The Michigan Daily - Thursday, February 19, 1998 - 11A
kecords, Hoosiers may fall this
weekend in seniors' last hurrah
By Jordan Field
Sly Sports Writer
Tomorrow, when the No. 13 Michigan
wrestling team faces Indiana at Cliff Keen
Arena, will be the final home dual meet for
senior All-Americans Bill Lacure, Jeff
Catrabone and Airron Richardson.
The three starters - along with Steve
Basmajian and Brandon Howe, who was an
All-American two seasons ago - will be
honored before the match as part of an annu-
al senior night to salute their careers at
Michigan.
As for the matches, the Wolverines do not
anticipate having any problems with the
unranked Hoosiers, but the team is quick to
say that no Big Ten dual match comes easily.
"You can never underestimate anyone in
the Big Ten," 126-pound Joe Warren said.
"There are 11 teams in the Big Ten, and some
are weaker than others, but none are easy
wins. You always have to be ready."
Although Warren is reluctant to admit it,
on paper the Wolverines should be able to
*ndle the Hoosiers. Michigan boasts six
ranked starters including Warren, who is No.
15. Indiana does not start any ranked
wrestlers.
"We are a stronger dual-meet team, and we
know we can beat Indiana," Michigan coach
Dale Bahr said. "We have been working real-
ly 'hard this week, and this is the type of
match we think that will let us end our dual
meet season with a win."
Indiana's best wrestler, Mike Powell -
ranked seventh at 167 - will not compete
because of a concussion problem. He has suf-
fered six concussions, and Bahr said he heard
Powell's wrestling days are over.
Powell's absence leaves No. 4 Catrabone to
likely face unranked Butch Hildebrand.
Catrabone has 15 falls on the season and he
needs one more to tie Rob Rechsteiner
(1983-84) for Michigan's record for falls in a
season. Reichsteiner hit his record more than
a decade ago in the 1983-84 season.
"I though I was going to have to pin
(Powell) for the record," Catrabone joked.
"But with someone else in there, well, that
changes everything."
Aside from Catrabone's mark, other
Wolverines are also flirting with the record
book and personal bests. Damion Logan, at
134, is riding a team-best six match win
streak and Catrabone, Lacure and Richardson
continue to climb on the all-time victory list.
A win for Richardson would be his 126th,
and will move him out of a tie for seventh
place on Michigan's all-time list.
For other Wolverines, this match offers an
opportunity for some of the guys who have
been struggling all season to get a win under
their belts Bahr hopes the match will help
build some confidence heading into Big
Tens, which begin March 8.
"It would be nice to get wins at weight
classes that we don't always have," Bahr said.
"We want to go out there and have everyone
wrestle hard. I think all of our guys have an
opportunity to leave with a win."
Ryan Balcom, Michigan's starting 190-
pounder said he feels confident going against
Indiana and preparing for Big Tens.
"This match can really be a big confi-
dence-booster for some of us, and it'd be
great to get things rolling heading into Big
Tens," Balcom said. "I think we can run the
board against them."
If the Wolverines do shut out the Hoosiers,
it would be the first blanking of the season,
and would be their program's 50th win all-
time against Indiana. But Bahr just wants to
make sure that Michigan gets the victory.
"We've been working so hard getting ready
for Big Tens, that I just hope our legs aren't
too tired," he said. "We are at the point of the
season where the guys can see the light at the
end of the tunnel, and want to just work on
Big Tens, but this is a good last test for us,
and you always want to end your dual season
with a win."
Catrabone said the seniors especially want
to end the season, and their careers, with a
win.
"I think it's going to be interesting for us"
he said. "The five of us have been here for a
long time, and every match we've had I knew
no matter what happened, we're going to do
this again, but this time is the last, and that is
major motivation for us. We want to end with
a win, and I want to put on a show."
LOUIS BROWN/Daily
Senior Jeff Catrabone said he wants to "put on a show" at tonight's season-ending dual meet with
Indiana. If Catrabone can win his match with a fail, he'll move into sixth in the Michigan record books.
