Show Section Tuesday November 2$ 2003 Pagel The Herald Journal Ags Cats wag® war once again Insido By Jeff Hunter sports writer While the Aggies will face a laun- dry list of challenges tonight when they take on Weber State at the Dee Events Center Utah State head coach Stew Morrill does see one ' glimmer of hope "If you try and find something that gives you a little bit of a positive feeling it's that they don't have a pro ' playing guard" Morrill noted "They've had a pro playing guard for a lot of years we've played them with (Jermaine) Boyette and Eddie Gill" But even if the Wildcats ( can't Q & A with Utah State senior B2 spiker Cartwright Sports briefs boast of a future pro in the back-cou- rt the fronlcourt could be one of WSU's best ever Forwards Slobodan Ocokoljic ( 153 ppg 84 rpg in 2002-0and Nic Sparrow ( 10 1 ppg 46 were both first-tearpg in 2(X)2-0All-Bi- g Sky Conference selections last season while Utah transfer Lance Allred has been impressive at ' center during the preseason "They've got two first-tealeague players back off an undefeated team in conference — that right scares you" Morrill declared "Then Lance Allred has been AGGIE BASKETBALL 3) m 3) PROBABLE STARTERS lit yr ppg rpg Jr 11 0 20 RADIO: KVNU KVFX FM-94- in 5 Utah State F- '25 John Neil Logan: 963 FM in Salt Lake 1023 FM in Bear Lake TV: None ' USU: WSU: AM-61- 0 -0 See WAR on B4 Weber State DtuStnt Tuesday — 7:05 pm At the Dee Events Center USU 6-- Sr - 90 40 Sr 24 0 13 0 4 6-8 Jr j 3b 50 Sr 30 80' So 60' 20 6-6-- 6-- 3 falls to 0-- 2 For the first 8 minutes of the opening half the Utah State women's basketball team battled with Mon- - " tana State the tw defending Big Sky Conference : toe-to-t- oe ' n regular-seaso- ' champs And then came the next 12 Bobcats scored the final seven points of ‘ ffirst USU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Bobcat 65 began thC - Aggies41 second on a J9-- 4 run ' to turn a close game into a 65- - ' 41 rxiut Monday night in Bozeman Mont "Our first halfwasthe best ' ' APphoto half of bUkkcthall we've played Tamp® Bay's Shelton Quarles right climbs over New York's Jim Finn to recover Finn's fumble on Monday night - ' so far" Aggies coach Raegari Pehley said in a telephone interview-- "Wfe just didn't put two halves together"- v" With the victory the Bobcats'' who lost to Colorado State in the pOstseasort NIT last year improyed to 24) with both of their wins coming against ' " Big Wesi Conference clubs The field TAMPA Fla (AP) r-8 Tampa goal Things certainly Joi)ked 'Tampa Bay’s defensie redeeming Bay Buccaneers are off to a winning promising for USU (0-2- ) in the first half of its road opener start without Keyshawn Johnson itself after yielding winning drives! the hiiwever foiir forced three weeks Playing with a sense of urgency lack--1 previous After struggling in the low' turnovers by Kerry Collins and sacked ing for much of the season the defend- ' - blocks in their home opener the Giants’ quarterback three times ing Suoer Bowl champions revived their ' 19- with Fria Southern last Utah John Lynch's interception' with under against playoff hopes Monday night 1 3 four minutes helped ensure the oulr day the Aggiesmade a con-- ! victory over the New Yak Giants " ' certed effort to get sophomore Brad Johnson come center Ali Aird involved early threw for 269 yards '30-yakicked a of pair MattBryant ' on and one touchdown Ard responded with six of field goals for New York which 1 her team-highpoints to : helping the Bucs (5- trimmed a ( 7-- 6 deficit to four points : 1 give USU a 6) stop a three-gam- e midway when Frank Walker intercepted a pass through the half losing streak in their intended for Joe Jurevicius and first outing since Unfortunately for the returned it56 yards for a touchdown- ' Johnson Aggies it was their last leaiid Keyshawn with 1 2:42 remaining jri the fourth was deactivated for they struggled with poor quarter’ the remainder of the shot selection the majority of But instead of wilting down the season because of the contest Questionable shot APphoto' as in did to New stretch falling they differences with selection resulted in one assist Tampa Bey's Ronde Berber (20) tackles and Green Bay dur- Orleans Carolina coach Jon Gniiden and hie brother New York's Tiki Barber during ' shooting from 3- losing streak the ing the three-gam- e “So far so good" said Gmden who (and the first quarter Monday night-- ' for Utah State point Bucs held on this time The Giants took decided lastweek that Johnson'S desire to With 35 vs Mon- turnovers an intentional safety with 1:57 to go next week We’ll see what happens" ' the State tana leaveTampa after this season had Aggies have an then failed to recover ah onside kick CharlesLee one of the receivers' become a distraction he and general manratio of toss the was in sixth The eight getting more playing time because of ' ' ' the on season ager Rich McKay could no longer ignore' :57 (4-New 53for York which jgames Keyshawn 's absence scored on a "I think our team responded on the "We've got ta teach our kids watched its playoff prospects all but yard reception Thomas Jones scored with five practice field all week" the coach added on a I -- yard run and Martin Gramatica gaimes disappear remaining See THROTTLE on B4 drive with ' in die regular season finished a long second-ha- lf “We've