"I once had two separated shoulders in the same day as a high school coach," Williams said about two of his former players.
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