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The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday
March 2, 1992
... .. ...1 .. . r __ ____. _ i
'Michigan
clinches
CCHA
title
Michigan State
* swept at the Joe
by Ken Sugiura
Daily Hockey Writer
DETROIT - In terms of balance, Michigan's series
with Michigan State Feb. 21 and 22 at Joe Louis Arena
brought to mind the multi-pronged attack that defined
the Wolverines' offense last season. However, in terms
of results, the Wolverines' 4-1, 5-4 sweep of the
Spartans was most unlike the 1990-91 campaign.
"We wanted to prove something," Michigan coach
Red Berenson said. "I wouldn't call it revenge, but we
really wanted to prove that we were as good a team."
The Wolverines ran over Michigan State in a
cathartic weekend for the CCHA frontrunners. Eight
Wolverines found the net in the victories, which
avenged two consecutive futile series with MSU. In
both sets - this year's opening weekend and last
season's mugging at the Joe - the Spartans emerged
with a victory and tie.
Michigan defenseman Patrick Neaton was the hero
of Michigan's comeback Saturday. Down 2-0 on Joby
Messier and Nicolas Perreault power-play scores,
Neaton posted the Wolverines' first goal on a rebound
at 10:40 of the first period, and then capped Michigan's
scoring with the eventual gamewinner at 13:09 of the
third.
"It was just a play where I come up the middle, and
Denny (Felsner) fed it in the slot," Neaton said of his
power-play score. "I just got some wood on it and it
went in."
Neaton's second tally, his seventh of the year; stood
up after Spartan Peter White's re-direction of a
Perreault blast from the point brought the score to its
final 5-4 count. On the weekend, Neaton dished out a
pair of assists to accompany his two goals.
While Saturday's outcome was not decided until the
closing siren, Michigan's 4-1 clubbing over a sleepy
Spartan squad on Friday was over by the second period,
if not earlier. Michigan controlled the action from the
outset, utilizing the large ice surface to dazzle MSU
with its passing expertise.
"I think they deserve credit for putting us back on
our heels," Spartan coach Ron Mason said. "I just
thought they were a great hockey team tonight."
Wolverine netminder Steve Shields was impressive
as well. Shields turned away 19 of 20 Spartan attempts
See THE JOE, Page 5
Icers' split vs. Ferris
earns championship
by Andy De Korte
Daily Hockey Writer
BIG RAPIDS - In Friday
night's 6-5 loss to Ferris State, the
Michigan hockey team played what
coach Red Berenson called its
"poorest defensive effort of the
year." But the Wolverines (20-7-3 in
the Central Collegiate Hockey
Association, 26-7-3 overall)
rebounded Saturday by winning the
rematch, 4-3, clinching its first-ever
CCHA championship in the process.
Right wing Dan Stiver notched
his second goal of the night at the
18:10 mark of the third period to
seal the fate of Ferris State (9-15-6,
11-16-7). Mike Helber started the
offensive movement by scrapping
for a loose puck at the blue line.
Mark Ouimet received his pass
inside the right circle and found an
open Stiver in the opposite circle.
"Ouimet was passing to me,"
Stiver said. "Spudsy (Aaron Ward)
was between us and tipped it to me
... and I was ready to beat (FSU
goalie Craig Lisko)."
The Wolverines were certainly
ready for the deciding goal. At 11:46
in the third period, Ouimet had
apparently scored the go-ahead goal.
However, referee Steve Piotrowski
had blown the whistle for a Bulldog
penalty before Ouimet scored,
nullifying the score.
Michigan defenseman Chris
Tamer also netted a phantom goal
which was waved off because David
Roberts was whistled for being in
the crease.
"I was starting to wonder,"
Berenson said. "Ouimet's was
clearly a case of the non-offending
team gaining possesion but he blew
the whistle. None of our guys said
they were in the crease and a lot of
dominated the second period with
goals from Denny Felsner (two),
David Roberts, and Patrick Neaton
to take a 5-4 lead.
While things began to look up for
the Wolverines, they did not hold off
the Bulldog surge.
"We are a team that needs to play
STANDINGS
(AS OF 3/1)
W L
Michigan 21 7
Lake Superior 18 8
Michigan St. 17 7
W. Michigan 14 10
Miami 12 13
Ferris St. 9 15
Illinois-Chicago 8 16
Bowling Green 7 17
Ohio State 6 19
T
3
4
6
6
5
6
6
5
5
Pts.
45
40
40
34
29
24
22
19
17
I
its best hockey," Mancini said. "I
didn't think we came out strong in
the second period and look what
happened."
