8B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2006
CROSS COUNTRY
Men qualify for NCAAs, women await at-large bid
BY EVAN KAFARAKIS
A year older and a year stronger.
That's what cross country coach Stanley Redwine said about his team in the beginning of the season and the team has not let that statement down.
The men's team qualified for the 2006 NCAA Championships after placing second at the NCAA Midwest Regionals Saturday at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in Minneapolis.
The team finished third last season but returned its top five runners from that squad to this season.
Big 12 Champion Colby Wissel led the way for the Jayhawks placing eighth in the 10k race with a time of 30:59.49.
Junior Paul Hefferon finished 10th overall in a time of 31:02.29.
Seniors Benson Chesang and Erik Sloan finished 14th and 24th
respectively.
Chesapeake ran the race in 31:18.34 and Sloan finished in 31:33.64.
All four runners received allregion recognition for their top 25 finishes. Senior Matt French placed 32nd with a time of 31:56.59.
The squad, which is ranked 20th in the nation in the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, finished second behind Oklahoma State.
The second place finish is the team's best result since the 1991 team finished second in the NCAA Midwest Regionals.
The team now moves on to compete in the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind., on Nov. 20.
Last season the team placed 12th at the NCAA Championships. It was the team's best finish at the event since 1989 when it finished 10th.
The women's team finished 12th at the regional meet out of a field of 23.
Junior Lisa Morrisey and senior Melissa O'Rourke led the way for the Jayhawks placing 60th and 61st.
Morrisey finished the 6k race in 22:42.97 and O'Rourke ran her season best 6k race in 22:45.37. Freshman Kellie Schneider finished 74th with a time of 23:00.17 and junior Alicia McGregor finished 80th with a time of 23:06.52. Freshman Lauren Bonds rounded out the Jayhawks scoring in 84th place with a time of 23:12.57.
The women's team will have to wait to see if it earns an atlarge bid to compete in the NCAA Championships because it did not place high enough to earn an automatic bid.
Kansan sportswriter Evan Kafarakis can be contacted at ekafarakis@kansan.com.
Edited by Catherine Odson
Chiefs struggle to move ball, lose to Dolphins
>> NFL
BY STEVEN WINE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MIAMI — Nick Saban was about to begin discussing the Miami Dolphins' second consecutive victory when a technical malfunction delayed the start of his postgame news conference.
"We like them" he said. "I like being aggressive. I like putting pressure on defenses."
"This is not as bad as fumbling the reverse," a smiling Saban said. "I can handle this."
The bungled reverse nearly cost the Dolphins the game, but another bit of trickery _ a flea-flicker _ set up their lone touchdown. The net result was a 13-10 victory over Kansas City, which made it easier for Saban to defend his fondness for gadget plays.
Saban's critics still grouse about his decision to have running back Ronnie Brown attempt a pass on a foiled two-point conversation try late in a 17-15 loss at Houston last month. But that hasn't stopped
the dolphins (3-6) from digging into their bag of trick plays.
Brown tried another pass Sunday, this time from the Chiefs' 4 in the second quarter. The throw was incomplete, and Miami settled for a field goal.
Worse was the reverse. With Miami nursing a 13-3 lead midway through the final period, Brown missed connections with Chris Chambers on a handoff, and the fumble bounced on one hop to defensive end Jared Allen, who ran 20 yards to the 20.
"I just lost control of the ball"
Brown said. "I was trying to let Chris
make a play."
The game's lone turnovers led to a Kansas City touchdown four plays later, and Miami needed a defensive stand in the final two minutes to seal the victory.
More successful for the Dolphins was the flea-flicker, with Brown taking a handoff and pitching back to Joey Harrington. The exchange allowed Chambers to get 5 yards behind Ty Law, and Harrington hit him for a 46-yard completion to the 1.
"In the huddle we reminded all the linemen to yell 'draw', to get the defensive backs to peel back," Harrington said. "I did a little pump fake and gave it to Ronnie and heard everybody yell 'draw'"
The tactic worked. Saban said there were three receivers on the play.
"We actually threw it to the least open of the three," he said. "I'm not being critical, because he was very open as well."
Brown scored on the next play for a 13-0 lead.
Saban said the trick plays reflected his team's approach to the game. He didn't want the Dolphins playing cautiously leading by 10 points with eight minutes left, and that's why they tried the reverse.
"We were being aggressive when we called the flea-flicker, and actually ended up scoring a touchdown because of that," Saban said. "We were trying to be aggressive when we called the reverse, and we fumbled that and set up a score for them."
GREAT GIVEAWAYS!!
