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Show Blitzz Topple Sahuaros, Earn Pointfor Big Win Could host playoff if finish strong on road BY PETER RICHINS THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE The Utah Blitzz ended their regular-season homeschedule Saturday much the way theystarted — with a win in front of a big crowd. The Blitzz. drew one of their largest crowds(4,125) and beat the Arizona Sahuaros 40 at RiceEccles Stadium. The four-goal production earned the Blitzz an extra pointin the standings, which will go a long way toward helping themsecure a homegamein theplayoffs. “That was our goal, to go in and get as many points as we can,” Coach Chris Agnellosaid, “and we knowthatgoing into Riverside, we need five points as well.” The D3 Pro League awards four points in the standings for a win, anda bonuspointfor scoring more than three goals. If the Blitzz can catch Tucson or Chico in the standings, they will stage a playoff soccer game Aug.19, probably at Brigham Youngbecausethe team’s seasonal contract with Rice-Eccles ended Saturday. Utah closes the season Saturday at In his return to thefield after a lengthy injury absence, midfielder Matt West enjoyed the Blitzz fans. ‘he crowd all year has been tremendous,” West said. “They’re our 12th man. They've gotto be the Spiders’ First Season’ Rough But Successful bestfansin the league.” Westscored his first two goals of BYPETER RICHINS TH LT LAKE TRIBU the season after coming in at the 54-minute mark. Eric Ripley took the ball from Arizona goalie Aaron Dwyer in the 68th minute, then gaveit to Westfor an open shot. couldn’t have comeata better time,” West So how does former GM Mark Drown describe the Spiders’ first season? “Awes The Spiders ended their on Saturdaywith a 2-1 loss to league home record in official games, their fans may not have missed West. But Agnello said Saturday's gameproved how valuableheis. “It shows why we missed him,” Agnello said. “On a nightthat he’s still trying to work backintoit, he scores two goals.” Jorge Estrada scored first for champion San Diego in Draper, finishing third in the Women’s Premier Soccer League standings. “We knew we'd be competitive, we just cums know where we Drown could make the top three, but actually making the top three is made the pass after hitting the ground. In the 45th minute, Breza took a pass from B.J. McNicol, maneuvered away from the keeper andhit the open shot. “The outside guys pretty much killed them tonight,” Breza said, crediting Estrada and Ripley for Zuppa/TheSalt Lake Tribune Blitzz Player Richie Breza,right, gets tangled up with Arizona’s Donny Deutsch duringthe Blitzz’s last home gamethis season at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday. ‘THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ZURICH,Switzerland — Internal conflicts emerged at the FIFA Congress after soccer’s world gov- erning body smoothly passed a series of measures Saturday. A dispute between the African andAsian Confederations, and Japan’s reluctance to host the 2001 Confederations Cup, belied the “unity in the family” hailed by FIFA President Sepp Blatter. The meeting of203 national soccer associations came a month after Germanybeat South Africa 1211 in the FIFA executive committee’s vote to award the 2006 World Ci tournament The African Football Confeder- ation told its Asian counterpart that all cooperation between the two would endbecauseofa “lack of support” from Asian representa- tives on committee. FIFA’s executive “Tt was very unexpected. It really shocked us,” said the Asian group’s secretary-general, Peter Velappan. “We're sad but we're not really suffering any serious handicap. The game is bigger than all these petty issues. Nobody should tell us what we should be doing.” In an effort to avoid future dis- putes over the assigning of World Cups, the Congress easily approved in principle rotating the finals among the continents. Blatter said work on developing such a system will start immediately. The 2010 World Cup site will be chosen in 2004. “T am sure that before 2002 we will have that rotation system installed,” Blatter said. The Congress also approved a out any consultation beforehand, neglecting the Japanese association’s independence.” The plan sets aside 12 days per year for international matches and ecutive commitiee proposal last March tostage the eight-team cup in 2001, and was surprised by Thursday’s decision. South