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Show BIO sports MONDAY • SEPTEMBER 24 • 2007 OWLZfromB12 COLUMN from B12 Thanks to Mr. September, third baseman Jay Brossman. Orem won two key games in the postseason. Brossman's game winning RBI single in game I against Idaho Falls in the bottom of the ninth seemed to build momentum for the struggling Owlz who finished the season on a fivegame win streak, the longest win streak of the season. The Owlz third baseman, however, wasn't yet finished with his heroics. After winning game I against the White Sox. Orem was looking to close out the series with a win in Great Falls. In a 16-inning marathon, Orem led by one rim in the bottom of the ninth when Owlz closer Ryan Brasier, who had nine saves on the year, gave up a solo homerun to CJ Retherford to tie the score. After seven more innings of scoreless baseball, Brossman bashed a solo homerun in the top of the 16th inning to give Orem the 3-2 lead. His homerun gave Orem the lead and the title as the Owlz escaped the bottom of the i lining to become champs. In a year when the Owlz man always has his team ready no matter who the players arc. His leadership and knowledge of the game has become a staple in the Owlz organization. Kotchman. whose son plays first base for the Anaheim Angels, also serves as a scout for the Major League organization. With high hopes the Owlz will start the process all over again next summer, when a multitude of new faces come together in Orem to form a winning team and compete for another Pioneer League Championship. struggled through the regular season, merely making the playoffs appeared to be an accomplishment. With a new attitude and host of momentum, Orem entered the postseason on a roll sweeping both playoff series. Orem, in just its third year since moving a little north has dominated the Pioneer League. The established tradition of winning appears even more impressive when you consider the fact that the Owlz have a new roster every single year. Manager Tom Kotch- Sports "briefs OJ. Simpson NFL OJ. Simpson facing charges OJ. Simpson faces 11 charges, including kidnapping with a weapon, robber)' with a weapon, burglary with a weapon and more, for allegedly being involved in a robbery at a Las Vegas hotel. In court last week, a judge set bail at $125,000. and after spending three nights in jail, Simpson was released. REAL SALT LAKE UTAH FLASH New Senior Vice President Former Major League Soccer veteran Garth Lagenvay was introduced as Real Salt Lake's new Senior Vice President and General Manager last week. Lagenvay replaces Steve Pastorino, who resigned in May. Lagerway played for three MLS teams. Kansas City Wizards, Dallas Burn and the Miami Fusion FC, during his five-year career as a goalie. Before joining RSL's front office Lagerway worked for the law firm Latham & Watkins in Washington D.C. NBA Development League The Utah Flash, the NBA Development league team based in Orem and directly affiliated wilh ihc Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics, is conducting an open iryoul beginning on Sept. 29, ai noon with the guarantee of at least one player, and maybe more, emerging from the on-courl audition with an invitation to earn a roster spot for Flash training camp which begins Nov. 9. WOMEN'S SOCCER Player of the week Utah Valley forward Kaley Turner was last week's United Soccer Conference player of the week. The freshman scored her first goal as a Wolverine against Wyoming in a loss. Simpson, as well as others, is accused of entering a Palace Station Hotel and Casino room and pointing guns at two men who Simpson said had sports memorabilia that belonged to him. Simpson returned to his home in Florida and will return to Las Vegas for his arraignment Oct. 22. Players interested in try outs need to complete a registration form, player disclosure form and player release and eligibility form. Each player should come ready to remit a cashier's check for S150 made payable to G Code Hoops. Forms are available online at ulahnash.com or can be picked up al ihc Utah Flash front office at 5017 N Edgewood in Provo. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Women's basketball schedule released The women's basketball schedule was released last week. Highlighting the schedule is a trip to f>lay ACC Duke (Dec. 18). a home contest against Big East Seton Hall (Nov. 21) and a short irip to play ai BYU (Dec. 8). BALL 756 Ball 756 Ball's fate up to voters Fashion designer Marc Ecko has his opinion on what he thinks should be done wilh Barry Bond's 756 home run ball, but he wants the people to decide the ball's fate. Ecko purchased the ball from Matt Murphy, who came away with the ball after the scramble in San Francisco, for $752,467 in an auction and is conducting his own poll on the Internet about what he should do with the ball. The women open the season at home against Mesa State Nov. 9, and play their first road game against Southern Utah Nov. 15. The women will also play in a season-ending Independent tournament in Texas in March. WOMEN'S GOLF Women's Golf Setting Records Utah Valley's Echo Thatcher shot a 77 (+5) on her way to setting three personal records at the LaQuinta Mountain Shootout in Flagstaff, Arizona. The senior golfer finished a career-best 7th while also shooting her.best round (77) and two-round (159) totals. The Wolverines finished in 7th place out of nine teams, after shooting a 334 on the second day tofinishwith a two-day total of 675. UVfinished28 shots better than the 8th place team. Voters can choose whether Ecko should deliver the ball to the baseball hall of fame, deliver the ball to the hall of fame with an asterisk branded into il or have Ecko launch the bail into orbit. The voting, on www.vote756.com. ends Sept. 25. CYCLING Landis stripped of title Arbitrators in Floyd Landis* doping case upheld test results that showed Landis used synthetic testosterone in winning the 2006 Tour de