Join us
Wednesday, November 15
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at OREAD BOOKS
Kansas Union I Level2
ONE STOP SHOPPING FOR ALL YOUR GRADUATION NEEDS.
Booths: Official KU Grad Announcements, Caps and Gowns, Class Rings by Balfour, Alumni Association, University Career Center, Commerce Bank and STA Travel
1. 800.854.7464 www.jostens.com jostens
Florida moves into top five
Top 25 teams in the AP college football poll. Record through Nov 11 + First place votes + Previous ranking
everything but the degree
Ohio St.
(64)·11-0
1.624·1
Michigan(
1) 11-0
1.561·2
Florida
9-1
1.436·6
6. Notre Dame 9-1 1,302 9 16
7. Rutgers 9-0 1,212 15 17
8. West Virginia 8-1 1,075 10 18
9. LSU 8-2 1,074 12 19
10. Louisville 8-1 1,028 3 20
**11. Texas** 9-2 965 4 21
12. Wisconsin 10-1 930 16 22
13. Boise St 10-0 805 14 23
14. Wake Forest 9-1 777 18 24
15. Auburn 9-2 751 5 25
Southern Cal
8-1
1,433+7
Arkansas 9-1 1,331,11
Oklahoma 8-2 746 17 8
California 8-2 795 8
Georgia Tech 8-2 563 19
Virginia Tech 8-2 413 20
Boston Col 8-2 350 22
Maryland 8-2 309 23
Tennessee 8-2 276 13
BYU 8-2 216 25
Nebraska 8-3 197
Clemson 8-3 57
Others receiving votes: Hawaii 39, Oregon 36, Kansas St. 8, TCU 7, Texas A&M 6, Georgia 3.
Losing Your Summer Tan?
Sale prices good through 11/15/06
30 days UNLIMITED!
$25 Level 1 • $40 Level 2
Tan Until January
560 Level 1 • 595 Level 2
Purchase any Mystic Tan product and get a Mystic Tan session 1/2 price!
Jamaica Tan
Celebrating 'Great Years in Lwente尔' www.jamaicatcat.com
1543 Wakaura Dr (Bob Billings Wakaura) (785) 749-1313
NFL
Oakland fumbles away winning opportunity
BY JOSH DUBOW ASSOCIATED PRESS
OAKLAND. Calif. — Jake Plummer capitalized on Denver's one big break to overcome an otherwise poor performance.
Plummer threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Johnson early in the fourth quarter after a fumble by the Broncos was negated by a penalty, giving Denver a 17-13 victory against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.
Plummer threw three interceptions and had done little positive other than throwing a 39-yard touchdown pass to Javon Walker late in the first quarter. But he led the key drive that helped the Broncos (7-2) win a fourth-straight game in Oakland and remained tied with San Diego atop the AFC West.
The Raiders (2-7) appeared in control when they recovered a fumbled punt by David Kircus at the Denver 20. But instead of adding to a 13-7 lead, Oakland was forced to punt again when Chris Carr was called for a personal foul for running out of bounds on the coverage.
After the second punt, Denver started its drive on its 40. Plumber completed seven straight passes and gave the Broncos a 14-13 lead on a fourth-down pass to Johnson with
11:06 to plav.
The Raiders went three-and-out on the next drive and backed Denver down to the 2 on a 55-yard punt by Shane Lechler. But when Oakland needed a stop most, Plummer was able to get three first downs and move the ball into Raiders territory.
Oakland took over at its 17 with 4:03 remaining, but Kenard Lang beat backup left tackle Chad Slaughter, sacked Andrew Walter and forced a fumble that John Engelberger recovered for the Broncos at the 12. That set up Jason Elam's 24-yard field goal with 1:56 to go.
Walter fumbled the snap to start the next drive — his second lost fumble in as many plays — sending Oakland to its 11th straight loss against AFC opponents.
The Broncos have won five straight in the division heading into next week's first-place showdown against San Diego.
Plummer finished 21-for-30 for 210 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. Tatum Bell had only 37 yards on 14 carries as Denver finished with just 66 yards on the ground.
Walter was 18-for-33 for 214 yards and the two fumbles and completed only one pass to Randy Moss. Oakland finished with just 46 yards rushing.
DON'T APPLY HERE
IF YOU'RE LAZY
The Kansan advertising staff is hiring for the spring semester. Be a part of a place where each day brings new challenges and the result of your hard work is something to be proud of. We're hiring the most driven students at KU for both ad sales or design positions.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Informational meetings are Tuesday, November 14th OR Wednesday, November 15th at 6 p.m. in Room 100 Stauffer-Flint Attendance is required to either session. Questions? Call 864-4358
---
2