Show The Herald Journal Logan Utah" Monday April 1 Page 6 1996 to Vols Lady romp NCAA title Sports snapshot CHARLOTTE NC (AP) — This was the way it was supposed to end last year Tennessee's players donning the traditional cham- pionship caps prancing around expected you to win and you expected to win and you compare it to today you just can’t appreciate how much more fun this was This was a lot of fon” Tennessee won its title by doing exactly what had to be enough to win the national title done against a team Summitt then and they folly expected it to called the most explosive in the court and cutting the nets The Lady Vbls had a team good happen But Connecticut was too good and beat them in the championship game There were no such expectations this season and that made what happened Sunday night all the more satisfying Tennessee did win the championship besting Southeastern Conference 5 to claim its rival Georgia 83-6- fourth NCAA title ‘Til be very honest with you We felt no pressure to win a AP photo Andre Agassi holds up the trophy from the Upton Championships on Sunday Agassi won when Goran Ivanisevic retired because of a stiff neck alter Just three games for a national championship APphoto Couples wins Players Tennessee coach Pat Summit and son Taylor 5 take down the net altar winning the NCAA Women's Final Four against Georgia 83-6- 5 Sunday PONTE VEDRA BEACH Fla (AP) — Fred Couples shot an 64 — including an eagle on the dangerous 16th and birdie on the treacherous 17th — for a four-strovictory Sunday in The Players Championship Couples who earned $630000 for his 12th PGA Tour title and first since the 270 1994 Buick Open had an total on the TPC at Sawgrass Stadium Course His 64 was the lowest finishing Comadena calls it a career — for now ke er score ever in tournament and just a stroke off the course record he shares with Greg Norman Couples who also won the tournament in 1984 just avoided the water with a 220-yar- d shot to set up s 30-fo16 and followed with a on No eagle putt for birdie on the island-gree- n 17th hole Colin Montgomerie (68) and Ibmmy on er Tolies (72) tied for second and Rocco Mediate (66) Fuzzy Zocller (67) Kenny Perry (69) and David Duval (71) followed at 275 j So Miss names Green Miss (AP) — Iowa State assistant coach James Green wu hired as Southern Mississippi's coach HATTIESBURG Sunday Green 35 replaces MK link forced to resign last month after 20 sea- sons Michigan tops in hockey CINCINNATI (AP) — Michigan won its record eighth NCAA title and first since 1964 when Brendan Morrison scored off a rebound 3:35 into overtime Saturday for a 2 victory over Colorado 3-- College Mike Legs tied the game on a power with &54 left in regulation and Bill Biy also scored for Michigan (33-7-Colorado College finished 33-52) -4 Sumicy7! scores NCAA Women National Championship Georgia 65 Tamaasaa 83 AL SaaMa 3 Chicago 2 12 innings NBA Orlando B6 New York 79 Atlanta 93 Boston 92 Indiana 118 New Jersey 100 LA Lakers 111 Toronto 106 LA Dippers 110 Minnesota 107 Chariott 121 Vancouver 88 San Antonio 97 Phoenix 63 Portland 115 Dales 100 Sacramento 105 Cleveland 100 OT NHL Boston 6 Buffalo 5 NY Rangers 4 MY Islanders PhtecMphia A Pittsburgh Detrol 8 St Louis 1 Chicago 5 Dates 3 Tampa Bey 1 Washington Anaheim 4 San Joss 2 Winnipeg 4 Calgary 1 1 tie coming as it does on rs been my the strength” said Comadena with pride The community benefitted in another way: Comadena's food drives helped make of students useful citizens His departure after 14 yean leaves Mountain Qcst coach John Nielsen as the grizzled ruler of Region 5 with 13 yean and five league championships to his credit Sky View’s Kevin Dustin has requested a year's sabbatical — this morning Bobcat athletic director Alan Wamsley said that “do official decision has been made that I am aware of” New coaches will be on the benches at Box Elder and Ogden w hile Ben Lomond and Bear River win go with third and second-year leaden respectively Logan athletic director Ron McBride said that Comadena’s successor would be named this spring adding that interest has been expressed by junior varsity conch Rick Thome and sophomore coach Jerry Jardine Grizzly coaching traditionally has been a crimson-and-gofamily affair ld encounter was a wedding-datelephone call two decades ago Tonight Rick Piti-a- o y Boston at Texas Tfua — NCAA Basketosi Championship CBS Natonal Championship game Kentocky vs Syracuse Today's qOaO “We're not out of gas We don't have that ring Once we realize we have it that's whea all the celebrating will — Aenter If forward Derek