Korea, time for breaks and training. National club leagues can play whenever they wantaslong as there are no conflicts with the dates for Japan turned down a FIFA ex- whichis to co-hostthe tournament, di notprotest. Since it is a non-profit team, Drown said find- mentfor the level of women’s soccer talent in Utah. “Weturnedalot of heads with eam,” Drown amateurleague, so players such as aries of the top nothing, especially when I have my. garagesale. The Spiders were plagued by an. inconsistent roster, with players often missing games for various otherobligations. Once, they went without nearly all of their BYU players, who were teaching a soc- cer camp. said. his is not just us,” Drown “Every team in the league has valuable to their college the exact same issues that we have.” More than one team came to ‘It was really enjoyable,” said goalkeeper Mac! Utah missing keyplayers and with teams. Utah State seni morelaid the competition wasstill a high, highlevel.” Attendance peaked in thefirst game when 2,300 fans showed up May6, then dropped to around 600 after a six-week stretch with no * homegames. The Utah Blitzz, the men’s outdoor soccer team in the D3 league, experienced a similar dropoff in attendance once summer began, although notas drastic. The Blitzz drew 4,200 on May 20, and are averaging around2,800 this season. 00% alae ENDS ee 26TH challenge, either. ‘That's less’ than half the sal- executives of some other teams,” Drown said. “That's $5,000 from four different sponsors. That’s limited substitutions. “We have so muchtalent and so h depth, it didn’t hurt us at all sai ‘he formation of the Women’s, United Soccer Association should not hurt the Spiders, because only. four players (Jill Tee: Joanna Barney, Amber Bailey and Bernie Hogan) cn be drafted without losing college eligibility, and also because the new league will notestablish a team in Utah. “There’s so muchpotential, and this was just our thermometer year to see where we're at. We're still goingforit,” Drown said. ZIONS’ 9 MONTH a se ee is not difficult. And com-; ing up with the’ $20,000 needed td: break evenis not a Sa more newinternational soccer calendar set to start in 2002. No protests were raised. though nolonger the general man- to secure sponsors for the team. composed losing their Japan rejected FIFA’s decision Thursday that the country should stage the Confederations Cup next year as a dress rehearsal for the 2002 World Cup, which Japan is co-hosting with South Korea. The Japanese cakked that announcement “very sudden, with- year, ager, Drownwill continue to work: Mark Drown In addition, the summer prac- national team matches. next Blitzz and the Starzz played, yet’ Former general manager tice could only make the players BY GEIR MOULSON dropoff still drew respectable crowds. “In our worst-case scenario, we had 520 people,” Drown said. Al- awesome.” The team, Brigham Young’s Jennie Christianson au Utah's Shauna Gurr Asian, African Countries Balk at FIFA Congress Rulings it’s wonderful.” Drowndoesnot expect anothér when the schedule is ae balanced. TheSpiders often competed for attendance on the samenights the. ing those spo! programs, made a strong state- Chris 11000 people show upconsistently, attendance “There’s so much potential.” mostly of players of Utah oriin and from the state’s college the Blitzz’s offensive success. aa havinglike 10 people show ” Hyersaid, “So to have 500 to said. “We thought we the Blitzz in the 27th minuteafter a luckyassist from Rich Breza, who “We're winning the marathon,” he said. for bysponsors. “We've been going out of state Their average attendance was around 700. Players took time off for family vacations. The general manager fired himself midway through the season, and the replacement announcer could not figure out the speaker system. have a 7-0-2 After consistent home success _ and attendance, Agnello said the Blitzz are accomplishing their inaugural season goals. an inaugural season like the Utah Spiders. said. “The first five seconds, my heart was going about 200 beats per minute. I was just excited to get backin it.” Because the Blitzz said. All the advertising was on fold up and go homeafter having West added anotherin the 90th minute,a beautiful headerinto the center of the net with an assist from JimmyDavis. “Thefirst two, and they “I'm very happy about[the attendance}, considering we ~_ = money into marketing,” Manypro sports teams would |