Hockey vs. Miami (OH) Tomorrow, 7:30 p.m. Yost Ice Arena SPORTS Field Hockey vs. Northwestern Tomorrow, 4 p.m. Ferry Field 'Me Michigan Daily Thursday, October 10, 1985 Page 9 White By JOE EWING -A year ago, the Michigan State of- fense did not need Lorenzo White to help it humiliate Michigan, 19-7, before a hometown crowd in Ann Ar- *or. -But that was a year ago. THIS YEAR the sophomore tailback is not only needed by the Spartans' offense, but for the most part, he is the Spartans' offense. In 4our games this season, White has blossomed into one of the top run- ningbacks in the country, rushing for a Big Ten leading 664 yards (166 yards per game) and five touchdowns. Last weekend in State's 35-51 loss at Jowa, White rambled for a career- sparkI high 226-yards and two touchdowns against the top-ranked Hawkeyes. "I see him as one of the outstanding backs in the nation already and he's only a sophomore," said Michigan State head coach George Perles. "He's really something. I think he could end up being one of the best backs we've ever had here." AND HE'S essential to the Spar- tans' offense. "He adds a lot to our offense," Perles said. He adds the ability to run the ball and control the game offen- sively. That's an extra dimension for us. "He's a gifted athlete," Perles ad- ded. "He's quick and can hit the holes, es in dim Spa he can cut and has a great ability to break away." BUT THERE was a time a year ago when White wasn't the most needed part of the Michigan State offense. As a freshman, he was still a little green when the Spartans rolled into town for the fifth game of the season against the Blue. Although he had seen action in the four previous contests, he spent the entire afternoon on the bench at Michigan Stadium. "I didn't play at all," recalled the soft-spoken Florida native. "I didn't know the plays that we were running. We went to a different offense for that game and I didn't know what I was supposed to do." But shortly after the Michigan game, White figured everything out. Within a month he became the star- ting tailback and in his very first start he ran for a Michigan State freshman record 170 yards against North- western. Two weeks later he chalked up another 100-yard game against Wisconsin and started a string of six straight 100-plus yards contests that extends into this season. AS WELL AS the 226-yard perfor- mance against Iowa, this year he racked up 174 yards against Arizona State, 123 against Notre Dame and 141 against Western Michigan. His next intended victim, of course, will be the Wolverines this Saturday in East Lansing. Michigan, according to defensive coordinator Gary Moeller, does not have anything special in store for the 6-0, 205 pounder. "WE'RE JUST going to try to tackle him, that's all," said Moeller. rtan ofense "He's an excellent back, he's got great moves and quickness. We'll - have to deal with that." But the Wolverines defense, which has allowed only 21 points and one touchdown in four games, has already dealt with a back like White. Wiscon- sin's Larry Emery had averaged over - 120 yards per game before he ran into the buzzsaw that is, the Michigan defense, last week gaining just 56 yards. White is aware of the task he faces this weekend. "I got lots of respect for them," he said. "Defense-wise, they're solid. I think it is going to be hard to move the ball on them. "I'm not a person who can estimate how many yards I'll get, all I want to do is go out and play a good game. I can't say how good I'm going to do because I don't know. I just know I White want to help my team. ''... ignites Spartans And this year, the Spartans will gladly accept his help. 4' . BARB'S d [ARBS 1 New Spirit crew.. . 9 0 Progress has at last reached Michigan Stadium. I'm not talking about innovative football strategies or high-tech astroturf. The break from tradition to which I refer is on the sidelines. Michigan football's new co-ed cheerleading squad is a refreshing change from the old pom-pom girls that served as little more than decoration on the field. The co-ed squad, which has performed at Michigan basketball games since the 1968-69 season, aims to in- volve the trowd in the competition on the field. As their .name indicates the members' lead cheers, unlike their predecessors who jiggled around to an occasional "Let's Go Blue." "Cheerleading, first and foremost, is com- municating with the crowd and getting them to com- municate back," said coach Pam St. John. "Other- wise, it's just a performance. That's what the pom-pom squad did." There are two ways to evaluate the crew of spirit leaders--on their popularity with the fans and in com- parison with squads from other schools. The Wolverine pom-pom girls failed both tests. "The mail response and feedback from fans was largely negative," said St. John, a former Michigan pom-pom girl who coached the squad for seven years. The main complaint, she said, was that they just sat on the sidelines. As far as comparing notes with other squads, not many were in the same class. Few schools still feature pom-pom squads. Most have' progressed to co-ed groups like Michigan's. The good ones that remain, however, like UCLA and USC, are featured by the band and dance on the field. That kind of participation was a rare occurance at Michigan Stadium. The old group danced on the field only twice in the last three years. "That's not fulfilling what a pom-pom. squad should do," St. John said. "They're supposed to be a dance squad, but they spent most of their time on the sidelines." b In the Big Ten, where cheerleading has been . flips old traditions traditionally strong, Michigan has been topped in com- petition consistently by squads from Michigan State and Ohio State. The crew from Columbus won the Universal Cheerleading Association national cham- pionship in 1981, and the Spartan squad took the title