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Show y 18 Vernal Express Wednesday, March 20, 1996 Baseball team rides 'young guns' to sweep of Grand Junction tourney by Eric F. Pye Sports Writer Heading into the 1996 season, head coach Brent Labium felt pitching pitch-ing would be one of his Uintah High School baseball team's strengths. After two opening losses in which starter Shane Smuin looked great but had weak relief help, pitching appeared to be a rather dubious proposition. But don't tell that to any of the perre-nially perre-nially tough Colorado teams Uintah waltzed by this past weekend in the Grand Junction Tournament. Amazing what a little practice will do for young arms. "I'll have to admit, I was second guessing myself just a bit as to whether I had overestimated our pitching staff," Labrum conceded, Lady Utes own in St. by Eric F. Pye Sports Writer The Lady Ute fastpitch softball team kicked off their 1996 season exactly the way new head coach Shuryce Prestwich wanted with the toughest opposition she could round up. "We requested to be moved up into in-to the 4A classification of the St. George tournament so we could face tough opponents in every game. The tougher we can make our schedule now, the more it is going to pay off for us when the state tournament tour-nament rolls around." No pampering or padding the schedule with easy wins here. Whatever victories the girls get in the pre-scason will be earned, which became obvious throughout the two day tournament. Playing in a divi-' divi-' sion with 4A opponents and other top 3A clubs, the Lady Utes went a respectable 2-3. The team's performance becomes even more impressive when you consider they lost their starting pitcher Jancll Jensen, just prior to the trip, forcing Coach Prestwich to use an assortment of throwers she was hoping to bring along at a more conservative pace. In fastpitch softball, one conditioned condi-tioned pitcher can usually throw three games in one day, which means a good pitcher can dominate a tournament. Considering Jensen pitched the team to second place at stale last year, her loss was substantial substan-tial to (he team even though Prestwich refused to use her absence ab-sence as an out for the losses. "Sure it would have been nice to have Jancll, but in a way, it gives the other kids a chance to .show what they can do. 1 was extremely proud of the way the kids competed." compet-ed." Conch Prestwich stated. "This fletumfg At Stale Shortstop Ui r "it was nice to see the kids step up like they did." What the 'kids' did was pitch three complete game victories as the Utes swept through the tournament undefeated a far cry from their two opening losses to Emery, and they did it with three different pitchers. pitch-ers. On the mound for his first start of the season Thursday against Central, Colo, was Jason Culpepper. In his five innings of work, Culpepper gave up just three hits and one unearned run. In the fourth inning, after recording two of his seven strikeouts, Culpepper suffered his only lapse of concentration when he walked three straight batters, bat-ters, loading the bases. But Jason showed his mettle by striking out the next batter on four pitches to end the threat not that it was that hold their George is a young and very talented team. I'm excited to coach them. They have all the potential in the world. This team can accomplish whatever it wants to if it puts its mind to it." Uintah took on Snow Canyon Friday, with Cheridan Horrocks on the mound-r-and leading off in the batting order. Horrocks not only pitched the team to a 6-5 victory, she helped her own cause by scoring scor-ing in the first inning after reaching base safely on a bunt. Of course she had plenty of help. The Lady Utes jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, taking advantage of four Snow Canyon errors. Kelly Allred knocked in the final run with a single sin-gle to right. After Snow Canyon closed to within 4-3, sophomore shortstop Liz Cranney singled, stole second and third and scored on a fielders choice. Snow Canyon tied the game in the fourth at 5-5 and again it was Cranney who came through for the team. With two out and nobody on, Cranney singled and stole second. After catcher Bonnie Hatch singled, first baseman Dcanna Christcnscn knocked Cranney in with another single for the 6-5 victory. The team's second game was an error filled affair in which both teams tried their best to give away. Murray eventually accepted a 3-2 victory. The Lady Utes went down in order the first three innings. On the defensive side, the girls committed commit-ted seven errors through those