Michigan men's track team splits, travels
to separate meets to capture NCAA bids
By Josh Borkin
Daily Sports Writer
For the first time this season, the Michigan men's
track team will be split. The separation will deter-
mine whether the sprinters can hold their own with-
out the top distance runners.
Michigan's sprinters, along with some of the
younger distance runners, will travel down
Washtenaw Avenue to participate in the Eastern
Michigan Classic tomorrow at 1 p.m.
While the sprinters will stay close to home, the
"Big Three" of Kevin Sullivan, John Mortimer and
Jay Cantin, along with strong 800-meter runner
Don McLaughlin, will travel to Boston for an
invite-only meet.
After its defeat by Eastern Michigan last week-
end, Michigan will attempt to capture several first-
place finishes and a couple of NCAA bids.
The Wolverines have depended on the distance
runners for most of their points this season. With
Big Tens coming up next weekend, Friday's meet
will test whether the sprinters can do it on their
own.
"This is our last chance before Big Tens to show
everyone that we are a strong sprint group," co-cap-
tain Brian Theisen said. "Many of our runners will
use this weekend for one or two solid races, and try
to get mentally prepared for next weekend."
A key component of the Wolverines No. 3 nation-
al ranking has been the distance team's week-after-
week dominance. While the sprinters acknowledge
that, several runners also believe the team needs
contributions from other areas.
"Although the distance team is one of the best in
the country and they have earned us valuable
points, we can only succeed as a team," sprinter
Martin Bowman said. "While the sprint squad has
been molding and improving every week, the sprint
and distance squads have realized the importance of
each other."
Martin Bowman, the twin brother of sprinter
Kevin Bowman, will sit out this weekend after
pulling a hamstring in last week's Central
Collegiate. The top sprinters - Kevin Bowman,
Theisen, and Steve Jenkins, who will make his
return Friday from a hamstring injury, will use the
EMU Classic as the last warm-up before Big Tens.
Jenkins had the strongest start this season but
recent injuries have hampered his performance. He
had captured top-three finishes in several promi-
nent meets.
Jenkins "has tremendous potential" according to
Michigan coach Jack Harvey, and tomorrow night
will be his last test before Big Tens, when he goes
head-to-head with some of the best sprinters in the
country.
Kevin Bowman and Brian Theisen have been the
biggest surprises this season.
Last year, both recorded average times and were
unable to compete with the premier runners in the
Big Ten.
This season, however, Bowman and Theisen con-
tinue to record personal bests. Bowman has run a
team best 22.08 in the 200 meters, while Theisen
recorded a 48.89 400 time.
Cantin, Sullivan, Mortimer and McLaughlin will
use the Boston invitational to build speed.
"Our workouts this season have been very
demanding," Sullivan said. "We have worked a lot
on endurance and conditioning, but just recently we
have begun to do some intense speed workouts."
Sullivan will run in the 1,000, an event that is
shorter and quicker than he is accustomed to.
"I am excited to run ii this event," Sullivan said.
"I have not really ran a 1,000 in a while and I think
running a shorter race will help me build up my.
speed for Big Tens and NCAAs."
Boston will feature some of the best distance run-
ners in the nation, from many eastern schools as
well as several top-ranked teams, including
Arizona, Arkansas and South Carolina.
MARGARET MYERS/Daily
n Mortimer will be foregoing a trip to Ypsilanti this weekend. Mortimer and
three teammates are going to Boston, having received invitations to a meet there.
Track stars to cut back on events at EMU Invite
W1lhat could have been..
An Achilles' tendon injury has relegated freshman Julie froud to a spectator's
role for the indoor season. Froud most likely would have been a major contribu-
tor in the indoor season, Below, a list of her cross country acheivements.
By Chris Duprey
Daily Sports Writer
For the Michigan women's track team, Saturday's
*stern Michigan Classic will serve as a crystal ball.
