Show rr¥ WM&- - ri- Simbk WV - fs Pag 14 — The Herald Journal Logan Utah Sunday August 9 1 996 Utah State basketball mam5 ‘best in Morrill Aggies get Veteran coach forsakes Colorado St for Logan By Jeff Hunter sports writer Super Bowl champions World Scries winners Olympic told medal- ists New Utah State basketball coaches Once the big event is over they all go to the same (dace "We’re leaving for Disneyworid on Sunday" Stew Morrill declared after introduced to the media and fans Friday afternoon at the Room in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum "August is vacation time for basketball coaches We have camps during June we're on the road recruiting in July and you know how our schedule is in the winter so we have about y window where we can get a out and get in some vacation" A native of Provo Morrill said that he thought Aggie fans would understand his departure so soon after i 10-da- being hired because of "the great A native of Provo new USU basketbal coach Stew Morrill is back In family state that Utah g oIqIid VVMtkWHMSM Jourml the Beehive State for the first time In his career 24-ye- ar Players fans elated with choice By Jeff Hunter sports writer During the Larry Eustachy Bra there were only two teams that the Aggies played more than twice that they never beat: Utah and Colorado State As annoying as that fact used to be to the average Utah State fan it should now make him or her feel pretty good After aU the Utes played for the national championship in March and Colorado State heal coach Stew Morrill is now oo their side "(Morrill’s) teams are very disciplined they're very hard to prepare for ana they execute very well" said Kevin Dustin an assistant under Eustachy die past two years "And obviously we've never had a chance to beat diem yet I think them and Utah are about the only teams that that's happened with and when you consider that I think (new USU athletic director) Bruce Vim DeVdde ought to be complimented "He’s the one that pulled this off Hut’s a meat first step at Utah State” The Aggie players on hand for Friday's press conference also agreed that it was a good step "All the guys seem to be very excited about him" sophomore forward Brandon Birch said of Morrill "We're all really impressed with what he’s accomplished” Senior forward Pharoah Davis who loss at Colplayed in last year’s 68-5- 9 orado State is more familiar with Morrill than most of the Aggies Morrill visited his home in California when Davis was trying to decide cm a university coming out of high school “Morrill anil be a great addition here" said Davis who was uso recruited by Morrill's assistant Ibny Hiller when Hiller was the head coach at San Diego State "His coaching style u going to be a good fit for our team We’ve got a lot more size this year and we should be able to do a lot of things" After Eustachy was hired by Iowa State on Julv 29 the Aggies spent just over a week m head coach limbo While assis- tant coach Leonard Perry immediately joined Eustachy in Iowa associate head coach Steve Bames and Dustin remained in Logan and continued to recruit and run the program A candidate for the head coaching position Bames withdrew his name from consideration on Wednesday and left for Ames "Everyone wu thinking that it would be Steve but I guess we got a new coach" senior guard Mick said "So we just have to to that and do what we have to da" Eustachy also offered Dustin a on his staff at Iowa Stale but knew that Dustin wasn’t prepared to leave Cache the Morrill's Valley That’s leftt Dustin main man to help aid with the transition “Where’s Kevin Dustin?” Morrill asked the crowd at the preu conference "I know you’ve been holding down the fort and I want to thank you I know the players think the world of you from what I’ve been able to tdl and J appreciate you communicating with me and what’s been going oa” u is" And judging by the reaction to Morrill at Friday's press conference USU supporters are happy to have him as part of their family While Morrill made sure their wu plenty of laughter USU supporters provided lots of applause "Listening to him and talking to Velde yesterday I think they got — by far — the best guy for job" said former Aggie Jeff Anderson "I mean this guy's won at Montana won at Colotado State and he just represents everything you need in a basketball coach" Morrill 46 comes to Utah State and the Big West Conference after a stint at Colsuccessful seven-yeorado State in Fort Collins Morrill 121-8- 6 record guided die Rams to a while in Fort Collins and his winning percentage of 383 is the second best such mark ever at CSU Because of his accomplishments in the more illustrious Western Athletic ar Conference Morrill’s decision to come to USU came as a huge surprise to most fens and media Morrill made it dear that it wu all his choice to a sign a $120000 a year deal nearly identical to die one he had at CSU "I wu not thrown out on my ear at Colorado State" he proclaimed "That always comes up Why would you leave Colorado State? It's a great place to live “Well this is home Family is the No 1 reason we would leave so we can be dose to some family and we haven’t had that for a long long time "We've won 20 games at Colorado (USU athletic director) Bruce Van De See COACH oa Page 19 AH ’re saying: f‘?Storrafci dSfi in outstanding fob af Colorado 6teteHH tarns axacuta nal wat In the has court Ho has fiititfMli for Ubh StateJthlnkakttfmjs exparhncaandlsagrsatW mm taena autprittad that ha bft i fob than wthawtlt gnat addUon to Utah State — BYUhitdeoichtvt ' i—Vfca Vbh Da Vpkft should ba cotnnwndadktfhfai mXJKi naira gnan nan a ensues nnsa utswt Cacha Valley 1$ vary lucky to gat StotiX: ftnlaan Je Aft Kuuun ronrnruNoreQoeVeflinwiiGi ‘ w? A-- V-- i ‘t was a i SJMr A aH" CtSSfi hthagamai See CHOICE on Page 1$ Enjoying a night at the rodeo The Great American West Rodeo puts on a great show By Shawn Harrison bad day tea After 11 years oa the PRCA trail Garrett from Nisland SD hu experienced this it all He is down in the year and is trying to hit many rodeos possible to make the National Rodeo puide and studying up on all worts writer accom- Anybody associated with professional rodeo fan or competitor hu heard of iy Murrey e I was all