got a chance to get back to 500 squad inks 4 ! Four gymnasts have signed letters announced by Aggie head coach Ray Coin The four signees include Jadyri Foglie Katie Oman Ana Rickard and Megan Tschida Foglie isfromWheatonIll and was a member of the Illinois Gym- nasties Institute Foglie placed first in the floor at regionalsand was second in the at the state level jasf year Oman comes from Sartell High School in Sartell Minn and is a member of the TwiriCity Twister ' ' gymnastics club - ' Life all-arou- nd '! ' ' 1 of intent to attend Utah State it was '' ' 50 50 Sr 12 0 20 Sr 80 4 0r ht yr ppg rpg 6-- 4 5-- ' 30 By Jason Turner sports writer" to letters of intent i-- Sr Bobcats throttle Aggies Cernianska joins volleyball team- ' mate Erin Cartwright and football players Travis Cox and Chris Coo-- winners oijf the USU leyastwo-tim- e Athlete of the Week honor Ag gym Jr 160 9 pm gam Volleyball player Zuzana Cemians-k- a became the fourth different athlete to be named the Utah State Athlete of the Week two times this season as she earned the honor in a split vote over Aggie football player Chris Cooley : Cernianska who was the year’s first Aggie Athlete of the Week back on Sept I led USU to two victories last weekend The sophomore from Czech Republic averaged Prague ' " 478 kills 2?2 digs 056 blocks and 044 services aces per game in USUs two wins against Pacific and ' Cal State Northridge She led the ' team in kills in both matches with 20 ' against UOP and 23 against CSN Cernianska leads the team hi kills per game at 457 She set a school record for season attempts this year with 1120 heading into the team's ' final match The Aggies who ' improved to 18-1- 1 overall and 10-- 8 i in the Big West conclude the regu- ’!" lar season at B YU tonight - 8 6-- ' T 2 Nic Sparrow 5 Slobodan Ocokojic C 41 Lance Allred G 22 John Hamilton " G 4 Jamaal Jenkins ntfiiEiSun 6-- ' F F Cernianska earns USU weekly award " 6-- 6 F 32 Spencer Nelson C 44 Mike Ahmad G-1Cardell Butler G 20 Mark Brown m 0) - : Rickard is a 40 student from Mount Pleasant Community High School in Mt Pleasant Iowa She finished 13th in the country in the vault last year ' ' ' and 26th in the USU Iowa State chose over Rickard Tschida is from SL Paul Minn and Corn credits the recruiting ofiusistant coach Ernestine Russell forTschida's choice in coming to USUTschida's motherwas a gymnast under Russell at the University of Florida without Keyshawn begins on good note for Bucs : 21-ya- rd : - : rd -1 1 2-- ' Monday's scoros 1 0-o- -- NFL Tampa Bay 1 9 New York Giants 13 NBA : New York 94 Boston 88 ' assist-to-tumov- er Indiana 89 Orlando 78 Detroit 94 Atlanta 89 Houston 105 LA Clippers 90 1 7) NHL Florida 2 Buffalo 1 Washington 4 Detroit 1 ' Toronto 2 Vancouver 1 Dallas 5 Phoenix 2 Nashville 3 Colorado 2 Wait 'til next year to pass judgment on Mick : On toldvlslon COLLEGE FOOTBALL Spjn - ' ESPN2 — North Texas at New Mexico St MEN? COLLEGE BASKETBALL 5 pm ESPN — Maui Invitational semifinal at Lahaina Hawaii 7 pjn ESPN — Michigan SL at Kansas pjn ESPN2 — Maui Invitational at Lahaina Hawaii 12d0pja— semiff-na- UEFA Champions ESPN2 Mian League Inter vs Arsenal Italy r jt l By Shawn Harrison sports editor are ready to get over iL I really think His face and body said it all I can't even remember the exact question I began with but I can recall the way he looked and the lone in his voice Utah Stale tight end Chris Cooley had just played his final game in an Aggie uniform and it wasn't a pleasant ending USU had let another one slip away to finish he year at 9 Cooley's voiced cracked several times but he answered each of my ' questions and then thanked me "This team is so close to getting over the hump" Cooley said after Saturday's season finale loss at Idaho h's ben a big hump but I think they this team will get on a roll next season and : 3-- Kermit Hall supporting Dennehy I understand fans' frustration I've had to see every game live But calling for Dennehy's head is silly Maybe they should record what they say oh the radio or go back and look at what they post on those websites They should be embarrassed Personally I laugh at how outra- geous some of the comments are Most of these people fire from the hip and don't really think out what they are saying I love hen most of them talk about supporting the program but not the coach or the athletic director That is fine But then they go on ripping this or that and most of this happens after a lough loss Have they ever thought : win" Cooley will not be around to be part of iL The senior will playing in the NFL next year But USU head coach Mick y and his staff will be Unless of course a select few boo birds get their way I don't think that is going to happen with athletics director Ranee Pbgmire and USU Resident Den-neh- about who might be listening? I've talked to several athletes who said they have tuned in while driving home after games What kind ofmessage does that send? The callers think the coaching staff should be fired and the athletes are no good But make sure and let everyone listening know that you are a true Aggie arid support the program Fans pay good money to come and watch so they have the right to voice their opinions I'm aware of thaL But are their comments really helping the program? Dennehy has two years left on his Sec WAIT — ' ' " aaB4 3 |