'age 8-Wednesday, February 8, 1978-The Michigan Daily
MINNESOTA
CONNECTION
Frosh i
By BRIAN MILLER
Minnesota has produced its share
of hockey players and Michigan's
coach Dan Farrell picked up a couple
of the better ones when he convinced
Gordie Hampson and Jeff Mars to
play their collegiate hockey in Ann
Arbor.
Hampson, a high school All-Ameri-
can forward and a two time All-State
selection, led his high school, Edina-
East, to a second place finish in the
Minnesota State Championships with
a 24-2 record last year.
cers hustling
Mars, the other half of the Minne-
sota connection, was also a high
school All-American and a Minnesota
All-North selection. He scored 46
points in only 21 games for Duluth
East last year.
BUT STATISTICS are relative and
hundreds of others around the coun-
try can boast of similar accomplish-
ments. What makes Hampson and
Mars so special is the tremendous po-
tential they possess in order to play
quality hockey for the Wolverines.
to learn the business
I
r
"We look for a lot of things when
recruiting," explained Farrell. "We
look at the way a kid skates, shoots
and passes as well as his attitude and
academic ability. Thos two are fairly
solid in all those categories."
If the old adage "like father like
son" holds true, the 6-3, 195-pound
Hampson and the 6-0, 190-pound Mars
will have a bright future in hockey.
Mars' father, Robert, starred for
Yale's squad in the late 40's and
Hampson's father, Ted, played for
the Detroit Red Wings and a few
other teams in the NHL.
JUST LOOKING at the two, you'd
never guess that they are hockey
players. Quiet, shy and polite to a
fault, Hampson and Mars seem
almost out of place on a big college
campus.
"But I've been able to adjust to
living away from home fairly eas-
ily," said Mars. "One of the reasons I
chose Michigan was because I want-
ed to go away to a big school."
Hampson cited different reasons
for coming to Ann Arbor.
"I think I would've liked to play
hockey in Minnesota," he said. "I
would have played for the Gophers if
I didn't play here. But I liked the
coach when I first met him and I like
the people I've met here."
MANY OTHER colleges were after
the two but for the most part, they
are satisfied with their choice of
Michigan.
"Even though I play hockey," said
Mars, "I'm also here for an educa-
tion. I'd accept the chance to play
professionally if it were offered, but
I'd like to be best prepared for what-
ever I do."
"I came here," explained Hamp-
son, "to go to school and also play
college hockey. I'd like it if the oppor-
tunity comes to play pro later, but
right now, I'm just concerned with
the present."
Hampson, who takes a regular
shift, has only eight goals and 14
points while Mars, who injured his
wrist last month against Minnesota,
has only two assists in 17 games
playing in a part-time capacity.
IT WOULD BE easy for many to
get discouraged and maybe even
give up, but not for these two. They
just work harder.
"Things aren't going as bad as they
seem for Gordie," noted Farrell.
"He's only a freshman, but he'll
come around. He's learning from
three of the best centers in our league
(Dave Debol, Kip Maurer and Dan
Lerg) and he is improving a lot. Jeff
will score some too. These guys are
tremendous workers."
And though the two hard working
freshmen don't talk a lot, they really
don't have to. Their hustle and desire
shows in the way they play hockey -
and for them. that says it all.
WHAT TO DO'
AFTER COLLEGE . .
is a question a lot of young people in high school and college are asking.
Then, even i you get the finest college degree, where con you use it meaningfully?
Perhaps the answerlies in becoming on Air Force officer through Air Force ROTC.
We have many different career areas in which specialists of oil kinds are needed.
And as an Air Force commissioned officer you con have unequaled opportunity for
leadership and management experience, plus an excellent starting salary and
benefits package.
Consider Air Force ROTC as a gateway *to a great way of life for you. Find out
about the benefits of a four, three or two-year scholarship that pays MOOa month,
tuition, book costs and lob fees. Couple that with what will be waiting offer gradua-
tion, and you hove the answer to what you've been looking for.
CONTACT: Captain Terry luettinger
764-2405 North Halt
TODAY
at THE UNION
FREE
Pocket Billiards
Instructions
3:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
ROTC
Gateway to a great way of life.
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the wire
By Don MacLachan
"Briggs always
believed he could
compete with the
best, and now
he proved it-
Karl Briggs.
You probably don't think of Briggs when names like Phil Hubbard,
Dwight Hicks, Mark Johnson, Rob Lytle or other Michigan captains are
brought up. Even though you don't hear much about him, Briggs captains
the 1978 Michigan wrestling team.
While reporting for the Daily, I became acquainted with various athletes
from different sports. But Briggs impressed me in a special way.
To follow Briggs' career through Michigan, you've got to wonder just
how he made it. An even tempered guy, Briggs had more than his share of
ups and downs both on and off the mat. Instead of giving up, Briggs con-
tinued to fight and now has nearly achieved his goal - to put in four good
years at Michigan.
