d The Michigan Daily-Wednesday, January 7, 1981-Page 15 Si 1pe, Knox ,honored By the Associated Press Brian Sipe, who led the Cleveland Browns to their first division title since 1971, was named The Associated Press' Most Valuable Player yesterday for the 1980 NFL season. Sipe, the league's top-ranked passer *his season, easily beat Houston run- ning back Earl Campbell who finished a distant second. Tied for third were quarterbacks Ron Jaworski of. Philadelphia and Steve Bartkbwski of Atlanta, with Dan Fouts finishing fifth. In other football news, the Buffalo Bills' Chuck Knox was named coach of the year by the AP. Knox, who took over a team coming off of a 3-11 season, has recorded 5-11, 7-9 and 11-5 marks in his three years with Buffalo. The Bills' eason ended Saturday with a 20-14 playoff loss to the San Diego Chargers. Before taking over at Buffalo, Knox served as the Los Angeles Rams' head coach. During his stay in Los Angeles ,the Rams won the NFC Western Division for five consecutive years. ~1W. . . . . ...... . .~. . . -1 Spartans edge M' hoopsters By MARK FISCHER It was a classic case of close but no cigar for the Michigan women's basketball team in its game against Michigan State last night at Crisler Arena. The Blue hoopsters fought back furiously from a 14-point second half deficit and pulled within two late in the game, only to lose by that same margin, 71-69, to the interstate rivals. After a turnover-filled two minute period in which neither team could score, the Wolverines (4-6) found them- selves down, 69-67, at the :34 mark with the ball and what proved to be their last chance to tie the game. The Spartans' zone defense was ready for the task, however, as Michigan's playmaking guard Lori Gnatkowski (seven points, eight assists) drove the lane and missed and MSU controlled the board with :19 remaining. The pressing Blue cagers wasted no time in trying to get the ball back, as Gnatkowski fouled State's Brenda Jezowski after only a second had elap- sed from the all-important clock. Jezowski, who had gone 0 for 2 from the charity stripe just minutes earlier, sank the resulting one and one this time for the winning tallies. The Wolverines still refused to die, and worked the ball to Diane Dietz, who then sank a pair of her team-high 19 points to pull Michigan within two, 71- 69, with five seconds remaining. Dietz' jumper was too little, too late, however. The clock simply ran out on the Wolverines, who could find no one to foul in the final five seconds. The Spartans outshot their hosts throughout the contest (49 to 41 per- cent) and especially early in the second half, when they increased their 6 point halftime lead to 13 midway through the final stanza. At that point the Wolverines made the first of their two main comeback spur- ts, netting eight unanswered points. Yet when Deb Traxinger, State's game-high scorer (19 points) hit on a fast break layup with 4 minutes to go to put her team up, 69-59, things again looked bleak for the Maize and Blue. The hustling and constantly pressing Wolverines were not to be daunted, though, and made yet another 8-0 run against the Spartans, setting the stage for Jezowski's fateful foul shots. BAHR LAMENTS LATEST WOES: Injuries hii By CHUCK JAFFE If wrestling coach Dale Bahr made a New Year's wish, it was certainly that his team would be fully recovered from its injuries in time for the Big Ten and NCAA Championships. Six of the team's wrestlers have major injuries, and the rest of the squad is battered and bruised. "Right now, there are more cholarships on the bench than there are wrestling," Bahr said.' The injuries start at the top of the lineup and run throughout the team. 126-pounders Mike DerGarabedian and Jim Mathias are both injured. DerGarabedian cracked a bone in his elbow and is expected to be out for