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Show Sports The Salt Lake Tribune FRIDAY, June 2, 1995 BUSINESS Page D-8 Rockets’ Home: NBAFinals DICK ROSETTA Can Houston One Olympian earns : Repe at? Spurs , i ay . Two Hits Are Too Few, So Buzz Lose EDMONTON, Alberta — When Mitch Simons doubled to open Thursday night's game, the Salt Lake Buzz probably figured they __WESTERNCONFERENCE_ ee an GANNETT NEWS Thursday: ton pitcher gwEumonton 6 John Wasdin. salt take ‘Thursday — Houston 100, San Antonio 95 HOUSTON — On display outChris Briseno was among the 1995 Layton High School graduates last night. His mother, Cheryl Gocel, cried. It was only appropriate that Chris received his diploma on the eve ofhis fifth appearance in the Utah Special Olympics Summer Gamesin Provo. Because, says Cheryl, the Special Olympics gave new meaning to Chris’ life in 1991. “I saw my son trudge home from school, eat dinner and go to his bedroom. I’d say load the dishwasher. He'dsay ‘I can’t.’ I'd say comb your hair. He’d say ‘I can’t.’ I'd see him shoot hoops at the playground across the street, but he quit when otherkids showed up. When I asked him why, he’d say ‘I can’t play with them,’ ” Cheryl recalled. Andshe cried. When she and her husband, Ed, would take Chris to a restaurant, he'd ask to sit in the corner. “He didn’t want to be seen by his classmates,” says Cheryl. So she did something aboutit. Cheryl Gocel quit her job with the goal of getting her son to say ‘‘I can.” Cheryl signed Chris up for the Special Olympics in the summerof 1991. “Tt took a lot for me to doit. At first I cringed. I saw kids bowl and I thought my gosh, those kids are handicapped. ‘My Christopherisn’t handicapped.’ ” But Chris did bowl that summer. And he ran track. And he swam. Swam? “Chris wasafraid of the water. He wouldn't even go in up to his Instead, lon 111, San Antonio 90 SERVICE Ego ER side The Summit Thursday night EASTERN CONFERENCE was a 20-foot banner that read: “Welcome to the Alamodome.” The Houston Rockets apparently bought it, because they rode indo 93 one more overpowering perfor- ‘Ortando 108, Indiana 406 Tonight — Oriando at Indiana, 7 pm, mance by Hakeem Olajuwon to *Sunday — Indiana at Oriando, 5 pm. beat San Antonio, 100-95, ousting the Spurs from the NBA Western Conference Finals. The Rockets won the Western won Game6 at the same place they won the NBAtitle a year ago. ConferenceFinals, 4-2, getting 39 It was thefirst timein the series points, 13 rebounds and 5 blocked that the home team won a game, shots from Olajuwon, who has and it took another dominating taken his gamein the playoffs toa level untouched by anyonein the show by Olajuwonto makeit happen. league today. Olajuwon, whofinished sixth in Theseries that made no sense the balloting for the league's Most suddenly made perfect sense for See ROCKETS,Page D-6 Olajuwon and the Rockets, who where he'll eon ae in a 6-0 loss to the Trappers ninth inning & Tonight: Salt Lake at Edmonton, SOO a Fitehing: Oscar of a four- Munoz (2-3) vs gameseries. Steve Baker(0-2) _ Wasdin, in fact, allowed only two other basein the opener runners the rest of the way. Den- ny Hocking was hit by a pitch in the sixth inning, then was thrown out trying to steal second. Simons TheAssociated Press Houston's Clyde Drexler stops Sean Ellio tt’s drive the reached on aninfield hit, a hot shot to third with two out in the ninth, but was strandedatfirst. Between the first and sixth innings, Wasdinretired 16 consecutive batters. The right-hander’s quickest way he can — bygrabbing the Spur forward. @ See BUZZ, Page D-6 ByJay Drew THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE — are pitchers, although shortstop was Guerisoli’s primary position and Pene was an outfielder for much ofthe year. Weight patrolled left field full time for Springville. The four MVPshead the The Tribune's 76-member all-state baseball team. Erickson, Weight, Guerisoli and Pene received personalized MVP trophies for