innings in-nings as Murray took a 2-0 lead. In the top of the fifth and final inning, murray tightened up, committing three errors and allowing Uintah to tic the score at 2-2 when Dawna Wallace laced a single to drive in the runs. But in the bottom half of the inning, the error bug bit Uintah See Lady Utes page 19 D Cranney ftes the ba to first. critical. The Ute bats were just as hot as Culpepper's arm. Trailing 1-0 entering the third, Uintah sent 13 batters to the plate, scoring nine runs on five hits, four walks and three Central errors. Bart Hardman led the barrage at the plate with a single and double. Uintah added two more runs in the fourth when Dave Lawson was hit by a pitch, Nick Espindola walked, Jake Daggett doubled and Matt Massey sacrificed him home for the final 11-1 victory. Friday's game against Fruita, Colo, featured another hot Ute pitcher. This time it was staff ace Shane Smuin getting the nod. Smuin responded with his third stellar stel-lar performance of the year, holding Fruita to one unearned run and just one hit for a 6-1 complete game victory. vic-tory. Shane recorded 11 strikeouts including two innings when he struck out the side. Smuin also started start-ed the team's first double play of the season when he fielded a grounder in the sixth, threw to Daggett at second who made the turn to first for the 1-4-3 double the Ute pitcher had lots of help from his teammates. After a slow start at the plate, Uintah got See Baseball page 19 General meeting for barrel racers The Uintah Basin Barrel Racing Association will be holding a general gener-al membership meeting March 27, 1996 at 7 p.m. at the Uintah County Courthouse. Anyone interested in joining or for more information contact Nikki at 789-2464, Amy at 781-2035, Cindy at 789-0027, Sheila at 789-7671 789-7671 or Marie at 722-2048. Trap shoot league The Vernal Rod and Gun Club will be hosting a six week trap shooting league starting Thursday, April 4. Interested persons may sign up at the Vernal Rod and Gun Club Wednesday, April 3 after 5:30 p.m. or contact Ron Carpenter at 789-2773 789-2773 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost will be $10 per shooter, plus targets (50 per week). This year the Club will have three person teams, with a Lewis type scoring system. Rules will be issued at the time of sign up. All interested individuals are encouraged to get involved. The 1995 Spring League was very successful with all the shooters expressing ex-pressing a positive experience. Dinosaur Triathlon to host Rocky Mountain Regional Championship The Vernal Dinosaur Triathlon received re-ceived what amounts to the events highest recognition when event organizers or-ganizers Colleen Jones and Marty Fallon were informed by Tri-Pcd Federation official that Vcmal was chosen to be the sight for the 1996 Rocky Mountain Regional Championship. "It's a tremendous vote of confidence confi-dence by the premier triathlon organization orga-nization in the country," Fallon Mid. "Boulder, Colo, has been the host city lor the past few years. We've received nothing but praise from alt of the contestants who have participated. They've all said our course was one of the most beautiful beauti-ful and out event one of the best organized or-ganized for years, t guess the word finally got hack lo Tri Fed." What it means is Vcmal can ex pect at IcaM twice the number of contestants from past years, possi My between 300-400. The events-scheduled for Saturday, August 10, will count as a national qualifier, tl also means the committee commit-tee w ill be charged svith the added reprmibiliy of preparing for a na W v " f I 1 Jake Daggett bluffs runner back Soccer team pounds Lions by Eric F. Pye Sports Writer The Uintah High School soccer team took on their second straight 4A opponent last Thursday at Payson, and for the second straight game controlled most of the action on their way to a 4-2 victory. "We came out much sharper this time," head coach Ed Browning stated, "and much more aggressive. We took the action to them instead of waiting for them to bring it to us." In a sport as physical as soccer, being prepared and playing aggressively aggres-sively can be decisive in determining determin-ing the outcome which they were. Uintah scored first when left outside out-side mid Derick Howcroft booted a loose ball in front of the Payson net past the keeper. Howcroft would add another goal in the first half off a nice Spencer Manwarring cross as part of the Utes 3-1 halftime lead. Andy Ozaeta scored the other Ute goal when brother Tommy found him open and guided the ball over for the assist. Payson could