The Wolverines believed the
problem was mental but had few an-
swers to the questions Friday's woes
presented.
"Ask me a question, I don't have
an answer," defenseman Ward said.
"We just didn't do it."
His coach agreed.
"A large part of the game is
mental. There is no magic formula,
everyone needs to work hard,"
Berenson said Saturday. "The good
thing is we won our game tonight.
We needed to improve and we did
See CHAMPS, Page 5
KRISTOFFER GILLETTE/I
Michigan's Mike Helber rejoices after scoring in a 4-1 victory over Michigan State Feb. 21 at
Joe Louis Arena. Saturday, Michigan clinched the CCHA title by beating Ferris State, 4-3.
V
Ray
In
the
Shadows
by Albert Lin
Daily Basketball Writer
He is the forgotten one. The other
frosh. The rookie cager not part of
the spotlight. When people talk
about the Wolverines' best-ever
incoming crop, they rattle off
Webber, Rose, Howard and King.
But coach Steve Fisher's class
included five players.
His is the name not mentioned,
but that doesn't bother him. He
continues to bide his time in the
shadows, working hard and
improving his game. His dedication
paid off Feb. 9 against Notre Dame
when he was inserted into the
starting lineup, the final piece in
Michigan's first-year basketball
puzzle.
His name is Ray Jackson.
Eu.
Austin is a typical large city in
many ways. It has a population of
500,000 people from various ethnic
backgrounds. It has its big buildings.
It has a major university. It even has
a famous blues club,Antone's.
Austin is also the capital of
Texas, the largest of the 48
contiguous states. Northerners may
think being from a southern state has
its drawbacks, but Texas natives
have a certain air about them
exemplified by the phrase "Don't
mess with Texas" - they are proud
of where they are from and will stick
together.
"A lot of people up here (in
Michigan) may talk funny, or can't
understand you," says sophomore
forward Rich McIver, who was
Class 4A Player of the Year two
aeann aon for Br2nAzfrt High in
Jackson is happy'
away from spotlight
home collect. A scant couple of days
later, the phone rang and the
operator asked, "Would you accept a
collect call from Ray Jackson Jr.?"
Gladys, with good reason, was a
bit worried. But as it turned out, she
had no reason to be. Where was
Ray? At the local 7-Eleven.
"(I did it) just to see what would
happen," Jackson recalls. "I was
right around the corner, so I knew
where I was at. I was just messing
with her."
"He does that," Gladys says. "He
takes you at your word and he tests
you to see if you're really telling
him the truth."
U..
Little Ray was always interested
in sports. His father is a high school
coach, soit seemed only natural.
Although Ray Sr. is involved with
- track and football at Lyndon Baines
Johnson High in Austin, Ray Jr.
found his way to basketball.
"I don't know whether he was
encouraged to play basketball or not,
but he wasn't really encouraged to
play football," says Ray Sr., who
was a football All-American at
Southwest Texas State. "I got a lot
of pressure on me to play him, to get
him to play football, but I was
always with the concept that as long
as they participated in the things
they wanted to do, and were fully
devoted to what they were doing, I
didn't have a problem with that. ... I
just like to see him do what he was
doing.
* "He always played above his
head. He never did really want to
play with the kids that were his age.
I know that when I would have him
Over the break, guard Jen Nuanes and the rest of the Wolverines stunned
Big Ten rivals Minnesota and Indiana while falling to Iowa and Ohio State.
Women's basketball
gains split over break w
by Adam Miller prove it again."
Daily Basketball Writer Yesterday's 73-59 loss to ti
he
It was once said that 90 percent
of sports is 50 percent mental. The
Michigan women's basketball team,
which struggled through the first
three-quarters of the season, is
claiming its 50 percent.
The Wolverines (3-12 in the Big
Ten, 7-17 overall) were obliterated
at Iowa to start spring break, and
were defeated by Ohio State yester-
day. But Michigan sandwiched in
two convincing victories, over
Minnesota and Indiana, between the
loses. The victnr at Minneenst awa
Buckeyes at Crisler didn't prove
much, though, except that fast, phys-
ical teams can still give the
Wolverines fits. Ohio State scored
22 fast-break points, and used a
physical style of play on both ends
of the court to give Michigan signif-
icant foul trouble. Forward Michelle
Hall and guard Leah Wooldridge
both fouled out for Michigan, and
the Buckeyes were in the bonus for
the last 9:53 of the game.
"This was a really rough game,"
eid Andre, wh n led the
-4 -