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Show Friday, September 26, 2008 SPORTS %. THE SIGNPOST fir TILF PHOrr> I A Weber State University player, left, battles for the ball with a defender in a game last season at the PE Playfield. The Wildcats face Brigham Young University-Idaho tomorrow at home. MOTO HY HUGH E. GENTRY j IIIt A^sCK h\I[l) fW Weber State University Head Football Coach Ron McBride stares at the Scoreboard during a game earlier this season at the University of Hawaii. McBride will return to Rice-Eccles Stadium Saturday for the first time since he was fired from his head coaching position at the University of Utah. McBride still wears a hat with the MAFU acronym on it, standing for mental toughness, attitude, fanatical effort and unity. He wore the acronym on his hat during his time at Utah too. Return of the Men's soccer club loses in championship game to last year's national champs McBride heads back to the U with his 3-1 Wildcats for Saturday's matchup time since I've been back there." McBride led the Utes to six bowl games during his tenure at Utah, Although Weber State University's including a Freedom Bowl victory over homecoming is already in the books, the University of Arizona in 1994, a one Wildcat will enjoy a homecoming Ute squad ranked No. 8 in the nation of his own this weekend. in the USA Today and ESPN WSU Football Head Coach polls. McBride also defeated Ron McBride will take his Brigham Young University 3-1 Wildcats to Rice-Eccles on the road in 1993, the first Stadium to face undefeated, time a Ute team did so in 21 No. 17 University of Utah on years. Saturday at 6 p.m. McBride "I have a great deal of will make his first official admiration and respect WSU vs. return to the U since coaching for Coach McBride," said Utah the Utes for 13 seasons from Saturday, 6 p.m. current Utah Head Coach Rrce-Eccles Stadium 1989 to 2002. Kyle Whittingham in a phone interview with The Signpost. "It'll be great to go back to the stadium," McBride said. "I don't know "He really put our program on the map, how I'll feel when I walk in there and look and he's a fan favorite here." up in the stands, because it's been a long The Wildcats are coming off a big By Matt Gerrish asst. sports editor I The Signpost "/ have a great deal of admiration and respect for Coach McBride. He really put our program on the map/ and he's a fan favorite here." - Kyle Whittingham, Utah head coach 32-27 road victory over California State University, Sacramento last weekend, but will face a tall order against Utah if they hope to give McBride a victorious homecoming. They face a Ute squad ranked No. 17 in the nation in the USA Today and Associated Press polls and is reeling off a come-from-behind 30-23 victory over the U.S. Air Force Academy last weekend. "I don't want fo put any pressure on them," McBride said. "1 just want them to go out and play their game and have fun." Defensively, senior linebacker J.D. Folsom and the rest of the unit will have their hands full facing the powerful Utah running back duo of junior Matt Asiata and senior Darrell Mack, who have combined for 544 rushing yards and seven touchdowns so far this See Mac page 8 Women's golf team off to a strong start Wildcats win Weber State Invitational, take ninth in tough Inland Cup field to open fall season By Jesse Kelley correspondent I The Signpost The Weber State University Women's Golf Team has played two tournaments so far this season, finishing ninth at the NW Dodge Dealers Inland Cup and winning the Weber State Invitational. InthelnlandCupSept. 15,hosted by Washington State University, the Wildcats shot rounds of 320, 312 and 309 in a tough field of PAC 10 teams. Weber State sophomores Kelsey Adams and Emily Copier finished in the top 25 in the tournament. Adams finished sixth overall, shooting 75, 74 and 77 for a threeround total of 226. The Wildcats opened the season winning the Weber State Invitational as the host team at Davis Park Golf Course. Utah Valley University finished second in the tournament, followed by Southern Utah University and Idaho State University. WSU's Brittany Roberts earned medalist honors, shooting a oneover-par 72 in the tournament. Roberts said staying calm helped her attain the win. "I don't get too excited about it," Roberts said. She started off the tournament two under after 11 holes. "That was pretty big for me," she said. Roberts was on pace to finish under par, but she bogeyed her final holes to finish one-over. According to WSU Head Coach Jeff Smith, golf is a game full of challenges, 90 percent of them mental. Tournaments of 36 holes can last 11 hours. Feet hurt and backs become sore. Having to change shoes and socks and other distraction can be difficult to block out throughout the rough times out on the course. Roberts said she focuses on one thing at a time to approach these obstacles. Smith said he was happy with his team's finishes early in the season. "We play up," he said. "We schedule the best tournament we possibly can, and some of our girls play the best. For Kelsey, finishing sixth in a PAC 10 tournament is huge." The Wildcats have a tough schedule remaining. On Monday and Tuesday the women will be competing at the Heather Farr Memorial, hosted by the University of Colorado. Adams said she believes that a tough schedule makes the team stronger for the spring season and helps build confidence. The WSU Women's Golf Team's philosophy is to "experience" with the best and "evaluate" to see where diey stand. "Come spring is game time," Smith said. "With confidence you play good golf. If you don't have confidence you're tentative." The Wildcats' season culminates with the Big Sky Conference Championship in the spring. Smith said he is confident in his team's abilities. "This is the best group of girls 1 have had in a few years," he said. Jon McBride contributed to this story. Wildcats take second at SDSU Aztec Cup FILE PI IOTOHY MACKENZIE HUNTER I THi SIGNPOST Weber State University golfer Brittany Roberts watches a putt in a tournament last season. Roberts finished with medalist Comment on this story at honors in the Weber State Invitational earlier this season with wsusignpost.com. a one-over par 72. Bv Graham Allen correspondent I The Signpost The Weber State University Men's Soccer Club participated in its first major tournament outside of league play for the fall 2008 season at the San Diego State University Aztec Cup on Sept. 19-21. "It was a good showing on the soccer field," said Nate Bringhurst, WSU fourth year defensive midfield stopper. "We're still working on some things, but overall it was a positive weekend." The team took second place in the top division, losing to the top team, the University of California, Santa Barbara 1-0 in the championship game. The tournament was separated into three divisions according to skill level and the team's performance over the last year. Each division consisted of eight teams. WSU team captain Jeff Rogers said he was pleased his team took second in this large regional tournament. "Last year at this same tournament we didn't even score a goal," Rogers said. "We really played very well, and it is still pretty early in the season for us." WSU was placed in a pool with three other teams: Long Beach State University, Arizona State University and tournament-host San Diego State University. After three games the team with the most wins and points, awarded according to the number of goals scored and allowed in its matches, moved from its pool of four to the championship game against the front runner from the other pool. The other pool consisted of UCSB, the University of Arizona, Colorado State University and University of Southern California. WSU tied SDSU 1-1 in a heated game to kick off tournament play. Rogers said the team dominated the first half with an early 1-0 lead, but lost its composure in the second half of play. In the second game WSU faced ASU and defeated them 2-0. In the final game of pool play, the Wildcats overpowered Long Beach State in an impressive 5-0 win. The 'Cats learned some important things in the first few games of the tournament. "One of the main things is back off the referee," Rogers said. "We had the same ref for the first two games, and he was terrible. Against SDSU we were yelling for calls and it See Aztec Cup page 8 |