leading their teamsto state titles. Engraved medallions, perfect for displayon letter jackets, have been mailedto the schools of the first-teamers Coaches select the all-state team through balloting process conducted by The Tribune. Nearly 90 percent of the state’s 80 coaches voted LANCE ERICKSON Halfway through the 5-A baseball tournament, Orem coach Terry Harwardcalled 5-A MVP Erickson “the best playerin the state.” Few would argue now. The championship game winner, Ericksonwent 112 with a 2.16 earned run average, striking out 103 hitters in 70 innings. When notpitching, the University of Utah-bound Erickson was a fine shortstop and hitter, batting .346 with two homeruns andfive doubles. Oo JESSE WEIGHT Solid all season, 4-A MVP Weight waited until the state tournamentto playhis best ball. The Red Devils’ left fielder was 14 for 21 (.667) in the tourney after hitting around .500 during the season @ See BA Lynn R The Salt LakeTribune Utah prep baseball Most Valuable Players, clockwisefrom top left, Dixie's Rick Guerisoli, Springville’s Jesse Weight, Orem’s LanceErickson, and Grand’s Ryan Pene playedbig rolesin their teams’ championship runs. Age Is No Obstacle ALL, Page D-4 1 1995TribuneAll-State Teams D-4 ™ Pine View's Bowers a Future Met D-2 New Tanya Harding Controversy: Was UCLA’s Ace Just a Ringer? For Runner Lester By Craig Hansell ‘THESALTLAKE TRIBUNE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LOS ANGELES — Shehit hard and And now she’s headed back ia, taking with her the most valuable player award for leading UCLAto a record eighth NCAA wom. Running records comefrequently to Mag- na’s Steve Lester, oneof the fastest Ameri cans for his age. Lester will join about 3,000 others Satur Classic course in the Utah State 10K Championship. Runners expected to set the pace in the 10K include Larry Smithee, Dave Spence, Dave McMillan, Paul Rosser, Ken O'Brien, Dennis Simonaitis and Michelle Simonaitis (formerlyPetrus). John Schafferis expected to run well in the 5K, according to race director Greg Reid guide For all the banners, politicians and high school marching bands involved, Lester and others are more interested in speed than spectacle en's softball championship Left behind is the question: Did Tanya Harding's brief time as a UCLAstudent Enrolled at UCLA March 22, she didn’t takefinal exams for her required 12 credits: two history cours nda biology class, She decidedto take “incomplete” status on her coursework and planned to fly hometo Brisbanethis week, morethan a week beforefinals in those courses. months and a 17-1 pitching record) There was some grumbling from other teamsin last month's NCA. even though the school and the student world series at Oklahoma City UCLA bringing in a “ringer” at midsea- violatethespirit of academiceligibility The Axsociated Press Tanya Harding left UCLA after attending for just 24 months. out for the Australian Olympicteam, did nothing illegal? arding, 23, who pronouncesher first name to rhyme with can-ya, to distance her from controversial U.S, figure skat er Tonya Harding, told UCLAofficials son, “We would only get involved if there were any specific allegations that shewasineligible,” says Kathryn Reith, director of public relations for the @ See UCLA, Page D-2 this week she was leaving school to try @ See LESTER, Page D-6 Pritchard Signs on as First Grizzly Kevin Pritchard, the point guard on asi ame the fi er Grizzlies. NBAPlayoffs Montreal 6, St, Louis 2 In Action Tonight Houston 100, San Antonio 95 Los Angeles 6, PCL, Baseball: Buzz at Edmonton. NHL Playoffs Pritchard has had previous NBA auditions at Gold en State, Boston, Miami and Philadelphia. He played Detroit 2, Chicago 1 (OT) games and spent time with Quad City of the CBA The Grizzlies and the Toronto Raptors, expansion partners when play begins in the fall, will stock ros ters this month with the expansion and college drafts, plus search the fr nt market Pritchard averaged 15.3 points and 7.7 