Sports
University Daily Kansan / Thursday, April 21, 1988
13
Jayhawks among leaders at Relays
By Keith Stroker
Kansan sportswriter
Day one of the Kansas Relays belonged to the the Jayhawks as they took the top spots in both the basketball and the women's heptathlon.
In the men's division, Kansas decathlete Craig Branstrom has the lead after five events with a total score of 3,890 points. H.R. Mcadams from New Mexico is second with 3,727 and Sidney Cartwright of Wayland Baptist is third with 3,619.
Branstrom, Half Moon Bay, Calif., senior, was seeded fifth entering yesterday's events. He set some goals before the Relays began and said that everything seemed to be right on schedule.
"I jumped 6 feet=7" in the high jump, a half inch shorter than my goal," he said. "But I did do better in the shot put, throwing two inches more than my goal. I feel really good at this point."
Kansas men's coach Bob Timmon was pleased with the Branstrom's performance, but he was not surprised.
"Craig is healthy and very excited about tomorrow," Timmons said. "He had a good first day with five solid marks, though he has done better in all five weeks." He think he has a real good chance."
Branstrom finished no lower than third in any of the five events and was first in two of them.
was taken in one of them
He ran an 11.24 seconds in the 100
meter dash for second place, finished second in the long jump at 22.8, was third in the shot put at 40*10^-4, tied for first in the high jump at 6*1/2 and was first in the 400 meter run at 49.54
Kansas' other decathlete, Jim Strafas, has had some injury problems this season. He was bothered by knee problems yesterday and withdrew from the competition. Keesus was unavailable for comment.
In the women's heptathlon, Kansas senior Ann O'Connor scored a leading 3,147 points. She was followed by Jennifer Proud of Chadron State with 3,003 points and Riverside of Southern Illinois with 2,869.
0'Connor was pleased with her results but was not comfortable just yet.
"The first day is always my best." O'Connor said. "I got some really solid marks in everything, but the competition is still up in the air. We're going to have a long jump competition in the pass so tomorrow will be a real test.
Kansas sophomore Kim Huthee was tied for fourth with 2,838 points and KU senior Andrea Schwartz was seventh with 2,724
O'Connon was fourth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.19, first in the high jump at 5-10s, second in the long jump at 26.72, sixth in the 200-meter run at 26.72.
Scott Wallace Special to the KANSAN
Both events will conclude today with the women competing in three events and the men in five.
Kansas decathlete Craig Branstrom long jumps during Kansas Relays competition, Branstrom leads the event.
ott Wallace Special to the KANSAN
Kansas heptathelete An' O'Connor high jumps during Kansas Relax competition, O'Connor leads the event after the first day.
Out-of-state signees help replace seniors
By Keith Stroker
Kansan sportswriter
Just one week after the beginning of the current signing period, the Kansas women's basketball team has replaced five of its six seniors
Having lost the recruiting battle for All-American Kareema Williams of Wichita to North Carolina, KU had to state to obtain most of its new players.
Eurica Johnson is a 6-foot 1- forward from Derderid High School in Monroe, La. She was recruited heavily by national champion Louisiana Tech, Louisiana State and Mississippi. Johnson was set to go to Mississippi last week but changed her mind and decided on Kansas.
Marion Sandifer is a 6-3 power forward from West Monroe Louisiana High School. She signed with KU yesterday.
"Kansas was the best school for me, though I was recruited by a lot of schools," Sandifer said. "Louisiana Tech wanted me to attend Kilgore junior college in Texas for two years before coming there, but I didn't like that idea. I'm very happy with my selection."
Sandifer played for one of the largest high schools in Louisiana and averaged 14.5 points and 15 rebounds a game.
Sandifer did not visit Kansas before deciding to sign. She said KU's coaches and the school's reputation were the big factors in her decision.
"The people that I have spoken with from Kansas really do care about others," Sandifer said. "I think I have a lot of potential to help out their program, and I am looking for an opportunity to show what I can do."
Sandifer was on the honor roll in high school, earning a 3.95 grade point average. She is considering attending law school at KU.
During her senior year, she was named an honorable mention All-State selection.
Sandifer will play in a state all-star game in July at LSU.
Kansas also signed 60 power forward Martina McCloud from Cass Tech High School in Detroit. Last week, McCloud had orally committed to play but not sure if she would sign. She was considering San Diego State as well.
