Banner Graphic, Volume 19, Number 44, Greencastle, Putnam County, 26 October 1988 — Page 8
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THE BANNERGRAPHIC October 26,1988
Rockville still trying to get a little respect
By STEVE FIELDS Banner-Graphic Sports Editor ROCKVILLE All season long Rockville has read about state ranked South Putnam, state ranked North Vermillion and state ranked Seeger. The Rox are either in the Wabash River Conference or in Class A Sectional 39 with those teams. North Vermillion and Seeger are Wabash River Conference teams with Rockville. North Vermillion is 7-2, has been ranked as high as No. 2 in the Associated Press Class A poll and finished 10th in the final poll. Seeger, a Class 2A school playing schedule dominated by Class A teams, is 8-1 and finished No. 7 in the 2A poll. MEANWHILE, Rockville posted a 7-1 regular-season record, the lone loss a 13-12 overtime decision at Seeger, and closed the regular season with a 6-3 overtime loss at North Vermillion. The Rox beat
Hero fighting for life PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) Gillard Handy was one of Saturday’s heroesjtaving scored a touchdown in Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s 31-7 homecomingvictory over Lane College of Tennessee. Hours later, the wide receiver was in a coma, clinging for his life. THE 21-YEAR-OLD sophomore from New Orleans was attacked early Sunday outside a local nightclub. Police said he was struck in the back of the head with an automobile jack when he went to the aid of a teammate who was being beaten by a half-dozen assailants. Handy underwent several hours of brain surgery to remove a blood clot and afterward was being kept alive with the aid of life-support systems at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. He was still in critical condition in the hospital’s intensive care unit Tuesday after undergoing a second round of surgery, a hospital spokesman said. The incident occurred in a parking lot near a club called Monroe’s, where a group of UAPB football players had gathered to celebrate the homecoming victory, which had snapped a three-game losing streak. UAPB WIDE RECEIVER Doiron Nelson, 18, said he and his girlfriend, Johnetta Allen, 18, had been at the club IS to 20 minutes and were leaving when a man grabbed Allen. A fight began when Nelson protested and others jumped on Nelson. Allen ran back into the club for help. “There were a lot of them who came out,” Nelson said, most of them UAPB football players. Handy was one of them. The assailants ran and Handy chased them, catching up with them about halfway down the block. Nelson said that while Handy was arguing with one of the men, another jumped him. Handy fell to the ground. Nelson said he saw a man with a carjack in his hand. “HANDY WAS TRYING to help me,” said Nelson, a close friend of Handy’s. “He felt as though he had to protect me. He didn’t do anything. He was just out there and got hit.” There have been no arrests and descriptions of the suspects are incomplete, police said. “His condition couldn’t get any worse,” Dr. P.B. Simpson, the neurosurgeon who performed the initial operation, said “He suffered an acute ... hematoma as a result of a severe head injury. He has been in critical condition ever since he has been in the hospital. He cannot respond to messages at all. “After you remove the clot,” Simpson said, “the brain is swollen and angry. The prognosis is very poor.” THE 6-FOOT-3, 195-pound Handy had become the Lions’ second-leading receiver this year with 23 catches for 294 yards. “You really don’t have a reaction,” said UAPB coach Archie Cooley, who also coached Jerry Rice, now with the San Francisco 49ers, when both were at Mississippi Valley. “We’re going to take a positive mind to see if Gillard can make it. “He’s tough enough to pull it out. There’s someone larger than us in control. Now it’s in the hands of the Lord.”
Fountain Central 17-7 in their sectional opener last week. Yet, the Rox couldn’t attract enough statewide recognition to make final AP top 10. “If we’re playing for (recognition), we’re not getting it,” Rockville coach Dan Vukovits said. “I told the kids we’re like Rodney Dangerfield.” That’s not entirely true. When Rox walk on to the South Putnam field for Friday’s 7:30 p.m. Sectional 39 game, they will be facing one coach who believes they should have been ranked all season. “I DON’T KNOW if South Putnam or North Putnam is overrated, but Rockville has been underrated,” South Putnam coach Marie Wildman said. “I think they’re trying to prove to some of the people around the state they should have been ranked. A win over us would help them do that.”
