Show The Herald Journal Logan Utah Saturday March 23 2002 — B3 PM ftCu® TBufdDB S'fenDD Mickelson up down at TPC finds himself one stroke back 3f PONTE VEDI A BEACH Fla' Tiger Woods was among them (AP) — Just call him Phil the Thrill Despite chopping out from The ball was sitting on hard sand and making bogey on the 18th 85 yards from an undulating green hole Woods had a 72 and was at surround by thick rough and pot bunkers A large oak tree 20 yards in “Anything under par you’re going front of him only made the snot that to be moving up” Woods Said much more daring for Phil Mickelson The cut will not be made until Sat“That’s what I enjoy about die urday but even those who barely qualify for the final two rounds like- game" he said “That challenge” He opened the face of a wedge ly will be oply right strokes behind Thin could set up a tight finish per- then closed it on impact to create ’ what Mickelsoa called “side sauce” haps a weekend of survival if the The ball swerved around the tree wind continues to howl landed on die right fringe and spun Don’t expect Mickelson to change 30 the feet his over Sideways rolling just strategy He made three birdies when he cup yid leaving him a tap-i- n birdie With flair a few flops and a game returned Friday morning to finish his round including a to 6 inches plan for which he makes no apoloon No 7 and the improbably birdie gies Mickelson jumped right back into contention in The Players on No 9 There were four bogeys on his Championship He played 25 holes on Fridayin card the second round and one ' even par but don’t get the idea it was incredible par that saved his round — a driver into the trees on No 12 a conservative plodding style finds so unacceptable Mickelsons (most players hit iron from the tee) a remarkable birdie finished off a pitch sideways into the fairway and a' 64 He was 11 strokes higher wedge to 2 feet for a tap-i- n in die second round “I think this is a tremendous golf When his long and exciting day course for players who are willing to ended Mickelson was at 5 --under get aggressive" Mickelson said “A 139 trailing clubhouse leader Carl lot ofguys aren’t” ' No there aren’t many like MickelPaulson by one shot when play was son suspended by darkness “If 1 change the way I play golf I This style has won’t enjoy the game as much and I brought him 20 victories on the PGA won’t play to the level I have been Tour more than any other active player besides Woods who has 30 playing” Mickelson said “I won’t Woods also leads Mickelson ever change r— not tomorrow not in the major championships the ultiSunday or at Augusta or the US mate benchmark in golf Open or any tournament ' Mickelson believes his time is ' “I may never win a major that way but it doesn’t matter to me coming and was quick to point out That’s how I play my best golf" ' that his aggressive game put him in Paulson had his second straight 69 contention id three of the four majors and was at 138 unknown territory last year One of those was the Mas- for a who has never won ters where he finished three strokes on the PGA Tour behind Woods Then again Lefty has gotten the Craig Perks had a 68 and was at 139 Jeff Sluman also was at 5 under best of Woods on occasion with two holes remaining when he He stopped stopped Woods’ PGA returns Saturday — starting with the Tour winning streak in the Bilick ' 17th Invitational two years ago and who terrorizing island-gree-n In whipping wind that began to dry later that year beat Woods in the out die greens and bring indecision into Tour Championship the first player in 20 events to win when Woods had just about every shot no one managed lead to runaway from the field — 36 players the iwerMrithm five' stats of theleacL enftwta anybody thick-roug- ©©mitaBoini Sim h ' I first-rou- nd ke 6-- 0 first-rou- the plate and challenge Tiger the way I have” Mickelson said “He’s the best player in the game and I am not going to back down from him I see these other guys wilt and it’s just unbelieveable to me that they haven’t been able to play their best golf when he’s in contention" Mickelson was one of those guys at the Bay Hill Invitational He was only one stroke behind in the final round when he drove into the right-treeFiguring he had no chance to get into the firm fairway by pitching out Mickelson tried to cut a off the leaves under branches and over the water to an elevated green - ! 