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Show PAGE 16 Meeks Stories of the year The past year in sports was full of excitement it saw the end of a curse, the collapse and break-up of a franchise and perhaps some of the funniest and strangest moments ever in sports. Last January, most of us thought that the Los Angeles Lakers would win the NBA championship with their lineup of Shaq, Karl, Kobe, and Payton. And who would have thought that the Boston Red Sox would overcome their post-season futility. Dreams though are made to be both, broken and fulfilled. The Lakers fell apart amid turmoil and pettiness between Shaq and Kobe, dashing what almost everyone said was a sure thing. Instead by the end of the summer the Lakers would be broken apart and the only one left standing would be Kobe. The Red Sox meanwhile would overcome 86 years worth of failure and the ghosts of not only Babe Ruth but of World Series past, and return championship glory to the city of Boston and Sox fans worldwide. But despite the story of the Red Sox, a few star athletes kept them from being the only interesting baseball story of the year: Your Sports MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 2005 Rising to the Challenge Ryan Meeks Your Sports Editor By winning their first home game after the winter breaks the Utah Valley State men's basketball team proved that they are willing to step up to the challenges before them. With the Longwood University Lancers in town, coach Dick Hunsakers squad played in front off their largest crowd this year. Those in attendance, were treated to a late Christmas gift by Hunsakers squad as the Wolverines won 75-57 over an athletic Lancer squad. "This was a very tough game," Hunsaker said. "It was hard fought and I knew it would be tough. I knew they would play fearless and they did." After failing down 11-5 early Hunsaker's squad settled down, and by halftime had. taken 40-33 lead. To start off the second half, Ronnie Price quickly took charge of the game and quickly got UVSC out to a bigger lead. But the biggest story of the game, would not be Price's 28 points (who is arguably the most exciting player in the state), but perhaps the fact that many of his teammates stepped up the level of their play. As teammates Pierre Thomas who finished with 15 points and 7 boards, David Heck with 8 points and 10 boards (playing what may have been his best game at UVSC) and Richard Troyer who chipped in 13 points; not only sparked the team offensively, but defensively helped to hold the Lancers Michael Jefferson to only 3 points in the game. "We had a nice effort in maintaining focus on containing Jefferson," Hunsaker said. Hunsaker and his squad will play Texas-Pan American this Tuesday night at 7 P.M. in the McKay Events Center. All students can get in for free with their student ID. The Utah Valley State Men's Basketball team competed in six games over the winter break, finishing with a record of 33. The Wolverines (4-9) won their first three games at home and then lost the next three on the road. Here's the recap of the Wolverines last six games. UVSC 72-Cleveland State 65 Utah Valley State guard Ronnie Price was his usually self, scoring 34 points. While Price was fantastic in 37 minutes of action, Russell Wesley was the player that was given the game Sammy Sosa: ball following the seven- point win. Wesley played a season high 33 minutes and scored 14 points and four rebounds. But After overcoming the back- it wasn't his offensive stats that mattered. Wesley held Clevelash of being caught with a land State's leading scorer Modibo Niakate to four points, all Steve Lundquist/NetXNem corked bat last year, Sosa did coming from the free throw line. Niakate, who normally averWhile Ronnie Price (#24) led UVSC to a victory over Longwood University with a game little this year to help his im"Rising to the Challenge" continued on page 15 high 28 points, his teammates stepped up their game to a higher level as well in the win. age. Formerly the fan-favorite of Cubs fans everywhere, Sosa is now being shopped to any team that will take Landon Smith him. Over the summer Sosa Sports Writer missed a couple of weeks after allegedly sneezing and When the first 2004 college football preview was released injuring his ribs. Then when in July, I immediately turned to the Mountain West Conferhe was on the field he was far ence to see how the local schools were assessed. When I saw from the player he once was, that the University of Utah was picked to go undefeated, I imand he even left the park earmediately starte'd dreaming about a trip to a BCS bowl game, ly while the final game of the and vowed to friends that if the Utes crashed into the BCS we season was still in progress; would be there to witness it. Fast Forward five months and angering both teammates and we were purchasing our Fiesta Bowl tickets minutes after the fans. Utes 52-21 victory over BYU. Here is a brief summary of the highlights of our trip down to Barry Bonds: the valley of the sun. We left snowy and cold Utah on December 30 and headed With Bonds, we have all south on 1-15 to Las Vegas. There was a presence of crimson heard for years that he is not red on the strip showing that many Utah fans had decided to a team player. Well this year have a little fun in sin city before heading down to Tempe. we finally got our proof. In After being humbled on the roulette and blackjack tables, we an article with "Sports Illusdecided that we had better save a few dollars for the rest of trated", former friend* Gary the trip. Sheffield detailed the antics We meet up with some friends to enjoy some music in the and mistreatment of friends, Irish pub located in the New York, New York casino. While we were there we saw a bloodied Ute fan being hauled out by employees and teammates security officers. It was obvious that he was the recipient of a by Bonds. But this story was beer bottle to the top of his shaved head. That's not something all but forgotten when it was you would hope for! released that Bonds admitted before a grand jury that he The next day we headed to Tempe. On the way south we had taken steroids (something stopped at Hoover Dam which was filled with Ute fans taking it has long been rumored he photos and stretching their legs. From Hoover Dam south to has done), but did not know it Tempe you would have sworn you were in Utah because 9 out at the time; a hard statement of 10 cars on the road had Utah plates. to believe, due to Bonds selfWhen we arrived in Tempe it was just like we were headprofession that he is a healthing up to Rice Eccles Stadium on game day. The whole town' nut and is aware of everything was painted red, in similar fashion to the movie High Plains that goes into his body. Drifter, minus Clint Eastwood. On New Years Eve we attended the block party on Mill AvWhile there have been enue. There were over a 100,000 people roaming the streets. many stories of stars and Most of the patrons were heavily intoxicated. There were many their "prima-donna" attitude, bands playing and plenty of alcohol for everyone. In fact each hopefully what we rememschool had their own beer garden. Smash Mouth ended the ber decades from now will night with a conceit on the south end of Mill Avenue, but be the "feel-good" stories of New Years day we woke up around 11:30 and caught up with the year, and not the growing Courtesy Photo me-first attitude of overpaid Alex Smith led the Utes to a perfect record and by finishing the season ranked in the top "Dream come true" continued on page 15 six in the BCS standings they became the first non-BCS school play in a BCS bowl game. athletes. |