respond just once in the first half when a kicked ball squirted through the hands of Ute keeper Jared Caldcr. "We controlled the ball much better this game than last. Plus, we really emphasized defensive de-fensive position during practice this week so we wouldn't have the lapses laps-es we did against Springville," Browning said. Heading into halftime with a 3-1 lead, Coach Browning was concerned con-cerned his troops would let down a bit in the second half. "We're a young team and haven't developed the 'killer instinct' yet. We were concerned the kids would relax too much and think the game was over simply because they played well in the first half and had a lead." Browning's fears proved to be accurate ac-curate as Uintah came out a bit sluggish to begin the second half of play. Payson, sensing this was their chance, picked up their level of aggressiveness. ag-gressiveness. "We didn't really let down, we just quit playing with the tionally recognized and followed event. "We will have to add a few extra duties and equipment this year to properly prepare,'' Fallon added. Those duties include hiring official timers and timing equipment and better preparedexperienced course officials. As for the course itself, no changes are planned from last year, except to have the running portion of the race lake place oft road, on Doc Allen's properly behind Steinakcr Reservoir. The run was planned for Allen's property last ' year before heavy rains forced the run section to be moved onto pave mcnL The event committee will be hold' ing their First meeting next Tuesday, March 26 at the commissioner's conference room on the second floor of the StateCounty building from 7-8 30 p m. Anyone interested in assisting with this year's event is invited to attend the meeting. The event still has mom for few more sponsors, if they are prompt in their notification of intent to sponsor. I V ' f Ti ' : , " '.In. i to second. Ute defense has been same kind of intensity we had in the first half. We're not a good enough ball club to let up against anybody. They tried to turn the momentum in their favor, but the kids responded when they had to." With the game in doubt and the momentum beginning to switch, enter en-ter returning All Stater Tommy Ozaeta. It is said of exceptional athletes they somehow have the ability to make things happen when it appears to be the most unlikely time. Chasing down a bouncing ball with defenders all around him, Ozaeta did the unlikely he created a shot. With Lion defenders closing in, Tommy slid into the ball at a full sprint and kicked it while sliding horizontally on the ground. The shot screamed past a shocked Lion keeper for a 4-1 Ute lead. "That was one of the best athletic moves I have ever seen here at Uintah," an impressed Coach Browning said, 'Tommy didn't just get a foot on the ball and shoot wildly. He saw where their keeper was and shot op Tennis team gains experience in Dixie by Eric F. Pye Sports Writer The Uintah High School tennis team got their 1996 campaign under way with their annual trip to Utah's Dixie last weekend under the leadership lead-ership of new head coach Kevin Dickson. "The trip was a learning experience experi-ence for all of us. We are a young - first ftingie player Erft Wflcken ' "Y-V-" .W.s . .v v. ,V-AVf 1 YoVt VKW a - W ',v. ---j -1 1 2 , j if - '.-jy solid in first five games. posite him. He had to kick the ball hard and accurately to score.which is exactly what he did, it was amaz-ing. amaz-ing. Uintah concentrated on defensive position the rest of the way, shutting down any Lion hope of a late game comeback to preserve their victory. Payson added a late, meaningless goal for the final 4-2 score. The stats for the game were fairly even except for keeper saves. Uintah took 20 shots on goal while Payson had 19. The Utes had seven corner kicks while Payson took six. The biggest disparity took place at keeper saves. The Utes had 19 keeper saves while the Lions only had seven. The win moves the team to 1-0-1 and sets up two critical region matches this week. South Summit will be in town t&day (Wednesday) for a 3:30 start at the high school football field while dangerous Morgan will be in town Friday for another 3:30 start at the same location. loca-tion. team from top to bottom," Dickson said. The team warmed up with a practice match against Richfield on the way down to SL George. Friday's action in the St. George tournament had Uintah facing off with 5A Clearfield. "Six of our seven sev-en players basically had little or no varsity experience and our play See Tennis page 22 4 4 4- i-i444-4 tmackj sew b 3 3'tnsl DeaekJ. s v |