54-ho- ' AP photo hits his tee shot on the fourth hole during the second round of The Players Championship Friday morning at leader before stumbling in the second round Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach Fla Mickelson was the tournament PhD Mickelson with three straight bogeys “I get criticized for it but the fact is - 4-ir-on le ’a hamburger and go home’’ Duval'' joked after finishing with a 75 that that I play my best when I play aggresput him at 143 sive when I attack when I create ' Mickelson will come back Saturday shots” Mickelson said “That’s what I and swing for the fences if not die pins His heroes in golf were Arnold ' enjoy about the game that challenge” ' The challenge that awaits this Palmer and Scve Ballesteros two play--er- s weekend is to avoid trouble and who felt they could hit any shot there is plenty of it at the Stadium from anywhere on the course Jack Course on the TPC at Sawgrass Nicklaiis took a more conservative David Duval birdied his last four ' approach to win 18 majors often letholes to finish his first round at 68 ting those around him make mistakes and was moving up the leaderboard “I enjoy watching Jack Nickfaus when he hit into the water off the tee play” Mickelson said “I just don't at'No 5 and No 7 then took double enjoy playing that way myself” Mickelson’s way is to create shots bogey on No 17 by hitting an over the island green attack pins and live with the conse- “I thinkl'lLslaauLfowfilubs have found the water and finished quences i V Hunsaker to Lobos? Maybe Preston beats West Side PrepIsoftballB By WM Dennlston staff writer For the West Side softball team everything was going just fine Friday afternoon as it was cruising along with a 0 lead over Franklin County-rivafter two innings of play Then it all fell apart for the Pirates in the top of third 5-al Pre-st- on Behind five Bfest Side errors as well as four walks and one hit batter by Buc starting pitcher Jill Hatch the Indians erupted for nine riuu as they took the lead for good holding on for an 11-- 8 victory in a game that was' played at Marsh Valley High School in Arimp Idaho k “That was our inning” West Side coach Lori Beckstead said “I never want another inning like that again! “It’s one of those things you’re glad it’s the beginning of the year and not the end” Especially since the Pirates lost Aphley Peterson on a scary play at first base According to Beckstead a Preston baserunner and Peter- bad-luc- son collided Beckstead said Peterson felt a pop in her nect so her parents took her to the hospital Fortunately for Peterson and tiie Pirates nothing was broken as it Wa determined she had sprained her neck While Tribe coach Wade Schvaneveldt was certainly pleased with theway his team' overcame the five-ru- n deficit on the and put a nine-spboard in the third he was even more excited about the fact Preston added a couple more the next inning “The good thing was after die inning We took the lead ’ we came back in die top of the fourth and got a couple more runs” he stud Those runs came off West Side freshman Tenielle Beck- stead who replaced Hatch after the third Beckstead had struck out the first two Indians she faced but then hit Jessica Parker to get Preston going as doubles by Kellie Tobler and Headier Hansen led to both runs Hansen had just the one hit for the Tribe but she did lead the team with three RBI Candy Lagos added a pair of singles for Preston (2-Tobler went the distance for the Indians to pick up the win The senior hurier struck out four and walked five — three of which SQored The Pirates ) were led by Joni Hatch and Mandy Richards who each had two ot r hit&apiece Jill Hatch was tagged with the loss pitching three innings striking out six and ' walking three She allowed four earned runs on six hits West Side usedtwo Preston miscues to jump out to a 0 3-- & lead after first inning then added two more in tiie second to take its biggest lead of the game “Our girls seemed a little hesitant in the first two innings” Schvaneveldt said ’ The Indians will be back in : Nicole ' Aggies other Kilpatrick took fourth with a 3900 Kilpatrick won the vault with dueer-hig- b ' ’ ! f ' 4 nd I ’ 1 1 all-around V 11 A ’'‘f j' -' Ags Continued from B1 regiodals That was my goal “So I was just excited to make it through that and I didn’t even realize it was a career high until after” Whilethe Aggies finished -meet in third : the behind and Denver place Southern Utah respectively the momentum they gained on the bars carried them through-- : m ' him” out the night as they finished with a season-hig- h score of ' 195550 “We had a lot of momentum ' going into the othdr events” USU junior Nicole Kilpatrick said “It was just really excit- -' mg Rutherford wasn’t the Only star for the Aggies on bars Utah State senior Jessenia Abrego got tire team going by leading off with a 9775 — tying her season high After a fall by Kimberly Scharman Kirra Seeley got : the Aggies back on track again with a 9825 Nalani Chung then followed suit with a 9675 setting up Rutherford's stellar performance Kilpatrick capped the bars' for USU when she tied her career high of 9825 She also was lifted into the air by an excited Com “We start on bars and Kim made a mistake there and it kind of put the pressure on the rest of the bar team’’: Corn said “Boy they came through r in brilliant flying colors” -- ’'' so much” floor The pressure was on when USU must now wait for Air Stephanie Gordon fell during her routine— the first fall of the night force’s performance today to see if for USU The remaining five Aggies they getto travel to Denverfor the ' came through regional njeet: Kyla Mattioli Allison Rosenthal “My gut feeling is we afe going to ' and Abrego all matched or sex career make it” Abrego said