The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday - September 15, 1997 - 7B Intense competition between teammates Mortimer and Sullivan pushes both men By Chris Farah Daily Sports Writer Consider the gauntlet thrown. The duel is on, and the opening round of the season-long battle between Michigan cross country stars John Mortimer and Kevin Sullivan could hardly have had a more defini- tive outcome. Make the tally Mortimer 1, Sullivan 0. In impressive fashion. Mortimer's first-place finish at Saturday's Jayhawk Invitational in Lawrence, Kan., gives the junior an early advantage in the friendly rivalry he shares with Sullivan. "Sullivan's training about 100 miles a week' Mortimer said. "So he's not going to be real sharp, because he's going to be tired. But he'll be there, and it'll be great for us to both race together and train together." Not only did Mortimer win the Jayhawk, but he also managed to break the course record with a time of 25:19. Not that Sullivan's performance was by any means mediocre. The senior placed third in the overall field, com- ing in second for Michigan. His time of 25:38 put him 19 seconds behind Mortimer and seven seconds behind second-place Noah Lagat of Butler (Kan.) County Community College. "I was with John up until about two miles, and then he broke away from me," Sullivan said. "Then I started coming back on him a little bit, but he dropped me on a hill. He's in really good shape right now, he's got a lot of confidence, and he's running really well." This season marks the first opportu- nity for both runners to go head to head in top condition. Two years ago, it was Mortimer who wasn't quite prepared. A fresh- man on the cross country team, he hadn't learned the ropes well enough to effectively compete with Sullivan. That year, Sullivan won the Big Ten and NCAA District IV championships for the third consecutive time. But the next season was Mortimer's turn to shine, as he began to realize his own potential while Sullivan was side- lined with an ankle injury. In his turn, Mortimer also managed to capture both the Big Ten and NCAA district titles, giving Michigan the individual conference and district championships for four consecutive years. Having both runners healthy in the same season is key to Michigan's chances of success. Sullivan, however, hasn't entirely recovered from the nagging injury of a year ago - undoubtedly one of the primary rea- sons for Mortimer's domination in Kansas. "It's been years since I ran cross country," Sullivan said. "So I'm really kind of re-learning it." Sullivan considers himself to be at about 85 percent, but says he is steadi- ly improving. "I'm in good shape," he said. "It's just a matter of fine tuning and getting back into it mentally." Once Sullivan regains his old form, expect him to be a lot more competi- tive with Mortimer. And expect Michigan to benefit as the result. "For us to be even more competitive as a team, I need to close the gap between John and myself," Sullivan said. "Especially when we get in against competition where I can't be 20 seconds behind John because that'll put four or five runners in front of us. "It'll come in the next few meets, I'm sure." a v, FILE PHOTO The Michigan men's cross country team won the Jayhawk invitational over the weekend, while John Mortimer set a course record with a time of 25:19. 'M' golf rests in ninth with a day to play Peter Romer"Friedman or the Daily A transition year. That is precisely what the Michigan men's golf team .faces. Only a few months after competing in the NCAA championships, the Wolverines are cutting their losses and moving on. Junior Mike Harris, the one returning starter from last year, leads the olverines, who will have to count on 'uth and veterans to contribute. Last weekend, the Wolverines teed off in their first tournament of the sea- son, the Reliastar Invitational in Minneapolis. Michigan coach Jim Carras took five, players to the tournament - Mike Harris, Kevin Harris, Scott Hayes, Kevin Vernick and Kevin Hinton. :After 36 holes, Michigan held the slth position in the competative tour- nament, which concludes with an 18- hole round today. "Three of the top 20 teams in the country are in the Reliastar: LSU, Oklahoma and UCLA," Carras said. "We're not competitive with the top teams in the nation. We need to give the new kids some experience."' Mike Harris shot an impressive 73 in the morning and again in the after- noon. Carras was impressed with Harris' performance. "Mike will definitely be our No. 1 player," Carras said. The biggest surprise of the day for the Wolverines was the play of Kevin Vernick, who matched Mike Harris' score with 74 and 72 to lead the team. Vernick had never competed in a round of team tournament play until yesterday. "I'm pretty happy with my play today," Vernick said. "I putted really well and stroked the ball well. I used my brain and was missing in the right places. Golf is 95 percent mental." Another Wolverine who put up encouraging numbers was Kevin Hinton, who shot a 76 and a 74. "Kevin Hinton is showing improve- ment every time he goes out," Carras said. The only real disappointment