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Page Cotton can only watch and hope that his DePauw University soccer team makes the NCAA Division 111 tournament. The Tigers play a home match today against Southern Indiana University at Boswell Field and close the regular
La Russa shares credit
By DAVE CARPENTER AP Sports Writer OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Tony La Russa got two of the three championships he was looking for this season. Now the Oakland Athletics’ skipper has picked up a bonus title: American League Manager of the Year. La Russa outpolled Boston manager Joe Morgan in close balloting to win the award announced Tuesday by the Baseball Writers Association of America. He received 103 points to 89 for Morgan and 37 for Sparky Anderson of the Detroit Tigers. THE 44-YEAR-OLD La Russa also won the award five years ago when he led the Chicago White Sox to 99 victories and the AL West title. “This is an award for the organization,” said La Russa. “I’m pleased for myself, but what the writers are saying is that the Oakland A’s did a good job.” La Russa piloted the Athletics to an Oakland-record 104 victories, the divisional crown and a fourgame sweep of the Red Sox for the AL pennant. The A’s lost the World Series in five games to the underdog Los Angeles Dodgers. “If you lose the World Series, you should be very upset. I don’t
Buy your tickets Friday
Tickets for the IHSAA Football Playoff game at South Putnam Friday night will be $3 at the gate, as set by the IHSAA, according to Athletic Director Jim Huter. The Eagles, 7-2, play Rockville, 8-1, at 7:30 p.m. in the Class A Sectional 39 football
Vukovits, in his third year, has maintained the same philosophy Jay Barrett employed before moving on to West Vigo keep the ball on the ground and play good defense. Led by tailback Hamilton Taylor, the Rox have rushed for 1,316 yards and thrown for just 904. “We keep it on the ground just as long as we can. Throw just to throw the
season Saturday at Wabash College. Page’s Tigers could become the Indiana Collegiate Athletic Conference’s first champion with a win at Wabash and first NCAA tourney team with a little luck. (Banner-Graphic photo by Gary Goodman)
want my players to say ‘We made it and 24 other teams were watching us on TV.’ I was, until today, very upset,” he said with a smile. LA RLISSA GOT 15 first-place votes, six more than Morgan, in balloting by a committee made up of two writers from each AL city. The other managers receiving firstplace votes were Anderson, with three, and Milwaukee’s Tom Trebelhom, with one. Each first-place vote was worth five points. Second-place votes were worth three points each, while a third-place vote counted as one point. Under La Russa, the A’s improved by 23 victories in 1988 and won the division by 13 games over the defending World Series champion Minnesota Twins. OAKLAND finished first in the league in pitching with a 3.43 earned run average, third in defense and best in the club’s 21 years in Oakland, and second in homers with 156. The A’s won a franchiserecord 14 straight games in April and May and set a San Francisco Bay area attendance record, drawing 2,287,335 fans to the Oakland Coliseum. Not as flashy or colorful as other successful managers, La Russa earned a reputation for hard work,
game. Tickets will not be sold in advance. Adults and students must purchase their tickets at the gate Friday night Season tickets or discount tickets will not be honored during the state tournament. Pre-school children will be admitted free.
defense off,” Vukovits said. TAYLOR HAS carried the football for 704 yards behind a line of 220-pound Eric Eslinger, 230pour.d Scott Bettis, 230-pound Jim Brown, 185-pound Dan Rozhon and 150-pound Johbn Millspaugh. Fullback Ron White has gained another 628 yards and scored 13 touchdowns behind that line. Both ball carriers are averaging
sound strategy and even-handed dealings with his players. He said he demanded two things of his players: show up on time and always play hard. A native of Tampa, Fla., La Russa played professionally for 16 seasons and made his big-league debut at age 18 with the Kansas City A’s in 1963. He next played with Oakland from 1968-71 and finished out his career with Atlanta and the Chicago Cubs. He had a meager career batting average of .199 in 132 games over parts of six seasons as a utility infielder. HIS MANAGERIAL career began in 1978 when he took over the White Sox’ Class AA team in Knoxville. The team went 53-25, earning La Russa a promotion to Chicago’s coaching staff. La Russa came to the A’s on July 7, 1986, managing the team to a 45-34 record that season and 81-81 in 1987. He makes $350,000 a year on a contract running through 1989. His managerial record is 879-759 in 10 seasons, or .537, and 6-7 in the postseason. He is 230-173 with the A’s in regular-season games, a .571 winning percentage that ranks him third, trailing only Dick Williams and Alvin Dark, with Oakland.
5.4 yards a carry. “Hamilton is more of a speedster, a get outside runner. Ronnie is more of a run between the tackles,” Vukovits said. Defensively, Rockville has shut out five opponents Attica, South Vermillion, Riverton Pariee and Turkey Run. Rox are have given up an average of 128.6 yards per game and 3.7 points per game. ROCKVILLE IS WELL aware of South Putnam’s tough Class 2A schedule and football playoff tradtion. The Eagles, 7-2, are, afterall, three-time defending champions in Sectional 39. “Being able to beat a team that has been good the last couple of years would be great for our kids, but (South Putnam) are a tough team. It’s not going to be easy for us to go over there and win,”
sports
Michigan favorite for Big Ten title
By MARIO FOX AP Sports Writer CHICAGO (AP) Wisconsin Coach Don Morton thinks Michigan is the solid favorite to win the Big Ten football title. But Morton and other conference coaches warned Tuesday that Indiana, lowa, Illinois and Michigan State shouldn’t be counted out yet “MICHIGAN IS GOING to be very diffcult to keep out of the Rose Bowl,” said Morton, whose winless Badgers have played the Michigan, lowa and Illinois so far. “But don’t count Indiana out, and lowa all of sudden seems to be playing well. My educated guess, however, would be Michigan for the title,” said Morton during the Big Ten’s weekly teleconference of coaches Tuesday. After a surprising 31-6 drubbing of the Hoosiers, Michigan’s Wolverines sit atop the league standings with a 3-0-1 league record ahead of lowa’s 2-0-2 mark, and Indiana and Illinois’ identical 3-1-0 performances. “IT’S GOING TO be difficult for anybody to go undefeated in the Big Ten, so I’d say we still have a chance,” said Illinois Coach John Mackovic. “If you talk to George Perles at Michigan State, he’d tell you he still thinks he has a chance with a 2-1-1 record.” And lowa’s Hayden Fry said, “We’re still in the race if Michigan loses and we win all our games.” The schedule ahead favors the Wolverines, who only have to face one contending team And that game is at Ann Arbor, Mich. Michigan’s opponent this Saturday is Northwestern, which finally captured its first victory of the season last weekend against lowly Wisconsin.
