Show V iMvratiti'wnv''i : WMfa Mh u'hbV'1 V- -' rwwNi V-S- as lffliftiii " ic Page 16 — The Herald Journal Logan Utah Sunday April 28 1996 Bobcats stung by Box Elder Grizzlies rally By Shawn Harrison 1 Scots by sports writer SMITHFIELD — A long lecture from the Box Elder coaching staff on Wednesday had the Bees swarming Friday at Richard V Hansen Park That was bad news for Sky OGDEN — “Courageous" was Logan coach Stu Howell's Bobcats hard with a 16-- 4 whipping in five innings The Bees remain perfect in Region 5 at 0 description of his baseball team’s 10-- 9 comeback win at Ben Lomond Friday He could 8-- Sky View has dropped three straight to fall to 5 in the league “They (Bees) were just better than we were” Bobcat coach Jonathan Howell said “They pitched better hit better and played better defense They are a good team” Back on Wednesday at Brigham City the Bees jumped have also said “contagious” highlighting the hitting or “outrageous” in view of the boners But baseball is sometimes about justice and so it was fitting that Jeff Healey marched from the mound in the middle of the count returned to the plate to finish the job on the Scots thunHis towering two-oderclap off the left field wall in the seventh inning scored Nick 3-- lead But Sky view clawed back and almost won falling 10-- 9 It was a different story Friday “This time the kids kept up their intensity” Box Elder coach Bill McDonald said “Everyone stayed with it and not just for a couple of innings We talked long and hard about that after Wednesday’s game” The first three innings was like vu The Bees jumped out to a lead but this time there was no big rally by the Bobcats “When you £ive up eight runs in the first inning the likelihood of winning is slim” Howell said “They jumped on us and really hit out to a ut 10-- 0 Si “Those two kids forgetting By Mike Ingraham sports editor View as Box Elder stung the Palmer with the last of three Brant 8tovanaHerakl Journal Box Elder's Brian Loosli safely steals second before Sky View's Nick Wheeler can apply the tag The Bees had no trouble In getting by the Bobcats Friday with a 16-- 4 win required runs at last launching Logan ahead forever A handful of vocal Grizzly fans had seen a game as capricious as the skies now sunny then cloudy Three times their team had been down 7 and 7-- 5 and 2-- 1 Three times their 2 and team had been up 2 0 Three times they has been tied 9--9 and 7--7 and 2 There were no guarantees There remained a major matter of subduing the Scots in the seventh Reliever Doug Scott did not settle for just this but also punished in the process Nick Adcox’s lead off first was insolent — he had to suffer and he did picked off Then John Hicken reached on an error and he too took liberties at first He was picked off Seething Scots coaches showed in their complexions the school colon red blue and white 9-- The Bees started the game with a single by Kurt Anderson and a walk by Kevin Peterson but two the Bobcats at the plate going Nick Stewart went the distance fly outs had the home crowd on the mound for Box Elder striking out six Bobcats The southpaw went into the game looking to escape the inning without any damage It didn’t happen Anderson came home on a with a 75 ERA “Defense and pitching wins games” McDonald said “And if the ball and we end up using you have offense you take off” Nick Wheeler started for Sky three pitchers in five innings” The Bees knocked out 13 hits View but left the mound after 11 batters John Chambers came on and were issued six walks Branand lasted until the third but exitdon Nelson led the way going at the plate and scoring four ed with the score 14-- 0 and no one runs Wick Udy Carlos out Nick Oldroyd came on and Rodriguez and Brian Loosli each went the rest of the way had two hits “It wasn’t just the pitchers’ Sky View scattered six hits and fault” Howell said “We made a had four errors Brett Miller led lot of errors again today” passed ball to start a huge rally Nelson brought Peterson home with a single Rodriguez singled and another walk juiced the bags Mark Larsen brought his three teammates in with a double to the gap in left center that went to the fence and scored cm a Loosli single TVo more walks loaded the bags again and saw Wheeler exit Wick Udy hit a two RBI single to inning cap the “We couldn’t get the third out” Howell said The Bees added two more runs in the second on a wild pitch and a single by Loosli for a 10-- 0 lead third had the home A five-ru- n fans groaning After a RBI double by Udy a walk and error filled the bags with no outs A wild pitch a passed ball and RBI double by Rodriguez chased Chambers from the mound A sacrifice fly by Larsen made it 15-- 0 going into the bottom of the third The Bobcats finally got on the board Miller hit a leadoff single followed by a single by Oldroyd and Brandon Payne drew a walk TVo groundouts scored Miller 8-r- See BOBCATS on Page 17 0-- 9 3-- 5-- 2-- picked off I won’t forget that for a long time” said BL coach Roger Howell “It's not necessarily a great move just straight up and down He’s not doing anything deceptive he’s not even close to balking” Howell would not have been comforted by Scott’s words “sometimes it’s just chance" The sophomore southpaw