vmakeit? ' ' Abrego said she knew the Aggie ‘The senior was right when shp pie- highs Ateego led the way with a dieted her team’s bars performance as tiie crowd chanted “10” were gpingto hit their routines They 9925 ' Mattioli and Rosenthal both recorded Friday night Her teammates are certainly md registering a season- 49025 score 9875 scores hoping she js right on this too “I knew we were going to put it Other meet' notes: USlTs Mika washappytO get abovea99 LoVe Houston misred the meet! The before my career win over” Abregb together when Wwerewarming tip for bars” Abrego said “Everyone sid “I jUst try to perform to the 'J sophomore altarounder is suffering crowd and try to hiL We are proud fiom'anemia and has not been did awesome on bars” Y USU followed up its strong start of our performance” yy cleared to compete yet 1 Boise State with another team season best score y Cilintrick made it three 9925 r y Unofficially secured a both to region-- i scores for the Aggies on vault USU' on tiw beam (4875) Kirra Seeley als The Broncos needed a 194575 to ' finished strong on Vault including a led theway with a 9825 followed' mathematically qualify' Cal State ' ' Ftdlehon had a rough meet aiid lost 985 by Abrego by Rutherford’s 9775 and Kim Scharman’s caren-hig-h 975 Despite leading for tiie' majority of Sharon Snell when she dislocated an ' the meet the Aggies had to settle for arm cm the floor TheTltans had to After two rotations USU held a third Y ' Y use just fiy gymnasts on the floor slight lead over the other four teams 'aridvault “I’ve never beenso proud of a Boise State’s Heidi The ladies came witii their game 0 White won the beam title 'with a faces” Com said The focus was on team as tonight because of every- 9925 score USU finished tiie regthing they have been tiirough tins' scaring win lose or draw” record TheAggiesttuggletiabitonthe V year " Corn said “I admire tins team ular searon witii a "t : : couch at Ball State from 1989-9- 3 and spent most of last season as Utah's acting coach after Majerus left the Utes to attend to health problems and his mother's cancer “He’s an assistant who has been a head coach” Haskins said “Hewas the head coach ' (at Utah) for a year He’s a tough kid-- like ' routines Rutherford pumped her fists and did a little dance after com- pleting her routine “I just tried to hit because I have Y been having problems on bars” Rutherford said “I was excited to 9925: Continued from B1 “I knew in tire air it wire going to berth to regionals in two weeks be good” Kilpatrick said “I just 1 told you it was going to' be a wanted to stick it It was really ex barnburner” USU coach Ray Com ing to get my highest seme" said “That was a great perfonhance There was plenty of excitement on Utah State It Pm for everv team Cal State by pleased very Friday ’ was an outstanding performance by Fullerton was the only schooliiot in ' " tire running for the team title late in every team hoe” " ' Boise State finished fourth tire meet y y "y and Cal State tire start Fullerton The Aggies certainly got 19490) rounded oiit the field with 193350 they wanted Beginning on the bars score The Broncos’ JamieJohns r USU hit five routines Including daztitle scoring a wanthe zling performances ty freshman 39425 She was also named the Katie Rutherforti ana Kilpatrick! ' Conference Gymnast of the Year Rutherford scored a career-hig- h “I’m sp happy for her (Johns)” 925 wfaile Kilpatrick matched her Boise Stine coach Sam Sandmire Sr best evdr score with 9825 Ruther- ford tied with Titap Kelly Matiiiasen said “She stuck every dismount and for tire event titlereally put it an together” Y' Denver’s Ashley Schible took se£- Rutherford and Kilpidrick both A ond in the with 39325 Y received hearty cheers from the mark USlTs Jessenia Abrego took ' : crowd Com also got into tire act thirdwith a career4iigh 3935 The lifting both gymnasts up after their ' Sum- - miL West Side will next play Firthon April 3 in Dayton ' Hunsaker’s name is among several mentioned as possible candidates for the New Mexico job vacated by Fran Fraschilla’s resignation last Sunday As the search continues each day seems to bring a new frontrunner Former Chicago Bulls coach Tim Floyd was the top candidate but he told New Mexico he isn’t interested Neither apparently is Creighton coach Dana Altman five-tea- action today when they takes on both Morgan and North back-to-ba- ck : New Mexico athletic director Rudy Davalos reportedly also has spoken withUC Santa Bar-bhead coach Bob Williams Hunsaker an assistant to Rick Majerus at ' Utah could not be reached for comment Friday Haskins said Hunsaker meets Davalos’ prof- erence to hire someone who has experience as a Division 1 coach Hunsaker was the head ar El 1) (0-3- ALBUQUERQUE NM (AP) — Utah assistant Dick Hunsaker is the right man for tire head coaching job at New Mexico former Texas-Paso coach Don Haskins said Friday “He would be an excellent choice" Haskins said during a telephone interview from his home in El Paso Texas “I would take Dick Hunsaker in a second” hii : - T r k '' ' -- J - " : 7-- 15 : |