two years later. Both schools have coed teams. "After looking at other schools, I saw that it works best with a co-ed squad where (members) are paired for stunts." St. John has heard some words of protest from fans who "Just want to see pretty girls. That doesn't necessarily change," she pointed out. In fact, three of the squad's five women members are former Michigan pom-pom girls. "These are pretty girls and good athletes." The new format for football, using the same squad that will cheer at basketball games, will also provide continuity to the program. Instead of starting their season with the opening tipoff at Crisler Arena, the cheerleaders will already be sharp and have the bugs worked out of their routines. "We've always had to scramble to get it together," St. John said. "It doesn't jell until February, and by that time they've already flubbed. Once you goof up the crowd gets down on you.'' The new squad may be a break from the past, but it's not trying to step on the toes of tradition. Members of the co-ed group stick to the south end of the stadium, away from the men's tumbling squad, a team unique to Michigan. They make short visit to the student section, but for the most part, keep to their own side. "With cheerleaders at both ends, more of the crowd can get involved in cheering," said co-captain Trissa Rever. Stunts add to the visual effects, but getting the crowd to cheer is our main objective." So far, it seems to be working. "People at the game come down and ask us to come over to where they are," said co-captain Michael John- son. "It's nice to be in demand." And with their variety of pyramids, lifts, and audien- ce participation cheers, they should stay in demand. ALEXIAN BROFHERS A Religious Community of Men in the... HEALTH CARE MINISTRY w4 Committed to Christ... Through a life of fraternal love, prayer and service to the sick, poor, dying and unwanted. ADMINISTRATION u NURSING CLERICAL TECHNICAL PASTORAL CARE X-RAY . LABORATORY ENGINEERING & MAINTENANCE MECHANICAL WORK .PUBLIC RELA- TIONS PHARMACY = COMMUNITY HEALTH, ETC. OLIVER DELIVERS IN TENTH: Jays get by Royals, go up 2-0 ,,TORONTO (AP) - Al Oliver slap- ped a single to left field with two outs inthe 10th inning, driving home Lloyd Moseby from second base and cap- ping a two-run rally off Kansas City relief ace Dan Quisenberry that gave the Toronto Blue Jays a 6-5 victory yesterday and a commanding two- game lead in the American League playoffs. Mioseby had been the center of con- roversy in the top of the 10th, when Kansas City scored to take a 5-4 lead. BUT THE quick turnaround in the Blue Jays' fortunes sent the best-of- ,seven series to Kansas City for Game ""tomorrow night with the Royals in an unenviable position. GRIDDE PICKS An untitled Griddes ditty Griddes is great Griddes is free. 'tf you don't play Griddes Yu'd better listen to me. Griddes raises grade points; Griddes wins you fans. Its your first-class ticket TO the promised land. If you don't believe this Or anything we say You got nothin' to lose SO play, play, PLAY! Griddes winners receive a Dooley's guest pass good for two plus a Pizza .Express full-tray Sicilian pizza, Chicago stuffed pizza or whole sub- narine sandwich. 1.,MICHIGAN at Michigan State (pick total points) 2. Jowa at Wisconsin. 3.,Indiana at Ohio State 4. Minnesota at Northwestern 5.Illinois at Purdue 6.1Oklahoma at Texas 7. Nebraska at Oklahoma State M8.Tennessee at Florida The Royals started as if they would easily snap their nine-game post- season losing streak, taking an early 3-0 lead. Dodgers 4, Cardinals I LOS ANGELES (AP) - Los Angeles stole an offensive ploy from St. Louis last night, and Fernando Valenzuela pitched the Dodgers to a 4- 1 victory over John Tudor and the Cardinals in the first game of the 1985 National League playoffs. Bill Madlock, acquired by the Dodgers five weeks ago in a trade with Pittsburgh, was the offensive catalyst in both innings in which the Dodgers scored. Valenzuela worked 61/3 innings for his first victory in nearly a month, and the Dodgers scored their runs with the help of an error, a stolen base and a two-out squeeze bunt, offensive tactics more commonly thought of as belonging to the Cardinals. The opportunistic Cardinals, meanwhile, wasted one opportunity after another against Valenzuela. ........ WR ITE FOR IN FOR MA TION ... Vocation Director,'Alexian Brothers 600 Alexian Way, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 U Name_09 Address City State Zip U Age Education Tel No.- "A HEALING PRESENCE" ........................................ ..........; HOSPITAL AND HEALTH CENTERS: Elk Grove Village, ILL./Elizabeth, N.J./St. Louis, Mo./San Jose, Cal./Signal Mt., Tenn./Milwaukee, Wisc. Brothers working in the Missions, in the Philippines. BE A PART -OF THE NEWEST MICHIGAN TRADITION. You've got big plans for yourself, right? Here at U of M, you can make it all happen. Take advantage of academic opportunities. Widen your social horizons. Join a student organization. Learn to be a leader. Sometimes doing all this gets a little complicated, though. We could all use some help deciding which parts of University life are right for us. That's where the Michigan Freshman Connection comes in. The only all freshman organization on campus. Find out what we're all about! New members still welcome! CLASSIFIED CLASSICS PRESENTS... GREEK GAB OCT. 1-31 ANNOUNCE PARTIES & SPECIAL EVENTS. SEND MESSAGES & INFORMATION. COLUMN GUIDELINES. * FREE one day insertion * offer valid thru specified dates only * Place ads on Wednesdays at the Fishbowl or weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard. ..... . ......... . . " .. .. .. . . ., t. .... .... .a- - --.-.-. *...9N.. -~.. . . . * ~ a ~ . ***a~ aa~ aaa d** *.* *,** *** ...-..- ~ - -.,.. (uII * - .. ~~ ....... 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