set to catch the six-tim- PRCA nd champion in action Friday night at the second performance of the Great American West Rodeo at the Cache County Fairgrounds I showed up saddle early to meet the bareback-ridin- g bronc-tamibull riding-legen- d Instead I wu greeted by Hoy Smith the rodeo chairman and given the bad news Murray wu not coming “He called the secretary about 1:30 this ng afternoon and said he wu sorry but wouldn't be able to make it" Smith explained "We sure would have loved to hare him but that is a port of rodeo I think he is in a rodeo in New Mexico tonight” Professional cowboys especially ones of Murray's stature enter as many rodeos u possible but end up drawing out the same night in two different places sometimes Usually the cowboy checks die stock he hu drawn for each rodeo and chooses the one with the best chance to win or he may pick the rodeo with the biggest payout "He had pretty good stock here" Smith said "But that rodeo in New Mexico hu a lot bigger puree" So despite spending more than an hour thumbing through die PRCA media plishments my quest to meet a u u rodeo legend wu detoured But I made the best of my preu pass and caught Finals in Las Vegu Only the top some action up So dose in fact that Billy Jack die first bareback hone of the night showered me with mud after throwing his cowboy Luckily I turned my back and didn't get a face fulL I did fed more part I mingled behind the of the crowd u chutes I made the best of the Murray-les- s rodeo and met some outstanding cowboys bull fighting champion including five-tiRob Smets 1996 world bareback riding champion Mark Garrett and the top bare-bac- k rider in the Wilderness Circuit (made up of Utah Nevada and moat of Idaho) so far this rear Ibdd Pierce Garrett who finished 13th in the world last year rode Snow Blue to a 74 marking But n probably won’t win him any money "Logan is a good rodeo and I won some here last year" said Garrett when I asked him 'why Logan?’ "I had a decent draw Generally that hone will get you something but today wasn’t his day” Just like the athletes that are trying to ride rope or wrestle horses can have a IpsPSggEH was fifth in the world lut year and scored a 75 Riday for Colorado Springs Qda for a rodeo Saturday They were in Washington i nurenay tor a pertotmance Thanks to a personal pilot these cow- Maoh MascaraMareld Journal Former world champion bareback rider Merit Gairett starts his Snow Blue Friday nijpti He want on to acoie a 74 boys are flying the friendly skies Such is the life of the modem cowboy "We've got wives and kids so it’s important for us to get home and be with love it" he said Wortman hu been riding professionally for seven years A The the family during the week” Garrett said The 210 (plane) makes it possible to get home" Other cowboys are left to doing it the way — driving Shannon Whitman of Clancy Mont rode his bull Black Jack to a 78 score putting him in a tie for first place before Saturday's rodeo But he didn't have long to uvor groin injury hu slowed him the put three seasons bui fling after his ridel Pierce from Shelley Idaho turned pro three years ago and finished 18th in the world last year which he called “disap-pointinbecause he just missed the NFR Ibis'i year he is around 25th Tve got a baby so rodeo now is more to make a living Pierce said year wu different I wu riding to make the national finals In order make it to national finals you've got to go to all the big ed g” the ride He wu getting ready to hit the road and drive to Stateline Idaho (near drive for a Spokane Wash) a Saturday night rodea "There is nothing better than driving I lut 15-ho- ur eight-eecon- d snorts writer rodeos all over the country You more money but you spend way more This year I’ve stayed closer to home and haven’t went to many rodeos” Friday night he hadflie best ride with a 77 on Hazel Nut The score wu fluid best overall before Saturday's action “Kiiby (rodeo stock contractor Bar-Rodeo) hu outstanding said doesn't matter what you drew t always worth it come to one of his rodeos Every rodeo says they the best stock well Kbby does have the but stock in die country especially on u T It See RODEO on Page 19 la the top swimmer In Ns age Life in the that of any other Logan Until swimming seasoa Then die wet towels and chlorine-drenche- d swimming suits likely pile up by the dozen shed by one of Sun and Michelle's seven (five at home) lads "We lived in Salt Lake before we moved here and my older brother and sister got onto a swim team there and then I kind of got into it when we came here" said 14 year-ol- d Johnathan Kane of what hu become a Kane family traditkm From that background have come some great swimmers Johnathan being the moat recognized thus fee Last week at the Utah Swimming Championships which is divided into age groups Kane’s name wu frequently found atop the list of leaders in the totid point hunt In the end he wu crowned the overall division notching champ in the boy's 13-finishes out of the 10 reus he six first-placompeted ia one of which was the 100 breaststroke which is his favorite "I like the 100 breaststroke but — I don't 14 ce know why" Kane said when asked which race he calls his own But the humble Kane didn't feel that there wu one race in which he "totally dominated" 4 year-olMaybe the other boys pre 13-1- d sent last week would disagree They got used to setfling for second Bin Kane’s ride to the top hu not been a swandive In fact it probably more pretty resembled a cannonball plunge Ttoo yean ago he struggled to make die cots for this team (Sports Academy Martins) I had to tell him all along 'one day when you decide to put frndi the effort you’ll be real fast’ He’d just smile at me and keep going real slow" said SAM usistant coach Yolanda Bates who knows something dbout swimming henettl Bates represented Mexico in two PanAm ft participated in many other Central meets before coming to B YU yean u u — Su KANE JWfffff1 on Plage 19 JPOORC i r'JWa ride aboard Jonathan Kane swims to state title Shane Frazier dMaion In the state 15 make the NFR "You can count 123 (rodeos)" Garrett explained "I'm waiting for the draw to come around my way" Soon after the rodeo he wu off with traveling partner Larry Sandvick who |