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Show ports WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2007 • B1 Covering what matters most OPEN DONS START SEASON 2-0 Spanish defeats Cottonwood in 0T Chad Vest STAFF WRITER The Spanish Fork Dons opened their hoops season by hosting the Cottonwood Colts. This solid team from up north invaded the Don Dome with hopes of returning home with a 1-0 start. Both teams scraped and clawed to build a commanding lead, yet turnovers seemed to plague each team throughout the contest. Spanish Fork showed bursts of greatness which was portrayed in fast year's final four run, but some missed buckets and careless passes aided the Colts with a chance to keep it close right down to the final buzzer. In fact, the Dons had to rely on junior Kevin Roberts, who made his opening debut, to knock down a charity shot to tie it up and force overtime. In OT, it was back and forth for the first two minutes until Matt Gardner picked off a Colt pass by going airborne for the ball. This turnover led to smart play by the Dons as they executed great ball movement to find the easy bucket. Cottonwood began to commit several fouls and the Dons pulled away after sinking big shots at the charity stripe. With few seconds left. See COLTS • B3 SF downs Pineview Chad Vest STAFF W R I T E R out any chance of a Panther comeback. Spanish Forkcame away with a 63-53 victory in The Mighty Dons looked front of a big crowd. to improve their 1-0 start Dallin Naulu got things Friday night by hosting last started off for the Dons as he year's 3A state champion connected on hisfirsttwo threePineview Panthers who * ve point attempts which gave SF recently made the switch to an early lead. Moments later, the 4A ranks. It turned out Naulu and a Pineview guard to be an intense battle as knocked heads in a collision both teams showed a lot of after a loose ball. The talented determination. Pineview used point guard appeared to be on a powerful inside game and the better end as he remained scored most of their points standing while his counter-part from the paint. However, it lay on the hardwood for at least was the Dons' speed on both a ten count Unfortunately, ends of the court, coupled Naulu received a cut above his with high percentage shots right eye-brow which would from beyond the arc and force him out of the game at the charity stripe which until late in the first period. proved to be the difference Meanwhile, senior guard in this one. The home team never trailed, but continued See PANTHERS• B2 to apply the pressure to wipe FLYING THE FRIENDLY SKIES: Zac Clayton soars to the basket t:^; past a couple of Colt defenders §?£ In the Dons' 71-65 OT victory. Chard Carter, www.cart8photo.com /Spanish Fork News Wrestlers snare Delta Rabbits 37-26 On the Mat Steve Wilson Finally able to field a full team, the upbeat Spanish Fork Dons took care of business on their home mat, turning back the talented Delta Rabbits 37-26 in an exciting back and forth affair Thursday night, Nov. 29. Spurred by the return to action of both Kaleb Ashworth and Jace Kelly, the Dons used superior balance and tenacity to record victories in nine of the 14 matches including three valuable pins. Individual winners for the Dons were Jace Kelly, Kaleb Ashworth, Rod Cox, Tom Clark, Brett Grover, Dave Sorensen, Kyle Weight, Eric Kitchen and Brock Wilson. The most dominate performance for the Dons was turned in by 189 lb. Eric Kitchen, who wrestles at 215 lbs. out of necessity due to the lack of a true 215 lb. team member. The confident Kitchen picked up his second straight first round pin by blasting the Rabbit's hapless Dylan Thomas in only one minute and 20 seconds of the first round. Not to be outdone, fellow strongman, Brock Wilson garnered a pin of his own at 275 lbs. by putting the hurt on Delta's Weston Stanworth in a minute thirty of the second round, for his second straight pin of the young season. Senior Kyle Weight kept his record unblemished as well as he got locked up in clearly the most exciting match of the night, by going into overtime before slipping by the Rabbit's Zach Oppenhiemer with an artful takedown to end the match 5-3. The Don's Rod Cox, one of the favorites in the State at 135 lbs., had little trouble with Delta's Kade Dalton as he overcame a first round takedown to turn the tables on the Rabbit and nail a pin midway through the second Kelsey Hall / Spanish Fork News See WRESTLERS • B3 IN CONTROL: Senior Dave Sorensen won his match 14-7. Sorensen is a co-captain for this year's wrestling team. |