Things started out nicely his freshman year when a shy 132-pound high
school state champion appeared on the Michigan campus and found himself
wrestling big time. The small grappler from the little town on Linwood step-
ped into the starting lineup due to an injury and won almost all his matches.
His teammates voted him a Champion of the Week and he went on to post a 7-
1 season record.
Briggs could have gotten cocky, but he didn't. He knew it wouldn't be an
easy chore earning the starting spot at 142 pounds the following year. One
thing Karl didn't know was that he would continue to grow physically. Briggs
came back for his sophomore year, winning challenge matches against his
teammates and establishing himself in a starting role.
Lost weight; strength
At the time, Briggs weighed around 155 pounds and cutting those 13
pounds to make weight became quite a task. Briggs won four of his first
seven matches before Christmas, but after a disappointing road loss at Nor-
thwestern, Briggs began to struggle. He cut weight - he vowed never to be
overweight for a weigh-in - but drained most of his strength in the process.
He lost matches by the scores of 2-1 and 3-2 against opponents he knew he
could defeat. Briggs could have packed it all in and quit at this point, but he
stuck with it.
Rather than frustrate himself, Briggs decided to go up a weight. Well,
Mark Churella was already there and Briggs only wrestled two more times
that season. It was tough for Briggs to sit on the sidelines and watch his
teammates wrestle in the Big Ten tournament and move on to the nationals.
Not a quitter, Briggs decided his junior year would be the turning point.
Over the summer, Briggs, doesn't have time to wrestle in tournaments
like a lot of his opponents. The blond grappler came from a family of 13 kids,
so he worked for a family friend and helped around the house as much as he
could. When he came back in the fall, then he put his mind to wrestling.
Something was different in his junior year. Briggs made weight at 142
pounds whether he liked it or not. He went out anddidn't run out of steam
anymore - in fact, he held on to beat some opponents in the last period.
Wrestling became fun for Karl Briggs once again. The highlight of his season
was at Indiana where he upset eventual Big Ten champ Sam Komar 11-5.
Briggs always believed he could compete with the best and now he proved it.
Briggs was seeded fourth in the Big Tens that season and lost the remat-
ch with Komar but defeated Joe Amore of Iowa 5-2 to earn fourth place.
Earlier in the year Amore decisioned Briggs, but in the tournament, the
Wolverine grappler held on to win - wrestling his third match of the day.
This meant that he had to watch his weight for two more weeks so he
could wrestle in the nationals at Norman, Oklahoma. Briggs lost there, but
just being in the competition was enough impetus to push him on for his final
year.
The affable Briggs spent the summer back in Linwood, working eight
hours a day preparing for his final year at Michigan. The coup de gras, as he
might say!
Win with aggressiveness
Briggs finally moved up in weight and felt very comfortable at 150 poun-
ds. He wrestled well and won 13 of his first 17 matches earning him a national
ranking in the country. As the tenth best wrestler in the country at 150 poun-
ds, Briggs will be forced to move up a weight class so Mark Churella can
defend his national title.
In wrestling against bigger opponents, Briggs hopes to beat them with
his aggressiveness. Desire and determination can go a long way towards the
captain's success. Having this year's Big Ten Championships in Crisler just
spurs Briggs on that much more.
After pondering what wrestling was worth to him many a time, his
career has come down to one final month of competition. Briggs will give it
his best at 158 pounds, but one figure stands out in that class - defending
champion Lee Kemp of Wisconsin.
In the meantime, Briggs has a chance to get some of the recognition he
hasn't received during his career. He wrestles in the shadow of Churella,
much like his roommate Ed Neiswender did last year when Mark Johnson
gained most of the attention.
The lack of acclaim never bothered him, but like anyone else he would
like to get some recognition when he earns it. For Briggs, the chance is
right here. And for a guy with as big a heart as Briggs - don't count him out
of the race for the 158-pound title. He's been counted out before and has come
back to surprise various people. One thing is for certain - after all he has
gone through, Briggs won't =leave anything on the mat.
Gyordie 11anpson
SANS SOUCI
large furnished 1 and 2 bed-
room apartments available for
fall occupancy
Located across from U of M stadium
Bus Service every 15 minutes from
Hoover St. to State St.
call 995-3955
visit resident manager at
apartment K-1
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Hockey Poll
Team Record
1. Boston U. (7)...........19-0
(tie) Denver U. (3)......23-4
3. Wisconsin ............. 20-6-3
4. Cornell................ 13-4-1
5. Michigan Tech ....... 18-10
6. Minnesota........... 19-8-L
7. Boston College..........15-5
8. Bowling Green.........19-7
9. Clarkson ............... 14-8
10. St. Louis .............. 18-11-1
Pts.
93
93
80
61
57
47
40
36
20
13
INTENSIVE JOURNAL