three weeks. The extent of Mathias' injury isn't yet known. He has either a separated, *houlder or torn muscles, and Bahr hopes that he will only be out for a week. THE NEXT injury is in the 134-pound weight class: Larry Haughn, who was academically ineligible-during the first semester, tore rib cartilage while wrestling in the Midlands tournament. The injury was suffered in a losing ef- fort to defending national champion Randy Lewis of Iowa. At 142 pounds, Bob Siar is injured. . iar is one of three Wolverines who currently has knee problems. Last year, Siar had surgery on his knee, and, according to Bahr, the knee "blew up on him" last week. John Beljan, the starter at 158 poun- ds, suffered his knee injury during the Penn State Invitational. He is currently in a walking cast, and Coach Bahr hopes he can return to the lineup by February, in time for the Big Ten tour- ament. Beljan's replacement, Steve ierce, suffered some minor ailments that caused him to miss last Sunday's Ohio State match, but he should return for tomorrow's match against Lehigh. THINGS HAD been looking up for senior Bill Konovsky. Konovsky missed some of last season-and all of this year-due to a knee injury. After a long recovery, he made his season debut at the Midlands wrestling tournament, but shortly after his appearance, his knee swelled up. Bahr is hopeful that Konov- ky can return to his spot at 167 pounds by February. 'PINNING IT DOWN: The team had two dual meets during Christmas break. They defeated Clarion State, which was ranked 13th in the nation, in a 33-6 romp. Joe McFarland and Bill Goodill, a pair of freshmen, turned in superb performances to key the rout. Last Sunday, the team lost to Ohio State in Columbus by a 23-13 score. Pat McKay Qnd Eric Klasson turned in excellent performances for the Wolverines, who were not only hampered by injuries, but by the weather that kept 142-pounder Mark Pearson snowed in at home while the team practiced. The squad also took part in the grapplers Midlands wrestling tournament, which was held at Northwestern. Graduate assistant Steve Fraser placed sixth in his weight class, while no other wrestler placed., BAHR HAD special praise for heavyweight Eric Klasson. Klasson, who is currently ranked fourth in the nation, has been wrestling despite the fact that his father has been very ill. "Eric kept it to himself, so as not to burden the team," Bahr said. "He is working very hard getting into good shape for the championships. He is a special young man." The wrestling team faces Lehigh, ranked 11th in the nation, at home tomorrow. Lehigh features two national champions, and will be the strongest opponent Michigan has faced this season. The grapplers meet North- western at home this Friday. Both mat ches will be held in Crisler Arena and start at 7:30 p.m. Michigan St. 71, Michigan 69 Teri Soulier Abby Currier Penny Neer Diane Hatch Diane Dietz Lori Gnatkowski Patrice Donovan Cindy Baumgart Jeanne White Tammie Sanders Brenda Venhuizen Team Rebounds Totals MICHIGAN Min. FG/A FT/A R A PF Pts. 34 3/9 0/0 i1 2 1 6 22 4/10 6/6 4 2 3 14 28 4/15 0/0 9 0 2 8 13 1/3 0/0 0 2 0 2 36 9/21 1/2 p 5 2 19 30 3/8 1/2 2 8 3 7 2 0/0 0/0 0 0 1 0 4 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 10 20 4/5 1/2 6 2 0 9 4 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0 7 2/2 0/0 0 0 2 4 4 30/73 9/12 41 20 14 69 MICHIGAN STATE Gale Valley Laurie Reynolds Jackie Carter Brenda Jezowski Deb Traxinaer Karen Wells Lil Preston Shelly Chapman Kathy Edsall Team Rebounds Totals Min. 34 31 30 35 9 5 11 5 FG/A FT/A R A PF Pts, 6/9 0/0 5 1 3 12 7/14 0/0 8 0 2 14 3/14 1/2 16 0 2 7 40 3/9 0 5 1 8 8/12 3/4 6 3 1 19 2/2 0/0 0 1 1 4 0/1 1/2 0 0 1 1 1/3 0/1 2 0 2 2 2/2 0/0 0 0 0 4 5 32/66 7/13 42 10 13 71 Halftime: Michigan State 38, MICHIGAN 34 Attendance: 279 / ,"t I 'AM.: _