now counts more than 20 picks At any rate Robert Martin popped out and the Grizzlies had in Palmer's words a “must win” The battle between two 3-- 5 teams ended with Logan skip- ping ahead of Sky View to fourth place in Region 5 but the 3-- 5 Bobcats come calling at Worthington Tuesday Ben Lomond sinks to sixth still within reach of rival Ogden However it all turns out Friday was the Grizzlies’ finest few hours “We showed more courage in one baseball game than we have in all the others combined” Stu Howell said He was referring to the repeated rallies but Palmer said the game’s story started before the first ball was thrown when Howell put in a cameo appearance at stretching exercises “When the coach is not around before the game we’re more relaxed than we should be” the sophomore centerfield-e- r said “Today the coach was there and we got focused more” That’s one explanation for the torrential hitting performance Another came from Will Clark See GRIZZ on Page 17 Alabama captures third gymnastics title TUSCALOOSA Ala (AP) — Alabama coach Sarah Patterson was humble after Georgia’s collapse helped the Crimson Tide to its third NCAA women’s gymnastics title Actually there was no better way to win it These teams don’t get along Alabama which last won the national champi “We’re not going to go back to Athens and try to figure out what happened because nothing happened” Yocuian said “We’re a great team They were digging deep and they ran out of mental strength They just ran out of it” Lori Strong the two-tim- e Canadian Olympian who saw her dream of an NCAA title slip away after a fall on the bars Thundayjughtx ! as If jr fostftpxpliin what happened ogjtx£ ‘HxgbMftgbUKill the teaiflTMils-’- ' “Leslie had a fluke fall She just slipped off the bar” said Strong whose gymnastics career is over at 23 “She hit the floor and she had this odd look in her eyes like ’What happened?’ She was clueless You either hit the bars like AP photo you wouldn’t believe or you miss them’’ nd onship in 1991 set NCAA championship records in the floor exercise and vault Friday night to takethc meet ‘away from arcWftiil Georgia and its controversial coach Suzanne Yocuian “Coming into the season our slogan was ‘Eqjoy the ride’” said Patterson who unproved her record to 240-49-- 3 “Tonight we’re enjoying our destiny” With six teams rotating among four events irt often difficult to keep track of who’s winning these NCAA championships On this night before a vocal crowd of 10955 at Alabama Coleman Coliseum it was obvious where the meet turned Georgia was on its final event — uneven bats — on the fifth rotation The Crimson Tide sitting out the fifth turn had only the vault remaining on the sixth and final rotation Georgia led Alabama by of a point with UCLA a scant behind the Crimson Tide The Gym Dawgs who had won three national titles under their bold coach Yocuian met disashs ter on the bars The usually reliable Leslie Angeles fell twice and Jenm Beathard hit the mat once Leah Brown saw a nice routine ruined when she staggered on her dismount Georgia managed only a 49125 leaving the door open for Alabama and UCLA Alabama didn't blink Kim Kelly and Danielle McAdams nailed perfect 10s on the vault to spring past Georgia and UCLA's 49275 on the floor was good enough only for second place Utah's Summer Raid gets hugged by her teammates after her performance on the balance beam at the NCAA Championships Friday night The Utes ended up In a tie with Georgia for third Alabama’s Meredith Willard the champion scored 995 on the vault and floor Kelly also had a 10 on the floor Her routine was set to the Crimson Tide fight song and “Sweet Home Alabama” underscoring the Tide’s home advantage nd “This is absolutely incredible’’ said McAdams who scored her first perfect 10 The Tide’s winning score was 198025 UCLA had 197475 Georgia and Utah tied for third at 196775 Oregon State was fifth with 196525 and Michigan wu sixth with 196J75 I “In the locker room before the last event looked at them and said We can do this ladies” Patterson said “At that moment I saw an incredible spirit in this team We knew what it took to win” Yocuian whose brash confidence rubs competitors in the sport the wrong way said Georgia didn't choke It was easy for UCLA to get lost in the between Alabama and Georgia Eight Bruins gymnasts at least tied career highs and UCLA had season highs in vault (4945) and beam (49 JO) Leah Homma had a school record score of 3975 Still UCLA couldn't end the dominance of the “Big Three’’ Between them Alabama Georgia and Utah have won all 15 NCAA grudge-matc- h nd women’s titles “I'm actually thrilled with how my team did” said UCLA coach Valorie Kondos who next year will coach Kerri Strugg a likely US Olympic team member “The team kept saying ’Don’t worry Val we’ll peak at nationals That’s what you want right?’ And that's exactly what they did” Utah which has won nine national championships including the last two fell out iff contention with poor performances on the beam and floor The top eight qualifiers from Thursday's compete Saturday night for the individual event titles R Hart EvanaHwald Journal Heads up guys Logan High and Kirk Jeppson left are again on foe wing beating Box Elder 0 Friday on Jake Jensen's poised goal expertly arranged by Casey Ashcroft AH foree Cache soooer teams enjoyed the day Mountain Crest winning at Ben Lomond and Sky View administering what I cased a Yeality check to Bear River 0 Having swept the league leaders foe surging tfwd place Cats sink their daws into second place Ogden Tuesday at SmithSeld SVs on a four-wi- n rampage whle fourth place Mountain Crest and Hflh piaoe Logan have each rebounded kom losses 0 3-- nd Olympic flame starts 84 day journey J LOS ANGELES (AP) — A fingernail-size- d flame symbolizing the spirit of the Olympics strived from Greece on Saturday to ignite the first torch in a 15000-mil-e relay odyssey to the summer games in Atlanta The first of 10000 people who will zig-za- g the country in the coming 84 days jogged from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum — site of Olympic games in 1932 and 1984 — down a grassy path flanked by flags of the 197 nations competing this year Olympic decathlon champion Rafer Johnson who was the last to carry the torch on its international journey to the 1984 Summer Olympics handed the torch off to Gina Tillman granddaughter of Jesse Owens who woo four gold medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics After running her leg she embraced Janet Evans who will seek a record fifth swimming ’ wmd Brara BtoranaHaraM Jowrwl Logan High's Rebekah Nielson was pleased to Imaginary photo after winning the USU Invitationals1 Most Valuable Athlete award Saturday at Maughan Stadium While Grizzly girts captured the team trophy Nielson eat a personal and meet reoord of 5:06 6 minutes In foe mile Pushed again by DantoSe Btaradel of Ben Lomond Nwison won also the 800 in a personal best Mft Denials Is so nice’ she sad T always like running with her Immediately following that triumph the senior helped out In the mediey relay victory and capped foe day with a second piaoe In foe 4400 may Box Eldar won foe boyi oonpatBon poee tor ItoPy Whitesides' Striking the MVP pose gold medal is Atlanta and Evans ran her half-mil- e leg The relay’s path took it through Los Ange- les communities rich and poor including Korea town and South Central Los Angeles ton apart by riots in 1992 Bruce Jennet the 1976 Olympic decathlon champion was also among those who will cany the flame to opening ceremonies July 19 Jennet saw the Bart of the torch relay as a proud moment for a dry wracked by the riots fires an earthquake and the O J Simpson murder trial “The flame has the ability for healing We have been through so much in this city for the last few yean” he said “Maybe everybody can kind of forget about what happened in the past and look to the future” Indeed the arrival of the torch set off a festive atmosphere iu Los Angeles Strangers introduced themselves and shook bands and mingled over cake and amid balloons at one site Many said they were drawn by a dunce to watch history literally pass them by “It was cxriting to be a witness to what will probably be the greatest Olympic games because of die 100th celebration” said Vico Jimenez 34 who had traveled from Pasadena to Griffith Park for the occasion “Just to view it in person will be something I’ll remember die rest of my life" Laura Sitcer from Fontana who wouldn't give her age said seeing the flame gave her goosebumps “1 feel like I’m part of history” die said For Ray Leonard who won a gold medal in boxing in 1976 the running of the torch dosed out some personal history “I missed the dosing ceremonies in 1976 so this is like my closing ceremonies” be said “You can sec the American spirit you can see the Olympic spirit" Leonard ran a chunk of the relay to Griffith Park north of downtown A helicopter bearing tbe flame descended from overcast skies into tbe coliseum early Saturday where a throng of dignitaries and half-mi- onlookers waited Maria Pambouki le a Greek high priestess gingeriy carried the flame through the Coliseum’s famed peristyle and out of the stadium onto a stage where Billy Payne president of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Gaines ignited the first torch He then lit another flame in a large ceremonial cauldron on which “Atlanta ‘96 was engraved drawing a roar from the crowd of about 1J0Q “The flame we see today carried here from Olympia represents a symbol of unity of all peoples’ said Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos “Good luck Atlanta good luck America” The ceremony took place against the controversial backdrop of two nude headless statues erected at the entrance of the stadium for the 1984 Games Tbe anatomically correct athletes created a stir earlier this week w hen it was reported that Atlanta Olympics officials wanted them covered up so as to not offend a national televi sion audience They were in place Saturday uncovered Some onlookers like Penny O'Brien of Valencia regretted missing tbe ld Olympics here 12 yean ago “I was too young in ‘84 so I'm here to see what it'a all about" O'Brien said She also planned to Blend opening ceremonies in Atlanta “I was actually moved to tears by whal people said about the history and the symbolism” said Tipper Gore w ife of Vice President A1 Gore “They pot it so wtU and tbe music was wonderfuL” I |