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Show Tuesday, April 2, 2013 Page 7 TuesdaySportsx\ Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.utahstatesman.com Glanc FOOTBALL Aggie Schedule Men's Tennis TUESDAY, APRIL 2 USU at Weber State, 11:00 a.m. FRIDAY, APRIL 5 USU at UTSA, 1:30 p.m. Women's Tenni THURSDAY, APRIL 5 USU vs. SJSU, noon FRIDAY, APRIL 6 USU vs. Texas State, noon, SATURDAY, APRIL 7 USU vs. Seattle, 9:00 a.m. So tball WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 USU at Idaho State, 4:00 p.m. FRIDAY, APRIL 5 USU vs. vs. UTSA, 2:00 p.m., DH SATURDAY, APRIL 6 USU vs. UTSA, 1:00 p.m. Baseball FRIDAY, APRIL 5 usu at USU Eastern, noon, DH SATURDAY, APRIL 6 USU at USU Eastern, noon, DH Track and Field JUNIOR QUARTERBACK CHUCKIE KEETON hands the ball off during a USU home game in the 2012 season. File photo Aggies hold first spring scrimmage APRIL 5-6 All-Idaho Cup, Boise, Idaho Track fares well at Standford The men's and women's track teams both performed well at the Stanford Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Six different Aggies finished in the top six in various events. Sophomore Nic Bowens finished third in the men's 200 meters with a time of 21.16, and junior Keeley Eldredge took third in the women s hammer with a throw of 54.32 meters. Page named USU athlete of the week Freshman Briton Page was named the America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week for the period ending Sunday, March. 31, in an award voted on by a state-wide media panel. Page notched the fourth-fastest time in school history in the men's 800 meters after finishing third at the Stanford Invitational with a time of 1:49.64 on Saturday. Softball falls to NMSU The Utah State women's softball team fell to 5-28 overall this season and 0-6 in WAC play after a 3-0 loss to New Mexico State University in its home-opening series on Saturday. Freshman pitcher Noelle Johnson took the loss for the Aggies after giving up three runs in four innings of action. USU returns to the field on Wednesday, April 3 when the Aggies face Idaho State at 4 p.m. Complied from staff and media reports BY TAVIN STUCK' news editor The Utah State football team held its first spring scrimmage of the year Thursday. Following USU's best season in recent history in 2012 — finishing with a win at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and a top-25 ranking — the Aggies hoped to give fans a glimpse into 2013 with an impressive showing on the defensive side of the ball. Or at least a lackluster performance on offense. The offense scored three touchdowns and three field goals in approximately 100 snaps, fumbling the ball once, throwing three interceptions and giving up five sacks. First-year head coach Matt Wells, who was promoted from offensive coordinator after former head coach Gary Andersen left for Wisconsin, said there were good and bad things on both sides of the ball. "There was good give and take," Wells said. "We moved the ball on offense. I just wish we could have finished some things down in the red zone with touchdowns instead of field goals." The first touchdown came on the third series, driving 60 yards in 11 plays and ending with a 4-yard pass from junior quarterback Chuckie Keeton to sophomore wide receiver Brandon Swindall. Keeton said there were a few things he thought the offense needed to work on. "One of them is definitely ball security," Keeton said. "There is no way you win a game if you turn the ball over three or more times, much less two or anything like that. Holding on to the ball is probably the number one priority right now." Another issue to work on was letting the players get their lungs back. Senior defensive end Connor Williams said the team was feeling a little out of shape from the offseason and needed to remember techniques as players get tired. "As time goes on, I think we are going to refine our technique more and more," Williams said. "So when it's 3rd-and-8 we'll be able to get out to the quarterback instead of getting tired and heavy legs, which is how we felt today, but that will change." The offense fumbled once late in the scrimmage and freshman cornerback Devin Centers recovered. Wells said he needs his running backs to hold on to the football. "If you're going to lay it on the carpet, you'll watch the game right next to me on Saturday," said Wells, "You will not play in this program putting the ball on the ground. That's an emphasis of ours and will be a major emphasis this week." Keeton went 17 of 28 for 186 yards passing with one touchdown. Junior running back Joe Hill had 13 rushes for 41 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Jojo Natson led the team with six catches for 69 yards. "We definitely have to work on consistency as far as routes, coming off the ball and of course catching the ball," Keeton said. "We have got to find the guy who is our number one go-to guy. Last year it was Matt Austin and this year we definitely have to find who it is. We have some good candidates, but nobody has really defined themselves completely." Keeton didn't throw any interceptions, but freshman linebacker Travis Parrish, sophomore linebacker Alex Marsaw and redshirt freshman cornerback Marquan Ellison each came up with picks. Senior defensive tackle Paul Piukala, junior cornerback Rashard Stewart, sophomore linebacker Kyler Fackrell, redshirt freshman linebacker Bridger Peck and freshman defensive tackle Ricky Ali'ifua each recorded a sack during the scrimmage. "They've gotten a lot better at disguising their coverage and blitzes," Keeton said of the Aggie defense. "Even though I am checking at the line of scrimmage, trying to decipher who our offensive line is picking up, they are still doing a good job of bringing multiple guys and adjusting on the fly." Last season, the Aggies were two missed field goals away from a perfect 13-0 season. Thursday, no USU kicker missed a field goal or extra-point attempt. Wells said it is a testament to strong red-zone defense when to force ►See AGGIES, Page 8 SPECIAL FEATURES Just Jumpin' their way into hearts BY JASON BORBA staff writer Going to a Utah State basketball game is a great experience. Whether it's a men's or women's game, there is something for everybody. Halftime is for the crowd to sit down and relax to get ready for the second half, but this isn't always the case. Halftime entertainment has become a big part of basketball games. The USU cheerleaders and dance team have great performances during the break, but only one group puts the crowd on its feet and gets it cheering as if the game was still being played. That group is Cache Valley's own Just Jumpin' jump rope team. Founded in 2003 in River Heights, the team performs all over Utah and has been competing nationally since 2006. The team has per- formed many times at USU basketball games and are always wellreceived anywhere they go. "Especially Utah State, they are phenomenal and we love it there," said Just Jumpin' head coach Patrice Winn. "We go to Weber State and all the other ones and they love us. We usually get a standing ovation and the students just love us." Just Jumpin' came to be when Winn, the P.E. teacher in River Heights, was approached by Kathryn Mickelson, a student of hers, in 2003 about starting a jump roping team. The idea gained interest from other students and community members and became what it is today. "I had just moved to River Heights where the team was started and I was trying to make new friends," Kathryn said. "My morn said I had to go out and do something, MEMBERS OF JUST JUMPIN' practice a routine in preparation for a competition.The jump rope team competes all across the country. JASON BORBA photo so I was like, 'OK, I'll just give it a try.' They had the jump rope program here and I just fell in love with it after I jumped for a couple weeks and I started bringing my siblings into it." Kathryn and her brother Eric Mickelson are two of the longest-tenured members of Just Jumpin, having been there since the beginning. Being one of the oldest members of the group doesn't faze 18-year-old Eric, who said it's good to pass along the skills you have learned to the younger jumpers to keep the sport going. "It's fun to show people what I have practiced and learned," Eric said. "It's also fun to showcase a kind of different and unique sport." Eric will step away from the sport this summer when he trades in his ropes for a suit and tie to serve his mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The team consists of kids of all ages. The ►See JUMP, Page 9 |