France. Landis has denied using any banned substance and must forfeit his Tour de France title and is also subject to a retroactive twoyear ban dating to Jan. 30, 2007 PRESIDENT'S CUP GOLF TOURNAMENT Benefit Tournament The annual Presidenl's Cup Golf Tournament will be held Oct. I. at Thanksgiving Point in Lchi. Utah. The cost is S25O for an individual, or $1000 to sponsor a learn or hole. The proceeds from the tournament will benefit the UVSC student internship program. Those who participate will have the opportunity to interact with community, educational and political leaders, as well as learn more about soon-to-be Utah Valley University. Helping the internship program is also one of the most effective means of enhancing students'^ educational experience while furthering their career goals. Breakfast and registration begin at 8 a.m., with scramble play scheduled for 9 a.m. A luncheon and awards ceremony will follow the completion of the tournament. Awards will include Utah Valley University apparel including t-shirts, polo shirts, hats, as well as electronics and golf equipment. Anyone can participate, but registration is limited. To register call (801) 863-8133. Sports schedule On campus Hockey Rugby tlus week Sept. 29, 8:30pm Sept. 29, 7 p.m. Against Utah al the Peaks Ice Arena At BYU On TV MLB College football NFL Sept. 28, 6:05 p.m. check listings Sept. 29, 1:30 p.m. on ABC Oct. 1, 6:30 p.m. on ESPN San Dieqo at Milwaukee No. 6 California at No. 13 Oregon New England at Cincinnati The Crazies don't only go ballistic for men's basketball, but they go nuts for anything when Duke and basketball is involved. They are almost on top of the players for every basketball game shouting and going crazy all game long, and why not? Not only has the Duke men's basketball program been one of the tops in the nation forever, but so has the women's. The women's team has won 30 or more games for seven straight years, a NCAA record, including a 32-2 record in the 2006-07 season and a trip to the Sweet 16. Duke also finished the regular season last year at 29-0, the first ACC team to go undefeated. A nd our own women's basketball team. Robyn Fairbanks, Sandy Marvin and the rest, will get the chance to play in front of the Crazies. But more importantly, the women's basketball team has a chance to test itself against top-talented women's basketball players, ltdoesn'tgetany better. When a team like Duke schedules a team like Utah Valley it's usually about getting a win for the big school and getting cash for the smaller school, which is still the most likely scenario, but there's no hope for an upset if there's no game, The likelihood of Utah Val ley getting a monumental upset in college basketball's Mecca is small but the likelihood of the players getting the experience of a lifetime is certain. No way, no how does any other team that has ever been on Utah Valley's schedule in any sport compare to Duke being on the schedule for women's basketball. The rest of the schedule isn't bad either. The Big East's Seton Hall coming to the Mckay Center is a nice game and whenever BYU and Utah Valley play against each other in an> sport it's a good thing. Scheduling for a small school is never an easy task hul Nixon and Jacobsen did a great job putting together this one. It may be sending the lambs to the slaughter when it comes to playing Duke but that's what Michigan probably thought before it lost to Appalachian Stale in the Big House to open the season in college football. GOLFER from B12 in the state by winning the Utah State Amateur tournament in July in his first try. A tough task considering that all five of his match-play rounds went the full 18 holes. "People have learned who I am," Nelson said. "It has opened doors golfwise." Those doors are especially important to make connections, which put him in a place to earn a golf scholarship at Utah Valley. Men's golf coach Clark Rustand first noticed Nelson at the Provo Open in May. Paired with Nelson was current Wolverine junior Andrew Smith, and Rustand was immediately impressed with how well Nelson composed himself. "His confidence was outstanding," Rustand said. That's perhaps the most valued trait in a sport where mental toughness takes precedence over physical skill. Rustand had to act fast to snare Nelson and get him to return to his home state, since he was due to sign a national letter of intent for BYU-Hawaii. A scholarship was offered on the spot at the Provo Open and the deal was officially sealed soon afterwards. It proved to be a good catch afterthis summer, but Nelson has showed talent early in his career at Odessa Junior College in Texas. He helped Odessa to a national title in 2006 and led the team to a third-place finish last spring, placing eighth individually. Nelson will miss a few things about Texas since he is now in Utah. "The sad part is for five months, we don't get to golf," he said. Returning to Utah. Nelson knows he has to step up to the plate and live up to the reputation of being one of the top amateurs in the state. "There is a lot of pressure put on me to perform." Nelson said. Rustand isn't afraid of the attention that NeJson is receiving, and how Nelson handles it is one of the reasons Rustand likes his game. "He is tournament tested and competition ready," he said Moving into the season. Nelson has a few goals for himself and the team. "I want to win a few tournaments." Nelson said. As for the team, he added, "We want to make a name for ourselves," One of the ways Nelson can help do that is to help Utah Valley beat its in-state rivals-one of which gives him some extra motivation. BYUHawaii wanted him but BYU-Provo did not. "1 want to play against BYU since they said I wasn't good enough." he said. GEICO Your "Local" Insurance Offite Student Discount* Motorcycle Insurance ^ \ There are more than 1,OOO Chili's locations in 22 countries around the world. 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