beg Anderson the Wildcats prepare for Syracuse end &e AX1AA CJtanpwmskip i announcement April 1 would be taken unseriously “But it’s no joke” he felt compelled to say But the master of one-linecouldn’t resist adding “This has nothing to do with the cheerleading controversy” Logan players meanwhile got not only coaching but another kid oo the practice floor Rapport with students “has always NEW YORK (AP) — Their first On telovlilon ipCSPN — Major League Bassbal our game plan” said Summitt who has guided Tennessee to all of its NCAA titles “They tried “Unless you’ve been in that position nave coached and played in national championship game when everyone game for Tennessee and she See VOLS oa Page 7 nus Kohn’s son Steve Smith at point guard) Then there’s Roger Wilson the of all Logan coaches and Comadena’s predecessor who has kept his hand in by successfully steering win-ninge- ' st Logan freshmen Tbachers such as Wilson Jardine and Bennett don’t necessarily have the inside track Utah State student Thorne for instance is in the process of being certified which is all that’s necessary Thome was the leader of Comadena’s only region champion the 1984 Grizzlies During a dark age during which seemed a W law barred tall students from Logan it Comadena won nearly his games In 1986-8- 7 he took a nj rib pnoB teamptoked Logan High baskatoel coach to finish last Larry Comadena can start to a fifth sniffing now place in the State Tournament And if this past season was bargain basement as Logan fought to keep out of the cellar his Grizzlies went out of the Rec Center on fire with a 81-5- 9 thrashing of Olympus That was sweet but for thrills said Comadena nothing compares to that day in 1982 when he was find called “head coach No one loves dial title more than I da” “And the saddest day" he said “was when I walked from my classroom down to (principal) Rulon Olsen's and told him of my decision” Actually he said he had known since January before the region season even began need a rest” he explained and his three sons also need a father Family he said was the fundamental factor m his wdaoa 1 There were other spurs to retirement including a “philosophical” split with “the system" — be declined to elaborate But as the product of a liberal arts educa- tion the former Utah Stale football player also considered year-roubasketball a limiting experience for students The coach is not confining himself by this decision — he leaves the door opca for a return Logan High’s administrators said McBride have always been Comadena fans “and always will be” nd J Tamer Homeless Aggies go deep against UCSB High School half jmt nunNfnprMQ joufTW left wafts for Gaucho baserunner J Cannon to bo called out altar being gunned down by Kaffiy Beasley white trying to ateol second Utah State ahortatop Julia By Jeff Hunter asorts writer PLAIN CITY — With its home field advantage lost in the snow the Aggie softball team still made the most of its home state advantage "We felt like we had a chance to sweep (UC Santa Barbara) but three is good” said Utah State head coach Lloydene Searle Alter sweeping the Gauchos on Saturday the Aggies (21-1- 4 overall and 9-- 7 in the Big West) split Sunday's double header losing the first game 3-- 2 and winning the finale 6-- 2 Because of wet conditions at Willow Park the entire series was played at Fremont High School where JoLeigh Ken a former USU teammate of Searle ’a is head softball coach “I was a afraid that we wouldn't get any of the games in” Searle said “And these were big games for us” Struggling at the plate Sunday the Aggies finally broke out with two away ia sixth inning of the second game after pitcher Rhealee Thora look one for the team "My dad said she should do that every inning” Searle quipped Thorn kickstarted the scoreless game whea she took a pitch from Megan O’Brien off of the right ear flap of her batting hefaneL “Usually I’ll get out of the way but I couldn’t get out of the way of that one” Thom said “It rattled me a little bit" Not as much as Kathy Beasley rattled O’Brien just moments later The senior catcher jumped on her next and lined n over the centcrficld Etch for a two-ru-n homer "I hadn’t been hitting in that game and I was getting frustrated” said Beasley who tied for the USU lead in home runs last year but had yet to go deep in 1996 “But I knew she was going to come down the middle on the first pitch and I knew I was going to hit iL” Tara Thompson followed Beasley’s blast with a single and Teresa doubled to left to increase the But it quickly Aggies’ lead to became 0 on Shontinese