Two early signes from the fall should help at the guard and small forward positions. One is 5-9 Shannon Bloxon from Leavenworth High School in Leavenworth, this year's class 6A state champions.
Bloxon's team faced Wichita Southeast in the championship game, for the Karema Williams played. Williams guarded Bloxon, but could not keep her from scoring 27 points.
Kansas' other early signee is 5-10 forward Danielle Sareef from West Palm Beach, Fla. Sareef visited KU in early October and was recruited by many other schools, including Louisiana Tech and Tennessee.
"I think the concern of the coaching staff is the main reason that I chose KU. Shareet said the price, and I really satisfied with my decision."
Shareef attended Lincoln Academy in Kansas City, Mo., before moving to Florida last year. She said that her time spent in Kansas City played no factor in her decision.
Shareef averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds a game in her senior season. In her best game she scored 34 points and grabbed 31 rebounds.
She plans to major in business but is still undecided.
"I really like Coach Washington and think she knows a lot about the game of basketball." Shareef said. "The players are bigger, stronger and faster in college, and I'm going to have to be ready for the challenge. I think Coach can really help me out."
Orioles' winless 1988 season
The Baltimore Orioles set the major league record for the most consecutive losses at the start of the season by dropping game No. 14 to the Milwaukee Brewers last night.
Major League Baseball
Knight-Ridder Graphic
Baseball team faces tough road trip against top ranked Cowboys
Bv Tom Stinson
Kansan sportswriter
That's Oklahoma State, the top-ranked collegiate baseball team with a 35-2 record. The squad that finished second in the country last season and was named to the school that has won the last seven Big Eight Conference Tournaments.
This weekend will not be a typical road trip for the Kansas baseball team. The Jayhawks will travel to Stillwater to play a four-game series against Oklahoma State.
Add tonight's road game against
16th-ranked Wichita State, and Kansas faces its most difficult road trip of the year.
"I'm expecting a really difficult road trip because of the quality of the teams," coach Dave Bingham said. He will be a heck of an experience for us.
"We want to play these guys to see where our program needs to go. It will be a learning experience for the players and the coaches."
Kansas is 17-23, coming off Tuesday night's 13-12 victory over Emporia State, and 1-11 in the Big Eight
Pitcher Pat Hope and catcher Adam Smith, who both received All-Tournament honors in last season's NCAA Tournament, are also strengths for Oklahoma State.
The Cowboy feature one of the country's finest players in third-baseman Robin Ventura. The two-time All-Star hit 428 with 110 RBI last season.
The key to handling Oklahoma state budgeting is the guidance of Oklahoma Budget Director
Bingham said. "It just happens that Oklahoma State has a lot of quality players.
"Every team has quality players."
"You have to respect the guys that can hurt you. You have to keep the guys who aren't good hitters off the bases. But, with Oklahoma State, we might find out that the whole team is good hitters."
Last season the Cowboys collected 53 hits in four wins against Kansas. The combined score was 61.9.
"I think our kids are looking forward to it." Bingham said. "This is
the level of play we want to play at. Our goal is to play up to our capability."
Tonight the Jayhawks will try to even a four-game series against Wichita State.
Kansas defeated the Shockers 10 to 1 at Hoglund-Munpin Stadium on April 7 between Wichita State victories of 9 and 7 on April 5 and 14, respectively.
Bingham said he would split the pitching against Wichita State to conserve Kansas' pitching staff for
Juniors Scott Taylor and Craig Houfek and sophomores Tom Bilyeu and Craig Stoppel all will pitch in the Wichita State game. In the Jayhawks only win against Wichita State, Bingham also used a split pitching lineup.
"We didn't want to use up anyone totally for the weekend," Bingham said.
THE HOPI PROPHECY
Against the Cowboys, juniors Taylor, Brad Hinkle, Craig Malcuy and senior Mike McLeod will be the starting pitchers.
the conference series.
Thomas Banyacya Representative of the HOPI Nation Lawrence, Kansas April 19-21, 1988
THURSDAY, APRIL 21
12:30 p.m. University of Kansas Green hall (Law School), Room #104 The HOPI Prophecy relating to Justice)
7:00 p.m. Haskell Junior College (Stidham) Student Union (Faculty forum on important issues and questions for Banyacya.)
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