assists a Texas 6, Minnesota 3 in Spain andItaly before making it back to the NBA This season he was on the Miami Heatroster for 14 game at Quad City \ wees Whenthe state baseball tournaments began, few people selected Orem, Springville, Dixie or Grand to win championships. That meant even fewer believed Lance Erickson, Jesse Weight, Rick Guerisoli or Ryan Pene would become Most Valuable Players But unlikely champions produced unlikely heroes Orem’s Erickson, Springville’s Weight, Dixie's Guerisoli and Grand’s Peneall played big roles in their teams’ unexpected title rans — big enoughto be selected as MVPsin their classifications. Three of the MVPs — Erickson, Guerisoli and Pene Clearfield's T.J, Hollis through a Motorized Activity Skills event AndCheryl Gocel cried again Because her 18-year-old son, a Layton High School graduate and Special Olympics gold medalist, now says “I ean,” title team in 1988, Thursday b to sign with the NBA's Vancou Mitch Gang of Unlikely Heroes Named Baseball MVPs Special Olympics coach Bev Williamson took over. Before the summer was over, Chris was outswimming most of the kids in the pool. By the end of the summer, Chris had a special wall in his room. There were ribbons and medals, with dates and times anddistances. Chris Briseno had emergedfrom his shell. And every time Cheryllooked in her son’s bedroom, there was no Chris. “He wasoveron the playgroundshooting hoops with his friends.” And Chery!cried. By the summerof 1992, he was into Special Olympics basketball, softball and golf. “We couldn’t get him onskis or skates,” says Cheryl. But the Gocels had unleashed an athletic terror. Summer Gamesof '93 and '94 brought a bushel of medals. Each has been precious. ‘‘Those medals are his wayof showing friends and relatives he has accomplished something,” says Cheryl, By last December, Chris’ accomplishments earned him Northern Utah Special Olympian of the Year honors Layton High Schoolofficials found out about the award, In January, student body president Dave McMillan announced atan all-school assembly that Chris had been awarded the school's highest student honor, the Timeto Triumphaward. And Cheryl Gocelcried Chris says he cried, too, “deep inside. I was happy they woulddothis for me. It’s notlike I'm great. I just try to do the best I can.”” No one has been better known, or respected, in the Laytonhallways than Chris Briseno. He's made sure Special Olympics announcements are made on the school intercom justlike the ones for varsity events. He even talked school principal Paul Smith into selling candyat lunchtimeto finance trips to the International Special Olympics. Chris has become morethan a Special Olympics athlete. He's now a coach Today, after swimminginthe 25-meter breaststroke and 25-meter freestyle at BYU, Chris movesoverto anpool g@ Highlight: that double Simons collects was the Buzz's only two hits Buzz’s only of Trapper pitcher a knees,” says Cheryl. That’s before his other Buzz Update ae 2 ea Mie : mon: Spurs Rockets vs. Rockets win series, 4-2 wsrssnmeroes Houston 106, San Antonio 9 gan Antono 107, Houston 102 By Ray Buck Oo Page D-7 CONFERENCEFINALS ° Believe It NOW How °° SECTION D { American League Cleveland 7, Chicago 4 Pritchard National League Philadelphia 6, Chicago Atlanta 3 Pittsburgh 5, C ati 3 eee ees LES PCL : ; Edmonton6, Salt Lake 0 TV Sports ESPN) 7 a.m. Women’s Golf Oldsmobile Classic Tacoma 6, Albuquerque 4 Tucson 13, Las Vegas 0 Phoenix 7, Vancouver 6 (10) Colorado Springs 7-6, Calgary 3-3 USA) 8 a.m, Tennis, French Open ESPN) 9 a.m. College Golf NCAA Men's Championship ESPN) 11:30 am, rial Tournament Golf, Memo. CESPN) 1:30 p.m, — Baseball, College World Series, Florida State vs. Oklahoma WGN) 5 p.m. — Baseball, Cubs at TBS) 5:35 p.m, — Baseball, As- Marlins yas 22 CESPN) 5:30p.m. —Miami Baseball, Col. lege World Series, vs, USC tros at Braves 2) 7 p.m, — NBAPlayoffs, May: eu eros scat PSN) 7:30p.m. — Baseball, Junior College World Series ‘ |