of the day came when Kevin Harris - the brother of fellow Wolverine Mike Harris - shot an 80 and an 84. Kevin, a walk-on freshman, has the potential to be better than his older brother Mike, according to Carras. "I've gained a lot of experience," Kevin Harris said. "I had a lot of fun, but fun doesn't make up for what I shot. I wanted to shoot well but it just didn't happen. If my putter comes back I'll be fine." In any sport, having brothers on the same team can either be the greatest or most ominous situation. But in the case of Mike and Kevin Harris, their relationship could be the key factor to a successful season. "We've competed every day on the golf course," Kevin Harris said. "Mike was the hardest worker in the family. Whenever he went down to the golf course, I tagged along." "It's amazing how they look out after each other," said teammate Kevin Vernick. "Mike was going to the bath- room in the airport when coach told everyone to go to the van outside. Kevin waited for Mike until he came back. They help each other out. "Mike has passed along a lot of knowledge to Kevin. They both want to succeed." Since Kevin's brother is the top golfer at Michigan, it's only natural for others to compare them. "I've been in his shadow my whole life," Kevin Harris said. "I've been right behind him. I can be as good as him. You never know when you'll show up one day and everything clicks." Today the Wolverines play another round of 18 holes. They have the opportunity to surpass two teams that are within a few shots. With many other freshmen and sophomores waiting to break into tournament play, Kevin Harris' perfor- mance today could be critical. "I'm gonna go out and grind it out all the way," said Kevin Harris. "I'll have fun and remember why I'm here. To play my best." Concerning the youthful nature of his squad, Carras said that he is wait- ing for underclassmen to rise to the challenge. "We have a number of good fresh- men," Carras said. "Three are on par- tial scholarship. It's going to be an interesting year. We're going to call it a rebuilding year. But it may not end up being that. We might end up being pretty good. "These freshmen and sophomores and some of the kids who didn't have the experience may surface for us." JONATHAN bUMMER/p81y Kyle Dobbs would be proud of his former Michigan teammates this weekend. The Wolverines reside in ninth place with today's round serving as the final day of play. Watkins leads golfers f _ _ _ By Nancy Berger Daily Sports Writer When freshman golfer Trish Watkins stoodat the tee in her first collegiate golf tournament last weekend, she noticed something slightly unusual to her at the par-72 Forest Akers West Golf Course in Apt Lansing. It didn't take long for Watkins, a Darien, Conn., native, to fig- ure out what the course was missing - hills. The distinct topographical feature is something that most East-Coasters have to gets.used to not seeing as they drive through the Midwest. Watkins, though, did not use that as an excuse or deterrent in her first collegiate outing. Instead, the Wolverine prefers challenge to her game. 'I played in the East where the grass was different,' she said. "Here, it was a lot less hilly but much longer. It also played longer because it was wet." Watkins made quite an adjustment fronr the junior ranks as she tied with teamtnhite and senior Nicole Green for 29th. :place. The two Wolverines each impioved their third and final round scores to shoot a 248 for an 83 average, ping Michigan finish fifth at the Spartan Fall Invitational. The freshman rose to the challenge as the veteran Green commended Watkins's play on the green. "Trish had spectacular putting rounds because she was hitting the greens so well;" Green said. As Michigan's top performer, junior, Sharon Park's total of 235 and 78 aver- age tied her for seventh place, six strokes behind first-place finisher Kasey Gant of Michigan State. Despite Park's first-round 76, Michigan got off to a slow start as the rest of the five Wolverines averaged an 86. The team did not fare much better in the second round as they shot four strokes worse for a 330. "The first two rounds were played in one day, and the freshmen are not used to playing 36 holes," Green said. "It was the third time they played 36 holes." The Wolverines recuperated overnight and redeemed themselves to shoot a 318 on the final day. "There is a different mentality (at the collegiate level)," she said. "I force it more because there is a difference in knowing I am doing it for the team rather than myself." BLANCHI For More Information Contact: R s s .>' BIANCHI-ROSSI TOURS at 800-875-4525 Web site: www.bianchi-rossi.com 0 .flflnoerea y! . ,, 0 y c4 C w si~,FF (we tke +1.f) MICHIGAN real music. -809 A scheduled for MAW, ® (~tU49scay i 1\ F ,n , 1 ki~,14 In tA(Bt"ee5 A. AV IA11 1 p n - YOUR BRAIN YOUR BRAIN PLAYING j' T r vrT'M f"TA7T. re. ,A t: YAA J tat P., rm m - a 0 Gplwlm3qqx " MO et-iton s- . .a..- ge it frst.. ,j,. j''.'/ rs oion~geeased muic from same ba st-gin wftara~aisbno to 1-3 z. 11 tVAtnEv~fPD v +a Rh M 'e*Itrp 'Somneth; a f(cc1Je Pcwea a vA sS*; 7 r-LIA~i 1 -- a 0e2 hla b - f i vvNT. 1