Michigan head coach James Henry and distance
coach Mike McGuire have opted to leave many of
their best athletes at home this weekend as a precau-
tionary measure. With the Big Ten Championships
looming on the horizon - Feb. 28 and Mar. I - the
runners already are beginning to taper.
Instead, Michigan's young runners will be given the
opportunity to compete at a top-level meet.
"Our overall focus is rest," Henry said. "We're not
ing to double or triple (event) our top athletes."
Almost half of the Wolverines' normal lineup will
not run at all. The other half will be running an unusu-
al combination of events.
Top guns Tania Longe and Katie McGregor will see
very little action. Longe will only compete in the 55-
meter hurdles, skipping the long jump this weekend.
McGuire and McGregor will decide prior to the meet
if the distance star even steps on the track at all.
But Michigan isn't conceding the meet by any
stretch. The athletes that will be running have a great
chance for success in Ypsilanti.
"We have a number of athletes who would be trav-
eling and competing for other programs," Henry said.
"They've been training hard, and they will compete
well."
FROUD LIVES: Distance runner Julie Froud would
like the world to know she is alive, but for now, she's
missing in action. One thing's for sure - the fresh-
man's anxious to get back on the track.
"Running's such a part of my life," Froud said.
"Without it, I lose focus."
- ---------- A severe bout of tendinitis in
Froud's ankle has sidelined her
for the entire indoor track sea-
Notebook son. Froud and McGuire opted
------------------ to redshirt her for the indoor
season, allowing Froud a fifth year in both cross coun-
try and indoor track.
Froud was one of McGuire's most solid contributors
during cross country this past fall. She could always
be counted on to finish in the top three, along with
McGregor and Elizabeth Kampfe.
Now Froud must rehabilitate a stubborn ankle, and
she isn't exactly being patient with it.
"I always tend to come back too fast," she said.
"That's what's so frustrating."
In the meantime, Froud
lap splits on the sidelines,
occupies herself by taking
longing for the days when
going to the track meant competing.
Her injury will likely carry over into the outdoor
season. How she rebounds from such a setback
should prove consequential
"I love a challenge," Froud said. "But not these
challenges."
BIG TENS ARE A BIG TASK: For the Wolverines,
Big Tens represent an opportunity to accomplish
something only two Michigan women's indoor teams
have done since 1980: win the Big Ten champi-
onship.
The last time the Wolverines captured the title was
in 1994, led by distance runner Molly McClimon,
who was named athlete of the championship.
But two teams stand in Michigan's way this time.
Wisconsin sports a strong distance squad, which car-
ries the Badgers a long way. Kampfe, McGregor and
Ouellet will have to come up big in the long distance
events to prevent Wisconsin from dominating.
Illinois has been the team of the '90s, winning four
indoor titles.
"They're definitely the favorites," Henry said.
"But anything can happen."
Event Michigan finish
Michigan Open First
Spartan Invitational Second
William & Mary Invitational Second
Michigan Intercollegiate Third
Wolverine Intercollegiate Second
Big Ten Championships Third
NCAA District IV Championships Third
NCAA National Championships Third
Overall finish
First
Third
Third
Fourth
Fourth
Ninth
Fifth
65th
Points
1,825
1,744
1,705
1,751
1,747
1,746
1,808
1,740
'M' women golfers to go
west for Midwest Classic
By Stephanie Offen
For the Daily
The Michigan women's golf team is
*pecting a good showing this week-
,end when it participates in the
'Midwest Classic at the Desert Springs
course in Phoenix, Ariz.
The Wolverines are coming off a
'disappointing performance at the
Regional Challenge in California last
State, Notre Dame, Penn State, Illinois
State, Northern Illinois and Southern
Illinois. Minnesota and Northwestern
will also participate and will host the
tournament.
Michigan competed against
Northwestern last week in California
but has yet to face any of the other
teams. The team will play 18 holes on
each of the two days it competes and
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