| OCR Text |
Show I ChosicU FrRIay April Paqe Ten 29, 1958 SPORTS (Utah) BYU golfers tfl slump leaves door open By Laury Ltvsey Chronicle sports editor into this weekend's PROVO-Goi- ng Cougar Classic, you could make a case why BYU won't win its own tournament this year. Cougar Coach Karl Tucker had to replace Brent Franklin and Steve Schneiter, two players who unexpectedly quit the team last season to turn professional. He then had to throw blue-chi- p recruit Sutterfield Brad into the fray as a freshman, which he might not have had to do if Franklin and Schneiter had stuck around. So now instead of planning on going to the NCAA Tournament, Tucker and his team is hoping to qualify for nationals. Cougar golf is bleaker now than it has been in recent memory. Time for an upset? Don't bet on it. BYU might be down but it certainly isn't out. And considering the Cougars haven't lost their own tournament in 20 years, odds of it happening this year are still pretty high. While people might be saying this is the year the Cougars are defeated, even if Tucker is feeling a little pressure coming in, he isn't saying. "I never feel that type of pressure to repeat as champions," he said. "Usually pressure is One of the teams hoping to sneak up and catch BYU is Utah. Coach Ron Branca's has had good performances from the No. 1 and No. 2 spot all year. "But it's the remaining three players who have left the U. on the outside looking self-afflicted- noipseti at ." in. 5 One player who has been solid for Utah all season is Blair Philip, who has turned in his finest collegiate season. All that is thanks to Tucker in a round about sort of way. After prepping in British Columbia, Philip tried to go to BYU. But Tucker didn't have any room on his team so he suggested he go to Utah and made arrangements with Branca to get him there. Thanks, Karl. Philip, along with teammates Devin Dehlin, Matt Johnson, Doug Roberts, Eric Nielsen and Cory Gust will try and 6,872-yar- d tame the par-7layout. and Roberts Johnson, Philip were tabbed as automatic qualifiers by Branca, while Dehlin Nielsen and Gust edged out three others in a qualifier earlier in the week. field also includes The eight-teaBoise State, UNLV, Air Force, New Mexico, Weber State and 2, 36-ho- le m Cal-San- IS ta Barbara. New Mexico is rated ahead of both BYU and Utah in Region 7 at this junc- ture which makes this tournament critical for postseason aspirations. "New Mexico is actually a little bit ahead of us, but we're actually in good shape," Tucker said. veteran at BYU Tucker, the knows Utah has the potential to sneak up and catch them, as well. "Ron does a good job with what he has," Tucker said about Utah's part-tim- e program. "I've watched players like Devin Dehlin and Cory Gust gro.w up and I know what Blair can do." 26-ye- ar "' sophomore Cory Gust will head Provo today as the Utah golf team competes in the Cougar Classic. Gust, who prepped at Cyprus High, is hoping Utah can upset the Cougars in their own backyard. U. Air Force, Utah both Utah compared to the losing Orioles streaking backward sllaililtll Special to the Chronicle By Laury Livsey Chronicle sports editor the first day of play in the HCAC championships here Thursday, things for the Lady "Ute" tennis team couldn't be much better. Utah won all nine matches played and did so in very convincing fashion. Utah Coach John Tsumas was pleased with his teams performance and the good weather to play ' LAS CRUCES, Utah baseball coach Rick Sofield says he's tired of hearing Baltimore Oriole jokes. "Come on, I know what's going on there and I feel for them. The thing with baseball is every time teams step out on the field, somebody's going to win and somebody's going to lose," he said. Unfortunately for Sofield, he has a little better understanding of the Orioles' plight than most. He wishes he didn't, but he does. "What's going on there (Baltimore) has happened to a point with us," Sofield said after watching his team go through a hellish streak in which it has dropped 10 straight games. Not 20 straight but enough to make him desperate for a win, or two, or three. . . That chance will come Saturday and Sunday as Air Force comes to town for a pair of doubleheaders at "Ute" Field. Action both days begins at noon If that elusive win (or wins) is going to come, Utah will have to get some better performances from its staff. As E itching as been the case all season, that remains the root of most of Utah's problems. ; r U. pitchers walked 24 batters in a five-gam- e series with Hawaii and then passed more 14 against Wyoming. see "baseball on page eleven women's tennis gathers nine wins at championships U. H-;r-- - ,;r m - u v - : . s N.M.-Af- ter in. "The weather was great today, but they may have to bring it indoors tomorrow," Tsumas said. "From what I've seen, New Mexico is playing really well but I think we can play just as well. (Julie) Kempin has looked really good. Kempin, playing at the No. 3 spot for the Lady "Utes" and seeded No. 2 in that category, had no trouble in defeating Utah State's Tracy Meyers, -2. None of Utah's players had to work too hard for their wins, however. Michelle Mras downed Tracy Hover of Utah State, 6-- 1, 6-- 2; Kristan Siegmund blanked Colorado State's Susan Joyce, Susie Costa was better than the Rams' Stephanie Finnegan, 6-- 1 and Liz Fox beat the Rams' Tracy Kimball, 6-- 0, 6-- 0, 6-- 0, Chronicle photo by Jennifer Peterson Utah baseball coach Rick Sofield has had to watch his team struggle through a tough season with pitching woes contributing to his team's fireballer, will probably see problems. Randy Upton (above), a action this weekend as Utah hosts the Air Force Academy. Susie Westfall drew a d bye. semi-finaction gets underway with Today Utah taking on New Mexico's opponents of the first day. first-roun- al |