Allee sets South Putnam record in loss to Danville
DANVILLE A shattering school record performance and a string of personal bests, turned what could have been a dismal night at Danville into one of celebration for the South Putnam girls swimming team. RONNA ALLEE didn’t just break the South Putnam 100yard butterfly record, she totally erased it The junior turned in a 1:15.61 to breake the previous school record by four seconds. “The highlight of the evening was the spectacular recordbreaking time turned in by Ronna Allee,” coach Nicole Cottrell said. Danville went on to win the meet 103-67, but coach Cottrell couldn’t be upset. Dana Coffin, Angie Gorham, Julie Hacker, Jamie Mark, Amanda Phillips, Nancy Short and Michelle Shouse all turned in personal best times. SOUTH WON three events.
Vukovits said. Rockville will be trying to snap a string of three consecutive losses to South Putnam in Friday’s 7:30 p.m. playoff game. ROCKVILLE SEASON STATISTICS Record 8-1 Rax Opp. First downs 89 58 Rushes-ytrdi 335-1316 269-596 Passng-yards 904 561 Cmp-Att-Int 55-119-6 NA Toul offense 454-2220 1157 Punts 33-34.7 NA Fumbles lost 9 NA INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHlNG—Hamilton Taylor 127-704—5, Ron White 116-628—13. PASSING—John Dowd 52-103-4—831—5. RECEIVING—Kent White 9-231—2, Damn Brocken 13-193-2, Ron White 11-163—1, Scott White 6-90-1. Rockville Game Results ROX OPPONENT OPP. 22 Attica 0 26 at Covington 3 37 South Vermillion 0 42 Riverton Padre 0 13 Fountain Centnl (OT) 38 at Turkey Run 0 12 at Seeger 13 6 at North Vermillion (OT) 3 IHSAA Football Playoffs Class A Sectional 39 17 Fountain Central 7
“I told somebody the other day that there’s good news and bad news about Michigan coming to town. The bad news is: it’s another good Michigan football team. The good news is: they’ll only be here 60 minutes,” said Northwestern’s Francis Peay. INDIANA AND lOWA both put their title l.ooes on the line again Saturday at Bloomington. “It’s going to be another knockdown, drag-out affair,” said Fry. The Hoosiers may go up against the Hawkeyes without first-string quarterback Dave Schnell, who suffered a bruised tailbone in the Michigan loss, while the Hawkeyes could be without David Hudson, their big fullback. “It’s very unlikely Hudson will play Saturday. His leg will be in a cast until Friday,” said Fry. Elsewhere on Saturday in the Big Ten, Michigan State is home against Ohio State, Illinois plays at Minnesota and Purdue visits Wisconsin. Two seeded players lose INDIANAPOLIS (AP) No. 6 Ann Minter of Australia and No. 8 LeilaMeskhi of the Soviet Union have been knocked out of the sloo,oooVirginia Slims of Indianapolis tennis tournament, raising to three the number of seeded players ousted. MINTER LOST TO Stacey Martin of Largo, Md., 6-3, 6-4 Tuesday and Meskhi to Hu Na of San Diego, Calif., 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (71). Each of the other seeded players playing first-round singles matches Tuesday needed three sets to advance.
In addition to Allee’s record, won the 200-medley relay and the 100-yard backstroke. Allee, Amanda Phillips, Nancy Short and Tina Husk won the 200medley relay in 2:16.19. Phillips won the 100-backstroke in 1:15.07. The Eagles, now 4-5, travel to South Vermillion Nov. 1 for a 6:30 p.m. meet. AT DANVILLE Danville 103, South Putnam 67 200-medley relay nam (Amanda Phillips, Nancy Short, Ronna Allee, Tina Husk); Danville; Danville. 200-freestyle D; Jamie Made, SP. 200-IM Amanda Phillips, SP. 50-freestyle Husk, SP; Ronna Allee, SP. Diving No score reported, Thompson, D; Brooks, D; Michelle Shouse, SP. 100-butterfly (school record); Morton, D; Brickler, D. 100-freestyle Kimbley, D; Angie Gorham, SP. 500-freestyle D; Jamie Made, SP. 100-backstroke lips, SP, Kimbley, D; Johnson, D. 100-breaststroke Nancy Short, SP; Dana Coffin, SP. 400-freestyle relay (Morton, Morton, Roberts, Kimbley); Danville; South Putnam.