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Show StatesmanSpOrtS Page 10 Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 HOCKEY Gibbons brothers help Utah State BROTHERS SHAUN AND BRIAN GIBBONS have helped Utah State to an undefeated season through the first eight games of the season. Shaun, pictured on the right, is in his first season while Brian, seen below, is in his second year with the Aggies. CURTIS BY SEAN O'SULLIVAN staff writer The Utah State club hockey team is off to an undefeated 8-0 start, including two wins over the only team that managed to beat the Aggies in the regular season last year, the Arizona State University Sun Devils. Utah State beat ASU twice on backto-back nights by scores of 4-1 and 2-0, respectively, and it was in large part due to the play of brothers Brian and Shaun Gibbons. The Gibbons brothers helped the Aggies record three road victories against Denver University, Colorado State University and the University of Colorado, beating all three Colorado teams for the second time. Interestingly, the two didn't have a big sibling rivalry growing up. "I was always playing hockey," Brian Gibbons said. "Shaun liked to try out different sports. He was a football player and a big-time lacrosse player, but we never had any rivalry. We're two years apart, so it's kind of hard to do that." Usually competitive people that live together have some sort of rivalry going on, but the Gibbons brothers were different. "We haven't really played with each other or against each other," Shaun Gibbons said. "We just helped each other out growing up." Since they never had the opportunity RIPPLINGER photos to be on the same team growing up, they are both enjoying the new experience of playing together at Utah State. In fact, it was Brian Gibbons, who played for Utah State last year, who convinced Shaun Gibbons to play for Utah State. "It's really no different than playing with (Jordan Kerr) or Cooper (Limb)," Brian Gibbons said. "He's just another guy on the team, but he's my brother. It's pretty cool." The fact that they know each other so well gives them an advantage on the ice. "We haven't played together before, but at the same time, it kind of feels like we have," Shaun Gibbons said. "We know where each other are at all times." "We read the ice well with each other," Brian Gibbons said. "It just comes natural for us." Reading the play isn't the only thing the brothers do well together. "We protect each other on the ice," Brian Gibbons said. "It's what we're known for. If one person messes with the other one, that person is probably going to have to deal with the other brother. It's been that way forever." This mentality was on full display in the last game of the ASU series. With less than four minutes to play, a brawl broke out on the ice. Both Gibbons brothers were involved. Brian Gibbons will have to sit out the next game for fighting, and Shaun Gibbons will have to miss the next three games for fighting two different Sun Devil players. "It goes back to that saying that nobody can pick on my brother except for me," Brian Gibbons said. "It's a good thing; it could be a bad thing at times, but it's fun. I like it." Even though Brian Gibbons already had a year in the system at Utah State, he didn't have a whole lot of advice for his brother except to get him back into hockey conditioning. "He's actually taken about a year and a half off from competitive hockey," Brian Gibbons said. "Coming up to the altitude and training with me all summer, I've been pretty impressed with him. Obviously everybody has a few things to work on, but so far I think he's doing great." Even though the two brothers play different positions, they didn't choose them so they could play against each other. "He's always been a faster skater, and I always liked to hit things, so I decided to play defense when I was a kid," Shaun Gibbons said. The Aggies' next games are Friday and Saturday at the George S. Eccles Ice Center in North Logan. They play the University of Utah on Friday for the annual "Pink in the Rink" game. On Saturday, the Aggies will face off against the Weber State Wildcats. In both games, the puck drops at 7 p.m. – sean.osullivan@aggiemaiLusu.edu Twitter: @seansy89 BASEBALL: Schiffman in charge for fall season, Doyle back in Spring OFrom page 8 Schiffman know being club president would entail a little more responsibility. "It's easy to play on the team in the fall because everyone plays a lot," Doyle said. "In the beginning of the spring, everyone will play a lot again, but as the season continues, we'll get our lineup set." The games in the fall are primarily for the team to accept new players and give everyone a chance to play in new positions. "With the fall, it's a good time to evaluate the guys' talent, see how they respond in certain situations and have fun," Schiffinan said. "It's really exhibition. We could go 0-16 and it wouldn't mean anything. It's a little bit different come the spring time." Although he knew the balance between coach and player would be difficult, Schiffman said he jumped at the chance to lead the Aggies during the fall. The team ended the 2012 fall season Oct. 20 by sweeping a doubleheader against Weber State. "The first game, Weber threw extremely well," Schiffman said. "it was a really tight baseball game. We mostly put our older guys out there with more experience. They were able to focus and compete. I was really impressed with the situational awareness of our team — up to bat, running the bases." Schiffman said he found new perspective about the game he loves. "As a player you think of that specific at-bat, but when you're coaching you look at the whole scheme of things or how the whole thing is gonna play out," Schiffman said. "That's the move you make. I haven't had anybody get too upset about it. When I make a decision, I try to make sure that I'm clear and that we're moving. People understand a lot of the times why we make the decision that we do." Schiffinan said any doubts present when the season started were put out of mind, and the experience of coaching and playing has given him and the team an opportunity to grow closer together. "From a player-manager standpoint, yeah, it is a little difficult," Schiffman said of his time coaching the Aggies. "But it's a learning experience and it has given guys the opportunity, not only them but myself, to mature." Schiffman said he sometimes struggles finding the balance between being a player with his friends and being a coach. Fortunately, his teammates from previous seasons have given him support in the coaching decisions he made. "A lot of times I want to be a player, and so I want be guys' friends," Schiffman said. "I feel like I'm still their friend and teammate, but I feel like it's hard when you have to make a coaching decision to make a move and I'm the guy that does it. I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings, but we're still out there trying to win." Doyle is confident in Schiffman's attitude. "He didn't want players thinking he was putting himself first," Doyle said. "In reality, he's one of our best players." The Aggies have 30 players on their roster this fall and 12 of those are returning players. Coach Doyle plans on having up to 24 players for the spring roster — the team will have another cut. Doyle is confident in his team's abilities, but tells his players, "It's more than just talent." "I would give our team as good of shot as any team at the region title," Doyle said. "It takes a whole lot more than just talent to win a championship. We have to play together as a team. There are a lot of intangibles." The Aggies had a 10-6 record for the fall season, but Doyle said he's expecting to see good things out of the team after the winter break during the more-important spring season, which begins Feb. 15 at the College of Southern Idaho. He thinks it is likely the Aggies will repeat this season as conference champions. "We've got 12 of our 15 players returning and added some more good players," Doyle said. "We're just as good talent-wise, maybe even better." – daniellekmanley@gmaiLcom Twitter: @daniellekmanley 2012 WAC SOCCER TOURNAMENT m 1M1 Thursday-Friday & Sunday 7=- 111is ov. t:2„.. II III II RIM • ■•,,MD iltakAil Af Chuck and Gloria Bell Soccer Field Purchase tickets at the USU ticket office inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum or at the game ---„ $8 for all session, $5 for single session • Visit utahstateaggies.com for more infosialktion UPCOMING EVENTS ridgy, I 1/2 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL vs. New Mexico Highlands @ 7pm i the Spectrum in Saturday, I 1/3 FOOTBALL vs. Texas State @ I pm at Romney Stadium MEN'S BASKETBALL vs. Simon Fraser @ 7pm in the Spectrum Free/ A cimiiisleCOTI/ for Stadeas-I "••■ ■■• |