Huey's opposite field homer to left "Kathy and Shon both adjusted to the pitching and had perfect timing on Lev-eq- ue 3-- 0 5-- those hits” Searle said Huey’s homer ended O'Briea’s outing as Stacy Atwood was brought on in relief A single by Julie Tinner and two Gauchos errors lead to another USU nu before Atwood could record the Iasi out of die inning The Aggies stx-rlead shrunk to aa 6-- 2 ia the bottom half of the sixth See AGGIES oa Page 7 Old coaching friends vie for first national title 3 Houston 7 Fort Wayne 4 Ortando 9 Los Angelas 3 Peoria 5 Utah 4 SO is" - w IHL Chwwiand 6 Atlanta 3 Michigan 6 Ondnnai ketball coach Larry Comadena If the phrase “good old days” applies to any era it surely fits the years 1982-9- 6 when for the price of a basketball game Grizzly- fans would also get a coach’s sidelines show “I wss emotional” Comadena agreed and so spectators would keep one eye on the players and another on the theatrical coach in various stages of heart attack Those sealed close enough to the Grizz bench could also overhear a generally morbid monologue that often qualified as a comedy routine In fact such is Comadena’s reputation for wit that he was worried that this Rod Tbefier) McBride however assured that “we’re opening it up” Kelly Bennett the JV coach at Mountain Qest has been in touch and Pine View High has been beard from Other names bubbling np indude LHS alumnus Kohn Smith the former Aggie 1 “This basketball team could not have responded any better to 17 The bargains may be over at Logan High School with the retirement of bas- aad Jim Bochcim will pat their friendship aside to play for a national championship “There will be a small part of me if we don't win it that will be extremely happy for the other man who has won it" said Fitina coach of heavily favored Kentucky "If I had to pick one coach I could lose to it would have to be Jim Beehrim” Neither coach has won a national cham-mhi- p yet the pressure is smutreJy oa itina The Wildcats (33-2- ) beat ed top-rank- Massachusetts 81-7- 4 ia the srmia-sai-s and are a dvhleditil favorite to wia their first tide nice 1978 and only the iMrapa ond ia 38 yean “1 think the pressure is there because it’s only been one ebastni-oaski- p ia 38 years” Pitiao conceded no “There’s escaping that-- ” Syracuse (29-6- ) is aot carrying ronsd the unwieldy win-or-cls- e burden — perhaps csplaisiag why Bochcim's whiay ornery tendencies have given way to downright lightheartedness Oa Sunday Boebeiia displayed the dry wit usually shows only to hit friends people like Pilino who got his coaching break when Bocheim kired him as an assistant oa Piriuo's wedding day ia 1976 “Actually Jim Bocheim is extremely funny” Pirino said "If you go to a party with him ith going to sound strange to you but he's foe life of the party He has grert personality great wit great charm” Fitino recalled his fust conversation with Bocheim just minutes after Pitino sad his wife Joanne checked in at the old Americana Hotel eight blocks away am from the coaches’ conference "1 had literally carried my brUe across the threshold” Pitiao remembered "aad the phone rang I beard this whining voice at (he other end didst recognize ft And he Mid This is Jim Bocbeha" ng ica coach and regular rooter at Logan games (although who the Grizzlies really needed this past 5-season was another alum- By Mika Ingraham aporta editor (Comadena for instance stepped into shoes once filled by his father-in-la- 1 outre-boundi- their hardest to do everything we told them to da” One of those items was to keep Roundtree under control by keeping her from driving That fell to Davis who was playing her last national championship today” Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said “We felt excitement to play Sports briefs women’s basketball The Lady Vfols did it by Geoigia They md it by getting the ball inside And they did with outstanding defense from Latina Davis against Georgia’s guard Saudis Roundtree Bocheim has just been hired as the couch at Syracuse "Jim congratulations oa getting your job” ritiao Mid that day "I’d like to talk to you” Bceheim replied "Jim 1 jus t entered the protested V Could room” Pitioo we get together toroonew morning?” “No I have to go to Chicago tomor- row” Bocheim countered Finallv Fitino agreed to the meeting After 2 L2 houn be aouquod a S 1 al and unmeduuety hit the recruiting trail lrsvirg his bride to room witti three of Rxharah Nkka caul he returned 7500-yearno- “She’s made Rick pay many many tunes for putting her in that house with those three gays" Bocheim quipped |